Chapter One Hundred and Three: Soap Turmoil
“Your silk powder is truly wonderful, Your Highness Waltride. It’s such a shame it’s so difficult to obtain.”
“My alchemist says it consumes a considerable amount of magical power. However, that’s why it gives such a good finish to the skin, prevents sunburn, and has other beneficial effects for the skin.”
Waltride said this proudly. She was once again doing an excellent job as the product’s poster girl. As she spoke, Waltride’s skin looked porcelain-smooth, pale, and flawless. This wasn’t thanks to cosmetics but likely because she had been mostly confined indoors until now.
Today, Waltride had been invited to a salon dedicated to beauty research. She accepted the invitation and brought Karen along with her. There were other nobles who had brought alchemists and merchants who made cosmetics for them.
“Though not as good as Her Highness Waltride’s face powder, I know of a shop that sells beautiful creamy face powder made from silk. It has healing potion blended into it, and when applied to the skin, it revives damaged skin.”
“My goodness, revives, you say?”
“What a wonderful word. Please introduce me to that shop.”
The gathering had become a social occasion where everyone exchanged the latest beauty information they possessed. Karen, realizing that there were others making cosmetics with silk, listened attentively to gather information. Apparently, while they weren’t turning the silk itself into a potion, they were adding potions in a way that wouldn’t ruin them, creating an effect similar to non-magical material potions.
Indeed, a single drop of sweat won’t immediately ruin a potion. There must be a critical point. As Karen was nodding along, thinking that such a method was possible, she was caught off guard.
“Actually, the head of that trading company came to me for advice… Apparently, their newly developed products keep getting copied, and they’re in trouble.”
“Oh my, that’s business obstruction.”
“How awful to hinder the developers. I wonder which company is behind this?”
“It’s not a trading company, but apparently the work of an alchemist—when I hear there’s an alchemist who, despite being F-rank for a long time, suddenly became famous, even someone as uninformed as myself can tell something is amiss.”
As the lady tried to steal a glance at Karen from behind her fan, her gaze met directly with Karen’s, who was shamelessly eavesdropping and looking straight at her.
“Huh!? Are you talking about me!?”
“How rude, eavesdropping like that.”
“It wouldn’t be surprising if she’s stealing recipes.”
“Ladies, it’s not good to doubt someone after hearing only one side of the story.”
The woman who had introduced the topic by mentioning a consultation from a certain trading company and directed malice toward Karen, now tried to calm the situation with the same mouth. She was a married woman in her late twenties with green hair and a gentle smile. She wore a light green dress and appeared wealthy. Despite her smiling expression as she looked at Karen, the complete absence of any sense of malice was terrifying in itself, and Karen gulped nervously.
Sensing the change in the atmosphere, Waltride, who had been some distance away, returned.
“What’s wrong, Karen?”
“I’m sorry, Lady Waltride… would it be all right if I involve you in my problem?”
“I don’t mind.”
Waltride answered immediately without asking anything.
“After all, I’m already involved. So, what happened?”
“It seems she’s just about to explain it.”
“You are… Countess Schiele, correct?”
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness Waltride. I’m flattered that you know of me.”
Waltride seemed to immediately recognize the person confronting Karen. Countess Schiele gracefully curtsied and smiled shyly, seeming too elegant to be in the middle of a conflict. Waltride whispered in Karen’s ear:
“Leonie Schiele, head lady-in-waiting to Royal Consort Benedicta.”
“I see.”
So apparently Waltride’s enemy—or more precisely, her mother’s enemy—had targeted Karen, a commoner who appeared to be Waltride’s obvious weakness, and launched an attack. Waltride’s true weakness was actually monsters. Fortunately, that wasn’t known.
“Isaac Trading Company, which manufactures Lady Benedicta’s favorite cosmetics, has confided in me their concern that you might be plagiarizing their recipes, Alchemist Karen. Do you know anything about this?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Of course. Even if you did, it’s not something you would admit to, is it?”
Waltride glared down at Leonie, who was frowning sadly with a sorrowful expression.
“Countess Schiele, your tone seems to be assuming that my alchemist has plagiarized recipes?”
“Oh, I apologize, Your Highness. I merely empathized with those close to me. Your Highness must also want to believe in the innocence of those close to you. I understand your feelings well.”
Despite her gentle tone, she was still presuming Karen’s guilt. As Waltride tried to retort, Karen stopped her.
“Countess Schiele, you do believe there’s a chance I’m innocent, don’t you? That’s why you’re asking, isn’t it?”
“Yes, of course. There’s always a possibility. Until the truth is brought to light—”
“Then, could you arrange a venue to prove which of us is lying—either myself or the chairman of Isaac Trading Company, who is your friend?”
This was probably what this whole conversation was about. So without prolonging the discussion further, Karen cut to the chase. Because of her pleasant demeanor, Leonie didn’t show any displeasure at being interrupted. Instead, she smiled happily as if pleased with the response.
“Actually, such a venue has already been arranged. Please look at this.”
With those words, Leonie handed Karen an envelope. It was sealed with rose-patterned wax.
Waltride frowned.
“That’s the First Royal Consort’s seal.”
“This is an invitation from Lady Benedicta to Alchemist Karen. Isaac will also be invited, so you’ll provide entertainment to prove which of you is speaking the truth in front of Lady Benedicta.”
“Entertainment, you say?”
For Karen, who had suddenly been accused of recipe theft, her entire livelihood was at stake. However, for the nobility, a venue to prove which of two commoners was lying was apparently mere entertainment.
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