The Youngest Hides a Lot - Chapter 144

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 144
“Your Grace?”
“Bind it for now. The Mages are on the move.”
In the distance, the Mages were burning the corpse of the dark creature.
“They may have noticed something. We should retreat for now.”
The blue-haired Knight spoke calmly. But Leviathan did not move.
In that moment, a chill ran down Allen’s spine.
The loose, apathetic expression vanished entirely, and the Duke’s face I glimpsed was as eerie as a yaksha’s.
“…Your Grace, you cannot engage them now.”
“…”
“Did you not promise the Emperor that you would not clash with the Mages? Discovering their intentions alone is already a great victory.”
“Which is precisely why I think they should die now.”
The voice that returned was terribly low and dark.
“They intend to bring war to this land once more. That terrible hell, again.”
“But…”
“Hahah. Ha. Everyone’s so serious? But look over there.”
At that moment, Allen, who had been observing, lowered his spyglass and spoke.
“The entrance to the Ruins has disappeared, hasn’t it? It seems the Mages have hidden the entrance.”
“…”
“From my experience, unless another Mage finds it, it would take several weeks… no, several months more to discover.”
Several months…
Leviathan murmured.
In the end, they had to retreat for now.
Leviathan immediately sent a messenger hawk to the Imperial Palace requesting additional surveillance forces. The Emperor ordered the Duke to return for now, as the Palace would handle matters from here on.
And so, now.
On the journey back to the Empire.
‘Phew, I nearly got caught up in a whale’s fight.’
Having finished his recollection, Allen trotted after his horse, lost in thought.
‘But he really does treat the Mages as enemies more than I expected? Ugh, that look in his eyes.’
Kalid, you bastard…
Are you really okay? If that Duke finds out you and the Princess are Mages, won’t all hell break loose?
‘Anyway, I need to send a messenger hawk to the kid.’
Allen glanced around at the flawless Knights surrounding them and swallowed a sigh.
‘If I don’t report that the Mage King has moved, he’ll throw a fit for sure…’
He recalled Kalid’s serpent that had emerged from the darkness. A shiver ran through his body.
‘Hmm, let me think.’
He devised a scheme.
At that moment, there was a sharp metallic click.
“Well then, we’ll start picking up the pace now.”
Leviathan, having finished examining the portrait, tilted his face slightly and spoke.
“Will you burn your backer, or will you be buried forever? Have you decided which path to take?”
Damn it all, my life.
What should I do…? In that moment of hesitation, my gaze drifted to the golden locket clutched in the Duke’s hand.
It seemed like he glanced at it almost every three seconds, and when I caught a glimpse over his shoulder, it appeared to be a family portrait.
‘All or nothing.’
“Ah yes! Yes, Your Excellency! I can definitely burn that bridge!”
I cried out dramatically.
“It seems you have an adorable daughter, and there’s a delightful macaron shop that children her age absolutely love! According to my information network, it’s one of the top three must-have items that fathers always bring back from business trips….”
“Is this insane? What the hell are you suddenly spouting?”
Yugen smacked Allen on the back of the head once more.
Damn, this wasn’t it either.
Then the Duke turned to look at Allen.
“Is it nearby?”
“Pardon?”
“The macaron shop. I don’t have much time.”
“Oh, yes yes yes yes! It’s right in the Village Below the Mountain!”
Then his sharp jawline pointed smoothly ahead.
“Lead the way.”
“What? Really?”
This actually worked?
Though Allen felt uncertain, he still saw it as an opportunity and quickly guided the way.
Once we left the empty forest path and entered the village, there were quite a lot of people.
Indeed, the crowd bustled about as befitted a famous establishment.
It was awkward to ride horses, so they headed toward a nearby stable.
‘Now’s the time.’
The moment Allen’s reins came loose from the horse.
I fled with every ounce of strength I possessed.
“Hey, you bastard!”
In an instant, I burrowed through the crowd and pickpocketed items as cover. An overcoat, a hat, a scarf….
It was fortunate that I was skilled in these petty techniques.
But only for a moment.
When I glanced back pretending to browse a stall, there didn’t seem to be any pursuers.
‘Phew, damn it! That scared me more than anything in ages!’
I almost died back there.
I let out a deep sigh of relief and quickly buried myself in a dark alley.
‘By the way, the princess is cute.’
The locket I’d glimpsed from Leviathan came to mind. Though it was a rough charcoal sketch, the round, delicate features were distinctly rendered and quite striking.
‘Kalid, that bastard.’
So that’s why he kept it hidden like a treasure?
‘But I saw her face too!’
Allen chuckled softly and quickened his pace. Then he rummaged through his pocket, pulled out a blank sheet of paper, and scribbled something hastily on it.
“He’s fled, as expected.”
When Leon spoke, Leviathan tilted his head with indifference.
“How late he is to run. I’ve been wondering when he’d finally escape… Yugen.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Follow him and confirm exactly where he sends the carrier pigeon.”
Yugen gave a brief bow, grabbed his bow, and vanished like the wind.
Since it was practically intentional to let him go in the first place, there was no chance of losing him.
“I cannot fathom whose commission he’s under that he keeps his mouth so firmly sealed. The man is supposedly the leader of the Empire’s largest Mercenary Company, as far as I know….”
Recently, I’d thought things had grown strangely quiet.
Leviathan listened silently to Leon’s murmuring before opening his mouth.
There was something I’d been thinking about the entire ride on horseback.
“Rubian….”
An abrupt beginning. Leon’s expression turned puzzled as he said, “Yes?”
“Rubian sometimes plays hide-and-seek with Void and Liam at the Castle.”
“…Ah, I know. But what connection does that have….”
“When she’s in my Study, she sometimes comes and asks me to hide her. As she crawls under the desk, there’s always one thing she says.”
Leviathan turned his gaze to meet Leon’s.
“She asks me to watch the window carefully and alert her the moment Liam or Void appears.”
“….”
Only then did Leon grasp what Leviathan was trying to say.
“If someone has a reason to watch for another, then that person is either their enemy or… or.”
Leviathan finished his thought.
“Someone they must flee from.”
Someone fleeing from the Mage King.
As far as Leviathan knew, there was only one such person.
A young Mage who fled the Kingdom.
‘Was it that Mage who set this mercenary in motion?’
If so, it made sense why the man wouldn’t open his mouth easily.
If he was a Mage with formidable power… perhaps some curse had been placed on him.
“That could very well be the case.”
Leon, who had been lost in thought for a moment, suddenly asked.
“Then, sir… if that young Mage is indeed the one, what do you intend to do once you find his whereabouts?”
“Well….”
Leviathan lazily brushed his hair back.
Truthfully, I hadn’t really thought about it.
Ordering the pursuit of Allen’s connections was closer to instinctive action.
He exhaled a long breath and looked up at the sky.
“For now.”
“….”
“I feel like I should feed him something.”
The clear autumn sky mirrored the eyes of my precious little one.
“He’s only ten years old.”
For some reason, it felt as though our eyes were locked together, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away.
A moment later.
Yugen secured a carrier pigeon letter from Allen.
Leviathan received the letter and read its contents.
* * *
“Acorns!”
I quickly stuffed the acorns that had fallen on the path—the squirrel’s daily bread—into my pocket.
“More acorns over here too!”
The Academy had so many oak trees; it was truly a bumper crop!
I should use them as materials during crafting time.
‘But that application form….’
I walked along the path, picking up quality acorns one by one.
‘The handwriting seemed familiar.’
One of the application forms that Professor Yuliope had left on his desk.
The handwriting gave me an odd sense of déjà vu, and it kept catching my eye.
“Hmm.”
I listed out all the information I’d gathered so far, feeling like a detective.
An awkward and suspicious Maid.
The dispatch of high-ranking Mages to the Delcan Ruins.
And that handwriting on the application form….
‘Could it be that Second has come?’
My hand, which had been filling my pocket with acorns, came to an abrupt stop.
“No, surely not. There’s no way….”
I laughed to myself and shook my head.
“I’m not an idiot.”
Why would a pursuer who came in secret boldly submit a job application like this?
Unless they were someone who spent all their time cooped up in the Royal Palace and rarely ventured outside.
“….”
…That’s right. Someone cooped up in the Royal Palace.
Second was a high-ranking Mage who handled all matters within the Royal Palace exclusively. It was rare for him to venture outside the palace.
So it was highly unlikely he would have been dispatched to the Delcan Ruins this time.
‘…Didn’t they say the restorers were coming tomorrow?’
Sigh.
I was now almost certain that Second had come looking for me.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————