A Promise for the Sleeping Girl

I'd half-expected it. I'd heard the words "Knight King" a few times when I met Ciel.

But for the Knight King to be Lea herself? That was a bit much, wasn't it? And even her true name, Pendragon? Now it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was starting to get genuinely scary.

"The story I told Lea lines up pretty closely..."

That morning when I'd sent her on an errand, I'd made up a tale to pique the girl's interest. A mishmash of King Arthur legends and some popular anime from the neighboring scene... and it turned out to be real? Ghosts would be doing backflips over this. Ah, is that old-fashioned lingo?

Anyway.

"Maybe I've got a knack for novel writing?"

I might have to switch my career from desk job to storyteller.

"And Lucifer again... this guy's popping up everywhere."

In Luna's story, he showed up as a savior. In Lea's, he's the "Goddess's Knight" and the "hidden 13th knight"... He seems to wander between worlds. What the hell is this guy's deal?

"Doesn't feel like some lazy deus ex machina the author tossed in... but who knows."

Since only his name has come up so far, he could be a case of mistaken identity. Still, right now, Lucifer is the one unpredictable element. He wasn't in any of the stories I made up for her.

He's definitely at the center of whatever drove Lea into despair and downfall.

"Lea seemed desperate for his approval. Maybe... that's why she habitually craves recognition as a powerful ghost story."

Suspicious movements from the Twelve Knights. Shadows over the Round Table. The 13th knight, Lucifer. Lea, who doesn't seem to want the throne of Knight King.

"These pieces are tangled up in her downfall for sure... but I still need more clues... Huh?"

—Toss, turn.

As I mulled over the fragment's memories, Lea, sleeping soundly beside me, started squirming and mumbling in her sleep.

"Mmm... Si-hyun, this body wants more pudding... it's still hungry..."

Her tousled red hair, her chest rising and falling gently with each breath, her fingers twitching faintly now and then—it was the picture of an ordinary girl, making the title "Knight King" feel utterly mismatched.

"Aigoo, how did our Knight King end up as this amnesiac little girl?"

She had no idea I was pondering deep stuff; her knightliness was just sleeping peacefully.

Poke, poke.

I playfully pressed her soft cheek. The squishy give under my fingertip made her wriggle a bit and curl up tighter.

"Hnnng..."

Clutching the blanket tight and burying her face deeper, she looked adorable... and a little pitiful too.

"Lea, I don't know yet how tragic and hopeless your past was... but I'll fix it for you. I promise."

It might be as heartbreaking and cruel as Luna's story. And I could end up hurt and battered countless times in the process.

But.

"Hehe... Si-hyun... come quick... zzz..."

"Haha, yeah, yeah. I'm right here, Lea."

I couldn't turn my back on our knight who smiled so purely, just because I might get banged up a little. No, I didn't want to.

—

"Si-hyun, if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you treat other girls nicely while I'm gone... I'll get mad..."

When our golden-eyed princess found out later, my life might be in real jeopardy...

"They say forgiveness is easier than permission. Guess I'll have to beg on my knees later!"

The scar Luna left on my neck tingled faintly... Nah, just my imagination. Haha.

—Pat.

I tucked Lea back in properly as she snored softly and closed my eyes.

"Sweet dreams, Lea. Since it's late, we'll hang out all day tomorrow."

My quiet murmur must've reached her in her dreams—she smiled so peacefully. Moonlight filtered softly through the curtains that night. I drifted off beside the beautiful red-haired knight from the story, as if we'd done this in some lost past amid the hazy flow of time.

The next morning.

"Mm... Ga-eun, aren't we a bit—nah, way too close today?"

"Sniff sniff... Stay still, oppa! Sniff sniff... Hoo, it's definitely your scent..."

The fox-eared girl burst into the office the moment we got to the guild. Claiming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she had something to check, she'd jammed her nose into my chest and been sniffing for a solid ten minutes.

·····Should've known something was up when the fox ears appeared? Ga-eun's turning more animal-like by the day.

"Um... Ga-eun? What're you doing in the office first thing in the morning...?"

"Just leave her, Team Leader. Messing with the master's daughter never ends well~ And it's cute, right? Young folks getting a little skinship."

"The location is the problem! The location!"

"Hehe, Ga-eun's been clinging to Si-hyun forever. Think of it as daily routine and chill."

"...Am I the weird one, or are you guys who see this as normal the weird ones?"

Everyone but the team leader had already achieved enlightenment. Korea's top awakener and hero—the guild master's only daughter, no less—nose-deep in me first thing, and no one bats an eye.

'This damn guild. Maybe I should quit for real.'

—Sniff, huff.

···First things first, gotta deal with the fox-eared girl.

It started as "scent comparison" sniffing. But now the goal felt... distorted.

Because.

"Haa... Krhi...! Ha-eut...!"

Wriggle.

Ga-eun's face had been flushed red for a while, her breaths coming rough. Her hands groping me more boldly went without saying.

"Haa... Haa... Oppa scent... so, so gooood...♡♡"

—Slide.

Whoa, where's that hand headed? Any lower and "Yoon Si-hyun Jr." is in danger!!

I desperately grabbed her weak spot—her ears—to pry her off, but

Grip!

She clung so tight, the girl wouldn't budge a millimeter.

"Ga-eun? This is the office—kinda problematic, yeah?"

"Haa... Ha-eut...! O-oppaaa...♡"

Haha, we're screwed.

Like a fox in actual heat, nothing seemed to register in Ga-eun's ears. Ever since the fox ears, her behavior had been shifting toward some fantasy beastkin trope.

'Gotta check Ga-eun's status.'

I couldn't make out the status message clearly. But the massive "in heat" in special notes told me everything.

If I didn't stop Ga-eun now, catastrophe was incoming...!!

Prying her off with my strength alone? Impossible.

'Then... call someone who can overpower her.'

Before Ga-eun could claim my purity, I frantically dialed her dad's number.

"Hello? Uncle, your daughter's currently in full swing with workplace harassment—hurry up and subdue her. If you're not here in five minutes, the genre's gonna shift."

"Hehe... Oppa’s mine...♥︎♡ Slurp...!♡"

Exactly 30 seconds after my emergency guild master call—

—Smack!

"Hyaaaat?!?!?!?!"

A massive hand chopped down on Ga-eun's skull out of nowhere.

"A-Apa!!"

"Can't even handle guild business in peace because of my daughter."

As expected of Korea's powerhouse. The master's office was at least ten minutes away, but he got here this fast.

"Uncle, you got here quick."

"Haa... Her voice over the phone sounded off, so I rushed."

"Whaaat...? Daddy! Why'd you hit me?!"

"Don't know? Here's another. My girl."

Bonk!

"Ow...! I just wanted to check something with oppa's scent...!"

From her reaction, she didn't remember her heat-fueled antics.

'Gotta be extra careful alone with Ga-eun from now on.'

Whoosh, whoosh!

"Eek! Let go, Dad! J-just a bit more sniffing and I'd figure it out!"

Ga-eun dangled from uncle's grip, still panting. But even our human bulldozer couldn't resist one of Korea's top powerhouses.

"No idea what you're after, but I'm not letting go. Behave."

"Uuu... I hate you, Dad!! Whaaa!!"

"Uncle, I'll calm her down—just hold her steady."

I grabbed Ga-eun's dangling ears and stroked them.

—Fuzzy fuzzy.

"Hyaaaat...?! O-oppaaa?!?!"

"Ga-eun goes all melty when you pet here."

"Hwaaa... O-oppa... Ears, nooo...♡"

"Be good, and I'll do it again later."

"H-eut... P-promise...?♡"

"Yeah."

Ga-eun shuddered violently, then went limp like a deflated balloon, purring contentedly.

"Uncle, she's calm now—take her away."

I settled the limp Ga-eun into his arms and turned back to work.

But.

"Came for Ga-eun, but perfect timing anyway. Follow me."

"Huh?"

Why's this uncle grabbing me now?

"Gotta finish that Excel sheet?"

"Told your team leader to handle it later. Come on."

"What's the big deal?"

"Guild event ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠today. Young awakeners coming for a tour."

Kids who crack ghost stories young get state-managed, then pick guilds. Today, they were touring Korea's top guild, Dawn's Light.

'Yeah, there's a program like that... but today?'

I groaned inwardly, pressing my temple.

Morning Ga-eun drama had drained me, and now a tour event?

·····Wait, young awakeners' event means definitely...?

Thud!

I slapped uncle's shoulder urgently.

"Uncle... don't tell me the lead chaperone is...?"

"Ahem... Yeah, as you guessed."

"Haa, now I get why you need me."

Han Do-jin—guild master recognized nationwide, stern and charismatic. Sweating bullets and fidgeting.

"You'll get the call soon too... She was hyped this morning."

—Bzzz!

Messenger pinged right on cue.

—Gulp.

The moment I read the text, I swallowed hard.

'Ga-eun's mom is coming here...!'