The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

18 – The Boy and Winter Island (02)

019.

The world of Sim-sang.

The world of the magician.

Every magician prays to have a more beautiful and more enchanting Sim-sang.

But as the word “pray” suggests,

Sim-sang is not something that can be obtained just by wanting it.

Some call it the choice of the gods.

Others say it is achieved by meeting yet unknown conditions.

Amidst such rampant rumors, those who obtain Sim-sang are invariably treated with great respect.

If a young lady who hasn’t even had her coming-of-age ceremony were to obtain Sim-sang, the entire empire would be turned upside down.

And what Kallen saw was undoubtedly Sim-sang.

A scene like a painting.

The surging flood of mana.

Above all, his own profile drawn in the breathtaking view.

“…Since when has this been possible?”

It didn’t seem like Eliana showed it knowing it was Sim-sang.

Until recently, Eliana had been hovering between life and death.

She hadn’t even established a system for magic, let alone Sim-sang.

There was a reason why Duke Everchan was urgently preparing for magic lessons.

“When I’m alone at night… I thought I wanted to see it again…”

Kallen stirred the image of his side profile once.

According to Eliana, the fact that an image appeared was secondary.

It meant that he had figured out how to open the image on his own, without anyone teaching him.

Could it be that his near-death experience had awakened his extraordinary talent?

If that were the case, the scenery of the image was too familiar.

Among Blamia’s teachings, there was naturally something about images.

It was said that although it was uncertain when and how images were created, there was a certain fact.

The scenery of the image follows the ideal world that the person envisions.

It was an inference without any causal relationship, but everyone who had an image looked at the scenery of their image and said the same thing.

If there was a paradise they dreamed of, it would be right here.

However, no one had a person in their image like Eliana did.

In very rare cases, the person in the image might be oneself.

But it was never someone else.

There might be those who did not reveal their image world.

Considering the benefits of having an image, it was safe to say there were none.

Who would refuse the opportunity to rise from a commoner to a noble, from a noble to a high-ranking noble?

It was also difficult to be certain that the scenery was based on experience.

An ideal world is something one dreams of.

Because it was impossible to have been to such a perfect place.

So Kallen couldn’t understand Eliana’s image.

A very personal space called Winter Island.

A stranger drawn there, who was himself.

It was so unusual that he couldn’t make sense of it.

But one thing.

One thing was certain.

It was incredibly beautiful.

Did they say everyone prays to have a more beautiful and enchanting image?

If that were the case, Eliana had received the greatest choice in the world at the cost of nearly losing her life.

“Ha…”

It was so absurd that a hollow laugh escaped.

The expression on Eliana’s face, as seen through Kallen’s eyes, was simple.

She wasn’t interested in things like impressions or whatever, only curious about Kallen’s own feelings.

Was she crazy, or pure?

The youngest daughter of Rakatus didn’t even realize what she had done.

*

“The impression was right. Just as you said.”

“I learned it from the elder.”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

In the head’s office.

Duke Everchan continued speaking without hiding his surprise.

“At first, I thought you were a different breed. When I found out you could be by my daughter’s side, I was just happy. When I heard you had cured that cursed disease, I couldn’t believe it. But…”

Everchan carefully chose his words.

No longer a disciple, nor a servant.

The boy in front of him deserved not to be bound by such titles.

“Now you even create impressions.”

“I didn’t create it.”

“Everything changed when you came. Including Eliana having an impression. Especially the trust that child sends to you, it’s almost frightening.”

“With time…”

“Time? Ha, don’t talk nonsense. Are you discussing the betrayal of waiting in front of me?”

“I misspoke.”

“Yes, you did. The landscape of the impression, the people engraved there, everything revolves around you. Do you know how Eliana answers when asked something?”

“…”

Everchan wasn’t angry.

It was pure curiosity.

“Kallen, thanks to Kallen, because of Kallen. Every word starts and ends with your name. I assure you, right now, there’s nothing in Eliana’s mind but you.”

Kallen had nothing to say.

It wasn’t out of guilt, but because he couldn’t think of an appropriate response.

Everchan wasn’t speaking to extract an apology.

“What on earth are you? We, I, tackled this matter with the resolve to die, and you solved it effortlessly. Is all you want just to become the elder’s strength?”

“Yes. I remember that was the promise from the beginning.”

“…Ha. Haha.”

Everchan leaned back against the chair as if he had lost his strength.

“That was the original plan.”

It was Kallen who continued the conversation.

“But now, there is something I would like to ask.”

“What is it?”

Everchan, rather, welcomed it.

It was frustrating to just receive without giving anything in return.

“I would like to receive the research papers and related records you have studied.”

“Why is that?”

“It is related to curing the young lady’s illness.”

“…”

Not gold coins enough to fill the mansion.

Not the women renowned for their beauty in the empire.

None of those.

Everchan, who had lost his strength again, answered that he understood.

Indeed, he was an odd one.

Just as the conversation seemed to be ending.

“I am thinking of debuting Eliana into society.”

“Yes.”

“I think she won’t go without you.”

“My role as a guard has ended.”

“That would be a sad answer for my daughter to hear.”

It has already been nearly three months since Kallen came to Lakatus.

Of course, a third of that time was spent on the journey to the north.

It was not something he could stay indefinitely.

“…It’s hard to say this myself, but there is no one who values me as much as the young lady does.”

“Is there a way?”

What flashed through my mind was the event before the garden walk.

Everchan seemed to have vaguely noticed something as he spoke.

“Yes.”

“Well, then. You’ll have to spend the social season alone. That child who doesn’t even leave the room without you, alone.”

“…”

“If the illness recurs, there’s nothing we can do. We’ll just have to die together with the people around us.”

His intention was clear.

Kallen, who had already been dragged around enough, wanted to refuse if possible.

But he couldn’t do anything when Eliana was involved.

Kallen had grown quite fond of her by now.

“Something has changed about you.”

“Me? I don’t know.”

Kallen nodded as if he understood and left the office.

As the door closed, the faint smile on Everchan’s face began to fade.

The words of the bold boy who had spoken recklessly lingered in his mind.

Still, the result was good.

Since Eliana had opened her heart, Rakatus’s position would become even more solid.

It meant that the balance, which had been precariously maintained by the four forces, was about to crack.

Having realized his love for his daughter, it was now time to take responsibility as the head of the family again.

Fortunately, as long as Kallen stayed by her side, that strange obsession seemed to be manageable, which was a relief in many ways.

But there was a sense.

And relying on that sense, the boy was not someone who could be tied down to one place.

Eliana had earnestly pleaded, so he had made various excuses and forced the issue.

How long could he keep him tied here?

“…You must be going through a lot, my daughter.”

With a flick, another meaningless soliloquy escaped.

*

The power structure of the Claire Empire has a somewhat peculiar tendency.

This was because the four great families, evaluated as being just below the imperial family, were all located outside the central region.

And this was related to the downfall of one family.

The House of Dranus.

A monstrous existence that once boasted power greater than the imperial family.

The remnants of the Dranus family had vanished, and the place where they once stood was now the center and capital of the Claire Empire, Mland.

Those who had completed their coming-of-age ceremony gathered in Mland to enter society.

It was almost an established rule.

And towards Mland, a carriage adorned with the most splendid golden borders was racing.

In the right corner of the carriage window, there was a large emblem of Lakatus.

“…Isn’t it too early?”

“Usually, one enters society after the coming-of-age ceremony.”

“Yes…”

“But you have quickly mastered first-class magic, and you have a presence, so there should be no problem, my lady.”

It’s not just a problem.

The mere fact of having a presence meant that regardless of age, family, or anything else, one had to bow down to Eliana.

Such was the position of a presence in society.

Moreover, Eliana’s presence was so beautiful that it couldn’t even be described in words.

What Kallen was worried about was her introverted personality.

He would try to stay away as much as possible, but knowing it wouldn’t be easy, he was worried about that as well.

There was talk that even a rumor could greatly affect marriage prospects.

In the first place, there would be social gatherings that only women could attend, so he couldn’t stay with her all the time.

Kallen, who knew Everchan’s intentions, still felt it was a bit early.

At least, he thought Eliana needed time to correct her introverted personality.

But what could he do?

She said she wouldn’t go unless he accompanied her.

He was just afraid of the approaching time of farewell.

And so, the carriage arrived in Mland.