The Doctor Cured The Villainess And Ran Away-Chapter 72: The Princess’s Meal (3)

The preparation of the nutritious full-course meal for Asella went more smoothly than expected.

“I told them to dig up whatever they could find, but I can’t exactly expect ginseng to be growing on the imperial back mountain. If we got even half of what I asked for, I’d call that a success.”

“Doctor, we found it!”

“They really did?”

The capable knights of Moonlight Palace, once they heard it was for Asella, scoured the mountains through the night and brought back every single ingredient I requested.

Not just ginseng, but also deodeok, bracken, wild sesame leaves—an entire collection of mountain greens.

“Shoop, the Supre Merchant Guild’s delivery just arrived. They even sent fresh salmon caught at dawn in the port city...”

“They had that too?”

Supre practically monopolized the Empire’s canal network, and their delivery capability was something else.

Some high-end ingredients could only be sourced through the Imperial Kitchen. The exclusive royal transport ships supposedly used mana stones like motors to fly at ultra-high speeds.

No exaggeration—it was practically bullet delivery. The Empire’s infrastructure was more advanced than I’d thought.

“All that’s left is to make it taste good.”

Shortly after noon, I packed up the ingredients and headed for the Imperial Kitchen.

Located near the Celestial Palace at the center of the imperial grounds, the kitchen was responsible for the meals of all royalty and high nobles.

“You’d think it’d be more convenient for each palace to cook their own meals.”

“Only the Imperial Kitchen is allowed to handle high-grade ingredients, and there are also security concerns.”

Anything that entered a royal’s mouth had to be free of poison or black magic.

The chefs and head cooks were chosen through a selection process as rigorous as for court physicians—true elites.

“Normally, I wouldn’t even be allowed inside. But starting today, I’ve got imperial orders to lean on. I’ve already arranged everything. I just have to go in and cook.”

“You’re always so thorough.”

Hugo nodded as he followed behind me.

We arrived and went through a thorough security screening.

And then, stepping inside, we entered absolute chaos.

“The chicken pen’s open! Who the hell did it!”

“Get me the bannock, and butter—now!”

“We need three more dishes out! Five minutes tops!”

The kitchen was a battlefield.

About thirty cooks were scrambling to prepare meals for every palace. They could’ve used an extra pair of hands—literally anyone’s.

“You must be the royal physician!”

One of the head chefs, eyes bloodshot, came over to me.

The place was so loud he had to practically shout.

“I’ve been informed! You’ll be cooking the Moonlight Palace meals yourself from now on, right? I’ve cleared you a station—use that one! But do not cross this line!”

He pointed at a white boundary painted on the floor—probably a safety measure.

Thud. The chefs dropped a large box at my feet.

“Here are the ingredients you ordered! We’ll be checking the ones you brought in too!”

The head chef and kitchen staff started inspecting the ingredients we’d carried in.

“You’re planning to cook with these? That’s certainly... unique. Please make sure nothing gets mixed in.”

“Don’t worry. Ours look obviously homemade.”

“FIRE! Who the hell left an oiled pan on the stove?!”

The head chef sprinted off. Tanya caught my eye and gave a little shrug.

“Ugh... this is filthy.”

Chloe ran a finger across our assigned station and grimaced. A thick smear of grease came away on her hand.

Sanitation wasn’t really a concept in this world.

Even the Imperial Kitchen prioritized making food for the royals fast and delicious, not safely.

At least Hugo and Chloe, currently under training, had developed a decent understanding of hygiene and contamination.

“Let’s start with cleaning.”

Hugo busied his gloved hands.

While they worked, I checked the ingredients and finalized the menu.

Asella’s recommended caloric intake is 2,000. She’s currently too skewed toward fats, so I’ll need to increase protein and include plenty of ingredients that purify the bloodstream for the first week.

Tuna would’ve been better for protein, but the Empire’s sea was too far. I settled on salmon.

If I wrap the salmon in sesame leaves, she’ll eat it without resistance. The sesamin will help lower her cholesterol.

Main dish: decided.

Next, the staple.

Asella liked dairy products but couldn’t digest milk well.

If I break down the lactose in advance and make a milk porridge, it’ll go down easier. Better to train her palate with that than sweet things like cheesecake.

Garlic could be soaked to reduce its pungency and mixed into other dishes, but I wasn’t sure if she’d eat herbs like naengi or deodeok.

The saponin in deodeok is especially good for inflammation, though.

If it tastes good, she’ll eat it.

I just had to cook well.

And tea over coffee.

Asella looked for coffee at every opportunity. I needed to find a tea she’d grow attached to instead.

Whether she genuinely liked the taste or just thought it made her look more adult, I wasn’t sure.

“Alright. Let’s do it like this.”

I was a born-and-bred Korean.

A single hunk of meat sitting alone on a plate didn’t cut it. I preferred a meal where the side dishes threatened to collapse the table.

Final count: twelve dishes. Small portions of each.

Even starting now, it’d be a tight squeeze.

“D-Doctor, I’m ready.”

Chloe hovered near me. I checked and found she’d scrubbed the cooking station until it practically sparkled.

“Let’s begin. Put your mask on.”

I grabbed the kitchen knife with confidence.

And within two hours, I was tasting bitter defeat at Tanya’s hands.

She was pickier than I’d expected.

No—my ginseng dish was just bad.

“This is just grass you pulled from the mountain, not cooking. If you applied first aid, I bet it’d root itself and bloom again.”

“Geez, you don’t have to say it like that.”

“If Her Highness were here, she’d probably say exactly that.”

“It shouldn’t taste bad...”

In my attempt to minimize carbs, I’d barely used any sugars. That meant it lacked proper fermentation and aging. Even to my own tongue, it was missing depth.

Well, no helping it now.

I’d spent five years living alone and who knows how many more as the cook for the hero’s party. I had my pride.

“Property alteration.”

Among the ingredients the knights dug up was sugar beet. Still undeveloped and unrefined, it was barely fit for livestock feed.

“Compress. Enhance.”

Soft white crystals poured lovingly between my fingers.

Magic powder.

MSG—complete.

“Monosodium glutamate. The ultimate flavor enhancer.”

Lower in sodium than salt, safer for long-term health, and packed with umami.

It couldn’t match the nuanced taste of a master who aged and fermented their ingredients over years, but it could help a novice get halfway there.

I dumped it generously into the sauces and broths.

“Time to adjust every flavor profile across the board.”

The ingredients were unrefined and raw, far removed from the taste I knew.

Using property alteration, I reduced bitterness and boosted aroma.

After a long stretch of sweat and toil, I presented five completed dishes to Tanya.

“Try them.”

Tanya’s eyes scanned the plates.

She took a spoonful of the cold naengi soup.

“Hrk!”

It was like she’d been struck by lightning. Her eyes flew open, face going stiff.

***

“The girl has never been to Moonlight Palace before. I’m grateful for the invitation, Your Highness.”

“Sit down.”

Ambrosia entered the Moonlight Palace dining room, glanced around like she was analyzing the space, then sat in the chair a knight pulled out for her.

She faced Asella across a long table.

“Moonlight Palace is neat. Feels quite modern.”

“You’re perceptive.”

As Ambrosia noted, Moonlight Palace had a more modern design compared to the rest of the Imperial Palace.

“Even just looking at Physician Gotberg’s aggressive approach, I can guess where Your Highness is headed. I’m looking forward to seeing what he pulls off today.”

“Indeed. Watch closely.”

Asella locked her gaze on Ambrosia, trying to read the meaning hidden beneath her formal words.

The Emperor’s personal physician for the past week. Apart from the chief secretary, no one spends more time with him.

The Emperor’s physicians, due to his age, were on near-constant standby and rarely worked in the Imperial Clinic.

Asella wanted to extract information about the Emperor’s condition from Ambrosia.

The simplest way for me to become Empress is to be acknowledged as the rightful successor.

Everyone in the palace knew Gunther was Prince in name only.

It was a matter of who earned the Emperor’s trust first—who became the real Crown Prince or Princess.

This was her chance to gather intelligence on the Celestial Palace.

“How is His Majesty’s condition? I hope he’s sleeping well.”

A light question, worded like a concerned daughter asking about her father.

“Mm. As ever, he commands the world with undiminished vigor.”

Ambrosia had no choice but to answer like that.

A personal physician couldn’t reveal a royal’s health status. Admitting the Emperor was weakening might be considered treason.

In her tone, though—

There was a brief hesitation. She exaggerated her words. He must be worse off than before.

Tap-tap. Asella drummed her fingers lightly on the table.

“You must be working hard.”

“It’s my duty as his physician.”

“Someone in your position might be tempted to enjoy a little power. But I heard it’s not you but the First Princess’s and Second Prince’s factions who dominate the clinic?”

“We don’t have the time or reason to form factions. Ah, thank you.”

The head maid brought out the pre-meal tea. Ambrosia took a small sip.

Asella, by contrast, didn’t glance at the cup or her cutlery. Her eyes were fixed solely on Ambrosia.

“And with things like that, haven’t you received any... other offers?”

“What do you mean by that, exactly?”

“Well. For example... requests for cooperation from other factions.”

Asella wanted to probe one more thing besides the Emperor’s condition.

She remembered the vision shown by her clairvoyance in a dream.

The night Las had held her tighter than ever before.

—No, Las doesn’t matter.

Why am I losing focus like this?

Ambrosia had clearly been executed for treason.

For assassinating the Emperor.

Tanya said it was a false charge, but still...

Given her personality, if she was in the situation, she likely just exploited it to her advantage. She wouldn’t go so far as to fabricate everything from scratch.

There’s no smoke without fire.

It was plausible that Ambrosia had indeed tried to kill the Emperor at the urging of some prince or princess.

“Other factions... Hmm. I have sworn loyalty only to His Majesty. No such rumors ever reached my ears.”

Doesn’t sound like a lie...

Las’s family head had also been executed on the same day.

He wouldn’t have been dragged to the execution grounds for nothing.

A marquess, implicated in regicide—the Gotberg house must have been wiped out.

It’s just one possibility...

Still. If the future flowed anything like what she’d seen through clairvoyance, Las would lose everything and become a stray dog.

The one holding his leash was Asella.

If Ambrosia really did join hands with the Gotberg Marquess in rebellion...

Then what choice would she make?

Would she cast them to the mob, as in her vision—or shield them?

I won’t abandon Las.

To protect her precious puppet, Asella wanted to uncover the truth.

“Well then, Dame Ambrosia—”

Grrrgle—

Just as she tried to continue, Asella’s stomach let out a small growl.

Ambrosia’s lips curled into a grin. Asella turned her head away, flustered.

Why is Las so late?!

Not that she wouldn’t have gotten mad if he barged in and interrupted—but still, it was his fault.

That fleeting moment of internal blame—

Click. The dining room door opened.

“Eh.”

Asella let out a dazed sound before she could stop herself.

From the hallway came a savory smell unlike anything she’d ever known. It struck her nose with immediate force.

Reflexively, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) she stuck her tongue out and licked her lips, just to make sure the drool pooling in her mouth didn’t spill out.