Chapter One Hundred and Fifty: Almost-There
After the storm passed, Karen’s mealtime finally arrived. She had tasted it while cooking, and the adventurers had given it rave reviews, so she had nothing but high expectations for its deliciousness.
Waltride wasn’t the type to sit on the forest ground without chairs or tables to eat, and if monsters suddenly appeared during the meal, it would be over, so she hurriedly returned to her tent with the soup curry in hand. Thanks to that, she was able to avoid encountering Boromias, which was probably good for Waltride.
Karen took her own deep bowl and ladled out the piping hot soup curry that she had kept stirring to prevent burning, then piled on plenty of freshly fried hot vegetables that had been deep-fried in fresh trent oil.
First, she bit into the deep-fried mushroom on top, and the crisp texture and rich flavor spread through her mouth. The spicy soup curry served to enhance that savory flavor. She scooped up some curry with her spoon, coated a piece of deep-fried mushroom with it, and popped it into her mouth all at once.
“Mm! Delicious!”
“I’m glad I get to eat your curry again, Karen.”
Julius, who had helped with serving while refraining from eating himself, said this as they ate together. Karen turned to him with a beaming smile and said:
“If you want to eat it, just let me know anytime and I’ll make it!”
After Karen cheerfully answered Julius’s words, she suddenly froze. Could this be like that saying where "I want to eat the miso soup you make every morning," which really means a marriage proposal? Karen’s panic was brief, as she quickly remembered the fact that for a noble like Julius, the person who cooked every day was simply the household cook.
Though this world didn’t have miso soup, if a commoner man asked a commoner woman to cook for him every day, it would inevitably carry the connotation of a marriage proposal. But Julius probably had never thought of such a thing. Karen remembered Irmlinde’s words. The dreams that Julius and Karen had envisioned in their childhood were far too different.
“…Come to think of it, she didn’t appear.”
“She?”
“The woman with light blue hair.”
“Ah, you mean Miss Therese?”
“Oh, so her name is Lady Therese? You’re calling her by her first name.”
“She’s from the same Ehlertt nobility.”
“So you’re close? If you don’t mind, could you tell me how you met?”
“It really wasn’t much of a meeting at all.”
Julius said this casually and smiled. Karen felt that her own phrasing had sounded petty and snide, yet it did not seem to affect Julius at all.
“The knights of her family, Folant Barony, were participating too, so she was probably staying with them.”
“…I see.”
One part of Karen’s plan to intimidate that woman by demonstrating the creation of a panacea right in front of her had failed. Karen decided to close her mouth and concentrate on eating her soup curry. If she continued this conversation any longer, the delicious soup curry might start tasting bad.
Around the time Karen finished eating her soup curry in silence, Gunther called out to her:
“Karen, there’s someone here claiming to be your acquaintance… Do you know any Royal Knights? If not, I’ll throw him out.”
“Royal Knight?”
After swallowing what was in her mouth, Karen realized there was one person who came to mind.
“Could it be someone with red hair?”
“Hmph, so you really do know him. Bring him over.”
The adventurer who nodded at Gunther’s words brought over exactly who Karen had expected—Lyos. Lyos, who had made his way through the tense adventurers, spoke with a deeply strained expression:
“Karen, I’d like to speak with you as a knight of the Royal Knight Order. Is now a good time?”
“That’s fine, but there’s no curry left, you know?”
The pot was completely empty and sparkling clean. After Karen had ladled out the last portion for herself, the adventurers had scraped it clean with their herb hardtack.
“I didn’t come here wanting the panacea. It’s mainly to apologize.”
“Apologize?”
“Anyway, I’m bringing my superior too. Is that alright?”
“That’s fine. I’ll hurry and finish eating.”
When Karen said this while resuming her meal, Lyos said "Thanks" in a small voice and turned back the way he came. Karen looked up at Gunther with a start.
“Sorry, I said it was okay without asking, but was it all right to let them in here?”
“Hm? It’s fine. If the panacea alchemist wants it.”
“The panacea alchemist! That sounds cool!”
“If they try anything in front of us, I can protect you from some unreasonableness.”
“Protect?”
Julius interjected between the puzzled Karen and Gunther.
“You’re probably charmed by Karen’s appeal. I understand the feeling, but Karen is my lover. I’d like you to keep that in mind.”
“I’m just praising the alchemist’s achievement as an adventurer. It’s nothing like that.”
“Little Karen, are you really dating this pretty-boy aristocrat?”
Gunther looked fed up, while Sepl’s face showed he was finally beginning to grasp the truth of the world. As Karen made a sheepish expression, Lyos returned with his superior. Karen recognized that superior’s face too. Karen said while setting down her finished soup curry bowl:
“You were with the Second Prince before we entered the dungeon…”
“My name is Tristan, His Highness’ retainer. It’s my pleasure to meet you, Ms. Karen. This is the first time we’ve been formally introduced.”
He appeared to be in his twenties to thirties, though his actual age was unknown. The greater one’s magical power, the more age became indeterminate, so it was impossible to guess nobles’ ages. He was a man with long hair tied back in a single knot, dressed in a robe bearing the crest of the Royal Knights—a mage by appearance. Since being Boromias’ retainer meant he was definitely a noble—and a high-ranking one at that—Karen was flustered by his politeness.
“I’m not someone who deserves such courteous treatment.”
“No amount of courtesy could ever be enough. Are you not an ‘Almost-There’… an alchemist on the verge?”
“I’m currently C-rank, so if I were to be promoted next, I think it would be to B-rank?”
“Almost-There" meant someone on the verge of reaching A-rank. Treatment changed from C-rank onwards. B-rank was also, of course, high enough rank that even beheading a noble would be forgiven as long as they didn’t die.
But from A-rank onwards, the dimension of treatment changed. They were treated as those who had reached the same plane as the goddess herself. Whether that was actually true or not, they were revered to that extent. That’s why Yuluyana was allowed to do as he pleased.
Those who are on the verge of reaching that level are called “Almost-There.”
“The promotion condition to B-rank would be becoming able to create major healing potions or potions of equivalent rank. But isn’t a panacea, even a minor effect one, ranked above major healing potions? Therefore, your appropriate rank would be A-rank, Ms. Karen.”
“Since it’s different from panaceas that drop in dungeons, I don’t think they’ll promote me so easily, but thank you for saying that.”
When Karen thanked him honestly, Tristan bowed his head with an elegant gesture.
“I understand that through my own shortcomings, a grave misunderstanding has arisen between my lord and you all. May I ask for a chance to correct that misunderstanding?”
“…For now, could you come to my tent?”
“If you would provide a place to talk, I’ll go anywhere.”
Tristan smiled at Gunther’s suggestion. But on closer look, that smile was strained.
If he wasn’t flattering but truly considered Karen to be "Almost-There," then Boromias and Stef’s actions must have been a stomach-churning matter for Tristan.
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