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Hii everyone! This is Amary, I'm the new translator working on this novel. I hope you enjoy it as well!
Julius pulled my arm, and we returned to the central square of the royal capital where Chloe’s Alchemy Shop was located.
Julius remained silent, and I refrained from speaking.
It felt like an odd day for both of us.
Despite completing deliveries, earning money, and having a seemingly good day, something felt amiss.
The weather was clear, and a pleasant breeze blew. The central square at noon was lively, with young couples strolling together and families enjoying the day.
Despite the inviting atmosphere for a walk or an outdoor meal with Julius, I couldn’t bring myself to feel in the mood.
Prompted by Julius, I unlocked the door to the alchemy shop and entered the house.
“I find it unpleasant to see your pitiful face,” Julius said irritably after releasing my arm. Deep wrinkles formed on his forehead. He seemed angry.
“Wh-what’s that supposed to mean?! I have days when I feel down too, you know! Julius-san, you were unusually kind to Eliza-san. The Coldman family is wealthy, and their house is big. Maybe you Coldman should have bought you instead of me!”
I didn’t want to say these things, but the words spilled out along with my emotions before I realized it.
Even though I don’t want to fight.
Even though Julius had taken pity on me and brought me out of the Coldman mansion.
I bit my lip and looked down.
“...I’m sorry. I’m being a terrible person right now.”
My mind was a mess. It was like a mix of my past self, unpleasant memories, Eliza’s words, and my current self all tangled together.
“Cyril-sama is so kind, sister! He said he would go on a long ride with me next time. It’s a pity you can’t come along, sister, because you’re afraid of horses! Poor you.”
Words that Aliza once told me echoed in my mind. At the time, I couldn’t think of how to respond.
It was the same today.
Even though I was supposed to have become stronger, as a skilled alchemist named Chloe, nothing seemed to have changed since those days.
“Calm down, idiot. To be upset by a conceited little girl like her, you’re really just a child.”
“What does Julius-san understand? Even I… Well... it’s nothing.”
I swallowed the words I was about to say and headed towards the alchemy room.
Julius didn’t follow me.
I could hear the sound of footsteps going up the stairs, but he probably went back to his room.
Several customers arrived, and alchemical lamps and self-defense alchemical items sold well.
After I finished attending to the customers, I closed the shop in the evening.
In the alchemy room, I stood in front of the alchemical cauldron and began the process of replenishing the sold items.
However, my concentration wavered, and I ended up creating several failed items, wasting materials in the process.
Since it resulted in a deficit due to the wasted ingredients, I stopped working and lay down on a long bench.
“I’m hungry…”
In reality, I should have gone to the dining area and treated myself to a luxurious meal for the first time in a while.
But perhaps due to hunger, a feeling of sadness started to creep in.
“Julius-san is such an idiot, an idiot.”
I muttered in a small voice. I knew that the real idiot was actually me. I got flustered on my own, got angry, became emotional, and lashed out. Just as Julius said, it was a childish attitude.
But if Julius had come down from the second floor, maybe we could have reconciled.
Unable to muster the courage to return to my room, I closed my eyes to distract myself from hunger.
After using up magic energy for alchemy, I was mentally exhausted, and drowsiness slowly took over.
I’m going to have that awful dream again.
Surely. Absolutely. But there’s nothing I can do about it.
I was taken out of the prison cell where I had been confined.
They put me in a carriage and dumped me in the filthy alleyways of the capital. My dress was dirty, and my body had abrasions.
The delicate heels of my shoes were broken, and there were holes in my thin silk stockings.
I felt powerless, and I didn’t have the courage to stand on my own.
“...Poor thing, she looks frightened,” said one of the soldiers.
“She’s the daughter of the wicked Duke Seigrit. No need for sympathy. The prince has given us permission to do as we please with her.”
Another soldier, with a vulgar smile, approached me.
I ran away barefooted, rolling on the ground. My long hair was grabbed, and with intense pain, I heard the sound of hair being violently pulled out in clumps.
“No, no!”
Neither my cries for help nor screams reached anyone.
I was alone. Since the day my mother died, I’ve always been alone.
Before I knew it, in addition to the soldiers, rough-looking men from the capital gathered around me. All of them looked happy, with a cruel smile on their faces.
I stared at the sky, foolishly blue and beautifully colored.
“...Hey. Wake up, Chloe.”
I suddenly opened my eyes.
I looked around nervously. It was the usual alchemy room. The alchemy lamp, shaped like a grape, emitted an orange light.
The corner of my eyes felt warm. To cover up that I had cried, I rubbed my eyes hard.
“Good morning, Julius-san.”
My voice was a bit hoarse. Julius sighed and pulled my arm, lifting me up from the bench.
“How long are you going to sulk? Make dinner, Chloe. I don’t need to eat, but you should have a meal. Your frail body will get even weaker.”
“What time is it now?”
“It’s ten at night.”
“...Mother used to say that eating after nine at night makes you gain weight.”
“I want to send Helios flying at least once a day. Riding a flying dragon requires physical strength, so it's not a problem if you eat a little more. What’s more of a problem is riding a flying dragon on an empty stomach. You might get sick from hunger and end up vomiting stomach acid,” Julius said, holding onto my arm.
This was the second time Julius had talked to me about vomiting. Even though I’m a girl.
“...Alright. I’ll make dinner, so let’s eat together. Or would you like to cook instead, Julius-san?”
“...If you’re fine with it being so bad that we can’t eat it,” Julius responded after a brief moment of thought.
I felt relieved at his usual demeanor and chuckled. It was easy to imagine Julius making a dish so bad he couldn’t eat it, and that amused me a little.
With a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, Julius ruffled my hair roughly.
The headkerchief, which had slipped off during my nap, fell completely to the floor. My hair was now a mess, and it hurt a bit.
“Ouch, what are you doing? It came off, you know.”
I escaped from Julius’s hand and picked up the red headkerchief that had fallen to the floor.
Since my work was already done, I tossed it casually onto the long bench, as if signaling that it was no longer needed.
“You came to wake me up because you’re hungry, right? Please wait, I can make dinner quickly. It’s not good to go to sleep on an empty stomach; you’ll end up thinking about unpleasant things...”
“Your looks may be ordinary, but your cooking isn’t bad. And providing meals is also the job of a master to their servant, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s right. I apologize for not making dinner.”
I lightly slapped my cheeks to motivate myself.
Then, I headed to the kitchen and dining area on the second floor. Julius, as per usual, followed me and sat on a round stool by the counter. He watched me shave dried meat, lightly grill it, spread sauce on bread, and assemble vegetables into a sandwich.
As an apology for today, I poured a special glass of wine and offered it without saying anything. Julius took a sip without a word.
Julius’s manners were probably influenced by his background; they were very refined.
As I assembled the toasted dried meat between the bread, I wondered if, in Julius’s homeland, he might have had a fiancée, just like Cyril was for me.
“Here you go, Chloe-chan's special dried meat sandwich. It might be a bit heavy for dinner, but it’s okay since you didn’t eat lunch. There’s also bean soup.”
I presented the plate with the dried meat and vegetable-filled sandwich on the counter, then scooped the bean soup into a bowl, placing it next to the sandwich.
“What about you?”
“Okay, okay. I’ll eat. I’ve already made my own food.”
Eating at bedtime felt a bit sinful.
But as I talked with Julius as usual, I strongly felt hunger.
After placing my plate with my portion on the counter, I sat next to Julius.
I took a bite of the bread. The flavor of the grilled dried meat, the freshness of the vegetables, and the fragrance of the bread filled my mouth.
Before I could finish half of my meal, Julius, who had quickly consumed the dried meat sandwich and bean soup, watched me silently as I continued to eat, sipping on his wine.
I’ve grown accustomed to Julius often looking at me when he’s bored, but being observed while eating felt embarrassing.
Not that there’s any etiquette left to consider now. But, I used to be very careful about cutting each bite with a knife and eating without making a sound.
“...I’ve told you that I inherited the ducal house at the age of fifteen and went to the battlefield, right?” Julius said abruptly.
With bread in my mouth, I nodded lightly.
“My father, despite being a duke, was suspected of treason for alleged collaborations with other countries. He was imprisoned and eventually executed. My mother followed my father’s fate and committed suicide, leaving me to inherit the family estate.”
Julius spoke in a calm and detached manner, as if it were someone else’s story.