The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

71 – Dancing at the Ball (04)

072.

Dranus.

In the era of Blamia, when they wielded power that even the empire couldn’t easily handle.

Many praised and remembered him who ascended to the sixth rank.

But naturally.

Dranus was not maintained by Blamia’s strength alone.

No, rather, Blamia was not a person fit for the position of head.

All he had was the power to shake the heavens and the earth.

Sitting at a desk, manipulating various interests was clumsy until he passed the position to his son.

How did such a person build the world of Dranus?

It can be seen that the efforts of those who were not visible on the surface were crucial.

The retainers who dedicated their lives to Dranus.

Most of them were barely surviving on the streets until they were taken in by Blamia.

Blamia gave them life, and they repaid the favor by dedicating the life they received.

They studied and worked day and night to place Dranus at the very top.

Far from being difficult, thinking it would help Blamia, their bodies moved first.

Attendants, maids, internal and external managers, of course.

Beyond the mansion to the territory.

In place of Blamia, who had no talent for wielding a fountain pen.

They built the world called Dranus.

And presented it to Blamia, who gave them a new world.

When Blamia received an irreparable wound.

Even when he decided to retire with Sinat.

They followed his will without a word.

After all, their lives were taken by Blamia.

Now that they were self-sufficient, they didn’t want to be a burden by following him.

But they did not leave the mansion.

They waited for the time when Blamia would overcome his wounds and return home.

In the days when Blamia’s gray beard was nowhere to be seen.

The children taken in by the empire’s great magician grew up and had children.

What maintains the current form of Dranus is a bond that transcends generations.

Those who once begged on the streets.

Becoming parents to the children who longed for their parents’ embrace.

The children grew up to become parents themselves, and they tried to repay the kindness to their parents.

That was the current Dranus.

And the great wizard who had left the children’s side long ago,

Returned with a graying beard, ready to reclaim the past.

“Blamia!!!”

From afar, a man and a woman, looking slightly older than middle-aged, could be seen running.

They soon reached Blamia.

They almost collapsed, burying their heads in the ground and started sobbing.

“Why have you returned only now…!”

“Blamia…! We missed you…!”

“I’m sorry.”

Kallen couldn’t hide his surprise at hearing Blamia’s voice.

Unlike the grumpy and grumbling voice until now,

A solemn voice greeted the two collapsed figures.

It was the lament of an old man reminiscing about the distant past.

And the cheer of someone who had finally found the right path.

“Hurry… please hurry. Everyone is waiting.”

“Gilon. Calm down a bit. I’m not as strong as I used to be.”

“Yes…! Yes…!”

“Blamia. Shall I carry you?”

“Myrda. How do you plan to carry me when I’m so old and frail? Take care of yourself.”

“Ugh…”

Gilon and Myrda.

Kallen knew those names.

When Blamia briefly mentioned the retainers of Dranus, those were the foremost names.

They had been together the longest and played the biggest role in making the name Dranus shine.

“Hmm…?”

Holding Sinat like a princess,

Kallen recalled the memories.

The puzzled voice belonged to Gillon.

He lifted the small glasses perched on his nose and looked at Kallen with curiosity.

“Ah. This is the kid I mentioned. Quite the arrogant one.”

“…Master.”

“Ah…!”

Mirda, who had been wiping away her tears, also seemed to recognize Kallen’s name.

Gillon and Mirda composed themselves and approached Kallen, greeting him politely.

“Hello, Sir Kallen. I am Gillon, the head servant of the Dranus family.”

“I have heard much about you from Lady Blamia, Sir Kallen. I am Mirda, the head maid.”

“Ah. Yes. Nice to meet you.”

When Kallen looked at Blamia, wondering what was going on, he saw the old man with his usual grumpy expression.

It seemed that the expression he had shown earlier was one of courtesy towards his retainers, and Kallen couldn’t help but smile.

“Ah…? Miss…? Miss Sinat…?”

“What? Ah…! Oh…! It really is Miss…!”

As they looked at Blamia, Gillon and Mirda noticed Sinat, who was held dearly by Kallen, and their eyes welled up again.

The young lady of the family who had parted ways long ago.

The granddaughter of their benefactor.

The always bright and lively tomboy had returned home, a bit more mature.

“Oh…”

“Oh…!”

Gillon and Mirda cried again, making their earlier attempts to wipe away their tears seem futile.

Watching them, Kallen could understand a little better where Sinat had inherited her tendency to cry.

*

“Lady Blamia!!”

No matter how joyous the reunion.

They couldn’t stay long in a place that wasn’t the mansion.

Gillon and Mirda were well aware of that fact.

Barely holding back tears, he led the way to the mansion that resembled the castle of Dranus.

As the enormous mansion towering high into the sky came into view,

Kallen could see those waving towards this place.

Gilon and Mirda.

Their reactions were not much different.

Some looked at Blamia and shed tears.

Others collapsed to their knees, clasping their hands as if their strength had left them.

It was evident what Blamia meant to these people.

Following Blamia, Kallen walked, and before long, they reached the mansion, which could barely be seen in its entirety by craning their necks.

Countless people welcomed Kallen and Blamia.

Those who had been taken in by Blamia had become parents.

They too had become part of the Dranus family.

There were far more retainers than when the great wizard had left the family.

Although the direct bloodline was now only Sinat.

One by one,

Blamia and the retainers of Dranus reunited, properly facing each other.

They noticed Kallen standing there, holding Sinat.

“Hey, kid. Don’t just stand there awkwardly, come over here.”

“Yes.”

At Blamia’s words, Kallen slowly approached them.

Curiosity was evident in their eyes.

They might have been wary of a stranger, but it was clear how favorably Blamia had spoken of Kallen.

And among them,

A woman with her hair braided to one side approached Kallen.

“Are you, by any chance, Kallen?”

“Yes.”

“Oh…! It’s an honor to meet you. I am Selina, the head maid.”

“Yes. It’s an honor for me as well.”

To be honest,

Kallen was not accustomed to etiquette.

I don’t know how it looks to others, but I should say it doesn’t feel familiar to my body.

Thanks to Blamia and Sinat, I can avoid making mistakes.

But it’s hard to handle it as skillfully as if it were my own.

To Kallen, Selina’s etiquette seemed excessive.

Blamia was in the same situation.

Moreover, holding Sinat made it impossible to perform the etiquette properly.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Pardon? Oh, it’s okay.”

Selina looked at Sinat in my arms and smiled as if she understood.

A smile that felt indescribably warm.

“It must be hard for you. I’ll carry him from now on.”

“Ah. Okay.”

Kallen nodded and leaned forward.

Selina reached out her arms to take Sinat.

But.

“…”

“Huh…?”

From noble mtl dot com

Sinat clung to Kallen’s body as if glued.

Even when Kallen bent his upper body, Sinat didn’t fall off.

As a result, Kallen and Selina ended up in an awkward position.

At the same time, Kallen could feel it.

Because it was Kallen himself holding Sinat.

From Sinat’s arms wrapped around his neck, he could feel the desperate effort not to let go.

“…I’m sorry, but I’ll just carry him.”

“Oh my…”

But Selina couldn’t know that.

To the head maid’s eyes, it looked like a fresh scene between a boy and a girl.

Selina stepped back with a light smile.

Only then did Kallen approach Blamia, feeling Sinat’s arms relax again.

“Get close to Selina. She will be the one to take care of you here.”

“Understood.”

“You should say thank you, kid. I even assigned you the head maid.”

“…Thank you.”

“Click click.”

When Kallen glanced at Selina, she was smiling warmly, wiggling her fingers.

“Are you ready?”

Blamia asked, looking at the Dranus mansion.

Her eyes were unfocused, as if reminiscing about a distant past.

Kallen answered without breaking the mood.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Knowing that hesitating would be a nuisance.

Blamia soon laughed gruffly again.

As they walked towards the mansion’s door, there was more excitement than fear.

Rumble…

The mansion, like a giant castle.

Its door was also enormous.

It sounded like opening the door of an ancient castle.

Blamia paused.

Just for a moment, then stepped inside.

Long ago.

An old man who had lost his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson.

Overcame the scars engraved like a brand.

And returned home for the first time.