The Abandoned Heiress Gets Rich with Alchemy and Buys an Enemy General
Vol. 1 - Ch. 34 - Closing Distance and an Unsettling Morning - 5

The sheets on the bed where my mother rested were milky white, and my mother, with loosely braided peach-colored golden hair like mine, hanging down beside her neck, sat up and smiled warmly when I entered the room.

Thin lace curtains adorned the windows, and on the decorative table beneath the window sat a vase. Every day, fresh flowers were arranged in the vase.

"Can I pick flowers for your vase too?" I asked my mother, wanting to please her.

My mother smiled, her eyebrows slightly furrowed in concern.

"That would make me happy, Chloe. ...But you see, choosing flowers for the vase is your father's only enjoyment. So, it would be a pity to take that away from him. Shall we prepare another small vase for you?"

My mother spoke in her usual singing voice.

"Father is always angry."

I wasn't fond of my father. He spoke little, and when he did, it was usually just to say "Don't go to Celestia's room."

"Your father isn't good with words. ...But both your father and I love you, Chloe. ...Everything will be alright. I am always watching over you."

"But mother, you're ill and can't leave the room, right? How do you watch over me then?"

"That's right. But...The sky is vast and connected everywhere. I watch over you from the sky."

"From the sky? Your eyes are in the sky?"

"Yes, that's right. Your mother's eyes are connected to the sky. Amazing, isn't it?"

My mother's delicate hand stroked my hair. It tickled, and I squinted my eyes.

"Chloe, you are special. You're my precious princess. You're never alone. Just like I have your father, you will have a prince... Someday, he will surely appear."

"...Is the prince you're talking about Cyril?"

"Maybe it's Cyril, or maybe not. We don't know about the future. The future is full of hope... Nothing is decided."

Sitting at the edge of my mother's bed, I murmured, "I see," while gazing at my younger self listening to my mother's voice.

How long has it been since I had a happy dream? Dreams used to be nothing but unpleasant. In the dream, I felt like my mother was watching over me and my younger self from somewhere high in the room.

"Chloe, you'll be fine."

"Mother...!"

I reached out to my mother in the dream. My mother smiled beautifully. It was a gentle, fleeting, and very poignant smile.

I opened my eyes to the brightness of the morning. My head was still fuzzy due to staying up quite late last night. I had been alone for so long that it was unusual for me to stay up talking with someone until midnight.

I had been with Natalia for a while, but we had separate rooms, and Natalia usually just slept lazily unless she had something to instruct me or teach me about alchemy. So, there wasn't much to talk about.

Since being with Julius, I felt like I exchanged more words than I had in my entire life.

Julius says I talk 'a lot', but I wasn't not really that talkative. It was necessary when running the shop to engage in daily conversations and customer service, but I had never really opened up about myself.

Opening up about myself was difficult, but it felt like something dark and heavy that I had been harboring inside was gradually dissipating. I could feel my heart becoming lighter.

My mother appeared in today's dream. Perhaps I was able to have a happy dream because I talked a lot with Julius yesterday. And... yesterday, Julius hugged me. It was embarrassing but also heartwarming.

Remembering falling asleep in Julius's embrace, I fully awakened and sat up.

Julius, who should have been sleeping next to me, was already dressed and looking out the window.

It was rare for him to wake up without me saying something like "Good morning, "It is time to wake up" or "Breakfast is ready."

He wore Ariadne's coat today, probably because his favorite black robe was torn and taken away. Ariadne's coat was light, durable, and could be machine-washed. Plus, the fabric had self-repairing properties, so it was suitable for everyday wear. It was quite expensive, though. I wondered if he was planning to go somewhere to fight, as he was wearing a belt with the sword hilt peeking out of the cover.

Although I had planned to make new alchemical items with the rare materials I acquired yesterday, there was no plan for monster hunting today.

"Good morning, Julius-san."

"Chloe, you're up... Hurry up and get changed."

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

I got up from the bed and quickly changed into my usual apron dress.

Today, I chose red. Black didn't have a good reputation, blue was okay, but red was considered auspicious by the townsfolk.

I tidied my hair and put on a red bandana.

Since I wore the same clothes every day, my change of clothes was quick. I was ready in a matter of minutes.

"What's going on outside, Julius-san?"

After finishing changing, I stood next to Julius and looked out the window.

In front of the fountain in the square outside the window, there was a carriage with the royal crest. The royal crest resembled a creature with two horns, much like the skeletal beast with the slave mark behind Julius's neck, but fleshed out.

It resembled the sacred beast of the Astoria Kingdom, similar to a sheep but not quite the same. I remembered from my school lessons that it became the royal crest due to the legend that the gods were shepherds.

"It's the royal carriage... What could be happening so early in the morning?"

"Chloe, we need to flee... If we go to the Sacred Nation of Rashid, no one there will know about us."

"Why do we need to flee again? I haven't done anything, and you're already free, aren't you? Just because the royal carriage is parked here doesn't mean it has anything to do with us."

"Are you even more foolish than usual due to lack of sleep, Chloe? It's obvious... it's either you or me they're after."

Yesterday he was so gentle, but now Julius was back to his usual sharpness.

I couldn't imagine Julius suddenly becoming sweet and gentle with me.

"Anyway, let's see what's happening? I'm sure it's fine. We're just living our lives normally, they won't come to arrest us. I haven't seen Cyril or Aliza in three years, you know? Besides, I don't want to run away anymore."

"Yeah..."

It's reassuring that Julius was worried about me, but this shop was something Natalia left for me. I didn't know where Natalia went now, but until she came back, I felt obligated to protect it.

Natalia helped me when I was a stranger to her, so I had to repay that kindness.

And the people in the town, like Robert and Roxy, were so kind, and even Roge was a good customer, albeit a bit eccentric. And there were many others who talked to me nicely.

Despite everything that had happened, right now the shop and the town felt so comfortable. And Julius was here with me too.Just because the royal carriage came, I didn't want to abandon everything and run away.

But... from now on.

Genius alchemist Chloe doesn't cower and runs away from threats.

I saw some soldiers getting out of the royal carriage. They were heading straight towards my shop, and I could hear the sound of them knocking on the door.

"Chloe-chan, we have customers."

The sweet voice of Hime-chan, floating in the cage in front of the shop, echoed in my head.