Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Five: The Alchemist’s Preparations
“Karen! You’ve returned.”
“What about Waltride?”
Greeted by Julius and Boromias upon her return to the camp in the early morning, Karen momentarily swallowed her words.
From now on, she had to make a panacea and return to the S-rank monster called Pegasus. If she couldn’t cure the pegasus’ child with this panacea, Karen and Waltride would die.
Boromias aside, what would Julius think? This situation—where if they abandoned Waltride now, Karen wouldn’t need to risk her life.
“Excuse me for just the key points. Earl Brahm’s companions were killed by monsters, so there’s no need to worry about being attacked by them. Lady Waltride is safe. However, her life is in danger unless she gets a panacea immediately. Please let me rest as soon as possible so I can recover my magical power and stamina to a state where I can make the panacea.”
Karen spoke only the facts, leaving out several crucial details.
“Good. I don’t quite understand the situation, but as long as she’s safe. The other alchemists are making medicinal incense for use with magical power recovery potions and healing potions. Use those. I’ll have them delivered to your tent later.”
“Ah, that would help.”
Alchemists other than Karen couldn’t make panaceas, but they could make other things. They were apparently stabilizing patients by using medicinal incense with continuous recovery effects in combination with magical power recovery potions.
“There’s no need to stop on my account. We’ll talk while walking.”
Boromias started walking, considering Karen, who wanted to rest as soon as possible.
Speaking with him like this, he turned out to be a surprisingly flexible prince. Was it because his sister’s life was at stake, or because Karen was a person of ability to him? If it were the latter, Boromias would likely become a very good sovereign for those with abilities.
“I can’t make enough panaceas for everyone with just today’s recovery. I’ll rest only for Lady Waltride’s sake.”
“That’s fine. What else do you need?”
“To make the panacea, I’d like to borrow a pot made of magical metal about this big, and I want to clean myself up, so please clear out one section of the hot springs.”
“Understood. I’ll find a suitable pot. I’ll have the monsters cleared out.”
The conversation progressed smoothly, and when Karen arrived at Waltride’s tent, she staggered inside.
Irmlinde and Dorotea looked at her with worried faces, but Julius was explaining the circumstances in Karen’s place.
“Karen, I’ve brought magical power recovery potions and medicinal incense.”
The one who carried the magic medicines was Lyos.
“Are you all right?”
“All right? About what?”
“…You have the same face as when your father didn’t come home on the promised day.”
Karen looked at Lyos with blank eyes. She hadn’t thought Lyos would pick up on anything. It was the first time she realized Lyos had been watching her that closely in the past. Though she hadn’t wanted anyone to know that the same Karen from that day, about to be crushed by anxiety, was here now.
Karen stared intently at Lyos to cover it up.
“…I couldn’t help but worry about what might have happened between Mr. Julius and you while I was gone.”
“What do you mean by ‘what’!? No—don’t answer that! Actually, nothing happened at all!”
Lyos shouted as he stormed out of the tent.
Watching him go, Karen lit the medicinal incense and gulped down the magical power recovery potion in one go. Unlike the potions Karen made herself, there was no mushroom broth flavor, and the intoxicating effect was milder. Since magic mushrooms were ingredients that became dangerous medicine when used as-is, the less intoxication there was, the higher the quality of the potion. This was undoubtedly a higher-rank potion than the magical power recovery potions Karen made.
After drinking the potion, Karen lay down on the bed without even changing out of her dirty clothes. Just before closing her eyelids, she thought she locked eyes with Julius, who had entered just as Lyos left.
“Wake me… in two hours…”
Murmuring the request, Karen fell into a sleep like mud.
“Karen, can you wake up?”
A gentle voice. Being shaken, Karen slowly pushed open her heavy eyelids. She was still sleepy, but her body had recovered considerably.
It was probably thanks to the medicinal incense being burned in the tent. Also, thanks to the magical power recovery potion and sleep, her magical power had recovered enough to make a stock pot full of panacea.
“Mr. Julius… thank you for waking me. That food over there is for me, right?”
“I can have it reheated—”
“I don’t have much time, so I’ll have it as is.”
On a tray placed on the table near the bed was cold barley porridge.
Karen opened her mouth wide without regard for manners, prioritizing only speed, and devoured the barley porridge.
“The bath is ready. I’ll guide you.”
“Please do.”
When they arrived at the hot spring in a section surrounded by rocks, Karen said:
“May I ask you to stand guard, Mr. Julius?”
“Yes, I’ll stand guard outside. In case a monster appears, leaving you alone would be dangerous, so a female knight who escaped harm this time is waiting in the bath area.”
“I’m asking you to stand guard in the bath area, Mr. Julius.”
“—That’s…”
“You’ll turn your back, of course. I want to talk with you, Mr. Julius.”
Karen entered the bath area. Inside stood a female knight on guard, who gave Karen a slight bow when she noticed her.
When she turned around, Julius was standing still without entering the bath area.
She wanted to talk because this might be the last time.
But Julius didn’t know it might be the last time. Because Karen hadn’t told him.
The moment Karen gave up and tried to avert her gaze from Julius, Julius grabbed Karen’s shoulder.
“If you wish it, I will stand guard. However, it concerns your honor. Are you truly fine with this?”
“I don’t mind.”
Karen smiled with narrowed eyes and had the bewildered female knight leave the bath area.
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