Hilé Hatarrun came to the empire’s western region from the desert as a scholarship student, studying all the way to the capital. Although she was selected as a scholarship student, she faced fierce competition from wealthy students. She didn’t receive a scholarship for two out of six years, and the debt loomed large. The medical field, chosen as a ‘hobby’ by prestigious families’ third or fourth individuals or by wealthy commoners opting for an honorary profession, had diverse career paths. The profession acknowledged by the nobility was the path of a physician who gave up the pursuit of wealth. To establish a private clinic, family support was essential, leading Hilé to the path of a national hospital or palace physician, despite graduating as the top student. Despite graduating as a top student, she failed to become a palace physician for unknown reasons and had no choice but to apply to the western national hospital. Many applicants from the capital, east, or south were wealthy commoners, making it impossible for Hilé to compete. ‘Damn. Is this the country?’ A top academy graduate became an assistant at the western national hospital. Returning to her hometown was bitter, and there were no familiar faces among her parents, who had hoped their daughter would become a palace physician, and her numerous younger siblings. She had to make efforts to obtain the director position. After enduring the relentless desert wind, she worked hard until the end. She became the youngest assistant director, but she was eyeing only the director position. “Hilé Hatarrun. Do you want to become a palace physician?” “A palace physician? Ha, if I could, I would have done it when I graduated as the top student at the academy.” “What about now?” She thought the old and stern director suddenly warned her, but the director, with sagging eyelids, revealed a hidden gleam, subtly offering Hilé the chance to become Prince Pae’s personal physician. “Do you know Prince Pae?” “I know. There was a commotion ten years ago, and I’m a spy if I don’t know.” “It’s about becoming his personal physician.”
Selected as a scholarship student, but pushed back by the wealthy students’ overwhelming competition, Hilé spent a total of 6 years in her academic journey. During this period, she couldn’t receive a scholarship for 2 years, and the debt loomed heavily in front of her.

The career paths in medicine, chosen as a ‘hobby’ by individuals from prestigious families, usually the third or fourth in line, or by wealthy commoners opting for an honorary profession, were quite diverse. However, the profession acknowledged by the nobility was the path of a medical practitioner who had given up the pursuit of wealth.

To establish a private clinic, family support was essential. Therefore, Hilé’s choice was naturally a path leading to working for the country as a national hospital or palace physician.

Despite graduating as the top student, Hilé faced rejection for some reason as a palace physician and had no choice but to apply to the western national hospital. Among the applicants from the capital, east, or south, where many were wealthy commoners, it was futile for Hilé to compete.

Frustrated, she cursed, “Damn. Is this the country?” An academy’s top graduate ended up as an assistant at the western national hospital. Going back to her hometown, there were no familiar faces among her parents, who had hoped their son would become a palace physician, and her numerous younger siblings.

Even to obtain the director position, she had to strive. Nevertheless, after enduring the tiresome desert wind and working hard, she reached the pinnacle as the youngest assistant director, only eyeing the director position.

“Hilé Hatarrun. Do you want to become a palace physician?”

“A palace physician? Ha, if I could, I would have done it when I graduated as the top student at the academy.”

“What about now?” She thought the old and stern director was warning her, but he subtly offered Hilé the chance to become Prince Pae’s personal physician, revealing a hidden gleam in his sagging eyelids.

“Do you know Prince Pae?”

“I know. There was a commotion ten years ago, and I’m a spy if I don’t know.”

“It’s about becoming his personal physician.”

“Ah, that fearsome black mansion in the rumor? All right. Even if I become a palace physician, I won’t go there to die. Are all palace physicians responsible for treating the nobility?”

“The rumor that people die there is all false, at least for physicians.” The director, who had been scanning the empty air with his gaze, suddenly glared at Hilé. “What the royal family needs is not a physician but an overseer. Who can treat his illness? It’s all an imitation. You also know that the position of a palace physician is not obtained through skill alone. Even in my prime, I was a talent that held the academy in my hands, but look at me now. Growing old and suffering in the middle of the desert until I die.” The director spread his arms wide, as if showing Hilé that this was her future.

As Hilé’s face became serious, the director smiled reassuringly.
“The saying that people die there is all false. At least for physicians,” the director asserted, sweeping the air with his gaze before abruptly glaring at Hilé.

“What’s needed in the palace isn’t a physician but an overseer. Who can cure his illness? It’s all an imitation. You also know that the position of a palace physician is not obtained through skill alone. Even in my prime, I was a talent that held the academy in my hands, but look at me now. Growing old and suffering in the middle of the desert until I die,” the director spread his arms wide, as if illustrating Hilé’s future.

As Hilé’s expression turned serious, the director reassured her with a smile.

“I may be aging and won’t last much longer, but you still have a bright future ahead. Sending off your younger siblings for marriage, building a stable home—it’s difficult to achieve all that here. You already have a considerable amount of debt, don’t you?” He had recently incurred significant debts to support his deceased parents.

Seeing Hilé’s resolute gaze, the director, who had already signed the recommendation letter, handed it over to her.

Hilé felt the rigid and expensive texture of the paper before carefully tucking it into her bosom.

“To monitor His Highness. I have also been monitoring. I’ve reported various stories that I believed in you to the palace.”

“More accurately, it goes to Prince Bollonico, not the palace.”

Hilé lowered her gaze at Yuvan’s somewhat sharp voice.

Suddenly on his knees, his face soaked with regret, he stammered, “With the letter of recommendation, I came to the capital, and a certain Lord Kompani is waiting for me. My mission was merely to provide appropriate medical treatment and observe the trends in the mansion. As for the Madam’s stories… I absolutely didn’t tell anyone.”

“My stories?”

“The information about Madam being a genius and the owner of the cleansing potion. I just praised Madam for being a sophisticated lady and talented. Nothing else.”

“His Highness?”

Hilé tightly clasped both knees and shed tears on the floor.

“His Highness has become much brighter since Madam arrived, and his outdoor activities have decreased. I thought it was okay because it was ordinary information, but… it seems not.”

“Continue.”

“As soon as we talked about outdoor activities… there were multiple orders to assassinate His Highness. Such orders never came before.”

“!”

With a shocked expression, Yuvan remained frozen, staring relentlessly at the bowed man in front of him.

A sensation of cold-bloodedness spread as if blood was pouring out of his body.

“I’m not the only spy in the mansion. You might have noticed, but from the guards at the main gate to the people sent by the palace, there are more spies than you think.”

“You speak boldly.”