In the upper VIP room of the party venue.
Camilla peered down through a gap in the curtains at the nobles dancing in the ballroom below.
Her black eyes were filled with utter contempt.
"So this is where you are, Your Highness."
Prince Georg, the second prince, entered the VIP room with his knight escorts, addressing her with a familiar yet impudent voice.
Camilla welcomed him warmly.
"Georg, I see your negotiations have concluded."
"How could a young lady who was just an ordinary noblewoman until her father's passing last year properly serve as the head of her house? The mining rights of that count's family now belong to Tojin Palace."
"You're truly capable. Without doubt, you're the only successor worthy of being the next emperor, Georg. I grow more convinced of this by the day."
"Well, I had an easy time thanks to your advance preparations, Your Highness."
Georg took a seat and picked up a wine glass.
"You certainly have extensive connections, Your Highness. The count's family came begging at my doorstep because of a monster rampage near the mines. How did you manage that?"
"Hehe, could you possibly understand my magic?"
"Haha, that would be presumptuous of me. You were certainly the only practitioner of the Doppelganger Magic, weren't you?"
Doppelganger Magic.
It was magic that manifested an entity completely identical to the magician.
While illusion magic could create a visual replica to deceive the eye, Camilla's doppelganger was transcendent and unique in its ability to create perfect duplicates.
The doppelganger could use the same magic as Camilla, acquire knowledge, and accumulate experiences.
When merged back into one, she would have developed that much more.
"I've never seen you use it in the palace. Is it difficult magic?"
"Indeed it is. Now that I have disciples, there's no need for me to use it."
"Thanks to your disciples, Tojin Palace has saved face. Court magicians are quite rare, aren't they?"
"They were even rarer when I first entered the palace. It was due to my advice that His Majesty actively employed magicians in the imperial household. Consider how much faster the Empire's movements have become thanks to teleportation gates."
"To think such an excellent archmage was relegated to a rustic place like Wolgwang Palace—His Majesty is too harsh."
Camilla briefly wrinkled her nose.
"Haha, don't be angry. Unlike His Majesty, I am very favorable toward magic. Wouldn't more usable soldiers be better?"
Georg laughed heartily.
"When I become emperor, I'll develop mage units as much as the knightly orders, just as you suggest. I don't understand why His Majesty is so wary of magic."
"I suppose it seemed like an unknown power to him. He was also planning to continue his conquest wars until he obtained Asella."
That was why Camilla had been pushed out of the imperial household. It was in accordance with the emperor's policy to stop the war and control magic.
"You wanted to spread magic widely, didn't you?"
"That's right. Georg, your policy aligns perfectly with my ideals."
"You must be upset that Asella has grown into a disobedient tomboy."
"Asella."
Camilla's eyebrows trembled.
Thinking about Asella while taking a deep breath through her nose with closed lips, Camilla held cold anger on her tongue.
"I told you, Georg. To create magic for a mage army, we need the soul of a great witch."
"Can't you simply subjugate Asella eventually?"
"Time is running short. If Asella gains complete control over it, we'll never be able to reclaim it."
"Then what will you do?"
"There's a simple solution."
Georg realized the hidden meaning in Camilla's silence and let out a hollow laugh.
Magicians truly have an abnormally strong obsession with magic.
Even so, it must be a last resort. After all, she's her own flesh and blood, born from her own womb.
Thinking this, Georg asked jokingly:
"What, have you scheduled an assassination?"
Camilla eerily raised just one corner of her mouth.
***
"Kyaaaah!"
"What happened?!"
"The Duke has collapsed!"
The ballroom, where music had been playing, instantly turned into chaos.
The guard knights, who had only maintained vigilance until now, drew their swords and surrounded their respective lords for protection.
"Teacher!"
Tanya, who had been standing a step away like a shadow, immediately rushed to me. Asella's three knights followed.
"Protect the Princess first!"
"Yes!"
Asella was visibly flustered. Her chest heaved rapidly, indicating her labored breathing.
As her physician, examining Asella was important.
But the Western Duke now writhing on the floor was a distinguished person who had rendered service to the Empire and was the first political ally Asella had recruited.
His death would cause major problems.
'Hyperventilation, muscle spasms. Identical to symptoms of neurotoxin poisoning.'
Just as my diagnostic skill indicated.
It's essentially the same as swallowing an entire can of pesticide.
'It's poison made with black magic.'
The probability of the [Poison Trap] bad ending had increased.
That was the ending where the world was destroyed by poison released by black magicians under Asella's command.
"Your Grace!"
The Duke's knights rushed over with clanking armor.
"A healer! Is there no healer?!"
"We've already called for one!"
They turned deathly pale at the sight of the Duke writhing on the floor.
"It's black magic! Clearly a necrotic curse that takes life within a minute! How long until the healer arrives?!"
"At... at least 3 minutes!"
"This can't be happening!"
The knights were sweating profusely. Surrounding nobles covered their mouths in shock.
"Good heavens, how could this happen on such a joyous occasion...!"
"How did a black magician enter the imperial palace?"
"We need to evacuate quickly!"
The ballroom was heading straight into collective panic like a truck with failed brakes.
I focused on the patient.
While gaseous agents would be different, I could effectively treat these symptoms.
Two syringes tucked inside my suit.
Antidotes.
"Wait, what are you doing? Step away from His Grace!"
When I crouched down to approach the Duke, a knight intervened in panic.
Immediately, Tanya intimidated him with blazing eyes.
"This is Dr. Gotberg, the imperial physician. If you don't want to lose your lord, step aside."
"A-a physician! Please help him...!"
The knight immediately backed away.
I was already prepared.
[Emergency Treatment C activates]
My body reacted first, tearing the Duke's trouser leg at the thigh.
First syringe. I removed the cap from the atropine and held it vertically.
With a click of the button, the needle emerged and injected the atropine.
I continued until the liquid decreased to the marked level.
"What is he doing?"
"I don't see any divine power..."
I ignored the nobles and knights questioning my actions.
'Take effect.'
"...Huff, huff!"
The Duke's breathing gradually returned to normal.
His muscles, which had been stiffening, relaxed.
Atropine alleviates poisoning reactions, buying time for treatment.
'I've prevented immediate death. The real cure is this.'
I took out the second syringe.
Oxime. Similarly, I pressed the button to inject it.
The antidote was administered, and I waited.
An alert appeared on my status window.
[Prescription C activates]
A message indicating my treatment effectiveness had increased.
I confirmed the oxime was breaking down the poison.
"Phew."
Only then could I relax and wipe the sweat from my forehead.
"Huff, huff... ugh, what on earth."
The Duke barely managed to look at me and speak.
"You've passed the critical point. You were fortunate."
"The Third Princess's... physician..."
"Yes, that's me. You there, take His Grace to a place where he can lie down."
"Y-yes, right away!"
His knights hurriedly lifted the Duke.
The summoned healers also arrived and began casting spells on the Duke.
"Is the Duke alright?"
"The physician saved his life!"
There were no other victims in the ballroom.
"Attention everyone! Do not put your lips to any liquid in this venue!"
Having completed the treatment, I stood up and warned everyone present before returning to Asella with Tanya.
"Your Highness, are you alright?"
"Y-yes. Young Lord, you..."
"The treatment was successful. The Duke will be fine. Let me disinfect you in case poison got on your skin."
I took Asella's trembling arm.
She flinched when the alcohol touched her, perhaps from the cold.
"It's dangerous here. Your Highness should leave."
"...No."
Asella showed strong determination despite biting her lip.
"This is an assassination attempt in the imperial palace. What kind of image would it create if a member of the imperial family fled first? I must stay until the other nobles evacuate."
"You don't need to go that far..."
"Have they caught the servant who gave me the poisoned drink?"
Asella's resolve was already firm.
This was an incident where a duke and a successor nearly got poisoned in front of all the nobles.
To prevent damage to the imperial reputation, they needed to uncover the truth and severely punish the culprit.
"I understand your feelings, Your Highness, but you must look after your safety now."
"Young Lord, stop nagging. Tanya, Slan, go after the servant who added the poison."
Tanya looked at me hesitantly. If she left now, I would be without protection.
But with two of Asella's knights remaining, it should be fine for now.
"You can meet up with Boris since I need to check on Neria too. Tanya, follow the Princess's orders."
"Understood."
After the knights departed, I turned to Asella.
"Your Highness, why are you being so stubborn?"
"Stubborn? There are so many eyes watching. What should I do?"
"We don't even know if the Duke or Your Highness was the target. If you were the target, you're still exposed to danger."
"As a member of the imperial family, I can't always stay in a safe enclosure. Even Heike goes directly to the battlefield."
"But she doesn't swing a sword on the front lines. Recklessness and courage are different. You must protect yourself."
"Why do you keep treating me like a child!"
"Because I'm your physician and I'm worried!"
I raised my voice without realizing it.
Asella pouted her closed lips, apparently not expecting me to be so forceful.
I hadn't expected it either. I got a bit heated.
Oh no, is she angry?
"...I'm probably not the target."
Asella began mumbling somewhat uncertainly.
"If I were, there would be no reason to target this occasion specifically. This was an opportunity because the Duke was away from his domain and could be approached externally. Some noble with conflicting interests must have secretly brought in a black magician..."
Just then, a message appeared on my status window.
[No. 086 Shadow Assassin 37% → 75%]
"No, you are the target, Your Highness."
"What?"
I grabbed her wrist.
"It's alright. I know how to avoid this ending."