Youngest 011

Episode 11

“Uh……”

Eyes growing slightly wider at the sight of me.

Smooth lips twitching ever so slightly. Then, a quiet murmur to the attendant at their side.

“You know.”

“Yes, young master?”

“…It feels kind of weird because of that kid over there.”

He covered his mouth with his hand, but I still heard everything.

‘It must bother him to have someone new around!’

If I want to fit in here, I’ll have to get along with him, too!

I swallowed nervously, my expression a little tense.

‘Of course, I do have my secret weapon.’

I’d come prepared for exactly this moment.

Admittedly, I hadn’t bought it with my own money!

“Mister, over there! There’s something I want to buy!”

Back in the capital, I’d dragged Mister’s hand as we waded through the bustling crowd in the market.

“Give me some money, please.”

“Well, look at that, shaking me down already?”

“Hehe.”

With both hands open and my head tilted back, Mister curled his lips into a mischievous grin.

“Alright, I’m feeling generous. Pay me back later.”

“With what?”

“Um… I’ll become a mercenary or something!”

“As if. What’s a little squirt like you going to do as a mercenary? Leon, open the safe. Everything we have.”

At Mister’s short, twisted call, Sir Leon appeared out of nowhere, expertly producing a hefty bundle.

So, clutching that large pouch of coins, I went straight to a shop in the capital and bought a single card.

“Tada! Hero Collection Card!”

“…You bought that?”

“It looked fun.”

“My money has never leaked away faster.”

“Oh, please. It’s just a splash from the ocean.”

“I can’t believe we came here just for some worthless toy.”

“We’re still at the counter, you know. The merchant’s going to cry.”

The Hero Collection Card was a cheap game card featuring the poorly drawn likenesses of Leviathan Zevert and his companions in war. It was a craze among children across the continent!

‘In the original story, Void wanted this more than anything, but never got it.’

I’d give it to him once I had the chance. Maybe then we could get along a little better?

Heh heh. I watched with a sly smile as Void took his seat.

“Good evening, young master. From today onward, you’ll be dining with young master Rubian.”

The servants carrying the food greeted us.

“Come to think of it, you must be the older brother, young master?”

“Huh? …Brother?”

Void looked as if he’d heard an utterly foreign word. He gazed at me, slightly agape.

“Oh, I see. He’s younger than me then, so…”

He whispered under his breath.

I waved hello with a friendly hand. Void fixed his enigmatic gaze on me as he sat down.

“Where is Father?”

“The master is busy today. He’ll be taking his meal in the study.”

“Oh, I see.”

He didn’t seem at all surprised.

“Come, eat. There are plenty of the egg dishes you love, young master. As for you, Master Rubian—since we didn’t know what you like, the chef prepared a little of everything…”

The servants spoke kindly as they set the food on the table. Void, sitting at one end of the large table, handled the cutlery with practiced ease.

I chewed on my spoon and darted my eyes about.

‘Surprisingly, he seems very used to this.’

Eating alone at a big table like that.

At first glance, I’d thought he was just a big baby.

‘Not even disappointed that he can’t dine with a father he hasn’t seen in so long.’

Yet back in the foyer, he’d acted like a desperate little puppy.

Suddenly, I recalled what Butler Adolf had said about the two of them only recently starting to get comfortable around each other.

‘Ah, in other words… there’s still some awkwardness between them.’

Just then, I heard a faint tapping on the table.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

I looked up to see Void staring intently at me.

“Oh, I was about to…”

“Sigh, honestly. Guess I’ve got no choice.”

“Huh?”

I blinked in confusion.

With a smooth motion, the steaming hot steak dish was pushed in front of me.

Neatly cut slices of steak arranged on a large plate.

“Sigh, little brothers are so much work.”

Void spoke with a lifted chin. “No helping it,” he seemed to say, shaking his head vigorously, though there was a hint of satisfaction on his face.

“But, I can use the cutlery on my own…”

I started to protest, but before I could finish, Void pulled the plate back again.

“Alright, alright, I hear you.”

What?

“Agh, do I have to do this at every meal? Such a bother—really, such a bother.”

Slice, slice, slice.

He cut the larger pieces of meat once more, then trimmed up all the grilled vegetables on the side.

“……”

I stared at the perfectly bite-sized meal returned to me.

Void’s grumbling, newly minted as a big brother, showed no sign of stopping.

“Good grief, what am I going to do?”

A little more sauce, generously spread.

“So many more things to worry about at mealtimes now.”

He quietly swapped out my slightly cooled soup for a hot one.

“Because. Of. Little. Brothers.”

Fresh bread topped with butter, too.

I blinked, surrounded by all this food.

So does this mean… he likes dining with me?

‘Maybe the Hero Card… wasn’t even necessary?’

I picked up a juicy-cut piece of meat with my fork. I was smiling before I even realized it.

“Thank you, bro… I mean, Brother! I’ll enjoy it!”

At that, Void glanced up sharply. I saw the maids to the side cover their mouths, stifling laughter.

“Ha, honestly…”

Void’s pretty lips quivered, but all that emerged was a long, drawn-out sigh.

“Ah~ what a bother. A sweet little brother who calls me brother the moment he sees me, eats meals with me, thanks me so courteously—what an utter, utter bother…!”

His muttering made no sense, but he sure looked happy about it—which was a relief.

---

After dinner, Hazel gave me a brief rundown on the layout of the house.

Afterward, I was shown to my room.

“Where have you been?!”

Void was there. Apparently, he couldn’t wait to see me.

“I forgot to tell you something at dinner.”

The second son of the house, running his critical eye over me. Soon, he started trailing behind me, chattering nonstop as I explored my room.

Wow, by the way, the room was enormous!

“So you’re supposed to wake up early, come to my room to help with dressing, never eat before I do, and of course, after-meal tea must—!”

The bed was ridiculously soft.

What on earth is it stuffed with?

“Are you even listening?”

“I’m not a maid… nor a servant.”

I stared at him as I spoke, and Void’s shoulders stilled a little.

“T-That’s what youngest brothers are supposed to do!”

“Says who?”

“Uncle Oberon!”

A snicker escaped me. Oberon was one of the Zevert knights.

“Sounds like the knights are very fond of you.”

“….”

Void’s brow wrinkled. He seemed a little offended, though he didn’t quite know at what.

‘Well, I’d want to tease him, too.’

I took another look at Void.

Jet-black hair and glittering violet eyes.

His slightly downturned eyes softened the usual Zevert ferocity. His cheeks were soft, smooth, and flushed pink.

‘Who picked out those suspenders?’

An inspired choice, truly.

I admired Void’s cuteness in silence.

Of course, he was a head taller than me, and soon he’d grow even more intimidating…

‘But why isn’t he leaving? I’m tired now.’

I watched as Void bustled around my bedroom.

He checked my bedding, the lamp, the window latch, the thickness of the curtains—checking and rechecking.

…Wasn’t he the one fussing over me?

“Wait! Why am I doing all this?”

Well, I think Void and I will get along just fine.

Now, time to deliver the final blow.

“What are you doing?”

I opened the bag leaning against the wall.

“Here.”

“Huh?”

What I handed him was a crude stack of cards.

“What is…?”

As expected, his round eyes grew as wide as lanterns.

Void, looking absolutely incredulous, staggered over and took the cards.

“Hah!”

The way he sucked in his breath—I’d predicted that, too.

“The Hero Card Collection—! The capital city limited edition!”

Bouncing up and down, his face turned bright red, just as I’d expected.

“It’s yours.”

“For me?!”

Void snapped his head up.

I jumped back onto the bed and lay on my side, nodding like Mister Leviathan.

“A present.”

“……”

Those lovely violet eyes shone brilliantly. There was something almost reverent in the way he looked at me.

Heh. I smiled in satisfaction.

Truly, when it comes to winning over eleven-year-old boys, nothing beats game cards.