26 - The Youngest is Hiding a Lot
Chapter 26
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I came back from my outing and immediately dove onto the bed.
“Phew… That was a good shopping trip.”
“Oh my, you bought a lot of things?”
Hazel’s eyes widened as she watched the boxes being carried in one after another.
“Yeah. Take a look!”
“This looks like a Magic Stone… What’s this?”
“Ah, it’s herbs!”
I ran over to Hazel and explained the herbs I had bought.
After the ore store, I went to the herb store. Thanks to having planned my route in advance with a map, I achieved all my goals.
In particular, this place had many types of herbs that grew even in winter, so it was a lot of fun to look around!
“There are seeds too?”
“They said I could plant them when it gets warmer.”
“The Old Duke said that?”
“Yeah!”
Uncle kept asking me if I needed anything else, if there was anything I wanted.
Thanks to that, I got everything I wanted… But suddenly, I was worried that Uncle had spent too much money today.
No, no. They say even if a rich person goes bankrupt, three generations will be fine.
‘But I should refrain from asking him to buy me things now.’
Not that there’s anything else I need to buy anyway. …Maybe?
“But what about clothes? Is this all you got?”
Hazel pointed to the twenty boxes with a slightly dissatisfied look.
“All…?”
Did I choose the wrong word?
When we returned to the clothing store, there were more than twenty finished dresses. I was shocked, but Uncle’s reaction was just like Hazel’s.
“It can’t be helped. I’ll order more from Evelyn.”
What’s lacking?
“We can order more when Evelyn comes!”
Hazel clapped her hands and added cheerfully.
I have a lot to say, but I won’t…
I pushed the clothes boxes aside and opened the herb boxes to check their condition.
Hmm, fresh and green. Good, good.
“Hazel, could you cut this cloth for me?”
“Cloth?”
“Yeah. I have a use for it…”
Then Hazel exclaimed in delight.
“Are you going to make the ointment you made for the knights?”
“Uh-huh. Something similar.”
I squatted in front of the box and picked out some herbs.
“Anyway, cut the cloth for me.”
“I will! I’m good at cutting.”
Her dense muscles twitched excitedly.
At this point, I became curious about Hazel’s past, but I decided to leave it buried.
“With scissors, gently.”
“They’re both blades, so they’re the same.”
I should also give up on entrusting Hazel with my hair!
“What size should I cut it to?”
“About this size. Enough to wrap around a knee.”
“Knee?” she asked quietly, and I nodded.
“Yes, leave it to me.”
After asking her to bring some more tools, I carefully selected the herbs.
The fresh scent filled the room.
\ \ \
North Annex. Balock’s bedroom.
Butler Maurice closed the window with a thud.
Before they knew it, it was a dark night outside.
Faint smoke filled the room. It was Medicated Smoke that had a pain-relieving effect.
“…Did the snot-nose go in well?”
A low, sunken voice was heard from the dimly lit bedroom. It was Balock, sitting diagonally on the wide bed.
Because the lights weren’t properly turned on, he looked like a black mountain.
“Yes. He ate well and is resting.”
“Hmph, did he take the allowance pouch with him?”
“He seemed burdened to drag it along, but yes, he liked it.”
Maurice recalled the child’s face turning blue when he handed him the money pouch.
“Tsk tsk. He even stopped by the herb store, so why didn’t he buy that store? He’s got such small hands, like a bean.”
“Most eight-year-olds don’t own several stores, Your Excellency.”
“Then?”
Maurice hesitated for a moment before answering.
“Well, maybe one or two…?”
Thinking of the fluffy silver hair, the corners of his lips loosened.
Those admirable eyes that seemed to be watching, yet never intimidated.
When he faced them, he kept wanting to take care of something.
“Well, Rubian could have three or four more, though.”
“Right? See! One store isn’t enough!”
Balock tried to jump up, but he stifled a groan.
“Ugh.”
Damn body. Damn it. Damn it.
Rough curses followed.
Deep worry settled on the face of his longtime aide.
“…Your Excellency, stop being stubborn and get a doctor’s examination…”
“Shut up. It doesn’t hurt at all.”
“But I heard you lost your balance and fell earlier.”
“I said shut up!”
The air currents fluctuated greatly.
Clang! Unable to withstand the violent energy, the lamp’s glass shattered. The window shook violently.
Black, undulating Aura.
Maurice wiped away sweat and stepped back.
“…I understand, please calm down. I overstepped.”
Balock threw the blanket over himself and sprawled out.
“Damn body. Can’t even catch that little fluff…”
Listening to the self-reproach mixed with deep-seated anger, Maurice cleaned up the broken lamp.
“Get out. I want to sleep.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
Thud. Maurice quietly closed the door.
In his youth, Balrock Zebert was a knight more robust than anyone else. But he had problems using his legs due to injuries sustained in battle.
He was usually fine, but there was no real medicine for the pain that came up like a seizure. The pain that started in his leg usually spread throughout his body.
He didn’t show it much, but the frequency had also been increasing recently.
‘I think he fell today because he stepped on his injured leg wrong.’
That seemed to have properly touched the stubborn old man’s pride.
‘Haa, what should I do?’
Balock still couldn’t accept his weakened body.
He couldn’t even participate in the war against the demons because of his injury, so how humiliating that must be for a knight of the North.
Because of that, Balock also developed a weak victim complex. Staying in a remote annex on purpose and treating others harshly was also a smokescreen to hide his weaknesses.
“Butler?”
Maurice stopped as he was going down the stairs.
“…Rubian?”
It was because a child was standing in the annex lobby.
“How did you get here? It must have been a difficult journey from the main building.”
“Hazel brought me!”
A clear voice permeated the dark room like light.
Maurice silently glanced at Hazel, who was standing behind Rubian.
Whether she had already fallen completely for the little child, the masked mercenary, once called a legend, slyly averted her gaze.
“Is the Old Duke asleep?”
“Yes, he is resting. I think you should go back today…”
“Can’t I see him for a moment?”
Maurice hesitated.
Balock’s mood was the worst. Not to mention his physical condition.
‘I don’t think he wants that child to see it…’
I should say it’s difficult…
“It’ll only be a moment!”
Sparkling eyes.
“Please!”
“…Then I will go in with you.”
If he turns his eyes and starts yelling, I’ll have to take him out right away.
Maurice led Rubian to the bedroom.
Creak. The door opened carefully.
Even breathing could be heard inside.
Balock seemed to have fallen asleep in the meantime, as if he really wasn’t feeling well.
“Shhh.”
Rubian put a finger to his lips with a determined face as he crossed the doorway.
Maurice stared silently down at the round head with its silvery sheen.
…Indeed, three or four stores are not enough, of course.
The child crept closer to the bed and took something out on the floor.
“What is that?”
“Oh, it’s something with ointment on it. It’s really cool and nice when you put it on. I made it with the herbs I bought today, so I don’t know if it will work well.”
Thin cloth with greenish ointment applied.
‘Come to think of it, I heard he was the son of a healer…’
Maurice quietly watched what the child was doing.
Carefully climbing onto the bed and rolling up Balock’s pants. And then he fiddled for a long time.
Balock, who was kicking the blanket and sleeping, was just making a “poo-ooo” sound.
“Did you know that His Excellency’s knees are not good?”
“Yes.”
“How on earth…”
