Chapter Two Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Modest Wish
Karen was led to a room in the main palace building. She was guided to a seat prepared by the glass windows, and across from Karen, as she sat in her chair, sat the queen.
Queen Diehild. She was a woman with golden hair like a waterfall that closely resembled Waltride’s, and sharp, upturned red eyes that gave her a severe appearance. She appeared to be in her mid-thirties, but since the first prince, her eldest son, was supposedly in his thirties, that could not be her real age.
Karen shrank under her sharp, snake-like gaze. Even if the queen disliked Waltride, she wouldn’t suddenly kill Karen. If so, then what purpose did she have in bringing Karen here?
A lady-in-waiting prepared tea with practiced hands. The aroma made Karen widen her eyes.
“Chamomile…?”
“Alchemist Karen. I read your thesis—it was truly fascinating. Especially your latest recipe collection was interesting. I had the cooks actually make them, and they were all quite delicious.”
“I-I’m honored you made use of them.”
“This tea was prepared according to the instructions in the first thesis you wrote. Of course, it did not become a fever-reducing potion, but… how is the taste?”
When asked, Karen picked up the teacup she hadn’t yet touched and took a drink.
“…It’s delicious.”
“When it becomes a potion, does the taste change?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Then this chamomile tea is no different from the potions you make, except that it lacks magical effects?”
“Yes, I believe there’s no difference.”
As she answered questions in her area of expertise, Karen regained the composure to drink her tea. Diehild peered into her teacup with a puzzled expression, saying, "Oh, no difference?" That charming gesture somehow resembled Waltride.
“Hmm. I had the royal alchemists try making it as well, but even though they knew the ingredients and the effects were described, they said it did not become a potion even when made according to the recipe. That is why, I hear, your thesis was not recognized when you first published this fever-reducing potion paper.”
“That’s correct.”
Even now, it was doubtful whether it was truly recognized. Unless it was written in such a way that anyone could reproduce it as a potion, it would not be considered a proper paper. It was even allowed to use a secret code for this, but since the decoding method was not disclosed even to guild staff members, no one could truly interpret it, making verification impossible—but that was simply how things were done.
However, regarding this herbal tea potion, Karen had written down everything she could think of without using any cipher. There was nothing to encode, nor did she intend to fabricate meaningless ciphers just to make it appear proper.
According to Harald, there was a mistake in a piece of knowledge considered common among alchemists, and because Karen’s knowledge was the correct one, she alone could create such potions. If Karen were to pinpoint exactly which piece of knowledge it was, the goddess’s restriction might take effect, so she deliberately refrained from dwelling on it.
Conversely, until the goddess’s restriction was activated, Karen could share that knowledge with anyone around her as much as she wanted.
Diehild placed the teacup she had been holding on the desk and lowered her chin.
“I apologize that our kingdom’s Alchemists’ Guild failed to recognize the achievements of an alchemist as skilled as you.”
It took Karen some time to realize that the queen was bowing her head to her.
“Eh, what!? No, please raise your head! It’s just that I haven’t written a proper thesis, so please don’t worry about it!”
“I am grateful for your generous words, Alchemist Karen. However, it is a fact that we underestimated your abilities as an alchemist. That fact could become reason enough for you to abandon the Kingdom of Earthfill and transfer to another country’s Alchemists’ Guild.”
“Even then, that wouldn’t be a reason for me to transfer guilds.”
Perhaps Yuluyana, her master, might think differently—but Karen did not.
“Still, it remains true that we hindered one who possesses the power to protect the nation and sought to use it. Speak your wish. In place of those who treated you unjustly, I, as queen of the Earthfill Kingdom, shall reward you.”
Karen revised her view of the queen. She was not merely a terrifying mother who cast aside a daughter who did not suit her wishes. Yet, in a sense, she was exactly as Waltride had described.
A harsh person who considered a daughter useless to the kingdom’s protection as shameful and cut her off. In her youth, she had led a knight order herself into the dungeon and had experience conquering the tenth floor. In a world where adventurers who surpassed the tenth floor were respected as high-ranking, she was someone who had fought, risking her life without running or hiding.
Precisely because she was such a person, when it came to being useful to the kingdom’s protection, she wouldn’t hesitate even to bow her head and apologize to a commoner. And her attitude of not coddling even her blood-related daughter would appear fair in the eyes of adventurers.
In fact, the queen was popular among adventurers. Retired and veteran adventurers in particular admired her, and heroic tales of the queen were popular in taverns. Karen, too, had held a favorable impression of the queen.
Seeing her now, it was easy to understand why. Even while bowing her head, she was full of dignity, and while offering atonement to Karen, she remained proud. As the queen of this country supported by adventurers, she was surely a splendid and noble existence. As a citizen of the Kingdom of Earthfill, one should probably be glad that such a person wore the crown.
However—though she likely knew at least something of Karen and Waltride’s relationship, the queen never once brought up Waltride, and Karen quietly lowered her gaze.
“Then there is one thing I would like to request.”
“I cannot promise to grant any wish, but speak.”
“With your permission, I consider Lady Waltride my friend.”
The queen’s expression didn’t change in the slightest, but Karen felt the atmosphere among the ladies-in-waiting and court ladies standing by change.
“I know it is extremely presumptuous given our difference in status, but even so, I can’t help but wish for the happiness of one I consider a friend. I wish for her to live peacefully, without being condemned or scorned by anyone. — May I ask that Your Majesty simply be aware that I feel this way?”
She did not tell the queen not to speak ill of Waltride—she had no right to say such a thing. However, if the queen intended to respect and treat Karen as an important person to the kingdom, then viciously insulting her friend and causing her discomfort would contradict that intention. Of course, if she had no intention of treating Karen well or respecting her, she could do as she pleased.
—Numerous gazes fixed on Karen like gun barrels.
Karen swallowed hard at the oppressive feeling that was a different kind from being intimidated by adventurers. Without much pause, the queen answered:
“Very well. I shall grant your wish. The moment you voiced that wish, it was as good as granted.”
“…I am grateful.”
Karen said this while feeling her mouth go completely dry. The queen’s answer was flat, giving no indication whatsoever of what she was thinking.
Looking at the reactions of those around them, this wish might have displeased the queen. However, even if the queen was displeased, Karen couldn’t tell, and the queen showed no sign of trying to reproach Karen.
The queen stood up.
“Come with me.”
There was, of course, no option to refuse. Karen followed after her reluctantly, still feeling as though she were sitting on a bed of needles.
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