"Compress, enhance, compress, enhance, compress, enhance."
After returning to my room, I first made a large batch of rose medicine.
Taking multiple doses at once doesn't stack the effects. It means the maximum health doesn't increase. It only counteracts debuffs.
"The limit is just healing to the maximum anyway."
All I can do is get plenty of sleep to keep it filled.
The best treatment when you're sick?
Sleep well, rest well.
If a patient doesn't do these two things, it doesn't matter what miracle drug even the greatest physician prescribes.
"Tsk, no matter what, it tastes too bland."
It tastes like mud dumplings made in the Void Dimension Hell Peninsula where ancient demons live.
In other words, it's disgusting.
"Having to eat four or five of these every day is a bit much."
I carefully examine the skills in my status window, wondering if there's another way.
"Oh, could this work?"
The skill that caught my eye was Alchemy's [Synthesis E].
I placed the rose medicine on the left and pulled out a random candy from my pocket to place on the right.
A lollipop, a high-quality one made with honey.
"Let's try synthesizing the effect of the rose medicine with the sweetness of candy. Since they're simple substances, it might work."
I reach out to cast synthesis.
By now, the magic circles form without conscious effort, and the mana finds its place precisely.
—Flash!
A white light flares, and soon the result appears.
———————————
Enhanced Rose Honey Candy (Refined, Synthesized)
Effect when consumed: Heals 0.3 HP lost due to internal bleeding over 6 hours
Extremely sweet!
———————————
"That's it."
I put one honey candy in my mouth.
The thick sweetness spreads to the tips of my hair, making each sensation feel alive.
I'm alive, I'm alive.
I can eat as many candies as I want.
Though I should be careful about cavities.
"Isn't there a scaling skill?"
Nothing beats that for cavity prevention.
It feels refreshing and nice.
While synthesizing candies, I suddenly realized there wasn't much time left.
It was time for my appointment with Asella in the backyard.
"If I'm late, there'll be trouble for sure."
I grabbed my coat and hat and left the room.
***
The annex has relatively few servants. As long as I avoided Sivers, there wouldn't be any disturbances, so I could leave my room quietly.
Asella wasn't in the rose garden.
The rose garden looked a bit sparse, like a middle-aged man's crown, because I had enthusiastically picked roses all night.
There's still enough left, but I should tell Sivers to grow more.
Is Asella not here yet?
Looking around, I could see knights patrolling in the distance.
I quietly hid myself in the willow forest.
"You're late."
"Whoa! You scared me!"
Asella was suddenly standing beside me. She must have used some magic to conceal her presence.
I barely stopped myself from throwing a punch in surprise.
Truly, I can't let my guard down for a moment with this woman.
Asella had flipped her hood over to hide her flowing golden hair.
She took out a pocket watch from her waist and checked it.
"I'm not late."
"If you're later than me, then you're late. Let's go quickly."
After saying that, Asella looked around cautiously.
"Is there really a need to sneak out like this?"
"It's no fun with an escort. I want to see things as they truly are."
"As they truly are?"
"I never get the chance to see the Empire's citizens in their everyday lives."
"You don't need to see that."
"I should know who's supporting the throne when I eventually sit on it."
Asella calmly made this extraordinary statement.
I just realized she's had thoughts of becoming Emperor since childhood.
"Do you really have to become Emperor?"
Asella glares at me fiercely.
[No. 056: Villainess's Hatred 7% → 12%]
[Changed]
'I can't say anything to her.'
That question was a landmine.
Asella snorted.
"It's a natural goal for someone with imperial blood. Young Lord, as my fiancé, you should refrain from making such careless remarks."
"I'll be careful."
"Then lead the way."
I took the lead toward the wall surrounding the boundary between the annex's backyard and the mansion.
There's a hole in the middle of the wall.
It's a spot I had noticed while walking around the estate.
"Let's climb over here."
"Through there?"
Asella hesitated.
The noble princess seems bothered by the dirty hole.
"It's simple. Just duck down for a moment."
I demonstrated first. Sticking my rear out, I lowered my waist and pushed my head through the hole in the wall.
I've dealt with worse conditions when infiltrating the Demon King's castle. This place is practically a palace in comparison.
"Oops."
A problem arose. I got stuck at the chest and couldn't move forward.
It looked wider than it was. Is this not the hole I used before?
"Princess, could you help me?"
"No."
Asella refused immediately. I expected that.
"Were you trying to push me through a place like this?"
"That's a misunderstanding. Really."
I desperately explained while unable to see Asella's face.
I hope the bad ending probability isn't skyrocketing right now. I'm worried.
"Princess? Are you there? Princess?"
Somehow there's no answer, which makes me increasingly anxious.
...I think I can faintly hear the sound of suppressed giggling.
Must be my imagination.
After a while, there was a crumbling sound.
The wall bricks collapsed, allowing me to move. Asella had used magic.
I dusted off the dirt from my clothes.
Asella watched me with a slight devilish curl at the corner of her lips.
"That's good. At least you won't look like a marquis's heir anywhere."
"...Thank you for the compliment."
I stand up. After coughing a few times and shaking my head.
I wonder if this cough is a debuff.
Before I could check, another problem arose.
"Oh, Brother?"
Neria was looking at us.
Asella's expression instantly froze. Neria, tense, gave a proper greeting.
"Let me handle this."
I went to Neria, bowed at the waist, and spoke to her.
"Hello, Neria. Out for a walk?"
"Ah, yes. Are you and the Princess... going outside?"
I placed my index finger on Neria's lips.
"Shh. It has to be a secret."
"A secret..."
"We'll be back by sunset. Here, I'll give you this if you keep the secret."
I took a honey candy from my pocket and placed it in Neria's palm.
Seeing it, Neria's expression brightened.
"Yes, I'll keep it secret. Please be careful."
Neria, like a proper noble lady, gracefully held her dress and curtsied.
My sister is truly dignified.
"It's sweet!"
Yet the way she immediately unwraps the candy and enjoys it with childlike delight is adorable.
If only she took after Asella just a little.
After patting Neria's head, I sent her away.
I returned to Asella.
"That's taken care of. Shall we continue?"
"Are you close with your sister?"
"Why are you suddenly curious about that? Just, you know."
"Don't you have a candy for me?"
Suddenly asking for candy.
I need to take the rose medicine myself. It's my portion.
I gave one to Neria as hush money. She liked it last time too.
And I heard Asella refused the candy Sivers brought her.
"I don't have any."
At my answer, Asella narrowed her eyes and remained silent for a moment.
"Fine. I was just saying that if you were thinking of giving me one, I'd throw it away. Don't do anything unnecessary. Let's go."
Asella turned sharply and strode through the hole in the wall.
'Huh?'
[No. 056: Villainess's Hatred 12% → 14%]
[Changed]
[No. 077: Incarnation of Jealousy 2% → 7%]
[Changed]
'Why did that increase?'
Suddenly red text appeared, and when I checked, one bad ending probability had inexplicably increased.
'What was this one again? I remember being burned to death by Asella. It was immolation.'
Worse than the Dragon Corps.
That one ended instantly, but this one burned me slowly from the feet up.
'The reason was probably...'
I think I pretended to swear loyalty to Asella.
Or maybe she just unilaterally assumed I had.
And then she decided on her own that I had betrayed her and cleanly burned me.
'And now that's increasing.'
They say when a woman holds a grudge, frost forms even in May and June.
With Asella, it's all four seasons at once.
***
"What a lively street."
Fortunately, Asella's mood seemed to have improved somewhat after coming down to the territory.
"There's more gray than in the capital."
As Asella said, most buildings in the marquisate were built with gray bricks.
Despite being the territory of the Gotberg family, known for healers, it doesn't have a strong religious character.
The shopping district, about the size of a small city, is no different from any ordinary region.
Adventure parties occasionally pass through, hunting rare monsters from the North.
"Is this your first time in the North?"
"It's my first time walking the streets."
"I see."
"I want to try that."
Asella pointed to a shop. It was selling butter coffee, a specialty of the North.
"Caffeine can cause sleep disorders for those not accustomed to it. Since you're still growing, considering your health..."
"Save the stiff talk for when you become my physician."
After this unilateral announcement, Asella walked briskly to the café.
Leaving her alone would surely lead to trouble, so I quickly followed.
When we sat at the terrace, the owner came out immediately to take our order.
"Two of you. What would you like to order?"
"Two butter coffees. Do you have decaf?"
"Decaf... We don't have such a menu."
I was wrong to use the word caffeine.
"Just give it to us. Keep the change."
She paid 5 silver. The owner withdrew, satisfied.
Meanwhile, Asella kept looking at the street. Though there was nothing special, she observed each passing person.
Well, it's a rare sight for me too.
During the war, I visited villages but never had the leisure to rest like this.
"Beautiful lady, would you like to buy some flowers?"
Children approached Asella, offering flowers. From their appearance, they clearly lived in the slums.
With kids like these, you should give them a few coins and send them away. Give too much, and they'll bring friends, which creates its own problems.
As I was searching for copper coins in my pocket, I heard a child's exclamation.
"Wow!"
To my surprise, Asella had already accepted flowers from the children and paid them.
The problem was that Asella had handed over a gold coin.
One gold coin is what an average commoner would earn working for two weeks.
'Oh no.'
She had no sense of money whatsoever.
She was the type of high-born person who would be endlessly ridiculed at a hearing if asked how much a piece of bread costs.
The children bowed their heads and ran off happily. I sighed.
"Princess, let's move."
Asella, who had been examining the flowers from every angle, glared at me.
"Why? The coffee hasn't arrived yet."
"You gave them too much money. There will be trouble soon."
"Trouble, is it? My mother said the same thing. Don't be kind to commoners."
Asella turned to me.
"Did I do something wrong?"
The golden mana in her irises rotated half a circle.
Text flashed in the system window.
[No. 021: Sin of the Commoner 5% → 7%]
The bad ending probability increased.
This was a moment that required a careful answer.
As I was trying to deduce the situation and Asella's thinking...
"Hey, miss."
Three large men had approached us.
"I'd like to borrow some money."
The one who appeared to be their leader muttered in a low tone.
I immediately assessed the situation.
The slum children who had just received gold coins from Asella. These men didn't seem related to them.
They must have seen Asella take out gold coins nearby and approached.
The emblem on their chests.
I know what it is.
'Low-ranking members of the Spree Merchants.'
The neighborhood was less safe than I thought.
Thugs from a merchant guild causing trouble in my territory?
The men spoke.
"Let's borrow some money. We have places to spend it."
Asella held her head high and glared at the men.
Like she'd spotted insects, her eyes filled with contempt.
[No. 021: Sin of the Commoner 7% → 25%]
The probability keeps rising.
Though she appears unshaken, it means negative emotions are accumulating.
This is troublesome.
"Customers, your coffee is—"
—Crash!
I took the coffee cups the owner brought and immediately smashed them on the ground.
I jumped to my feet.
The men flinched in surprise and focused on me.
I shouted.
"Who do you think you're trying to scam, you bastards?"
It was time to return to being a rascal.