Chapter Two Hundred and Nine: First Year 2 (Julius’s POV)
“—So that’s the situation. Does anything come to mind, Sara?”
He knew, at least in theory, that women cherished anniversaries. That seemed to be the same whether one was a noble or a commoner.
Because it felt like a special day to Julius as well, he wanted to make it a good day for Karen. That’s why he wanted to eliminate any concerns that might have existed.
“Since Lady Karen’s initial wish was to try going to places like the opera house, perhaps she was dejected that it couldn’t be fulfilled?”
Having returned to the Ehlertt estate, Julius called Sara and told her about his exchange with Karen, seeking her opinion.
“I promised we would go once she reached B-rank, but even so, Karen’s expression did not brighten.”
“Maybe she wanted to go tomorrow right away.”
Having once struggled to move her facial muscles, Sara had become rather inept at hiding her feelings once they began working properly again. Even if she could hide things in front of strangers, before Julius, she completely failed to conceal an expression that seemed to say “Ah, I see” as if she understood something.
However, Sara apparently had no intention of telling Julius what it was. Her employers were the Ehlertt family, specifically Helfried and eventually Sieg, but even so, Julius was a member of the household.
Before Sara, who was keeping silent out of consideration for Karen, Julius felt a sense of fondness but also devised a plan.
“I thought that perhaps you, as Karen’s friend, might understand—but even for a friend, is it difficult?”
Sara’s expression twitched.
Julius looked off in another direction and showed signs of contemplation as he spoke.
“Perhaps Miss Natalia would know. After all, she has been Karen’s friend longer than you—”
“Presumptuous though it may be, there is something that comes to mind as a possibility. I, too, am Lady Karen’s friend.”
Julius had no real intention of visiting Natalia, but Sara seemed to think that keeping silent would be pointless if he was going to visit Natalia anyway, and spoke while emphasizing the word “friend.”
“Hmm. What is it that comes to mind? May I hear it?”
“This is merely my speculation, but knowing Lady Karen, she’s likely thinking something like, ‘Mr. Julius can be my partner in society, but as I am now, I can’t be his partner.’”
As Sara spoke, even mimicking Karen’s tone and manner of speech, Julius was aghast.
“Can’t be? That kind of thing—”
“’Mr. Julius would be embarrassed to have a C-rank like me as a partner, right?’ ‘To bridge the class gap between nobility and commoners, it has to be after I become known as B-rank’, ‘I personally don’t mind, but if Mr. Julius minds—’”
“I don’t care about class differences!”
When Julius involuntarily raised his voice, Sara abruptly stopped her oddly skillful mimicry of Karen’s gestures and speech and said:
“…It’s merely my foolish fantasy, so please don’t let it concern you. I apologize for causing you discomfort.”
“I’m sorry for raising my voice. You’ve done nothing wrong, so there’s no need to apologize.”
Julius apologized to Sara while standing up.
“I shall go out once more. I appreciate your cooperation, Sara, Karen’s friend.”
Sara showed a triumphant smile and bowed respectfully.
“Have a safe trip, Master Julius.”
“Oh, Mr. Julius? Will you be staying for dinner too?”
Karen, who seemed to have already finished bathing, wore relaxed, casual clothes. Julius tried to avert his eyes out of courtesy before Karen in that appearance, but Karen seemed completely unconcerned. That appearance, which a noble lady would never show in public, apparently was something that, by commoner sensibilities, could be shown to the opposite sex without issue.
Though he had seen her lightly dressed in the dungeon, the dungeon was outside ordinary life. Precisely because of that, minor differences in common sense he had never noticed were laid bare in ordinary life.
Julius stopped averting his eyes and looked down at Karen.
“Karen, did your expression darken at the thought of tomorrow because you believed I thought that, as you are now, I could not make you my partner?”
After making a blank face, Karen pulled on Julius’s arm.
“Shall we go inside for now?”
“Yes…”
Even though Karen wore relaxed casual clothes, the alchemy workshop was so lively that there was no way for an odd atmosphere to develop.
It seemed Thor was in the kitchen preparing dinner with Tim and Harald, and the sounds of their noisy struggle could be heard.
When Karen showed him to the drawing room, they moved just a little away from the kitchen commotion.
“Um, did something happen?”
“I felt like I could see melancholy in your expression, and when I consulted Sara to find a clue to resolve it, she said you might have thought something like that.”
Perhaps Karen had intended to gloss over it, but the moment he mentioned Sara’s name, her expression became one of resignation.
“Why does Sara always figure it out?”
“Because she’s your friend—I’m sorry for making you think that way.”
“Eh!? Please don’t apologize!”
At Julius, bowing his head, Karen hastily waved her hands.
“It’s a fact that as I am now, I’m not suitable as your partner in anyone’s eyes, Mr. Julius.”
Seeing Karen’s bitter smile, Julius bitterly realized his own failure.
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