A pleasant autumn breeze gently flowed into Asella's room.
Though the temperature and humidity were perfectly comfortable, my head felt slightly dizzy, as if intoxicated.
Perhaps it was because my heart was constricting under Asella's gaze, which had been fixed on me for some time now.
Or maybe it was due to the fragrance wafting from the table.
*Flower scent?*
While I was spacing out, something moist brushed against my hand.
"Huff, huff."
It was Max's tongue.
Thanks to that, my tension eased a bit. I really do like dogs because they honestly show affection when treated well.
After petting him a little, Max lifted his upper body and acted cute toward me. Adorable fellow.
"Max, come here."
Though Asella called him, Max clung to me and wouldn't leave.
"Max?"
This is a bit awkward. Hey, your owner is calling you.
Look, she's making a displeased expression.
I'm going to die at this rate, Max.
[No. 056: Villainess's Hatred 12% → 11%]
[Fluctuating]
Huh?
For something like that, she doesn't seem particularly angry.
Rather, the probability of Asella's anger ending is decreasing slightly.
"Max!"
When Asella called out forcefully once more, Max finally returned to her side.
Asella, sitting in her chair, gestured to me.
"You, come here."
After taking a few steps closer, I saw they were the yellow roses she had picked earlier in the garden.
She had picked quite a lot in that short time.
There seemed to be at least a hundred roses.
[No. 003: Beheading of a Hundred People 64% → 63%]
[Fluctuating]
The numbers in the status window changed slightly.
*The flowers must be the key.*
Suddenly, without warning, Asella turned her head and glared at me with fierce eyes.
*Goodness, that startled me. My heart nearly stopped.*
She's actually quite pretty when she's just sitting still.
Like a doll.
"Did you bring a knife?"
"Yes, I did."
"Cut off the thorns, like you did earlier."
"Of course."
I stood beside the table, took out my dagger, and began carefully cutting the thorns from the rose stems.
"What are you doing?"
Asella asked me. I was confused, not understanding the intent of her question.
You told me to do this.
"...I'm cutting off the thorns?"
"There's a chair right there."
"You want me to sit down?"
"Do I have to teach you everything?"
"Of course not."
I immediately pulled out the chair and sat down. I was seated at a right angle to Asella.
Was she being considerate by telling me to sit?
No, she probably just wanted me to stay still because I was distracting her.
I continued working. Only the sound of trimming the stems continued.
Asella watched me vigilantly with her hand resting on Max's head.
...Time passed.
As I repeated the same action, my tension gradually eased.
Just as my mind began to wander...
"...Ouch."
Asella's brief cry of pain suddenly snapped me back to attention.
Asella was holding a rose. It was one whose thorns I hadn't yet removed.
"It won't come off easily. Why does this have to be so troublesome?"
A dark red drop of blood trailed down from Asella's index finger where she had gripped the base of the flower.
*Oh no, this is bad.*
I should have been more careful to keep her from touching them.
The princess has always been too curious for her own good.
My reputation is already that of a troublemaker.
If someone sees this and misunderstands that I injured Asella, it would be a headache.
"Come to think of it, if only the head is pretty, do we really need the rest?"
Saying that, Asella snapped the rose head off its stem with a distinct sound.
The yellow rose became stained red with Asella's blood.
Then the ending list probabilities changed.
[No. 003: Beheading of a Hundred People 63% → 65%]
[Fluctuating]
Based on my previous experience, I could make a guess.
*It seems the probability increases the more negative experiences Asella has.*
The more strongly something leaves an impression in Asella's memory, the easier it becomes for her to use that to commit evil acts.
I judged that treating her wound might help improve the situation.
"Princess."
"What?"
I took out a handkerchief from my pocket.
I grabbed Asella's wrist.
It was a thin, white wrist with a weak pulse that barely felt alive.
"...What are you doing?"
"If you're injured, you should treat it. It's simple. There's no need to remove the flower head."
I dampened the handkerchief with some water from the nearby teapot and wiped away Asella's blood.
I carefully cleaned around the wound to prevent infection.
"Let's see..."
There was a linen scarf in the room.
I cut it thinly with my knife to make a straight strip.
A disposable bandage was complete.
I wrapped it around her injured index finger, binding it not too tightly.
Asella tilted her head.
"What is this? Healing magic?"
"Not healing, but treatment. Blood naturally clots, so it will heal this way. Using healing magic unnecessarily would actually be worse."
I said with a slight smile.
"You have a constitution that doesn't respond well to healing magic, Princess."
"...Hmm, that's right."
Asella examined the bandaged finger carefully for quite some time.
Her curious eyes slowly turned toward me.
"Did you treat Max earlier too?"
"It was simple first aid like this. Part of the treatment."
"You called it medicine, right?"
"That's correct."
"I like it. What else?"
"Pardon?"
"What else do you have?"
Her devilish grinning face clearly showed she wanted something more entertaining.
*How should I respond?*
[No. 003: Beheading of a Hundred People 68% → 42%]
[Changed]
The probability was noticeably decreasing.
This is good.
I really don't want to be beheaded.
I should try to lower it even more.
It seems Asella is somewhat listening to my suggestion that she doesn't need to remove the flower heads.
I'll push a bit further.
"Also, roses are more beautiful with their stems."
"Why?"
"Look carefully."
Asella, her interest piqued, adjusted her position in the chair to face me.
I picked up a rose whose thorns I hadn't yet removed.
"As you can see, roses have thorns."
"Yes. Thanks to that, I got injured. Yet you say the stem is beautiful, Lord Gotberg."
I put the thorny rose in my inner pocket. It would be troublesome if Asella carelessly touched it and got hurt again.
"The more beautiful the flower, the sharper its thorns. The more beautiful something is, the more enemies it has trying to take it, so it naturally needs to protect itself."
"Hmm, and?"
Asella raised her chin as if waiting to see what else I would say.
I slightly bent the rose stem in my hand.
It was relatively pliable.
Yellow roses are a unique species that only exists in this world. I had confirmed this while researching plants for medicinal use before.
This should work.
"What I'm about to show you can only be made with flowers that still have their stems."
I arranged the trimmed roses neatly.
Then I folded one stem horizontally and wove it, repeating the process.
"...Huh."
Asella showed surprise as she watched my hands moving back and forth.
After some time, a crown of roses was completed on the table.
"You couldn't make this if you removed the flower heads."
Asella carefully picked up the crown I made and examined it from various angles.
Does she like it or not?
I can't tell from her expression alone.
"Why is it ring-shaped?"
Ah, she doesn't know it's a crown.
I gently picked up the crown and placed it lightly on Asella's small head.
"It's a decoration worn on the head like this."
Asella blinked her large eyes several times, apparently not having considered this use for the crown.
"Does it suit me?"
She asked, so I answered:
"You are the most beautiful in the world."
I hope that's not the wrong answer.
"I see."
Asella responded to me.
It seemed like an abrupt statement, so I asked again.
"See what?"
"It's better not to remove them."
Huh?
Did she just accept my opinion?
I carefully checked Asella's expression.
I cautiously observed her golden eyes, which were completely absorbed in the flower crown, careful not to meet her gaze directly.
It was quite unexpected.
She had never listened to anything I said before.
Maybe things were different ten years ago.
No, she must just be in a good mood today.
I decided not to read too much into it.
I checked the status window.
[No. 003: Beheading of a Hundred People 42% → 31%]
[Changed]
I feel like I'm walking on thin ice.
*Asella seems to have accepted my reasoning, but the ending hasn't been deleted. Judging by how the fluctuations are decreasing, this probably isn't the main incident.*
Still, I've reduced it significantly from the beginning.
I'm curious about what the main incident might be that would inspire Asella.
I asked Asella:
"By the way, Princess, what do you plan to do with these roses?"
"Hmm..."
Asella's lower lip pushed up slightly.
"Keep it a secret from others."
"Of course."
"I'm going to give them to Mother later."
"...As a gift?"
"That's right."
Asella affirmed confidently.
Wait, why is she picking flowers from someone else's garden to give as a gift to her mother?
It's like asking why buy something when you can steal it from your fiancé.
Her way of thinking is completely different from mine.
Well, she's the princess and will someday be the Emperor, so the Empire is essentially hers.
Your thinking is absolutely correct, Princess.
*Then the flower issue must be more related to the Empress rather than me.*
As I was organizing my thoughts, Asella spoke to me.
"Lord Gotberg."
"Yes, Princess."
"Good luck with the royal physician exam."
This stubborn ruler seems quite intent on making me her physician.
"Why me specifically?"
"I like you."
She must have taken note of my medical knowledge.
It makes sense she'd be interested after I saved Max's life.
She's a tyrant who pushes through her ideas no matter what.
Now that I've caught her eye, refusing her offer might lead to who knows what kind of retaliation.
At this point, I realized it would be impossible to maintain only a casual connection.
I need to eliminate all the bad endings Asella might cause anyway.
For that purpose, staying by her side for the time being would be convenient.
I also need to raise my social status to build achievements.
Even if I change direction later, her offer would undoubtedly serve as a good stepping stone.
...I've decided.
I'll become the royal physician.
But I judged it would be better to attach favorable conditions.
"If I were to be selected as your physician, Princess."
Asella raised an eyebrow slightly.
"I would primarily use medicine. You would need to provide an environment suitable for medical-based treatment."
"Fine."
"As the eldest son, I must also look after my family. I will occasionally need to be absent, and I request your understanding. During those times, I will train nurses to attend to you."
"That's acceptable too."
"Finally."
I took out an envelope prepared in the room and wrote something on it.
I sealed it with wax and stamped it with my seal.
"If I render great service to you as your physician, you must fulfill the request written in this envelope."
"What did you write?"
"It's not an unrealistic demand like asking for the Empire. It's a simple matter that you could grant even now."
"Very well, if that's all."
When Asella reached for the envelope, I pulled my hand back slightly.
"I want a binding promise."
"How bold. Shall I use a geas?"
"Yes. You may verify with magic or artifacts that I'm not lying about the content being trivial."
Asella raised the corner of her mouth at my attitude.
It was a condescending look, as if challenging me to try any petty scheme.
Asella drew a formation in the air with her finger. Her golden mana leaked out and spread like a heat haze.
A geas. A magic of covenant.
A magic with binding force that ensures promises are kept no matter what.
"I, Asella von Württemfelt."
Her clear voice resonated, vibrating the magic formation.
"When Lars Gotberg renders great service as my physician, I will open the envelope and fulfill what is written therein."
Three magic formations rotated clockwise, flashing intensely.
"In the name of the great sage Deliphakereus."
—Flash!
The light concentrated in Asella's hand exploded outward.
The contract was established.
"I'm really curious about the contents now."
"It will be something that pleases you, Princess."
You bet it will.
You know very well how much you dislike me.
[Asella von Württemfelt will break off her engagement with Lars Gotberg, dismiss him from his position as physician, and safely remove him from the Imperial Palace.]
Don't I need at least this much insurance to return home safely?