The Knight of Clingy Young Ladies

017.

A single change had come to the Lakatus ducal family.

It was merely the recovery of something that had been lost, but it was undoubtedly a change.

None among those who bore the name Lakatus denied this fact.

Not even the man known as the future of the Lakatus differed greatly from this sentiment.

Just yesterday, Deckawm Lakatus had returned in haste after receiving a message while away at social gatherings and the Royal Magical Assembly.

It wasn’t just that.

From the gardener who remembered the cheerful smiles of a young girl to the head of the family who bore the Lakatus name, they had all awaited the return of the two with bated breath.

Such a thing would have been impossible if the sender of the letter had been anyone other than Everchant.

Because of that, an unusual tension pervaded the mansion.

This tension reached its peak in the dining room.

The first to put down her utensils was a woman who appeared to be in her middle years, yet whose former beauty could still be guessed.

The middle-aged man seated at the head of the table looked at her and then quietly spoke.

“Don’t you have an appetite?”

“You know it’s not about that.”

It was Duke Everchant and his wife, Merlin.

Schults Lakatus, the second son of the Lakatus family, had served the dishes.

“Frankly, I can’t believe it, Father. No matter how much we trust Everchant, isn’t the confirmation of the facts solely dependent on his guard? After all, they merely mentioned that he is a servant.”

Even for a prestigious family like the Lakatus dukes, authority and formality still held some importance. Blamia’s disciple might have been an exception, but this guard was nothing more than a mere attendant.

Still, the fact that Blamia had introduced him and his unique status as the only anomaly were points of focus.

They had semi-believed and sent him, and now he had resurfaced an issue they had long since given up on.

Schults Lakatus was specifically troubled by this very point.

Not only his father but also himself had exhausted all efforts to resolve the issue. They had realized that it wasn’t a matter of solving but an insurmountable barrier.

For some reason, there seemed no place for misplaced hope.

And the situation of having to rely on the mouth of an outsider for such hope was deeply unsettling.

Certainly, no one else thought otherwise, as silence filled the dining room.

“Schults.”

“What is it, Brother?”

“Let’s think positively. Isn’t there a chance it might actually be true?”

“That…!”

Schults momentarily flared up but quickly calmed down. Though his name carried weight elsewhere, he was home. His elder brother Deckawm, his mother, and the head of the family, his father, were all his seniors. Schults was no reckless one.

Deckawm quietly observed Schults before continuing.

“Even if it’s a misplaced hope, I don’t think it’s entirely bad. After all, possibilities stem from hope.”

“But Brother, it’s something even the Great Magician failed to accomplish. How could a child younger than me possibly do it?”

“Perhaps there was some change, which is why it was reported this way.”

“That’s exactly the problem. To be honest, until now, Kalen was the only person who could even stay close to her. How can we verify any claims, no matter what arguments are made?”

Deckawm also put down his utensils and stared straight at Schults.

“It’s a simple matter, Schults. Though your argument might hold for other issues, the message we received clearly states that Eliana’s illness has been cured.”

“But—”

“If her illness has truly been cured, then whether it’s me, you, or anyone else, we should be able to approach her first. Let’s confirm that much.”

“…”

Though the brothers’ conversation seemed sharp-edged, it was gentle.

Neither side compromised their stance while carefully avoiding hurting the other’s feelings.

This rational and logical method of discourse was the education Duke Everchant valued most.

Everchant silently lowered his utensils as he observed his two sons. Indeed, the atmosphere and mindset were not conducive to eating. He then quietly began to dwell on Deckawm’s words.

It could be a false hope, just as Schults said.

But everyone—despite Deckawm’s reassurance—was still anticipating that false hope. Even Schults himself.

According to Everchant’s information from Everchant, Kalen had reported while traveling through the Northern region that Eliana’s illness had been cured. There was no longer the headache, the severe chest pain, nor the surging fluctuations of mana throughout her body.

Everchant quietly glanced down at the table. The half-sliced meat still looked warm.

How many methods had they attempted, and failed, to treat that accursed disease? None had shown any improvement. And there had been no sign of the supposed changes that Kalen had mentioned.

It couldn’t be certain.

And that uncertainty caused anxiety, and thus, hope.

Was this merely another failure among countless ones?

Or could it be the single success they had yet to find?

Even though he believed he had let go of hope,

The way his heart was so unsettled made him realize he was still immature in some aspects.

Afraid to be hurt, afraid of being betrayed by expectations, he pretended to let go.

And yet again, seeing this ray of hope, he couldn’t help but anticipate.

By now, the clinking of utensils in the dining room had stopped.

How much time had passed?

Knock.

The sound of a knocking came from the dining room door.

Before Duke Everchant could respond,

“The master, the young lady and her guard have returned.”

The long-awaited news finally arrived.

Was this another countless failure?

Or was it the sole success they hadn’t yet found?

Everchant quietly exhaled and replied,

“Let them in.”

It was time to face the last form of hope they had long abandoned.

“…”

There wasn’t a single person who spoke.

Gazes fixed upon each other, they doubted and questioned the validity of what they were seeing.

Everchant stood up and walked forward, disregarding the improper sound of dragging his chair.

His destination was the daughter he hadn’t seen in about seven years.

The resemblance to his wife Merlin’s younger self was undeniable.

Her beauty, as if dyed by the heavens,

Her eyes, similar to his yet different in their profound clarity.

It was surreal.

Though she was beautiful as a child, now it seemed there would be no man untouched by her charm.

Had she changed so much during his absence?

Everchant chuckled lightly and spoke.

“Eliana.”

“…”

“Eliana Lakatus.”

“Yes, Father…”

This was the form of the hope they had searched for endlessly.

*

“Do you remember falling asleep in the forest when you were little?”

“…Yes.”

“And that Dennbeck or someone else who stuck around?”

“…I remember, Brother Schults.”

“Wow.”

Standing nearby as Eliana and Schults reminisced brought a strange sense of novelty to Kalen. He had heard Eliana recount these stories frequently but hearing them now from the involved party seemed different.

All those gathered in the dining room engaged her with past memories.

As they learned that Eliana remembered everything, they displayed expressions difficult to describe.

Especially Schults and Duke Everchant, the woman who appeared to be the Duchess had been dabbing her eyes, while the famous Deckawm spoke briefly before falling silent.

Kalen alone felt somewhat uncomfortable.

It was clear a family reunion should take place, yet Eliana had prevented him from leaving his position.

As a result, Kalen found himself standing awkwardly beside Eliana, unable to say a word.

“Was it you who cured the illness?”

Deckawm’s question directed toward Kalen came amid this atmosphere.

As Kalen prepared to deny it, Eliana interrupted.

“Yes, Brother Deckawm.”

“But I was asking the guard.”

“The guard’s name is Kalen, Brother.”

“…”

Calm speech was one of Eliana’s traits. She explained this was due to organizing her thoughts before responding.

Observing this, Deckawm thought Eliana and himself shared many similarities.

“So, Kalen. Was it you who cured the illness?”

“Yes, Brother Deckawm.”

“Hmm.”

Deckawm chuckled awkwardly.

“I’m not trying to find fault. I’m purely curious. Would you allow me to speak with Kalen, Eliana?”

From the situation, Deckawm suspected there might be something suspicious, and thus Eliana had intervened.

Turning to Eliana, Kalen saw her take his face in her hands and fix her gaze to his.

“You don’t have to stick strictly to the truth, Kalen…”

“I’m listening Eliana.”

With a slight nod, Kalen redirected his gaze to Deckawm.

“The illness… with such certainty, I won’t inquire further. Instead, I’d like to ask something else.”

“What is it?”

“How did you do it?”

Deckawm pointed at Eliana with his index finger.

Recalling Duke Everchant in the gesture, Kalen began his explanation.

“About three days before arriving in the Northern region, something happened as described by Lord Lakatus.”

“…? Did Father?”

“Yes. But the symptoms were much more severe than what was described. The Lord had suggested that avoiding the situation would naturally cure the illness, but I considered that impossible.”

“Just the core part. What did you do?”

“The mana fluctuations were constant, accompanied by bloody coughing and vomiting. I stayed by her side to nurse her, paying attention to hygiene and making every effort to ensure the young lady did not give up.”

“That was enough to cure her?”

“Yes.”

Eliana’s illness was not ordinary.

Moreover, this was an issue the distinguished Lakatus family had worked hard to resolve.

Naturally, it would be hard to believe a boy not yet of age managed something the family couldn’t.

Also, it was critical to confirm this.

If the disease hadn’t truly been cured, there could still be unexpected problems in the future.

Deckawm’s inquiry was justified.

Realizing this, Kalen became aware of Eliana’s earlier intervention: she hadn’t been distrustful of Deckawm, but she had wanted to elevate Kalen’s role.

Self-praise always felt challenging.

As Kalen and Deckawm’s conversation neared its conclusion…

“The remaining talks should be done later. This isn’t the appropriate place.”

Duke Everchant rose from his seat and spoke. Considering Eliana had just returned, it was a thoughtful decision. The dining hall was not an ideal setting for a family reunion.

Merlin, Schults, and Deckawm nodded and stood up.

Just as Kalen was about to stand in accordance…

A small hand caught his sleeve.

Kalen glanced down, caught in an awkward position of half-standing.

Eliana was holding his sleeve, gazing up innocently. Even back at the mansion where she might have been tended to by the duchess, her gaze remained solely fixed on Kalen.

Naturally, this drew everyone’s attention.

Ignoring it, Eliana extended both her arms toward Kalen.

“…Yes.”

In that moment, Kalen effortlessly scooped Eliana into his arms, fully supporting her. Those present observed the act.

And it wasn’t long before this scene became the hottest topic of conversation at the Lakatus mansion.

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