Kays Translations

Chapter 401: Off to the Eastern Lands

Fabienne smiled at me, but the smile did not reach her eyes. I could almost see flames of jealousy rising behind her. No, surely not!

“Fabienne? Uh, this isn’t a trip for fun, you know?”

“Of course, I understand. The epidemic has already subsided, and I know there’s no urgent need to make magic potions.”

“Then why?”

I tried my best to smile, but her grip still hurt. My smile was probably rather stiff. Since no one interrupted Fabienne, it seemed everyone had decided to hear her out first.

Even though the area had been pacified, it was still the site of a recent monster outbreak. What did she plan to do if something happened?

“The eastern lands are lacking in magic potions, aren’t they? If that’s the case, then the more potion makers, the better. I can also make magic potions by your side, Julius-sama.”

Ugh, the intensity of Fabienne’s gaze was overwhelming. She was serious about coming along. I glanced at Father for help, but he merely closed his eyes and folded his arms in thought.

No help there. Mother looked troubled, but a faint smile curved her lips, as though she were watching something heart-warming. Brother Alex wore the same expression.

“First, let’s consult with Baron Ambert. If he grants permission, then Fabienne can accompany you. Is that acceptable, Julius?”

“Understood.”

If Father had decided, I would not object any further. Fabienne wanted to go, and honestly, I wanted to respect her wishes. Most importantly, I did not want her to hate me.

“Fabienne, if you come with us to the eastern lands, you must stay by my side at all times. If you’re close, I’ll protect you.”

“Y-Yes, I understand.”

My future wife—the cutest in the world—blushed and looked down. That settled matters with her. Now for Mira. I turned towards them, and the moment our eyes met, they leapt at me.

“Mira, you’ll stay behind with Rosalia.”

“Kyuu!”

Whoa, they were clinging to me more tightly than ever! Their claws were even digging in! What was I supposed to do? Fabienne and Rosalia tried to soothe them, but Mira refused to listen. They truly did not want to be separated from me.

I had already confirmed in the royal capital that I could transfer mana to Mira even from a distance. If anything had happened, they would have flown back to me immediately. Yet there had been no reports of any trouble at House Heine.

So even if I travelled to the eastern lands, it should not affect Mira. Still, seeing them cling to me so desperately broke my heart. They must have felt lonely even if they never showed it. I stroked their head once, then turned to Father.

“I’ve decided to take Mira with me this time. We don’t know how long the restoration work in the eastern lands will take.”

“In that case, I’ll go too!”

Rosalia raised her hand. Father, Mother and Brother Alex all frowned. They clearly had no intention of letting her go. They had considered taking Mira with calm expressions, yet now they looked exceedingly stern. Were they secretly pleased to send one troublemaker out of the house?

“That makes sense. Mira sometimes seemed lonely while Julius was in the royal capital. Take them with you. However, Rosalia, you cannot go.”

“Why not?!”

Rosalia protested loudly, but our parents did not budge. Of course they cared about her, though whether she understood that was another matter.

Besides, having Rosalia join our group wouldn’t be practical. The main focus of this mission is magic potions.

On top of that, we would need more guards, increasing the burden on the Mulan Marquisate. Mira, on the other hand, could simply remain beside me, and I could take care of them myself.

Despite all the commotion, preparations for the journey east progressed quickly. In the meantime, House Ambert granted Fabienne permission to accompany us and asked me to take good care of her.

Was this really all right? Even though we were engaged, an unmarried boy and girl would be living under the same roof. Well, I supposed it showed how much they trusted me. Besides, we were still children, so they probably assumed nothing would happen.

Fabienne and I prepared as well. We made as many beginner-level and intermediate healing potions as possible, building enough stock to cover our absence. Supplies to the trading company would be suspended until we returned.

It was a blow to the trading company, but Brother Alex accepted it as unavoidable. He posted a notice explaining the suspension so customers would understand.

Finally, the preparations were complete. I had repeatedly told Mira not to leave my side, and now they followed me into the bath, into bed and even to the lavatory. …I had mixed feelings about this, but I would simply have to endure it.

The vehicle prepared for us was one of the knight order’s covered wagons. Naturally, its canvas had been treated with the water-repellent agent. Noble carriages were suitable within cities but poorly suited to rough roads; a covered wagon was less likely to break and easier to repair if it did.

“Take care on your journey.”

“Yes. As a member of House Heine, I will fulfil my duty properly.”

“Good. Lionel, I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, sir! Leave it to me!”

Lionel saluted sharply. Fabienne, dressed for travel, looked tense. Wanting to reassure her, I took her hand. I was dressed for travel as well, and she spoke to me quietly.

“Julius-sama, you seem quite used to this attire. It doesn’t look out of place on you at all.”

“Right? I was just thinking that this suits me better, too.”

We chuckled together. Rosalia, who had been sulking the whole time, finally accepted the situation when I promised to share plenty of stories from our journey once we returned. Of course, that wasn’t the only thing. I had also entrusted her with overseeing the greenhouse currently under construction and asked her to prepare the necessary magic tools in advance if needed.

Rosalia seemed enthusiastic. She pounded her chest confidently, saying, “Leave it to me!” With that, I was sure things would be fine.

Waving both hands at our family, we set off for the eastern lands.

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