Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 60

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Chapter Sixty: An Impromptu Potion

“Petra, Her Highness has sent an alchemist for you!”

On the way, Karen had been told that Frank was living with his sister because their parents had died, so Karen had vaguely imagined a modest home. However, the place she was guided to was a mansion. Though not as grand as the Ehlertt family’s estate, it was larger and more beautiful than any of the noble houses she had seen since coming here.

Petra was in a room on the second floor, where medicinal incense was burning. Karen was guided inside. Sitting in a chair was a doll-like, adorable girl with dark purple hair styled in twin tails.

“Ah! I can’t believe I’m actually meeting Master Julius!”

Petra exclaimed happily upon seeing Julius enter. Despite supposedly being ill, she was fully dressed up with perfect makeup, making it impossible to tell her true complexion. Was she really sick? Her excitement made it questionable.

“It’s such an honor that Master Julius has come to visit me.”

She said that in a sweet, fawning voice that almost seemed to have hearts attached.

Julius smiled wryly in response.

“Petra, Master Julius hasn’t come to visit you, he’s just escorting the alchemist, Lady Karen."

Her brother explained to her.

“To think Master Julius was so concerned about my health that he personally brought an alchemist… Despite all my suffering, it was truly worth enduring…!”

The lovesick girl clearly wasn’t listening to her brother, and Karen, standing right in front of her, might as well have been invisible.

Though thin, she was a beautiful girl with well-defined features and an idol-like face. She appeared to be around adulthood. Noble society seemed to have too many beautiful girls.

And now, this very beauty was captivated by Julius.

Though Karen instinctively disliked her, she understood the girl’s feelings well. Besides, this was work. Karen swallowed her emotions and plastered on a smile.

“Master Julius, Lady Karen, this is my sister, Petra. I apologize. She’s been depressed due to her illness, so she seems unable to control her emotions… Petra, greet our guests properly!”

“I am Petra Schiller. It’s like a dream that Master Julius has come to visit me. I’ve admired you since I was a child. You rarely attend parties, Master Julius, and it’s been my dream to dance with you just once. So…”

“I’m Karen! I’m an alchemist! Pleased to meet you!!”

Petra looked at Karen who had interrupted her with an expression that seemed to say "Who is this?" It appeared that Petra was about to use her illness as a pretext to pressure Julius into promising a dance, which was why Karen had forcefully interrupted.

Why had she even bothered to interrupt?

All the sick girl wanted was to ask for a dance with a handsome man when she recovered. Though she only looked thin rather than ill, perhaps her complexion was poor beneath the makeup.

Even if she wasn’t sick, objectively speaking, it was just a cute request. And it wasn’t as if Karen was in a relationship with Julius. Karen couldn’t understand what right she had to interrupt and felt like holding her head in confusion.

“…I’ll go prepare a potion for you, Lady Petra!”

“I see. Please do.”

Petra replied with a straight face, showing neither gratitude nor pleasure. For her, meeting Julius was more important than curing her illness, and Karen was merely an accessory.

Turning back to Julius, Petra’s face brightened as she said:

“Master Julius, shall we have tea together? You must be cold from outside. I’ll prepare some warm tea for you.”

“As I was introduced, I’m here as Karen’s escort, so I’ll have to decline the tea.”

With those words, Julius turned on his heel and left the room.

Petra glared daggers at Karen.

Fully aware that she had interfered enough to earn the noble young lady’s glare, Karen followed Julius and fled the scene.

“If you need anything to prepare the potion, please do not hesitate to ask.”

Hearing this from the maid, Karen pointed towards the garden from the hallway.

“May I pull up some of the herbs from the garden?”

“Herbs? Do you mean flowers? I believe it would be fine as long as it’s not from Lady Petra’s flower bed…”

After confirming and receiving permission from the puzzled maid, Karen headed to the garden.

Julius followed behind her.

“Did you find a plant you like? You mentioned herbs.”

“I spotted something when we arrived that should be useful for the potion.”

“You’re planning to collect ingredients from here?”

Julius’s eyes widened.

“Yes. I found something that could be combined with what I already have.”

Dungeons didn’t follow seasonal patterns. There was always a chance to find any plant in its prime condition. But even outside of dungeons, it was possible to harvest seasonal plants in their prime.

Karen exited through the front door, crouched down by the plants clustered at the garden entrance, and took out her wooden shovel.

“From autumn to winter, nutrients are stored in the roots, so this might be a fairly good time.”

“Those are dandelion leaves, right?”

“Yes. If we brew the roots, it should make a potion that helps expel toxins from the body.”

Karen explained while skillfully digging up the dandelion roots.

Julius intently watched Karen’s hands.

“It’s impressive that you can make potions from ingredients you find on the spot. You’d be highly valued in a dungeon exploration party.”

“I’d be a burden since I can’t fight.”

“Fighting ability isn’t the only thing valued in dungeons.”

Even so, pure combat power ultimately matters most in dungeons. Karen, who didn’t have an ounce of fighting ability, would just be dead weight.

After washing the dandelion roots with water from the garden well, Karen stood up.

“Now, let’s borrow the kitchen.”

Karen sliced the dandelion roots, baked them in the oven to dry them out, then put the dried roots in a frying pan, infusing them with magical power while roasting them until crispy.

“It’s starting to smell fragrant.”

“It has a nice aroma, doesn’t it?”

She transferred the roasted dandelion roots to a mortar, grinding them into powder while infusing magical power.

She mixed that powder with nettle tea leaves she had on hand, along with herbs effective for detoxification, placed the mixture in a tea strainer, and poured hot water over it.

“There, it’s done.”

Blend Tea

Eliminates toxins.

The appraisal mirror clearly showed the results. It was a completed detox potion that would improve bowel movements, have diuretic properties, and help expel toxins from the body.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 59

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Chapter Fifty-nine: Cooling Off Research Passion

“So this is poison, Karen?”

“Yes, Master Julius.”

Karen snapped back to attention as she answered. It was Julius who had pulled her from behind.

Karen gently placed the small dish of white powder she was holding on the table to ensure that Julius wouldn’t accidentally come into contact with the poisonous face powder.

“Then wash your hands immediately. You were touching it because you were so focused, and you were breathing it in with your face too close. Are you alright?”

“Oh, really? I think a small amount should be fine, but, um, Master Julius?”

Apparently, her curiosity had led her to lean in too much.

“Quickly, give me your hands. I’ll wash them for you.”

“No, no, I can do it myself.”

Just a little contact shouldn’t cause any harm. Even if there was harm, she could drink a potion. That’s why she wanted to examine the poisonous powder a bit more. Observe it. She wanted to touch it more to confirm the texture.

Karen tried to decline with a smile, but Julius glared down at her. Overwhelmed by his gaze, Karen immediately shut her mouth.

“You, with your eyes gleaming brightly while caressing poison, bringing your face close as if you were about to inhale it? Put your hands in the water basin at once.”

“…Yes.”

It’s kind of unfair how good-looking people become twice as intimidating when they’re angry. Feeling this inequity, Karen obediently extended both hands to Julius. Her hands were scrubbed mercilessly.

“It says ‘poisonous face powder.’ And that it harms the body.”

Waltride was examining it with her own appraisal mirror. Unlike Karen’s appraisal mirror, it seemed hers couldn’t determine the nature of the poison or which part of the body would be affected. While Karen was contemplating whether she should reveal the poison’s identity, she met Sara’s eyes, who was holding Karen’s appraisal mirror to her chest and slowly shaking her head. It seemed she was telling Karen to say nothing.

“To create potions from non-magical materials, one must have an extraordinary understanding of the ingredients… Karen, are you a Child of Anya?”

“A child of Anya? My father had a different name. Oh, but I don’t actually know my mother’s name.”

“Hmm. It seems you are not.”

Hearing Karen’s answer, Waltride came to her own conclusion.

“In any case, this proves that this face powder is poisonous. Thank you, Karen. With this, I can convince local ladies who can’t let go of unidentified face powder in their pursuit of beauty.”

Waltride smiled brightly. She seemed pleased to be helping the Ehlertt family, who were caring for her during her recovery. As Karen nodded with a smile, glad to have been of help and somewhat atoned for her wrongs, Frank knelt before her.

“Alchemist Karen! Could you please tell me how to detoxify this poison!?”

“Huh!?”

“Karen is surprised, Sir Schiller. Please calm yourself.”

Frank, who was helped to his feet by Julius, was trembling and crying.

“Even after giving her an antidote potion, it has no effect! We’ve consulted countless doctors, healers, and alchemists, but nothing works!”

Frank cried out, partially restrained by Julius. Karen was taken aback by his desperate expression.

“It’s my sister. My only sister…! Please teach me how to detoxify it!”

“The antidote potion doesn’t work, you say…”

Karen couldn’t make antidote potions. That meant she knew nothing about them. As Karen tilted her head in confusion, Waltride spoke beside her:

“I recall hearing that antidote potions only neutralize magical poisons and have little effect on physically harmful substances. Perhaps that’s why?”

“Oh, I see. So that’s how it works.”

“Why would an alchemist like you not know this?”

“I’ve just become an E-rank alchemist and have only recently been able to read senior alchemists’ papers.”

She had rushed to read through the papers as soon as she became E-rank and gained access to the permitted shelves but hadn’t obtained much useful information.

“I see. The quality of papers available to E-rank alchemists must be limited. You probably can only read papers about failed attempts. While not meaningless in terms of eliminating possibilities, still…”

“Is that so!? Well, now that you mention it, most of them do feel like that…!”

“Carelessly spreading knowledge would only bring chaos to society.”

Having just seen the mercury-based face powder, Waltride’s words hit deep.

“In a world where anyone can make potions, anyone can create poison as well…”

“Exactly. That’s why the knowledge given to you is restricted and put to the test.”

“What an unpleasant world we live in.”

Karen sighed and began to think based on the knowledge Waltride had shared.

“I believe Your Highness’s guess is correct. The ingredients in this poison are harmful to the body and highly toxic even without being made into a potion. That’s why drinking a detoxification potion to neutralize magical poison has little effect.”

Perhaps the poison that once afflicted Sara might have been similar.

“The only method I know to detoxify this poison is to wait for it to be naturally expelled from the body.”

“No…! Isn’t there some kind of antidote or medicine!?”

The panacea came to mind, but that wasn’t something one could make intentionally. Though tempted to try, Karen held her head and groaned. A doctor from her previous life might know a different method. But all Karen knew was the story of a pregnant neighbor from her previous life who avoided eating her favorite fish due to mercury concerns. That woman had struggled with morning sickness and had even asked Karen to run an errand for her. Fish contained trace amounts of mercury, but it was typically not a problem for adults who could naturally expel it. However, since babies couldn’t expel mercury naturally, she lamented that she couldn’t eat her favorite fish, which was known to have higher mercury levels.

“Please save my sister. She’s my only family.”

Frank had been cooperating with Waltride to help his sister. Calling upon the goddess, Frank clasped his hands in prayer toward Karen, tears streaming down his face.

“First, I’d like to learn about your sister’s condition.”

“Please, I beg you.”

Karen returned to her room briefly to prepare to visit Frank’s sister. While helping with the preparations, Sara said:

“Lady Karen, ‘Children of Anya,’ also known as ‘Children of the Dark Night,’ refers to the name of a certain organization.”

“An organization’s name?”

“…It’s a criminal organization that mainly gathers and exploits abandoned children. They specialize in poisons. They educate children to handle non-magical poisonous materials.”

“So the princess thought I was a member of this organization.”

It was probably because she knew too much about non-magical materials. Although it was frightening to be suspected of being involved with a criminal organization, Karen was relieved that the suspicion seemed to have naturally dissipated during their conversation.

“There’s no way you could be a Child of Dark Night… In that place, to deepen ‘understanding’ of poison, children are given only one type of poison. There’s no way someone like you, with such broad knowledge of non-magical materials, could have come from there.”

“Given only one type of poison…?”

When Karen tilted her head at the strange nuance, Sara nodded expressionlessly. Her purple eyes were filled with darkness.

“The organization gives poison to children. They make them cultivate it, touch it, eat it—using every possible method to deepen their understanding of that poison and ingrain it into their bodies. Only then might a child occasionally emerge who can handle that poison as a potion… though most children die.”

“…That’s terrible.”

Sara gazed at the shocked Karen with emotionless eyes.

“Therefore, please never mention the name of the material. If those in that organization learn about a material that can become poison… new children will be given that poison in attempts to raise children who can handle non-magical poison potions.”

“I’m sorry, I was careless.”

“It should be fine in that situation. Everyone present was trustworthy. But please be careful in the future.”

Sara spoke with no expression and then left the room first, carrying Karen’s belongings. Karen hurriedly followed after her.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 58

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Chapter Fifty-eight: The Material for the Philosopher’s Stone

Waltride said she would bring in a knowledgeable associate about the request, so the serious discussion was postponed.

Karen, summoned again, was having tea with the princess.

“With my condition as it is, His Majesty recommended me to rest. The Ehlertt family kindly offered their home as a recuperation spot, and I gratefully accepted. There are royal retreats available, but I have more freedom here.”

Waltride was casual and unpretentious. She truly embodied the character that Julius had praised so highly. Karen, who had been nervous about meeting a princess, gradually began to relax. The more they talked, the more Karen liked her, and while her tension eased, her feelings of guilt and the pressure to definitely find a cure only increased.

“Oh, it seems he’s arrived.”

The door to the room opened, and a sickly-looking young man entered. From his attire, he was clearly not a servant but a nobleman. He had unusually beautiful hands.

“This is Frank Schiller. Frank brought me the critical information. He, too, did not know who to turn to in the absence of the head of the family, and he came to me, despite my being an outsider, for help. Frank, this is Karen, an alchemist. Julius brought her from the royal capital—she’s a specialist in potions using non-magical materials.”

“So you’re the alchemist rumored to have cured Master Sieg’s Bloodline Blessing. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Frank.”

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Karen, an E-rank alchemist of common birth, so there’s no need to treat me with such formality.”

“Not at all. A skilled alchemist deserves respect, regardless of social standing.”

Saying this, the nobleman Frank bowed respectfully to Karen, then raised his head and continued.

“Now then, could you please examine this cosmetic product?”

“So the ‘remedy’ was a cosmetic.”

Frank transferred a silver tray from the cart he had brought to the table.

“The appraisal yielded no results, correct?”

“Yes. It doesn’t appear to be a potion, but rather a poison made from non-magical ingredients.”

Frank nodded at Waltride’s question without even looking at her, and with a grim expression opened the lid of a small container on the silver tray. Inside was a white powder.

Karen leaned forward to examine it.

“A cosmetic product… so it’s face powder, then.”

“As you’ve suspected, it is face powder. Apparently using this makes the skin beautifully white. My sister obtained it from somewhere. As she continued using it, her condition became strange. I tried to persuade her to stop using it, but before she would listen, my sister collapsed.”

Frank’s weary expression crumpled with anguish. His body trembled slightly, conveying how seriously he was taking this problem.

“I’d like you to determine what this powder is—this substance that’s harming my sister while claiming to provide eternal youth. It definitely contains poison. I want to save my sister from it.”

“White powder, poisonous… hmm, a few possibilities come to mind.”

“You have an idea, Karen?! I’ve been investigating, but haven’t found much useful information.”

While Waltride’s eyes widened in surprise, Karen nodded gravely. She remembered seeing something like this in novels and manga in her previous life.

“I think the material in this face powder might be—”

“Lady Karen!”

Sara suddenly interrupted Karen with a loud voice before she could suggest the material. Karen flinched and closed her mouth. As everyone looked at Sara in surprise, she bowed her head respectfully.

“Everyone, I deeply apologize for interrupting as a mere servant. But please wait a moment. There’s something I must say to prevent our benefactor, Lady Karen, from disadvantaging herself.”

“Sara, what do you need to tell me?”

“You mustn’t speak the name of the material aloud, Lady Karen. Magic and alchemy require ‘magical power’ and ‘understanding.’ You shouldn’t easily give others ‘understanding.’ Especially if it’s understanding of poison knowledge, you must be even more careful with how you handle it. This is to prevent creating a world where anyone can make poison.”

“I… I see…”

Karen swallowed hard. Unlike her previous world, where poisons couldn’t be made without scientific knowledge, in this world thoughts could become a force affecting reality. Although understanding was said to be necessary, with enough magical power, one could compensate for a lack of understanding, and the power of will could even push chemical reactions forward. That was the nature of this world.

“…Then, to confirm whether the material I’m thinking of is correct, may I have a small amount of the face powder?”

“That’s fine, but what do you intend to do?”

Frank looked at her skeptically as Karen, being cautious not to make direct contact, transferred some of the powder into a mortar.

“I’m skilled at making potions with non-magical materials, so I want to try making a potion with this powder. If my understanding is correct, it should turn into a poisonous potion.”

Saying this, Karen infused the white powder in the mortar with magical power. But she felt no response, like hammering a nail into rice bran.

“Huh?”

Karen tilted her head and stopped her magical power, then took out an appraisal mirror she had brought. She looked at the white powder through the mirror, but no effect appeared.

“…It seems different from the material I was thinking of.”

“It’s understandable that it wouldn’t be so easy to identify. It can’t be helped.”

Frank said while dropping his shoulders. Despite his initial skepticism, he had been watching Karen’s alchemy with bated breath, only to now appear utterly dejected, as if he had sunk to the bottom of the earth. Karen continued speaking to encourage him.

“I thought it might be lead, but it seems different. However, I have other possibilities in mind—Ouch!”

“Lady Karen, I told you not to mention material names.”

“Ow, I’m sorry.”

Sara apparently pinched Karen’s side. Glared at sternly, Karen apologized with teary eyes, then turned back to Frank, who had a pale face again.

“If you don’t mind, could you tell me the symptoms of the person who ingested this poison?”

“…Stomach pain, nausea, difficulty moving, impaired vision, and she seems to have trouble hearing my words.”

Even after hearing the symptoms, there wasn’t a specific poison that came to mind. However, for face powder made with poison, there was one more possibility besides lead.

Karen infused magical power into a different mortar with newly separated white powder. She visualized just one of the harmful effects this poison was said to have on the body, wishing for that toxicity to manifest strongly. Feeling the magical power flow through, Karen sighed, set down the mortar, and checked with the appraisal mirror.

Mercury White Powder

Damages the kidneys.

“So it’s this one…”

One of the toxic powders used in her previous world long ago. Face powder made with mercury—an extremely toxic substance. In that world, an emperor of a certain country had even consumed mercury, believing it to be an elixir of immortality.

Karen recalled her memories from her previous life. As a child, she preferred fantasy novels to romance ones. Alchemy had been one of the fantasy elements she loved most. She remembered devouring related books at a library.

While alchemists were a fantastical concept in the era she had lived in before, it had once been a serious field of study pursued by philosophers. In that world’s alchemy, mercury—a liquid metal—was considered a mystical substance and believed to be one of the components of the Philosopher’s Stone.

The Philosopher’s Stone was said to transform metals into gold and grant eternal life.

“To think the same thing would become popular here too, claimed to be an elixir of immortality…”

Karen’s eyes gleamed brightly, her cheeks flushed. As a slowly spreading smile appeared on her face and she began to lean forward eagerly, she was suddenly pulled backward.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 57

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Chapter Fifty-seven: A New Wind (Julius’s POV)

“It’s unusual for you to skip a hunting festival, Julius. I imagine you’re receiving even more invitations than ever.”

“I’ve declined them all because I want to stay by Karen’s side.”

“That makes sense. In case any trouble occurs with the Princess, someone should be present who can converse with her as an equal.”

Julius thought this might be interpreted in a romantic way, but Helfried analyzed the situation dispassionately. Alise chuckled with a wry smile.

Every year, during the hunting festival season from autumn to winter, Julius would attend various hunting festivals as invited. That way, he could get opportunities to fight monsters. It also allowed him to naturally delve into the dungeons of those territories while being welcomed.

But this year, there was no need for that. Thanks to the magical sachet Julius received from Karen, he would no longer be driven by bloodlust, and he could get through winter without having to fight in the freezing snow.

“How were the Princess and Karen getting along?”

“Her Highness seems to have taken a liking to Karen.”

Karen apparently didn’t think Waltride’s physique was due to the influence of her Bloodline Blessing. When Julius asked Karen later, she said she thought Waltride had become that way due to her own lack of self-discipline, and Karen was depressed with self-loathing.

It was not a story that should reach Waltride’s ears, but if she did hear it, she might actually be pleased. After all, it meant that in Karen’s eyes, being overweight itself didn’t seem abnormal.

Among nobles and royals with high magical power, such a physique was nearly impossible, so anyone who saw Waltride at a glance pitied her. Some even shed tears at the pitiful sight of her.

Though Waltride was usually strong-willed, she seemed to become depressed when people treated her as if she were in an extremely abnormal and pitiful state, even if it was out of goodwill. So she had welcomed Karen with genuine delight.

“I wish the Princess could also escape from her Bloodline Blessing…”

“Yes, indeed…”

Helfried and Alise lowered their heads with gloomy expressions. These two, out of their kindness, worried about the Princess’s future. The gentle yet sorrowful First Princess Waltride of the Kingdom of Earthfill. She was no longer connected to them… but Julius too wished for her happiness. Among them, there was a lingering hope—perhaps, if it were Karen, she could truly make it happen. The only concern was whether that expectation would become a burden on Karen. Strangely enough, Karen was a girl who carried countless insights within her.

The investigation into Karen’s background continued, but the source of her diverse knowledge remained unknown.

“I hope you two have a wonderful time at the hunting festival.”

“It’s just a small hunting festival with family only.”

“Ufufu, peace is a good thing. Thanks to the fewer monsters, we can even bring Sieg along.”

Hunting festivals were annual events where nobles cleared their territories of monsters. Due to Julius’s conquest of the Ehlertt territory’s dungeon, monsters in the territory have become very scarce now. Therefore, it would be a very small-scale festival without invited guests, but it was something that must be held as a lord’s duty.

Helfried, Alise, and Sieg would be away from the mansion for about two weeks for the hunting festival.

“I’m counting on you to take care of Karen, Julius.”

“Understood… Sister-in-law, I entrust my brother and Sieg to you.”

“Ufufu, leave it to me.”

“Wait, why are you asking Alise there?”

Julius and Alise laughed in unison at the confused Helfried. It was because Helfried was slightly exhausted, though he himself hadn’t noticed it. But there was no need to tell him that.

The Ehlertt Earldom. The place where Julius and Helfried spent most of their childhood. A land that remained cool throughout the year, colder than the royal capital in winter, and deep with snow. The forests scattered throughout the territory were deep, making it easy for monsters to enter—a large territory yet difficult for people to live in.

While it was a domain that should be protected, for Helfried, it was also a place he wanted to avoid. Too many shadows of the past lingered here. That was why being able to leave the mansion for the hunting festival was a good thing for Helfried.

“Well then, I’ll head back to Karen.”

After excusing himself from the two, he returned to Karen, finding one of the estate’s veteran butlers explaining the portraits displayed in the hallway to her.

“I must say, I’m surprised that you, an alchemist, don’t know about Lord Winfried. However, given your commoner background, it is understandable. He is a hero of Ehlertt. Please, do remember his name.”

“He doesn’t look much like Master Julius and Lord Helfried, considering he’s their father…”

Seeing Karen’s disappointed expression, Julius almost burst into laughter. Though her straightforwardness probably conveyed that she meant no harm, the butler had a disgruntled look on his face at Karen’s comment.

“Both of them take after the former Countess. However, Master Julius’s strength closely resembles that of Lord Winfried.”

Hearing his name being mentioned and placed alongside his father’s, Julius felt as if his heart had sunk heavily.

“Lord Winfried possessed tremendous magical power and was also an excellent swordsman. Even in the most dangerous times, he would take the lead in battle, dedicating himself entirely to protecting the people of the land.”

He was simply intoxicated with magical power and rampaged for his own pleasure. Knights who knew the battlefields of those days would agree with Julius’s words, but many died in battle after being caught up in Winfried’s reckless fighting. Therefore, not many people know that that tyrannical man was no hero, and the Ehlertt territory was still filled with voices praising him. Those who believed in that man’s heroism became the power behind the scenes, supporting Helfried and declaring that the son of the hero was the rightful head of the family.

That was why Julius couldn’t go around saying the truth was different. Doing so would risk losing the influence they held in this land, where Winfried remained highly revered. Knowing that the council of elders from his father’s generation was using Winfried to maintain their power, Julius could only stand by helplessly, unable to do anything about it.

He couldn’t even dismiss the long-serving butler who still admired the former head, leaving him to do nothing but watch as the butler spoke of the man’s supposed greatness to Karen.

“In the end, he entered the Ehlertt dungeon alone to suppress it when it was about to cause a major collapse and he lost his life there. That’s why the people of Ehlertt admire Lord Winfried.”

“I see. Um, so this two children next to Lord Winfried, could it be Master Julius and Lord Helfried…!?”

“… Sigh. Well, yes, I suppose so.”

“H-how cute…!”

The butler was deflated by Karen who showed not the slightest interest in Winfried’s portrait, while Karen was completely absorbed in Julius’ childhood portrait.

Feeling a new wind, Julius walked towards Karen with a relaxed smile on his face.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 56

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Chapter Fifty-six: The Beginning with Prejudice

“Suspicious remedy has been circulating in Ehlertt’s territory recently, you say…”

Upon hearing the request from Waltride, Julius’s expression turned bitter.

According to the princess, the suspicious remedy had apparently become popular among the young noble daughters in Ehlertt’s territory’s capital city.

“Yes. There are some eccentric young ladies who even invite someone like me, who came from the royal capital for recuperation, to their tea parties. I occasionally attend, and that’s where I learned about this remedy circulating primarily among young women.”

She seemed pretty mobile despite her appearance. Karen thought idly that since her body type would likely get stuck at the entrance of a normal carriage, perhaps her carriage, like her bed, was custom-made.

“I’ve called upon your benefactor, who is knowledgeable about non-magical materials, to investigate the true nature of this remedy, Julius.”

“Your Highness, while I appreciate your concern for Ehlertt Earldom, please leave our matters to us. You should focus on healing yourself.”

“My Bloodline Blessing isn’t life-threatening. My symptoms aren’t serious, so there’s no need to worry.”

Waltride said firmly with a smile, leaving no room for argument.

“I apologize for interfering in the earldom affairs as an outsider. But when you were in the royal capital, I wasn’t sure whom I could trust. I couldn’t help but act, wanting to repay the kindness I received.”

Though she apologized, she didn’t seem to feel particularly bad about it. Julius’s frown deepened in response to Waltride’s attitude.

“I greatly appreciate your assistance. However, I’m concerned that you might be putting yourself in danger, Your Highness. Please consider your own well-being first.”

Julius said this with a respectful bow. Seeing the top of Julius’s head, Waltride let out a small, amused smile.

Wondering what kind of relationship they had—the suspicion that should have vanished when she first saw the princess resurfacing—Karen couldn’t help but interject:

“If there’s anything I can do to be of service, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Those are reassuring words. I appreciate it, Alchemist Karen.”

“Karen…”

Julius looked at her with pleading eyes. From Julius’s perspective, he had brought Karen here solely for Waltride’s Bloodline Blessing. Urged on by Julius’s imploring gaze, Karen reluctantly turned to face Waltride, carefully maintaining a professional smile.

“In order to serve Your Highness effectively from now on, may I ask for clarification on the nature of the Bloodline Blessing that is affecting your body?”

The princess didn’t appear to have a fever, but Karen recalled the example of Sieg, who had concealed every ailment except fever. If such stoicism was standard for nobility, then unless she heard it directly from Waltride, Karen might not notice anything at all. Of course, the princess might lie, but that was a separate issue.

Julius, Waltride, and the nearby servants all looked dumbfounded when Karen asked to hear the princess directly.

“Um… Did I ask something inappropriate?”

As Karen became intimidated, the princess, who had been staring with wide eyes, burst into laughter. Her cheeks jiggled.

“Hahahahaha! Did you hear that, Julius? Even in the expert alchemist’s eyes, my condition doesn’t appear serious!”

“Huh? Wh-what?”

“My, my, I’m sorry for confusing you, Karen.”

Waltride, who had been laughing with tears in her green eyes, looked at Karen with narrowed eyes, still in good spirits.

“The side effect of my Bloodline Blessing is that the overflowing magical power doesn’t become heat or harm my body, but transforms into excess flesh like this.”

Saying this, Waltride stroked the flab around her midsection.

“In other words, I just get fat. Nothing serious, right?”

“I-I see… I didn’t realize. Please forgive my rudeness.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. But the fact that you didn’t notice means that among commoners, there are also people with this body type. Isn’t that right?”

“Y-Yes, that’s true.”

Karen nodded repeatedly.

She had never met someone this heavy in her life, but in her previous life, she had seen people on TV who were so overweight they could barely move. She had accepted the princess’s figure without much question, assuming it was due to the lavish lifestyle of royalty. She never thought it was caused by the Bloodline Blessing.

“I see, I see. So I’m not abnormal at all.”

“Um…”

Karen had intended to subtly suggest treatment to Waltride, who apparently had no intention of seeking help, but she had inadvertently encouraged the princess to embrace her condition.

In her peripheral vision, she could see Julius giving a strained smile.

“I like you, Karen!”

Karen seemed to have gained Waltride’s favor, but this had completely backfired on her objective. As Karen stood there in bewilderment, the princess smiled brightly.

“Now then, let us work together to defeat the evil plaguing the earldom!”

“The Ehlertt family will conduct the investigation, so please do not get too involved.”

“I understand, I understand. I won’t be a nuisance to you, so don’t worry.”

Julius’s face showed bitter concern, while Waltride laughed cheerfully.

Again suspecting there was something between these two, Karen’s romance-obsessed brain started spiraling, and she shook her head vigorously. Karen had thought that rumors of romance between Julius and someone with this appearance would be just rumors, but if this state was due to the Bloodline Blessing’s side effect, that was extremely disrespectful thought.

Karen bowed her head deeply.

“I sincerely apologize…!”

“What are you apologizing for? You gave me the words I wanted to hear most.”

As Waltride showed a bright smile without any trace of bitterness, Karen inwardly held her head in her hands. This condition absolutely had to be cured. On Karen’s own pride—even if it meant giving birth to the most beautiful couple ever.

With newfound determination and a sense of resignation, Karen’s new mission had begun.

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The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World (Light Novel), Volume 4 Chapter 2

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Volume Four, Chapter Two

Trying not to rush but still eating quickly, I finish my stew and pick up Gomamiso, who is begging for more food. Sensing the urgency in my unyielding grip, Gomamiso becomes surprisingly docile, abandoning its usual cluelessness about reading the room.

It jumps from my arms to perch on my shoulder, ears and tail standing straight up as it surveys our surroundings.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon, who left the table ahead of us, are paying the bill and exiting the restaurant.

As I turn to follow, I feel a tug on my clothes. Looking down, I see Ms. Aria’s white hand gripping the edge of my garment. Even as Mr. Ville moves further ahead, Ms. Aria follows at a slower pace, her hand not letting go of my clothes…

We end up in a formation with Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon in the lead… while Ms. Aria, Mr. Ed, and I follow at a slight distance behind them.

Sandwiched between Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed, I follow along, weaving through the bustling downtown streets toward the upscale residential area.

The downtown area, now bathed in the soft hues of dusk, is crowded with people hurrying home.

As we weave through the crowds, Mr. Ed, wearing what appears to be a friendly smile, secretly whispers to me:

“…Rin, just stay behind Ville and bow your head along with us, okay?”

Ms. Aria also smiles faintly and takes my free hand.

“Mm. If you stay quiet, you’ll be fine…!”

“Um, ah, yes…”

…Huh? Wait… what’s with this atmosphere!? It feels like we’re marching straight into a battlefield or something!

Huh? Aren’t we going to meet Mr. Ville’s family?

Huh?

“Well, you’ll understand when we get there. They’re not bad people, but…”

“Mm. You should… keep holding Goma… too.”

“Wow… this seems to be turning into something really serious…”

Noticing my obvious confusion, Mr. Ed slightly shrugged his shoulders while offering an explanation.

At the same time, Ms. Aria gently lifted Gomamiso, who was still on alert on my shoulder, and handed it back to me. Judging from Ms. Aria’s serious gaze, there must be quite a reason behind all this…

Unlike the crowded downtown, the uptown is now nearly deserted. I heard that at this hour, most housekeepers have been sent home, and families spend time together. That’s probably why there are people heading downtown but fewer coming this way…

In the midst of this, the front group—that is, Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon—suddenly turn down a side street. I readjust Gomamiso, who’s still looking around intently in my arms, and follow them.

The side street seems to be lined with what looks like small restaurants. High-end-looking establishments, illuminated by storefront lanterns and street lights, are lined up every few buildings.

The place Mr. Ville enters is an establishment at the very end of this row… or so it seems.

“…Hmm… this is… going to take some courage to enter…”

“It doesn’t look like… a restaurant, right?”

“Yes, it’s almost like a private residence…”

The building has the same imposing structure as the uptown residences we have passed, with a matching atmospheric wooden door. There is no sign, just a brass plate with what seems to be the shop’s name on the door… If the front group hadn’t gone in, I definitely wouldn’t have approached this type of place. If someone tells me it is "someone’s house," I can only agree.

Nevertheless, gathering my courage to enter, I find myself in what seems to be a bar rather than a restaurant. With no tables except the sleek counter, and appropriately dimmed lighting that screams "For classy adults!" throughout the atmosphere.

“Oh, good. I was worried we’d lost you since you entered a bit late.”

“…Sorry… It seems I had less awareness of my surroundings than I thought.”

Just as I was about to be overwhelmed by the atmosphere, Mr. Xenon and Mr. Ville noticed our delayed arrival. Mr. Xenon spotted us and smiled gently, while Mr. Ville lowered his eyebrows and gave a small bow beside him.

“It’s fine! I came along with Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria!”

But considering Mr. Ville’s feelings, he is about to face the family he’d been so apprehensive about… It’s understandable that he’d lose awareness of his surroundings. Fortunately, or perhaps I should say thankfully, Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed were with me, so I didn’t get lost.

Thinking this, I clench my fist and smile reassuringly, which seems to relax Mr. Ville’s expression.

“…Everyone seems to be arrived… Please, this way…”

Suddenly, a calm voice came from behind. Startled, I turn around to see an older-looking man standing behind the counter, though I haven’t noticed him before.

With black hair mixed with white neatly combed back, wearing a white shirt and black vest, he has the perfect "bartender" vibe. Judging from the scale-like features on the back of his hands and cheeks, he seems to be a lizardman with strong human characteristics.

As I stare at him with interest, he smiles back at me and smoothly reaches for a bottle at the very end of the shelf. He tips it down… and the shelf rotates, revealing what looks like stairs leading underground.

“Whoa!”

“A-Are you alright, Rin? Come on, let’s go.”

“I’m fine…! I just didn’t expect such a mechanism…”

I inadvertently stepped back and almost lost my balance, but Mr. Ville’s palm stopped my back. I answered the concerned voice coming from above while regaining my composure. The exterior looked like a hideaway bar, but I never imagined the interior would have such an intricate mechanism…!

“Well then, please go ahead. Have a safe trip…”

With the bartender quietly bowing to see us off, we step into the even darker secret passage.

The narrow stairway made of stone walls and steps exudes an atmosphere that screams "secret passage." Lantern-like objects hung at regular intervals, illuminating the surroundings and ground, which adds to the ambiance. Occasionally, a cool breeze caresses my cheek, suggesting air is flowing in from somewhere. It seems like there is proper ventilation, so suffocation isn’t a concern.

After descending for a while, we finally reach level ground. However, it is dark ahead, and the passage seems to stretch on for so long that I can’t even guess how far it continues.

“…Still, building an underground passage like this must have taken considerable time and manpower…”

“You think? With earth magic to dig holes and short-range teleportation magic to position stones, it probably wasn’t that much trouble.”

“Oh… is that really all it takes?”

“Well, you know the history of this country, right Rin? Even races skilled in magic like elves were driven here too.”

The space echoes our footsteps so well that even whispers get picked up. Mr. Ed, walking behind me as I looked around curiously, answered while lightly tapping the stone wall.

Ah… magic. Magic, huh?

For someone born and raised in a world where "magic" and "spells" were mere fantasy, it’s incredibly mysterious. It’s something very familiar from stories and games… but always out of reach. Such mystical technology is commonly used in everyday life in this other world… I’m experiencing serious culture shock. I guess that means the buildings above ground were probably mainly constructed using magic too.

“But you know, it’s not like there was no physical labor involved. There’s a limit to how many people can use large-scale magic, and the detailed decorations and fine adjustments were done by hand.”

“Ah, I see. So the rough work was done with magic, and the details were added by hand.”

“Even so, it must have been way faster than doing everything manually. If I’d lived back then, I bet I would have been recruited for all sorts of work.”

“I can imagine! I still don’t understand how your magic works, Mr. Ed! I know it’s amazing, but that’s about all I understand…”

Mr. Ed smiles cheerfully as if it is no big deal, but I remember him effortlessly demonstrating the magic of various elements—fire, water, wind, lightning… He must be quite a formidable "magician"!

As we chat quietly about nothing in particular, the passage gradually begins to slope upward. We seem to be heading back toward the surface. Sure enough, the passage ends in a staircase, and we have no choice but to climb up.

We ascend the gently spiraling stairs slowly, and then…

“W-Wow… amazing…”

I almost let out an exclamation at the sight before me, but remembering Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria’s earlier warning, I quickly covered my mouth.

Fluffy carpets, pillars with ornate carvings, and high-quality antique-looking furnishings placed here and there… Even to my amateur eyes, it is clearly luxurious but arranged in a way that isn’t ostentatious. It is chic, with quality items… but displayed in a way that avoids looking nouveau riche—the sense of style is impressive. After walking through the dark passage and finally reaching the surface, to find myself standing in such an opulent gallery… it feels a bit unreal.

‘Hey, hey! I wanna walk too!’

“Shh! Gomamiso, shh! Please be quiet, okay? Don’t struggle!”

I tightly hugged Gomamiso, who was wriggling in my arms as if saying "I want to explore!" and whispered in its ear to stay quiet.

Please, show the same level of awareness you did earlier! If you break any of these furnishings, I won’t be able to pay for them!

Because the carpet absorbs the sounds of footsteps and clothes rustling, the gallery remains completely silent despite our relatively large group of five people and one cat moving through it.

The fact that no one is speaking as we proceed adds to the silence.

Whoa… what’s with this atmosphere!? I’m getting super nervous!

Cold sweat slides down my back from the tension.

And then…

“…It’s okay, Rin…”

“M-Ms. Aria…”

Something cool and soft touches my tense arms as I clutch Gomamiso. Holding back the urge to jump, I shift my gaze to see Ms. Aria gently linking her arm with mine, a faint smile on her face.

“I don’t think… anything bad… will happen…”

Even though her touch is rather cool, the warmth of another person must have reassured me somehow. I let out a quiet breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I smile back at Ms. Aria as she squeezes my arm comfortingly, and we continue walking through the quiet gallery.

After walking for what feels like ages… Mr. Ville suddenly stops in front of a door similar to those we have passed. Mimicking him, we stop too, and the door in front of us slowly opens from the inside.

“—!”

“Welcome, all of you. We’ve been awaiting your arrival.”

Mr. Ville tensed up instantly, and the rest of us braced ourselves as an elderly man with a white mustache appeared before us. He’s quite tall and fairly sturdy… giving the impression that he must have been quite robust in his younger days. However, there’s a certain twinkle in his eyes, making him not threatening at all. His attire is clearly of high quality, making it obvious that he is someone of importance… Most likely, he has come to welcome us.

“I apologize for the delay in welcoming you. I had assumed it would take a bit more time for you to arrive.”

“…I didn’t expect you personally to come greet us, Gwen.”

“Oh, indeed! But this is your long-awaited return, so I forced this old body of mine to make the effort!”

The man called Gwen elegantly bows to us. The smile lines around his eyes, paired with his warm grin, only reinforce the impression that he is a kind-hearted person.

Mr. Ville let out a long sigh and judging by the casual way they spoke to each other, they must be old acquaintances. After Mr. Ville sighs again, Mr. Gwen opens the door to the room wide.

“Lord Noah has requested that you wait here until preparations are complete.”

“Got it. I didn’t expect to meet right away anyway.”

Another new name has come up, but from the context, this "Lord Noah" must be our goal here and Mr. Ville’s brother, I guess. Judging by Mr. Ville’s unenthusiastic demeanor as he enters the room, I don’t think I’m too far off the mark.

Since Mr. Gwen doesn’t seem to be hostile toward Mr. Ville, maybe it’s safe to relax… I feel the tension leaving my body. I start to follow Mr. Ed, Mr. Xenon, and Ms. Aria who entered after Mr. Ville, but…

“Ah, I’m sorry, but Lady Rin, this way please…”

Just as I was about to enter the room, Mr. Gwen’s arm blocked my path.

In that instant, I can feel Gomamiso in my arms and everyone who has already entered the room suddenly becoming alert.

“Hey, Gwen! Where are you taking Rin?!”

“Lord Noah wishes to speak with Lady Rin directly. She is the subject of the saint’s summoning, is she not?”

“That’s…!”

Oh no! This is troublesome!

When presented with such logical reasoning, I have no choice but to nod in agreement!

It’s a fact that I was brought to this world through the saint’s summoning, and I was probably the only one who saw the people who summoned me… of course, they’d need to question me!

So please, everyone, don’t be so hostile…!

“To begin with, Lord Noah has no intention of harming Lady Rin. These are direct orders from Lord Noah himself.”

“Ugh…”

Mr. Gwen sharply throws these words at the members who seem about to pounce at any moment. His tone makes it clear—no one is permitted to get in the way.

Whoa! Direct orders from the person I’m supposed to report to! That’s… going to be difficult to overturn!

As I stand there looking like I have just lost everything in forex trading, Mr. Gwen pulls me back to reality with a bright smile—his hand resting on my shoulder as if to say, “You’re not escaping.”

With Mr. Ville stuck for words, Mr. Gwen steps in front of me, blocking our party leader’s gaze, and gently places a hand on my back, guiding me in a different direction.

“Also… I sincerely apologize again, but we must ask that your familiar kitten remains in this room.”

“What… I can’t bring it along!?”

‘Huh!? Why!? Why can’t this me come with you!?’

“Even though it is a familiar, there are matters that are not meant for just anyone’s ears—that is the reasoning behind this request.”

The protest from both myself and Gomamiso, who’s whining with growls of objection, is met with a gentle yet firm gaze that clearly draws a line. This is… no matter how much I argue, it seems difficult to get my way… More than making them angry, I don’t want them to get a bad impression of us… Looks like I have no choice but to comply.

Well, earlier, Mr. Gwen said that Mr. Noah didn’t intend to harm me… I suppose I have to believe that for now.

“Miso… be a good boy and wait here, okay? I’ll probably be able to come back once the talk is over.”

‘Why! Why won’t you take me with you!’

“I’d love to bring you, but… sorry, okay?”

It’s Mr. Ville’s large palm that helps remove the kitten clinging to my clothes with its claws.

“Gomamiso… I’m sorry… but stay here with us, okay?”

‘Nooooo! Me too! I want to goooooo too!’

“We want to go with her as well! But… but, you know…”

Mr. Ville somehow manages to pick up Gomamiso, who’s screeching and struggling wildly.

Those strawberry-colored eyes, filled with confusion, frustration, and helplessness, stare right at me. Was this… his way of telling me to go now while I still can?

While I’m thinking about this, I hear the door close behind me with a thud. The commotion from the room suddenly becomes much quieter, and Mr. Gwen, after giving a slight nod, begins walking at a leisurely pace.

Even though I’ve been called here, it would be troublesome to get lost and not reach my destination… Even though I feel reluctant to leave, I follow behind Mr. Gwen, who is walking a few steps ahead.

Why am I the only one called…? What will they ask me…? What is waiting for me ahead…?

Question marks just spin around in my head, and I can’t organize my thoughts. Still, my feet are firmly following Mr. Gwen ahead of me.

We walk straight, turn a few corners, then walk some more… until Mr. Gwen finally comes to a stop in front of an utterly unremarkable door.

“Excuse me, Lord Noah. I’ve brought her.”

“Ah, thank you. Please come in.”

A quiet, calm voice resonates from beyond the door. Mr. Gwen bows slightly and slowly opens the creaking door. Beyond the thick caramel-colored door, I can see interior furnishings of equal or greater quality than those in the hallway. And at the far end of the room… there’s probably the person who owns this room, but I couldn’t get a good look at what kind of person he is.

Somehow feeling like I should, I lower my head. For someone like me who once had a minor back sprain, this posture is quite challenging! But still, I didn’t think about raising my head! I can read the room at least that much!

The sound of the door closing echoes mercilessly. It seems Mr. Gwen closed the door without entering the room.

“Ah… please don’t be so formal, I’d like you to raise your head. I’m grateful to you for being with my brother.”

It feels like only a brief moment has passed since I lowered my head… or maybe it has been a while? I’m not sure—my sense of time must have been thrown off by my nerves.

The same voice I heard through the door earlier descended with a slight laugh.

The tension in the air seems to ease, and I feel like… maybe now I can lift my head? Taking him at his word, I slowly raise my gaze.

The room that now comes into view is not exactly lavish or extravagant… but rather has a calm atmosphere with royal blue used as an accent color in various places. Probably all the furnishings and small items around the room are of high quality and superior craftsmanship, but I’m not sure exactly how valuable they are… I can tell they’re well-made, though.

And above all, beyond the reception table and sofas.

At the far end of the room, sitting behind an imposing desk is the room’s owner—and the sheer presence radiating from him is so intense that even an amateur like me can tell he is no ordinary person!

The illustration’s description: Noah at the table.

He is probably "Lord Noah," Mr. Ville’s half-brother and the one we’re supposed to report to.

But despite being half-brothers, he doesn’t share Mr. Ville’s rugged features or broad build. With his long, jet-black hair loosely tied at the back, his features resemble Mr. Xenon’s more than Mr. Ville’s. He’s got that classic ikemen look, paired with a tall and well-proportioned physique—definitely an elegant older brother. Plus, he’s smiling gently and warmly, but… somehow, that smile still carries a certain intensity?

Before I know it, my mouth has gone completely dry from nerves.

But…

“First, I’m sorry for suddenly calling you here alone. You must have been surprised, right?”

“Um, ah… th-thank you for… inviting me…?”

The half-brother before me addressed me in an unexpectedly cheerful manner. The kingly aura I had definitely felt just moments ago had been wiped away… instead, he seemed so… relaxed? Confused by the unexpected question and this gap, I blurt out words of gratitude, not knowing how to respond. Because! I don’t even know if I should be affirming or denying the half-brother’s words!

“Ah… you’re really nervous, huh? Well, being suddenly summoned to the royal castle would make anyone nervous. Sorry about that!”

“…Royal… castle…?”

Huh? Wait… did I just hear an incredible word?

I mean, he didn’t say “regal casket,” did he? He definitely said “Royal castle!”

“Huh? You look surprised. Didn’t Ville or Gwen tell you?”

“Th-this is the first I’ve heard of it…! Um, this place is the royal castle…?”

“It’s the truth. This is the political center of the royal capital Schulbrand… and of Riessfeld. Schulbrand Castle!”

I feel dizzy suddenly.

Certainly, the interior and structure are grand yet somehow sophisticated and delicate… an elegant design combining both heaviness and lightness, I thought!

But to think it is the royal castle!

I have casually assumed it might be some noble’s mansion or a wealthy person’s home, but it is nothing of the sort! Wait, a secret passage from a hidden bar leads to a castle… should I call this romantic, or should I say I’ve learned an incredible secret…!

“Hmm… from your reaction, it seems you haven’t heard that I’m this country’s king either.”

“…What?”

My brain, which has already stopped processing, is hit with yet more new information.

King…? The king? As in, the most important person in this country!?

Sure, the room’s extravagant décor and the way everyone acts make it obvious that he is someone important… but the king!? The highest authority!?

Huh? Wait wait wait wait!

I can’t keep up with all this! I can’t process all this information aaaaahhhh!

Not knowing what to do, I start to bend my knees to prostrate myself, when the half-brother, glancing at me, lazily waves his hand.

“Ah. No need to be so formal. Inside, I’m just a former corporate slave.”

“…Huh? A c-corporate slave? What?”

A king who is a corporate slave…? Well, he did say "former"…!

Um… what does it mean for a king to be a former corporate slave? Was he employed somewhere and then got promoted to king by some weird twist of fate?

Feeling like I’d just heard something important casually mentioned, I stare at the half-brother, whose pale lips spread into a grin.

“Hello there, otherworlder. I’m a reincarnated person from another world!”

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeh!!!”

Hey! More new information is coming out!

Geez! What kind of reaction is this brother expecting from me!?

The urge to leap away, the rational thought that it would be rude in front of someone so important, and the sheer desire to just give up and let fate take its course are all clashing in my mind. In the end, I freeze in place, unable to do anything. Seeing me like that, the half-brother let out a laugh filled with genuine amusement.

His eyes, though different in color from Mr. Ville’s, are beautiful red like candy, and they narrow mischievously as he looks at me.

“Hahaha! Sorry, sorry! Did I surprise you?”

“N-No… surprise isn’t even the right word… um… other world, reincarnation…? Huh?”

“Well, have a seat. I can’t say whether you’ll be convinced, but I’ll explain.”

Saying that, the mysterious brother before me gestures toward the sofa in the reception area near his desk.

After laughing hard while holding his stomach, the brother claps his hands, and suddenly a tea set and a tea stand loaded with cakes and sandwiches appear on the reception table. This must be magic too, but it’s really amazing.

…Wait a sec, I’ve always been a little curious about experiencing a proper afternoon tea set, but I never expected to encounter it like this! I have such mixed feelings about this!

But that sense of incongruity is nothing compared to the shock of the brother suddenly talking about another world. Normally, I wouldn’t have believed talk about reincarnation from another world. However, having experienced something like "transportation to another world" or "summoning to another world" myself—something stranger than fiction—I can’t not believe it.

Besides, judging from the half-brother’s tone, he really doesn’t seem to intend any harm. To be honest, I really want to hear an explanation of the current situation! I decide to accept the invitation of the brother who moves to the reception area with a smile, and gently seat down on the sofa nearby.

“Let’s see… Ms. Rin, was it? First, you’ve been caught up in some strange situations and had a hard time.”

“Oh, um… yes… it was so sudden, so, yes…”

“Let’s start with introductions. I am Noah Schulbrand. The king of this country, and also the half-brother of Ville, your party’s leader.”

With the elegantly designed interior as his backdrop, the half-brother… Mr. Noah smiles gracefully. That relaxed atmosphere suddenly disappears, and before me stands a man who embodied a "king.”

Seeing him like that, I suddenly realize that he really isn’t lying about being the king. It’s like he’s wrapped in the air of a ruler… does that make sense?

Just a moment ago, I was surprised that I was inside a castle, but the way Mr. Noah’s demeanor changed is surprising too!

As my back instinctively straightens, his regal face in front of me slackens into a relaxed expression.

“…that’s just my public face. Inside, I’m actually nothing more than a former company employee, born and raised in Japan. My original name was Yamamoto Takuya. Deceased at age 34.”

“De-deceased? So that means… you were reincarnated into this world…?”

“Yeah, you got it. I was feeling exhausted from all the overtime work, and then suddenly I was told I’m a king’s child. Talk about a shock!”

The king laughs cheerfully, continuing the conversation while happily sipping tea and nibbling on snacks.

“The reason I called only you, Ms. Rin, is because I can’t exactly say ‘Ms. Rin is a transmigrator, but I’m a reincarnated person’ in front of Ville and the others, right? I haven’t even told Ville about it myself.”

“Huh? Oh… I see. That’s… certainly true.”

My head isn’t working properly with all these unexpected revelations. Whether Mr. Noah notices my confusion or not, he tilts his head cutely with a bright smile, having completely shed his kingly aura.

Even so, I can tell he is trying to be considerate. Between conversations, he places sandwiches and pastries on the plate in front of me.

“Well… when people are hit with more than they can process at once, their brains tend to shut down. Have some sweets and give yourself a little break.”

Mr. Noah smiles and pushes a plate full of sweets toward me. After a moment’s hesitation, I decided to resign myself to the situation and take a bite of one of the sweets.

…It tastes exactly like what you’d expect from palace confections.

A rich, luxurious flavor… well, to be honest, it’s somewhat cloying and extremely sweet. It tastes like it was made with the concept that "lots of butter and sugar equals luxury!”

“Hehe… it’s surprising at first, isn’t it? Compared to this, even cheap Japanese snacks taste better! The effort Japanese confectionery companies put into their products is really incredible.”

“Well, yes… but couldn’t you, as the king, just order them to improve it?”

Mr. Noah stifles a laugh as he watches me immediately reach for a cup of tea.

I mean, come on! My mouth feels so heavy! To someone with a modern palate accustomed to high-quality Japanese snacks, this taste is rather old-fashioned…

And if he’s reincarnated, shouldn’t he remember what good food tastes like?

When I casually asked this, Mr. Noah’s cheerful expression changed to a troubled smile.

“Hmm… how should I put this… the idea that these sweets are cloying and unpleasant is just my opinion as a reincarnated person, right?”

“Oh… right… everyone else only knows the sweets from this world…”

“Exactly. Plus, the majority think ‘this taste is important for maintaining appearances!’ If I don’t go along with it, things get complicated… You wouldn’t want our country to be looked down upon by others over something like sweets, would you?”

…Ah… I see.

While it might not taste great to a palate accustomed to the other world’s flavors, these sweets represent "the highest form of hospitality" in this world. It’s about using plenty of premium ingredients to show that you’re being properly entertained. When I think about it, sweets adjusted to match the standards of the other world might taste bland here, and that could be interpreted as skimping on hospitality.

“It must be hard to align different sets of common sense!”

“Yeah, it is. But hey, even though I have memories of my previous life, I’ve lived in this world since I was born. It’s still much easier for me.”

“That’s true… the advantage of being able to learn everything from scratch is significant.”

It has been so long since I had a conversation that feels both meaningful and meaningless at the same time, and before I know it, I almost tear up. The shared experience of having memories of living in Japan, whether true or not, probably intensifies this feeling. I also get the impression that Mr. Noah was an easygoing person in his previous life too, which makes me feel a bit more relaxed.

“…So, let me get to the point… Ms. Rin, do you know an otome game called ‘The Wild Rose Maiden’?”

“Wild Rose Maiden…? I’m sorry, but I’ve never played it.”

I blink in surprise at Mr. Noah’s words as he picks up a sandwich made with brown bread.

Not only am I confused about why he suddenly brought up a game, but I also have absolutely no recollection of the title he mentioned.

To be honest, while I’ve dabbled in a wide range of tabletop RPGs, I’ve never really played many normal games beyond classic RPGs, a few action games, and some horror titles.

Mr. Noah seems to understand everything from my response, smiling weakly—partly amused, partly troubled.

“I see, I see. ‘The Wild Rose Maiden’ is… a dating sim game that was somewhat popular a while back, produced by our company.”

“…Your company? Wait, um… a dating sim?”

“Yes. It’s exactly what it sounds like—a classic story about a girl summoned as a saint to another world, where she travels with handsome men, fights monsters, and finds love. It’s an RPG-style romance simulation game.”

As I froze in complete bewilderment at this totally different genre, Mr. Noah patiently explained the details about this "Wild Rose Maiden" thing.

He went on about how the enemies in the RPG sections were significantly weakened for dating sim players unfamiliar with RPGs, how there were enemy characters who join your party when defeated and play important roles in the story, how some romance events progress in the form of quests from NPCs, and so on and so forth…

“…Wait… could it be…?!”

“Hehehe… Doesn’t it sound incredibly similar to what you’ve experienced, Ms. Rin?”

…Oh no… I think I’m realizing something I shouldn’t be realizing!

It feels like I’ve critically succeeded on a check I should have failed!

Because, no way… it can’t be…!

Even as I try to escape reality, I can’t look away from the truth I have realized. My mind keeps racing toward the inevitable… and then, as if pulling the trigger on my downfall, Mr. Noah takes a sip of tea and speaks:

“In other words, this world is the world of ‘The Wild Rose Maiden,’ and everything you’ve experienced, Ms. Rin, has just been game events.”

“N-n-no waaaaaaaaay?!”

Unable to handle the cruel reality shoved in my face, I clutch my head and slump over the table.

I’m so confused that I’ve broken through even Survival’s mental stabilizing effect. All this information has been crammed into my brain at once, and I am on the verge of overload. Various thoughts appear and disappear in my head, and I can feel my thought processes spinning at an incredible speed.

…Come to think of it, if I believe Mr. Noah’s words, wouldn’t Gomamiso be a perfect example?

A dungeon boss who joins your party after being defeated… that’s a pretty common setup, right? Looking back with Mr. Noah’s explanation in mind, our meeting did seem very much like a typical dungeon event!

Well, my winged lynx didn’t actually fight us. It just fell down hungry and got fed, the free-spirited creature it is.

“Are you okay, Ms. Rin? Should we talk about something else to help you calm down? Or would you prefer if I just physically shock you instead?”

Mr. Noah’s calm, relaxed voice made his not-at-all-calm suggestion sound even more distant. My mind is being swallowed by the swirling vortex of my thoughts to focus on anything else.

…Honestly, if I could have just passed out from the shock, that would’ve been nice. But after everything I’d been through in this world, my mind refused to let me escape that easily.

“In the game, there was friction between humans and demi-humans, and monster incidents occurred much more frequently.”

“…Uh-huh…”

“To begin with, our country was considered eerie because we didn’t have much interaction with other countries.”

“…I see…”

But honestly, the damage is significant. Please forgive my empty responses. As I nod mechanically like a wind-up toy running out of power, Mr. Noah continues his explanation of this world.

“When you and Ville’s group cleared those dungeon and monster event mechanics, I thought ‘Yes!’ It prevented the saint from leveling up and their affection from increasing.”

Mr. Noah, holding an elegantly painted cup glazed in royal blue, smiles with cold eyes—quite the picture!

…Well, if the mess we got dragged into ended up weakening the enemy team, I guess our efforts weren’t completely in vain?

For a romance simulation game with RPG elements, having neither levels nor affection increase seems… rather fatal, doesn’t it? It’s like being forced to play while completely ignoring the core concept!

I’ve never played a dating sim, but if you’re surrounded by handsome guys and nothing romantic happens… isn’t it basically fraud?

“In the original game, the saint’s goal was to eliminate monsters and demi-humans that harbor ill feelings toward humans… and to defeat me, who became the Demon King.”

“Wow… well, as a game story, I suppose I can understand…”

“I think it’s a classic storyline in a way. In the game, the conflict between demi-humans and humans was intense.”

Mr. Noah moistens his lips with tea and returns the cup to the saucer with a downturned brow.

Well… from a game perspective, the saint’s side is just playing their part in the story, but still…

Thinking back on all the places I’ve visited so far, I can only recall people getting along, regardless of whether they were human or demi-human.

“But is the divide between humans and demi-humans really that large? From what I’ve seen, everyone seemed to get along…”

“Well… a long time ago, sure, but nowadays prejudice against demi-humans has diminished considerably, and inter-species conflicts have decreased. I worked hard to make that happen.”

“Even with the advantage of prior knowledge, being able to actually take action like that is impressive!”

“Well, I knew the storyline, right? I thought ‘war is such a pain’ and put tremendous effort into both diplomacy and domestic affairs.”

As I help myself to a sandwich, his reply is quite reasonable. Mr. Noah’s speech is a bit lazy, and I feel like this is his true nature, but he seems like a genuinely good person at heart. I can really feel how much he worked to prevent unnecessary tragedies and conflicts.

Before I notice, my cup has emptied, and Mr. Noah refills it with tea.

It’s tea with a unique flavor, different from both black tea and herbal tea. The fact that I can taste it now probably means my tension has eased somewhat?

…Yup. It was shocking, but as they say, once the danger passes… Survival is probably regulating my emotions too, so it makes sense that I’m calming down.

“By the way, in the game, my character was set to ‘suddenly revert to ancestral form, overflowing with hatred for humans, and wage war against the human side as the king of monsters.’”

“Really?! That was your setting? If I may be so bold, you don’t seem like that at all!”

“True. I was born with the appropriate specs for that role, but this is who I am inside. Man… it was tough…”

I nodded along to Mr. Noah’s story while munching on cookies and sandwiches that were continuously replenished as soon as they disappeared.

The somewhat strong-brewed tea is a bit astringent, but when drunk with the salty, tangy buttered sandwiches or the sweet baked treats, the astringency seems to complement them nicely. This combination is becoming quite delicious as I get used to it. As I gradually begin to enjoy these otherworldly high-class snacks, I listen to Mr. Noah’s narrative.

Since the time of his father—the previous king—Mr. Noah had been advocating for the importance of interactions and trade with other countries, focusing on monster subjugation within the country… He had been quite proactive in his efforts. Thanks to that, the image of this country as having few diplomatic relations and being eerie is gradually being overturned.

“And now, after all that, they suddenly want to subjugate the Demon King? Like, seriously…? The conflict between demi-humans and humans is practically nonexistent now, so let the saint’s bunch get all excited over nothing.”

“Well, from what you’ve told me, it seems like we’ve pretty much ruined both their events and leveling opportunities.”

“Yes. So in many ways, I’m grateful to you, Ms. Rin.”

I feel like… I, or rather, all of us Gourmands members really stirred things up!

Of course, Mr. Noah and his people helped set the stage for this… but hasn’t the stage become much more chaotic than expected?

If the saint’s group wants to accomplish their goal in this mess, it’s going to be really tough…!

“Hey, did you know? Ville and the rest of the Gourmands were originally supposed to be nameless NPCs meant to die.”

“…Huh?”

My hand, which has been reaching for a cookie, freezes midair.

“They were supposed to go looking for an orb that would halve the Demon King’s power to stop my rampage, only to fall halfway through their mission.”

Wait… hold on… I don’t understand what you’re saying!?

Mr. Ville? Ms. Aria? Mr. Ed? Mr. Xenon? Everyone in the Gourmands, dead?

“But then the saint would find a memo Ville left behind in his final moments, and ‘renew their determination to definitely defeat the Demon King for these people’s sake,’ that kind of event, you know.”

What? After Mr. Ville and the others are gone, they use that as motivation to get fired up?

I mean, even in tabletop RPGs, finding notes from an annihilated advance party that provide hints… that’s a common gimmick! But when that role is assigned to your companions, I never realized it could make me this angry.

What the hell!? I seriously want to complain to the management! I’m in the mood to send an angry email without hesitation!

Don’t use my friends as mere plot devices!

As I desperately try to hold back from trembling with rage, Mr. Noah suddenly steels his expression.

“You and me, who slipped into this world where traditionally only one saint should be summoned, are definitely ‘irregulars’.”

“…That’s… true… Considering we have meta-knowledge, and we’re people who shouldn’t even exist, that makes sense.”

“Even so, as someone who was born a resident of this world—a named character, no less—I think you, Ms. Rin, have far more freedom to act without being bound by the scenario.”

Mr. Noah’s words, accompanied by his gentle smile, gradually sank into me.

I see… Irregulars, huh? Ah, yes. When he puts it that way, it makes perfect sense.

It means anomalous or non-standard, but I remember some foreign literature translations rendering it as "guerrilla force.”

As a result of me moving freely like that, the lucky four-leaf… one party was saved, and the enemy’s plans are starting to sink into a quagmire… Maybe this current situation happened because it was meant to be…

“So, Ms. Rin. I think it’s time we go for the finishing blow…”

“The finishing blow…? What kind, exactly?”

“Simply put, stealing their important events. I want to thoroughly eliminate any opportunity for them to power up through this.”

His unexpectedly serious eyes pierce through me.

As his soft voice calls my name, the remaining rational part of my mind vaguely senses the world spinning around me.

◆◇◆

“Rin! Rin! Hey, pull yourself together!”

“Huh… what? Mr. Ville!?”

My thought process, which had been spinning uselessly, resurfaces with the sensation of being vigorously shaken and a voice I’ve grown completely familiar with. When I look up, Mr. Ville is staring at me with concern. Behind him… near the entrance door, Ms. Aria, Mr. Ed, and Mr. Xenon are also waiting. Mr. Noah, the person responsible for throwing me into such confusion, has somehow returned to his desk.

“Hey! What did you do to Rin?!”

“I’m offended… I didn’t do anything.”

Mr. Ville steps forward protectively in front of me as I remain seated on the reception sofa, while Mr. Noah furrows his brows as if sulking. Apparently, after that, my brain overheated, leaving me semi-conscious with my eyes still open.

…That said, apart from being provided with some incredible information, nothing particular was done to me… Wait, I need to stop Mr. Ville first!

“Mr. Ville! Mr. Ville! It’s okay, I’m fine! Nothing was done to me!”

“Rin… even so, you seemed quite dazed…?”

“I was just shocked by the amount of information! So it’s definitely not a case of something being done to me!”

I plead with him while lightly tugging at Mr. Ville’s cloak fluttering in front of me… and finally, he calms down. While watching Mr. Ville’s back as he takes a deep breath to suppress his agitated feelings, I steal a glance at Mr. Noah. Honestly, it’s a bit irritating that he’s now looking completely unfazed!

“Anyway… first of all, welcome back, Ville. There’s a lot I want to say, but let’s save that for later.”

“…Ah, yeah… I-I’m back…”

Mr. Noah rests his elbows on his desk with his hands clasped under his chin… smiling pleasantly in a pose reminiscent of a certain commander where his mouth is visible.

Mr. Ville’s voice, confronting him, is slightly… no, considerably trembling. Whether from nervousness or perhaps awe toward his "big brother"…

“Really. Though I’ve been keeping tabs on your movements, it seems things have gotten quite interesting.”

“Wha… since when…?!”

“I may not match up Father yet, but my reach is pretty long too, Ville.”

Well, if Big Brother was Watching You without your knowledge, that’s the natural reaction, I guess.

…Hmm, somehow… Mr. Ville’s back reminds me of my younger brother when we fought. He’d approach me, torn between "Sis is scary" and "Give me my snacks"…

As I watch the pitiful "little brother’s" back with a sense of compassion, I suddenly make eye contact with those red eyes across the desk. Those eyes, which had been gently smiling all along, narrow particularly gently, then move to look at everyone’s faces.

“I’m truly grateful to all of you for accompanying my reckless little brother who suddenly left home. I shudder to think what reckless things he might have done without you.”

“Hey, stop it! It’s hard for them to respond with either a yes or no when you say things like that!”

“You say that, Ville, but I’ve been so worried that your recklessness might cause trouble for others…”

“Argh, this is exactly why I didn’t want to come back!”

Mr. Noah, maintaining his commander pose, looks at us and smiles.

Even the battle-hardened party members seem flustered, unsure of how to respond to his words.

Of course, I’m also thinking about how to react… and thanks to witnessing Mr. Noah’s smile, my circulatory system has taken massive damage! The smile of this handsome man, who could easily be called beautiful, has quite the destructive power even across a desk…

As Mr. Noah showed plenty of composure, Mr. Ville clutched his head and let out an anguished cry.

Ahh… being toyed with so completely in his big brother’s palm… this must be part of why he was reluctant to come. It’s kind of like… a son being teased in front of his visiting friends by his mom? Though Mr. Noah’s teasing probably includes an element of punishment for Mr. Ville’s sudden departure, it must be quite tough for the person being teased…

As I watch the brothers’ conversation that I can’t possibly interrupt, the smile suddenly disappears from Mr. Noah’s face, who seems to have thoroughly enjoyed this interaction with his brother after so long.

“Well, jokes aside. I’ve been gathering various information on my end too.”

“…I thought the information would be consolidated here, and I see it’s really true.”

“Would you like the information I’ve gathered, Ville?”

“Huh? No… uh, what? Of course, I want it! Why else do you think we came all the way to the capital!?”

With a thud, a large stack of papers is placed on the desk. Before I can wonder where he’s pulling them from, several scrolls and what appear to be bound documents continue to pile up on the desk. To borrow the words of Mr. Noah, who no longer has even a trace of his earlier smile, this must be the various information gathered under him.

Mr. Ville, taken aback by these unexpected words, hesitates for a moment before a single sheet of paper is presented in front of him.

“I don’t mind giving you the information. But before that, there’s a little job I’d like you to take care of.”

With his red lips curled into a smile, Mr. Noah tilts his head slightly as he looks at Mr. Ville.

Our party leader lets out a low growl from the back of his throat before snatching the paper from Mr. Noah’s hand, who maintains his unwavering smile. As his crimson eyes go back and forth across the paper several times, following the text, his expression seems to be gradually becoming more grim…?

“Hey, wait… Don’t tell me there’s monster trouble here in the royal capital too…!?”

“Yes. And it probably started around the time of that ‘saint summoning’ you mentioned.”

The older brother answered casually, still smiling, as Mr. Ville looked up from the paper and muttered.

The saint summoning.

According to Mr. Noah, the scenario of "The Wild Rose Maiden" game started after the saint summoning took place.

Since I’ve been told everything, I can understand, but for people living in this world, it must be utterly incomprehensible. And what worries me is that the people who were set up as "victims" in the game scenario might actually exist in this world. Even if the abnormal phenomena occurring in various places follow the game’s scenario, the people living here are real flesh and blood. I hope there haven’t been any injuries… or deaths…

“This case was just reported a little while ago. There haven’t been any casualties yet, but the sooner we can address it, the better, right?”

“…You weren’t planning to make us handle this from the beginning, were you?”

“Of course not! This is truly a coincidence. I was going to take it to the guild in the royal capital, but when I heard you and your party are coming, I thought it might be perfect timing.”

Mr. Noah casually waves his hand, his smile unwavering despite Mr. Ville’s suspicious tone and sharp questioning.

At the same time, something like a display appears in midair before me. If that large blue dot is our current location, then perhaps the small red dot nearby is our destination. Looking at it this way, it certainly doesn’t seem too far away, but time-wise, I think it’s going to get dark soon, yup.

Well, with the Camping Car, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Mr. Ville, who seems to have finished reading the report, passes the paper with the information to Mr. Xenon.

Oh. So we’re allowed to read this too? I had assumed it was a top-secret mission… Now I feel a little let down. Maybe I got too caught up in the atmosphere.

As we begin to share the information among us, Mr. Noah deepens his smile and waves his gloved hand gently. With that as our cue, we all bow deeply once more and quietly leave the room.

I follow behind them while holding Gomamiso…

When we exit into the hallway and close the door, I feel my shoulders lighten.

“Somehow… I was more nervous than I expected…”

“Ah… well, I’m sorry about my brother…”

“While he’s not a frightening person, the aura he gives off is quite something.”

In response to my involuntary comment, Mr. Ville lowers the corners of his eyebrows and pats my back. Even the usually composed Mr. Xenon seems to have been tense, as his shoulders drop in relief.

Well, yes… even though I know Mr. Noah’s true self, when he puts on that ‘kingly’ presence, it’s hard not to feel nervous and mentally exhausted… That commanding presence that makes you cautious even when you know who he really is—it’s incredible. That kind of atmosphere isn’t something you can develop overnight.

A little ahead of us, Mr. Gwen, who guided us earlier, is leading the way down the hallway again. He only glances at us briefly before facing forward and just walking. He doesn’t say anything in particular. Taking advantage of the distance between us and Mr. Gwen, Mr. Ville slows his pace and comes closer to me.

“…Rin. Were you really okay being alone with my brother? He didn’t do anything unpleasant to you?”

“I was fine! We just talked a bit about the saint summoning and the other world.”

Mr. Ville bent his tall frame slightly and asked in a hushed voice, wary of our surroundings. The corners of his eyebrows are lowered with concern, and I realize I’ve worried him more than I thought.

Well, truly nothing happened to me, so everything’s fine! When I give him a thumbs-up to reassure him, I hear him exhale softly in relief.

“Also, he mentioned that the mission we’re heading to is highly likely to be related to the saint summoning, so he wants us to do our best.”

“Is that true!? Did my brother say anything else?”

“I don’t know the details, but he said there’s another incident that might be related to the saint summoning, and he’ll talk about that after this mission is complete!”

I briefly relay what Mr. Noah and I had agreed to tell Mr. Ville, who seems quite interested. At that time, what Mr. Noah asked of me was to help with two key events in the game scenario. So I hinted to Mr. Ville that the mission we’re heading to might be related to the saint summoning. Of course, I’m keeping secret the fact that this world is a game world and that the mission we’re heading to is part of the game scenario.

“From what I read in the report, it seems strange shadows have been spotted in a nearby village. I thought we were just  investigating that…”

“I didn’t hear the details either, but that seems to be the case.”

“Apparently, large shadows have been flying over the village from evening to night. The request is to investigate… and if there’s danger, to eliminate it.”

Listening to Mr. Ville explain the mission as we walk down the hallway, I can’t help but think… this really sounds like a game scenario. However, the villagers who are experiencing this must be terrified. Something unknown flying through the sky in a place with little lighting—that would be scary for anyone.

We walk down the hallway, which feels somewhat shorter than when we came, and are guided to what appears to be the same small room as before. Mr. Gwen, who opens the door for us, bows elegantly without a word and disappears down the hallway.

Sure enough, opening the door reveals what appears to be the same interior as before. In front of the door that connects to the underground passage, Mr. Ville bows his head slightly.

“…I’m sorry for getting you involved in this strange situation.”

“That’s my line, Mr. Ville. The trigger is indeed the ‘saint summoning,’ so who better to go than the person involved?”

Seeing Mr. Ville looking quite dejected, I frantically wave my hands.

Because! If anything, I’m the one causing trouble for everyone, am I not? If I hadn’t joined the party, Mr. Ville and the rest wouldn’t have had to do anything…!

Oh no… am I really just causing problems for everyone…!?

“Now, now. Rin, you are a victim of this ‘saint summoning’! Don’t worry about it!”

“Mm! Rin… not bad!”

Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria gently place their hands on my back as I bow my head. I can feel the warmth of their comforting touch.

“If the ‘saint summoning’ was the trigger, we can expect more monster incidents in the future.”

“Considering that, we’d better keep you close to us, Rin. We might be able to find some clues, right?”

Oh… everyone… everyone is so kind!

As Mr. Xenon and Mr. Ville smile and pat my head—and considering the thoughtfulness of all the Gourmands members—I can barely manage to secretly wipe away the tears that have welled up.

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