The Youngest Hides a Lot of Things [Novel] Chapter 69

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 69

Chapter Title: The Bell's Sound

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[Damn, finally...]

'Cal!'

[Where are you, Ruby?]

It was a voice suppressed tightly, but one that seemed on the verge of explosion. I answered quickly.

'I'm at Ipson Mountain!'

I fumbled for my earlobe and closed my eyes. I could feel Licht's gaze, but there was nothing I could do. I just hoped it looked like I was dizzy or something.

'Honestly, I don't know exactly where. Licht and Lady Titi are hurt, and we've caught the bad guys...'

[And you?]

'Yeah?'

[Are you hurt anywhere?]

'I'm fine.'

Then came a very deep, long sigh.

[Stay right there for now. Don't cut the connection. I'll be there soon.]

I nodded at the inexplicably chilling voice. For some reason, the tip of my nose tingled.

[Don't do anything dangerous. Don't use mana. Got it?]

'Yeah. Got it.'

I had no idea how he'd find me, but I didn't ask. Cal always showed up before me with some outlandish method, no matter where I was hiding.

After finishing the short conversation with Cal, the tension drained from my rigidly tense shoulders. It seemed I'd been unknowingly on edge.

"Rubian, you look the worst right now. Come here and rest."

Licht pulled me close. I leaned against him.

'Hurry up, my backup battery...'

As I hugged my knees and tried to bury my face, something tumbled out from my pocket.

"Rubian, this."

Titi picked it up—something wrapped in a handkerchief—and handed it to me.

"A bell...? A little bell?"

Ah.

I took it blankly. I'd forgotten I'd put it in my pocket wrapped in the handkerchief so it wouldn't make noise.

Licht stared at me, frozen with the bell in hand.

"Did Duke Jebert give it to you?"

I nodded faintly.

Then Titi, who had been holding back tears, covered her face again.

"I miss Dad... Mom too."

"Sob... Me too..."

Olivia bit her lip and hugged Titi.

"If you keep crying, you'll lose your strength. Stop crying, ladies."

Licht soothed them both.

These noble children, raised delicately, suddenly thrown into a deep forest... It must be terrifying.

"I wish someone would come soon..."

I clutched the bell in one hand and hugged my knees. Staring blankly at the crackling sparks, I thought.

'Dad...'

The kidnapping chaos had pushed aside the homework I'd been avoiding, and now it came crashing back.

'He's probably worried sick.'

By now, he'd have heard the news. He might be desperately searching for me.

What about Rosetta Jebert...? Had they met?

If so, my secret as a girl would be out.

'How am I supposed to face them now...'

I turned my head and buried my forehead deeply.

'Borrow mana from Cal and mess with their memories...'

No, no. I can't tamper with the memories of everyone in House Jebert.

I shook my head, and my temples throbbed. Hugging my shoulders, I realized I was trembling a little.

'What can I do? Just keep apologizing until they forgive me.'

Deep down, I knew.

There was no escape.

The punishment I'd eventually face had just come early... But I couldn't avoid it forever.

They wouldn't know I was a mage, so they'd rage about why I'd hidden my gender. Of course, that anger would be justified.

All I could do was apologize, beg, and plead to stay by their side anyway.

"Father... never comes to this cemetery."

Even so, what if.

What if he said he had no intention of raising a daughter?

'Is he regretting it now?'

Calling him Dad...

Titi and Liv's voices, whimpering as they called for Mom and Dad, rang in my ears.

I was the one who wanted to wail, but I didn't know who to call out to, so I just stayed silent.

"Old Duke!"

A knight came running. The old man, radiating fierce aura, whipped his head around.

"Did you find her? Did you?!"

"We found carriage wheel tracks! But the rain washed them away..."

Crack. The pin in his hand crumbled to dust. It had been found in the alley where Rubian vanished.

"I'll kill them all... Just slaughter every last one..."

"Please, calm down!"

Black energy began to seep out.

The old man clenched his fist white-knuckled, his face etched with utter devastation.

"What the hell is this nonsense?!"

The child was gone.

And then what?

Apparently, that child wasn't a boy, but a girl.

He couldn't grasp what had happened. Where had it all gone wrong?

No, more than that.

Rubian had fled in terror when her gender was discovered, they said.

Ballock swallowed a pained groan and squeezed his eyes shut.

'No, no. Child.'

That's not what's important.

You are precious as you are, irreplaceable.

What does any of that matter?

"Seal off Ipson completely and dispatch knights to Ipson Mountain! Tell those Camellan and Olson fools the same!"

"Yes, sir!"

"And Leviathan?"

"He's already searching Ipson Mountain!"

"Let's go!"

Clang. Ballock threw his shattered sword to the ground. Men bleeding and rolling in the underground dungeon were there—failed escapees, criminals.

"Treat them. Keep their minds intact."

The beastly old man glared at the foam-flecked men like insects.

"Now I'll show you true hell."

The carriage tracks leading to the forest cut off midway.

Leviathan tore through Ipson Mountain without a moment's rest. The knights trailing him fell behind at some point, but it didn't matter.

When even his horse collapsed from exhaustion, he abandoned it without hesitation and searched the forest on foot.

Flipping thorns and beast corpses, he wondered if this was all just a dream.

"Leviathan!"

Rosetta came galloping from afar.

Rosetta hesitated at the sight of Leviathan's face.

An eerily expressionless mask. Eyes devoid of any emotion, inorganic—more like some highly dangerous creature than human.

'Like back on the battlefield...'

Rosetta bit her lip and gripped Leviathan's hand tightly.

"You, calm down first. You're not even breathing right."

"Rose, I..."

A hoarse, cracked voice escaped.

"I really don't know. What I did wrong, why Ruby didn't tell the truth..."

Whatever it was.

"It's my fault."

In the end, it was his own stupidity that led the child into this ordeal.

If he could, he'd tear himself apart.

Ignoring the child's struggles, just basking in the joy of being called Dad—that past stabbed him like a spear.

"Damn it. I..."

That was when it happened.

Ting-a-ling—

"...!"

Leviathan jerked his head up.

"Levi?"

"Wait, Rose."

Ting-a-ling— ting-a-ling—

A faint bell sound piercing the rain.

"If you want Uncle, shake the bell. I'll hear it."

His gaze turned north.

No way.

As Leviathan bolted forward, eyes wide, someone blocked his path.

A rain-soaked boy dropped from a tree.

"Duke."

Khalid steadied his breath and got straight to the point, without hesitation.

The cave. Northern foothills.