Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-One: The Order They Met
“It could become a dishonorable story for Miss Therese, so I refrained from speaking of it. But I should have told you.”
“Dishonorable?”
“She’s one of the people I discovered in the dungeon in the past.”
“You mean, that thing where you were blamed—”
The incomprehensible accusation called the "Dungeon Luring Incident." When Julius was a child, he saved an injured female knight in the dungeon, and somehow a rumor spread that if one pretended to be injured in the dungeon, they could meet Julius, resulting in a succession of women pretending to be hurt. For some reason, it was made out to be Julius’s fault for seducing them—a completely unreasonable incident.
“So she was one of the people pretending to be injured? To catch your attention, Mr. Julius?”
“Indeed, she wasn’t actually injured. But with her abilities at the time, she had ventured too deep into a difficult dungeon and couldn’t move, which is when I appeared. I helped her without asking questions, thinking it was the usual situation, but she said that the incident became the trigger for her to seriously pursue becoming an adventurer.”
Karen didn’t know how much was true and how much was a lie. Yet the only thing clear was that Julius seemed to believe Therese’s claims.
Karen had thought that understanding the situation would clear up her unease, but instead, it only grew stronger, leaving her stunned.
But deep down, she had a premonition from the start. Julius hadn’t avoided Therese’s contact the way he had with Petra.
“But afterward, because the whole matter was treated as that kind of scandal, she said she regretted that she couldn’t even thank me.”
Looking down at Karen’s unconvinced face, Julius smiled bitterly.
“Does it sound like Miss Therese is lying, while conveniently ignoring her past of pretending to be injured?”
“…Well, yes.”
“I wouldn’t have minded if I were the one being doubted.”
It seemed Julius had avoided mentioning it to spare Therese from suspicion. Why did Julius believe Therese’s words? Why could he believe such things being said now, of all times? Karen sent a suspicious gaze toward him.
Unaware of Karen’s look, Julius continued:
“Even if she had gone into the dungeon targeting me, even if she wasn’t injured, even if the fact that she couldn’t move was a lie—the fact remains that she’s appeared before me here and now as a D-rank adventurer.”
He smiled softly, his golden eyes glistening as he gazed down at Karen.
“I remembered when you, Karen, who should have taken Sieg’s request targeting me, wished for an appraisal mirror instead of me as the achievement reward, and my tear ducts loosened despite myself. It’s pathetic for a grown man.”
Having been told that much, Karen realized it too. What Therese had done was almost the same as what Karen had done. Even if she had been targeting Julius, using Julius as a trigger, she had worked hard, aiming for higher goals.
And unlike Karen, Therese might not have even been after Julius to begin with.
“If I became the trigger for someone to gain the courage to move forward, nothing could make me happier.”
Typical nobles had the resolve to risk their lives for the defense of the nation. With that resolve, she ventured into the dungeon, but when her strength proved insufficient and she was saved by Julius, a boy her age, she fell in love and resolved to aim higher—Karen herself thought it was a plausible story.
If the misunderstanding about her intentions had just been due to unfortunate timing, then Therese was far better than Karen. More than just better—Karen thought that might have been the very kind of encounter Julius had longed for.
Julius had once been unjustly accused by Horst.
The false charge of that absurd matter—the so-called “Dungeon Luring Incident”—had deeply hurt him.
Karen had learned then that she, who had coincidentally jumped at Sieg’s request targeting Julius, seemed to have healed Julius’s wounded heart.
If Therese had reunited with Julius before Karen did, surely it would have been Therese who saved Julius.
“You have returned, Sir Julius.”
When they reached Waltride’s camp, she heard a familiar voice. It was the voice of the very person she’d been thinking about. The healing mage with light blue hair, Therese, stood there. When she spotted Julius, she narrowed her eyes and smiled like a flower.
“Miss Therese, why are you here?”
“I’ve brought a message from Sir Pradel.”
“From Sir Tristan?”
Therese nodded, then turned to face Karen.
“Lady Karen, I apologize for leaving the other day without greeting you—I wasn’t feeling well at the time. I am Therese, a healing mage. I’m from the Ehlertt’s territory. Though I didn’t return home last winter, I’ve heard much about you. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“…Nice to meet you, Lady Therese. I’m Karen, an alchemist.”
“Please, just call me Therese. I’m here as an adventurer, after all. My companions are mostly commoners, and they call me without titles.”
Therese showed Karen a smile, then turned back to Julius and stated her main business.
“Taking the situation as a whole into account, it’s been decided that we’ll move to the eighth floor urgently.”
According to the adventurers, something was happening on the eighth floor. If the nobles’ assessment was the same, moving their base to the eighth floor would be appropriate.
“Also, since there may be increasing danger from now on, my D-rank party, Jade Droplet, will be accompanying Her Highness’ unit.”
“You will?”
“Yes. As an adventurer, I’m distant from factional disputes among nobles. Yet, as a noble, I believe I would cause Her Highness less concern. Also, since we’re an all-female party, I thought it’d be appropriate to attend Her Highness, so I volunteered. His Highness Boromias gave his permission as well.”
“I see.”
“Though the main reason I volunteered was to show you how strong I’ve become, Sir Julius.”
At Therese, who added this with a mischievous smile, Julius showed a perplexed expression.
“By serving the nation after being saved by you, Sir Julius, my honor will in turn become yours. I will do my best so that saving me may become a source of pride for you.”
“Ah, to fight together for the defense of the nation—wait, Karen? Where are you going?”
Though it would be natural for Karen, a commoner alchemist, to withdraw from a conversation between nobles, Julius went out of his way to stop her.
“I’m returning to the tent first. I have work to do.”
“Karen, please don’t misunderstand. I’m just—”
“I’m not misunderstanding anything, am I? You two were just exchanging greetings. I saw it myself.”
Karen answered flatly. She didn’t think she had let any displeasure or dissatisfaction show.
But Julius wasn’t convinced.
“Karen, if you have something to say, please say it.”
“—I don’t have anything in particular.”
In truth, she wanted to say what Julius had once told Thor—“Don’t speak her name so casually.”
But unlike Thor, Therese wasn’t making unnaturally close contact with Julius. She was just talking about work—and her affection for Julius simply showed through.
Nothing had happened that Karen, who only held the position of Julius’s lover because she was an alchemist with useful abilities, could interfere with.
Just then, a voice called Karen’s name.
“Karen.”
“Lady Waltride! I’m coming! Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
As if clutching at salvation from heaven when Waltride called for Karen from the tent, Karen composed herself and turned her back on Julius and Therese.
Though she should have been glad that Julius had one more reason to be proud of himself, Karen couldn’t think that way at all right now.
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