The Knight of Clingy Young Ladies

008.

“If you’re not the successor, then I’ll speak freely. How old are you?”

“I am fifteen.”

“Younger than I expected.”

The one who spoke was the knight known as Bruessel.

“Milord Drannus. Forgive my boldness, but isn’t this the age where being proficient in a couple of first-tier spells would be quite fortunate?”

The Drannus Dukedom lost its power during the time Blamia went into seclusion. However, the House of Lakatus accumulated an overwhelmingly strong power during that period.

Indeed, a knight captain of such a prestigious house didn’t seem to be at all intimidated by the presence of Blamia.

“Even if you, my Lord, don’t want to take responsibility, this manner of refusal creates awkward situations for us. You do understand how much our master desires this, don’t you?”

“Even though I told you I’m incapable, you still push forward. Truly, your speech has grown sharp.”

Bruessel glared at Kalen, dissatisfied for some unknown reason.

Kalen stood calmly, ignoring that glance.

“Honestly, I was pleased to hear that my Lord had accepted. What is this? Are you subtly refusing to offer help?”

His words seemed sincere.

It was undoubtedly true that there was something unclear, just as Kalen suspected.

However, Blamia’s nature is far from gentle; she is known to be rather eccentric, so it was unlikely that she would patiently endure.

Just as the atmosphere was escalating, someone interrupted.

“We don’t have the time for this, Bruessel.”

The overseer Ebam had silenced Bruessel.

When Kalen turned his gaze in that direction, there was an elderly man with an icy expression.

“…tsk.”

“My apologies, my Lord.”

“Fine. And I’ll correct you on one point—it isn’t just a couple of first-tier spells. I can handle more.”

“Thank you.”

Ebam quickly concluded the situation. Given his mention of their time constraints, it seemed genuine. Though the knight captain wanted to argue, he couldn’t, his expression souring.

‘Is the number of fiends they have to manage too overwhelming?’

That’s all one could guess given the mention of time. If they had to utilize every possible hand, then perhaps some of the doubts that lingered could also be dismissed.

Kalen, harboring these thoughts, stepped toward Overseer Ebam.

“I am Ebam, the external overseer of the House of Lakatus.”

“…Bruessel.”

Overseer Ebam wore a pleasant smile, while Knight Captain Bruessel maintained a clearly disgruntled expression.

An overseer is a sort of proxy for the head of the house. As this one was specifically “external,” he was likely in charge of all external affairs.

The forces responsible for maintaining the peace of the domain, led by the knight captain, might make it difficult to definitively establish who held higher rank.

Whether it was because of Ebam’s reasonable points or simply respect for his age, Kalen thought that the hierarchy among noble houses was somewhat complex as he approached the young page who seemed to belong to Bruessel.

The boy appeared clearly flustered and unsure of what to do.

“Ah, I am Duus… Bruessel the knight’s apprentice.”

“Pleased to meet you.”

After Kalen had finished introductions with everyone, Ebam gently commented:

“Is your granddaughter doing well?”

“It’s none of your concern. Just hurry up and go.”

“…Yes, then.”

*

Among the esteemed nobility of the empire, one might say…

Are they rather frugal?

Kalen had expected their carriage to be dazzling, practically gilded, but it wasn’t much different from the common ones. Asking about the reason wouldn’t yield an answer, so Kalen remained silent.

The truly strange thing wasn’t the carriage itself.

“Find your own food.”

Despite being so fabulously wealthy that their money should be rotting, the Lakatus family was renting what seemed to be an inn, if even that. They were far too rugged.

Camping was a given, and they were expected to hunt and cook meals themselves. Sanitation and all other necessities had to be taken care of personally, with no exceptions.

At first, Kalen assumed they were treating him this way because they didn’t like him, but as the journey to the territory continued and he saw they lived the same way, his perspective shifted.

Even worse, the overseer, who seemed fit and spry, used his age as an excuse to ask for help, relying on Kalen.

Such an arduous journey wasn’t something anyone could easily endure, especially Kalen, who was just fifteen.

However, there was a fact hidden by Blamia’s protection.

Kalen was originally someone who survived from the very bottom.

None of it—camping, hunting for food, or managing hygiene—was alien to him. As a younger child, Kalen had persisted in far harsher conditions, so there was no reason for him to feel fatigued now.

Even the others were secretly impressed by how familiar he was with such survival skills. That this young boy, who hadn’t even reached adulthood, could endure everything without complaint was remarkable.

But what would truly astonish them was yet to come.

During the period when Kalen was following his mentor, experiencing various things, there was naturally also the task of hunting fiends.

Mostly, these were requests from lower nobles lacking both sufficient magic users and local military force. The concerns they directed toward Kalen were palpable.

Blamia’s immense backing had certainly alleviated some of their worries, but there was always the underlying doubt: could such a delicate boy handle these tasks?

But all of them, including Ebam and Bruessel, changed their minds after witnessing Kalen’s prowess.

The time the carriage reached the territory had not passed long when:

“Queek!”

A fiend here, another there, and yet another… wherever Kalen’s finger pointed, the fiends crumbled.

Kalen unleashed a narrow streak of fire that moved fluidly, almost like water. This fire weaved through the fiends’ heads, piercing them with ease.

Fiends whose heads had been scorched died instantly. Kalen’s spell was as beautiful as threading a needle.

Yet, was that an extraordinary spell?

Bruessel, who had witnessed the spells of adults within the family and even fought against wizards, knew that Kalen’s spell was a basic first-tier spell called “Ignite.”

The difference was that no one else had ever used “Ignite” in that manner. The conventional methods were limited to setting something ablaze in its entirety or shooting the flame forward.

First-tier spells were considered fundamental for a reason.

“…”

That was simultaneously the reason why, despite the existence of fiends, magic became impractical in actual combat. Magic grew stronger as its rank increased, but higher ranks were difficult to achieve.

Using mages in fiend hunts was a costly choice. Training a mage took time and mentorship, making it cheaper to just train knights.

Knights were better at fighting fiends, while lower-ranked mages contributed little in terms of damage. Kalen was defying this notion.

The fiery thread devastated low-ranking fiends, giants, and orcs indiscriminately. For those that dared to charge in with cudgels, Kalen extended his “Ignite” spell like a shield to block.

For those not dissuaded by these measures, Kalen simply picked up the cudgel discarded by defeated fiends and broke their legs.

Bruessel was left with the simple tasks of finishing off the fiends Kalen missed or catching the ones trying to flee.

“Uaaargh!”

“Khaaa!”

Could it really be possible for fiends to feel fear, from a small boy who was not even a full mouthful?

It certainly seemed unnatural, especially for such a teenager.

There was no trace of fear on the boy’s face. Had he truly encountered the brink of death at some point in his life?

Given his age, that speculation sounded ridiculous.

Yet, the courage with which this boy charged toward fiends larger than himself was nearly close to madness. His composed, emotionless expression made it even more bizarre.

“Are we done?”

With the battle finished and his magic dispersed, Kalen carried only a sword as he approached Bruessel, who stood dumbfounded. Despite butchering countless fiends, Kalen’s countenance remained unchanged, and the only evidence of the chaos was the faint blood splatter on his cheeks. His calm demeanor was unsettling.

Though it had been expected that Kalen, after having studied under Blamia, would be more skilled than average youths of his years…

This was something beyond that.

Both Ebam, observing from behind, and Bruessel, witnessing the slaughter up close, thought the same thing.

*

“Great, Kalen… Are you a grand mage?”

“Grand mage? Our Lady would probably roll around laughing if she heard you say that.”

“Then what about that spell?”

“… It’s just a spell, that’s all.”

Inside the carriage heading back to Pelts City.

Unlike the way they came, there was no rough camping. Instead, they leisurely ate and stayed at comfortable inns.

Bruessel remained silent, but there was a noticeable complexity to his expression now.

The only one who dared to talk was Duus, the apprentice of Bruessel, driven by curiosity Kalen eventually engaged briefly before closing his eyes. He was primarily concerned with Sinaat’s doings back home.

Following Blamia’s advice, he had intentionally restrained his abilities. He had only used the first-tier spell “Ignite,” avoiding anything higher.

He felt uneasy about how smoothly everything had ended.

“So, do you know other spells?”

“I could…”

While answering Duus vaguely, Kalen opened his left eye at a peculiar sensation.

The insatiably curious apprentice had disappeared, replaced by Ebam who wore a kind and grandfatherly expression toward Kalen.

Closing his eye again, Kalen responded.

“Yes. I know a few others.”

“Even during our journey here, and when you were vanquishing the fiends, you are quite adept. You’re a talented lad.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

“Haha…”

Though Ebam asked many questions, Kalen kept his replies brief, not wanting to involve himself too deeply.

Given the conversations at home, Blamia seemed uninterested in having a positive relationship with these people. Considering the odd nature of the favor asked by them, Kalen didn’t really wish to form a deeper bond.

“I am not very knowledgeable about magic, but you certainly have an unconventional style. I’ve seen that fiery magic many times, but never one that could be pulled thin like a thread.”

However, this overseer Ebam wouldn’t let go, digging deeper like he was dissecting Kalen.

Although it was mildly annoying, these were people that were looking out for Blamia and Sinaat.

Suppressing his irritation, Kalen spoke.

“It’s because of my lack of mana. I have experimented in various ways; I cannot afford to be complacent and risk mana exhaustion.”

Blamia had warned him to conceal his exceptional talent. The way Kalen wielded his first-tier magic was a product of sheer genius. Still, glossing over it as experimentation helped keep that hidden from prying eyes. Considering the Duchy of Lakatus had high-ranking mages who wouldn’t likely view a mana-deficient caster favorably.

“No mana?”

“Yes. I’ve never had it. How I’m able to cast spells despite this lack of mana? I’m not sure. Perhaps it’s simply because I was well-taught by Lady Blamia.”

“…”

“I’m a bit tired. Could I rest my eyes?”

Kalen ended the conversation, not wanting to speak further. Only after receiving a nod of acknowledgment from Ebam did the carriage sink into quiet.

That said, Ebam merely exchanged a silent glance with Bruessel while observing Kalen’s silence.

*

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