Youngest 185
by CristaeEpisode 185
It was because, from afar, Khalid suddenly pulled the princess into his arms, shielding her tenderly, and gently drew her hood over her head.
Tenderly!
Like a cockroach faced with a human, I darted behind a decoration and hid once more.
Thump, thump.
My heart raced.
And then, just as the princess was about to take another step, Khalid quickly bent down and meticulously tied her shoelaces.
Was that all?
When the princess’s handkerchief soared away, fluttering in the wind, he sprang after it and handed it back to her without delay…
He wrapped her scarf around her, made sure her clothes were warm enough, even carried her small handbag for her…
Even from behind, he was a bundle of nerves. Like a puppy desperate to pee, he looked utterly at a loss.
‘Seriously…’
I sent him to find the gravestone.
‘He’s come back like a house servant now…’
The clamor of the crowd suddenly seemed to recede into the distance.
“Look, there’s an arm-wrestling contest! Let’s go. We have to enter at once.”
Sevelena cried out enthusiastically.
At that, her attendant and guard, Nova, blanched in horror.
“Y-Y-Your Highness! Watching, not competing! And your shoelace is untied! Please, your dignity!”
“Oh, tie them for me, Nova.”
“Yes, right away.” Nova hastily dropped to one knee and tied her shoelaces into neat butterflies.
He, with his deep blue hair, was Sevelena’s sole confidant, having accompanied her all the way from Eosia.
“Whew…”
As Sevelena watched the ever-industrious Nova, her gaze drifted slightly behind him.
Another man stood there as always—his hair similar in color to Nova’s, but in temperament, face, and build, his complete opposite. He wore an expressionless face beneath his hood, his sharp features as flawless as a painting. Fresh from his morning training, his slicked-back hair only served to accentuate his strong brows and prominent nose.
What an unnecessarily handsome face, Sevelena thought, and then threw out a casual question.
“Sir Khalid, are you uncomfortable for some reason?”
The man, seeming strangely alert to his surroundings, spoke in a low murmur.
“…I feel like I’m being watched.”
“Watched? Enemies, perhaps?”
“If that’s all it was.”
“If that’s all?”
“It’s… itchy.”
“What an odd thing to say.”
Was he always capable of jokes?
Sevelena exchanged glances with Nova, scanning the area, but sensed nothing in particular.
She remarked that the crowd must be making him edgy, and began to walk ahead.
Not hearing footsteps behind her, she turned. The stubborn knight stood with his arms folded, glancing down at her at an angle.
“So how long do you intend to amuse yourself like this?”
“Oh, you’re so boring.”
“You came all the way here to evade the king’s spies and agents… Perhaps it is time you revealed your real purpose and saw to your own safety.”
His low voice was never hurried, slow and steady. Even the way he stroked his sword was unhurried.
“The Mage Kingdom is on the move. Are you planning to have everything stolen again?”
Khalid recalled the conversation he’d had with Sevelena a few nights prior.
That suspicious woman who knew Rubian’s true identity.
He’d been on the verge of killing her then—but what she said next had stopped him.
“Seven years ago, a woman crossed the Babylon border and collapsed in the woods of Eosia. She looked so sickly, it seemed she wouldn’t last long. And her name—really quite unique.”
“…”
“‘The Second.’”
“…”
“Who would name a person that? Isn’t it odd?”
‘Before leaving, Ruby said she couldn’t reach “the Second.”’
Khalid recalled the face of Rubian, fidgeting with a magic scroll and grumbling.
So, was Sevelena sent here by “the Second”?
“Ease up that expression. We have the same thing to protect… In a sense, we’re allies.”
“What is your goal?”
“I can’t tell you here. Let’s step away from this procession and talk.”
That, in fact, was why they’d ended up at this ridiculous festival.
“Fine. I hear there’s a popular pub nearby. Let’s talk there.”
“With a crowd?”
“Well, to hide a tree, you need a forest. To muffle a conversation, you need a noisy crowd.”
“…”
“And I need some Babylonian beer.”
Sevelena chuckled under her breath.
Khalid suppressed a sigh and resumed walking. She was already grabbing a sample of fruit from a street stall.
As she reached to wipe the juice from her hand, a sudden gust sent her handkerchief flying.
“Your Highness!”
Nova dashed after it, picked up the handkerchief, folded it into a rose, and tucked it into her pocket.
At that very moment, Khalid’s head snapped up.
‘Killing intent!’
But from where?
And that wasn’t all.
“Nova, my scarf, please. People keep staring at my tattoo. Are people here generally conservative about such things?”
“Ah. Yes. Here you are, Your Highness.”
Nova wrapped the scarf to cover the princess’s village tattoo on her neck, and fastened her cloak.
‘Killing intent!’
Again, Khalid’s head whipped around.
“Nova. Why are you so frail? Carry my purse.”
“Hnnngh. What have you put in it this time…?”
“Stones. I am, after all, a woman raised by the forest. Has to build up some strength, doesn’t she?”
Again, killing intent!
Sevelena grinned broadly at Nova, who dragged himself forward, barely able to lift her arm.
“But Sir Khalid, why do you keep fidgeting? Like a dog desperate to go.”
“Maybe he really has to, Your Highness.”
“Hm, let’s have some grace. If he suddenly has to run, we’ll forgive it.”
“Of course.”
Naturally, with all of Khalid’s attention elsewhere, he heard none of their conversation.
‘Killing intent? Something this trivial, this blunt?’
No… it wasn’t that…
Then, from one side of the street, a small commotion arose. Khalid’s gaze flew there like a magnet.
“Ugh, those rowdies are at it again.”
“Drinking this early in the day… Tsk, tsk. Ruining the festival for everyone.”
At the edge of the street stood a small statue. Beside it—a shadowy alley.
Three or four hulking men were cornering a slight, young knight into the alley…
“Apparently last time, they beat someone to a pulp and got punished for it… I guess some people never change.”
“Ugh, gives me chills. What a mess…”
“Looks like a wandering knight just got unlucky. I’ve already alerted the constabulary, so let’s just wait. Ah, customers! Please, come this way!”
The merchants beamed at Sevelena.
“Wow, are these truly Babylonian spices?”
“You must be a foreigner! Indeed, indeed!”
“Sir Khalid, which do you recommend—hm?”
Sevelena glanced back, only to blink in surprise.
“Where did he go?”
At that, her eyes met Nova’s, and both simultaneously sighed in heartfelt dismay.
He must have been truly desperate…
‘Hah…!’
I was awash in betrayal.
“Hey, kid.”
‘He’s out there fussing, fixing her hat, her clothes, everything!’
Did he ever do that for me? Huh? Did he? When? I can’t remember!
From afar, the image of Khalid and the princess kept flickering in my mind.
“Ugh…”
I pouted, kicking at the ground as I slipped out from behind the decoration and into the alley.
‘Why do I feel so awful?’
This emotion swelling inside me… was it betrayal?
“Hey. The bosses are calling you, kid!”
‘Am I too greedy? Do I want everything for myself?’
My family did spoil me a bit, but now I even want my friends to give me all their attention and follow me around.
“This is what happens when you grow up with too much…”
“Hey, this brat’s been ignoring us!”
“Maybe this is why third-generation heirs have so many problems…”
I was right in the middle of debating whether to drop the “the Third” from the name of my beloved ride.
“Get him!”
At last, one of the thugs who’d been tailing me grabbed my shoulder sharply.