Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 212

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Chapter Two Hundred and Twelve: Anniversary Date 2

“So you’re the champion of the last swordsmanship tournament?”

The card Julius called a letter of introduction bore the golden rose and crown of thorns—the emblem of the Earthfil Kingdom Swordsmanship Tournament. When he showed it to the gatekeeper, Karen and Julius were courteously invited inside, where they were greeted by a dwarf. The card Julius held must have been something akin to a special privilege granted to the winner of the tournament.

The dwarf’s height didn’t even reach Karen’s chest. More than half his face was covered in a beard. Though he held a bottle of liquor in one hand, this wasn’t a sign of improper behavior—when it came to dwarves, alcohol was practically the same as water.

Julius must have contacted him in advance, as the dwarf seemed to know he was coming.

“A pleasure to meet you, magical tool craftsman Urgo. As I wrote in my letter, I am Julius, a knight of the Ehlertt Earldom. She is Karen, an alchemist.”

“N-Nice to meet you.”

Seeing Julius and Karen clearly dressed for a date, the dwarf’s eyes grew distinctly suspicious.

“Hmm? I’m Urgo, the proprietor here. Well, a warrior who protects the nation may use the champion’s privilege as he pleases, but I would say this place is a bit too exclusive for simply showing off to a lady, don’t you think?”

“Is that so? When a man is in love, does he not wish to present the finest thing in this world to the woman he adores?”

“Well, there’s no doubt my magical tools are among the best in the world—one or two, anyway. If your partner is truly one of a kind, then I suppose that follows. You’re surprisingly devoted—for a human, that is.”

Karen had heard neither the sweet words Julius had chosen to suit her tastes nor the prejudice the dwarf Urgo seemed to harbor toward humans.

“Ah… aah… ah…!”

Already visible over Urgo’s shoulder were magical tools she’d only seen in commoner school textbooks.

Looking down at Karen trembling and restraining herself from charging inside, Julius narrowed his eyes in rapture.

Glancing up at Julius, then at Karen, Urgo shrugged his shoulders.

“Feel free to look around, but don’t touch anything without permission. When you want to touch something, ask me if it’s all right first. Got it?”

“Yes!”

Karen gave an energetic, well-behaved reply and then marched inside in a comically polite speed-walk. She clasped her hands behind her back as she walked to avoid accidentally touching anything.

Magical tools came in two types: artifacts called the goddess’s magical tools that human hands still couldn’t create, and artificial magical tools crafted by humans in imitation of them.

In most magical tool shops, the difference between the two was obvious and unmistakable. But looking at the magical tools lined up in this shop, she couldn’t tell them apart.

The most well-known man-made magical tools were those that used elemental magic stones to produce fire, water, wind, or earth. The devices used in bathrooms and kitchens to generate water or flame were precisely such inventions.

Karen looked at a water-producing leather flask. For water flasks used in dungeons, it was said that for drinking water, one should definitely use the goddess’s magical tools and avoid human-made artificial ones. Since the mouth of this one was shaped for easy drinking, it was probably one of the goddess’s magical tools.

But Karen’s assumption was quickly proven wrong.

“That’s a magical tool I made. Can’t tell it apart from the goddess’s magical tools, can you?”

“Eh, but—”

“Some people say drinking water from human-made water flasks makes them sick, but that’s just because the people who made those magical tools don’t understand water flasks well enough. With the water flasks I make, there isn’t anyone who ruins their body. Not in the hundred and fifty years I’ve been watching, anyway. Gahaha!”

Though not as much as elves, dwarves were also a longer-lived race than humans. If it had been fine for a hundred and fifty years, about half of all humans would have reached their natural lifespan anyway, so even if there were problems, it wouldn’t matter much—a long-lived species joke.

“That’s amazing. Could it be you’re using earth magic stones?”

When Karen asked casually, the smile vanished from Urgo’s face.

“—Why do you think that?”

“Eh? Ah, I’m sorry. That’s a trade secret, isn’t it?”

“The manufacturing methods for magical tools are, of course, our craftsmen’s greatest secrets. That’s precisely why, if they’re leaking, I’d like to confirm the source of that leak… but you were an alchemist, weren’t you?”

“Yes. I don’t think your magical tool manufacturing methods are leaking, Mr. Urgo—I just understand water as an alchemist.”

Karen said this while fidgeting.

The water produced by water magic stones was probably ultra-pure water containing nothing but water itself. If someone who’d been sweating and losing salt from their body drank too much water containing no minerals like salt, it wouldn’t be strange for some people to develop water intoxication. That was why, even now, though Karen had water-producing magical tools at home, for drinking water she drew well water and boiled it, or drank juice or wine.

Most likely, people with high magical power had their magic supplement their bodies, so no problems arose on the surface. But it was known from experience that it became poisonous for people with weak bodies—babies, the sick, the elderly—and so it wasn’t basically used for drinking water.

She’d just thought on the spot that to make a water flask that could include minerals while producing water, one might be able to use earth magic stones in addition to water magic stones. That said, having secret manufacturing methods guessed correctly couldn’t feel good.

Watching Karen shrink back, Urgo stroked his beard roughly.

“I see, you appear to be a fairly skilled alchemist. What was your name again?”

“Karen!”

“Magical tools for alchemists are over here, Karen.”

“Thank you so much!”

Karen’s face lit up with a radiant smile, and without sparing Julius a single glance, she trotted after Urgo’s guidance.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 211

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Chapter Two Hundred and Eleven: Anniversary Date

Sara came to drag Karen out of bed at the crack of dawn and began getting the still half-asleep Karen ready.

“Sara…? What are you doing here…?”

“Mister Thor, who was already up early, let me in. You’re going out with Master Julius today, right? So I’ve come to dress you up properly.”

“Mrph.”

As her face was wiped vigorously with a damp towel, Karen woke up a little.

“Thank you for coming all the way here, Sara.”

“Hmph, think nothing of it.”

Sara puffed her chest out proudly. Karen drifted in and out of her half-asleep haze for a while, but eventually something caught her attention.

“Wait!? I don’t recognize this dress!”

“It’s a summer dress Lady Alise had made for you, Lady Karen.”

It was made of thin white fabric embroidered with gold thread. Layered over that were several more sheets of white cloth so sheer they were nearly transparent, giving it a soft, fluffy design that was utterly charming.

“When did she have time for this!? Is it really all right for me to accept it…?”

“Of course it is. It’s for Lady Alise’s in-laws’ outing, after all.”

“I see. It’s for Mr. Julius’s sake, then.”

Karen murmured that in a sleepy, absent-minded tone, and Sara shook her head as if to say, “What am I going to do with you?”

“Well, for now, I suppose that’s good enough. If you enjoy yourselves, that’ll be all Lady Alise could wish for.”

With that, Sara set about finishing Karen’s preparations with brisk efficiency.

“Ah… you look lovely, Karen.”

Julius, dressed in formal noble attire, said it with a soft smile, and Karen gave a sheepish, lopsided grin.

“D-Do I? You look absolutely wonderful yourself, Mr. Julius!”

She thought that standing beside him, she couldn’t help but pale in comparison—but she kept that to herself.

Julius looked at Karen’s neck, and his smile deepened.

“You wore the necklace, too.”

“Yes. The colors seemed to work well enough with the dress.”

Karen placed her hand over her chest. There gleamed a necklace set with a golden gemstone, the same color as Julius’s eyes. The set included earrings too, yet because she already had piercing, those had stayed behind. It was the piece of jewelry Julius had once given her in return for a sachet she had made.

“It brought me great delight to see you adorned in my colors.”

As Julius leaned in to look more closely at the necklace, Karen noticed the embroidery on his cravat. The thin white cravat bore gold embroidery worked into the fabric.

“Mr. Julius, that cravat…”

“It’s not just the cravat—today my entire outfit was tailored to match your dress, Karen.”

“…I’m so happy.”

Karen said it with a quiet smile. She meant it from the bottom of her heart. At the same time, she thought it must look rather ridiculous to anyone watching—but she knew that Julius would not be pleased to know she thought so, and so she said nothing.

“Shall we go, then, Karen?”

“Yes! See you later!”

She took the hand Julius offered with a smile, waved to Sara and Harald, who had come to see them off, and climbed into the carriage.

“Where are we going today?”

“If it doesn’t trouble you, I’ve changed my thinking somewhat—I thought we might go somewhere quite public. What do you say?”

“I don’t mind at all, as long as I’m with you, Mr. Julius.”

“In that case, would you be willing to attend a party tonight as my partner?”

“If you were certain I’m suitable… but could one really join a party so suddenly?”

Karen had once seen Alise preparing for a party for Sieg’s recovery celebration. After sending out invitations, she recalled seeing Alise grow anxious over those who failed to reply regarding their attendance.

“There’s a party I’d received an invitation to—I had already sent my regrets, but on a whim I dispatched a messenger last night, and by early this morning I had a reply saying my attendance would be most welcome.”

“I see. I suppose anyone would be delighted to have you come, Mr. Julius.”

Alise, too, had gone to great lengths to invite famous performers and musicians to liven up Sieg’s celebration. If the guests were to enjoy themselves and feel compelled to attend, someone as celebrated as Julius would always be welcome—any time, without question. The only regret would be not having been able to tell the other guests in advance that Julius would be there.

As for an extra like Karen—well, no one had asked for her.

“I cannot say how much value I hold in others’ eyes, but I intend to show them that the one person before whom I, rated as I am, willingly bow—is you alone.”

“I don’t dislike that at all.”

If anything, it was exactly the kind of romantic stories Karen loved most. And yet she tilted her head in thought.

“But is that really the date you dreamed of, Mr. Julius?”

It was a little hard to imagine that the date a young Julius had once fantasized about involved a woman standing next to him with a smug look on her face. Julius answered her question without missing a beat:

“The truth is, Brother Helfried and I have different mothers. On the surface, I am recognized as a legitimate son of the family, so there are very few even among the servants, who know the truth.”

Karen nearly let out a surprised exclamation and swallowed it just in time.

“After I was taken into the household, Mother—Brother Helfried’s mother, that is—tried to treat me as her own child without distinction. But I felt guilty. She attempted to take me to many places, and I refused every time. I usually gave excuses such as preferring swordsmanship or wanting to explore the dungeon.”

The lightness with which he spoke of it made Karen close the mouth she had begun to open, and simply listen.

“But in truth, there were times I wished I had gone with her… I was often told I resembled Mother more than my father, so perhaps we would have appeared a true family. Part of me wanted that, yet at the time, I felt it was wrong. We were not bound by blood, and yet people said I resembled her—that felt like something I had no right to. Gatherings like this party were among those occasions.”

Julius looked down at the invitation he had drawn from his breast pocket and smiled. Karen thought that perhaps the place Julius had dreamed of was less a destination for a date and more somewhere he had wanted to go with his family—but she didn’t say so. Instead, she slid across from the opposite seat to the one beside him and leaned gently against his side.

“Let’s go to all sorts of places together from now on.”

“…Thank you, Karen. I find myself looking forward to being seen as your partner.”

Karen felt, just slightly, that she understood the feelings of that young Julius who had thought it wrong to be seen as part of his family. Being seen as Julius’s partner was something the Karen of today couldn’t help but feel unworthy of. Her chest ached with a quiet, squeezing pain.

But that pain came less from her sense of unworthiness toward Julius, and more from the thought of what must have been going through Julius’s heart back then—when he had surely still been so young. She felt glad that she might have understood even a fragment of that heart.

There were so many things she wanted to ask, but she left them unasked and turned to something else instead.

“If the party is in the evening, what would you like to do until then?”

“Shopping, perhaps?”

“Is that genuinely somewhere you want to go, Mr. Julius?”

“But of course, Karen. Brother Helfried once told me that a man truly feels the meaning of being alive in the moment he sees the face of the one he loves light up with joy. And he was right.”

It seemed this was something Julius had quietly, earnestly dreamed of for a long time—having been influenced by his lovey-dovey earl brother and sister-in-law.

Julius cheerfully reached out and brushed Karen’s earlobe, touching her earring.

“Right now, I feel I could know that feeling even more deeply than when I gave you that necklace and the earring.”

No matter how one looked at it, Julius was fully intent on buying her something. It wasn’t that she was ungrateful for gifts, but letting him spend money on her did feel a little wrong. Still, he said it with such undisguised anticipation shining through his words that Karen decided to set aside any excessive modesty.

“If it makes you happy, then let’s do that, Mr. Julius.”

Whatever Julius intended to buy for her, it would only be a problem if Karen decided she wanted it. Of course, since Julius clearly wanted to buy her something, she would let him—some small thing. She would choose something at a reasonable price from the things she actually wanted, accept it graciously, and make a great show of her delight.

Ideally, something Julius would find worthwhile to give, and something Karen could cherish for years to come. She was confident she could show genuine, unfeigned joy. No performance would be required. Karen drew up what felt like a perfect plan in her mind and left the choice of destination entirely to Julius.

That was her greatest mistake.

“Here we are, Karen.”

Julius took her hand to help her out of the carriage, and Karen looked up at the shop before her and went pale.

“‘Urgo’s Magical Tool Shop’…!?”

It was the most prestigious long-established magical tool shop in the Kingdom of Earthfill. The shop every alchemist and magical tool artisan who dealt in such items dreamed of setting foot in.

“B-But this shop is by referral only…! The proprietor is terribly particular—they say even the king himself can’t get in without meeting the conditions…!”

Karen stumbled over her words, and Julius smoothly produced a card in front of her.

“I have a letter of introduction to Urgo’s Magical Tool Shop, so there’s nothing to worry about, Karen.”

Could Karen manage not to want anything at all? Could she accept some modestly priced item, and then convincingly perform the picture of complete and utter satisfaction?

Thus began Karen’s battle against her worldly desires.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 210

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Chapter Two Hundred and Ten: First Year 3 (Julius’s POV)

“Nothing of the sort, Karen. If anything, you are far too good for me.”

“You really do seem to mean that, Mr. Julius.”

Karen laughed softly, with a hint of amusement. Whether she believed his words or not was difficult to tell. She probably did, Julius thought. And yet he understood full well that aside from himself and those closest to him, no one else would ever consider Karen a suitable match for him.

That was why he had thought it was still too soon—for her sake, so she would not be hurt.

“Once I can reveal that I’m B-rank, please take me to all sorts of places! By then, people should think that I’m at least a little worthy of standing beside you, thanks to the abilities I have!”

“You are already more than sufficient as you are.”

“If I could get others to think so as well, I’d love to be your partner at social gatherings, Mr. Julius.”

Hearing Karen voice her wish in a near whisper, Julius felt something catch in his chest.

He had no right to say that others didn’t matter. It had been Julius himself who had told Karen—when she wished to accompany him into his social world—that as long as she was not acknowledged by others, he could not take her there.

His reason had been that he didn’t want to hurt her. And yet Karen herself had said she didn’t mind being talked about. It was Julius who had minded.

“Before then, I’ll have Lady Alise and Sara drill proper etiquette into me, so I won’t be an embarrassment to you.”

“There is not a single thing about you right now that embarrasses me!”

Karen’s eyes widened at his declaration, and then she smiled and rose from the sofa. She took hold of the hem of her casual dress and offered Julius a lady’s curtsy. It was considerably more polished than when she had practiced for Sieg’s recovery celebration. The form itself was not wrong. But the movement lacked fluency—it was stiff and awkward. Whether her body was tensing unnecessarily or she simply hadn’t yet found the feel of it, grace was nowhere in sight. It could not be called elegant by any stretch, and the impression of hasty, surface-level learning was undeniable.

“Lady Alise said I do well enough for a commoner. But even I can’t say I’m fit to be your partner, Mr. Julius. And yet here I went, swept up in the excitement of a date and making wishes above my station.”

Karen smiled with a distant look in her eyes. She had allowed herself a dream, and Julius had thrust reality back in her face.

—Even without cruel words from others, Karen had already been hurt. It was only like a minor scrape, and Karen herself did not seem overly concerned.

But it was a wound Julius had made. Whatever his intentions, it was a wound born from his having told her—a C-rank alchemist of commoner birth—that she could not be his partner.

Karen attempted to hold herself like a noble lady, and the effort made her movements halting. Julius stepped toward her—she looked like a marionette in the hands of a clumsy puppeteer—and pulled her into his arms, so that she might no longer have to strive to become someone other than herself.

“Forgive me, Karen. When it comes to you being spoken of badly, the one who is wounded is surely me, not you. I simply could not bear to watch you be hurt. I never meant to imply that you were lacking.”

Julius had hurt Karen to protect himself. Karen, held still in his embrace, spoke from within his arms:

“I truly don’t think I mind people saying unkind things. Compared to possibly being hated by the goddess, something like that is trivial.”

Julius gave a wry smile at the enormity of what she was comparing it to. Indeed, when set against a goddess, being disliked by most people hardly amounted to much.

“But if it troubles you, Mr. Julius, then I don’t like that either. If taking you somewhere would mean you’d be spoken ill of, then even if you wished to go, I wouldn’t want to take you there. So please, don’t trouble yourself over it.”

That must have been how Karen had made peace with his refusal. In caring for him, she had quietly swallowed her own wish along with it.

“Compromise doesn’t suit you, Karen.”

“No, no—I’m not so unreasonable that I demand every single wish of mine be granted!”

Karen wriggled free from his arms and made her displeasure known with a small pout.

It was true that Karen had not yet acquired the bearing of high society. In her current state, the title of C-rank alchemist—kept so only because her true ability could not yet be revealed—would not earn her sufficient respect from the nobility.

—Long ago, Julius had worked himself to the bone to acquire the manner he now carried. To be accepted by the Ehlertt household—by those of the family other than Helfried, and other than his father. Every gesture, every posture, every way of speaking, every expression he shaped toward the ideal of a noble young man—he had refined them over and over as he watched how others responded, aiming always to be well-regarded. Because he often took cues from women who openly showed him favor, he had become someone rather easily liked by women.

He had shattered his former self into pieces so that no one would ever notice. But Julius had not the slightest desire to damage even a single fragment of the shape Karen was now.

“I want you—and everyone else—to understand that, for me, you are more than enough as you are. With that in mind, may I rearrange tomorrow’s plans?”

“I already understand that, and I’m not sure it matters whether others do, but either way is fine with me.”

Karen gave an awkward, shy smile at Julius’s sudden change of stance. The moment when she might have celebrated without hesitation had long since been lost by Julius’s own doing. And so, to bring her joy, Julius gathered resolve from deep within and produced his most dazzlingly sweet smile.

Karen gave a bashful, slightly flustered smile at his sudden change of heart. The moment when she might have received it with unclouded joy was one Julius had already forfeited. And so, in order to bring her joy still, he gathered his resolve and produced his most exquisitely tender smile.

Seeing Karen look up at him with melting eyes, his smile grew all the more profound. The sweetness in Julius’s expression deepened beyond anything mere acting could achieve.

“Someday, in a distant future… I once indulged in the sweet fantasy that if I ever had someone I loved, I would bring her to a certain place. I will take you there.”

“Th-that’s far too much to look forward to.”

Seemingly struck to the heart by his declaration, Karen’s face went perfectly still, and she began to tremble. Bearing the weight of her expectations, Julius declined the dinner invitation and set off home, intending to use what little remained of the short night to prepare for tomorrow.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 209

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Chapter Two Hundred and Nine: First Year 2 (Julius’s POV)

“—So that’s the situation. Does anything come to mind, Sara?”

He knew, at least in theory, that women cherished anniversaries. That seemed to be the same whether one was a noble or a commoner.

Because it felt like a special day to Julius as well, he wanted to make it a good day for Karen. That’s why he wanted to eliminate any concerns that might have existed.

“Since Lady Karen’s initial wish was to try going to places like the opera house, perhaps she was dejected that it couldn’t be fulfilled?”

Having returned to the Ehlertt estate, Julius called Sara and told her about his exchange with Karen, seeking her opinion.

“I promised we would go once she reached B-rank, but even so, Karen’s expression did not brighten.”

“Maybe she wanted to go tomorrow right away.”

Having once struggled to move her facial muscles, Sara had become rather inept at hiding her feelings once they began working properly again. Even if she could hide things in front of strangers, before Julius, she completely failed to conceal an expression that seemed to say “Ah, I see” as if she understood something.

However, Sara apparently had no intention of telling Julius what it was. Her employers were the Ehlertt family, specifically Helfried and eventually Sieg, but even so, Julius was a member of the household.

Before Sara, who was keeping silent out of consideration for Karen, Julius felt a sense of fondness but also devised a plan.

“I thought that perhaps you, as Karen’s friend, might understand—but even for a friend, is it difficult?”

Sara’s expression twitched.

Julius looked off in another direction and showed signs of contemplation as he spoke.

“Perhaps Miss Natalia would know. After all, she has been Karen’s friend longer than you—”

“Presumptuous though it may be, there is something that comes to mind as a possibility. I, too, am Lady Karen’s friend.”

Julius had no real intention of visiting Natalia, but Sara seemed to think that keeping silent would be pointless if he was going to visit Natalia anyway, and spoke while emphasizing the word “friend.”

“Hmm. What is it that comes to mind? May I hear it?”

“This is merely my speculation, but knowing Lady Karen, she’s likely thinking something like, ‘Mr. Julius can be my partner in society, but as I am now, I can’t be his partner.’”

As Sara spoke, even mimicking Karen’s tone and manner of speech, Julius was aghast.

“Can’t be? That kind of thing—”

“’Mr. Julius would be embarrassed to have a C-rank like me as a partner, right?’ ‘To bridge the class gap between nobility and commoners, it has to be after I become known as B-rank’, ‘I personally don’t mind, but if Mr. Julius minds—’”

“I don’t care about class differences!”

When Julius involuntarily raised his voice, Sara abruptly stopped her oddly skillful mimicry of Karen’s gestures and speech and said:

“…It’s merely my foolish fantasy, so please don’t let it concern you. I apologize for causing you discomfort.”

“I’m sorry for raising my voice. You’ve done nothing wrong, so there’s no need to apologize.”

Julius apologized to Sara while standing up.

“I shall go out once more. I appreciate your cooperation, Sara, Karen’s friend.”

Sara showed a triumphant smile and bowed respectfully.

“Have a safe trip, Master Julius.”

“Oh, Mr. Julius? Will you be staying for dinner too?”

Karen, who seemed to have already finished bathing, wore relaxed, casual clothes. Julius tried to avert his eyes out of courtesy before Karen in that appearance, but Karen seemed completely unconcerned. That appearance, which a noble lady would never show in public, apparently was something that, by commoner sensibilities, could be shown to the opposite sex without issue.

Though he had seen her lightly dressed in the dungeon, the dungeon was outside ordinary life. Precisely because of that, minor differences in common sense he had never noticed were laid bare in ordinary life.

Julius stopped averting his eyes and looked down at Karen.

“Karen, did your expression darken at the thought of tomorrow because you believed I thought that, as you are now, I could not make you my partner?”

After making a blank face, Karen pulled on Julius’s arm.

“Shall we go inside for now?”

“Yes…”

Even though Karen wore relaxed casual clothes, the alchemy workshop was so lively that there was no way for an odd atmosphere to develop.

It seemed Thor was in the kitchen preparing dinner with Tim and Harald, and the sounds of their noisy struggle could be heard.

When Karen showed him to the drawing room, they moved just a little away from the kitchen commotion.

“Um, did something happen?”

“I felt like I could see melancholy in your expression, and when I consulted Sara to find a clue to resolve it, she said you might have thought something like that.”

Perhaps Karen had intended to gloss over it, but the moment he mentioned Sara’s name, her expression became one of resignation.

“Why does Sara always figure it out?”

“Because she’s your friend—I’m sorry for making you think that way.”

“Eh!? Please don’t apologize!”

At Julius, bowing his head, Karen hastily waved her hands.

“It’s a fact that as I am now, I’m not suitable as your partner in anyone’s eyes, Mr. Julius.”

Seeing Karen’s bitter smile, Julius bitterly realized his own failure.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 208

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Chapter Two Hundred and Eight: First Year (Julius’s POV)

“Would you like to stay for some tea?”

“I’d love to.”

When Julius escorted Karen to the alchemy workshop, he was invited inside. In the room he was shown to, piles of belongings that hardly looked like furnishings were stacked in the corner. Karen scratched her cheek bashfully.

“Sorry, it’s a bit messy. My brother is living here now. I gave him the room on the second floor and kept telling him to move all his luggage up there, but…”

“Shall I carry it up?”

“No, I’ll absolutely make Thor do it, so please don’t trouble yourself.”

Karen exuded the dignity of an older sister with determination.

Somehow, she resembled Alise when she had confronted Julius with that same commanding presence for him neglecting himself, and Julius found his back straightening unconsciously.

“Wait here for just a moment.”

It wasn’t as though Karen and Julius were alone in the workshop; he heard a boy’s voice. If he recalled correctly, the boy’s name had been Tim. Julius removed his cloak and wiped his sweat with a handkerchief. From outside, he heard the voices of Tim and Karen.

“Should I make the tea?”

“I want to make it into a potion, so I’ll do it. Also, Thor will be home soon, so you can prepare for training.”

“Oh!”

Right, Thor and Harald would be returning shortly as well. There was something he wanted to discuss before then.

Before long, Karen returned carrying a tray.

“The green tea is ready!”

“Thank you, Karen. Is this also a potion?”

“Yes. It’s a potion that cools down the body heat from being on stage. I made it cold-brewed, so it’s refreshing and delicious.”

What Karen brought out was green-colored tea with ice floating in it.

The alchemy workshop’s magical tool ice room should have had the function to make ice as well. Karen shouldn’t have used it before, but she seemed to have skillfully incorporated it into her life.

“I was a bit hot in the cloak, so this is much appreciated.”

When it touched his lips, it was bitingly cold, and when it touched his tongue, he tasted more sweetness than bitterness, making it easy to drink.

Julius downed the green tea in one go.

“Would you like a refill?”

He gratefully received a second cup, and after drinking about half of that as well, Julius broached the topic.

“By the way, Karen, are you free tomorrow? I checked with Harald and Sara, and they said you have no particular business.”

“I’m free.”

For a moment, Karen’s expression showed she was considering something, but that was her answer.

“Then, won’t you go out with me?”

“Do you need some potions? Is it work related to Ehlertt?”

“Tomorrow marks one year since you and I first met.”

“Ah!”

At Karen’s reaction as if she’d just remembered, Julius chuckled.

It would be one year tomorrow since the day he went to meet Karen, the F-rank alchemist who had taken on the commission. He never thought he would come to harbor such feelings for Karen.

“It’s our anniversary, Karen.”

“In other words, this is an invitation for a date!”

At Karen’s sparkling eyes, Julius narrowed his own and asked:

“Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

“What about you, Mr. Julius? Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

“For occasions like this, it’s proper to choose a place the woman enjoys. So tell me your preference first.”

“Then I want to go to the kind of place you would think of when taking a woman out, Mr. Julius!”

At Karen’s response, Julius made a caught-off-guard expression. It was outside the scope of what he’d expected.

“What kind of place do you think comes to my mind?”

“I do enjoy romance novels about nobles, so I’m quite knowledgeable! You go to see operas, visit art galleries and museums, attend parties, right? I want to know what you consider the perfect date course, Mr. Julius!”

Karen spoke cheerfully, but unlike in creative works, the actual aristocratic social scene wasn’t a place of only enjoyment.

It was true that, should Julius one day be wed according to the wishes of the Ehlertt family, those were precisely the kinds of venues where he would have escorted his bride. However, they would hardly be pleasant places for Karen right now.

Though it pained him to shatter her dreams, Julius opened his mouth, not wanting to cause Karen distress:

“Many nobles look down on others simply for being commoners. I don’t want you to have an unpleasant experience on what should be a special anniversary, Karen.”

At Julius’s gentle words of refusal, Karen’s eyes widened slightly.

“…I see. Since I haven’t experienced much unfair treatment, I thought it was only in novels, but there really are people like that.”

Karen spoke matter-of-factly. She seemed to have imagined it to some extent.

Though not as extreme as those knights from the Royal Guard who appeared at the dungeon investigation team, there would certainly be those who would disparage Karen. Regrettably, most of the slander Karen might face would likely stem from Julius himself.

“Hmm. I don’t mind being spoken ill of, but if that’s the case, shall we skip it?”

“That would probably be best. After you make public that you’re a B-rank alchemist, no one will look down on you, but…”

“Before making it public, I want to hire a supporter through the Adventurers’ Guild. Natalia is searching through the Alchemists’ Guild, so I plan to keep it under wraps until I hear from her.”

Karen had the Ehlertt Earldom’s knights as her guards. However, it was not uncommon for an elderly former D-rank adventurer with experience climbing the ranks to be stronger than a well-trained knight.

With the rampage of the female adventurer Mitra, he’d heard that Karen planned to announce her promotion to B-rank after securing her surroundings before attracting any more attention. To be safe, the selection of a former adventurer was apparently taking time.

From C-rank onward, one became a senior alchemist and received treatment equivalent to a noble—though only at the very bottom of the aristocratic hierarchy. But from B-rank onward, one was treated as someone to be revered. Until the announcement—and until Karen was recognized as someone deserving of respect—he had to protect her from malice.

—No matter how much he wanted to show everyone around them that Karen was his.

“Well then, shall I unveil my idea of the ultimate date plan this time?”

Though Karen smiled as she said that, Julius sensed a faint shadow in her expression, yet he could not grasp its source.

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Alchemist Karen No Longer Compromises, Chapter 207

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Chapter Two Hundred and Seven: In the Underground Forest Too

“Sis, I had the Adventurers’ Guild restrain Mitra, so you don’t need to worry about that. So, how’d it go?”

Around the time Karen finished leaving the rest to Marian, Thor joined them. Marian apparently took on the matter of the audience and dealing with the aftermath of the rumors that had spread.

Karen had left Thor to handle Mitra, who was the greatest threat, and it seemed he had successfully subdued her. Since the opponent was an A-rank adventurer, there was nothing Karen could have done, so while she worried about Thor, she left it to him, and fortunately, it seemed he had been able to secure the Adventurers’ Guild’s cooperation.

“On my end, well, things settled down peacefully for now, but it went in a direction I didn’t really want, so I guess I’ll have to see how it plays out later.”

Karen spoke as if nothing had happened. Thor tilted his head slightly but seemed to accept it.

“…I figured you’d manage somehow, Sis, but I guess things don’t go that smoothly.”

“Not at all, Mister Thor. Lady Karen ascended the steps before the audience. Seeing her form, everyone gained conviction that her words were correct. To say that didn’t go well simply means her ideals are far too high.”

Harald said with flaring nostrils. Even Harald, who had ascended the steps before, apparently didn’t realize that Karen hadn’t been allowed to ascend them.

“Karen!”

Just as she was about to start walking, someone called out to her. When Karen turned around, Ahim was there.

“I want to talk to you. Do you have time?”

Ahim looked at Karen with glaring eyes as he spoke.

Perhaps Ahim had noticed that Karen had failed to ascend the steps. If so, she knew it would be better to talk immediately, if only to keep him quiet.

However, completely different words flew out of Karen’s mouth:

“I don’t have time right now, so could you come to the alchemy workshop another day?”

“…Another day, then. Fine.”

Though he seemed dissatisfied, Ahim backed down.

While feeling uneasy that postponing it might make negotiations to keep him quiet more difficult, Karen turned her back on Ahim.

“I wonder where Mr. Julius is.”

The words she casually uttered were more feeble than she’d expected, and Karen unconsciously covered her mouth.

To keep Julius away, she had given him a convenient excuse and asked him not to come here. And yet, right now, she wanted to see Julius more than anyone.

“If you’re looking for Julius, he’s over there.”

In the direction Thor pointed stood a tall man wearing a hooded cloak pulled low over his face.

Even before she could see his face, Karen’s eyes widened as she recognized it was Julius just from his stance.

“I told him to stay at the alchemy workshop!”

“But when you said that to him, he didn’t nod, did he, Sis?”

“Did he…?”

On second thought, while she remembered receiving a lovely smile, there might not have been an affirmative response.

If he had disguised himself inconspicuously to watch, just where had he been watching from?

Julius, noticing Karen’s gaze, lifted his cloak’s hood slightly.

Even from a distance, she could see his stern expression, practically glaring at Karen.

Karen approached Julius.

Drawing near, Karen asked in a casual tone:

“Why do you have that look on your face?”

“Your speech sounded as if you still had lingering feelings for Lyos—Karen?”

Seeing Karen suddenly burst into tears, Julius blinked rapidly as he wrapped Karen in his cloak.

“There are too many eyes and ears here. Let’s move.”

When Karen, who had started crying profusely, nodded inside Julius’s cloak, Julius began walking with Karen still hidden in his cloak.

“…I’m sorry, Mr. Julius.”

“Whatever your reason for apologizing, I’m sure I’ll forgive you. It’s what they call the weakness of being in love.”

Julius spoke in a terribly gentle voice.

It seemed Julius saw right through the fact that the reason Karen was crying and apologizing wasn’t about Lyos or anything like that.

The tears came when she felt relieved that the reason for Julius’s displeasure was Lyos. She was afraid of what Julius would think if he knew that Karen might have been disliked by the goddess. Julius might not want to be with Karen anymore if she had been disliked by the supreme being.

Julius had stopped a carriage without a crest nearby.

After boarding together with Karen and sitting in the seat next to her, Julius removed his hat and said:

“Our conversation here won’t leak outside. What happened?”

“…I couldn’t ascend the steps. I think it looked like I had ascended, but… at the end, the goddess took back what she had given me.”

“Indeed, I don’t see any signs of magical intoxication in you now.”

Recalling her past disgraceful bouts of magical intoxication, Karen almost gave a wry smile, but instead her eyes filled with tears.

“I might have been disliked by the goddess. I have an idea why. I asked too many questions. I talked back too. I might have asked things I shouldn’t have asked. And yet, I wanted to be with you, Mr. Julius, so I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away. If you say you don’t want to have an ill-omened woman who might have been disliked by the goddess by your side, I—”

Julius’s finger pressed against Karen’s lips.

He peered at Karen, placed his hand on her cheek, and tilted her face up toward him.

With a faint smile, Julius narrowed his golden eyes.

“If it means being with you, I would go even to the Underground Forest.”

The Underground Forest was this world’s way of saying hell.

It was said to be a very, very dark place.

“Even if you say you want to go alone, I will never let you slip away, Karen.”

At Julius, who spoke with a somewhat dark smile, Karen’s tears retreated.

“I’ll do my best to make up for it—even if the goddess hates me—so that I can take you to the Goddess’s Garden, Mr. Julius!”

“That’s the Karen I know.”

The perfect smile that appeared on his refined features had an intimidating quality to it.

This person really might follow her to hell or anywhere else.

At the very least, even now, he was following her like this.

Somehow, Karen sighed in relief inwardly, glad that the whole issue about her speech had passed without further scrutiny.

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