Youngest 099
by CristaeEpisode 99
The boy, Licht Babylon, was running.
“Huff, huff!”
His hair and clothes, meticulously prepared for the banquet, were now a complete mess. But that was the least of his concerns.
His older brothers’ snickering voices echoed in his ears.
“So the Emperor has finally brought in a tracking mage.”
“I heard that mage wants to confirm something with the children. Is that why the banquet hall is set apart?”
“Well, obviously. If the nobles caught wind, they’d revolt, so His Majesty kept it a secret.”
“How did you find out, brother?”
“My dear younger brother. One must always keep his eyes and ears open. That’s how you become Crown Prince, isn’t it?”
It was careless.
Licht had never considered planting someone near the Emperor. He believed his only adversaries were his own brothers.
“Please… don’t let it happen!”
He still didn’t fully know Rubian’s identity. But if, by chance—
By the smallest chance, if Rubian was a mage?
‘I thought His Majesty would hold out a bit longer… Who would have thought he’d bring in a mage so soon!’
He’d assumed the issue with the mage tools would at least wait until they returned to the capital.
But apparently, the tracking mage had requested permission to search the Ipsen Green Festival here. Once Licht heard that, he could bear it no longer.
‘Why the north, of all places… Could Rubian really be a fugitive mage?’
His mind was a tangled mess. He felt dizzy and panicked. To whom should he turn?
His breath burned in his throat.
He had never run so desperately before.
Oddly, it was in this frantic moment that he realized something.
‘I don’t want Rubian… to be in danger!’
The thought of it was worse than death. More than anything, he wanted to protect Rubian.
At first, it was just curiosity.
From that first meeting at the Imperial Protection Shelter.
‘She seems like a girl, so why is she pretending to be a boy?’
He had watched and wondered, then eventually couldn’t resist and followed her all the way north.
When he saw Rubian again… she was still hiding her gender, but she radiated like sunlight.
She was definitely a girl.
Licht was sure of it.
“Licht, let’s play!”
Rubian, though she seemed a bit naïve, had effortlessly seen through the mask he wore.
Even after learning that his ever-present smile was only an act, still…
‘Still, she was kind.’
She played with him, spoke to him.
To be honest—
He enjoyed it.
He enjoyed being with Rubian.
So…
‘I must protect Rubian!’
During the kidnapping incident he’d made the mistake of following Rubian blindly. In the end, it had only made matters worse.
Licht’s frantic steps came to a halt before a massive door.
There was one person who could resolve this situation and protect Rubian.
The answer was clear.
“Lord Zevert!”
The mage’s hand stopped right before my eyes.
I quickly stepped back.
My body trembled. I pressed my lips together, fighting to hide my distress.
I thought I had recovered while living here with my family… but my body remembered otherwise. Adults who approached with hostility still terrified me.
The memories of those harsh days still wrapped me tight, a snare I couldn’t escape.
I clenched my jaw and stood firm.
Thank goodness. I could hide my expression.
“May I ask why you’re covering your face? Could it be…”
The mage smiled, his eyes glinting oddly behind his laugh.
“I wonder if I might know you.”
I know. Of course I know you.
Even as my head spun, I forced myself to dredge up memories.
You’re the Mage King’s ‘fourth’ child.
An opportunist who eagerly played along with his family games. Always chasing your own gain, throwing our side into chaos on the battlefield… the Mage King’s lackey. Contemptible, that’s what you were.
And yet…
I stared at the dry, branch-like hand stretched toward me.
“Now, what about under that mask?”
I’d seen it: the Kingdom’s crest exposed between the raised sleeve.
‘The Mage’s Crest was on his right forearm.’
And… so was the mage in my dream.
“The price for defying our king is a heavy one.”
On the right forearm, the crest.
The one who, in the original story, killed my father!
My eyes went cold.
But my heart pounded, and heat rose in my head.
“This cloth… I wear it because I’m unwell, that’s all. Besides, this is my first time meeting you, mage.”
I spoke calmly, edging back.
The mage flashed a grin.
“Is that so? A shame. Then allow me to cast a healing spell on you. Please, lower your veil for just a moment.”
“No, I’m fine—”
Again, his hand shot out, and this time, I caught a glimpse of the World Tree’s branch peeking from his sleeve.
Twisting away in retreat, my foot caught.
“Ah—”
Just as I was about to fall, someone caught me firmly.
“Stop.”
A long sword blocked the way.
“S-Sir Leon, my senior…”
The blue-haired knight stood firmly at my back. The mage, sensing his fierce presence, withdrew a step, lowering his hand.
Sir Leon glanced down at me, then planted himself squarely between me and the mage.
In his even, measured tone, he spoke.
“Our lady was recently embroiled in an incident and remains in poor health. Magic or no magic, she dislikes close contact. I cannot permit you to approach further.”
It seemed Father had ordered he remain on guard nearby.
The mage, who’d studied me with a dark look, now bowed apologetically.
“I see—I apologize for the intrusion. But surely, there’s no harm in offering a pendant as a gift?”
“That—”
Sir Leon frowned, clearly displeased.
“Here, please accept it.”
“Uh.”
The mage pressed a pendant into my hand, almost forcing it. Sir Leon, about to stop him again, hesitated as—
Blink—blink—
The mage tool in my hand began to react.
“Now.”
He grinned broadly.
“Let’s see.”
The gemstone within the pendant flickered for a moment, then shone brightly and leapt into the air.
Within the stone…
“…!”
A vivid, brilliant red.
“What?”
The mage’s brow furrowed deeply. His face now flooded with a confusion far more intense than what I’d seen in the maze—he looked as though he’d just been ambushed.
Feeling the chill of the pendant in my hand, I clenched my fist around it.
“Is… there a problem?”
I managed to keep my voice smooth.
Watching the mage gape, unable to speak, I maintained a calm expression.
“I—I must have given you a defective pendant by mistake. Here!”
“Really? It seemed fine…”
“No, no, that won’t do!”
He hastily took out another pendant and pressed it into my hand.
But nothing changed.
Red.
No magic.
The same thing happened three times more.
“I think that’s enough, mage!”
I laid the fourth mage tool flat on the table. The mage ground his teeth in frustration.
“They all seem fine to me. I’ll just keep the first one, thank you!”
“Wait, just a moment—!”
“Enough.”
Sir Leon blocked him once again. There was open hostility in his usually calm face.
“I will not tolerate further discourtesy.”
Even the imperial official standing nearby fixed the mage with a warning look. I produced a squirrel out of light, pretending to be amazed.
“Thank you for the gift.”
At last, I let myself smile.
My tension faded; my legs almost gave way beneath me, but I held out.
Spinning around, I hurried off the stage.
The mage clearly wanted to try talking to me again… but what could he possibly say?
My eyes were blue.
The stone I held was red.
He had likely hoped those colors would be reversed.
His teeth ground with unmistakable frustration.
“…So it really wasn’t her?”
His harsh voice followed me as I walked away.
The mage lingered in the banquet hall for some time afterward.
He distributed mage tools to all the girls my age.
But it didn’t last long. Soon only the likes of Void, Liam, and Khalid—dark-haired boys—remained in the line.
“Ahem, ahem. I have urgent business. I must take my leave now. Please distribute the remainder among yourselves.”
He hurriedly tossed out the box and left the hall.
The remaining pendants were handed out by palace attendants; Khalid lost interest and didn’t accept one.
“Whew…”
I finally managed a long sigh as I escaped from the swarm of children. Sir Leon shot me a worried look.
“Are you all right, Rubian?”
“I’m fine. Thank you for helping me, sir. But how did you appear so quickly?”
“It was His Excellency’s order. He’s extremely angry right now.”
“Oh. Did he know the mage was here? Where are they now?”
“They’re in a private audience with His Majesty.”
In other words, he’d gone to confront him.
Oh dear. The Emperor really is out of line this time.
“Are you hungry?”
“I’ve lost my appetite… I want to step outside.”
I needed fresh air.
And some time to clear my head.
Sir Leon nodded silently and followed behind. He handed me a pouch of muffins from his coat.
Children exploded gleefully into bursts of light and color as they played. In this noisy chaos, a meal didn’t matter much.
As I wove my way through the crowd, my legs suddenly gave out.
Just as Sir Leon reached to steady me, an arm shot out from beside us.