Let’s Make Saving a Habit - Chapter 33

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 33
Fortunately, the fragile egg shattered easily even under the weak fists of a scrawny seven-year-old.
The girl giggled despite her own egg breaking, patting my head as if I were adorable.
“No matter how many times you break my egg, the match is already over. I’m the champion.”
She was a good child. That made me feel a little guilty.
But a competition is a competition. There was nothing to be done about it.
I stood up slowly, brushing the dirt from my clothes with a smirk.
“I’m sorry, but it’s not over until it’s over.”
With those words, I undid the bun hairstyle I’d tied my hair into.
Then I pulled out the egg I’d hidden inside and held it up toward the people in the Safe Zone.
It was an egg with ‘Tania’ written on it, precisely.
The girl, who had been confident in her victory, looked shocked and pointed at me in disbelief.
“Y-You…! Then what about the egg in your pocket!”
“It belongs to another participant.”
To be exact, it was an egg that Rosemary had stolen from another participant early in the Battle Royale.
I turned my pocket inside out and showed her the part where the name was written.
“The one that broke was a child named Hans’s egg.”
“That’s impossible…”
“That’s what you get for letting your guard down, even though your opponent was much younger and had zero physical ability.”
It was so trivial that the match ended without me even needing to use my Save Load ability.
Piiiieeee—!
The whistle signaling the end of the Battle Royale sounded, and the announcer stepped between us.
“As of this moment, ‘Tania’ is the only one who has kept her egg intact, so I hereby declare the champion has been determined!”
At the definitive victory announcement, I let out a relieved sigh and relaxed my tension.
That was when someone in the Safe Zone raised their hand and objected to the result.
“Wait a moment! I have an objection!”
“Please speak.”
“The strongest championship favorites, Raspi and Elysion, deliberately avoided attacking only that child and pushed her forward. Isn’t that unfair?”
“That’s right! A child who only passed the Talent Cultivation Institute entrance exam and never even showed her face there is being adopted by the Duke? That doesn’t make sense!”
“I agree. Shouldn’t only people from the Talent Cultivation Institute be adopted by the Duke?”
As one person raised the issue, several complaints poured out afterward.
The announcer frowned at their unreasonable claims and opened his mouth with a displeased expression.
“First, Tania passed the entrance exam for the Talent Cultivation Institute with flying colors. She registered for admission yesterday and it was confirmed as of today.”
Growing angrier the more he thought about it, he took a breath and spoke again.
“Tania is a legitimate member of the Talent Cultivation Institute. Therefore, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from questioning her eligibility to participate any further. Furthermore…”
Just as the announcer was about to continue, someone cut him off and raised their voice.
“Clearly, before the match began, I instructed that any means and methods were permissible.”
A dignified voice and fierce presence that no one dared to interrupt.
Viviana Papiope Dilum.
Duke Papiope herself.
I didn’t know how long she had been watching the competition, but she suddenly appeared with an enraged expression and parted her lips.
“Drawing capable individuals to your side is an indispensable talent. In fact, if you’re in a position of authority over others, it’s the most essential ability of all.”
Duke Papiope parted through the primordial beings like the parting of the Red Sea and walked toward me.
“Your group consumed teams just as much as everyone else, didn’t you? Moreover, Tania eliminated the last remaining survivor right before everyone’s eyes.”
Duke Papiope let out a short, incredulous laugh. A vein bulged prominently on her forehead.
“If anything, the condition of breaking your opponent’s egg was a disadvantageous one for Tania, who possesses no physical ability whatsoever.”
The Duke cast a brief glance in my direction before turning her gaze back to the primordial beings.
Then, a furious voice resonated across the entire area as if the heavens and earth themselves were trembling.
“Go on, speak with that gaping mouth of yours! Did you truly believe a match between a seven-year-old child and a fifteen-year-old was fair?”
In reality, there was a height difference of nearly two human heads between her and me.
I was smaller than my peers, while she was nearly indistinguishable from an adult in stature.
It must have appeared almost like a battle between an adult and a child.
Moreover, she was an Ability User with monstrous strength. No matter how much I could foresee what lay ahead, I couldn’t evade her if I couldn’t match her speed.
Everyone present surely understood this fact.
Duke Papiope emanated an intangible aura, pressing down upon the primordial beings.
“Where in the world could you find a more perfect champion than this?”
Overwhelmed by her tremendous presence, the crowd fell silent as if ice water had been poured over them.
At that moment, the girl with monstrous strength who had fought me bowed her head toward Duke Papiope and voiced her thoughts.
“I too believe this child is more deserving of being your adopted daughter than I am. I have no objections to the outcome.”
Seeing her, who had perhaps the most to regret about this result, gracefully accept it, Duke Papiope’s anger seemed to subside somewhat, and the furrow in her brow softened.
“Since the last survivor also has no objections, we may conclude this as is.”
Duke Papiope grasped my right hand and lifted it high, shouting toward the primordial beings.
“I hereby declare Tania the champion of the Papiope Ducal Family’s second adoption tournament!”
“Wooooow-!”
Rosemary’s delighted voice rang out brilliantly.
As Raspi and Elysion even smiled and began clapping, the primordial beings, who had been watching carefully, gradually joined in with applause.
Having swiftly silenced the voices of discontent, Duke Papiope tilted her head slowly and added,
“If any of you have further grievances, request a private audience with me. I shall explain in detail exactly why each of you had no choice but to be defeated.”

✦ ✦ ✦
After my victory at the adoption tournament, the other trainees returned to the Talent Cultivation Institute.
And I held the Duke’s hand as we traveled to the Papiope Duke’s Townhouse in the Capital.
I had intended to express my gratitude to the twin siblings and Elysion, and to inform the Old Gentleman of my victory right away, so this sudden schedule felt rather bewildering.
Under normal circumstances…
I would have gone to the Talent Cultivation Institute with the other trainees, organized my belongings, and then headed to the Duke’s Residence the following day.
“Tania, this is where you’ll be living from now on.”
The Papiope Town House was identical to what I remembered from my time as an adult.
A pristine white base with elegant blue accents created by oxidized copper—a refined architectural statement.
I stood mesmerized, gazing at the building, amazed that nothing had changed between twelve years ago and now.
The Duke then spoke the words he had been unable to say before the crowd.
“I had been anticipating our first meeting, yet all I showed you was anger. I have no face to show you. I should have maintained my dignity.”
“No, Your Grace. I was delighted that you spoke the words I wished to say on my behalf.”
At my expression of gratitude, the Duke’s eyes widened slightly.
“…Do daughters always speak so beautifully? Or is this child simply kind-hearted?”
“Pardon? What did you just say?”
“No, never mind.”
The Duke hastily shook his head, then turned to the butler who had come to greet us and straightened his posture to issue a command.
“This child has been rolling in dirt all day. Have her washed thoroughly. Afterward, we will dine together, so bring her to the Dining Room.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The Duke bid me farewell with a promise to see me later, his cloak billowing as he walked away.
The butler, having received the Duke’s orders, smiled warmly at me.
“I shall arrange for maids to assist you with your bath. Please follow me.”
This was my first task upon entering the Papiope Ducal Family.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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