Youngest 082

Episode 82

“Half-wit. Luck’s all you’ve got.”

The princes jeered. It was nothing new.

Licht was the emperor’s illegitimate child, lucky enough to have been acknowledged with the status of prince.

That fact was a top secret, but as with all secrets, it was an open one within the palace walls.

“So why did you come all the way out here alone and end up abducted? Do you really enjoy catching our father’s attention that much?”

Licht sat down with a calm, polite smile.

“Good afternoon, brother. Enjoy your lunch.”

“Tch. Look at that—not even a reaction.”

Well, it would have to be something worthy of a reaction.

The boy swallowed his thoughts and turned his head.

The attendants brought out their meals.

Again, Asha Drukan’s voice echoed in his mind like an auditory hallucination.

‘Was it just my imagination?’

But if it was not.

If Rubian had hidden her gender for reasons more complicated than he’d realized, and if she and Asha Drukan had known each other from the start…

Then, perhaps, Rubian—

‘A mage…’

She could be a mage.

A mage the Mage Kingdom was frantically hunting for.

‘But the description is completely different.’

The escaped mage had red eyes.

Rubian’s were blue.

‘I don’t know.’

He couldn’t be certain of anything. That was why he found it so hard to speak to the Duke Zevert about it.

But if, by chance, Rubian were a mage…

“Ha. Lost my appetite, looking at that half-wit’s face.”

Could this… perhaps be a weapon in my hands?

“Father’s still busy, isn’t he?”

“I heard he’s dealing with those Arcane bastards. Looked pretty troubled with that runaway mage and all.”

Licht’s gaze turned dark as he watched the snickering princes.

‘For now… I need to watch and wait.’

He hunched low and continued to eat with unbroken composure.

Now was the time for patience.

---

It was a failure!

I thought that if I braided Grandpa’s beard, he’d glare down at me like Count Camelan and push me away.

‘A complete disaster!’

Late afternoon.

I lay gasping on my bed.

I’d spent all my energy fleeing from Grandpa’s grasp. I couldn’t even remember eating or taking my medicine.

He’d upgraded from persistent cheese to dreadful chewing gum—clingier than ever!

“Goodness, you look exhausted. Why not take a nap?” Hazel said, barely holding back laughter.

“I think I will…”

Face drained, I crawled into bed.

Truthfully, Grandpa wasn’t the only reason I was so tired.

“So… when did you and the Fourth Prince first meet, anyway?” Hazel asked, suddenly lowering her voice.

“Ah, it just sort of happened…”

“Oh ho.”

I furtively looked away.

That was right.

Not long after lunch, the Fourth Prince had suddenly visited.

“Hi, Rubian.”

“Licht?”

He’d come with a mountain of gifts for a sick visit.

“So you were really a girl? Lady Camelan and Lady Olsen were so surprised, you know.”

“Well… yeah. Things just got complicated. But… Weren’t you surprised?”

“Uh… Of course I was surprised, too.”

“…Sorry. For lying.”

Licht shook his head.

“But what about the other two?”

“After the abduction, the Count of Olsen took his daughter back to their lands. Lady Camelan is still unwell, I heard.”

“Oh no, Titi…”

I resolved to send Titi a comforting letter and a gift, just as Licht had.

“You’re alright? That cough sounds bad.”

“Yeah. My throat’s sore, but otherwise I’m fine. You, though—don’t you look a bit pale? Are you sick?”

“Oh, this… I just haven’t slept much. Been worrying, that’s all.”

“What are you worried about?”

Licht gazed at me, then offered a faint smile.

“Truth is, with the Green Festival a mess, my father is really concerned. Some of the nobles, like Count Olsen, have already returned to their domains. I’ve been thinking about what I can do.”

“Sigh. Licht, if you keep that up…”

You’ll never be more than the crown prince.

I forced myself to bite my tongue.

Seriously, worrying about the national festival right after being kidnapped?

After a moment of consideration, I added,

“Well, couldn’t you just add more prizes or something?”

“Prizes?”

“Yeah. Nothing boosts a failed festival’s mood like good prizes.”

“Hmm…”

At my suggestion, Licht’s expression suddenly brightened, and he left in a hurry. That had only just happened.

‘Such a diligent kid.’

Thinking back on it, I laughed softly as I pulled the covers around me.

“I need a nap…”

“How good, how good.”

A child with a cold needs plenty of rest, after all.

Hazel shut the window tightly, straightened the blanket for me, and left.

‘Please, let this be the dream where I remember the next part of the original story!’

I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed, though I didn’t have a good feeling about it.

‘Please, give me a hint about the next truth… Wait?’

A sudden thought flashed through me like lightning.

Wait a minute.

The Green Festival… The festival prize. And Licht.

Like a lightbulb switching on, a hypothesis formed in my mind.

‘Come to think of it, didn’t the professor of herbal studies visit the imperial palace?’

Could he have brought that?

I threw off the blanket, hastily scribbled a note, called out for Khalid at the top of my lungs, borrowed a squirrel to deliver it, then dropped straight into a deep sleep.

“Young miss, young miss.”

Someone was shaking me awake.

“Mmm…”

“You need to get up now. Any longer, and you won’t sleep tonight.”

I blinked my eyes open.

Thanks to the medicine, I’d slept deeply.

I stretched with a great yawn, and Hazel handed me something.

“And this letter just arrived.”

“Huh? A letter?”

“From… someone called Asha Drukan?”

“Gasp.”

That was fast.

I snatched the letter from Hazel’s hand.

“You two must be getting close. Why not invite Asha to the manor sometime?”

“Asha’s a mage… Is that okay?”

Hazel just smiled as if I’d said something odd.

“She saved you, didn’t she? The family head will certainly allow it.”

I suppose so…

Hazel told me to get ready for dinner then left.

“Hazel—can I have just one apple jelly before supper?”

“Nng. Snacks before dinner….”

“Cough, cough.”

“I’ll get you some, just a little!”

Watching Hazel scurry away, I lowered my coughing hand. Alone again, I decided it was time to open Asha’s letter.

It looked like a normal note, but when I breathed a bit of magic into it, hidden writing began to emerge.

Hello, Rubian. I am currently being ruthlessly exploited as a laborer at the Babylon Green Festival.

What is this. Is that an SOS?

For a moment I almost reported it—until I read the next line.

Thanks to my suffering, I just found out: His Majesty the Emperor has decided to add a royal treasure as a bonus prize for first place in the Green Festival contest.

It was supposed to be a prize for the adults’ martial arts competition, but after the abduction incident, they’re offering it to cheer up the children!

Oh, it seemed the emperor had accepted Licht’s suggestion.

I eagerly read on.

And just as you said, that “herb” is here. The academy’s herbal studies professor delivered it himself. How did you know?

I gripped the paper, making it crackle.

‘Maybe… this could help me remember the original story.’

The identity of the mage who killed my father—a crucial clue!

My eyes sparkled with anticipation.

So if you want the prize, Rubian, you’ll have to win first place at the Green Festival contest. I’d rig the competition for you, but that’s beyond even my skills…

The series of laments in the postscript flowed on endlessly, and I gave up before reading it all.

“Alright then. I was thinking of entering anyway, but now I really have a reason to aim for first place.”

Which means…

I bit my lip in thought.

Just then, Hazel burst in through the door.

“Young miss, you must be hungry! Here’s your jelly!”

“Sorry, Hazel. I don’t need apple jelly anymore.”

“Huh? Then what do you need?”

“What I need right now is…”

I solemnly clenched my fists.

“A strategy for winning the Green Festival!”

That and nothing else!