27 - The Youngest is Hiding a Lot
27
Did Hazel tell him?
“Your footsteps. The sound of your heel hitting the floor was different. It sounded like you were dragging one leg slightly…”
“……”
“And earlier, when avoiding the carriage in the village, you swayed to the right.”
Chop chop. The hands wrapping the cloth were very skillful.
“So, I thought your leg might be hurting.”
Heh, Maurice couldn’t help but sigh.
“It hurts more if you keep enduring it.”
“……”
“Gasp, your knee is so hot.”
The child, who had been gently touching it with one finger, frowned.
Rubian, who had been fanning him, lowered herself closer to the bed, as if she couldn’t stand it.
Then, she pursed her lips and blew on Balock’s knee, hoooo.
As if cooling the heat, her tender breath touched his wound.
Maurice bit the inside of his cheek tightly.
Could Balock’s heart, which had been frozen solid, melt with that tender breath?
‘I can see your lips trembling, Your Excellency.’
He stared at Balock’s face, writhing in the darkness.
In decades, he had only seen Balock cry twice.
Once when his wife passed away.
And once when his granddaughter was born dead.
It was something that left a scar on everyone.
His son collapsed, and his daughter-in-law lost her health. Then, the Dark Creature invaded. Balock wanted to join the war in place of his son, who was in despair. But his body wouldn’t listen.
A useless body.
Balock’s catchphrase started from then on.
“Even though I made it really big, it’s not enough…”
The cloth was a little short to cover Balock’s broad leg completely.
Rubian looked at her small hands and Balock’s large body alternately with a dissatisfied face. Eventually, a small murmur escaped her lips.
“I wish I was this strong too.”
“……”
Unable to bear it any longer, Balock raised his head. He stared at the back of the child’s head with narrowed eyes.
His gaze was calm and lasted for a long time.
\ \ \
Several days passed.
I was having quite peaceful days.
‘Hmm, no one’s here, right?’
Inside the room, outside the door, all checked.
I went to one side of the room and took out a purple Magic Stone. The Magic Stones were individually packaged in luxurious boxes.
‘Alright.’
I moved my magic power and held the Magic Stone.
Light permeated the purple stone, and the light briefly flared before disappearing.
The power of the Barrier Stone had been activated.
Now, I need to implant this into a suitable Magic Tool…
Making a Magic Tool was a more complicated task than activating a Magic Stone.
‘I also need space to deploy the Magic Circle.’
There would probably be flashes of light and gusts of wind, so it would be difficult in the bedroom.
‘Let’s think about the later stuff later.’
Right now, it’s time to process the mountain of Magic Stones!
‘More than that…….’
Knock knock knock!
Just as angry footsteps seemed to be getting closer.
Eventually, a knock rang out.
I sighed briefly, hastily tidied up the Magic Stones, and neatly decorated them on one of the window frames.
This way, I’ll just look like a Magic Stone maniac…
“At least he doesn’t break down the door anymore.”
Is that a relief?
“Eat this!”
I stared blankly at the snacks piled up in front of me.
“What is this?”
Why am I being dragged to the dining room and sitting on Old Duke’s lap?
“Can’t you tell by looking? These are the things you like.”
Strawberry milk, strawberry cake, strawberry cream bread, strawberry pudding, strawberry candy, strawberry… strawberry…
I think I’m about to have a strawberry gestalt collapse. I looked up at Old Duke with a fed-up face. A strawberry tart was already in my hand.
Huh, when did I grab it!
“Oh, you’re eating well.”
Old Duke smiled contentedly as I bit into it as if possessed.
“Why, why are you doing this to me…”
“Will you look at my knee again if you eat it all?”
Ah, is this a bribe?
Old Duke’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Will you hooo hooo on it again, making it ticklish?”
“Eek!”
I covered my ears.
Hooo hooo!
Even though the tart I dropped dirtied Old Duke’s feet, he just laughed loudly.
“Stop teasing me!”
“You adorable little booger!”
He had no idea that Old Duke was awake that night.
‘I was trying to hide that I used healing magic!’
I pointed my finger at Old Duke’s knee and infused a little, just a little, magic power.
Just enough to relieve the pain, without being obvious.
I blew on it to cover up the feeling of magic power permeating his body!
“Ouch, my knee seems to hurt again. Would our genius pharmacist take a look?”
“……Ugh!”
I felt like I had only created more fodder for teasing.
I pabababang hit Old Duke’s shoulder. Of course, his rock-like body didn’t budge.
“Give me back my ointment patch!”
“That won’t do! It’s bad to give and then take away.”
“Then let me go! I don’t want to eat any more strawberries. I’m busy!”
“That’s even more out of the question!”
Eubeubeu. Old Duke rubbed his fluffy beard all over my cheek.
Ugh, annoying!
It was better when he threatened to kick me out. No, was that ointment that good? Enough to turn a stubborn old man into a fool for his granddaughter?
“Ouch, it stings, Old Duke!”
“Old Duke, my foot! How impersonal!”
“Huh?”
“Are you my adjutant? Just call me Grandfather!”
No, since when was there affection between us?
But I couldn’t stand the beard attack any longer.
“Okay, okay! Grandfather!”
“Ehehehehe!”
A burst of laughter that made my ears ring erupted. His loosened eyes turned to me.
“Now, eat! You have to eat a lot to become as strong as your grandpa!”
“Ugh……”
“What on earth is going on here?”
Leviathan stopped in his tracks as he entered the dining room.
“It seems like it’s starting again, Father. I’m busy, so I’ll eat separately today…”
Void quickly ran away with a disgusted look on his face.
That’s right. From some point on, Old Duke, no, Grandfather, had often joined us for meals.
I reached out to Uncle pitifully.
“Save, save me…!”
Save me! I think I’m going to die buried in the beard of the strawberry maniac Grandfather!
\ \ \
An island in the middle of the sea.
The kingdom of wizards, Arcadia.
“Ah, the seventh. My baby.”
In a place where white pillars stretched endlessly, a man in a white priestly robe burst into mournful tears.
Around the throne where he sat askew, people in white clothes were lined up in the same way.
“Your Majesty.”
“It left my arms again… It left again…”
His voice was filled with sorrow.
After sobbing like that for a while, the king, who had long hair tied back like snow-white hair, barely managed to get up.
The beautiful man, who felt sensitive, raised his dry face as if he had never cried.
“But isn’t it fortunate? This time, it left wearing a body.”
“……”
“A body leaves traces.”
Um, yes. That’s right.
The king nodded, answering himself. A long smile hung on his smooth lips.
“It’s okay, I’ll find it soon. As long as it’s here… Originally, children rebel and grow up like that. Then, then.”
His dry finger moved quickly.
Shadows wearing masks rose from the floor.
“Dispatch more Tracking Wizard to the continent. Be sure to bring back my child.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“To call back the great Black-Robed Wizard, that child’s power is absolutely necessary… Absolutely…”
The king’s eyes shone coldly.
He thought for a moment and added.
“It’s a smart child, so it must be hiding everything. Don’t care about age or gender, search the entire continent like you’re catching mice.”
“Understood.”
The king called out to the child once more.
Ah, my beloved child.
I want to see your noble silver hair and eyes redder than blood again soon… The Archmage who inherited the Wisdom of Wijeria, the jewel I stole, be sure to find my seventh…”
