Three days had passed since I treated Princess Flora. In that time, I had stayed within the castle, avoiding unnecessary attention while preparing for my next steps.
Early in the morning, Alfred summoned me to his office.
Inside, the king stood beside a young girl, dressed in a neat maid uniform. She looked to be around fourteen or fifteen years old, with short brown hair tied neatly with a ribbon. Her blue eyes were sharp, yet nervous, as if she wasn't sure what to expect.
"This is Lena, your new assistant," Alfred said. "She will help you with whatever you need while you're in the castle."
I glanced at the girl. She bowed quickly, her hands tightly clasped in front of her.
"It's an honor to serve you, Master Yuuya," she said, though her voice wavered slightly.
Master? That was new.
I frowned slightly. "You don't have to call me that."
She hesitated but nodded. "Understood."
Alfred crossed his arms. "Lena is one of our most promising young maids. She's hardworking and observant. If you need anything, she will assist you."
I studied her again. She looked capable but unsure, probably confused about why a boy my age required an assistant.
"Fine," I said. "Just don't get in my way."
Lena's posture stiffened slightly before she nodded.
Alfred chuckled. "Now that introductions are done, there's someone else waiting to see you."
Alfred led me through the halls toward the royal garden. There, sitting beneath an intricately carved pavilion, was the queen.
Unlike before, she wasn't crying. Today, she looked composed and elegant, dressed in a long flowing gown of deep blue. The moment she saw me, she rose from her seat.
"Yuuya," she said softly, her golden eyes filled with emotion. "I wanted to thank you… and to apologize."
I stopped a few steps away from her. "Apologize?"
She took a deep breath. "I doubted you. I thought… I thought putting my daughter's life in your hands was a mistake. But you saved her. I will never forget that."
Her eyes shimmered, but she kept herself composed.
I scratched the back of my head. "It doesn't matter."
She blinked.
"You had every right to doubt me," I continued. "I would've done the same in your position."
For a moment, the queen was speechless. Then, a small, relieved smile crossed her lips. "Even so… thank you."
I simply nodded.
Alfred, watching from the side, chuckled. "He's not the type to dwell on formalities."
The queen laughed softly. "I can see that."
After a few more words of gratitude, I excused myself. There were more important things I needed to do.
With Lena following behind me, I made my way toward the Royal Library—one of the largest collections of knowledge in the kingdom.
The towering doors loomed before me, lined with intricate carvings of magical symbols. Inside, shelves stretched endlessly, filled with thousands of books. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a soft golden light over the polished wooden floors.
Lena hesitated at the entrance. "Do you… need help finding something?"
I didn't answer immediately.
(There are three things I need to look for.)
Information about my hometown, Records of teleportation magic and A way back home.
I turned to her. "Can you gather any books related to teleportation magic?"
She blinked, surprised by the request, but quickly nodded. "Of course."
As she disappeared into the maze of shelves, I moved toward the historical archives.
I spent hours searching through records—maps, travel logs, and historical documents—but found nothing about my hometown. It was as if my village didn't exist.
(Why…? Where did I really come from?)
My fingers tightened around the pages of a book before I forced myself to breathe. I would find the answer. It was just a matter of time.
Three days later, while I was scanning a book on ancient magic circles, a knock came at my door.
Lena stepped inside, her expression urgent.
"Master Yuuya, the princess has awakened."
I immediately set the book aside. "Take me to her."
When I entered the room, I found Flora sitting up in bed, her once pale complexion now a soft pink. She still looked weak, but her breathing was steady.
The queen sat beside her, holding her hand, while Alfred stood near the window, watching them with a rare softness in his expression.
When Flora saw me, she tilted her head.
"You're… the boy from my dreams," she murmured.
I blinked. "Dreams?
Alfred and the queen exchanged glances, but Flora simply smiled faintly. "Never mind… I just feel like I saw you before."
I frowned slightly. (We've never met before. So why would she say that…?)
Deciding to set the thought aside, I took a step forward and placed a hand over my chest.
"I'm Yuuya," I said. "I'm the one who's been treating you."
I didn't press further.
Instead, I focused on checking her mana flow.
After a few moments, I nodded. "Your condition is stable, but you still need weekly treatments. Until you can control the mana on your own, I'll keep absorbing the excess."
The queen's grip on Flora's hand tightened. "So she's not fully cured?"
I shook my head. "Not yet. But she's out of danger."
Alfred exhaled, relief visible in his posture. "That's enough for now."
Flora smiled softly. "Thank you, Yuuya."
I simply nodded.
Later that night, back in my room, I sat at my desk, flipping through a book on ancient runes.
But before I could focus, a sharp pain spread through my chest.
(…Not again.)
I gritted my teeth as I coughed—a violent, wet cough that left a metallic taste in my mouth.
Blood splattered onto the desk.
"Master Yuuya!" Lena's voice was filled with panic. She rushed to my side, eyes wide with fear. "You're coughing up blood…!"
I wiped my mouth, breathing heavily. "It's fine."
"Fine? That's not fine!" She reached for the door. "I need to call someone—"
I grabbed her wrist.
"Don't," I said firmly. "No one can know."
She froze, staring at me.
I forced a smirk. "If the king finds out, he might make me stop treating the princess."
"But… you're hurt…"
"It's not important." I leaned back, trying to steady my breathing. "Just help me clean this up."
Lena hesitated, but after a moment, she nodded reluctantly.
As she wiped the blood away, I stared at my trembling fingers.
(The mana I absorbed… It's affecting me more than I thought.)
For now, I could handle it.
But how much longer before the cost became too high?