The Youngest Hides a Lot of Things [Novel] Chapter 68

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 68

Chapter Title: The Youngest Hides a Lot

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"This brat—! Get over here right—!"

The moment the men instinctively sensed danger and charged at me, a formation etched with complex formulas floated up lightly.

"Ma-ma-mage—!"

"Ah, right. This isn't me, it's that sister over there."

Asha, who had been standing there blankly at my words, hurriedly placed her hand on the ground.

"That's right~"

Anyway, the world was already spinning wildly, and I couldn't tell up from down!

The mana scattered in the air gathered together. The moment the earth writhed violently once, tough wooden vines burst through the ground in an instant.

"Wh-what is that?!"

"Argh! The tree roots suddenly grew...!"

"Run, run away!"

The men fled in panic, but it was already too late.

Thud, crash!

Their large bodies slammed into the ground, and then sturdy grass and roots came lunging.

I snatched them up and rolled them around like hot dogs tossed on sugar.

Wrapped tightly around the wooden vines like silkworm cocoons—or mummies—the men dangled upside down from a massive zelkova tree.

"Sa-save... *cough*."

Mouths perfectly sealed for a clean finish!

"I'll leave your noses open so you can breathe."

"Rain-water—!"

Stuff it!

Rain poured steadily into the nostrils of the men hanging upside down as they wriggled. They thrashed their bodies to express their agony, but there was no way to stop it.

I was a terribly cruel mage...

"I've even compensated you fully for the carriage sickness."

I smirked and puffed out my chest.

Serves you right. Why poke the fur of a sleeping lion... no, a sleeping mage!

"Waaah!"

Asha, watching from the side, punched the dangling men like sandbags, delighted.

"It's been a while, but you're still amazing! I can't do magic like this!"

"Now... is the sky really yellow?"

"Gasp, mana deficiency."

My legs suddenly gave out, and I staggered. Asha rushed over, supported me, and fanned me with her hand.

'I even skimped into power-saving mode...'

They said the mana density was low, and sure enough, I was exhausted in no time.

"Ebi."

I kicked away the weapons the men had been holding, sending them far off. I didn't want to exert myself if possible, but this was the best way to deal with armed men all at once.

Asha wasn't a mage specialized in offensive spells like this, so she would've struggled against a group charging together.

"Cal... I miss you..."

I whined and touched my earlobe. I'd been trying to connect since earlier, but it just kept crackling with static—no sound came through.

"Then shall we head out of the mountain now?"

Asha dusted off her hands and stood up.

I staggered to my feet as well and stared bleakly at the carriage.

'But the rain's getting heavier.'

The rain lines obscuring my vision had clearly thickened.

The uneven ground was soaked through, and the surroundings were all blurred and dim.

What to do.

As I pondered, Asha, walking ahead, suddenly stiffened.

"Wait a moment."

"What's wrong?"

"This smell..."

Asha dropped to her stomach and pressed her nose close to the drenched soil.

"There might be a sealed magic beast somewhere nearby... Probably one that's been asleep for a very long time..."

My eyes widened automatically. A magic beast dormant for ages deep in the mountains would be at least a superior magic beast.

'We'd need a whole unit to handle it.'

Asha was just a low-rank mage, and the rest were three powerless civilians.

'We absolutely can't run into it.'

If you didn't know this mountain range well, blindly descending could either wake the beast or lead to getting stranded—one or the other.

On top of that, who knew how the aftermath of the spell I'd cast earlier might affect things. The sky was thick with storm clouds, making it hard to even read directions.

'Alone, I could manage, but getting these four out safely would be tough.'

I had to make a choice. Fortunately, I'd been stuck like this plenty of times before, so deciding wasn't hard.

"Asha, let's wait in a safe spot at least until the rain stops."

"Will people come if we wait?"

"A prince and noble ladies are missing—of course they'll come."

"Hmm. Convenient."

Asha scanned the surroundings expertly.

"Rubian, there's a cave over there!"

Staying vigilant, we dragged the carriage over.

We barely got the three inside the cave, and Asha lifted the sleep spell to conserve mana.

The three groaned briefly and opened their eyes.

"Huh? Where is this..."

Looking around in bewilderment, they slowly grasped the situation they'd woken up to.

"Wh-what is this... Gasp, no way."

Olivia and Titi's faces quickly drained of color with fear. I sat down calmly in front of them.

First priority: calm the two so they didn't panic.

"Ladies, don't panic. We were kidnapped, but..."

"Ki-kidnapped?!"

"Yes, kidnapped, but everything's fine now. It's just that a magic beast might show up, so..."

"Ma-ma-magic beast?!?!"

What was I doing wrong?

Far from calming them, it felt like I'd poured oil on a fire.

"Rubian, are you okay?"

Licht asked with a bewildered expression. His eyes scanning me were full of worry.

"Getting hit by such a ridiculous attack..."

The prince looked extremely frustrated. He rummaged through the haphazardly grabbed luggage and gripped his sword tightly.

"I'm fine. But your arm's bleeding."

"Ah."

Licht belatedly looked at his own forearm. Blood trickled thinly from between the slightly torn sleeve.

"Must've happened shielding me... I told you to call for people—why follow me?"

"...I just did without thinking. How could I just watch you charge out?"

When the ambush poured down in that alley, Licht had suddenly appeared and reflexively protected me.

'I thought he was the cautious type.'

Who could've guessed he had a side that threw himself in first...

"Waaah."

In the end, Titi burst into tears.

The dark cave filled with the young girl's sobs.

"D-don't cry, Titi. You heard Rubian. The scary people are all silkworm cocoons now. If we wait quietly here, the rescue team will come..."

"Cave's scary... It's cold. Waaah."

"Aigoo, don't cry, both of you."

As Titi and Olivia started crying, Asha plugged her ears and conjured a bonfire with magic. In an instant, the interior warmed up.

"Ma-mage..."

"Yup. Asha Drukan."

"...Asha? The eastern stationed mage, by any chance?"

"You know me?"

Licht swept back his soaked blond hair.

"The name."

"I see."

"You took down the kidnappers?"

I took off my wet clothes and brought them near the bonfire.

Pretending to dry them, I gave Asha a look, and she nodded nonchalantly.

"Yup!"

"...More than the reports suggested."

I approached Titi and Olivia, leaving the sullen Licht behind. Titi was still sniffling.

"Titi's hurt too."

Her pale ankle was badly swollen. Probably bumped it when she fainted.

"That must hurt... But crying makes it hurt more."

"Sniff, sorry... Sniff. I'm sorry. Because I suggested going out, everyone got dragged into this..."

"Aww, what's wrong with going out for fun? The bad guys are the only ones at fault. Don't blame yourself."

I looked around and gathered some small herbs and moss at the cave entrance.

"Mage-nim, infuse some mana into this, please."

Asha reached out to the herbs and infused them with mana.

The herbs, glowing with blue mana, melted smoothly onto Titi's ankle.

"Huh?"

The pain visibly faded, and Titi's crying naturally stopped.

"You should see a doctor once we're down the mountain. But it doesn't hurt now, right?"

"Ye-yes."

Titi blinked her round eyes. Olivia, watching from the side, looked incredulous.

"Where on earth did you learn this...? Rubian, you haven't even entered the academy yet, have you?"

"Hehe. I've been taking herbology lessons lately."

"...You get this good just from lessons?"

I take those lessons too?

Ignoring her doubtful mutter, I went to Licht this time.

"I'll apply some to you too. Roll up your sleeve, Licht."

"..."

Licht was looking at me with a very peculiar gaze. As I tilted my head at his suspicious eyes, he spoke lowly.

"Rubian, you seem... awfully used to this."

"Huh?"

"Situations like this."

"Ah. My adaptability is top-notch!"

"..."

I glossed over it vaguely and treated Licht's wound. No need to stoke the suspicions of this curious prince with extra words.

"Mm, all done..."

As I dusted off my hands and tried to stand—

Czzzzt!

A scratching noise rang out without warning.

"Eut."

The sensation buzzed straight to my skull, making me stagger a bit.

"Rubian?"

Licht hurriedly grabbed my shoulder.

"What's wrong? You okay?"

Amid the muffled voices, the static grew even stronger.

'Forced open?'

The sensation of my circuit being pried open by overwhelming force. There was only one person who would do such a thing.