The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

140 – Daphnis (02)

141.

“Umm…”

Rustle-

One of the best rooms in the Rkalin mansion.

Daphnis Rkalin, the owner of the room, rubbed her eyes that still wouldn’t open well and got up.

Although she wasn’t used to it yet, she had been waking up at this time recently, so her eyes opened even if she was sleepy.

A week of meeting Kalen.

The time spent dressing up for that meeting alone was four hours.

Since she couldn’t reduce the time spent with Kalen, Daphnis decided to reduce her sleeping time.

Rubbing his eyes, Daphnis barely got out of bed.

Yesterday, he finally conveyed his feelings.

Of course, Kallen still has no time to spare.

Since there has been no progress in his relationships with those great ladies, even if he confesses, he won’t be accepted.

The task Kallen mentioned, the one he must do.

Expressing his true feelings had to come after that.

Still, Daphnis felt good.

Or perhaps, he thought, happy.

Had there been a time in recent years when he was this happy?

Just being with the boy made him smile, how could he think this time was difficult?

So Daphnis could endure it.

Even if his body was a little tired, it was much better than when he was just working.

A life spent staring at paper from the moment he woke up until he fell asleep.

Though he would have to return to his duties after this week ended.

For now, he wanted to focus on this sweet happiness.

“Only two days left…”

Including today, two days.

It feels like a dream.

It’s hard to believe that time can flow so quickly.

It must be a happy dream.

Dreams are something you wake up from eventually.

When this week is over, he would have to wake up from this happy dream.

Still, it was good.

The fact that time flew by so quickly meant he was so focused on each moment that he didn’t even have time to feel its passage.

It proved that the time spent with Kallen was not in vain.

And there was no time to regret that time.

What should they do today?

He still wasn’t used to the boy’s rough yet warm hands, but just thinking about what to do with him made him smile.

It was just about time for the maids to start waking up, so should he wait a little longer?

Daphnis sat on the bed, thinking about what to do with Kallen today.

Daphnis, who was thinking about the things she couldn’t do with Kalen, and at the same time wanted to do.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door, and Daphnis, who was lost in thought, looked at the door.

Could it be the maids who couldn’t hold back and came to find her?

They seemed more earnest about this matter than Daphnis herself.

“…Miss. It’s Mars.”

But surprisingly, it wasn’t the maids who came.

Mars.

Her assistant and the chief informant of the LeCalin family.

One of the people Daphnis trusted the most, having worked together for several years.

“Mars?”

“…You’re awake. May I come in for a moment?”

Daphnis tilted her head in confusion.

Because Mars’s voice was gloomy.

It was rare to see him so downcast.

Coming to her at such an early hour, with a gloomy voice.

Daphnis, feeling a bit uneasy, hurriedly opened the door.

“…Miss.”

“Mars, is something wrong?”

Mars’s expression was even more somber than his voice.

But for some reason, his gaze was fixed on Daphnis herself.

Had some urgent information come in?

Daphnis let Mars in.

On the very day she was supposed to meet Kalen.

A day she didn’t want to waste even an hour.

It wasn’t for nothing that she had finished a week’s worth of work in advance.

But information has its own characteristics, so it’s not strange for it to be sudden like this.

Daphnis sat Mars down and slowly asked.

“Is it something urgent that I need to handle?”

“…”

However, strangely enough.

Mars could hardly open his mouth.

As if he was going crazy with guilt for delivering this news.

In the eyes that looked at Daphnis, there was a deep sense of pity.

Pity?

Daphnis had handled urgent matters with Mars more than a hundred times.

So the emotion of pity was very strange.

Just as Daphnis was about to say something about that strangeness.

Mars slowly opened his mouth.

And the news he delivered.

It was the news that Daphnis least wanted to hear.

*

Clang!

There are two offices in the Leucalin mansion.

As mentioned, one is Daphnis’s office.

Then the remaining one is, of course, the head of the household’s office.

It is rare for the door of the head of the Leucalin household’s office to open so roughly.

Moreover, the person who opened the door so roughly was the least likely to do so.

“What is it, Daphnis. So ungraceful.”

“…Father.”

The beloved girl of Leucalin.

Always thoughtful, considerate of others.

A girl talented enough to be recognized early by the head of the household, and who loves to work.

The expression of such a girl was, indeed, rarely distorted.

Develt, who was working in the office, put down his fountain pen for a moment and looked at Daphnis, who had entered roughly.

Daphnis slowly walked over and approached until there was only a desk between them.

“Father… it’s not true, right? I heard wrong, right…?”

“…”

“You were the one who said rest is important… I haven’t taken a day off in years…”

The reason Daphnis’s face was distorted as if she was about to cry.

A moment ago, it was because of what Mars had conveyed.

– Miss… It seems… from today, you will have to resume your duties…

– …What? Mars, I clearly finished a week’s worth of work…

– The head of the family has ordered… Daphnis Lecalin is to return to the family’s affairs…

– …What?

– They are not sensitive matters that I could handle… but there is a lot. And the head of the family has insisted that Miss Daphnis must take responsibility for these tasks…

– What… does that mean…

Recalling Mars’ words, Daphnis spoke, choking up.

“Did I… misunderstand? Right? Father?”

“Daphnis.”

“Mother always told me to take a break sometimes…”

“Daphnis Lecalin.”

Pleadingly.

As if asking him to say those words were a lie.

Daphnis looked desperately at Develt.

But Develt was wearing a stern expression that Daphnis had never seen before.

Develt Lecalin was not a particularly strict person.

In fact, he was rather gentle by nature.

And the expression he showed now was one he reserved for those who had committed serious wrongs in the mansion.

“Why are you acting so unlike yourself? And a week, I never thought you would actually take all that time off.”

“…What?”

“When I said you should rest sometimes, I didn’t mean you should neglect the family’s affairs for a whole week. You should know better, Daphnis.”

“Father… I completed all the tasks for the week in advance…”

“Haha… You still speak so leisurely. There is little time left until you take over as head of the family.”

Tsk.

Develt clicked his tongue in pity.

That sound of clicking his tongue struck something within Daphnis.

If it had been a reprimanding click, it would have been fine.

But it was a sound of pity.

A sound that seemed to deny all the efforts she had made until now, and it was enough to strike something within Daphnis.

“What have I always told you? What’s the most important thing when handling information?”

“…Speed and accuracy.”

“Even if you did a week’s worth of work in advance, information is something that can come in anew the moment you finish. Ignoring such basics and lazing around for a week… I can no longer leave you be. This is not like you, Daphnis.”

“…”

Not like me.

Daphnis found those words deeply unsettling.

As if something repulsive was stuck in her throat.

Her head felt clouded, and her chest was tightly constricted.

She hated that repulsive feeling so much.

Daphnis couldn’t help but shed tears.

“…What do you mean by ‘like me’?”

“What?”

“What do you mean by ‘like me’…!”

The beloved young lady of Rkalin.

She had to understand the hearts of her people well,

Always be generous and kind.

Able to accomplish anything smoothly.

A girl who had to love work so much that she couldn’t rest for years.

Until now, without anyone knowing.

The things a beloved young girl had swallowed inside began to surge up.

Daphnis glared at Develt and gritted her teeth.

“I want to rest too…! I hate looking at papers all the time…! I want to be with someone I like, just like any other ordinary young lady…!”

“W-What…”

The obedient daughter who always listened well.

Develt frowned deeply at the sight of Daphnis he had never seen before.

“A week! I’ve thought only of the family for years, and it’s just a week…! Father, don’t you feel sorry for me at all!”

“Daphnis! What are you doing, being so unseemly! I’ve always told you. You must raise Rkalin to the highest position, following in my footsteps! You know your talent too!”

“Talent…”

That damn talent.

Daphnis realized that even at that moment, Develt was looking not at her, but at the perfect heir to Rkalin, and she laughed weakly.

“Father… Have you ever seen the young ladies of the Five Great Families, even once?”

“What kind of strange question is that all of a sudden…!”

“My talent is nothing.”

Compared to a certain boy.

Even they seem insignificant.

Daphnis barely wiped away the flowing tears and looked at Develt with eyes filled with anger.

If only a week had passed, she would have returned to being the obedient daughter on her own.

Was even that luxury too much to ask for?

The harsh reality had forcibly torn her away from the sweet dream.

“I’ll do it. I’ll do everything you ask of me, Master. All those tasks you say I must do, I’ll do them all. So please.”

“…”

“So please… I can’t give up the remaining two days. Yield to me. No matter how late it gets, I will go out.”

With those words, Daphnis turned around without hesitation.

Just before opening the door to leave, she murmured in a quiet voice.

“Don’t take away the only happiness I’ve barely found… anymore.”

Clang!

The door closed violently.