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 23

“Alright, it’s starting!! A surprise match with the exchange student from our neighbor, the Rudelhardt Empire’s Hero Academy!! I’m your commentator, the Madonna of the Broadcasting Club, second‑year student Frude Cainsetts, along with first‑year Garu Garwolf!!”

“Senpai, I was actually in the middle of doing my homework.”

“Shut up!! Burn it, turn it to ashes, and spread it on the fields!!”

“Can I quit the Broadcasting Club now?”

“W‑wait!! I’m kidding!! Don’t quit!! If you leave, the Broadcasting Club will fall apart!!”

While ignoring the noisy announcers beside me, I looked down at the arena where the mock battle would take place.

The first person I focused on was Christina.

She smiled gently like a proper princess, but her eyes were not smiling at all.

And facing Christina was Lio.

He wore gauntlets with red gems set into both hands, and he looked seriously strong.

“Big sister, big sister, does Princess Christina even need to fight? It’d be bad if she got hurt?”

“That’s why I’m here, to prepare for the worst. Still, why isn’t anyone from the Empire stopping this?”

My sister clicked her tongue while looking at the exchange students from the Hero Academy in the audience.

Wow, scary.

Maybe she heard that click of annoyance, because a beautiful girl with sakura‑pink hair, Veltica, walked toward us.

“I’m really sorry. My classmate is causing trouble.”

“You’re Veltica, the representative of the exchange students, right?”

My sister had already heard about her from me, so she pretended this was their first meeting, but stayed on guard.

“If you’re sorry, then stop him right now. Tell that beast man to quit it.”

“Um, even I can’t do anything about that. You know the emperor of Rudelhardt is all about building up the military, right?”

“…So I’ve heard.”

Huh, so that’s how it is.

“He gave a direct order. He said to show the Kingdom the overwhelming difference in strength.”

“I see. So that’s why he suddenly picked a fight with the princess.”

“That’s, yes. I really apologize. I didn’t think Lio would speak so rudely to Her Highness… If I judge that she’s in real danger, I’ll step in and stop him, so don’t worry.”

“I don’t think I can trust someone I’ve just met that easily.”

Big sister is being really aggressive today.

Ah, maybe she’s worried her one and only friend might get hurt?

So that means, big sister finally has a human heart―

“Asuku. I can pretty much tell what you’re thinking, just so you know?”

“Ouch, ouch, ouch!! Beautiful, merciful, perfect big sister goddess, please stop trying to twist my neck!!”

After I managed to butter up my sister and get her to let me go, Veltica let out a little laugh.

“Hehe, I apologize. You two really get along well as siblings.”

“Not that much. Well, Asuku tends to stick to me all the time.”

“When have I ever stuck to you, big sister?”

“Did you say something?”

“Waaah, I love my big sister!”

And, just then.

“Goddess Franc!! King Asuku!!”

“Oh, Ruu. What is it?”

Ruu ran over to us.

But what caught my eye was that Ruu was giving Victoria a piggyback ride.

When did these two become so close?

“Ruu made a friend!! I’m besties with Victoria!!”

“Hm. We’re best friends, soul sisters.”

They really hit it off…

“Nice to meet you, Princess Victoria. I’m Veltica.”

“Hm. Nice to meet you, Veltica. Do you want Ruu to give you a piggyback, too?”

“N‑no, thank you… By the way, you’re Ruu, right?”

“Yeah!! I’m Ruu!! Nice to meet you!! Pink hair!!”

“P‑pink hair? A-ah, that’s my hair color.”

Veltica looked a little shaken by Ruu’s energy.

Then, she muttered in a small voice.

“Still, it must be a coincidence. That clever ‘Red Maiden’ would never act so silly…”

Veltica.

Don’t say embarrassing things where anyone could hear you.

Just then, the bell rang, signaling the start of the match.

“Alright, let’s go kill each other!! Show us a battle that makes blood boil and hearts race!!”

“Senpai, it’s not really about killing.”

Christina faced Lio squarely with her fists raised.

“Hey, hey, Victoria. How strong is your sister?”

“Hm. She’s super strong. She never loses to anyone.”

“Really!! Then it’s safe to watch her fight!!”

Eh, really?

Well, I’ve heard that royalty are trained magically more than normal kids from a young age.

“Princess Victoria, what do you think about that?”

Veltica smiled boldly.

Maybe she felt competitive after hearing Victoria say her sister “never loses to anyone.”

“The students of Hero Academy are called Hero Candidates, especially the ten with the best grades. They’re given special weapons that copy the power of the Hero’s Holy Sword.”

“Hm. You mean the sacred weapons only the Empire can make?”

“That’s right. Those who have a sacred weapon can join the Empire’s Hero Division, though that’s not really important right now. Lio is ranked sixth, but in a straight-up fight, he’s stronger than me. Sacred weapons also boost the user’s physical abilities, so who knows what will happen.”

“Hm. No way someone relying on tools could beat Princess Christina.”

Veltica’s eyebrows twitched.

“…Is that so? Then I guess we’ll just watch how their fight goes―”

“Decision!! Princess Christina wins by a landslide!!”

Ah, the fight’s already over while we weren’t looking?

Looking over, Lio lay on the ground and was completely charred.

Christina brushed back her wind-blown hair and smiled.

“…Huh!? W‑what just!?”

“Hm. Princess Christina used the explosive magic ‘Lightning Full Exploitation’ to blow the whole area away.”

“Big sister, big sister, what’s Lightning Full Exploitation?”

“Well, it’s a difficult magic combining lightning magic, ‘Lightning,’ with fire explosion magic, ‘Explode.’ The path of the lightning causes a huge explosion; it’s an anti-army spell.”

Whoa, I don’t fully get it, but it sounds insanely powerful.

“Hm. As expected, Princess Christina’s a total winner.”

“Not even a chance to fight back!! Victoria’s sister dominates!!”

“Hm. By the way, Veltica… didn’t you want to say something earlier?”

“…I-It’s nothing.”

Veltica was trembling with tears in her eyes.

She’d been bragging so much just a moment ago; it’s no wonder she’s embarrassed.

Anyway, moving on.

“Big sister, I’m gonna go take a poop.”

“You don’t need to announce that. Just go.”

I left the spot and headed toward Lio, who had turned completely black.

◆　◇　◆

“D‑damn it, my mane’s all frizzed up…”

Lio Leonhardt, the sixth-ranked Hero Candidate from Hero Academy, trudged down the arena corridor.

Thanks to his gauntlets, which copied the power of the Holy Sword, all the burns on his body were completely healed.

…Though his wounded pride was another story.

“Still, a loss is a loss. I should apologize later for underestimating Princess Christina… huh?”

Ahead in the corridor, he spotted a suspicious figure.

A mysterious person wearing a crow-like mask and a jet-black coat.

“You’re that strange healer guy? Why are you in the Magic Academy…”

Lio recognized him.

He was a member of the ‘Nightingale: Healers With No Restraint,’ the group that had killed a dragon.

The masked healer spoke to Lio.

“You got burned, didn’t you?”

“Huh? Ah, yeah, but it’s already healed.”

“I see!! Then take off your clothes right now!! I’ll heal all your burns immediately!!”

“Eh? No, I said the burns are already—”

“Hyahahahahaha!! Don’t try to act tough!! There’s no way burns heal that fast without healing magic!!”

“Th‑that’s thanks to my sacred weapon’s effect…”

In a flash, the masked healer lunged at Lio, ripping off his clothes before he could resist.

“Wh‑what!? My clothes!! W‑what are you doing!?”

“Hyahahahahahaha!! Don’t worry!! I won’t do anything painful!!”

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!!!!”

Lio screamed as the mysterious man laughed loudly.

“Huh? Wait, it really is healed?”

“I‑I told you it’s healed, you pervert!!”

“Good, I’m glad to hear it!! Oh, and this is the cost for ripping your clothes!!”

The masked healer quickly ran off, leaving Lio standing there completely exposed.

Lio muttered quietly to himself in the middle of the corridor.

“…The Kingdom is scary.”

Later, Lio would say, “Don’t ever make the Xylica Kingdom your enemy; they’ve got too many crazy people.” Which was basically just spreading bad rumors about the Kingdom.

◇　◇　◇

Afterword

One-Point Story

Author: “It’s so cute when a beautiful girl is embarrassed and trembling with tears in her eyes.”

A: “Whoa.”

If you thought, “Christina’s so strong,” “It’s hilarious that Lio just got his clothes ripped off,” “I totally get the author’s feelings,” please leave your thoughts, bookmarks, ★ ratings, or reviews.