Duke Martens entered a sparsely populated narrow alley. With brisk steps, he approached a two-story building at the corner of the alley, where he stopped. He took off the hood of his well-worn robe and looked up at the sign that read ‘Confident Night Clinic.’

“It’s been a while since that day.”

On the eve of the national wedding, as soon as they arrived at the Imperial Palace of the Raphion Empire, he had guided Zelda to this place first. Duke Martens vividly remembered the expression on Zelda’s face before entering the clinic.

Even though it was a temporary effect, she was filled with expectations of being able to remove the burn scar on the right side of her face.

At that time, he could never have imagined that he would end up carrying Zelda on his back, sailing with Prince Tesler.

Duke Martens strolled around the vicinity of the alley before entering the ‘Confident Night’ clinic.

“Welcome! Are you here to get an aphrodisiac?”

As he entered, a woman who seemed to be an assistant to the magician Big scanned Duke Martens from head to toe and spoke.

‘What? How rude. Is it written on my face that I need an aphrodisiac?’

“I’m here to see Magician Big.”

Duke Martens responded bluntly.

“Do you have a reservation?”

“No.”

“The treatment is taking a bit long. Can you wait, or is that okay?”

At the assistant’s words, Duke Martens nodded his head.

“Then, please have a seat on the sofa.”

“Sure.”

Duke Martens took a seat on the waiting room sofa.

After 10, 20, 30 minutes passed, the door to the treatment room did not open.

Duke Martens, who had been patiently waiting, stood up from the sofa with a bored expression.

He was about to ask the assistant how much longer he had to wait, giving her a few coins.

But just then, the assistant came out murmuring from the manufacturing room.

“Strange? I’ve never had a treatment last this long.”

She went to the door of the treatment room, knocked, but there was no response from inside.

With a mischievous smile, she cautiously opened the door to the treatment room.

“Oh? Where did he go?”

“What’s going on?”

Duke Martens approached her and asked, glancing at the opened treatment room.

“Oh, I’m sorry, sir. It seems that the doctor has gone out for a moment. He’s not at his desk.”

The assistant, who was looking around the treatment room once again, turned to Duke Martens and said, “Let’s wait a little longer.”

“Would you like to do that? Some guests with reservations are still waiting, so he probably didn’t go far.”

It felt a bit strange, but Duke Martens had no choice but to return to the sofa.

Then, with a face that seemed to remember something, Duke Martens knocked on the door of the manufacturing room that the assistant had entered.

“Do you also handle sleeping pills here?”

“Oh, do you have insomnia?”

“I’ve been having a bit of trouble lately, so I’m thinking of trying sleeping pills.”

“Sleeping pills sold at our clinic can be purchased without a doctor’s prescription. Shall I get them for you now?”

“Yes, please.”
“How much is it?”

“For now, about a week’s worth.”

The female assistant nodded and took out a small bottle of sleeping pills from the cabinet where medicines were kept, placing it on the table.

“I’m sorry. Today seems to be an unlucky day in many ways. We’ve run out of sleeping pills in pill form. This one is in powder form; can I offer you this?”

“Well, it can’t be helped. I’ll purchase it.”

“Although it’s in powder form, its effectiveness is higher than pills, so take about half a teaspoon at once.”

“Understood. How much is it?”

Duke Martens paid for the powdered sleeping pills on the spot and returned to the sofa.

Another hour passed.

As the reserved guests who had come to the clinic found the waiting time getting longer, unable to endure, they decided to reschedule and left.

Duke Martens was left alone, sitting on the sofa as if nailed to it.

“Um… Sir. It’s closing time now. I’m sorry, but you might have to come back tomorrow. Seeing that you haven’t returned until now, it seems like the doctor has something urgent.”

“Well, it can’t be helped.”

“Shall I make a reservation for you to meet again tomorrow?”

“Yes, please.”

After making the reservation, Duke Martens turned his robe hood inside out, walked out of the clinic, and looked back at the female assistant.

“Oh, wait. Has this kind of thing happened before?”

“No, that’s why it’s a bit strange. Even if the doctor has something to do, he’s never gone out without saying anything like this before.”

At the assistant’s words, one of Duke Martens’ eyebrows lifted.

Feeling somewhat uneasy, the Duke left the clinic.

After Duke Martens returned to the palace.

Some time later, when a courtier informed him that Prince Tesler was looking for him, he headed straight to the prince’s room.

“Are you looking for me, Your Highness?”

Prince Tesler was already quite drunk.