The Youngest Hides a Lot of Things [Novel] Chapter 62

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 62

Chapter Title: The Youngest is Keeping Many Secrets

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"Our youngest has some real guts, doesn't she."

Dad rested his chin on my head.

I stared at the stack of cake boxes piled neatly in the dining room. One of each kind, totaling eight.

"They were ridiculously delicious."

"Exactly. Who reserves and hauls back a full month's worth of the tea salon's entire menu?"

I'd said I'd be staying here all month long... and everyone came to mind, so I bought them.

'Maybe buying a whole month's supply at once was a bit much?'

Should I have split it into two-week batches?

"Did I do something wrong?"

I asked cautiously, and Dad made a face like he'd heard every excuse in the book.

"It's the best thing you've done since arriving here."

"Heehee."

See? I knew he'd love it most.

I turned my head proudly.

In one corner of the table, Grandfather and Void were munching away on cake after finishing their training.

Liam, as expected, had holed up in the study and hadn't shown his face.

"Oh man, it's sweet! Oh man, it's good!"

"Whoever you bought it for must've been on your mind, 'cause it's three hundred times tastier!"

Two forks moved without pause.

They seemed genuinely touched that I'd picked them up myself.

"You know those two don't really like sweets that much."

Despite my protests, the cakes were disappearing at a rapid clip.

"Nah, I like 'em."

"Yeah! Today's got some dizzying flavor to it!"

"Ack, Grandfather! That's sugar!"

No!

And that was the one I was saving for after dinner!

I cried out in horror, and Khalid, who'd been standing quietly beside me, clicked his tongue.

"What a racket today."

Looking closely, he had my favorite cake box tucked behind his back.

Oh, he'd swiped it ahead of time.

Smart as always, my friend!

"But what's that you've been scribbling away at?"

Dad asked, setting down his teacup. I finally got my pen moving again.

"A letter. Telling the troublemakers' parents to ground them."

I was in the middle of drafting a tattletale note.

Heading out to pick herbs while kidnappings are rampant? Talk is cheap.

Sorry, you rowdy ladies, but staying home is the smart move for now.

"No thanks to being kidnapping bait... What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't peek."

I casually covered it with my arm and mumbled something vague.

Dad thought for a moment, then added offhandedly,

"The kidnapping case is wrapped up, by the way."

"Huh?"

"Obron caught the culprits this afternoon. No more incidents since."

"Whoa. As expected of Sir Obron!"

I was purely impressed. How long had it even been since they started investigating the area?

'Truly, the Jebert Knights!'

Once our knights get involved, even a city's security in shambles bounces back in the blink of an eye!

I crumpled up the letter I'd been writing. Grandfather let out a hearty laugh.

"That Obron finally did some real work! No matter how many guards I assign, I was always worried about my snot-nosed brats wandering the streets."

"Hmm."

But Uncle looked somehow dissatisfied, arms crossed.

"What's wrong? Un...cle... Dad."

At my fumbling words, he flicked my forehead.

"Wonder when you'll get that oil changed. On the nickname."

"Working on it..."

It's a bad habit... The ever-patient Duke didn't press, just like always.

"Nah, something feels off."

"What does?"

"They caught the tail way too fast, for some reason."

The Ipson incident had ended too anticlimactically, and it clearly bugged him.

"Like someone stepped in to help midway..."

When they raided the suspected hideout, all the culprits were conveniently gathered there, like they'd planned it.

Catching rats in a trap was a piece of cake.

"Guess the perps were total idiots."

I brushed it off lightly.

I snuck a glance at Khalid just in case, but he just shrugged like he'd never heard a thing.

'Still, glad they were all just attempts.'

From Dad and Grandfather's conversation, I pieced together the full story.

No high-ranking noble kids were targeted—mostly barons' and viscounts' children.

But oddly, they denied only the charge of trying to hand over a runaway mage.

'Probably didn't want to get tangled up with the kingdom.'

Or...

"I heard one even tried disguising himself as a servant in a baron's household."

"Barons often hire temps without recommendations. Ugh, tell the count to rip their limbs off!"

Grandfather tsked loudly and shoveled the remaining cake into his mouth.

"Sneaking in like rats while hiding their identities!"

At those words, I quietly set down my strawberry milk.

Hiding their identity... like a rat...

"That sounds like the worst crime, Father! Abusing trust and all!"

"Exactly."

Uncle nodded, sticking a straw in my mug.

"Good thing it ended before any real damage... Ruby, stop blowing on the straw. It's overflowing."

Eek. I yanked my mouth away at the bubbling foam.

No, I know it's not about me...

But the talk of disguising and lightly stabbing kids hit close.

"My lung capacity's pretty good, right?"

"Impressively so. But don't play with your food."

I answered nonchalantly with a yeah.

Glancing around, my eyes met Khalid's. His lips mouthed,

'You're no rat.'

Does he seriously read minds?!

Meanwhile, at the Zelox ducal residence.

Physician Borvel read and reread the letter tied to the messenger bird that had arrived for him.

"What is this..."

It was from Iosiah.

Borvel, I checked the church records for that village you mentioned. No boys around that age match. Might be a mix-up? Reply if you need more details.

A missing record, maybe?

But Rubian wasn't a newborn. Could something be omitted for that long?

"Gonna need a deeper look."

If not from Iosiah...

Then where was Rubian from?

Borvel couldn't hide his bewilderment as he prepared a bird to send to the Ipson ducal residence.

"...Feels ominous somehow."

The brown hawk tore through the quiet sky as it took flight.