Chapter Fourty-two: A Peaceful Exit
When Karen ducked into the deserted terrace to escape from the crowd, she found herself walking in on quite a scene. As Karen returned to the hallway from the terrace with slumped shoulders, Julius, who had somehow been standing behind the curtain, gave her a warm smile.
“Excuse me, Karen.”
“Eh, why are you he—Eek!?”
Julius lifted Karen into his arms. Paying no mind to Karen’s dizziness from being suddenly princess-carried, Julius started walking.
“You truly have a kind heart to wish for the well-being of someone like that.”
“So you were listening.”
She understood why he had picked her up. He had probably seen her throw her shoe as well.
“I can walk without shoes, you know.”
“It would be against my principles to let you walk knowing you’ve lost your shoe.”
“Is that how it is?”
“That’s how it is, so resign yourself to being carried by me.”
Since that was apparently how it was, Karen stiffly resigned herself to Julius’s arms.
“I apologize for eavesdropping, Karen. I wanted to be ready to intervene if anything dangerous happened.”
“Please don’t worry about it. Anyone would be concerned about a fight breaking out in their own home.”
The sight of Lyos and Marian grappling had been somewhat chilling. While fortunately, Karen had been able to stop them, it could have become a situation requiring help. Karen felt relieved in hindsight that Julius had been there.
“Karen, you were apologizing to that man. Don’t tell me you think you did something wrong?”
“I did everything I could for Lyos.”
“If you did everything for him, he should be grateful.”
“I took care of everything for a boy in his early teens going through puberty—my fiancé, no less.”
Julius fell silent for a moment.
“…That’s…”
“I think now that it wasn’t something I should have done… that it must have hurt a teenage boy… I should have at least left his personal care to someone else.”
But she doubted the highly suspicious Lyos of that time could have trusted anyone else. While several doctors had given up on him partly because his condition was untreatable, it was also because of Lyos’s terrible attitude. He had become self-destructive, lashing out, and unreasonably volatile—who could have possibly looked after him in that state?
In a world where people like Marian—who believe the useless should simply die—were validated. Even if they had paid money, she didn’t think they could have found someone who would properly care for Lyos. No one would have blamed her if she had compromised and given up on Lyos’s life at some point.
Still, Karen couldn’t give up. Though her mental age should have been higher counting her previous life, influenced by her physical age, she had sometimes cried like a real child, thrown tantrums, and gotten into arguments with Lyos. But because she absolutely refused to compromise and give up, Lyos was who he was today. Karen was certain of this.
In the end, while thinking there might have been nothing else she could have done, Karen couldn’t help but wonder.
“I think I did something wrong too… so I’m not looking for gratitude, and it’s fine to say Lyos recovered on his own.”
Julius carried Karen to the Ehlertt family’s waiting room. After setting her down on the sofa and arranging for shoes, Julius looked down at her with a wry smile.
“Karen, you’re so kind that sometimes it worries me watching you.”
“That’s not true at all! When you proposed to me, I thoroughly enjoyed showing off with a smug face. The envious screams of the other ladies were music to my ears!”
As Karen tried to showcase her bad personality traits, feeling she was being seen as excessively good-natured, Julius’s eyes softened.
“If such modest things make you happy, then I’ll make sure you experience as much happiness as possible from now on.”
“Wait a minute. Why do I sense something frightening about that?”
“I’ll be careful not to interfere with your dreams as an alchemist.”
“Are you planning to do things that would interfere!?”
“Only within the range that won’t melt your brain.”
As Julius chuckled beautifully, Karen broke into a cold sweat, wondering if she had said something unnecessary.
Just as Karen tried to make excuses, the waiting room door opened.
“Ms. Karen, so this is where you were. Julius, you’re here too.”
“Sister-in-law, and Sieg as well—what brings you here?”
“Sieg seems to have developed a fever, so we’re having him retire for the night. We’ve already made our greetings, and it’s late for children anyway, so there shouldn’t be any problem with him leaving early.”
“I’m fine, but Mother is worried, so I’ll retire.”
Sieg’s cheeks were flushed rose-pink, giving him the air of a handsome young boy with a healthy flush, but Karen could see he was feverish.
“Then Master Sieg, let’s withdraw together.”
“Sister Karen, you should keep enjoying the party!”
This was a party Sieg had put together as the host. Without saying anything discouraging, Karen, still seated on the sofa, casually lifted one foot.
“Actually, I just lost one of my shoes.”
“Eh, you lost your shoe? Did you hurt your foot? Are you okay?”
“Master Julius noticed and brought me here, so I’m not injured.”
When she told the worried Sieg, he sighed in relief, touching his chest.
“This is my first time attending such a grand party, so I was feeling nervous. I’d like to retire soon as well. Is it alright if I go back to my room with Master Sieg, Lady Alise?”
“Yes. I’ll feel better if you are with Sieg, Ms. Karen.”
Karen thanked the maid who brought her shoes and stood up.
“Master Julius, thank you for bringing me here. Please enjoy the party. Master Sieg, shall we go together?”
“Mother, Uncle Julius, good night.”
“Good night, Sieg, Ms. Karen.”
“Good night, Lady Alise, Master Julius.”
After Karen followed with her goodbyes, Julius smiled.
“Good night, Sieg, Karen. May I appear in your dreams.”
“Master Julius apparently wants to appear in your dreams, Master Sieg!”
“Sure, sure. All of you come to appear in my dreams.”
Sieg brushed off Karen’s teasing, stifled a yawn, and reached out for her hand.
“Sister Karen, let’s go quickly.”
“Yes, it is getting late.”
Karen took Sieg’s outstretched hand, and they made their way back to his room.
The innocent small hand she held was warm, and Karen gently squeezed it back.
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