The Youngest Hides a Lot - Chapter 43

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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 43
The Duke sat diagonally on the expansive bed, cradling the whimpering child in his arms and gently patting them.
“…How?”
It was a brief question, but Leviathan seemed to understand perfectly.
“Whenever he seems listless in the evening, it’s always like this.”
A heavy, profound sigh escaped him. In that brief moment, the Duke appeared utterly exhausted, as though he had aged years in an instant.
“Kalid.”
His voice was badly strained. He pulled the blanket covering Rubian higher.
“Was Rubian like this often in Iosia as well?”
“….”
On the battlefield, it happened frequently. Each time, I would hold Rubian’s hand and channel my mana into him.
Perhaps his body was struggling, causing him to have nightmares.
It never seemed to have much effect. But since it was all I could do, I channeled my mana to him, again and again.
“If you know anything, tell me. That’s the only way I can help.”
“It seems he suffers whenever there’s something troubling him. I don’t know the details myself, though.”
An even deeper shadow fell across the Duke’s face.
“What on earth could be troubling him….”
A large hand carefully stroked his face with deliberate tenderness.
I could see Rubian’s complexion gradually improving. The whimpering child soon drifted into peaceful sleep.
“How did Rubian manage in Iosia…?”
At the quietly posed question, I fell silent for a moment. We had prepared a story in advance for situations like this.
“I lived ordinarily. It wasn’t a life of abundance, but I grew up under ordinary parents, surrounded by ordinary neighbors.”
“…Lived ordinarily, you say.”
Violet eyes fixed intently upon me.
The gaze was so piercing that I nearly turned away.
“I see.”
Leviathan nodded slowly, with measured pauses between each movement.
“…Duke. May I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you cherish Rubian?”
Even as I asked, I thought the question somewhat pointless. Everything I had witnessed all day already provided the answer.
“Why do you ask?”
The Duke carefully laid the sleeping Rubian down and settled onto a nearby sofa. It seemed he intended to spend the night here.
“I was curious whether you could protect Rubian no matter what happens.”
“That sounds as though something is bound to happen.”
A drowsy tone drifted through the air. I did not avert my gaze from his piercing stare.
During my years as a mercenary, I encountered far more adults than those my own age. I knew more than a hundred ways to evade situations gracefully.
“Because he’s my friend. I tend to worry a great deal.”
“You’d better speak up if you know something.”
Leviathan turned his head to gaze at the sleeping Rubian.
“That’s right. No matter what happens, I’ll protect Rubian.”
The Duke tossed something with those words—a soft thunk.
“So, you.”
It was a small box filled with colorful candies.
“If you ever need to talk to your Uncle—about Rubian or about yourself—come anytime.”
Kalid blinked slowly.
“Is this a commission or something?”
“A commission? What are you talking about?”
Leviathan stopped mid-sentence and furrowed his brow, recalling that Kalid had worked as a mercenary.
“Not a commission—a favor. Got it?”
“…”
Kalid gripped the candy box.
What’s the difference between a favor and a commission anyway? Besides, he’d already given me compensation.
“…Sure, whatever.”
He answered with an ambiguous expression.
Leviathan, who had been sinking into the chair’s backrest and staring into empty space, suddenly squinted one eye.
“But since your Uncle doesn’t have many friends, I’m not sure—do people really go this far just to find a friend?”
“Because they’re a friend precious beyond compare in this world.”
Precious beyond compare in this world…?
A bitter expression spread across the Duke’s face as he mulled over the answer. Kalid let out a small laugh.
“Ah, so you said you don’t have friends.”
“…”
“Then you wouldn’t understand this feeling.”
“Ah, that’s really audacious.”
An irritated Leviathan crumpled up a candy wrapper he’d been eating and threw it.
Of course, it didn’t even reach Kalid’s feet and fell to the floor instead.
Kalid walked over with heavy steps and placed the candy box on the windowsill of Rubian’s mana stone frame. He carefully rummaged through the contents.
“Apple, chocolate, cherry… there’s no strawberry.”
“…”
“She likes strawberry flavor the best, so make sure to include it next time.”
Leviathan let out a snort of laughter through his nose.
“Look at him go. Of course I gave all the strawberry ones to Rubian.”
Ah.
The audacious boy simply lifted his chin without concern.
“What about the milk flavor then?”
“…”
Damn it, I’m heading to the shop first thing tomorrow.
* * *
The afternoon sun streamed down brilliantly.
The familiar dessert time had arrived. Uncle pushed a cold glass of juice in front of me, and beside it, for some reason, were candies filled with strawberry and milk flavors.
“The juice is… what color?”
“I blended it with green vegetables, that’s why.”
I answered before Hazel could even ask.
“Borbel says eating it this way is good for your health.”
Uncle, speaking with firm conviction, had apparently made it his life’s mission to feed me nutritious snacks these days.
‘It looks like porridge that a troll chewed up and spat out…’
I stared at the thick, murky sage-green liquid. When I turned away slightly, Uncle pushed it back toward me.
“Bitter.”
“Visually, it’s absolutely terrible.”
But with so many eyes watching, I couldn’t refuse to drink it.
I decided I’d gulp it down and eat candy afterward. With that thought, I barely touched my tongue to the rim—
“Huh?”
“Better than you expected, right?”
A sweet apple fragrance bloomed across my palate, and I could barely taste the bitter vegetables at all! It was completely the opposite of how it looked!
I seriously inserted the straw and began sucking it down eagerly.
“Rubian, you said you’d study with Borbel?”
“Oh, yeah!”
It was just last evening when Uncle, the Duke’s Mansion physician, came by and said he’d teach me herbalism and healing arts. I naturally agreed.
“I’m going to become smart!”
I already possessed general knowledge of herbalism and healing arts. So this class was essentially a smokescreen.
‘Later, even if I whip something up out of nowhere, I can use the excuse that I learned it in class!’
There were limits to claiming I was from Iosia, so this was a necessary, if somewhat tedious, step.
“Don’t overexert yourself. And don’t forget afternoon snack time.”
“Well, sometimes if I’m busy, I might forget…”
“Don’t forget.”
What’s with this desperation?
I tilted my head in confusion but nodded anyway.
From far beyond the window, I heard Void’s voice. The sound of wooden swords clashing followed—he and Grandfather were training hard.
I sipped my milk while listening to those sounds like music.
“And… there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”
Uncle set down his teacup and leaned forward. His expression seemed somewhat serious.
“Hmm?”
“Rosetta and Liam will be back next week.”
“Oh…”
Finally.
“Once that happens, you’ll have met my entire family.”
Uncle Leviathan seemed oddly careful about choosing his words.
“…How is it? Living in my house. Are you satisfied?”
What was this? Some kind of customer satisfaction survey?
I spread one hand wide to show him.
“Of course I’m satisfied! Five stars!”
“…Only five stars?”
“Five stars out of five.”
“Ah.”
Uncle swallowed hard, then clasped his hands together.
“So, Rubian. Will you keep living with me?”
“I already am, aren’t I?”
“I mean, will you become the youngest member of our family for real?”
In that instant, the air around us grew peculiarly tense.
Sensing the inexplicable awkwardness, I turned my head to find Hazel hastily clearing her throat and averting her gaze, along with the other servants doing the same.
“Of course, you can decide after meeting Rosetta and Liam.”
“I…”
I closed my eyelids slowly.

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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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