The Youngest Hides a Lot - Chapter 49

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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 49
“…There’s an umbrella. I bought it the day before yesterday.”
“Puhaha! Yes. You did wonderfully!”
Grandfather laughed heartily and patted my head.
“Then make that little runt do it! Tell him to handle all the dangerous work!”
I grasped the meaning and simply grinned. Grandfather couldn’t contain himself and rubbed his face all over my cheeks.
“That tickles!”
As I endured the assault of his beard, a sudden thought struck me.
“Hey, Grandfather.”
“Hmm?”
“You always talk about how important titles and relationships are, so why do you call me that ridiculous nickname?”
His thick eyebrows shot up. As I spoke, an inexplicable sense of grievance welled up inside me.
“It’s crude! It’s demeaning!”
Grandfather thought carelessly and answered just as carelessly.
“It rolls right off the tongue. It’s cute.”
“Ugh.”
Is this really the same person who was just lecturing about the importance of titles and relationships?
There’s absolutely no credibility here!
I’m going to ask Borbel to teach me how to make the most bitter medicine in the world!
Rubian cried out suddenly and hurried away.
Ballock, watching her small figure cross the Lobby with quick steps, scratched the back of his head.
“Was that not it?”
Then Morris, who had been standing to one side of the Lobby, approached.
“For once, you seemed to say something befitting a grandfather, but this isn’t it?”
His broad shoulders sagged. The Old Master’s Butler opened his mouth coldly.
“Did you speak as I advised, sir?”
“Something like that, I suppose.”
“Then warmth and affection befitting a grandfather should have been added, yet something seems amiss.”
“Right?”
Both master and servant’s heads tilted simultaneously. The wrinkles between Ballock’s brows deepened considerably.
“Isn’t this all because that Leviathan is meddling!”
Bang! Ballock couldn’t contain his anxiety and struck the door with his fist. Crack—the thick door split open effortlessly.
“If Rubian rejects even Zebert Castle…”
Sigh. His furious expression quickly turned dejected.
Morris comforted the anxious Old Master.
“In that case, what if we simply have Rubian stay at our Annex instead?”
“Hmm?”
“Since you are her Grandfather, wouldn’t that make you closer in terms of titles?”
“Oho.”
Seeing the sinister smile that appeared on the Butler’s face, the Old Master laughed darkly as well.
“I see… Since I’m the one inevitably called ‘Grandfather,’ I suppose I’ll have to take care of you myself… Hmm! Problem solved!”
What exactly was solved?
The servants of the Main Fortress, who had been listening quietly, felt a pang in their chests.
As I turned to head back to my room, I ran straight into my Uncle in the corridor.
“Oh!”
Uncle, hello! The weather is absolutely gorgeous today. I’ve already walked around the Training Ground three and a half times. My stamina is growing as fast as Kalid and Void are tall…
I condensed all those words into a single, trivial exclamation.
Standing motionless like a plaster statue, my Uncle approached with heavy footsteps and lowered himself.
“Why does your face look like a burst pudding again?”
“I’m not a pudding… I’m sorry…”
As I added this dejectedly, my Uncle gently stroked my head.
“You don’t have to call me.”
“What?”
“Call me when you feel like it. I’ll wait. And don’t apologize.”
“Ugh…”
My heart felt oddly tender.
As I stared at his kind eyes with trembling lips, my Uncle let out a soft chuckle.
“But what if you want to call me?”
“Hmm.”
My Uncle glanced around, then unfastened a decorative curtain cord hanging on the corridor wall. A small bell-shaped ornament dangled from the end of the cord.
“This should work.”
“…You’re telling me to summon a Duke with a bell?”
“Ring the bell to call me. Using it to summon me would be a bit awkward.”
Ha. I quickly closed my mouth.
A small golden bell rested in my palm. When I shook it gently, a clear, tinkling sound rang out.
“Like this?”
“Yes. Whenever you want to call your Uncle, shake the bell. I’ll hear you.”
Did my Uncle think I was a cat? Or did he want to become one himself?
Ding-ding-ding-ding.
I shook the bell like a madwoman.
“Yes.”
My Uncle answered. Seeing his casual response, I felt a sudden surge of emotion. I pounded his solid shoulders and cried out.
“I rang it four times, so why did you only answer once!”
Tsk, I can’t go on like this!
* * *
As the sunset cast its distant glow.
I slipped out of the Castle. It was the same path I’d taken before when chasing after Kalid’s squirrel.
“Ugh, this is exhausting.”
I found myself at the Memorial Garden of Zebert once again.
‘Strangely, this place came to mind.’
Borbel said it was a matter of my heart. So it seemed I needed to unburden myself to someone.
At first, I naturally started to place my hand on my earlobe before hesitating.
‘Kalid has no parents.’
He said he didn’t even have memories of them.
‘What if I hurt him by accident?’
And somehow, I could picture him saying with that indifferent expression of his, “Just shake the bell. You said it’s fine, so what’s the problem?”
‘What about Grandfather?’
Given our conversation just now… pass.
‘Hazel?’
But Hazel hadn’t been seen all morning. She seemed busy, so pass.
‘Or Void?’
Just pass.
‘There’s no one…’
Then this place came to mind.
The nameless cemetery.
“…”
I crept carefully so the Gravedigger wouldn’t notice, gently pushing open the white fence.
The Memorial Garden, located in the innermost part of Zebert Castle.
And deep within that place, the grave of a nameless infant.
It was a place that radiated a powerful will to permit no further tribulations.
“Oh, this is all I have to give.”
Seeing the flowers placed beneath the tombstone, I suddenly came to my senses.
Without thinking, I removed the hairpin from my own hair and set it down.
“I’m sorry, little one. This was originally yours, wasn’t it?”
Actually, I’d learned the origin of this hairpin from Hazel.
“I don’t even know why I came here… I just wanted to.”
Words tumbled out of their own accord.
It was strange. To feel such peculiar comfort in a place I’d never visited before.
The black tombstone bore no name. Only the surname ‘Zebert’ stood alone.
“I have no surname, and you have no name.”
Hehe. Something feels odd.
The wind blew. I stared intently at the characters ‘Zebert’ before bowing my head deeply.
“You know, do you understand why I’m like this?”
Of course, no answer would come.
“No. Actually, it’s more than that…”
Yes.
I’d always wanted to bury something in this cemetery.
“Say, could I really borrow it? That name… I’ll just borrow it for a moment and return it.”
I wondered if I had the right to do so.
To be honest, I was beginning to regret automatically agreeing when my Uncle asked if I’d really become the youngest, just out of habit.
‘Have I done something far worse than I thought?’
I had simply decided to become a member of this household without much thought, just to prevent the original ending.
But now that I’ve actually experienced Zebert, it’s warmer and kinder than I imagined… and that terrified me.
‘I planned to leave without hesitation once I achieved my goal.’
But what if I grow closer to my Guardian than this? Could I really leave?
What if we truly become a real family?
‘I’m a liar, after all…’
That doubt lingered within me like a stain.
Just then, a leaf drifted down from somewhere, spinning lazily before settling gently atop my head. I plucked it away with a wry smile.
“I can’t tell if that’s permission or refusal.”
Through the narrow gaps in my vision, I could see a withered leaf that had fallen onto the gravestone. When I reached out to brush it away without thinking, something stopped me.
“Hm?”
A peculiar unease lingered at my fingertips. I lowered myself and placed both hands against the earth.
‘Am I imagining things?’
I could have sworn I felt mana…
But when I pressed my palms against the ground, I felt nothing at all. Perhaps I had mistaken the ambient mana around me.
‘Well, cemeteries do have all sorts of energies layered together…’
For some reason, a chill ran down my spine. Just as I was brushing my arms and trying to stand—
“Who’s there?”
“…!”
An unfamiliar voice pierced through me like an arrow from behind.
I was so startled that I collapsed onto the spot with a thud.
Turning around, I saw the Gravedigger with her burgundy hair tied back and the sleeves of her gray robe rolled up.
“Y-you scared me…”
Cold sweat trickled down my neck.
‘I thought you were a g-ghost…’
A woman’s voice at this hour, in a cemetery no less!
“The Memorial Garden is off-limits at this time of night.”
“Yes. I’ll leave right away…”
I tried to push myself up using the ground, but slipped again. It seemed my strength had completely drained away.
“Oh my.”
The Gravedigger approached with concern, setting down the scythe and weeds she’d been holding, and helped me to my feet.
“I didn’t mean to rush you. I should call someone to help.”
“No. I’m fine… I’m fine…”
Perhaps it was the shock, but the habitual words of reassurance caught in my throat and wouldn’t come out.
I needed to say I was fine quickly.
And I needed to escape immediately.
But as always, my body betrayed me, and something entirely different came out instead…
“I’m… not fine. Waaaah.”
It was a completely unexpected sob.

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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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