NOVEL WEB Chapter 34
“Trolling?”
Lau tilted his head at the unfamiliar word.
“Yeah. Put simply, it’s a strategy for mutual destruction; neither our side can win, but it enhances the joy of the game by hindering the enemy’s victory.”
Upon hearing my explanation, Lau’s mouth formed a long grin.
“I knew it. You’re one of those mischievous types, huh?”
“Not at all. It’s all for the sake of an exciting tournament. The martial arts tournament is originally great, but wouldn’t it be even better with some seasoning?”
“Hehe, I like spicy developments too. Have you read that novel? It’s a romance that’s trending nowadays and the plot is something else.”
Lau began tapping the table with his fingertips, casually shifting to another topic.
Listening to another one of his boring prattles was giving me a headache.
I really need to take an aspirin.
“Hehe, this year’s flower viewing festival is going to be a blast!”
The Royal Princess was far more excited about flower viewing than the martial arts tournament.
And thus, the deal between Lau and me was established.
*
Two days after making the mask for Lau, strange conversations started to emerge in the capital.
“I swear, I can’t go outside without a mask these days!”
“Look at how my jawline has sharpened! I can’t believe no one made something like this sooner.”
“They say it also blocks the contagion, so why wouldn’t I use it? Besides, it’s less suffocating than a corset.”
“The Inner Palace’s attending physician invented this, so it’s trustworthy.”
In the capital, masks began to trend as fashion items, particularly among noblewomen and young ladies.
With linen as the basic material, it didn’t suffocate at all. Used to corsets, women seemed to think they could endure just about anything for the sake of fashion.
Noblewomen entering and leaving the Imperial Palace all wore modern masks.
They’d all hurried to buy masks modeled after those displayed by clothing merchants and piled them up in their drawers.
“Wasn’t this the defensive gear the teacher first devised? Is it okay for just anyone to make it?”
Tanya expressed her concerns, rightfully so.
“Medicine should be widely disseminated among the populace.”
That’s the basic spirit of it.
“However, in this world, the price is also essential. We need some guarantees, don’t we?”
I left the office wearing a doctor’s coat.
*
As Lucy, the head maid of Acella, performed her duties flawlessly, another day swiftly passed.
She was always by the side of her mistress, Acella, attending to her every need.
Acella seemed a bit uncomfortable.
I could guess the reason.
Since the previous clash, Empress Camilla had kept her distance from Acella.
In other words, a state of cold war.
Despite that, Acella continued her necessary training according to schedule without a word.
Though the training had started at the behest of the Empress, Acella had a strong desire to become the next Empress herself.
‘Though it’s likely that desire was instilled by the Empress.’
The head maid thought so after observing Acella for a long time.
Though she didn’t show it outwardly, she couldn’t hide her joy every time she successfully cast a higher-tier magic.
A desire for achievement at a higher level.
It was the same for those from the imperial family. Perhaps it’s in their blood as fate.
They always sought to rise to a higher plane and acquire more.
Shall we say they are embodiments of greedness, given that ability is a prerequisite?
Even the current Emperor, in his youth, was a battle-hardened veteran who expanded the Empire through countless wars to fulfill his insatiable greed.
‘But the Royal Princess, even if she reaches a higher level of magic, receives no praise.’
It was blasphemous to even harbor such thoughts, but what could one do?
The head maid didn’t think Empress Camilla was a good parent.
She had already entered the realm of genius—a space only reachable through both talent and effort—in the fifth-tier magic.
Acella, despite being so young, was already capable of third-tier magic, yet Camilla only harassed her to reach higher levels, showing no sign of surprise.
To her, it looked like just basic magic she could perform without hesitation.
For a teenager to cast third-tier magic, if she were in the Magic Tower, it would have been an unfathomable achievement that could earn her the title of a phenomenal genius.
Most wizards, even if they pursued adventuring as a lifelong career, might only manage to cast third-tier magic after reaching old age.
Her mentor, Seymour, was a historical grand sorcerer who appeared once every two hundred years—a sage, perhaps.
The comparison only highlighted her status even more.
‘The Royal Princess does not deserve such shabby treatment.’
The head maid had one trivial complaint: Acella was merely a tool for Empress Camilla to acquire power.
She was merely a being born for the sake of entering the palace.
One could even question whether Camilla viewed her as her own daughter.
The rest of the family were either plotting to eliminate Acella or using her half-siblings, leaving no allies for her in the imperial family.
‘The Royal Princess wanting to become the next Empress….’
It must be to gain praise if she fulfills Camilla’s ambitions.
That’s what the head maid speculated.
“Then I shall see you next time.”
“Get out.”
The private tutor left the classroom. Though he was a capable ex-professor from the Warriors Academy, Acella did not show him proper respect.
The head maid diligently prepared tea during Acella’s short break to ensure she could relax.
“Your Highness, here are some refreshments.”
“Pour for me.”
Seeing Acella drink eagerly from her cup like a squirrel gave the maid some relief.
Especially during this season of colds, the attending physician recommended drinking plenty of warm water.
‘Your Highness really follows the teacher’s advice well.’
Thanks to the attending physician, she felt somewhat less worried recently.
Since his arrival, Acella’s face had looked more relaxed than before.
Even if sudden episodes occurred at night again, she believed he could manage to solve them somehow.
“Acella, are you there?”
The sudden voice broke the moment of peace like a hammer dropped from a glass cabinet.
It was a surprise visit.
Empress Camilla had come to Acella’s tutoring classroom with her guard knights.
The head maid immediately bowed respectfully. Camilla stood before Acella’s desk.
“Mother.”
Camilla glanced over the book Acella had just been studying before lowering her eyes.
“You’re still pretending to study, huh? You’d surely work hard without my supervision. As if you can focus on anything.”
Acella silently listened to Camilla’s stream of harsh words without a breath in between.
“Do you think you can succeed the next Empress without me? I was wondering when you’d come to bow your head, but it appears not even a single hair of yours is showing.”
When Camilla mentioned Lars, Acella’s brows twitched.
“You have no idea how important the martial arts tournament is. His Majesty may remain here for several years longer. Before that airheaded First Royal Prince is established, you have to snatch the heir position!”
The head maid had several things she wanted to say in opposition to the Empress, but she swallowed them all.
She knew best that Acella was diligently preparing for the martial arts tournament.
Even with a schedule full of training, she never forgot to manage the Knights, and she continued her magic practice to showcase her performance.
“If you keep playing around like this, I’ll simply cut off my support. The Second Royal Prince Georg wants to see my wizards showcase their skills in his faction.”
“Are you saying you’ll lend your disciples to a different faction?”
Acella reacted, and Camilla wore a victorious smile. It was the ease of someone who had the upper hand.
“Prince Georg has been on friendly terms with us for a long time. We can’t just reject him as another faction.”
“Don’t you understand why Georg sought us for support? He doesn’t see us as allies; he sees us as a rival to the throne.”
Acella snapped back angrily.
The head maid could also guess the reason.
The ones actively vying for the position of the next Empress were Georg, the Second Royal Prince, and Heike, the First Royal Princess.
It was only natural that whoever could control Acella—who would become a powerful wielder of magical arms—would secure a strong foothold in the future.
The support from the Second Royal Prince wasn’t born out of goodwill or brotherly affection.
Rather, it was a political strategy because he viewed Acella as a mere tool with no claim to succession.
“Acella, what have I always said to you?”
“To become the next Empress.”
“You must be hearing things wrong.”
Camilla glared at Acella coldly.
“I told you I need an Empress. If you’re not on my side, you’re useless.”
The head maid thought it was a cruel statement.
Return to me, or I’ll turn to the Second Royal Prince’s faction.
It was practically a threat.
Acella might always have a cold demeanor, but she was very attached to the things she considered her possessions, or so thought the head maid.
Evidence of this was that she was never overly harsh towards herself, the maid, or the knights.
Even though she had a heavy workload, her commands never went beyond rational bounds.
That’s why those belonging to Moonlight Palace pledged loyalty to Acella.
The Empress also saw Acella as part of what she owned.
But as far as the head maid knew, the Empress had never shown affection towards Acella.
She only tempted her with affection as she did now.
“Do you really think you can win the martial arts tournament and impress His Majesty without me? With such childish training!”
“That’s….”
Acella bit her lip.
No matter how hard she tried, the conditions she was given were far too disadvantageous.
First, the number of Knights is small.
As Camilla said, the training could indeed be nothing but child’s play.
Both the Second Royal Prince and the First Royal Princess would surely come prepared with much more sophisticated strategies.
“Now do you understand reality? Acella, without me, you’re just a clueless little girl. Kneel and beg now. If you receive special training, I’ll forgive you for that day….”
Knock knock.
Just then, the door burst open with a powerful knock.
“Your Highness, attending physician Gothberg has come to report.”
Camilla abruptly turned her head and glared at the attending physician.
Her face crumpled with annoyance.
“Can’t you see I’m having an important discussion with Acella? Do you know where you are to barge in!”
“Why is an outsider here?”
“What did you say!”
Ignoring the furious Empress, Lars reported to Acella.
“We have temporarily reorganized the Knights from Moonlight Palace who will participate in the martial arts tournament. If you approve, we can proceed.”
Acella skimmed the report.
“Hundred forty men?”
“Yes.”
At the unsettling news, Camilla’s eyes widened.
“One hundred forty? What on earth does that mean? Attending physician!”
“Hey, Your Highness, where are you trying to sneak a peek at the confidential documents? No matter how much of an Empress you may be, let’s observe some boundaries.”
Lars marked Camilla’s gaze with his back.
Acella unconsciously lifted her mouth as she turned to the next page.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a patent application for the masks. Given your authority, you should be able to pass it immediately.”
Lars nodded lightly.
“The patent income will be used for the Moonlight Palace budget. A little for my pocket as well.”