The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies - Chapter 138



137 – Le Kallen (04)

138.

“Young master…! Who spends gold coins on just a dessert…!”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Do you know how flustered I was…!”

The dessert was delicious.

The honey milk dessert, the chocolate dessert.

Kallen, who had no interest in such things, found the dessert they ate together to be moderately sweet.

Was it because Daphnis asked for it to be less sweet?

It wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet, so Kallen liked the chocolate dessert too.

If the shop was always this crowded, they would have to reconsider, but.

It seemed like a good place to visit occasionally.

The problem was the gold coin.

Having been caught meeting with Richeza alone and then immediately meeting with Daphnis, there was no time to exchange the gold coin for silver or copper coins.

So, reluctantly, he paid for the chocolate dessert with a gold coin.

The guide was so surprised that he bent over as if to bow.

Daphnis, more surprised than the guide, stopped Kallen.

If you think about it, it wasn’t originally Kallen’s money.

But now it was his, so Kallen ended up paying for the dessert with a gold coin.

“I could have paid… It would have been really fine…”

“…”

Copper, silver, gold.

A hundred copper coins make a silver coin.

A hundred silver coins make a gold coin.

Kallen had a pile of such gold coins, but Daphnis didn’t know why.

So he couldn’t help but look apologetic.

He was the one who suggested eating the chocolate dessert, and now he felt like he had taken Kallen’s gold coin.

Kallen watched him and sighed quietly.

Explaining the origin of the gold coin would take too long, so he decided to soothe Daphnis’s feelings instead.

“Then let’s call it an apology.”

“…An apology?”

“For deceiving you. Consider it the price for that.”

“…”

“I think… that would balance the scales.”

Hadn’t they already resolved this by meeting like this for a week?

Daphnis had a character so noble that he was loved by his retainers.

He understood his people’s hearts well and was somewhat confident in reading their true feelings.

So he knew.

Right now, Kallen was being considerate so that Daphnis’s heart wouldn’t feel heavy.

“…Alright. I will gratefully accept that apology.”

“Thank you.”

The first day of the week.

Daphnis couldn’t focus properly that day, lost in the sweetness of the chocolate dessert.

*

The mansion of the Marquis of Le Carlin.

Despite the late hour, many people had gathered in front of the girl’s room.

The girl, Daphnis, was sitting demurely in a chair, just as she had been in the morning.

She was chatting with the maids who were removing her makeup.

It was only natural to be curious.

It was a significant day, the first time the girl who had never shown interest in men had met one.

Her hair, her clothes.

Jewelry and perfume.

Even her makeup.

There wasn’t a single thing she hadn’t paid attention to.

The maids, eager to hear her story, were diligently removing her makeup to avoid damaging her skin.

The fresh love story of the lovely young lady.

Daphnis, who had returned, neither smiled brightly nor laughed with joy.

She was just dazed.

Her cheeks and ears were flushed, making it hard to tell if it was natural makeup, as she sat there blankly.

But that only made her love story more intriguing.

What had kept this lovely girl from escaping that moment?

Finally, one of the maids, who had been diligently removing her makeup, couldn’t hold back and spoke up.

“Miss…! How was it today…?”

“Ah…?”

Daphnis, as if in a trance, blinked her eyes.

The sound of dry swallowing could be heard here and there.

The maid’s attitude was inappropriate for the situation, but since she had asked what everyone was curious about, it was overlooked.

Daphnis blankly recalled what had happened today.

-You’re beautiful.

“Hmph…”

The way he had taken a piece of pie and put it in her mouth.

The way he had casually brushed off what was on her lips.

Even the way he was considerate so as not to burden himself.

Daphnis recalled the four hours of grooming.

At the time, he had thought it was a bit tiring.

But…

-You’re beautiful, Daphnis.

“…”

What if that grooming really had an effect?

As the maids said, what if Kalen liked that look?

Daphnis slowly opened his eyes, looked at the maids, and shyly lowered his head.

“Tomorrow too… I want to hear… that I’m beautiful…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

A moment of silence.

“Eek…!”

The maids looked at each other and squealed.

Daphnis lowered his head deeply, as if embarrassed.

How lovely he looked.

The retainers couldn’t erase the satisfied smiles on their faces.

Daphnis, left alone in the room.

It was already quite late, so it was time for everyone to sleep.

Daphnis also removed all his makeup and sat on the bed in comfortable clothes.

“…”

Had there ever been such a happy day?

At least not in the past few years.

Walking in places he liked.

Eating things he liked.

…The person he liked…

“Ugh…!”

Embarrassed, Daphnis shook his head.

Anyway, it was an incredibly happy day.

I had finished all the work for the week in advance, thanks to Mars’ help.

Could this happiness continue for a whole week?

As Daphnis was imagining such thoughts.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

No one should be coming at this hour.

The maids should all be asleep by now.

Just as Daphnis tilted his head and was about to ask who it was.

A familiar voice came from outside the door.

“Daphnis. Are you still up?”

“Father?”

“May I come in?”

Of course, as the head of the family, Father had many duties.

It wasn’t unusual for him to be awake at this hour.

Daphnis opened the door.

The head of the LeCalin family, Develt LeCalin, entered.

He sat down on a chair, and Daphnis quickly tidied up and sat across from him.

“What brings you here, Father…”

“You look happy.”

When the ancestors were gathered in front of the door.

Of course, Develt and his wife were there too.

It was the day their beloved daughter met a man for the first time.

His wife, Sira LeCalin, looked purely happy.

But Develt LeCalin’s smile was a bit different.

Of course, he was glad his daughter returned with a joyful heart, not disappointed.

But there was something lacking in Daphnis that Develt expected.

Develt smiled at Daphnis and asked in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Daphnis. It’s good to take a break, but you haven’t forgotten the most important thing, have you?”

“…”

“You are the one who will follow in the footsteps of Develt Lecalin and elevate Lecalin to the ranks of the six great families. Always remember that.”

Daphnis is deep-hearted and kind.

Daphnis likes work and is good at it.

The expectations placed on her.

The expectation that she must become a great and excellent head of the family.

As if it were a matter of course, Develt asked.

Daphnis looked at her father, hesitated for a moment, and then smiled awkwardly.

“Of course, I know. Father.”

“Yes. Of course, you should. Sleep well.”

“Good night to you too, Father.”

Develt left the room with a satisfied smile, as if pleased with the answer.

Daphnis, left in the chair.

“…”

Unable to erase the awkward smile.

She slightly lowered her head and trembled at the corners of her mouth.

It was a long time before Daphnis returned to bed.

*

The second day.

Kallen met Daphnis in the same place.

Her hair and clothes felt different, as if they were the same as yesterday but with a different feeling.

Perhaps she had changed her perfume, it felt different.

“Did you get home well yesterday?”

“Ah…”

Last night.

At Kallen’s question, Daphnis recalled what had happened yesterday and forced a bright smile.

“Yes… And you, sir?”

“I was good too.”

Daphnis quickly shook off that subtle awkwardness.

Focusing on the present.

At least when meeting this boy, I was certainly happy.

I didn’t want to waste this time with bad thoughts.

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Whether Kalen noticed the momentary change,

Daphnis couldn’t tell.

“Is there something you want to do today?”

“Um…”

There were many things I wanted to do.

Just thinking about what to do with Kalen for a week kept Daphnis awake.

One of them was shopping for clothes together.

“Let’s go look at clothes.”

“Clothes?”

“Yes. I brought money with me today.”

“Understood.”

Daphnis, who did not neglect social connections,

Naturally formed friendships with numerous young ladies.

Forming friendships with young ladies usually involved everyday conversations.

There were few things as fun as sharing and empathizing with each other’s daily lives.

And there was something those young ladies commonly said.

Choosing clothes with their fiancé was so much fun.

Just picking out clothes that each other liked was enough to make them feel good.

They said that meeting while wearing those clothes made their love feel even deeper.

Of course… Kalen and I weren’t in that kind of relationship.

Since I had the opportunity, there was no time to hesitate.

It might be a chance that would never come again.

Daphnis, overcoming embarrassment, extended a slightly trembling hand to Kalen.

“Sh-shall we go?”

“…”

Kalen quietly looked at the hand, then carefully took it.

“Gladly.”

Daphnis, having forgotten about what happened last night, shyly smiled.