Meikhael University Hospital.

As the name suggests, it’s the affiliated hospital of the renowned Meikhael University, where the best healers in the empire gather.

This place, the front line in the battle against disease, researching and creating countless healing formulas, is practically no different from a hospital owned by the Ruelberta Family, despite being called a university-affiliated hospital.

Unlike Meikhael University, which was built under imperial decree to create the best university in the empire, the university hospital was built out of the Ruelberta Family’s necessity.

Not only that, but they also poured an enormous amount of money into running the hospital and training healers.

Therefore, the Ruelberta Family’s status within the hospital was inevitably very high.

I remember being quite annoyed when I was hospitalized before, as healers flocked to greet me, the head of the Ruelberta Family.

So this time, I had the carriage stop a bit away from the hospital and walked there.

Thanks to that, Wendy, who knew nothing, got off the carriage and, without knowing we were going to the hospital, looked around at the nearby restaurants with sparkling eyes.

Anyone could tell how much she was looking forward to eating out this time.

However, as we passed one restaurant after another and got closer to the hospital, her bright expression began to stiffen. Even then, she couldn’t bring herself to suspect me and just tilted her head in confusion.

Finally, as we entered the hospital’s main gate, Wendy hesitantly spoke up.

“Um… Count?”

“…What’s wrong?”

“Didn’t you say we were going to eat… pork cutlets? This seems like a hospital…”

“……”

“Ah! Is there a restaurant inside the hospital…?!”

“……”

“Hng… Why, why aren’t you saying anything? I’m, I’m scared…”

“There’s nothing to be scared of.”

I tightly held Wendy’s trembling hand.

It was actually to keep her from running away, but the moment I held her hand, her trembling stopped.

“Hauu… Okay…”

Her face turned bright red, and she bowed her head deeply.

It was just as well. I couldn’t bear to look at her face because of the guilt of deceiving her.

Anyway, the endlessly naive Wendy seemed to have tried to trust me until the moment we entered the dentist’s office.

But as soon as she saw the chair and equipment clearly prepared for cavity treatment, her trust shattered.

“Co, Count…?”

“……”

I’m sorry, Wendy. Blame me.

The only saving grace was that the treatment didn’t take as long as I thought.

I had considered leaving Wendy with the respectful healers and waiting while having tea, but I couldn’t.

Because Wendy wouldn’t let go of my hand.

Not only that, but she was looking up at me with teary eyes.

She was trembling so much that I thought she might collapse if I let go of her hand.

‘There’s no helping it…’

I had no choice but to hold her hand until the treatment was over.

While waiting for the treatment, I looked around, and this world’s dentistry was quite calm.

Of course, unlike real-world dentistry, there were no eerie sounds of drills.

If I had to describe it, it felt like a neatly organized research lab. Since this world uses magic formulas for treatment, there were papers with formulas drawn on them scattered around instead of scary surgical equipment.

At a glance, it seemed like they engraved tiny formulas on teeth to activate and treat them. A world with magic is certainly convenient.

But thinking about it, I realized that from Wendy’s perspective, this place might seem scary.

There’s no way she, not being from a noble family, has ever used such a hospital. So it must feel like an unfamiliar and unknown space to her.

Even after the treatment and leaving the hospital, Wendy didn’t let go of my hand.

“Hic…”

Wendy, trying hard to hold back her tears.

She must have been scared.

I felt a pang in my chest.

No matter how much my mental fortitude has been tempered by ‘pride’ and ‘patience,’ I couldn’t help but feel guilty at this moment.

I muttered, even though no one asked me to.

“…It was a necessary process. If we delayed the treatment, it would have gotten worse.”

Saying this, I thought it might sound like an excuse. My cheek tingled with awkwardness.

I bent one knee and looked at Wendy. I thought this might convey my sincerity a bit.

“Wendy. I lied because I thought you’d be scared if I told you the truth. As I said earlier, the treatment was absolutely necessary.”

“…Huh? What?”

“But it was my mistake not to consider your feelings. Regardless of the treatment, I betrayed your trust in me. There might have been a better way, but I ended up hurting you.”

“Hu, hurting me? That’s not true!”

Wendy, startled, interrupted me.

“I… I’m a coward and a crybaby, so if you had told me the truth, I wouldn’t have gotten the treatment…! You didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, you treated me. So please, get up…!”

“Wendy…”

“I, I’m the one who’s sorry! Even though you’re busy, you took me to the hospital…!”

It’s me who should be sorry for lying, but Wendy is saying she’s sorry.

Considering her age, she could have complained or thrown a tantrum…

The fact that she didn’t throw a single tantrum at me might be partly due to the difference in status, but the biggest reason is probably her nature.

Thinking about it, Wendy has always been like this.

A girl born into a desperately poor farming family, who grew up too soon. A girl who has endured all kinds of hardships but never blamed society or others, always kind-hearted.

I’ve known her for quite a while, but I’ve never seen her get angry.

Wendy’s personality trait ‘misfortune’ is a trait that makes her unfortunate due to external factors, regardless of her will or effort.

Usually, having such a trait would fill one with resentment towards the world and others.

It’s too painful to find all the reasons for misfortune within oneself. One can’t help but blame others and hurt them while living.

At least, that’s how humans are.

But this foolish girl not only blamed all her misfortunes on herself but also chose to get hurt rather than hurt others.

Wendy wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Se, see! I’m fine now! My tooth doesn’t hurt, and I’m okay! It’s all thanks to you, Count… Hehe…”

Seeing Wendy smiling brightly made my heart ache.

Just how kind-hearted can you be?

This is why you get bullied by Tristan and end up dying in the original story…

Even at the moment of your death at Tristan’s hands, you believed it was because you were inadequate…

“Hic?! Co, Count?!”

By the time she noticed, I had already hugged Wendy tightly.

I choked up for no reason.

There was no need to get emotional over such a trivial matter.

But somehow, I wanted to say this.

“Stop blaming yourself from now on.”

“Huh…?”

Wendy, who was hugged without understanding why, had trembling eyes.

She had that look of deeply pondering what she had done wrong.

An impossibly kind and foolish girl.

But that’s why she was infinitely lovable.

I released the hug and spoke.

“Wendy. I’ll give you a second prize. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Huh? Um… Even though it’s not first prize…?”

“Yes.”

“Bu, but you already hugged me…”

“That was because I wanted to hug you, not for you.”

“Huh?!”

“Speak quickly. I want to grant you anything right now, so this is your chance.”

“Bu, but… You already treated me…”

“That was also because I wanted to do it. So it doesn’t count.”

“Ugh…”

Saying this much, Wendy had no choice.

After pondering for a while, as if trying to make a grand wish, Wendy finally spoke.

“Then… Um… Just hold my hand for today…”

“…Hand?”

Unknowingly, my brow furrowed.

Seeing this, Wendy’s eyes wavered.

“Can’t you hold my hand…? Hng…”

“No, it’s not that…”

“If not, just being next to me is fine…”

It’s not that I can’t, it’s just that it’s so absurd…

After all that, all she wishes for is to hold hands all day…

Well… It’s a very Wendy-like wish.

I stared at Wendy intently.

The protagonist, Peter’s sister, and an extra with no significance in the original story. But now that Peter is gone, she’s the most likely candidate to become the hero.

If Wendy becomes the hero, she might cross swords with me, the Demon Lord.

Facing such a harsh fate, I was absurdly worried about this girl who might become the hero.

I’m worried if this foolish girl can handle being the hero. I even thought I might have to take care of her even after becoming the Demon Lord.

“Um… I’m sorry for making such an unreasonable request…”

“It’s not unreasonable.”

I tightly held Wendy’s hand.

“We’re quite late for lunch. Let’s go.”

“Okay! Let’s go eat pork cutlets.”

“It’ll be a bit of a walk. Is that okay?”

“It’s okay. Because you’re with me… Hehe…”

Does she feel secure because I’m here?

Seeing Wendy’s shy smile, I muttered without thinking.

“Alright… I’ll protect you on the way.”

“Then I’ll protect you too, Count!”

“You?”

“Yes! If anyone bothers you, I’ll scold them! Even if it’s the Demon Lord, I’ll scold them, so don’t worry…!”

“…That’s reassuring.”

At Wendy’s confident words, I could only smile bitterly.

*

“Everyone’s here.”

“Yes, yes…!”

That evening, Helga, Rian, the Annihilation Maids, and six others gathered in the training arena in a corner of the underground workshop.

These are all the people who have joined my plan to become the Demon Lord.

Normally, they would all be tense about carrying out such a top-secret mission, but today, most of them couldn’t hide their bewilderment.

Especially the four Annihilation Maids.

“This is too much……”

“Well… I heard about it, but… Seeing it in person, you’re really beautiful…”

“Right…! It suits you so well!”

“Um, are you really the young master…?”

I expected this kind of reaction.

After all, I was currently in a female form, transformed through the ‘Mimi’s Clothes Changing Mirror’ found in the treasure vault.

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror.

Objectively speaking, I was a woman with beauty rivaling Bella’s, who is called a peerless beauty. But the feeling was distinctly different.

Obsidian-colored eyes and hair cascading like the night’s curtain.

If Bella gives off a pure and noble vibe, this side feels chillingly cold and cruel, like a villainess. It truly gives off the feeling of a mastermind.

“I really can’t recognize you. Rian, do you know?”

“Huh? The voice is different, but the scent is unmistakably the Count. So I knew.”

Being a vampire with a keen sense of smell, Rian was quite nonchalant.

On the other hand, Helga, who had already seen this form, proudly introduced me to the maids.

“Hehe… Let me introduce you. This is Lady Trinity, the Demon Lord we will serve from now on!”

I didn’t even ask, but she already came up with a name.

This form was created using the mirror’s power for me to act as the Demon Lord.

Strictly speaking, this form is just an illusion. It’s like wearing a transparent shell created by infusing magic into the mirror.

“But… Young master. Why did you tell us to gather here today?”

At that moment, Cynthia, who had been observing my appearance, asked. True to her sharp personality, she was quick to notice.

I told them the purpose of today’s gathering.

“From now on, you will spar with me.”