Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 254

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Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Four: Reservation for Celebration

“Thor—come back safely.”

“You too, Sis. You’re going to the hunting festival, right?”

“I plan to be around the main camp where the tents are set up, so there won’t be anything dangerous.”

At Thor’s request, Karen had come to the Adventurers’ Guild to see him off as he departed to conquer the dungeon. Though the building was smaller than the royal capital’s Adventurers’ Guild, it didn’t have a rural atmosphere at all. However, perhaps because the climate was different from the royal capital, the building’s atmosphere was different. The doors were double doors, and there seemed to be an entrance on the second floor as well.

If she recalled correctly, last year there had been a day of heavy snowfall while she was painting Julius’s portrait on a massive canvas. She had shut herself in a room and worked with the curtains drawn tight so that anyone unrelated wouldn’t find out about the portrait, and by the day of the New Year Festival, the visible areas had been completely cleared of snow, so she didn’t know how much it actually accumulated.

Inside the Adventurers’ Guild, it was warm and bustling with adventurers, giving a sense of the territory’s prosperity.

“Julius will be participating in the hunt, so he won’t be by your side. Don’t worry about me—you worry about yourself, Sis. It’s common for humans to be scarier than monsters.”

“Ms. Urte and Uncle Sepl will be by my side, so I’ll be fine!”

Without any ill intent, simply stating the facts, Thor spoke:

“The strength difference between B-rank and C-rank and below is on another level entirely.”

Saying that, he looked toward Urte and Sepl.

“Want me to give you guys training after I conquer the territorial capital dungeon?”

“It’s still rough being told that by a kid I’ve known since he was tiny!”

“What are you saying, Sepl? If a future A-rank adventurer is offering to train us, we have no choice but to gratefully accept.”

“I know. It really is something to be grateful for. But it’s rough…! What should I do if my kid ends up like this in the future!?”

“If that happens, it sounds fun, so maybe I’ll train your kid, Sepl.”

“I’m grateful! So grateful I could cry!”

Sepl held his head at Thor’s kindness.

Being able to joke around like this showed how broad-minded Sepl was.

“By the way, wouldn’t a send-off usually be at the temple?”

“Yeah, everyone else already went ahead to the temple.”

“Then do you have business at the guild? Don’t worry about me and go finish your business. Did you submit your dungeon conquest notice?”

It was like the climbing plan you submit when mountain climbing. Though it wasn’t absolutely required, if you didn’t return on schedule, they would organize a rescue party.

“I submitted it ages ago. Word spread throughout the territorial capital in no time that we’re diving in, and apparently, the local adventurers are in a panic, saying they can’t let outsiders conquer the thirtieth floor. Funny, right? If they were gonna panic, they should’ve conquered it already!”

When Thor said this while laughing, hostile gazes from adventurers throughout the Adventurers’ Guild stabbed into them. The reason it looked bustling was apparently that adventurers who had panicked upon receiving the Crimson Thunder’s dungeon conquest application had rushed in.

“The local nobles are being noisy too. If it gets conquered by adventurers, the New Year Festival—meant for the lord and nobles—will turn into a place to praise adventurers. The system of displaying the conqueror’s portrait at the New Year Festival was introduced through your efforts, wasn’t it, Sis? …Some people say it’s your fault.”

Thor continued in a lowered voice:

“Sis, seriously—be careful. Just from lightly gathering information, I ran into several guys who have grievances against you. I dealt with the ones I met on the spot, but there are definitely others.”

“I guess so.”

Karen nodded while feeling disheartened. It was difficult to implement measures that pleased everyone—if there were people grateful to Karen, it wasn’t strange that others resented her just as strongly. Though it wasn’t pleasant, it was something she had understood.

“Sis, will you become our Crimson Thunder party’s sponsor as an alchemist?”

“Sponsor?”

To the wide-eyed Karen, Thor nodded and explained:

“In exchange for support, we promote you, Sis—that’s the kind of relationship.”

“I understand that much. But isn’t it strange for me to ride on the coattails of you guys who are about to conquer the thirtieth floor and become A-rank, when I haven’t even provided support worthy of the name?”

When an adventurer’s name rose, of course, the sponsor’s name rose too. Not only that, it also became possible to later draw worthwhile returns from the adventurer. Every adventurer had weak periods, so supporting them then could secure a powerful connection to someone who might one day reach S-rank. For that reason, backers sought to sponsor promising adventurers.

The Gubert Trading Company that Karen had once clashed with must have supported and retained many adventurers in this way. Karen would have been pleased if among them there had been a skilled alchemist capable of making non-magical material potions, but unfortunately for both sides, even the Gubert Trading Company didn’t have such talent.

In any case, Thor must have had many offers. However, there was no sign that the Crimson Thunder had a sponsor.

“Won’t the other party members feel bad about making me your sponsor just because I’m your big sister?”

“Everyone’s all for it, you know? Making and giving us a panacea that no one in this country—maybe no one in the whole world—can make is plenty of support, right? Even though it’s in short supply because only you can make it, Sis, you gave us every last one you could make. So many that we couldn’t pay for them all with the money we have.”

“…That’s true.”

At least according to Yuluyana’s seal of approval, none of the alchemists active on the public stage had ever made a panacea.

Karen had made such potions exclusively for the Crimson Thunder and instructed not only Thor but the party members on how to use them. In the end, she had given them plenty even without being paid.

Now that it was pointed out, that could be called a track record of support.

“We’ll conquer the dungeon before the New Year Festival. And then we’ll take your name along with us to greater heights. We’ll make our names known at the festival, and make sure no one in Ehlertt can look down on my big sister.”

Thor turned his deep navy eyes, which had been gleaming fiercely into the distance, toward Karen. When directed at Karen, those blue eyes held a calm light like a tranquil sea.

“Consider this our engagement present to you, Sis—from the Crimson Thunder.”

Having received such an outrageous “reservation” for an engagement gift, Karen felt her chest grow warm.

“Thank you. But don’t push yourself too hard!”

“Yeah! Value your life, right?”

She didn’t say she didn’t need such a gift and just wanted him to come back safely. This was something Thor earnestly wanted to accomplish. Something he was trying to give his all for her sake. Just because she was worried didn’t mean Karen would deny that wish, that aspiration.

“I’ll do my best so I can surprise you too, Thor.”

“I’m looking forward to it, Sis.”

Karen also had things she wanted to do, which was why she was going to the hunting festival. As Thor said, there would be dangers there besides monsters. Even so, such things wouldn’t hinder the wishes she wanted to accomplish. And Thor would surely support her as well.

Karen headed to the Adventurers’ Guild reception desk with Thor and became the Crimson Thunder’s sole sponsor on the spot.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 253

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Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Three: Portable Panacea 2

“The real problem starts from here.”

“The real problem?”

Karen nodded vigorously at the puzzled Thor and his companions.

“Potions are magical medicine. So naturally they break if you put in foreign matter that disrupts their harmony—but you see, curry roux is definitely more delicious when simmered with meat and vegetables than eating it as is. I’ve already solidified it with some minced vegetables added, but it absolutely has more substance if it has big chunks of ingredients in it…!”

“Hey, Sis, hold on?”

“Alright, shall we challenge it once more? —Making real curry with meat and vegetables…!”

“It’s plenty delicious as it is! Also, it’s a panacea, not a meal, you know?”

“If it can be a meal too, that’s twice the deliciousness!”

Clenching her fist as she passionately declared that, Karen spun around toward Thor’s companions, who had been watching. When she smiled brightly, they flinched, their shoulders trembling.

“Everyone should practice too, okay?”

“N-No, we…”

“If we accidentally destroy the precious panacea…!”

“In case Thor can’t move, I’ll need you all to make it, so please practice. It’s fine. This is a useful experiment for me too, so I won’t charge for the panacea!”

Karen forcefully urged the pale-faced group to challenge making curry. Probably because they cooked in dungeons, everyone was indeed quite skilled.

Just like with curry, they chopped the ingredients, simmered them in hot water, and then dissolved the roux. While having her panacea destroyed many times by the tearful Thor and his party, Karen came to understand one thing.

“—I see. Using magical ingredients that can be appraised with the appraisal mirror increases the success rate, doesn’t it?”

Just like when Yuluyana had once succeeded in making a soap potion with magical materials, it was likely because one could understand those materials through appraisal results.

However, not everything succeeded. It also seemed that one type of ingredient was the limit. Since they weren’t alchemists, they weren’t adding magical ingredients as proper potion components.

They could just barely avoid breaking the potion because they understood it and because it was appropriate as curry ingredients; however, something essential that defined the potion was being diminished with each added magical ingredient.

Most likely, Karen’s curry roux—that is, the potion—had a limit to what it could accept. And for equally understood ingredients, magical ones consumed more of that capacity than non-magical ones. However, non-magical materials that couldn’t be appraised and couldn’t be "understood" consumed overwhelmingly more capacity and broke the potion.

“Thor was the only one who managed not to break the panacea even after adding non-magical ingredients.”

After repeating success and failure several times, Thor was now challenging making curry with three ingredients added.

“Onions have an effect that makes blood flow well, carrots have beta-carotene or something, and contain the same thing as lemons… pork has protein that becomes muscle…”

Muttering to himself, Thor stirred the curry containing onions, carrots, and pork.

“Sis, it’s done!”

“I’ll appraise it.”

When she appraised it, despite adding three new types of ingredients, it was completed as a small panacea.

“Amazing, Leader. Even though Ms. Karen explained it to us, we couldn’t do it… This is embarrassing for me as a mage… Alchemy is part of magic, so it should be my field.”

She had also explained the effects of non-magical ingredients to the dejected Wanda and others. However, apparently, just hearing the explanation wasn’t enough to reach understanding, and everyone except Thor had failed at making a panacea with non-magical ingredients added.

“Nah, this isn’t really about your ability, Wanda.”

“Leader?”

“The only non-magical ingredients that don’t break the panacea when added are ones whose effects I remember hearing about from Sis when I was a kid. The ones I swallowed whole without question because it was Sis saying it when I was a kid, and ‘understood.’ Sorry, Sis. You taught me all sorts of other things too, right? Would’ve been nice if I’d remembered it all.”

“No, no. I’m happy you remember even a little. It was when you were small, and besides, I’m the only one who said such things.”

And—thanks to Thor, Karen was now almost certain of a particular hypothesis. That was why the "Children of the Dark Night" targeted children. If they were children, they were easier to make "understand." So they abducted children with little magical power and subjected them to harsh education, making them "understand" things they normally couldn’t possibly understand. They likely indoctrinated them, made them believe—truths that were the exact opposite of the ordinary world.

“Sis, you look like you’re having fun?”

“Huh. No, I mean, having fun, that’s not…”

Karen panicked when Thor pointed it out.

Even though she had been thinking about children in tragic circumstances, Karen had apparently been smiling.

“You had a face like Leader’s when he’s toying with prey to death and laughing, Ms. Karen.”

“…You looked so much like our leader at his worst that I might not be able to treat you as a cute girl anymore, Ms. Karen.”

Wanda pointed it out, and Luis averted his face from Karen.

“As expected of Thor’s sister.”

“People favored by the goddess all have that side to them, more or less.”

Odo nodded repeatedly, and Chris smiled wryly.

Having been thoroughly witnessed, Karen gave up on denying it and decided to acknowledge it.

“That’s right—I found this difficult world interesting and couldn’t help but smile.”

She absolutely hadn’t been laughing at the children. The mechanisms of this world, its mysteries, the hidden truths—she simply couldn’t help how delightful, how utterly delightful it was that they were being unraveled little by little before her eyes.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 252

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Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Two: Portable Panacea

“Hey, Sis, how was the orphanage?”

“Thor.”

As usual, Karen had been in the corner of the kitchen set aside as her makeshift alchemy workshop, and she lifted her head from peering into a regular pot beside her alchemy cauldron.

Thor, who had been out gathering information to conquer the territorial capital dungeon, had apparently returned.

“I was able to make my donation as planned. They seem to be having various troubles, and the priest who’s the orphanage director asked Mr. Julius for Ehlertt’s support, and Mr. Julius accepted, so I think things will get better from now on.”

August had seemed to think that Julius and the Ehlertt family must harbor prejudice against those with little magical power. Even though Julius, Helfried, and Alise were nothing like that.

So while he was surprised, he seemed relieved that Julius accepted the support request.

“But prejudice against those with little magical power… that’s not something we can just fix.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Just because you promised that Horst guy something doesn’t mean you should worry about it more than necessary, okay? You pushed the Earl’s family because of that promise, and the Earl responded by increasing the budget. That’s enough. End of story.”

Scolded by Thor, Karen smiled wryly.

“I do worry about it, but I don’t think it’s my duty to fix everything.”

“Well, as long as you know that. By the way, Sis, whatcha making?”

“A potion.”

“It smells like panacea, but… isn’t it something different?”

Saying this, Thor looked down at the solid curry roux arranged on a tray.

“I’m trying to make a solid panacea roux.”

“Roux?”

To the puzzled Thor, Karen rephrased:

“I’m making a panacea that’s easy to carry around. The panacea I make isn’t really the kind you put in a bottle and carry around, you know.”

“Yeah, yours is basically all food.”

“So I thought I’d make it in a more convenient form for people to take with them.”

“…Could it be, for me?”

“You’re going to conquer the territorial capital dungeon, right?”

What was in the pot Karen had been looking at was the solid roux broken apart and dissolved in hot water. After the water had boiled, she had turned off the heat and put in the solid roux to dissolve.

“If I appraise this pot of curry and the panacea effect remains, it’s a success.”

“Really? I hope it worked…!”

In front of the praying Thor, Karen held up her appraisal mirror.

Minced Vegetable Curry

Panacea (Small).

“Sis! It worked!”

“I’ve succeeded up to this point several times. The problem is whether it becomes a panacea when someone other than me dissolves the curry roux in hot water! Alright, Thor, you try next.”

“Huh? Me!?”

“Maybe you’ll succeed. You grew up hearing all sorts of things about non-magical materials from me.”

“You mean if I fail, I’ll ruin the panacea you went to the trouble of making!?”

“Do your best, do your best. You’ll have to do it yourself once you enter the dungeon anyway.”

“Ugh.”

Though Thor pouted in dissatisfaction, he pulled out a new pot as Karen instructed.

“Once the water boils, turn off the heat and break in the curry roux to dissolve it.”

“The way you’re explaining this isn’t how to make a potion at all—it’s completely cooking.”

“It’s pretty much the same as cooking. You add ingredients that are good for the body while understanding how they help. You make sure not to ruin the flavor balance as a dish. If you keep stacking beneficial effects while preserving that balance, the effects merge together and become a panacea. The goddess makes that happen.”

“Ugh. I’m scared thinking I might be destroying the panacea right now.”

Grumbling, he waited for the water to boil as Karen explained, then turned off the heat and broke the curry roux into it.

As he stirred it around and it dissolved, Thor said:

“Sis, it seems to have dissolved, but what should I do next?”

“Do you guys have your own appraisal mirror?”

“We do. It’s lower rank than yours, though.”

“Let’s try appraising it with that.”

“Is it okay to leave this here? Don’t I have to keep stirring it continuously or something!?”

“No, no. Well, I don’t know if you left it for hours, though?”

“I’ll be right back!”

Thor rushed out of the kitchen and immediately returned.

Bringing his party along behind him.

“I heard we’re at a critical juncture of whether we can take the panacea to conquer the Ehlertt dungeon! The panacea is good for beauty too, right!?”

“Being able to eat that delicious food even in a dungeon is a blessing.”

“Don’t treat panacea the same as cosmetics and delicious food…”

Chris made a tired face as he retorted to Wanda and Odo.

“Aw, man. Having the leader make it isn’t the same. It’s delicious because a girl like Ms. Karen makes it.”

“Then you don’t get any panacea.”

“When you say that, it sounds like I wouldn’t get a panacea even if I’m poisoned or paralyzed! That’s scary!”

“…”

“Deny it!”

As Luis nearly cried after his joke brought down a heavy punishment, Chris rubbed his stomach with a pale face. To Karen’s eyes, the playful exchange between Thor and Luis appeared adorable, but for Chris, it seemed to be a stomach-aching exchange.

“Well, even if it fails as a potion, you can still eat it as a normal tasty dish. Even when you don’t have an appetite, or something tastes a bit off, if you put it into curry, you’ll somehow manage to eat it.”

“Yeah… being able to eat even without appetite is a blessing…”

Though he looked the oldest and appeared to be a proper adult, Chris smiled wryly while exuding an underling-like air.

Wanda pulled out from her bag the most typical form of appraisal mirror—in other words, a magnifying glass-type appraisal mirror. Though it closely resembled Karen’s appraisal mirror, it appeared to have fewer decorative patterns.

“…It says Panacea (Small) potion! Sis!”

“Then you can take it to the dungeon.”

“How much is this?”

“It’s useless to try to pay. The price hasn’t been decided yet.”

“I know the price of small panacea! B-rank adventurers have all the money they need! Setting aside food to eat at home, this is payment for a potion I’ll use as an adventurer! I’m definitely going to pay for it!”

Karen secretly smirked at Thor as he fiercely pulled out his wallet.

To make this solid curry roux, she first created a medium panacea, then kneaded wheat flour into it. Adding wheat flour to solidify it lowered the panacea rank to small panacea, but completed the solid roux.

If Thor knew it was originally medium panacea, he would be dying to pay the medium panacea price. But Thor would never know that.

“Heh… heh heh heh.”

“Ugh… whenever you laugh like that, it means something’s up… damn it… I can’t figure it out!”

Thor couldn’t see through the reason for Karen’s evil grin and continued holding his head.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 251

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Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-One: Society’s Distortions 3

“Once again, I sincerely apologize for the trouble we’ve caused you.”

“Regarding the children of the Ehlertt territory, we of House Ehlertt also bear responsibility. Karen isn’t injured, so don’t worry about it.”

“I’m relieved to hear you say that, Master Julius.”

The director, showing a relieved expression at Julius’ words, had earlier asked him to intimidate the children. He seemed to be an acquaintance of Julius.

The director turned back to Karen and took a priest’s formal bow once more.

“Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am August, a priest entrusted with running this orphanage.”

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Karen, an alchemist. Today, I had Mr. Julius guide me here to make a donation.”

“It’s an honor to meet you. I’ve heard much about your distinguished reputation, Miss Karen.”

“You flatter me.”

From Karen’s perspective as a commoner, priests seemed like truly distinguished people. Not only did they need to possess C-rank or higher magical power, but they also constantly trained to ascend to even higher ranks.

Their purpose was to draw closer to the goddess. Though similar to adventurers, the content of their training was selfless service to the public good. They were polar opposites of adventurers, who risked their lives to fulfill their every desire.

Though she did not feel particularly devout toward the temple, she found their dedication worthy of respect. To have such a person mention her "distinguished reputation" made Karen sit down on the offered sofa with embarrassment.

The broken vase that had been in the office had been cleared away, and as Karen and Julius settled on the sofa, tea and sweets were promptly served. As Karen partook of the tea without hesitation, August eventually broached the subject:

“It’s all because of disturbing rumors that have been circulating recently.”

“Disturbing rumors?”

“That children with little magical power will eventually come to hate this world and commit crimes… Such talk has spread, and because families don’t want a criminal in their lineage, more of them have started casting out even older children.”

Karen made a bitter face while munching on a tea sweet.

That was exactly what Horst had done, and she couldn’t deny it. The dungeon incident had been caused by unfortunate nobles from across the Kingdom of Earthfill who had little magical power and had gathered together.

“Rather than being blamed for future misdeeds they haven’t even committed, it’s better to actually do something bad and be blamed for that… So that’s what she meant.”

When Karen said this, recalling Teresa’s words, the director nodded with a sigh:

“Teresa’s family abandoned her, saying they couldn’t lose the goddess’ favor as adventurers. Even though she’s nearly an adult, they abandoned her before that to demonstrate their submission to the goddess…”

“It seems another superstition is spreading among adventurers.”

Adventurers were superstitious and sometimes became obsessed with delusions. Some superstitions were laughable, while others were trapped in dark beliefs like this one.

“In such circumstances, they’ve fallen into despair and are being driven down the path of evil. At this rate, they may eventually be dragged into even darker places. And despite that, it’s not those children’s fault…”

“Darker places?”

What came to Karen’s mind was Horst descending the stairs.

And the strange teachings spoken by the alchemist girl among the captured Children of the Dark Night. Unlike the ridiculous superstitions popular among adventurers, their teachings seemed to have a certain logic to them.

That fact was eerie, and Karen shuddered.

“Regarding this matter, there’s something I was thinking of consulting the Ehlertt family about…”

Saying that much, August glanced at Karen. Apparently, it was something difficult to discuss with Karen present.

“She is my fiancée. We’re on the verge of announcing our engagement at the New Year Festival. The Ehlertt family has nothing to hide from her. If you’ve noticed anything, please tell us.”

“If you say so, Master Julius—the truth is, it seems the ‘Children of the Dark Night’ have been abducting children in various places.”

“What?”

“Moreover, exclusively children with little magical power. Right now, children who’ve lost their place and been driven out are disappearing one after another. To protect at least the children of this orphanage, I’ve used my connections to have priests dispatched here, but… honestly, I’m not sure we can keep protecting them at this rate.”

“I had wondered why it was priests, not apprentices or believers, who were tending to the children… so this is what has been happening…”

Julius said in astonishment.

Karen found herself inadvertently understanding.

In such a world, it would be unreasonable to expect people not to find salvation in the Dark Night’s teachings that those with little magical power were superior and those with much magical power were monsters. There was no doubt that the Children of the Dark Night were expanding their influence in various places.

For a moment, she couldn’t even tell whether that organization abducting children was truly a bad thing for the children. But recalling the girl who had been able to create poison potions from non-magical materials at the cost of her voice—Karen steeled herself with the thought that an organization that turned children into tools like that must not be allowed to exist.

“Even within the temple, there are those who say that children with little magical power aren’t loved by the goddess, so we should just abandon them.”

“Even those who devote themselves to the goddess’s teachings…”

“It is precisely because we who follow the teachings regard ascending the ranks as the highest virtue that disdain arises toward children born at the lower steps.”

After narrowing his eyes at the children’s voices heard from afar, August fixed his gaze on Julius.

“The children bear no sin and are equally the goddess’ children who should be loved. While those of House Ehlertt may harbor conflicted feelings toward those with little magical power, I humbly beseech you to grant your support to these innocent children.”

Saying this, August bowed deeply. He probably knew what the Ehlertt territory had been like under Horst’s rule.

Karen suddenly thought that perhaps the reason Horst had been able to maintain such influence in this land was precisely because this noble person, who didn’t judge people by their magical power and bowed his head for the sake of children, occupied an important position in the temple of the territorial capital.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 250

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Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty: Society’s Distortions 2

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry—”

“I won’t do it again, never again, please forgive me!”

“…!”

The children gathered in the courtyard were trembling violently. They had been scolded and overwhelmed by Julius’s magical pressure, leaving them utterly terrified.

Julius, having returned, said while cautiously gauging Karen’s expression:

“…Are you disillusioned with me, Karen?”

“I’d say that was an excellent display of intimidation. You have to genuinely frighten them so they regret what they’ve done.”

“Come to think of it, you grew up in the adventurer district, didn’t you, Karen?”

Julius said with a relieved expression.

The culprits who had been summoned by the director were truly shameless.

Before Karen and Julius, they showed no signs of remorse, and when asked why they did such a thing, they gave a ridiculous answer: “Because we wanted to try throwing stones.” At the director’s urging, they offered a hollow “sorrry,” nothing more than lip service.

For Karen’s part, she would have been fine with just giving the misbehaving children a verbal warning. Julius probably felt the same. However, not everyone in this world was as lenient and kind as Karen and Julius. If they threw stones at other nobles or adventurers, it wouldn’t be strange if they were killed. In some circles, an adult’s kindness meant hammering into children the harsh truth that they had done something irreversible when they misbehaved.

It was mainly the custom of lower districts like the adventurers’ quarter. The orphanage seemed to follow the same approach, and at the director’s request, Julius had intimidated them—resulting in this scene.

Even the priests, who should have possessed C-rank or higher magical power, were trembling, so the children—especially those with little magical power—wouldn’t have stood a chance. It was clear that every single child regretted what they had done.

At first, when they were brought before Karen and Julius, the children had defiant eyes, but now they all had pale faces, tears streaming down, trembling violently. While elderly people’s hearts might stop from such treatment, the children showed no such signs, and though some had fallen on their bottoms or wet themselves, none were injured. Karen concluded there was no problem.

“I’m glad it seems you all understand what you’ve done—”

Karen fell silent when her eyes met those of a girl among the children who, while her cheeks were stained with tears, still retained strength in her eyes. She had red eyes like burning flames.

Karen looked at the director and asked:

“What kind of child is this one?”

“That’s Teresa. She’s thirteen years old, born to an adventurer family.”

“Her magical power?”

“F-rank.”

Karen’s eyes widened.

“With F-rank magical power, she can maintain that expression after being hit with Mr. Julius’s intimidation…?”

“Karen, should I intimidate her once more?”

“If her spirit didn’t break from that first one, nothing will break it.”

Tim had also once been a troublesome child of the unbreakable type. Even when kind adventurers intimidated him or beat him up, trying to drill into his body the fear that there existed people in this world you must not defy, he wouldn’t give in. Thanks to that, Karen had been forced to make potions many times.

Occasionally, such children existed. Thor had also been the type who was fine even when intimidated, but Thor was a smart child who understood when Karen properly explained the reasoning, so there was no problem.

In the adventurers’ district, it was said that children who didn’t yield to intimidation would eventually become successful adventurers. Thor had been like that too. However, if this child’s magical power were F-rank, it would be a harsh road ahead.

Karen posed to Teresa the question she had been thinking of asking one of the children again:

“Hey, can you tell me why you threw stones at us?”

“…Because all adults only look at us based on our magical power.”

While glaring at Karen with intense eyes, the girl still answered. However, Karen tilted her head slightly, not quite understanding the meaning.

“We won’t be chosen anyway, but not being chosen without doing anything is frustrating.”

“Huh?”

“So I threw stones. If it’s because of something I did, it’s still better.”

“Um, what do you mean by ‘not being chosen’?”

“You came to take a child with high magical power as your adopted child, didn’t you? Together with your husband.”

Because she had little magical power, she wouldn’t be chosen—for adoption, apparently.

Karen cried out:

“We’re not! Married!”

“Not yet, anyway.”

“We just came to make a donation, okay!? I’m still nineteen! Children and all that are way in the future!”

At Karen and Julius’s words, the girl said irritably:

“It doesn’t matter either way. Anyway, I won’t be chosen, right? Above all, because I’m a bad child. That’s why I’m being scolded. I did something bad, so it’s natural. Even if I’m killed, it can’t be helped.”

With burning eyes, the girl spoke defiantly. It was obvious she bore wounds in her heart. Not trauma from Julius’s intimidation, but surely from the circumstances that led to her being abandoned.

“The children seem to sincerely regret their actions. Could you perhaps forgive them now?”

That was the director’s signal. Karen and Julius exchanged glances and nodded. There was one child who showed no regret and had steeled herself, but there was no need to involve the other children for the sake of that one child alone.

“Thank you. Then, if you’ll excuse us.”

Expressing her gratitude, a priestess led the children, including the girl, away. Karen and Julius moved to the office with the director and proceeded to talk once more.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 249

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Chapter Two Hundred and Forty-Nine: Society’s Distortions

“We’ve come to tour the orphanage. Is the director available?”

“…Aren’t you both too young to be hoping to adopt an orphan?”

At the words of the orphanage staff member, who looked annoyed, Karen, who had visited the orphanage with Julius, was taken aback.

“Huh?”

“Since you’re still young, you should try a bit harder first, and it’s not too late to consider adoption after you still can’t have a child. We do have almost too many children, of course. But being taken in once and then returned to the orphanage because you ended up having your own child after all—that’s the most painful thing for the child.”

The stern-faced female staff member seemed to be speaking out of concern for the children.

Understanding what was being said, Karen turned bright red and said:

“N-No, that’s not it! We’re not married!”

“Not yet. —I apologize for visiting without an appointment. We came to make a donation, but who should we visit regarding donations?”

“If it’s such a generous matter, the director.”

The female staff member looked up at Julius, her eyes widening at his beautiful features, but she didn’t seem to recognize who he was.

“May I ask your names?”

“I’m Karen, a B-rank alchemist.”

“I am Julius Ehlertt.”

“Oh my… I apologize deeply for my rudeness.”

The female staff member made a gesture of crossing both hands over her chest and bowing her head. It was a cleric’s bow.

“It’s fine. Have you recently come to the Ehlertt territory?”

“Yes. I’m a cleric who came to this region to help because they said the busy orphanage needed assistance.”

“I see. If the orphanage is busy, does that mean the number of orphans is increasing?”

“It seems so. The territory is prosperous, so the number of children is naturally high as well. I’ll show you to the director’s office right away.”

The female staff member—the female cleric in plain clothes—said this somewhat evasively.

Without passing through the orphanage itself, Karen and Julius were guided to the director’s room from the temple side of the same grounds. The orphanage Karen knew in the royal capital was run by the adventurers’ district guild, but the Ehlertt territory’s capital orphanage was run by the temple with support and donations from the Ehlertt Earldom. Therefore, the orphanage was attached to the temple grounds.

The room on the temple side resembled more the office of a high priest than that of an orphanage director.

“Please wait here.”

After the female cleric left, Karen said in a low voice:

“As expected, abandoned children seem to be increasing.”

“It’s because of what happened with Horst. It’s happened before, but the number of abandoned children with little magical power seems to be rapidly increasing.”

“As predicted.”

Karen sighed. It wasn’t hard to imagine the same thing was happening throughout the Kingdom of Earthfill.

“The Ehlertt household intends to increase support to the orphanage, so even if you don’t donate—”

Julius cut off his words mid-sentence and fell silent, then suddenly embraced Karen, who was sitting next to him on the same sofa.

“Mr. Julius!?”

Karen’s panic lasted only a moment. The next instant, one of several stones thrown in through the open window smashed a vase in the room.

“Run!”

Children’s voices came from the garden outside the window, followed by multiple running footsteps. Then rough footsteps approached from the hallway as well.

“What’s happening!?”

He must have heard the sound of the vase breaking. The man in his thirties, wearing clerical robes, who rushed into the office, looked at the room with stones thrown in, saw Julius protecting Karen, and turned pale as if grasping everything.

“I… I’m terribly sorry! Are either of you injured!?”

“Karen?”

“I’m fine because you protected me, Mr. Julius. Were you all right?”

“I wouldn’t be injured by something like that.”

After confirming Karen wasn’t hurt, Julius turned eyes that weren’t smiling toward the priest.

“Now then, would you explain what exactly this is about?”

“It must have been our children’s doing… Their education is lacking, and I apologize. This is all due to my lack of virtue as the director of this orphanage. It’s not the children’s fault, so please punish me.”

Saying this, the priest, identifying himself as the director, bowed his head. He was a man who looked to be in his late thirties with a worn-out air. He made no excuses nor pushed responsibility onto the children. Rather, he was trying to protect the children from Julius, who was pretending to be angry with a somewhat frightening atmosphere.

Karen nodded to Julius and took over the conversation.

“Please raise your head. Can you tell us why the children did this?”

At Karen’s question, the director raised his face tentatively and spoke:

“…Probably because they’ve despaired of adults.”

“Despaired?”

“The children who likely caused you trouble were recently abandoned.”

“Recently? But those children, I only glimpsed them, but they seemed over ten years old—”

About to say they must be different children, Karen realized.

“…You mean they were abandoned by parents who raised them until they grew that big, just because they had little magical power?”

“Exactly so.”

The director nodded with a bitter expression. Karen couldn’t help but look up to the heavens.

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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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