Chapter 210 : Chapter 210

Chapter 210 - Examination Time

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Forest Witch moved alone from Raymond's mansion to the Imperial Palace. It was because of the permission given by the Head Maid instead of the Youngest Son, under the pretext that he was barely catching some sleep during the day as he was a blood noble.

"Yes. ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍You may borrow her. Just return her without breaking her."

"His ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Majesty will be very pleased."

"Not ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍at all. We will also be demanding something. Since it looks like an urgent matter, take her first."

"Thank ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you."

The Forest Witch, who was moved as if an object were passing between people, again got into a carriage without windows. 

Now she was used to this as well. Anyway, even if there were windows, she wouldn't look outside, so it wasn't much different.

"You may get out."

Clatter—

The carriage door opened, and she walked through an empty hallway. Even looking from under her large hat brim, not a single strand of hair from another person could be seen. 

However, just as she had in Raymond's mansion, she noticed instantly.

'There are barriers everywhere that would tear a person to death if they took a single wrong step.'

They were currently inactive to let in a guest. However, if one were to enter here arbitrarily without someone's permission, they would not be as peaceful as they are now.

"But I still haven't heard why I've come here."

"You will find out in more detail once you enter."

"Not 'in more detail'. I really don't know anything."

"I also know nothing and have nothing I can tell you. Since I only heard the word to bring the witch here."

The attendant who was walking ahead to guide her stopped at a fork at the end of the hallway.

"My role ends here. Please wait a moment."

After bowing his head, the attendant quickly left the hallway. While she watched his back for a moment, a faint tickle, as if a foxtail had brushed against her earlobe, arose. When she instantly turned her head in that direction, someone revealed themselves from behind a pillar set uniformly along the hallway.

"As expected of the second Great Witch. Your insight is remarkable."

"Because there were many kids who moved secretly like you at home."

One was a cleaner, and one was the president's secretary. The cleaner had left now, but setting that aside.

"What is the reason for bringing me all the way here?"

"Follow me."

"......"

Every one of them. It seems they've sold their mouths and tongues for a bargain as they don't use them at all. No, was the president using them too much? 

For now, she followed the knight in red armor. The path she walked following his back was not short. As if intentionally twisted, pillars of the same style and paths of the same width were repeated. Those paths were very clean, without a single speck of dust.

That sight reminded her of Hexa, where the underwear thief was. They were truly good times, times that would never come again. While she recalled the memories for a moment, the knight in red armor spoke.

"Do you know who I am?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know why you are here now?"

"I don't know that either."

"...Did the Fifth Son not give you any hint?"

"I have an idea of what it is."

The knight in red armor, General Leo, stopped before a certain door. It was an ivory-colored gate carved with rose thickets. The appearance with colors painted only on the central symbol made one's gaze focus even more on that blue rose pattern.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is behind this. His Highness is lying down with an unknown illness and spends most of his time asleep, waking up only intermittently."

"I'll see the patient's condition for myself."

"...I will assume you will not do anything stupid."

"Well. My hands aren't that fast. I'll do it slowly, so ask if you have anything you're curious about."

"......"

Creeeeeak—

Leo thought as he opened the blue rose door. As expected of someone who came with the weasel, she was absolutely not a normal human. As the scent from inside wafted in as the door opened, the Forest Witch naturally smiled.

"You've brought everything that's said to be good for the patient."

The Crown Prince's sickbed was different indeed. Starting from the size, the window for ventilation was also beautiful. Furthermore, plants for fresh air were wrapped around the ceiling, making it as cool as if one were in the middle of a forest. That was not all.

"Those are very expensive."

She walked with quick steps and observed the flowerpots placed on the outer wall. They were things so famous that one could recognize them even with a sideways glance.

"Purifying Herb that clears the air, and the Magnolia of Life, which increases immunity just by being placed next to it. Even the Twilight Flower, whose scent induces comfortable sleep."

The Forest Witch nodded and admitted it.

"If you combine all the other rare flowers, even an old man on the verge of death would live five more years."

"Have you come to see flowers?"

"These pretty things certainly draw one's gaze. Do you have any seeds left?"

"Hurry and examine His Highness."

The Forest Witch enjoyed the scent of the flowers until the end and slowly approached the Crown Prince. He was sleeping as if he were dead while lying on his sickbed. 

The only evidence that he was sleeping and not dead was his chest, which rose faintly. 

Everything else was close to a corpse. Both cheeks were sunken, and his skin was pale. His body, which trembled faintly at times, looked unstable from the outside.

"What do you want from me? The Crown Prince's complete recovery? Or the cause of the illness? His identity?"

"All of it."

"Well. I have a friend who is a money ghost. He would probably tell me not to do that."

"...What?"

The Forest Witch, who had naturally become close to the money ghost Jubel Maxman through her work in Hexa, borrowed his words.

"Know your own value. Only then can you sell yourself at a high price."

It was an obviously natural thing to say, but because of that, it was something that could be applied anywhere. Even in front of the Crown Prince's sickbed, that fact did not change.

"Starting from the identity of the illness to the cause, the treatment method, and subsequent measures. I will calculate each one separately."

"...Did the Fifth Son tell you to do so?"

"No? He didn't say a word about it. I just want to do it this way. I didn't know when I didn't have money, but once I had it, I realized I could do quite a lot of things."

She could perform much more diverse research than in the forest and could also buy much rarer ingredients. 

For example, the flowers in this room. Since she had been making blue flame potions with public funds, an amount enough to crush a person to death, her sense of money had broken down a bit. 

At the very least, the Youngest Son correctly diagnosed the Forest Witch's condition. That's why he had asked the Forest Witch separately.

To embezzle the Imperial Family's money instead of the family's money.

"Do you agree? If not, I'll just leave."

"...I agree. But all the demands you spit out will be fulfilled after the results are confirmed."

"I like that too."

"Move."

The Forest Witch, who had attracted a big customer who was part of the Imperial Family and one of the Three Generals in an instant, approached the patient. 

As she had felt when she looked briefly earlier, it was not a good condition. His remaining lifespan was three years at most. But what the customer was curious about now was not the Crown Prince's remaining lifespan.

"Can I touch his body?"

"I will be watching."

"Scary. Then I'll take that as permission."

When she rolled up her long sleeves, the Forest Witch's hands were revealed. 

Her thin, white fingers caressed the Crown Prince from his forehead to his chest. As she did so, the Forest Witch's expression became somewhat subtle. It was a face that made the lips of someone who cared for the patient turn dry.

"That's strange."

"What is?"

"Even though I've infused mana, there is no resistance."

Normally, even if one is unconscious, there is some reaction. It is an instinctive defense that comes from the unconscious, but the Crown Prince had none of that. This had one meaning.

"Can he not move his mana on his own?"

"...So the Imperial physicians said. A member of the Imperial Family's body must always move mana within the body, but since he cannot do so, he is gradually becoming weaker."

"Why does it have to keep moving?"

"The body of a member of the Imperial Family is different from ordinary people like us. They must always move their mana, but they were born not to get tired even if they do so."

"They don't get tired of moving mana 24 hours a day for their entire life?"

General Leo nodded. Therefore, the Forest Witch let out a hollow laugh.

"It means he's a human who wouldn't get tired even if he fought for his entire life, as long as his mana supported him."

Such a thing was no different from a god of war in myth. Yet, the body that could become a god had now revealed its bones.

"Since when? Since he hasn't been able to feel his mana."

"Seven months."

"It's been over half a year."

"He hasn't been able to feel his own mana since seven months ago, but his sense of feeling the mana of others was the same as usual."

"That's peculiar."

That sense, usually called mana sensitivity, applied to others and oneself equally. However, in this case, it only caused a problem with his own.

"So you must have fed him every elixir said to be good to restore his sense. But there would have been no effect."

"......"

Leo did not answer, but that was a confirmation. The Forest Witch then spoke as she removed her hand from the Crown Prince.

"The elixir won't work either."

"What is the evidence?"

"Because it's highly likely that this is a psychological problem."

"...A psychological problem?"

Leo's eyebrows lifted at a perspective he had never considered.

"It's like a trauma, so if that part is resolved well, the sense for mana will also return."

"What is the solution?"

"Well. I'll have to think about that too. I don't even know what the trauma is in the first place. Ah, that'll do."

The Forest Witch walked to the door, leaving the sickbed.

"Bring all the incidents from seven months ago that could have been a trauma to the Crown Prince. It's homework."

"......"

Clatter—

The Forest Witch left the room, leaving only those words. The General remained silent after that. He could not bring himself to spout profanities in the room where His Highness the Crown Prince was.

***

The Forest Witch walked out along the hallway she had come from. She didn't particularly know the way, but she just walked. If she got lost, someone would come looking for her.

"Miss Forest Witch?"

But the person who tapped her back was a completely unexpected person.

"...Underwear thief?"

"I-it's Lubosch. Are you calling me an underwear thief even here?"

"How are you here?"

"What about you, Miss Forest Witch? The security here is incredibly tight."

She shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know well either. I was just sent to try and treat the sick Crown Prince. I just saw him and came out."

"Indeed, if information about you, Miss Forest Witch, has spread to the Imperial Family, they would probably try it at least once."

"What about you?"

"I am working as a cleaner under the Princess. The Princess told me to clean this place every day, so I was even granted permission to enter, and there you were, Miss Forest Witch."

Sure enough, Lubosch held a bucket in his hand and had cleaning supplies like a sponge.

"You are cleaning even here. Then again, I haven't seen anyone cleaner than you."

The Forest Witch understood Lubosch's current situation in a few seconds, just as the Head Maid had.

"More importantly, you've managed to become an Imperial cleaner even without a maid corps."

"I don't have a maid corps, but the footsteps I learned in the Intelligence Department are a big help."

"Footsteps?"

"I walk without a sound, so it seems I don't grate on their ears."

Lubosch, who had fortunately caught the fancy of the sensitive member of the Imperial Family, picked up his bucket again.

"I think I should go now. Since the location is what it is, I can't stay long."

"Yeah. Go on. Don't touch the Princess's underwear."

"...I want to return with my limbs intact. Well then. You take care too, Miss Forest Witch."

Lubosch quickly vanished to the other side of the hallway.

She had seen a welcome face after a long time, but she was soon reminded of the fact that she didn't know the way. 

After walking for about ten minutes, the Forest Witch muttered quietly.

"Is this a bit of a problem?"

If he had guided her at first, he should have guided her when she was leaving. In the very unkind Imperial Palace, the Forest Witch's unintended walk continued.

"Who are you? Reveal your identity."

Until she ran into a face resembling the one lying on the sickbed a moment ago.