Youngest 015

Episode 15
So, you heard everything.

Embarrassed, I pretended not to have heard.

“Where is Father?”

Void asked as he took his seat.

“He said he has a lot of documents to review.”

“Oh, I see.”

A reply that sounded as if he hadn’t expected otherwise.

But by now, there was no way I couldn’t know.

Void asked about Mister every mealtime.

Even though he knew Mister wouldn’t show up, he couldn’t help but hope.

‘Hmm…’

I gazed silently at Void, the spoon still between my lips.

No matter how I looked, that face clearly wanted to share a meal with Mister.

‘Wait, now that I think about it, since coming here, I haven’t had a meal with Mister even once, either.’

Could it be that he’s avoiding meals so we’d eat together with Void?

I fiddled with a small hairpin.

“Um, Hazel.”

I covered my mouth with a slice of thick bread and whispered.

“Yes, Lady Rubian.”

“…?”

Amazingly, Hazel possessed the ability to whisper without moving her lips.

Maintaining a calm face, I continued, “Does Mister purposely avoid eating meals with Void?”

At that, Hazel hesitated slightly.

So that was the answer.

“…No, not at all. The Master genuinely is very busy today.”

“Today?”

“Well, truthfully, the two rarely have meals together. In recent years, the Master has hardly stayed at the estate, and… when Master Void was little, he was very frightened of him.”

“Oh, I heard about that.”

“He would always become ill during meals… and eventually, it just became the norm.”

Hmm. I bit into the corner of my bread. It was crispy.

“Void was that scared of Mister?”

“When the young masters first arrived at the manor… the Master’s condition was truly terrible. No one could even approach him.”

Ah. That must have been when he was lost in despair after losing his child.

I recalled Leviathan’s past.

‘He wandered for years, I think.’

Sometimes, when faced with overwhelming grief, people become blind to everything around them.

“Maybe they just got off on the wrong foot. Of course, he’s always regretted that time…”

Hazel murmured softly, then seemed to return to herself and snapped her head up. “Oh my, what am I saying?”

“Sorry. I must be bothering you during your meal.”

“It’s all right.”

So this is it.

A father who became cautious out of guilt for not having treated his child better before.

And a son who wants never to incur the slightest disfavor from the father he respects.

‘But how long can they keep living like this?’

I popped into my mouth a piece of meat Void had silently cut.

Chew, chew.

Juices filled my mouth and melted away—it was the highest-quality meat I had ever tasted.

“Rubian, eat your peppers, too.”

“Mm…”

Lost in thought, I answered absentmindedly and pushed the sliced peppers to the side of my plate.

“…”

Of course, I didn’t see the young master’s jaw drop in shock at my unheard-of table manners.

Chew, chew, gulp.

“Hey.”

When I looked up, Void was staring at me with a very disapproving expression.

‘Oh dear, look at that. He almost looks sad…’

I did hesitate a little.

Should I really meddle in someone else’s family affairs?

Besides, as in the latter part of the original story, their relationship would gradually improve eventually. Even if I didn’t interfere.

I fidgeted with my hairpin again.

‘But I am grateful to both of them…’

Maybe I should give them just a little push.

“Should I ask Mister to have meals together from now on?”

Void dropped his utensils with a clatter.

“Huh?”

“Why? Is that weird?”

“No, I’d…like that.”

“Are you… still afraid of Mister?”

“Of course not!”

I thought so. He likes the Hero Cards so much, after all.

Looking a bit bashful, Void scratched his cheek.

“I understand now that Father acted that way because something terrible happened… Of course, I’d like to eat together now.”

“You’d like to?”

“It just… feels awkward to bring it up after all this time…”

Ah, I narrowed my eyes.

“So you need an excuse?”

“Well, not exactly… He might find it troublesome…”

“Hm.”

I watched Void digging himself into a hole and pondered what to do.

Then, suddenly, I noticed the attendants hurrying back and forth outside the dining room, arms full of documents. They were probably on their way to Mister’s study.

A sly smile crept onto my lips.

“Void.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve got a good idea.”

He hesitated when I grinned with twinkling eyes.

What, does my little brother think I look devilish…?

I thought I heard him mutter something to that effect.

But so what?

---

Knock, knock.

I rapped on the heavy study door.

“Come in.”

A low voice.

Entering cautiously, I saw Mister seated at his desk.

Seen from behind, his silhouette, back to the sun, appeared enormous. Beside him, the table was littered with cups of coffee and remnants of hastily eaten food.

Ah, I could sense it.

The air of a salaryman buried in work.

“Leave the files there. Why are there so man— What are you doing here?”

Mister, flipping through papers, lifted his head. There was real surprise in his eyes.

“Excuse me, sir.”

“What?”

I bowed at a ninety-degree angle. Mister frowned as if he were eyeing some bizarre creature.

Ignoring it, I walked up briskly.

I placed the paper I was holding squarely atop the messy pile on his desk.

“What’s this?”

“Please review this, sir!”

“…Huh?”

He looked utterly bewildered.

Mister picked up the page, covered in crude handwriting.

“A report?”

“Yes, sir!”

Strictly speaking, it was an approval document, ahem.

“…You’re holding a welcoming ceremony, so please sign here?”

He read in a disgruntled tone. Puffing up my chest, I nodded in step with his voice.

“What on earth is this about?”

“It’s exactly as it says.”

I replied bashfully, like a newbie submitting her first approval to the department head.

“I’m going to hold my welcoming party. Venue: the central dining room!”

“…?”

“Please check the item list here, and just sign at the bottom.”

Ever heard of a self-initiated welcome party?

“There’s nothing you won’t try, really.”

Mister snorted in disbelief.

“You’re not going to allow it?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Swish. He signed with no hesitation at all. Perfect.

I clutched the returned document tightly.

When I beamed, Mister—now resting his chin on his hand and observing me—let out a thin smile himself.

“See you at dinner, then!”

“Ah, I’m busy, so—”

“But your presence is required, sir. You signed, remember?”

“Huh?”

Mister raised his face from his hand.

I pointed to the very last line, written in my tiny scrawl.

“If you look here… it’s also an invitation. Your signature means you agree to attend.”

Which is why one should always sign with care, Mister.

Leaving behind the dumbfounded duke, I waved enthusiastically.

“See you later, Mister!”

Click. The door shut neatly.

Void was waiting outside.

Looking oddly nervous.

“Did it work?”

“Of course it did.”

Putting our heads together, we giggled quietly.

---

It started as a modest affair, but somehow, the entire manor was thrown into a bustle.

“Make way, everyone!”

“Hey, you dropped the decoration over there!”

“No one here’s ever hung these things up before, that’s why!”

“Glue! Someone get more glue!”

Burly maids, footmen, and attendants rushed all about.

“Where are the gardeners? I told them to bring more flowers and haven’t seen them since!”

“I’ll go give them a kick myself!”

Seated in the dining room, I watched all this in a daze.

The once-bleak room was now strewn with colorful flowers and festive ornaments.

‘If I used magic, this would all be done in an instant…’

But, of course, I couldn’t use magic.

Besides, Hazel had told me to just sit and watch. So that’s what I did.

“Everyone’s so eager.”

My intention was just to set out food and eat together… but it seemed I’d made a bigger deal of this than planned.

“Lady Rubian.”

Just then, a gentle voice called out.

I turned to see a middle-aged woman with a soft smile.

The manor’s head chef.

“I came to ask what kind of cake you like, Lady Rubian.”

“Cake?”

“Yes. I wanted to choose the cream.”

I cocked my head in confusion.

“But… isn’t this party for Mister’s return?”

The answer came from across the table.

“It’s your welcome party too, you know?”

Void was right next to me, stacking cards.

“Huh? Wasn’t that just a pretense?”

Otherwise, Mister would never have permitted it.

But Void looked at me as if he’d overheard something he shouldn’t.

“Are you saying you want to leave yourself out?”

“Well—not exactly…”

Unable to think of anything to add, I just blinked. The chef, still smiling, spoke again.

“Well then, could you tell me what kind of cream you prefer?”

Favorite cream? As if I’d have such a thing.

“I… don’t really know much about cake! Anything is fine.”

In both my previous life and this one, I’d hardly ever eaten cake. You can’t have a favorite if you don’t know what you like.

“Oh.”

For a fleeting instant, the chef’s eyes widened as if she’d read something in my answer, but the tender smile returned immediately.

“That’s quite all right. How about I use my special cream? I’m sure you’ll like it.”

“Okay! That sounds great!”

She said “special,” so now I was a little excited.

Before she left, the chef asked a few more things—what foods I couldn’t eat, if there were any textures I liked.

After that, countless others drifted in and out.

The once-empty dining room was quickly transformed into a dazzling space. Like a true party hall!