The youngest is hiding a lot of things.

Chapter 25

“Old Duke?”

I didn’t notice when he had come, but the old duke was standing right behind me, his eyes blazing like fire.

“That Leviathan… that damn brat…”

Suddenly?

“Rubian, didn’t His Excellency give you any pocket money?”

Even Sir Leon bent one knee and leaned forward, demanding an answer.

What are they talking about?

Without realizing that my thoughts had escaped in a sigh, I looked at the two furious men with a bewildered expression.

“What do you want! Huh?”

“Eh?”

“What is it that you want, making your ears droop like that! Speak up immediately!”

The old duke pounded his chest and roared.

W-what I want?

“Tell us quickly, Rubian. It’s a command from your senior.”

Why is even Sir Leon acting like this?

Just then, the shop door squeaked open, and a familiar face appeared.

“Lower your voices. It’s echoing all the way outside. It’s embarrassing, really.”

“Uncle!”

I ran to him, delighted.

Leviathan Uncle rested his hand lightly on my head.

He had returned from the knight order wearing light armor, looking as impressive as ever.

“I was nearby and thought I’d check in. Did you cause another accident?”

“I didn’t cause an accident!”

Really! I haven’t caused one yet!

As I stared wide-eyed and smiling, Uncle narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Your Excellency, you’re here?”

Sir Leon gritted his teeth as he bowed.

I thought I heard something like “Kyukheuh… yes sir…,” but maybe not…

“…? Your expression seems insubordinate, Leon.”

“You’re mistaken.”

Uncle tilted his head.

At that moment, a metal-like fist flew toward me. Uncle easily dodged.

“You brat!”

“Why are you doing this again?”

“You didn’t give the kid a single coin! What were you thinking?”

Silence fell.

“…Eh?”

Like a broken doll, I replied a moment too late.

“She wants something, but she doesn’t have money, so she’s stomping her feet in frustration, isn’t she!”

Bang, bang—the stomping was from the old duke.

“N-no, it’s not… I mean, well, it’s not exactly like that…”

Of course, I did want something! But how did they know?!

“Ah… my blood pressure…”

The old duke grabbed the back of his neck, staggering.

“Really?”

Uncle crouched slightly to look me in the eyes.

“Did you want something?”

He almost looked pleased. I felt a little embarrassed and hesitated.

“I… I do want something, but it’s not like I need it right this second.”

“Say it. What is it?”

“Uh…”

“Rubian.”

Pressed by his voice, I had no choice but to point with my finger.

All six pairs of eyes in the room followed my gesture carefully.

“Here… on this shelf…”

I pointed shyly.

“…To over there?”

My hand traced a long line.

If I’m going to get it, I thought it might as well be everything…

“….”

Uncle was silent for a moment.

Maybe I overdid it?

“No, actually… I just want this one…”

“Call the owner.”

At that moment, Uncle sprang to his feet.

Sir Leon moved like lightning. The old duke scratched his chest again, muttering about how ticklish it was.

Soon, the shop owner, who had gone out briefly, hurried in. Uncle said to him:

“I’m buying this shop. Name your price.”

“Y-your Excellency?”

“I have no interest in buying cheap things for a hobby. Name it high.”

…Excuse me?

I had entered as a customer and somehow came out as the shop owner myself…

“….”

Rustle. I stared blankly at the papers in my bag.

The shop deed was now firmly in my hands.

“Should I just send a box of the purple stones to the castle?”

“Uh, yes.”

The shop owner asked, and I replied dumbfoundedly.

Having unintentionally become the shop owner, I now had the right to handle the magical ore as I wished—uncle couldn’t intervene in this.

“You like stone ornaments, huh.”

“Haha… they’re pretty…”

‘Purple magical stones are enough for me!’

Of course, I had thought it would be nice to have green, red, or even blue stones if possible.

‘Well, can’t be helped.’

It wasn’t polite to refuse gifts.

I reluctantly signed the papers. I only asked for the purple stones from the warehouse, not the other ores.

“This box is small!”

The old duke clicked his tongue beside me.

Uncle was instructing the shop owner on various things: only send stones free of toxins, package them so the child could handle them easily…

Bored, I left the shop, leaving Uncle and Sir Leon behind.

“Do you want to go somewhere else?”

The old duke asked as he followed.

“Hmm, actually…”

Just then:

“Hahaha! Grandpa! Ticklish!”

With that innocent laugh, a small cart rolled toward us.

The driver looked friendly, and beside him sat a young child, presumably his grandson.

“Oh, you little…”

At the same time, the child grabbed the reins, and the cart wobbled as it came straight toward us.

“Watch out!”

The old duke grabbed me quickly.

I thought it would be fine; after all… the old duke was bigger and stronger than even a massive mountain.

But unexpectedly, his large body wavered.

“Old Duke!”

“Ugh.”

Crash. We tumbled to the ground.

“Oh my! Are you okay? I’m so sorry! What should I do!”

The cart owner hurried over in a panic.

“Child, are you alright?”

The old duke, lying in the dirt, quickly turned to check on me. I had fallen on my rear, but he had shielded me, so I wasn’t badly hurt.

“I-I’m fine. Just a bit dirty.”

“Let’s go. You said you ordered clothes, right?”

“That’s true, but…”

My gaze kept drifting toward the spot where the old duke had been.

‘He didn’t look me in the eye.’

“That damn body of yours.”

As if I were a criminal.

I felt heavy at heart.