Chapter Fourty-seven: Postponement Decision
“Finally, a proposal worth listening to, it seems.”
“What are you going to do, Karen?”
When Sara and Natalia asked her, Karen let out a sigh.
“I don’t want it.”
“What do you mean, you don’t want it?”
Marian raised an eyebrow.
Looking at her, Karen said:
“I don’t want you, Marian.”
“What!? Do you have any idea how much resolve it took for me to sign this contract?!”
“Well, that’s not really my problem…”
Becoming an indentured worker means dedicating oneself completely. It could be considered the ultimate way to show remorse.
“Lady Karen, what other form of atonement did you have in mind for Marian?”
At Sara’s question, Karen scratched her cheek and said:
“I just wanted an apology, that’s all.”
“…I’m sorry. Happy now?”
“Yes, I’m satisfied.”
It was an apology from Marian, who would normally rather die than apologize to Karen. Even if it was said somewhat sulkily, Karen nodded in acceptance.
“With this, I’ll call it even. That’s all.”
“Lady Karen, that’s far too lenient.”
“That’s right, Karen. Those who commit crimes must be punished. Even if you don’t mind, having your honor stolen and being insulted without consequence affects our reputation. The Ehlertt family’s reputation, who supports you, is at stake too.”
“It’s not that I don’t care…”
Sara and Natalia were glaring angrily. Feeling there might be some misunderstanding, Karen tilted her head, searching for the right words.
“If Marian becomes an indentured worker, what would she do? Would she be involved in my work? I don’t want that. I don’t trust Marian, and I don’t want her anywhere near my alchemy.”
Marian had stolen her recipe once. Even if she forgave the past theft because of the apology, there was no way she could trust her going forward.
“…I won’t steal any more recipes. If you’re worried about that, you can put it in the contract. You can order me not to.”
“This isn’t about how to make you trustworthy. It’s about the fact that I don’t trust you in the first place.”
Marian bit her lip hard. She had stolen Karen’s soap recipe when they were young. Since it happened when they were children, Karen didn’t want to keep holding it against her. And while it was frustrating that Marian still used that recipe to make soap, she had no intention of telling her to stop her volunteer work of selling soap to adventurers at near-cost prices.
So when she heard Marian was under pressure, she wanted to help. She tried to draw out excuses, looking for points of sympathy. But if it meant involving Marian in Karen’s future, that was a different story.
“I think keeping you away from me would actually be more of a punishment for you, Marian.”
“…What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You see, Marian, my family didn’t have money. That’s why I still use household pots for alchemy, and until recently, I didn’t have an appraisal mirror, even a common one. My special potions… could have been identified even with a common mirror.”
The descriptions were inconsistent and vague. But with a common appraisal mirror, it would have been possible to realize that her cooking and handmade soap were actually potions.
“If I had money, I could have discovered my talent sooner. If I could have released that soap recipe as my own. If I could have used those earnings to get proper alchemy equipment. I would have realized much sooner that I could make potions that affect Bloodline Blessings.”
“That’s…”
“If there were people with Bloodline Blessings who died while I was unaware of my talent… couldn’t that be considered your fault, Marian?”
“Ah—”
Karen tried not to think about the lives lost before she began to realize her talent. She hadn’t been lazy. Karen had definitely worked hard. Even though she couldn’t realize it then, there was nothing to be done about it, and since she managed to save Sieg after discovering it, she should be satisfied with that.
But when she thinks about how she could have realized it earlier, what comes to mind is the soap and Marian.
Marian turned pale at Karen’s words.
Though it was a hypothetical situation, she wanted Marian, who had talked about her adventurer brother, to really think about it.
“Stealing something valuable from a talented person out of self-interest, and holding them back…”
“Just like those who left your brother to die.”
“Our family… we only take from those who hide valuable things despite having no talent… I didn’t… I never meant to…!”
Marian held her head in her hands at Natalia and Sara’s words. Turning away from Marian’s vacant expression, Karen looked at Sara and Natalia.
“I think I’m going to create many new potions from now on. Honestly, I’m confident. Because I’ve realized my own power. But I have no intention of involving Marian in any of it. I want you to watch my success from afar, Marian, biting your fingers as you realize exactly what you interfered with.”
If becoming an indentured worker was the ultimate form of atonement, Karen was saying she had no intention of giving Marian that opportunity. Because she thought that would be the most painful punishment for Marian. While this might be difficult to understand for the two who seemed to think Marian should actively make amends, Karen wouldn’t budge on this point.
Eventually, Natalia was the first to nod.
“I see. That certainly would be a more effective punishment for Marian, and it’s uniquely Karen-like.”
“I understand your feelings, Lady Karen, but the problem is that it appears to others as if you’ve forgiven her crime without consequence.”
“Is that bad?”
“Not only might you be seen as someone easy to take advantage of, but the family, who introduced you as one of their own, might be seen as lacking the power to retaliate and be looked down upon.”
“It’s one thing if it only involves me, but I don’t want to cause trouble for the Ehlertt family.”
“In that case, would you allow me to take on Marian’s indenture in your place?”
“You, Ms. Sara?”
“Just Sara—Marian, would that be acceptable?”
When Sara asked coldly, Marian slowly raised her head.
“…If I sell my indenture to you instead of Karen, will the Gubert Company be forgiven?”
“If Lady Karen agrees, we will forgive the crime of stealing the soap recipe and its unauthorized use until now, and permit its continued sale.”
“I don’t mind.”
Karen was angry at Lyos, and Marian made her blood boil. She even felt like grabbing the Gubert Company by the collar and shaking them. But she had a list of things she wanted to do more than revenge, and she had just started enjoying alchemy. She didn’t want Marian, an element of uncertainty, anywhere near her. She wouldn’t compromise on this point at all.
“Then I’ll sell myself to you, Sara. It would be the same if I sold myself to Karen and she transferred my indenture to you anyway.”
“Address me with respect, Marian. I am to be your master.”
Saying this, Sara wrote the duration on the contract and signed it.
It said ten years.
“That’s quite a harsh number!?”
“I kept it modest, thinking it might trouble you if it were longer, Lady Karen.”
It was the kind of duration given to minor criminals.
Karen glanced at Marian with slight concern, but Marian didn’t seem fazed by the number.
“Well then, I’ll convert this contract into a life-binding magical contract and manage it responsibly. Come along, Marian.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes. Though I’m reluctant, I have work to do now.”
“It’s not much of a party anymore anyway, why don’t we postpone it?”
Natalia said, tightly corking the opened wine.
“Ms. Sara, this was meant to be both a celebration for completing the request and a consolation party for Karen failing her promotion exam. Let’s properly celebrate when Karen passes her promotion and becomes an E-rank. That’s when we should all celebrate together, including you, Ms. Sara.”
Sara’s face lit up with joy.
Natalia winked at Karen.
“Karen, you’ll pass next time, right?”
“…I’ll do my best!”
“Seems like a tough road ahead.”
Marian’s sharp comment earned glares from everyone as she left Karen’s home.
“If only she had apologized from the start…”
If Marian had just apologized when Karen first confronted her after realizing she had stolen the soap recipe, Karen would have likely forgiven her readily. She might have even offered ideas about how to make the soap solid.
“That woman really has quite the personality.”
“I’ll make sure to properly educate her, so please don’t worry.”
After Natalia spoke, Sara bowed politely to Karen and followed after Marian.
Natalia sat down heavily in a chair.
“Well, let’s just make this a normal dinner then.”
“The food won’t be much different anyway.”
“We’ll save the toast for when Ms. Sara can join us.”
Having said that, Natalia stayed for dinner as usual, making herself at home at Karen’s place.
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