Youngest 031
by CristaeEpisode 31
Khalid and I met on the battlefield.
“Why are you tied up in there?”
“…I don’t know.”
He was trapped alone in a cave somewhere deep within a harsh, rugged mountain range.
Back then, I didn’t even know this was the world of a novel. So, I shouldn’t have carelessly spoken to what could well have been a high-level magical beast—or reached out my hand.
“Do you want to get out?”
“…”
“You’re not sure?”
For some reason, I couldn’t just leave him.
“If I say I want to leave, can I?”
“Yes.”
He looked so ragged, I wondered just how long he had been trapped.
The shackles binding his limbs were deeply rusted, and the moss-covered cave was dark and cold.
Khalid snorted.
“Impossible. Do you have any idea how complicated the sealing formula on my shackles is…?”
“Maybe for you.”
“What?”
“But not for me.”
As I placed my hand on the iron bars that blocked the entrance, the structure of the barrier became completely apparent. Finding the formula to break it wasn’t difficult.
My eyes turned a deep red.
“You…”
That’s how we met.
Uh, so…
‘Why did I just assume it was Khalid?’
I even reflected on it just now.
Letting out a hollow sigh, I faced the reality that, dashing the others’ expectations, nothing was found at the site of the explosion except for the corpse of a magical beast.
“You said it was a boy?”
Grandfather pressed the knight with sheer incredulity in his voice.
“Well, you see… The smoke was too thick, so I probably only mistook the beast’s outline for something else…”
“Carrots, spinach, blueberries.”
“Pardon?”
“They’re good for your eyesight. Add them to your meals.”
The knight’s face twisted in dismay at Grandfather’s offhand advice. In that instant, Grandfather slammed his armrest.
“If you mess up again, I’ll pluck your eyeballs out myself! Mark my words!”
“Eek, I’m sorry!”
The knight fell face-first to the floor.
He must have searched the site thoroughly; dust and leaves tumbled from him in clumps. And with him—
‘Oh? A squirrel!’
A little animal, which had been dangling from the hilt of his sword, tumbled down and rolled toward me, scurrying up my leg to settle in my lap.
Had it clung to him from outside? Aw, how tiny. How cute.
“And what was that? You fired the cannon wrong?!”
Grandfather’s thunderous voice shook the barracks anew. This time the artilleryman, drenched in cold sweat, stammered his excuse.
“S-sorry. The fuse was suddenly lit… B-but it was strange! No one had set it off, and yet all of a sud—!”
Grind. At the sharp sound of his teeth, everyone fell silent.
“Not only do those on sentry duty fumble, but now you make excuses?”
Grandfather leisurely rolled up his sleeves and rose to his feet. The line of knights flinched in alarm.
“All right. Today is the day I’ll set matters straight.”
Oh no, my seniors are all going to die at this rate.
I quickly let go of the squirrel and grabbed onto Grandfather’s waist.
“Grandfather! Please don’t get angry! It’s not good for your health!”
And also…
“Everyone makes mistakes sometimes!”
Maybe, after all, these really weren’t just mistakes…
“Why are you clinging like that? It’s dangerous.”
Grandfather, who had seemed ready to pop the knights’ heads off at once, instantly relaxed. I pleaded with him, my eyes as earnest as I could make them.
“Maybe the cannon just malfunctioned… Besides, thanks to that, the scary monster’s already gone!”
“…My dear child…”
The knights watching us teared up, eyes shimmering with emotion.
“So just let it go, please… Just this once…”
Meanwhile, the squirrel had climbed my arm and was now perched on my crown.
“See?”
Grandfather looked down at me, his gaze trembling.
“What is this… Some kind of attack?”
“Who’s attacking you? Not at all.”
“Argh!”
His face flushed bright red as he finally gave in and reached for me.
“Come here this instant! Don’t hang on me like a swinging squirrel!”
The world around me lurched higher. Apparently startled by the sudden movement, the squirrel tumbled off and disappeared somewhere.
Grandfather looked a little disappointed, but his searching gaze didn’t leave me.
“There was a hell of a gale earlier—are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m not such a weakling as to be injured by a bit of wind…”
“Hm? Now that I look, isn’t your pin crooked?”
“Oh, is it?”
“…Your hair’s been pulled out. These little—”
Grandfather’s vigor began to grow dangerous once more.
“H-hair always grows back anyway! And look—the pin, if I do this—ta-da! See? It’s nothing at all!”
The knights, overcome by my earnest gestures, were now covering their mouths and weeping.
Grandfather’s gaze narrowed. I threw my arms around his neck.
“Hehe… So, please don’t get angry…”
His large body heaved—then a resigned shout burst out.
“Oberon!”
“Yes, my lord. I will take care of everything.”
Uncle Oberon, wearing a strict expression, rounded up the knights and led them out.
With the door’s closing click, Grandfather let out a long sigh. He looked, somehow, deeply weary.
“That’s enough. Let’s just go back. I should never have brought you to such a dangerous place.”
I smiled softly as his big hand gently tapped my nose.
“And I forgave them this time. But…”
At that moment, rapid footsteps approached from outside.
“I can’t guarantee the Leviathan will be so understanding.”
At the same time, the door burst open.
“For once, that’s a reasonable point, Father.”
Someone’s hurried breathing brushed my ear as an arm swept me up from behind.
“I will handle this.”
“Now, Mister, listen—everyone makes mistakes, and—”
“Hey. Our little one got her hair pulled out.”
Grandfather tattled from behind like a conniving courtier.
At that, the man’s gaze, inspecting me carefully, faltered in alarm.
“Sigh.”
I knew at once.
Sorry, seniors. That look in his eyes spells trouble.
Looks like… this is the end for me, too.
After much coaxing and soothing, I’d managed to bring the Duke back to the castle—by then, it was already evening.
No sooner had we returned than Mister checked me over for injuries, then summoned a physician who had just come back from a trip to examine me as well.
The moment the doctor pronounced me fine, Mister disappeared like the wind to the knights’ quarters. He’d promised not to scold them too harshly… That should be all right, shouldn’t it?
“I heard something happened on the ramparts today?”
As she dried my freshly washed hair, Hazel spoke.
“Yes. A magical beast appeared out of nowhere…”
“The maids were so alarmed, you don’t know how close we were to digging a tunnel underground.”
Huh? Digging what now?
“Master was terribly worried, too. He checked every bit of the walls so thoroughly—you can’t imagine his anger at why, of all days, a beast would appear after such precautions.”
“But it’s not as if magical beasts send warning letters before they invade…”
“Still. Worry is only natural for those who care.”
With gentle hands, Hazel smoothed my now-fluffy hair. I dove onto the bed without hesitation.
“I’ll come fetch you when dinner is ready.”
“Okay!”
Once the door closed, I buried my nose in the blanket. Staring up at the ceiling, I began to recall the events of the day.
‘I need to turn the bell in the watchtower into a magic tool. That means now…’
For that, I’d need someone capable. Of course, I couldn’t do it myself.
Various facts drifted through my mind, circling and vanishing.
The watchtower bell, magical stones, barriers…
Thunk.
Squirrel, smithy, doctor, herbalism, magic, mage…
Thunk, thunk!
“Hm? What’s that noise?”
I bolted upright.
Thunk, thunk, thunk!
It was a soft, irregular tapping sound at the door.
No way…
Cautiously, I opened the door.
“Huh?”
Scattered on the floor were acorns. In the middle of the empty, dark corridor stood a small creature.
“Squirrel, you…”
In the dark, my eyes met its eerily glowing yellow gaze perfectly.
“Ah, wait!”
At that, the squirrel swung around and darted out. As if hypnotized, I chased after its bushy tail.
Down the echoing corridor, up a narrow staircase, and at last, to a small door.
I slipped through, and found myself outside almost at once.
“Pant, pant. Squirrel, I’m so tired…”
I’d ended up somewhere I’d never been before—the castle’s garden, though, truthfully, it was more like a small forest.
‘I never knew there was a place like this.’
It must have been too far from the main building for most people to visit.
The shimmering surface of an artificial lake reflected the night sky like a mirror, surrounded by towering ancient trees.
Thump-thump-thump.
The squirrel scurried briskly ahead.
It climbed up someone’s body, settling atop a head of dark hair.
“You…”
I stopped dead on the spot.
“…I knew it’d be you.”
The boy didn’t bother to look my way, merely stroking the head of a wolfhound sleeping nearby.
“You set off that explosion earlier, didn’t you?”
Around him, a few cats purred as they milled about. A snow-white rabbit, a sleek and elegant deer, an owl perched in a tree with eyes shining, a silver fish darted out of the water with a splash, circling the edge.
“Hello, Master.”
The boy seated in the heart of this animal gathering finally turned his head.