The Doctor Cured the Villainess and Ran Away - Chapter 56

56 – Assassination (1)

The upper-class guest room at the party venue.

Camilla looked down at the noble dancers through the gap in the curtains.

Her black eyes were filled with contempt.

“Oh, there you are, Queen.”

In a friendly yet superficial voice, Prince Georg II entered the guest room with his guards.

Camilla greeted him warmly.

“Georg, I assume the negotiations have ended?”

“Will the lady who was just a normal young girl until her father’s death properly fulfill her role as a queen? That Marquess’s mining rights belong to the Tojin Palace.”

“Indeed, you are capable. There is no doubt that you are the rightful successor to the throne befitting the future emperor. I am becoming more and more certain.”

“Well, thanks to the preparations you made in advance, the operation went smoothly.”

Georg took a seat and held a wine glass in his hand.

“The Queen certainly has extensive connections. Thanks to the monster rampage incident near the mine, the Marquess came to me first for assistance. How did you manage that?”

“hehehe, can you understand my magic?”

“hahahaha, that must be going too far. You were undoubtedly the sole master of the art of duplication, weren’t you, Your Highness?”

Duplication magic.

It is a magic that completely reproduces an individual identical to the magician himself.

If it’s just appearance, it can captivate the eyes even with illusion magic.

Camilia’s doppelgänger magic was transcendental and unique in its ability to create perfect replicas.

The doppelgänger can also use the same magic as Camilia, acquiring knowledge and accumulating experiences.

When they are merged back into one, they have advanced to that extent.

“I have never seen it used in the palace. Is it a difficult magic?”

“It’s not that difficult. Now I have disciples too, and there is no need for me to use it.”

“Thanks to your disciples, the etiquette of the Togin Palace was maintained. Isn’t being the court magician an honor?”

“I was even more honored when I entered the palace. It was thanks to my persuasion to Your Majesty to actively employ magicians in the royal court. Thanks to the teleportation gates, how much faster did the Empire’s reach become?”

“It’s such a great archmage to be placed in a place like Wolgwang Palace. Your Majesty is being too humble.”

Camilia frowned for a moment.

“hahahaha, don’t be angry. Unlike Your Majesty, I am very favorable towards magic. The more soldiers we can use, the better, right?”

Georg laughed cheerfully.

“When I become the Emperor, I will train the mage corps as much as the knights according to Her Majesty’s opinion. I wonder why Your Majesty is wary of magic.”

“It seemed like an unknown power. Until we obtained Asella, I thought we would continue the conquest war.”

That was the reason why Camilia was pushed out of the imperial palace. It was because of the Emperor’s policy to stop the war and control magic.

“Her Majesty wants to spread magic widely, right?”

“That’s right. Georg, your policy suits my ideals very well.”

“It must be frustrating to deal with Asella, who doesn’t listen.”

“Asella.”

Camilia raised her eyebrows.

Keeping her mouth shut, Camilia took a deep breath through her nose and held a cold anger on her tongue as she thought about Asella.

“I told you, Georg. To create the magic that the mage army can use, the soul of a grand witch is necessary.”

“Isn’t it enough if we someday bring Asella to surrender?”

“We don’t have enough time. Once Asella gains complete control over it, it will be permanently lost.”

“Then what will you do?”

“There is a simple solution.”

Realizing the hidden meaning in Camilia’s silence, Georg burst into laughter.

Indeed, magicians have abnormally strong obsessions with magic.

No matter what, it must be their last resort. After all, aren’t they offspring born by splitting their own flesh and blood?

Georg asked, half-jokingly, what Camilla had planned for the assassination.

Camilla twisted one corner of her mouth in a bizarre way.

***

“Ah―!!”

“What’s happening?!”

“The Duke has collapsed!”

The party hall, where music was playing, turned into chaos in an instant.

The guards, who had maintained a vigilant stance until now, drew their swords and surrounded their respective lords to protect them.

“Teacher!”

Tania, who had been standing at a distance like a shadow, immediately rushed towards me. Three of Asella’s guards were with her.

“Protect the princess first!”

“Yes!”

Asella showed signs of confusion. Her heart raced, and her breathing became rapid.

As the court physician, it was also important for Asella to examine herself.

However, the Western Duke, who fell to the ground and rolled over, was not only a nobleman who held power in the empire but also the first person Asella had politically allied with.

If he died, it would be a big problem.

“Excessive breathing, muscle spasms. It’s the same as symptoms of nerve agent poisoning.”

The diagnostic skill revealed the truth.

In other words, it was no different from ingesting a whole bottle of insecticide.

“A toxic composition created through black magic.”

The probability of the [Poison Trap] bad ending increased.

It was an ending where Asella, under the influence of black magic users, unleashed a poison that brought about the destruction of the world.

“Duke!”

The Duke’s guards rushed over, clattering.

“Healer! Is there a healer here?!”

“We’ve already sent for one!”

Seeing the Duke writhing on the floor, they turned pale.

“It’s black magic! It’s definitely a necromancy curse that takes lives within a minute! How long until the healer arrives?!”

“Well, at least three minutes or more…!”

“This can’t be happening!”

The knights sweated profusely. The surrounding nobles gasped, their mouths agape.

“Oh my goodness, how is this possible on a day like today…!”

“How did the dark sorcerer manage to enter the palace?”

“We need to act quickly and escape!”

The banquet hall erupted into a collective panic, resembling a runaway truck with its brakes released.

I focused on the patient.

If it were gaseous, I would have been uncertain, but these symptoms could be effectively treated.

Two syringes hidden inside my suit.

An antidote.

“Wait, what are you doing? Get away from the Duke!”

As I attempted to approach the Duke while crouching, the guards hesitated and tried to stop me.

In an instant, Tanya overwhelmed them with her fiery gaze.

“This person is Master Goldberg, the royal physician. If you don’t want to lose our lord, step aside.”

“So, you’re the royal physician. Please…”

The guards immediately stepped back.

I was already prepared.

[Emergency Treatment C activated.]

My body reacted first, tearing the fabric of the Duke’s trousers at the thigh.

First syringe. I removed the cap of Atropine and inserted it vertically.

Click, pressing the button caused the needle to emerge, injecting Atropine.

I continued until the liquid reached the marked scale.

“What are you doing right now?”

“I can’t see any divine power…”

I paid no attention to the bewildered nobles and knights questioning my actions.

‘Devour.’

“Cough, cough!”

The Duke’s breathing gradually returned to normal.

His rigid muscles began to relax.

Atropine alleviated the effects of poisoning, buying us time for treatment.

“I blocked your instant death. The real cure is here.”

He takes out a second syringe.

Ok-sim. He presses the button and administers the injection just like before.

The antidote is administered, and he waits.

An alert appears on the status screen.

[Potion C is activated]

It was a message stating that the effectiveness of my treatment had increased.

Ok-sim confirmed that he was breaking down the poison.

“Phew.”

Finally, I was able to relax and wipe the sweat from my forehead.

“Ugh, ugh… What on earth was that?”

The Duke barely manages to look at me and opens his mouth.

“You’ve passed the crisis. You were lucky.”

“Your Highness 3rd Princess… physician…”

“Yes, that’s right. Go and take the Duke to a place where he can lie down.”

“All right, understood!”

His bodyguards hurriedly carried the Duke.

The requested healers also arrived and began casting spells on the Duke.

“Is the Duke all right?”

“The physician saved his life!”

No other victims came out of the banquet hall.

“Please be careful. Do not consume any liquid in the banquet hall!”

After finishing the treatment, I stood up and warned everyone present before returning to Asella with Tanya.

“Your Highness, are you okay?”

“Uh, yes. Gongsun, what about you…”

“The treatment was successful. The Duke will be fine. I’ll start disinfecting in case the poison touched your skin.”

I grabbed Asella’s trembling arm.

When the alcohol touched her, she flinched, feeling the coldness.

“It’s dangerous here. Your Highness, please leave.”

“…No.”

Asella showed a strong determination, even biting her lips.

“It’s about the assassination at the palace. If the aristocrats exclude me, what would I become? I have to stay until the other nobles evacuate.”

“You don’t have to go that far…”

“Did we catch the murderer who gave me the poison?”

Asella’s will was already firm.

It was an incident that the Duke and the successor almost got poisoned in front of all the nobles.

Even if they need to reveal the truth and punish the culprit with force, they have to prevent the loss of the royal honor.

“I understand your determination, Your Highness, but you need to take care of your safety for now.”

“Gongja, stop grumbling. Tanya, Slan, chase after Sik-Jong who took the poisoned wine.”

Tanya looked at me, and if she leaves, my escorts would be gone too. But Asella still has two knights left, so it should be okay.

“Also, we have to take Neliah with us, so meet up with Boris. Tanya, follow the princess’s orders.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The knights left, and I turned toward Asella.

“Your Highness, why are you so stubborn?”

“Why do you say it’s stubborn? There are so many eyes watching me. What am I supposed to do?”

“We still don’t know whether the target of the assassination was the Duke or Your Highness. If it’s Your Highness, you are still exposed to enemy threats.”

“The royal family members cannot stay safe behind a firm fence fence. Heikeka also goes to the battlefield himself.”

“But you don’t wield your sword on the front line. recklessness and bravery are different. You need to protect yourself.”

“Why do you keep treating me like a child?”

“Because I’m your chief physician and I worry about you.”

Without realizing it, I raised my voice.

Asella opened her closed lips, looking a bit unsure.

I didn’t know that I would come off strong, but I ended up being irritated.

Oh no, I’m in trouble. Am I angry?

“… The target won’t be me.”

Asella started to mumble with a hesitant tone.

“If it was me, there would be no reason for them to target this place. This was the chance for the Duke to get out of his routine and contact the outside. Other nobles who are involved would have brought in dark wizards secretly…”

At that moment, a message appeared in my status window.

[No. 086 Shadow Assassin 37% → 75%]

“No, the target is the princess.”

“What?”

I grabbed her wrist.

“It’s okay. I know a way to avoid this ending.”