The Youngest Hides a Lot - Chapter 70

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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 70
* * *
Ding ding!
“That’s correct!”
A cheerful bell sound filled the Cave. Sortie laughed softly, saying, “You got it!”
“But does Abelita herb really have pointy leaves? I couldn’t quite tell…”
I puffed out my chest with satisfaction.
“There’s a trick to spotting them. I’ll show you when you visit the Duke’s Residence later.”
“Wow!”
“Rubian really does know so much.”
Olivia expressed her admiration with genuine wonder.
The children huddled together near the campfire, and I, at the center of their attention, drew the next picture on the ground.
“Alright then, next question. Choose the medicinal herb most effective for stopping bleeding! This one’s multiple choice!”
“Ugh, I prefer true or false…”
“I never thought we’d be holding a quiz competition in a place like this.”
Licht, sitting a little apart, muttered with a somewhat deflated tone. I moved my hands busily as I spoke.
“If we just sit idle, we’ll only sink into gloomy thoughts.”
“I meant it as a compliment. You seemed a bit down, so I was worried.”
“Come join us.”
At my invitation, Licht smiled gently and pulled himself closer to sit with us.
‘We can’t just keep wallowing in sadness!’
Licht aside, I was worried about young Sortie and Olivia.
I may have experienced situations like this before, but those two, accustomed to the Tea Salon and boutiques, must be terrified of this predicament…
Just as I was about to resume the herb quiz, Asha returned from scouting outside.
“The rain shows no signs of letting up.”
Water droplets scattered with the sound of her patting her clothes. Beyond her, outside the Cave, heavy rain continued to pour relentlessly.
“Asha! Come solve the quiz with us!”
“Of course!”
Asha, who had grown familiar with us by now, answered brightly and then sat down, adding more fuel to the campfire.
And so we spent some time solving quizzes, and when we grew tired of them, we played word chain games.
‘Phew. At least those two have stopped crying…”
I glanced at Sortie and Olivia, who were now smiling.
“I’ll go first!”
Sortie cleared her throat briefly and called out.
“Since we’re lost right now… Lost!”
Asha quickly responded.
“Father!”
…
…
Dark clouds descended once more.
“Father… Dad…”
Tears that Sortie and Olivia had been holding back spilled forth in torrents. I yanked Asha close and whispered urgently.
“Asha! Read the room!”
“Huh, yes.”
How did I manage to console them?
I laughed brightly and stepped forward again.
“Come now. I’ll go first! Asha! You go last.”
“Okayyy…”
“Hmm… Health!”
“Puppy.”
“Roof!”
“Goldfish!”
“Mother!”
“…”
Asha Drucan, are you a villain?
“Mooooom!”
Olivia and Titi clung to each other, weeping. I was glaring at Asha with blazing eyes, about to coax them into another round of the word game, when it happened.
-via! -tie!
A faint voice mixed with the sound of rain pierced my ears.
The girls’ heads snapped up. The voice grew steadily closer.
“Father?”
“It’s Father!”
“Daaaad!”
Both of them sprang to their feet without hesitation and bolted from the cave. Licht rushed after them, crying, “It’s dangerous, young ladies!”
Finally!
“They’ve come to rescue us! Let’s go, Rubian!”
“Mm.”
I reflexively rose to my feet.
Jingle.
In that moment, the golden bell I’d tucked into my bosom tumbled to the ground.
‘Did Uncle come too?’
I picked up the bell and wondered.
But no matter how long I waited, I didn’t hear my name called. Given Uncle’s nature, he would have rushed over first under normal circumstances.
“He didn’t come…”
It seemed I was far more upset than I’d realized.
“Rubian?”
“I’m going!”
I concealed my sorrow and stepped toward the cave’s entrance. Just as I was about to take my first step out of the darkness into the light—
Kuuuuuung!
A roar unlike anything I’d ever heard shook the mountain.
“What—what is this?!”
“Rubian!”
Before I could even respond to that familiar voice, a torrent of magical power came crashing down upon me.
It was Kalid.
The boy who had fallen from the sky suddenly pulled me into his embrace and released his magical energy. I let out a sharp gasp at the rough, overwhelming torrent of power.
“Ugh. Kalid!”
“Sorry, sorry.”
Kalid steadied his breathing and finally refined his magical output.
“I’m not that depleted! You don’t need to hold me this tightly!”
I thrashed about, breaking free from Kalid’s embrace.
The boy exhaled deeply before finally pulling back slightly, his eyes scanning my face with meticulous concern. His dark blue hair was thoroughly soaked with sweat and rain.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“…Your complexion looks terrible.”
“I’m fine. I just received magical energy.”
“Really…”
Kalid swayed slightly, as if all the strength had drained from his body.
“That was exhausting…”
A long, heavy sigh seemed to convey all of his anguish.
“I should have bound our bodies together instead of our magical power.”
Huh?
I dug at my ear.
“…Did I mishear that?”
Kalid turned his gaze away but never denied it.
Numerous presences became apparent. The sound of footsteps thundering against the ground and people roughly pushing through the undergrowth drew rapidly closer.
“Here! They’re here!”
A Knight emerged from between the vines, eyes wide, and cried out. The crowd descended in an instant.
“Sortie! Sortie! Titi!”
“F-Father…! Fatherrrr!”
“Olivia! My daughter!”
“Father…”
Nobles, abandoning all propriety, pushed through the crowd and hastily embraced their children.
“Your Highness!”
What appeared to be Licht’s Attendant emerged with a deathly pale face, frantically patting down the prince’s entire body.
“Sob, sob. Thank heavens you’re safe. But I’m done for now. Farewell, Your Highness! Sob, sob.”
“Ha ha…”
Licht was surrounded by his Attendant and the Imperial Palace Knights, explaining everything that had transpired.
I stood dazed, watching the scene unfold. The moment the adults appeared, the rain gradually began to thin.
Then, with a tremendous crash, another sound of something breaking echoed out.
“What in the world is that sound?!”
“Zebert Duke….”
“What?”
At that same moment, the direction of the wind shifted, and a sharp, tingling surge of mana that I hadn’t sensed before became apparent.
“Surely not….”
“I’m killing the sealed magical beast that was confined near here.”
“W-why…. They should be asleep.”
“You.”
“….”
“You might be in danger.”
That voice was swallowed up by the final explosion. Soon after, the sound of rough hoofbeats followed.
Kalid let out a bitter laugh, ha, ha.
“Five high-ranking magical beasts… and you took them all down alone.”
Rubian! The faces of Leon, Rosetta, and the Guardian Knights rushing toward me as they called my name.
“Rubian!”
And the Guardian’s voice calling out to me struck down like lightning.
Leviathan was grateful that it was raining right now.
It wasn’t enough to completely wash away the blood that soaked him, but it would be enough to hold the child.
At Kalid’s words about the sealed magical beast, he didn’t hesitate for even a moment. He would destroy anything that threatened Rubian.
“Rubian!”
Leviathan cried out desperately, seeing the silver hair visible in the distance.
The child, body rigid with tension, took a hesitant step backward.
An expression filled with fear and shrinking away. It broke my heart.
“Leviathan.”
“Rose, wait here. I’ll bring him back.”
“Okay. I’ll restrain the criminals with the Knights.”
With each step forward, Rubian—anxiously picking at the tips of their fingers—retreated one step, then two steps back.
And so, back into the cave.
Blocking Kalid from following, he stood at the cave entrance and stared into the dark interior.
“Rubian.”
Leviathan called gently to the child crouched in the darkness. The small shoulders hidden behind the rock trembled slightly.
“Rubian, first….”
“I-I’m sorry.”
A trembling voice came back.
“You see. I-I didn’t hide on purpose…. There was a r-real reason I couldn’t help it…. So….”
I’m sorry, Guardian….
At the continued words, Leviathan’s brow furrowed deeply. He swallowed a groan and lowered his body gently at the cave entrance.
“Rubian, are you hurt anywhere?”
A soft and careful tone flowed out. His heart wanted to rush to Rubian immediately, but he couldn’t startle or frighten the child any further.
“Are you in pain? …I’m sorry. I should have come faster.”
“Why….”
Rubian asked in a voice tinged with tears.
“Why aren’t you angry?”
“Of course I’m angry.”
“….”
“I told you in the Capital not to run off alone. What am I supposed to do with my troublemaking youngest?”
A whimper escaped Rubian, and her head drooped heavily.
“I deceived Uncle… I’m not a boy.”
“I know.”
In the silence, the sound of stifled sobs echoed through the cave.
Hearing Rubian cry for the first time, Leviathan felt his heart clench painfully.
“But it’s not your fault. It’s my mistake for jumping to conclusions on my own.”
“….”
“Rubian… It doesn’t matter who you are. You’re simply Rubian.”
My precious little one, Rubian Zebert.
Leviathan spoke with sincerity.
“So… stop crying now and come here. Alright?”
He stretched out both hands desperately, but Rubian gave no response for a long time.
Just as he grew anxious and was about to call out to the child again, a clear, tinkling bell sound rang through the cave.
“….”
Ding— ding—
Leviathan clenched his fists and rose swiftly to his feet, moving forward.
He tore through the darkness that concealed the child without hesitation. The dense shadows finally fractured and splintered, beginning to dissolve piece by piece.
And when at last the child huddled alone came into view, when he stood completely before her in all his pitiful state….
Ah. He realized he would give everything he possessed for this child.
“M-my legs gave out….”
Rubian lifted her head, her face streaked with tears and snot.
Leviathan hesitated no longer and pulled the child into his arms tightly.
“Then you should have called for Father.”
At that, Rubian burst into sobs.
“F-Father….”
At her barely coherent voice, Leviathan felt something surge up within him.
“Fatherrr.”
Rubian wept uncontrollably in his embrace.
What am I to do with you.
Father’s sorry. Father.
Like a child who had just learned to speak, Rubian repeated only that one word, crying with her whole heart.
“I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you, Father.”
It was hard. It was painful.
But it’s alright now. I’ll make everything that troubles you disappear.
My precious Rubian.
My one and only jewel.
Leviathan felt as though he had traveled an impossibly long and winding road to meet the child once more.

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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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