The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

7 – Suspicious Deal (02)

008.

“Since you said I’m not the successor, I’ll speak freely. How old are you?”

“Fifteen.”

“You’re young.”

It was the knight called Brussel who spoke up.

“Your Grace, Grand Duke Dranus. It might be presumptuous of me to say, but isn’t it fortunate if he can handle even a couple of first-rank spells at that age?”

When the Dranus Grand Duchy lost its power due to Blamia’s seclusion, the Lakatus family accumulated immense power during that time.

As expected, the knight commander of such a place showed little sign of being intimidated in front of Blamia.

“No matter how much the Grand Duke doesn’t want to take it on, it’s troublesome to give such a rebuke. You know how much the head of the family desires this.”

“I was going to try to take it on even though I said I couldn’t… Your words are harsh.”

Brussel, seemingly displeased, glared at Kallen.

Kallen stood there, unfazed by the gaze.

“Honestly, I was happy to hear that the Grand Duke accepted. But what is this? Isn’t this a roundabout way of saying you don’t want to do it?”

Those words seemed sincere.

As Kallen had suspected, there was clearly something off.

However, Blamia’s personality was not good, even as a figure of speech.

Being described as eccentric suited him, and there was no way he would just sit quietly.

Just as the atmosphere was about to overheat.

“There’s no time, Brussel.”

Manager Evam stopped Brussel.

When Kallen looked over, there was an old man with an extremely cold expression.

“…Tsk.”

“I’m sorry, Your Grace.”

“It’s fine. And to correct one thing, he can handle more than just a couple of first-rank spells.”

“Thank you.”

Evam hurriedly ended the situation.

Whether the lack of time was a lie or not, the knight commander’s expression soured, and he couldn’t continue the conversation.

‘Are there too many monsters to handle?’

The only thing that could be inferred from the lack of time was that.

If they needed to borrow every available hand, some of the doubts would be resolved.

With that thought, Kallen headed towards Manager Evam.

“I am Evam, the external manager of the Lakatus Duchy.”

“…I am Brussel.”

Manager Evam had a kind smile.

In contrast, Knight Commander Brussel still maintained a displeased expression.

The manager is a figure equivalent to the lord’s representative.

Since the term “external” is attached, it means he is the manager in charge of such external affairs.

The forces responsible for the security of the territory.

It is difficult to easily determine who is higher in rank when compared to the position of the knight commander who leads them.

Was Evam’s reason too valid, or was it simply because of his age?

With the thought that the relationships within the noble family were somewhat complicated, Kallen approached the boy who seemed to be Brussel’s squire.

The boy was evidently flustered, not knowing what to do.

“I, I am Deuce… I am Sir Brussel’s squire…”

“Nice to meet you.”

After Kallen finished greeting everyone, Evam subtly asked.

“How is your granddaughter doing?”

“It’s none of your business. Just get going.”

“…Yes, then.”

*

For a noble renowned in the empire, what should I say?

Should I say frugal?

The carriage, which I thought would be splendid and entirely gilded, was not much different from what ordinary people rode.

Since it didn’t seem like they would answer even if I asked the reason, Kallen remained silent.

The truly strange thing was not the carriage.

“Find your own food.”

If they had so much money, shouldn’t they at least rent an inn?

For a member of the Lakatus, they were quite wild.

Camping was basic, and they even had to hunt, cook, and eat their own food.

They had to meticulously manage their hygiene themselves and do everything on their own.

At first, Kallen thought it was because they disapproved of him, but

Throughout the journey to the territory, they lived the same way, so he had no choice but to think differently.

Even though the person called the manager was perfectly fine, he used the excuse of being old to ask for help,

and he asked Kallen for it.

Such a strenuous journey was not something easily manageable.

Especially not for Kallen, who was only fifteen.

However, there was a fact hidden by the halo of Blamia.

Kallen was someone who had originally survived from the bottom.

Camping, finding food on his own, hygiene management, none of it.

Kallen had endured much harsher environments at an even younger age.

There was no particular reason for him to be exhausted by this.

They couldn’t help but be secretly surprised by Kallen’s familiar demeanor.

A boy who hadn’t even gone through the coming-of-age ceremony was following along without showing any signs of hardship, so there was no reason not to be.

But the real surprise was yet to come.

It was the time when Kallen was following his master around, experiencing various things.

Of course, there were also monster hunts.

They were mostly requests from lower nobles with weak forces in their territories and no wizards.

At such times, they always looked at Kallen with worried eyes.

The huge backing of Blamia eased their worries, but they couldn’t help but wonder if a boy with such a delicate appearance could handle it.

But all of them changed their minds after witnessing Kallen’s battlefield.

Ebam and Brussels were no different.

Swoosh-

One, two, three.

Wherever Kallen’s fingers pointed, the monsters collapsed.

It was shortly after the carriage arrived at the territory.

Brussels drew his sword when he faced the lower monsters.

But there was no need for that sword to be swung.

A thin pillar of fire stretched out like a thread.

It moved as if it were water, flowing in a way that the expression “flowing” was more fitting, and it pierced through the monsters’ heads.

The monsters, whose brains were burned, died instantly on the spot.

Kallen’s magic was as beautiful as threading a needle.

But it wasn’t even a great magic.

Brussel, who had seen the magic of the elders in the family and had faced wizards, knew.

That what Kallen was using was the basic first-rank magic, ‘Ignition’.

However, no one had ever used Ignition in such a way.

It was usually used to burn something entirely or, at most, to shoot it forward.

There is a reason why first-rank magic is called basic.

“…”

At the same time, it was the reason why magic had lost its practicality, even though creatures like monsters existed.

Magic becomes stronger as its rank increases, and that is a difficult task.

It means that employing a wizard for monster hunting takes a lot of effort.

In that case, it is much cheaper to train a knight instead.

A wizard needs a mentor and a long time to be trained, so it is only natural.

Knights are better suited for dealing with monsters, and low-rank wizards are not very helpful in killing.

Kallen was denying that fact.

The burning threads indiscriminately killed lower monsters, giants, and orcs.

Those who swung clubs at close range were blocked by spreading ‘Ignition’ widely like a shield.

Those who still couldn’t be stopped had their legs broken by picking up the clubs dropped by the monsters.

In the end, all Brussel could do was clean up the monsters Kallen missed or catch the ones trying to escape.

– Uoooh…

– Gaaah!!

Monsters being terrified, is that even possible?

And to a small boy who wasn’t even a mouthful.

The boy seemed to have no fear.

Had he experienced a life-threatening situation somewhere?

Considering his age, it was nonsense.

The courage to charge at monsters twice his size.

It was closer to madness.

The boy’s indifferent, nonchalant expression only widened the gap.

“Is it over?”

Before he knew it, the boy, who had finished his magic, approached Brussel, who was standing blankly with a sword.

Despite having slaughtered so many monsters, his expression did not change at all. The only blood on him was a little on his cheek, and he looked so calm.

Blamia taught magic, so I thought he would be better than his peers.

But this was not it.

Evam, who was watching the battle from behind, and Brussel, who was watching Kallen’s slaughter up close, had the same thought at the same time.

*

“A-amazing, Kallen… Are you also a great mage?”

“Great mage? If the elder knew, he would laugh his head off.”

“Then that magic is…”

“…just magic.”

Inside the carriage returning to Feltz City.

There was no camping on the way back.

Instead, as if to tease Kallen, they could comfortably eat and sleep at a suitable inn.

Brussel was still silent, but the reason seemed a little different.

It felt like his expression had become somewhat complicated.

In the end, only Deuce, Brussel’s squire, who couldn’t overcome his curiosity, became the only companion.

Kallen responded appropriately to Deuce and closed his eyes.

Right now, he was more worried about what Sinat might do.

He also faithfully followed Blamia’s advice, ‘Do not reveal your talent.’

He only used the first-level ‘Ignition’ spell, not even the second-level.

It just felt unsettling that things ended too easily.

“Then, can you use other magic?”

“I can, but-“

Kallen, who was roughly answering Deuce, opened his left eye at something strange.

The curious squire was gone, and Manager Evam was looking at Kallen with a kind face.

Kallen closed one eye again and answered.

“Yes, well. I know about three or four more.”

“Even when coming here, and when subjugating the monsters. You are a boy with many talents.”

“It’s not really a talent.”

“Haha…”

Evam asked various questions, but Kallen mostly responded with short answers.

He didn’t really want to get involved.

The conversation at home and everything else, Blamia didn’t seem to think well of them.

The request that passed between them was full of doubts, so he didn’t want to get too deeply involved.

“I’m not that knowledgeable about magic, but you seem to use it in a peculiar way. I’ve seen that burning magic many times, but I’ve never seen it drawn out as thin as a thread.”

However, this manager named Ebam persistently clung to the conversation.

As if dissecting a person named Kallen piece by piece.

It was a bit unpleasant, but anyway, they were the people who decided to support Blamia and Sinat.

Kallen swallowed his annoyance and opened his mouth.

“Because I don’t have mana, I tried this and that and figured it out. If I let my guard down because I don’t have mana, I might suffer from magic exhaustion.”

Blamia told him to hide his outstanding talent.

In fact, Kallen’s handling of first-class magic was a result of his genius, but roughly making up such an excuse was more advantageous for hiding his talent.

The Duke of Lacatus also had high-ranking wizards, and he thought they wouldn’t view a wizard without mana positively.

“No mana?”

“Yes. I didn’t have it from the beginning. I don’t know how I can use magic without mana. It’s probably thanks to the elder’s good teaching.”

“…”

“I’m tired, can I get some sleep?”

Kallen ended the conversation because he didn’t want to talk anymore.

Only after confirming that Ebam nodded did silence fall inside the carriage.

However, Ebam, who was looking at Kallen, quietly exchanged glances with Brussel.