The Doctor Cured The Villainess And Ran Away

When I dashed towards the big puppy, chaos erupted around me.

“That hooligan is choking the dog to death!”

“He’s beating that poor dog!”

“Has he been drinking since noon? Someone stop him!”

What a bunch of prejudiced people.

Just a check-up, folks.

I may not have a license, but can you blame me? Time’s of the essence!

Touching Max’s neck, I could definitely feel something.

It seemed like he had swallowed something the size of a fist—a big fruit or a rock—got stuck in his throat.

That’s the problem in this world.

It’s common sense to heal pain with healing spells, and healing spells work on both injuries and illnesses indiscriminately.

But then, identifying the cause of the injury takes a backseat.

It’s said that the idea of healing spells being all-powerful wasn’t always prevalent.

Regular folks who couldn’t learn depended on healing spells, which only strengthened the grip of religion.

This trend started in the Kingdom of Law, where religion ruled, and after hundreds of years, it got deeply ingrained in people’s minds.

The issue is, healing spells are not omnipotent.

They can heal any injury, but their efficiency drops.

In cases like this, especially if the breathing passages are blocked, fixing the lungs or brain won’t do much; they’ll just suffer longer before death.

“Well, considering the era, it’s not unreasonable.”

It’s a time without any concept of hygiene or infection.

Anatomy hasn’t developed either, and no one knows about physical structures.

“This needs treatment, not healing.”

It’s emergency treatment.

The method is simple.

I wrapped my arms around Max’s waist and lifted him until his hind legs were off the ground.

“Young Master! Stop this at once!”

The healers thought I was acting insane, and chaos began again. Even my father was sweating profusely.

But one person.

Acella had a slightly different look in her eyes.

Half confusion, half anticipation.

She seemed curious about what I would show her.

I was in a crouched position holding Max. I stacked my hands, clenched my left fist tight, and bent my knees a bit so the strength could be delivered well.

I placed my fist against Max’s solar plexus and pulled with all my might.

Gasp!

Max made a loud gagging noise.

After repeating the pressure five times, there was no change.

Was the first one a failure?

“Oh dear!”

“His Highness is killing the dog!”

I immediately released my arms.

I pushed hard again and then—Wham!

Kellok!

This time, Max let out a slightly different coughing sound and spat out a big chunk.

Huffing and gasping for air, Max managed to spit out what appeared to be a solid fruit.

Did he choke on it after hastily putting it in his mouth because it smelled sweet?

Max finally stood on all fours and coughed a few more times toward the ground.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he casually wagged his tail.

Well, not showing pain is a common trait for puppies.

I plopped down on the grass, completely drained. Max was too heavy, and I was drenched in sweat.

I’m far too weak. I need to exercise a bit.

Max came over and rubbed his face against me, so I patted his head.

“No way, what the hell…?”

“What did you just do, Young Master?”

I answered the bewildered healers.

“It’s called the Heimlich Maneuver. It’s a method of emergency treatment for choking on a foreign object. You should know it, it’s quite common.”

They just tilted their heads, not understanding what I said.

Should I gather them later and give a lecture on artificial respiration or something?

Who knows, I might save a life when it counts.

“My goodness, that’s incredible. To think of such an unexpected method.”

My father marveled as he closed the scripture.

It would have been a fresh sight for someone who had relied solely on healing spells for a lifetime.

“If I hadn’t saved this puppy, it would have been a huge insult to Her Highness, the Princess, and even Her Majesty the Empress. It would have been a disgrace to the family. Thanks to you, we’ve avoided a crisis, son.”

My father patted me on the shoulder as he led me. I stood up and replied.

“For the Gothberg family’s eldest son, it was only natural to step up.”

“Haha, when did my son become so reliable? Did you self-study healing spells?”

“Oh, it wasn’t healing spells.”

My answer shocked my father.

“Then what technique was it?”

“Medicine.”

“Medicine, huh… So it was an academic discipline, not just a skill.”

My father laughed pleasantly, impressed.

A message popped up in my status window.

[No. 004: Sweet Poison 71% → 0%]

[Changed]

[Ending deleted.]

“Wow.”

One bad ending erased. Before I knew it, I was secretly grinning.

“Now I remember. Acella suffocating me with magic to cause death was one of those endings.”

Ugh, what a horrifying memory.

So it means Max didn’t die, and Acella wasn’t left with a traumatic impression of suffocation?

It feels like one of my own traumas vanished too.

It was as if oxygen freshly filled my mind.

“Not as bad as I thought?”

Deleting bad endings… might actually be fun.

Max, who’d been rubbing against my leg, jumped to the other side.

To none other than his owner, Acella.

Acella had completely returned to her usual cold-blooded demeanor, her earlier shock all gone.

The atmosphere tightened as everyone present felt the pressure emanating from the fourteen-year-old girl.

She pointed a finger at me.

“I’ll choose him as my attending physician.”

What?

“Huh?!”

“Your Highness?!”

Everyone was quite taken aback by Acella’s declaration.

Her maids, who also served as her attendants, were the first to chime in.

“Your Highness, just a moment…”

“I was under the impression that the Prince had hardly studied healing spells.”

“Perhaps it would be best to reconsider…”

When Acella shot them a glare, they immediately fell silent.

The healers on our side were also protesting.

“B-but, Young Mistress! The test for the attending physician is still underway!”

“How can we give him the chance to enter the royal family…!”

“It’s a serious issue if the Prince becomes your physician and he messes up!”

Even my father seemed surprised by Acella’s statement. He was cautious about how he approached the matter.

Indeed, at this time, I was technically affiliated with the Healing Academy, but I had hardly studied anything and was just a drunken hooligan.

Becoming Acella’s betrothed was also a political maneuver involving the royal family and our clan.

“That’s your concern, not mine.”

I didn’t care.

“Though I don’t want to go either.”

If I became the palace physician, I’d constantly be entangled with Acella.

That would make it much more likely to erase bad endings.

Of course, my social status would also rise.

But do I really have to see this girl every day? I’d have to check her mana circulation first thing in the morning when I wake up, right?

Wouldn’t I be dying of a heart attack before that? If that’s the case, I wouldn’t have gone back ten years.

“Preventing my family’s downfall and succeeding here is the wise course of action.”

The attending physician?

Someone who has to be on standby 24/7 in the next room because he doesn’t know what might happen to his lord?

An attending physician, known as a lifelong job because passing on responsibilities is difficult?

A position so politically charged that if the royal family falls, you get executed whether you like it or not?

“Am I going crazy?”

The palace’s inner palace where the palace doctor goes is like a university hospital.

The emperor usually has three attending physicians by his side.

Even all the emperor’s miscellaneous relatives have their own physicians, and they all drag along their assistants.

The place is packed with healers.

It’s a territory of self-important healers engaged in political games.

In fact, private hospital directors often earn more and build more structures than university hospital professors.

No political maneuvers mean no stress.

Bad endings happen ten years later, so I should delete one whenever I get the chance.

Seeing Acella once a month is more than enough.

After about a year, I’ll annul the engagement and never see her again—perfect.

I need to organize my thoughts.

Calmly, I began to speak.

“I’m truly honored by your offer, Your Highness. However, the healers have a point. We are currently conducting a careful selection process to find the most suitable candidate for you from our family, so please bear with us…”

Unknowingly, I stopped speaking as cold sweat dripped down my back.

In the status window, a number blinked ominously in red.

[No. 056: Wicked Woman’s Hatred 21% → 64%]

“Ah, hell.”

If she really hates me, she might threaten me with a knife at any moment.

Casually glancing around, I saw Acella’s expression had turned quite fierce.

Everyone in the room felt the tense atmosphere and stayed silent.

She glared at me and asked, “You’re saying no?”

“… As you heard, I’ve hardly studied healing spells.”

“So?”

“I don’t know how to use healing spells.”

“Not gonna do it?”

The probability kept climbing. From 64% to 72%.

It felt like she was poised to cut my head off if I didn’t comply.

I needed to buy some time.

“Then how about this?”

As I took a step back, Acella lifted her chin slightly.

“What I’m most worried about is my own inexperience. I can’t afford to make a mistake with your royal health.”

Acella seemed intrigued by what I said.

I straightened my chest confidently and declared.

“I will also participate in the ongoing test for the attending physician. If I can prove my qualifications in fair competition, I would gladly accept the position as Your Highness’s physician.”

“Can you swear to act sincerely?”

“I swear.”

After hearing my reply, Acella gave a devilish smile.

“If you act sincerely, you will certainly be selected, right?”

“… Huh?”

“If you fail, I’ll hold you accountable for lying to me.”

Acella gestured to the head maid, who also served as her assistant.

“From now on, supervise the attending physician test thoroughly. Ensure there’s no cheating or favoring.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Ugh.

This has become more troublesome.

Since it was a test conducted by our family, I was planning to drop out conveniently.

Now I’m cornered without an option.

I underestimated Acella von Württemberg, the realm’s most wicked woman.

Even as a girl, she had already been above me.

“Anyone have a complaint?”

At Acella’s question, no one replied.

Of course not.

“Anyone want to volunteer to get their heads stuck in a gallows?”

“Everyone, disperse. You, follow me to my room.”

“Why?”

With her finger pointed at me, I retorted without thinking.

She frowned as if she couldn’t understand my reaction.

“I just told you to come to my room. Weren’t you on your way there?”

Oh, right.

“Of course, as you say, Your Highness.”

I followed her weakly, with the maids escorting me.

Max had completely regained his energy, panting excitedly and wagging his tail beside Acella.

He was clueless about what was happening and just seemed thrilled. Indeed, dogs really have it easy.

Acella entered her room through the terrace and gestured for me to come in.

“Come in.”

I was a bit taken aback by her nonchalant attitude.

It’s a borrowed room, and even though we’re betrothed, it’s still her personal space; do they usually let men in?

But it can’t be helped. If she tells me to come, I’m going.

I stepped onto the landing leading into her room through the terrace.

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