The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies - Chapter 130



129 – Richeza (01)

130.

After poking Kallen with the fan for a while, Richeza, seemingly in a good mood, quickly stood up in the central square.

Then she told Kallen she was bored and suggested they wander around the city.

It was hard to adapt to her sudden change of emotion.

Kallen silently followed Richeza around the city of Mland.

They visited the shop of a famous doll artisan.

They walked from one end of the street to the other along the gently flowing river.

They also toured the old library where the history of the Claire Empire was recorded.

It was more fun than deciding what to do and wandering around.

Although I headed to places that caught my eye at the moment, the doll shop was especially fun, even though I thought it would be childish.

How long had I been wandering around like that?

It was about time to go back.

The sunny weather quickly turned dark, and soon it started to rain as dark clouds gathered.

If I delayed any longer, there might not be a carriage to take me back.

Only a skilled coachman with guaranteed skills would drive a carriage in this weather.

I also had to consider the time it would take to return to the family.

Richeza leaned against the wall alone, tapping the innocent ground.

It was because it was more boring than I thought.

Was it unexpectedly fun to be together?

Now that Kallen had left for a moment to find a carriage to return.

Richeza was standing alone on a deserted street, trying to soothe her boredom.

There was also a part of her that didn’t want to return to the family.

It was hard to avoid her father, who had no intention of hiding his ugly desires.

There was only one thing that could make her forget that and focus solely on the present.

Chatting happily with Daphnis.

Talking about everyday life.

Talking about the ridiculous rumors Daphnis had heard.

Talking about her pure passion.

And…

Now, there might be one more thing added to that fun.

Although she didn’t want to admit it, she might give it a second place.

Confirming what kind of person Kallen was, wasn’t that boring.

Richeza inadvertently smiled.

Splash…

It was the moment her foot tapped the innocent ground.

“Why are you alone in a place like this?”

“…”

Richeza looked up with a cold face.

A greasy-looking man walked over with a greasy smile on his face.

“…Ha.”

His attire, dripping with luxury, was obvious at a glance.

Even though it was quite dark due to the rain, the sight of his flashy clothes made me think he looked incredibly tacky.

Richeza turned her gaze away, her face cold and hard.

Most men would back off at this point.

Even though he had spoken first and made eye contact, turning her gaze away was a clear signal to not bother her.

But not everyone is like that.

The young lords of the social world live by their pride.

If they feel someone has damaged their honor, they will seek revenge no matter what.

So, turning her gaze away without a response was an insult to his honor.

Some of those who suffered such humiliation would persist in talking to her no matter what.

“…Haha. I guess you didn’t hear me well because of the rain. Did you miss your carriage?”

“…”

The annoying man approached Richeza.

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No matter how much it rained, it was impossible not to hear his voice.

So, Richeza moved further away.

She kept her gaze forward, making it clear to anyone not to approach.

As mentioned earlier, most men would back off at this point.

Whether they cursed or frowned.

Even as noble lords, they wouldn’t push forward at the cost of their pride.

But on a slightly unlucky day, she would meet a persistent person.

“Well, on a day like this, it would be difficult for a coachman to drive a carriage. Don’t you think?”

Like now.

Men who were obsessed with women and approached anyone.

Slaves to their twisted desires, thinking they could strike up a conversation no matter what.

Richeza wanted to leave immediately, but the rain made it impossible.

And, even when she expressed disinterest, Richeza had her own rule for dealing with men who approached her.

To be kind once.

Richeza awkwardly smiled, showing only half her face, and spoke.

“Thank you for your concern. But it’s okay. My companion has gone to arrange a carriage. So, you don’t have to worry.”

If I don’t do this, there’s no justification.

To be honest, if Kallen and Daphnis hadn’t shown interest, Richeza herself wouldn’t have spoken first.

…Probably.

So if I don’t draw a clear line now, it might become troublesome later.

Sometimes there are really crazy beasts who claim that she seduced them first.

Richeza had no desire to deliberately seek out a man who could communicate like Kallen.

Richeza finished speaking and turned her head away again.

She crossed her arms and closed her eyes as if to say, “Don’t talk to me.”

“In this heavy rain, a carriage? Haha… You don’t have to be shy. I am Niden of the Marquis of Vibrié.”

But the man was unusually persistent.

It’s rare for a man not to back off even after this much.

In that sense, today might really be an unlucky day.

The man who introduced himself as Niden boldly grabbed Richeza’s wrist.

“What are you…!”

“Um…

A situation where her wrist was forcibly grabbed.

Held by a man she despised, receiving the gaze she least wanted to recall.

Just as she had always done, Richeza coldly treated the man who approached her.

And those eyes, eerily similar to her father’s, were enough to cloud Richeza’s judgment.

The man’s face suddenly hardened, as if the smile he had worn until now was a lie.

“What? Disgusting?”

“Of course, it’s disgusting… Ugh…?”

Squeeze-

The hand gripping Richeza’s wrist tightened even more.

The man’s face turned grim, and he held Richeza’s hand so tightly that blood couldn’t circulate.

“Ah, it hurts…”

“Even the young ladies of the Five Great Families don’t dare to treat me like this, and you dare to call me disgusting?”

“…Five Great Families?”

If he meant the young ladies of the Five Great Families, was he talking about the ones she knew?

Richeza had never seen them show interest in any noble other than Kallen.

Not even in brief conversations.

Especially that Eliana…

Richeza forced a trembling smile.

She was scared.

Her captured hand hurt, and the man’s grim face terrified her.

A warm hand that carefully considered her.

An indifferent expression, but gentle eyes that focused on her.

Why wasn’t he here now, of all times?

If he came now, she might barely pass.

Richeza forced back the tears that threatened to fall and spoke mockingly.

“You talked to the young ladies of the Five Great Families? Someone like you?”

“…”

Whether he had really talked to them or not.

Whether they really couldn’t treat Niden carelessly, Richeza didn’t know.

The only women Richesa knows wouldn’t give a man like *that* the time of day.

So she hides herself away even more, and mocks him.

That’s how Richesa has always avoided men.

It’s the only way she knows to make a man stronger than herself back off.

But Richesa overlooked one crucial thing: this isn’t a social gathering.

There are no other gazes to be wary of, no fear of being judged for overpowering a fragile woman.

And so, after hearing Richesa’s words, Niden…

*Thud!*

“Ah… ugh…”

Niden slammed Richesa’s wrist away, shoving her against the wall instead.

The force of it made her heeled foot slip, and hitting the wall like that meant she couldn’t keep herself upright.

The ground was muddy, stained by the rain.

Her leg, scratched raw against the rough wall, was bleeding.

It hurt, and it was terrifying.

Today was an unusually unlucky day.

Of all the men she’d encountered, she had to meet the worst one yet.

Of all the men she’d met, she had to meet one her usual tricks wouldn’t work on.

And now that she knew, with the rain and the pain in her leg, she couldn’t run away.

Richesa, trembling, struggled to prop herself up on the ground.

Her hand was scraped raw on the stone, bleeding, and she tried to get away, however she could.

But it felt like her legs had given out, and Richesa just gasped for breath, holding herself up by clutching the stone.

What was making things the hardest for Richesa was that the dirty look in Niden’s eyes was the same look her father had when he looked at her.

Men—she hated them.

Even if it was their own daughter, they couldn’t hide their vile desires.

For some reason, the face of a boy who had *never* looked at her that way came to mind.

Niden, breathing roughly, pushed back his rain-soaked hair.

Then, composed, he approached Richesa with the same smile he had before.

“It’s okay. I’ll educate you.”

Thump, thump.

Richesa heard the slow approach of his footsteps.

Her blank gaze was directed at the fan that had fallen to the stone floor and become dirty.

Thus, Niden approached the fallen Richeza and extended his hand.

It was at that moment.

“You’re doing something that would get you killed if Sinat saw it.”

A low, heavy baritone.

Another set of footsteps, different from Niden’s.

Richeza slowly lifted her head and looked ahead.

A boy with dark eyes quietly walked over, picked up the fan, and brushed off the dirt.

Then, as if he had no intention of letting her hold the dirty fan, he hung it at his waist and brushed the dirt off Richeza’s cheek where she had fallen.

“Are you alright, miss?”

“…”

Richeza quietly accepted the warm touch, then lowered her head as she felt something indescribable.

Something warmer than rainwater flowed down her cheek where the boy’s hand had touched.