The Youngest Hides a Lot of Things [Novel] Chapter 67

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 67

Chapter Title: Reunion in the Carriage

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"Hey."

I muttered with a dissatisfied look on my face.

"Hey."

I pushed away the face clinging to me.

"Let go already."

"Mmmph."

The mage whined like a child and shook her head.

She'd been stroking my head while pressing her cheek against mine nonstop since we first met.

"It's been so long... this feels just right."

"......"

Sigh. I let out a deep breath. My head was spinning.

Is this really the time?!

"Asha Drukan."

"Yes!"

Asha beamed back at her.

She thinks this is great...

Clunk. The carriage jolted hard, probably hitting a rock.

"Sure, enjoy the reunion all you want, but we're kidnapped right now!"

As I yelled, Asha shushed me and pressed her finger to her lips. When did she undo her own bindings?

"If they find out you're awake, it'll get messy. Be quiet."

Asha untied the ropes around my wrists. They'd been bound so tightly that my skin was red and swollen.

The surroundings were pitch black. Only faint streaks of light seeped through the crooked window.

'Damn, kidnapped of all things.'

Pathetic, Rubian.

This is infuriating, Rubian!

"I had no idea there was another group targeting these ladies."

Asha drawled, her voice trailing off. I steadied my churning stomach and scanned the interior.

Titi and Liv lay collapsed, unconscious. And Licht too.

I pieced together this absurd situation step by step.

So, Titi and Liv had been targets of the noble kidnappers from the start.

'They thought they were dressed like commoners...'

Honestly, it was so sloppy they just looked like kids from a low-ranking noble family.

The moment the kidnappers cleverly lured the two into an alley, Asha happened to follow by chance and became a target herself.

While Asha was standing there puzzled by the ladies' sudden disappearance from the alley, I showed up.

And then Licht got hooked like candy on a string...

'It all happened in the blink of an eye, so it's all jumbled.'

Either way, the sudden ambush and knockout gas left us all defenseless.

We couldn't fend off the horde of dark figures that sprang from everywhere like they'd been waiting.

'Damn it. Weren't we safe? You knights!'

I praised you all so much—what a letdown!

"Ugh, out of forced wake-up magic tool charges..."

Asha pulled a small round device from her pocket and tossed it away. That must've been how she woke herself and me.

"So, how've you been? You came to Babylon—why didn't you contact me?"

I rotated my wrists and stared at Asha's face.

Her seventeen-year-old youthful features were just as I remembered.

A small fang peeked from her smiling lips. Her short bob curled cutely, giving her an innocent, puppyish look.

'Didn't expect to reunite like this.'

A fresh feeling washed over me.

Asha Drukan was a low-rank mage I'd worked with in the mage unit, crafting magic tools together.

'Not close enough to call friends.'

We'd never opened up about ourselves.

But once—just once—while we were both collapsed from mana depletion, Asha had casually asked.

"What'll you do when this war ends?"

"...Obviously go back to the kingdom. You'll return to being a stationed mage. What else?"

"Ah."

Asha looked somehow disappointed. She stared intently at my bare face, my collar loosened.

"I thought... you might choose something different."

"...Why's that?"

"My grandma said people unconsciously gaze at the places they want to return to."

"......"

"On tough days like today, you often stared north? Toward Babylon."

That was our last conversation.

I'd started avoiding her on purpose after she saw through a habit I didn't even know I had, and then I got reassigned anyway.

So if I hadn't randomly saved a young mage named 'Drukan' in Canalran Gorge.

If I hadn't accidentally become Asha's one and only benefactor.

I would've forgotten her completely.

"Hey, could you tell your sister... Grandma was right?"

I wouldn't have passed on words hinting at my whereabouts, of course.

Though I never expected her to drop everything and come looking.

"You have no idea how worried I was. I was on pins and needles hearing rumors that tracking mages spotted you first... But meeting like this all at once—lucky, huh..."

Asha clung to me again, whining. I snapped out of my reminiscing and narrowed my eyes.

"Tch. That doesn't excuse kidnapping girls out of nowhere!"

"K-Kidnapping? No! I just talked to them to check if they had mana! What if you were disguised and playing dumb? I even prepared bread to share as thanks..."

She gazed mournfully at the cream bun smashed on the floor.

"I spotted you before the tracking mages and was just trying to protect you..."

I sighed deeply.

'I hoped it wasn't true.'

"They said it was only girls."

"I heard they were targeting noble kids, boys and girls alike?"

The rumors split for a reason.

'Two separate groups for real.'

Though Asha was acting alone.

The noble kidnappers who nabbed us now were definitely after money.

The rumor they were handing runaway mages over? A bit exaggerated...

'Probably because Asha approached the girls with her magic tool.'

The real kidnapping attempts and Asha's solo search got tangled, spawning all sorts of wild rumors.

Plus, Asha hiding her identity in a black robe and acting suspicious deepened the misunderstandings...

"Kids get scared! By strangers talking to them!"

"I-I greeted them politely! I wasn't scary!"

Asha pounded her chest indignantly. She scanned me up and down and pouted.

"I never dreamed you'd be disguised as a boy..."

I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing. The carriage sickness was worsening.

Asha clung close again.

"But seriously, how'd you think of male disguise? As expected, the 7th outdoes my expectations as a mage!"

"Gah, don't call me that! It's Rubian!"

"What's wrong? They're all asleep."

Asha rubbed her cheek on my head and glanced aside.

"These three—wake them?"

I hesitated, then shook my head.

"Once I figure out how to escape."

They'd make a racket if they woke.

"Sigh, what a mess."

I pressed my ear to the dark carriage wall.

The driver's voices were muffled by the rumbling wheels.

The carriage jolted again. Steep incline, rough motion—probably climbing a mountain path.

"Feels like Ipson Mountains."

Titi and Olivia got their wish to study herbs. Funny? Sad?

"Rubian, your lips are pale."

"Carsick..."

"Aw. Would've been comfy on a blue steed."

"Hey, this isn't a tour."

The carriage slowed, then stopped completely.

Silence outside, with light drizzle falling. I pressed my finger to my lips as Asha opened her mouth.

Men's voices drifted faintly from outside.

"H-Hey, is this really okay? Messing with high nobles... That blond kid looks suspicious. I... swear I saw the Jebert crest..."

"Shut up and wake the brats! It's do or die now!"

Thud thud. Footsteps approached, and the door flew open.

"What? Someone's awake!"

"How'd they undo the bindings?"

"Mmm..."

The sudden light made the three sleeping ones' brows twitch. I huddled close to Asha and whispered.

"Can you keep those three under longer?"

"Of course."

Asha flicked her mana.

The moment I confirmed their peaceful sleep, I spun around.

A rough arm reached to grab me.

"Whispering what? Get out here... Gah!"

But the man's hand was snared by a shadow stretching from the floor.

"I won't forgive anyone who bothers my friend."

Asha stood, declaring firmly.

Though just a kingdom low-rank mage, she wasn't weak against mana-less civilians.

"Asha, mana status?"

"Like both nostrils clogged with thick snot."

"Gotta use such gross analogies?"

"Like troll mucus crammed..."

"Grosser!"

"Better than Rubian with no nose."

"Talking back now, huh."

Hmph. I've got stuff from Cal too!

I hopped out of the carriage with Asha.

"Mmph! Mmmph!"

The man shadow-bound by Asha thrashed. The other kidnappers hesitated, gripping menacing weapons.

"W-What are you? What kind of magic tool does that...!"

"Not a magic tool."

Ten men total, including the first one waiting. I gauged my mana and glanced back.

The three kids still out cold.

Deep forest around us. Ominous rain falling.

"Perfect timing... Got some mana stocked up."

Eh, why not. Great chance to cut loose.

I crouched, touched the ground without hesitation.

"Hya!"