( Yuuki's POV )
The place on the lowest floor of the arcane academy was a special research room, looking from within the shadows, I saw the second empress talking to a young girl who was in the middle of some kind of magic circuit, well, "talking" is too mild a word for what was happening.
Rizwan: What's wrong, Manaril? No time for a break! This isn't nearly enough, keep reading!Manaril: ahh ah y-yes mother.
The girl had a false chronicle in her hands, so that confirmed my theory as to why they let the other chronicle go so easily, the little princess recited a strange incantation and the chronicle lit up with energy; it was clearly taking a lot out of the girl and she was groaning with exhaustion.
The girl fainted after exhausting all her energy, but her mother didn't care about that; she was more interested in the power shown in the chronicle, imagining what she could achieve with that power.
I understand the pursuit of knowledge and the attitude of the empresses is because the emperor wants them competing against each other instead of working together, that's a problem between them and not my problem, but making a little girl suffer, I can't just stand by and do nothing.
When the experiment could no longer continue, the Empress had one of her assistants move Manaril to a corner of the room where a bed was prepared for her, not exactly the accommodations of a princess.
The empress and her attendants left without noticing my presence, and then I walked to where the princess was resting, but her vitality was so depleted that sleep wasn't helping at all, I placed a hand on Manaril's head and shared some of my energy with her, causing an immediate improvement.
Yuuki: Are you feeling better, Manaril?
Manaril: Um~ Thank you, Mother.
The princess was now resting peacefully, and in her half-asleep state she must have imagined it was her mother who was taking care of her.
After everything that woman puts her through, she doesn't hate her mother; she's a very sweet girl.
Yuuki: Okay, you rest then, I'm going to leave a little friend who will take care of you, her name is Sif.
Manaril: um I will rest, mother.
The girl fell into a deep sleep with a smile on her face, and at that moment I summoned Sif in her puppy form, giving her the task of protecting the little princess, I left a small bag with energy positions and a note explaining what they were for, and with that I left the place for the time being.
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Upon leaving the arcane academy, I thought I would return to the castle, but before that, I saw something that distracted me, that was Seig entering an inn in the Magedome along with a hooded figure, he was supposedly on a mission for the first empress, so I couldn't help but be curious.
I entered the inn still in the shadows, and when they were in their room, the other figure removed his hood, revealing that he was a kind of anthropomorphic big cat, he had brown fur and yellow eyes; he appeared to be a warrior type of his species.
Seig didn't notice me, but his new friend did. However, he didn't know my exact location, so he looked around the room in a hurry.
Seig: What's wrong, cougar?
Cougar: There's someone else in this room.
Yuuki: Those are good instincts, my friend. I applaud that.
I started talking as I stepped out of the shadows and the cougar guy looked like he was about to jump into an attack at any moment but he stopped when he heard Seig speak.
Seig: Yuuki, what are you doing here?
Cougar: You know this guy?
Seig: Yes, he's Yuuki, a friend who helped us against the Order.
Yuuki: sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you. I was here on some kind of secret mission and I saw you pass by. My name is Yuuki, it's a pleasure to meet you.
I approached with my hand outstretched, and now that he knew I wasn't an enemy, Cougar shook my hand.
Cougar: I am Cougar, of the tribe of Furious Roar.
After the introductions, Seig went on to explain Cougar's predicament, Seig's mission for the First Empress was to conduct reconnaissance at a base occupied by the order, this base used to belong to the Magedome, and they were planning to retake it, during that reconnaissance mission, Seig encountered Cougar escaping from that base.
Cougar was from another world and Seig promised to send him back to his world with the portal I the castle, but before that, Cougar needed medical treatment, that was a minor issue, but Seig insisted on addressing it first.
Yuuki: If you need healing, I can take care of that with magic.
???: Not so fast! Medical treatment should be left to professionals; magic won't change that.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice interrupted our conversation, we turned around to see a beautiful young woman dressed as a nurse and a man in a white coat; it was safe to assume he was a doctor to complete the combo.
I sensed their presence before, and since I didn't sense any evil intentions from them, I didn't do anything.
???: I'm sorry to instruct you this way, my name is Eunice and this is Dr. Zahra.
Zahra: Exactly, and as a doctor I couldn't pass up the opportunity to examine an interes- I mean, cure a precious patient.
Seig: I'm not so sure about this guy.
Eunice: Don't worry, he may be a failure as a human being, but he's also a talented doctor.
Yuuki: *whistle* That's quite the endorsement.
Cougar: I don't mind being treated like this.
Seig: bueno si tú lo dices.
As I said, Cougar's wound wasn't anything serious, so the treatment didn't last long, the doctor also did some checkups that weren't really necessary, but Eunice didn't let him get carried away with that.
Zahra: Okay, all patched up, tell me if you get hurt again, make sure you come with me for treatment.
Cougar: Do you expect me to get hurt again?
Zahra: Of course, without patients my practice cannot advance; how many medicines would we not have if people didn't get sick?
Eunice: How can you say that to a patient? You're a disgrace.
Zahra: All the doctors think the same thing; I'm just saying it out loud.
Yuuki: I know a couple of peculiar doctors, but I'm not sure I agree with that statement; how much do we owe you?
Eunice: Don't worry about that, we can't exactly charge you after forcing you to receive treatment.
The curious pair of nurse and doctor finished their work and left without another word. None of us had anything else to do at the Magedome, so we returned to the castle together.