The Knight of Clingy Young Ladies

21.

“Ah. Young Lady.”

The central square of Mulrand City.

Outside the most distinctive and largest teahouse.

Kalen quickly approached as he spotted Eliana laboriously walking out.

Eliana still seemed unsteady on her feet.

After all, she had spent seven years confined to bed, so it wasn’t surprising her legs felt stiff.

While she had started venturing out to various places recently, Kalen had always been by her side.

Only now did Eliana finally catch her breath and regain her composure.

“…Kalen.”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

“Kalen.”

“Yes, Lady?”

“Kalen…”

On the way back to the carriage.

Kalen hurried toward the carriage, curious why Eliana kept repeating his name.

Only on their journeys to the North was Kalen the sole companion, the one to drive the carriage. But now, there was no real need for it. The Lakatus family’s expert carriage driver skillfully guided the horses onward.

Having confirmed the carriage’s departure, Kalen adjusted his height to meet Eliana’s gaze.

“…”

“What is the matter?”

“Uh, nothing much…”

It was a lie.

Just as Eliana showed an unusual fixation on Kalen, Kalen had naturally always been by her side. Reading her expressions to understand her feelings was second nature to him.

To Kalen, it was clear—there was definitely something troubling Eliana.

“Has someone upset you?”

“No…”

“Did someone approach you too closely?”

“No… Ah, that might be true…”

In any case, it wasn’t that.

Having lost all sense of what the issue might be, Kalen groaned softly as Eliana gently turned her head.

It was quite a dramatic change.

Eliana rarely avoided someone’s gaze. She was always the one to meet others eye to eye.

Now, Eliana had clearly turned her head away—but her cheeks were flushed.

“Kalen…”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

“…I have a question.”

“A question.”

Kalen had assumed Eliana was unsettled, so he waited calmly, thinking her query might stem from a tantrum.

“…Why do you call me ‘Young Lady’?”

“Pardon? But, Young Lady…”

“Uh-huh.”

That “uh-huh,” habit seemed all-purpose.

It could indicate affirmation, denial, or a wish to conceal her feelings.

But Kalen understood it perfectly. If someone didn’t know Eliana well, this would be incomprehensible.

And to Kalen’s ears, this was a clear denial.

“Name…”

“…”

“…Call me by my name… Kalen…”

Eliana’s mind was filled with the vivid memory of the teahouse.

“Miss Eliana, Miss Eliana, Miss Eliana…”

Her name called out endlessly as people chatted with her. What had once been a delightful conversation with Kalen now felt unbearably tiresome. No matter how briefly she tried to respond, her name kept being called.

Her father hadn’t been wrong when he said surviving in high society was difficult. Nevertheless, she continued trying hard because it seemed to benefit Kalen.

Somehow, during one of these interactions, a thought struck her.

Even strangers put effort into calling her by name. So why didn’t he—why didn’t Kalen call her name?

Upon reflection, it seemed true.

He always addressed her as “Young Lady,” never using her given name, despite its existence.

She remembered further back to when she and Kalen first met. He had urged her to converse less formally.

What had it been? He had likely mentioned that being less formal made her comfortable.

Evidently, Kalen also saw their relationship as purely between an aristocrat and her bodyguard, defined too coldly. It wasn’t a role that pleased her.

Feeling her thoughts aligned, Eliana grew cheerful. She decided: she would make Kalen call her by name and talk more familiarly.

Her cheeks heated again.

With that thought still warm, she said,

“I’m not a young lady…”

She awaited the calmness of his voice uttering her name.

The syllables might be the same, but surely the resonance would be different.

Eliana was certain.

“…Miss Eliana.”

As soon as Kalen’s words fell, Eliana turned her head again.

Even if she avoided meeting eyes to keep her composure, she wanted to be called directly under his gaze.

“…Again.”

“Miss Eliana.”

“…”

Indeed.

Just as she imagined.

*

Eliana’s debut in high society at such a young age, made possible via Eclecia Salon—one of the most exclusive gatherings in the social circle—caused quite a stir.

In a world dominated by magic, it was typical for even the precocious to only enter the first tier of magic just before their Coming-of-Age ceremony, usually requiring one to two years of preparation. Magic deepened the more time one invested. Skipping one to two whole years to debut early as an aristocrat’s daughter was practically suicidal.

However, the protagonist was from House Lakatus.

What set things apart?

Eliana, the youngest lady by at least a year compared to even the youngest in Eclecia Salon, managed to send ripples across society.

The reason was clear.

She excelled.

Outstanding in every area she touched:

Beauty and appearance.

Etiquette and dignity.

Aura and personality.

Even in magic.

Especially notable was her prowess in magic.

Despite her young age and early debut, she skillfully wielded the first tier of magic. With an aptitude for the noble Attribute of Nature, and having learned it for only a short period, her talent was blinding.

How many sought to grasp such talent?

The struggle of flowers reaching up to become a shining star was, after all, hideously fierce.

Projecting her growth trajectory, it wasn’t unreasonable to expect Eliana to reach the second tier by the time of her Coming-of-Age ceremony.

Then there was something else.

Her mindscape.

While the earlier discussion of her magical prowess had been thrilling and anticipated, many dismissed this part as fiction.

Still, the origins of such rumors stemmed from none other than Eclecia Salon itself, where Daphnis Lerkalin resided. To brand these rumors as falsehoods would seem absurd.

So, the ripples spreading from Eclecia Salon moved on to other social gatherings in Mulrand, and even to Felts and Clamania’s salons.

Eventually, it caused ripples throughout the entire aristocratic social circle.

All those who had seen it were indeed from Eclecia Salon, though intentions behind using it to amplify the prestige of a certain salon were uncertain.

But if it were true, those who heard about the magnificent mindscape Eliana possessed dreamed of catching just a glimpse.

A plateau shrouded in thick, quiet snowfall.

Still but aristocratic, a cool sunlight graces the scene.

Majestic gorges cut through the landscape, reflecting pure waters.

Such beauty, when it invades the mind—what must that feel like?

All those who had witnessed what Eliana’s world held described it with ecstasy.

In the middle of these murmurs, a rumor surfaced about the figure of a man within the mindscape, but those who knew anything about mindscape creation dismissed it as nonsense.

In the end, Eliana’s debut in high society could be counted as successful.

And yet, given this success, one would think Eliana would naturally feel happiness.

“Kalen.”

The opposite was true. Eliana could find no joy in it at all.

It was because of the words Kalen had spoken just moments ago—mentioning separation once again.

“Aga… Miss Eliana.”

“Kalen.”

Her head felt numb, her breathing quickened. She felt as though the illness that had disappeared was returning, and her eyes filled with fear.

But Kalen showed no sign of backing down.

Why, why, why.

Why would he leave her?

Kalen was her dedicated bodyguard. She wanted him to stay by her side forever, to look only at her.

Without Kalen, daily life felt meaningless.

She didn’t want to imagine a room without Kalen, a mansion without Kalen, a garden, a world without Kalen.

All these things gained their meaning only because Kalen was there. Yet again, he mentioned their separation.

Just as Eliana’s head began to throb painfully, Kalen’s composed voice reached her ears.

“There’s medicine.”

As usual, his voice sounded calm and somewhat blunt. But precisely because of this, it was comforting and soothing to her heart.

Kalen searched his cloak after meeting her gaze, withdrawing a small glass vial.

The transparent vial was empty.

“Come to think of it, I’ve never mentioned this to you before.”

Though Kalen’s words were difficult to comprehend, she somehow managed to make them out.

Kalen placed the vial aside and removed his coat.

With a rapid heartbeat naturally resurfacing,

her gaze fell upon the pitch-black stains across his chest and the lines which had spread outward. Nothing had changed.

“For a long time, I’ve been suffering from an illness, Miss Eliana.”

“…”

“Like Miss Eliana’s illness, there’s nothing yet understood about it, and we don’t know the solution.”

“…”

“At least, with the medicine, there is hope for improvement, and the pain lessens somewhat.”

“…”

Kalen once again held up the empty vial.

“Then again, it’s all gone.”

“…”

“To get more, I must return and collect it, Miss Eliana.”

An illness like hers, suffering, lessened pain, hope.

There was not a single word that didn’t pierce her heart.

Didn’t she know?

They were things she had once harbored herself but could overcome and possess thanks to Kalen’s presence.

Something felt like it was choking her throat.

It was only a feeling.

Eliana slowly caressed Kalen’s body.

“Was… it because… of me?”

“No.”

Thank goodness.

A fleeting sense of relief passed through her mind, but then came discomfort.

The moment she acknowledged that relief, she lost a reason to hold onto Kalen.

Now, she wanted to hold onto Kalen even for the sake of guilt.

Only, it hurt.

Kalen hurt.

He needed medicine.

To get the medicine, he would have to part from her.

She didn’t want to separate.

She didn’t want Kalen to hurt.

He had been her protector, but who was protecting him?

She would do it even a hundred times if it came to it.

But she couldn’t bear seeing him in pain.

They would be together.

She would let him go.

She couldn’t decide between these two extremes tearing her apart.

Her head throbbed so painfully, it felt like it might split open.

And her choice was…

Gritting her teeth,

A crunching sound accompanied.

Trickling down, blood flowed from between Eliana’s lips.

“Cough! Cough!”

Eliana, exaggerating her cough, wiped her mouth with her palm and checked it. She then stretched her trembling palm out to Kalen.

“I hurt… Kalen…”

Her trembling jaw and voice reflected her overtaxed state. Letting go of all thought, Eliana chose to return to a time when she could comfortably rely on Kalen.

What if she got scolded? Or if Kalen became disappointed?

Kalen had done so much for her. Yet, she couldn’t let him go even if he was hurting.

How selfish would it seem?

Just imagining Kalen withdrawing his goodwill toward her made her feel like suffocating. But even if it meant dying, she didn’t want to lose Kalen.

Breathing deeply, her tongue hurting, her thoughts scattered. But something remained vivid.

Swish.

Kalen made a move after staying frozen for a while.

Eliana twitched reflexively and slowly examined Kalen.

Kalen, calm as usual but with a soft smile, began to wipe her hands and mouth.

This touched something within Eliana.

Her trembling subsided, her breathing returned.

No matter how it seemed to others, Kalen was still looking out for her.

As if the prince depicted on the winter island.

It was so heartwarming, heartwarming enough to love.

Despite hating it endlessly and not wanting to let go,

for a moment.

For just a small moment apart,

If having medicine meant Kalen could continue to stay with her…

Feeling the cloth touch her skin, Eliana could no longer maintain eye contact. She leaned into Kalen despite the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. Her head gently swayed side to side.

“Will you…come back?”

With her face buried in Kalen’s body, her lips stained with blood, and something like water streaming from her eyes,

Eliana held onto Kalen and didn’t let go.

The blood from her bitten lips mixed with the flowing water and collected on her jawline.

“If Eliana doesn’t forget me…”

“…”

Kalen had finally completed this strange transaction.

---