The Youngest Hides a Lot of Things [Novel] Chapter 66

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 66

Chapter Title: The Youngest Hides Many Secrets

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‘Uncle said... he caught the culprit!’

Are there remnants left?

‘No!’

The moment I spotted the black shadow snatching the two of them, my body moved on instinct.

At the same time, an arm suddenly grabbed me from behind.

“Rubian? It really is you. I've been calling you—where have you been?”

It was Licht.

“Licht! Liv and Titi! Over there!”

“Huh?”

I pointed frantically toward the other side of the main street. Licht scanned my pale face and furrowed his brow as if he'd understood.

I was a mage. Licht was just a young boy.

The gap in strength was clear.

And if my guess was right... the one tailing the ladies was a mage!

“I'll chase them—you go get reinforcements!”

“Rubian!”

I ran until my breath caught in my throat. If I hadn't been building my stamina lately, I never would have made it.

I arrived in a maze-like alley.

It was strangely devoid of any signs of life.

Wait, hold on.

I braced my hands on my knees, steadying my breath, then lifted my head at the unnatural sensation enveloping the surroundings.

‘Mana flow!’

In the alley thick with eerie silence, a surge of dynamic power rose up.

The realization hit just as blue magic circles floated up from both sides of the alley.

“Binding magic tool.”

My eyes widened at the familiar energy. Black shadows draped limply over me, wrapping me tight.

A figure in a dark robe emerged from the end of the alley. He held a round magic tool up to me.

Mana detection?

‘OOOOO:-)’

Pop pop! Ding dong dang! Correct!

“Wow, correct.”

The assailant's lips curved into a long arc.

“But couldn't you have made that sound effect a bit more subdued?”

“You...”

I glared as I recognized him. At the same moment, whoosh—a hooked rope shot out from both sides.

“Grab her!”

Someone blocked my path ahead, and my vision went black. The moment I registered the pungent smell stinging my nose, my consciousness slipped away before I could grasp it.

A high-pitched ring pierced my ears.

Mingled with it, chaotic screams poured in—they were the last thing in my memory.

“No way.”

Rosetta Jebert, left alone at the hot springs, didn't come back to her senses until much later.

“No way!”

Rosetta blankly touched the spot where the child had vanished and cried out.

A boy, right? A pretty little boy!

She recalled Leviathan's reply to her letter asking if it was a girl.

Yes, he'd definitely said it was a boy!

She rushed back to the mansion. She couldn't even remember how she'd gotten there.

“Ma'am?”

The moment her foot hit the lobby floor, Adolph appeared. The butler frowned deeply at her drenched, disheveled state.

“You've gotten soaked in the rain...”

“Adolph! Tell me Rubian's distinguishing features! Cute, lovable—skip that stuff!”

Rosetta grabbed his shoulders and demanded.

Adolph flinched back at his lady's sudden demeanor and answered as he recalled.

“Snow-white silver hair and sapphire-blue eyes. But what's happened all of a sudden?”

“Ah...”

Rosetta staggered. Adolph reached out in alarm, but she steadied herself against the wall and waved him off.

“The truth is... I lied to a friend.”

Her memories tangled into a mess.

She'd been careless. She'd blindly trusted the word "boy" and never even imagined that the child from the cemetery could be Rubian.

“I didn't want to be hated...”

“What on earth have you done?”

A pained groan escaped her.

Adolph instinctively sensed something was wrong from her voice, which sounded almost despairing.

“Ma'am, what exactly happened? Has something happened to Lady Rubian?”

Snap—Rosetta lifted her head with a chilling expression. Water droplets flew from her mottled brown-and-pink hair.

“Leviathan. Where's my husband?”

At that moment, Leviathan Jebert was patrolling the streets of Ipson.

Greeting Rosetta like this was commonplace. In truth, it was less her enjoyment and more his.

His wife always had that unpredictable side.

Plus, noble duties—outside of the battlefield—involved being cooped up in the manor wrestling with paperwork more often than not.

Rosetta was the only one who understood that, so this was likely her way of telling him to change things up.

‘Come to think of it, she's never come out like this before.’

Leviathan casually scanned the surroundings.

Rain was now falling steadily, soaking everything. Looking at the overcast sky, he thought it was time to end this game of hide-and-seek.

That was when it happened.

“Your Excellency!”

Leon came running up from behind in a panic.

“Urgent news from Count Camellan.”

“Urgent news?”

Leon's face twisted unpleasantly.

“Some of the criminals we handed over to the Camellan Knights have escaped.”

“What?”

Ha. Leviathan pressed his forehead and let out a short sigh.

“What a mess.”

How do they even handle things?

He spat a brief curse under his breath and yanked the reins around.

“Dispatch the knights again for now. Void, you head back.”

Leviathan spoke in a sigh-tinged voice.

Void, rummaging near a trash bin, tilted his head.

“Pardon? But Mother...”

“Playtime's over.”

“Eh, y-yes...”

Screee—

At that instant, a messenger bird pierced through the misty rain and entered the frowning Leviathan's view.

“It's from Zelox, Your Excellency.”

An odd chill crept up his neck. Was this what the calm before the storm felt like?

“Eugene.”

“Yes.”

Squawk—the knight blew a whistle, and the hawk responded by diving straight down.

“From Borvel, Your Excellency.”

“Bring it.”

As he started to unroll the neatly folded letter, Void's shocked voice rang out beside him.

“Father!”

At the same time, shwoop—the sound of air slicing. Leviathan swiftly gripped the reins and pulled back.

Thud! An arrow from behind slammed mercilessly into the ground.

“...”

He reflexively read the insignia on the shaft. Turning toward where it came from, he spotted a familiar pink head fluttering atop a distant village tower.

“Rose?”

“M-Mother—!”

Void waved happily.

“Why on earth is my wife up there?”

Even as he said it, tension eased from his stiff shoulders. Just seeing that sweet pink hair made his heart flutter.

But Rosetta merely perched one leg on the tower railing and drew a concealed folding arrow from her thigh.

The sharp arrow tip aimed right at the center of his forehead.

Something had twisted her mood again.

“Leviathan, you XX XXXX XXX XX!”

A thunderous shout echoed from afar. The vulgar tirade left Ipson's residents gaping, while Leon, standing nearby, casually covered Void's ears like it was routine.

“Yeah. I missed you enough to curse too.”

Leviathan stretched out both arms as if urging her to come down.

“What the hell did you do to Rubian!”

“...?”

What?

Leviathan hardened his expression and slowly lowered his arms. Then the letter in his hand rustled, reminding him of its presence.

He slowly unfolded and read it.

“...”

As expected, it was a reply from Iosiah. But...

“What the hell is this nonsense?”