Youngest 247

Episode 247

Dawn was breaking.

As the bright sunlight scattered across the land, the traces of last night’s fierce battle were laid bare.

Perhaps it was because we had fought against a golem army.

There wasn’t blood everywhere, so it didn’t feel quite so gruesome…

‘Wow. The terrain has changed.’

A hill had sprung up overnight, and the ground was deeply gouged as if clawed by some great beast.

‘Whatever it was, something truly extraordinary must have happened here…’

Father’s lieutenants were carrying away the fallen high-ranking mages scattered here and there.

Most were already dead, but some of those who had survived ended up taking their own lives—cowardly, as if they saw no hope left.

“Oogugu. Oogugu. That’s right. We repaired the portal and protected everyone too.”

And so I finally managed to escape the enormous arms that had been squishing my cheeks since earlier.

“Grandfather, say ‘ahh—’ please.”

“Ahh!”

“That’s odd. Your tongue looks fine.”

Why has his speech suddenly gotten so clipped?

Grandfather burst into hearty laughter and ruffled my hair atop my head. I kept it tied up because it was always falling loose and annoying me.

“My king-size dumpling!”

It burst!

“Geez. But since you got here first, I’ll forgive you.”

“Ha ha ha ha!”

The moment the portal came online, Grandfather had charged through like a bull.

I heard he threw himself through empty gates non-stop, except for when he went to scold His Majesty the Emperor.

“Sniff. Timing those charges just right, my Grandfather’s the best!”

“Kahahaha! Louder, say it louder!”

“Best at tank-ing!”

“…Wouldn’t you usually shout ‘the best’ louder at times like this?”

“Oh.”

“Well, never mind!”

Whatever the case, pleased as ever, Grandfather spun me around and around.

Just then, I saw a pair of brothers squabbling as they approached in the distance.

“Void, open your mouth.”

“Ah! What the—?!”

Liam shoved a mysterious potion into Void’s mouth.

“Whose fault is it for licking beast blood splattered on your face and charging in? Did you think someone would clap because it looked cool? Total delusion. If you had a cut in your mouth, you’d be the only one to suffer. Hurry and take the neutralizer.”

“Agh, dammit.”

“Phew. Let me say this properly. Quit showing off by roaming around in light clothes in winter. Try to keep your hands out of your pockets on icy roads, and limit it to every four days. I’ll say it again, Void. Showing off will get you killed.”

“All right, just keep your voice down, please…”

Void, his ears flushed red, buried his face in his hands.

‘Phew, what a relief. They’re both safe.’

I slipped free from Grandfather’s arms and waved my hand quickly.

“Brothers!”

“Fairy.”

Liam rushed over, then paused. Only after spraying himself with disinfectant and taking off his blood-stained overcoat did he gather me up and sigh out a blocked breath.

“Next time, I’ll be sure to bring you its head.”

He spoke as if making a vow.

“…I don’t know if you mean a beast’s head or a human’s.”

“Either one.”

“Eh, I don’t want either!”

I heard in detail from my brothers what had happened.

At the same time, Mother and Father—who had been organizing the knights and the situation nearby—approached. Father wore a slightly startled expression at the sight of the blood smeared all over Liam’s clothes.

“Liam, that blood…”

“Oh my.”

Mother clapped a hand over her mouth.

Well.

The idea that the bookish Liam faced mages and magical beasts alone would naturally worry my parents…

“You didn’t get lost wandering in the cedar forest, did you?”

“He’s grown, that one.”

Clap, clap, clap.

Hmm, maybe not.

---

Khalid thought that he was thirsty.

‘Ah, maybe I used too much mana.’

He had exerted himself so as not to let Rubian be even slightly endangered.

As his vision began to blur, he shook his head and it cleared again.

“……”

He raised his head, searching for Rubian.

She was surrounded by her family. As always, she was in a place he could reach only with some effort.

Kal brushed the blood from his blade and dusted the dirt off his clothes and shoes. Just as he was about to approach Rubian in as neat a state as he could manage—

“Stop.”

Someone seized his shoulder. It was Licht.

“You… are you all right?”

He had thought all Licht could do was smile sheepishly, but now his gaze was furrowed with concern. Khalid looked into those sapphire eyes, using them as a mirror to check his own condition.

“This isn’t my blood, Your Highness.”

“That’s not it.”

Licht stared at the dried blood on Khalid’s clothing.

“I mean your condition.”

“…?”

“Your shadow.”

“What about it?”

“It seems off. Like the sensation I had back in Ipsen when we were kids… All of a sudden, it’s…”

It was something he couldn’t understand.

“Maybe I’m imagining things…”

Is he just trying to stop me from going to Rubian? If so, I can’t comply so easily.

Kal lightly brushed Licht’s hand away.

And without hesitation, he turned to go, but then, over the prince’s shoulder, he caught sight of the temple in the background.

“……”

To be precise, the ruined statue of the goddess, shattered and now being carried away by the people.

“Khalid?”

An indescribable emotion surged through him.

I hate you.

The voice that he thought had faded thundered inside his head.

His aggravating thirst only intensified, and his breath grew ragged.

In the blurred edges of his vision, he caught the silver hair of Rubian.

Do you want to protect that woman?

‘Shut up.’

You have the power to protect her.

‘I said, shut up.’

If you unleash my full power, everything will become so much easier. You know that, don’t you?

This bastard…

Kal gritted his teeth hard. Licht seemed to be saying something more, but it rang dimly in his ears as though submerged in water.

Make way for me. Blend with me again, just once more. Then, as in the old days, let me save you once again…

‘God, do you ever—’

Shut up, for once.

Khalid realized his patience was almost at its limit.

Worst of all, as this nameless power and voice grew stronger, he felt as if his consciousness kept flickering in and out.

This is the worst.

‘I have to do something.’

He tapped his head, and, prompted by a sudden thought, reached into his pocket.

He felt the familiar sensation of cool metal.

What should I do?

“Khalid, Licht? Come here!”

Just then, Rubian, who had been talking to her family, caught sight of him and the prince, and waved to them.

In that instant.

The moment Khalid made eye contact with Rubian.

‘Ah.’

He suddenly realized what it was he needed to do.

Leviathan had taught him: to defeat an enemy, first you have to know who your opponent is.

At the same time, Rosetta had told him what sort of resolve was needed to strike down an opponent—teaching him through the ancient Zevert family precepts.

“Blood for blood.”

Repay as you have suffered.

‘Very well.’

Khal gripped his fist tightly.

Let’s see who wins.

---

The portal was endlessly spewing Babylon Empire soldiers and Zevert knights. There were now as many of us as there had been golems.

While they reorganized their ranks, we picked a suitable place and quickly discussed our next plan.

“If—as my brothers suspect—the first target fled to the royal palace, they would have immediately sealed off every portal leading to the capital,” I said.

“Hmm. We should probably strike before the Mage King has a chance to grow any stronger… Is there no way to use teleportation magic or the like?” Mother asked as she tidied my hair, but Ideline, who had been listening in, shook his head.

“It would be difficult to move this many people. And if the portals are sealed, teleportation magic within the palace itself would almost certainly be blocked as well.”

We might have no choice but to travel by horse and acceleration artifacts, I was thinking, when a large shadow fell across me.

“If mana is the issue, what if I use my own to move at least as far as the outskirts of the capital?” Khalid said in his even tone, and I tilted my head up to gaze at his face.

“I could manage about a hundred people, I think.”

“Hmm. A hundred.”

Father stroked his chin, looking over the map Grandfather had brought.

Just as promised, Xenia and the children had made it. All the shortcuts and palace passages she knew were drawn on it, and Ideline filled in the parts that were missing as he watched her work.

Seizing the chance, I whispered to Khal.

“Khal, are you hurt anywhere?”

“No.”

A short reply.

‘…Huh.’

I’d expected he’d ask, ‘What about you?’

Just as I thought that, Khal tilted his head slightly toward me.

“Are you all right?”

‘Ah, he did ask.’

Feeling bashful, I scratched the back of my neck and nodded.

“Yeah. As you can see.”

“That’s a relief.”

Watching Khalid’s sharp jawline as he returned to facing forward, I blinked slowly.

‘What’s this? Why does he seem a bit unfamiliar…’