The Cowardly Young Lady and the Escort Knight

Chapter 7: Still Dark First Day (2)

Is someone talking to him again? Is it going to pop out suddenly this time too? Is he going to reflexively attack someone again? Patrick looked around with such worries.

Soon, he saw a large cat jumping onto the bed. It was about three or four times the size of the cats he had seen so far, and its long fur, mixed with gray and black, was very lush. The furry cat, which somehow seemed to suit snow and icy lands, sat on the limp Mage's belly, wagged its tail, and opened its mouth.

"I was expecting it since you hit me without hesitation, but you weren't an assassin disguised and sneaking in. It's a shame, a shame~"

He could hear that voice from before and saw the cat moving its mouth. It seemed to be able to speak human language. More than that, an assassin. Patrick stared blankly at the cat and retorted.

"It wasn't intentional. Judging by what you're saying, you seem to know all the details. I don't know where you were."

"I was upstairs. But I know everything that happened to the old hag. Because I'm her familiar."

I didn't want to be, but I became one. After adding that as if grumbling, the cat yawned loudly on the Mage's body and stretched out its body to stretch. Accordingly, the Mage frowned and let out a thin groan. It must be very painful for a large animal to put its weight on it and press down on its body. As if aiming for that, the cat giggled and pressed its paws firmly on the Mage's chest. The life of a familiar seemed to be quite unpleasant.

"Hah~ I want to leave her like this, but she'll obviously wake up without dying even if I do~ Then she'll yell at me for why I was just standing there. You guys came to see this old hag for something, right? I'll wake her up as a bonus."

The cat mumbled in a sighing voice, got off the Mage's body, and brought its tail to the part it had pressed with its paws.

"Miyaang~"

As a sound that tickled the inside of his heart rang out, a faint light came out of the cat's body and flowed along its tail to the Mage. Then, like a ripple, it started from the Mage's chest and spread throughout her body, then disappeared as it was. Could there be a more mysterious sight than this? Patrick swallowed his breath and thought.

'Her nose is fixed!'

He had truly witnessed magic! It seemed that it wasn't crushed from birth, but rather that he had sat down on it with his elbow.

'Was the wound healed?'

Her face below the nose was still red because of the blood, but that's all he had to wipe it off. With that thought, Patrick took out a handkerchief to wipe her face, but suddenly the Mage's eyes flashed open, and he was startled and withdrew his hand.

"Ugh..."

The Mage frowned and got up groggily. She tilted her head as if she didn't know what was going on, looked around, and then blinked at Patrick.

"Who are you? Why am I lying here?"

"Yes? Uh, that's..."

He has to tell the truth. He should confess that he was suddenly surprised and knocked the Mage unconscious. But how many people can confess their mistakes so casually? Patrick was embarrassed and couldn't speak easily, and the cat giggled and said as if replacing him.

"Why? It's the karma of always being reckless! I knew this day would come!"

"Karma? Hmm..."

The Mage frowned slightly as if she didn't remember well and stroked her head.

'Now is the time to speak.'

Patrick thought so, cleared his throat, and was about to open his mouth,

Whack!

"......?!"

Suddenly, the Mage reached out her hand and grabbed the cat's head tightly! The cat screamed sharply and struggled, as if giving it quite a bit of strength. Then, it frantically clawed at the hand that grabbed its head, but the Mage didn't care at all and remained with her eyes closed. No, it didn't seem to matter whether the cat tried to scratch or not. Not only the black gloves she was wearing, but also the slightly exposed wrist had no scratches.

'Then why was she hurt earlier?'

In Patrick's eyes, who was wondering, the Mage opened her eyes again and sighed deeply.

"Oh my, Trikey is so mean~ Do you want to kill your owner that much? Enough to move my unconscious body and make it attack a person with a knife!"

"Nyaaaa!!"

With a sizzling sound, smoke billowed from the hand holding the cat's head. When the Mage released her hand, the cat's hair, which had been neatly combed until just before, was frizzled like badly curly hair!

Could the cat see its hairstyle? The cat immediately raised its tail and shouted.

"What are you doing!! How much effort did I put into this fur!! To repay the grace of healing with enmity, you evil old hag!!"

"Who are you calling evil, you ghost cat?! And what? Grace? You're the one who made me get a bump on my forehead in the first place! Be grateful that I voluntarily healed you so it ended there! And don't call me an old hag! Where on this face is there an old woman!"

After scolding loudly and flicking the cat's forehead, the Mage washed her face with one hand. Then, with a clean face, she smiled brightly, got off the bed, and bent her body slightly towards Patrick.

"I'm embarrassed to show you such an unsightly sight. Nice to meet you for the first time, young knight. I'm Freta, the Mage who protects this Grayclaw. Please take care of me in the future."

"Ah... Yes, nice to meet you. I am,"

"Ohohot, yes yes, I know! I know everything!"

After cutting off his words as he was about to greet her with a bewildered expression, the Mage smiled brightly and grabbed his hand and shoulder. Patrick, who was startled and stiffened by the sudden approach of the beautiful face. The Mage laughed softly as if she found him amusing,

"Heave-ho."

"......?!"

Suddenly, she pushed him towards the bed he was lying on! In the sudden attack, Patrick was pushed as it was and fell on the bed.

'No, no, what's suddenly going on...!'

In his eyes, who was greatly embarrassed and immediately got up, he saw the Mage lowering her body and struggling to take off his shoes.

"Th-there, Mage?!"

"Yes, yes~ I know, Mr. Patrick. You came here to treat this, right? Just stay still~"

"No, how do you know my name...! More than that, I'll take them off!"

Feeling embarrassed for some reason, Patrick hurriedly took away the Mage's hand holding his foot. Then, avoiding the Mage's smiling gaze, he bowed his head and bent his body forward. His face was flushed and his heart was pounding wildly. Is it because the Mage is staring at him? Cecilia's purple eyes are more beautiful, but that doesn't mean the woman in front of him isn't pretty.

In addition, since entering this room, surprising and embarrassing situations have continued. He had hit the Mage twice, even if it was unavoidable, and he saw the Mage messing up the cat's hair as soon as she woke up. What was it like just now? He was pushed onto the bed by the Mage, that is, the woman's hand, and that woman was trying to take off his shoes! It was a situation that was very stimulating for a boy who was only eighteen years old in many ways.

'Still, calm down... I have to calm down...!'

He must remember. Why he came here and what he has to do next. And what is waiting for him. Even at this moment, he must think that the little master's shoulders may be getting smaller and smaller.

'That's right. This is not the time to be lost in distractions.'

He has to return to the master, who is more immature and younger than him, as soon as possible. Standing next to the master and protecting him. That's the role of the Escort Knight. Patrick repeated inwardly and took a deep breath quietly.

Strangely, he felt his mind, which had been fluctuating until just now, calming down. With the single thought that he had to get it done before another unexpected situation occurred, he quickly took off both shoes and took off the cloth that wrapped his feet.

".........Wow."

And looking at his two insteps that were revealed again, he couldn't help but be startled and made a sound. The two feet, which had only been bruised before wrapping the cloth, were swollen red overall. It was probably because he kept moving without resting properly. The reason why he didn't feel much pain seemed to be because the shoes held his feet tightly, acting as a kind of bandage. Now that he was putting his feet out of his shoes like this, the throbbing became even more severe, and his face was automatically frowned.

"Oh my, my goodness. You've been walking around like this? You should have come to me right away? Well, you wouldn't have had time to, though."

"......"

"How did you get hurt?"

"......I was stepped on."

He decided to just say that. What's the point of telling a detailed story? But the Mage sighed softly as if she knew everything and shook her head.

"It's good to be loyal, but you should take care of your own body first! It's okay that you endured the lady trampling on you, but to postpone the treatment of the injury! If you do that, even I may not be able to treat you."

"......I'm sorry. But how do you know?"

"That's a see~cret! Hehe, anyway, I can treat this perfectly. So don't do that next time!"

After saying strongly as if scolding, the Mage went to the display case with a slightly faster pace and took out a potion. Then, she went to the workbench, took out three empty small bottles, and filled them with potion. Following that, she took several medicinal herbs from the drawer and put them in a bowl, then started pounding and crushing them with a pestle, moving her lips. The Mage, who was playing with the pestle while adding something that looked like oil, returned with a bowl and small bottles in each hand.

And she handed the small bottles to him first, who was staring up at her blankly.

"Take this first. It will prevent the wound from festering and reduce the pain. It's a strong medicine, so don't take it on an empty stomach, but 30 minutes after a meal!"

"Ah, yes. Thank you."

"Then next... please hold this."

After having the maid hold the bowl, the Mage took out some of the contents and started applying them evenly to his feet. When her hand first touched him, he felt a sharp pain, but soon a cool feeling surrounded him and the pain subsided. Thanks to that, Patrick was able to calmly watch the Mage treat his feet. After wrapping the green feet with cloth again and doing the same to the other foot, the Mage took back the bowl from the maid's hand.

"Now it's done. You can wash it off after dinner. Until then, just walk and don't run if possible."

"I understand."

Patrick, who was greeting again, put on his shoes. His feet didn't go in well because they were more swollen, but he was able to put them back in somehow.

'Wow, it doesn't hurt.'

Perhaps because of the cool feeling, he doesn't feel any pain at all even if he moves his feet around. His feet are swollen, so he feels tight, but since it doesn't hurt at all, he should be able to walk as fast as usual. Thanks to that, it seems that he will be able to finish the next guidance more quickly. Patrick sighed in relief and bowed to the Mage, who was smiling brightly.

"Thank you so much, Mage. And I'm sorry. A little while ago, I was so surprised that I injured you."

"Hehe, I know. I saw the memories of Trikey, my cat."

The Mage continued to speak with a still smiling face.

"And you don't have to apologize! It was because of my prank. It's a small hobby to surprise people who come here."

"That's a completely bad hobby. You're a malicious old hag. Aren't you?"

"Shut up, Trikey. Anyway, don't worry. You won't be disciplined. But if your heart is heavy..."

The Mage, who put her finger on her lips and trailed off, narrowed her eyes and gave an even deeper smile.

"Instead of Mage, I wish you would call me Freta noona~"

"Oh, God! Look at the old hag who is over a hundred years old acting like this!"

"Shut up! ...Ahem, numbers don't matter. Anyway, I'm older than you, and there are no wrinkles on this face. Don't you think so?"

The Mage Freta, who was blinking her eyes quickly at him, full of expectation. Patrick felt embarrassed for some reason and answered, pretending to groom his mouth.

"Yee... Freta."

".........Noona."

"......Freta."

"Freta noona!"

Towards Freta, who seemed to be shouting desperately, he bowed slightly and greeted her.

"I'll be on my way, Freta. Thank you so much for the treatment. And I apologize once again for causing the damage. I'll see you again, Freta-nim."

"Yes, see you again! And call me Freta noona!"

Ignoring Freta's desperate shout, Patrick gestured lightly to the blankly standing maid and turned around without hesitation. On the way out of the door, he seemed to hear some more noise, but he decided to pretend he didn't hear anything. On the way back alone, the maid gave him an awkward smile and spoke to him.

"The, the Mage seemed to like the Escort Knight very much. She even said that she would make you call her noona next time."

"I didn't hear it."

The maid's eyes widened a little at Patrick's sharp cut.

"Yes? But a little while ago, it was ringing loudly,"

"I didn't hear it."

"Uh..."

"I didn't hear anything."

".........Ah, yes."

The maid nodded and closed her mouth tightly. She probably realized his feelings. In this way, silence fell between the two again. It was very awkward and heavy, so much so that they couldn't open their mouths until they reached the dining hall, the first guided location.