Chapter Seventy-eight: Karen’s Strategy 2
Horst stared at the stammering Karen with pitying eyes.
“I understand that an alchemist from the capital wouldn’t know about Ehlertt’s territory, and I interpret that there was no ill intent.”
“…I suppose so.”
Karen didn’t think it was acceptable to neglect people who were living earnestly just because they were weak for the sake of the strong. But still—just as Karen hesitated, Horst pressed on.
“However, I can’t help but suspect that your actions might be instigated by someone who harbors feelings of inferiority toward the powerful Lord Winfried. Even if that wasn’t your intention.”
At his sarcastic tone, Karen stopped hesitating and looked directly at Horst.
“…It’s not instigated by anyone.”
“I’m saying that’s how it appears. Do you understand that your actions are causing trouble for Lord Helfried?”
Horst brought up Helfried while pretending to show consideration for him. It was a very unpleasant way of bringing him into the conversation, and Karen frowned as she said:
“How does it cause him trouble?”
In response to Karen’s questioning, Horst sighed wearily.
“Your actions appear to be carried out under the direction of Lord Helfried, who harbors feelings of inferiority toward his father, Lord Winfried.”
“That’s not true at all!”
“The more you deny it, the more suspicious it becomes. What else could drawing such a poor portrait of Lord Julius be, if not a plot to bring down Lord Winfried? Are you aware, Miss Alchemist, that you’re causing trouble for Lord Julius as well?”
Karen found herself at a loss for words. There were plenty of things she wanted to say, but for each point she would make, he would counter with ten more. Moreover, the people were nodding in agreement with Horst’s words.
Karen realized that no matter what she said, Horst would use it as an opportunity to make the locals look down on Helfried and Julius. And worse, the locals would believe him. Though it was also possible they were nodding in agreement that Karen’s poor drawing was causing trouble for Julius.
This must be how Helfried and Julius had been suppressed all this time. Once drawn into a dialogue with Horst, the locals would fully support the words of the man who had been working for the territory all these years. Rather than Helfried, who had neglected the territory for Sieg’s sake.
“Clean up that garbage.”
“Wait!”
The ones Horst had ordered to dispose of Karen’s portrait were the very maids who had helped her with testing when she was developing the detox tea. Of course, they had been delighted with the beauty potion she had given them.
Perhaps that was why Karen’s words got through to them. As the maids hesitated and stood still, Horst frowned suspiciously.
Karen promised them more potions later with a hand signal.
The maids put on formal faces, saying they were maids of the Ehlertt earldom, and conspicuously looked to Helfried for direction. Helfried, surprised by their glances, signaled that there was no need to clean up the portrait.
The maids completely let go of the portrait. Beauty seemed to be most important even for common girls. Especially today being the New Year’s Festival. They might have dates later.
Karen understood their feelings well, but Horst probably wouldn’t.
Realizing he couldn’t move the maids, Horst changed his tactics. He raised his voice toward the locals in the hall.
“Everyone! Listen! It seems Alchemist Karen wishes to apologize for her inconsiderate words and actions toward you all. Brave adventurers! Heroes of Ehlertt! I ask that with your generous hearts, you hear her words of apology.”
With words suggesting that Karen had done something requiring an apology to the adventurers, Horst gathered the attention of the audience. Karen understood this was retaliation for preventing him from having the portrait removed. She pursed her lips.
“I wanted to support Earl Brahm’s idea of making the New Year’s Festival joyful for everyone…”
“If you truly think so, don’t you have something to say to the adventurers? Of course, if someone puts you up to such behavior, we are prepared to hear your accusations.”
While feigning a sorrowful expression, Horst conspicuously glanced in Helfried’s direction. No matter what Karen said, Horst would try to turn it against Helfried.
“…That’s not right.”
“What’s not right?”
Even her mumbling was picked up by Horst, and Karen tightly sealed her lips. She now understood why Julius had made her maintain silence in front of this man the other day.
One must not engage in dialogue with this man. Whatever was said would be twisted and transformed into something malicious.
Helfried was looking at Karen with concern, but calmly. This was probably the situation he had anticipated.
He had laughed at Karen’s plan, given her permission to try despite the high possibility of failure, and casually said he would take care of the aftermath if she ended up in a difficult position. Yet this was hardly a situation one could dismiss so lightly.
If she left this to Helfried now, wouldn’t it affirm Horst’s words about her acting on "Helfried’s instigation"? Karen shifted her gaze to the many locals in the entrance hall, avoiding dialogue with Horst and intending to speak with them instead.
“Adventurers—could you raise your hands?”
When Karen demonstrated by raising her own hand, hands started going up one after another. These were the people who had been moved by Horst’s earlier speech.
Some sat heavily in chairs, looking at Karen defiantly while gulping down ale; others were too busy stuffing their mouths with food and quickly lowered their raised hands. After confirming their positions, Karen took a deep breath.
She thought she should give up after all. To weaken the influence of the father who had tormented Julius, Karen had intended to brandish the philosophy of "might make right" that she didn’t actually believe in. But it seemed this approach wasn’t suited to her.
Horst had helpfully informed her that there were many adventurers here. The adventurers were probably Horst’s voter base.
Horst had been pressuring Helfried and his allies using these adventurers who considered themselves the true guardians of Ehlertt, rather than Helfried who had neglected the territory.
Helfried and Julius, being fundamentally good people, probably couldn’t be too harsh with the adventurers who had indeed protected Ehlertt.
But adventurers were Karen’s specialty.
So she decided to do things her own way.
Having made this decision, Karen looked down at the adventurers and gave them a big grin.
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