The Youngest Hides a Lot of Things [Novel] Chapter 50

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 50

Chapter Title: The Youngest is Hiding a Lot

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“Hmph, go ahead.”

The Gravekeeper pinched my nose and said.

We were sitting side by side under the stump of a nearby tree.

“Hmph.”

I blew my nose into her hand.

“Oh dear. Your nose is all red now.”

“Sniff.”

“Did you cry a lot?”

I nodded vigorously, and the Gravekeeper grinned. Staring at her beautiful face made tears well up in my eyes again for some reason.

Is it because I got caught doing something bad?

I couldn’t figure out why I kept crying. Not knowing made me cry even more.

No, I really don’t cry easily…!

“Y-yes… Sniff, I’m sorry… Sniff.”

“You’ve stopped crying a bit.”

“But, ugh, but, sniff, who are you?”

“I told you. I’m the Gravekeeper here. See that cabin over there?”

“Y-yes. Amazing, sniff, so amazing.”

“I don’t know what’s so amazing about it… Oh my, the tears keep coming. What to do.”

Because of me, the Gravekeeper couldn’t work and was stuck. She tilted her eyebrows in distress, then let out a big sigh as if she had no choice.

“No helping it. Let’s go to the cabin. I need to feed you something. There, there!”

“…There.”

Her rough hand wiped the tears rolling down my cheek. She must really take good care of the graves… Sniff.

I held the Gravekeeper’s hand and went to the cabin in the corner of the Memorial Garden. The lived-in cabin was worn but cozy.

Void said she was a Witch Granny.

She’s more like an angel granny…

“Hng.”

I sat at the old wooden table and rubbed my eyes furiously.

The tears made me feel like a real eight-year-old kid.

“Let’s see. Sweet things cheer you up, right? Something a kid would like…”

The Gravekeeper busily moved around, lighting a fire in the hearth. Stew was bubbling in a pot on one side.

Gurgle gurgle.

My stomach growled ridiculously as soon as I smelled it.

“You…”

The Gravekeeper narrowed her eyes thinly, and I stealthily clutched my belly.

“…”

Oh no, now I look like a kid crying from hunger…

And so, I suddenly became a little kid getting dinner at the Gravekeeper’s house.

“Ow, it’s spicy.”

The Gravekeeper was devouring the spicy stew she made. She gulped down water like a hippo—already her second cup.

“Um… You said something sweet?”

“Spicy food relieves stress better. And your stomach made that sound?”

I pouted my lips and looked down at the bowl in front of me. The bright red spicy stew looked like boiling lava.

The Gravekeeper chuckled and put a spoon in my hand.

“Give it a try. I put less spice on yours, so you can handle it.”

“Just don’t put any on…”

“It’s delicious.”

I had no choice but to scoop up a bite of stew.

“Oh?”

“Tasty, right?”

“Yes! But spicy!”

I panted and chugged water nonstop but couldn’t stop spooning it up.

This stimulating taste. Worldly flavor. It’s that modern fiery chicken taste!

We sat across from each other at the old table, huffing and puffing as we shared the spicy stew.

“Feeling better?”

The Gravekeeper offered me a glass of cool water.

I gulped it down and set it down with a clunk.

“Ahh. Yes. Feels like I’ve been reborn…”

I’d forgotten this taste.

After a good cry and spicy food, I felt refreshed. I satisfyingly patted my bulging belly, and suddenly something was shoved in front of me.

“Wow, cocoa!”

“So you forgive me for making you cry?”

“Yes!”

Though it wasn’t really her fault I cried.

I smiled happily and sipped the cocoa. Sweet! Bittersweet! Delicious!

“So round and cute.”

The Gravekeeper rested her chin on her hand and stared at me intently.

“So, why were you in that place?”

“Uh…”

I stopped mid-sip and rolled my eyes.

“I live alone here anyway. No one to tell. Go ahead and talk.”

Her gentle voice flowed like honey.

“She’s a Witch Granny. Rumored to not mix with anyone and eat kids who come to the Memorial Garden.”

Recalling Void’s voice, I gripped the mug tightly.

Normally, I’d brush it off and run, like always.

Weird. For some reason… I can’t refuse.

Somehow, I didn’t feel like it now. Like my will was broken.

I looked into the Gravekeeper’s blue-tinged eyes. Sometimes, it’s easier to open up to a complete stranger.

“A little… something upsetting happened.”

“Yeah? What?”

“People hate lies, right?”

“Generally, yes?”

My shoulders slumped.

“…They’d hate a lying kid even more? Call them gloomy and sly…”

“Hm, anyone saying that to a kid seems gloomier and slyer. Talking nonsense without knowing the circumstances.”

I stared gloomily at the rippling cocoa surface and added,

“Actually, I… lied to a friend.”

I spoke indirectly about Uncle Leviathan.

“But that friend doesn’t know anything and treats me nicely, keeps trying to get close… Every time, my heart stings…”

“I see. He might get mad if he finds out he was fooled.”

“Ugh…”

I knew that, but hearing it hurts like a confirmation kill…

“But why did you lie? To mess with your friend?”

“No!”

I whipped my head around. The Gravekeeper smiled warmly, her eyes crinkling softly.

“That’s really… not it. I…”

It was frustrating not being able to tell everything.

“The situation made me…”

“You…”

A soft cloth appeared and wiped the cocoa drops from my hand.

“You really like that friend, huh?”

I blanked out for a moment, then slowly nodded.

“…Yes. I like him a lot. He’s really precious.”

I liked Uncle Leviathan. I really, really liked all the Jebert family members who treated me kindly.

But each time, guilt came with it—that this affection wasn’t truly mine.

If they found out everything about me was a lie, would they still cherish me the same?

Honestly, I didn’t know until I came north with Uncle.

I didn’t expect the secrets from my complicated situation to choke me like this.

“I don’t want to be hated…”

I feared abandonment, shrinking my heart to the size of a pea.

“Aww, crybaby baby.”

The Gravekeeper hugged me as I started sobbing again and soothed me.

I cried and cried in her arms for a while longer. When my sobs quieted somewhat, she stroked my face again.

“Little one, what do you want to do?”

Her kind voice and warm expression. Enchanted by the peaceful atmosphere, I wiped my tears and mumbled my thoughts.

What I want? Obviously.

“I… want to stay by that friend’s side. Forever… without parting…”

“Then just do what you want and stop overthinking it, no?”

“Huh?”

I blinked, and the remaining tears fell in a rush. The Gravekeeper tilted her eyebrows pityingly and chuckled, “Aww, poor squishy cheeks.”

“If you can’t tell the truth now due to circumstances, tell him later. Explain step by step, and I bet he’ll understand. He’s a good guy, right?”

“Sometimes good, sometimes mean.”

“That’s… quite a cool analysis.”

The Gravekeeper chuckled as if amused.

I stared blankly at the hand wiping my cheek and asked,

“Even if I did wrong by lying, can I be forgiven?”