Chapter Sixty-six: Old Wounds
Julius looked so melancholic in profile that Karen swallowed the question that had come to mind. However, Julius perceptively noticed.
“You’re probably curious about what Earl Brahm meant by the ‘dungeon incident’?”
“No, not really, I’m not particularly interested or anything.”
“Your eyes are shifting, Karen.”
Julius smiled lightly and began to speak.
“This happened when I was spending most of the year in Ehlertt territory.”
With that preface, Julius started telling a story from his childhood.
“As part of my father’s training, I was made to explore dungeons. On that day, I was in a dungeon as usual, but unlike other times, I encountered an injured female knight. Naturally, I rescued her. I received her gratitude and was praised throughout local social circles. As a child, I felt proud at the time, but gradually strange things began to happen.”
“Oh no…”
Karen sighed, already imagining what came next before the story was fully told.
Julius continued with a bitter smile.
“I began to find injured women throughout various parts of the dungeon. Most were young ladies around my age, but some were even mature women about my mother’s age.”
“You mean they pretended to be injured just to be rescued by you, Master Julius? That seems like it would qualify as obstruction of national defense…”
“They were actually injured. That’s why if they claimed they were exploring the dungeon for the sake of national defense, it would be difficult to deny. Moreover, it seemed to be their own will rather than being forced by their parents. Though I was accustomed to female attention due to my appearance which women found attractive since childhood, I was truly frightened when confronted with women who appeared to have deliberately injured themselves to get close to me. There might have been some knights or knight trainees who were genuinely injured unintentionally, but I couldn’t tell the difference.”
If there had been ladies who were seriously exploring the dungeon, it would have been an unfortunate case of being caught up in the situation. But it would be too cruel to expect him to distinguish between them.
“And in the end, I was held responsible for this matter.”
“Wait a minute. How did you end up being blamed in this situation?!”
“I was accused of seducing women and luring them into the dungeon. That became the name of the incident. It was mainly my father who said this. My womanizing father disliked that I was popular with women, and parents who didn’t want their daughters charged with obstruction of national defense went along with it.”
“That’s… absolutely despicable… I apologize for saying this about your father, Master Julius…”
“There are few here who would say that. Even after I conquered the Ehlertt territory’s dungeon, nothing changed. My father is popular here. Many people remember seeing him risk his life in battle with their own eyes…”
Despite the supposed absolute value placed on strength, that belief wavered here. After all, Julius was undoubtedly the stronger one for having completely conquered the dungeon, unlike his father Winfried who nearly allowed monsters to overflow from it.
And yet, too many people still cling to the memory of the man who once stirred their hearts more deeply. Though Karen was the one who wanted to deny the world view of absolute strength, at this moment alone, her heart ached for Julius.
“So I was deemed the guilty one. Brother Helfried told me I wasn’t responsible, but if something like this happened again, I can’t help but wonder if I truly am at fault.”
“That can’t be…!”
“Earl Brahm probably wanted to suggest that the young ladies turned to poison because I seduced them. Remembering Miss Petra, I’m troubled because I can’t say for certain that’s not possible. To think someone would knowingly continue using poison just to get my attention…”
Julius shook his head weakly.
“Earlier, I overreacted because I was reminded of the past. I’m aware that I spoke harshly to Miss Petra, allowing my personal feelings to influence me… I’m sorry for using you as a shield as well.”
He must be referring to when Petra collapsed against him. It seemed he had an unpleasant premonition from that moment to the point where he didn’t even want to touch her. Karen finally understood completely.
She knew his words were meant to stop Petra from repeating the same mistake—but even so, they had seemed too harsh. But now she realized that his reaction came from reopening an old wound in his heart.
“I’m sorry… I’m also someone who approached you because I was interested in you, Master Julius.”
“You’re different from them, Karen.”
Julius said with a smile.
Just as Petra had said, Karen couldn’t help but wonder if Julius was only smiling politely because he needed her abilities. Petra had also proven that if a noble truly put on an act, Karen might not be able to see through it. She thought there was no reason why Julius, who had been treated so terribly, would make an exception just for her.
“You don’t seem convinced, Karen.”
Julius smiled wryly.
Unlike the nobles, Karen was a commoner whose thoughts were always transparent on her face.
“Well, if those women I met in the dungeon, even if they were there because of me, had actually aimed to conquer the dungeon… I think I would have been happy. Wouldn’t it mean that I had inspired courage in them, in whatever form?”
“…That might be true.”
“And if eventually they had moved beyond me and come to see dungeon conquest as their own mission, how proud would I have been of my appearance?”
Karen had accepted a request because of her interest in Julius, and she fulfilled that request. Through the request, she became absorbed in alchemy, and Karen decided to move beyond Julius and pursue the path of an alchemist.
Julius’s face drew closer.
As if trying to show his expression more clearly to Karen, who couldn’t discern whether it was an act.
As if to make his true intentions in those golden eyes understandable even to the insensitive Karen.
So Karen couldn’t avoid it, and before she knew it, their bangs were touching.
“Thanks to you, I can be proud of myself.”
Julius’s whispered breath was so close it reached Karen’s lips.
Uh oh
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