NOVEL WEB Chapter 3
“Oh no, that was close!”
As I returned to my room, I took a deep breath and rubbed my chest.
I just said hello to Acella, yet I felt like I had lost ten years of my life.
At this rate, I might avoid doom only to die from a heart attack out of frustration.
“I need to quickly delete this bad ending; my heart can’t take it.”
She was a woman I couldn’t let my guard down around even as a child. I should have realized when I saw that look in her eyes.
“Acella induces quite a few bad endings.”
As I scanned the list, it looked like there were roughly fifty of them. I was surprised there were that many.
“The best solution would be for Acella to just peacefully die, but…”
The problem was Acella’s magic. This was quite tricky to handle.
“Even now, Acella possesses a mana level that’s beyond her control.”
If she faces a life-threatening situation, her magic would explode and doom the world. That’s the [Magic Explosion] ending.
Magic isn’t even my area of expertise, and not even a specialist would understand Acella’s level.
She hasn’t reached that level yet, but still…
“Assassination is not just an ordinary hit.”
If I were to assassinate Acella, I’d need to plan it thoroughly.
I was lucky to escape that last encounter; if she had called her knight for protection, I would have been apprehended for treason.
It could have been a fast track to my family’s downfall because of some brat. Pretty proud, right? Father.
“Why are you calling me to your room anyway?”
It’s not even her room. Isn’t this a guest room provided by our family?
“Oh?”
As I grumbled and checked the ending list, I noticed a few items glowing green with changes.
[No. 056: Wicked Woman’s Hatred 99% → 21%]
[Changed]
“It didn’t revert to the initial value. That means the doubt isn’t completely resolved.”
I can’t ignore Acella. Once I’m prepared, I should go see her and try to gain her trust as much as possible.
“Why did this probability drop?”
[No. 003: Beheading of the White 87% → 64%]
[Changed]
The Beheading of the White.
This ending occurs if the performance during the Four Heavenly Kings subjugation isn’t good.
Distrustful citizens rebel against the Hero Party.
Stressed out, Acella ends up beheading the entire Hero Party and hanging their heads at the city gates.
It’s quite a grotesque scene.
The silver lining is that my head will be hung too, so I won’t have to witness that in third person.
Looking at the ending list, the probabilities for the other endings didn’t change.
“Does this mean I’ve encountered a chance to delete this bad ending?”
If Acella comes up with the idea of beheading a hundred people, it must be inspired by some incident.
And if that incident starts right from the moment I met Acella…
It means I can change Acella’s experience to delete the [Beheading of the White].
“But what does beheading have to do with me?”
A wicked woman’s thought process is as incomprehensible as a thorny field, not a flower patch!
Well, there’s no reason to refuse if it keeps me alive.
I thought I should keep a keen eye on the events that would unfold for a while.
“There was one more change.”
―――――――――――
· Good Ending
· ■■■ ■, ■■ ■■■■ 0% → 0.04%
―――――――――――
The occurrence probability of the good ending that was previously zero now finally exists. At a glance, it seems about as likely as winning the lottery, so I can’t expect much yet.
“What’s so good about a good ending, anyway?”
I checked the description in the status window.
―――――――――――
· Good Ending: This occurs as the best possible outcome for Lars Gothberg upon clearing.
· Occurrence Condition: It occurs probabilistically if no bad endings have occurred. If a good ending doesn’t happen, a normal ending will.
· Occurrence Probability: Increases through deleting bad endings and the achievements of Lars Gothberg.
―――――――――――
“Of course, a good ending is better than a normal one.”
This does seem different from the original story’s endings.
Since it specifically mentions my name, it feels like these endings are prepared for me.
It might just directly determine my circumstances ten years from now.
“To accumulate achievements, I need to become a great figure. Therefore, it’s only natural that the probability of a good ending increases.”
I need to gain a higher status in society, spread my reputation, and contribute in various fields.
Achievement points are accumulated through such extraordinary activities.
“If I succeed, of course, it’s as a doctor.”
That was my dream.
It’s a profession that doesn’t exist in this world yet, but ten years is enough time to make it possible.
From now on, my goal will be to delete bad endings while aiming for a good ending. I found my direction.
“Shall I start moving soon?”
As I left the room heading for the annex lobby, I spotted a middle-aged man in a neat suit sipping tea.
From the atmosphere of the attendants, it was clear who he was.
My father, the head of our family, Baldur Gothberg.
When my father saw me, he looked a bit hesitant.
“My son, let’s talk for a moment.”
He spoke with a calm and deep voice.
As the head of the Marquis family, he exuded dignity but also concealed a slight unease.
It must be hard to face his son, a ticking time bomb that could go off at any moment.
“When the sun reaches its peak, I meet my benefactor. How have you been, father?”
I offered a noble greeting with formality.
His eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost.
“Lars, have you hurt yourself? Or has all the drinking finally made you go mad?”
Father jumped up from his seat and looked at me with concern.
“Haha, don’t worry. My head is fresher than ever.”
“Is that true? That’s a relief… I was surprised when Cervus praised you out of nowhere, but your eyes really do seem different…”
Father cautiously observed my demeanor.
The Marquisate resembles a small-town country.
The responsibility and pressure of managing such a vast society are not for the faint-hearted.
A man who bears that burden also suffers from headaches caused by a wayward son, just like any commoner.
He seemed surprisingly human.
We sat down and continued our conversation.
“I heard you met the Royal Princess.”
He seemed worried that I had ruined the important first meeting with my betrothed.
“Yes. She was a truly elegant person.”
“Was… it okay? Did the Royal Princess perhaps find anything displeasing?”
Father realized he’d misspoken and hurriedly cleared his throat.
“Don’t misunderstand. I was just asking in case the Royal Princess found anything displeasing about our mansion.”
“It didn’t feel bad. The Royal Princess suggested we meet alone. I was actually on my way to see her.”
“Alone? You’re so quick to say it? Ohh.”
Father stroked his beard thoughtfully.
It seemed like he sensed some kind of change in me, his face filled with intrigue.
“I’ve been busy and haven’t spoken with you much. But you’re all dressed up nicely, and your speech flows with dignity, so it seems you prepared quite a bit for today.”
“Of course, it’s our first meeting with a member of the Imperial Family. I can’t let my guard down.”
The more I spoke, the more surprised he seemed.
He looked perplexed about how to interact with his suddenly brightened son.
I could understand that; after having seen me for 17 years, if I suddenly spoke coherently, wouldn’t he suspect I dabbled in dangerous black magic instead of alcohol?
I decided to show a more confident side.
“Don’t worry. Since distinguished guests are present, I’ll make sure the name Gothberg doesn’t suffer any infractions.”
“…You’ve really changed a lot in the time I haven’t seen you. Preparing this much must have been quite hard, so I’m really grateful. I look forward to it.”
“Yes. Please look forward to it.”
Father smiled kindly.
At this moment, the Gothberg family is quite a powerful Marquisate.
Although, later on, I might get embroiled in some event leading to treason and downfall, as long as he backs me up, it couldn’t be a more reassuring situation.
I know all too well the reasons behind the family’s downfall, and if I can protect it in the future, it will indeed become a great strength.
Seeing my father relieved by my presence made me feel quite good too.
“I was planning to have an official meeting with the Royal Princess at dinner, but I’m glad you’ve already broken the ice.”
Listening to my father’s words piqued my curiosity.
“By the way, what brought Her Majesty the Empress and the Royal Princess to our family?”
“Ah, it seems I hadn’t conveyed that.”
Father took a sip of tea, preparing to get to the point.
“The Imperial Family is selecting the Royal Princess’s attending physician. Coincidentally, a competitive exam was ongoing at our Healing Academy. One individual will be selected based on the results.”
Attending Physician, huh.
Now that’s an intriguing development.
“The Gothberg family is famous for its Healers.”
In ten years, I became a somewhat competent senior Healer. This is the reason.
Though I was lackadaisical in my studies, I graduated from the best lineage with the finest educational facility.
“If possible, I’d prefer not to use healing spells.”
If I become known as a Healer, I might end up getting dragged into situations with that foolish Hero Party.
Even if I want to adopt an effective strategy, I’ve often felt hindered by the need to constantly use healing spells.
Honestly, I was tired of healing spells.
They only reminded me of bad memories.
I’d never want to take on the extreme job of a Hero Party member, even for a fortune.
“Every member of the Imperial Family has an attending physician, right?”
“Right. You might have heard, but the Royal Princess has been suffering from minor ailments lately. It seems that the Healers have been unable to alleviate her condition.”
I know that well.
It’s a side effect of Acella’s growing magic.
“Is there a strong candidate?”
“I think Gis might be the one chosen. He’s our academy’s top Healer.”
The academy is sort of a Healing School.
The Gothberg Marquisate’s academy is renowned in the Empire, and many graduates are summoned to the Imperial Family.
If Gis is the ace of the academy, he surely has some skills.
“But, Acella won’t respond to healing spells, right?”
While both magic and healing spells are called spells, their systems are entirely different.
Acella directly told me that her strong mana rejects healing spells.
Her transformation into a wicked woman also partly stemmed from her powerful magic.
Well, she was born a wicked woman.
Going insane is at least due to her magic.
Maybe magic in general works like that.
From what I’ve seen, sorcerers and witches have always seemed a bit unhinged.
Especially in Acella’s case, there were specific triggers.
She reached a level of magic her body couldn’t endure, bearing considerable pain while living.
Unable to endure the agony, the magic went berserk, and a tragedy ensued.
From that incident on, Acella became a tyrant.
And healing spells were utterly useless at that moment.
That’s a fact I learned directly from her.
“It must be some kind of downside to being gifted with talent.”
That’s one of the laws of this world.
If you have outstanding [talent] in one area, you also get a corresponding [debuff].
It’s like karma.
For instance, a person with great physical strength cannot have strong mana.
No one can have it all.
Right now, my talent is dormant, so I’m free of debuffs, but Acella must possess some type of negative trait.
“What if…”
If it’s not healing but treatment.
Could I possibly delete Acella’s debuff with the knowledge of modern medicine I know?
Perhaps that might even ruin her magic.
“Eh, that’s too good to be true.”
There’s no way that could work in a world without proper medication or basic surgical instruments, let alone disinfectants.
Most importantly, if I became her attending physician, escaping from the Imperial Family later would be impossible.
Even if I delete the endings, I should avoid becoming too deeply linked to Acella.
After sorting out my thoughts, Father spoke to me.
“I’ve taken up too much of your time. You were on your way to see the Royal Princess, weren’t you? Let’s get going. I need to host Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Understood. Let’s go together.”
I left the annex with Father.
Knights and attendants followed us.
We walked along the path circling the central garden.
On both sides, there were lakes and farm buildings. It’s truly a vast mansion.
Most notably, the striking church-like buildings just beyond the fence.
‘That must be the Healing Academy.’
The old memories lingering in the possessed body rose like mirage.
The main hall was composed of three buildings.
The East Wing, West Wing, and Central Hall.
The Empress was in the Central Hall, while Acella appeared to be in the East Wing.
In front of the East Wing, Father paused and suggested to me.
“Then go see the Royal Princess. Since she called for you directly, I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“Leave it to me. I’ll see you at dinner.”
After exchanging greetings and beginning to walk, I noticed some commotion beyond the fence.
“What’s going on?”
At Father’s question, one attendant hurriedly conveyed the situation.
It didn’t seem to be good news, as Father’s expression turned serious.
“The Royal Princess’s pet?”
Father quickly moved toward the scene, and I hurried after him beyond the fence.
The scene was one of chaos.
On the lawn lay a huge puppy, panting painfully.
Was this Acella’s pet?
Four Healers surrounded the puppy.
All dressed in white robes so it was hard to tell who was who.
It was a truly large puppy; it must be a Great Pyrenees breed.
It was almost two meters tall, towering over me. Its fluffy white fur made it look even bigger.
The problem was that it was dying.
“What happened?!”
Father’s stern voice made the Healers sweat profusely as they replied.
“It suddenly collapsed…!”
“We’re healing it right now!”
Father hastily threw off his coat and rolled up his sleeves.
“This is a pet of an Imperial Family member. Do you know how grave it would be if something goes wrong, Gis?!”
So that’s Gis, huh?
That clumsy-looking guy? I could understand why the family would go extinct if someone like him were to be the head physician.
“We’re almost done healing it….”
Father pushed Gis aside and took out a rosary and a holy book to cast healing magic.
His divine power took form through the prayers of faith.
What a painfully familiar sight.
I had used that skill more than once myself.
As the head of the Gothberg family, Father must be quite adept at using healing magic.
However, despite the healing currently being administered, the puppy continued to pant in pain.
It was then that I heard a shout.
“Max!”
Acella was running over from a distance. She must have heard about her pet’s accident.
Her eyes were wide with shock.
“Max, Max!”
“Your Highness, the Healers are currently healing him. Please wait a moment.”
Her head maid stepped in to stop her from rushing toward the puppy.
“Max is the name, huh?”
I looked back at the Healers.
Rather than examining the patient, these so-called aces were fidgeting with their heads bowed in prayer.
I glanced at Acella slyly.
“……”
Ah, our eyes met briefly.
That was when the numbers changed.
[No. 004: Sweet Poison 56% → 71%]
[Changed]
Oh, what have I done now?
Does this mean I’m now involved with the conditions for the Sweet Poison bad ending?
This incident is the trigger.
“Right. A crisis is an opportunity.”
In other words, this is my chance to delete a bad ending.
Naturally, I don’t have any intention of ignoring a dying puppy, even without the status window.
I can’t neglect a cute puppy.
“Let’s see.”
I approached Max and began to examine him carefully.
“I don’t see any noticeable wounds.”
So it must be internal. The fact that he can’t breathe points to an issue with his respiratory system.
His fur is so thick; it’s hard to tell with the naked eye. I started to palpate Max’s body.
“What are you doing, Young Master?!”
One of the Healers grabbed my shoulder, trying to pull me away.
“I’m trying to diagnose the cause. Don’t get in the way.”
I brushed him aside and continued to check Max’s neck.
“Young Master is choking the dog!”
“That brat…!”
Whatever they say, I don’t have time to spare. Time is of the essence.
I felt something lumpy at my fingertips.
“What’s this?”
The cause was simple.
“It’s a blockage in the throat.”
Something had lodged in his throat.