The Youngest Hides a Lot - Chapter 184

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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 184
No matter what, why would you give a dog bone to Kalid’s future girlfriend?
“Anyway, it’s not happening. Father is… absolutely against it.”
Not enthusiastically for it, but absolutely against it—what kind of logic is that?
“Kalid must become the greatest knight in the world. For that to happen, romance? Absolutely forbidden.”
“But Father became a very excellent knight and still dated and got married.”
“That’s because I’m me.”
“What kind of reasoning is that…?”
“It works for me but not for him. Rubian. It doesn’t work. Do you understand? Absolutely not. Not yet.”
“Why are you telling me? Go argue with him!”
Father turned his head away, covering his mouth with a nauseated expression. He was muttering something, but the wind was too loud to hear any of it.
‘Hmm. So Father would feel lonely if Kalid got a girlfriend too.’
Broken down to that degree, no less.
The bonds formed by spending time together truly cannot be ignored.
‘So it wasn’t strange that I didn’t want to cheer him on.’
I grinned and gripped the reins tightly. When I gave them a slight flick, my sleek white horse surged forward a bit faster.
“That’s right—romance is worthless!”
I’d forgotten for a moment, but the original work was a war story with no dreams or hope!
“Just train harder like Father said and become the strongest in the world!”
I’m really sorry for being such a childhood friend!
* * *
Mm.
Leviathan, watching the back of his daughter riding ahead, smiled gently.
Now that I think about it, I did well to follow along on horseback.
A truly excellent knight must keenly detect and respond to approaching crises.
‘Good. I’ll keep that brat Kalid right by my side.’
And Rubian on the other side.
If it works out that way, the two of them will be blocked by an impenetrable wall they can never break through, forever unable to face each other and only running parallel lines…
“Y-Your Excellency. Your energy seems rather intense. Is something the matter…?”
At the Adjutant’s words, Leviathan lifted his vacant eyes.
After a moment of silence, a long sigh escaped him.
“…No, I was just imagining something that made me feel a bit self-loathing.”
“Sir?”
He let out a soft groan and roughly ruffled the back of his head.
He understood that as a parent, it was his role to let go at an appropriate time, even if she was no longer a ten-year-old child.
But there was nothing he could do about the way his heart sank at the mere thought of ‘letting her go’ somewhere.
“Are there any traces of magical beasts on this road?”
He changed the subject.
“None, sir. If anything had happened, the advance guard would have sent word, so please don’t worry.”
“Right.”
“Still, it wasn’t really necessary for the General to accompany us. With the support unit’s personnel and all, having Leon guard the young lady would have been sufficient.”
“Ah.”
He paused in thought, then cast his gaze forward. I could see Rubian’s profile as she glanced around with sparkling eyes.
With her long hair pinned up tightly in disguise as a Knight Order member, she looked almost like a mischievous young boy knight from a distance.
“She’s holding something back right now.”
“Pardon?”
“She doesn’t even realize she’s pushing herself, so I need to keep her in check.”
Leviathan was deeply concerned about Rubian, who had suffered a nosebleed.
It seemed as though something was weighing on her heart and she was overexerting herself, but since she wouldn’t confide in either me or Rosetta, there was no choice but to find another way.
‘Her eagerness to see the monument inscription formula quickly is obviously just an excuse… Since she used to chatter away to Kalid about this and that when we were young, perhaps that’s the reason.’
Childish behavior was childish behavior.
But if it was something Rubian needed, even a bitter heart couldn’t stand in the way.
Just then, Rubian, who had been riding ahead, suddenly turned around and waved her hand excitedly.
“There! A signpost at the fork in the road!”
“Oh, truly our youngest.”
Nearby knights chuckled and rushed off saying, “We’ll go ahead and take care of it!”
Leviathan also tried to increase his speed when suddenly—
A familiar sense of déjà vu made him pause.
A pale face revealed beneath a deeply pulled hood.
‘…The Priest’s robes had a hood like that too.’
Pulled down deeply like that. That woman in the dream.
With those fierce crimson eyes swirling about.
A nightmare of being killed by some unknown woman. Leviathan suffered from that inexplicable dream whenever he let his guard down.
The problem was that the woman in the dream was becoming increasingly…
‘Rubian…’
She was beginning to resemble Rubian.
‘No, rather…’
Was Rubian growing to look like the woman in the dream?
“…”
Leviathan shook his head roughly and lightly kicked the horse’s flank. Clip-clop, clip-clop. Feeling the gradually quickening pace, he thought calmly.
‘Then it’s not a nightmare.’
Not a dream of losing a daughter.
A dream of dying by the hands of a woman resembling his daughter could never be a nightmare for him.
* * *
“Wow, a festival!”
I opened my eyes wide.
The Border Village wasn’t large in scale, but that’s precisely what gave it a quaint charm. The modest decorations hung throughout enhanced the festive atmosphere beautifully.
Father went to meet the King, who was staying at a nearby Noble Residence, as soon as we arrived here.
Of course, since I hadn’t come as a princess, I had free time!
‘Where is Kalid?’
I heard that the Princess had taken him out to see the Village, but….
I picked up my decorative bow and walked slowly down the street. It had been incredibly difficult to stop the senior Guard Knights from insisting on accompanying me as my escort.
‘I’m not a child anymore. And I’ve hidden my identity well.’
I was perfectly capable of exploring the Festival Street on my own.
‘The Village isn’t that large, so if I just wander around like this, I should run into her eventually….’
Besides, they said the Princess was a striking beauty, so she should be easy to spot.
“Excuse me, wandering Knight! Would you like to buy some delicious jam?”
“Oh….”
A wandering Knight, huh. I must look rather solitary.
I was in the middle of picking up jams one by one as souvenirs for my family.
“…Huh?”
A group of people caught my eye.
Over there, at the far end of Festival Street.
‘The Princess.’
I instinctively hid my body behind a large sculpture.
A strikingly beautiful woman was laughing while examining crafts at a street stall, and two Guard Knights stood watch around her.
I recognized the embroidery on the hem of their cloaks immediately.
It was one of the supplies distributed to the Subjugation Force.
‘Which means Kalid is over there!’
“Tsk, I can’t see very well.”
The stall decorations obscured the view, I could only see their backs, and they all had their hoods pulled down low….
That was when.
The Princess picked up a craft and handed it to someone standing nearby.
“…!”
My eyes widened slightly.
From beneath the hood of the man leaning toward the Princess, a flash of blue-black hair was visible for just a moment.
‘Kalid!’
Was it him? Or not?
“Father said he was about this tall when he mentioned it….”
Oh no! It really does look like him!
Because that Knight was nearly the same height as the Princess!
The Princess seemed quite tall for a woman, but regardless, that really….
‘Kalid….’
My nose tingled inexplicably.
It had been a full two years.
‘Huh? But compared to two years ago, he seems a bit smaller somehow…. And…. Maybe he’s gotten thinner from all the hardship?’
I shook my head vigorously.
‘No. Come to think of it, everyone around me is just so tall. That’s normal. Anyway, I’m so incredibly happy. I won’t even have time to feel awkward about how much his appearance has changed.’
I felt tears welling up as I became emotional.
Focusing my senses, I could clearly feel Kalid’s mana from within that group around the Princess.
“Whimper. This magical energy… it’s been so long… Wait, but!”
I squinted, peering ahead, when irritation suddenly flared within me.
‘Why does that man keep blocking our view of Kalid?’
I can’t see him!
Ever since a moment ago, a single Guard Knight with an absurdly massive frame had been standing like a stone wall right in the middle of the path, constantly obscuring Kalid from view!
Even from behind, his presence was utterly intimidating.
The solid, muscular build that remained palpable even beneath his cloak seemed to suppress the very atmosphere around him wherever he went.
With visuals like that, he could probably do the work of a hundred ordinary guards all by himself…
‘Wait. What am I thinking?’
Why did my gaze suddenly drift in that direction?
I shook my head.
‘Hmm, so when should I pretend to recognize him?’
Actually, I’d been planning to watch from a distance and then step forward at an opportune moment as if by coincidence.
But the joy of seeing him made all those plans seem pointless. So I abandoned everything and moved to reveal myself right away.
“Uh…”
My movements froze solid.

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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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