Youngest 078

Episode 78

“Your face looks a bit flushed. Are you running a fever again?”

Khalid suddenly asked, his expression tense. I shook my head vigorously to say no.

He then poured rich, overflowing mana into me in an instant, a surge of power on a whole different level from anything he’d given me before. As I opened my eyes wide at the sudden influx of strength, his reply was nonchalant.

“Repayment.”

Khalid released my hand and stretched his arms wide.

“All right. I think that’s enough reflection for now. I can’t stand to upset my master any longer.”

He turned toward the pond.

I watched his back as he marched off and slowly set my own feet in motion.

‘Did I really have a shortage of mana and just didn’t realize it?’

Is that why my heart was pounding?

As I realized my chest had calmed, I lowered my hand from it.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“I’m coming!”

At Khalid’s words, I shook away my thoughts and dashed after him.

Each time his sculpted face drew closer, my heart thumped harder in my chest.

Ah, that’s only because I’m running!

“……”

……Why?

I mean, really, it’s because I’m running!

Inside the greenhouse stood a truly adorable artificial pond. There was even a short stepping-stone bridge in the middle, and we spent time going back and forth, playing there.

“Wait—Asha was in prison?”

I was shocked and asked.

“She was released thanks to the other kids’ testimonies. In any case, she was still a suspect in the attempted abduction incident.”

Come to think of it, I might have heard something like that in a half-dream.

“So, where is she now?”

“Seems like she was conscripted to help with the Verdant Festival. I guess she told everyone she came north for that reason.”

“Poor Asha.”

Khalid squatted next to me. I was watching the new sprouts in the flowerbed.

“So? Do you still need Asha Drukan?”

“Huh?”

“The reason you came here in the first place was to get Asha Drukan on your side, right? To hide the fact you’re a mage.”

“That’s true…”

“But your gender was exposed. I’m just wondering if you’re really planning to keep hiding that you’re a mage.”

“Hmm…”

I let out a short moan.

I couldn’t tell Khalid about the dreams. After all, they were part of the ‘original story’ only I knew.

‘I can’t get it off my mind—not knowing the identity of the mage who kills Dad.’

I knocked my forehead. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t remember.

‘Why do I only recall half of it?’

In this state, I couldn’t move rashly. I wasn’t certain what kinds of variables my actions might introduce.

Whether deliberately or not, I’d already altered the original work quite a bit.

‘Until now, that’s worked to my advantage, but will it always be that way?’

If Dad finds out I’m a mage, he’ll surely pay even more attention to the Mage Kingdom.

That worried me.

Because I had no idea where that interest might lead.

Knowledge was power, and ignorance, a poison.

As long as I held knowledge of the original story, it was my weapon—but whether it would pierce the enemy’s heart or become a blade aimed at my own throat, I couldn’t be certain now.

So I had to be cautious.

‘At the very least, I have to find out who the mage that brings about Dad’s death is.’

At minimum, you need to know the enemy to stop them.

But this ordeal had also taught me that there are no eternal secrets.

Even if I didn’t discuss the original story, I couldn’t keep my identity as a mage secret forever.

“Ugh… I’ll have to tell them—at least after I return to Zelox.”

Khalid, hearing my mutter, nodded in agreement.

“Well, it looks like everyone’s too busy with the Verdant Festival anyway.”

“Right. That’s part of it… Khalid.”

“Yeah?”

I lowered my voice.

“I’m going to really look into how to erase my Crest.”

At my sudden statement, Khalid’s face showed a hint of surprise.

“You mean the Mage Kingdom’s mark? …You said that was difficult even for your power.”

“Yes. But I have to…”

I hesitated, searching for the right words.

“To fully escape from the Kingdom… that’s the only way I’ll really become Rubian Zevert.”

That was how I truly felt.

To become my father’s real daughter… a child worthy of the Zevert name.

Not just ‘the Mage King’s seventh.’

“I don’t want to remain the child of the mage who tormented Dad.”

I felt I could only speak my mind freely once I’d shed that label.

Only then could I accept my father’s ‘it’s all right’ without guilt.

“All right.”

After a moment’s silence, Khalid replied.

“The way to erase your Crest. If your knowledge isn’t enough, I’ll help you look into it.”

“Huh? No, it’s my problem, so I should—”

“Master. You rescued me from that cave, even though you had no reason to.”

His pale blue eyes sparkled with stubbornness.

“That’s because… it was something I could do.”

“Exactly. So, I just want to do what I can for you.”

“…”

“I’ll look into it with you.”

Khalid said it with conviction. I had no choice but to nod, just a little.

“Okay… Thanks…”

Well… Khalid’s animal friends are a huge help, anyway.

‘It’ll be better than struggling alone… probably.’

We fell silent for a moment, both deep in thought.

Just then, from a distance came the sound of Hazel rattling a trolley.

Khalid, gazing absently in that direction, quietly spoke again.

“By the way, Ruby… After the Verdant Festival, there’s somewhere I need to visit.”

My eyelids fluttered in surprise.

“Where? Are you leaving the north?”

“Yeah. Just for a few days. There’s a place I want to check about your Crest while I’m at it.”

I almost asked where, but then closed my mouth. Because just as there were things I hadn’t told Khalid, I sensed he too had things he hadn’t told me.

Well. No matter how close you are, you can’t share everything.

“Ugh… All right.”

I had no choice but to nod.

“Miss, I brought tea!”

Hazel, cheerful as ever, set tea and snacks on the table by the pond.

‘My goal hasn’t changed. I’m going to protect Dad’s life—that much is certain.’

Rising steam swirled from the milk, topped with honey and cinnamon. No doubt Dad had specially arranged it, worried because my cough hadn’t gone away.

‘And I’ll break free from the Crest and become fully, truly the youngest of this family.’

I clenched my fists tightly.

---

Tap, tap.

Leviathan’s forefinger moved in a steady rhythm.

“She’s been coughing continually.”

At the chilling tone, Borbel mopped his brow.

“Yes, sir. That’s… the fifteenth time you’ve mentioned it. I already adjusted the prescription to suit a sore throat—this is now the fifteenth… no, sixteenth time I’ve given this report. And as for recommending warm drinks… that was, fortunately, the tenth.”

For all that—

He can’t simply cure my child with a snap.

Leviathan shot him a menacing glare. Still, he dutifully called for an attendant and ordered warm honey milk to be delivered to Rubian.

Tap, tap.

Once again he drummed the table with his finger.

Beneath his long finger lay a crumpled letter.

“So… what do you intend to do?”

Glancing at the desk, Borbel spoke carefully.

“Should we send someone to Eosia again?”

“…”

Leviathan was silent.

There was no boy in Eosia who resembled Rubian. That was only to be expected—Rubian was a girl.

Then what if they searched for a ‘girl’ this time?

Would that reveal Ruby’s past?

Something felt off.

Though he acted otherwise, Rubian was timid and wary, an overly defensive child. It was understandable that a child, terrified of being abandoned, would suffer alone, unable even to speak of her gender.

‘But was that really the only reason?’

Then what else was there?

His brow furrowed involuntarily.