I Secretly Healed the Illness of the Twin Princesses While Wearing a Mask, and Now the Entire Kingdom Is in an Uproar ~Please Stop Trying to Expose the Street Healer~ - Chapter 2

A week had passed since the 100 Manni bounty was placed on “Faceless,” and I had held back my villainous activities.

“Today, Princess Christina and Princess Victoria are coming.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. We only got notice from the royal capital this morning.”

Could it be that they found out I’m “Faceless”?

Oh no, what am I going to do? I tried to act cool and told the princess, “I’m ‘Faceless’,” and now it’s super embarrassing.

“Father and mother are away on official business, so I’ll act as the lord and welcome the princesses. Just meeting the royal family is a good thing, and you will stay by my side.”

“That sounds annoying. I’ll pass.”

“Don’t be selfish. Don’t trouble your big sister too much.”

“No.”

I tried to escape, but my sister tied me up with a rope and made me stay to welcome the twin princesses.

I could tear the ropes and run, but I was worried about how the princesses would react if I ran.

It’s not like I’m scared of my sister chasing me with that fierce look, I’m totally not.

Still… Did she really need to tie me in a knot? People might think we’re some kind of weird, perverted siblings. Surely there was a better way to tie me up.

In the afternoon, a carriage with the royal flag stopped in front of the Medix mansion.

“…Huge.”

“Big sister, they can hear you.”

When the twin princesses stepped down from the carriage, my sister looked at one of them and muttered quietly to herself.

“Viscountess Medix, please forgive our sudden visit.”

“Not at all. I’m truly happy to hear that Princess Christina and Princess Victoria have recovered.”

“Your concern is appreciated… um, by the way.”

“Yes?”

“The person tied up next to you…?”

“That’s my brother. He tried to escape when I invited him to join us, so I had to catch him.”

“I-I see.”

See, even the princesses are totally shocked.

“Stare.”

“…Yes?”

“Stare.”

Victoria, the younger twin princess, just kept staring at me without moving.

She’s like a shoebill, I thought. She’s kind of cute.

“Princess Victoria, has my brother done something rude?”

“Stare.”

“Um, is there something for me too?”

“I’m sorry, Viscountess Medix. Victoria is shy around strangers…”

“I-I see. Please, come inside.”

She led the twin princesses into the guest room, and a maid brought warm tea and sweets.

I’d personally recommend the cookies. Crispy, super tasty.

“So, what brings you to the Medix estate today?”

“We will soon hold a party to celebrate Victoria and me recovering. We would very much like you, Viscountess Medix, to attend as well.”

“…You want me at the party?”

My sister’s cheeks twitched a little.

Fifteen years have passed since I was reborn, and I know my sister well. She’s forcing a smile, but her mood is clearly sour.

“I’m afraid I wasn’t able to cure either of you. I don’t think I have the right to attend.”

“…I still remember when I fell ill, when all the flesh on my body began to discolor and rot away.”

“Yes?”

“Those who once called us the ‘Golden Princess’ and ‘Silver Princess’ changed their attitude completely. Our fiancés, who had sworn to love us, despised us for our ugliness. Even the maids we trusted spat at us, calling us disgusting.”

Whoa, sudden heavy confession.

“But Viscountess Medix, you were different. You smiled and said, ‘I will cure you, please trust me.’ You gently held my rotten and ugly hands without fear.”

“That’s right, I did say that. But in the end, I wasn’t the one who cured you.”

“Could you come, it really matters to us.”

Christina’s eyes grew wet as she stared straight at my sister.

Even my sister, whose personality is basically rotten, couldn’t handle that look.

My sister reluctantly nodded.

“…I understand. I will attend the recovery celebration party.”

“Thank you!! Um, Viscountess Medix. Since it’s a special occasion, may I call you Franc-sama?”

“Y-yes, I don’t mind. I’m not sure what’s so special about it, though…”

“I-I’m so happy!! Franc-sama!!”

As expected of a princess.

Her communication skills were monstrous; she closed the distance way too fast.

It was the first time I’d ever seen my sister flustered.

“…Sister Christina, calm down. There’s still something we want to ask Viscountess Medix.”

The one who said that was Victoria, who had been quietly eating cookies the whole time

Christina gasped.

“T-that’s right. There’s one more thing we want to ask.”

“There’s still something?”

“Yes. It’s about ‘Faceless’-sama.”

My sister’s cheek twitches again. Even harder this time.

She saw ‘Faceless’, who cured the illness she couldn’t fix in an instant, as her rival.

Scary.

But princess, do you realize you’ve been stepping on my sister’s emotional landmines one after another?

“When we had the knights investigate, they found that ‘Faceless’-sama was healing the injured and the sick as he traveled, and he seemed to be heading toward Medix territory.”

Ah, I see.

She followed the sightings and figured out he was coming here. Smart princess.

What? You think I’m just an idiot? Do you want me to punch you?

“’Faceless’-sama is heading to Medix territory…”

“Do you have any idea who that might be?”

“…There’s been an urban legend for the past decade or so. A masked figure, like a crow, called the ‘Mysterious Healer Man,’ appears and heals the sick and injured―”

“A mask like a crow!? That’s definitely him!!”

Oh-oh.

If this keeps going, they’ll think that the cool, calm ‘Faceless’ who healed patients and the screaming “Mysterious Healer Man” are the same person.

No, technically they are, but still.

I’d rather them think ‘Faceless’ and the ‘Mysterious Healer Man’ are different people.

Time to jump in.

“Princess Christina, excuse me for interrupting.”

“Oh, what is it? Um…”

“I am Asuku Medix, eldest son of the Medix family.”

I kept the introduction short and got to the point.

“If I may, I believe ‘Faceless’ and the ‘Mysterious Healer Man’ are two different people.”

“…Why do you think so?”

“The ‘Mysterious Healer Man’ screams and freaks out while healing the sick. Did ‘Faceless’ scream like that when he treated you?”

“N-no, he was very polite. Even when he saw us in… an indecent state, he stayed calm and mature…”

Indecent state? Oh, they were both naked.

Not like I wasn’t flustered, I just wore that plague mask, so I looked calm. Honestly, I was totally checking them out. But that works in my favor for now.

“Then they must be different people.”

“I… see… That’s disappointing.”

Victoria, who had been quietly eating cookies, comforted the disappointed Christina.

“Here. Eat some cookies and cheer up, Sister Christina.”

“Thank you, Victoria.”

“Ah, the cookie I just ate was the last one.”

“…Asuku, untie him and go get more cookies.”

Freedom at last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

◆　◇　◆

After Asuku left the room to get more cookies from the kitchen…

“…They really do look alike.”

“Princess Victoria?”

“Your brother and ‘Faceless’ have similar builds. Their voices sound almost the same, too.”

Franc shook her head without hesitation.

“That’s not true. His healing magic is mediocre at best, enough to fix a hangnail.”

“Really?”

“I never lie to a princess. At his current skill level, there’s no way he could heal the illness that struck both of you… Though he does have talent, he’s kind to patients. Someday, he might become a healer on my level.”

“Stare.”

Victoria just kept staring at Franc.

“But I still thought they looked alike.”

“There are plenty of people in the territory who are built like my brother. Height and weight affect voices too, so many could sound similar.”

“Stare.”

Victoria continued to stare intently at Franc.

Eventually, she nodded.

“I see. I must have been mistaken. Now that I think about it, that person kept staring at me and Sister Christina’s chests, so he’s not ‘Faceless’-sama after all.”

“He looked at your chests… Huh… He’ll get punished later. Anyway, I’m glad you understand. As for my brother, let’s talk about ‘Faceless’.”

“What?”

“Did he say anything about the illness you both had? I want to use it as a reference in case someone else gets the same illness.”

“The illness? Oh, yes. He said the ‘illness that makes all flesh rot and fall off’ was just a magic overflow gone wrong.”

Franc froze for a moment at Christina’s words.

“What did you just say?”

“Huh? I mean, he said the ‘illness that makes all flesh rot and fall off’ was just a magic overflow gone wrong… Did something happen?”

“…No, it’s nothing. I apologize.”

After that, Franc and the princesses chatted about trivial things, and Christina and Victoria eventually returned to the royal capital.

Later, Franc called Asuku over―

“So you’re ‘Faceless’, Asuku?”

“I don’t know.”

“Look me in the eye when you say that.”

“I don’t know.”

Franc pressed him against the wall, cornered him, and demanded an answer.

◇　◇　◇

Afterword

One-Point Story

A: “How did my sister find out…!!”

Author: “Who knows?”

If you thought: “I laughed at huge,” “The shoebill-like little princess is cute,” or “She found out before her sister did,” please leave your thoughts, bookmarks, ★ ratings, or reviews.