Youngest 083

Episode 83

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That evening.

Liam Zevert sat at his desk in the study, his face grave.

“This is troubling.”

“What is, sir?”

“Oh, you startled me.”

Liam frowned in displeasure and turned to look beside him. It was the attendant who usually served him.

“Did I say anyone could come into the study?”

“Miss Rubian told me to come and do some cleaning.”

“It is about time.”

Seeing the young master rise so readily, the attendant chuckled inwardly. These days, Liam seemed to regard “Rubian” as a kind of universal password.

To think even that finicky adolescent had surrendered.

‘Truly, Miss Rubian is remarkable.’

Smiling to himself, the attendant opened the window, saying he would simply dust the books.

“But what is it that has you so troubled?”

“Whether to enter the competition or not.”

“Pardon? You’re going to compete?”

Liam nodded as he flipped through a book.

“I’d like to give the youngest fairy the competition’s prize as a gift. When the reward was mentioned, the look in her eyes was absolutely brimming with ambition.”

“That’s… hardly like you, sir.”

At that, Liam raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean? Answer with an introduction, body, and conclusion.”

“Well, it’s just that, sir, you’re not fond of people. You’ve always preferred solitude, but these days, you seem to enjoy hovering around Miss Rubian much more…”

“Introduction, body.”

“In conclusion, I’m curious what it is about Miss Rubian that has changed you, sir.”

The attendant quickly added. Though something felt unresolved about the explanation, Liam merely adjusted his glasses in response.

“Ruby is like a fairy. I like fairies. So, I’ve liked Ruby for a long time.”

“I see.”

The attendant made a slightly exasperated face, then tilted his head.

‘For a long time?’ “Sir, you first met Miss Rubian in Ibsen, didn’t you?”

At that, Liam, staring at his attendant, abruptly opened a desk drawer and overturned its contents.

Out fluttered a pile of hastily folded letters.

“What are these?”

“Void needs to improve his temperament a little.”

“Ah. So you and the second young master exchanged letters while you were in the south…”

Liam picked up one of Void’s letters.

Impulsive by nature, Void often made spelling mistakes even with words he knew. Apparently, Rubian would correct every one of them—something that annoyed Void no end.

Most of the letters went like that.

They all ended with Rubian.

Annoying. Noisy. Weak. Clumsy…

But cute. Kind. Admirable. I like her.

The mood at home has changed entirely.

Even Liam will definitely like her too…

Void did not bother to hide his excitement.

So, though he was not in Zelox, Liam felt as though he had been there with them.

“Perhaps that’s why it all felt so familiar.”

“I see.”

“And besides… she never once called me strange.”

Liam watched the wavering flame of the lamp.

He loved his studies of magical beasts. There was a real joy in delving into and unraveling their mysteries.

If he continued digging deeper and deeper… someday, he would surely discover a way to eradicate those monsters forever.

The only ones who understood this were the people in this house.

‘But Rubian understood me right from the start.’

On the first day, Liam had been quite surprised to see his study so impeccably organized. To accommodate his notoriously poor sense of direction, footprints stickers were plastered everywhere around the house.

And that was not all.

She even accounted for his inability to tolerate untidiness in dress, pinning hairclips to both sides whenever they met in private.

“So, all I’m doing is cherishing our youngest fairy just as she is.”

“You’ve… truly grown mature, sir.”

Liam turned his head abruptly, as if to say he’d heard enough nonsense.

Knock.

Just then, there was a knock at the study door.

That knock!

Liam sprang to his feet.

“Brother…”

A small voice.

“Ha. Good thing I moved my study.”

Liam murmured.

Of course, he hadn’t moved it for such noble reasons… Nevertheless, he was now entirely satisfied with its location.

When he opened the door, Rubian was standing there, smiling bashfully.

“What is it? Explain in as long and as roundabout a manner as possible, with as much detail as you can.”

You told me to stick to introduction, body, and conclusion, the attendant thought, shaking his head.

“So, I’ve been thinking—would you enter the competition with me?”

“Competition?”

Liam lowered himself to meet Rubian’s gaze. He no longer cared about wrinkling his clothes.

“Void will certainly compete, but I had a feeling you wouldn’t, so I came to ask.”

“Hmm.”

“If we compete together… um, wouldn’t it make for good memories?”

“Good memories, is it.”

He truly wished for that.

“Let’s get to work devising a competition strategy at once.”

You planned to enter all along…

The attendant pursed his lips slightly.

“Eek!”

Rubian gave a joyful little hug around Liam’s neck. So that was what she wanted.

“A first-place candidate secured.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means something!”

When Rubian smiled, Liam smiled with her. Then, a thought came to him and he tilted his head.

“By the way, youngest fairy, you…”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“As things stand, you couldn’t enter the competition, could you?”

Crack.

Thunder and lightning seemed to crash across Rubian’s face.

“You’re lying!”

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At that hour,

the three adults of the Zevert ducal family were gathered in one place.

“Rose, Father.”

Leviathan’s low voice filled the room.

“I completed the paperwork for Ruby’s adoption today.”

“But the investigation into Eosia isn’t complete…”

Rosetta murmured, her brows knitted. Leviathan clasped his hands atop his knee.

“Rubian is now a citizen of the Babylon Empire. I instructed the Emperor to approve it as such.”

“You mean… you falsified Ruby’s origins?”

Balok muttered blankly.

“Yes. I’ve put some basic safeguards in place so her past will not become an obstacle, no matter what form it takes.”

“…”

“That way, she’ll also receive the Empire’s protection.”

“Does that mean you’ll no longer probe into Ruby’s past?”

Rosetta asked cautiously.

Leviathan fell silent for a moment.

He recalled the child’s face, glimpsed before coming to the parlor. He had intended to explain the adoption papers, but somehow he had wanted to say this as well.

“Rubian, if there’s anything you’d like to tell me, come anytime. Don’t carry things alone, like you did this time. Do you understand?”

“Mhm…”

Rubian drew out her words, then added,

“I promise I will.”

For some reason, the child’s face as she replied seemed deadly serious. It looked as if she had made some great resolve, or perhaps was still wavering.

Leviathan thought that maybe believing he should know everything about his child was arrogance.

A child inhabits her own world. As that world grows and expands, she will encounter things her father does not know.

So then, what is the parent’s duty?

‘To trust and wait.’

But, in addition…

“I will continue to search into Eosia. Regardless, I will give Ruby a perfect identity and family.”

He would surround her with the strongest, broadest barrier he could create.

Thus, Leviathan resolved to become Rubian’s shield.

He had constructed her past, and as head of the house, he had personally vouched for it. Now even the Emperor had given his official recognition—no one could raise objections.

Soon, Rubian’s name would be entered in the southern Babylon church’s birth registry.

On that basis, it would also be entered in the Zevert family’s genealogy, so now, whatever anyone said, Rubian was his daughter.

“I will ensure that no one so much as lays a finger on her.”

The Zeverts’ only lady, unassailable by anyone.

Rosetta, understanding the words in his amethyst eyes, nodded in agreement.

“Yes. Because we are Rubian’s parents.”

“Indeed, indeed. Worth more than all the gold in the world. Not a hair on her head must be harmed.”

Balok nodded so vigorously it seemed his head might fall off.

“Now then, about the coming Spring Festival—Rubian…”

At that moment,

Knock, knock!

Came a loud voice from outside, clearly not meant as a real knock but as an announcement.

“Knock, knock, knock. Excuse me, is everyone busy?”

Ch.9

An island in the middle of the sea. Arcadia.

Seated upon the throne, a young king muttered with gloom.

“We still haven’t so much as caught a trace.”

At this, a female mage bowed deeply at his feet.

She was the kingdom’s tracking mage—and the Mage King’s second child.

“I’m… I’m so sorry…”

“No! No! I’m not blaming you!”

The king jumped up, rushing to lift the mage. His thin hands caressed her cheek with poignant affection.

Screee—his long nails left a vivid red mark across her skin. The woman flinched instinctively.

“My! You must be worried for your sibling. How loving my children are!”

He spread his arms theatrically, and a radiant smile showed how genuine his joy was.

The watching mages quietly lowered their heads.

For this was the start of the Mage King’s “family play.”

He was not able to sire children himself. Instead, he took in those with exceptional magic, making them his “children.”

Pawns to move as he pleased on his chessboard.

To the Mage King, his children were nothing more and nothing less than that.

‘Nothing in Eosia. Babylon must still be the answer. The stationed mages are proving useless.’

He had issued a covert search order, but as expected from the lower ranks, there were no results to speak of.

In truth, the difficulties stemmed largely from the Babylon Imperial family’s unhelpful stance.

Because of that, the tracking mages were still left wandering around the southern border of Babylon.

It was likely their retribution for the public outcry over the child soldier incident on the battlefield.

“Ungrateful wretches.”

He had lent them his well-honed weapons, yet, human as they were, they were as dull as ever.

Just then, a blue letter flew into the hands of “the Second.”

“Father, a pigeon has arrived from the tracking mage stationed in southern Babylon.”

The Mage King accepted and read it.

After a moment, his eyes opened wide with astonishment.

“Leviathan Zevert… has taken in a child?”