Chapter 6
Kallios still looked like a little kid. But compared to just earlier—when he couldn’t even talk properly—he had grown a lot.
“How dare you shove vegetables into my mouth…”
Kallios still looked shocked from being forced to eat green vegetables.
But Daisy ignored his pout and calmly explained the situation.
“I don’t know the exact reason, but it looks like the reason you’re not growing is because of picky eating.”
Kids have to eat all kinds of food to grow into healthy adults. That saying fit Kallios perfectly now.
Kallios understood her words and his face twisted in horror.
“You mean… I have to eat those gross green leaves from now on?”
“Looks like it.”
“Damn it!”
Kallios, who looked like a child, shouted a curse that didn’t match his cute appearance. Daisy shot back with a scolding voice.
“So you’d rather never grow up and stay small forever?”
“That’s…”
Kallios bit his lip. Daisy glared at him.
‘He really hates vegetables that much?’
Still, even he knew he couldn’t give up his great wizard powers just because he hated veggies.
In the end, Kallios scrunched his face and nodded.
“Fine! I’ll do it! I can handle a few lousy vegetables… probably.”
And so, the mission began once more—“Operation: Make the Stubborn Great Wizard Eat His Vegetables.”
“Hello! Can I buy some vegetables?”
“What kind are you looking for?”
“Hmm… carrots, onions, potatoes, green onions, eggplants, cabbage, cucumber…”
As Daisy listed vegetables, Kallios suddenly shouted,
“What?! You’re trying to make me eat all that? No way!”
The voice of the great wizard who could move mountains and split oceans echoed through the market.
But to someone else nearby, that “great wizard” looked very different.
“Oh my, is that your little brother? He’s adorable.”
The vegetable seller smiled warmly at Kallios.
“Hi there. Do you not like veggies?”
“I hate them!”
“Hate? Wow, using such a big word for a little kid.”
“How dare you call me a kid—!”
“Shhh! Kalli! Didn’t we promise to behave in public, remember?”
Daisy bent down and whispered in Kallios’s ear.
“Kallios, if you don’t behave, I’ll give you raw veggie juice today.”
“What?!”
“Or maybe you want everyone to find out the Great Wizard is now a little boy?”
“Ugh…”
Threatened, Kallios puffed his cheeks and turned his head away.
Yes, they had come down to the nearest town from the “Western Forest” to shop.
When Daisy checked the food storage, everything was either dried out or mysterious old eggs. So they had no choice but to go buy groceries.
Kallios didn’t trust Daisy to go alone, so he followed her, and now she had to drag him around like a stubborn brat.
The veggie seller had no idea that the cute boy in front of her was actually a famous wizard. She handed Daisy a bag full of fresh vegetables.
“Here, I added two extra carrots because your brother’s so cute. Enjoy!”
“Wow, thank you. Kalli will love them. Here’s the money.”
“Ugh… Wasting my wealth on useless things like this…”
Kallios grumbled, but Daisy ignored him and pointed at a bench nearby.
“Okay, I think we’ve got everything. Let’s sit down for a bit before we go back.”
Daisy sat down heavily, and Kallios sat beside her.
He swung his little legs and looked around.
“Now that I think about it… it’s been a long time since I left the forest.”
“How long?”
“About… 23 years?”
Daisy’s jaw dropped.
“What?!”
“What’s with that weird sound?”
“How old are you that you haven’t left the forest in 23 years?”
Daisy knew powerful wizards aged very slowly.
‘But knowing it and seeing it for real are different.’
Kallios noticed her curious stare and turned away.
“I’ve lived at least ten times longer than you. That’s all you need to know!”
“Wow…”
Daisy was impressed.
‘And this guy… tried to flirt with Princess Adria, who’s over 100 years younger than him?’
No wonder people called him the “Evil Wizard of the West Tower.”
“Kallios, you really are kind of a creep.”
“What did you just say?”
“Nothing at all! Anyway, let’s get going. We’ve rested enough.”
Kallios looked like he wanted to yell, but Daisy stood up and pretended not to notice.
But then…
“Huh?”
Suddenly, her arms and legs lost all strength. Her head pounded, her skin felt numb, and her eyelids grew heavy.
It was a strange but familiar feeling.
Thud.
Daisy collapsed to the ground, screaming silently inside.
‘I forgot today was the day!’
This was the mysterious illness that had brought her all the way to the Western Forest.
Normally, she would stay home and prepare to faint in peace—but with everything going on lately, she forgot her schedule.
‘Oh no, Daisy’s doomed…’
She prayed to wake up under a real roof… and fainted.
“Ugh… Ow, my head…”
Daisy held her heavy head and slowly sat up.
“I remember fainting on the street… Where am I now?”
She looked around, confused—then a familiar voice spoke.
“Is this the illness you were talking about?”
Daisy smiled brightly.
“Kallios! You didn’t leave me!”
“I’d be in trouble without you.”
“How long was I out?”
“A little over a day.”
“And this place is…?”
“An inn nearby.”
Daisy’s eyes widened.
“You brought me here?”
“Well…”
Just then, someone knocked gently and spoke.
“Hey kid, I’m coming in.”
“Huh? W-wait—”
Before Daisy could answer, the door opened.
A man with reddish-brown hair and a calm face walked in. He paused, surprised to see Daisy awake.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you were up.”
“It’s okay…”
His kind and trustworthy face made Daisy feel safe.
“Um, who are you?”
“My name’s Pell. I’m a traveling knight.”
He was the one who found Daisy and brought her to this inn.
“Oh my gosh…”
A kind person in this world! Daisy bowed deeply.
“Thank you so much. If not for you, I’d have slept outside and caught a cold.”
Pell smiled gently.
“I’m glad you’re okay now.”
“Please, don’t call me ‘miss.’ Just Daisy is fine.”
“Alright, Miss Daisy.”
Pell didn’t act like a rough knight at all—he was warm and polite.
‘I’ve never seen a handsome, kind, and clean traveling knight before. How cool!’
Daisy sparkled with curiosity and asked Pell many questions.
“By the way, what brings you to this countryside village?”
“I’m on a training journey. I just happened to stop by.”
“Oh, a training journey…”
He wasn’t a mercenary-for-hire, but a knight on a real journey of growth? Like from a storybook?
Daisy looked him up and down.
‘He must come from a rich family.’
Now she understood his calm manner and warm heart.
‘People with full bellies are always nicer.’
While Daisy was lost in thought, Pell spoke again, his voice full of concern…
