The Youngest Hides a Lot - Chapter 145

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 145
With all the senior mages away at the Delcan Ruins, it made sense that Second—that sluggish one who’d been lounging alone in the Royal Palace—would finally make her move.
‘She probably crossed the Border using some mana-binding method or other.’
But unlike Fourth, she didn’t seem to be planning anything loud or ostentatious.
‘What should I do…’
Tomorrow was the presentation day—also the observation day. It was when this clumsy charade of hiding my identity would finally end.
So I had to decide.
Whether to confront her directly, or hide again.
My gaze drifted suddenly toward the distant Central Library.
The Capital was the worst possible terrain for a mage.
‘But I know places where that doesn’t apply.’
So then…
It wasn’t as if I had no options.
And there were things I needed to start attempting soon to resolve this stigma problem.
‘Fine. Tonight, I’m infiltrating the Ancient Manuscript Archive again.’
I picked up another acorn and wondered where Kalid might be right now.
Even when I was being ignored, using the communication channel had felt comfortable back then.
Somehow, I found myself missing it a little.
“Ugh, but there are so many ginkgo trees here.”
I pinched my nose against the pungent stench that was creeping up.
‘So, Kalid, my friend—where are you!’
Please don’t tell me you’re skipping at the Medical Building again?
* * *
Kalid was gazing up at the sky.
Unable to use the Medical Building as an excuse anymore, he’d just escaped from the art class he’d been forced to attend.
The aesthetics professor who’d rushed at him the moment he arrived, insisting on painting his portrait, had been particularly bothersome.
‘I’m not even enrolling, so why are they making me get a student ID in the first place?’
Something about needing to preserve it, or whatever.
It made no sense.
In any case, Kalid found the attention pouring down on him genuinely tiresome and irritating. In fact, it seemed he wasn’t quite used to it.
‘That said…
Why hasn’t Allen sent any word?’
Kalid clicked his tongue briefly and formed a hand visor to block out the sunlight.
He’d sent Allen out because the senior mages were supposedly swarming the Delcan Ruins.
‘Maybe there’s nothing to report.’
But even when there was nothing to report, Allen usually sent a letter anyway.
Normally, Kalid used the hawk he commanded as a messenger bird, but since this was the Capital—a place devoid of even a trace of mana—he’d planned to use ordinary messenger birds to minimize his use of magic.
‘Is that why it’s taking so long?’
Kalid fiddled with his bracelet.
No matter how much mana one possessed internally, it became bothersome when the surrounding environment didn’t cooperate.
I couldn’t quite grasp where to release my power and when to stop.
“That’s because you still can’t perfectly control your mana. Your body is too small.”
Rubian, who was even smaller than me, rose onto her tiptoes and tapped the crown of my head playfully.
It was a peculiar moment—pleasant yet wounding to my pride….
“The surrounding mana has probably been acting as a buffer for you without your knowing it. Absorbing excess when there’s too much, adding strength when there’s too little!”
“It’s frustrating not being able to use magic freely.”
“Finally, you understand my feelings. Let’s use this opportunity to be reborn as a humble child.”
That child’s expression, brimming with emotion, was the only harvest from that conversation.
In any case, Rubian instructed me to use magic only within the minimum range where I wouldn’t remove the bracelet.
With a control tool in place, there would be no risk of me running wild.
‘At least I can still roll the Squirrel and give mana to Rubian.’
Kalid kicked the ground with a dissatisfied expression. My shadow stretched long across the earth.
‘If I were bigger….’
Then could I use magic freely, without any restrictions?
If I were larger and stronger than I am now.
Then I could protect Rubian more reliably….
Kalid clenched his fists tightly.
Suddenly, I wished time would pass faster.
As I walked away from the Back Garden, I spotted a familiar silhouette in the distance.
“…Rubian?”
What was she doing here?
Kalid quickened his pace. Large oak and ginkgo trees lined the Narrow Path.
Rubian was crouched behind one of the massive trees, peering intently ahead.
“What are you looking at so intently?”
“Gasp, you startled me. Shhhh!”
The moment I touched her shoulder, Rubian jumped in alarm and pulled my arm, drawing me to hide behind the tree with her.
“What are you doing?”
“Wait. They should be coming soon.”
“…?”
When I peeked out slightly, I saw her round cheeks puffed out prominently.
The place Rubian was watching was merely the winding Narrow Path—a walking trail frequently used by students.
Though it did seem like fallen leaves were unusually piled up in the middle of the path….
“What exactly are you….”
Then, a burst of laughter rang out.
“Ah, finally tomorrow is the last day!”
“Wasn’t it really boring and tedious?”
A group of boys. Judging by the color of their ribbon ties, they appeared to be Camp participants.
‘What….’
My heart suddenly sank.
‘She was waiting for those boys…?’
For some reason, my mind felt completely blank and hazy.
“Hey, Haven! Give me the ball!”
In that instant, the boy called Haven snatched his friend’s ball and bolted away with thundering footsteps.
“Hahahaha! Try and catch me!”
Rubian’s eyes watching from the side grew even brighter.
Just as Haven, galloping like a young colt, stepped on a pile of fallen leaves in the middle of the path.
Squelch.
“Kyaaaah! What is this!”
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know! I stepped on something weird!”
“Something weird? Wait, hold on. Haven, you…”
His friends pinched their noses shut.
“It smells like poop!”
Snicker.
Rubian covered her mouth and laughed.
How does the taste of crushed ginkgo fruit feel?
“It’s not poop! Ugh! What is this!”
Haven hopped around trying to shake the juice off his shoes, but ultimately slipped and skidded across the ground.
Burst ginkgo fruit clung all over his body.
“Hahahaha! Haven the poop-boy! He stinks like poop!”
“It’s not poop, I tell you!”
His friends teased and ran off, and Haven too scrambled to his feet and disappeared noisily.
“That was hilarious!”
Rubian finally got to her feet and dusted off her hands.
“So you… picked up ginkgo fruit and set a trap just now?”
“Yep. Pretty clever, right?”
Seeing her puffed chest and satisfied expression, Kalid felt his heart, which had plummeted, return to its proper place.
“He was teasing Jerdin again during craft time.”
“Jer…din?”
Thump. My heart dropped again.
Who is this person anyway…
“Bad Haven. You deserve to be teased too!”
Rubian threw mock punches at the air.
“But what are you doing here? Isn’t it class time?”
“It ended early.”
I answered while hiding my gloomy mood. Though it had always been this way, today I felt particularly frustrated and resentful that I wasn’t in the same class as Rubian.
I truly couldn’t understand why my heart had become so petty lately.
‘Am I unworthy of becoming a Knight?’
I grew a bit dejected.
“Really? Then what perfect timing!”
“Why?”
Rubian smiled brightly.
“This evening… let’s sneak out for a walk together. To the Ancient Manuscript Archive.”
“….”
Together, secretly, a walk….
All other words faded away, and only those words struck me with crystalline intensity. My gloomy mood vanished like a lie, replaced by sudden joy.
Could a mood really be as light and fleeting as paper?
Kalid pondered it seriously, but soon found himself convinced.
‘Well, it’s Rubian, after all.’
It seemed only natural to me.
* * *
That evening.
I headed to the Ancient Manuscript Archive again with Kalid.
Thanks to Professor Yuliope, I could now get the keys to the Ancient Manuscript Archive whenever I wanted, but since it was after closing hours, I needed Kalid’s help.
“Squirrel, thank you!”
I gave him two acorns I’d gathered during the day. The Squirrel’s dark eyes sparkled with delight.
“But why the Ancient Manuscript Archive all of a sudden? Do you have something else to investigate?”
Kalid asked as he walked between the bookshelves.
His movements were slightly more relaxed than before.
After all, Professor Yuliope had already left for the day.
“I want to test something with the magic circle on that stone tablet.”
“Test something?”
“Just come with me.”
I whispered softly and moved forward.
The large tree I encountered again looked fresh today. Whether it was an evergreen variety, its leaves were remarkably verdant even on this autumn day.
The stone tablet hidden behind the tree.
I traced the magic circle carved upon it with my fingers once more.
‘Hmm….’
Somehow, I felt I could do this.
I plucked a few strands of my hair.

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