Youngest 014
by CristaeThe maids stood before the east room as if offering a silent prayer.
“…This feels strange.”
The maid who opened the door murmured.
The east room.
The most prized chamber in the entire manor.
“Wait, I can feel tears coming again…”
“Don’t, please… If you start, I will too.”
One maid pinched her nose and tilted back her head.
Hazel blinked her eyes, damp and shining.
It was a child’s room.
A space the duke and his wife had prepared themselves.
“My goodness, they even bought an academy uniform.”
A maid, voice thick with emotion, commented as she looked into the dressing room.
From a newborn to a child of about ten, the room was overflowing with belongings: clothes, books, shoes, bags, toys… an utter jumble.
With what feelings had Leviathan and Rosetta filled this room with things?
And when, in the end, they had to shut the door to this room…
How must their hearts have ached?
A heavy pall settled over the maids.
“Found it.”
Red-eyed, Hazel pulled a small box from a drawer—the box was packed with dainty hairpins and ties.
“He always said she’d look like a little girl… He really did buy nothing but girls’ things.”
Rubbing her rounded belly, Rosetta would habitually say she was sure the child would be an adorable girl.
And it had turned out just as Rosetta had said.
‘If the young lady had lived… by now…’
She would be around Rubian’s age, perhaps.
‘With girls so rare in the Zevert family, she would have been absolutely adored.’
Hazel shook the thoughts away.
“That’s enough… If I keep this up, I’ll only feel worse.”
She sniffed and, with the maids, left the room.
Their return was silent.
“But will Rubian continue to stay here?”
Someone asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? The master cares for her that much.”
Only one person in the entire estate had been able to open the east room, which had long been shrouded in darkness.
“But she’s not formally registered yet. Things could still change.”
“What? ‘Could change’? What’s that supposed to mean, Hazel?”
“They say Rubian has to want to stay here herself.”
Their steps stopped as if by silent agreement.
Shock slowly spread.
“No way…”
“That’s why we have to do our best.”
“…”
“…Even though I messed up today.”
Hazel squeezed her eyes shut, swallowing her misery.
Her hand clenched tight around the box of hairpins.
But since she couldn’t crush the box to powder, Hazel slammed her fist into the wall instead.
A heavy tremor ran through the wall.
“…”
One after another, the maids—once her fellow mercenaries—each smacked Hazel’s back as they passed.
“Put your life on the line to fix this, Hazel.”
“Ugh, oof, ow…”
“We’ll be watching.”
“Make it right, got it?”
These girls—still as rough with their hands as ever.
Yet, so frustrated with herself, Hazel accepted their retribution without complaint.
“Oh.”
I let out a small sound of wonder as I looked in the mirror.
My bothersome bangs were now neatly pinned back with a tiny strawberry-shaped clip.
“Perfect, it’s just perfect!”
Hazel’s eyes curved in delight.
But honestly, where did such a tiny clip even come from?
“Let me see.”
Standing quietly behind me, Mister spun me around to face him.
“…”
Mister was silent for a moment.
It was hard to read his expression. His violet eyes seemed almost clouded.
“Does it look strange?”
Maybe it did.
Then, with a gentle tap, Mister touched my cheek.
“It suits you. Keep it.”
I didn’t know why a faint smile on his lips looked a little sad.
“But, Rubian, were you really afraid of the scissors?”
He asked, as if he’d just recalled something. I shook my head.
“It’s not the scissors, exactly, but… when a stranger holds something dangerous near my neck, it’s a little…”
I glanced at Hazel. She was biting her lip so hard, she nearly drew blood.
“I think I just got nervous because it felt awkward…”
It wasn’t as if there was some traumatic memory. I just seemed more on edge around people I didn’t know lately.
Probably because I was now in hiding, constantly hunted.
“I’m sorry, Rubian. I should have known better…”
“Oh, no! It’s just… I’ll need some time…”
I didn’t want Hazel to misunderstand.
“I just need some time, that’s all!”
Hazel nodded, downcast.
“I’m sorry, master. I wasn’t attentive enough.”
“That’s enough. You can go now.”
“Yes, sir.”
The maid left with a crestfallen look.
Mister studied the clip in my hair for a long moment, then began to finger the tangled locks at the back.
“The bangs are fine, but the back is a real mess. Isn’t it uncomfortable?”
“Erm…”
It was, honestly.
My hair was always thin and prone to tangling, but now it had become nearly unmanageable.
“Want me to cut it?”
“Hm?”
My eyes went round with surprise. I thought he was joking, but Mister’s expression was perfectly serious.
“Would that be all right with you?”
His careful gaze made me consider.
If it’s Leviathan Mister…
Of course…
“Not all right at all!”
Mister blinked.
“Have you ever cut someone’s hair before?”
“Of course not?”
Unless it’s chopping off a beast’s head—
“See! No experience! Disqualified!”
“And that’s the reason?”
As if this weren’t important! It was!
“Tsk, why would a boy care about his hair? It’ll only grow back…”
“Then I’ll cut your hair, too!”
“Go ahead, if you like.”
Wow. Only someone so handsome could be so indifferent about his own hair.
Mister chuckled and gently stroked the back of my head.
“Fine. If you don’t want to, we won’t.”
He gave in so readily, but somehow it felt like I lost.
I hesitated. It really was a bother every time I tried to wash my hair…
“Then call Hazel again.”
“Why?”
“If Hazel directs and you cut, I think that’ll be all right.”
“Huh, I’m her boss, you know.”
Mister gave a dry laugh.
But, perhaps seeing the resolve in my eyes, he didn’t argue further.
“Bring Hazel here.”
At his command, Hazel—who had been waiting nearby—quickly appeared.
Soon, the same chair and tools were laid out.
I sat between Mister’s knees. His long legs stretched out past me on either side.
As he fingered my tangled hair, Mister muttered absently,
“Doesn’t this just melt in your mouth?”
…Maybe this was the wrong choice after all.
I quietly shielded the back of my head.
At any rate, the world’s only one-of-a-kind hair salon was open!
“Uh, master! Please don’t cut that part!”
“Why not? Looks like it’d be nice and cool.”
This was getting worrying for a whole different reason.
“Okay, now hold the hair between your fingers, and follow along the line.”
“Doesn’t seem so hard.”
“Ah! Not like that! If you dig into it like—”
“…”
“…gasp.”
“…What happened?”
I clenched my fists in my lap. My palms were sweating profusely—for reasons entirely different from before.
“What was that ‘gasp’ just now?”
“Oh-ho-ho, nothing, Rubian! Absolutely nothing!”
The ‘oh-ho-ho’, so unfitting for Hazel, only made the denial more suspicious.
“…Rubian, you can cut my hair after all.”
From behind came Mister’s suddenly resolute voice.
“…Please do.”
“Oh, come on…”
I think it was all ruined!
But amusingly, I fell asleep halfway through.
The murmured voices, the warm, large hands tousling my hair, scissors snipping softly in the golden afternoon light—before I knew it, drowsiness overtook me.
Just knowing Leviathan Mister was right behind me… that alone made me relax like this.
What a strange thing.
“Huh?”
I looked in the mirror and jumped a little.
“It’s… better than I thought…”
“Not bad, right?”
Mister’s face shone with pride.
To my surprise, my hair was perfectly neat, without a single flaw.
‘Perfectly.’
I’d become a little boy!
“It really suits you!”
Should I be happy about this?
Either way, my hair, which had been a messy, bristling broom, was now neat—so at least I felt relieved. Even the bangs were tidied up.
“The clip suits you too. Don’t take it out.”
As I gently touched the pin resting on the right side of my head, Mister spoke up.
“Hmm.”
He covered his mouth with his hand, spinning me around and around.
“Every angle—adorable.”
Hazel and the maids nodded in fierce agreement. With their fists clenched, it looked as if they were struggling to hold something in.
“Thanks for the excellent cut!”
To the first-time hairdresser basking in self-congratulation, I gladly lent all my encouragement.
Mister raised an eyebrow, then, with a wild grin, bit the top of my head.
“What are you doing!”
“See, it doesn’t melt after all.”
Did his brain melt when he switched careers to hairdressing?!
Scared, I dashed away.
Utterly unfazed, the hairdresser who had kissed my head simply chuckled.
“…”
The next morning.
Void paused as he entered the dining room.
He nudged the attendant at his side and whispered,
“…Is it possible for a younger sibling to look like a fairy?”