The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

139 – Daphnis (01)

140.

In conclusion, the clothes were safely purchased.

Kallen, who couldn’t accept defeat, just had a slightly dissatisfied expression.

Daphnis, who had successfully calmed his surprised heart, seemed to be in a good mood as he obtained the wish ticket.

They did not change into the clothes they had chosen for each other.

Also, they decided not to wear them when they met tomorrow.

Because Daphnis refused.

“Shall we wear them on the last day?”

“Yes, my lord. Do you dislike it…?”

“No. I was just curious. Why specifically the last day?”

“Ah…”

Was there a reason to wear them on the last day?

At Kallen’s question, Daphnis hesitated and shook his head.

“I don’t want to tell you now… Can I tell you when we wear them on the last day…?”

“…Alright.”

However, Daphnis did not reveal the reason.

Reading the deeply apologetic look in Daphnis’ eyes, Kallen could only guess that there must be a reason he couldn’t say now.

Anyway, they seemed to have spent more time in the clothing store than expected.

Before they knew it, a cold wind began to blow in the streets.

It meant that the day was about to get dark.

But it wasn’t disappointing.

Daphnis was happy enough with what had happened in the clothing store today.

He was a bit too tired to do anything else.

At the end, it was a bit…

No, it was quite embarrassing, to be honest.

If Kallen forgot about losing the bet, it was a fun day.

He handled the final situation well.

Spending time with Daphnis was also enjoyable.

“Then, my lord… I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Take care, Daphnis.”

“Yes… you too, my lord…”

Daphnis, who shyly greeted, got into the carriage Kallen had arranged.

Until the carriage door closed and the carriage disappeared from sight.

Kallen quietly watched the departing Daphnis, then turned around.

Thus, the second day passed.

*

On the third day.

Kallen and Daphnis went to see a famous prophet.

Mland, due to its vast size, is the city where the most peculiar people are often seen.

Among them, the most famous person is, of course, the ‘prophet’.

In a relatively underdeveloped area, far from the center of Mland.

Even in that worn-out street, people were forming long lines in front of a shabby place.

All to meet the prophet.

Though the prophet’s words were somewhat harsh and not always pleasant.

Rumors spread throughout the empire that the prophet of Mland spoke with eerie accuracy.

Given the number of people’s futures she had seen, she must have quite a bit of money left.

Except for the fact that she never left that shabby house, there was nothing particularly suspicious.

As the heir to Rkalin, who was sensitive to rumors and information, this was an opportunity not to be wasted.

Daphnis had already confirmed that her prophecies were eerily accurate.

Daphnis dragged Kallen to the long line.

When Kallen was struggling to suppress his bad thoughts, it was finally their turn.

The prophet was an old woman with graying hair.

Could she really see the future?

As Kallen and Daphnis cautiously sat across from her, the old woman gazed at them with indifferent eyes.

“We… we’re curious about what will happen to us in the future, Prophet.”

The old woman did not respond.

Rumors about her unpleasant personality seemed true, as she merely glared at the two with a peculiar look.

For a long while.

The old woman first spoke of Daphnis’s future.

“Soon, misfortune will come.”

– she said.

A short and simple prophecy.

A flustered Daphnis politely asked for an explanation.

The old woman clicked her tongue in displeasure and continued.

“If you overcome that misfortune, you will gain the most precious happiness. And it seems that the one sitting next to you will prevent that misfortune.”

She emphasized to Daphnis.

Not to leave Kallen’s side.

She even suggested marriage, causing Daphnis to bow his head deeply.

Kallen, intrigued, looked at the old woman.

But the old woman did not respond to Kallen’s expectations.

“Poor thing…”

She said.

Only shaking her head.

Kallen looked at the old woman calmly.

A flustered Daphnis demanded an explanation from the old woman.

But unlike with Daphnis.

The old woman did not elaborate on that short remark.

It was Daphnis who got angry.

The old woman, as if accustomed to it, sent Kallen and Daphnis away.

With Kallen saying it was okay, Daphnis apologized.

The third day ended.

Daphnis did not express his wish.

On the fourth day, they did not meet on the main street of Mland.

It was because Daphnis wanted to do something else.

As mentioned, Mland is the capital of the Claire Empire.

That means it was bustling.

The history of the empire, and its mighty power as an empire.

The capital, Mland, embraced both.

What Daphnis wanted to see was the history of the Claire Empire.

If you step a little away from the central square of Mland and the various streets that stretch out in all directions.

You can still see villages that retain the appearance of the old empire, nestled against the mountains.

Even though it was just a little away from the capital, the atmosphere was quite different.

The waterwheel quietly turned, and the sound of birds and the cool breeze felt pleasant.

Daphnis said he wanted to lie down together on the hill of that village.

Kallen agreed, and they headed to that village together.

They took in the sight of the tranquil village and lay down together on the hill.

The cool breeze and warm sunlight.

As they listened to the sound of birds, they heard the laughter of the village women.

“…It’s nice.”

“Isn’t it?”

Kallen nodded.

Because it felt better than expected.

And it was the same for Daphnis.

A feeling of happiness.

Just as imagined.

No, it was a feeling of happiness even greater than that.

Daphnis quietly looked at Kallen’s profile with his eyes closed, then wriggled and pulled out one of his arms.

When Kallen looked at him as if to ask what he was doing, he smiled and rested his head on that arm.

“The ground is hard and uncomfortable, my lord.”

“…So you use my arm…”

“Your arm is comfortable, my lord.”

“Is that a wish?”

“No~.”

Daphnis, who seemed oddly shameless.

Kallen quietly stared at her, let out a faint sigh, and closed his eyes again.

Daphnis, who had been giggling, followed Kallen and closed her eyes.

Lying on his arm, as if she were truly happy.

When the two, who had fallen asleep, opened their eyes.

The fourth day had already passed by in a flash.

Even on the fourth day, Daphnis did not make a wish.

On the fifth day.

Kallen and Daphnis headed to the central square of Mland, to the deepest tea house there.

A tea house that had an exclusive contract with the Ecclesia Salon.

It was always the place where the salon meetings were held.

At first, Kallen did not know why Daphnis wanted to go there.

Ecclesia was a forbidden area for men.

The tea house contracted with the Ecclesia Salon was also a forbidden area for men.

Although he had been to that tea house many times, there was a clear difference between going there out of necessity and going there on purpose.

Kallen hesitated, but at Daphnis’s reassurance, he was able to head to the tea house.

When they arrived at the tea house, unexpectedly, Daphnis did not go to the usual place.

The space in the inner hallway, used when the ladies of Ecclesia gathered.

It was also the place where Kallen and Daphnis first met.

Perhaps because she couldn’t help it, Daphnis sat in a plainly visible spot.

“Surprising.”

“What do you think this place is, my lord… Even though it looks like this, it is still a place that sells tea?”

Whenever he came to this tea house, it was always tied to other matters.

It was hard for Kallen to think of this place as simply selling tea.

Just a meeting place for the ladies of the Ecclesia Salon.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Daphnis called the tea house owner and ordered two cups of tea that Kallen did not know well.

Soon, the owner brought out the tea, and Daphnis elegantly lifted the teacup and sipped it.

Click.

Daphnis, after sipping a few sips of tea, put down the cup and said.

“This place holds deep meaning for me.”

“Ecclesia Salon…”

“Hehe…”

Daphnis had been the lady of Ecclesia from the beginning.

She was there before any lady Kallen knew.

Kallen spoke in a voice that couldn’t be sure if it was in that sense.

Daphnis, with a subtle expression, closed her eyes and sipped her tea.

“Who knows?”

“…”

“Ecclesia certainly holds deep meaning for me. There was a time when I wanted to make Ecclesia mine. Because of that, I had many quarrels with Belle.”

Clink.

The tea must have been fragrant.

Daphnis shyly smiled.

“But… I wasn’t talking about Ecclesia.”

Something other than Ecclesia.

Kallen did not know the reason why it held deep meaning for Daphnis.

When Kallen couldn’t answer for a while, Daphnis slowly opened her mouth while looking at Kallen.

“Master… The place where I first met you.”

“…You mean me.”

“Yes.”

Daphnis did not add more.

As if to think for yourself.

Daphnis fiddled with the handle of the teacup and continued.

“The reason I wanted to meet here today is… I wanted to thank you, Master.”

“Thank me?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Hoo.

The sound of a deep breath.

There were only the two of them here, and Kallen himself did not take a deep breath.

The tense breathing belonged to Daphnis.

“Thank you. My lord. These past few days, I have been truly happy.”

“…”

“Everything I do with you… It’s so fun and happy that I wish every day could be like this.”

But she was serious.

Daphnis, who was looking straight at Kalen, trembled slightly but never averted her gaze.

“So, thank you, Kalen. And, please take care of me for the remaining time.”

Daphnis finished speaking and smiled shyly.

The past few days.

Daphnis was genuinely happy.

As if she had found a paradise she never wanted to leave.

She didn’t want to wake up from this happiness.

So she was grateful.

So that this happiness wouldn’t be taken for granted.

Repeating to herself that it was a sweet dream she would have to wake up from someday.

Sip.

Daphnis, who had emptied her tea before she knew it, didn’t make a wish that day either.

The lovely girl was happy.

Because the time she spent with the boy was the happiest.

But the misfortune the girl hadn’t thought of was closer than she had expected.