The Youngest Hides a Lot of Things [Novel] Chapter 31

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 31

Chapter Title: The Youngest is Hiding a Lot

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Khalid and I met on the battlefield.

"Why are you tied up there?"

"...Don't know."

He was trapped alone in a cave somewhere in the deep, rugged mountains.

Back then, I had no idea this was the world inside a novel. So I shouldn't have spoken carelessly to what might have been a superior magic beast, much less reached out to it.

"Want to get out?"

"..."

"Don't know that either?"

For some reason, it was hard to just walk away.

"If I say I want to get out, can I?"

"Yeah."

How long had he been trapped? He was filthy dirty.

The shackles binding his arms and legs were heavily rusted, and the moss-covered cave was dark and cold.

Khalid snorted derisively through his nose.

"Impossible. You have any idea how complex the sealing formulas on my shackles are...?"

"They are for you."

"What?"

"Not for me."

When I placed my hand on the iron bars blocking the entrance, the barrier's structure became crystal clear. Finding the matching Seal of Nullification wasn't difficult.

My eyes turned a deep crimson.

"You..."

That was how we met.

Uh, so...

'Why did I just assume it was Khalid?'

I'd even had a flashback about it.

I let out a hollow sigh.

Defying everyone's expectations, the explosion site yielded nothing but the magic beast's corpse.

"A boy, you said?"

Grandfather scolded the knight in a tone of utter disbelief.

"Well, the smoke was so thick that I must have misread the magic beast's shadow..."

"Carrots, spinach, blueberries."

"Pardon?"

"Good for the eyes. Eat them with your meals."

The knight's face crumpled pathetically at the offhand advice. At that moment, Grandfather slammed down the armrest with a bang.

"Next time you screw up like that, I'll yank them out! Your eyeballs!"

"Eek, I'm sorry!"

The knight flattened himself on the floor.

Dust and bits of leaves rained down—probably from his thorough inspection of the site. And tumbling down with them...

'Huh? A squirrel!'

The little creature, dangling from the sword hilt, rolled straight toward me. It scampered up my leg and settled comfortably on my lap.

Had it hitched a ride from outside? So tiny. So cute.

"And what? You misfired the cannon too?!"

Grandfather's thunderous voice cleaved through the tent once more. This time, the artillery soldier broke out in cold sweats, stammering excuses.

"S-sorry, sir. The fuse suddenly caught fire... B-but it's weird. No one lit it, but it just...!"

Crunch. Everyone fell silent at the sharp sound of grinding teeth.

"Not content with screwing up wall duty, now excuses too?"

Grandfather rolled up his sleeves and rose. The knights standing in a line flinched in unison.

"Fine. Looks like it's time for some real discipline today."

Eek, all my seniors are gonna die.

I stopped petting the squirrel and quickly latched onto Grandfather's waist.

"Grandpa! Don't get mad! It's bad for your health!"

And also...

"People make mistakes sometimes!"

These uncles might not have even messed up...

"Aigoo, why hang on like that? Dangerous."

Grandfather, who had looked ready to snap the knights' heads off, deflated instantly. I pleaded with my most earnest puppy-dog eyes.

"The cannon might've malfunctioned... And thanks to it, all the scary monsters vanished!"

"...Youngest..."

The knights watching teared up.

"So just forgive them this once..."

The squirrel had by now climbed my arm and plopped down triumphantly on top of my head.

"Y-yeah?"

Grandfather's eyes quivered as he gazed down at me.

"What's this now... another attack?!"

"Who's attacking? No one's doing anything."

"Uwaaak!"

His face flushed beet red, and he reached out as if he couldn't take it anymore.

"Get over here right now! Don't dangle there like a squirrel!"

My viewpoint shot up abruptly. Spooked by the sudden change in height, the squirrel went tumbling off somewhere.

Grandfather looked a touch disappointed, but his eyes kept roving over me, checking every inch.

"There was that massive gust earlier—are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm not fragile enough to get hurt by a bit of wind..."

"Huh? Look closer—your hairpin's all crooked!"

"Oh, really?"

"...Your hair got yanked out. These little shits..."

Grandfather's aura turned menacing again.

"H-hair grows back even if it's pulled! And the hairpin... like this, zip! See? All better! Amazing, right? It's nothing!"

The knights, overcome with emotion, were now openly sobbing into their hands at my desperate flailing.

Grandfather's eyes narrowed to slits. I threw my arms around his neck in a tight hug.

"Hehe... So don't get mad, okay...?"

His massive frame shuddered with a deep heave, followed by a shout of resignation.

"Obron!"

"Yes, Your Excellency. I'll handle them."

Senior Obron marched the knights out with a stern expression.

Click. The door shut, and a long, weary sigh escaped Grandfather. He suddenly looked exhausted.

"Enough already. Let's head back. Shouldn't have brought you to a dangerous place like this."

I beamed at him, and the tip of his thick finger gently booped my nose.

"And I let it slide, but..."

Quick footsteps rapidly approached from outside.

"Can't say Leviathan will go easy on them."

The door flew open.

"We agree for once, Father."

Panting breaths rang in my ears, and strong arms scooped me up from behind.

"I'll take care of it."

"Uncle? Listen, people make mistakes too..."

"Hey. Your snot-nosed hair got pulled."

Grandfather tattled from behind like a total snitch.

Uncle's eyes, which had been scrutinizing me, shook violently.

"Hoo."

I had a gut feeling.

Sorry, seniors. This uncle's lost it.

Looks like I'm done for...

By the time I returned to the castle after soothing the about-to-explode Duke, evening had already fallen.

The moment we arrived, Uncle inspected me head to toe, then even called in the physician who'd just returned from the field to give me a checkup.

The instant he heard I was fine, he bolted to the knights like the wind. He'd promised not to go too hard on them... should be okay, right?

"Heard there was big trouble at the wall today?"

Hazel said as she dried my freshly washed hair.

"Yeah. A magic beast popped up out of nowhere..."

"The maids were so freaked we nearly dug an escape tunnel."

What? Tunnel where?

"The Family Head was super worried too. He'd checked the walls extra thoroughly, so why today of all days? He was furious."

"But magic beasts don't send advance notice before charging in..."

"Still. You can't help worrying about family."

Hazel neatly arranged my fluffy, dried hair. I dove straight into bed.

"I'll fetch you when dinner's ready."

"Okay!"

The door clicked shut, and I buried my face in the blanket. Lying there staring at the ceiling, the day's events replayed in my mind unbidden.

'Gotta turn the watchtower bell into a magic tool. Now then...'

I needed someone who could pull it off. Obviously, I couldn't do it myself.

Bits of info floated up and sank down repeatedly.

Watchtower bell, magic stone, barrier...

Pop.

Squirrel, forge, physician, herbology, magic, mage...

Pop pop!

"Huh? What's that noise?"

I shot upright.

Pop pop pop!

It was the irregular tapping of something small against the door.

No way...

I cautiously cracked the door open.

"Huh?"

Acorns scattered messily in front of the door. And there, in the middle of the empty hallway, stood a tiny creature.

"Squirrel, you..."

Its yellow eyes gleamed unnaturally in the darkness, locking straight onto mine.

"Ah, wait!"

The squirrel whipped around and bolted. I chased after it, entranced.

Down the empty hallway, narrow stairs, to a small side door.

Stepping out led straight outside.

"Huff, huff. Squirrel, I'm beat..."

We'd arrived at a garden inside the ducal castle I'd never seen before. If you could call it a garden—it was more like a little forest.

'Didn't know this place existed.'

It was far from the main keep, so hardly anyone came here.

The artificial lake sparkled, perfectly mirroring the night sky. Towering ancient trees ringed it.

Trot trot.

The squirrel dashed off at top speed.

It clambered up someone's body and plopped down on a head of black hair.

"You..."

I froze in place.

"...Knew it."

The boy didn't even turn his head, just kept petting the head of the sleeping wolf cub beside him.

"That explosion earlier was you too, huh?"

Cats growled softly around him. A snow-white rabbit with red eyes, a sleek deer striking poses, an owl perched in a tree with glowing eyes, a silver fish splashing out of the water.

"Hello, master."

The boy sitting in the midst of this animal menagerie finally turned his head.