18 - The Youngest is Hiding a Lot
Episode 18
“Ugh!”
“Seriously, stop popping up while I’m eating…!”
Uncle stood up abruptly, looking genuinely annoyed.
No, wait, how could that door be pierced like paper…?
It was an incredibly thick and heavy door!
“Where is it!”
A voice like a beast roaring.
‘An angry lion!’
What appeared beyond the shattered door was an old man with snow-white hair. Piercing blue eyes. A wide-open mouth.
A wild beast had appeared!
‘Old Duke Zebert!’
A massive build. Towering height. Tough, thick skin and roughly swept-back white hair. He exuded an aura of intimidation as if standing before a mountain.
‘Ah, wasn’t he supposed to be recuperating from an illness?!’
How could a patient have such an imposing presence?
“Bring the new brat here!”
“Isn’t he right in front of you?”
“……”
Old Duke, who had been looking around, tilted his head down to look below.
His purple eyes reflected me, now clinging tightly to Uncle’s side.
Wow, those eyes. Seriously intense.
If Leviathan was like a well-honed blade, Old Duke felt like a large, heavy axe.
Either way, both were dangerous weapons…
“……”
“……H-hello?”
I greeted him cautiously.
Old Duke’s gaze narrowed slightly.
His eyes twitched. His lips slowly parted.
“What is this, a speck of dust…?”
“I’m not a speck of dust…”
“A talking speck of dust, then!”
“My name is Rubian… But did you just break down the door with your fist?”
I couldn’t help but ask. Steam was rising from Old Duke’s fist.
So, that loud noise from earlier was the sound of the front gate on the first floor being smashed?
“Hmm.”
At that moment, Old Duke lowered himself abruptly to meet my eyes. He stared at me intently for a while before reaching behind him.
“Bring it here!”
“Goodness, Balock.”
A gaunt man came running belatedly. He looked like Old Duke’s butler. In his hands, he held a large board.
“A little slower…”
“Give it here!”
The board was covered in incomprehensible height markings.
Old Duke snatched it and placed it next to me.
“What are you doing?”
“Hmm, barely above the level of a low-grade Magical beast.”
Did he just measure a child’s height based on Magical beast standards?
I stood there dumbfounded.
Just as I was about to retort, Old Duke crossed his arms and shouted.
“Rejected!”
“Pardon?”
“Speck of dust, you go back to the capital right now!”
“Hey, who do you think you are, Father…”
Leviathan, unable to watch any longer, stepped forward. But the arrow turned back to him.
“You scoundrel. I knew you were heartless, but I didn’t realize you were so devoid of character!”
Old Duke stood up abruptly and pointed a finger at his son.
“How can such a tiny speck of dust wield a sword?”
“I, I can fight too…”
“I told you to bring a decent knight or soldier, and you bring a child? Have you forgotten that there will be a Magical beast subjugation soon?”
An aged voice that rang sharply through the air.
Without realizing it, I gently grasped the hem of Uncle’s clothes.
“Lower your voice a little. Aren’t you scaring him?”
At that, Old Duke’s movements froze as if by magic.
Except for his lips, which were moving incessantly.
“……, …….”
“And don’t mumble so I can’t understand you.”
……He seems like a somewhat extreme and strange Grandfather.
“In any case, that won’t do!”
His stern gaze turned back to me. Feeling his rigid stare, a sense of crisis washed over me.
‘Am I going to get kicked out at this rate?’
The worry I had been harboring was becoming a reality.
Honestly, I had been a little careless because I didn’t have a big role in the original story… I had run into an unexpected obstacle!
‘I thought I would be accepted like the eldest and second sons, who were both welcomed without much resistance!’
I was too optimistic!
“It won’t work even if you look at me like that! You look like you’ll get crushed if you bump into anything!”
Uncle, who had hidden me behind him, said darkly.
“Ruby’s fate is not for you to decide, Father. Nor is the matter of the Knights.”
“What, you insolent…?”
“Besides, a decent knight or soldier, you say.”
A chilling laugh followed.
“I will not forgive you for treating this child like that, even if you are my father.”
“When did I ever treat this fluff ball like a soldier? I meant to entice someone useful to come!”
“The war has barely ended. Unless they’re completely mad about fighting, who would volunteer to come to this North?”
“So, you just bring a doll-like child?”
“That’s why Ruby is…”
“Ruby? Even the name is like him!”
“……Are you fond of him, or do you dislike him?”
Half in a panic, I barely heard their conversation. I was simply focused on the fact that the atmosphere was getting increasingly hostile.
“Don’t fight!”
I mustered my courage and stepped between them. I raised my head to look up at Old Duke’s face above me.
“Please don’t kick me out either… I have nowhere to go.”
Actually, I do have somewhere to go, but I don’t want to go! I don’t want to die either!
“You…”
“If being small is the problem, I’ll eat a lot and grow quickly. I won’t get crushed even if I bump into anything. Actually, I’m not that weak. You’ll be surprised when you actually see…”
At that moment, my vision shot upwards.
“Tsk, why are you scaring the child for no reason? How annoying.”
It was Uncle, who had picked me up and blocked Old Duke from view. Uncle clicked his tongue disapprovingly and stroked my back.
“Talking back to your father like that.”
Old Duke tried to kick Uncle’s shin with his foot. Of course, the hero didn’t fall so easily.
“You’ve been sick for a few days, but your strength doesn’t seem to be what it used to be.”
“What? Who spread the rumor that I’m sick!”
“Maurice, it seems Old Duke needs to recuperate further in the north annex, so escort him there.”
“You brat, are you ignoring your father?”
I cautiously turned my head.
It was the gaunt butler, trying to stop the dysfunctional father and son.
“Haha… I understand, so please both calm down. The castle will collapse.”
Old Duke’s butler, called Maurice, wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. He was soaked in cold sweat.
It seems like that butler is the one who needs to recuperate…
‘No, this isn’t the time for this!’
I made my decision.
In any case, Leviathan was currently the head of this duchy. So, the only person I could cling to was this Uncle.
“I’ll send him back right away…”
“No!”
Cling. I hugged Uncle’s neck tightly. His solid body stiffened in surprise.
“No, no matter what Old Duke says, I’m going to stay here!”
I shouted, squeezing my eyes shut.
It’s all or nothing!
“I’m going to live here! I don’t want to be separated from Uncle!”
“……”
Silence filled the air.
I felt a faint vibration from the body I was hugging.
I cautiously opened my eyes and saw that the corners of Uncle’s lips were twitching like crazy.
“Hmm.”
On the other hand, Old Duke tilted his head with an expression that was somehow refreshing.
“……Son.”
“Yes.”
“You have a speck of dust on you.”
A heavy hand pressed down on the back of my head.
“I know.”
“Have you ever seen such a seductive speck of dust?”
“I’m not a speck of dust…”
Having snapped, I tried to snap until the end, but I was simply ignored.
\ \ *
‘Wow. What is this?’
I awkwardly rolled my eyes around.
It was because of the uninvited guest who had barged into our cute and cozy snack time.
“You.”
Old Duke, who had plopped down in a seat on the sofa, gestured to me.
“Yes, sir.”
I sat across from him and straightened my back.
“You want to stay here that badly?”
“Y-yes…”
“Then show me your abilities.”
“Abilities?”
“Yes. Whether it’s physical strength, brute force, or whatever! To become a strong man of the North, you must prove your strength.”
Old Duke, sprawled out like a predator after a feast, said.
“Tell me what abilities you have!”
Abilities? Of course, that would be…
‘Mana!’
- I barely managed to stop myself from answering that.
“I have mental strength!”
At that, I thought I heard someone snicker somewhere.
“Hmm. Mental strength, you say.”
Old Duke stroked his beard-covered chin with a serious expression.
“That’s necessary too, I suppose. Good. Then immediately!”
Gulp. I felt strangely nervous.
“Finish your snack.”
“……Pardon?”
“Do you think I’m such a heartless old man?”
It seemed Old Duke had belatedly noticed the snack table.
He slammed the table with his fist, veins bulging!
“What you were eating!”
Bang!
“Once you’ve eaten it all!”
Bang!
“I’ll test you then and kick you out!”
Ah, so you’re kicking me out after all!
