I used to think of Raquel-san as a woman who would never be moved by anything.

　But now, just by telling me about His Highness Astina, her voice trembles and her body never stops trembling.

　If something happened to His Highness Astina, Raquel-san wouldn't be safe either. Her loyalty is that deep - that's what it's like to worship her.

　There is a limit to how much words can cheer her up. Because if it wasn't me, but His Highness Astina, it would not be possible to erase Raquel-san's anxiety.

　The only thing I can do right now is to give him some medicine that will help him relax. The extracts of the ingredients that have a calming effect are mixed in a small bottle for stirring - the main ingredient is an extract made by boiling down the bark of pine trees.

　Only the southeastern part of the kingdom is slightly facing the sea, and there are pines called 'coastal pines' growing in that area. The ingredients from that bark have been recognized for their sedative effects by the people since ancient times - I had tried and succeeded in using magic to gather those ingredients in high purity.

'Raquel-san, try this. It has a slightly peculiar taste. ......
"Huh ...... is not the time to do that. ......
'No, it is necessary. When you go to His Highness, you should not show your anxiety on your face. They say that sickness comes from the mind, and to some extent it's true.
"...... This is what you should be drinking: ......

　Raquel gulps down the reddish-brown liquid in the vial I gave her in one gulp. Some of the pills are too bitter to drink as it is, but the mint and other herbs I put in it besides the extract of coastal pine should make it somewhat easier to drink.

'It will take some time for it to kick in. Let's head over to your highness.
...... All right. I'm sorry to have made you feel like a disappointment.

　It was bitter, after all, and Raquel frowned - but the strong taste eased her tension somewhat, and her expression relaxed for a moment.

...... bad medicine, but it's not undrinkable. ......

　Drugs vary greatly in the process they go through in the body before they take effect, depending on their ingredients.

　The quickest way to get the most effect internally would be through sublingual administration, which requires the drug to be held under the tongue. In my case, the volatile scent components allow the nasal passages to act on the central nervous system through the mucous membranes to get the effects of improved mental status earlier. Ingredients that are absorbed through the body's metabolism take several hours to develop their effects - it doesn't make sense if the effects of the drug wear off quickly.

"...... chest swooshes and ...... calms the mind. What the hell is this ......?

　You may think it's unpleasant, but it's inevitable. Most of the medicines available in the kingdom are made from powdered medicinal herbs, etc. and are not sold in the form of extracted extracts because they cannot be preserved, so even if they contain effective ingredients, their purity is low.

　Only research institutes have the equipment to extract the medicinal ingredients and to sort them out, and mass production is currently a dream.

　However, it would be nice if we could cover the medical needs of this fortress. Even without equipment, if I'm able to extract plant ingredients, it's not difficult for me to create medicines as needed--think about it.

　I realize that now. I've made Raquel-san, who hates magic, drink a potion that used magic in the manufacturing process.

'...... magic that borrows power from plant spirits. The potion made with it is highly potent ......
'I'm sorry, Raquel, ...... for giving you a potion without explaining anything to you. Indeed, I used magic when I made the potion now. There's no excuse for that.

　Raquel-san walked next to me for a while without saying a word - but no words of reprimand flew out of her mouth.

'It is a personal circumstance that I hate the mage ...... thing called magic. That's not to say that I deny Glass Weed ...... your magic. I know that magic is a necessity for this country, and that it has great potential.
...... Mr. Raquel.
I can't tell you what's going on. I don't want you to think of me as a fragile woman any more than I already am.
No, it's not: ......
''How could I not think about it? I was also aware of how pathetic it was to show his highness and his subordinates a face like that. Thanks to your medicine, I can save face ...... thank you.

　Raquel bowed her head as she walked. His black hair tied back cascaded over his shoulders, and the gesture of re-arranging it made him look the most ladylike he'd ever seen.

'...... I can't let a man into His Highness's bedroom by nature. However, His Highness already had a high opinion of Glass' abilities. He had proven himself on the first day.

　For treating patients in the sanitary wing and for being present at the interrogation of Ms. Presha. With regard to the latter, Alraune deserves a lot of credit.

　His Highness appreciated those things. It wasn't just that he put me under Raquel-san and that was the end of it--''

''That man is adored by all the soldiers in this fortress. Commanders can be hated, but His Highness Astina is not like that at all. You will find that it is a very good idea to have a good idea of what you are doing. How his heart gives courage to his soldiers and to his people: ......
'We won't know until we see ...... your highness' condition. We will do everything in our power to treat him. His Highness must stay healthy.
...... please. I don't know anything about medicine ...... Glass, I can only entrust you with .......

　Mr. Raquel told me to 'trust' me. I thought it would be a long time before I could hear such words.

　Further up from the four levels of the fortress, we go out to the rooftop. His Highness's sleeping quarters were said to be in an apartment building built on top of the rooftop.

　A soldier guarding the doorway sees us and opens it for us. We followed Raquel through a corridor that could be called bleak and unadorned for a third princess' residence - and then.

　An attendant woman, not a soldier, opens the door as Raquel speaks into her ear. The woman who emerged from inside also had the appearance of a maidservant, and her skin could be seen to be pale even in the dim light.

　I was urged to go inside and I entered the room with Raquel.

　We passed through the reception room and were ushered into the bedroom - after all, on a bed that was simple in construction for a third princess to use, His Highness Astina closed her eyes as if she were sleeping.

　And I finally realize that I've come to this point. As a spirit mage, it was too late to notice.

　The magic power that had filled the entire fortress just by the mere presence of His Highness Astina's presence was weakening. And at the same time, a part of His Highness Astina's sleeping body was glowing faintly - if she wasn't a mage, she wouldn't be able to see this light.

　Why did she lose consciousness? I bowed deeply to His Highness as Raquel-san looked on, and then approached the side of the bed.

''First of all, let me give you a diagnosis of Your Highness' symptoms. Raquel-san, would you be willing to be present?
...... Got it.

　The luminescence of the body can be seen even through the thin blanket draped over the body. To confirm this - I need to take off His Highness' clothes and see it with my own eyes.

　Even in sleep, His Highness Astina is breathtakingly beautiful. But I vowed not to disturb her mind for a minute, so I pulled the blanket and gently opened the collar of His Highness' clothes.