Chapter Ninety-nine: Strategizing
“You didn’t need to go through the trouble of coming here. You could have just summoned me.”
“Hmm… but I thought it better not to do that.”
Waltride spoke with ambiguous words.
Tilting her head in confusion, Karen said:
“Perhaps everyone doesn’t know that your Bloodline Blessing has been healed?”
“His Majesty announced my return to society at last month’s royal ball. There isn’t a noble who doesn’t know this…”
Apparently, balls were held monthly at the palace. Waltride had attended and should have made a splendid social debut.
“And yet no one invites you? Even though your goal is to marry a suitable gentleman you meet through social activities.”
“At this rate, I’ll have no choice but to ensnare Julius…!”
When Karen’s expression stiffened at Waltride’s words, Waltride hastily added, "I’m joking, of course.”
“Ah, no… I understand.”
“Julius appears gentle but is quite strict with both himself and others. I find his strictness unbearable, so in my heart, I wish to avoid him. Therefore, I’m not serious. You understand, right?”
“I said I understand.”
Karen gave a wry smile at Waltride’s desperation.
“I was worried I might have displeased you. If I lost your cooperation as well, I would have no means to overcome this situation.”
Waltride spoke as if horrified. Karen had only stiffened her expression at the thought of Julius, but Waltride seemed to think she was about to be abandoned.
Julius had told Karen not to do anything dangerous for his sake, and Karen had nodded at the pleasing tone of his words. However, while an alchemist’s job wasn’t as dangerous as an adventurer’s, it was certainly not entirely safe.
Yet Karen didn’t know how to break her promise to Julius.
Her earlobe felt painful where her earring piercing was even though it should have healed with the potion, with no possibility of the wound festering.
“…From my investigations, it seems I’ve been caught up in a political dispute.”
Waltride’s words brought Karen back to herself.
“A political dispute?”
“Yes. There are two factions in the royal palace—the Queen’s faction and the Consort’s faction.”
“Consort… you mean the King’s second wife?”
“Having no noble background, you need an explanation from that point, I see.”
Waltride’s eyes widened, then grew distant as she continued:
“Besides my mother, the Queen, His Majesty the King has two more wives. The Second Consort isn’t a problem. The issue is the First Consort.”
“Polygamy…!”
“Karen, you can relax—Julius is the kind of man who believes in monogamy. May I continue?”
“Yes.”
Karen repositioned herself on the sofa and nodded.
Even if Julius was a monogamist, it’s not like Karen was going to marry him. So Waltride’s mention of this had nothing to do with Karen’s composure, Karen narrated to herself internally.
“The power of the First Consort Benedicta has grown to exceed the Queen’s influence due to His Majesty’s favor. This seems to be related to the cold treatment I receive, though I don’t know the details.”
“Without a reason like that, no one would turn away from you, Lady Waltride. I’m sure everyone truly wants to get closer to you.”
Such an extraordinary beauty had suddenly appeared. The royal ball must have been thrown into commotion, with everyone wishing to get acquainted with her. When silent, Waltride was like a heavenly maiden in her beauty. Moreover, the fact that she had suffered from the Bloodline Blessing meant she possessed enormous magical power, so ordinary people would likely think she might play an active role in dungeons and such in the future. Though this was impossible for the actual Waltride.
“I’m not looking for such words of comfort, Karen.”
“Um, this doesn’t seem like a problem I can solve…”
“Nevertheless, it’s your job as the recipient of my letter of recommendation to find a way.”
“That letter was a trap…!?”
“Fuhahahahahahaha!”
Waltride let out an extraordinarily evil laugh. Putting the farce aside, Karen tried to adopt a serious attitude to think.
“I know too little about high society to come up with anything.”
“Oh no…”
“So, let’s first gather information from those who understand the situation.”
Just as Karen had sought an introduction to a master to gain detailed knowledge of alchemy, if one wanted knowledge about high society, one should ask someone familiar with it.
“By the way, what does your mother… Her Majesty the Queen say about this?”
“We’ve been estranged since I lost control of my magic out of fear of monsters. I’ve been told that she doesn’t consider someone like me to be her child.”
“Ah… then what about your siblings—”
“I’ve been told that they don’t want any contribution from me, and in return, I should never rely on them or get in their way, no matter what happens…”
Waltride didn’t cry, but she displayed an extremely tarnished smile. Seeing that smile, which showed she had grown accustomed to giving up, Karen bowed her head dejectedly.
“…I’m truly sorry.”
“At the royal ball, only His Majesty was kind to me… well, even that kindness was because I had grown up to be beautiful…”
Seeing Waltride gaze into the distance, Karen held her head in her hands. She had thought it strange that Waltride referred to her parents as "His Majesty" and “Her Majesty”, but apparently their relationship was terrible. Karen felt she had to come up with at least one idea, no matter what—it would be unforgivable otherwise. So she wracked her brain.
“What about the Ehlertt family? They’ve been kind to you all this time, so they wouldn’t be afraid of displeasing the Consort now.”
Karen had never heard it outright, but judging from the circumstances, Ehlertt Earldom probably with the Queen’s faction.
“Come to think of it, no one from them has invited me either…”
“In that case, why don’t you do the inviting?”
“Me, invite them?”
Seeing Waltride’s face show that this had never occurred to her, Karen asked:
“Don’t princesses hold tea parties?”
“I think they do, but me hosting a tea party? I’ve attended the Queen’s tea parties as a child, but I’ve never hosted one myself, so I don’t know if I can do it well.”
“Let’s look for someone who might teach you how to host a tea party and consult them. Next, let’s invite people who will forgive you even if it doesn’t go well. And finally…”
Karen grinned.
“We need an irresistible hook. Let’s title it: ‘An Exclusive Presentation of Princess Waltride’s Beloved Beauty Products.’”
“Oh!”
“Currently, I’m visiting noble houses through Earl Ehlertt’s mediation for children with the Bloodline Blessing. Because of this, out of consideration for the Ehlertt family, it seems the young ladies of the Ehlertt territory are refraining from buying my potions.”
This was something Sara had told her. It had made Karen smile to think that even that arrogant noble girl Petra was holding back from purchasing potions for the sake of the children.
“But what if these potions were available at your tea party… what do you think?”
“An excellent strategy. But is that all right? Won’t your magical power be insufficient?”
“Personally, I still feel I have plenty of magical power to spare. I’m resting because Sara tells me to.”
“Don’t overdo it, all right?”
Karen was a commoner. Even if she were overworked to exhaustion, no one would complain, and she was being paid for it. Yet Waltride showed concern. This must be the quality that made Julius describe her as generous and kind-hearted. While lighting a flame of jealousy in Karen’s heart, she was someone impossible to hate.
“Besides, helping me means getting involved in a political dispute…”
“Even so, I can’t proudly advance to D-rank without working to repay that recommendation letter I received.”
“True. You need to continue supplying potions.”
Waltride finally returned a grin.
“I’ll manage the tea party preparations on my end. May I leave the potion-related areas to you?”
“Yes. I’ll make sure the young ladies of other houses cannot resist attending your tea party, Lady Waltride, even while fearing the powerful Consort.”
Otherwise, someone might just seduce Julius. And as that thought crossed her mind, a heavy realization settled deep in Karen’s gut. Maybe it would be better if he were seduced—if he drifted away from Karen. If Julius moved on from her, maybe then he’d stop telling her not to take risks—
“What’s wrong, Karen?”
“It’s nothing.”
Karen put on a forced smile to reassure Waltride.
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