The Youngest Hides a Lot - Chapter 74

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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 74
‘But who was it?’
The deeply pulled hood obscured their face. Their height and build were impossible to discern either….
“The price for standing against our King shall be merciless.”
Only that distinct line of dialogue remained etched in my memory. The tone was unclear, but one thing stood out….
‘The brand on the right forearm.’
The mark of a brand stretching long between the sleeves came vividly to mind.
The World Tree. A dragon ascending while entwined around it.
It was the emblem of Arcadia and the brand mark inscribed upon the mages of the Mage Kingdom.
‘I didn’t see the trunk, but that was definitely a branch of the World Tree.’
The delicate branch pattern cast like a shadow across the thin forearm wavered in my vision.
I turned the mage’s words over in my mind again.
‘Our King’ naturally referred to the Mage King.
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
‘In the original story, Leviathan dies at the hands of the Mage King.’
But who was this? Besides the Mage King, was there truly a mage powerful enough to kill a hero?
I racked my brain, but no face came to mind.
‘I need to remember more.’
I stared at the firmly closed door.
Father, who didn’t grow angry or cast me out even after my gender was revealed.
If I told him I was a mage… would he react the same way?
I pulled the blanket over my head entirely.
My lower back throbbed.
It was where the brand of the Mage Kingdom lay.
‘I hate this… so much.’
These mages who made Father lose his child and now sought to kill Father himself.
I stood with one foot in that world, and I had once called the very enemy of Father my ‘Father.’
“Whether you’re a boy or a girl, whatever past you carry—it doesn’t matter to me.”
Perhaps… even if I revealed that I was a mage, Father would say the same thing.
And just like before, he would stroke my head, tell me it was alright, and say he would handle everything.
‘Without knowing he would die.’
I still hadn’t prevented the ending from the original story.
Yet Father was kind to me, a mage.
The real problem was that I, shamefully drowning in that bottomless affection, no longer wished to leave his embrace.
“Fool. Get a grip. I’m the only one who can prevent Father’s death.”
I squeezed my eyes shut beneath the blanket.
The darkness I endured alone was familiar, and I was still too inexperienced to call out to someone.
* * *
That evening, Father came to find me with Rosetta.
I had just woken from an afternoon nap, so I was quite alert.
After changing out of my sweat-drenched clothes, I settled onto Father’s lap and accepted another bowl of soup.
“It feels like I’m getting warm again.”
Father furrowed his brow and pressed his hand against my forehead.
“The fever must be rising again in the evening. Children often do that, you know.”
Rosetta also crossed her arms with a serious expression.
Really? I don’t feel particularly ill.
I suppose it’s because I didn’t nap much during the day while worrying about things.
“If I take medicine… *cough cough*, I’m fine!”
I reached out dutifully toward Borbel’s medicine. Father let out a deep sigh before administering it to me.
“What do you mean you’re fine when you’re coughing like that?”
“I’m serious… *ugh*, it’s bitter.”
“I’ll bring you some candy.”
Rosetta turned to fetch the candy jar.
As I absently followed her movement with my eyes, I tilted my head curiously.
“Huh? What’s that?”
I had spotted something beneath the table.
“Oh.”
Rosetta nudged ‘that something’ along the floor with her foot.
“It’s nothing.”
But I’d already seen it…
Noticing my gaze, she scratched her chin with an awkward expression.
“Well. Actually, while I was in the Southern Region…”
She paused and glanced cautiously at Father.
“While I was recuperating in the Southern Region, I found a shoemaker I liked, so I placed an order…”
Rosetta crawled beneath the table and retrieved the box again.
What she held was a gift box that exuded luxury from its wrapping alone.
When I opened the lid, a pair of lustrous leather shoes lay arranged inside.
“As you can see, they’re a bit too rugged for a girl to wear. I think it would be better to discard these and have new shoes made instead.”
Rosetta looked somewhat embarrassed.
“No, no! I love those! You can’t throw them away…!”
I thrashed about vigorously in Father’s arms.
“Huh?”
“They look sturdy and they fit my feet perfectly… Can’t I have them?”
Before Rosetta could toss the shoes away, I hastily pulled them into my embrace. The scent of new leather wafted up.
“But I should get you something prettier instead…”
“You chose them thinking of me!”
I understood her heart well.
The faces I thought of first when eating delicious cake.
The desire to share something precious.
That was proof they were my family—people more precious than anything else.
Moreover, Rosetta had bought me a gift without even meeting me, saying I had crossed her mind.
I was overjoyed by that fact.
“I love this. It’s mine now.”
Even as I coughed, I spoke with stubborn insistence, and I heard a soft laugh from above my head.
“Rose, give up. Even I can’t break this stubbornness.”
“Oh, I didn’t expect this.”
Rosetta, who had been standing there looking somewhat flustered, felt the strength drain from her shoulders. After a moment of thought, she laughed and said, “I suppose there’s no helping it.”
“But to be honest… I kept imagining you wearing it. I was so looking forward to meeting our little one.”
“Did you know what kind of child I would be?”
“I was prepared to love whatever child came. But to have such a kind and adorable daughter instead. I’m even happier.”
Kind and adorable daughter.
My lips quivered of their own accord.
“For saying such things to me…”
I couldn’t hold back the tears welling up inside me again.
“Thank you. Sniff…”
“Oh dear.”
I seemed to have awakened the crybaby within me…
In that moment, my body spun around. Father’s eyebrows twitched as he watched me whimper.
“Your nose is running again.”
“Those are tears!”
“You might as well have a runny nose. Stop crying.”
“Hmph.”
“…No, actually. You should cry a bit more. What are you holding back for at your age?”
Father gave me a light scolding and pinched my nose firmly.
“Honk.”
“Ow… My nose hurts!”
My small, precious nose transformed into a strawberry…
“Leviathan, you shouldn’t pinch children’s noses like that.”
Rosetta, who had been watching, shot Father a reproachful look.
Instead, she started to wipe my face but paused for a moment. Then, keeping a slight distance, she spread both arms wide and smiled.
“Rubian. Rather than your father’s hard and uncomfortable embrace… hmm.”
She seemed to be choosing her words carefully.
“Would you like to come to your mother’s warm and cozy embrace?”
“Mo…”
I froze completely.
Mo…
In other words. Mo…
Father shook his head and pulled me deeper into his embrace.
“Rose, stop. You’ll break her at this rate.”
It was said with the subtle confidence of someone who had learned through experience.
“Ah. Is it too early?”
Rosetta pouted slightly, looking disappointed.
“Mmm.”
I stirred sluggishly and reached out toward her soft, pale arm.
Was it because the locks on my heart had come undone?
Or perhaps because I had already shown Rosetta my vulnerable side before.
Right now, everything simply felt natural.
“M-mommy.”
“Oh my.”
Rosetta embraced me with a face full of emotion.
Her cheek rubbing against my crown, her hand stroking my back, fingers running through my hair—so different from Father’s embrace. A soft, warm bosom that carried a sweet fragrance.
“My nose hurts. And I want to run around in my shoes.”
I found myself wanting to act like a true child, seeking comfort. Rosetta tilted her brows sympathetically and gently caressed my face.
“Oh dear. Mommy will rub your nose for you. As for running in your shoes, let’s wait a bit longer. You still have a fever and you’re coughing.”
“Okay.”
As I nodded obediently, Rosetta pulled me into an even tighter embrace, unable to contain herself.
“Once you’re all better, let’s eat spicy stew together.”
“Will you give me cocoa too?”
“Of course.”
The matter-of-fact answer made my heart flutter. I toyed with her silken, delicate pink hair and smiled brightly.
“What is this…”
The intense gaze I felt from beside me…
“…”
“…Was the gift… the answer?”
I chose to ignore the Duke’s murmured words, caught between shock and anguish.
* * *
Rosetta gently stroked the sleeping Rubian’s forehead before rising. The fever had subsided, and the coughing had eased.
Leviathan carefully drew the curtains shut and returned to grip her shoulder.
“Let’s go now.”
His voice was a careful whisper.
She stifled a laugh within herself.
When had he become such a delicate man?
“But what about this?”
Rosetta whispered alongside him, her brow furrowing.
It was because of the leather shoes Rubian was clutching tightly to her chest while sleeping.
“There’s no stopping her, truly.”
“Since she really won’t be stopped, let’s just leave without waking her.”
Leviathan replied lightly and led Rosetta out.
‘I really should buy her a soft, fluffy bear doll.’
Rosetta let out a silent squeal of delight within her mind.
Void and Liam had despised such things since childhood, so I’d never once bought them anything like that.
“I’m so excited….”
Is this what having a daughter is like? As I murmured with a flushed face, Leviathan’s eyes silently questioned what I meant.
They closed the door soundlessly and stepped out.
The knight and servants standing guard outside the bedroom bowed their heads briefly upon seeing the duke and duchess.
“….”
The young boy standing like a statue didn’t even nod his head.
“Kalid.”
Leviathan opened his mouth with a sigh.
“You’re still standing here?”

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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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