Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 248

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Chapter Two Hundred and Forty-Eight: Secret Talk 2 (Julius’s POV)

Julius had already finished telling his story. Karen had, without a doubt, heard his abhorrent secret of birth that made anyone who heard it grimace. But now Karen braced herself as if to say she would endure whatever was said, waiting for Julius’s next words.

“I’m scared to imagine how the story could connect from here to make me reconsider my engagement to you, Mr. Julius… but if it’s something I’m allowed to hear, I’ll listen! Could it be something criminal?”

Karen gulped and took on a resolute expression.

“If there are unavoidable circumstances, I can totally accept it. However, even if there aren’t circumstances… if you are truly repentant, I’m prepared to atone for that sin together with you!”

Julius’s background was apparently so insignificant to Karen that she couldn’t even recognize it as a reason to reconsider their engagement. More than trivial—for Karen, Julius being born was naturally not Julius’ sin.

So she didn’t even think it could be a reason to reconsider the engagement. Even if there had been a crime, Karen was saying she would atone for it together.

To such a Karen, Julius answered as if savoring each word:

“…I didn’t commit a crime.”

“I-I see. That’s good! Then what’s the secret that would make me reconsider the engagement?”

Karen said with a relieved expression.

Julius stared intently at Karen.

There had been people who said verbally to young Julius, consumed by guilt, “You’re not at fault.” But their faces, their eyes, were distorted with revulsion as they gazed at the sin that had taken the form of Julius.

However, Karen didn’t care in the slightest. On the contrary, looking up at the dumbfounded Julius, she added with a gentle expression:

“If you still want to hide it after all, that’s fine, Mr. Julius. I don’t believe married couples shouldn’t have secrets. Everyone has secrets, after all.”

Karen said this, still not realizing she had learned the secret that should have been grounds for her to feel revulsion toward Julius. When Julius couldn’t help but smile at Karen’s boundlessly bright wink, Karen said:

“As a matter of fact, I have secrets too!”

“You have secrets, Karen?”

Now it was Julius’s turn to brace himself. Various imaginings instantly flashed through his mind, and among them, Julius timidly voiced the most plausible possibility that had been tormenting him with anxiety:

“Don’t tell me—you’ve actually been intimately involved with Lyos?”

“What!? No way!”

When Karen dismissed it with a laugh, Julius exhaled. It had been a very possible scenario, since commoners didn’t value chastity as much as nobles did.

The Ehlertt family’s intelligence network had investigated Karen, but they couldn’t investigate what happened behind closed doors.

Remaining relieved, Julius asked her in a light tone:

“Then what is your secret? I told you everything, yet you won’t tell me?”

“Did you really tell me everything?”

Karen said while looking up at Julius quizzically.

“Well, like why I can make panaceas, that kind of thing!”

“…I see.”

Certainly, there was some kind of secret behind Karen’s alchemy. It would have been more difficult to react if she claimed there was no secret at all.

Regardless of what that secret was, the Ehlertt family’s policy was not to pry, but to protect her with all their strength should any issue arise. Julius followed the same stance. As a result, he had completely forgotten to pursue this secret that Karen held.

“I could tell you, but it takes a bit of courage to convey. Ah, but maybe you would reconsider our engagement if you knew this secret, Mr. Julius… so I think I won’t say it after all!”

Seeing Karen casually decide to keep it secret, Julius felt the tension drain from his shoulders.

Secrets were fine to tell or not tell. Even if Karen never spoke of her secret, though he would be curious, if she said she didn’t want to talk about it, Julius could accept that. Whatever secret Karen might reveal, just as Karen herself had said, Julius couldn’t imagine canceling the engagement over it.

When he put himself in Karen’s position, everything seemed absurdly simple. Just as it was enough for Julius that Karen was simply Karen. Surely for Karen too, it was enough that Julius was simply Julius.

“Oh…? Could it be that the secret you thought would make me reconsider the engagement is about your father doing something bad, Mr. Julius? But that’s not your fault… ah! Your expression says otherwise!”

Karen, who had finally noticed, read Julius’s expression and flared up in anger:

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Mr. Julius! Did you honestly think I’d break up with you over something like that!?”

Karen resumed eating while huffing. Apparently, her irritation brought her appetite back.

Julius narrowed his eyes as Karen furiously devoured the potato salad in front of her. Feeling belatedly forgiven in many ways, Julius found his appetite returning as well, and before he knew it, he had taken two heaping refills of potato salad.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 247

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Chapter Two Hundred and Forty-Seven: Secret Talk (Julius’s POV)

“—That’s what the knight captain said, but Mr. Julius, is he holding some weakness over you? Are you all right?”

Asked in a whisper while covering her mouth with her hand, Julius paled and stopped his hand.

In the dining hall, Karen and Julius were having dinner together.

Helfried, Sieg, and Alise were on-site, preparing for the hunting festival. A year after Julius’s dungeon conquest, quite a few monsters had returned. This hunting festival would likely be held on a grand scale.

Thor and his adventurer party had gone down to Ehlertt town and had not returned. They seemed to be gathering information about the dungeon, spreading their presence at various places like the Adventurers’ Guild, taverns, and inns.

The next conquerors of the Ehlertt dungeon might be Thor’s Crimson Thunder party. If that happened, Karen’s status in Ehlertt territory would rise even higher—however inconvenient that might be for others.

So perhaps it was actually good that he had been refused instruction of the knights’ order. That was what Julius had been thinking when Karen brought up the topic.

Gottfried was certainly not an enemy. But he had acted behind the scenes in a way disadvantageous to Julius. Fortunately, Karen hadn’t taken the deal Gottfried had proposed and had readily told Julius about it—but that itself left Julius puzzled.

“…Are you sure that’s wise, Karen? If you tell me that, I’ll have to act to prevent any leaks. Aren’t you curious about my secret? It’s the kind that might make you reconsider your engagement to me if you knew it.”

If she wanted to know before the engagement was announced at the New Year’s Festival, it would be wiser to keep quiet. To Julius’s question, Karen swallowed the potato salad in her mouth before speaking:

“Of course I’m curious. Just the sound of the words ‘Mr. Julius’s secret’ makes my meal go down better! But saying that means you don’t want me to know that secret, right?”

Since it was a secret, that was natural.

When Julius nodded, Karen said with a resolute expression:

“If someone is trying to reveal a secret you don’t want known, it’s only natural to tell you, Mr. Julius. And if you don’t want me to know it, I’m fine staying in the dark. I am curious, though.”

Was that just a front, or her true feelings?

Karen casually changed the topic:

“Still, why would he ask me to help people from the former earl’s faction?”

Though confused, Julius decided to go along with it. He was the one who most wanted to avoid this topic.

“That’s probably because Brother Helfried intends to abandon them. Just like this mansion, he wants to completely remove our father’s influence. Sister-in-law Alise supports him, so she can’t be relied on. Sieg is far too young, of course. And he probably can’t ask me either.”

“So I’m the horse when you are the general?”

Karen looked understanding. She was probably just seen as the easiest to approach, but Karen seemed satisfied, saying, "He must’ve figured striking me would bring you along, Mr. Julius.”

Though he should have just gone along with the topic Karen had changed and let the conversation flow, Julius inadvertently brought it back:

“…Is it all right not to know the true identity of the man you’re trying to get engaged to? Karen.”

“Let me ask you instead.”

Karen looked up at Julius, who had brought the topic back, and tilted her head.

“If I did know that so-called secret, do you really think I would reconsider my engagement to you for that reason?”

Karen’s question was far too confident and self-assured. Julius looked dumbfounded at Karen, who continued:

“I can’t imagine myself doing that at all.”

Eventually, Julius chuckled softly.

“True, perhaps you wouldn’t care no matter what you learned about me.”

Yet, that might not be the case. Nevertheless, Julius raised his hand, signaling the servants to leave the room. After watching the servants, including Sara, exit, Julius turned back to Karen.

Gazed at by Karen’s clear sky-blue eyes, Julius smiled wryly as if resigned.

“It’s simply that I was born as a result of my father wanting a child with high magical power. Brother Helfried, who was born first, fortunately didn’t have magical power high enough to suffer from the Bloodline Blessing. But my father wanted a strong child, not caring if the child would suffer. As a result, he forced a woman with high magical power from the common people to bear me.”

Julius began speaking matter-of-factly. Taking utmost care not to let emotion mix in, Julius revealed the secret he hadn’t wanted Karen to know.

…Even though he didn’t want it known, he couldn’t help but speak. That his very existence was proof of a crime. No matter how much he didn’t want Karen to know, keeping it from her seemed like a more hideous sin against Karen.

“Brother Helfried doesn’t know this. Naturally, neither do Sister-in-law Alise nor Sieg. But the knight captain knows. Everyone who knows of my birth thinks it’s defiled. Isn’t that true for you as well?”

“—To be honest, I’ve lost my appetite.”

Karen set down her utensils and spoke. Julius deepened his bitter smile.

“It wasn’t something to discuss during a meal. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I was the one who brought it up.”

Karen sighed. Julius watched Karen’s reaction closely.

“Still, even though he’s your father, Mr. Julius, it’s terrible, isn’t it!?”

“You don’t need to hold back because he’s my father. I also think it’s an evil act that makes me nauseous.”

Heavy silence settled, and Julius was already beginning to regret having spoken. He belatedly began thinking about what would happen if Karen said she wanted to reconsider the engagement. But his hypothetical thoughts didn’t progress any further.

The option of breaking up for Karen’s sake didn’t exist within Julius. But then, what would he do?

—In every way, he resembled his father.

When Julius cut off his thoughts, not wanting to think any further, Karen opened her mouth with a dark expression.

“I don’t know if I should ask this, but… what about your mother?”

“She abandoned me and escaped. She saw a gap when the surveillance loosened.”

“That’s terrible, but…”

“In that situation, she probably had her hands full just protecting herself. I’m glad she managed to escape.”

In his mind, Julius silently added: “Now, at least.”

Unspoken, Karen did not notice the movement of his lips.

Karen crossed her arms and pressed her lips together with a frown.

At her expression of serious consideration, Julius gulped.

What words those lips would weave next, Julius waited with bated breath.

“This, too, I don’t know if I should ask.”

“You can ask anything, Karen, if it’s you.”

“—Could this lead to the secret that might make me reconsider my engagement to you, Mr. Julius?”

At Karen’s absurd question, Julius’s eyes widened.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 246

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Chapter Two Hundred and Forty-Six: Visiting the Knight Order 3

“Of course, I intend to marry Mr. Julius. By the way, as someone who will become his’ wife, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Why did you refuse Mr. Julius’ offer to instruct? He’s the strongest person in Ehlertt right now.”

Karen smiled brightly at Gottfried, who frowned.

Noble knight orders were organizations that fought monsters for their territory, but it was commonly known that they were overwhelmingly weaker than high-ranking adventurers. She hadn’t heard of the knight order conquering the Ehlertt capital’s dungeon before or after Julius, either. Karen’s sarcasm—that, despite being weak, what were they being picky about?—surely got through.

“You said Mr. Julius’ swordsmanship isn’t what knights should learn, correct? His swordsmanship is indeed unique, but knights basically fight monsters. Since monsters don’t use swordsmanship based on chivalry, shouldn’t you learn what you can learn?”

Karen let her anger show implicitly, saying that Julius had kindly offered instruction, yet they had treated it coldly.

Gottfried’s eyes widened slightly.

“—I see. So you know about Master Julius’ swordsmanship.”

“Of course. It’s unconventional, but it’s a fighting style that’s rarely common among adventurers.”

“Indeed, your younger brother is an adventurer.”

“A B-rank adventurer!”

When Karen puffed out her chest as if it were her own achievement, Gottfried smiled wryly.

“As the family of a high-ranking adventurer risen from common birth, perhaps you don’t see how abnormal it is.”

“…What’s that supposed to mean?”

“No, I didn’t intend to criticize you. Nor your brother.”

If the sharp edge of those words wasn’t aimed at Karen or Thor, then the only target could be Julius.

When Karen finally lost even her smile, Gottfried cleared his throat.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding, so let me explain. Master Julius’ swordsmanship is established on the foundation of his blessed physical abilities, natural sense, and enormous magical power.”

“…Excuse me?”

When Karen looked puzzled at Gottfried suddenly beginning to praise Julius, Gottfried explained as if breaking it down carefully:

“For example, we have knight apprentices from noble families of the Ehlertt territory. If they admired Master Julius and tried to imitate that style, they would quickly break themselves. Their bodies couldn’t keep up—and neither could their magical power.”

Karen recalled the battle between Julius and Thor. Their fighting style looked almost like acrobatics. Both of them were moving beyond the range of human motion. If asked whether it could be imitated, the answer was absolutely no.

“Master Julius’ swordsmanship is established on the premise of making maximum use of the exceptionally rare talents he was born with. It’s utterly impossible to master. But even if I ordered the young apprentices not to imitate it, I couldn’t stop their admiration for dungeon conquerors. Reckless youths would try to become like Master Julius and end up permanently disabled. As a knight captain, I cannot overlook that.”

“I… see…?”

“What’s suitable for the knights’ swordsmanship is the Royal Swordsmanship, where one becomes strong by mastering basic forms that even small children can imitate. With this, even if young apprentices whose bodies aren’t fully developed imitate it and strain themselves, the possibility of permanent disability is low.”

“Indeed…!”

“Therefore, I stated that Master Julius’ sword wasn’t suitable as a knight’s sword, and I declined having him observe training. Do you understand?”

“Yes…! Very much so…!”

Karen felt mortified. She had felt Julius was being treated badly, but explained this way, it made sense.

“Because Mr. Julius is a genius that no one can imitate, yet if they saw Mr. Julius’ sword, they’d want to imitate it. So you can’t show it. That’s what it was…!”

“I’m glad you understand.”

“And yet I misunderstood, thinking Mr. Julius was being treated poorly… Um, I’m sorry for being confrontational…!”

“It just shows how much you care for him. I don’t mind. My first cousin once removed will have a loving wife, it seems.”

“Ehe, ehehehe…!”

To Karen, who could only laugh wordlessly from the embarrassment of her misunderstanding and shyness, Gottfried said:

“…Besides, it’s not as if you have no reason to criticize me.”

“Knight Captain?”

“Well, that swordsmanship still can’t be called pleasant to look at. So naturally, I also have feelings of not being able to introduce it to the knight order for that reason. Even among knights, some find it repulsive. It’s often feared. Especially by women.”

“…True, perhaps I’m just desensitized from being used to adventurers.”

Karen hadn’t thought anything of it. But Julius had thought Karen would fear it. There were probably many people who actually did fear it.

“By the way, Lady Karen, I have a favor to ask of you.”

A request, perhaps? Karen straightened her posture and waited for Gottfried’s words.

“Before the New Year’s Festival, could you help those of the former earl faction—the Winfried faction—who have been mistreated in Ehlertt because of Horst Brahm? I’m not part of that faction myself, but I have many relatives among them.”

“…Um, that doesn’t seem like something to request of me as an alchemist?”

To Karen, who tilted her head, Gottfried nodded.

“Not as an alchemist, but as a personal favor from me to Lady Karen, who will become Master Julius’ wife.”

Karen had promised Horst to protect people with little magical power from discrimination, but she hadn’t promised to protect his family, relatives, or their associates. To begin with, Karen and Julius had nearly been killed by Horst.

So why should Karen, just because she would become Julius’ wife, have to listen to such a request to help those on his side?

Seeing the expression that completely revealed Karen’s inner thoughts, Gottfried said with a wry smile:

“If you would listen to my favor, I will tell you a secret about Master Julius that he would never tell you himself. An important secret that, once known, might give you reason to reconsider your engagement to him.”

Julius’ secret.

At the sound of those words, Karen gulped.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 245

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Chapter Two Hundred and Forty-Five: Visiting the Knight Order 2

“Welcome to the knights’ quarters, Miss Karen. I am Gottfried Forland. I serve as captain of the Ehlertt Order of Knights.”

His family name didn’t seem to be Ehlertt, but he clearly carried strong Ehlertt blood. Since he resembled Winfried this much, he must be a relative on the paternal side.

When Gottfried approached Karen with a swaying gait, he bent his body. Apparently, he was bowing his head.

“I sincerely thank you for saving Master Sieg. He is my first cousin twice removed.”

“…I am honored by your kind words.”

Karen had come intending to give him a piece of her mind, but somehow her momentum was dampened. Within Ehlertt territory, there were factions that saw Sieg as an obstacle.

First cousin twice removed meant the grandson of a cousin. In other words, he had been Winfried’s cousin. With such close family ties, he would have had an even higher possibility of gaining power if Sieg weren’t around.

But even with Gottfried’s near-expressionless face, he seemed to be genuinely grateful to Karen. Perhaps she had just misunderstood due to his stiff manner of speaking, and he might not be as bad a person as she had thought.

“I heard from the messenger that you, the renowned B-rank alchemist, brought potions for the knight order. How much do we owe you?”

“I don’t need payment. They’re gifts. After all, I will be engaged to Mr. Julius. I couldn’t possibly accept payment for bringing gifts to the knight order that he belongs to.”

As she spoke, Karen held out the last potion to Gottfried. Seeing it, Gottfried made his stern face even more severe.

“This is a large healing potion. Please accept it.”

“…Even a potion of this value is a gift? Are you using this as payment to demand something from our knight order?”

Gottfried looked up at Karen with a wary gaze.

“During activities with the knight order, Mr. Julius might sustain serious injuries. So I want everyone to always carry a large healing potion.”

It was neither a bribe nor favoritism—just a rather earnest request from Karen. She would never allow a situation where someone couldn’t be healed because potions had run out.

Gottfried’s expression changed to one of exasperation.

“If another man suffers life-threatening injuries, I will use it on him, you know?”

“If you use it, tell me, and I’ll replenish it! I’m bringing them as gifts in case Mr. Julius gets seriously injured!”

“Replenish, you say. So the abilities of a B-rank alchemist are genuine.”

For an alchemist to be promoted from C-rank to B-rank, they normally had to become able to make large healing potions. But Karen so far had only been able to make up to medium healing potions. By creating a panacea, she had irregularly fulfilled the promotion conditions.

But when she made them with the orichalcum pot and the World Tree ladle, she was able to make large healing potions quite easily. She did her best to pour all her magical power into it. Even so, since it was her first time making potions in the orichalcum pot, she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was just a trial run.

It seemed likely that quite a number of alchemists from wealthy families raised their rank solely through equipment performance. Karen keenly felt the inequality of society. Still, only the promotion exam to E-rank was conducted fairly under the Alchemists’ Guild’s supervision, so they should at least possess a minimum potion-making ability.

—Setting aside the matter of alchemists’ actual capabilities, that is.

After inspecting the potion, Gottfried spoke as if making a firm decision:

“I’m grateful to receive the large healing potion, but I cannot accept this without payment. However, I don’t have the funds to pay now. I’ll hold onto it, and if I use it on someone other than Master Julius, I’ll pay at that time.”

“Well, that’s fine too.”

Though Karen was saying she’d give it to him, so he should just accept it, Gottfried spoke conscientiously. She had even considered the possibility of unlimited demands. Yet this was an unexpected reaction. Just as Karen was changing her view of Gottfried, he said:

“—Do you truly intend to marry Master Julius?”

His tone suggested he couldn’t believe Karen would marry Julius. His tone, expression, and gaze all carried some hidden meaning.

“Once it’s announced at Ehlertt’s New Year’s Festival, there’s no taking it back. Even if you’re Ehlertt’s benefactor, you won’t be permitted to sully Ehlertt’s pride. If you’re going to reconsider, now is the time, Alchemist Karen.”

If she had been told she wasn’t worthy of Julius, Karen probably wouldn’t have cared. She might have been spurred on instead, to eventually gain recognition. But Gottfried had clearly treated marriage to Julius as something bad for Karen.

As she thought, this man had some issue with Julius. This man, who closely resembled the father Julius feared becoming like—Gottfried had something. Karen, whose wariness had swelled all at once, deepened her smile.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 244

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Chapter Two Hundred and Forty-Four: Visiting the Knight Order

“To every one of the Ehlertt Knights, thank you for all your hard work. I’m Karen, an alchemist. I’ve come bearing gifts!”

“Oh! Alchemist Karen—the one who healed Master Sieg, who suffered from the Bloodline Blessing!”

“I heard that though you were E-rank last year, you were promoted to B-rank in no time, but is that true!?”

“A gift from a high-ranking alchemist—how grateful…!”

Karen appeared at the knights’ training ground carrying a large basket. Though confused, the knights welcomed Karen with generally favorable attitudes. As expected, the title of B-rank alchemist must carry weight. And the gifts were surely another powerful factor. Gifts from a B-rank alchemist would naturally be welcomed by anyone.

Just in case, Karen had brought her orichalcum alchemy pot from the royal capital. Although she had left her workshop in the capital to Harald, the orichalcum cauldron was far too valuable to entrust entirely to him.

She could have deposited it with the Alchemists’ Guild, but since it was far lighter than an adamantite cauldron, she brought it with her to the Ehlertt territory this time.

She had it stored in the safe in the room for the wife who married into the Ehlertt household—in other words, Karen’s room. She took out the orichalcum cauldron from there and quickly prepared everything.

Incidentally, Sepl and Urte were also present, but they were treated as servants attending Karen and apparently didn’t count as guests in noble society. Still unaccustomed to the treatment of supporters, Karen cleared her throat and pulled herself together.

“To honor everyone who works hard to protect the beloved Ehlertt territory of Mr. Julius, who will become my fiancé! I’ve brought honey lemon tea fatigue recovery potions.”

“Fatigue recovery? Is there such a potion?”

“That’s new to me, but I guess that’s what you’d expect from someone who climbed from E-rank to B-rank in just a year.”

“We’re grateful. The knight captain has been murderous lately, and training has been getting increasingly harsh.”

Most of the knights present were unfamiliar faces. Karen had some acquaintance with the Ehlertt knights in the royal capital. So those here must be knights permanently stationed in the Ehlertt territory.

The small number of knights was probably because Helfried had gone to set up the venue at the forest edge for the hunting festival that would resume this year, and most had accompanied him.

“There’s plenty in the pot, so please drink during your breaks. And as souvenirs for the wives and lovers who support you all, beauty potions—”

“Beauty potions!? The ones my lover said she absolutely had to have and went all the way to the royal capital for!?”

“Is it all right!? I heard they’re constantly sold out even in the royal capital!?”

“My wife was so disappointed that she couldn’t get them even though she wanted them so badly!”

“Thank you! My daughter has wanted them forever! With this, I can show my dignity as a father who’s often absent!”

There was a saying: if you wish to shoot the general, first shoot his horse. The beauty potions Karen had prepared, thinking it would be faster to win over the knights’ families, wives, daughters, and lovers if she wanted to win over the knights themselves, seemed to be extremely effective.

Karen smiled brightly and distributed the bottles she had brought in the basket to the knights.

“Please direct your gratitude to Mr. Julius. After all, I’m in the Ehlertt territory because he is here.”

“Our thanks to Sir Julius!”

“Well done persuading such an alchemist to join Ehlertt Earldom!”

The knights were offering words of gratitude to Julius, who wasn’t present, all at once. Unlike the knight captain who had rejected Julius’s teachings, they didn’t seem to harbor any ill will toward Julius.

Karen patted her chest in relief.

“Please continue to look after Mr. Julius!”

“Of course.”

“We are nowhere near Master Julius’s level, so unlike Ehlertt’s elites, we can’t accompany him into dungeons…”

“But we’ll do our best!”

The atmosphere was harmonious.

Such activities, done regularly, would eventually support the one who would become Karen’s husband. This was the very model of wifely support, Karen thought proudly.

“You don’t have minor healing potions?”

“I believe you purchase such potions from the local alchemists. I couldn’t intrude and take their work away, especially since I won’t be staying here permanently.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“However, our stock has become quite low at present, and additional deliveries are difficult. If you could make just the shortfall, it would be extremely helpful.”

“I see… I’ll consult with the knight captain.”

“In that case, we’ll guide you to the knight captain’s office right away!”

Karen’s objective had been the knight captain from the start. As planned, Karen was smoothly guided to his office.

She gained the support of ordinary knights while closing in on the knight captain—everything unfolded exactly as Karen had planned.

“Captain, Alchemist Karen is here.”

“Enter.”

Inside the room was a giant of a man. He was standing by the desk, so tall that Karen had to look up at him. He was probably taller than Julius. But what made this man feel even larger was his thick physique. His body, armored in bulging muscles, wore his knight’s uniform as if it were too tight.

He had black hair and gray eyes. His appearance closely resembled Winfried Ehlertt—Julius and Helfried’s father—whom she had seen in portraits.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 243

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Chapter Two Hundred and Forty-Three: Their Room

“Please keep this door locked at all times.”

Karen had been exploring the room with a beaming smile when Julius pointed to a door with an inner lock and spoke.

“Beyond this door is a room for a married couple to use together. It connects to my room as well. Naturally, it’s not something to use before we’re even married.”

“Kyaaa!”

“Don’t try to open it so eagerly, Karen.”

“Sepl and Urte are here with us! Right?!”

Julius, who had been holding back Karen as she tried to latch onto the door with shining eyes, looked with exasperation at the two supporters who were leisurely sitting on the sofa, drinking the grape wine that had been in the room.

“Can you two really protect Karen like that?”

“You want us to come between you and Little Karen acting all lovey-dovey? Give me a break; she is like a niece to me.”

“Do you want us to support her even in the marital bedroom? Ahahahaha!”

Urte was slapping her knee and laughing. She might have been weak to alcohol.

“Mr. Julius, I’ll just look! I’ll just explore a little, okay?”

“It can’t be helped. Please make absolutely sure to keep it locked normally, all right? You must never go inside, and certainly never leave it unlocked.”

After reiterating the condition, Julius allowed Karen to enter the couple’s room.

Karen excitedly unlocked the interior lock and went inside.

The room was at the end of the hallway, connected to both Karen’s and Julius’s rooms, which faced each other. A canopied bed larger than the one in Karen’s room, a fireplace, and a comfortable-looking sofa. And—

“A portrait of Mr. Julius and me…”

It was similar to but different from the one the Ehlertt painter Irene had done last year.

“My clothes, they’re an alchemist’s outfit…?”

In the painting Irene had done before, Karen, standing close to Julius, had been wearing a dress.

Since she had worn a dress provided by Ehlertt when attending the New Year’s Festival, Irene, who had only seen that, had painted Karen as she was.

But the Karen in the painting hung in the bedroom wore an alchemist’s outfit, while Julius wore a knight’s clothing.

“I thought this attire was most like you, and most like me as well.”

Saying this, Julius smiled mischievously.

“Do you like it?”

“…Very much!”

Being an alchemist was the self she could be most proud of, and it was precisely because she was such a Karen that Julius stayed by her side and tried to fight alongside her. If they had lived lives suited to entirely different roles, they would never have met.

Karen was entranced by the portrait for a while. Finally, Julius indicated another door.

“This door leads to my room. —There’s no lock on my side. So while it’s always open, I will never visit from this side.”

“Even if I don’t lock it, as long as you don’t come in, isn’t that enough?”

“…I can’t trust my own reason when I’m intoxicated by magical power. You know about that, don’t you?”

“Kyaaa!”

“Karen, that’s not a place to let out a cheer.”

Julius pinched Karen’s cheek with a squeeze. Though it didn’t hurt, being forcibly made to make a strange face left Karen feeling sour, but Julius chuckled softly.

“For my sake, as I wish to cherish you, please guard yourself carefully.”

At Julius with his shadowed smile, Karen, her cheek released, tightened her loosened lips.

“And you’re correct—it would be enough if I simply restrained myself. I’m sorry.”

Julius showed a smile too beautiful, as if trying to conceal his inner feelings. Karen would no longer be completely fooled by that beauty. But looking up at Julius’s smile, she pretended to be captivated by it. If he was trying to hide it, he probably didn’t want her to know.

Either way made no difference to Karen. But for Julius, the thought of his reason-deprived self doing things far removed from his ideal must be unbearable.

“If you say so, I’ll keep it locked. Although premarital relations are normal for commoners, you know. Right, Uncle Sepl, with your shotgun wedding?”

While trying to keep her tone light, Karen called out to Sepl waiting in the next room. So that no matter what happened in the future, Julius wouldn’t be hurt.

When Karen and Julius returned from the bedroom, Sepl said while scratching his cheek:

“That’s quite a polished way to say it, but well, it’s true.”

“Yes, I got married after the fact too. It’d be a problem if you only found out you weren’t compatible after marrying.”

“So yeah, better to check compatibility before marriage, right?”

Though Urte and Sepl answered matter-of-factly, adventurers were among the less chaste of commoners. But to Julius’s ears, it seemed to sound as if this was normal for commoners, and his face visibly changed.

“Are you saying that if, after checking, this ‘compatibility’ turns out to be poor, even an engagement would be broken off?”

“Well, that’d be natural.”

“Otherwise there’d be no point in checking.”

“—If that’s normal for you all, then all the more reason I will never lay a hand on Karen until marriage.”

“Does that mean once we’re married, it won’t be so easy to call it off?”

In other words, he wouldn’t let her escape.

As Karen let out a gleeful squeal at being loved that much, Urte frowned:

“Don’t you want to cherish Karen? And yet you’re planning to trap her so she can’t leave easily? If there’s some problem with your male function—”

Just as the sound suddenly cut off, Karen realized Sepl had gently covered her ears. Urte seemed to be scolding Julius about something for Karen’s sake, and Julius was being overwhelmed. By the time Karen’s ears were finally freed, the two had finished their argument. Urte was breathing hard through her nose, while Julius looked exhausted.

“That conversation was too stimulating for you, Little Karen.”

“I’m already an adult, you know? I’m twenty as of the New Year, you know?”

“Karen.”

The one who called Karen’s name as she tried to complain about the unfair treatment was Julius with an uneasy expression on his face.

“I understand well that there are differences between noble and commoner common sense. But I still want to act according to my own perception and not do anything that would feel like treating you roughly. Can you understand?”

“Yes! It’s fine!”

“Of course, I don’t intend to make only you endure. I promise that when the time comes, I will make every effort to dispel your anxieties.”

“Either way, a delicious future…!”

Though Julius himself had been frowning anxiously, seeing Karen trembling with joy made him relax and smile. Seeing Karen happily oblivious to his inner struggles, Julius looked relieved.

Looking up at such a Julius, Karen pledged in her heart to properly keep the door locked.

A quiet resolve was also born within Karen. She wanted to eliminate any obstacles to ensure her engagement—and eventual marriage—with Julius would proceed smoothly.

—First, the knight order.

“By the way, Karen, aren’t you interested in my room as well?”

“Of course!”

“You should see it while your supporters are here during the day.”

Invited by Julius, who seemed to have resigned himself to the fact that Karen’s curiosity couldn’t be stopped, she visited Julius’s room from across the hallway rather than through the bedroom.

And there, a huge portrait was displayed far too brazenly.

“Gah!? Isn’t this the Mr. Julius I drew!?”

It was supposed to be Julius holding a single rose and winking. A year ago, it had looked much better, but now it was beyond doubt that the figure looked like every bone in his body was broken.

“Take it down right now! Or you’ll have nightmares!?”

“On the contrary, when I look at this painting, I sleep well… ahahaha, hahahahahaha!”

“What are you laughing at!?”

“Heh, hehe. Because I got to see that face of yours, Karen.”

The portrait Karen had assumed someone had discarded had apparently ended up in Julius’s hands.

Though he had looked gloomy just moments ago, now that his prank had succeeded, Julius was smiling brightly—and Karen found herself speechless, just like the time he had brought his face close to hers.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 242

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Chapter Two Hundred and Forty-Two: Karen’s Room

The room she was shown to was different from the one last time.

“Lady Karen, this will be your room.”

“It’s bigger than before. Is it because I became B-rank?”

Not only was it spacious, but the furnishings also looked quite fine. As a result of visiting various noble estates for commissions, Karen’s eye was becoming more discerning. Unlike the room where she had stayed at the Ehlertt mansion in the royal capital, she could somehow tell this was a room of noble grade rather than commoner grade.

Karen had been in Alise’s bedroom in the royal capital, and this room might be comparable even to that one. Perhaps her treatment had improved because Karen had been promoted to a B-rank alchemist. Or maybe it was the Ehlertt people’s sense of duty, and they had simply prepared this room out of gratitude to Karen.

At Karen’s speculation, Sara showed a meaningful smile.

“Yes, I suppose that’s part of it.”

“Huh, there’s something else? What? What is it?”

“You’ll find out eventually.”

Sara left the room quickly after setting down the luggage. She seemed to have gone to guide Sepl and Urte, who had come with Karen. They were apparently shown to a room nearby, as cheers could be heard from beyond the door of a room slightly ajar. It seemed they had prepared nice rooms for Karen’s adventurer escorts as well.

While smiling at the joyful voices, Karen looked around the room. But she couldn’t figure out what else there might be about this room. To begin with, the room she had stayed in before was in the East Wing, managed by Sieg. Then who in the Ehlertt household managed this West Wing—?

At that moment, Karen’s thoughts were interrupted by a sound she heard outside the window. Thinking she heard voices arguing, Karen opened the window and looked down. An open plaza was set up there. Seeing the target range, Karen deduced it was a training ground for the Ehlertt Earldom’s knights.

A moment later, perhaps because the wind direction changed, voices from the training ground reached Karen.

“Your concern is unnecessary! Your swordsmanship is not the kind knights should learn!”

The rough male voice that reached her ears received no rebuttal from the one being addressed. But Karen’s heart realized who was being subjected to those words even before seeing the figure.

—After seeing Karen off to her room, where had Julius gone?

Karen rushed out of the room and headed for the training ground. Just as she left the mansion, Sepl and Urte, who had jumped down from the window, caught up with her.

“Little Karen, if you’re going out, let us know.”

“Ah, sorry. I’m still not used to being guarded…”

“You can go wherever you want, Karen. We’ll make sure we can keep up.”

Karen headed to the training ground with Sepl and Urte. On the way, she met Julius returning from the training ground to the West Wing.

“Mr. Julius!”

“Karen, why the rush? There’s only the knights’ training ground ahead, you know?”

Julius, his eyes wide, looked as gentle-faced as always. But was it just Karen’s imagination that there seemed to be a shadow in those golden eyes?

“I heard voices. Mr. Julius, are you all right?”

“Are you perhaps talking about just now? How embarrassing that you heard. But it’s nothing serious.”

“Is that so? Didn’t it sound like something unpleasant was being said to you?”

“I heard they want to make the knight order stronger. I offered to instruct them, but my original swordsmanship is rather unique, so the captain who knows this simply declined.”

“That’s…”

Karen recalled the sight of Julius fighting Thor in the dungeon. Certainly, that wasn’t the kind of fighting style knights would emulate. At Karen’s hesitation, Julius smiled wryly.

“I have mastered knightly swordsmanship as well, but I’m not particularly strong when using it.”

“But you won the swordsmanship tournament in that state.”

“The truly strong are out fighting monsters in dungeons or beyond the influence zones. For a swordsmanship tournament meant to make a name for oneself, that level is enough to win.”

If Lyos, who had competed in the same tournament and been defeated, heard this, he would surely be furious, but Julius seemed to mean it seriously.

“There is no swordsmanship of mine worth learning, and if they were to adopt my personal style, it would likely trouble them as knights. They seemed desperate, so I tried to offer help, but it appears I only caused a disturbance.”

Julius said this calmly. As if it were nothing important. But the voice Karen had heard held no respect for Julius.

“—The owner of that voice just now was the captain of the Ehlertt knights, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. He’s been protecting the Ehlertt territory for a long time.”

Such a person had said that Julius’s swordsmanship was not what the knights should learn. Julius had called the form he showed in his battle with Thor his true form. That form, which he had said was different from what Karen believed in, the captain surely knew of it too.

Julius had believed that Karen would fear that form. Perhaps that was because he had already experienced being feared and shunned. Julius was widely known in the royal capital as the greatest marriage candidate among the three kingdoms. If he had experienced being disliked, the only place that could have happened was in the Ehlertt territory.

The fact that the man was still the captain of the knights meant he hadn’t been on Horst’s side. He must be an ally of Helfried’s. Even so, Karen couldn’t help but glare at the training ground. Looking down at such a Karen, Julius whispered:

“By the way, Karen, do you like your new room?”

“Huh? Yes. I thought it was a lovely room, but…”

Julius was obviously trying to change the subject, and Karen responded warily. He moved his face closer, and Karen braced herself.

She was no longer the Karen of before, whose brain would melt and be fooled by everything just because Julius’s beautiful face was brought close.

“Across the hallway from yours is my room."

“…Huh?”

At Karen’s blank expression, unable to grasp the meaning of his words, Julius narrowed his eyes.

“Your room is the room for the person who will become my wife, Karen.”

Julius looked down with an amused smile at Karen, who stood there dumbfounded.

Karen looked at the room on the second floor where the prepared room was, looked at Julius, looked at the room on the second floor again, and then screamed.

“Kyaaaa!”

Letting out a gleeful shriek, Karen broke into a run toward the room. She had been completely unaware that it was such a room and hadn’t looked at it properly at all. At the sight of Karen dashing off in a beeline to examine the room, Julius followed after her, laughing.

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