My office wasn't some exclusive restaurant with limited menu items, yet knights were flooding in like the tide, all clamoring about the same thing.
"Doctor, this epidemic simply won't go away. Please help us."
"Our unit has already suspended training for five days. Our captain is going to kill us."
They all shared the same urgent demeanor.
I could tell some were suffering from colds by their slurred speech and feverish heat.
"Cover your mouths first. I won't deal with anyone who comes within 10 meters of me."
"Our situation is urgent too. Please hear us out. Yesterday, more than half the knights were sick and couldn't even clean the barracks..."
One particularly talkative fellow stood out.
Bruno stepped forward, silently blocking his path.
"Back."
"But I need to speak with the doctor..."
"Back."
As the large-framed Bruno looked down at them, the knights dejectedly retreated to the office entrance.
It's my rotation with Tanya, and at times like this, Bruno proves quite useful.
"First, let me ask you something. Who told you that you could get aspirin from me?"
"Oh, so it's called aspirin!"
"Is it medicine? Something made from solidified divine power?"
"I heard it from Captain Gert, sir."
That's the captain who signed a contract with me.
That loose-lipped fool. I should have kept him in check better.
'Well, still.'
Medicine isn't personal property.
Its proper purpose is to spread widely and benefit as many people as possible.
That aligns with the spirit of Hippocrates, the father of medicine.
The fact that people were coming on their own to seek medicine was quite a positive development.
Spreading medical knowledge would naturally increase my achievements and improve the chances of a good ending, so this was a good opportunity.
"Alright, first thing you should know. Aspirin is a medicine that alleviates symptoms of the current epidemic. It was created thanks to the discipline of medicine... ugh, my mouth hurts."
I can't keep explaining this to everyone who asks.
When I have time, I should write a book.
No, that's too much trouble—I should have an assistant do it.
Oh right, I don't have an assistant or nurse.
Other court physicians have dozens of followers in their factions, so why am I like this?
Why am I doing everything myself, from pharmaceuticals to mask production?
I need to post a recruitment notice soon.
"First, my conclusion: I won't give you any aspirin."
"What?!"
"Why not! Aren't you from the Royal Medical Office?"
The knights gasped in shock, clearly not expecting my answer.
The reason was simple.
I'm out of stock.
About a week until the martial tournament ends. I barely have enough time to make supplies for the Wolgwang Palace personnel and the 2nd Regiment's 1st Company.
But there's no need to reveal my limitations.
Our faction is already being disrespected, and I can't afford to provide more reasons to be looked down upon.
I leaned back in my chair and said:
"From your armor emblems, you're from the 1st Regiment, 1st Princess faction. And 3rd Regiment, 1st Prince faction. Why should I show kindness to those who'll just take the medicine and forget about it?"
"No, we would never just forget about it..."
"I understand your urgency, but there's a proper order. You can't just barge into my office during work hours. And shouldn't you bring appropriate compensation?"
"W-we apologize for that."
The knights looked at me nervously.
I understand their urgency—some people are too sick with fever to move.
"I can't give you medicine, but I can tell you some countermeasures that work much better than healing spells."
"Really?!"
"Yes. Do you see what I'm wearing?"
The knights nodded.
"I was wondering what that was."
"I thought it was some new fashion trend."
"It makes you look rather handsome, doesn't it?"
I took a spare mask from my drawer and showed them its structure.
"Make something similar out of cloth to cover your mouth and nose. It won't cure the illness you already have, but it will reduce transmission by about 90 percent."
"With just that simple thing?"
"The Wolgwang Palace knights have all been wearing them, and they're perfectly healthy."
"So that cloth was the secret! Thank you, Doctor!"
The knights bowed deeply and rushed out of the office.
Next, they'll probably raid the imperial tailor shop. They're quite simple-minded.
"Easy to handle."
They seem to be the only honest people in the imperial court who don't have ulterior motives.
They give the impression of following whichever lord feeds them well.
Tanya is like that too.
The Wolgwang Palace knights are unusual, like Asella. They have keen political instincts.
No, Wolgwang Palace just stands out in every way within the imperial family.
"But Bruno, will it be alright?"
"What do you mean?"
"Since colds can only heal naturally, it will take over a week for complete recovery. Even if they start wearing masks now, knights from other factions won't be in top shape for the tournament."
"Well, wouldn't it be good if they were healthy?"
"No, it wouldn't. If I help other factions and we end up losing, Asella will torture me with magic."
"Doctor, I didn't know you had such preferences."
Bruno asked me with a completely serious face.
I chuckled and leaned back in my chair.
"Thanks for the response. Just confirming."
Ah, knights.
***
However, the next day, another visitor from an outside faction invaded my office.
"Doctor Gotberg! So you're Asella's new court physician!"
It was quite refreshing to be addressed so informally in the imperial palace.
She was even in a position to casually refer to Asella.
Her status was easy to identify.
"It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness."
I can't risk committing disrespect. I quickly stood up and greeted her properly.
She had the same blonde hair as Asella but with teal eyes reminiscent of luxurious jade, wearing a dress with open shoulders.
"My, I heard you were a notorious rascal in social circles, but you're quite proper! Those must have been baseless rumors spread by jealous people!"
The Empire's Second Princess, Lauga von Württemfelt, giggled and stroked my arm.
What a familiar princess.
"I heard Asella brought her unemployed fiancé to the imperial court and even gave him a job, so I thought you were nothing but her kept man. But hey, I hear the knights quite like you?"
She enjoys gossip and has a frivolous manner of speaking.
She was exactly as I had imagined from what Asella told me and the information I had gathered.
Lauga is the fourth child overall and the Second Princess, sharing the same mother as the Second Prince Georg.
But as you can see, despite being a successor, she seems far from becoming the next emperor.
"Haha, I'm honored that Your Highness knows my name. I've had opportunities to become friendly with the knights, but I'm surprised the story has reached as far as Geumseo Palace where Your Highness resides."
"You even know the name of my private chambers and have already checked out all the imperial women? Such a delicate appearance, yet so skilled. No wonder Asella fell head over heels for you."
Lauga snickered as if teasing me.
"You misunderstand. My skills worth boasting about are medicine and healing techniques, not womanizing."
"Oh my, taking it so seriously. I was just joking."
Lauga cackled with inexplicable delight.
This frivolous princess seems to have a head full of rosy pink thoughts.
She must know that Asella and I have a political marriage based on mutual interests.
"May I ask what brings Your Highness to grace this humble place with your presence?"
Lauga reached out her hand toward my chin.
I didn't appreciate her frivolous gesture, so I pulled back, causing her to narrow her eyes.
Did I offend her? Surely she won't accuse me of disrespect.
"How interesting that your reaction is exactly like Asella's."
Wouldn't anyone react the same? Who would stay still when a stranger suddenly reaches for their face?
"Anyway, about this mask thing—you made it, right?"
"Yes, I did."
"I saw Wolgwang Palace knights wearing them as I passed by. I tried asking Asella about them, but she coldly sent me away. Isn't that terrible? I'm the closest sister to her in age in the imperial family, yet she's so unsociable."
Why is she veering off topic from masks?
Conversing with Lauga consumed a tremendous amount of mental energy. I couldn't follow her train of thought.
"Why are you interested in the masks?"
"Oh, right. Make one for me too."
So that was her purpose.
"The masks are tribute items presented to Princess Asella. Distributing them without permission would be disrespectful to Her Highness."
"Oh, I'll smooth things over with her."
"For preventing disease transmission, even a similar design would be effective. I have my duties as a court physician, so I can't make enough for all of Your Highness's knights and attendants..."
"Huh? No, no. Just make one for me."
Lauga waved her hand, saying something unexpected.
"Just for you, Your Highness?"
"Yes. You know, Asella has rather plump cheeks. But when she wears the mask, her jawline looks so slender! My goodness! She may be my sister, but I can tell she'll grow into an extraordinary beauty."
Lauga had quite a good eye.
The mask had another benefit.
It enhanced appearance.
Lauga was saying she wanted to wear a mask to become a "face genius."
"So, can you make one for me?"
"Hmm, for one person, it would be possible..."
But I had no particular reason to make it for her.
Unless there was something in it for me.
When I gave her a meaningful look, Lauga immediately understood. She must have plenty of experience at social gatherings.
"How greedy. You're from a marquis family and a court physician, so you probably don't need gold."
No, actually, I do.
Money is always better in greater quantities.
My father is an unusually honest nobleman. He returns all assets to the public treasury, so the Gotberg family's private wealth isn't particularly impressive.
Moreover, I can't even use that wealth for personal purposes.
Right now, I'm merely a wage earner.
"Would you make it with your own hands if I shared some imperial secrets?"
Lauga gave me an alluring look.
Perhaps the nobles at parties fell for that gaze and offered all sorts of gifts, but it doesn't work on me.
She's Asella's sister after all.
Because they share a similar aura, her gaze only evokes resistance in me.
My immediate challenge is to demonstrate our faction's strength at the martial tournament.
If our faction's evaluation improves, my treatment at the imperial court will get better too.
And I can move to a better office.
"Your Highness doesn't seem particularly concerned about the martial tournament, am I right?"
"The martial tournament? That festival of swords and magic held on flower-viewing day? It's fun to watch."
"Your knights will be participating too."
"They'll handle it themselves. It's wonderful for young people to sweat together."
"Since you don't need to be actively involved, may I request a certain strategy when your faction faces other princes' or princesses' factions?"
"What kind of strategy?"
Lauga tilted her head.
I answered lightly:
"A strategy called 'trolling.'"
It's most efficient to use enemies against enemies.
Let's disrupt the game.