The Youngest Hides a Lot - Chapter 181

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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 181
No, why did he have to contact Father about this too…
“What on earth is going on?”
“I’m fine…”
“You had a nosebleed in the middle of the Imperial Palace, they say.”
Huh? The rumor got a bit exaggerated.
“…? Who said that? It was only from one nostril? Just a little.”
I pressed my index and thumb together to emphasize how little it was, but Father had already stopped listening.
“Borbel.”
Father set down something he’d been carrying on his shoulder with a thud. It was Borbel, holding a fork and spoon in both hands.
So he’d been eating cream stew… That must have been delicious.
Just as Borbel regained his composure and began to rise, the sound of someone sobbing rapidly drew closer.
“Rubian!”
That voice…
“Waaah, Rubian, waaah. Everyone move aside. Let me see my brother. Waaah waaah.”
“Why is a grown man crying like that? What’s wrong?”
“You, you suddenly coughed up blood in the Imperial Palace!”
“…”
What?
“How is this rumor even spreading?”
“Waaah waaah waaah. Borbel, save my brother. Just take all my blood and give it to Rubian!”
Was he seriously trying to kill me?
Mother was just about to step in and tell Void to calm down.
Crash!
The entire door flew off its hinges.
My vision blurred. That familiar pattern. Could it be…
“Booger! Where is my great king’s big soft booger!”
It’s in my nose, isn’t it?
I watched the large figure approaching with thundering footsteps, my eyes wide with shock.
“Grandfather! Wait, you said you’d arrive in a few days?”
As I looked at Father with the question, the unfilial son quickly averted his gaze. Tsk, yet he was so quick to relay news about Mother…
Grandfather, still displaying vigor from the Northern Region, bent over with a hearty laugh.
“Hahahaha! So my little booger finally made the prince’s nose bleed!”
“…”
What exactly did Grandfather hear?
After a period of complete chaos had passed.
Borbel examined me thoroughly and delivered an utterly unremarkable diagnosis of simple fatigue and the sensible prescription of adequate rest.
“Master Borbel, I hope you enjoyed the cream stew…”
“Yes yes, Miss. Please rest. Get some good sleep.”
“Understood.”
The door closed, and Father exhaled a long, weary sigh.
“See? It’s nothing serious….”
“You….”
Something about the subtle hardness in his gaze made my body flinch involuntarily. I moved like a wooden puppet, obediently burying myself beneath the covers.
Void and Liam were banished for disrupting my rest. Grandfather was utterly shocked to learn it was me, not the Crown Prince, who had the nosebleed, and he disappeared somewhere with Mother to prepare restorative tonics.
“What exactly are you doing at night instead of sleeping? You’ve accumulated so much fatigue.”
In the end, I was left alone with Father, who seemed somewhat angry….
“No. I was also refining magic circles….”
“Refining them.”
“And drafting magical artifact blueprints, reading self-improvement books, practicing for the academic festival play, worrying about Kalid, interpreting ancient texts….”
“….”
“And that’s how it happened….”
Father exhaled another long sigh.
His firm throat moved several times, as though suppressing various emotions. Then a cool, solid hand descended upon my forehead.
His voice flowed low, heavy with complicated feelings.
“I told you to grow up, not to work yourself to exhaustion.”
“I know….”
“For the time being, research, studying, and going out are all forbidden.”
“That won’t work—I’m busy!”
“Exactly. That busyness is what’s forbidden.”
“Ugh…. That’s cheating.”
I’m an adult. Not a child.
But I held back from talking back.
I noticed Father’s hair and clothes were completely disheveled. Even though he was usually loose about appearances, I’d never seen him so unkempt.
‘He must have rushed over in a panic.’
Well, if I heard Father was bleeding, I’d probably rush over frantically too.
With the thought that I couldn’t cause my family any more worry, I squeezed my eyes shut.
“Sleep if you’re tired. I’ll bring medicine.”
I buried my nose in the blanket and nodded, and Father kissed my forehead before moving away.
The bedroom door closed carefully, and alone at last, I slowly opened my eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling.
“I told you to work yourself to exhaustion.”
‘I know. I understand.’
Why did I feel so anxious?
If I relaxed even slightly….
It felt as though something inside me would crumble without warning.
I wanted to sleep, but sleep wouldn’t come. So I simply continued what I’d been doing during the day.
“Delmon is dead.”
“What? Senior Leon…. What did you say?”
“Delmon died during this Demon Subjugation Force operation.”
As I squeezed my eyes shut, that voice echoed endlessly in my mind, only the name changed.
Liam is dead.
Void died during this demon subjugation.
Your Excellency… Rosetta… Grandfather…
I wrapped myself in the blanket like a cocoon and curled up on my side. A low groan escaped me. I breathed in through my nose, which had finally stopped bleeding.
My mood slowly sank. I was fine during the day when surrounded by people, but the nights when I was alone grew increasingly unbearable.
“A tunnel…”
Just dig me a tunnel for a bit…
Come to think of it, I always had a friend by my side during times like these to talk things through with.
Someone who would quietly listen with that characteristic indifferent expression to stories I couldn’t even bring myself to share with my family.
‘Maybe I need him right now.’
Come quickly, you stupid mutt.
I think I’m feeling a little down right now.
* * *
The Kingdom of Mages, Arcadia.
A beautiful king with long silver hair draped down sat sprawled upon the throne.
It was the Mage King, who had spent years in seclusion recovering his lost magical power.
The royal palace that had once been filled with mysterious mist now overflowed with only dirty black smoke. Screams echoed endlessly from somewhere, and the crackling collision of magical forces erupted and faded in repetition.
“The final formula.”
The man spoke with a voice burning with blood. The Mage King’s ‘First’, standing nearby in a royal robe, bowed at the waist.
“Have you found the clue to the final formula?”
“We are still researching. However, we have already brought over all the formulas that were in the Delcan Ruins. So if you could wait just a little longer…”
“‘Seventh’… What is my daughter doing? Has she come of age? Her father should give her a congratulatory kiss!”
First adjusted his twitching lips and answered respectfully once more.
“That will happen soon.”
“What of the King of Casalia?”
The Mage King asked as if seized by a fit.
“He is cooperating appropriately while gauging Babylon’s intentions. Please do not worry. After all, it is they who need magic, so they would not dare entertain thoughts of betraying us.”
First smiled thinly.
“As long as the King of Casalia continues to turn a blind eye as he does now… he will also remain unaware that our mages traverse the Continent.”
There were two ways for Arcadia’s mages to reach the Continent.
‘Either by boarding a sailing ship embedded with magical artifacts, or by using a Gate Portal.’
The mages primarily utilized the latter.
Of course, that Gate Portal would not activate unless the other side manipulated the mechanism. It was a structure that could not be opened unilaterally.
All nations, including Babylon, had naturally sealed that portal.
Moreover, with Arcadia now hidden behind hundreds of barriers as it was, the sea route could not be used. It was impossible anyway due to Babylon’s search ships.
First, who had been pondering, approached the King of Casalia first.
Casalia was a desert nation, and its harsh surrounding environment created a heavy dependence on Hub Mages and magical artifacts.
‘After all, it was the King of Casalia who had permitted the search of the Delcan Ruins before.’
When Babylon pushed forward the agenda of treating the Mage Kingdom as an enemy of the Continental Alliance.
Casalia hesitated and cast its vote of approval last, or so I had heard.
‘A decision left with regret is easily overturned.’
“Grant us permission to use the portal gateway of Casalia that connects to the Continent. If not… my king has said he will slaughter every Hub Mage in Casalia. Naturally, the supply of magical artifacts will be cut off as well.”
He resorted to the simplest method of coercion, and thus the Mage Kingdom secured a secret route to the Continent.
“I hear the King of Casalia is heading to Babylon this time.”
“Ah… Babylon.”
The Mage King exhaled a long breath, his face growing pale.
“That’s where my daughter is.”
He still had not abandoned Seventh.
“Then, will you go this time?”
First shook his head firmly.
“The same method won’t work. Dragging her back by force… it won’t succeed anymore.”
“Then what?”
“A weakness…”
First murmured thoughtfully.
“Strike at her most vulnerable point and make her walk toward you of her own accord.”
For the first time, the Mage King’s eyes gleamed with interest.
“Have Casalia keep watch over the situation first, and if necessary, send someone. However…”
First paused, then added his thought.
“This time, someone whose face she doesn’t know. Not a Royal Palace Mage, not a Hub Mage.”
The Mage King embraced him with a delighted smile.
Soon, a ceremonial dance melody for a coming-of-age celebration flowed from somewhere, and the Mage King danced in spiraling circles to its rhythm.

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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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