"Explain yourself, Bishop Alberich."
Heike commanded coldly.
Alberich, overwhelmed by Heike's aura as she sat at her desk, cleared his throat nervously.
"Your Highness, our faction in the Imperial Medical Office remains strong. We have the most healers and treated the most knights during the recent tournament. Thanks to that, His Majesty even bestowed upon us the title of champion—"
"Efficiency."
Thud. Heike tossed a folder of documents in front of Alberich.
"You used the most resources in proportion to how many you healed. Now look at Wolgwang Palace's budget."
"...Hmm."
"The healing expense column is negative. Do you understand what that means? Wolgwang Palace is actually making money from healing. That's because the Gotberg physician developed masks."
"I... see."
"The only actual expenses from Wolgwang Palace are salaries. There are only two healers affiliated there—the physician and his apprentice."
"...Yes."
"That apprentice, the healer named Chloe, developed something called penicillin. It has the revolutionary effect of preventing additional infections in patients. According to testimony, the Imperial Medical Office was already in the process of developing it."
"Your Highness, that wasn't development but a dangerous act of threatening patients with spoiled food, which could potentially damage the reputation of the Imperial Medical Office—"
BANG!!
Heike slammed her fist on the desk like thunder.
Startled, Alberich shut his mouth.
"The current epidemic in the First Garrison and Mokhwi Palace has consumed a monthly budget of twelve hundred gold coins."
"...Yes."
"The same amount will be spent next month as well. Thanks to you, Bishop, for firing that healer."
Alberich gritted his teeth.
There was no group of healers in the Imperial Medical Office that surpassed his faction's healing power.
Moreover, he was a bishop from the Law Country. He could have become a cardinal, or even pope.
At some point, he had hit a wall in his abilities and crossed over to the Empire. Still, he firmly believed his faith and divine power were supreme.
Those who used medicines and folk remedies were heretics. Not healers, but black magicians.
With this firm belief, Alberich thought Heike's criticism was unreasonable, but he was in no position to argue with his lord.
"What kind of person is the Gotberg physician?"
"Gotberg? Well... he's a newcomer and quite young."
"You don't know him well?"
Alberich had no choice but to remain silent.
Conversely, Heike's anger intensified.
"When he confronted Georg, I thought he was just a hot-blooded youth who might lose his head."
Heike rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought.
"But he's skilled enough to recognize, utilize, and educate talent. I even heard he devised the strategy that led to the mutual destruction of Lauga and Georg in the tournament."
Healing and strategy are separate domains. Specialists in one field often struggle to see the bigger picture.
"Seeing how he set the stage to benefit Asella, he also has the broad vision needed for statecraft."
Heike wondered how he had acquired such capabilities.
She glanced sideways at Alberich and offered her dispassionate assessment.
"He's better than you."
"T-That's...!"
Alberich ground his teeth, but Heike merely issued a cold command.
"Results are all I want. Bring them to me."
Alberich bowed and left the office.
Heike nodded and spoke to her secretary as if talking to herself.
"We need a scenario to make Gotberg loyal to our faction."
"Then you must move quickly, Your Highness."
"Why is that?"
"I have information that Princess Lauga is also making contact with him."
"Tsk."
Heike clicked her tongue and checked her schedule.
***
"Hey, Lars, is this good for the skin too?"
"You mean the vitamin C ampoule? Absolutely. It brightens skin tone, improves elasticity, and reduces aging. It's safe even in high doses, and the tangy taste is quite addictive."
"My goodness, isn't it a miracle cure? No side effects? Sell me this too."
"Two for one gold coin, Your Highness. Take one each morning."
"Yes! Hehe, I'm excited."
Lauga frequently visits my office to bother me.
Still, she's a customer who spends lavishly.
With work delegated to Chloe, I was attending to her with a bright smile.
"Hey, but won't you sell me penicillin?"
"Oh no, I can't. Our princess was furious about the mask incident last time. I could literally lose my head."
"Hmm, fine. Can't be helped. Even I find Asella a bit scary these days."
"Finally? You must have lived a happy life until now."
"You really have a funny way of talking."
Lauga giggled, slapped my shoulder, and sat on the edge of my desk, pulling up the lace on her sleeve.
"Look at my skin. Was the tournament venue dry? It's become so rough. I was there for three whole days."
"You should have left early like us. Though our lives were in danger."
"I heard everything from Grandfather Sage. You had a good time with Asella, didn't you?"
"Good? I always think your word choices are too sophisticated, Your Highness. Beyond the comprehension of ordinary people like me."
"Stop pretending. Won't Asella scold you later for this?"
"I've already been scolded plenty. Please choose a mask."
She had come today to buy more masks and was pestering me for beauty potions.
Lauga has a feline charm with her smiling eyes, similar to Asella. She's about my age.
Though she could turn every man's head just by walking down the street, a woman's desire knows no bounds.
"I have an important social party next week. I need to make my skin as firm as possible by then."
"You mean the event honoring the Western Duke? Since it's the princess's external activity, I should also be on standby at the party venue."
That was the message Asella had sent through her head maid. I needed to prepare for an upcoming major party.
"Oh? You're going too, Gotberg?"
"Since Princess Asella is attending."
"Asella is going?! Wow!"
Lauga's eyes sparkled as she jumped up.
Wait, was that confidential information?
"So Asella is finally making her debut in society! I thought that would never happen. You know how much she loves magic."
True, a living weapon doesn't really need parties.
"I've asked her to come so many times, but she always hated the idea. Hmm, I wonder what changed her mind? Did something happen that she wants to show off?"
"The new masks did turn out well."
"Stop pretending. If I were her, I'd throw a party immediately if I had a handsome and capable marquis's son as my fiancé."
As always, Lauga's head is full of flowers.
"I'm merely attending as a physician."
"Don't be so stiff. You should attend as her fiancé."
"Goodness, surely not."
The eldest son of Gotberg has a notorious reputation in high society.
It would be disastrous to go around boasting about being a princess's fiancé in front of all the influential nobles of the Empire.
My actions would damage Asella's reputation and incur her wrath.
"You know the rumors about the tournament have spread through all the noble houses, right? The knights' recordings are circulating everywhere. Everyone's wondering who this Gotberg is. Many people will be surprised to see you at this party!"
Always exaggerating. If we're talking about the first day, Tanya was the protagonist.
She's actually likely to be scouted from various places until she becomes a Sword Master.
My name was only mentioned a few times by Tanya.
Perhaps because Lauga attends parties every day, she's skilled at flattering people.
"The Grand Princess is coming too, so almost all nobles our age will be there. You know, I thought she was an innocent girl, but last time with that sea man..."
Lauga continued chattering about things I had no interest in.
I wondered if Chloe was working well in the manufacturing room, thankfully letting Lauga's voice drift in one ear and out the other.
Then.
—Knock knock.
With a knock, several healers entered my office.
"Dr. Gotberg."
Their expressions were quite solemn.
From their emblems, I could see they were from the First Princess's faction.
Their representative informed me:
"We've come to notify you that a hearing has been convened."
***
"Well, this is ridiculous—a physician's hearing during an epidemic."
Falkenhain, Georg's physician, cursed inwardly.
More than ten physicians had gathered in the Imperial Medical Office hall.
Each was the leader of a healing faction.
The physicians of lesser royalty and their children were relatively minor forces, but all physicians held high positions and were undoubtedly skilled.
The Emperor's physicians were too busy to attend. Since attendance was optional, Falkenhain could have skipped it too.
"But if Dr. Gotberg is involved, I can't just ignore it."
Moreover, the convener was that Alberich.
Falkenhain and Alberich were the two dominant forces in the Imperial Medical Office.
It was necessary to keep an eye on his rival's movements.
"However, Prince Georg has taken a stance against the Third Princess's faction."
Previously, due to his friendship with Queen Camilla, he had supported Wolgwang Palace, but after Camilla and Asella separated, they became hostile forces.
Therefore, unlike before, Falkenhain was in a difficult position to defend Gotberg today, regardless of the agenda.
"Personally, I hope Dr. Gotberg navigates this crisis well."
Having witnessed his immense faith since the physician's exam, Falkenhain wanted to support Gotberg.
"Physician Gotberg!"
Alberich's booming voice echoed through the hall.
Lars sauntered in with a candy in his mouth.
"Yes, that's me."
The semicircular table surrounded Lars.
For an ordinary person, just standing there would create enough pressure to make them feel guilty of nonexistent crimes.
But he exuded such confidence that he hardly seemed like a young, novice healer.
"You are accused of disrupting the Imperial Medical Office by using heretical techniques. Are you aware of this?"
Alberich confronted Lars abruptly.
Lars removed the candy he was sucking on, waved it around, and responded casually.
"Hmm, this is the first time I've heard about disrupting the Imperial Medical Office. By 'heretical techniques,' you mean...?"
"I'm referring to the irrational act of feeding rotten bread to patients."
"Haha, you mean medicine. Medicine is something that treats various diseases."
"How can something without faith and divine power heal people? Your actions are no different from black magic!"
Alberich attacked forcefully.
This hearing was undoubtedly convened by Alberich to intimidate Gotberg.
"The doctor has been active in various fields recently."
It was a calculation to establish his position by stepping on a rising star in the Imperial Medical Office early.
How would Gotberg overcome this crisis?
As Falkenhain focused on him expectantly, their eyes met.
Was he requesting support?
His judgment was correct.
In this gathering without Lars's allies, Falkenhain was the only one with enough authority as Alberich's adversary.
If Falkenhain defended Lars, the atmosphere could be reversed.
But Falkenhain couldn't move because of Georg.
Lars looked at him and muttered something. It seemed like he said "diagnosis."
"Medicine is just a different approach, not black magic. Pharmaceuticals can enable treatments impossible with healing arts. For instance..."
Lars looked at Falkenhain's thinning crown and said:
"They can regrow hair that's falling out."
"Is that true?"
Falkenhain stood up from his seat.