Chapter Twenty-two: Enchanting Reward (Julius’s POV)
When they emerged from the dungeon, a message from Helfried was waiting at the entrance. Following the instructions to return, Julius gave leave to the knights who had been exploring the dungeon with him and dragged his tired body back to the Ehlertt estate.
The moment he stepped onto the grounds, he was puzzled by cheerful laughter coming from somewhere. Everyone in this mansion was deeply devoted to their masters, and since Sieg had fallen ill, they had been walking on eggshells. Though Helfried had told them not to be so tense, their unwavering loyalty was both reassuring and seemed to be weighing heavily on Sieg.
When Julius went to investigate, he was stunned by the sight before him.
“Alright, next, it’s your turn to give Uncle Julius the sachet, Karen.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary anymore…”
“You promised you would after I gave one to Mother.”
“Did I say that?”
“Oh my, you two get along so well.”
In the garden, Sieg and Alise were enjoying tea time. Sieg was sitting independently in his chair, holding his cup and bringing it to his lips by himself.
Before understanding what was happening, tears welled up in Julius’s eyes at the transformed sight of Sieg, who just three weeks ago couldn’t do anything but lie in bed, not even able to lift his arms.
“It’s not a big deal, so just give it boldly. Don’t overthink it. Oh, should I prepare a fancy box for you?”
“I wish you’d said those words to yourself before giving the sachet to the Countess.”
Sieg stuck out his tongue, grinning like a mischievous child. The woman he was smiling at was Karen, the alchemist who had accepted the request in exchange for marrying Julius.
“Brother, I have returned.”
“Welcome back, I’m glad you’ve returned safely.”
When Julius entered Helfried’s office, Helfried approached him with open arms. Having watched his brother Helfried all this time, Julius’s eyes already began to water at the sight of his bright smile.
“So that woman was the real deal, Brother.”
“Yes. Karen was a genuine alchemist, Julius. You brought us a wonderful alchemist.”
Saying this, Helfried embraced Julius tightly. A fresh, sweet scent tickled his nose—perhaps perfume. As Helfried patted his back, Julius squeezed his eyes shut to hold back his tears.
“Is Sieg completely cured?”
“Not completely, but the frequency of his fevers has definitely decreased. He says the severity of his symptoms during fevers has also lessened. Here are the daily records and Karen’s treatment plan.”
Julius picked up the documents Helfried had placed on the desk. The daily records contained detailed descriptions of Sieg’s physical symptoms, described in Sieg’s own words.
“To think Sieg would become able to open up about his suffering…”
“That’s also thanks to Karen. She cleverly made Sieg her research collaborator, guiding him to speak up naturally. I initially thought she was trying to use Sieg and treated her rudely, but—she ended up helping us.”
Helfried’s gaze fell on a torn-up contract on his desk.
“Somewhere in my heart, I had started to give up on Sieg’s life… Clever Sieg almost noticed this, but she covered for me. Or perhaps she genuinely misunderstood…? Either way, I owe her a deep debt of gratitude.”
Overwhelming gratitude seeped through Helfried’s words. Karen the alchemist was no longer someone to be referred to as "that woman." Julius adjusted his mindset accordingly.
“She plans to write a research paper using Sieg’s case, not just as a means to help him. Sieg is gladly cooperating with this. The Ehlertt family name will be recorded in this groundbreaking research paper about treating the Bloodline Blessing complications. This could become part of Sieg’s achievements as well. He understands this well… I should have seen it as fortunate from the beginning.”
Among their relatives, some had already started vying for the successor position, treating Sieg as good as dead. While Sieg’s recovery would calm these movements, the attempts to remove him as successor wouldn’t completely disappear. Though these forces weren’t surfacing now due to Julius’s presence, they would eventually become a source of suffering for Sieg. However, if Sieg himself could build achievements, those would serve as his shield.
“Karen has been attentive to Alise as well. Thanks to her, I’ve been able to see Alise’s smile for the first time in years. Look at this.”
Helfried happily pulled a small pouch from his chest pocket. A fresh, sweet scent wafted from it. This must have been the scent Julius had smelled when Helfried embraced him.
“This is a sachet, a scented pouch that Alise made for me. She chose the fabric and ribbon to match my hair and eye colors. She learned to make it from Sieg, who originally learned from Karen.”
Julius watched with soft eyes as Helfried spoke cheerfully. He was savoring the fact that Karen—the alchemist who had demanded that absurd reward—had restored his brother’s gentle smile.
“Today too, Alise was excited since morning, saying she would have tea with Sieg.”
“I saw Sister-in-law and Sieg. They both looked healthy.”
“It’s all thanks to Karen.”
“In that case—”
“Yes.”
Helfried nodded, his smile fading.
“Though she tried to withdraw the reward once—possibly because she was drunk when she made such a demand—if that is her true wish, I intend to fulfill it on the honor of Ehlertt Earldom. Regardless of your will.”
“From the moment we accepted the request, my will has been aligned with yours, Brother.”
Those who achieve difficult tasks must be given proper rewards. It would never be acceptable to muddy the waters by offering alternative compensation. Even if the person in question is an F-rank alchemist.
During a Great Stampede Collapse, when people flee from dungeons overrun with monsters to nearby towns, F-rank individuals in any field are not allowed entry. Towns have limited capacity and only useful individuals are selected. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to survive the next Great Stampede Collapse that might occur in their own town.
Thus, they are the first to be abandoned in times of crisis. It was quite strange that someone of such status had helped them, but that was the reality.
“I will eliminate all obstacles to this marriage.”
Helfried’s sharp gaze pierced through Julius as if to say "even if it’s your own feelings." Julius pictured the smiles of Sieg, Alise, and Helfried in his mind, one by one, and smiled.
“Considering what she has brought to the Ehlertt Family, I will be able to cherish her as my wife with genuine affection.”
That sweet scent had tickled his nose when Helfried embraced him. For the person who had given Julius that moment that brought tears to his eyes, he could even dedicate his life. Whether that would be good for Karen was unclear—but since it was what she wanted, it should be fine. Even if Karen comes to regret it someday, that would be a separate matter.
After parting with Helfried, Julius headed to the garden. When they noticed him, Sieg and Alise smiled. When he looked at Karen, she was frozen, eyes wide. What emotion was that? Julius wondered internally. Since he was certainly liked, he approached with a lady-killer’s smile.
“Uncle! Welcome back!”
“We’re so glad you’ve returned safely!”
“Now, Karen! This is your chance!”
“You better help if this gets awkward, okay?”
After whispering with Sieg, Karen stepped forward.
“Master Julius, it’s been a while. If you’d like, please accept this. It’s a sachet—a medicinal fragrance pouch that helps with sleep. Consider it a sort of sample.”
Yellow fabric with gold ribbon. The color combination seemed perfectly suited for Julius.
Karen’s awkward expression suggested she was still concerned about the reward. Even though they had accepted the request with that condition, she still worried—probably because she was kindhearted by nature.
“Thank you, Karen. I’ll gladly accept this.”
“Huh?”
He caught her hand still holding the sachet and drew it close, kissing her fingertips. Looking up, he saw Karen’s face had turned bright red as she opened and closed her mouth. Julius responded to Karen, who seemed to have forgotten how to breathe, with his most charming smile.
All the readers: *SQUEEE!!!*
ReplyDeleteWoah lady killer!!! Stay strong Karen!
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