Youngest 225

Episode 225

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I squeezed my eyes shut.

‘What do I do? This is my limit.’

Creak, clang! Kaang!

Assaults came ceaselessly. My blue shield cracked and mended, only to crack again.

I tried to gauge the magic I had left.

Should I call for Khalid?

‘No.’

I clung tighter to the hand of my father, clasped in one of mine.

‘My father is right beside me!’

I poured even more of my power into the magic flowing into him.

It was to drive out the illusion, but as for what effect it might really be having inside—I had no way to know.

I gritted my teeth and stared at the roiling black mass of the magical beasts.

“Dad, why won’t you come…?”

After such a long, arduous time, we had finally met again.

“If things go on like this…”

I forced down the heat rising to my eyes. My vision kept blurring, but I couldn’t afford to lose focus or break down in tears now.

Kyaaaagh!

Sensing my rapidly waning magic, the monsters attacked with even greater ferocity. The recovery of my blue barrier started to slow.

My limit had come.

A magical beast’s razor claws tore at the shield, lunging to run me through.

The hand in mine—moved, or so it seemed.

I say ‘seemed’ because—

“Ah…”

The hand I’d clung to like salvation was suddenly gone.

Kraaaaagh!

With a chilling scream, fountains of dark crimson blood erupted all around. Blades sliced through the air, cutting down the monsters that threatened me without hesitation.

“Haa…”

I felt the hand gripping my shoulder trembling uncontrollably. In the corner of my eye, I saw a dark form blocking me, as if to shield me.

I couldn’t even raise my head to see his face. The tension that had gripped me to the marrow broke all at once.

“How dare you try to harm her.”

A strong hand drew me behind, protecting me. Keeping even the shadows of the magical beasts from me, shielding me deep within.

“Dad…”

I wiped my stubborn tears with my forearm.

Somehow, my whole world seemed filled with the towering back of my father. My greatest, strongest shield in all the world.

A blue, flame-like rage pressed on the air so heavily it seemed to weigh everything down.

My father, not bothering to rein in his power as he always did, looked almost inhuman. My skin prickled and burned. A shiver ran up the nape of my neck.

“…You waited, didn’t you, Ruby.”

He said my name in a voice that was slightly rough, the only gentle thing amid the suffocating pressure.

“Close your eyes and count to ten.”

Choked up, I could only nod. Dad’s eyes reddened as he gave a small, wry smile.

“Good girl.”

I sat down on the ground and released my barrier. In that instant, dozens of mindless beasts lunged at once.

A ghastly chorus erupted.

The sounds of rending, bursting, shattering.

I calmly covered both ears and, eyes shut, began to count.

‘I’m not a child… I could help Dad like before.’

But this time, I simply did as I was told.

Because it felt like that was what Dad wanted.

During my years on the battlefield, this was the kind of moment I’d longed for: the broad back of an adult to guard me, strong arms to shield me, a steadfast voice to comfort me when I was weary and worn.

Maybe Dad, too—

Maybe he wanted to protect me like this.

‘Eight, nine…’

Soon, all was quiet.

I was about to say the last ‘ten’ aloud.

But before I could, I was suddenly swept up into someone’s arms.

In a flash, my eyes flew open.

“Dad…!”

I felt his ragged breaths, his body shaking violently line through mine. My shoulder dampened with heat.

“Ruby… Rubian.”

My father murmured my name over and over, voice thick with emotion.

“Are you hurt? Are you alright? I… I…”

Never before had I seen him so lost, rambling in his worry.

Biting back the sob rising in my throat, I asked bravely,

“Dad, did you… find out?”

He answered only by gritting his teeth.

That silence was answer enough.

I stretched my mouth in an exaggerated smile, hoping—though I didn’t know if it worked—that my father wouldn’t be too sad.

Somehow, I wanted to show that I was alright.

“You know… It’s hard to believe, but the truth is, I’m really your daughter, Dad—”

That’s what I intended.

I tried to be composed.

But the moment my eyes met his, all the sorrow I’d bottled up burst out with my tears.

“Why…”

My face, reflected in those violet eyes, was twisted miserably.

“Why did you let me go…?”

With a tortured groan, Dad pulled me in again.

“You shouldn’t have let go… You don’t know how hard it was for me. How lonely I was. Why did you lose me… Why…”

That was the truth.

From the moment I knew, truly knew,

Part of me had just wanted to wail like this.

The heart of a father who learned his buried child had lived, wandering the battlefield after all. My mother’s heart, too.

The hearts of all the family who’d watched.

In trying to appreciate and grieve for them all, I’d held back my own sorrow.

But I was sad.

I pitied myself, just a little.

I resented the world that cast me out like this, thought it cruel.

“I hate all of it… I hate it… Uwaaaaah!”

At last, every feeling burst forth. I wailed like a child, pouring out whatever words came.

Dad consoled me in a voice wet with tears, his large hands restlessly stroking my head and back.

“I’m sorry, Ruby.”

“Dad…”

“I’m sorry I came too late.”

We had come back together, after such a long and painful detour.

We’d been hurt, broken, brought down.

And yet, in the end, we’d made it here. That was what mattered.

Like rivers crisscrossing and finally joining as one at the end.

Like tangled roots proving to be the foundation of a single, vast tree.

Family, reunited after surviving their own harsh journeys.

That was the conclusion.