NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13
013.
“Hmm…”
“…”
For seven years, she hadn’t stepped outside her room.
When Kalen first heard this, he could only vaguely imagine the feeling of being confined. He couldn’t truly grasp what it entailed.
After all, who could truly understand being locked away for seven years? While it might happen rarely, not many ordinary people could empathize with such an extreme situation.
Now, however, Kalen was finally starting to understand its implications.
Meals, baths, and other necessities of daily life — the only reason all these could be managed was because of Lacatus. Thanks to his knowledge of magic tools, he could infuse and activate magic within them, solving many issues.
Even Emma, who occasionally kept her company, could only endure for a few minutes to half an hour at most.
Seven long years.
It wasn’t strange for the noble young lady trapped in her room to forget how to walk.
Her frail body, weakened by illness, and the unfamiliar sensation of her legs moving after so long lying in bed — this was the reason why, when Kalen announced it was time to leave and she took her first step off the bed, she failed almost immediately.
Eliana merely stared blankly, eventually collapsing onto the floor, her hands clutching it.
The reality of her departure to Winter Island had been exciting in its own way. When Kalen finally suggested they leave, her heart had fluttered with anticipation.
Yet, this was how it started: her body utterly unable to find strength.
Kalen simply watched her for a moment before saying,
“Excuse me.”
“?…”
Slipping one arm around Eliana’s waist and using the other hand to support her, he began.
Eliana felt a tingling sensation on her skin but also the strange lightness of her body as if she were floating. Turning her head, she saw Kalen’s face faintly illuminated, though it seemed as if he were smiling.
“I’ve used a little magic to help.”
“…”
Kalen had employed a Level 1 magic spell, “Lightweight,” which, though classified as a basic magic spell and not typically used in combat, was perfect for this situation. He made Eliana’s already delicate body lighter, almost causing her to float. Then, by placing his hands directly on her body to guide her, he could simulate walking.
Without Kalen’s assistance, she would have collapsed instantly.
“Shall we go?”
At the warm voice beside her, Eliana hesitated before nodding.
Creak —
The door to the room that had been her prison for seven years opened.
*
“…Are you uncomfortable?”
“Not at all.”
Eliana immediately realized Kalen’s words were a lie. His steps were deliberately slow and unnatural, matching her pace, and his hands supporting her arms trembled slightly. Concentration on the spell meant Kalen was exerting far more mental effort than he let on.
Nevertheless, his voice was calm and indifferent, as if nothing was wrong.
Eliana knew this was Kalen’s way of being considerate. Timing their escape from the mansion was likely his choice — perhaps even discussed with her father, whose face had grown blurry over time. It was clearly a precaution against attention and potential accidents.
Still, the only thing Eliana could do was fully rely on him, feeling like a burden.
While she was excited about potentially seeing Winter Island, guilt for troubling Kalen started to rise within her.
But she knew that hearing her apologies repeatedly would burden him as well. Thus, she quietly allowed him to support her, keeping her head low.
Even though Kalen was helping her stay stable, the only thing visible in her sightline were what seemed to be her own shadows. Even these small details kept her from feeling overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sensations.
As her focus stayed on her feet, she began to notice the different textures they encountered.
First, wood.
Next, something as hard as stone.
Then, something softer, more natural like dirt and grass.
“We’re going by carriage, miss.”
“A…”
Did that mean she was outside now? A carriage couldn’t enter the house.
Eliana felt a pang of sadness at this surreal situation. The garden she had longed to explore while trapped in her room was now beyond her reach, though she was physically within it.
She couldn’t see any of it. Couldn’t feel it. She only felt Kalen’s hands holding her.
Realizing her dependence on him, Eliana began to feel uneasy, as if crossing an ocean in a small ferry anchored only by Kalen.
Her body’s proximity to Kalen was unavoidable.
“Miss, I… technically only have permission from the master for necessary contact, but this much…”
She didn’t reply — it was her way of rejecting his offer.
As Kalen spent more time with Eliana, he gradually discovered new things about her, one of which was her stubborn streak for her age.
When Eliana pretended not to hear and closed her mouth, it was her way of asking him to adjust to her. Kalen sighed quietly and carried on walking.
From the room to the mansion, and finally out to the carriage. Their chosen early morning departure ensured they encountered no one. Though it was deliberate, it felt as if she and the world had been left alone.
After walking for some time, they reached the carriage. It wasn’t fancy to look at.
Technically, a nobleman of Lacatus’s rank should have had an elaborate carriage and dozens of guards. Eliana, after all, was a noblewoman who deserved it.
However, this carriage was specially made by Lord Everchant with the intention of minimizing variables. With Kalen as the sole escort, they wanted to control and simplify everything possible.
Regardless of whether the carriage was flashy or modest, each option had its pros and cons. This had been a frequent subject of discussion between Everchant and Kalen.
A grand carriage would deter low-level threats but would surely attract attention from higher circles.
A modest design would keep low-threat opportunists away but wouldn’t pique the curiosity of those higher in society.
Kalen preferred the later option, as despite knowing Level 2 magic, handling high-ranking nobles proved problematic.
The Everchant Duke agreed, keeping Level 2 magic a secret. With Lady Eliana’s condition being confidential, they wanted to avoid unnecessary attention from high nobles who might see the Lacatus crest and become curious.
As both her father and Lord of the house, he had to balance fulfilling her wish with protecting the family’s vulnerabilities.
The finished carriage, after much deliberation, appeared modest on the outside but inside was fully transformed into a comfortable bed space, tailored specifically to Eliana’s needs for their northern journey.
As Kalen placed Eliana inside, he said,
“An amplifier is installed, so even a small voice will reach me. Please don’t hesitate to call.”
“Kalen…?”
“If you’re sleepy, you can rest. If you’re hungry, please let me know. For personal needs, I’ve brought the familiar magic tool, so you should be able to find it easily by feeling around the bedside.”
“Kalen… are you not staying by me…?”
Eliana’s words stumbled as she tried to meet his gaze.
“My role is to drive the carriage,” Kalen replied, scratching his cheek. “The horses can’t navigate themselves.”
When Kalen finished, Eliana’s eyes trembled. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something but understood the situation.
When Kalen’s support left her, she could only look down at her powerless body. Despite having walked around the mansion and garden earlier, her body now felt utterly devoid of strength.
Desperately, she reached out and found his hand, asking, “Can I hear you if I speak from inside?”
“Ah…”
Kalen realized his mistake; focusing on his role as her protector, he hadn’t considered her wanting to hear him.
“I apologize. At night when we stop, if you call, I’ll come inside.”
Eliana, knowing exactly what Kalen’s apology and words meant,
watched as Kalen gently nodded before closing the carriage door.
Thus began the journey of the ailing noble girl and her knightly protector toward the north.
*
Their journey to the north was not easy by any means. The Lacatus territory lay in the southeast corner of the Claire Empire, and the north was almost the opposite direction. Considering the vast size of the Claire Empire’s continent, it would take them weeks just to reach their destination.
Fortunately, up to this point, things had been peaceful. At least until the end of the second week, they traveled without incident.
Things were different for Eliana. Initially, it seemed she was adjusting fine, but now she constantly sought to talk to Kalen during the days he drove the carriage and insisted on his company each night when they stopped.
Even without reciprocation, she carried on speaking. By the time they’d covered more than half the continent, Eliana found herself astounded by how much she talked. Every time she noticed herself repeating the same topics, it only reinforced how uncomfortable she felt whenever he was not nearby.
She hadn’t been one to talk much. In fact, while confined to her room, she rarely spoke.
But now, somewhere along the way, she had come to enjoy sharing her thoughts and feelings with Kalen.
Was it because Kalen simply filled her previously empty days? Or was it Kalen himself that made her feel this way?
Eliana pondered this for a long time but couldn’t quite figure it out.
—
“Miss!”
“Huh…! Ah…!”
“Eliana!”
The bed, soaked in blood.
Eliana was struggling, surrounded by what looked like mana, coughing up blood—
While protecting her from hitting the wall, Kalen held her tightly, trying to calm her down.
This happened exactly three days before their arrival in the north.