The Doctor Cured The Villainess And Ran Away-Chapter 30: Drug Abuse (1)

“The sage’s performance is insane.”

I muttered to myself absently while checking my status window in the office.

[Alchemy C]

After continuing my work as a royal physician and attending Seymour’s spell lectures, my rank shot up in no time.

[Property Change C]

Manipulates the chemical structure of a substance. The range of eligible materials varies by rank.

More than anything, Property Change had become far more intuitive and convenient.

Previously, it was limited to basic transformations, like turning something hard into something soft. Now, I could adjust formulas in detail based on my own knowledge of chemistry.

I also unlocked a new skill, [Extraction D], which expanded the variety of materials I could use significantly.

“If I had sugarcane, I could even make MSG.”

Unfortunately, there was no sugarcane in this region.

I’d have to look for it if I ever got a chance to travel outside.

I’d been missing a good bowl of jjajangmyeon lately.

“Thanks to that, the scope of my pharmaceutics has expanded.”

The problem was that I didn’t know the exact formulas or ingredients for all those drugs.

I remembered a few famous ones, but for the most part, I only understood the basic principles—so testing was required.

“I tried making a strength enhancer.”

I looked at the transparent liquid in the syringe I was holding.

―――――――――――

Intermediate Strength Booster

Effect on injection: Temporarily increases strength for 1 minute. May cause side effects.

Drug abuse prohibited!

―――――――――――

The liquid was slightly viscous. I extracted a hormone from cholesterol, slightly altered its chemical formula, and finalized it using enhancement techniques.

Normally, anabolic steroids that promote muscle growth only improve exercise efficiency—they don’t magically boost strength on their own.

But when I mixed in alchemy skills, the result turned into an actual potion with visibly dramatic effects.

“One thing, though. The side effects are a problem.”

And the duration was terribly short.

This was strictly for emergencies—definitely not something I could use casually.

Like that time we were ambushed by a mob of goblins.

I’d even modified the syringe. The needle stayed hidden until the tip was pressed, then popped out for injection.

A mechanism for emergency use.

I slid the strength booster into the inside pocket of my coat and checked my pocket watch.

“Already this late?”

It was time to start my afternoon duties.

First up: reviewing Asella’s dinner menu.

“But where the hell is Tanya?”

Lately, unless I was in transit, I told her she didn’t need to escort me and could train freely in the knights’ drill yard.

At first, she’d refused using her mission as an excuse, but I could tell she had a keen interest in the Imperial Knights.

In the end, she agreed to go train when she had downtime—like now.

She was always precise about time.

Given her personality, she should’ve shown up ten minutes early to wait for me.

“What is she up to?”

I had work to do too, so I decided to go find Tanya myself.

I stepped out of the infirmary and made my way toward the Imperial Knights’ barracks.

There were four barracks total, one in each direction around the palace wall.

She probably wouldn’t have gone far, so she was likely at the southern barracks.

When I arrived at the entrance, a few burly guards blocked my path.

“Please state your identity.”

The hell are they talking about?

Don’t they recognize the crest?

“I’m the personal physician of the Third Princess.”

“Ah, so you’re that physician.”

The guards chuckled under their breath.

Hmph. I could already guess what kind of vibe this was.

“Please write your name and reason for visit in the logbook.”

“I just need to check something. Is my knight inside?”

“You’ll have to go in and confirm for yourself.”

“Then move. I can’t go in unless you let me through.”

“Haha, I guess you’re new here, but first you need to sign—”

Tch. This crap again.

“Guard, which faction are you with?”

Even when I made my irritation obvious, the guards didn’t drop their smug act.

“Can’t say for sure, but the southern barracks here are supported by Tojin Palace.”

Tojin Palace—the Second Prince’s faction.

One of the more powerful contenders in the succession race.

No wonder these guys were feeling bold.

“Guard.”

I stepped forward and locked eyes with him.

“A second-class royal official’s duties are not to be hindered by petty procedures. That’s because the weight of their responsibilities outweighs trivial formalities. You’re standing guard and don’t even know that basic rule?”

When I cited official protocol, they went stiff and shut their mouths.

Trying to put a rookie through a hazing ritual, were they?

Harassing a clueless superior. Sure, it could be fun.

But I’d read through the imperial etiquette and rulebook front to back on my very first day here.

“Let’s say something happened to Her Highness’s health just now, and I was delayed here because of you.”

I drew a hand across my neck.

“Get it now? Interfering with my work due to negligence and incompetence—I could hold you accountable for that right here and now.”

“W-well, uh...”

The guards flinched and shrank their shoulders when my reaction turned out differently than they’d expected.

They must’ve thought I was just a pushover from a weak faction.

That’s when it happened.

“Why not be generous and overlook a minor mistake from the guards, Mr. Gotberg?”

A large knight clanked out from within the barracks.

Judging by the quality of his armor, he held a fairly high rank.

And the fact that he correctly identified my title—clearly, he wasn’t a complete fool.

“I’m the company commander of the Second Division of the Imperial Knights—”

“Don’t care.”

“Haha. You’ll want to calm your anger. I’m sure you’re well aware that the Third Consort’s faction has long been in alliance with His Highness the Second Prince.”

Huh. So that was the arrangement.

Apparently, Camilla, who had fallen out of the Emperor’s favor, had chosen the Second Prince as her ally within the royal family.

Georg, wasn’t it?

Seymour had mentioned something similar—that the Second Prince was supporting Camilla.

He’d also said Georg might know the exact details about Asella’s talents and debuffs.

So that’s why these low-level knights thought they could screw with me despite me being a royal physician.

There was a deeper context here.

In a way, Camilla’s faction had effectively been subordinate to the Second Prince’s faction all this time—like Moonlight Palace had become a vassal to Tojin Palace.

No wonder they looked down on me.

“You’re looking for your escort knight, correct? She’s currently inside. Our knights were kindly sparring with her just now.”

So Tanya was here.

And judging by the mood, it wasn’t hard to imagine what had gone on inside.

The knights must’ve picked a fight with Tanya, pretending it was sparring while using it as an excuse to blow off steam by ganging up on her.

“I’ll make one correction.”

I stepped forward and spoke firmly.

“It’s not the Third Consort’s faction. It’s the Third Princess’s faction.”

I didn’t want to be mistaken as someone working for Camilla.

“Maybe that’s how it was before—but if you keep treating us the same way, you’re going to regret it.”

“Hahaha! Regret? Us?”

The commander burst into laughter loud enough to split the sky.

“If we get hurt, you’ll be the one who has to patch us up, right?”

“Oh, that part—I’m more confident in than anyone.”

“...Huh?”

“I’m the best healer in this infirmary. If any of you get injured, feel free to come find me.”

“...Is that so? You’re quite confident, aren’t you.”

The commander scratched the back of his head at my calm response.

“Lord Georg doesn’t even assign healers from the infirmary to our company.”

“He’s only focusing on the knights chosen to participate in the upcoming martial tournament.”

“Silence! Do you have any idea how great the backlash would be if His Highness were to take offense?!”

The commander barked at his subordinates.

Even so, the name Georg, the Second Prince, didn’t strike much fear in me.

Because ten years from now, not a single member of the imperial family would survive.

Asella had purged them all after ascending the throne.

If they’d dropped Asella’s name instead, maybe I would’ve flinched a little.

At that moment, I heard urgent clanking footsteps coming from inside the barracks.

“Was it the squad leader? What’s the report on that knight—huh?”

The company commander seemed to be waiting for his subordinate to announce how Tanya had been handled.

But his expectations were hilariously off.

Because Tanya herself came sprinting out of the barracks.

“Professor, I’m so sorry.”

Tanya ran over and bowed to me.

“I got caught up in sparring with the knights and lost track of time. It was my mistake.”

She bowed deeply in apology.

“Are you hurt?”

“Injured? No, sir. It was a practice spar with agreed rules, so I wasn’t harmed. However, a few of the knights did suffer minor abrasions.”

Clang! The commander backed up and bumped into a fellow guard’s armor.

“Y-you’re joking. We had at least thirty knights in there, and she beat them all? Without even breaking a sweat?!”

The commander’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

It seemed Tanya hadn’t even registered the knights’ provocation as provocation—she’d just accepted it as a normal sparring session.

And now it sounded like she’d taught all thirty of them a proper lesson and strolled out without so much as a bruise.

Knowing how meticulous Tanya was, she probably realized on her own that it was time to head back, only to be held up by those idiots.

And now she was trying to take the blame herself, as always—reliable to the end.

“Thanks to you, we’re behind schedule now. How are you going to make it up to me, Captain?”

I teased her lightly just to mess with her a bit, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) and Tanya tilted her head.

“I already apologized, didn’t I?”

“That’s it? That’s your whole apology? You should show some sincerity, like Boris did.”

“You mean... with food? I’ll try to find something.”

“What could you find that’s better than imperial cuisine? And with your bland tastebuds? Carry me up to the office for a week.”

“I’ll assist with your strength training instead.”

“Oh-ho? You left your liege to march alone, unguarded, and now you want to negotiate?”

“Three days.”

“Deal.”

Tanya’s unimpressed pout was hilarious.

More than getting out of taking the stairs, this moment was the real reward.

“All right, let’s get back.”

“Yes, I’ll escort you.”

“W-wait! Please wait a moment!”

Just as we were about to leave the barracks, the company commander blocked our path.

“You’re just going to leave after turning our whole barracks upside down?!” ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

“Your knights lost to Tanya because they were weak. Maybe if you’d trained them better.”

“Wha—what did you just say...?!”

“You heard me. Maybe if they’d built up more strength. Seems like you’ve just bulked up and let your muscles rot stiff. Do some stretching. Want me to show you how?”

The commander finally lost it and started screaming his lungs out.

“You dare mock us?! That knight must’ve used some underhanded trick! And you—don’t you dare lecture warriors when you look so pathetic yourself!”

What a stubborn guy.

I wondered if his brain was made of muscle too.

That’s why stretching is so important. If your body’s flexible, your thinking follows. So what if Tanya beat you?

Time to settle this properly.

Besides, I had a perfect comparison ready.

Let’s test it.

I reached into my coat and pressed the syringe tip of the strength enhancer.

A warm sensation spread from my left chest across my whole body.

I stepped forward and gently grabbed the commander’s arm with a soft smile.

“Don’t be so prejudiced, knight.”

—Crack...

“Wh-what strength is this?!”

The commander’s eyes flew wide open as I gripped his arm.