Youngest 242
by Cristae242
His tone was flat, his expression impassive, yet somehow it all felt like a threat.
The man brushed back Rubian’s hair with the utmost care, as though handling a glass doll, and gazed quietly down at her sleeping face.
It was a scene of perfect stillness, but within that tableau, Ideline perceived an emotional tempest more turbulent than ever before.
Ah, that look.
‘That’s the face of someone completely smitten.’
And it seemed he was well-practiced at holding those feelings back.
On those flawless features, half-veiled by darkness, were plain traces of affection and longing that could not be concealed.
‘Judging by the look of it, these are feelings long held.’
A brief, knowing smile flickered over Ideline’s time-honed face.
‘The young lady has no idea.’
“Sir.”
Leaning on her staff, Ideline offered one last piece of advice.
Gazing at these two young people dancing around their feelings made her want to comment.
“It’s good to cherish something, but if all you ever do is cherish it, that’s how you lose it.”
“…”
The man shot her a sidelong look, as if questioning her logic, but said nothing more.
There are things so precious you can’t help but cherish them.
A first pair of shoes, the lone fruit atop a cake, an expensive jewel easily scuffed or scratched…
Of course, Khalid never understood the hearts of those who cherished such things.
Shoes were just shoes; he was never fond of cake, and gems were nothing more than shining stones, neither more nor less.
“…Huh?”
But with Rubian, he understood it all.
“What’s wrong, Kal?”
Because now, he too had something so precious he could not bear to touch it.
“Go back to sleep. The Duke hasn’t returned yet.”
As Rubian tried to sit up, Khalid gently pulled her back. Still, she shook her head.
“Uh… No, I have to help with the portal repairs.”
Khalid felt a sudden emptiness at his side and let out a quiet sigh.
Since arriving in Arcadia, both the headaches that had plagued him and the surging instability of his magic had vanished as if by magic.
‘Whether it’s really gone, or merely in abeyance—I can’t say.’
At least that bothersome voice was finally silent.
Yet—
‘Why does it…’
Feel like a loss?
That warmth, that gentle body slipping from his grasp—if only he could find some excuse to pull her back, to hold her just a moment longer.
He wouldn’t even mind letting that voice sweep him away now.
“…”
Realizing this in himself, Khalid’s fingertips twitched.
‘Am I garbage?’
A wave of self-reproach struck him, but of course, he showed nothing to Rubian.
“Yawn. Are you going to stay here?”
“No, the prince and Liam are keeping watch. I’m supposed to take the next shift.”
Folding up the blanket, Rubian’s brows knitted in concern.
“Please keep an eye on Liam for me… Make sure he doesn’t get lost…”
“Do you know how often his pendant squeals when he wanders even a little off course? It’s basically impossible for him to get lost at this point.”
At that, Rubian beamed in satisfaction, giggling.
“Just watch over them so no one gets hurt. He might not be used to fighting and all that…”
“…?”
“Hm?”
“You do know what sort of training Liam does every morning, don’t you?”
Clear eyes turned to question-marks—then, suddenly, to exclamation points.
“Gasp.”
“You’re the one who gave him that advice.”
“Oh… right.”
Khalid found himself wanting to reach out and squeeze Rubian’s slightly puffy cheeks.
“‘If you want to read more books, you’ll need stamina, brother.’”
“Excellent. Hell training it is.”
It was so long ago he could barely remember.
“Wow, since way back then?”
Her face showed surprise—she’d known Liam rose before dawn, but had never realized it was to train.
She drifted into thought, then added, “Come to think of it, Liam’s always been the perfect son—both brains and brawn.”
Another cryptic remark, but Khalid was used to it. He silently accepted the folded blanket from Rubian.
“But Khalid, are you alright?”
“What do you mean?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Rubian spoke carefully.
“On the ship, your magic felt kind of unstable to me. You seem… fine now, but…”
“…”
So she had noticed.
Khalid raised the corners of his lips in a silent smile.
“My magic did waver a little as we neared Arcadia, but I feel fine now.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Rubian eyed him with suspicion.
There was a trick Khalid often used at moments like this: rather than shy away, he’d move even closer.
“If you’re so worried, why not check for yourself?”
He leaned forward and extended a hand to Rubian, who sat before him on the pew. Her long lashes fluttered under his gaze.
‘She always dodges when I do this.’
He was well aware of his station.
A life in the mercenary corps, growing up too fast—knowing one’s place was a lesson quickly, unavoidably learned.
Your feelings are not the same as mine.
He’d accepted that truth long ago.
‘Friend.’
That word Rubian always used.
Ah, that’s right. Or perhaps, it was even worse than that.
“We’re childhood friends, after all!”
…Perhaps it was the worst of all.
It was a feeling he’d been stacking up, piece by piece.
My Rubian, too precious to touch, whom I want only to cherish.
Even if the truth was kept from everyone else, he’d be sure Rubian never noticed. He had to keep these feelings sealed.
If she ever learned the truth and grew uncomfortable—or if, because of it, she could no longer be by his side—
It would be no different from losing everything in his life.
Lately, his body hadn’t taken orders from his mind as well as it once had, which was troublesome. But for now, things were still alright.
‘We used to hold hands all the time as kids, but… ever since we grew up, Rubian goes stiff every time.’
Like right now.
She was staring up at him, startled. Maybe, now that they were grown, she found it all a little repulsive.
As Khalid maintained his usual stoic expression and started to withdraw his hand—
“Then… shall I?”
…What?
To his surprise, Rubian suddenly clasped his hand.
“….”
“Whyy… You told me to check, didn’t you?”
Her slender, pale fingers slipped between his own, sending a shock through Khalid’s entire body.
“Let’s see, your magic…”
She gently closed her eyes in concentration.
“Seems… okay?”
“….”
“Why are you staring like that~”
When Khalid remained frozen, she awkwardly tried to withdraw her hand—but he gripped it tighter than ever.
“More.”
If this were the desert, you’d be an oasis clutching a water flask. I’m just a wanderer digging in parched earth.
“Let me feel it a bit longer.”
“Uh… okay? But aren’t we sitting kind of close?”
Even if it was just the fleeting whimsy of Rubian’s unpredictable heart, it didn’t matter. What did the other’s intention matter, when you were dying of thirst and offered a drink of sweet, life-giving water?
“Hey, could you stop rubbing my hand with your thumb? It feels kind of… weird.”
“Ah, sorry.”
“I think… that’s enough?”
Rubian finally let go and pulled back, and Khalid smiled, drinking in the lingering image of those neatly folded fingers.
It was hard, but he wouldn’t be greedy.
“I’ll go check on the portal chamber then!”
Rubian wandered off toward the statue of the goddess. He inhaled deeply, calming his flushed body.
Just as he started to rise—
“….”
His eyes accidentally locked onto the goddess statue in the center of the chapel.
A strange surge of anger welled up within him.
At that very moment, something twisted violently in his gut.
Khalid quietly inclined his chin, images of vivid symbols and words burning into his mind.
‘This… is that a teleportation circle?’
His gaze was instinctively drawn to the magnificent mural above.
At the same time, the once-muted voice echoed in his mind.
‘From the royal palace…’
He chased that voice inwardly.
‘We will meet again.’
Hate.
And hatred.
O my goddess.
There, our long-fated reunion awaits.