Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 260

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Chapter Two Hundred and Sixty: Lowest-Ranking Wife 2

“Karen, leave this to me. I’ll go directly and refuse her.”

Julius had apparently been chasing after Karen. And he seemed to have heard the young ladies’ conversation as well.

“I didn’t accept handkerchiefs from young ladies of other territories either, Karen.”

Karen apparently had a suspicious look on her face without meaning to. Julius turned his empty palms toward her.

Rosine had said that accepting handkerchiefs was good manners and that accepting them was Julius’s way of navigating society. And now Karen belatedly began to worry, wondering if she had interfered with his social maneuvering.

“Are you really sure? Um, won’t you be placed in a difficult position, Mr. Julius?”

Julius smiled gently at the flustered Karen.

“It’s all right, Karen. I’m different from the foolish me of the past who struggled to be accepted in Ehlertt and created misunderstandings.”

For Julius, his appearance must have been a powerful weapon in gaining acceptance in local social circles. But because of that, many women were led astray, and he was falsely accused of the "Dungeon Luring Incident"—there had certainly been that aspect.

Julius referred to his younger self as foolish. When Karen frowned in protest on behalf of the boy who hadn’t even been forgiven for childish mistakes, Julius narrowed his eyes fondly.

“Now, as long as I have you, Karen—someone who accepts all of me—that’s all I need.”

He brought his face close and whispered with a sparkling smile and sweet voice.

Karen tensed her lower abdomen to steady herself. She should have been getting used to Julius’s face lately, but this had more destructive power than usual.

Barely keeping her composure, Karen watched Julius walk toward Ottilie. She would observe from the shadows to see how Julius would handle Ottilie.

Petra shuddered behind Karen.

“What a face that man makes…! If you look straight at him, he’ll steal your life away!”

“Lady Petra, being able to say that after seeing Master Julius’ face—you’re quite suited as Ms. Karen’s guide.”

Petra, clutching her head, had gone pale, while Rosine watched her with exasperation yet remained composed. Setting Petra aside, Rosine apparently wasn’t in love with Julius either.

While feeling slightly relieved, Karen returned her attention to Julius.

“I heard what you were talking about, ladies.”

“Master Julius…!”

The young ladies addressed by Julius didn’t act as if they’d been caught saying something improper. Though bashful, they didn’t doubt the proposal would be accepted.

Seeing Karen glaring at Ottilie and her group from the shadows, Petra’s eyebrows shot up.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know what a lowest-ranking wife is?”

“What do you mean?”

Karen even dropped polite speech and glared at Petra. Petra’s eyebrows twitched again, but eventually she sighed, put her hand to her mouth, and whispered:

“A lowest-ranking wife is like a servant who pledges loyalty to her husband and his first wife, you know? Since she’s an existence with no rights as a wife, it’s not something to get so angry about, is it?”

“…What is that?”

“Both of you, please be quiet. It seems Lady Ottilie is making her proposal to be Master Julius’s lowest-ranking wife.”

Though puzzled by Petra’s words, Karen fell silent at Rosine’s urging. Karen also wanted to clearly hear what Ottilie intended to say.

“My name is Ottilie Bell. It seems you’ve already heard my feelings, Master Julius, so I’ll make my plea directly. Please make me your lowest-ranking wife.”

“I must refuse.”

Despite being rejected so bluntly, Ottilie didn’t feel ashamed—instead, she looked deeply puzzled.

“What do you mean? Wouldn’t me becoming your lowest-ranking wife benefit both you and your future first wife—Lady Karen?”

“I have no intention of having any wife other than Karen. Not even as a lowest-ranking wife.”

“A lowest-ranking wife is not truly a wife. You know that, Master Julius.”

“But it’s still bearing the name of my wife. I have no intention of having such a person.”

Only then did they finally realize that Julius truly had no intention of making Ottilie his lowest-ranking wife. The atmosphere that had been relaxed instantly froze, and the young ladies surrounding Ottilie changed color.

“To refuse an offer to be a lowest-ranking wife…!”

“Lady Ottilie is the daughter of Earl Bell!”

“Even if there were ties to a criminal… she is still the daughter of a long-serving vassal of Ehlertt…!”

“Lady Ottilie is even willing to serve under a commoner!”

As if Julius had committed an outrageous breach of conduct, the ladies directed reproachful gazes and words at him.

Karen was dumbfounded. If the condemning gazes were directed at Karen, she could understand it as the commoner Karen being scorned. But why would Julius, believed to be a flawless noble, be subjected to such gazes?

He had only refused a marriage proposal he didn’t feel inclined to accept. Their condemnation was directed straight at Julius, too much to be simply because Karen, a commoner, was scheduled to become Julius’s first wife.

To Karen, who blinked in confusion, not understanding, Rosine whispered in her ear this time:

“A lowest-ranking wife is like a knight’s oath for women without the power to fight—one where they devote themselves entirely to serving a gentleman.”

“A female version of a knight’s oath…?”

“Yes. Of course, if the family ranks are too different, it’s another matter, but a proposal from a young lady of equal rank to become a lowest-ranking wife is an expression of deep loyalty. Refusing this is as improper as refusing a knight’s oath.”

“Which is more improper—refusing that or refusing to accept a handkerchief?”

“This is incomparably more serious.”

Rosine looked slightly exasperated. She seemed surprised that Karen was so ignorant, but didn’t appear to be making fun of Karen.

“If a woman has the strength to fight, she can become a knight and take a knight’s oath. Not every woman who wishes to swear loyalty becomes a lowest-ranking wife.”

Petra added to Rosine’s explanation:

“Lady Ottilie is a skilled enough mage to become a knight, so when such a woman offers to become a lowest-ranking wife, it shows even deeper loyalty. Being able to make her a lowest-ranking wife is quite a bargain, you know? Refusing is such a waste. I’d want her as my lowest-ranking wife.”

“Lady Petra, didn’t you just say it’s better not to get involved?”

“Oh, a lowest-ranking wife is different. You can bind them with a magical contract so they can’t act freely.”

Saying that, Petra made a cruel, cat-like face.

Seeing Petra’s sneer, Karen remembered. Now that she thought about it, Karen had once almost been made into Lyos’s lowest-ranking wife or something. She had completely forgotten about it in her anger.

Commoners were basically monogamous, but since it wasn’t legally prohibited, wealthy commoners sometimes had second or third wives. So when Lyos told her to become his lowest-ranking wife, she had interpreted it as being made into a wife of low status. She never thought she was almost made to pledge loyalty to Lyos.

At that time, he had certainly said it was Marian’s recommendation. Merchant families deal with nobles, so they sometimes adopt noble culture. The idea of making Karen a lowest-ranking wife must have been a noble culture that Marian brought in. A lowest-ranking wife—treated similarly to a knight’s oath of loyalty, but apparently lower in rank than a knight’s oath.

“Ms. Karen, did you try to refuse because you didn’t know she was a mage?”

“Even if she’s useless, she’s an earl’s daughter, and if you have her pledge loyalty, she’ll surely be useful for you, right? Why don’t you go stop Master Julius even now? In the first place, why is he even refusing?”

Perhaps Petra and Rosine weren’t looking down on Karen for being a commoner. It seemed that desiring a lowest-ranking wife was simply common sense here. So much so that Julius, who insisted he didn’t want one, was being condemned as irrational.

Just what kind of existence was it—while Karen was bewildered, Ottilie calmed the surrounding young ladies and, turning back to Julius while maintaining composure, questioned him:

“Please tell me the reason why you refuse.”

“If I have a lowest-ranking wife, I won’t be able to stop Karen from having a lowest-ranking husband.”

At Julius’s answer, not only Ottilie but most of those present widened their eyes.

“That’s why I have no intention of having a lowest-ranking wife.”

Only Karen understood what Julius was trying to say. In the past, Karen had done back to Julius what he had done to her. In response to Julius being suspiciously friendly while hiding his relationship with another woman, Karen had also acted friendly while hiding her relationship with another man.

Julius, at that time, had been furious. Even though he had done the same thing himself, he hadn’t even realized his actions were making Karen feel bad. The man Karen had acted all touchy-feely with at that time was her younger brother Thor, so naturally, Karen was innocent.

Whatever a lowest-ranking wife was to nobles—it seemed that incident was now coming into play.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 259

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Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Nine: Lowest-Ranking Wife

“Karen, your eyes look scary.”

Just as Karen was about to make excuses after Petra’s observation, Rosine, noticing something, stopped her.

“Both of you, please be quiet—it seems young ladies from the Horst faction are gathering over there.”

Petra moved nimbly like a cat, pulling Karen’s hand and hiding her in the shadow of a tent.

That agile movement was incomparable to her movements last year when she had been afflicted by the poisoned powder. Last year, Petra had not looked particularly unhealthy to Karen and could even have passed as an ordinary, healthy young lady, but if this was Petra’s true agility, then she must have been in unusually poor condition back then. Petra at that time, who couldn’t get close to Julius just because Karen had blocked her, had truly been unwell. It was natural that her brother Frank had been worried about Petra then.

“So—mmph.”

“Shh, please be quiet.”

“Ms. Karen, those people are young ladies from families that sided with the criminal Horst.”

Rosine stared with cold eyes at the dozen or so young ladies gathered there.

With her mouth covered by Petra, Karen nodded.

Their appearance looked no different from Petra and Rosine—they looked like perfectly ordinary young ladies. Horst had disappeared, but the crimes he and his companions committed would apparently be prosecuted as treason. Though there was no official announcement yet, as it was still under investigation, Waltride had said that the king would likely make an announcement next year.

Since it was an incident caused by people with little magical power from multiple territories conspiring together, no single territory would be especially punished, so the Ehlertt Earldom would not be particularly blamed—Karen had immediately realized when it was explained in that context.

Naturally, within each territory, the families and supporters of those who had taken part in the treason would be met with cold stares. That’s why Karen could take in children with little magical power so easily.

The young ladies gathering in a secluded place, as if avoiding attention, were likely daughters of families currently regarded as supporters of the traitors.

Because Karen had walked toward a deserted direction to avoid attention—or rather, to avoid Julius—she seemed to have encountered a group similarly trying to avoid people’s eyes.

“Lady Karen, the reason I purchased that poisoned face powder from a foreign merchant was because those girls were boasting about cosmetics they had proudly imported from abroad. I have long had an interest in trade and the merchants who conduct it, so I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable in such matters. —And yet, those girls, who should have been less familiar with commerce than I, didn’t fall victim to the poisoned powder.”

Rosine wore a dark smile.

“They deny involvement in Horst’s plan, but I think that’s impossible. Those girls cooperated with Horst and used us as test subjects for some evil scheme.”

“It’s better not to get involved, Karen. Who knows what they’ll slip you next time?”

Rosine and Petra whispered coldly.

Karen keenly felt the reason why Gottfried had proposed a deal to her. He wanted to help the relatives in the former earl’s faction, but if Gottfried moved, he himself might be suspected of complicity in the treason. Unless Karen, who had actually resolved the dungeon anomaly, moved directly, there was no way to save them. But even wanting to help them, how could she save them from the cold gazes of people like Petra and Rosine? In the first place, they might not be innocent as Rosine said.

—Still, when Karen’s heart was struck seeing the dark expressions of the young ladies huddling together, looking constrained, one of the girls said:

“I think I’ll plead with Master Julius after all and have him make me his lowest-ranking wife.”

With those words alone, Karen’s sympathy for her vanished completely and cleanly.

“What resolve you have.”

“Even if it is to overcome this situation, to become the lowest-ranking wife of a man who won’t even inherit a title—how pitiful. If it were the Earl or Master Sieg, that would be another matter…”

For some reason, the other young ladies were showing sympathy for the woman who was arbitrarily trying to become Julius’s wife.

Karen’s sympathy for them completely disappeared.

“Given our current situation, having the head of House Ehlertt or his successor as a partner would be difficult even as a lowest-ranking wife, I believe. There is also the matter of the age difference. But if it’s the lowest-ranking wife of Master Julius, who will eventually leave the family, it should be possible.”

At that point, Karen couldn’t stand it and tried to jump out, but Petra held her in a bear hug, and she couldn’t.

“Please let me go, Lady Petra!”

“Karen, calm down a bit.”

“But saying it’s possible if she becomes Mr. Julius’ wife—what is that person even saying…!?”

Looking down at Karen’s fury, Petra made a horrified face.

“I could tell you were infatuated with Master Julius last year too, but you weren’t this blind… to sweet-talk someone this far, what a frightening man.”

“You go too far, Lady Petra. However, Lady Karen, please calm down, as Lady Petra says. Lady Ottilie is merely trying to become a lowest-ranking wife, is she not?”

Not understanding at all what "merely" meant, Karen glared at the young lady who had made the problematic statement. Her name seemed to be Ottilie. She was a beautiful girl with black hair and sleepy-looking red eyes. Petra was also a beautiful girl, but Ottilie was a young lady with a different atmosphere from Petra—a mature, sensual quality.

“For someone of Lady Ottilie’s caliber to be a lowest-ranking wife—Master Julius is so fortunate.”

“To have such resolve. House Ehlertt will surely save Lady Ottilie’s house.”

Karen frowned.

Anyone would want to become Julius’s wife.

Yet while trying to become that, they spoke as if it would be a punishment for Ottilie.

“Once I become Master Julius’s lowest-ranking wife, I will never abandon you all. I will surely help you, so please endure no matter how poorly you’re treated until then.”

“You are so kind…!”

“If only the ages matched, you could well have been the first wife of the future earl of Ehlertt…!”

“Please, everyone, support me.”

Among the young ladies, it seemed already decided that Ottilie would become Julius’s lowest-ranking wife. Moreover, the surrounding young ladies pitied Ottilie for trying to become Julius’s lowest-ranking wife.

“Even as a B-rank alchemist, to serve under a commoner first wife as a sign of atonement—how admirable you are, Lady Ottilie.”

If things continued as they were, Karen and Julius would likely marry. When that happened, a commoner would become Julius’s wife.

So, becoming the lowest-ranking wife would be a treatment severe enough to count as punishment for Ottilie and her family, who were suspected of supporting traitors—and that’s why she was confident she wouldn’t be refused?

Even after raising her alchemist rank all the way to B-rank, even if they appeared respectful on the surface, they looked down on her this much simply because she was a commoner.

That was how unfit Karen was considered as Julius’s wife.

That’s probably why both Petra and Rosine spoke of it as if it were nothing serious.

Her excited feelings about the engagement announcement at the New Year’s Festival cooled, and Karen trembled. Whether due to being away from the hunting festival’s heat or because the cold wind blowing down from the mountains threaded through the tents, she realized her body had grown completely cold.

At that moment, Karen’s ear softly became warm.

The Translator’s Note

In chapter 33, the term “末席の妻” was translated as “lesser wife”, but “lowest-ranking wife” is more accurate.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 258

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Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Eight: Swarm of Flowers

While occasionally bickering with each other, Petra and Rosine guided Karen relatively smoothly.

“The gentlemen participating in the hunting festival have their tents pitched over there. The young ladies and married women are over there. The family tents are over here, and participants whose families have come to watch move back and forth between their personal tents and their family tents.”

“Some idle youngsters come under the pretense of supporting their families, without taking part in the hunt at all. They stay in the family tents, so you’d better not go near them, Karen. They might try to bully any nearby commoner just to kill time.”

“Lady Petra! There’s a way of putting things! —But, it’s true that I think it would be better if you didn’t approach the nobles’ tents alone, Ms. Karen. Please take us with you when you visit Master Julius’s tent.”

The two proceeded with practiced steps through the countless tents that only looked haphazardly erected to Karen. Apparently, who set up where was mostly fixed each year, and from the flags and crests on the tents, one could generally tell which family and which members were present.

“Girls with nothing better to do look for a gentleman they fancy under the guise of praying for a successful hunt and safe return, and present him with an embroidered handkerchief… ugh.”

Because Petra made a bitter face, Karen didn’t immediately realize that Julius was at the end of that gaze. When Karen looked in that direction, though far away and small as a bean, she could see Julius surrounded by multiple young ladies.

Rosine hid her face with a fan, her expression on the verge of clicking her tongue.

“Even though it’s forbidden to make a move because Master Julius is currently winning over Ms. Karen…!”

“Aren’t they young ladies from other territories who came for the hunting festival, Lady Rosine? They’re all faces I don’t recognize.”

Petra, perhaps having good eyesight, said this after distinguishing the faces of the distant young ladies.

Rosine looked perplexed.

“Indeed… we have no authority to restrain those girls. We can’t take issue with something as simple as giving Master Julius a handkerchief… I apologize, Ms. Karen.”

Rosine apologized to Karen with a guilty expression.

It seemed that in Ehlertt, the young ladies were restraining themselves in unity, though drawn to Julius, in order to draw Karen into their territory. It was a welcome consideration, but it was also frightening to think what would have happened without the young ladies’ self-restraint.

—At that moment, Karen might have been witnessing what a lack of restraint looked like.

Julius was surrounded by young, beautiful, lovely girls. Most of them seemed younger than Karen.

In the case of nobles, it was normal to be married by the time one reached Karen’s age. At the upcoming New Year Festival, Karen would turn twenty.

Julius was surrounded by flower-like young ladies in gorgeous dresses, being urged to accept handkerchiefs. Perhaps unable to refuse outright, even from a distance, she could see Julius smiling, troubled by how to handle the situation.

Karen glared at the young ladies swarming Julius and asked Petra and Rosine:

“Does he absolutely have to accept those handkerchiefs?”

“It’s practically an obligation for a gentleman to accept a handkerchief offered by a young lady. Refusing would embarrass the woman. Accepting is considered good manners.”

“But if you don’t want it, you can refuse. There’s no rule saying you can’t refuse.”

“Hmm.”

Receiving the contradictory advice from Rosine and Petra, Karen lightly channeled magical power into her earring. It was a magical tool earring connected to Julius’s earring. If she channeled magical power into it, it would transmit as heat to the other side.

Though his earlobe would have only warmed slightly, Julius looked up as if struck, and before he could find Karen, she turned away and spun on her heel.

“Let’s go over there, you two.”

“Yes, Karen! Master Julius is trying to come this way! Let’s hurry!”

“Lady Petra… just what kind of rudeness did you commit against Master Julius?”

Though exasperated, Rosine followed Karen and Petra.

Whether thanks to being skillfully guided by Petra, who didn’t want to face Julius, or because Julius had no intention of chasing Karen, they were never caught up to.

“Before, if my fiancé was popular, I’d have been proud, but now I feel… unpleasant…!”

“Master Julius is steadily winning you over, isn’t he?”

Petra looked at Karen, who was holding her head in the shadow of a tent, with genuine admiration.

“If you don’t like it, just say you don’t like it. If you, now a B-rank alchemist, say so, it would be easy to make him not accept handkerchiefs.”

“…I don’t want him to not accept handkerchiefs because I’m a B-rank alchemist, but because he likes and loves me and chooses not to accept them of his own accord.”

“Isn’t that a bit too greedy?”

“Mr. Julius and I are mutually in love!”

“To make you believe it this much… Master Julius is surprisingly frightening. Aside from being exceptionally strong, he seemed softer and more clueless with women than most men, but… I’d prefer a partner who’s easier to handle.”

Petra swallowed hard.

Since this was the opinion of someone who had tried to take advantage of what Julius had appeared to be—his softness and obliviousness toward women—it was probably a certain kind of truth about how Julius had seemed to her until now. In any case, both her attitude when finding Julius earlier and this way of speaking showed that Petra had truly lost interest in him.

“Ms. Karen, Master Julius has various circumstances of his own.”

Rosine said as if to admonish Karen’s jealousy.

“In his childhood, Master Julius, like many, had a frail constitution due to the Bloodline Blessing, which delayed his debut in local social circles, much like Master Sieg. His life was likely in danger… Until he recovered and was presented at the New Year Festival, no one even knew he had been born.”

Karen stiffened. The reason no one in Ehlertt knew of Julius’s birth was because Julius was not a legitimate child.

However, under the pretense that his debut had been delayed due to his life being endangered by the Bloodline Blessing, he was treated as the legitimate child of the former earl and his wife.

“Since he was introduced only after growing to some extent, Master Julius struggled to establish his position in Ehlertt. You may not know this, Ms. Karen, but the former head—Master Julius’ father—was so hot-blooded that he even saw his own son as a rival.”

“I’ve heard that story from Mr. Julius.”

The so-called “Dungeon Luring Incident,” an accusation stirred up by women infatuated with Julius, had originally been instigated by his father, Winfried, who opposed Julius because he didn’t like that Julius was popular.

“If you know that, I think you could accept with a generous heart that Master Julius values harmony.”

Rosine’s words had a point.

Apparently, Julius had lived as a commoner in the town until a certain age.

While wondering how he managed that with that appearance, it wasn’t hard to imagine that Julius, suddenly pulled into noble society, had struggled.

So Karen should probably respect Julius’s way of doing things.

However—

From what standpoint was Rosine defending Julius while admonishing Karen?

Feeling a hint of something suspicious, Karen stared intently, making Rosine flinch.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 257

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Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Seven: Young Ladies as Guides

“During the hunting festival, we of the Ehlertt family have responsibilities as hosts. We won’t be able to stay by your side the whole time, Ms. Karen, so while I’m away, I’d like you to keep these girls by your side as guides.”

The morning after arriving at the hunting festival grounds, Karen recognized the two young ladies who had been introduced to her when she was called to Alise’s tent.

“It’s Petra. Long time no see, Karen.”

The beautiful girl with purple twin-tails, Petra, turned her chin up haughtily.

She was the girl who had once fallen ill from poisoned face powder that Horst had likely circulated in the Ehlertt territory, and recovered thanks to Karen’s potion. Most likely, the black powder that stole magical power that Horst and his group possessed had been contained in that poisoned powder. Petra had been a victim, used as their test subject.

Beside her, a girl with blonde hair cut at shoulder length—unusual for a noble—Rosine, bowed with courteous gestures.

“I am Rosine of the Kalk baron family. We met at a tea party before, but this is our first time speaking properly, isn’t it? I hope we can get along well.”

The gentle-smiling Rosine was the person who had circulated the poisoned powder within the Earl Ehlertt faction. Karen remembered her as a rather calculating girl who, while apologizing to the faction members for distributing the poisoned powder, had secretly tried to use it herself. She, too, was one of the victims caught up in the scheme.

At Rosine’s attitude, Petra’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“Hey! Drop the polite language and the act with a commoner, Lady Rosine! Karen, don’t be fooled. This woman is after the cosmetic potions you make!”

“Lady Petra, weren’t you the one saying you might find a good match by staying close to Ms. Karen? Please don’t lump me together with someone seeking profit—Ms. Karen, I simply respect you as a B-rank alchemist.”

“Then you don’t want the cosmetic potions you might get through Karen’s connections, Lady Rosine? Because I do!”

“I-I want them too, but—!”

“Ahem.”

The two had started arguing in Alise’s tent, of all places, right in front of Alise herself, but at Alise’s cough, they became as docile as scolded cats.

Alise sighed and said:

“…As you can see, they’re spirited children, but neither is a bad girl.”

“May I ask about the selection criteria?”

To Karen’s roundabout question of why these two of all people, Alise said:

“The main conditions were three. First, they have the ability to fight. Second, you can be at ease with them. Third, they have no interest in Julius.”

“I see, those are important. Especially the third one.”

Karen nodded emphatically.

Even if they were guides introduced by Alise, it would be unbearable if they made eyes at Julius, who would be by Karen’s side.

While Petra had initially made eyes at Julius, once she realized she wouldn’t be treated like a princess, she seemed to have developed an aversion to him. At least, last year, she had been somewhat afraid of Julius.

“Finding girls who met the third condition was quite difficult, so the selection was challenging.”

“Lady Rosine, do you also have no interest in Mr. Julius?”

“My preference is for gentlemen who earn money. I’m more drawn to wealthy commoners than young, handsome nobles.”

“I think Mr. Julius has money too, though…”

When a dungeon was conquered, reward money was given by the country and territory. The money from selling drop items obtained during dungeon conquest would also amount to a considerable sum.

Julius should be extraordinarily wealthy for a noble who hadn’t inherited a title, in addition to being young and handsome.

When Karen showed a hint of wariness, Rosine smiled.

“I’m more drawn to merchants than knights. That’s why I had been meeting various traders. In that process, I purchased suspicious cosmetics from a dubious merchant, which led to what happened last year.”

“So that’s what happened.”

Karen wondered why a noble lady would be drawn to a commoner merchant, but probing further risked leading to the question of why Julius was drawn to her.

Being drawn to someone happens! Karen nodded inwardly.

“Yes. That merchant was actually a foreigner, but in appearance, he looked just like someone from our kingdom. Moreover, he had a plump appearance as if displaying the wealth I prefer—”

Rosine put her hand to her cheek and sighed. If she preferred plump people, then Julius was certainly outside her preference range.

Karen felt greatly relieved.

Seeing Karen’s expression, Alise moved the conversation forward:

“Both of them owe you a debt of gratitude, Ms. Karen. They may not be as capable as experienced adventurer supporters, but these girls can fight too. In places where you can’t bring supporters, these two will protect you, Ms. Karen.”

“It’s a welcome offer for me, but are you two all right with this?”

For nobles, the hunting festival was essentially an enjoyable celebration. Having to guide a commoner of lower status on such a day would surely be disagreeable.

Rosine smiled and opened her mouth:

“As I mentioned earlier, to be able to accompany you, a B-rank alchemist, Ms. Karen, is such an honor—”

“Obviously, it’s for the cosmetic potions!”

Problem child Petra interrupted Rosine, who was trying to be polite. Rosine glared sharply at Petra.

“Lady Petra…! Could you refrain from that in front of the Countess?”

“Don’t you think I’m far more sincere than you approaching with hidden ulterior motives?”

The two arguing girls were, in the end, after Karen’s potions.

Alise looked at Karen with an exasperated expression.

“Ms. Karen, we can still search for other girls if you’d like, but what would you prefer?”

“I’d like to ask them to guide me.”

For Karen, these girls with clear objectives were far better than young ladies who approached with good manners while targeting Julius.

Karen turned to face the girls.

“As thanks for guiding me, I’ll prepare cosmetic potions and give them to you before returning to the capital, so please take care of me during the hunting festival, all right?”

“Yes! Your potions are terrifyingly scarce and rarely available! You should really do something about the supply!”

“It’s unreasonable to order a B-rank alchemist who can make irreplaceable adventurer potions to only make cosmetic potions! B-But, if it’s as a token of thanks, I will gratefully accept them…”

“Hmph, acting like a good girl.”

“You’re the one being too rude…!”

Petra, faithful to her desires, and Rosine, who couldn’t suppress her desires while trying to admonish Petra, were somehow similar.

It seemed they were at odds precisely because they were similar.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 256

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Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Six: Hunting Festival Scheme

“You’re quite the philanthropist. To extend a hand even to children without magical power.”

“I’m honored by your praise.”

Karen answered with a forced smile, but she understood well enough that it wasn’t actual praise. The noble’s eyes mocked her, as if calling her actions foolish for helping children without magical power.

Even taking Alise’s help into account, gathering children with low magical power went far too smoothly. By that evening, every noble Karen had approached had readily accepted her proposal, and it was already decided that over fifty children, even by a rough estimate, would be sent to Karen.

Since she was still in the process of searching for a place to take them in, the arrangement was to have the children sent once a location was determined at a later date. The hunting festival had not even begun yet, and still, there were far too many.

That’s how critically fatal it was in this world to have little magical power—or rather, to have "none" at all. From the nobles’ perspective, they probably felt they were simply foisting troublesome burdens who could cause unpredictable problems and served no purpose onto Karen.

Thinking of the children who would be sent away to Karen without even knowing where they were going made her chest ache. That said, she had no intention of stopping now.

And at that moment, Karen had been summoned to Helfried’s tent. Alise, Julius, and even Sieg were there beside him.

“Karen, I’ve heard the story from Alise.”

Helfried began gravely. It seemed Helfried did not think highly of Karen’s efforts to gather children. With wrinkles creasing his brow, he said:

“Just because of your promise with Horst, you don’t need to devote yourself to this extent. Julius should have told you—the matter of Ehlertt’s children will be handled by Ehlertt.”

Indeed, Julius had made that promise at the orphanage in Ehlertt’s name with the orphanage director August. The fact that Julius had made that immediate decision meant that Helfried had been concerned about the children’s treatment for some time.

From the beginning, she’d been told not to worry about the promise made with Horst. However, she didn’t recall being forbidden from doing something for the children as an individual.

“Are you saying that my acting as an individual would inconvenience the Ehlertt family?”

“It’s not a matter of inconvenience, Karen. It pains my heart to think that the promise you made with Horst for my sake is binding you.”

“Binding me?”

Karen looked at Julius with wide, puzzled eyes.

“Mr. Julius, did you really think that?”

“If not for my sake, why else would you be doing this, Karen? You have no responsibility or connection to these children—where is the need, the reason, to even spend your private wealth on them?”

“I see… Lord Helfried, you think the same way?”

“Seeing you trying to act for Ehlertt’s children when I haven’t even requested it, the reasons are naturally limited. At first, I considered the possibility that you were a bottomlessly good-natured person, but… as far as I recall from the investigation report on you I reviewed before, you’re not such a good person as to help people unconditionally and without limit.”

“Well, that’s true.”

Karen was aware she was kinder than the average person in this world, but she certainly didn’t think about saving every single person in the entire world. She drew certain lines, and when she judged something to be outside those lines, she had abandoned people before.

Not everyone could be saved—that’s why there was the F-rank cutoff standard. This was that kind of world.

“Karen, you don’t need to worry about the children. I—the Ehlertt family—will take responsibility and care for them. If you wish, we can gather children not just from our territory but from throughout the entire kingdom. Thanks to Julius conquering the dungeon, our territory has that much capacity.”

He meant they had both financial capacity and land capacity.

Monsters didn’t appear within a dungeon’s sphere of influence. In a world where people could only live within that sphere of influence, conquering a dungeon’s deepest floor meant expanding that sphere. By conquering the twentieth floor of the Ehlertt Dungeon, Julius had literally expanded the Ehlertt territory. That said, devoting that newly created capacity to children with little magical power would likely not be welcomed by anyone else in Ehlertt.

“Ms. Karen, if you’re worried that the children might be treated poorly, I will personally look after them. So won’t you please be at ease?”

“Lady Alise…”

“Sister Karen, I’ll help too. So you don’t need to shoulder this burden alone, okay?”

“Even you, Master Sieg…”

“Karen.”

Julius approached Karen and said with a gentle smile:

“We all support your dream. We dream of the day when your dream comes true. That’s why we don’t want to be a burden to you. We don’t want to let anyone be that.”

“—I surrender.”

Receiving the words of the kind-hearted members of the Ehlertt family, Karen gave in.

“Everyone, and especially you, Mr. Julius—it wouldn’t have been strange if you’d noticed, but since you apparently haven’t, I’ll confess. Though, frankly, it would have been more profitable for me if you hadn’t realized.”

“Karen?”

At Karen’s way of speaking, Julius and everyone looked puzzled. Karen smiled wryly.

“You all seem to feel like you’re pushing trouble onto me, but nothing could be further from the truth. I am simply investing early… Before you all realize their value.”

“Their value?”

Helfried voiced the question on behalf of the group.

Karen grinned.

“I plan to educate the children with little magical power I’ve gathered and have them make my non-magical potions. I predict that children with little magical power should be able to make my potions.”

In truth, it was less Karen’s prediction and more Harald’s "understanding." As long as they believed in Karen and understood the state of having no magical power, they could make non-magical potions.

Karen’s potions were so utterly unique that there was always a shortage of every single type. Even now, letters pressing for orders were probably arriving constantly at the alchemy workshop. If these could be made by the hands of many children, it would change the world.

Karen planned to have the children make potions and skim off the top. Though she intended to put some of the skimmed money toward their education and living expenses, what she was planning to do was precisely the work of a shady alchemist.

“In other words, I’m not trying to do good because I can’t leave these children alone! I’m gathering children, educating them, and planning to make them work for my own profit! So please stop treating me as if I were some tremendous do-gooder!”

Karen protested. She was far too uncomfortable.

“However, if your objection is that I should not poach talent from Ehlertt, I will accept that. I had originally planned to quietly take them all… but you are all far too kind, so I couldn’t keep silent—my loss, I suppose.”

Who’s really the good person here? Karen said with an exasperated expression.

Sieg asked her:

“Sister Karen, what will you do when the children come of age? Will you bind them with magical contracts and make them work for you forever?”

“Huh? I wouldn’t do that. When they come of age, they’ll leave the nest just like from the orphanage.”

Sieg exchanged looks with his parents and Julius, then shrugged.

“So… you’re not only giving children without a place to belong somewhere to belong, but you’re trying to equip them with irreplaceable skills—rather than simply keeping them alive.”

“Regardless of what you may think, Ms. Karen, they will be able to live better lives.”

“And for that, it seems you intend to generously share your special knowledge, Sister Karen.”

“You are creating a reason—your own profit—to justify helping those children.”

At the words spoken in turn by Helfried, Alise, Sieg, and Julius, Karen faltered.

“No, I mean, I’m doing this for my own gain…!”

Julius looked down at Karen and narrowed his eyes.

“Seeing you work so hard for ‘profit’ is rather endearing… perhaps that is just the bias of someone in love?”

“In love…! Ugh! That’s hard to deny!”

“It’s a bit disappointing that it wasn’t for my sake, though.”

“No, it is for your sake too, Mr. Julius—”

As Julius made a lonely expression, Karen inadvertently let her true feelings slip, deepening the smiles of the Ehlertt family.

Karen admitted complete defeat and raised the white flag.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 255

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Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Five: Hunting Festival Venue

“Karen, I’m glad you came.”

“Thank you for inviting me to the hunting festival, Lord Helfried.”

The hunting festival. It was a noble’s event and originally had nothing to do with commoners. Being invited to it was an honor for a commoner.

When Karen bowed, Helfried nodded solemnly.

Arriving later than Helfried’s group, Karen and Julius were escorted by part of the knight order to the edge of the great forest bordering the eastern side of the Ehlertt territory, where the hunting festival was held.

“Julius, I’m looking forward to your achievements this year as well.”

“Since Karen is here, I intend to try even harder to show my best side.”

“Hahaha! I see! So such a season has come for you too, Julius.”

As Karen watched Julius smile bashfully at Helfried, her earlobe became softly warm—a faint warmth as if Julius had touched her earlobe with his fingertips. Julius must have delicately infused magical power into the earring.

For nobles, the hunting festival was an enjoyable event, and for noble men, it seemed to be a place to appeal to the women they fancied. As if to say he intended to appeal to Karen, Julius sent her a subtle signal.

When Karen’s face turned red, Julius glanced at her and chuckled before immediately returning to his conversation with Helfried.

As Karen trembled in frustration at being outmaneuvered, Alise and Sieg approached.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Ms. Karen.”

“Your tent has been prepared over here, Sister Karen!”

A large number of nobles had already gathered at the hunting festival site. The sight of tents pitched here and there with cooking fires reminded her of the dungeon investigation team. Remembering the black powder from before—the pitiful remains of monster eggs—Karen shuddered.

“Sister Karen, are you cold? Are you okay?”

Worried by Sieg, who had been watching, Karen nodded without bothering to deny it.

“Yes… It’s a bit cold.”

“It’s true that this area is even colder than the territorial capital. Let’s get to the tent quickly. We’ll guide you.”

“Are all the people here nobles of Ehlertt territory?”

In other words, they were the vassal nobles under the Ehlertt Earldom. It was a frightening thought that this much influence had been under Horst’s control until now.

“Mostly. But some aren’t.”

“Is that so?”

“The hunting festival was originally a festival for conquering unconquered dungeons and expanding territory. It’s exactly what King Sybilla, the founder of the Kingdom of Earthfill, did.”

While guiding Karen, Sieg taught her about the origins of the hunting festival.

The founding myth of King Sybilla’s pioneering record that even Karen knew. He conquered dungeons overflowing with monsters, opened up those lands, and established the Kingdom of Earthfill. After that, the strong warriors who followed Sybilla gradually conquered the surrounding unexplored dungeons. Those became the later nobles and their territories.

“Long ago, once a year, people would designate land to conquer, gather together, conquer that land’s dungeon and govern it, and build towns in the sphere of influence of the dungeon that had become peaceful. The one who played the key role in the conquest became the ruling noble of that land, and those who cooperated became their house’s retainers. Even now, we’re imitating that.”

“So you don’t do exactly the same thing?”

“Because it’s dangerous—an unexplored dungeon that’s never been cleared is basically in a constant state of a massive stampede. Monsters just keep pouring out. So now, we only hunt the ones that spill over to this side. We also invite nobles from territories that don’t have unconquered dungeons nearby.”

Sieg said with a knowing look, then looked up at Karen.

“Sister Karen, you absolutely must not go near it, okay?”

“Okay…”

Though Karen gave a good child’s response, Sieg pressed it upon Urte and Sepl.

“You supporters, please take care of Sister Karen.”

It was as if to say Karen’s response alone wasn’t reliable enough.

And—feeling that Sieg’s atmosphere was different from usual, Karen blinked. The two probably didn’t know Sieg’s usual atmosphere, so they nodded without seeming to feel any sense of incongruity.

“We’re supporters, after all. Please rest assured, we won’t let her take risks that would require hiring adventurers.”

Urte bowed even more courteously.

Though Sieg’s face, receiving that bow, was smiling, that smile even conveyed pressure. When Karen stood there dumbfounded, Sieg, noticing this, smiled brightly. The cold, oppressive aura surrounding him vanished instantly.

“Sister Karen, your tent is here!”

“…Is this a shared tent that I’ll use jointly with someone?”

Space for pitching tents was not unlimited. The permitted location and size of tents varied depending on one’s rank and status. The tent, comparable in size to the one Waltride had used during the dungeon expedition, looked too spacious even if used with Urte and Sepl.

“Ufufu, this tent is exclusively for you, Ms. Karen. Please go inside and see.”

Urged by Alise, Karen entered, and her eyes widened.

“It’s set up as an alchemy workshop…”

From basic tools like beakers, flasks, and mortars to everything beyond the minimum alchemy tools Karen carried with her—it was all there. On top of that, the cold drifting from the deep forest was completely shut out, leaving a warm and comfortable space. Part of it was due to being warmed by fires in the hearths, but this tent was also a climate control magical tool. It was probably the highest grade among human-made magical tools, enchanted with defensive magic such as eavesdropping prevention.

“Please don’t feel pressured, Ms. Karen. You’re an alchemist, and this is the hunting festival venue. It’s a place where you never know when someone might need potions. We’ve provided this tent to make it easy for you to receive work requests. Of course, until there are requests, you’re free to use it as you like.”

“…That’s just an excuse so I can stay comfortably and do alchemy however I like, isn’t it!?”

“Oh my, it seems we’ve been found out, Sieg.”

“If we’ve been found out, it can’t be helped, Mother.”

Alise and Sieg laughed together, then turned to face Karen side by side.

“We called you here to enjoy the hunting festival, but—Ms. Karen, it seems you have another purpose.”

“…You can tell?”

Karen smiled wryly. It was like the awkwardness of coming to a friend’s house to play, but being found out that you came with another purpose. However, both Alise and Sieg were looking at such a Karen with kind eyes.

“We can tell. That’s why we want to help you, Sister Karen.”

“If there’s anything we can do to cooperate for what you want to accomplish, please tell us.”

“Master Sieg, Lady Alise…”

Karen was moved by how easily they saw through her intentions, yet still offered their help—but only for a moment. She smiled faintly and said:

“I’ll almost certainly drag you into trouble, you know? I mean, I was already planning to use the hunting festival as my stage.”

“The hunting festival is fundamentally a social gathering. It’s natural for everyone to have their own motives, and Ms. Karen, whatever you do is fine. My husband should be happy to cooperate as well.”

“Ah, but Sister Karen, let us do the hunting festival. We have to hunt monsters for the sake of the villages and towns around the forest.”

“You’re so thoughtful of your subjects, Master Sieg. Truly befitting the next Earl Ehlertt.”

Karen smiled at the embarrassed Sieg and said:

“I have no intention of interfering with the hunting festival.”

Karen entered the tent she had been peering into. Alise and Sieg followed, and Urte and Sepl stood watch at the tent entrance. After confirming that security was perfect, Karen said:

“I want to gather all the children with little magical power throughout the Ehlertt territory and take them in.”

Surely, many of the nobles gathering at this place thought of children without magical power as troublesome and were at a loss for how to handle them. While they did so, the Children of the Dark Night were abducting children with nowhere to go.

Karen intended to negotiate with the nobles gathered at this place and take in the children before they were abducted. She was trying to create a place to shelter the children she gathered that way.

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