The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

90 – A Family Connected by Blood (02)

091.

When you look into those murky gray eyes, it’s hard to gauge their intentions.

Maybe it’s the unapproachable appearance, or the way they sit with a certain posture that makes it hard to start a conversation.

Inside the carriage heading to the Flache family.

Sitting opposite, with her chin resting on the window sill, Laris Flache seemed to be lost in thought.

Kallen, who doesn’t particularly like noisy things, just quietly watched her.

It was during that time when a deep silence lingered in the carriage for a long while.

“…Aren’t you curious?”

Laris, who had her gaze fixed beyond the carriage window, suddenly spoke.

It was hard to tell if she was asking or just mumbling to herself, her demeanor was so natural.

But the end of her words clearly carried a question.

“I don’t quite understand what you’re saying.”

“You don’t have to be so considerate. I’m curious why I wanted you, Kallen. If I were you, I wouldn’t be able to stand not knowing.”

There was something Laris said at the banquet.

That there is a reason to create an image even if it costs one’s life.

And Kallen thought it was connected to some unspeakable ‘wound in the heart.’

Originally, such things are something no one wants to reveal, so Kallen just considered himself to be in a similar situation to the three young ladies for whom he created images.

But that doesn’t mean the curiosity disappears.

The fact that Laris is saying such things means she is somewhat willing to talk.

Kallen, having roughly organized his thoughts, nodded.

“Will you tell me?”

“Do you want to hear it?”

“I’m not entirely uninterested.”

“Hmm…”

Laris’s gaze was still directed beyond the window.

Then, after staring at the outside scenery for a while, she slowly opened her mouth.

*

The five great families, except for the Hiart family, are mostly concentrated in the south.

The Hiart family in the north.

The Lakatus family in the southeast.

The Dranus family in the center.

Of course, there are two other families in the south and southwest.

The Flache family, Laris’s family, is the highest-ranking noble family in the south.

Unlike the relatively barren north, they are nobles who rule over fertile lands.

Although the Claire Empire itself is so powerful that there isn’t much difference, it is true that they are slightly wealthier.

Originally, the Hiart family is a grand ducal family because they also serve as guardians of the north.

Before the Dranus family regained their name, the four great families, except for the Hiart family, were all ducal families.

Dukes and grand dukes.

The ducal family wealthy enough to bridge that gap is the Flache family.

Not far away.

A grand mansion was coming into view.

When looking at that scene, one could understand why the Plache family was so wealthy.

But even knowing that fact.

Kallen could not see Laris as an extraordinary person.

The interior of the empire is vast, and there is a distance that cannot be traveled in a day or two from Mland City to here.

So, it had been a few days since Laris had heard those words.

However, even after that much time had passed, Kallen could not forget.

The reason for saying that Laris could not be seen as the young lady of such a great family.

It was a statement that one could not have imagined.

Rather, she seemed pitiful…

“We’re here. Let’s get off.”

The carriage stopped a little away from the mansion.

As Laris stood up, Kallen followed and got off the carriage.

Kallen had experienced the mansions of Lakatus, Hiatt, and Dranus.

Of course, their mansions also felt huge and grand, but the Plache family’s mansion felt outright luxurious.

If the previous three places felt antique, Plache felt flashy and luxurious.

It was a look that Kallen did not particularly like.

While unraveling his thoughts inwardly.

Kallen headed towards the mansion with Laris.

Even though it was said to be a little distance, it was really only a short distance.

The two quickly arrived at the mansion.

In front of the huge iron gate that looked like the main entrance, several knights were standing guard.

Laris approached the only knight among them wearing a different colored armor.

“Ah. Lady Laris.”

“…I should have informed you that I was coming. Didn’t you hear?”

“Well, I haven’t heard anything.”

“…Alright. Then please open the gate.”

The knight, hearing Laris’s words, hesitated and instructed his subordinate.

Soon, the large main gate opened, and the path to the mansion was revealed.

Kallen entered with Laris.

But no one welcomed Laris.

It was hard to believe that they had sent a message in advance from the carriage.

It seemed that the Plache family didn’t even know that Laris had returned.

That appearance was certainly strange.

If a daughter of the family had left home and returned, especially someone of Laris’s position, at least several maids should have been attending to her.

The attitude of the knight working at the main gate was also strange.

No matter how high his position was, Laris was the lady of the Plache castle.

In other words, she could be considered the knight’s master.

However, the knight’s attitude was hard to see as one towards his master.

Laris even spoke formally to the knight, and instead of apologizing for not hearing her, he boldly said he didn’t hear.

Considering their positions, even if it wasn’t the knight’s fault, it would have been appropriate to apologize first.

The rules of the nobility are strict, so at the very least, he should have quickly opened the door.

Laris spoke formally to a mere knight of the family and received treatment that could be seen as insulting.

Even though she had informed them of her return, no one from the mansion came out to attend to her.

Kallen, still looking at Laris’s indifferent expression, realized that this was not a sudden change.

Laris had always been treated this way.

In the Plache family, which could be called her home, she was like a stranger.

Suddenly, the words she had struggled to say a while ago came to mind.

The words asking to be allowed to bury her mother.

Thinking about it, it was a strange request.

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If it was Laris’s mother, she would be the wife of the head of the family.

However, recalling what Blamia had said before, the mistress of the Plache family was still alive.

The story of the head of the Plache family marrying the daughter of the Lyle merchant group was quite famous.

After all, the owner of Plache, who had rich lands in the south, had gained a huge backing from the Lyle merchant group.

Laris’s words asking for help to bury her mother, while the wife of the living head of the family was still alive.

She said she needed a heart to bury her mother, and despite being treated rudely by a mere knight, she reacted as if she was used to it.

“…”

Kallen quietly followed Laris, finishing his thoughts calmly.

Seeing the situation unfold, he could roughly understand the situation.

But he still couldn’t be sure.

Laris was a famous scholar and magician even in social circles.

Although not as talented as Selassie, she was evaluated as not lacking in inheriting the name of Flache in the future.

That means, Laris is the only one of the Flache family to debut in society.

So, it is still uncertain.

“I need to hear more details.”

“…”

Before entering the mansion.

Kallen, who had finished his thoughts, spoke nonchalantly.

Laris, who was about to open the door and enter, hesitated.

“…Yes.”

Laris, who was fiddling with the doorknob for a moment, nodded as if she understood.

Laris, who opened the door herself without a maid or servant, entered the mansion.

Kallen, watching her back, also entered the mansion.

*

“Do you remember what I told you in the carriage?”

“You asked me to help bury your mother.”

“Yes. The meaning is no different. I didn’t say it indirectly, I literally meant to help bury my mother.”

Usually, nobles tend to emphasize procedures.

Rules and etiquette are sometimes more important to them than their lives.

But Laris brought Kallen straight to her room.

As if the head of the Flache family didn’t care about such things.

“Miss Laris, aren’t you the second daughter of the Flache family? At least that’s what I know.”

“…That’s right.”

“Then the current mistress of the Flache family is…”

“Not my biological mother.”

A mansion that fits the word ‘luxurious’.

If she were the lady of such a place, wouldn’t her room be extravagantly splendid?

Laris’s room was so ordinary that it shattered such thoughts.

Of course, being a noble of ducal rank, it couldn’t be compared to a commoner’s room.

No matter how generously you looked at it, it only looked like a lower noble’s room.

“My sister abandoned the family name, and now the only ones who remember my biological mother are my father… no, just me.”

Kallen looked at the room and was certain.

Even if not entirely, he was somewhat right in his guess.

“Is it rude to say you’re perceptive?”

“Not really. I’ve heard it a lot.”

“Hmm…”

They say you can read a person’s mind through their eyes.

Laris felt from Kallen’s gaze that he had guessed most of her situation.

All Laris had said was a request that was close to a demand.

And that she wanted her mother to be buried.

In the short time it took to get from the carriage to this room, he had come close to the ‘correct answer.’

Maybe it was for the best.

After all, she desperately needed this boy’s help to fulfill her long-held wish.

Laris slowly approached the chair and sat down.

She extended her hand and offered Kallen the bed.

“It’s a long story. Can you listen, Kallen?”

Kallen looked at her and, without refusing, sat on the bed.

“Yes. I can’t stand being curious.”

There is no such thing as a normal noble lady.

Recalling something his teacher had once said,

Kallen willingly chose to share Laris’s burden.