Youngest 194
by Cristae194
Several days passed.
Next week at last would be my long-awaited coming-of-age ceremony!
“Hm.”
Wrapping myself tightly in a blanket and clutching a handful of warming stones, I was out at the training arena.
‘If the Mage King comes after me, how would he approach?’
There had been no particular word as yet from the princess, who was still staying at the imperial palace.
I recalled recently accompanying Father to meet His Majesty the Emperor.
“I had a hunch, but as expected—it was the King of Kasalia who did that.”
Even after all these years, His Majesty the Emperor’s beauty remained undiminished, and as always, he liked to stroke my hair.
And, as ever, he cast a jealous glance at the way Father and I held hands so tightly.
“Very well. I’ll use all my strength and throw a string of parties for now.”
“Pardon?”
“For the moment, we don’t have any clear evidence, so I can’t accuse anyone directly. In any case, there’s still time until the Spring Round Table…”
His Majesty smiled, his expression deepening.
“I’ll have to confine them before they even realize they’re being confined. If they let their guard down and reveal their true selves, then I’ll have all the justification I need.”
“Oh.”
“The so-called… Imperial House Arrest?”
Was that really the right way to use that phrase?
I was unsure, but since His Majesty used it so casually, I let it pass.
“Anyway, how many times a week does the noble lady eat with our Licht?”
“Pardon? These days, not really…”
“And with Baron Riorc, how many times a week do you share a meal?”
“Um… seven times?”
Well, we do live together.
Rumble.
His Majesty looked as if he had been struck by a great blow.
“…Perhaps, since the noble lady so often visits the palace archives, we should prepare a residence for her within the palace for a while…”
“You can practice your Imperial House Arrest on the Kasalian potato, not on me.”
“Tch.”
“The air here is no good. Let’s go, Ruby.”
“It’s delightful here.”
At any rate, from that time on, large and small parties followed in the imperial palace.
I’d heard the King of Kasalia was positively delighted, convinced the hospitality was all for his sake.
“Mmm…”
I turned back to the training arena.
Nearby, for once, Liam and Void were crossing wooden swords with a bit too much enthusiasm.
‘They probably won’t try anything so crude as sending out tracking mages as before.’
That method had already failed numerous times. If so…
At that moment, a wooden sword spun across the ground to my feet.
“Hah, brother…”
Void collapsed, gasping for air.
“You lured me out with the promise of a solo portrait for Ruby’s twelfth birthday. My body just moved on its own.”
“You’re one to talk. That signed edition of the Youngest Fairy’s Diary—how did you know that was the only one I was missing from my collection? You caught me off guard.”
My eyes grew huge.
“Hey! Excuse me! Don’t go laying traps with my precious childhood memories!”
Unbelievable!
I hurried over and snatched away their secret bait. The two brothers, breathless on the floor, gave out a chorus of laments.
I gazed down at the smiling twelve-year-old me and the scribbled, messy diary.
‘Oh. Luring someone in by targeting what’s precious to them… that’s another way, isn’t it?’
The more I dwelled on it, the more it irritated me.
“I’ve grown stronger, too!”
I threw off the blanket and spun around the training grounds. Look at me! I can handle the big arena easily now!
“Ruby! Please, give the portrait back!”
“Fairy, sign here! Right here! This spot!”
“Ah, splendid, splendid! My clever little sweetheart!”
Before I knew it, Grandfather had come out and was clapping, laughing heartily.
Leaving behind the sounds of noisy laughter, I swung my fist through the air, feeling the wind.
‘My weakness is my family!’
The most precious things I possess!
I imagined it—
What if someone kidnapped a family member to threaten or blackmail me? Even if I knew it was a trap, I’d fall for it, no question.
‘Yikes…’
It was horrifying even to imagine.
“Wait a minute, but…”
I stopped circling the arena and looked around.
‘As far as weaknesses go…’
What state were my weaknesses in?
“We need to expand the training grounds! Expansion! Morris!”
“In that case, I’ll schedule the construction—”
“Right now!”
Boom!
Grandfather’s fist shattered through the fence. Void’s face split in despair.
“Grandfather! Please don’t just break the fencing like that!”
“Huh? Since when did becoming vice-captain entitle you to talk back to your grandfather!”
“Thank you for breaking it, sir!”
Hmm…
Let’s put those two aside for now.
“Oh my, oh my. The little punk who used to sit on the windowsill smirking now struts around with an aura and everything. Oh my, my, my.”
“Please forget about that past…”
Because, honestly, there’s no way they’d get kidnapped in the first place!
As I nodded to myself, I saw Father approaching from a distance. Judging by the sword in his hand, he seemed ready for a rare round of training.
“Why’s it so noisy again?”
“Father. Your shirt’s unbuttoned.”
“Liam, when did you get home?”
“Button…”
“Aren’t you tired of talking about buttons? I asked when you got home.”
“Tsk, I got lost on my way back from the academy, and somehow, here I was.”
“…Are you really not tired of that?”
Hmm… those two… I don’t think the enemy would even want to kidnap them…
Just then—slam! A window on the second floor flew open. A burst of flame seemed to whirl out of the open casement.
“Liam! I told you to come home more often, didn’t I?!”
Liam’s broad shoulders, for once, flinched noticeably. He turned to Father and asked, cautiously,
“…If I beg, will you hide me?”
“I’d love to…”
“…!”
Mother vaulted gracefully out the window and landed.
“Just you wait!”
“My wife is the strongest in this house.”
Father shrugged, and Liam retreated step by step.
“Honestly! When will my boy ever graduate?!”
Her pink hair fluttered, each strand seeming alive.
“Heh…”
I collapsed onto the ground, laughing foolishly.
Khalid approached, brushing dirt off his boots.
“What’s so funny all of a sudden?”
“It’s just… apparently I have no weaknesses.”
“…?”
“I’m truly flawless. Absolutely perfect.”
Kal followed my gaze across the scene.
“Grandfather! Even so, tearing down the whole fence is a little—!”
“All right! Today it’ll be just you and me, out for a walk together!”
“No way…!”
“I don’t want to, either!”
Grandfather rested a heavy hand on Void’s shoulder and gave a ghastly smile. Even towering Void could only pull a long face before Grandfather.
“My good Liam, you’re going to graduate the academy this year, right? Do you know how many letters your mother has already received from Headmaster Odely?”
“I’ll apply to have my student records address changed.”
“How does that make any sense?”
Mother’s tone grew ever warmer—a sure sign of impending disaster.
“Wait a minute. Rose, the headmaster has been pestering you by letter? Oberon, prepare to depart.”
“Yes, sir.”
Crash, bang, crash!
Khalid slowly turned to me, looking as if he simply could not understand.
“…That’s supposed to be flawless?”
“Hehehe…”
For now…
Looks like there’s no chance of anyone getting kidnapped here.
‘My weakness really is my family.’
But they’re all way too strong, too peculiar, to be used as leverage. In short—
“Hurrah for my family.”
A very hearty hurrah.
Barely had I reached that conclusion when trouble leapt up from an entirely different quarter.
That is…
The evening before my coming-of-age ceremony.
As I was finishing dinner, walking with Kal toward the drawing room—
“Little princess!”
“Uncle Allen?”
Allen came running, breathless, from afar.
“Ugh, Kal…”
He glanced at Kal, standing at my side, and hesitated for a moment.
“What is it?”
Khalid asked.
“Well, j-just now, we received an urgent report from our people in the south.”
The word “urgent” made me frown.
News sent like this was almost never good…
“They say five mages who deserted the Mage Kingdom have been captured!”
“What?”
I exclaimed in shock, and Khalid stepped closer to Allen.
“Deserted? Who would be stupid enough to believe that? Obviously, they were caught trying to invade the continent in secret.”
“Well, that—that does seem likely, but… The thing is, of those mages…”
Allen faltered, sneaking a glance at my expression.
“He insisted… on meeting with the Duke Zevert.”
“All of a sudden? Does he think my father just meets whoever asks?”
“No, miss. His grace…”
“Huh?”
“He saw what the man sent in secretly and agreed to meet.”
“What was it?”
Please don’t tell me…
I knit my brows tightly.
“Portraits and belongings from your youngest years…”
Hah. Kal let out an involuntary laugh.
“So, if I had to guess…”
“…”
“He’s claiming to be your biological father.”
“If you ever need my help, please contact me anytime.”
For some reason, the princess’s words drifted through my mind.