The head maid had finished her preparations early in the morning to serve her mistress.
Nobles with imperial approval were practically a superior race compared to commoners.
When a member of the imperial family takes a single step, countless retainers prepared solely for them must move in concert.
Knights, secretaries, servants, and personal physicians.
The current Emperor had brought in over twenty members of the imperial family.
The professional staff required to attend them numbered dozens of times that, by simple calculation.
The Imperial Knights were the most skilled military force in the Empire, and the Imperial Medical Office, composed of personal physicians and faction healers, boasted tremendous skill and authority.
Among the Emperor's relatives, the succession candidates held special status. Even factions within the imperial court were divided by names like "First Prince Faction" or "First Princess Faction."
Although Asella was the youngest among the succession candidates, she was steadily building her power base, starting with the knights.
The absence of a personal physician was for a special reason.
The head maid, who had cared for Asella since childhood, knew the reason well. Healers couldn't withstand Asella's magical power and kept collapsing.
"Even if the Gotbergs are a renowned healing family, picking some random nobody won't help the Princess at all."
What's more, for some reason, Asella seemed to secretly want that rascal to be selected.
When she heard rumors about him, the head maid found it utterly mysterious what change of heart Asella had experienced, considering how much she had detested the engagement before.
"I need to supervise the test properly. For the Princess's sake."
She had been entrusted with an important duty. The head maid was determined not to blink even once during today's practical examination.
With this in mind, the head maid waited outside the first floor of the east wing where Asella was staying.
Standing guard outside her mistress's room before she awoke was a basic duty for a maid.
With her strong professional ethic, she had never been late in the morning during her eleven years as Asella's maid.
When Asella woke up, everything from bathing to dressing and appearance setting was her responsibility.
But then—thud!
A dull sound of something falling came from inside Asella's room.
Sensing what had happened, she boldly opened Asella's door immediately.
"Princess, excuse my intrusion."
As expected, Asella had fallen from her bed and was lying face down on the floor.
Cold sweat drenched her forehead as she clutched her stomach. Her half-open eyes maintained an expressionless look, but her breathing was labored.
"Princess!"
The head maid hurried to her and carefully tried to touch her.
When she attempted to lift her, Asella curled up like a turtle. It was an expression of refusal. Moving her body carelessly would only intensify the pain.
In the end, the head maid could do nothing but support Asella's head to make her as comfortable as possible.
"This again..."
This had happened occasionally since she was young.
Asella lived with constant abdominal pain.
It was said to be the price for having magical "talent," but the head maid, who possessed no such thing, couldn't possibly understand what it felt like.
Sometimes when it worsened at night, Asella would wake up and remain in this state until morning.
Seeing Asella rolling on the floor unable to utter a word made it clear the pain was tremendous.
What the head maid found most heartbreaking was that Asella had never once screamed in pain.
So the head maid couldn't know Asella's condition until morning.
"When will this ever..."
Many healers had tried to reduce Asella's pain, but all efforts were in vain.
That's why Asella had no personal physician until now.
"The episodes have become more frequent lately."
The head maid understood why Asella's manner of speaking had gradually become more aggressive.
It was impossible for a fourteen-year-old girl not to be irritable when constantly in such pain.
Moreover, her mother, Empress Camilla, merely demanded that Asella endure stoically, saying it was the natural price for having talent.
The head maid felt frustrated that she could only watch this situation helplessly.
That's why she had considerable expectations for this personal physician selection.
She sincerely hoped a competent healer who could cure Asella would be chosen.
"But if that rascal gets selected..."
The head maid wondered if this situation was artificially created by the Empress for political purposes.
After about thirty minutes, Asella's breathing finally returned to normal.
Only then could the head maid help her back into bed.
"Please rest a bit longer, Princess. I'll inform the Empress that you'll start today's schedule later."
"I'll get scolded for that."
Asella replied with difficulty, barely moving her lips.
"Your well-being takes priority. But why did your condition suddenly worsen... Did you go out to the city again?"
Asella remained silent at the head maid's question.
"It was the day you said you were going to meet the young lord of Gotberg. That was my oversight."
"It has nothing to do with that."
"You shouldn't overexert yourself."
"But it was fun."
"Fun, you say?"
The head maid was quite puzzled.
Asella often went out to observe the Empire's citizens whenever she had the chance.
But each time, the commoners only showed disappointing behavior, and Asella had never once mentioned having fun.
"Yes, it was fun. The coffee was rich, there were various types of commoners, and Lars was also..."
Asella stopped herself, as if treasuring the thought. The head maid, well aware of her position, asked no further questions.
"Go supervise."
"As you wish."
What Asella wanted from her was surely the results of the personal physician's practical examination.
The head maid left her post to other maids and headed toward the north gate of the mansion.
***
"Father, the formations are complete."
Tanya reported to my father.
Father nodded and checked the current status. Thirty knights from the Kondenburg Order, divided into six squads of five each.
Father looked around at us healers and announced:
"Candidates will be assigned two per squad. Injuries are inevitable during monster subjugation. We will evaluate your response capabilities to select the final candidate."
Father's attitude was very serious. The healers were equally tense, with not one of them showing any sign of relaxation.
Well, there was one exception.
"I'm not an adventurer, why monster subjugation? Tsk."
One healer complained under his breath.
Father heard it with uncanny precision and immediately rebutted:
"A personal physician must be able to heal their lord in any situation. Even in the middle of a battlefield under monster attack. If you don't understand the test method, get out now, Lucio!"
"N-no, sir!"
The healer who was called out snapped to attention as if suddenly awakened.
"Then I'll form squads based on written test scores to maintain balance. Captain Tanya, take them."
"Yes."
Tanya began distributing the twelve healers among the squads.
They were all talented individuals from the marquisate who were about to graduate from the training center.
"They're just desk healers anyway."
Whether they've spent their lives studying to build faith and divine power, they're all challenging for the imperial physician position rather than becoming adventurers or private healers.
They're just gentlemen seeking comfortable positions under the sun of power. I have no intention of losing to them.
"Young master, you'll come with us."
Tanya gestured to me. Her squad was waiting for me.
"Hmph! A formation I approve of."
One person was particularly irritated with me.
It was Gis, the ace of the training center.
The idiot who was just standing around when Max was choking.
"You approve?"
"Yes. You've suddenly inserted yourself into this physician test without qualifications. Being the Princess's fiancé, I suspected some kind of deal was made."
Gis's glare was ominous.
He seems to have already indulged in all sorts of fantasies. How tiresome.
"But being in the same squad means everyone will see the difference in our abilities. I have no complaints. I won't be unfairly eliminated."
"Haha, of course not."
I grinned and returned his comment.
"I'll make sure everyone understands completely before I eliminate you. I'll clearly demonstrate the difference in our abilities."
"Ugh...! Have you ever attended even one lecture or service? I've been breaking records daily in this generation at the training center!"
Gis seemed properly provoked by my words and thumped his chest in rebuttal.
"What you possess isn't confidence but arrogance. I've done countless practical training sessions at the center. How could you, who's always been negligent, possibly defeat me?"
Ah, practical training, he says.
I'm already sick of practical experience.
If there's ever an opening in the hero's party in the future, I should actively recommend him.
"I will not allow discord during operations. You two were assigned based on written test scores. Healer Gis ranked first, and young master, who skipped the written test, was assumed to be at the bottom."
"So that's how you balance the average. Doesn't matter to me who's in my squad."
—Rustle.
I take out a honey candy from my pocket. Carefully unwrapping it so the candy won't break, a sweet aroma spreads.
Putting it in my mouth, my strength recovers and my head starts spinning with clarity.
Hmm, my mood improves too.
I can be more merciful now.
"The knights in my squad are the lucky ones. Fight without worrying about injuries."
"I give my all to the mission. I'm your superior during operations, so please follow orders strictly."
Wow, Tanya responds so seriously even to jokes that I feel embarrassed.
"Of course! As the young master said, there's no need to worry. I, Gis, will firmly hold the rear in honor of the training center!"
Gis thumped his chest again and confidently displayed his holy book as he joined the knights.
He appeared to be in his early twenties, and perhaps because he was set to graduate top of his class from the healer training center, his confidence was overflowing.
He's the typical type who becomes overly spirited before his social debut and exhausts everyone around him.
Hmm, how annoying.
But with candy in my mouth, I'm merciful. I don't feel the need to raise my voice unnecessarily.
As I was about to move, Tanya lightly grabbed my shoulder.
"Young master, I expect more from you than from the other healers."
Tanya's gaze is quite passionate.
It's pressuring when she suddenly approaches me like that.
Tanya stepped forward and addressed the knights.
"Recently, monsters from the northern forest have been causing damage to the territory. Reports indicate attacks on farmland and roads beyond the walls."
Monster subjugation is a regular duty of the knights, separate from the physician test.
Certain types of monsters tend to appear in large numbers during specific seasons.
"What kind of monsters?"
Tanya answered my question.
"Goblins."
"Just goblins?"
"Not difficult opponents then."
"Will we even need to heal anyone?"
The healers, unfamiliar with monsters, began to relax.
I clapped my hands to get their attention.
"The situation requires knights for mere goblins. At minimum, hob goblins have emerged and are acting collectively around a leader. Underestimate them and you'll be seriously injured."
Despite my warning, the healers didn't seem to grasp the severity.
That made sense, given their lack of practical experience.
"The young master is right. Goblins may have the intelligence and strength of children, but once they group together, they can tear you apart effortlessly. We're heading to a battlefield. Stay alert!"
Thump! Tanya stomped her foot, and only then did the healers gulp nervously.
"Especially healers without combat abilities—be careful. I trust there won't be any incompetent healers who get injured before the knights fighting at the front."
The healers watched Tanya anxiously.
Swiftly, Tanya drew her sword and turned her body.
Her target was the dark forest ahead.
"We move out!"
At Tanya's signal, the knights and healers formed ranks and began moving.
In the rear were my father and the training center healers who would grade the test, along with escort knights.
And one more—Asella's head maid who had volunteered as a supervisor.
"Goblins, huh."
I know how to deal with them well.
Compared to the Demon King's army, they're truly no different from children.
Of course, I have no intention of fighting directly. This is a physician test, not a knight test.
Still, I need to protect myself.
I drew my sword instead of a holy book.