The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

2 – Kalen (03)

003.

The world of a mage, that is, the imagery.

It is not something that others can interfere with and bring forth.

What Blamia wanted to confirm was the nature of mana.

However, what appeared unexpectedly was Kalen’s world of imagery.

Blamia, being a mage who had established his own world, was certain.

“There is… no mana…”

Even such a great mage was astonished.

Because two new facts were revealed by the recent event.

First, Kallen did not manifest magic by using mana; rather, he had no mana to begin with.

Another unbelievable fact was that Kallen had already established his own world.

However, questions still remained.

How could magic manifest without mana? And when trying to stimulate Kallen’s mana, the fact that an image emerged was also puzzling.

Moreover, the image had a foreboding scenery.

“Ha, grandfather…”

Sinat called out to his grandfather, trembling his lips, only for a moment in the unexpected situation.

Blamia then realized that he was unconsciously exuding his aura.

He quickly withdrew his aura and removed his hand from Kallen’s back.

“Huff…!”

Thus, the dark world vanished, and Blamia’s gaze sank low.

“You don’t know?”

“Yes. I’ve never even seen magic.”

A few days after that day, Blamia called Kallen for a private meeting.

It was because he couldn’t understand it at all.

Was there something peculiar in his past, or was there a secret he couldn’t speak of and had hidden?

However, Kallen claimed to know nothing about using magic without mana, his extraordinary talent, or the ominous image.

He could forcibly peek into his memories with magic to verify the truth, but that was not something to do to a young boy.

In the end, Blamia chose to ease Kallen’s predetermined thorny path a bit more.

It’s good to be outstanding.

But one must not be too outstanding.

It’s an unchanging truth.

Moreover, Kallen was the illegitimate child of a courtesan and a lower noble.

In some ways, he was worse off than a commoner.

“It’s truly a good thing. To have talent, I mean. A young lady I knew went mad despite having everything because she lacked a single talent, and another young lady was treated as an outcast despite being the eldest daughter because she had no talent.”

Since Blamia saw the image, Kallen was able to experience a bit more.

Participating as Sinat’s sparring partner in lessons,

Leisurely observing the world’s scenery he couldn’t see while begging,

Or spending an entire day at the gambling house following Blamia.

Due to Kallen’s strange gambling habit, he regretted the last incident, but anyway, Blamia made Kallen experience many things.

Most of it was because of Kallen’s imagery.

Even telling this story now was just an extension of that.

“Even among the royal family, high-level wizards are rare. Even the noblest bloodline in this country. What do you think they would think if they saw your talent? Even if it’s only at the first level, considering your age, it’s not unreasonable for them to feel uneasy.”

“Ah…”

“That’s how it is. Those who have everything can be infinitely merciful, but when their livelihood is at risk, they become no different from street thugs.”

Blamia was worried not only about his talent.

Even in Blamia’s prime, now quite aged, imagery had somewhat lost its original meaning.

In an empire where wars had subsided and peace continued, imagery had moved away from its role in combat.

The more beautiful the scenery engraved in the imagery, the more dazzling the picture, the more it began to be favored.

Now, everyone prayed to have a more beautiful world.

From that perspective, Kallen’s imagery was too far removed.

A dark world, far from beauty and brilliance.

To Blamia, it seemed sufficiently dangerous.

“They might envy your talent and use that imagery as an excuse to put you through a purification trial. They might shout to the world that you are a demon.”

A boy barely eleven years old could hardly bear that weight.

If he didn’t know at all, it would be one thing, but Blamia decided to use a bit more affection.

“Imagery is something that cannot be forcibly extracted by anyone… but you, uniquely, it pops out when mana is stimulated, so don’t give your body to anyone.”

“Yes…”

“And, especially in front of nobles, don’t show off your talent. Just enough to make a living. That much will be enough.”

Blamia is a great wizard.

When it comes to magic, no one can match him.

And considering his age, he is an elder who deserves respect.

Kallen engraved that teaching in his heart.

“That’s it. That’s all I have to tell you. Do you have any other questions?”

Perhaps because the atmosphere was too heavy.

Blamia chuckled lightly as he spoke.

It was because Kallen had never asked anything first.

And of course, he thought it would be the same this time.

“…Could you tell me more about the young ladies you mentioned?”

“Hmm?”

Kallen was unusually serious for his age.

So Blamia thought the kid found him more difficult to approach.

But for the first time, he asked something first.

Was it because he had a fantasy about the existence of a lady, being a man,

or was it just that he reached out with any hand to grasp the handful he had offered?

Blamia couldn’t be sure, but such a change wasn’t entirely bad.

“Why, are you suddenly interested because she’s a lady?”

“Ah, that is…”

“Never mind. I also had a sister I held dear in my heart back in the day.”

Blamia felt that Kallen was suddenly very boyish and let out a faint smile.

“You’ve played the role of Sinat’s counterpart, so you should know. I’m a man too, so I don’t know in detail, but my wife left me some words.”

Blamia was the head of the Grand Duke’s family.

It was only natural since he was one of the top great wizards.

He had met countless ladies and learned etiquette until he lived separately with Sinat due to past events.

The same was true for his wife.

She was the eldest daughter of the most powerful family among the dukes at the time, so it was natural for her to be well-versed in the etiquette of noble girls.

“At least among the girls who live under the name of noble ladies, there is no one normal.”

“What?”

“They’re either crazy or pretending to be crazy to avoid going mad.”

Blamia continued with a chuckle.

“The more the family’s glory shines behind them, the more outstanding their beauty and elegance they were born with, the more so. The education imposed from a very young age is not something a young girl can handle.”

“The lady is…”

“Sinat? What I’m telling you is just a fraction. My name will block most of the malice, but it’s a temporary measure to fill the rest.”

“Ah…”

“What I’m saying is that there’s no way to endure without going mad. My wife told me that they tend to obsess over something precious to escape the painful reality.”

Blamia had met several ladies from various families until just before meeting Kallen.

And those ladies all hid themselves behind the smiles they had crafted.

“They wear clothes, hobbies, even smiling expressions that they might not even know themselves until their coming-of-age ceremony. Now they have to achieve magical accomplishments too.”

Even if they survive like that, what will be left?

It’s fortunate if you marry someone who suits you well, but most people don’t.

“The young lady who loves to eat adjusts her diet for weight management, the young lady who loves to run around walks gracefully. The young lady who loves theater must listen to high-class orchestra performances, and the young lady who loves flowers in the field must wear heavy jewelry.”

“Surely not to that extent-“

“Do you feel it’s too much? Not at all. Each and every one of those things is evaluated by oneself, by parents, and by the family. Knowing that, they willingly bear it.”

Even though many things changed with the advent of magic, that fact remained unchanged.

“Of course, not everyone accepts it voluntarily, but it’s true that most young ladies do. How is it? A desperate life different from yours.”

“I still can’t believe it all… but a little…”

“A little?”

“A little, I respect it.”

You don’t know what you haven’t experienced.

That’s why Kallen purely admired it.

“Well, they say that nowadays, if you’re good at magic, you can cover up other things to some extent.”

Blamia playfully laughed and patted Kallen’s stiff shoulder.

On the contrary, that’s why many young ladies risk their lives for magic, for the beautiful world-

Swallowing those words.

*

A strange relationship where, despite being taken in as a servant, he received teachings.

If such a relationship continued for four years, feelings would naturally develop.

Moreover, Kallen was responsible for the household affairs of Blamia and Sinat.

No matter how heartless a person is, they can’t easily cast someone out.

“Karl! Lend me your body for a bit!”

“Please don’t say things that could be misunderstood by the master…”

“What misunderstanding between friends?”

“…Never mind.”

No, if that was the only reason, Kallen wouldn’t have continued to use honorifics for so long.

Blamia only thought of her granddaughter and didn’t care much about taking responsibility for Kallen.

Even now, at fifteen, it’s the same.

If it weren’t for Sinat, that strange relationship would have ended long ago.

– No, Grandpa! If you send Kallen away… I’ll leave home too!!

Every time there was a sign that Kallen might be sent away, Sinat would notice like a ghost and stop Blamia.

Even when Kallen tried to persuade Sinat to let him live independently, it was the same.

One day, when Kallen left without Sinat knowing, he even resorted to self-harm threats, making it impossible to do anything.

Kallen turns his back and rests his head on Sinat’s chest.

The sight of Sinat sitting quietly with his eyes closed and smiling,

has long become a common scene.

That day.

Would it have been less if he hadn’t left the house for a while due to work?

With the thought that it probably wouldn’t have been much different,

Blamia unconsciously recalled the events of two years ago.