The Youngest Hides a Lot - Chapter 319

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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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Special Side Story, Chapter 3
Yesterday, my second older brother suddenly summoned both Liam and me, saying:
“It seems the bond between us three siblings is facing a crisis these days.”
“…?”
“…?”
“What’s with those question marks?! Is it just me?!”
“You promised to give Void a Demon Beast egg shell, but then you tricked your brother with a lie. At this very moment… yes, it does seem our sibling bond is in crisis.”
“No, back in the day…! We used to play breath-holding games together, collect herbs, ride sleds, and spin the windmill!”
“Brother, so you want to be spun by the windmill right now? What exactly are you trying to do?”
“Let’s strengthen our sibling bond!”
With those words, he dragged us to a large lake near the Rezillus Mountain Range in the Northern Region.
A place called the Ice Lake because the water remains as cold as ice even in summer.
When you stay still, a cool breeze drifts over, making it the perfect summer retreat.
Did I catch a cold from overexerting myself during that lake visit?
No.
“Now then, let’s begin the Nth Three-Sibling Bonding Gathering! Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
Half of it… was just a hangover.
“Void, you’re asking me to drink this utterly useless toxic poison that’s the main culprit in destroying brain cells,”
“Brother Liam, this is all precious memories! Cheers, cheers!”
“…Cheers.”
“Ahh!”
“Wait, youngest fairy. Considering your body’s alcohol metabolism rate, you should only take one sip every twenty minutes…”
“Bottoms up!”
“…What?”
After merrily drinking wine and running around, I twisted my foot and went splash into the lake!
‘That’s how it happened…’
As a result, I picked up a fever cold on top of everything else.
‘Damn it, I got carried away racing with Brother Void.’
Reckless impulses truly invite disaster.
Actually, it was Void who suggested racing first, just like when we were children.
So he seemed to be feeling some guilt about it. He was sitting in a self-imposed reflection chair, contemplating his actions.
Somehow that sight was both amusing and a bit pitiful.
“Brothers, I’m done for, so you should go. Father isn’t at the castle right now, so you must have plenty to do…”
Just then, the outside grew slightly noisy, and suddenly—the door burst open.
My eyes widened involuntarily.
“Huh? Father?”
A massive shadow completely filled the doorway.
“You…!”
Father, breathing heavily and rarely flustered, roughly swept back his hair.
His large hands held a thick blanket, cooking ingredients, medicinal herbs, and wooden figurines (…why?) all haphazardly bundled together.
“Father? Weren’t you supposed to go to Ipson with Mother and Grandfather?”
“Yes, that was the plan…”
Father replied to Liam while striding forward purposefully.
He carelessly peeled off his thick riding gloves and immediately pressed his palm against my forehead.
“Rubian said he suddenly fell ill, so I came back first. The other two will return after meeting with Camelan Count.”
“I see.”
“Hah… I was quite flustered for a moment.”
Anyone could see he’d rushed here in a panic.
Father belatedly glanced at the miscellaneous items he’d brought, his expression turning slightly embarrassed.
“It’s been so long since you’ve been ill, I got a bit carried away.”
“I’m fine, just coughing a little.”
“Fine? Your face is pale as a ghost.”
Father sat at the edge of the bed and gently stroked my head.
“What exactly did you do? Don’t tell me you overexerted yourself again without telling me?”
“No, it’s just…”
I did have some alcohol, though…
Noticing my hesitant response, Father’s expression immediately grew serious.
“Rubian. I told you to take it easy with the Mage Tower work. Honestly… since your mana core shattered, Rose and Nana have been worried more times than I can count.”
Well…
“…Though Kalid did manage to fully restore your core, the way you keep faltering suggests there might be lingering aftereffects in your body.”
No, what’s lingering now is a hangover…
‘I feel terribly guilty.’
I’m sorry, Father.
I quietly pulled the blanket up to cover my nose and lips.
At that, Father let out an amused chuckle, his eyes growing tender.
“Still burying your nose in blankets like a little child… What am I to do with you?”
I was trying to hide the smell of alcohol…
“Your father said it’s fine to quit everything if you need to, just don’t get sick… um.”
In that moment, Father seemed to malfunction slightly.
“…Just don’t get sick, okay?”
It seemed I couldn’t keep ignoring this much longer.
Father turned his head sharply away, unable to contain himself any longer.
“But what have you two been doing sitting there staring at the wall?”
The backs of my grown sons, facing the wall. My gaze couldn’t help but drift toward them.
“…Self-reflection?”
“Why?”
“For the sake of conscience. Or based on experience, it seemed like the right thing to do.”
“My brother is absolutely correct.”
Unable to lose face, I grumbled and got up.
“Rubian, what are you doing again…?”
“I’m turning myself in to find enlightenment.”
“…?”
Exactly one minute later.
“On a mountain. Drinking. What?”
Father’s signature mark of fury made a dramatic entrance!
* * *
Liam shook the hangover cure bottle back and forth.
‘That was close.’
After Father’s relentless barrage of nagging, I felt blood trickling from my ears for the first time in ages.
“If you’re going to drink, do it quietly at the mansion. What were you thinking?”
“Ah, I wanted to feel like I was having a picnic for once! And honestly, if I drink at the mansion, Hazel and Adolf won’t let me drink much!”
“They’re doing well, aren’t they?”
I could vividly see Leviathan pressing his forehead at Void’s excuse.
“Right, I’ve been wondering why things have been so quiet lately…”
Leviathan seemed to have just realized it.
That parenting never ends, even when children grow up.
The mischief those little ones used to cause while running wild through the entire castle had simply grown in scale…
‘But not me.’
I was merely looking after my irresponsible younger siblings. As their guardian. I certainly wasn’t enjoying it.
“So, what about the youngest sprite?”
Liam asked while putting on his freshly polished glasses. The Attendant answered.
“He took medicine and is sleeping. Since the young master made the hangover cure for him as well, he should be fine soon.”
“You didn’t mention the Demon Beast byproducts in the ingredients, right?”
“Of course not.”
“It’s good for the body, but it’s troublesome when people keep asking me to reveal the ingredients.”
“Hehe.”
Liam exhaled a long sigh.
“…The hangover should be fine by now, but the cold seems like it’ll last a while.”
“Since he fell into the Ice Lake, he’ll likely be ill for at least a week.”
“Sigh…”
That lake was so cold because ice mage stones were buried at its bottom. So if someone fell in by accident, the cold from the stones would linger in their body.
In other words, they’d catch a severe cold.
Even with medicine, symptoms would only improve slightly—one had to suffer through it for a full week without fail.
“If only I could obtain Saltflower Herb, the cold would dissipate immediately and he’d recover.”
Liam muttered while tapping a botanical encyclopedia.
“Aw, that’s like a dream. It’d be more realistic to dig up a mountain with a shovel and move it.”
True enough. Even herbalists would be lucky to see a legendary-grade herb like that once in a lifetime. Even if it existed, it would only be presented to the Imperial Court—it rarely circulated on the market.
‘…Though there is actually a place where it can be obtained.’
But that was somewhere humans couldn’t access.
Rubian’s cold was healing faster than expected. At least the symptoms were mild, which was a blessing.
‘Well, Father had every right to be furious.’
Second round of reflection commencing.
But there’s still the final boss remaining.
‘Mother… when Mother returns home…’
What do I do?
Should I go to the Academy—my spiritual home—and finish my reflection there?
“But what was this sudden drinking party about? Did something happen to Young Master Void?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Liam had barely managed to return to the conversation.
“It’s just… I felt a bit lonely, I suppose.”
“Lonely…?”
“Once the youngest fairy gets married, opportunities like this won’t come around often anymore.”
“Ah… I see. The betrothal party made it feel real all of a sudden.”
The Attendant’s eyebrows drooped knowingly.
Liam understood Void’s heart well enough. That’s why he couldn’t stop his younger siblings from spiraling toward intoxication.
“But don’t you older brothers have lovers? Please, find someone to date!”
“Huh…? Why is this wine so sweet?”
“Hurry up and date and get married so you can show me cute little twins like Obron’s… because I… I’m done for…”
“Why are you done for?”
“Kalid says he doesn’t want children.”
“Is that so?”
“…What? Aren’t you surprised?”
“What’s surprising about that? He dislikes everyone anyway. Except you.”
“No! He’s just shy, but he’s adorable, and he’s so caring, and he’s kind…”
“Nonsense, drink up~!”
It felt like some kind of counseling session had been created at some point… but why can’t I remember clearly?
‘Did all my brain cells die in the meantime?’
Now that I think about it, at some point a wine bottle had been shoved into my hands…?
“Anyway, Kalid seems to have something on his mind… when he comes back… I should talk to him about it…”
In the hazy memory.
Only the round, ball-like figure of Rubian muttering to himself remained vivid.

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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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