Chapter Three Hundred and Four: Ehlertt Estate, Territorial Capital
“Welcome ba—hey.”
Thor shot Julius a sharp glare as he wedged himself between Thor and Karen, just as Thor ran over to greet her.
“What’s your problem? Don’t go cutting in between me and Sis.”
“…A younger brother. Can’t be helped, I suppose.”
After a long moment of deliberation, Julius stepped aside. Thor watched him go with a baffled squint, then threw his arms around Karen.
“I’m back! And welcome back, Thor!”
It was right before the New Year’s Festival when Karen’s group arrived back at the territorial capital. The roads were buried under great mounds of snow, and hauling the hunting festival spoils had proven such a struggle that, in the end, only the hunting festival participants went ahead, finally arriving in Ehlertt’s capital without the rest.
Thor, who had come out to welcome Karen at the Ehlertt Earldom’s manor, was dressed in the manner of a young nobleman. The rest of his companions were also dressed in noble-style clothing, all present and looking perfectly healthy. The clothes had probably been provided by the earl’s family, and everyone looked completely at ease in them.
“Sis! I’m gonna be the face of this year’s Ehlertt New Year’s Festival!”
“Which means—you cleared the thirtieth floor of the territorial capital dungeon!? Congratulations!”
“Heheh.”
The face of the New Year’s Festival—in other words, the person whose portrait would be displayed in the festival hall. The only feat grand enough to earn such an honor was the conquest of thirtieth floor, the very challenge Thor and his party had been undertaking. And clearing the thirtieth floor meant that they had fulfilled the requirements to be promoted to A-rank adventurers. It was one piece of good news after another.
As Thor grinned with bashful pride, Karen’s recently sharpened ears caught the murmurs of nobles gathered for the festival.
“To think we must look up to some outsider commoner adventurers.”
“Ehlertt’s honor has fallen low indeed.”
“If only it had been Lord Winfried’s portrait at least—”
Perhaps sensing Karen’s gaze, the nobles caught their breath and fell silent. When a whisper kept low enough that others should not hear it still reached someone’s ears, that usually meant the listener was almost always someone of greater standing.
She noticed that Thor, too, had turned to look in the same direction as Karen, his face unreadable. And then, apparently realizing that Karen had heard the same words he had, his eyes went wide as saucers.
“Sis, you heard that just now?”
“Hmph.”
Karen puffed out her chest with a smug air, and Thor was struck dumb.
“No way—! Hold on. Did any of you guys hear that?”
“You mean those nobles badmouthing us?”
“If you already know it was trash talk, that means you heard it too, Wanda?”
“I could tell it was trash talk just from the look on their faces. I didn’t actually hear it… But Ms. Karen did, didn’t she?”
“Wanda, your magical power’s S-rank, right?”
Hearing that, Karen’s eyes widened as well. After defeating the black dragon and ascending the steps upon realizing the hints toward how to make the Philosopher’s Stone, Karen hadn’t had her magical power measured since.
“Um—Julius, could you hear it?”
Noticing how casually Karen addressed Julius, Thor shot him a fierce look. But Julius didn’t spare Thor so much as a glance, and simply smiled at Karen.
“Yes, I heard it—it seems your magical power has risen above S-rank. Congratulations, Karen.”
“If I’m above S, then what are you?”
“I did have it measured once with a Double Rare measuring device. The needle pointed to the upper limit.”
“Ha—same as me then, Julius!”
Thor declared it like a challenge. Karen blinked, looking rather dazed.
“You all have so much magical power. That’s amazing.”
She had known her magical power was considerable, but it seemed she had easily surpassed S-rank. She had always known Julius was remarkable, but Karen was struck by the realization that the people around her were even more extraordinary than she had thought.
“No, the amazing one is you, Sis.”
“Exactly! You started at D-rank, didn’t you!? How did you climb all the way up there!? I’ve ascended the steps plenty of times myself, and my magical power barely went up by even one rank!”
“Huh!? Doesn’t magical power go up by one rank each time you ascend a step?”
“If it were that easy, nobody would struggle with it! What exactly did you do, Karen!?”
It was Julius who stepped in and drew Wanda back before she could lunge at Karen.
“Naturally, many things happened along the way. Karen has only just returned, and she is tired. Would it be all right if I took her to her room now?”
“Fair enough. Wanda, you back off.”
“Leader! You know how important magical power is to a mage, don’t you!?”
“Sure do. But it’s not more important than Sis, so—Julius, I’ll hold this one back, you take Sis with you.”
“Karen—!”
Karen was led away with Julius’s arm around her shoulders, and so she parted ways with a tearful Wanda.
“I’m not that tired, I have plenty of energy—I could explain everything to her.”
“Still, surely you’d prefer to rest. The bath should be ready for you by now.”
“A bath!”
At that, Karen’s eyes lit up entirely, and Julius let out a quiet chuckle.
“Word was sent ahead, so the preparations should already be complete.”
“Want to join me?—just kidding—”
The offhand quip made Julius flush red. It was an expression Karen had never seen on him before, and she stared at him, puzzled.
“…Hm?”
“—I see. So that sort of thing would be permissible.”
Karen watched the side of Julius’s face as he turned away, his hand over his mouth, and felt the color slowly rising in her own cheeks as well.
“Um, uh, that was, you know, a joke—”
“I know. Without being married, such a thing… would be impossible to do. I know it would not be good for your reputation. And yet…”
Julius kept his face averted, cheeks red, and shot Karen a sidelong glare.
“You were the one who invited me, so I would like you to remember that after we’re married.”
The look Julius gave her was almost reproachful as Karen’s face went scarlet all the way down to her neck—something that hadn’t happened in quite some time—and yet Julius himself was unusually flushed as well.
Karen looked up at him and, face still burning, broke into a soft, melting smile.
Julius looked down at her, and his expression shifted into something like dissatisfaction—then he reached out and grabbed her loosened cheeks, squishing them back and forth.
Karen burst out laughing like a little child, and Julius, caught up in it, laughed along with her.
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