47 - The Youngest is Hiding a Lot
Episode 47
A strange space surrounded by high fences and towering evergreen trees that seemed to guard it.
“Ah… that’s…”
Void looked incredibly troubled.
“…The Nameless Zeberth's Garden.”
“What…”
I stopped myself from asking again.
Nameless Zeberth.
The meaning was clear.
‘Leviathan Uncle’s baby’s grave.’
I tiptoed and peeked through the fence. Far away, bright sunlight shone on a black tombstone.
“There are flowers. Was it Uncle?”
“Father… never comes to this grave. It’s probably Grandfather.”
“Why doesn’t Uncle come?”
“I don’t know.”
He hasn’t fully recovered from the pain yet.
I blankly thought.
Well. Adults aren’t invincible either.
“Gasp, the Gravekeeper is coming! It’ll be a pain if we get caught.”
“Why, why?”
“She’s a Witch. There’s a rumor that she doesn’t talk to anyone and eats children who come to the Memorial Garden.”
“Ehhh.”
Anyone could tell that he was spreading false rumors to keep you from coming here.
The woman with long brown hair, wearing a gray robe pulled low, was approaching with a scythe in one hand. She looked somehow eerie.
“Let’s go, Ruby! Hurry and get on my back.”
“Okay.”
I took one last look at the small tombstone.
“……”
My hand automatically went to the pin in my side hair.
‘Just a little… just a little.’
I didn’t even know what I wanted to say, but I just prayed inwardly.
The black tombstone stretched out like a shadow, as if constantly grabbing my ankles.
As soon as I returned to the mansion after the field practice, I was summoned by Uncle and Grandfather. Of course, Void was with me too.
“Wow! Waaaaaah!”
As soon as he entered the reception room, Void was frolicking like a colt.
Grandfather puffed out his chest, “Hmph.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yeeeees!”
A gleaming, sparkling sword. The sword, studded with small blue jewels, seemed to have captured Void’s heart.
“What about you, you little booger?”
“……”
I was momentarily speechless.
Because I saw the sword in front of me.
So… this is mine?
“Oh, this. Oh… so.”
I repeated the same words like an idiot. Because this is.
‘The Sword of Zeberth passed down in the House of Zeberth!’
It looked a little old and rougher than Void’s, but the mysterious aura that surrounded it in blue made it feel incredibly powerful.
The Zeberth family crest engraved on the handle.
A meticulously crafted lion emblem and a large red jewel embedded in the center.
“Oh… this, oh. So why to me?”
“Whatever I make, it’s never good enough. Tsk. I’m still lacking.”
Grandfather seemed genuinely hurt in his pride.
“But… a treasure? To me?”
Doesn’t the head of the family usually use this? Something like this?!
I turned to look at Uncle, but the great head of the family just tilted his head nonchalantly. What is it? That look of satisfaction.
“There’s a separate sword for the head of the family. Well, if you want to be exact, it’s a sword passed down to the official successor.”
Then why to me.
“Eing, what’s so important about that? You can’t just stick to traditions these days. You have to use what suits each person!”
Said the Zeberth’s old fart…
“Keep it safe and use it well? It’s dangerous, so don’t keep it too close right now. Okay?”
Listening to Grandfather’s nagging, I stared shyly at the Sword of Zeberth placed on the table.
It was said to be a sword passed down to the successor, but it was definitely smaller than the sword Uncle was using.
As I sat there blankly, speechless, Uncle said in a stern voice.
“Both of you must manage it responsibly. Understand?”
“Yes! Father!”
Void seemed to have already fallen in love with his sword.
“Look at it every day, polish it well, and sometimes dry it in a sunny place. It’s not just a matter of keeping it with you.”
A pet… no, a pet sword?
“Yes, yes! I’ll keep that in mind!”
“Ruby, what about you?”
“Yeeees……”
I couldn’t keep up with these idiots any longer, so I just answered.
Well, I’ll just keep it safe for now and return it later.
“Grandfather, I want to train right away! I’ll become a cool man worthy of this sword!”
“What! You’re saying something I like for once! Bring Cal, too!”
“Yes!”
Void and Grandfather, who had matched up for the first time in a while, disappeared like the wind.
I stared at their backs and leaned back in my chair.
Uncle glanced at my face.
“You don’t seem to like it. It’s a bit old, but it’s quite precious.”
Wow. I was dumbfounded.
“It’s not a matter of liking it or not, it’s why you’re so quick to give such a precious thing to someone else…”
“Why are you someone else?”
Uncle unfolded his arms and leaned towards me. Soon, a low voice flowed.
“You’re going to receive Zebet's Castle.”
Ah.
I was seized by a very novel feeling and slowly blinked my eyes.
“Not true?”
“Y-yes…”
That’s how it works.
Well, that’s right.
Becoming the real youngest member of this house means receiving Zebet's Castle, and that means becoming a real family with Leviathan Uncle…
‘Huh? Wait a minute.’
Suddenly… it really hits me…
I was seized by an unknown feeling. The sword on the table felt completely different in weight and volume than before. The black, small tombstone I saw in the Memorial Garden kept strangely flickering in my mind.
Really, suddenly.
“The title, too, Ruby.”
“Huh?”
“How about trying to change it soon?”
Leviathan Uncle said, casually crossing his long legs. A strange anticipation was in his handsome face.
So that’s…
‘Does he mean… to call him Father?’
I tried to ignore the rising discomfort and slowly nodded.
Well, a title is just a title.
It shouldn’t be too difficult, right?
“Ah……”
“Ah?”
“Ah……”
Uncle’s eyebrows twitched at the continuous ah-ah-ah trio.
“Ah?”
“Ah… the night pie is delicious!”
At the words that came out randomly, Uncle gestured slightly at the table.
“There isn’t any?”
I quickly added.
“The one I ate yesterday!”
“Ruby.”
Sheesh. Why am I like this, really.
Something seemed to be stuck in my throat, and I couldn’t speak properly. Because of that, my head was already turning white.
Unable to endure any longer, I jumped up from my seat.
“Sorry, U-”
-ncle. The mouth that was about to say that snapped shut.
‘This is a disaster.’
Now I can’t even say Uncle!
I was the one who was more embarrassed by the sudden output failure.
“I… I’m busy, so I’ll be going!”
Whoosh.
I know I shouldn’t do this, but I left the dumbfounded Duke and ran away from the reception room.
What do I do! I can’t speak!
Someone, please fix me!
My strange behavior didn’t stop there.
“Ah!”
“……”
“……Want to eat bread?”
“I’ll eat it if there is any.”
Saying that to Uncle, who was sitting behind a pile of documents.
“Ruby, where are you going?”
“Yeah! Ah!”
“……”
“I have to hurry! Sorry!”
And running away in a hurry.
“Good morning! Ah!”
“……”
“Tadaaam. It’s a new pin.”
Showing off the butterfly-shaped pin I put in my hair… (It was the worst.)
Because of that, Uncle had no choice but to find Borbel, the famous doctor of the North.
“I think my youngest is broken.”
Fix her.
Uncle, who grabbed me by the side and suddenly stormed into the doctor’s office, ordered like a gangster.
