“So, it was just a dream?”
Mu’en leaned against the headboard, staring at the ceiling adorned with a golden chandelier, a wave of immense relief washing over him.
He couldn’t believe he was still alive.
Being stabbed in a vital spot by a dagger burning with the flames of an Evil God, yet still breathing—could it be that Heaven had finally given him a break?
“According to the Lord, the ceremonial robe Young Master was wearing that day was actually a rather decent defensive magical artifact. It absorbed most of the damage at the critical moment, sparing you from disaster.”
“Oh, I see.”
Sorry, dear robe. I was too loud before. The 20 kilograms of your weight was never a flaw, but rather a comforting sense of security!
If I get the chance, I’ll definitely repair you and wear you again. Not for anything else, just to repay you for saving my life!
“Then, what about my current injuries…”
Mu’en looked at his hands. To be honest, despite suffering such severe wounds, he didn’t feel any pain at the moment, just a vague sense of physical emptiness.
“It was Princess Celicia.”
An explained, “She summoned the chief healing mage of the Royal Magician Corps, who personally cast a healing spell on you. So, your wounds were healed immediately, but your body was too weak, which is why you’ve been asleep for so long.”
“Long?”
“Young Master slept for three full days.”
“Thr…ee days.”
Mu’en exhaled lightly, “That’s quite a long time.”
“By the way.”
Mentioning Celicia, Mu’en suddenly tensed up and couldn’t help but cautiously ask, “Did Celicia… say anything about me?”
“Say anything about you…?”
An tilted her head, puzzled, “What does Young Master mean?”
“Well… like anything about me in a negative light.”
“I wouldn’t know, but I don’t think she said anything like that.”
An thought carefully, “When she left, she chatted with the Lord for a while, and they seemed quite happy.”
“I see.”
Mu’en couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.
Unexpectedly, Celicia never exposed that… beastly thing he did.
Was it for her own reputation, or because… he saved her?
“Young Master Mu’en.”
“Yes?”
“I know this might be overstepping, but I have to ask.”
An suddenly crouched down, a faint floral scent lingering around Mu’en’s nose. For some reason, Mu’en felt An’s voice carried a certain chill.
“Is the reason you’re so nervous about this because you did something to the Princess when you were alone with her in the room?”
“N…No, of course not!”
Mu’en shook his head vigorously, his face stiff, “She’s the Princess! If I did something to her, I’d lose my head!”
“Is that so? I thought so too.”
An seemed to believe Mu’en’s words and didn’t press further. Instead, she picked up the bowl of medicine.
“Here, drink your medicine. It’s already cold.”
“Do I have to?”
Looking at the bowl of dark concoction, Mu’en’s stiff face immediately crumbled.
“I’m afraid it’s bitter.”
“That’s not an option, Young Master. The first thing you need to do now is take care of your health.”
“But aren’t my wounds already healed?”
“Strictly speaking, this isn’t medicine—it’s a tonic. It just looks like medicine. Plus, knowing Young Master’s aversion to bitterness, I’ve already added sugar.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Alright then…”
Mu’en stretched out a trembling hand, “Hand it over.”
An: “…”
Mu’en: “?”
“Young Master, feeding you the medicine is the duty of this personal maid.”
“But my limbs are perfectly functional…”
“Young Master, are you trying to strip me of my livelihood? After all, I’m just a poor maid who’s good for nothing but taking care of you. If you dislike me, I can resign immediately.”
An wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of her eye, “But a frail maid like me, who knows nothing but serving you, would then lose her place in the world. Left to wander alone, if I encountered bad people, I’d have no choice but to—”
“Alright, alright, feed me. Just stop talking.”
Mu’en gave up the struggle helplessly.
At least it’s the treatment of a Duke’s son, right?
Being hand-fed by a beautiful girl is the ultimate fantasy of countless otakus!
“Here, Young Master, open your mouth. Ah—”
“Feels like feeding a child. Ah—
Ugh, it’s bitter! Didn’t you say you added sugar?”
“Oh, perhaps I remembered wrong. Here, Young Master, keep going. Ah—”
“How could you forget something like that? You’re definitely treating me like a kid! Ah—”
“Young Master, you’re doing great. Just two more sips. Ah—”
“I keep telling you, I’m not a child! Ah—”
……
……
“By the way, any negative repercussions from that incident?”
Mu’en suddenly asked.
After all, it was a major assassination attempt on the Imperial Princess. Surely, during the three days he was asleep, there must have been some fallout.
And as his personal maid, An would’ve surely kept tabs on such matters.
“There was indeed some impact.”
An tidied up the medicine bowl as she replied, “First, regarding the identity of the assassins. After the Lord personally interrogated them, it seems those who disguised themselves as maids weren’t professional assassins or death squads, but rather bounty hunters who’ve long operated in the underground of Bairland, worshipping the Evil God known as the King of Withering.
They say they’ll do anything for money.”
“The King of Withering… Bounty hunters…”
Mu’en muttered softly. In his memory, the original novel never mentioned an Evil God with the title of the King of Withering, let alone a bounty hunter organization that worshipped him.
“Indeed, the limitations of novels are too great.”
Mu’en sighed inwardly.
Novels are told from the protagonist’s perspective, so they can’t fully describe an entire worldview or clearly present every event happening in the world.
In other words, once the plot deviates from the original book or strays from the protagonist’s line, it becomes completely unpredictable.
“Young Master Mu’en needn’t worry. That organization was actually wiped out last night by the Lord himself,” An added.
“…Is that so.”
Mu’en paused, then couldn’t help but smile in relief.
Though the plot didn’t follow the original book, it’s precisely because of this that he’s still the noble son of a Duke.
He doesn’t need to worry about the direction of this incident because someone will naturally handle it for him.
“What about the mastermind behind the bounty hunters?”
“That’s still unclear.”
An shook her head, “All members of the bounty hunter organization were cursed. As soon as that topic was broached, they spontaneously combusted.”
“Well… that’s how it is.”
Anyone who dares to openly assassinate the Princess naturally wouldn’t leave any traces.
But even the beggars on the streets know that only a few factions would have a motive to assassinate Celicia.
“I heard the Emperor was furious about this and personally ordered a sweep of the rats in Bairland’s underground.”
“This is… something.”
Upon hearing this, Mu’en couldn’t help but shake his head with a wry smile, muttering to himself, “Looks like visiting the underground black market is out of the question for a while.”
