The Youngest Hides a Lot of Things [Novel] Chapter 32

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 32

Chapter Title: The Youngest is Hiding a Lot

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Clouds parted, and the moon revealed itself. Under the moonlight, gray-blue eyes shimmered with a mystical glow.

"Khalid..."

His name was called, and he grinned.

"Yeah."

"You..."

I started walking again, as if entranced.

"Didn't expect you'd greet me like this."

Khalid rose casually, spreading his arms wide.

"I...'

Thud thud thud. Before I knew it, my steps had turned into a run.

And then, just like that.

"I told you not to dodge!"

Thwack!

A light headbutt made the boy's body sway.

Whoosh. His animal friends scattered in panic.

"Whoa, a headbutt? That's a new one."

"It's the water fist special! Why?!"

I shook my fist vigorously, fuming. Khalid just rubbed his stomach and chuckled softly.

"Tch."

Amusingly enough, my eyes were the ones welling up with physiological tears.

My head hurt more, though? How is this kid's body so solid?!

"Everything's fine, but give a heads-up next time before charging in? I tensed up without thinking. Hope I didn't hurt you?"

It was mortifying coming from the attacker.

"And dodging? That was ages ago. Why bring it up now?"

"So you did dodge!"

"Dodge. I just said dodge, didn't I?"

"Who do you think I'm an idiot?"

I growled again. Khalid, a head taller than me, gazed down steadily.

"So, mistress. What are you doing here?"

Gentle curving eyes. Refreshingly upturned lips.

"After abandoning me and pretending to be dead."

Uh, that face looks a bit angry.

I involuntarily stepped back. The boy stared at the growing distance before suddenly closing it and grabbing my shoulders.

"No. No more running away."

"Wait, hold on..."

"Finally caught you."

"Huh?"

"Finally found you."

Catch what? Did I hear wrong? As I tilted my head, Khalid smiled ambiguously.

"So, what are you doing here? Hiding that you're a mage, obviously. And that outfit... no way."

His gray-blue swirling eyes slowly scanned my hair and clothes.

"Nah?"

I scratched my cheek awkwardly. Never mind the short-cropped hair— what I was wearing was the outfit I'd bought at the boutique a few days ago.

Tailored perfectly to my body, luxurious and neat...

Boy's clothes.

"Duke Jebert can't be that clueless. Right?"

"Um, well, it's a mix of various misunderstandings piling up, you could say."

"...'

Khalid clamped his mouth shut. His expression was one of utter disbelief, at a loss for words.

I seized the moment to change the subject.

"What about you? Showing up without a word? Starting with an explosion out of nowhere... What if someone saw?!"

"What was I supposed to do, just watch a magic beast charge at you?"

"The knight uncles would've handled it..."

"No one saw, so it's fine."

His unyielding tone left me exasperated. As I glared silently, Khalid glanced at me and grumbled softly.

"...My body moved on its own. What could I do?"

Sigh. A short sigh escaped me.

He was always like that. Ever since I rescued him from that cavernous prison, he'd followed me around like a pooch.

'Though no pooch looks that dangerously cute.'

Even offering me the Oath Array was part of that.

Our mana intertwined like a single root, with me holding full control. Until I severed it first, he'd have no choice but to serve as my attendant.

'If I told him to die, he would. Why mess up his own fate like that?'

No helping it.

If he ever showed even a hint of regret later, I'd release him right away...

"...'

Staring intently at the boy before me, my eyes naturally met the squirrel on his head.

Munch munch.

Seeing its gentle eyes chewing an acorn made another sigh slip out.

"You really have no fear. Coaxing squirrels from atop the walls and all."

"Coaxing? Why use such an embarrassing word?"

What was he even saying?

"I told you."

Khalid briefly channeled his mana. In that instant, the yellow glint in the squirrel's black eyes faded.

"I'm the one protecting you."

The squirrel's soul returned, sniffed the air, and scampered off.

"Don't say you forgot my oath."

His slightly upturned lips curved into a longer arc.

'I've felt it since we first met...'

His handsomeness, unmasked even by grime, had nothing to do with age...

Deep navy hair tinged with blue, eyes swirling mysteriously gray and blue. And those two vertical dots beneath his left eye.

'Just grow up like this.'

The poster boy for it, you could say.

"Phew, fine. Now put some mana into it."

"You're the only one here who can sense mana anyway."

Khalid replied a bit peevishly.

He had the ability to temporarily bind and control another's soul.

Limited to animals.

Magic beasts were possible, but he avoided them due to mana contamination, and human souls...

'Taboo.'

Violating it brought severe consequences.

"Anyway, since you're still nitpicking, it seems you really don't want to tell me why you're here."

His low murmur hit the nail on the head, making my shoulders twitch.

'No way I can say it—!'

That this is the world inside a book, total annihilation ending right around the corner, here to recruit a hero to stop it!

I just bit my lip and stood there until Khalid said, "Fine." He picked up his bag and sword from the ground.

"I'll listen slowly on the way. Let's head out first."

I slowly closed and opened my eyes.

"Head out where?"

"We have to run. The Magic King noticed you're in Babylon?"

"Uh, no thanks?"

The words burst out involuntarily. As I pulled back, Khalid's straight brows shot up.

"No? What exactly are you trying to do here?"

"Sorry. Can't tell you the details yet. But I'm not leaving for a while."

I met his gaze steadily and spoke clearly. His grip tightened on his sword.

"Even if I drag you away by force?"

"You've never beaten me once..."

"Only because we're in a mana-rich land, mistress."

"Eek, that smug face."

"Forgot? Mana's all I've got."

Khalid raised his wrist slightly. A small golden bracelet jingled. A magic tool to control his overflowing mana.

He lacked mage knowledge but was a natural mana prodigy. Even that tool couldn't fully contain it.

The complete opposite of me.

"Ugh, no mana bragging!"

Jealousy made me boo involuntarily.

"There goes that habit of brushing it off again."

Khalid shook his head with a mutter. I smiled faintly and took a small step back.

"Later. I'll tell you later, so don't ask more, don't brag about mana, just say okay..."

"Ha."

Silence fell briefly. Cal stared down at me, then bit his lip and lowered his head, lost in thought.

"Brushing it off again... and planning to ditch me once more..."

Huh?

I was quite flustered. His fist clenched white was trembling faintly. His solid shoulders, too, ever so slightly...

Huh?!

"K-Khalid? You're not about to cry, are you?"

"I can't sense your mana. You said all the mages heading to Canalran Gorge died... What was I supposed to do then?!"

"Ah, they didn't die!"

I blurted it out in panic.

"What?"

Khalid's head snapped up. His cheeks were dry, but I was too flustered to stop.

"Those kids—I let them go."

His eyes widened slightly.

"What... do you mean?"

"I shattered their mana cores, so no more magic, and they'll live sickly forever. Lifespans shortened too. But they all said they didn't care... Anyway, they're not dead!"

I waved my arms frantically, explaining.

It was the final plan.

The mage unit passing through Canalran Gorge was ambushed by black magic beasts. A crisis, but also an opportunity.

I'd planned to abandon them and flee to meet Uncle Leviathan. But... those young mages' faces kept nagging at me.

So I faked their total annihilation by black magic beasts.

"Ha... Then what about those corpses?"

"Illusions made of dirt."

"You made all those by yourself?"

"Didn't need to make that many..."

Just a few limbs here and there.

Khalid bit his lip bloody before snapping.

"Then make your corpse better! Why make it so you'd get caught alone?!"

I smiled ambiguously and shut my mouth. He'd get mad if I said it...

But Khalid saw through my silence instantly. He sneered coldly from one side of his mouth.

"...On purpose. So the others wouldn't be suspected. To draw the attention to you."