Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy-Seven: Motivation
After returning, Karen began her alchemy work.
With an orichalcum alchemy cauldron, a World Tree ladle, and this being the very edge of the dungeon’s sphere of influence—a location that could practically be said to be almost entirely outside the sphere—medicinal herbs grew everywhere.
As Karen had gathered herbs on her way back and immediately started making healing potions upon her return, one of the knights approached her side.
He was a man with dark navy hair who often received instructions from Gottfried on behalf of the knights. He seemed to be a leader-like figure among the knights. Though he looked young, his unshaven beard made his age hard to tell. The knights serving at Helfried’s side maintained crisp appearances even during their camp life, but the grooming of the knights Gottfried brought with him showed conspicuous signs of disorder.
“Miss Karen, I heard you were summoned by His Lordship the Earl earlier—did something happen?”
“It was nothing significant.”
Helfried had been concerned that continuing the hunting festival would create a situation that disregarded commoners, and out of consideration for Karen, who was a commoner, he had taken the trouble to provide her with an explanation. For the knights, who were nobles, consideration for commoners was probably irrelevant. They likely thought the protesting merchants should simply be killed and done with.
When Karen gave a brief explanation, the man hung his head.
“I see… So he said nothing about us.”
“Ah, um, when we parted, I told him I would also keep an eye on all of you, and I think Lord Helfried nodded, you know?”
Probably, Karen added in her heart. To the parting words she had said as if to hide her embarrassment, Helfried may or may not have nodded.
The knight showed a dark smile tinged with shadow.
“To His Lordship the Earl, we were nothing but a nuisance from the start…”
Though Karen hadn’t said anything of the sort, the knight jumped to his own conclusion, turned his back on Karen, and returned to where his companions were gathered. As Karen watched the knight’s melancholy retreating figure, Licht approached and spoke:
“Seeing you get summoned by Earl Ehlertt, he was apparently hoping their situation had become a topic of discussion.”
“Even if he expected that… if he was going to discuss the knights’ treatment, he’d call the Knight Captain, wouldn’t he?”
“Those guys understand that too, but they’re probably anxious. They were originally people who, even if not exactly opposed to Earl Ehlertt, were thought of as difficult to handle. Their loyalty to Ehlertt and their desire to use their strength for him are genuine, which is why they’re being kept under protection like this.”
By keeping them isolated in a separate location, they were being protected from becoming scapegoats if something happened. However, from Karen’s perspective, they only appeared to be neglected and rotting away. The knights themselves probably felt the same way.
Looking down at Karen resuming her potion-making, Licht sighed.
“The way things are going, they’ll probably quit being knights after the hunting festival ends.”
“Is that so?”
Karen said while stirring the contents of the alchemy cauldron in circles. Licht looked at Karen sharply and said:
“You don’t seem interested, do you, Karen?”
“From my perspective, I have no thoughts other than ‘if they want to quit, they should quit’…”
“How cold-hearted. Weren’t you asked about them by the Knight Captain? You were, weren’t you?”
“That’s why I’ll watch over them to make sure they aren’t falsely accused.”
If they quit being knights, would they no longer be falsely accused? Or even if they quit being knights, would they still fall victim to someone’s divisive schemes? And if so—would keeping them as knights be good or bad for Ehlertt?
What could Karen possibly do for them when she understood nothing? If Gottfried was relying on her as family through Julius, she did feel like doing something for them. However, she particularly didn’t feel like doing anything more for them than preventing false accusations.
“Speaking of which, why were you called by Earl Ehlertt?”
“I received an explanation about a commoner merchant who died in the recent attack, and that they would continue the hunting festival despite it. Since I’m also a commoner.”
“I see. Consideration for you, then. The Earl is concerned about you.”
Karen explained to Licht, who had been arranged by Helfried to act as a promoter for her panacea. Besides, Licht would surely be very interested in the next topic.
“Also, apparently Mr. Julius is currently conquering a nearby dungeon.”
At the whereabouts of Julius that Karen kindly informed him of, Licht’s expression changed.
“Julius is in a dungeon? Don’t tell me—it’s the so-called ‘Forest Edge Dungeon’?”
“So-called? Um, Lord Helfried only told me it was a nearby dungeon.”
At Karen’s words upon her return, Licht put his hand to his forehead and looked up at the sky.
“If it’s nearby, that’s the only one it could be.”
“…Is there something about that dungeon?”
Helfried had told Karen as if it were nothing of note. From his attitude, it was clear that to Helfried—who trusted in Julius’s strength—it wasn’t worth worrying about.
Karen’s heart, which had wavered with anxiety even at that time, began to pound loudly at Licht’s meaningful manner. Licht looked at Karen with a bitter expression.
“It’s that dungeon… the one where Julius’s old man cast him into.”
“What…! Why would Lord Helfried…!”
“Earl Ehlertt doesn’t know the details of Julius’s circumstances.”
Karen caught her breath.
“I see… so Lord Helfried doesn’t know about that either…”
Since Licht hadn’t activated the magical tool to prevent eavesdropping, Karen spoke vaguely. Julius had said that Helfried didn’t know the secret of Julius’s birth. Whether he knew they had different mothers or believed them to be full siblings, Karen hadn’t yet learned the details.
Helfried didn’t know that Julius had been thrown into a dungeon by his father’s hand and subjected to a life-or-death trial.
“According to you, the dungeon incident isn’t even a secret for Julius, but if Julius doesn’t talk about it, I don’t intend to go out of my way to speak of it either.”
“…That’s true. For Mr. Julius, it shouldn’t have been something to hide from me. But even among other things I know, there seemed to be things he didn’t want his family to know, so I don’t feel like saying anything either.”
There had once been an assassin who poisoned Karen’s curry and targeted Sieg and other members of the Ehlertt family. Ever since Julius fought that assassin and, suffering from magical power intoxication, tried to hide himself from Helfried and everyone, Karen had felt that although he loved his family, he was still keeping some kind of wall between them.
Just how far that wall extended, Karen had yet to understand. If Helfried didn’t know Julius’s circumstances, she would have no choice but to act.
After infusing the potion with extra magical power to complete it, Karen stood up.
“It must be a harsh place for Julius mentally… but if he chose to delve into it, then he’ll likely be alright.”
Saying this, Licht sat down on a nearby tree root, and Karen’s eyes widened.
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