Chapter 168

The front page of the newspaper was indeed filled with good news. It reported that the Crown Prince and his wife had successfully given birth to a princess. I, too, had contributed to the act of creating a child, and the Crown Prince had welcomed his child. Well, technically, it was the Crown Princess who gave birth, but he had played his part.

With this, I’ve now slept with four people. If I increase the number of partners any further, I might really end up divided into five. For now, my fiancée is Glacia. As long as this world has its unspoken rules, she will officially become my wife. Well, since polygamy is allowed in this country, if I explain it well, everyone should understand.

“Ugh, my head hurts.”

If I marry Glacia, will I become a noble? No, before that, since I’m a close aide to the Crown Prince, once he ascends the throne, it’s obvious that I’ll receive a title.

“I hate it. Such a predictable life.”

It’s clear that I’ll be dragged into wars and all sorts of troublesome situations.

At that moment, a bird flew in through the window, carrying a letter in its beak.

“Glacia’s… no, not saccharin, but what is this?”

It was a letter from the Crown Prince. The content was simple. He wanted to show off his daughter and have a conversation. However, since visiting during the day would cause a fuss about the successor, he asked me to visit at night.

“See, even housewarming gifts are this complicated for nobles.”

What would be a good housewarming gift? Definitely not something like a roll of toilet paper.

—

In front of the sub-palace.

As the sun set, darkness slowly began to creep in.

Ares, the physician dressed in white, and Bedivior of the Black Round Table walked steadily toward the sub-palace. They didn’t use cowardly methods like sneaking through the back or breaking in. Like a doctor making a house call, they approached the sub-palace with natural steps.

Of course, the guards who recognized his face stopped him.

“Sir, please stop. Even if you’re the attending physician, you must wait until we call for you.”

“Hey, you brat, have you forgotten that the doctor treated your son last time?”

“Hey, even so, rules are rules. If you’ve left something behind, sir…”

Bedivior chuckled and replied. His smile was as kind and bright as ever, like that of a benevolent doctor.

“Ah, Mr. Wolfram. How is your son? Since he’s still weak, make sure he eats plenty of meat. I recommend light meats like rabbit or bird. My daughter used to be weak too, but that’s how we fixed it.”

“Yes, sir.”

Thus, a heartwarming conversation between parents continued.

“And make sure he sleeps with a blanket at night. Oh, and…”

Well, it seemed like a heartwarming conversation. The guards, sensing something unusual, gripped their weapons tightly, and Bedivior’s hand held a shining silver needle.

“I’m sorry.”

The guards who tried to stop him were struck by the bright silver needles in their necks. They collapsed immediately, and Bedivior, looking at them, muttered sadly.

“It’s just a paralyzing needle, so there’s no threat to their lives. But if there are any aftereffects, please visit the hospital. Sadly, I can no longer act as a doctor here…”

He kicked the weapons clattering on the ground away and sighed.

“To think I’d be caught so easily… I really have no talent for hiding things, huh…”

He lamented his own incompetence as he entered the sub-palace. Of course, numerous guards rushed at him. But instead of panicking, he calmly took out his needles. He dodged the spears and swords by a hair’s breadth and struck the guards’ necks with paralyzing needles.

Since the needles weren’t coated with poison, he had to precisely hit the pressure points. If he missed even slightly, it could have been fatal, but there were no casualties.

“Please rest well. If you experience any aftereffects like your arms not moving, use hot water on the affected area…”

Before Bedivior could finish his medical advice, a hidden weapon flew from the ceiling, piercing his eye. Before he could even register the attack, a shadow emerged from the darkness and swung a sword, severing his left arm.

He finally realized he had been attacked, but his right eye was already shattered, and his left arm was gone.

“So this is why the skills of the knights guarding the Crown Prince seemed lacking… So the rumors of a secret unit were true.”

The Crow Feathers, a secret unit named after the crow, a symbol of the goddess, were responsible for various espionage activities and protecting important figures of the imperial family in the shadows.

“And… the rumors even mentioned who leads the Crow Feathers. A bonus to the rumors, you could say. Even for rumors, this level of detail is quite generous, don’t you think…”

He turned his head toward the dark corridor.

“Mr. Ricardo Carven.”

Ricardo, who revealed himself, silently raised his spear and shield, ready to face the enemy. He had no time to worry about someone like Bedivior. Though he didn’t speak, he felt deeply conflicted, having been betrayed by someone he thought he had reconciled with.

“Surrender, and I won’t harm you further. Surrender.”

“Unlike your ancestors, you’re quite peaceful. One of your ancestors, in an attempt to end a war, even went as far as returning the enemy’s corpses infected with plague.”

“So you’re blaming me for my ancestors’ sins? I’ve been deeply reflecting on the crimes committed by my father and his ancestors.”

“No, I’m not blaming you. It’s unnecessary to hold a grudge against someone who wasn’t even involved.”

Bedivior took out a candy-like pill from his right pocket and swallowed it. Immediately, his severed left arm regenerated, and his shattered right eye returned to normal.

“Annoying medicine. I’ll have to be wary of you taking that.”

“Haha, indeed…”

“All units, do not let this intruder escape. And be cautious of him taking any pills from his pocket.”

“Well, if you ask nicely, I could give you one…”

“Cheap joke. Kill him.”

Thus, the shadows and Ricardo clashed with Bedivior. The outcome of a fight between a doctor who seemed to know nothing of martial arts and elite warriors who had honed their skills for a lifetime should have been clear.

Or so it should have been.

No matter how many times they cut his shoulder, his leg, or even severed his upper and lower body, he simply regenerated his wounds as if nothing had happened after swallowing a single pill.

And in the process, most of the Crow Feathers were struck by dozens of paralyzing needles and collapsed. Still, being an elite unit, they didn’t fall as easily as the regular guards.

“Now only you remain, Mr. Ricardo Carven.”

Even Ricardo, as skilled as he was, seemed a bit tired, his breathing heavy.

“Are you a monster…? What is that medicine…”

“Want one?”

He kindly offered a red candy-like pill, but Ricardo slapped his hand away.

“Shut up.”

Then he thrust his spear, and Bedivior tried to dodge. But that was exactly what Ricardo had planned. The spear pierced Bedivior’s white coat, and Ricardo tore it apart. The coat, now in tatters, fell off, and the red pills scattered across the floor.

“Hoh…”

Ricardo didn’t miss the opening and thrust his spear into Bedivior’s heart.

“And just die. How dare you think this place is safe…”

The spear he pulled out had Bedivior’s heart impaled on it, still beating. He should have died, but fate, as always, refused the obvious.

“That’s some impressive spear skills. I could never match that in my lifetime.”

Ricardo couldn’t believe his eyes. Bedivior, instead of swallowing a pill, stood there as if nothing had happened. The heart on Ricardo’s spear turned to sand and scattered, and the gaping hole in Bedivior’s chest filled up, regenerating as if nothing had happened.

“I told you. If you ask nicely, I could give you one. It’s… just candy.”

He picked up one of the candies rolling on the floor and swallowed it, smiling as he grabbed the blade of Ricardo’s spear. Blood flowed, but the wound regenerated instantly.

“Do you understand now why I chose to paralyze you all instead of killing you?”

Before Ricardo could counter with a punch, dozens of paralyzing needles coated with poison struck his body.

“I can’t give you death. Not just because I’m a doctor…”

With Bedivior’s self-deprecating voice, Ricardo collapsed.

“…but because I can’t give you what I don’t have.”

Bedivior.

Known as the Immortal Bedivior, he hurried to complete his mission.