Chapter 72: Townsperson A Gets the Villainess to a Doctor

"What? Is that… Allen? What on earth is going on here!?"

"Duke Ramslett, please. I need a doctor immediately—the best one you’ve got. And I need a bed prepared for Ana where she can rest in peace and quiet."

I cut straight to the point without even a greeting. I knew it was rude, but getting a doctor to look at Ana was the only thing on my mind.

"A doctor? Ana? No, wait! What happened to her?"

"She’s right here. Please! You have to hurry! I’m begging you!"

I implored the Duke while pointing toward Ana, who lay unconscious atop the Vytol Custom.

"Ana! …I see. You there, prepare a carriage at once!"

"No need for that. I’ll carry her straight to your mansion’s garden on this. Just get the bed and the doctor ready!"

"E-enough! I understand. I’ll ask no more for now. You heard him—move! Allen, you go as well. My mansion is the largest building in the center of town. You can’t miss it."

"Yes, sir! Thank you!"

I brought the Vytol Custom back into the air and flew directly over the territorial capital. With the help of Melissa and Jerome, I performed a forced landing right in the middle of the Duke’s garden.

"Eek! D-D-Dragons!"

"Waaaaah!"

The servants who saw Melissa and Jerome collapsed in terror, while the guards, though trembling violently, leveled their swords and spears at us.

"Gao~♪"

Melissa opened her mouth and gave a playful little roar. Some of the servants fainted on the spot, and one or two even lost control of their bladders.

"Melissa, don’t tease them too much…"

"You’re right. Sorry. I wasn’t going to do anything, but their reactions were just so funny I couldn’t help myself."

I stood up, cradling Ana in my arms. My arrow wound throbbed with a dull, burning heat, and I could tell I was starting to run a fever.

But none of that mattered right now.

Holding Ana close, I shouted at the top of my lungs.

"I have rescued Lady Anastasia from the Empire! The Duke has already been informed! A doctor is on the way, so prepare a room for her immediately!"

"What is all this—Milady! What has happened to you!?"

A dignified-looking maid rushed out from the building, likely drawn by the commotion. She froze for a heartbeat at the sight of Melissa and Jerome, but the moment she spotted Ana in my arms, she rushed over in a panic.

She flinched almost immediately, however. It might have been Ana’s tattered clothes, but more likely, it was the fact that both of us probably smelled like rotting corpses.

"Take her somewhere she can rest! Now!"

"I—I understand! I don’t know who you are, sir, but you have my thanks. This way!"

I followed her inside, still carrying Ana, and was led to a lavish bedroom where I laid her down on a large, plush bed.

Did her expression just flicker for a second, or was it my imagination?

"Allen-sama, was it? We must change Milady’s clothes. We will prepare a room for you as well, so would you mind waiting there?"

"……Fine."

I followed another young maid to a room diagonally across the hall. It was a spacious guest room, decorated with simple but high-quality furnishings.

"Please use this room, sir. Your military uniform is quite soiled, so I will bring you a change of clothes. Please wait a moment."

"……Thanks."

The maid left and returned shortly with a stack of clothes. They appeared to be standard Ramslett Ducal Army uniforms, and she had brought several different sizes.

"I shall assist you in changing."

"Eh? Oh, no, that’s—"

"Please, sir. This is a maid’s duty. Besides, you’re injured, aren't you? I can at least provide basic first aid."

She essentially steamrolled me into getting my arrow wound treated and helped me change into the fresh uniform.

"And Allen-sama… thank you for saving Milady. I shall take my leave."

With that, she exited the room.

To be honest, I was exhausted after being awake since yesterday, but the burning pain in my shoulder kept me tethered to consciousness. And more than that, I was worried sick about Ana.

Unable to sit still, I slipped out of the room and headed back toward hers. I ran into a group of maids filing out; they must have finished changing her. I tried to knock, but one of the maids blocked my path.

"Milady is resting. Please refrain from entering."

"What?"

I felt a flash of irritation, though I knew she was only doing her job. Still, I couldn't just leave. Even if I was being selfish, I had to push.

"Look, I’m worried about her. I just want to see her face…"

"Milady is asleep. We will call for you once she wakes. Until then, please return to your room."

That’s exactly why I’m worried, you idiot.

As I was trying to figure out a way past her, the Duke’s voice echoed from behind me.

"It is fine. We need Allen in here anyway. Come."

"Yes, sir."

"As you wish, Your Grace."

The maid stepped aside without another word. The Duke arrived with Elizaveta and an elderly man in a white coat—the doctor, presumably.

We entered the room together. Ana had been cleaned and her hair brushed; she looked like she was merely sleeping peacefully. I felt a surge of relief seeing her like that, but it was immediately followed by a crushing fear that she might never open her eyes again.

The Duke broke the silence.

"Now then, Allen. Tell me what happened."

"Yes, sir. It involves some very sensitive military and political matters. Are you sure you want me to speak freely here?" I asked, glancing at the doctor.

"It’s fine. He has served my house for years. He isn’t the type of fool to spread rumors."

"Understood. To start… the mastermind behind Lady Anastasia’s kidnapping was the Crown Prince of the Est Empire and a mage who appeared to be his close confidant."

The Duke’s expression turned grim, and I saw the doctor visibly recoil.

"The Prince said they intended to break Lady Anastasia’s heart so they could force her to be controlled by a Magic Sword. From what I overheard, they kept her in solitary confinement in total darkness, feeding her lies to shake her resolve. Once she was sufficiently weakened, they forced the sword upon her."

"And this… Magic Sword? What is it?"

"I don’t know. But this is the blade she was holding when I rescued her. I believe it exerts some kind of influence over the wielder’s mind, so I’ve kept it wrapped up like this."

I placed the bundle—made from the magically reinforced prison walls—on the floor. I hadn’t had the mental leeway to use Appraisal back in the Empire, and I couldn't use it now while the blade was completely covered. The details of the Magic Sword remained a total mystery.

"So that is the cursed thing…"

"I can unwrapping it if you like, but—"

"No, don't. We aren't prepared to handle the consequences if something goes wrong."

I nodded, agreeing with the Duke’s judgment, and continued my report.

"Understood. Moving on—I tracked the two of them to a dungeon beneath the palace. When the mage began using some kind of spell to torture Lady Anastasia further, I couldn't stay hidden any longer. I intervened, killed them both, and rescued her. With the help of my friends, the Sky Dragons, we fled the Imperial Capital and flew through the night to get here."

By the time I finished the summary, the Duke was holding his head in his hands.

"Wait, wait, wait. Did you say the Imperial Capital? You killed the Crown Prince? You crossed the distance from the capital to here in a single night? And those Sky Dragons are your… friends?"

The Duke let out a long, weary sigh.

"You aren't just spinning a tall tale, are you?"

"I’m not. The Sky Dragons were the ones who found Lady Anastasia in the first place. And if you need proof, I have the heads of the Prince and the mage in my Magic Bag."

The Duke looked up at the ceiling, speechless.

"That’s everything I know. I watched her the whole time we were in the air, but she never woke up."

"I see… I understand. You," he said, turning to the elderly doctor with a look of desperation that belied his stern tone. "Can you save her?"

The doctor shook his head slowly.

"My deepest apologies, Your Grace. When a Magic Sword is involved, the arts of medicine are useless. At this point, we can only pray for divine mercy. If there is anyone left in this world capable of healing such a thing, it would be the Great Sage. But he is already—"

"I see…"

Right. There was someone amazing like that once. But if he’s dead… that’s a dead end.

"Master Loringas…" Elizaveta murmured.

I froze.

"Loringas? If it’s him! Duke! We have to take Ana to—!"

Suddenly, the world tilted.

My arrow wound flared with a pain so intense it felt like I was being branded with a white-hot iron. My heart began to hammer erratically against my ribs.

Wait… what’s happening? I can’t… catch my breath…

"Allen!" "Allen!?" "Lad!"

Through the haze of my fading consciousness, I thought I heard someone calling my name.