Chapter 51
Hevaro hastened his heavy steps.
It was only yesterday that he submitted a report to the Emperor regarding the “new drug to alleviate mania.”
And yet, he was summoned this quickly.
“There shouldn’t be anything odd in the report.”
But on second thought, there were plenty of things that could have upset the Emperor.
Particularly the condition stating that, to verify the drug’s effects, he would have to stay away from Princess Neroli.
The Emperor, who could only soothe his mania by seeing Princess Neroli three or four times a week, would no doubt find this condition utterly disagreeable.
“Will His Majesty truly send Princess Neroli away?”
No matter how clever she was, there was no guarantee everything would go according to her plan.
As these worries filled his mind, Hevaro arrived in front of the Emperor’s private parlor.
Waiting before the tightly shut doors was the Emperor’s chief attendant, who bowed as Hevaro approached.
“You’re here.”
“Yes. Is His Majesty inside?”
“You may enter.”
The attendant opened the door himself.
The grand double doors slid open without a sound, and Hevaro swallowed dryly.
The private parlor was a space only the Emperor’s most trusted aides were permitted to enter.
Setting foot in this symbolic place, Hevaro felt a twinge of guilt.
“What I’m doing right now might be a betrayal of His Majesty.”
As the Emperor’s personal physician, he was never to keep secrets from him.
But now, in his later years, he had allied with someone else and lied to the Emperor.
What else could he do?
“His Majesty is the one I must serve. But…”
“…Princess Neroli is the one who saved me.”
One who has known cold will inevitably seek the sun.
What he’d said to Neroli was as much a vow as it was an observation.
“I’ve already deceived His Majesty’s eyes several times.”
So even if his conscience pricked him now, it was already too late.
At least Neroli was the Emperor’s most cherished daughter, and by no means wicked.
“That’s the only consolation I have.”
“You’re here, Hevaro.”
As his tangled thoughts settled into one, the Emperor, seated on the highest sofa, welcomed him.
“Come, sit.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The seasoned court physician, worn down by his years in the palace, wore his calm mask as he took a seat to the Emperor’s left.
“Is there something Your Majesty wishes to command?”
“The tea hasn’t even been served yet. You’re diving straight into business?”
“Given that Your Majesty summoned this old man at such a late hour, I believe a bit of anxiety is warranted.”
“Haha. Anxious? You don’t look it at all.”
The Emperor laughed, but it seemed he didn’t want to draw things out, for he quickly got to the point.
“You’re saying I need to remove Neroli from my sight?”
“Rather than ‘remove,’ I suggest not seeing her for a while. Only then can we accurately observe the new drug’s effects.”
“And if the drug proves ineffective during that period? What am I to do about my thirst then?”
Hevaro calmly bowed his head in response.
“My apologies, Your Majesty. We will do our utmost to support you in Princess Neroli’s absence, but we cannot guarantee how the drug will perform.”
“So you’re saying there’s no solution.”
“However, this new drug includes a rare herb we’ve never used before. There is a high probability of improvement.”
Hevaro moistened his dry lips and delivered the lie.
At that, the Emperor’s voice deepened.
“Hevaro, I have willingly offered my body as a test subject for your research. That’s because, while I remain in this palace, nothing can threaten me.”
“I remain ever grateful for Your Majesty’s boundless grace.”
“And yet you say such absurd things to me.”
The atmosphere in the parlor suddenly turned sharp.
The Emperor’s eyes gleamed cold as he stared at Hevaro.
“You’re close to Neroli, aren’t you? Did she complain to you that the capital feels suffocating? Did she whine about wanting to leave?”
Hevaro flinched.
Already struggling to bear the Emperor’s presence in his aged body, being struck so directly made his body react instinctively.
The Emperor smirked at the sight.
“I didn’t realize you cared so deeply for Neroli. Does her whining weigh more on your heart than my well-being? You dare… a personal physician?”
Now, the Emperor made no effort to hide his fury.
Hevaro clasped his trembling hands tightly and let out a quiet sigh.
“So I’m finally hearing those words.”
Hevaro was a seasoned man who had devoted half his life to the royal family.
He had spent many years closest to the Emperor, tending to his health.
So he had anticipated this reaction.
If only he were a bit younger, he might’ve been able to maintain a perfect poker face.
“Like Princess Neroli.”
That was his only regret.
“Your Majesty, it’s true that Her Highness confided in me. She said she didn’t want to let go of the memories with the late Fourth Consort.”
The Emperor always reacted sensitively when the Fourth Consort was mentioned.
And once again, his brow twitched.
“But I did not fabricate the report solely based on Her Highness’s request. As stated in the report, we discovered a new herb among the tribute offerings—one previously unknown.”
“That red flower? That ancient plant with no proper name?”
“As noted in the appended materials, this flower was considered essential in all ancient remedies. Scholars speculate that it harmonizes the effects of other herbs.”
“And you only just now discovered such a rare flower? The tribute arrived months ago.”
The Emperor muttered threateningly.
“Then it must be the fault of the managers who failed to recognize its value. I will punish every one of them who oversees my tributes.”
It was a tactic to make Hevaro anxious and reveal more—but it wasn’t so easy.
Hevaro had his own card to rattle the Emperor’s thoughts.
“It’s not their fault, Your Majesty. When I discovered this flower, it was still in seed form.”
“A seed?”
“Yes. Even skilled botanists would find it difficult to recognize a seed. So it’s understandable the managers didn’t notice anything special.”
Without pause, Hevaro continued.
“And the one who tended to that seed… was Princess Neroli.”
“…Neroli?”
Sure enough, the Emperor’s eyes flickered slightly.
Hevaro bowed his head even more deeply.
In his mind echoed the words Neroli had said to him right before they parted.
—Hevaro. If His Majesty finds out everything, say this:
“I was the one who first discovered the seed among the tributes, and when Princess Neroli learned of it, she requested to personally care for it.”
—Strangely enough, no matter how hard you tried, that seed never sprouted. But once I started caring for it, it bloomed.
“I was astonished. I knew Her Highness was good with plants, but I never imagined she could make something flower that I myself failed to grow.”
—Then, just mutter something like this at the end: Could it be that Princess Neroli has some kind of special talent?
“Something radiant and unreplicable.”
Hevaro faithfully repeated the words Neroli had instructed him to say.
Even as he spoke, a part of him was puzzled.
“Why emphasize that the seed sprouted under her care and not mine?”
Wouldn’t it be better to stress how she had lovingly nurtured the seed just to help alleviate the Emperor’s mania?
She was his most beloved daughter, after all. What father wouldn’t be touched?
“…Well, I’m sure Her Highness has her reasons.”
Hevaro had long sensed that Neroli was no ordinary woman.
There was something hidden behind that bright smile, something even a veteran like Hevaro couldn’t fully read.
“I thought I was good at reading royal expressions…”
A perfect poker face, overwhelming knowledge of pharmacology…
And somehow, she always found the most urgent cases in need of healing and offered aid.
“What a shame.”
Hevaro sincerely lamented.
If Neroli had been born a prince, she would’ve surely vied for the throne.
“Or at least, if her maternal family had been stronger…”
Throughout the long history of Lornod, there had been wise and valiant empresses who sat on the throne.
But they all had powerful maternal clans backing them.
“If Princess Neroli were Emperor, she could heal all the wounds of this nation.”
Especially now, when strange plagues were spreading across the empire for unknown reasons.
So…
At that moment—
After listening in silence, the Emperor finally spoke, voice heavy.
“Very well. I’ll participate in your experiment.”
“Does that mean…?”
“I’ll grant Neroli’s request—to relive memories with Tilia.”
To drive the nail in, the Emperor added:
“But there had better be some improvement. I want to believe that this isn’t just Neroli’s whining, and that you haven’t made a fool of me.”
“Of course, Your Majesty. I’m deeply grateful for your acceptance of my presumptuous request.”
Hevaro was slightly unnerved by the Emperor’s final words, but managed to keep it hidden.
He calmly bowed and exited the private parlor.
A great weight had settled on his shoulders.
“No matter what happens in the coming week, I must show progress in alleviating the mania.”
Even the tiniest bit would do.
Even if it didn’t satisfy the Emperor, it needed to be enough to justify their actions.
“Easier said than done, of course.”
At his age, he would likely be pulling all-nighters in the lab.
Hevaro let out a long sigh—but he wasn’t so anxious as to feel despair.
Because he wasn’t bluffing without a plan.
After Hevaro left—
Tap. Tap.
As the Emperor sat alone, lost in thought, absentmindedly tapping the armrest of his sofa with one finger…
From behind the curtain deep in the parlor, someone appeared.
