Chapter 23

The first thought Dieldo had after regaining his memory was ‘Why did I live like that?’ When he’d heard about it, he hadn’t really felt it. Drugs, drunkenness, debauchery… It was all just formless shadows. Now it was different. He didn’t know, so he ignored it.

But once the blurry memories took shape, he couldn’t look away. He was truly a mess. He wondered if he had some unknown disease.

The next thought was ‘Why was I such a fool?’ Just using his body and thinking, ‘I’m doing all this, so give up already?’—it was the worst way to handle things.

The regained memories became a kind of restraint. He’d wanted to return to Amber, but after realizing his own limitations, he lost motivation. More precisely, he thought, ‘Amber should meet someone better than me.’

“Your Highness. Isn’t it time to make a plan?”

Meanwhile, Petricks, who couldn’t read minds, grew anxious. The Prince, who’d only recently been plotting escape, now seemed so lethargic it was worrying.

Luckily, Dieldo was a generous master. He gave his poor servant the news.

“Petricks.”

“Yes. We really should make a plan, right?”

“No need.”

“Yes. We really should… Huh?”

“My memory’s back.”

Petricks’ mouth dropped open. He was as flustered as when he’d first heard, ‘So I wasn’t a d*ldo?’

“Really? How? When?”

“Not long ago.”

Dieldo explained that his memory returned thanks to the witch’s visit. His expression was so calm that Petricks just accepted it. Of course, he also worried that the Prince might go back to drugs and wandering.

But more than anything, he was curious what the Prince would do about Amber, the woman he’d searched for day after day. In all his years serving, Petricks had never seen the Prince seek someone so desperately. Before regaining his memory, the Prince’s world contained only her. Now, things might be different. Either way, it was a problem.

Not knowing what was better, Petricks waited to see what course the Prince would choose.

‘…So a month has passed.’

Watching the Prince waste time without doing anything, Petricks clicked his tongue. The Crown Prince wondered aloud if his brother had had a change of heart, so much so that the Prince’s condition was unrecognizable after a month.

The Crown Prince suspected the Prince’s mental state. He lamented that the royal marriage was becoming difficult. Sure, he’d gotten even more handsome as he lost weight, but so what? That was a puppet with its strings cut. Petricks just shook his head.

“I don’t know why he’s like that, either.”

A loyal servant keeps everything secret until the master confesses. Honestly, he didn’t even expect loyalty or anything. Just not doing drugs or drinking was enough. Still, he wished the Prince would get it together soon…

And then something unbelievable happened.

One morning, as Petricks arrived at work grumbling about the rain, the Prince was waiting in full dress uniform. With dazzling blond hair and an ascetic smile, the Prince fastened the last sleeve button and said,

“Let’s go to Napolia.”

For some reason, Petricks remembered the Prince staring blankly at the chicory that had come up with breakfast the day before.

* * *

It doesn’t always take a big event for someone to come to their senses. Sometimes, something trivial can change a person. For him, it was a sleepless night, the dawn air, tomatoes, scrambled eggs, the red sunset, the drizzling rain, chicory—those things.

So it was chicory, of all things, that broke everything down. It was ridiculous.

During the month Petricks saw him as just a useless parasite, Dieldo kept thinking, ‘What did Amber do to get stuck with someone like me?’ He knew his own worth, so he thought he should let go. Not being able to let go was why he kept thinking about it.

This self-loathing wasn’t just because he’d used his body so recklessly. It was because he realized how terrible he’d been. Amber was too kind and lovely to have met someone like him.

But no matter how much he thought about it… the decision to accept someone like him was Amber’s to make.

That was his conclusion.

Truthfully, just once, even just once, he wanted to see Amber. So he chose to be a shameless bastard. He felt like he’d die if he didn’t.

And when Petricks heard this story in the carriage to Napolia,

“You’re not a murderer, are you?”

He offered a kind of comfort, and Dieldo replied,

“But I’m still trash.”

Petricks nodded in agreement.

“…If I had a younger sister, I don’t think I’d introduce her to you, Your Highness.”

Dieldo felt a sudden pang but let it go. They were on their way to Napolia.

But all he learned in that small coastal town was that Amber’s grandmother had left to travel after closing up her life there.

On the way back by carriage, Petricks heard the Prince say, “If your sister is like you, I’d rather pass.” Petricks had no sister, and even if he did, he’d be grateful for that answer, but oddly, he felt moved. So a little later, when they headed to Amber’s family home in the capital, Petricks couldn’t help but ask,

“Your Highness, why are you searching for Miss Amber?”

Looking out the window, Dieldo replied,

“I want to see her.”

“That’s the only reason?”

“Yes.”

“…If I had a younger sister, I’d never introduce her to you, Your Highness.”

At the random mention of a younger sister, Dieldo looked at him with a ‘What now?’ expression, but soon let it go—they’d just arrived at Amber’s family home.

Petricks watched the Prince raise and lower his hand at the door, bite his lip and let go, looking like he’d seen a ghost. Such a nervous face. But the Prince’s nerves were shattered for another reason—he learned the previous residents had moved out.

At this point, Petricks started to have doubts.

“Your Highness.”

“What?”

“Never mind.”

‘No, it’s just that it seems Miss Amber is avoiding you…’ he decided not to say. Surely the Prince had already figured it out. Petricks resolved to play along as best he could, but as the Prince climbed into the carriage, he gave an unexpected order.

“Fire Reynold Belit immediately.”

“Huh?”

He’d almost forgotten the man, but now he remembered, and it was just in time.

“Who’s that?”

“A knight. He exists, that guy.”

“…”

So who is that guy, Petricks wanted to ask, but held back. More surprising was that there really was a low-ranking knight named Reynold Belit in the royal household. He was dismissed, though.

And the dismissed knight later gave an interview to protest his innocence. By the time Petricks relayed the phrase ‘heinous vested interests’ from the article to Dieldo, they were already heading to the academy.

Luckily, there was news worth getting at the academy. Professor Hesington had left for the Empire with several talented students, including ‘Amber Serentano.’

“What will you do now?”

By now, Petricks was used to following the Prince around. As they left campus, he asked. The Prince replied lightly,

“I’ll go.”

“You don’t mean you’ll go to the Empire, do you?”

“Then where else would I go?”

“…Are you serious? How do you plan to get there?”

The Prince turned slowly. In the sunset, his hair shone brilliantly, his blue eyes suddenly clear.

Petricks realized the Prince was truly mad when he answered,

“Why? You know, ‘royal marriage.’”

So this was why the Prince chose the Imperial journey he’d been avoiding.

References (1) 『Special Report! Hesington Research Institute, International Academic Paper Published』

Hesington Research Institute team (led by Hesington, affiliated with Otranie Royal Academy) published a paper on the use of the toxic herb Rabigarden (EF―1005) in the renowned herbal medicine journal ‘A&M (herbalist & medicinal herb).’

The paper’s title is ‘Preparation Process of Toxic Herb Rabigarden (EF―1005) and Oxidized Longevity Bacteria ― Clinical Effects.’ The Hesington Research Institute team, which had previously confirmed Rabigarden’s effectiveness in studies of atopic dermatitis, erythema, dermatographia, and skin inflammation, designed this study to determine if the herb also improves gastritis.

According to the paper, Rabigarden’s toxins form physical protective barriers without pharmacological action and neutralize the digestive system to prevent inflammation. This viral neutralization process was scientifically proven for the first time in herbal medicine with the help of advanced technology from the Cadis Empire. The Empire highly praised Rabigarden-K, developed using this research.

…

In conclusion, this paper is the first study on the ‘Preparation Process of Toxic Herb Rabigarden (EF―1005) and Oxidized Longevity Bacteria ― Clinical Effects,’ conducted jointly by the Hesington Research Institute team (Kennedy Hesington, Howards Jetin, Beth Verudi, Amber Serentano) and the Baltin Medical Biotechnology Department, accompanied by the Cadis Empire Academy’s herbal research team.

Kingdom Year 2841, May 26