The painful name of the disease was momentarily concealed by a lie.  

A faint breath continued, calm and undisturbed.

A rose so deeply asleep she was unaware of her surroundings.

Allowing the girl to rest, we gathered in the adjacent room, quietly sharing tea.

Across from me on the plush sofa sat a girl with platinum-blonde hair.

Charlotte was silent.

She seemed lost in thought.

The hot teacup was held lightly between her fingers, slowly cooling as it remained untouched.

Behind her transparent gaze, I could sense a turmoil of emotions.

‘She’s still in this state.’

I managed a bittersweet smile.

Hope had come to her suddenly.

The girl seemed to have something she wanted to say but hesitated, unable to voice it.  
In her fleeting glances, emotions wavered visibly.

‘So, she’s in shock after all.’

I gently set down my teacup.

Since the silence might stretch through the night, I decided to break it first.

In a calm and natural tone, I asked:

“How do you feel?”

A casual question, yet clear in meaning—it was about the rose.

It must have been a long time since Elise looked so at ease.

As I waited, a soft voice finally responded.

Her deep blue eyes were heavy with contemplation.

“...Can you really cure her?”

The question was barely spoken, more a wish than an inquiry.

I didn’t nod right away.

I only smiled faintly, almost teasingly.

“Could it… be difficult?”

Charlotte’s anxiety grew.

This was a matter of her beloved sister’s life, so even the slightest expression caught her attention.

The tremor in her gaze left her usual composure behind.

Charlotte was on edge, torn between hope and despair.

Two powerful emotions were swirling within her.

She hoped she had found a way to save her sister, yet was haunted by the fear that even this might fail.

The constantly shifting emotions were enough to shake the girl.

“It won’t be difficult.”

I thought to myself that now was the time.

The sturdy walls around her heart had cracked, and, even if briefly, a gap had opened—a perfect opportunity to slip through.

I casually rose and added, “I did tell you before. It’s entirely possible.”

I aimed to strike during this moment of confusion.

Human nature seeks hope instinctively in moments of helplessness, even from the unlikeliest source.

She was no different, no matter how unique her character might be.

I intended to be a support she could lean on, but also a deepening mire, prepared to pull the princesses in.

To do that, I had to instill belief.

“You must trust me.”

To make her feel I was someone worth relying on.

“Your Highness.”

“…”

Her clear eyes gazed blankly at me.

I slowly walked to the sofa opposite where the princess sat.

Moving behind her, I gently placed my hand on her shoulder.

Leaning close to her ear, I murmured.

“The treatment won’t be easy.”

“…”

“But if you follow my instructions, there’s no reason it can’t be done.”

“What should I do?”

“It’s simple. Just follow my directions to the letter during the treatment.”

“Will that save Elise?”

“I swear on my honor. If I lie, feel free to bury my head in the ground.”

“…I’ll trust you. I’ll do whatever you say.”

Nodding as if in a trance, the girl’s blue eyes gleamed, even as she was stepping into the mire.

With a bittersweet smile, I added:

“That’s the right attitude.”

I whispered quietly.

“Please remember this.”

In the depths of despair,

the only person who can pull you out…

“…is me alone.”

Thus began the calculated manipulation of the princess.

Elise Rose von Staufen.

The second princess of the Empire, Charlotte’s younger sister, though poorly regarded within the Imperial Family.

This was because of her illness.

Mana Stone Petrification.

Despite its designation as a disease, people often viewed it as a curse.

Rumors even claimed it was a punishment from the gods.

Even academia accepted such superstitions, given centuries of fruitless research in medicine, magic, and holy power that yielded no solutions—experts had simply given up.

The illness thus became a symbol of misfortune.

‘I can understand why.’

It was a disease with no warning signs, unknown causes, no solutions, few documented cases, and led to an inevitable death.

There was hardly a way to describe it other than “abandoned by the gods.”

Moreover…

Once it manifests, a patient’s mana pathways harden.

The flow reverses within, and sharp fragments tear through the body, wreaking havoc on the internal organs.

The path to death is so horrific that it’s no wonder people fear it.

In previous centuries, some afflicted with this so-called curse had even been burned alive in the name of purification.

And now, the same affliction had befallen an Imperial princess.

‘Naturally, the Imperial Family was shaken.’

One day, a beloved rose among the people became, overnight, a sinner cursed by the gods.

Such an event was easily interpreted as a bad omen for the Empire.

It was clear that not only the politics within the palace but also the Empire’s citizens would be unsettled.

The Emperor responded swiftly.

The matter was sealed as a royal secret.

All involved were sworn to silence, and knowledge was restricted to a select few.

Elise was confined to a secluded palace, with the public told that she was in poor health and unable to engage in social activities.

‘The poor thing.’

She was barely even ten years old.

For all the political wisdom of isolating her, Elise was left to grow up alone.

Nearly ten years of secluded life.

-A simple dwelling for a princess.

-…Yes.

The residence was humble because access was extremely restricted.

The only one who visited regularly was her elder sister, Charlotte.

Elise spent her days under the care of a few maids, waiting for death.

I knew this much from the original game.

[EP???. For Elise] -A lonely refuge, a rose wilting in winter-

This was a backstory released in a special episode.

It even had a video upload, though the outcome was grim, leaving a bitter taste.

Elise was fated to die in every route.

“It’s truly a pity.”

I murmured in mourning, clasping my hands together, when I felt a cold gaze fixed on me.

…

Long, red hair, lifeless green eyes devoid of vitality, and a pale face that highlighted her fragility.

It was Elise.

She sat on her bed, glaring at me.

Her fierce gaze seemed to demand, ‘Why are you here?’

I smiled, unfazed.

“Good morning. I am Yuda Snakeus, appointed as Your Highness’s personal physician.”

“…”

“My apologies for yesterday’s intrusion.”

“Hah.”

Perhaps recalling yesterday’s events, she scoffed, her expression full of disdain.

She clenched her fists tightly, as if ready to leap at me.

Her gaze remained laced with venom.

“You… stay quiet. I could kill you right now.”

“I see you still hold a grudge.”

“Shut up.”

“As I mentioned, it was merely part of the treatment. Besides, it was Princess Charlotte who entrusted me with the task.”

“Such audacity, to touch a royal and act as if it’s nothing.”

“I was merely fulfilling my duty as a subject.”

“You would have been executed if not for the First Princess.”

Elise gritted her teeth, seething, but unable to retaliate.

She could barely leave the bed.

“Haa…”

Just that small burst of anger left the frail princess gasping.

It seemed the spasms were returning.

I spoke up softly.

“It appears you need treatment again today.”

“Get out.”

“By the First Princess’s command.”

“I don’t need it… Get out. I never even asked for a personal doctor.”

“Aren’t you in pain?”

“I’ve lived like this my whole life.”

She stubbornly refused treatment.

Was she not afraid of the spasms?

Though she would be writhing on the floor, coughing blood, she resisted with fierce determination.

She only fumbled with the bedside table.

The drawer creaked open roughly.

After rummaging around, she finally grabbed something.

It was a small pocketknife.

She unwrapped the bandages on her wrist, then brought the sharp blade to her skin.

I watched in shock, realizing too late.

“No.”

I grabbed her slender wrist.

Beneath the bandages lay countless scars—clearly self-inflicted.

She tightened her grip, trying to hide it.

“Let go.”

It was a form of crude self-treatment.

Creating a wound far from the core, bleeding to rebalance her mana.

This provided temporary relief but did nothing to solve the issue and was self-destructive, making it a last-resort method.

On closer inspection, she had bandages wrapped around both arms and even her neck.

Could it be…

“Your condition is more serious than I thought.”

I had noticed her touching her bandages repeatedly, thinking she felt discomfort.

Perhaps it was withdrawal symptoms.

Once this habit sets in, it’s hard to break.

The scars suggested it had been at least three years.

There had been hints in the original story, but I hadn’t realized it was this severe.

“And you intend to refuse treatment in this condition?”

“…”

“That won’t do.”

I had planned to treat her gently today, given my harshness yesterday.

But seeing her like this, I couldn’t afford to back down.

With a sharp snap of my fingers, shadows shot out, binding her body to the bed.

It recreated the scene from yesterday.

“W-Wait…?!”

Falling back onto the blanket, her red hair spilled out.

Gathering a faint deception on my fingertips, I lifted the hem of her thin

 nightgown.

I gently brushed my hand over her stomach.

“Today will be rougher than yesterday. Please endure it.”

I spoke to the resisting rose.