Chapter 5
Everyone Was Shocked
Inside the emperor’s body, Lena sensed something impossible to describe.
A heavy, murky darkness spreading like poison.
It was malignant energy.
Whenever she treated someone, she could instinctively perceive the depth of their pain and illness.
And the more severe the condition was, the denser and darker that malignant energy became.
Which means… His Majesty is…
The emperor was far too sick.
So severely ill that it was hard to believe he could live a normal life at all.
“How in the world has he endured this?”
This time, Lena glanced at the emperor as though he were some miraculous life-form.
But his condition was far worse than she had expected, so she quickly straightened her posture and began pouring divine power into him once more.
At first carefully.
Then more boldly, without hesitation.
And right then—
Flinch.
His shoulder twitched slightly, and even his eyelids trembled faintly.
W-What was that?
He didn’t wake up halfway through, did he?
Startled, Lena reflexively pulled her hand away and swallowed hard.
Afterward, she anxiously examined him, even narrowing her eyes to check more closely, but there was no further reaction.
Well, I did come here to treat the emperor, so it’s not like him waking up would be a disaster…
Still, even asleep, his presence was overwhelmingly intimidating.
She felt her heart pounding wildly.
For some reason, she had the feeling that if the emperor suddenly opened his eyes right now, she would collapse from shock on the spot.
Though… I am a little curious about what he looks like awake.
But getting curious about someone so high above her station would only bring trouble.
Lena calmed herself and focused once more on the treatment.
Meanwhile, Alec found himself unable to take his eyes off Lena for a long time.
At the same time, countless former physicians flashed through his mind.
“I-I-I will now begin the t-treatment…”
People with pale blue faces trembling in terror.
People who collapsed unconscious before they could do anything.
Again and again, it had always ended the same way.
But not today.
Alec realized that the method he had devised had worked perfectly.
No—
Even if they hadn’t used this method, he felt this woman before him would have been different regardless.
Warm light spread wherever Lena’s divine power flowed.
The once chilly room gradually filled with comforting warmth.
Amazing…!
She looked about the same age as him, yet she was undoubtedly the most talented healing cleric he had ever seen.
Where in the world had such a precious treasure appeared from?
Alec marveled inwardly again and again.
After some time passed, Lena finally withdrew her hand from Rishard.
“It’s finished safely.”
In case the emperor woke up, the two of them quietly slipped out into the hallway.
The moment the bedroom door shut behind them, Alec bent deeply at the waist toward Lena.
“Saintess, thank you sincerely for today.”
His eyes sparkled so brightly it was almost burdensome.
“Oh, no need to thank me. This is my job, after all.”
Alec stared at her as though she were some great hero before hesitantly bringing up the real issue.
“How… was His Majesty’s condition?”
Lena paused briefly before answering.
“To be honest… it was very serious. There’s so much malignant energy built up inside him that even divine power has trouble being absorbed.”
Alec’s expression darkened instantly.
Of course, he already knew how severe the situation was.
The unbearable pain consuming Rishard’s entire body.
His deteriorating mental state growing worse day by day.
And how all of that fueled the emperor’s madness.
No one understood that better than Alec.
But hearing it spoken aloud directly by the physician made it feel even more hopeless.
“Still… please don’t worry too much.”
At Lena’s next words, Alec quickly looked up.
“He won’t recover all at once, but I’m actually a pretty skilled healer.”
She smiled brightly, as if telling him to trust her.
“If he continues receiving treatment steadily like today, little by little… I don’t think a complete recovery is impossible.”
Alec was speechless.
In truth, no matter how much treatment Rishard received, the absolute limit had always been merely easing the pain.
That was why the words complete recovery had practically become taboo unless the emperor’s destined partner appeared.
Yet somehow, Lena’s words felt strangely convincing.
Not like irresponsible comfort.
Not like unrealistic optimism.
But like a genuine possibility.
“So from now on, every single day, I’ll diligently treat His Majesty—”
Unfortunately, Alec had no choice but to interrupt her.
“I’m terribly sorry, but… every day will be difficult.”
“Huh? Then…”
“Once a week.”
Lena’s face clearly read:
What kind of nonsense is that?
Alec sympathized with her completely and felt frustrated himself.
“His Majesty ordered that he will only see the attending physician once a week.”
“What? But—”
“He threatened that otherwise he wouldn’t allow any physician to set foot in the imperial palace at all…”
“There’s nothing I can do against His Majesty’s threats,” Alec said while pretending to dab tears from his eyes with a handkerchief.
“No way…”
This was completely unexpected.
Why?
What reason could there possibly be?
Lena’s face fell in disappointment.
Her goal had been to cure the emperor as quickly as possible.
“Well… I’ll try persuading His Majesty again somehow.”
Alec seriously considered clinging to the emperor and begging again like he had yesterday.
In the end, Lena reluctantly nodded.
“…Then I’ll see you again in a week.”
As she walked away, she looked utterly deflated, like a balloon that had lost all its air.
Alec watched her retreating figure for a moment before letting out a long sigh of regret.
By the time Lena returned to the temple, the pitch-black night sky had begun slowly fading into dawn.
At this hour, most people should still have been asleep.
What’s going on? Why is it so noisy?
As she walked through the modest garden toward the building, the commotion only grew louder.
“James, is that side ready?”
“Send one more person over here!”
People who had already woken up hurried busily through the inner hall.
Among them, two individuals were carrying something beneath the dim lights.
One pushed a stretcher covered in cloth.
Another spread a thick blanket across the floor.
Lena hesitated briefly before approaching them.
“Is there some kind of event today?”
At her curious question, one nearby saintess turned around.
The woman’s face instantly turned white.
Like someone who had just seen a ghost.
“S-She came back…!”
At her desperate cry, everyone in the area turned toward Lena all at once.
Shock slowly spread across their faces.
No way…!
How is she completely fine?
Did she get scared and run away immediately?
Whispers erupted everywhere.
One person finally asked in disbelief,
“Um… Saintess… Did you really meet His Majesty in person?”
Since it was the truth, Lena answered calmly.
“Yes. I thoroughly completed the treatment too.”
“T-Thoroughly…?”
“Completed…?”
People stared blankly at one another in utter confusion.
Just then, someone quietly dragged the stretcher away toward the corner, trying not to be noticed.
But Lena had already seen it.
Wait… don’t tell me…
“Surely you weren’t all preparing since dawn because you thought something terrible would happen to me?”
“A-Ahem!”
Everyone awkwardly coughed together without answering.
Oh wow.
So that was it.
“As you know, Saintess… after meeting His Majesty, people usually develop psychological issues that even divine power can’t heal…”
At those words, Lena recalled what had happened earlier that dawn.
Hmm.
Come to think of it, she really had been unusually lucky.
According to everyone else, people normally became terrified the moment they met the emperor’s eyes.
But for some reason, that had never happened to her.
The only mental shock she had suffered was being briefly stunned by how unbelievably handsome he was.
Though there is exactly one thing bothering me.
The fact that she could only see the emperor once a week.
And unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about that herself.
All she could do now was sincerely pray every day that Alec would somehow succeed in persuading the emperor.
