After a few hours of crying, I managed to calm down a little more. The entire time, Saluvia just watched me, since she’d encouraged me to cry a bit to soothe myself, and occasionally she scribbled something on her clipboard. After a while, I actually managed to calm down further.

Saluvia said some pretty disturbing things before, but she’s right. She’s the doctor. I just need to see her as a doctor and nothing more. Even if she’s not helping me out of kindness, only because it’s her job, it’s still help.

"I see you’re a bit more stable. I’ve analyzed your physical condition and developed the medicine you need." She stands up and walks to the table filled with various vials and ingredients. She quickly mixes a few plants together, then spits into the container.

Her saliva has a strange shade of purple. It almost looks venomous in a way, but she said her fluids are ingredients, so I can’t really complain, since I guess she told me beforehand so I’d be prepared.

She promptly uses a tool to crush the herbs and pours a dark, purplish liquid into a small vial and brings it to me. She extends her hand, waiting for me to take it and drink the stuff.

’What a strange smell...’ It’s a somewhat nauseating smell that stings my nose a little.

"H-How do I know you’re trustworthy and that this isn’t some kind of drug?" I ask, wary of drinking something from a complete stranger. After being manipulated so much, I really don’t want yet another woman deceiving me.

Because fate has made it perfectly clear that every woman in my life will try to deceive me in some way.

"All medicine is a drug. It’s only the effect that differs. This will help with your headache and body aches. Of course, if you don’t take it, I’ll have to force you to drink it."

"But don’t worry, I’m not the type to hurt a delicate young lady, so perhaps I’ll have to resort to methods you wouldn’t like at all. So be reasonable and just take your medicine." With a sigh, I grab this thing and down it quickly just to get it over with.

The taste is bad, kind of bitter, really like medicine. I was expecting something sweeter, or at least the sweetish type.

"Do you need me to fetch you some clothes? Those rags let me see everything, and although I’m not the lustful type, I am bisexual, so your body is... seductive." She says this with such a cold tone that I can’t tell if it’s a joke or if she’s serious.

"A-Are you serious?"

"I am always serious. You are... too exposed, but don’t take that as flirting. I’m merely stating facts. Your wife will probably be jealous after this consultation ends, and I don’t think it would be good for you if she got jealous. After all, she seems like the type who hurts you physically when stressed."

"...I-I would like some clothes." I curled up a little, trying to hide everything important.

"A sensible decision. However, wait a moment. First, I will do a check-up on the baby in your womb. Lie down properly on the bed." I don’t know why she first embarrassed me by mentioning clothes and now refuses to give them to me. She could have said that before and left me blissfully ignorant about the state of my current clothes.

But seeing that she doesn’t care, I just lie down uncomfortably. It’s strange to be in a medical place like this, so I shift around uneasily on the bed while she touches my stomach.

’Her hands... are so cold...’ She uses some kind of magic, rubbing her hand over my belly above my womb, before giving a murmur.

"The baby seems to be in a stable initial stage. Surprising, considering you probably had more bites and tears than a baby attacked by a bear."

’W-What a bizarre comparison...’ Because of that horrible comparison, I end up imagining that terrible scene.

"My assessment indicates that your body is quite peculiar, especially among the joints, ligaments, and physical responses. It’s like a body missing things that were deemed unnecessary."

"W-What do you mean..."

"What I mean is, every body has useless parts, remnants of something that no longer serves a biological purpose. Your body, on the other hand, reminds me of a doll. A well-made doll, but a doll nonetheless." She hits the nail on the head. I’m a living marionette, so not everything in my body is 100% identical to the inside of a real person’s body.

"W-Well, if the baby is healthy and I’m fine, t-then I think it’s time to leave." I don’t want to come back here. Even if this woman wants to help, she makes me uncomfortable. Her clinical coldness while trying to help, which I initially thought was empathy, is simply her way of doing her job better.

"That’s not how this works, Queen. Unless a Demon King or Queen comes to this specialized infirmary, I’ll do nothing. You can get hurt as much as you want, but as long as my help isn’t formally requested, I won’t get involved."

"But from the moment one enters this place seeking my help, it’s no longer your choice to leave. I decide when you will be discharged. I will monitor your exercises, diet, and overall health until I am satisfied with the results."

"Your physical health is good, and the baby’s is as well, but your mental health is terrible, and I fear you will cause problems for the child. Your mental resilience is good considering your clinical picture, but your narcissism is something we need to work on..."

"W-Why do you talk so much about my child?" I don’t understand. What’s with all this fixation on focusing on the baby in my womb?

"...I have thoroughly analyzed you and your bonds since you became a demon queen. The chances of Esther getting you pregnant and keeping the baby alive are absurdly low, which makes the current occurrence of her getting you pregnant and keeping the baby something rare. Normally, the throne is inherited by one of the Demon King or Queen’s children from that generation."

"It means your child will likely be the next Demon King or Demon Queen, since you don’t need to die for the title to pass to someone else."

"So, I am merely protecting my... future assets. If your child inherits the throne, I will be her doctor, and when she dies, I will retrieve her body. It’s simply protection of future assets. But don’t misunderstand, I would never let a patient die. I will give the best of my abilities to maintain your physical and psychological health and that of your baby." She explains things that only make me more uncomfortable.

"W-What’s this about corpses?" She said she would keep my corpse in a jar. Is this woman really a doctor?

"It’s a deal I made. When I was young, my medical skill was enviable, but I am also a scientist. That’s why the Demon King of that era made me a proposal."

"The corpses of all Demon Kings would become my possession, in exchange for providing full medical treatment to any future Demon King as a royal physician."

"Of course, with rules and restrictions. I cannot be the one who kills the Demon King or Queen. If I bear any fault in the death, I cannot keep the body."

"Furthermore, I must find the body and steal it. It is mine, but it is not delivered to me immediately. I’m the one who has to go after it. But despite the clauses, it’s a good deal. That’s why I ask that you don’t hold back."

"Any medical request you have, I will fulfill. Although I am your doctor, not the doctor of others, so I ask that you limit requests for help to yourself and your close circle of people. Additionally, honesty is part of the medical duty and the contract. If the one on the throne asks, I must state the rules and conditions of my contract. Would you like to know more?"

"N-No." I just let out a sigh. It’s just like a Demon King to sacrifice the corpses of future Demon Kings to gain something. I wonder what other bizarre things other kings and queens have done in the past.

"So, will you help me heal?"

"I will do my best, but I cannot guarantee perfection. The mind is complex, but I will try to do whatever I can based on my limits."

"...A-Alright then... I will want the help... It’s better than sinking into sadness alone..."

"Perfectly. Now that we’ve summarized everything that matters, I will step out to ask your wife to bring suitable clothes for you. I will discharge you from the infirmary in two days so you can go to your room, and then we will begin your proper therapy routine, balanced diet, and exercises..." She puts away her clipboard after jotting down something else and heads for the door.

"Evelyn, before I leave, physical comfort is an honest and truthful choice." She says something I don’t understand, but before I can ask what she means, she’s already gone.

"Haaa..." I curl up on the bed, touching my belly.

’I’m pregnant...’ I’m not comfortable with the confirmation of that fact, and even more so because of what happened while I was being impregnated. But Saluvia is right. I shouldn’t hate the baby just because Esther is a toxic psychopath.

"I-I will take good care of you..." I just hope I don’t negatively influence this child. I don’t want her to follow my example or Esther’s. We’re horrible role models.

’A psychologist, huh...’ I don’t know how to feel about having a personal psychologist, but maybe that’s exactly what I needed. Someone I can share my burdens with and soothe my mind, because sometimes I have very dark thoughts.

And it’s a fact that I learned to be someone quite cruel and mean through Esther’s lessons and attitude, so having a place to vent what I feel might be exactly what will help me be calmer and less strange about everything.