"Now it’s just a matter of monitoring their progress and applying healing magic every so often."
Elsa wiped the perspiration from her forehead.
"Thank you, Doctor... thank you so much..."
"You saved me. I'm in your debt..."
"You're a lifesaver. Thank you..."
The patients showered Elsa with words of gratitude.
Even so, Elsa did not forget to give them their necessary instructions.
"Do not eat raw fish. Make sure everything is cooked through properly."
"And if you don't want to die, you must never drink alcohol again. Not a drop."
With that task finished, Elsa turned back toward the chancellor and the others.
"A truly magnificent display, Miss Elsa. You are every bit the Reichsarzt."
Chancellor Powell offered his unstinting praise. Bodeman, however, wore a look of pure resentment.
"You must be exhausted. Please, return to your quarters."
The chancellor’s tone had become considerably more polite.
After deactivating the solid barrier, Jin and the others returned to the room they had been assigned.
＊ ＊ ＊
"..."
"Jin-nii, what's wrong?"
Finding it strange that Jin had been lost in thought with a grim expression since their return, Elsa finally spoke up.
"...Hm? Oh, it might just be my imagination, but something is really bothering me..."
"What is it?"
Jin decided to share his concerns with her.
"This is based on the assumption that there's someone out there—I don't know who—who would be troubled if you cured the king. Do you follow?"
"Yes."
"...That person tried to poison you, but they failed. They haven't tried any poisoning tricks since then. If that's the case, I suspect they'll try a different approach."
"...Mm."
Elsa could understand that much.
She was well aware that her life was being targeted, but her resolve to cure the father of her friend, Princess Lieschen, remained steadfast.
"...In situations like this, you know? There's a pattern... a classic trope, if you will."
It was an idea unique to Jin, born from the many TV dramas and manga he had consumed back in modern Japan.
"...And what is that?"
Jin looked into Elsa’s worried face as he answered.
"...They'll target the patients."
"...Why would they do something like that?"
"Even if they want to harm you directly, your defenses are too strong. So, if they change their strategy, they can just ruin your reputation instead....What do you think?"
Elsa turned pale. She clearly understood exactly what Jin was suggesting.
"...They'll make it look like I failed the treatment, and that the patients' conditions worsened because of me..."
Jin nodded silently.
"...How cruel! That’s unforgivable!"
Elsa was unusually furious. Jin gently soothed her.
"It's okay. That's why I was worrying, but I've already posted guards."
"The reinforcements you prepared from Hourai Island?"
"Exactly. They're called 'Sam'. I've assigned two of them to guard the ward."
As it turned out, Jin's intuition was spot on.
'MASTER, WE HAVE NEUTRALIZED A SUSPICIOUS INDIVIDUAL.'
Shortly after 9:00 PM that night, a report arrived from Sam 1 stating that they had neutralized a suspicious man.
Since Jin could not go to investigate personally due to security, he had Reiko go to the scene in secret to use Trans Info and identify the mastermind.
"Understood. I shall return shortly."
Even with Reiko away, Elsa had Edgar, and the Secret Mobile Unit was also providing protection, so there was no cause for concern.
Reiko returned in less than five minutes.
"This is the magi-crystal containing the transferred data."
"Good. Reiko, I’ll leave the decompiling to you."
"Yes, leave it to me."
Since she had done this before, she already knew the procedure. Reiko quickly finished examining the transferred memories.
"...It's no use. It appears he was under Hypno magic cast by a 'masked man'."
While they didn't learn the mastermind's true identity, they had obtained an indirect clue.
"Hypno magic?"
That was the magic the Unifilar once used to brainwash followers. Jin knew that only a very limited number of people were capable of using it.
"Like someone from the Celuroa Kingdom, for instance."
"Jin-nii, does that mean..."
"...Yeah. A person from the Celuroa Kingdom currently staying here at the Royal Castle....What was his name? Liones Ashford? Prince Arthur's tutor. There might be others, but he’s certainly a prime suspect."
"...There's also the connection between my father and Marcus. I think the possibility is high."
In the past, Elsa's father, Viscount Georg Randol, had been incited into madness by Marcus, who was himself being puppeted by the demon race. Recalling this, Elsa frowned and unconsciously bit her lip.
"If the patients you treated have improved by tomorrow, I'm sure you'll be summoned. You should get as much rest as you can."
Sensing Elsa's inner turmoil, Jin spoke to her with consideration. At his words, the tension in her face relaxed.
"Yes, I will....Jin-nii, good night."
"Yeah, good night."
Elsa disappeared into her bedroom.
Left alone, Jin checked the status reports from the Sam units.
'THE PATIENTS' CONDITIONS REMAIN STABLE.'
'THE CHANCELLOR APPEARS TO BE IN FAVOR OF MISS ELSA PERFORMING THE TREATMENT.'
'LIONES HAS SHOWN NO SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR SO FAR.'
The reports flowed in one after another.
The fact that the prognosis for the treated patients was good was excellent news.
Once that was confirmed tomorrow morning, she would almost certainly be tasked with the king's treatment.
And for the time being, Liones had not behaved strangely.
"...It's possible there's more than one person involved..."
Jin smiled wryly, thinking he wasn't particularly cut out for detective work, but for the sake of Elsa's safety and Lieschen's well-being, he intended to give it his all.
＊ ＊ ＊
And then, the morning of the 13th arrived.
After Jin and the others had finished breakfast, Princess Lieschen arrived accompanied by a female knight.
"Jin, Elsa, good morning. Elsa, I heard the news from Powell. I heard you showed off quite the brilliant skill yesterday. I wish I had been there to witness it myself."
"...You are too kind, Princess."
Elsa bowed modestly. Princess Lieschen then stated the reason for her visit.
"So, here is the matter at hand. My brother Arthur says he wishes to speak with Jin and Elsa."
"...I don't mind."
Since there was no reason to refuse, Jin agreed. The female knight went out to convey his consent.
A few minutes later, Prince Arthur arrived. He was accompanied by a middle-aged man.
"Jin-dono, Miss Elsa, good morning. Today, Liones here mentioned he would like to have a word with you. If it's not a bother, please grant him some of your time."
"Yes, that's fine."
As he answered, Jin heightened his alertness. He whispered to Elsa to deploy a magic barrier.
If it were a solid barrier or a standard barrier, it would block physical matter and its presence would be easily detected. However, a magic barrier that only blocked magic carried no such risk.
Jin’s instruction was based on the logic that no one would launch a direct physical attack in a setting like this.
"Allow me to introduce myself first. I am Liones Ashford. You may have already heard, but I am originally from the Celuroa Kingdom."
Liones appeared to be in his early forties. He had brown hair and brown eyes. He was tall and built sturdily.
"I am Jin Nidou. I serve as a Magi Craft Meister."
"I am Elsa Nidou. I am a Reichsarzt."
Jin and Elsa introduced themselves in turn.
"Now then, I have a few things I would like to ask you. Would that be acceptable?"
"Yes, go ahead."
Jin replied, bracing himself inwardly for what was to come.