Youngest 272
by Cristae272
“Oh, how frustrating. I could spoon-feed it to him, even chew it for him, and he still wouldn’t get it!”
Sevelena, somehow irritated at the end, stormed off.
So the gathering awkwardly dispersed. I was almost glad—I’d been so mired in self-doubt, wondering what on earth I was doing here, that I could hardly focus on anything around me.
“Oh, these are fresh.”
On my way home alone, I wandered past the shops, browsing here and there.
Maybe because it was spring, the herb shops were full of fresh things.
‘But it’s not like I can make potions with magic anymore anyway…’
Forget it. No need for a photo.
“Hm. I like this one too.”
Next, I browsed some cute string bracelets.
‘But I already have too many of these at home…’
Forget it. No need for a photo.
As I turned away without regret, the jewelry shop owner called out in a loud voice to entice me.
“Oh my, customer! You’ve chosen well. The bracelet with the pink stone grants the wearer success in unrequited love!”
Good grief. That’s some exaggeration.
‘No matter how desperate, who’d believe that?’
“It’s fine. I care about my wallet, you know.”
I laughed it off lightly and walked on.
After a while, I heard the jewelry shopkeeper’s lilting voice again from behind.
“My, my, what handsome taste! Thank you for sweeping up the whole lot!”
I glanced back—a man seemed to be getting swindled at the bracelet stand…
“Hahaha! Come catch me!”
“Hey, you rascals! What are you doing standing out in the carriageway!”
But then a group of kids and a passing carriage blocked my view.
“Ooh, this would suit Father.”
Then I browsed sword ornaments.
“Ooh, this one is for Grandfather.”
Out of season, but I even looked at thick fur scarves.
“Ooh, this one’s for Mother.”
I wandered past new hair dyes for the capital as well. It would be terribly heavy to buy all this, so in the end, I bought nothing at all.
‘Wandering around on my own is rather fun, actually.’
My mood had picked up. It was finally time to head home.
Just then—
“Excuse me…”
Someone tapped me lightly on the shoulder.
“Huh? You’re…”
I turned to see one of the boys from the restaurant earlier.
Tall, decent-looking—the one Sevelena had whispered about as being surprisingly not bad.
He’d kept quietly to a corner and seemed bored, or so I’d thought.
“I… actually wanted to get to know you better. Could you tell me your name and your family? Or at least a way to reach you…”
He seemed to have been more sincere than anyone else there.
‘So, this means he’s interested in me, right?’
Actually, I’d received quite a few confession letters at the Academy. So, surprisingly, I knew how to turn someone down with some skill.
“Thank you for saying so, but I’m sorry. I didn’t really feel the same about you.”
“Oh… is that so?”
He scratched the back of his head, then grinned breezily.
“Well, can’t be helped. I’ll be off, then.”
“Thanks. I appreciate you not making it awkward.”
“Ah, actually I’d like to linger, but for some reason the back of my head really aches right now.”
Oh dear, still so young.
He did eat a lot of sweets earlier.
“Make sure to get a health checkup. Bye, then.”
I waved him off, but just as he started to turn away, the boy stopped short.
“Hey, you’ve got something on your shoulder.”
“Huh? Where? Maybe it got there at the dye shop earlier.”
I dusted off my right shoulder. The boy gave a little chuckle, then reached toward the other side.
“No, here, let me…”
Just as we drew closer—
A heavy wind blew out of nowhere, and suddenly a large shadow filled my vision.
“Now…”
The shadow’s voice rumbled low as he seized the boy’s wrist tightly.
“Keep your hands to yourself.”
“K-Kal?”
Why is he here?
‘Wasn’t he coming back tomorrow?’
I could only open and close my mouth in surprise. Khalid glanced back at me, teeth clenched.
His shoulders were piled high with all sorts of things—herbs, dyes, sword ornaments, fur scarves…
‘Went shopping the moment he came back?’
I knew it, he does have a secret fondness for it.
“I—I didn’t know you had a boyfriend! Sorry!”
The boy bolted.
“……”
“…I’m not your girlfriend, you know. Really. Haha.”
Good job. You’re a nice kid.
Regardless, Kal gazed down at me in silence. There was something unfamiliar about the look in his eyes—like something inside had come unhinged.
“When did you even come back… Hey!”
Suddenly, with a resolute look, he scooped me up in his arms.
“I can’t… I really can’t hold back anymore.”
He muttered through gritted teeth and strode off somewhere, carrying me.
When I came to, I was trespassing in the garden of some grand mansion.
“Hey! When did you get back? The welcoming ceremony’s supposed to be tomorrow!”
“……”
“And where are we? Someone else’s house— Wait, are you just going to ignore me right to my face now?”
But Khalid said nothing, leading me in silence through the lush garden, deep and green.
Oh, whatever.
It looked like no one was home. If anyone were, they’d have stopped us by now.
‘But where is he going?’
Finally, I struggled in the middle of an arched tunnel wreathed in green vines, asking to be put down.
Overhead, wisteria flowers swayed gently.
“I said, when did you come back? More than that, why did you suddenly head to the front? Do you know how… how bored I’ve been!”
Truth was, I’d missed him terribly.
“So, did you meet up with those guys?”
“Huh?”
“Those guys—looked like a plateful of seafood… Never mind.”
“What? You were watching the whole time?”
“Yeah. You wouldn’t have noticed, but I was.”
Khalid, a little hurt, stroked my wrist.
A long shadow fell over me, and he unhesitatingly unclasped my watch.
“You… can’t feel my mana anymore, can you.”
Then he hugged me tightly and flooded me with a surge of magic so intense my whole body tingled.
“If I keep holding you like this, will you be able to sense me again?”
“Ah, hey…”
I started panting, overwhelmed by the mana I hadn’t felt in so long.
Khalid let out a long sigh and muttered, “Sorry.”
“Have you been well? No pain or anything?”
He gently stroked the back of my head as he asked.
I stared quietly into his dark eyes. My heart pounded—and I couldn’t tell if it was mine or Khalid’s.
“No pain… and you?”
“I’ve suffered every day.”
“Huh? Why?”
Khalid’s throat bobbed as if making up his mind, and he looked at me with determined eyes.
“I missed you.”
“……”
“It’s true, Ruby.”
That warm, rich voice sank softly into my ear.
“Being apart, I realized it more than ever. I can’t bear the time when I can’t see you, not anymore. And…”
He drew back slightly to look at me.
“I can’t stand watching you look at someone else like that again, either.”
“……”
“If I could, I’d lock you up somewhere, just so only I could see you.”
Wait.
That’s my line.
‘Why is he saying it?’
I fluttered my eyelids, confused.
Khalid gripped my shoulders, as if in pain, and said,
“Even if… even if you think of me as nothing more than food you pick up and throw away…”
“What?”
“Ruby. However you treat me, it’s fine. You can use me for my mana and toss me aside. Just let me stay by your side.”
What sort of trashy thing is that to say?
“You know what I’ve done for you… If you feel even a little sorry for me… keep me close.”
Once he started talking, words came pouring out like a burst dam.
Kal spoke on, not even giving me a chance to reply, unable to stop himself.
“And if you’re going to go to other men, at least choose ones who are better looking and healthier than that seafood platter— No. Damn it. The thought alone makes me sick. Just hide it from me. No—no, the thought of you hiding it makes me even more miserable. Sigh. Well, this is my problem. I’ll try to manage it…”
“Hey, hey, hey! Hold on a second!”
I couldn’t take it anymore and clapped a hand over his mouth. His stormy blue-grey eyes stared at me with wounded intensity.
“What are you even talking about!”
What on earth is he saying?
My mind whirred as I struggled to process his words.
Suddenly, among his pile of things, I caught sight of the string bracelet said to grant unrequited love.
So, in other words, what he’s saying is…
What he means is…
“You… like me?”