Youngest 201
by CristaeEpisode 201
“Y-you… how could you…”
“That’s enough.”
“Sevelena!”
“I’m talking about using the kingdom as an excuse to pursue your own ambitions.”
The palace knights who had been hiding with him appeared like the wind, the clatter of their cold armor shattering the calm of dawn in an instant.
“I wished you wouldn’t show yourself here.”
The last to emerge, face set in stone, was the Emperor.
He casually tossed a thick letter.
It was exactly the same letter the King himself had received. Only now did the King realize.
It was a trap.
But set by whom?
There was only one answer.
“Sevelena!”
The King’s eyes bulged. His breath came in ragged gasps.
“You… you dare betray me!”
The princess slowly spoke, her fist tightly clenched.
“Are you so sure it’s me who’s done the betraying?”
“You dare! I—I made this choice for Kasalia!”
“I know.”
Sevelena released a long breath.
“And so I, too, have only made my own choice for Kasalia.”
The Emperor’s gaze touched the pallor of the princess’s cheeks.
The knights restrained the King’s arms.
“Escort the King to the annex.”
The Emperor ordered that he be locked in the annex bedroom—until the Round Table convened.
This time, it was confinement in a truer sense than ever before.
“There will be no party, no welcome, no celebration.”
The King raged, but he was powerless.
His attendants and guards, who had rushed in at the commotion, offered feeble resistance, but wilted before the princess’s icy glare.
“Don’t disgrace Kasalia’s name any further.”
The princess was a royal with a legitimate claim to the succession.
It was her duty to deal with the aftermath of the King’s misdeeds.
The attendants’ minds whirred. What would change when this was over? Some, having done their calculations, slipped away quietly to send secret missives to the kingdom. Sevelena did not bother to stop them.
The march resumed.
“Ah, wait a moment…”
Sevelena suddenly blocked the knights. She snatched a vial of potion from the King’s breast.
“I have something I promised.”
She had thought it would take longer to procure the herbs, but it seemed she could deliver it as a birthday gift right away.
Sevelena held her tongue. In her steady green eyes, not a trace of emotion remained.
As the King was dragged away, he hurled every curse he knew at Sevelena.
The Emperor frowned, glancing over at the princess. Her face appeared calm—what lay beneath that mask?
Truthfully, the Emperor still wondered how best to win Sevelena over.
If he couldn’t get definitive proof of the Kasalia King’s collusion, he’d intended to make the princess a witness before the Round Table.
“Do not worry, Your Majesty.”
Sevelena responded quietly, as if reading the Emperor’s thoughts.
“I came here intending to be a witness from the very beginning.”
“Princess.”
“Now that I’ve procured irrefutable evidence, there’s no reason to hold back.”
Her face revealed little.
Did the princess regret forsaking everything to find her family?
‘It’s almost laughably hollow…’
The Emperor sighed shortly.
‘A tragedy.’
After the situation had more or less been resolved.
The Emperor took out the letter he’d kept at his breast and read it.
“Hm. Our lady’s writing could use some polish.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle, even reading it again.
Contrary to its cute handwriting, the content was rather grim from the start.
Most esteemed Your Imperial Majesty. This letter is about 51% threat and 49% request.
In other words, a half-threat.
I will provide evidence to capture the King of Kasalia. Princess Sevelena will gladly cooperate.
The compensation for this matter is as follows.
Had he stopped there, he might have chided her for being impudent.
But upon reading the next line, he found he simply couldn’t.
Whatever happens, please protect House Zevert.
The Emperor’s gaze lingered long on the black, crossed-out strikethrough.
A little earlier that night.
Bang! I flung open the door.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to open—”
“Are you in danger? Are you hurt?”
Having returned after sending the secret missive, Kal heaved a deep sigh.
We sat on the sofa once more.
“Did you send the letter to His Imperial Majesty too?”
“Yeah. But… are you sure you want to involve the Emperor? The Emperor doesn’t know who you really are.”
As Khalid pointed out, the Emperor still didn’t know I was a mage—I’d never told him.
But it wasn’t something that could be hidden forever.
Besides, this time I’d managed to avoid exposure, but if my true identity came to light again, out of nowhere…
Not only I, but our entire house could suffer a blow.
‘It’s fine if I’m the only one who suffers.’
But I would never allow my family to get hurt because of me.
That’s why I wanted to make the Emperor truly my ally.
‘His Majesty does care for me, but…’
Still, it wasn’t the same as the unconditional love of my family.
“Then why is Father so wary of His Imperial Majesty? They’re kind of friends, aren’t they? He’s always been nice to me, too.”
“Ditrian isn’t that great as a person, but as an Emperor he’s excellent.”
“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means he weighs his interests and advantages very well. So don’t make yourself vulnerable without cause.”
In sum, he meant I couldn’t ask anything of the Emperor without justification.
‘The King of Kasalia was a convenient card, I suppose.’
The Emperor had wanted to bring him down.
Not only for colluding with the Mage Kingdom, but also for numerous diplomatic reasons—like the border dispute between Kasalia and Eosia.
“In exchange for helping to capture the Kasalia King, I’ll ask him to support Father so my secret doesn’t become a liability.”
Then I felt a steady gaze from my right. Khalid was now sitting next to the sofa.
“You shouldn’t suffer, either.”
I blinked a few times, then smiled.
“I know.”
“Liar.”
How did he know?
Everyone carries a scale in their heart.
‘If I and my family were to be placed on my scale…’
The weight would tip without hesitation toward my family.
Perhaps that’s what it means to have something precious. Lately, I was truly coming to understand that.
“Haaaahm. I’m sleepy. Bedtime.”
I changed the subject, stretching. Kal, firmly situated on the scale of my heart as well, let out a short sigh.
He was silently saying he wouldn’t ask any more, seeing how troubled I looked.
My good friend.
I rose, then suddenly reached out as a thought crossed my mind.
“Well done, rookie.”
This cold night—how many times had he come and gone, using his mana as well? What a relief it was to have him.
Trying to copy my father and praise him, I reached out to pat his head, but abruptly realized we were far closer than I’d thought.
When did we… get this close?
“…”
My hand hovered awkwardly in the air.
Kal watched my hand’s trajectory, then nudged his head into my palm.
“This is what you wanted to do, right?”
“…Uh… yeah.”
He patted himself.
“I—I really should sleep now. We’re busy—gyah!”
“Lu…!”
As I scrambled to stand and slip into my slippers, my foot caught on the sheet and I slid forward.
Kal caught me just in time and kept me from falling.
“Jeez! You almost cracked the back of your head open.”
His surprised eyes were wide. The hand around my waist was huge and hot.
“Uh… th-thank you. I’m alright—now…”
“I’ll carry you to bed.”
Without waiting, Kal lifted me and set me gently on the bed, even fussing with the blankets.
By habit, I pulled the covers up to my eyes and rolled my eyes back and forth.
Kal, watching, let out a low laugh.
“That habit really never changes.”
“Hey, Kal…”
“Yeah?”
“My mana…”
Clutching the sheet, I hesitated, then stuck my pinkie finger up.
“Could you… give me a little mana before you go?”
“…”
“It’s just, after all that magic earlier, I’m a little worn out…”
Even I felt embarrassed by how feebly the excuses trailed off.
But what could I do? That hand that had been around my waist…
‘I want to hold it.’
Silence settled over us.
Bathed in moonlight, Kal licked his lips. He leaned down and gently wrapped his fingers around my upraised pinkie.
The jolt of what felt like electricity—surely I was the only one who felt that.
“Will one finger be enough?”
He murmured slowly, weaving his fingers through mine one by one, ever so slowly.
As if on cue, dense mana poured in, making one of my eyes twitch.
Kal sat lightly at the side of the bed, careful and soft, murmuring as he went.
‘His mana really is deep and rich.’
It seemed even denser than when we were children. Was there even a limit to this power?
‘Feels a little different from before, somehow.’
Maybe I was imagining it.
I drifted, feeling the gentle mana fill me.
“If you’re sleepy, go ahead and sleep. I’ll leave once you’re out.”
Kal said.
I nodded from under the covers, hiding my heated face. Despite my pounding heart, the comfort of his mana soon lulled me to sleep.
Either way, my body was utterly spent.
“Oh, by the way, Ruby.”
Kal looked past the window and said suddenly.
“…Yeah?”
“Happy birthday.”
“Th-thanks…”
It was from Kal that I first heard birthday wishes for my eighteenth year.
The more his mana poured in, the faster I sank into sleep.
In the tranquil dark, Kal hesitated before adding a few more words.
“…And, something I didn’t get to say before.”
“…Hmm?”
“I am dangerous.”
“…”
“It’s true. You need to be careful around me.”
“…”
“See? Even now. I dare to…”
A deep, weary sigh.
What a piece of garbage.
He spoke in a voice steeped in anguish. Some time later, I thought I felt something soft brush the back of my hand.
But I was drifting into dreams, and could not be sure.