Having walked through the heavy iron gates into the inner city, the escape pod was immediately taken over by specialized personnel. With the hatch sealed and its thick outer shell in place, I wasn't worried about what they might do to it; something that massive would be hard to hide anywhere. Besides, I had set a timer on the anti-gravity device, and once it deactivated, even the strongest laborer would struggle to move it.

The Emperor had already given orders, and someone had led the pod, tethered by ropes, to a small open space outside the main hall. To accommodate the civil and military officials standing before the hall, the escape pod had to be reluctantly moved to the edge of the stone steps. Everyone marveled loudly upon seeing the escape pod, which resembled catkins drifting in the wind. Then, some who couldn't resist stepped forward to touch it, while others even tried to bite it, attempting to discern if the object was made of cotton. However, the spherical shell offered no grip for their teeth; it was fortunate there was nowhere to bite, or they would surely have chipped their teeth.

Minister of Rites, Xia Jian, stepped forward and addressed Mada: "Your Majesty, I have heard that when this object first arrived in our dynasty, it weighed over ten thousand jin, yet somehow it can now be led by a single rope like a willow wisp in the wind. This is truly bizarre. Could it be that a sorcerer is at work within it?" As Xia Jian spoke, he glanced at me with suspicion. Had that Section Chief Ding been badmouthing me to him yesterday? It seemed these people could not be easily offended, lest they stab you in the back someday.

Mada, however, did not believe his theory. Instead, he said, "Minister Xia, didn't Mr. Zhao just explain it to us? This is the credit of the anti-gravity system. When I went to inspect it in Feiyu County, it took more than a dozen bailiffs and twenty laborers using a simple log rolling mechanism just to move it back to the county office. I never imagined Mr. Zhao, who understands astronomy above and geography below, could repair it in such a short time. It is a miracle."

Seeing the Emperor highly pleased, Grand Tutor Pang was somewhat displeased. Originally, he was extremely compliant with the Emperor’s will, which had been a great tool for him to gain favor, but as his power in court grew, he gradually became able to sway the imperial will. In the court, only the Left Prime Minister Luo Cheng and Right Prime Minister Zuo Nai dared to oppose him.

Grand Tutor Pang’s next goal was to control the officials outside the twin cities, and Cai Hua was a force he sought vigorously to win over. Because Feiying Prefecture occupied a border region of the Wanma Kingdom, and with the increasing incursions by the Wanma Kingdom into the twin cities over the past few years, the Emperor intended to significantly reinforce border defenses with heavy troops. Feiying Prefecture would then become a crucial stronghold, prompting Pang to plan ahead and court local officials.

Wu Rong belonged to the Prime Minister's faction, making it impossible to win him over; thus, the only policy was suppression. Ma Yongliang, the Director of Military and Political Affairs, was lukewarm—he neither opposed nor pandered to the Pang faction, nor did he court or involve himself with the Prime Minister's faction. Such a person could only be slowly lured by profit and then pressured heavily, presumably falling to the Pang faction, but this could not be rushed at the moment. Within all of Feiying Prefecture, only Cai Hua was wholeheartedly scheming to leverage Grand Tutor Pang’s connections, leading to a swift alignment between the two.

Grand Tutor Pang adopted Cai Hua’s son, Cai Deng, as his godson, formally cementing their cooperative relationship, wherein they would share honor and disgrace, advancing and retreating together. But contrary to expectations, right after their bond was established, Cai Hua suffered repeated misfortunes. First, he had a falling out with Wu Rong over the matter of the exotic flower. Then, his son Cai Deng got into a dispute over a woman and ended up castrated. Cai Hua repeatedly petitioned Grand Tutor Pang, tearfully begging him to avenge his son. To secure Cai Hua’s loyalty, Grand Tutor Pang decided to remove his enemy at any cost, thereby solidifying the confidence of his other followers.

Considering this, Grand Tutor Pang stepped forward and declared, "Your Majesty, I greatly suspect the intentions of this Zhao Qian. This object’s origin is unknown; I implore Your Majesty to be extremely cautious. Rumor has it that a woman emerged from this object after it cracked open. If some malicious individuals are harboring assassins within to bring harm upon Your Majesty, it would be impossible to guard against. Furthermore, I have received a report from the Judiciary Department of Feiying Prefecture stating that in Feiying Prefecture, this Zhao Qian, in order to **shamelessly harass an actress from the drama troupe, actually murdered a Cai household servant who accidentally witnessed his scandal. The Judiciary Department of Feiying Prefecture has clarified the case, yet Prefect Wu Rong has obstructed at every turn, allowing the wanted criminal to escape multiple times. Now that this Zhao Qian has walked into our trap, I ask Your Majesty to order him brought to justice, and that Wu Rong and others who harbor the criminal be severely punished."

"Your Majesty, you must not," another official interjected, "Your Majesty, the report I received states otherwise. According to the Feiying Prefecture Gazette, the cause of death for the Cai household servant was suspicious, but it was certainly not Zhao Qian’s doing. Rather, the Director of the Judiciary Department, Cai Hua, conspired to murder Prefect Wu Rong and his wife. This plot was exposed by Divine Physician Zhao, so Cai Hua attempted to use the servant's death to frame Divine Physician Zhao..."

Grand Tutor Pang stroked his beard and loudly proclaimed, "Zuo Nai! What is your motive for slandering Director Cai!"

If that exotic flower was truly poisonous, why were others unharmed while only your daughter suffered? This is clearly a frame-up orchestrated by you. To monopolize Feiying Prefecture, you did not hesitate to use your own daughter's safety as bait. Your intentions are malicious. Your Majesty, please investigate clearly; Left Prime Minister Zuo Nai clearly has ulterior motives."

Zuo Nai’s face turned ashen with anger. He retorted, "Pang Hu, you are talking nonsense! My daughter was poisoned because she alone is allergic to that exotic flower! You accuse me of malicious intent in monopolizing Feiying Prefecture? I ask all the civil and military officials here—who is truly malicious? Who is forming cliques and engaging in private dealings in the court? Your Majesty, you must be wary of certain schemers! He now commands the military forces, and officials both inside and out have been bribed by him..."

Mada suddenly roared, "Insolence! All of you, hold your tongues!"

Seeing the Emperor enraged, everyone indeed dared not speak another word. Mada calmed his breathing and continued, "Grand Tutor Pang's diligence for the nation will be clear within the court. From now on, no one is permitted to mention the rumors circulating in court regarding these matters, or you will be punished severely for this serious offense! As for the case in Feiying Prefecture, it involves only a single servant. Moreover, I have reviewed the supposed evidence, and it is insufficient to prove Mr. Zhao is the murderer. Cai Hua's dispatching of men to surround the prefectural office was somewhat excessive. I propose that this case be temporarily shelved and only reviewed once new evidence emerges. Grand Tutor Pang, Left Prime Minister, what are your thoughts?"

Grand Tutor Pang was delighted to hear the Emperor speak so highly of his diligence and completely dismiss the unfavorable rumors in court. As for the Feiying Prefecture case, his side currently held the upper hand. Overthrowing Wu Rong completely would not be easy, especially since Wu Rong had recently achieved a great victory against the horse bandits, even capturing eleven warhorses for the Emperor. Such merits could never be erased by the death of a mere servant. Therefore, Grand Tutor Pang knew he had to give the Emperor a graceful exit at this moment.

"I shall obey Your Majesty's command."

Seeing Grand Tutor Pang agree, Zuo Nai also nodded, especially since the Emperor had clearly leaned towards their side regarding the Feiying Prefecture matter. Mada said, "Enough, both of you serve the court together; stop quarreling over trivial matters every day. Moreover, I have summoned everyone today so you may all witness the sacred object that descended from heaven. Now, let Mr. Zhao open the escape pod door so everyone can go inside and inspect it."

This kind of infighting in the court likely happens every day. Coming here as I was, with low status—just an escape pod captain whom nobody recognized—arguing any principle with Grand Tutor Pang would essentially be inviting trouble. It was better to keep quiet and focus on making a quiet fortune. Since the Emperor had ordered it, I would open the hatch and let them see inside.

Because the escape pod was currently weightless, I had to use one hand to hold the tether rope steady before I could open the hatch. The officials were terribly frightened when the escape pod made strange noises; some even adopted heroic stances, shielding the Emperor. Unexpectedly, Mada had already heard these strange sounds. He pushed aside the people blocking his view.

I handed the rope securing the escape pod to a young eunuch to watch over, then led the way, climbing into the escape pod. Due to the external weightlessness, the escape pod was as light as a feather and could be kicked away with a slight nudge. Thus, I had to move cautiously, almost crawling. However, once inside, a person was detached from the planet’s gravity, and even the largest movements would not affect the escape pod.

Standing inside, I shouted to the crowd, "Your Excellencies, please come in! Look, I am standing on it, and it isn't sinking. Have a few more of you try it. Doesn't the Emperor want everyone to experience it? Come on up!"

Everyone was curious. Seeing that nothing happened to me standing inside, some officials, after receiving permission from Mada, immediately scrambled to climb up. For a time, the escape pod swayed wildly left and right. Fortunately, two more young eunuchs arrived to steady it.

The crowd squeezed into the escape pod, finding everything novel. They touched this and felt that, clearly very excited. It was fortunate I had closed all the other hatches, or they would have gone inside and dismantled everything.

I announced, "Your Excellencies, please sit here for a moment. I will go out and close the hatch, then take you all for a spin."

Some officials were afraid, yet also looked forward to it. I gave them no time to think further. I jumped down from the escape pod and immediately closed the hatch. Some timid ones cried out in fear as the door slowly shut.

As soon as the door closed, I didn't hesitate. I took the escape pod for a lap around the small plaza in front of the hall, then suddenly flipped it upside down, left, and right. Those left outside screamed the names of those inside, thinking they must be smashed badly this time. Even Mada called out to stop me.

"Mr. Zhao, you must not harm my subjects!"

I had the two young eunuchs secure the escape pod, and as I began to open the hatch, I said to Mada, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. Look, are they all unharmed?"

Grand Tutor Pang interjected, "Your Majesty, I see he clearly harbors ill intentions. If anything untoward happens to so many high court officials, our dynasty will be in peril..."

I sneered, "Grand Tutor Pang, what arrogance! You dare place yourself on par with the Emperor? The dynasty belongs to the Emperor alone; what does it have to do with you?"

Grand Tutor Pang had been so focused on how to suppress this charlatan who was fooling people with novel gadgets that he hadn't noticed the impropriety of his own words. Recalling it now, a cold sweat broke out on his face. "Our" dynasty—that phrase had indeed put him in a vulnerable position.

Mada, however, said, "Enough, why is everyone acting as if they've taken the wrong medicine today? Stop targeting each other. Mr. Zhao, quickly let the people inside come out so everyone can see them and be relieved."

When the escape pod door opened, the people inside looked completely oblivious. Someone immediately stepped forward to ask them, "Were you not thrown about just now? The Emperor and Grand Tutor Pang were very worried about you all."

The people inside asked in confusion, "What? We didn't do anything in here. We were just afraid when the door closed, and now it's open again. Hurry up and get out of the way, hurry up and get out of the way, we need to get down."

The people blocking the doorway asked in doubt, "Are you sure you didn't feel anything just now? We clearly flipped this escape pod left, right, up, and down. Didn't you feel anything inside?"

As the people inside squeezed out, they replied, "Nonsense, we clearly didn't feel anything."

Once the first group emerged, the group outside rushed in. After a short while, another batch of sightseers took their place. I closed the hatch again and repeated the process. Those who descended from the escape pod heard the people outside saying how the experience was for them, making them turn pale with fright. However, they clearly hadn't felt anything, which puzzled them greatly.

This time, as soon as I stopped and opened the door, the first group rushed to the door and asked the second group, "How was it? Were you not thrown around?"

The people inside were looking bewildered. "Not at all. Did it move? How did we not notice?"

Everyone's curiosity was piqued, including Mada, who hoped I would offer an explanation. "Mr. Zhao, why can so many people crowd into the escape pod without causing it to sink to the ground? And why do the people inside not feel the external changes?"

I replied, "Replying to Your Majesty, the escape pod has a powerful anti-gravity system, so no matter how many people crowd inside, it will not affect its weight. Furthermore, this anti-gravity system also simulates a true external gravitational environment inside the pod. Since people standing on a spherical planet do not fall off, and seawater remains on the surface of a spherical planet, then people standing inside the escape pod will take the gravity point beneath their feet as 'down,' and the direction above their heads as 'up,' regardless of how the external orientation changes. They will not experience the issue Grand Tutor Pang mentioned about water not staying on the surface of a solid sphere."

"Poof!" Grand Tutor Pang, seeing me refuting his words, angrily shouted, "You insolent, unlicked cub! How dare you be so rude to this tutor! Guards, drag him down and award him the cane to rectify court discipline!"

With the escape pod and laser guns, I was not afraid of Grand Tutor Pang. Moreover, I always felt that we were people from two different worlds. I had no need to conform to the unspoken rules of the court and submit to Grand Tutor Pang’s tyrannical authority, which was also why I was unwilling to kneel earlier. "Grand Tutor Pang! You repeatedly slander me in front of the Emperor; what is your meaning? I am merely explaining scientific principles to everyone. You chatter on as if you understand everything. If you are capable, then smelt steel and iron; if you are capable, then breed horses and pigs. Sitting high up in the court, you speak of peace and prosperity across the land—Bah! Go look at Feiyu County; many common folk still cannot eat their fill or keep warm, and many live in constant fear that they might be captured by horse bandits and made slaves one day. It’s easy to speak when you’re not suffering. Think about what you have actually done for the common people before criticizing others."

"You, you, you—you are rebellious! Rebellious! Your Majesty, you must uphold justice for me!" Grand Tutor Pang, already elderly and sporting a large beard, suddenly looked like a child begging Mada, who was younger than him. The sight was quite strange.

Mada continued to act as a mediator. "My two ministers, one is a pillar of the state, and the other is a pioneer of civilization and a divine physician. I hope you can cast aside your prejudices and contribute to the prosperity of our dynasty, instead of constantly bickering and annoying me."

Seeing the Emperor clearly favoring neither side, Grand Tutor Pang could not press the matter further lest he embarrass the Emperor. He said, "Your Majesty, since this Zhao Qian constantly talks of smelting steel and iron, and raising horses and pigs, I suggest we entrust him with the heavy tasks of iron smelting and horse breeding. We ministers would like to see what genuine abilities he possesses. If he is merely an pedantic scholar with nothing but empty talk, then I ask Your Majesty to severely punish him for deceiving the sovereign. If he truly is a man of talent, then we congratulate Your Majesty on gaining another capable official."

Mada exclaimed happily, "Excellent! From our discussion in Feiyu County last time, I also felt that Mr. Zhao is no ordinary man. He was able to decipher the method to open this heaven-descended object from the ancient texts left by his master. He must surely have a way to help our nation’s iron smelting and horse breeding industries catch up to the Jin Kingdom and the Wanma Kingdom, so that we will no longer suffer their threats."

The assembled officials were puzzled by Grand Tutor Pang’s recommendation. Pang desperately wanted to hold every position himself, so why was he being so generous now? However, after a moment's thought, everyone understood his reasoning. No one in the twin cities country understood iron smelting or horse breeding. The Royal Ironworks had been established for a year, but they hadn't even managed to acquire iron ore, let alone figure out how to smelt it. Moreover, as for the Imperial Stud, the eleven horses from before had already caused immense trouble for those professional pig farmers. Now, with seventy more, ensuring the horses didn't fall ill locally was a huge problem, let alone achieving rapid reproduction.

Grand Tutor Pang was currying favor with the Emperor at this moment, handing over these two seemingly crucial tasks to his opponent. If Zhao succeeded, Grand Tutor Pang, with his capabilities, could naturally seize the power later. If Zhao failed, it would suit Pang’s wishes perfectly, and he could then charge him with the crime of deceiving the sovereign.

Furthermore, judging by the victorious reports from the two horse bandit skirmishes in Feiying Prefecture and Feiyu County, this physician had played a decisive role. If those two achievements were enough for him to enter the Ministry of War, which was the core of Grand Tutor Pang’s power, Pang certainly would not allow a rival to exist there. Since the Emperor hadn't mentioned it, Pang certainly wouldn't remind him, preferring instead to dismiss the man with a few insignificant and useless minor posts.

The Pang faction understood immediately and knew they should offer full support. The Prime Minister's faction, however, saw this as a good opportunity to divide Pang's power bloc. If all major and minor positions in the court ended up controlled by the Pang faction, the dynasty would be finished. They naturally wanted to contend for these two important positions now, and since Grand Tutor Pang and that man had clearly been at loggerheads, this man had unknowingly been categorized as anti-Pang. Therefore, they strongly supported the Emperor's suggestions.

Mada, for the first time, was pleased to see no one opposing a matter. He announced, "Since none of my ministers object, I hereby appoint Zhao Qian of Feiyu County as the Director of the Royal Ironworks and the Supervisor of the Imperial Stud, while he continues to hold the previous post of Escape Pod Captain. Furthermore, I appoint him as an Imperial Physician of the Imperial Academy of Medicine; he must be summoned whenever the Royal Household requires assistance."

Many people had not known about the position of Escape Pod Captain before, but no one was willing to oppose the two extra positions the Emperor offered. Captain? What kind of post was that? Merely managing a toy. As for Imperial Physician, it was a completely inconsequential official position, carrying no authority, merely a job serving others.

Mada saw that those below remained silent, with no objections, and continued, "Minister Zhao is knowledgeable in both ancient and modern times, and the Crown Prince is currently studying. He urgently needs a talented teacher like Minister Zhao to instruct him in new knowledge. I hereby appoint Minister Zhao as a Zhan Shi in the Zhan Shi Fu, sharing the responsibility of educating the Crown Prince with the other Zhan Shi."

The civil and military officials hesitated upon seeing the Emperor continuously bestowing official titles. Although there were more than a dozen Zhan Shi in the Zhan Shi Fu, none of them held actual power. But if the appointments continued, who knew what else might emerge? Therefore, Grand Tutor Pang exchanged a look with a Hanlin scholar behind him, and immediately someone stepped out to petition, "Your Majesty is wise, but Zhao Qian should not hold too many court positions, lest we exhaust this talent, which would be a loss to our dynasty!"

Mada said, "That is well reasoned. Let it be as the minister suggests. That concludes today's morning court. Minister Zhao, please remain; the rest of you may depart."

After a series of appointments, I had yet to offer my thanks, but Mada stopped me as I was about to bow. He said, "Minister Zhao, no need for such formality. I know you are a recluse master from beyond the world, so you need not concern yourself with our mortal customs. Have you received the two imperial edicts I sent you?"

I replied, "Replying to Your Majesty, I have received them all. However, there were a few unexpected incidents that prevented this humble servant from returning to Shuangcheng to report in time."

The civil and military officials had all left. Mada descended from his elevated throne, took my hand, and said, "Minister Zhao, please dispense with the formalities. I am extremely pleased with your great victories against the horse bandits in Feiying Prefecture and Feiyu County. Our Twin Cities Kingdom has not seen a military talent like you in hundreds of years. To merely assign you to a loose post is truly unfair to you."

I replied, "Your Majesty overpraises me. I only wish to find my friends; serving in the court is merely temporary. Should I wish to leave later, I ask Your Majesty to grant permission."

Mada said, "You haven't found them all yet. Let's discuss it after you have gathered all your friends. Since Divine Physician Zhao has arrived, please go and examine the Princess."

I hesitated, "Your Majesty, if I am to treat an illness, I need to return to fetch my medicine chest and bring my assistant. Treating her empty-handed would be difficult."

Mada said, "Go take a look first, and then you can decide. Medicine is useless for the Princess's illness, haha. After you see her, you can decide. I suspect you will like this Princess very much."

My hesitation deepened with Madar's words. What did he mean? Was he trying to use his daughter to keep my heart tethered, forcing me to serve his court? I held no ill will toward him, and the time spent with Ma Xiaoda had been quite pleasant. I would naturally do my best to help the father and daughter, but I would certainly not accept any means that disgusted me.

"Still not leaving?" Madar took a couple of steps forward before suddenly turning back to look at me.

I considered that he was the Emperor, after all. I couldn't expect him to make three formal visits just to invite me again. Furthermore, I had never heard of using the Emperor's name and the guise of healing to seek intimacy; what's more, trying to trick someone like me—a known philanderer—seemed foolish. The one to suffer the loss would never be me.

Ahead, a eunuch wearing a yellow cloth led the way. Of course, when I say eunuch, I mean it in the context of ancient Great Dragon Kingdom customs, because here, they hadn't been castrated, so they weren't true gōnggōng. As for why everyone wore a yellow cloth over their shoulders, perhaps it was merely for aesthetics.

Winding and turning for a full li seemed to take forever before we reached a palace. I had no idea what name was written above the entrance. I remembered I was supposed to be the Crown Prince's tutor—someone who knew the heavens and understood the earth. What I actually knew concerned a different world; I couldn't read a single character of their script. How was I supposed to be a teacher? That was troublesome.

Madar seemed to dispense with formalities, leading me into a large stone chamber. "My dear daughter is inside. Divine Physician Zhao, please examine her. We know your rules for seeing patients; everyone else shall wait outside. No one is to enter the inner room without Divine Physician Zhao's summons."

Madar actually dismissed all the palace maids and eunuchs from the room. He knew I was there to treat the Princess, yet he left us alone together. There must be hidden motives here; I needed to be cautious. What if this Princess made an improper advance toward me, and then they suddenly burst in accusing me of assaulting her? I would have no defense, and quite possibly, to save face for the Royal Family, I would be forced to marry this Princess.

Madar retreated, lightly closing the door after the last maid stepped out. The room was utterly quiet, filled only with the subtle, elegant fragrance of sandalwood drifting in the air. Judging by the furnishings, this Princess couldn't be very old, and this was likely her private chamber. I was deeply suspicious. To treat a patient in a Princess's boudoir—unless she was gravely ill, there must be another purpose. But judging by Madar's expression and the demeanor of the surrounding maids and eunuchs, nothing seemed amiss; her illness couldn't be severe, or the Princess wouldn't have delayed treatment until today. That meant there was trickery involved.

Thinking this, I grew even more cautious. I stopped just inside the doorway and called out softly twice, "Princess, Princess, I have come to see you." I had resolved that if the Princess rushed out regardless of propriety, I would bolt through the door, foiling her scheme. In any case, I couldn't afford to be careless and suffer a loss.

While I was fully on guard, a delicate, pitiful, and utterly charming voice drifted from behind the thin gauze curtain in the inner room: "Who is it? Is no one outside? Are you here for the examination again? I told you, I'm not sick. Father Emperor must just be worrying about me too much."

The voice sounded somewhat familiar, but I couldn't quite place it immediately. However, since she claimed she wasn't ill, very well, I would leave. "Princess, since you are well, your subordinate shall withdraw. Please rest, and I will report back truthfully to His Majesty."

The Princess inside suddenly sighed. "You doctors are so straightforward. Unlike those elderly ones who ask endless questions until they make me sick even when I'm fine. If you report back to Father Emperor like this, he will blame me. In truth, I just can't recall some things. I suppose that counts as an illness, doesn't it?"

Unexpectedly, a Princess deep within the imperial palace suffered from amnesia. Moved, I remarked, "Yes, Princess, what you suffer from is likely amnesia. That is quite similar to what a few of my friends experience. However, current medicine lacks accurate and effective treatments for this condition. Sometimes, it relies on chance. For instance, one of my friends had severe memory loss, but later, she accidentally hit her head on a tree, and just like that, she recovered all her lost memories."

The Princess sighed faintly from within, "Your friend is truly fortunate. If only I could recover my former self, I would gladly smash my own head to pieces."

Following her lead, I said, "Indeed. If smashing my head could help me find my other friends, and heaven guaranteed they hadn't forgotten anything, I would gladly let it be smashed eighteen times over."

The Princess let out a soft laugh. "What kind of doctor are you? If a person's head breaks once, they die. Wouldn't smashing it eighteen times turn one into dust?" You... you truly are different from those other doctors."

I grew serious. "The Princess has not experienced the pain of losing loved ones. That feeling makes you feel worse than dying eighteen times. My friends are just young women, and this world is so chaotic. I worry about them."

The Princess said dejectedly, "You at least know you have family. I don't know who I am, nor who my relatives are. I address the Emperor as Father Emperor, yet I have absolutely no memory of him in my mind. Is my suffering not greater than yours?"

I suddenly remembered I was here to treat the Princess, and now I was comparing whose suffering was greater. However, at this moment, I could confirm I had misunderstood Emperor Madar earlier. My caution had been excessive, and I was truly sorry for it.

I apologized. "I beg your pardon, Princess. I should not have brought up these painful matters. You needn't worry too much. You live deep within the palace and are naturally unfamiliar with the outside world. Even with amnesia now, you haven't forgotten too much. Moreover, you remain with your parents. Although you cannot recall them, in a sense, you have lost nothing."

The Princess replied, "Yes, Father Emperor advises me the same way. But I always feel a profound strangeness toward them and everything here, as if I ought to belong to another world. But what things truly ought to be like, I simply cannot recall. If you, Doctor, truly have research in this area, please help me, won't you?"

This Princess reminded me of my four other wives, and a wave of sympathy and pity washed over me. "Your Royal Highness, I am an Imperial Physician, and treating the Princess is my sworn duty. But as long as there is one sliver of hope, your subordinate will do his utmost. I believe treating amnesia is merely a matter of treating the symptom—that is, finding what was lost where it was lost. By stimulating your brain, we can help you regain your memories."

"Finding what was lost where it was lost? That sounds perfectly true, but I have absolutely no idea where I lost my memory. Doctor, do I still have any hope of recovery?"

The Princess seemed anxious, lifting the sheer veil of the inner curtain and stepping out. I had been bowing my head to show the deference due to a subject, so at this moment, I could only see her small feet—such exquisitely nimble feet, clad in embroidered, flat-soled women's shoes, her bare ankles showing as she wore no socks. Her white instep looked quite alluring.

"This... this is difficult for your subordinate to confirm. But you must have some impression of things after you lost your memory, right? For instance, what you saw or where you were when you woke up..."

Suddenly, a small painted silk scroll was handed over. "I've forgotten so much about what happened after I woke up, but this is the one thing deeply imprinted on my mind. Doctor, can you see if this has any value?"

I dared not stand too close to the Princess. Although my suspicion of Madar had evaporated, as the saying goes, accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a tiger. At this moment, I was deep within the tiger's lair and absolutely could not break the decorum expected of a subject. Thus, I accepted the painting from a distance.

When I looked up at the image on the silk, it was a sapphire-blue planet, upon which lay a continent shaped like petals. Th-this wasn't a bird's-eye view of the Twin Stars from high above? When had the people of this world managed to enter space to look down upon their own planet?

Thinking this, I couldn't help but look up at the Princess. Could her cultivation be so profound that she could let her soul wander the cosmos?

Slap. The silk painting dropped to the floor. My hands and feet felt numb, wanting to rush forward but restraining myself.