Youngest 174

174

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What does it mean to become an adult?

Is it just growing older?

Or having a more mature appearance?

I’m not sure.

I never became an adult in my previous life.

So I can’t say for certain, but I do know one thing: simply coming of age doesn’t magically transform you into something extraordinary.

After all, the macarons I craved yesterday are just as tempting to me today, and the tedious classes I skipped yesterday are still as tempting to skip again.

Maybe being an adult isn’t that different?

“But this is different, Ruby.”

Void whispered in a stern voice.

“This, right here, is the true symbol of adulthood.”

Gulp.

I swallowed hard.

It was evening, twilight deepening, in a secluded parlor where no one else came.

The dangerous play of candlelight from a silver candelabra flickered across Void’s now fully youthful, grown-up face.

I was, for some reason, suddenly moved that he was sitting across from me—because for a while, Void had suffered from a dreadful bout of adolescence, which had left him with the compulsion to sit slantwise on window sills.

With haunted eyes, one knee drawn up, a volume of poetry or a work of art in one hand…

It had been truly extreme.

Ah, of course, there were a few who were pleased with it: namely, the maids whose job it was to clean the window sills.

At any rate, he had finally come down to an ordinary chair and spoke in a low voice.

“This is like the devil’s own spring water. It makes people do unpredictable things. So you should think it over, one more time. You haven’t had your coming-of-age ceremony yet. That means…”

“Ora-boni.”

I spoke calmly.

“I have been waiting for this moment ever since the day after my seventeenth birthday. I’ve already braced myself for everything.”

Void, reading the resolve in my voice, raked a hand roughly through his hair.

“Damn it. What’s so important about a coming-of-age ceremony anyway…”

“I won’t hesitate.”

“…”

“Just getting older doesn’t make you an adult, does it? You have to act like one. Only then can you truly be called an adult.”

“Who are you and what have you done with Ruby?”

For a moment, Void took one deep breath, his face settling into firm determination.

“All right. In that case, let’s go—into the world of adults.”

Pop. He uncorked the glass bottle filled with amber liquid.

Trickle.

As the liquor poured into the clear glass, I let a delicate smile play over my lips.

“Mmm, the aroma of adulthood.”

With an elegant gesture, I crossed my legs and offered a soft critique.

“I expect quite a strong flavor. A smooth, fruity bouquet will sweep through the mouth and linger, leaving only a pleasant freshness…”

—Or not.

‘Wait, wait a second.’

I was taken aback.

‘Why does it smell like Liam ora-boni’s disinfectant?’

Does alcohol always smell this awful? Is this normal?

‘But it’s supposed to be sweet! Adults always gulp it down, looking absolutely enthralled!’

Sometimes they drink more of it than water!

‘What exactly did Void ora-boni swipe from Dad’s study?’

Poison? Is someone trying to assassinate Dad?

“What are you waiting for? Aren’t you drinking?”

“Heh heh heh heh heh.”

All sorts of thoughts were racing through my head, but I couldn’t back down. I, Rubian, would be an adult, so I had to summon an adult’s courage.

Besides, it could taste better than it smells, right?

“Ahem, just one drop, then, to start.”

I mustered all the meticulous control of a mage, tilting the glass just enough to let the tiniest bit fall onto my tongue. Just as I was about to achieve this delicate feat—

“You two really are hopeless.”

Whish. My hand was left empty.

“What the—! Who?!”

“Dad.”

“Ah, Dad…!”

I looked up sheepishly at Dad’s exasperated expression and laughed awkwardly.

Wow, why does he seem more radiant every day?

Why is it that Dad only shines more with the passage of time?

“From the way you two were exchanging glances over dinner, you were planning all along to sneak some of Dad’s liquor, weren’t you?”

“Ho ho ho.”

“How old do you two need to be before you stop causing trouble?”

“Hmm, about ten… 0 years old…?”

“Don’t go slipping an extra zero in there.”

“Aaah!”

Dad pinched my cheeks mercilessly, and I hurried to free myself from the dastardly villain exploiting my precious baby fat.

“No, listen! The Emperor himself is ordering them to serve wine at my coming-of-age banquet! What if I embarrass myself because I’ve never had a drink before? What if I choke on it? Better practice in advance!”

“You really do try everything. Weren’t you the one who solemnly declared you wouldn’t drink a drop until after your ceremony?”

“That was me!”

“Now you’re suddenly all proud of yourself. I give up.”

Dad, looking troubled, poured himself a glass and downed it in one go. My eyes grew wide.

“That’ll only make you feel worse! What do we do?”

I leapt up from the table in a panic.

“This can’t be! Ora-boni, emergency ice cream, now!”

“Here!”

“Hi-yah!”

Splat!

Yikes, magical trajectory control complete failure.

“Er…”

I scratched my head sheepishly, watching the scoop of creamy ice cream bounce off Dad’s broad shoulder and land squarely in the glass.

“Ah, Dad. That, um, that’s an affogato? Hahaha…”

So, in cases like this…

“My apologies.”

A swift apology was the only way.

Like an adult.

---

“Whew. This isn’t easy.”

The road to adulthood was long and treacherous, after all.

Back in my room, I let out a deep sigh.

Although it was nearly bedtime, I didn’t feel sleepy in the least, so I sat down at the table near the window and picked up the stack of papers scattered there.

“All right. Time for some solo overtime.”

These were the magic circles Dad had tracked down from all over the continent. There was enough to make a book and then some.

‘It really is fascinating magic.’

I marveled all over again as I sorted through them.

Most were unknown to the world, or forgotten ancient magics of the highest order.

Unfortunately, none of them contained the formula I was seeking—the Sigil of Dispelling.

‘Still, I’ve made good progress.’

I’d been working to find the incomplete portions of those magic circles and finish them; lately, I’d also begun to modify them here and there.

‘So I can activate these spells with minimal mana.’

So-called energy-saving mode!

In the past, I’d borrowed Wizeria’s wisdom for this work, but lately I’d been trying to accomplish it myself.

“Where’s my pen…”

As I glanced around, my eyes fell on a diary shoved into the corner of the messy table.

“Oh.”

‘Right, what about this.’

Tap, tap, tap.

The rhythmic sound of fingernails drumming on the notebook.

My hand stopped on the last line, scrawled haphazardly in the diary.

–Zelox, our home. Just past Herb Hill.

“…Come on, that can’t be it, can it?”

If that’s true, it means I’d have to inspect every gravestone in every graveyard.

‘Besides, if there had really been something hidden in that stone, I would have noticed.’

I’d visited the memorial in Zelox many times already. If there was anything like a magic stele, I should have seen it by now.

‘But… I remember feeling something strange at the memorial when I was young…’

The day I met Mom, disguised as the caretaker.

It was only for a moment, but still.

‘I’ll have to take a look the next time I’m in Zelox.’

With that, I concluded neatly.

‘But… what if there really is something?’

The thought made me anxious.

I really hate the idea of digging up someone else’s grave.

Most of all…

‘How would I ever tell Mom and Dad that I want to investigate their child’s grave…?’

Just imagining it made me queasy.

“Ha, now I’m all troubled. I just hope the stele Khalid went to find turns out to be the answer.”

With an earnest prayer, I lifted myself to my feet.

Too much thinking had left me parched for a drink of water. At that very moment, my eyes met the reflection in the distant standing mirror.

“…”

I cautiously approached and checked the crest at the small of my back.