Chapter 88

Why did Anais come to mind at this moment?

Princess Victoria watched as Leon was beaten like a dog, and this question crossed her mind.

Even in her everyday life, Victoria often worried about Anais. There had also been times when she had inquired about Anais’s recent situation through the abbess of the monastery.

After all, as royalty… being the only three direct descendants in the empire, how could she ignore the fact that one of them was locked away in a monastery? Just the fact that she was confined there damaged the dignity of the imperial court. She had prayed that Anais was at least faring well in the monastery.

However, there was another reason why Victoria was reminiscing about her younger sibling.

“Anais, what exactly did you do?”

The syrup being sold on the streets had led to this outcome.

The young prodigy in the history of the empire to achieve the rank of a master was now being lynched by knights and professors,

while the students watched in shock,

and the professors who were beating Leon intermittently turned their heads to gauge Victoria’s reaction. They were probably worried that her wrath might sweep through the academy.

As Victoria stayed unresponsive, the beatings intensified further.

“Leon, do you have any idea what you’ve done!”

“Drugs.”

“Please stop!”

Victoria raised her hand as she could no longer bear to watch.

This put an end to the beating.

Of course, this wasn’t the end.

‘This will surely be seen as an assassination attempt. By anyone’s standards, it will.’

There was simply no other way to interpret it.

Even unarmed, a master exists as a superhuman who can unleash aura with nothing but bare hands.

While Victoria had already prepared for the worst with Alan, the unknowing students would inevitably perceive it as a threat to the royal family. There was no one who could commit such an act and get away cleanly.

As Victoria looked at the pitiful sight of Leon sprawled out, she gave the knights her instructions.

“Take him to the military police headquarters.”

“My lady!”

“Take him there immediately. Guidelines will soon follow.”

“…”

The knights, though hesitating, lifted Leon Rothe Dale despite everything.

Even so, Leon was fixatedly staring at the medicine vial rolling on the floor.

It seemed like he hadn’t fully grasped the fact that his situation had spiraled due to just a vial of medicine; perhaps his attachment to the drug was so strong that he couldn’t tear his eyes away, despite the beating.

‘Either way, it doesn’t matter.’

Victoria motioned with a nod for Leon to have his vial returned.

Only then did Leon, relieved, quietly allow himself to be led away.

Giving a drug addict their drug might seem like an absurd move, but Victoria didn’t care. Besides, the contents of that vial weren’t real Bulongyi but a fake made of starch, which would only serve as nutritional value if consumed.

Victoria turned away from Leon, who was being carted off helplessly.

Instead, her eyes were fixed on the broad back of Alan Medoff.

While everyone else was in chaos – including herself – the man on the elevated platform used only a few words to bring Leon down. Though he was the mastermind behind this plot, the responsibility still fell heavily on him.

‘Maybe I’ve burdened him again, though unintentionally.’

Where else could such apologetic sentiments exist?

Even now, Alan’s reputation was undoubtedly deteriorating in real-time.

The miraculous pharmacist who created the “master-making drug” had in a flash transformed into a cruel businessman who drove people to their demise. While necessary, it was impossible not to feel pity for Alan.

Did he sense what Victoria was feeling?

Alan slowly turned his head.

“Your Highness, I’ll visit the military police headquarters. Someone needs to help Leon Rothe Dale come to terms with the reality, don’t they?”

“Sir Alan, that’s my role.”

“I need to be the one to explain. He sees me as the drug that moves him… You must’ve been greatly shocked by his condition. Please return to the palace and settle down. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“…”

“It’s not too complicated, anyway.”

As if to counter his statement, Victoria wanted to contradict but simply nodded.

Alan was already determined to take on the unpleasant responsibilities. Though it didn’t sit well with her, rewarding and consoling him could wait.

However, Victoria had no intention of fleeing just yet.

“Everyone, pay attention.”

After Alan left, Victoria stiffened her expression and looked at the students.

“I imagine you were all shocked by Leon Rothe Dale’s outburst. …To be honest, I don’t know what thoughts each of you might harbor. Some might even think that it’s okay to become like him, or you might foolishly believe you can gain his advantages while overcoming the side effects. As humans, you might consider that possibility.”

Victoria prayed the students would pay attention to her warning, as this whole event had been arranged for their benefit.

“…However, let me make one thing clear. There is no drug that instantly enhances one’s abilities. You might delude yourself into thinking minor help comes from the intoxication, but the side effects outweigh any benefit. It’s unnecessary for me to elaborate on the side effects… But regardless, there’s one thing I want you all to understand.”

“…”

“I do not want talents drenched in drugs; I have no intention of giving them any special favors. If anything, I will consider them dangerous and plan to remove them.”

This was a warning only the heir to the throne could issue.

Leaving the bewildered students behind, Victoria exited, hoping that Alan’s devotion and today’s chaos wouldn’t be in vain.

*

Military Police Interrogation Room.

Leon Rothe Dale, whose actions had caused the uproar, sat opposite me.

I wasn’t here to press charges for assaulting bodyguards or plotting regicide. That was the military police investigators’ job.

To be honest, this wasn’t something the military police should handle. It was just a formality.

Leon’s punishment had already been decided.

My job was simply to notify him.

“Leon Rothe Dale.”

“…”

He didn’t reply.

Leon merely stared at the vial of medication with a look of utter despair.

It wasn’t that he didn’t understand my words. If he wanted to, he could have opened the vial, even handcuffed, and consumed its contents, yet he simply gazed at it.

It seemed he recognized that his life was now in shambles due to the drugs.

There was no point delaying this conversation.

“You can’t avoid punishment.”

“I… it wasn’t my intention. Honestly.”

“If you wish, you can go through a trial. However, all the circumstances are against you. Crimes related to the imperial court typically involve the criminal acknowledging their guilt and pleading for the punishment. Given that you’re charged with regicide…”

Leon’s already marred face darkened further as the realization set in.

I wasn’t just mocking him; I was showing him the reality before delivering the predetermined sentence.

A life far removed from any advancement, yet one where he could have his drug for free.

“Of course, he’ll agree.”

Yet, before I could speak, Leon was ahead of me.

“It’s all your fault, pharmacist. Everything.”

He muttered these words, his dilated pupils locked onto me.

I didn’t know why he was showing hatred now when, earlier in the auditorium, after I declared that there would be no more drugs, he’d only despaired rather than lashing out.

“Even if you were to recover now, it’s already too late.”

I couldn’t undo what happened in the auditorium.

Nevertheless, it was worth hearing him out. If he understood why he had fallen into addiction, there was a faint possibility of him quitting.

But Leon wasn’t accusing me of why I introduced him to drugs in the first place.

Rather,

“If you had provided me with three doses from the beginning, I wouldn’t have ended up this way. Now that I think about it, that’s it. I started seeing and hearing strange things in the mornings and daytime when the effects wore off. If I had three doses instead of just two, I would’ve been fine. But because I only had two, and took both in the evenings for months, things gradually worsened. I even asked you for more, but why didn’t you give it to me?”

“…”

“I’ve become this way because of you. Until now, I thought I should be grateful for all the drugs you provided, but looking back, there was nothing to be thankful for. Giving me only two doses instead of three made my life difficult, intentionally out of malice.”

He was arguing about not being given enough doses.

It might not have been entirely baseless.

If he had taken two doses in the evening regularly, the lack of intoxication during the day could have deepened his delirium due to craving and withdrawal symptoms.

I had intended to only give him the appropriate amount so that he could continue minimal training.

But now it struck me that this might have been a mistake.

If I had known what would happen, maybe I should have given him three doses from the beginning,

no, maybe I should have stayed out of his life entirely and let him live in opium haze. My interference, with the intention of somehow saving the protagonist’s swordsmanship talent and utilizing it, had only brought this result.

Leon Rothe Dale stared at me with bloodshot eyes. It wasn’t the time to argue, so I gave a short nod.

“I understand. I made a mistake. Now, I have a proposal for you.”

“What?”

“You are a master, despite your crime. If you admit your guilt, you can avoid the death penalty. Your punishment can be served by enlisting in the penal corps. It will be under the navy’s jurisdiction.”

Leon’s assignment to the penal corps had already been discussed with Victoria. Had everything gone smoothly, it would’ve been a direct enlistment instead.

The empire had a system of using criminals as conscripts in the navy.

A system that arose due to the harsh living conditions of naval duties.

We wouldn’t be sending Leon on ships. A safe arrangement was planned under the guise of Victoria’s leniency.

The exchange, of course, was for the medication. The one previously crafted with Siena.

“If you plead guilty and volunteer for service, Princess Victoria will ensure the supply of your medication. There’s actually a perfect drug for you. A combination of Monglongyi and Bulongyi… If you serve admirably, you may receive more, but even if you just stay put—”

“Do I not have to take them separately?”

“…Yes.”

Leon’s face began to brighten with realization. A mixture of regret for not realizing this earlier and obvious relief.

“I’ll go, absolutely!”

The answer was predictable.

This was the moment the original main character’s course was decided.

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