Chapter Ninety-six: Melting
After inspecting Karen’s alchemy workshop, Yuluyana left with a parting shot: “Break up with him soon!”
Karen asked Julius to wait while she first explained things to Tim.
“So, I ruined the materials for potions…?”
Tim turned pale as he understood what he had done after Karen’s explanation. He probably wouldn’t repeat the same mistake again.
“I know you were thinking of me when you did it. But please don’t do it anymore.”
“…I’ll pay for it.”
Tim said that with a serious expression.
The standard daily wage for hiring children as errand boys was said to be one to three copper coins. To put the value in perspective, one copper coin could buy two loaves of bread, enough to survive for a day.
It wasn’t nearly enough to live decently, but after deliberation between the orphanage director Jutta, Sara, and Karen, Tim and Harald’s wages were set at three copper coins each. Even this was a price that Sara had angrily called too indulgent.
As for Harald, although his wage was set at three copper coins, he wanted to use this as payment for the potions Karen had used on him, so in reality, he was working without pay. The potions Karen had let Harald use were one minor healing potion and two non-magical material potions, so the repayment to Karen amounted to two gold coins, one half-gold coin, and four silver coins.
To repay this through work at three copper coins per day, with the world’s year being four hundred days, he would need to work without pay for more than four years—quite an unreasonable contract. Honestly, Karen secretly wished to give him bonuses for various reasons on different occasions to help him pay off his debt faster.
Compared to that, the amount Tim needed to repay could be considered trivial. If he had infused magic into something like Silk Spider thread, it would have been dangerous, but fortunately, that wasn’t the case. Making him repay would probably help clear Tim’s conscience.
“All right. I’ll deduct it from your wages.”
“Okay.”
“From now on, consult with Harald before doing anything. And Harald, please be available for Tim’s consultations.”
Harald seemed to have understood the danger of confronting Julius, and he also appeared to recognize that Tim’s infusion of magical power into food supplies was unnecessary. With Harald supervising him, Tim’s reckless behavior would likely be contained. Besides, Harald was actually the older one.
But Harald looked disgruntled. Yet he had the wisdom to nod and say "Understood" despite his displeasure. That gesture was childish, befitting his appearance. Karen accepted his attitude with generosity.
Though years had accumulated in his heart, his body probably influenced him. Karen might be the only person in the world who could understand this discord between mind and body so well—she’s living through it right now.
“Mr. Julius, thank you for waiting! When did you return from the dungeon? Ah—I don’t mean to say you should have written because you’re my lover or anything, okay! I just thought, oh, you’re back already!”
Julius smiled at Karen, who hurriedly explained herself after feeling her words might have carried unintended meaning.
“I put my dungeon expedition on hold and came straight to see you, Karen. I didn’t stop anywhere else—I just wanted to see you more than anything.”
“Wha—?!”
As Karen grew increasingly flustered, Julius deepened his smile.
“Sara had a letter delivered to me inside the dungeon by adventurers, Karen. A letter informing me about your life-risking experiment.”
At that moment, Karen realized this wasn’t a time to be flustered. But she still had no idea what was actually going on. Karen could only grasp two things. First, Julius was angry with her. And for some reason, she felt an unexpected sensuality from the angry Julius that was unimaginable from his usual gentle demeanor.
If he knew she was thinking such things, it would be far worse than just being disliked. Karen swallowed hard for various reasons and tried to explain:
“Life-risking is an exaggeration. I don’t know why Sara would send such a letter to you when you’re busy with dungeon exploration—”
“I have arrangements to receive regular updates about you. That was one of them.”
“Oh, that’s a bit embarrassing.”
Karen had no idea that Julius was being regularly informed about her activities.
Julius sighed at Karen’s reaction and lowered his eyes.
“Don’t you understand how I felt, Karen, when I received news that my lover had conducted a self-destructive experiment?”
“Ugh…”
Whether due to the length of his lowered eyelashes or his sorrowful cheeks. Faced with this seemingly calculated gesture that made her heart ache, Karen instinctively staggered back, clutching her chest. Julius’s golden eyes gleamed at Karen’s reaction. That gleam looked like tears forming in his golden eyes, making Karen hold her breath.
“I want you to stop doing dangerous things. Promise me, alright?”
“…Yes.”
Sara’s nagging had been something she appreciated, even enjoyed. But even when scolded, Karen had the pride of being an alchemist. Therefore, she had intended to do whatever she thought necessary for alchemy, regardless of what anyone said. It would have been the same even if Natalia had told her not to. While she didn’t intend to risk her life, she was prepared to walk on dangerous ground. After all, the great alchemists throughout history have achieved glory through such means.
And yet, Karen found herself nodding to Julius. She was shocked by that realization.
“Tim, was it?”
“Yes!”
Julius turned to Tim, apparently unaware of Karen’s state.
“You infused magical power into everything in the food cabinet? You seem to have quite a lot of magical power.”
“Yes, I have at least C-rank in magic capacity!”
“At least?”
“The magical power meter at the orphanage is low quality, so it can’t measure if the magic capacity is too high.”
Harald expressionlessly explained to Julius, who tilted his head at Tim’s vague expression.
“I see. Then I command you: if Karen is doing something dangerous or is in danger, but she herself seems unaware of it, infuse magical power into Karen’s earring.”
“Earring?”
“It’s a magical tool. It’s connected to my magical tool, and if you infuse it with magical power, it will notify me. I’ll come running immediately.”
“But Master Julius, aren’t you diving in a dungeon?”
“Karen is the type of person who prefers a renowned hero who conquers dungeons over a knight escort who never leaves her side.”
“What? You’re exploring them for Karen?”
Julius smiled at Tim, who rounded his eyes, and spoke casually:
“Not for Karen. I explore them for my own desire to be liked by Karen. That’s why I’ll return by any means necessary when Karen is in peril.”
“You really are dating. I’m sorry, I mean… I apologize.”
As Tim bowed his head, Julius said:
“I forgive your rudeness. In exchange, please watch over Karen while I’m away.”
“It’s a man-to-man promise, right?”
Saying that Tim held out his fist to Julius. After looking puzzled for a moment, Julius smiled and bumped his fist against Tim’s. Watching their interaction, Harald hastily interjected:
“I, too, will stake my life to protect Lady Karen!”
“I’m counting on you, Harald.”
While the men were cultivating their friendship, Karen clutched her chest as if trying to hold on to something melting away.
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