The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

101 – Laris (03)

102.

“W-what…?”

Laris couldn’t understand what was happening before her eyes.

Because she had never experienced something that looked so dangerous, even at a glance.

Flowing out from Kalen.

A dark ink-colored world that covers the world in its own color.

Was he angry?

From Kallen’s perspective, it was understandable if he was.

Kallen had not only turned against the five great families for Laris, but also brought himself to the top of the Latia Falls.

“Kallen…”

What flashed through his mind for a moment was regret and apology.

Laris couldn’t understand why he felt such emotions himself.

It wasn’t anxiety or fear.

It was natural to feel that way when looking at something that reminded him of hell.

Laris naturally thought that he should apologize to Kallen.

Because he didn’t realize how deeply the short time he spent with him had entered his heart.

Without realizing it himself, Laris took a step forward.

Tap.

“Laris.”

“Ah…?”

“Wait.”

And it was Laris’s mother who stopped him.

“Mother…?”

“He’s not angry.”

Laris came to his senses at the touch that gently wrapped around his wrist.

It wasn’t enough, but he could tell because they had just had a deep conversation.

At least when it came to the essence of magic, his mother was better than Laris himself.

Such a mother now says that Kallen is not in danger.

In fact, Laris was not afraid either.

He just felt sorry for only conveying his own position to Kallen.

But thanks to his mother, he realized that now was not the time to apologize.

Laris hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

The woman looked at Laris with admiration.

Soon, the gaze of the two women turned to a boy.

*

He thought deeply.

When facing the ancient being.

The realization of the use of imagery.

Imagery is the essence of a magician.

The essence of projecting the world each one holds in their heart.

At that time, it was so urgent that I still don’t understand how I managed it.

Nevertheless, Kallen remembers.

The way to use imagery, how to overcome that dangerous being.

Thoughts begin from there.

Imagery is the essence that reflects the mind.

If, Laris’s mother.

In other words, the reason the woman could exist even after death.

It is because of strong lingering feelings and longing.

The heart that loved and missed her daughters so strongly.

It manifested as imagery, albeit imperfectly.

This crystal cave is the heart of a mother reminiscing about her daughters.

I can somewhat understand.

How Kallen made the young ladies awaken to imagery.

I can’t be sure yet, but I feel like I will understand if I go to the spirit world as originally intended.

And Kallen’s thoughts did not stop there.

The higher-level magic that was mastered as a reward each time they overcame adversity with the young ladies.

It is always related to the desire to live.

Especially when trying to save someone, it feels even stronger.

All the young ladies who have been with me so far have not deviated from that great framework.

Kallen made one assumption.

Whether Laris will awaken to imagery as it is, or not.

If she does not awaken, all the thoughts so far will be wrong.

From the moment I headed into the spray.

Until I threw myself off the cliff into the waterfall.

All actions were for Laris, to save her.

The scenery of this crystal cave is also quite a spectacle.

It is even more so at this place near the entrance.

The blue stream pouring outwards was reflecting off the crystal-like stone, shining like a jewel.

If Laris could awaken her mind with this crystal cave as the background, she could take a step closer to understanding this unknown constitution and mind.

And the woman.

Kallen thought it would be better if the happy ending they faced was a little more complete.

Rather than living trapped in such a cave for a lifetime…

Yes, just like she had heard someday.

The story of the three women, including Laris’s sister, living happily together might be nice.

So.

Kwaa-!!

Kallen focused on handling the mind.

Veins stood out on her forehead and neck.

It wasn’t as urgent or life-threatening as when she confronted the old existence.

Kallen filled that place with earnestness instead.

Wishing for the happiness of the mother and daughters, including Laris’s sister.

Blamia said that the lady has many broken parts.

She just tries to hide it and behaves modestly.

The deeper the lady’s heart, the more it festers inside.

And in Kallen’s view, Laris was definitely such a lady.

As much as the ladies Kallen had met.

She was separated from her mother and sister.

Abandoned by her father, and her stepmother’s family tried to deny her existence.

That is not something a girl who has just become an adult can endure.

So Laris deserves to be compensated.

The dark world fills the incomplete space.

If it fails to balance, a disaster will occur.

The crystal cave in front of the dark world that swallows everything is like Laris in front of the Lyle merchant group.

But just as Laris did, and unlike the Lyle merchant group.

If Kallen could adjust so that this incomplete mind world could endure.

It would be possible to fully accept this mind world created by the woman.

The woman is a being trapped in an illusionary space she created herself.

However, if Kallen absorbs the medium that binds her, she no longer needs to be confined in this cave.

“Ugh…”

Blood flows from Kallen’s nose, mouth, and ears.

Seeing his eyes so bloodshot, it seems he might soon shed tears of blood.

When he had to face Gishar, he didn’t need to control his strength.

If he lost, he would be as good as dead, so he fought with all his might.

But now, he needs delicate adjustments.

As mentioned, it’s not as urgent and thrilling, but in a way, it’s just as difficult for Kallen.

This is related to Kallen’s constitution.

Originally, a wizard is a being who senses delicate flows through mana.

However, Kallen, who uses magic without mana, is far from delicate adjustments.

It’s not that handling magic delicately is difficult, but that adjusting the ‘flow’ itself finely is unfamiliar.

Anyone who knows this fact would be astonished to see Kallen now.

For example, Blamia.

If he, who once ascended to the supreme position, saw Kallen now, he would surely applaud.

The realm Kallen is unconsciously tapping into is a level that a talented human could only achieve imperfectly after death.

The 5th rank.

He knows that academic attribute magic, unlike other attributes, is not focused on combat.

So, it’s not about flashy and explosive battles, or urgent situations crossing the line of life and death.

Rather, those who understand the essence and realize about magic and themselves step into that realm.

Before he knew it, Kallen’s dark world completely covered the crystal cave.

Thud.

For a long time, the dark world rippled around Kallen.

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Laris, holding her mother’s hand, couldn’t say anything.

Especially because she has a talent for academic attribute magic.

She knows how amazing and dangerous this hellish scene covering the surroundings is.

It’s even more surprising to see the boy in front of her nonchalantly spitting blood.

Because the owner of this dark world is none other than Kallen.

“Kal…”

“How did this happen?”

Just as Laris was about to call out to Kallen in a daze.

The woman beside her interrupted Laris’s words.

Normally, she would never have cut off her daughter’s words, but the woman was so shocked that she didn’t even realize it.

Naturally, because she was the woman who had been confined to the Crystal Cave.

She could feel that the power that had bound her had transferred from the Crystal Cave to the boy.

“That power… what on earth…”

“…It seems to have worked out well.”

When she had created this Crystal Cave.

The power she had felt faintly when her longing to see her daughters had reached the heavens.

That power was now being felt from the boy.

“I can’t explain it in detail either. Just… just, it seems like you can leave this place now, ma’am.”

“…”

How absurd that sounded.

The boy had accomplished in an instant what she couldn’t do despite creating this place.

The woman was left speechless.

Laris, who had been listening intently to the conversation, asked urgently.

“Then, then… Mother can…!”

“Yes. You can leave, miss.”

“Ah…”

The answer that came back was more than enough to satisfy Laris’s expectations.

It was fine to live here with her mother, but it would be much better if they could go outside.

There were so many things she wanted to do, and most importantly, she could reunite with her sister.

Her sister, who had been tormented by the Lyle Merchant Guild in her place.

Now, she could bring her mother to her sister.

“Ah…”

Laris’s legs gave out, and she collapsed, but Kallen quickly caught her.

“…Kallen…”

Laris couldn’t even look at Kallen properly.

A feeling of guilt, overwhelmingly covered by gratitude.

It was a relationship that suddenly formed at the banquet hall.

A request from a stranger.

He even asked to risk his life for him.

And Kallen willingly did so.

He said he would stand against the five great families and the two major merchant guilds.

He became a place to lean on amidst the spray of water.

He indulged the reckless demand to climb the cliff.

In the end, he threw himself to protect from the explosion.

And now.

Kallen granted the wish that was the most unexpected and at the same time the most earnestly desired.

The emotions that had been piling up touched something precarious in Laris.

The something that burst from that point made it impossible for Laris to look at Kallen properly.

…Thump.

Very faintly.

A girl’s heart beat.