The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

110 – Reunion (02)

111.

How wonderful would it be if everything could be solved by offering an apology?

But the truth is, most things aren’t, and apologies are often just seen as basic decency.

It’s a simple truth that can be seen just by looking at Flaver Lyle.

The misdeeds he committed are things that can’t be resolved just by offering an apology.

He not only committed unforgivable sins against the Laris sisters and their mother, but also acted recklessly, putting the Plache family in debt.

And since Belen’s words were proven to be true, it was also confirmed that he lured in helpless orphans to create his private army.

Flaber would have to face the Empire.

Everyone in the Empire would know the name of the Lyle Trading Company, but at the end of the day, it was just a trading company.

Now the Imperial Family wants power concentrated within itself, so the Lyle Trading Company won’t escape the blow.

“Is there anything else you want to say?”

“…No.”

“Eighty percent of the monthly profits. Don’t forget.”

“…”

And on top of that.

Kalen placed a kind of shackle.

On the Lyle Trading Company, which suddenly had to face the Empire.

Especially on Flaber Lyle, a shackle heavier than anything else.

Eighty percent of the Lyle Trading Company’s monthly profits.

He made sure it went to Laris.

Considering the reputation of the Lyle Trading Company, the remaining twenty percent wouldn’t be a small amount at all.

But the situation of the Lyle Trading Company had changed.

They had to face the Empire, and for the exploitation of children, they couldn’t escape the notorious Imperial Execution Department.

In that situation, twenty percent would feel absurdly small.

Because Flaber Lyle wasn’t the only one with a mouth to feed, they needed to immediately terminate mercenary contracts, feed the company’s employees, and take care of their wages.

Even just thinking about supplies, that twenty percent would be a meager amount, quickly disappearing.

It might seem cruel at first glance, but Kalen had confirmed it with Flaber.

That exact amount was the level at which he could choke Flaber without harming the innocent people of the Lyle Trading Company.

Besides, Flaber was the one who had raised the Lyle Trading Company to the top of the Empire, regardless.

There were a lot of dirty tricks behind that, so it would take a lot of time to rebuild the company this time, but Kalen didn’t want to worry about that.

So, eighty percent.

Eighty percent of the income the top trading company of the Empire earned went to Laris.

“Kalen…”

“It’s alright. It would have been easier if there was magic that exploded when someone had bad intentions, but as long as we keep sending the money, it won’t happen.”

Eighty percent of the profit was vanishing.

Moreover, the Empire, including the Execution Department, was monitoring the Lyle Trading Company.

In that situation, it was impossible to turn their eyes elsewhere.

So, Kallen was planning to go find Flaver right away if he didn’t send the money.

That was the leash Kallen had put on Flaver.

“Next…”

Leaving Flaver struggling, his knee joints crushed and making it hard for him to move.

Kallen hesitated, looking at Nadil and Beln approaching him.

Behind them were other boys and girls.

All of them having been used by Flaver.

But even so, that didn’t erase their sins.

Just because they were targets set by Flaver.

Some among them were clearly innocent.

Even if they were acting under orders, they had killed the innocent.

But Kallen couldn’t find a suitable solution.

In the end, the major cause was with Flaver, so even to punish them severely…

And yet, there were many ambiguities about not making them pay their dues.

“Beln.”

“Huh… no, yes…?”

“Nadil, and all of you.”

At Kallen’s words, everyone froze.

Having witnessed his power with their own eyes, they didn’t even dare think to defy him.

A few of the girls, with their softer hearts, even felt fear.

This boy, who had instantly brought Flaver, someone they could never go against, to his knees.

Once, without knowing better, they tried to attack him. Now, everyone was focused on Kallen’s words.

“Have you ever done housework?”

“Housework?”

“Not like this huge mansion. Just a place where three people and you all can live. Managing a mansion, have you ever done it?”

“Well… I’ve often helped manage this mansion.”

“Cooking.”

“The girls know how to do it.”

“Good.”

Thus, the punishment Kallen handed down was, to work for free for life.

Laris and Velvet are planning to leave the family.

Daim reclaimed the castle, and Laris didn’t particularly want it back.

It was proof her father had abandoned her, so it was more of a rejection on Laris’s part.

Leaving the family requires preparation.

First, a place to live is needed, and preparation to survive is necessary.

Kalen got that from Flavier.

He prepared to live with eighty percent of the profit, and asked Flavier to obtain a secluded mansion for him.

Now that they have a place to live and money, they need people to attend them.

Velvet is an exception, but Laris was, after all, an upper-tier noble lady.

Doing everything alone would be incredibly inconvenient.

That’s why Kalen hired them as attendants.

They would become unpaid servants, attending to Laris, Velvet, and Laris’s older sister.

“Once preparations are complete, I’ll come pick you up. For now, stay at some inn. The money… get it from Flavier.”

“Flache…no, is it alright for us to serve Lady Laris…?”

“Should I kill you instead, then?”

“A-ah, no…”

Managing a mansion isn’t easy.

It’s not for nothing that nobles hire dozens of servants.

They won’t even be paid, forced to follow orders, but isn’t it a fitting price for killing innocent people?

Kalen, who is completely inept at this, can’t come up with a better answer.

If they truly repent, and after a great deal of time passes, perhaps their treatment will improve.

What happens after that is up to them.

“Then is that everything?”

Kalen looked around.

Flavier, slumped down as if having lost everything.

Nadil and Beln, the children, looking troubled, but seemingly regaining their life.

The common corridor was a mess, but the mercenaries, slowly regaining their senses, would soon grasp the situation.

The servants were starting to approach those who were injured, so all that’s left is…

Kalen stood in front of the main gate.

He looked at the man kneeling there.

It’s been quite some time, has he still not recovered from the shock?

Velvet was looking at him with pity.

She felt sorry, but not sympathy.

Daim had broken his vow to Velvet and ultimately reclaimed the castle from Laris.

It wasn’t about him remarrying into the Lyle Trading Company to save the family.

No matter how much he was manipulated by Flavor Lyle using that as an excuse, ultimately, it was Daim Flache’s choice to abandon his daughter.

Kalen roughly decided to think it that way, then turned to look at Laris.

“The bet. I won.”

“Ah…?”

Laris couldn’t understand Kalen’s words for a moment, but she was quickly able to recall.

-Want to make a bet?

-If I win…

Go to your father and confidently say what you want to say.

How much strength those words had given her.

“…Yeah. I got it.”

Laris smiled faintly and walked with a resolute expression.

The mansion’s common corridor was wide.

Whenever she walked through it, she always felt intimidated, so Laris would cross the common corridor as quickly as possible.

But she no longer needed to do that.

She no longer needed to feel intimidated here.

A single boy had changed everything.

It was Laris’s turn to respond to his heart.

Laris slowly and leisurely strolled through the corridor, towards her kneeling father.

No, to the man who was now merely the head of the 5th family, she approached and crouched down beside him.

The kneeling family head.

And his daughter crouching beside him.

Laris smiled faintly and looked up at Velvet.

“Isn’t it funny? Family Head.”

Laris’s voice was calm, but that made the illusion that she was even angrier.

“Where did it all go wrong? You’re the head of the great 5th family, and yet just a boy changed everything.”

“…”

“You probably didn’t think your mother would come back to life. Well, nobody expects such an impossible thing.”

But maybe because she was looking at Velvet.

Laris’s expression softened more and more, like someone who had let go of everything.

“But… it turns out such a thing is possible. Things you desperately wanted, things you didn’t even dare to dream of.”

Because she had thought of a certain boy.

A boy who had fulfilled her long-held wish, and who had overcome everything beyond that.

“I found someone who makes me dare to expect even such things, someone who makes me smile when I’m having a hard time. That’s why I’m going to leave. If I’m by that person’s side, I feel like I can make it through anything.”

Laris smiled as she looked at Velvet.

Velvet, too, realizing that Laris had made up her mind, smiled back.

“So, farewell. House Lord. I’ve been in your care for a long time.”

With those words, Laris rose to her feet.

Then, taking Velvet’s hand, she walked straight past Daim.

A one-sided announcement.

Daim didn’t resent her, didn’t get angry.

Kalen, who had expected even a burst of fury, found that quite unexpected.

Laris had simply relayed it calmly.

As if cutting a blood tie was nothing at all.

As if she no longer needed such a connection.

Laris simply returned to Kalen and smiled brightly.

Before anyone knew it, her pupils were shining a very bright, grey-white.

Kalen nodded, as if that was enough.

And just like that, everything at Plache was over.