31 - The Youngest is Hiding a Lot
31
Khalid and I met on the battlefield.
“Why are you tied up there?”
“…I don’t know.”
He was trapped alone in a cave in a deep, rugged mountain range.
That was before I even knew this was a world inside a novel. Therefore, I shouldn't have spoken carelessly to something that might be a high-level Demon, nor should I have reached out my hand.
“Do you want to get out?”
“……”
“Don’t you even know that?”
For some reason, it was hard to ignore him.
“If I say I want to get out, can I?”
“Yeah.”
I don't know how long he had been trapped, but he was very scruffy.
The shackles that bound his limbs were terribly rusted, and the mossy cave was dark and cold.
Khalid scoffed.
“Impossible. Do you know how complex the sealing formula on my shackles is…?”
“Maybe for you.”
“What?”
“Not for me.”
When I touched the iron bars blocking the entrance, I could clearly see the structure of the Barrier. It wasn't difficult to find the solution array that matched this structure.
My eyes were dyed a deep red.
“You……”
That's how we met.
Uh, so…….
‘Why did I automatically assume it was Khalid?’
I even had a flashback just now?
I let out a hollow breath.
Disappointing everyone's expectations, nothing was found at the scene of the explosion except the corpse of a Magical beast.
“A boy, you say?”
Grandfather rebuked the knight Uncle in an utterly dumbfounded tone.
“Well, that is… the smoke was so thick that I seem to have mistaken the shadow of a Magical beast…”
“Carrots, spinach, blueberries.”
“Pardon?”
“Good foods for the eyes. Include them in your meals.”
The knight's face twisted at the seemingly indifferent advice. At that moment, Grandfather slammed his fist on the armrest!
“If you missee again, I'll pluck them out! Your eyeballs!”
“Hiek, I’m sorry!”
The knight prostrated himself on the floor.
As if he had been diligently examining the scene, dirt and leaves fell from him. And with it…….
‘Huh? A squirrel!’
The small animal dangling from the sword hilt fell off and rolled to me. It climbed up my legs and settled on my knees.
Did it get attached from outside? Aww. So small. So cute.
“And what? You misfired the cannon?!”
Grandfather's thunderous voice once again split the barracks. This time, the soldier in charge of the cannon was sweating profusely as he made excuses.
“I, I’m sorry. The fuse suddenly lit on its own……. B-But something’s strange. No one lit it, but suddenly…!”
Crack. Everyone shut their mouths at the clear sound of grinding teeth.
“The guys guarding the castle walls not only made a mistake but are making excuses?”
Grandfather rolled up his sleeves and stood up. The shoulders of the knight Uncles lined up in a row flinched.
“Alright. I need to set the discipline straight today.”
Oh no, my Obron sunbaes are all going to die.
I stopped petting the squirrel and quickly clung to Grandfather's waist.
“Grandfather! Don’t get angry! It’s not good for your health!”
And that…….
“People can make mistakes!”
It might not be a mistake on these Uncles' part…….
“Aigoo, why are you hanging on so dangerously?”
Grandfather, who looked like he was about to pluck the knights' heads off, immediately softened his demeanor. I pleaded with the most earnest look I could muster.
“The cannon might have malfunctioned……. And thanks to that, the scary monsters were wiped out!”
“……My youngest…….”
The eyes of the knight Uncles watching were moist.
“So please, forgive them just this once…….”
The squirrel had already climbed up my arm and settled on the top of my head.
“Nee?”
Grandfather's eyes narrowed as he looked down at me.
“What… what kind of attack is this now!”
“Who’s attacking again? No one is.”
“Euaaak!”
Grandfather, his face flushed red, stretched out his arms as if he couldn't bear it any longer.
“Come here right now! Don’t dangle around like a squirrel!”
My view suddenly became higher. Perhaps startled by the sudden change in height, the squirrel rolled away again and disappeared somewhere.
Grandfather wore a slightly disappointed expression, but his gaze scrutinizing me did not stop.
“There was a reaaaally strong gust of wind earlier, are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m not weak enough to get hurt by that wind…….”
“Euing? Looking closely, the hairpin is crooked!”
“Oh, is it?”
“……Your hair was pulled out. I’ll kill those bastards…….”
Grandfather's aura became fierce again.
“Hair, hair grows back even if it’s pulled out! And the pin… if I do this, ta-da! Wow! Amazing! It’s nothing!”
The knight Uncles were so moved by my earnest gestures that they were now covering their mouths and sobbing.
Grandfather's gaze narrowed. I hugged his neck tightly.
“Hehe……. So please don’t get angry…….”
His large body heaved greatly, and then a cry burst out as if he couldn't help it.
“Obron!”
“Yes, Your Excellency. I will handle it well.”
Obron sunbae organized the knights with a stern face and took them out.
Thud, as the door closed, a long sigh escaped from Grandfather. He looked somehow tired.
“Alright, alright. Let’s go back. I shouldn’t have brought you to such a dangerous place.”
I smiled brightly, and Grandfather's thick fingertip tapped my nose.
“And I let them off this time.”
At the same time, very fast footsteps approached from outside.
“I can’t guarantee Leviathan will let those guys off the hook?”
The door burst open at the same time.
“For once, you speak the truth, Father.”
A hurried breath rang in my ears, and an arm reaching out from behind lifted me up.
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Hey, Uncle? L-Listen carefully. People make mistakes too…….”
“Hey. Our booger’s hair got pulled out.”
Grandfather snitched from behind like a sly fox.
Then, Uncle's eyes, which had been carefully examining me, shook greatly.
“Hoo.”
I sensed it.
Sorry, sunbaes. This Uncle's eyes have gone crazy.
I guess this is the end for me…….
It was already evening when I returned to Duchy Castle, having soothed and appeased the Duke who was on the verge of exploding.
As soon as I returned to the castle, Uncle not only thoroughly checked that I was safe, but also had me examined by the doctor who had returned from his business trip.
Then, as soon as he heard that I was okay, he went to the Knights Order like the wind. I promised not to scold the knight Uncles too much……. I hope they'll be okay?
“I heard there was a big incident at the castle walls today?”
Hazel said, drying my hair after I had washed up.
“Yeah. A Magical beast suddenly appeared…….”
“The maids were so surprised that they almost opened the underground tunnel, you know.”
Huh? Open what?
“The Lord was very worried too. He was furious, saying why did a Magical beast appear today of all days, even though he had thoroughly inspected the surrounding castle walls.”
“But it’s not like Magical beasts send a notice before attacking…….”
“Still. He can't help but worry.”
Hazel lightly arranged my fluffy, dry hair. I quickly dove into bed.
“I’ll come to get you when dinner is ready.”
“Okay!”
The door closed, and I buried my face in the blanket. As I stared blankly at the ceiling, the events of today naturally came to mind.
‘I need to make the watchtower bell into a Magic Tool. Then now…….’
I need someone who can do that. It's obvious, but I can't do it myself.
Various pieces of information floated up and disappeared repeatedly.
Watchtower bell, Magic Stone, Barrier…….
Tap.
Squirrel, blacksmith, doctor, herbalism, magic, magician…….
Tap tap!
“Huh? What’s that sound?”
I jumped up.
Tap tap tap!
It was the sound of something very small irregularly hitting the door.
Could it be…….
I carefully opened the door.
“Huh?”
Acorns were scattered haphazardly in front of the door. And a small creature stood in the middle of the empty hallway.
“Squirrel, you…….”
My eyes met its yellow eyes, which shone strangely in the darkness.
“Ah, wait!”
At that moment, the squirrel turned around and ran away. I chased after its tail as if possessed.
After passing through the empty hallway and down the narrow stairs, a small side door appeared.
As soon as I went out, I was outside.
“Huk, huk. Squirrel. I’m tired…….”
The place I finally arrived at was a garden inside the Duchy Castle that I had never been to before. In fact, it was more like a small forest than a garden.
‘I didn’t know there was a place like this.’
It seemed to be a place not frequented by people because it was far from the main castle.
The night sky was reflected like a mirror in the sparkling artificial lake. Large, beautiful trees surrounded it.
Dodo do.
The squirrel ran at a fast pace.
It climbed onto someone's body and settled on top of their black head.
“You…….”
I stopped dead in my tracks.
“……I knew it.”
The boy didn't even turn his head, he just stroked the head of the wolfdog sleeping near him.
“That explosion earlier was you too, right?”
Several cats were purring around him. A snow-white rabbit, a slender deer, an owl sitting on a tree and shining its eyes, and a sweetfish swirling out of the water with a splash.
“Hello, Master.”
The boy, sitting in the middle of the animal farm, turned his head.
