The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

74 – Dancing at the Ball (07)

075.

“…How did it come to this?”

“Stay still, Kal!”

“The lady is right. We need to be careful not to make the scar worse, Master.”

“…”

Kallen looked at Sinat, who was confidently giving orders with his arms crossed, as if he were a commander.

Normally, this wouldn’t be strange at all, but the situation is a bit different now.

As soon as Kallen opened his eyes, Sinat had barged into his room,

and witnessed Selina wiping Kallen’s body with a wet towel as she attended to his morning routine.

-I want to do it too!

It’s dizzying.

Even though Sinat and Kallen had been through various things together, asking him to wipe his body is a different matter.

Selina had also pleaded for a chance to atone for her sins and held the position of head maid.

Moreover, Sinat is supposed to become the master of this grand mansion.

It’s hard to understand why such an important person would attend to someone’s body.

Selina also tried to dissuade Sinat.

Even Sinat himself thought it was a bit too eager and decided to just watch from the side.

So, he thought it would be fine to that extent…

“Sister! Over there!”

“Understood.”

“Over there too!”

“Yes.”

But what is the point of interfering more than just wiping the body?

Kallen sighed softly as he entrusted his body to Selina’s hands, who was wiping him down.

Her touch was as soft as her tired smile, making him feel strangely drawn in.

Just as Kallen was getting used to the touch of the head maid’s hands, the morning service ended.

Selina organized the wet towels and medicine.

Orti, Putre, and the other apprentice maids moved skillfully.

“Is it over?”

“Yes.”

“I hope you get better. Right?”

“I hope so.”

Sinat approached Kallen with a bright smile.

She gently stroked the area near Kallen’s heart, as if returning to the time when that incident happened.

Back then, she would lean her head against his body and rub her head as if stroking him.

“Sigh. Kal, it’s because you handle your body so recklessly. Should I tell you how reckless Kal is, sister?”

Even as she grumbled, she hid her embarrassed feelings.

It was a very Sinat-like behavior, and Kallen, who knew that there was worry underlying it, just smiled.

“Master’s old story…”

“Huh? Sister?”

“Oh… It’s nothing. I’ll listen if you tell me.”

“Alright. Ahem… It all started a long time ago, when grandfather picked up a scruffy Kal…”

Sinat settled on the bed and patted the spot next to her.

Understanding her intention, Selina sat beside her.

Soon, Sinat began to reminisce about events that happened several years ago.

There was a strange allure in her voice, and before long, not only Selina but also Orti, Putre, and the apprentice maids were drawn in.

Kallen, too, found himself reflecting on his long-standing relationship with Sinat.

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It was a matter that evoked quite a few emotions.

As the story reached the present…

“Do you understand now? It’s natural for Kalen to hug me.”

“Yes…”

But even so.

Isn’t it a bit much to be so moved?

The expressions of Selina, Orti, and the maids, including Putre, who were listening to Sinat’s story, became wistful.

Kalen, feeling slightly embarrassed, had to change the subject.

“Sinat. It’s time to go.”

“Huh?”

“You have to attend the family head class. And I have to go choose the clothes for the banquet.”

“Oh!”

Clap!

Sinat clapped as if he had forgotten.

His stiff movements made it seem like he had deliberately forgotten because he didn’t want to attend the family head class.

“I, I have to go… But… wouldn’t it be okay to go look at clothes with you for just one day?”

“No. We agreed to keep our outfits a secret until the banquet. It would be more exciting that way.”

“That’s right…”

“Selina will help you, so attend the family head class.”

“Got it.”

Kalen had deep relationships with many renowned ladies.

But that doesn’t erase his background.

At least for now, Kalen is nothing more than an illegitimate child born between a street prostitute and a lower-class rural noble.

Didn’t he decide to visit the spirit world once more?

So it’s only natural that he doesn’t have clothes to wear to the banquet.

It was Sinat’s recommendation to get banquet clothes.

And at that time, Sinat suggested they keep their outfits a secret until the banquet.

He said it would be more exciting that way.

Though it seems unnecessary to be excited about the banquet.

Every time, Sinat’s confession lingered in his mind, so he accepted it.

Everything needs a reason.

At least for Kallen, it was an important matter.

“I’m going!”

Sinat left the room with a smile, as if he had never been sullen.

Talking about the banquet seemed to have lifted his spirits.

Selina, who was beside him, gently asked Kallen for his opinion.

“Shall we go right now, Master?”

“Yes, let’s go now.”

“I’ll get ready.”

Selina quickly prepared Kallen’s outing clothes.

Kallen, staring at them intently, thought that they would be suitable for the banquet.

*

The territory of Dranus is located in the heart of the Claire Empire.

However, it is not exactly in the center like the city of Mland.

It is a bit away from the capital, Mland.

But it is a city that prospered under the influence of the old Dranus and Mland.

No matter how much power it lost and fell into ruin,

A foundation once established does not easily collapse.

Especially if it is Dranus.

The territory ruled by Dranus prospered,

And with the return of their master, it once again gained momentum.

And,

In that street,

A boy dressed smartly in a uniform was walking somewhat stiffly.

The monocle on his left eye seemed out of place for his age, but his appearance was striking enough to overshadow it.

The cane hanging at his waist somehow looked dignified.

Behind him, the proud maids of Dranus added to his majesty.

Those who did not know the boy’s name and age wondered if Dranus had a son.

As he took a step, eyes turned towards him.

Another step forward, and attention gathers.

Before long, women of marriageable age and young girls with untainted innocence in their eyes cast their interest towards the beautiful young man.

The boy’s confident demeanor, as if he had no interest in such things, was more than enough to stir their hearts.

And in truth.

Kallen, who was at the forefront receiving all the attention from the street women, only wanted to escape this attention as quickly as possible.

“…Lady Selina. How much further to the clothing store?”

“It won’t take long.”

“Sigh…”

“You don’t need to worry too much. It just means that you shine that much more, Master.”

Selina, who spoke so calmly, also.

When she dressed Kallen in casual clothes, she couldn’t help but avert her eyes.

A face still retaining youthfulness.

An atmosphere that did not match.

Dressed neatly, that atmosphere was even more pronounced.

Kallen and Selina.

Along with the apprentice maids, Orti and Putre, they endured the stares and arrived at the clothing store.

The clothing store they arrived at exuded a somewhat shabby yet antique atmosphere.

“Huh? We don’t have any appointments at this time…”

As they entered the store, an old man walked out from the inside.

An utterly ordinary impression.

An old man with a face you could see anywhere, but the clothes he wore suited him so well that an air of dignity flowed from him.

“Selina?”

“Hello.”

“What brings you here without notice? Didn’t you get everything fitted last time?”

“Yes, but it seems we need one more set.”

Judging by the conversation.

Selina seemed to have a lot of familiarity with the owner of this store.

Well, being the head maid, she must be ordering clothes for the family and the household staff.

Since it’s a clothing store used by Dranus, it seems trustworthy.

“Who… hmm?”

The old man, puzzled by the request for another set, stopped his gaze at one spot.

Kallen.

A boy who looked exceptionally good in a uniform was there.

“What is that? That piece of art.”

“Art…?”

At the moment when he couldn’t understand the old man’s words,

He left the store counter and approached Kallen.

“Oh… Ohhh… These straight shoulder lines. The neatness that fits perfectly with the waist. The leg length and width without any excess…”

Then, as if dissecting,

He began to measure Kallen here and there.

He lifted his monocle to take a closer look.

He pulled the clothes from side to side.

He lifted the shoulder area to adjust the fit.

“Ah. Oh dear. I was being rude. The person Selina brought…”

“It’s fine.”

“Thank you. I am Gilun, the owner of a small clothing store.”

“Gilun… you say.”

As Kallen recalled the butler Gilun of Dranus’s house,

Selina whispered that they were brothers.

Is there a reason Dranus uses this place?

Such doubts were fleeting, as he thought that if there was no skill, Selina’s personality wouldn’t have trusted him anyway.

Only then did he understand why Selina called him that.

No matter how close they were,

In the presence of Kallen, Selina, the head maid of Dranus, held a much higher status.

But if they were brothers and close, it was understandable.

“Are you asking me to touch this piece of art?”

“Please.”

“Huh…”

As Kallen was guessing their relationship,

Gilun, who had heard the situation from Selina, sighed as if troubled.

“If I handle it clumsily, that appearance will lose its shine. This is the challenge of my life.”

“Thank you for accepting.”

“Not at all. I’m just repaying Dranus for believing in my skills.”

Selina persuaded for a long time after that.

Finally, Gilun, who accepted the request, said.

“Please come this way, young master. We must be cautious from the beginning.”

“…Yes.”

Even if it’s Dranus.

Is it really necessary to pay this much attention to clothing for a banquet that’s just about eating and drinking?

Kallen, who had a slight doubt about the ‘banquet’ that Sinat mentioned.

Looked at Gilun’s smile, who had come out with a measuring tape before he knew it.