Now, there are images for Karen, Julius, Natalia, Sara, and Sieg.
Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-One: The Alchemists’ Guild’s Kindness
“Karen, did you forget to buy anything?”
“Hmm. Probably not.”
On the fifteenth of every month, a large market was held where many people came out from towns around the capital. Karen had come shopping in preparation for joining the dungeon investigation team. Tim was carrying the luggage. Since Tim was strong enough to match his high magical power, Karen didn’t hesitate to have him carry the luggage just because he was a child.
“It seems I can share the same tent space as Lady Waltride, and I don’t need to prepare a sleeping bag either, so I really only need personal items. They said I could just bring myself, but I can’t exactly do that.”
“I wanna go on the dungeon investigation too!”
To Tim’s eyes, they probably looked like a hero’s party. While it had been a bolt from the blue for Karen, she had come to think of it as a good opportunity. She had entered the shallow layers of the dungeons before. She wasn’t entirely uninterested in the deep layers either.
However, that wasn’t a place someone like Karen, who couldn’t fight, should venture into out of mere curiosity. If she went there by herself, she would lose her life. If she were to prepare thoroughly, she would need to hire guards, but it felt wrong to put guards in danger just for curiosity’s sake.
If it were necessary for alchemical research, there would be merit in doing so, but Karen couldn’t even tell whether it was necessary for her research at this point. However, regardless of Karen’s will, they were going to take her there. While the situation was ominous, she decided to gratefully use it as material for her research.
“I’m home!”
“Welcome back, Karen!”
“Huh? Natalia, what are you doing here?”
“I came because I had business with you.”
When she returned home, Natalia was standing in the entrance hall, and Karen’s eyes widened.
“Aren’t you still working? You usually send an errand boy, but you came directly—did something happen?”
At Karen’s observation, Natalia smiled brightly.
“While it might be fine for E-rank or D-rank alchemists, we couldn’t possibly trouble a C-rank senior alchemist to come to us.”
“So that means—ah, never mind the reception room. Come into the living room instead!”
“Hehe.”
Pushed by Karen into the living room, Natalia sat on the sofa and carefully took out a small box from her bag. It was a beautiful wooden box with mother-of-pearl inlay work.
“Congratulations on your advancement to C-rank, Karen.”
Karen received the wooden box and opened the lid. Inside, a jet-black brooch made of adamantite—the same magical metal as the alchemy cauldron Karen had received from Yuluyana—sat on a velvet cushion.
“Thank you… I thought I’d have to take another examination, but is this okay?”
“When Master Yuluyana has acknowledged you, who else needs to verify it?”
“I’m his disciple, though. Aren’t you worried about favoritism?”
“He would never compromise when it comes to alchemy.”
“That’s certainly true.”
The people at the Alchemists’ Guild probably knew even better than Karen that Yuluyana would never lie about anything related to alchemy.
“There are various benefits to advancing to C-rank. There were some for D-rank too, but since there’s a lot of overlap, I’ll skip over those quickly.”
“Ehehe.”
“First, from C-rank onward, restrictions on accessing research papers are lifted. However, you may still need to meet conditions set by individual authors to read them. Most can be resolved with money.”
Another benefit was the ability to purchase rare magical materials and tools from the Alchemists’ Guild. Purchases were apparently permitted from D-rank, but some restrictions were removed from C-rank onward.
Other benefits included being able to exhibit in the Alchemists’ Guild section of the annual Kingdom Exhibition, participate in the grand auction hosted by the Kingdom of Earthfill, and receive treatment equivalent to nobility in various places. Though Natalia explained everything, Karen’s eyes began to glaze over around the middle.
“If you’re likely to forget, you can read this booklet.”
“The benefits are really impressive and numerous.”
“You’re a senior alchemist now. Not everyone can become one. No matter how much magical power someone has, it’s common for them to get stuck at D-rank and never advance further. You’ve now become someone every country would want to recruit.”
“I don’t really feel it yet.”
“Well then, let me make a proposal that will make it feel real.”
A proposal? Karen tilted her head as Natalia smoothly presented a single sheet of paper.
“This is a statement the Alchemists’ Guild plans to announce at the inter-guild assembly on the fifth of next month. I’d like you to review it, and if there are no problems, we’ll announce it. By then, you’ll already have departed with the dungeon investigation team.”
Looking at the contents written on the paper Natalia had presented, Karen’s eyes widened.
“…A protest against the Gubert Trading Company? Why would the Alchemists’ Guild do such a thing for me? If it’s to curry favor with my master, I don’t think it would be very meaningful.”
While Yuluyana did care about Karen, he had absolutely no interest in Karen’s principles or assertions.
“It’s to curry favor with you, Karen. As I keep saying, you’re a C-rank alchemist now.”
At Natalia’s words, Karen looked at the text again. It was a protest letter about a C-rank alchemist’s house being burned down in a dispute with the Gubert Trading Company.
“I was still an E-rank alchemist when it was burned down, though.”
“But you’re C-rank now. It’s unacceptable for a C-rank alchemist’s house to be burned down over a dispute with a mere B-rank trading company.”
“Mere? If it’s B-rank, isn’t that higher than me as a C-rank?”
“The Merchants’ Guild is of lower status compared to the Adventurers’ Guild or Alchemists’ Guild.”
Natalia wore a smile on her bright red lips. It was a somewhat venomous smile reminiscent of the old Natalia. Natalia was born into an elite family with parents who worked as guild staff at the Adventurers’ Guild, and since she was promised from birth to become a guild staff member of the Adventurers’ Guild, she used to have a strong sense of being chosen.
Yet at some point, she had softened, and before Karen realized it, she had joined the Alchemists’ Guild instead of the Adventurers’ Guild. That same Natalia now wore a smile tinged with venom she hadn’t worn in ages as she spoke:
“It’s different from adventurers or alchemists who advance to C-rank with the goddess’s permission. To advance in the Merchants’ Guild, you don’t need any divine permission. The Merchants’ Guild is just imitating the Adventurers’ Guild and the Alchemists’ Guild. Their so-called B-rank is laughable.”
“Natalia, take it easy, okay?”
“I won’t say this in public.”
Compared to the days at the commoner school, when she’d boldly snap back at kids whispering about her family with, “Are you jealous because you’re from F-rank families?”, she had certainly softened.
At first, Karen had thought Natalia might get along well with Marian, but before she knew it, Natalia was always staying with Karen.
“Anyway, the point is that a mere B-rank of the Merchants’ Guild shouldn’t interfere with a C-rank alchemist.”
“Won’t this cause a fight?”
“The Alchemists’ Guild will handle it, so Karen, you can devote yourself to your research without worry.”
Rather than the Alchemists’ Guild, it seemed like Natalia would be the one taking on the fight.
“That’s reassuring.”
Karen chuckled softly and let out a breath.
“…It’s really getting to the point where even if they apologized now, it would be too late, but I guess it can’t be helped.”
Originally, it was the Gubert Trading Company that had started it all. For the sake of protecting those Karen would leave behind when she had to head to the dungeon, Karen decided to gratefully accept the Alchemists’ Guild’s kindness.
I'm happy that even though Karen is kind, she is not kind to the point of stupid.
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