The Knight of Clingy Young Ladies

025.

Knock, knock.

The study room exuded an aura of solemnity.

The mountain of documents on the desk had significantly diminished.

The face of the middle-aged man seated at the desk, who had been handling affairs, also appeared much less fatigued.

This was due to a recent change.

Though a new issue had arisen, the sense of relief was undeniable, like having a painful tooth finally extracted.

All of this was because a boy who had arrived one day had completely changed everything.

Even the mighty Lactus family, one of the four great houses supporting the empire, couldn’t solve the problem.

It was nothing short of a miracle.

“Steward Bern of the inner administration. My Lord.”

“Enter.”

Bern carefully opened the door and entered, gave a slight bow to Duke Everchant, and placed a stack of documents on the desk.

The Claire Empire was in its prime, and upholding the empire as one of the four pillars was no easy responsibility.

Everchant stared blankly at the newly added documents, then relaxed his furrowed brow.

Recently, Lactus had been extraordinarily busy due to the changes brought by the boy, which had propelled them to the next level.

Although this was the planned course of action by showcasing their activities in society, the fatigue was unavoidable.

To make matters more complicated, the Lactus family was already one of the most powerful. When their youngest daughter awakened her magical affinity, dozens of requests per day flooded in, all seeking an audience.

For lower-ranking nobles who couldn’t awaken magic, life was difficult.

Even though they were nobility, hiring a magic tutor was often a financial burden.

Ultimately, they had to attach themselves to influential rulers, just as before.

“Lord of the house. A visitation request has been received.”

As expected, Bern had come not only with the stack of documents but also with a visitation request.

Everchant gestured for him to continue, but then hesitated for a moment.

The visitation request Bern mentioned sounded unusual.

Typically, those who wished to meet the head of the Lactus family would send elaborate letters laden with flattery.

Such a matter couldn’t be handled with mere words.

This was not only a matter of etiquette but almost a law.

For a weaker noble to disregard protocol was akin to issuing a challenge.

There were two possibilities for someone who could do this:

The first: reckless fools who dared to defy the Lactus family.

And the second: a high-ranking noble whose standing equaled or rivaled that of the Lactus family.

“Who is it?”

Everchant lowered his hand from his furrowed brow and asked, his voice heavy with fatigue. But if it was the latter, this was no trivial matter.

“It is the eldest daughter of the Hiart Dukedom.”

Everchant straightened his posture with a thoughtful grunt.

The Hiart Dukedom belonged to the latter category.

The title of Duke was not bestowed lightly. Nowadays, only a Great Mage might receive such an honor.

In the current royal court, which valued power, tensions with the four houses were running high.

Yet the fact that the position of Duke had been granted meant one thing: it was in compensation for guarding the northern frontier.

In reality, the prestige among the four great houses was nearly equal.

“Go on.”

The daughter in question and the boy had both been to the north.

The coincidence was too perfect.

Simultaneously, there was an undeniable suspicion that this, too, was related to the boy.

Everchant smirked with a knowing smile.

*

“Regarding the north?”

“That’s right. The north.”

In the makeshift training yard behind the small cottage, a small pile of dirt lay scattered, serving as a convenient resting spot.

Kalén and Blamia were seated there, engaged in conversation.

The north was a place they had visited before. The winter landscapes of those lands were unforgettable.

Blamia, however, was not one for beating around the bush.

There was no reason to sugarcoat it.

“Why is this happening?”

“To put it simply, both the Lactus family and the Hiart family have requested this.”

Blamia seemed somewhat apologetic.

“The Lactus family claims that the Hiart family has changed its mind and can no longer honor its promise, while the Hiart family insists on sending you, young one.”

This was the reason Dekawm Lactus had hesitated before leaving.

Perhaps he lacked the courage to say it himself, so he entrusted Blamia with the task of delivering the message.

And rightly so.

Had Kalén heard this directly while seated, it would have likely sparked an endless conflict.

In that sense, it wasn’t hard to understand.

Given the nature of magic, where even a single rank difference could create an immense disparity, Blamia’s towering stature necessitated no deference from anyone.

In fact, it was the others who should be wary of Blamia.

Still, in this world…

As Blamia herself admitted, despite her immense power, she was now an elderly elder. While technically at the 6th rank, she admitted to being near the end of the 5th rank.

In short, she was a “venerable giant.”

Even the heads of the other four great families were nearing the 5th rank.

Should four people at the very end of the 4th rank clash with someone at the end of the 5th rank…

The outcome was anything but predictable. After all, actual combat hadn’t occurred in a very long time.

Moreover, the name Drannus carried its own threat.

The revival of a family that once ruled the world, even challenging the royal family, was something that the present royal house and the other four pillars would certainly strive to prevent.

For the Drannus family, the only available forces, without its patriarch or eldest son, was Blamia.

Against such odds, even her abilities wouldn’t be enough to protect both Sina and the family.

Blamia understood this fully, which is why she felt guilty for inconveniencing Kalén.

She could have resolved the matter alone, but the thought of burdening a young teenager, who hadn’t even undergone his coming-of-age ceremony, weighed on her.

Yet Kalén was slightly annoyed.

It seemed like the Lactus family was ultimately breaking their promise, despite all the talk of doing the right thing.

Though he didn’t think Duke Everchant would act this way, the evidence pointed otherwise.

“Young one, the Lactus family isn’t in the wrong.”

Blamia, as always, sensed the misunderstanding immediately.

“Do you really think the revival of the Dranunus Family could be accomplished solely by the Lactus family? You’re still too pure. Of course, the Hiart family had to agree to this as well.”

She was right—thinking about it logically confirmed the truth.

Not even the Lactus family, as one of the most powerful noble families, could single-handedly revive a family as formidable as the Dranunus.

Initially, this agreement was intended to grant Lady Eliana’s wish, combining the forces of the Lactus and Hiart families located in the north.

“Recently, the Hiart family has changed its mind. They declared that they would not participate unless Kalén was sent.”

The ruler of the north, the Hiart family, had little interest in political machinations.

They were already exhausted from handling northern affairs, leaving no room to spare attention elsewhere.

Their decision to participate was based on their amicable relationship with the Lactus family. And naturally, the Lactus family had planned to collaborate with Hiart to prepare for the Dranunus family’s return.

However, the unexpected decision of Hiart to back out disrupted their plans.

Moreover, it was understood that if Dranunus were to rise again, all four noble houses would conspire to block them. Since Hiart had no interest in politics, if Lactus were to block Dranunus, Hiart would follow suit.

In essence, without Hiart’s participation, Lactus alone would be insufficient.

The revival of the Dranunus family, which Blamia and Sina fervently wished for, depended heavily on this alliance.

Kalén had understood the situation.

Ultimately, another trip to the north would resolve the issue.

Truthfully, he had planned to revisit the north anyway.

His current abnormal state and body could only be addressed by advancing his magical rank, and the north, with its frequent battles, was perfectly suited for such training.

“To what task should I commit myself, Master?”

“I’m grateful.”

“Not at all.”

Blamia looked at Kalén, who was smiling quietly, with a troubled expression.

Kalén’s resemblance to Citram, growing day by day, was increasingly painful, especially when such selfless qualities surfaced.

Every time she thought about bidding farewell to Kalén, another conflicting emotion surfaced.

Even though she had received considerable favors, wasn’t it unfair to ask this young one to sacrifice himself for her cause?

Their separation had been predetermined from the start, yet the memories binding them had grown too strong.

Blamia’s inner turmoil only deepened.

“…Protection duty.”

“Protection duty again?”

“They said you’ll understand once you’re there. They won’t divulge more details until you officially accept.”

“That’s fine. Since I’m going, I’ll aim to break through the 3rd rank while I’m at it.”

The north was the northernmost frontier in the Claire Empire continent, bordering hostile territories and frequently seeing combat against monsters.

It was also one of the few places where swordplay still reigned supreme over magic.

Swords, men, tradition—it might seem a little outdated by today’s standards, but it was this very difference that defined the north.

Naturally, manpower was always in short supply.

Though Kalén had some reservations about going as a bodyguard rather than a mercenary, it would be his final mission.

Once this final task was completed, the Dranunus family would be able to officially revive.

This was the wish of Blamia and Sina.

He could repay his debts, part ways amicably, and fulfill his final duty.

In every way, it was a clean and perfect ending.

Though Sina did come to mind—while the revival of the Dranunus family might not prevent them from meeting again, eventually, they could naturally drift apart due to their busy schedules.

Thus, the conclusion was simple: he only needed to successfully complete this final trip north.

This mission aligned with his goal of advancing his magical rank, repaying his debt to Blamia, and fulfilling Sina’s wishes.

There was simply no reason not to go.

Thus, not long after returning to the small cottage, Kalén once again pledged to head to the north.

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