44 - The Youngest is Hiding a Lot
Chapter 44
"Of course, isn't it good?"
It was almost surprising that he had hesitated so much to say those words.
'I said I wanted to be the youngest first!'
Had he completely forgotten? Or did he really think I wouldn't like living in the North and would run away?
'I know roughly what Rosetta and Liam are like in the original story.'
Of course, I wasn't sure they would welcome me...
'It's okay, I can make a good impression.'
I had no reason to hesitate.
Uncle Leviathan let out a long breath as if exhaling a blocked breath. His broad shoulders, which had been stiff, visibly relaxed.
"You were so nervous just to ask that?"
How unlike him.
"Just that?"
Uncle Leviathan tapped my nose with a pale face.
"It's the most important thing."
Clatter, clatter, clatter. At that moment, there was a loud sound of dishes clashing from the side. I turned to see Hazel moving a tray with tears and snot running down her face.
"H-Hazel?"
"Heuhng. Thank goodness, thank goodness..."
Hazel couldn't even finish her sentence.
Other maids nearby awkwardly laughed, saying, "Oh my, look at her," and chopped Hazel's nape with the edge of their hands.
Isn't that a vital point?
But the super-powered maid just wiped away her tears and replaced the messed-up cake plate, unfazed. Butler Adolf, who was watching, also wore a pleased smile.
"Hehe."
I couldn't help but laugh.
Is everyone so happy that I said I would stay here? So much that their faces brighten up like that? Will other people be happy too?
'Void, Grandfather, the chef, Butler Maurice, the knight seniors...'
As I counted in my head, excitedly ticking off my fingers, my arm suddenly dropped.
"..."
"Ruby? What's wrong?"
Leviathan, sitting across from me, squeezed my cheek and asked.
"You've got that pouty face again."
It was because I realized how many people there were.
The number of people I had lied to.
And all of those people were so nice...
"You're not going to shut your mouth again, are you?"
"Uwaah, noo."
"Ugly duck lips."
It stung my heart very, very much.
Uncle Leviathan chuckled and pulled me into a tight hug. In that warm embrace, I thought.
'It's okay.'
It's okay.
Don't panic.
I'm good at hiding things, so I can hide this feeling too.
'Barrier... I need to hurry!'
The only way to resolve this heavy guilt was that. To protect the people who liked me with my own hands.
"Your crown is warm again."
To protect this Uncle Leviathan.
I nestled into the safe and solid embrace and quietly covered the top of my head.
"You're not going to cause trouble."
"We'll see."
The purple eyes looking at me were as gentle and warm as ever.
\ \ \
Cal Khalid walked along the ramparts.
"You're here again today?"
"Yeah, well."
"You little rascal, why are you working so hard?"
Large knights playfully ruffled the boy's hair. Khalid awkwardly stiffened his expression and smoothed his hair.
'Are all Northerners like this?'
Not only did they nonchalantly cross the line, but they also naturally pulled you into their line as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
To be honest, it wasn't welcome.
'If it weren't for Ruby...'
I would have quit and run away a long time ago.
"Look at this kid's eyes. Am I going to get hip-thrown like Delmon? Huh?"
"Oh, scary. I almost thought he was a Magical beast and tried to subdue him."
"...Aren't you going?"
Khalid ignored the knights who were teasing him and laughing and headed towards the ramparts.
There was always a subtle tension hanging in the air on the ramparts. Even the knights who were exchanging silly jokes would unknowingly stiffen their bodies when they came here.
'That's the 'bell'.'
Khalid thought as he looked at the tall watchtower.
"What is this Magic Stone?"
"Barrier Stone! We're going to make it into a Magic Tool and plant it in the ramparts."
"You're going to create a Barrier on Zellox?"
"Yeah! So we can stop anyone who comes here with bad intentions!"
Was she going to run away as soon as a Tracking Wizard was detected?
'It's too much for that.'
Besides, if she wasn't careful, it would be like advertising that there was a wizard here.
'It wouldn't matter if it was usually deactivated... but there's no way Ruby doesn't know that.'
Khalid stopped walking.
Ah, so this Barrier has another purpose.
"Cal, can you go around the ramparts and see if there are any bells that need repair?"
"You're going to make the bell itself into a Magic Tool? But where are you going to make it?"
"I have my ways~"
Of course, she would.
The boy stopped speculating. He couldn't possibly guess all of Rubian's thoughts, and if something happened, he just had to protect her.
So, for now, he should help her achieve what she wanted to do.
Cal sighed deeply and climbed the watchtower to inspect the bell. It looked very shiny and didn't seem to need any repairs.
'I'll have to get the animals to move around at night and cause some cracks.'
The boy thought listlessly as he fiddled with the bracelet on his wrist.
\ \ \
Bang!
Rubian kicked open the door of the smithy.
"Uncle! I've come to pick out pretty pieces of metal!"
Cal, who was following behind, quietly closed the door she had kicked open.
"Oh, you've finally come."
The blacksmith, Maddox, who had been tapping the floor with a hammer, stood up. A hint of welcome crossed his bored face.
"You know, you have to keep it a secret... Uncle and Grandfather hate it because it's dangerous, so I can't come if I get caught..."
Rubian shyly approached and whispered, twisting her body. Maddox's body awkwardly bent over.
"Actually, I really like it... weapons."
At Rubian's whisper, as she covered her lips with the edge of her hand, the blacksmith's bronze arm muscles twitched.
"Cal."
Twitch.
"Shield."
Flex.
"And stuff like that."
Madness flashed in Maddox's eyes for a moment.
"Ha! Can I file a complaint with the capital? A growing child should be playing in a smithy full of dreams and hopes, not just studying in a gloomy castle!"
He's crazy. About weapons.
Khalid thought indifferently as he scanned the surroundings.
It was a huge smithy.
Rubian's Magic Stone shop was right next door. She must have come out under the guise of stopping by the Magic Stone shop again today.
"Quenching! And? Pouring molten metal too!"
"Hehe, I don't want to do that."
Rubian awkwardly smiled and waved her hand.
"Anyway, I'll play over there today!"
The place her round fingertips pointed to was a small workshop where finishing work was done on weapons.
"Then I have no choice but to join you..."
"Huh? Aren't you busy, Uncle?"
"Can't you tell by the flies buzzing around... Heok."
At that moment, Rubian stretched out her hand towards Maddox. In her small hand, she held a scroll securely.
The eyebrows of Khalid, who was watching from behind, twitched.
"T-This is...!"
"Yes, a new blueprint. A gift and a bribe!"
"Why would you give me a gift and a bribe...?"
"Um. Because you keep it a secret that I'm playing here?"
"I will serve you with faith until the end."
No sooner had Rubian smiled than the blacksmith hurriedly accepted the scroll. Exclamations burst from his mouth as he busily scanned the blueprint.
"Heo, heo... This blueprint... you're using this calculation to find the balance? You're using this material like this and that, ha, as expected... Huh? But..."
Maddox frowned.
"The important content isn't visible... Ru, Ruby? Don't tell me."
"Yes. It seems that the important content is written with glow-in-the-dark paint so that no one can see it."
"Then... does that mean I have to look at this blueprint alone in a dark basement?"
"Heok, your face is boiling with blood right now."
"It's at the level of a blast furnace."
Maddox's eyes gleamed with desire.
"But Ruby, where do you get these things?"
"Him!"
Rubian jerked her body back and pointed to Khalid, who was standing behind her.
Meeting her bright smile, Khalid quietly averted his gaze.
"Are you talking about that Arrowhead-like boy who's been standing there like a wall, glancing at Ruby's face since earlier?"
"..."
That crazy bastard.
"Correction. His eyes are like a bastard sword. Be careful."
The blacksmith clutched the blueprint to his chest and cowered.
"Hehe. He has several blueprints that he received as payment for working in the past! Right, Cal?"
Rubian stepped hard on Khalid's toes. He casually matched her tone and replied.
"Well. I got them traveling through various countries."
"Ah. This young brat is the blueprint supplier..."
Maddox narrowed his eyes and rummaged through something with a crash. Then he took out a red dye and poured it all over the floor.
"I will serve him with the utmost care as well. Here. This is the way to the workshop."
Is this a red carpet? Rubian muttered in a slightly disgusted voice.
