The Doctor Cured The Villainess And Ran Away-Chapter 67: Sleeping Together (1)

“Based on everything I’ve studied so far, curses don’t affect the body—they act on the soul itself,” Hugo explained.

I found his theory intriguing.

“I didn’t know that. So they’re more like soul-borne diseases?”

“You could say that. I’m not entirely sure how these internal imaging photographs work, but they definitely capture curses.”

“That blackened part—is that the curse?”

Hugo nodded.

“Yes. The soul mirrors the shape of the body. The curse forms as a mass that either wraps around or replaces part of the afflicted area.”

He pointed to the X-ray I’d shown him.

Just as he said: the Death Dragon’s skull, and the entire exterior of the undead corpse, were shrouded in black clumps of energy.

“Can we try imaging my hand right now?”

“Sure.”

I scanned Hugo’s hand and projected it through the crystal.

His arm looked normal, but the outer edge of his hand was surrounded by a dark rim.

“When only part of the body is cursed, this is what it looks like.”

“I see.”

“Do you notice anything different between the first image and the others?”

“There’s a curse inside the body.”

“As expected—sharp as ever, Doctor. That’s exactly the strange and unusual part.”

Hugo pointed to the dark mass within Asella’s abdominal cavity.

“If this curse were affecting the organs, you’d expect to see the outline along the abdomen. But instead, the black is concentrated inside. That means—”

“There’s another soul in there. One that isn’t hers.”

“Precisely.”

“Makes sense.”

Hugo emphasized his conclusion.

“I believe the soul is the source of the curse. It’s essentially a malevolent spirit. The fastest way to break the curse is to extract and destroy that spirit.”

Could it be the soul of the Grand Witch?

So in exchange for accessing the magical talent of that soul, Asella also inherited its curse—and its pain.

“Is there no way to extract the spirit without harming the host?”

“Impossible. It has to be physically removed. But it won’t be easy. You can’t exactly cut open a living person’s abdomen...”

A valid point.

“And if the spirit is strong and self-aware, it could go berserk once it’s out.”

“If that happens, can you handle it? What if it starts casting magic?”

Hugo seemed to understand what I was implying.

The surgery plan. The idea of physically extracting the curse.

He met my gaze with unwavering resolve.

“I’ll stop it. No matter what.”

“Good. Then let’s keep identifying what kind of spirit this is, and how powerful it might be.”

“Understood. I’ll deepen my research and improve my ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ skills.”

“Excellent mindset. Chloe, you’re in charge now.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

Leaving the office in their care, I stepped out of the clinic.

Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t seen Asella in a while.

She might start complaining again—I should at least do a checkup myself from time to time.

Hearing Hugo’s theory made my plans for Asella’s surgery feel more concrete.

It wasn’t something I could keep putting off.

The surgery needs to happen within the next few years.

There was clearly a time limit.

I recalled a story she once told me.

“Isn’t it fitting that the Empire ends today? Gotberg, come drink with Me.”

“You ask how I became Emperor? Hah! Isn’t it obvious? I was born for it. What other choice did the world have?”

“Still, if I had to name the turning point that hardened Me...”

“I’ll confess something. Even I wasn’t good with magic as a child. Surprised? Hehe. I lost control often—there were times My magic circuits would surge violently. My stomach, especially...”

“One day, My circuits ran wild. Magic erupted from Me uncontrollably. The only one who could stop Me was My mother—a witch.”

“I ended up committing matricide. I killed My own mother, Camilla von Württempelt, the Third Empress. Was she a good person? No. She was evil—undeniably so.”

“The former Emperor actually praised Me for it. That’s when he started to favor Me.”

“But she was still... My mother.”

“My one and only mother.”

“After that day, the voices got louder. Hahaha, I’ve done it now! Burn, burn it all!”

Asella’s silhouette, dousing the crumbling palace in wine, was burned into my memory.

Bathed in the flames, clutching her skirts, she skipped through the ruins like she was dancing the can-can at a festival.

Ending list, check.

[No. 101: Mana Rampage 4% → 7%]

[Status: Changed]

Even though there hadn’t been any major events recently, the probability was rising.

Left unchecked, it would keep climbing.

Which meant there was a small but real chance that on the day she’d told me about, Asella had lost control of her magic.

That was probably the day she went mad.

Though she had no qualms about hurling harsh words or acting cold toward others, when it came to Camilla, Asella always hesitated.

Blood ties held her back.

After that day, she hardened her heart completely—took the shortest, most ruthless route to the throne, and waited for the Empire’s demise.

I still didn’t know why she had to destroy the world.

But there was still time.

I would remove the ticking time bomb inside her before it exploded.

***

“Evening checkup, Your Highness.”

I met Asella after she finished her day.

She opened her mouth like she had something to say—but then shut it again and glared at me.

Tap, tap. Her footsteps sounded sharper than usual. Or maybe I was just imagining it.

In the tense silence, I began a routine checkup.

Making sure nothing had gone wrong during the day, ensuring she could sleep comfortably.

If the patient struggled to sleep, it was always the physician’s responsibility.

“Your mana circuits are stable. Please get some rest.”

“That’s all you’ve got to say after four days?”

“Uh...”

There hadn’t been any major issues recently, and Moonlight Palace was running smoothly. So why was she upset?

My mind raced—had she somehow found out I sold the Death Dragon’s body?

“Would you like any additional tests?”

Asella stared hard at me for a long moment before blowing out a sharp breath and turning her head.

“Forget it. Get out.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

...Touchy. Very touchy.

I should ask the head maid later if something happened today.

That night, I stayed up late organizing Asella’s medical records.

I cross-referenced everything I’d recorded to track the latest developments.

―Thud!

Just then, I heard a commotion outside. Doors opening. Knights on the move.

―Bang!

The door slammed open without a knock. Boris stood there, his expression grim.

“Doctor. You need to come. Now.”

“What happened?”

Boris wasn’t the kind of man to disturb my rest lightly. I stood from my desk at once.

“Her Highness collapsed.”

I immediately threw on my coat and ran.

Though her room was next door, it was so large I had to sprint twenty meters just to reach it.

“Doctor!”

The knights guarding her room shouted as I approached.

Asella lay at their feet, clutching her stomach.

I dropped to my knees beside her, checking her condition.

“Your Highness.”

She didn’t respond, but she was conscious. Barely. The pain had rendered her speechless.

Her breathing was labored. She was soaked in sweat.

Her nightgown was damp with cold sweat—this had been going on for a while.

She must’ve crawled out of bed on her own, unable to endure it.

I quickly took out a painkiller and placed it in her mouth. Her lips were cracked and dry.

“Can you drink some water?”

She gave the slightest nod.

I used a beak-shaped cup to gently pour water into her mouth.

Gulp. She swallowed.

After a few minutes, her breathing began to stabilize.

The head maid soon arrived and waited nearby.

I asked her to help change Asella’s clothes and get her into bed.

I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed and waited.

Three minutes. Five.

Time passed slowly.

“I was careless.”

The rising probability of mana rampage meant her circuits were growing unstable.

If I’d been more attentive, maybe this could’ve been prevented.

Soon the head maid returned.

“Her Highness is asking for you.”

I entered the room. Asella was lying in bed.

Her breathing had calmed, but she was still sweating. I dabbed her forehead with a towel.

“...Doctor.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I’m here.”

Her eyes opened slowly. Golden mana shimmered faintly within them.

She couldn’t even muster the strength to resent me. Her muscles slackened completely, leaving her limp.

“Does it hurt?”

“No. I don’t feel anything right now.”

“This is my fault. I failed to properly monitor your mana circuits.”

“...That’s right. Reflect on that.”

Her voice was slurred, the painkiller making her drowsy.

“Be punished.”

“Uh... Can’t you let it slide just this once?”

Hearing her say the word punish sent a chill down my spine.

“...Doll.”

“You want your doll? I’ll go get it.”

I stood, but Asella grabbed my coat.

I lost my balance and fell onto the bed—my shoulder brushing against her small frame.

My head sank into the softness of the mattress. When I opened my eyes, her golden hair glinted in the dark, tickling my nose.

Her thin fingers fumbled through my coat, sneaking under my arm and pulling me into a full-body hug.

“Your Highness...”

“...Be quiet.”

My chest burned with warmth. Every time she exhaled, heat rose against my solar plexus.

Before I could say anything else, she was asleep—clinging to me like sticky rice.

You’ll catch a cold if you sleep without a blanket.

I reached down and gently pulled the fallen blanket up to her shoulders.

...Which meant I was now under it too.

Whatever.

It was late.

I closed my eyes, deciding to think about it tomorrow.

***

The next morning, I woke to a peculiar sensation on my cheek and ear.

Golden eyes glared down at me. Her mana was calmly circulating, pupils sharp and focused.

For some reason, her hand was on my face. Poking at it. Playing with it.

Smooth.

Cold.

“Your High—”

“Shh.”

She squished my cheek for a while, then pinched my nose into a pig shape and giggled before finally pulling her hand away.

“Your professionalism’s gone to hell. You didn’t do your job last night and you let your liege wake up first?”

“I apologize.”

“What kind of punishment should I give you?”

“You already punished me.”

“Huh?”

“I couldn’t sleep properly. I spent the night in a cramped position. I’ve got a kink in my neck. That’s punishment enough, don’t you think?”

“Are you saying sleeping in my bed was a punishment?”

She scowled at me, clearly furious.

“No, no. Your bed is very comfortable. I meant the posture, the situation...”

“So you’re saying I’m the problem?”

“That’s not what I meant! Honestly, last night was partially your fault too.”

“...Excuse me?”

Asella looked utterly scandalized.

But I wasn’t done.

“I told you to let me know when you’re in pain. You’ve had episodes at night before and never said a word. If you’d told me right away, maybe it wouldn’t have gotten this bad.”

She clammed up, struck right in the nerve.

“See? We’re both to blame. Let’s call it even.”

“But your faults don’t end there.”

“What now?”

“That’s... never mind.”

She bit her lower lip, glowering at me.

Then, sharply:

“Whatever. I’m not telling you next time either.”

“What? You have to tell me. What if it’s serious?!”

“Nope.”

“Come on.”

This was bad.

There was no guarantee she wouldn’t suddenly blow out her circuits again.

She was really, really stubborn.

Extreme measures were necessary.

I gave her a suggestion.

“Then from now on, I’ll sleep with you every night.”

“W-what?!”

Asella jolted upright, face burning.