The Doctor Cured The Villainess And Ran Away

“Seems like the laws of physics are at work, yet I’m not hungry and don’t feel tired at all. It’s like time has stopped; it’s a strange phenomenon.”

Acella moved ahead, curious about the halted world, poking at various things.

The leaf she touched shook briefly before coming to a standstill again. It’s as if time flows just a little around us.

“Hey, is this direction right? The barrier stone of light is to the north, right?”

In response to Lishe’s concern, Acella waved her hand.

“It’s quicker to go via the teleport gate. Since the magic is still working, I can open the gate and move us to another location.”

“Oh, that’s true.”

In the Demon Realm, besides the gate we arrived through, there were four more installed. Each mage unit was well-hidden around the Demon King’s castle.

As she said, taking the gate is far closer than walking to the other barrier stone.

Since Acella can open the gate by herself, this tactic is indeed possible. I admired her.

We walked for half a day along the path we came and reached the gate. The mage unit was keeping guard without any issues.

Whoosh!

As Acella infused mana, the gate quickly opened.

“Hero, let’s go. I’ll reopen it in three days, so don’t be late.”

“Yes. You both be careful too.”

Lishe crossed the gate first. It was the northeastern point of the Demon King’s castle.

“Next, it’s our turn.”

Acella opened the gate again. I took anti-nausea medication in advance before stepping in.

Instantly, the scenery changed.
The dry jungle vanished, revealing an area filled with black sand.

“What the heck is this?”

As Acella came out through the gate and glanced around, she snorted.

This mage unit was in the middle of a combat situation. It seemed they were ambushed by demons.

Five mages and five knights faced a wave of dinosaur-like demons that opened their mouths to devour them. One or two were on the verge of being eaten.

“Can’t even protect a single gate; how pathetic.”

“It’s a significant achievement just to have arrived in the Demon Realm. Let’s not be too harsh.”

I said this while trying to maneuver the demons to face each other by adjusting their angles. They were big and heavy, so it wasn’t easy.

“When will they be defeated one by one like this?”

Acella cast a spell. Ice spears shot straight towards the center of the demons’ foreheads.

When time flows again, they’ll collapse in no time.

I also left a memo for the bewildered mage unit to let them know that the hero party passed by.

While doing this, I noticed Acella was sticking two knights’ faces together.

“What are you doing?”

“If I do this, won’t they be surprised when they wake up? They might discover their hidden tastes.”

Acella chuckled like a devil, and even at times like this, her prankish nature showed that her true character hadn’t vanished.

The goal wasn’t far. We soon found a cave where the barrier magic was being cast. Going underground, we saw automatic defense golems guarding the place.

Since time was currently frozen, they had become mere decorative objects with no defensive capability. The Spider Lord was around level 70, and these golems were about 80.

While we wouldn’t be able to deal with them two-on-one, we walked by them calmly and entered the underground ruins.

“The door is closed. It looks pretty sturdy.”

When we reached the lowest level, a thick stone gate blocked our path. In the future, the door was broken, but since time was early, the situation was a bit different.

However, that concern was brief. Kawoom! Acella made a quick mark, and with a loud bang, cracks appeared on the door.

“Things like this break easily if you freeze the moisture inside.”

“That’s quite a life hack.”

“Exactly.”

With a slight exertion, Acella pushed the heavy stone door aside, pieces floating in mid-air like in zero gravity.

Inside, on a pedestal, a deeply purple barrier stone caught my eye.

“This is a spatial barrier stone. It has an effect of launching whatever contacts it to a random location. Be careful.”

I carefully placed the barrier stone into the prepared sealing box to avoid contact.

“That was quick. Let’s go back.”

For some reason, Acella turned sharply and walked out with tock, tock sounds echoing.

I told her, “The hero needs more time. We have plenty of time, so let’s rest properly before heading back.”

“Hmm… That’s true. Should I practice magic?”

“Don’t you know the meaning of rest?”

After coming back up from the ruins and outside the cave, while walking through the mountains, Acella said,

“This is a rare opportunity. Ritch said that the Demon King is a mage who has reached a higher level than himself. If I’m going to face him, I need to prepare meticulously.”

“Rest is also preparation. We’ve been awake for over twenty hours, by our sensation. It’s time for sleep.”

“I’m not sleepy.”

“Don’t be stubborn. You may not feel physically tired, but sleep is something the brain demands.”

“Oh, really? You sound just like Lars.”

“Seeing you annoyed only confirms that you definitely need it.”

Acella shot me a glare, still stubborn as ever.

I had a good idea.

I opened my item box, took out a tent, a sleeping bag, and one potion.

“This is a lucid dream potion that lets you have good dreams while sleeping. It can make you dream about whatever you like.”

“A dream of my choosing?”

“Yes.”

Acella seemed intrigued and peeked at the potion.

“How vivid is it?”

“Lucid dreaming means self-aware dreaming. Once you realize you’re dreaming, you can move freely and do whatever you want inside, as the sensations are just like in reality.”

“Is that really true?”

“Yes. If you ever want to meet Gothberg, I’d recommend it.”

“Ha, as if you know everything.”

Acella smacked her lips and soon snatched the sleeping bag from me.

“Set up the tent.”

“Sure.”

Just as planned.
The operation to make Acella fall asleep was a success.

Since we had some time before Lishe returns, I intended to help her relieve her fatigue and get her condition to the best possible state.

Considering all the stress she might have experienced and being on the battlefield, knowing Acella’s personality, she probably hadn’t had a proper sleep.

“Drink it all down.”

Acella drank the potion I gave her without suspicion and crawled into the sleeping bag.

“I hope Lars doesn’t dislike me.”

I stepped outside the tent.

Phew.

I took off my mask and wiped the sweat off. It felt refreshing to smell the fresh air after a long time.

“Disguise potion effect ended.”

I gathered my clothes from the item box and dressed neatly in a suit and white coat.

My hair was a bit long, but it should be fine.

Returning to the tent, I checked on the peacefully sleeping Acella. I lifted her up and started moving.

What I had given Acella wasn’t the lucid dream potion but a light sleeping aid.

Originally, lucid dreaming can’t be experienced during deep sleep. It wasn’t what she needed right now.

She’d fall asleep, but before that.

“Acella.”

I wanted to meet her not as Faust but as Lars.

Well, it’s purely my selfish desire, and it might not be the rightful action for a doctor to ask her to indulge me, but I wanted to do it now.

*

As Acella, deeply sleeping and feeling good, slowly opened her eyes to a sense of presence.

Her head rested on something soft. It didn’t take long for her to realize it was someone’s thigh.

“Royal Princess.”

The voice calling her was one Acella would never forget, the one she longed to hear.

Her eyes shot wide open, and Lars’s face filled her vision.

A smile, almost melting away, unconsciously spread across Acella’s face.

“It’s been a while, Royal Princess.”

Hearing her called by that name made Acella feel warmth bubble up from deep within her heart. Instinctively, she reached out and touched his face.

…It’s real.
The warmth, the soft sensation.

It felt more real than ever, but Acella quickly grasped the situation.

‘It’s a dream.’

Doctor Faust, he must be a doctor who drove many patients mad. How could he create such a vivid dream potion?
Especially the scene she had yearned for most.

“Lars.”

“Yes, Royal Princess.”

“Hold me.”

Without speaking, Lars complied with her request. Acella slowly pulled on his clothing and raised her upper body, letting herself be supported by him.

Pat pat, he gently stroked and patted her back.

It truly was a delightful dream. That he could be this affectionate towards her. It felt like something she never wanted to wake up from.

But even if it was a dream, Acella had to convey something to him.

“Lars.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry.”

Lars tilted his head in confusion. As she caressed his cheek, Acella smiled bitterly.

“I wanted to apologize all this time.”

Lars looked perplexed, unable to guess what she meant.

“Apologizing? How could that be? If anything, I should be apologizing. I left you, after all. I never thought you’d come to such a dangerous place as the Demon Realm…”

She didn’t want to admit that it was Lars made up in her imagination, yet she couldn’t help but be drawn in.

Lars had no way of knowing she was here.

“No, I didn’t fight you for that.”

Acella bowed her head, reproaching. Her voice trembled slightly.

“I decided to fight because I wanted to return to you, to be loved by you.”

“Eh…?”

“Lars.”

Acella’s breath grew noticeably rapid.

Even though she wished to stay calm, his appearance after so many years and his scent entering her nostrils were too stimulating.

She had so much to say, yet she was too busy repressing her surging emotions.

“When one day, I become confident and can return to you.”

Acella pleaded desperately.

“Will you… love me?”

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