The crisp autumn breeze softly flowed into Asella’s room.
The temperature and humidity were perfectly pleasant, yet my head felt a little dizzy, as if slightly intoxicated.
Maybe it was because of Asella’s gaze, fixed on since earlier, tightening around my heart.
Or perhaps it was due to the scent wafting from the table.
“A floral scent?”
Sothing damp brushed against my hand, snapping out of my daze.
“Huff, huff.”
It was Max’s tongue.
Thanks to him, so of the tension eased away. Dogs are simple creatures — treat them well, and they’ll love you openly. I can’t help but like them too.
I gently petted him, and Max raised his body, nuzzling against for affection. Cute little guy.
“Max, co here.”
Asella called, but Max clung to , showing no intention of leaving.
“Max?”
This is awkward. Hey, your owner’s calling you. Look, she doesn’t seem pleased. I might actually die here, Max.
[No. 056: Villainess’s Wrath 12% → 11%]
[Fluctuating]
Huh?
Despite how things appeared, she didn’t seem particularly angry. Rather, the probability of Asella’s rage-induced ending was slightly decreasing.
“Max!”
When Asella called more firmly, Max finally returned to her side.
Asella, now seated, gestured at .
“You. Co here.”
I approached a few steps closer. On the table, a cluster of yellow roses she’d cut earlier in the garden lay before .
She’d gathered quite a lot. No less than a hundred flowers.
[No. 003: Execution of the Hundred 64% → 63%]
[Fluctuating]
The numbers on the Ending List shifted slightly.
“So, the flowers are the key?”
Suddenly, Asella turned her head sharply, glaring at with those terrifying eyes.
Damn it. My heart almost stopped.
If she’d just sit quietly, she’d look pretty. Like a doll.
“Did you bring the knife?”
“Yes, as requested.”
“Just like before, cut off the thorns.”
“As you wish.”
Standing by the table, I drew out the dagger and began clipping the thorns off the rose stems.
“What are you doing?”
Asella asked. I couldn’t tell what she was getting at, so I hesitated.
You’re the one who told to do it.
“...I’m cutting the thorns?”
“There’s a chair right there.”
“You’re telling to sit down?”
“Do I really have to spell it out for you?”
“Of course not.”
I imdiately pulled out a chair and sat down. The chair was positioned at a right angle to Asella.
Was this her way of showing consideration? No, she probably just wanted to sit still and not make a ss.
The work continued. The sound of stems ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) being trimd echoed in the quiet room.
Asella rested her hand on Max’s head, watching as if she were keeping an eye on a particularly unpredictable pet.
...Ti passed.
Repeating the sa task over and over cald a bit.
I was just starting to space out when —
“Ouch.”
A short, pained exhale snapped to attention.
Asella was holding a single rose. It was one of the stems I hadn’t de-thorned yet.
“It won’t co off easily. Why is this one so troubleso?”
A single drop of dark crimson blood trailed down Asella’s index finger, which was clutching the rose’s base.
“Ah, damn it.”
I should’ve warned her not to touch it. She just had to be so damn curious.
Not that my reputation wasn’t already bad enough. If soone saw and thought I’d injured her, it’d be a nightmare.
“If you think about it, only the head of the flower is pretty. The rest is unnecessary, isn’t it?”
With that, Asella snapped the flower head from the stem.
The yellow rose was now stained red with her blood.
And the Ending List’s probability shifted again.
[No. 003: Execution of the Hundred 63% → 65%]
[Fluctuating]
Based on what I observed earlier —
“It seems like the more negative experiences Asella has, the higher the probability of triggering that ending.”
The more morable and intense the experience, the easier it’d be for her to act out those violent endings.
If I treated her wound, it might decrease the probability.
“Your Highness.”
“What?”
I pulled out a handkerchief from my pocket.
I grabbed her wrist. It was a thin, pale wrist, as if life itself barely pulsed through it.
“...What are you doing?”
“If you’re hurt, it’s best to treat it. It’s simple. There’s no need to snap off the flower heads.”
I dampened the handkerchief with water from the teapot nearby and began to wipe away the blood from Asella’s finger.
Carefully, I cleaned around the wound to prevent infection.
“Now then...”
There was a linen scarf lying nearby.
I cut it into a thin strip with the knife, fashioning a makeshift bandage.
I wrapped it gently around her injured finger, not too tightly.
Asella tilted her head, her gaze fixed on the wrapped finger.
“What’s this? Is this so sort of healing spell?”
“It’s not healing; it’s treatnt. Blood clots naturally, so this will help it heal. Using healing magic unnecessarily could actually make it worse.”
I smiled lightly.
“Your Highness doesn’t respond well to healing magic, after all.”
“...Hmm, that’s right.”
Asella continued to stare at her bandaged finger for a long mont. Her curious gaze drifted toward .
“You did the sa for Max earlier?”
“It was just a simple first aid treatnt, like this.”
“You called it dicine.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“I like it. What else?”
“Pardon?”
“What else do you know?”
She grinned like a devil, her expression demanding more entertainnt.
“What should I say?”
[No. 003: Execution of the Hundred 68% → 42%]
[Adjusted]
The probability had dropped significantly.
Good.
An execution involving a hundred people? No thanks. If possible, I need to lower it further.
The fact that Asella seed to accept my suggestion of not snapping the rose heads was a good sign.
Maybe I could push a bit further.
“Also, roses are more beautiful with their stems intact.”
“Why?”
“Look closely.”
Asella leaned forward, her interest piqued.
I picked up one of the roses that still had its thorns.
“As you can see, roses have thorns...”
“Yes. Thanks to you, I got hurt. And yet, Young Master, you say the stem is beautiful.”
I tucked the rose with remaining thorns into my inner pocket. It would be annoying if Asella mindlessly touched it again and got hurt.
“The more beautiful a flower, the sharper its thorns. The more captivating a being, the more enemies it attracts — so it must protect itself.”
“Hm. And so?”
Asella tilted her chin up, as if waiting for to continue.
I gently bent the rose stem in my hand. It was relatively pliable.
Yellow roses were a unique species that only existed in this world. I’d seen them while researching dicinal plants before.
This will work.
“What I’m about to show you can only be made with flowers that still have their stems.”
I placed the trimd roses neatly on the table. Taking one stem, I folded it horizontally and began weaving.
“...Oh?”
Asella watched my hands move back and forth with a fascinated expression.
After so ti, a floral crown made from the roses lay complete on the table.
“If the flower heads were removed, you wouldn’t be able to make this.”
Asella carefully picked up the floral crown, turning it over in her hands.
Did she like it or not?
I couldn’t tell just by looking at her face.
“Why is it in the shape of a ring?”
Oh. She didn’t know it was a crown.
I gently took the crown and placed it on Asella’s small head.
“It’s a decorative piece ant to be worn on the head.”
Asella blinked her large eyes a few tis, clearly not having expected that.
“Does it suit ?”
She asked.
“You are the most beautiful in the world.”
I answered.
Please, let that be the right response.
“I see.”
Asella replied.
It was such a sudden remark that I asked again.
“See what?”
“Leaving the stems on is better.”
Huh?
Did she just agree with ?
I glanced cautiously at Asella to gauge her mood.
Her golden eyes were still fixated on the floral crown, as if she were entranced by it.
That was... surprising.
Until now, Asella had never listened to .
Then again, it was ten years ago. Maybe things could be different this ti.
Or maybe she was just in a good mood today.
I decided not to dwell on it too much.
I checked the status window.
[No. 003: Execution of the Hundred 42% → 31%]
[Fluctuating]
I felt like I was walking on thin ice.
“Asella might have accepted it, but the ending hasn’t been deleted. Judging by the dwindling fluctuations, this probably isn’t the main incident yet.”
Still, I’d managed to reduce the probability by a lot compared to the beginning.
Now, I was curious about the incident that would truly inspire Asella.
I turned to Asella.
“By the way, Your Highness, what do you intend to do with these roses?”
“Hmm...”
Asella’s lower lip curled upward slightly.
“Keep it a secret from others.”
“Of course.”
“I’m going to give them to Mother later.”
“...As a gift?”
“Yes.”
Asella responded without hesitation.
Why on earth is she giving her mother a gift made from flowers she plucked from soone else’s garden?
Is this so sort of ‘Why pay for sothing when you can just take it from your fiancé’s estate’ mindset?
She truly thinks in a completely different way.
Then again, she is the imperial princess and the future emperor. The empire will belong to her eventually.
So technically, she’s not wrong.
“Then, the flower issue is more related to the Empress than to .”
As I was sorting through my thoughts, Asella spoke up.
“Young Master Gotberg.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Do well in the physician exam.”
This stubborn princess seed awfully intent on making her personal physician.
“Why are you so eager to have ?”
“I like you.”
Looks like she took a liking to dicine.
After all, I did save Max’s life, so it was only natural that she’d be interested.
She’s the type to push through her decisions no matter what.
Now that I’d caught her eye, refusing her offer could lead to unpredictable repercussions.
At this point, there was no way to avoid getting involved.
Besides, I’d need to eliminate all the bad endings caused by Asella anyway.
To do that, staying close to her would be the easiest course of action.
To accumulate achievents, I’d also need to elevate my social standing.
Even if I decided to change course later, her proposal was a solid stepping stone.
...It’s decided.
I would beco the imperial physician.
But it would be better to attach so favorable conditions.
“When I beco Your Highness’s physician...”
Asella raised a brow slightly.
“I intend to focus mainly on dical treatnts. I will need an environnt equipped for dical procedures.”
“Fine.”
“As the eldest son, I must also take care of my family. I may need to leave occasionally, but I will prepare a nurse to attend to you in my absence.”
“That’s acceptable.”
“And one last thing.”
I pulled out a letter envelope from the nearby desk and began writing.
I sealed it with wax and stamped it with my insignia.
“If, as Your Highness’s physician, I achieve significant rit, you will open this envelope and fulfill the request written inside.”
“What did you write in it?”
“It’s nothing unrealistic, like asking for the empire. It’s a simple matter that Your Highness could easily grant right now.”
“Alright, that’s fine.”
When Asella reached for the envelope, I withdrew it slightly.
“I want a formal contract.”
“You’re bold. Shall I use Geass?”
“Yes. And to verify that I’m not lying about the contents, Your Highness may use any magic or artifact you see fit.”
Asella’s lips curved into a sly smile, as if to say, ‘Go ahead and try whatever petty trick you have up your sleeve.’
She traced a pattern in the air with her finger.
Golden mana seeped from her fingertip, spreading like a hazy mist.
Geass. The magic of oaths.
A spell that compels the caster to keep their word, no matter what.
“I, Asella von Württempelt, hereby declare.”
Her clear, commanding voice reverberated as the magic circle pulsed.
“If Lass Gotberg, son of the Gotberg family, as my personal physician, renders substantial rit to , I shall open the envelope and fulfill the request written within.”
Three magic circles rotated clockwise, flashing brightly.
“In the na of the great sage Deliparcus.”
—BANG!
A burst of light exploded from Asella’s hand, sealing the contract.
“Now I’m really curious about what you wrote.”
“It’s sothing that will surely make Your Highness very happy.”
Oh, you’ll be thrilled, alright.
I know exactly how much you despise .
[When Asella von Württempelt annuls her engagent with Lass Gotberg, she will dismiss him from the position of personal physician and safely release him from the palace.]
I had to take out at least this much insurance if I wanted to make it out of here with all my limbs intact.
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