Kays Translations

Chapter 124: Greeting Chloe and Caro

Our confidential audience with His Majesty ended, and Father and I left the secure room. The knights waiting outside escorted us to a salon within the royal castle where we could rest.

The salon contained several white tables, around which small groups of nobles were conversing. It appeared to double as a waiting room.

The ceiling was painted as a blue sky crossed by white clouds and small birds. An amber-coloured chest stood against one wall, bearing red and white vases that seemed to have come from the East. Landscapes decorated the walls like windows into other worlds.

A servant offered us food and drink, but neither Father nor I touched anything.

After discussing an attempted poisoning, I had no appetite. Father evidently felt the same way.

“Julius, what do you intend to do now?” he asked.

“What do you mean? Are we not returning to the townhouse?”

Father folded his arms. I didn’t think there was anything else for us to do in the castle—or anywhere else in the royal capital. To be honest, I wanted to return home as soon as possible.

“Do you not need to see Princess Chloe?”

“Oh…”

Should I visit her? Alex and Princess Daniela appeared to be moving towards an engagement, so there was little reason for me to develop an equally close connection with Princess Chloe.

There was still Caro—but no, a marriage between us would offer little advantage to either house. That was probably part of the reason Alex hadn’t been matched with Hilda.

I couldn’t inherit House Heine, while House Mulan already had an adult legitimate son and didn’t need an adopted heir. A marriage to Caro would solve nothing obvious.

“I should at least greet them.”

Yes, that was safest. Damaging our friendship would be the worst possible choice. Maintaining a cordial relationship was best.

Father and I went to see Princess Chloe. She was in the middle of her lessons, so we waited in a nearby salon until she arrived with Caro and several other young ladies. They were probably being trained as members of her future entourage.

“Good day, Lord Julius. I’m pleased to see you again,” Princess Chloe said.

“Good day, Your Highness. I’m pleased to see you as well. Thank you for your consideration in the recent matter.”

I bowed deeply. The other girls tilted their heads because they didn’t understand, but Princess Chloe knew exactly what I meant.

“Please don’t concern yourself with it. No thanks are necessary.”

Her eyes glistened. She probably wanted to bow and thank me herself. I was glad we had met in public. Had we been alone in her room, she might have broken down in tears.

“I’m also glad to see you well, Lady Carolina.”

“And I’m glad that you’re well, Lord Julius.”

Caro’s expression clouded for a moment before brightening again. She had clearly sensed that something secret had passed between Princess Chloe and me. Sharp. Girls could be frighteningly perceptive.

The other young ladies watched me with suspicion. Apparently, they had heard nothing about me. That was probably fortunate; at least no strange rumours had begun.

We had intended only to exchange greetings, so we soon parted. Princess Chloe had another lesson to attend. Being a princess wasn’t easy.

I had managed to greet Caro at the same time, which was convenient.

“Father, our greetings are finished. Shall we return?”

“Yes. When we reach the townhouse, I’ll also warn Alex to be careful about what he eats.”

We returned to the main gate and boarded the waiting carriage of House Heine.

Once safely back at the townhouse, I entered my room and released a long sigh. There was finally nothing left for me to do in the royal capital.

I took the medal from my pocket and studied it. Had Grandmother possessed one as well?

For now, I would hide it. If people learned that I held the Honorary Magic Pharmacist Medal, they might realise that I was Grandmother’s successor. I couldn’t predict the consequences, and my family might be placed in danger.

Although the medal gave me legal permission to compound potions, I couldn’t safely use it in public until I graduated and stood on my own as an adult. In practical terms, it offered little immediate benefit.

Near dinnertime, a servant summoned me to the dining room, where Father was already waiting.

“I forgot to mention something,” he said. “Possession of the Honorary Magic Pharmacist Medal includes an annual stipend of ten gold coins.”

“I didn’t know that. It feels wrong to receive money when I have contributed nothing publicly.”

“What are you saying? Under ordinary circumstances, a reward of a thousand gold coins wouldn’t have been excessive. Moving that much money now would alert everyone that something extraordinary occurred. The annual payment is a compromise.”

A thousand gold coins would probably allow me to live comfortably for the rest of my life.

Perhaps the ten annual coins were intended to finance my potion-making. That suited me well enough.

With that amount, I could acquire a fair number of rare materials. Selling the resulting potions could produce many times the investment, though I had no intention of doing so yet.

Selling rare potions would attract dangerous attention. I wanted to continue developing medicines that ordinary people could use.

Even so, I would prepare a few rare potions for emergencies. Additional Panaceas came first. The Crown already knew that I could make them, so producing more would no longer create a new secret.

A complete healing potion, however, could wait. If I made one of those, people might genuinely start calling me a god.

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