Let’s Flatter The Maid!!

In his room, Arthur sat glaring at the mysterious book in his hand.

The book described events from the future that Arthur had experienced.

On the very first page, written in blue ink, were the words:

Aside from that, the rest was only filled with blacked-out text reading “????.”

“So… this means my future can change depending on what I do from now on?”

He recalled the voice in his head saying “Good Deed Point” when he helped the maid.

Healing her must have affected his future somehow.

In the recorded future, that same maid had tried to oppose Arthur’s execution.

He hadn’t avoided the guillotine then, but now that might be different.

The fact that the future was altered at all seemed important.

In other words, if he did good things, maybe he could change the future and avoid execution?

“Fuhahahaha! So the gods haven’t abandoned me after all!”

Arthur burst into triumphant laughter with the notebook in one hand.

He looked completely suspicious.

But for him to accept so easily something as outrageous as “starting life over” came down to two reasons.

First, his ability to use healing magic from birth and his unusual constitution made him believe strange things were possible.

Second, he had a flexible mind that readily accepted anything convenient for him.

“Good deeds… so I just have to do good things, right? Basically, I need to do things that make people happy, right? Very well then—I shall flatter the people, and the world itself!! All to survive!!”

With his notebook raised high and a smug face, Arthur proclaimed something a little pathetic.
But then a new doubt crossed his mind.

“But… how exactly do you make people happy?”

Arthur wasn’t an evil person, but he wasn’t exactly good either.

As the second prince and a rare possessor of healing magic, he had been spoiled all his life.

He was selfish and quick to anger, but he never used unreasonable violence on servants or gave cruel orders.

Still, that wasn’t a virtue—it stemmed from simple indifference.

So, he honestly didn’t know how to make others happy.

Searching through his memories, he finally had an idea.

“That’s it… I have powerful healing magic. If I go around healing every injured and sick person I find, they’ll be grateful!! I mean, my power can cure almost anything!!”

The only times anyone had ever thanked him were when he used healing magic.

Back then, the nobles would bring someone important, and once healed, they’d express gratitude.

At the time, he’d wondered why they were so happy over something like that.

But after being captured, tortured, and guillotined, he understood.

Pain was suffering.

A childlike realization—but for him, it was a valuable, major breakthrough.

“So if I just go around healing everyone with injuries or illnesses, they’ll all thank me. Fuhahaha! Easy!”

Since childhood, Arthur had been told his healing magic was rare and not to be used carelessly.

He obeyed the nobles, but now his life was on the line.

Who cared anymore?

Arthur valued his life more than the words of the nobles who had thrown him aside to save themselves.

“Fuhahaha! Is there anyone around to become a stepping stone for my survival!?”

He stepped out of his room, looking for someone—anyone—injured.

It was the kind of thing a villain would say, but he wasn’t doing good out of goodwill.

He was only trying to survive.

“There’s seriously no one around…”

He wandered around blindly—but of course.

This wasn’t a battlefield—it was a noble estate.

It would be a bigger problem if people were getting injured here all the time.

Just as he was wondering what to do, he heard a crash— followed by a woman’s scream.

Come to think of it, today was the day a painting fell and injured a maid…

He hadn’t paid attention before, but this time, Arthur rushed toward the sound of the scream.

“Ugh…”

What came into Arthur’s view was a shattered glass frame, about as tall as he was, on the floor— and a blonde maid with blood flowing from her forehead.

From the amount of blood, the wound looked deep.

It would likely leave a scar.

“Hey, are you alright?”

“Lord Arthur…?”

As Arthur called out and ran to her, the blonde maid flinched, then quickly lowered her head.

“I’m terribly sorry, Lord Arthur. I’ve stained the precious painting you received… with my lowly blood…”

“What are you talking about? That doesn’t matter. Show me your wound.”

Arthur approached the maid, who was saying something ridiculous while ignoring the painting entirely.

He had no appreciation for art, and only received that painting as a gift after healing a noble.

He had no attachment to it.

Right now, healing her took priority.

This was a chance to earn more Good Deed Points.

“Lord Arthur, what are you…?”

A wound on the forehead—especially serious for a woman whose beauty is part of her value.

Such a scar would cause no end of hardship.

But looked at another way, healing it would result in deep gratitude.

Thinking strategically, Arthur began the healing.

“Stay quiet. I’m concentrating.”

As Arthur placed his hand on her forehead, a warm light appeared and the girl’s wound began to heal.

“This is… the power of healing! Such a precious gift is wasted on someone like me!!”

“You’re already healed. Just look in the mirror.”

Arthur wiped the blood from the girl’s forehead with a handkerchief.

She touched her forehead in disbelief and hurriedly pulled out a small mirror.

“Ah… aah!! It’s true! There’s not even a scratch! Lord Arthur, you are so kind!! Thank you so much! I, Marianne, will never forget this debt!”

Saying so, she burst into tears and hugged Arthur.

Soft warmth and a sweet scent washed over him.

And as Arthur saw her smiling and expressing gratitude, he felt an unexpected warmth in his own chest— and was disturbed by the feeling.

‘Why? I only healed her for self-preservation, so why does my chest feel warm?’

“I… I apologize for my improper behavior. I was just so overwhelmed with joy…”

Perhaps misunderstanding Arthur’s confusion,

Marianne hastily let go of him. Her face was red like a ripe apple.

“Hmph, don’t worry about it. I healed you because I felt like it. All you have to do is be grateful to me.”

Arthur responded bluntly to her.

After all, he only healed her for his own sake.

He made sure to remind her to be thankful.

Yet, for some reason, Marianne’s eyes glistened with emotion.

“Yes, I will never forget this favor!! But… are you sure it was okay to heal someone like me? I’ve heard your power is something truly special, Lord Arthur…”

“Hm? It’s true I’m a genius with an extraordinary healing ability. But what do you mean by ‘is it okay’?”

“Well… I heard that only people introduced by Lord Greed and who make large donations
are allowed to receive healing from you…”

“Donations, huh…”

Arthur couldn’t help but repeat the word.

Greed was the noble in charge of managing Arthur’s affairs.

Indeed, he had introduced people needing treatment before, but Arthur had never heard a thing about donations.

‘Or maybe I just didn’t notice…’

With that scumbag, it wouldn’t be surprising at all.

He recalled what Greed ultimately did to him in his previous life and frowned in bitter understanding.

“Yes… Lord Arthur’s power is so special that Lord Greed said it must come at a proper price. That’s why I never imagined I would receive treatment from you. I was just so surprised…”

“Hmph, something like that…”

As he was about to brush it off, the words of his former fiancée crossed his mind.

It was during a time in his past life when public discontent was rising.

He had asked, “If I heal everyone, won’t they all come to love me?”

-“Arthur, listen. Your power truly is amazing. But if you use it thoughtlessly, people will begin to take it for granted. You’ll be used by those who want to exploit you, and people will come to rely on you too much. Those you’ve healed before will assume they can just get healed again, and they’ll grow dependent.”

-“Also, your power has a daily limit—you can’t heal everyone every time. If people perceive inequality, it will breed resentment. Some will hate you, and even those you helped may come to resent you— ‘Why only him?’ they’ll say.”

-“If you really want to save this kingdom, you need to think of ways to help that don’t involve just healing.”

She had said it like she was scolding a child, and it irritated him.

But she was always right—far more than the sycophants who flattered him.

Greed aside, she was someone Arthur felt he could trust.

‘Fine then. I’m a big man. I’ll listen to you, just this once. Instead of healing everyone blindly, I’ll add some conditions.’

So thought Arthur, justifying to himself that he wasn’t giving in to his annoying former fiancée.

He looked at Marianne and came up with a suitable excuse.

“You were healed because you’re special. Marianne, you always worked so diligently, didn’t you?”

“You… remembered my name…”

Though she had introduced herself earlier, just hearing her name made her eyes go wide with joy.

“And… I’m special…? It’s true I’ve always worked hard as a maid, but I never imagined Lord Arthur thought of me like that…”

Marianne blushed bright red and muttered to herself, but Arthur, deep in thought, didn’t hear it.

‘Could I make people happy in ways other than healing…?’

Marianne had been happy because of the healing, but now she seemed overjoyed just because he said her name.

And strangely enough, seeing her smile made Arthur feel warm inside too.

It was a feeling he had never experienced in his previous life— and Arthur didn’t know how to handle it.