~LFTV 06~

Chapter 6

Kalios still looked like a child. But compared to just moments ago, when he could barely speak, it was almost a tremendous leap—no, a giant growth.

“How dare you shove food into my mouth…!”

Kalios seemed unable to shake off the shock of being forced to eat green vegetables.

Of course, Daisy completely ignored Kalios’s suddenly protruding lips and calmly explained the situation.

“I don’t know the exact reason, but the reason Kalios hasn’t been able to grow any further is precisely because of picky eating.”

They said that for a child to grow into a strong adult, they must eat a balanced diet—words that fit Kalios perfectly.

Kalios’s face twisted entirely as he processed Daisy’s words.

“So you mean I have to eat that wretched green stuff from now on?”

“It seems that way.”

“Damn it!”

Kalios cursed in a manner unbefitting his childlike appearance. Daisy glared at him sharply.

“So you want to stay a kid forever just because you won’t eat vegetables?”

“Well…”

Kalios bit his lip. Daisy narrowed her eyes at him, her gaze sharp as a flounder’s.

‘…You hate greens that much?’

Even so, he knew better than anyone that he couldn’t forsake the power of a grand mage just because of picky eating.

Finally, Kalios crumpled his face and could only nod.

“Fine! I’ll try it! That stupid grass isn’t something I can’t eat… probably.”

And so, the special mission began once more: Operation Cure the Grand Mage’s Stubborn Picky Eating.

“Hello, may I buy some vegetables?”

“What would you like to buy?”

“Hmm… carrots, onions, potatoes, green onions, eggplants, cabbage, cucumbers…”

As she counted the items on her fingers, Kalios suddenly shouted.

“What? You’re going to make me eat all of that? Absolutely not!”

It was the roar of a grand mage capable of splitting mountains and seas.

Yet to someone else, that majestic figure looked quite different.

“Oh my, is this young lady’s little brother? He’s adorable.”

The vegetable vendor smiled warmly at the childlike Kalios and spoke to him.

“Hello. Don’t you like vegetables?”

“I hate them!”

“Hate? My, my, such big words for a little kid.”

“How dare you call me a little kid…!”

“Shh, shh! Kalio! You promised me you wouldn’t throw a tantrum outside, remember? Right?”

Daisy bent slightly and whispered into Kalios’s ear.

“Kalios, if you don’t want to drink raw vegetable juice today, you’d better behave.”

“What?”

“Or do you want people to find out that the grand mage Kalios is actually still a little kid?”

“Ugh.”

Faced with Daisy’s threat, Kalios sulked and turned his head away.

That was right—they were currently in the nearest village to the Western Forest, stopping to shop.

Previously, Daisy had checked the food storage and found that aside from dried-up bread and mysterious eggs, all other ingredients were nearly gone.

Kalios didn’t trust Daisy and followed along, meaning she had to drag a rather reluctant little bombshell through the village.

The vegetable vendor handed a large bag of vegetables to Daisy, never imagining that the adorable child in front of them was the Grand Mage of the Western Forest.

“Hoho, he’s so cute, I added two extra carrots. Enjoy!”

“Oh, thank you. Kalio will love this too. Here’s the money.”

“Ugh. Spending my wealth on such useless things…”

Kalios muttered, but Daisy ignored him and pointed to a bench nearby.

“I think we’ve bought everything we need. Let’s rest here a bit and then head back.”

Daisy strode over and plopped onto the bench. Kalios sat beside her.

Dangling his legs that didn’t reach the ground, he glanced around as if noticing everything anew.

“Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I left the forest.”

“How long has it been?”

“About… twenty-three years?”

Daisy’s jaw dropped.

“Whoa.”

“What? What’s with that sound?”

“Your age… I mean, how old are you that you haven’t left the forest in twenty-three years?”

She knew that wizards of a certain caliber barely aged.

‘But seeing it in person is different from just knowing it.’

Kalios, aware of her curious gaze, turned his head away.

“I’ve lived ten times longer than you. Anything beyond that, I won’t say!”

“Wow…”

Daisy marveled.

‘And yet you tried to court Princess Adriana, who’s over a hundred years younger?’

Truly a thief of hearts. No wonder he was called the Evil Mage of the Western Tower.

“Kalios, you really were a remarkable scoundrel.”

“What did you just say to me?”

“Nothing. Anyway, now that we’ve rested enough, let’s get up.”

Kalios seemed about to roar at her, but Daisy ignored him and rose from the bench.

Then…

“Huh?”

Suddenly, her limbs went limp. Her head felt dizzy, her skin numb. Her eyelids felt as heavy as stones.

A strange, yet familiar sensation.

—Thud.

Daisy collapsed to the ground and silently screamed.

‘I completely forgot today was that day!’

It was the symptom of the unknown, incurable illness that had brought her all the way to the Western Forest of Muldimon.

Normally, she would have calculated the day carefully to collapse safely at home, but the whirlwind of recent events made her completely forget.

“Ugh, save me, Daisy…”

She prayed to wake up under a proper roof and passed out entirely.

“Ugh, ugh… oh, Daisy, you’re dying.”

Daisy held her heavy head and groaned as she sat up.

“…I remember fainting on the road, but where am I?”

As she tilted her head in confusion, a familiar voice spoke.

“Is this the illness?”

Daisy’s face lit up with relief.

“Kalios! You didn’t abandon me!”

“I’d be in trouble without you too.”

“How long was I out?”

“Just over a day.”

“And this place…?”

“A nearby inn.”

Daisy’s eyes widened.

“You brought me here yourself?”

“Well…”

She wondered how he had carried her tiny body here, when a soft knock and low voice interrupted.

“Little one, I’m coming in.”

“Huh, uh?”

Before Daisy could respond, the door clicked open.

A man with reddish-brown hair and a neat appearance entered. Seeing Daisy leaning against the bed, he froze in surprise.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were awake. Sorry for intruding.”

“I-It’s okay.”

Daisy quickly let down her guard at his reliable and handsome presence.

“But… who are you?”

“My name is Fell, a wandering knight.”

He was the one who had moved Daisy to this inn.

“Good heavens.”

A rare good man these days. Daisy bowed deeply.

“Thank you. Without you, I would have ended up sleeping outside and gotten sick.”

Fell smiled lightly at her words.

“I’m glad you woke up safely.”

“Please call me Daisy, not ‘lady’.”

“Understood, Miss Daisy.”

Despite being a wandering knight, Fell was surprisingly gentle and considerate.

‘I’ve never met a wandering knight who’s handsome, kind, and polite! Amazing!’

Daisy’s eyes sparkled as she asked him all sorts of questions.

“By the way, Sir Fell, what brings you to this remote village?”

“I happened to stop here during my training journey.”

“Oh, a training journey…”

A wandering knight on a training journey, not a mercenary-like knight?

It was a phrase she had only read in fairy tales. Daisy quickly scanned Fell from head to toe.

‘He must come from a well-off family.’

Now his composed attitude and kind actions made sense.

‘Generosity comes from abundance.’

Unaware of Daisy’s thoughts, Fell spoke, concerned.