Youngest 127

Episode 127

Apparently, my foot had barely grazed the tip of his shoe.

“Ah, sorry.”

“Ah, sorry? Soooorry?”

Havelus seized upon my words and began to draw them out.

“You think just apologizing is enough after stepping on a noble’s shoe? Do you have any idea how much these shoes cost?!”

“…Um? Well, I apologized, didn’t I? What else am I supposed to say?”

I asked in genuine curiosity. And really, it wasn’t even as if I’d properly stepped on his foot—why was he being so sensitive?

“Wow, unbelievable.”

“I’m not exactly filled with belief myself…”

“You little—!”

Unable to restrain himself, Havelus suddenly raised his hand.

I instinctively leaned back and stumbled, bumping slightly into the wall.

“Ugh…”

My back tingled with pain…

“Pfft, serves you right.”

That brat, honestly.

“Oh, come on!”

At that moment, Void’s voice came from close by.

“Hurry up and check out your books. I’m not the type to skip swordsmanship class!”

“Wha—?”

He’s getting closer!

My shoulder twitched with anxiety.

Behind me, the wall; before me, Havelus; right beside me, the gap between pillars!

I pressed myself into the narrow space like a pancake between hot irons.

“What are you doing?”

“Look, uh, I—what was it again? Anyway, I didn’t actually step on your foot, I just barely brushed it, but if that felt like a blow to your glass-like toes, then I really am sorry! Okay? So could you just move aside now?”

Though my apology was a faithful statement of the facts, for some reason Havelus’s face flushed a mottled red and blue.

Ugh! What is it now!

“Void, as your elder, let me give you some advice: if you’re going to hold anything in your hand, make it a pen.”

“No! But what about the sword you got? I haven’t seen it at all lately.”

“Well, let’s see, whatever happened to it…”

At that moment, Liam lifted his head slowly from where he’d been buried in a book.

“But, from earlier…”

He snapped his book shut and strode over.

Sensing the surging tension beside him, Haben glanced aside.

‘Now’s my chance!’

I didn’t let the opportunity slip and darted straight through the gap.

“W-what? Ah, Prince Zevert…”

Just as Liam caught Haben by the shoulder and turned him around—

“No way…”

Deep violet eyes scanned carefully behind the pillar.

“What’s wrong, brother?”

“Why am I suddenly so…irritated?”

Liam tilted his head in puzzlement.

“…There’s nothing here. Odd.”

Beneath the decorations, the area was completely empty.

“Hey. You weren’t, by any chance, enthusiastically tormenting or pestering someone just now, were you?”

Liam gripped the boy’s shoulder tightly. For someone who looked like he’d only ever held a pen, his grip was surprisingly strong.

“Ow, ow! I didn’t do anything! I really—huh? Where did she…?”

“What?”

Only then did Haben seem to remember me, peering in confusion at the empty surroundings before shrinking in fear from the dark-haired boy looming before him.

“N-no! Of course not!”

“…Something’s fishy.”

Liam frowned, but reluctantly released his hold.

Just then, Void, who had been glancing all around, piped in with a brightened face.

“By the way, are you a camp participant?”

“Huh? Y-yes…”

“Then have you seen my little sister?”

“Huh? Your sister?”

Haben blinked and shook his head.

“Didn’t Her Ladyship not arrive?”

At that, identical looks of blank shock appeared on Liam and Void’s faces.

“Huh?”

“That can’t be…”

“If she had, of course I’d have greeted her kindly! After all, I’m the second son of the Count of Abellus…!”

Haben stammered out whatever came to mind.

He was only trying to escape the situation, but for some reason the air around them grew noticeably chillier.

“What are you on about?”

Liam and Void closed in, surrounding him. Hic! The startled boy hiccupped.

“And who are you to be looking after our Ruby?”

“I-I’m the Count of Abellus’s second son…”

“Try minding your own attire, first.”

Liam adjusted his glasses with deliberate care and tilted his chin.

“Don’t go poking around other people’s fairies.”

“He’s right. Only big brothers are allowed to look after Ruby. Got it?”

“Y-yes… I understand…”

Not that she even showed up.

Haben answered mumblingly. By now several children nearby were watching the scene with curious eyes.

“If by any chance you do see our fairy, don’t even look at her, and definitely don’t speak to her. Got it? You seem to have a knack for annoying people.”

“For the last time, she isn’t here…”

“Doesn’t matter. Just nod. And stop picking fights for no reason. You really seem like someone who needs to hear that.”

“Y-yes… Got it… Please, go away now…”

Who do they think they are…?

But Haben could only nod furiously, as if those words were thorns to his ears.

“……”

And I heard every bit of it, crawling along behind the pillar.

---

‘Good grief.’

That was close.

I’d just entered the nearest library I could find. As I brushed dust from my hem, I pondered.

‘It’s not like I did anything wrong, anyway.’

When it comes to my brothers, it’s almost instinct to hide… The aftereffects of too much hide-and-seek, perhaps.

‘Wait, isn’t it class time now?’

Just what are those two wandering around for?

I made up my mind to report this situation to Mom and Dad—without fail.

They really should know how their sons are progressing with their studies. Absolutely.

“But… where am I, anyway?”

I sighed and glanced around.

Unlike the children’s library, this place was utterly silent.

Bookshelves stretched endlessly, reaching all the way to the ceiling.

Motes of dust danced in the sunlight filtering through the windows. The scent of old paper. Air that felt as though it had stopped in time.

“This is the largest among the Empire’s libraries. In terms of location, it’s also the very center, the heart, of our academy.”

I suddenly recalled the professor’s words with renewed feeling.

‘Perhaps there’s something in this library.’

Yet a sense of futility crept over me.

‘I mean, isn’t it kind of ridiculous to think there could be a secret about magic in the Babylon Academy Library…?’

In this magic-deprived country?

‘But it’s not like I have any other leads.’

I rolled up my sleeves. There’d be no answer just from thinking, so I should at least do something.

First, I had to find out which library this was.

It was just then.

“Who’s there?”

The door opened; footsteps echoed closer. It seemed to be the library attendant.

‘Ack.’

I can’t be caught yet!

In a panic, I searched for anywhere to hide, when suddenly a hand shot out from the maze of bookshelves.

“…!”

“Shh.”

A finger lightly pressed against my lips.

My breath stopped short.

Dark blue hair, lightly tousled, and eyes scanning the surroundings with sharp focus. The two small moles below those eyes were far too close.

At the same moment—skitter, skitter—a squirrel darted out.

“Oh my. Looks like it came in from outside.”

Come here, come here. The attendant ushered the squirrel out and closed the open window before leaving the library.

A brief silence fell.

I lightly bit my lower lip.

I tapped Khalid gently on the shoulder and only then did he look at me.

“Phew, that was close…”

Please…save… me…

“Oh—”

He startled and withdrew his hand.

“Why were you even holding your breath?”

“Because—you told me to shush!”

“No, that just meant be quiet, not hold your breath…”

Still, for some reason, it really was hard to breathe!

I couldn’t bring myself to say that out loud and slumped a little. Khan wore a put-upon look and inched away.

“So, what are you doing here?”

I tucked myself further behind the shelves and asked.

“Research.”

“Huh? Doesn’t your class have an afternoon program?”

“I called in sick and skipped it.”

Whoa—so that was an option?

‘He really does have a knack for this sort of thing.’

I looked at Khalid with renewed admiration.

In the academy uniform, Khalid looked for all the world like a student his age, neither the mercenary boy nor the little knight.

‘Come to think of it, I never imagined something like this.’

For us, who used to wander battlefields, to be sitting side by side in a school library, wearing uniforms.

Of course, it wasn’t really for study…

Life is unpredictable.

“But Ruby, what brings you here? You startled me.”

At that, the boy leaning against the bookshelf met my gaze. For some reason, I felt embarrassed, like I’d been caught spying on him.

“Oh? Ah…! I was looking around the library, then ran into my brothers and had to make a run for it.”

“I see.”

Khalid nodded, as if understanding completely.

“So, have you found anything?”

“No. I don’t think there’s anything special in this library. It’s just all history books.”

I see…

After mulling it over, something occurred to me and I spoke up.

“By the way, Khalid. I heard there’s a special restricted section in this library.”

“A restricted section?”

“Yeah. Doesn’t that sound like there might be something hidden there?”

He hesitated briefly, seeming to ponder, then slowly nodded.

“Let’s go check it out.”