The Youngest Hides a Lot - Chapter 264

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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 264
“It’s a medicine that creates a temporary core for mages whose magical cores have disappeared. It works by allowing the body to absorb magical energy from the air and maintain a newly formed core.”
The air in the room shifted.
“The problem is that it lacks durability. To maintain the newly created core, you might need to take this medicine for life. Of course, if you could receive a continuous supply of magical energy, that wouldn’t be necessary… but…”
The girl shrugged her shoulders.
“There’s no mage crazy enough to share their magical energy—which is as vital as their own life—with someone else, right?”
The family’s gazes slid toward Kalid.
He simply wiped the cold sweat trickling down his chin and straightened his posture shamelessly. His monstrous recovery had already restored a portion of his magical energy.
“Well then, let’s start with the medicine. Rubian, what would you prefer? Just say the word. Liquid form, powder form, pill form, jelly form… Oh, I’m sorry, but we only have vanilla flavor for now. We’re still developing strawberry and chocolate.”
“Wow, cough! You guys, cough! That’s amazing! Cough! I want! Jelly! Cough! Cough, cough!”
“…I’m sorry. A nod is enough, so please stop. I feel like a criminal.”
She quickly retrieved the medicine and fed it to me. It tasted sweet and savory, like milk.
The response was immediate.
Beside my heart, in that empty space, I felt a sensation like a tiny fruit beginning to form.
‘A new core.’
Small and fragile like that of a newborn child, it couldn’t yet hold much magical energy.
But still.
‘It was so painful, as if shards of glass were flowing through my veins…’
The pain quickly faded, and my mind became clear again.
“Ah, thank goodness.”
Licht finally relaxed and slid to the floor. Kalid also exhaled a heavy sigh and wiped his face with his palm, while the family visibly relaxed.
Only then did Father, who had been struggling to maintain composure, pull me into a tight embrace. His voice, exhaling a long breath, trembled with emotion.
“Rubian, you really…”
“Father…”
Relief washed over me, and tears suddenly spilled forth.
“How much longer are you going to torment your father before you’re satisfied?”
“I’m sorry…”
Perhaps I was the only one who thought it would be fine.
My family must have been terrified. They had only considered this final duel as a possibility, never expecting it would actually happen.
‘If I had told them beforehand, they would never have allowed me to go to the Royal Palace…’
Sigh. Unintentionally, I had shown my parents something shameful.
“To make up for my unfilial conduct, cough! Once we return home, I’ll give you 100 massages!”
“…Please, just stay healthy.”
Mother, along with Grandfather and my older brothers, were drawn over like magnets.
I embraced them all with open arms and laughed.
“I’m sorry, everyone. I’m fine now!”
* * *
“Has she fallen asleep again?”
Late into the night.
Ballock asked this of Idelaine as she emerged from checking on Rubian.
“Yes. Yes.”
“How is she? She’s just sleeping like that—is she really going to be alright?”
The towering Grandfather, who seemed to fear nothing in this world, fidgeted anxiously. Idelaine bowed lightly at the waist.
“You might think of it as the process of a new Core settling into place. Since the Core is still extremely weak, she cannot expend large amounts of mana all at once.”
“Then… what about magic?”
Idelaine could not answer that question immediately.
Yet there was no point in hiding it. Rubian would know the truth anyway.
“It will likely take a very long time before she can use magic again. Years or more… and it may prove impossible for the rest of her life.”
Though I softened the words, the reality was nearly impossible. In fact, among the Children of Kanaral Gorge, not a single one had ever regained the ability to use magic as they once had.
Ballock’s shoulders sagged as he grasped the meaning.
Zebert was an ancient house of knights.
Until now, Ballock had never particularly liked mages as a breed, but his granddaughter was an exception to everything.
Like a small jewel nestled among stones, his cute little mage granddaughter looked so precious surrounded by those rough-hewn knights.
“But her body is fine, isn’t it? My little one’s body is fine?”
“Yes. Aside from the infection in her leg wound and some minor scrapes, there are no significant external injuries.”
Ballock drew a rough breath through his nose, then tilted his head back toward the sky. He covered his eyes with his thick palm.
“That’s all that matters. As long as she’s healthy, that’s enough.”
“…Are you certain, Ballock?”
“I’m not crying!”
The lion snorted indignantly and turned away with a click of his tongue.
Now that I looked, he carried a terrifyingly massive greatsword on his back.
“Well then. Shall we go?”
“Won’t you look in on her first?”
“Leviathan and Rosetta are in there. A sick child needs her mother and father by her side.”
Then he grabbed Void by the scruff of the neck, who had been creeping toward the Inner Chamber like a shadow.
“Let’s go! Time to crush those dark mage remnants!”
“No, Grandfather! Just let me see Rubian’s face…! Ugh, I don’t want to…!”
“Neither do I!”
Idelaine laughed awkwardly and stepped back.
* * *
The Royal Palace was in a state of ruin.
Moreover, the chaos had not yet ended.
Though the Mage King was dead and the rift he had created had vanished, the dark mages that had already infiltrated this place still roamed freely.
Kalid, along with Void and Grandfather, set out to eliminate the remnants. Of course, I was treated as a frail chick and had to remain in the deepest, safest part of the Royal Palace.
‘Besides, I can’t use magic anymore, so there’s nothing I can do anyway.’
Meanwhile, Idelaine worked alongside the scattered Palace Elders to restore order within the Royal Palace.
Those who had sided with the Mage King were executed, while the innocent were hired as Royal Palace Mages.
The Royal Palace Mages all treated me with utmost courtesy.
‘It’s somewhat ironic, but they likely have a strong awareness of me as Arcadia’s royal blood.’
The last member of the royal family who had grown stronger and returned to save the mages from the Mage King’s tyranny…
‘Wow. Surprisingly convincing.’
I had only wanted to take revenge on the Mage King, yet somehow I felt a bit embarrassed.
‘Still, it looked like quite a lot of dark magic scattered toward the continent.’
Would Babylon be alright?
Sigh.
Your Majesty the Emperor, fighting spirit….
‘Ah, but I’ll have to return soon too.’
Tsk.
So Father, fighting spirit….
It was during those times when I lay in bed, drifting in and out of sleep while entertaining such idle thoughts.
“Rubian, Idelaine has come to see you. The Fourth Prince and the Palace Elders are with her.”
Mother said, carrying a warm bowl of soup. Father, who had been feeding me apple slices from one side, furrowed his brow.
“Send her away. What business do they have with a sick child….”
“Should we?”
“No, Father. Kalid shared some of his mana with me earlier, so I’m fine.”
I quickly rose from my seat.
“I’m curious why they’ve come. I’d like to hear them out.”
If Idelaine had come, it must surely be a matter of importance.
‘And I had things to say as well.’
Mother had no choice but to carefully drape a thick shawl over my shoulders.
As I entered the Reception Room, I saw Licht and Idelaine along with the other Palace Elders.
“Lady Rubian!”
Of the thirteen Palace Elders, seven had fled in resistance to the Mage King’s tyranny, including Idelaine.
‘And Licht brought them all here.’
Licht smiled gently and asked, “Are you feeling better, Rubian?” and I nodded.
‘Is this the gift Licht mentioned?’
The manpower to rebuild the Royal Palace.
‘Of course, the Palace Elders do bear the sin of their silence all this time.’
What could I do about it?
I could not possibly see into the depths of every human heart.
Whether they had knowingly turned a blind eye and fled from the Mage King’s tyranny, or whether they had endured their burning rage, restraining themselves for that final blow and hiding their bodies.
I could not know their true intentions completely.
‘But what is certain is that all the Palace Elders who escaped the Royal Palace were protecting weak mages without exception.’
So I should use whatever manpower I could.
“Are you feeling better?”
“As you can see. But why is everyone standing?”
I walked slowly and surveyed the available seats.
‘Hmm…. That’s strange.’
Why was only the seat of honor left empty?
Before me stood the Imperial Prince and the Palace Elders—my grandparents, in essence—so I felt awkward. But as no one seemed inclined to give up their spot, I had no choice but to take the seat of honor.
And the reason I came to sit in that seat became clear not long after.
What the gift Licht was supposed to bring actually was.
“Please… please become the master of our throne!”
“Pfft. What?”
I attempted to sip my juice with grace and failed spectacularly.

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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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