The Youngest Hides a Lot - Chapter 27

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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 27
Did Hazel tell you?
“Your footsteps, sir. The sound of your heels striking the ground was different. It seemed like you were dragging one leg slightly…”
“…”
“And when you dodged the carriage in the village earlier, you stumbled to the right.”
Pat, pat. Her hands wrapping the cloth were remarkably deft.
“So I thought your leg might be hurting.”
Morris couldn’t help but let out a sigh.
“If you keep enduring it, it’ll only hurt more.”
“…”
“Oh my, your knee is burning hot!”
The child, who had been gently pressing a finger against it, furrowed her brows.
Rubian, who had been fanning with a hand fan, apparently decided it wasn’t enough and lowered herself onto the bed.
Then she brought her lips to Ballock’s knee and blew gently—whoooosh—cooling the heat.
Her tender breath touched his wound, as if soothing the fever.
Morris bit the inside of his mouth hard.
Could even Ballock’s heart, frozen solid for so long, melt at such a gentle breath?
‘I can see your lips trembling, sir.’
He watched Ballock’s face in the darkness, wavering.
In decades, he had seen Ballock cry exactly twice.
Once was when his wife passed away.
The other was when his granddaughter was born dead.
It was a wound that remained for everyone.
His son collapsed, and his daughter-in-law lost her health. Then the Black Mage invaded. Ballock wanted to fight in place of his despairing son. But his body wouldn’t obey.
A useless body.
Ballock’s habit of speech began from that time.
“Even though I made it incredibly large, it’s still not enough…”
The cloth fell slightly short of wrapping around Ballock’s broad leg completely.
Rubian looked back and forth between her small hands and Ballock’s massive frame with a dissatisfied expression. Soon, a small murmur escaped her.
“I wish I were this strong too.”
“…”
Unable to endure any longer, Ballock lifted his head. With his eyes narrowed, he stared at the back of the child’s head.
His gaze was quiet and lingered for a long time.
* * *
Several days passed.
I was spending quite peaceful days.
‘Hmm, is anyone around?’
Inside the room, outside the door—all confirmed clear.
I went to one corner of the room and took out a purple magic stone. Magic stones individually wrapped in an elegant box came into view.
‘Perfect.’
I channeled my mana and grasped the magic stone.
Light seeped into the violet crystal, glowing brilliantly before fading away.
The barrier stone’s power had been activated.
Now I needed to embed it into an appropriate vessel, but….
Crafting a magical artifact was far more intricate than simply activating a magic stone.
‘I’ll need space to inscribe the magical formations.’
With all the flashing lights and howling winds that would inevitably occur, the Bedroom was hardly suitable.
‘I’ll worry about that later.’
For now, I needed to focus on processing this mountain of magic stones!
‘Besides….’
Bang, bang, bang!
Angry footsteps drew closer.
Finally, a knock sounded at the door.
I exhaled briefly and hurriedly tidied away the magic stones, arranging them neatly along the windowsill.
This way, I’d just look like a magic stone enthusiast….
“At least you’re not breaking down the door anymore.”
Was that something to be grateful for?
“Eat!”
I stared blankly at the mountain of snacks piled before me.
“What is all this?”
Why was I being dragged to the Dining Room and sitting on Grandfather’s lap?
“Can’t you see? These are all your favorites, aren’t they?”
Strawberry milk, strawberry cake, strawberry cream bread, strawberry pudding, strawberry candy, strawberry…. Strawberry….
A strawberry tart collapse seemed imminent. I looked up at Grandfather with a weary expression, only to find a strawberry tart already pressed into my hand.
Hot—when did I grab this?!
“Ah, eating well, I see.”
As I ate as if entranced, Grandfather chuckled with satisfaction.
“Why are you doing all this for me….”
“Once you finish eating, will you sit on my lap again?”
Ah, so it was a bribe.
Grandfather’s eyes narrowed with amusement.
“Will you tickle me again with that silly laugh of yours?”
“Ugh!”
I covered my ears.
That silly laugh!
Even as the tart I’d dropped soiled the ground at Grandfather’s feet, he merely laughed heartily and boisterously.
“Stop teasing me!”
“You cheeky little rascal!”
That night, I never dreamed that Grandfather had been awake.
‘I was trying to hide the fact that I’d used healing magic!’
I pressed my fingers against Grandfather’s knee and carefully—very carefully—infused a trickle of mana into it.
Just enough to ease the pain, leaving no trace.
I’d blown warm breath over it to mask the sensation of mana seeping into his body!
“Ow, ow, my knee’s acting up again. Would our brilliant pharmacist take a look at it?”
“…You!”
I felt like I’d just given him endless ammunition for teasing.
I smacked Grandfather’s shoulder with a rapid flurry of hits. Of course, his stone-like body didn’t budge an inch.
“Give me back my salve patches!”
“That won’t do! Once given, it’s wrong to take back.”
“Then let me go! And I’ll stop eating strawberries too. I’m busy!”
“That’s even worse!”
Grandfather chuckled and rubbed his soft beard all over my cheeks.
Ugh, how annoying!
It was better when he threatened to throw me out. Wait, was that salve really that good? Good enough to turn a stubborn old man into a complete fool?
“Ow, it tickles, Grandfather!”
“Grandfather? How cold!”
“Pardon?”
“Are you my adjutant? Just call me Grandfather!”
Since when did we develop such affection between us?
But I couldn’t endure the beard assault any longer.
“Okay, okay! Grandfather!”
“Ahahaha!”
Laughter so loud it made my ears ring erupted from him. His eyes, soft and crinkled, turned toward me.
“Now eat up! To become strong like your old grandpa, you’ve got to eat everything heartily!”
“Ugh….”
“What on earth is happening here?”
Leviathan stopped short as he entered the Dining Hall.
“It seems to be starting again, Father. I’m busy today, so I’ll eat separately….”
Void fled with a look of utter exhaustion on his face.
That was right. At some point, Grandfather had begun joining us at meals fairly often.
I reached out toward Leviathan with a pitiful expression.
“Save me, save me…!”
Please save me! I think I’m going to die buried in my strawberry-obsessed grandfather’s beard!
* * *
An island situated in the middle of the sea.
The Kingdom of Mages, Arcadia.
“Ah, the seventh one. My dear child.”
In a place where white pillars stretched endlessly, a man in white priestly robes let out a sorrowful cry.
Around his reclined throne stood others dressed in white robes, lined up in formation.
“Your Majesty.”
“Left my arms again…. Gone once more….”
His voice dripped with sorrow.
After weeping for a moment, the king with hair as white as snow, bound long and flowing, barely managed to rise.
A beautiful man whose sensitivity was palpable lifted his dry face as though he had never wept at all.
“Yet isn’t it fortunate? This time, he departed in flesh and blood.”
“….”
“Flesh always leaves traces behind.”
Yes, indeed. Of course it does.
The king answered himself, nodding slowly. A long smile played across his smooth lips.
“It’s fine. I’ll find him soon. As long as he remains on this Continent…. Children rebel and grow through such things, don’t they? Yes, yes.”
His withered fingers flicked sharply.
Masked shadows rose from the floor.
“Dispatch more tracking mages across the Continent. Bring my child back to me without fail.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“To summon the great Black Mage once more, I absolutely need that child’s power…. Absolutely….”
The king’s eyes gleamed with icy brilliance.
He paused in thought before continuing.
“The child is clever, so he’ll be hiding everything about himself. Search the entire Continent like hunting rats—pay no mind to age or gender.”
“Understood.”
The king called out to his child once more.
Ah, my beloved child.
How I long to see again those noble silver threads of hair and eyes redder than blood…. The great mage who inherited Wizeria’s wisdom, the jewel I claimed, my seventh—find him without fail….

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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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