Chapter Eighty-three: Market Date 3
“Can I have this converted into earrings?”
“Then we’ll end up matching, Karen.”
Julius looked puzzled, and Karen almost backed down. But driven by her intense desire to wear matching earrings with Julius, she spoke again:
“Would it be a problem?”
“I don’t mind, but others might misunderstand and think we’re dating.”
Karen didn’t want to become an empty woman who conformed to everything Julius wanted, nor did she want to become Julius’s possession. Yet, Karen harbored the absurd desire to make Julius hers. She didn’t want him to belong to Waltride or anyone else.
It was foolish and contrary to ethics and common sense to want Julius to be hers while not wanting to be his. So she thought she should give up, compromise… but she still couldn’t let it go.
There was legitimate concern about it interfering with work. But Karen was growing accustomed to Julius’s presence. If she were more careful about maintaining boundaries than before, perhaps it would work out?
Just recently, she had sworn to stop living through compromises. Even if her wish seemed ridiculous, wasn’t it worth giving her all to make it come true? If the result were utter defeat, she would have to accept it. But giving up without even trying—that seemed wrong. However, Karen herself wasn’t entirely clear about what she was attempting to achieve.
“What if we say that we’ve started dating?”
Karen had decorated the New Year’s Festival with Julius’s portrait. If they deepened their bond during their subsequent date and started dating, it would seem natural. Julius’s eyes widened at Karen’s suggestion, delivered in a voice she tried to keep steady.
“Karen, but are you sure about this?”
“If we’re supposedly dating, it would be easier for me to call for help when in trouble. With our current relationship, even though you gave me this magical item, I might hesitate to use it.”
It wasn’t exactly a lie, but it wasn’t the real reason either.
“Besides, if this magical item is meant to alert you when I am in danger, I should wear it at all times. I’m worried about a necklace in that regard. I have bad sleeping posture, so I might break it. Earrings would be more reliable.”
Julius didn’t seem to question Karen’s improvised excuses and said:
“Actually, I originally intended to give you earrings. They maintain more skin contact than necklaces, making it easier to channel magic even if your hands and feet are bound.”
“Then earrings would indeed be more convenient.”
“But it would cause misunderstandings, and your ears aren’t pierced. I decided against it because I didn’t want to inconvenience you…”
“I don’t have the courage to pierce my ears myself, so would you do it for me, Master Julius?”
When Karen said this, Julius’s cold fingertips touched her earlobe. The cool sensation almost made Karen cry out. Though there was nothing strange about him touching her since he was about to pierce her ear, her heart raced in her chest.
While touching Karen’s earlobe, Julius said in a low voice:
“If you’re fine with it, it’s convenient for me.”
It was the perfect situation for seduction. But Karen had no intention of being seduced. She would have Julius wear the earring with the stone the color of Karen’s eyes, making him appear to be hers, while she would continue living without becoming his. Reconsidering, it was a ridiculous approach, and while Karen was exasperated with herself, her heart had already decided to go through with it.
At that moment, the shopkeeper returned carrying a tray.
“These are tools for piercing ears. Please use them. I’ll be in the next room converting this necklace into earrings.”
“Thanks.”
“Th-thank you very much.”
“It won’t take long.”
The shopkeeper smiled warmly, took the necklace that had been given to Karen, and disappeared into the back of the shop again.
Julius first washed his hands in the basin on the tray.
“Karen, hold this ice pack against your ear.”
What Julius handed her was ice wrapped in cloth. As Karen cooled her earlobe, Julius picked up a needle and wiped it with a cloth that smelled of alcohol. His movements were practiced.
“Who pierced your ear, Julius?”
“I did it myself. My father told me to get them pierced for equipping magical items.”
Both adventurers and knights had pierced ears. Karen had heard that noble knights sometimes temporarily pierced their ears for equipping magical items during battle and then healed them with potions afterward, but Julius had one permanent hole in his ear.
Karen somehow felt that Julius might have been forced by his father to get his ears pierced, and she regretted asking.
“I’m touching your earlobe now—can you feel that?”
“No, I can’t. Um, please do it quickly. I’m not good with pain.”
“Look at my face. You like it, don’t you?”
As Julius drew closer with a bewitching smile, Karen’s attention was completely captured. And then, Julius’s face quickly moved away.
“There, it’s done, Karen.”
“Huh, already!?”
Thanks to either the ice or Julius’s smile, the piercing had been done without any pain.
“Owner, are the earrings ready yet?”
“Yes, yes, they’re finished.”
Julius took the earrings the shopkeeper brought and attached one to Karen’s ear.
“Now I’ll seal the wound with a potion.”
The small bottle apparently contained a potion. Julius opened the lid, held a cloth to Karen’s ear, and poured the potion. Some of the cold potion trickled down her earlobe, but Julius quickly wiped it away.
“I think it turned out well, what do you think?”
Julius showed her a mirror, and when she looked into it, she saw an earring with a stone the color of Julius’s eyes shining in her ear. Karen tightened her cheeks, which threatened to relax into a smile, and said:
“It’s very nice.”
“I’m glad. It suits you well, Karen.”
Karen couldn’t help but glance at Julius’s ear. The smiling Julius didn’t have his earring yet. Since they had just chosen a stone matching Karen’s eye color, it was natural that it wasn’t ready yet. As if seeing through Karen’s slight disappointment, the shopkeeper said:
“Master Julius, your earring is ready as well.”
“You engraved the magic in such a short time?”
“I merely transferred what I had prepared beforehand.”
The shopkeeper laughed as Julius expressed surprise, then handed Julius his earring. Julius put it in his right ear on the spot.
An earring with a magical stone the color of Karen’s eyes gleamed at Julius’s ear. Karen found herself staring at the sight.
“Can you try channeling your magic, Karen?”
“Oh, yes.”
Karen, who had been entranced, hastily nodded and channeled magical power into her right ear. Julius narrowed his eyes.
“…Yes, it’s working properly.”
“Miss, by increasing the amount of magic, it can heat up to the temperature of boiling water at maximum. So you might want to moderate the amount of magic.”
“What? Oh! Master Julius, was it hot!? I’m sorry!”
“No need to worry. Owner, please refrain from unnecessary comments.”
“Perhaps I was meddling too much.”
“No, it was helpful advice! Thank you very much!”
When Karen moderated the magic she was channeling, Julius smiled wryly.
“Yes, I can feel the heat even with this amount of magic.”
“Are you burned? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, Karen.”
Though she thought he might just be enduring it, when she peered at Julius’s earlobe, there was no sign of a burn.
“Did you like my gift?”
“…Very much so.”
They were supposedly dating, and now they had matching earrings to prove it. The gemstones perfectly mirrored each other’s eye colors, and when one channeled magical power, the “feelings” could be transmitted to other—telepathic magical items, so to speak. They were truly meant for lovers.
But Karen and Julius were not lovers—they were in a relationship where one tried to seduce while the other resisted. Julius probably neither loved nor had feelings for Karen.
In both her previous life and current one, Karen’s life had always been like that. So this time would be no different. This time, she wouldn’t make a mistake. She wouldn’t misunderstand that she might be liked, only to lose everything again. Karen understood this, so she had no intention of falling in love or loving him. Her desire to keep Julius by her side was the desire of a materialistic person who wanted to have a good man at her beck and call. At least, that’s what Karen told herself.
It was a foolish desire, but she chose not to compromise with herself.
“Shall we continue enjoying the market, then?”
Escorted by Julius, Karen left the jewelry store. They toured the market while wearing earrings that couldn’t be hidden even by masks.
While keeping her guard up, Karen enjoyed herself to the fullest. Julius seemed to be enjoying himself too—but Karen told herself that was just her wishful thinking, even if she wanted to believe it just this once.
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