48 - The Youngest is Hiding a Lot
48
“Rubian?”
“Hello, Borbel-sensei.”
I gave a mechanical smile and bowed politely. To be honest, I was half out of it.
Borbel went, “Hmm?” and sat me down on a chair.
“Are you ill?”
“No. I’m very, very, extremely healthy.”
I ran around the Mini Training Ground three times today, you know.
It’s just that I’ve contracted a disease that prevents me from calling the Duke by any title whatsoever.
Is it incurable? Is this the end for me?
Borbel examined me closely.
“Hmm, you seem fine to me.”
Then Uncle snorted.
“That can’t be. Now, look here. Rubian, who am I?”
I stared at the man in front of me with hazy eyes.
“Ah!”
“……”
“……”
My mouth hung open in a perfect circle, and I froze.
I had no more repertoire to deflect the situation. Seeing my state, Uncle pinched his forehead in dismay.
“See? I’ve lost everything. Now I’m just an exclamation.”
“Haha.”
I heard that news of my adoption was quite the hot topic among the servants these days. Borbel must have heard the rumors too, as he smiled as if he understood the situation roughly.
“Well… I think it’s a matter of time…”
Will I really get better with time, Sensei?
I awkwardly raised the corners of my lips into a smile.
Just then, Adolf, the butler, who had been fidgeting outside, approached.
“Your Excellency, you should be leaving soon. You have a mountain of things to review by today…”
“Haa.”
The Duke, who was the cause of the wrinkles between Uncle’s eyebrows, got up unsteadily.
I felt sorry for causing Uncle’s brow to furrow, so I waved my hand timidly.
“Goodbye… Make lots of money…”
Uncle stared at my face and muttered like a ghost.
“Really. I wish I could turn back time.”
The moment the door closed, I finally relaxed the awkward smile on my face.
“You’re having trouble saying ‘Father’?”
Borbel asked, looking at me. I was a little drained and nodded weakly.
“Yes.”
What’s the big deal about a title?
Of course… I had hardly ever said the words “Mom” or “Dad” in either my past or present life.
‘In my past life, I was abandoned twice before the title could even change…’
I did call the Magic King “Father,” but it was just a soulless title.
“Hwaang. I’m such an idiot!”
I buried my face in the table.
I was more dejected than anyone at my inability to do as I pleased. More than anything, it was hardest to see the look of disappointment on Uncle’s face.
“Sensei, can I get better?”
At my earnest question, Borbel tilted his eyebrows.
“Of course.”
“How…?”
“Stop thinking that you absolutely have to call him that.”
“Huh?”
“Then won’t it come out naturally?”
Is Borbel the type to just live as things come?
I laughed at his somehow bland advice, and Borbel laughed along.
“Or perhaps a problem in Rubian’s heart is becoming an obstacle.”
“A problem in my heart?”
“Do you perhaps have any worries or secrets that you haven’t shared?”
Um… I have a lot?
Borbel narrowed his eyes at my silence and smiled softly.
“Of course, you can tell me.”
“Oh, I’ll pass.”
“……”
Ah, I didn’t mean to think that out loud.
I awkwardly tried to take back my words.
“Oh, I don’t have any! Worries or secrets. I don’t have any!”
“Aha. Then that’s a relief.”
Borbel stroked my head a couple of times and took out a jelly full of energy from his drawer. He glanced at his watch and stood up.
“Shall we go to the study then? It’s almost time for class.”
“Hot, yep!”
That was the most welcome sound I’d heard all day.
When my head was complicated, it was better to focus my mind elsewhere.
‘Yeah, maybe it just needs time.’
I thought calmly and prayed that my awful disease would get better soon.
\ \ *
Unfortunately, my disease did not get better easily.
Spin, spin.
I was squatting in a corner of the Mini Training Ground.
I had succeeded in running three and a half laps for the first time and even received praise from my seniors, but I wasn’t happy at all.
‘I want to brag to Uncle.’
To do that, I have to call him.
Uncle or Father.
But it was frustrating that it wouldn’t come out smoothly, as if there was a big lump stuck in my throat.
“Really! What’s the big deal about a title!”
I said I’d become a normal kid, Rubian!
A normal kid wouldn’t be awkward about calling their father that!
“What even is normal in the first place!”
I was overwhelmed by the sound of my own heart.
Spin, spin. My index finger diligently dug into the dirt floor.
Just then, a large shadow fell behind me.
“Oh, our little booger is quite good at drawing snails too!”
I was suddenly lifted up. In the instantly heightened view, I saw Grandfather’s face grinning mischievously.
Grandfather laughed heartily as he looked at the symbol of digging I had drawn on the dirt floor.
“Oh my, there must be over 100! This Training Ground must be permanently preserved as our little one’s first work.”
“Then where am I supposed to run…”
“We can just make another Training Ground!”
Grandfather, holding me up, strode away. It was somehow embarrassing to be carried in his arms.
“Grandfather, I ran three and a half laps today.”
Then his wrinkled eyes widened like lanterns.
“It’s a festival.”
We must hold a festival!
I blocked the mouth that was about to shout it out with both hands.
Grandfather kept mumbling something even with my hands blocking his lips.
‘Come to think of it, the word “Grandfather” comes out just fine…’
It’s strange.
“I was just trying to tell you that I can walk on my own two feet! Festival forbidden! Anniversary forbidden! Boasting letters to the Imperial Family forbidden!”
At my shout, Grandfather laughed loudly.
“Of course, of course! Whose little booger is she?”
But he still didn’t put me down, so I had no choice but to cross the wide Training Ground in his large arms.
I looked at his unhindered gait and suddenly asked.
“Is your knee feeling any better, Grandfather?”
“It hurts sometimes.”
“Eung…”
I’m upset.
Too much time had passed to fix Grandfather’s injury. Fortunately, he had started receiving treatment from Borbel again, so he was much better than before, but it still wasn’t 100%.
I was a little deflated.
“I’ll study harder and heal you completely soon…”
“Euhaha! It’s alright, kid! If you’re so worried, you can just come often and blow on it!”
Grandfather lightly tossed me up with an “eucha.”
“More than that, why are you so down today?”
“Yes?”
“Leviathan apparently wants to hear you call him Father so badly that his eyes are bloodshot. Is that why?”
Oh, you heard.
I blinked my eyes. Grandfather’s bold face furrowed slightly.
“Our little booger doesn’t seem to like it.”
“You know… Can’t I just not change the title?”
“Of course, you can do whatever you want.”
Grandfather spoke in a gentle voice for once, then laughed.
“So it would be fun to see that guy squirming in anxiety!”
“Eung, you’re mean…”
“But still. Ruby.”
A large, thick hand gently pinched my nose and let go.
“Relationships change when titles change. They can get closer or farther apart.”
“Can they get farther apart even when I’m right next to him?”
“Of course. Just being next to someone isn’t everything.”
“I came here to stick right next to Uncle…”
I muttered to myself. Grandfather seemed to have heard that small voice.
“Yes, yes. You did very well. How can our smartie be so clever? She cleverly chased after that villain and even met an angel-like grandpa, didn’t she?”
“……I think something’s changed.”
“It’s an illusion. Anyway, baby, don’t miss this opportunity.”
“What opportunity is this?”
At my genuinely curious question, Grandfather mischievously narrowed his eyes.
“The opportunity to turn Leviathan into your umbrella for life.”
