The Abandoned Heiress Gets Rich with Alchemy and Buys an Enemy General
Vol. 1 - Ch. 12 - The Monster in the Northern Mountains and the Non-Magic User Julius - 1

Julius and I reached the entrance of the Northern Demon Mountain. 

As the name suggested, it was a range of mountains located at the northernmost tip of the kingdom, with steep cliffs and snow-covered peaks, unlike the warmer royal capital. The entrance takes the form of a cave, guiding those who pass through to the mountain's summit.

In the past, it used to be a mine, and the caves were extensively dug out in all directions. However, now it stands abandoned, transformed into a dwelling place for monsters.

"We just managed to arrive even though I fell asleep, Julius-san. Did you get lost on the way?"

"I looked at the map yesterday. It's a straight path north from the capital. There's no way I'd make a mistake."

"Julius-san, you were sleeping in my bed while I was looking at the map. It's my bed, so please give it back."

"No."

Helios landed silently in front of the cave.

Compared to the noisy flapping of a travel dragon, Helios's way of flying was much more refined.

After gently stroking Helios's neck, Julius left me, who he had been carrying in front of him, and landed alone. Left behind by Julius, who descended with grace and landed effortlessly, I struggled and slipped down, dropping next to him as if sliding rather than landing. I didn't descend; I fell.

Seeing me in that state, Julius chuckled.

It wasn't like I wanted Julius to lend me a hand to help me up. I was no longer a high-ranking young lady, and I didn't care about my skirt getting disheveled. Besides, I was wearing drawers beneath the skirt, so there was nothing to be concerned about.

I got up, brushing off the dirt from the skirt that got soiled when I slipped.

Helios looked concerned and gently nudged me with his cold, scaled snout.

He was incredibly cute, so much so that I wouldn't mind having Helios as my husband.

"You're such a good boy~"

"Helios understands human language perfectly. He's a smart dragon."

As I praised Helios with gentle pats on his wide forehead, for some reason, Julius seemed proud.

What should I call this? A proud parent? No, since Helios is his wife, maybe he's just an idiot who's madly in love .

"Julius-san, what should we do with Helios-kun? Should we tie him up? We can also store him in the ring."

"Are there many small monsters around this area?"

"The Demon Mountain, as the name suggests, is filled with many monsters, but the plain ahead has few people and lots of weak monsters. They don't provide much valuable material, so I don't often go there."

"I see. Helios, you're free for a while. But don't go too far."

Helios let out a "kyui" sound, took a light run, and flew towards the plain.

His way of flying was very quiet, and he looked adorable. It's a miracle that someone with Julius's twisted personality raised such a straightforward and adorable Helios. It's reassuring to see that he grew up to be a good boy.

"Oh, by the way, I wasn't supposed to pat his head, right? He's just so cute that I couldn't resist. Sorry for being careless."

I was told that touching him carelessly could result in losing an arm.

I looked up at Julius and apologized. Julius furrowed his brow. Well, I already apologized, so there's no need for him to be angry.

"...Helios doesn't get close to anyone but me. However, it seems he understands that he was able to return to me thanks to your ring. He willingly offered his head, so it's fine to touch him."

"Is it okay?"

"Yeah."

"Hooray!"

Permission from the master had been granted.

From now on, I'll pet him without hesitation.

 I looked up at Helios, who was gracefully circling in the wide sky over the plain.

It seemed that I had been recognized as an engagement ring artisan by the two of them. It was good to be acknowledged, especially considering that the rings I made were quite luxurious. The hard work was worth it. Helios's cuteness was truly priceless.

"Did Helios go to eat?"

"Yeah. He can gulp down medium-sized monsters. You mentioned putting Helios in the ring, but what about meals and such?"

That's something that piques your curiosity, huh? It's about your precious Helios, after all. So I guess it's only natural to be concerned.

"I would store him inside the ring, but since Helios is larger and a living being, I wouldn't just leave him there. It would shrink his mass to the extreme, putting him into temporary hibernation using the life-stabilizing effect."

"Is there no issue with that?"

"Nope. He can stay young forever as long as he's stored in the ring. However, it means taking away his freedom."

While we were talking, we entered the cave.

It was pitch dark and cold. Remnants of mining equipment like picks and shovels were scattered at the entrance.

I took out a glowing orb from my bag and commanded, "Guide us to the summit." The palm-sized sphere radiated light, illuminating the cave. It floated gently, resembling some kind of fairy.

"Taking away his freedom..." Julius spoke in a low voice.

Sensing that Julius seemed bothered by something, I decided to provide some clarification.

"Only when he's stored in the ring. After all, Chloe-chan's alchemy shop doesn't have the space for Helios to be kept, so it's just a temporary solution. ...Unless you have a mansion with a large garden on the outskirts, that would be a different story."

"As soon as we're back, buy one."

"Julius-san, do you think I'm wealthy? Well, let me tell you, Julius-san. I'm the daughter of a criminal, and I had neither money nor a home three years ago. I don't have that much financial power."

"Alchemy or whatever you do, it must be profitable, right?"

"It is profitable, but not as much as being a noble. ...Oh, did you just unconsciously think of something bad?"

Julius put his hand on his mouth as if pondering something.

Even so, I felt cold. I took out a thick, deep red cloak from my bag and put it on. Julius, with his equipment designed to adapt to temperature changes, seemed unfazed. What a society of disparities.

"You... Seeing your situation, were you perhaps framed by the First Prince of Astoria and your younger sister?"

"Who knows? My father might have truly been a scoundrel criminal. The Seigrit family was disbanded, and our home was destroyed. It seems that the people of the estate got angry and burned it down. The Seigrit family's territory is now under the royal family's custody, and at this point, there's no way for me to investigate."

I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"I don't even want to know, anyway."

"Chloe. You have the right to seek revenge."

"I already told you I don't want to seek revenge. Besides, why did they abandon me in the royal capital in the first place, Julius-san?"

I cleared my throat and changed my tone.

"I was a rather quiet and timid girl, you know?"

As I conveyed this in the manner of speech I used to employ, Julius made a rather displeased expression.

After that, for some reason, he lightly poked my head. I didn't understand the meaning, but sudden violence is a no, absolutely not.

"Ouch, what are you doing, Julius-san? I'm a girl, so I'm delicate. On the other hand, Julius-san is strong, so if you hit my head, it might come off, you know?"

"That way of talking doesn't suit you. It gives me the creeps, so stop."

"That's too harsh..."

How tyrannical. Getting in a bad mood over a choice of words. Julius-san, is he really a respectable adult at the age of twenty-five? It's hard to believe he's older than me.

"...Please listen to me seriously."

"Do I look like I'm not?"

"Not really. You may seem like the type who doesn't listen, but in reality, you actually pay attention."

"Chloe. Wasn't your sister harboring resentment towards you?"

"Aliza-chan was a good girl. She occasionally told some strange lies, but... Well, she often defended me, saying that I, her big sister, was pitiable."

I lied.

I felt that Aliza hated me. Whether it was hate, pity, or resentment---I didn't really know.

But I was still afraid of that girl. If possible, I didn't want to have anything to do with her anymore.

My plan was to live a healthy life, earning money as an alchemist. I didn't want to be involved with the royal family, nobility, or the complexities of relationships between men and women anymore.

"You're an idiot."

"Julius-san, why are you so curious about my situation? Do you have some kind of interest in me?"

"Yeah, I do."

I was at a loss for words.

What's with this sudden attempt to get closer? It's definitely not out of romantic feelings or anything, I'm sure. This is suspicious. Very suspicious.

"...You're planning to use my revenge as a pretext to overthrow the Astoria royal family, take over the castle, and keep Helios in the palace, right?"

"It's fine as long as we clear the Seigrit family's tarnished name and reclaim the territory of the Duchy."

"You really were thinking of something bad after all. How much do you love Helios-kun? It's definitely not for my sake, is it?"

"I'll take revenge for your sake while I'm at it. Strictly for that purpose... Chloe, I want to clear your grievances. I appreciate you, and I want to repay the favor. I can't stand the thought of my precious Chloe being hurt and left in pain."

After a moment of thought, Julius spoke in a very sweet voice.

His eyes, different in color, gazed intensely at me.

It was so wonderful that any town girl would likely be charmed by it.

"...That's disgusting, please stop."

I sighed and rubbed my arms, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

Julius also sighed and muttered, "You're right." If he understands, then I wish he would stop.