Garlic, Macarons, and a Settlement Fee

Late at night, in the Crown Prince's Palace of the Riesenberk Empire.

A blond man who had been lying in bed slowly raised himself up. He called a name toward the empty balcony.

"Scarlett. Are you there?"

"You called, Your Highness."

A man draped in black robes emerged from the darkness. He settled naturally into a seat, one knee raised.

"Report to me on the current state of the Carseido Dukedom."

At the blond man's command, the robed man began reciting the dukedom's latest circumstances.

"As you know, the atmosphere has shifted somewhat since the new personal physician arrived."

"Meaning it has improved?"

"Yes, that is what my sources say. I am also told they have recently been purchasing garlic in massive quantities."

A scoffing laugh escaped the blond man's lips.

"Garlic? The spice?"

"Yes, indeed. I understand they buy at least one sack every single day."

Even eating garlic at every meal would amount to a clove or two at most—what could they possibly need that much for?

"...It seems the Duke has grown quite fond of that young physician. He lets her have whatever she wants, by the look of it."

"I intend to determine just how fond he is, beginning now. That physician will no doubt prove a useful piece on the board."

"Leave me."

His curiosity satisfied, the blond man gave the order. The robed man melted back into the darkness at once, and where he had stood, a faint red shimmer rippled and faded.

Left alone, the man rose from the bed. He picked up the crutch lying on the floor, swayed as he struggled to steady himself—then hurled the crutch down in a fit of temper.

At the crash, a maidservant came rushing in.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, I heard a loud noise—!"

"Don't come in! Get out of here, now!!"

Cowering at the curse hurled her way, the maid shrank back out. Unable to master his rage, the blond crown prince brought the crutch down once more.

"Haa... haa..."

The prince's right leg was withered drastically compared to the left. He tried again and again to force strength into it, and in the end collapsed face-down onto the bed.

For a long while he stared blankly at the ceiling, and then he murmured:

"Duke Carseido... wait just a little longer. Soon I will take everything from you."

He laughed out loud. That chilling laughter lingered in the Crown Prince's Palace for a long time. The maidservants and knights outside simply held their breath. The only way to survive at the side of a mad crown prince was to shut one's eyes and ears and pretend to hear and see nothing at all.

"What about the macarons?"

That was the first thing out of Kaylen's mouth when he greeted us upon our return to the ducal estate. I showed him my empty hands with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't get any."

"No!! I endured all that time eating nothing but broccoli, and you didn't even buy—!"

"A black magician appeared."

Everlein cut in, but Kaylen, blinded by thoughts of macarons, didn't hear him.

"You mean it didn't taste good? Has your brain turned into broccoli along with the rest of your diet? Not black sugar, black magician."

At that icy remark, Kaylen's mouth snapped shut. Still unable to abandon his hopes for macarons, he turned to checking on my wellbeing instead.

"A black magician, in the middle of the market... Are you hurt anywhere, ma'am?"

"Sir Everlein protected me, so I'm fine. It's just... something precious of mine seems to have been stolen."

"They took your pocket watch?"

Duke Blasion came walking down from the far end of the corridor. I nodded.

"Yes. Probably."

"Let's change locations first. This is hardly a conversation to be having standing up."

At the Duke's suggestion, we gathered in his office. He was the first to question me.

"How much do you know about black magicians, Doctor?"

Having read the original novel, I could answer that easily enough.

"A group made up of those expelled from the Magic Tower after studying forbidden magic for several hundred years, correct?"

"Precisely. My guess is that they caught wind of your reputation and took an interest."

"Well, that's a nuisance."

I let out a light sigh. Black magicians were enemies of the medical world as much as of the Magic Tower—they funded themselves by producing illegal drugs through their dark magic.

In the original story, the black magicians' role was... to serve as a stepping stone for the female lead and male lead's romance, if I recall correctly.

In the course of them kidnapping the female lead, the Duke came to recognize his own feelings. And the final scene featured the ultimate cliché of them all: the princess carry.

"What should I do now? I don't have a single weapon I know how to use."

"Do not worry, Doctor Frencia. Now that you have become part of this household's family, the Carseido Dukedom has a duty to protect you and keep you safe. Isn't that right, Your Grace?"

Kaylen's warm words nearly brought tears to my eyes—but I corrected him on the spot.

"I am a contract employee hired by the Duke. And we are not family—we are coworkers."

"...Yes, of course I know that. Still, it was meant in the spirit of treating one another like family..."

"There is no such thing as a workplace that's like family in this world. What I want is a cold, clean relationship bound by a salary proportionate to my abilities and a proper employment contract."

This time it looked like tears were welling up in Kaylen's eyes. I hurried to add an explanation.

"Of course! I'm deeply grateful and sorry that you would offer to protect me. So what should I do going forward?"

The Duke, Kaylen, and Everlein exchanged glances. Apparently used to such situations by now, the Duke laid out the plan of action.

"They've shown themselves openly, so they will make their next move soon. Stay inside this estate, refrain from going out, and wait."

"I will tighten the knights' watch even further," said Everlein.

All I could do was nod.

A week passed without my understanding in the least why the black magician was after me. While going about the usual business of managing Kaylen's diet without incident, I learned the whereabouts of my pocket watch—because Adrian had sent me a letter.

"Kaylen. Burn it, please."

Kaylen promptly shoved the letter into the fireplace. I turned to the Duke with a question.

"Your Grace. If I get arrested for assault, how much would a settlement come to?"

It must have sounded like it came out of nowhere to the Duke's ears, but I was completely serious. The Duke looked at Kaylen, who answered on his behalf.

"It depends on the severity of the assault, but for injuries requiring roughly two weeks to heal, I'd say somewhere between one hundred and three hundred thousand gold."

"Thank you, Assistant. So then, Your Grace—could you pay me that much? As part of my employee benefits?"

"...So in the end, what you are saying, Doctor, is that you want me to cover your kkaeng-gap."

Of the three of them, who had gone briefly silent, the Duke was the first to speak. So the word kkaeng-gap existed even in a romance-fantasy world. I gave a deep, solemn nod.

"Yes, that's exactly it."

And here I'd studied so hard. Sworn to heal so many people.

But there are people in this world whom goodwill doesn't reach. There are bastards whom a polite refusal doesn't reach either.

Which meant the only thing left was violence.

"I—I've finally made up my mind. I'm going to beat that lunatic to a pulp."

The Duke, watching me, wore a meaningful smile.

"How admirable your resolve is. And so, does the Doctor intend to storm the Dorset Viscounty this very moment?"

"Yes. Right now, in fact."

"Then I'm coming with you."

"...I'm sorry?"

That was a little unexpected. I waved both hands.

"Your Grace, all I need from you is the settlement money. This is a strictly personal matter, and I can't possibly cause you this kind of trouble..."

"So long as a black magician is involved, it is no longer your personal matter alone. I have my own reasons to verify things, and I'm curious how large a settlement comes out to."

Kaylen and Everlein drew close to my side as well. They spoke to me with grave expressions.

"Doctor. You may think of me as nothing more than a coworker—but perhaps a coworker is someone you see even longer than family. In the spirit of that loyalty, I will protect you."

"Wherever His Grace goes, I go as well."

I blinked wide-eyed at the two of them, shifted to an awkward expression, and finally held out my hand.

After all, going as four felt far more reassuring than going alone.

"Then, shamelessly... I'm in your care."

On a night when the full moon shone bright, we set out for the Dorset Viscounty.