The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 108

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 108

 

* * *

 

Things proceeded according to Leblaine’s plan.

 

Duchess Valois relied on Rain for everything, from scheduling to even trivial matters like choosing the color of her dresses.

 

Rain, with Duchess Valois backing her, made her full entry into the central social circle and was forming connections with numerous nobles.

 

And the mock battle…

 

“Have you heard? About this year’s mock battle…!”

 

“If you’re talking about the Child of Fate participating, we were just discussing that very topic.”

 

“What could they possibly be thinking? A nine-year-old child, and a girl at that.”

 

“Since the Dubbled Young Masters can’t participate in the event, they must be trying to show off their military might through an adopted child at least.”

 

“How cold-hearted. I guess all those rumors about Duke Dubbled cherishing the Child of Fate were just idle gossip from busybodies. What father who truly loves his daughter would send a child to a place where swords clash, festival or not?”

 

“That may be true, but… In any case, there must be some ulterior motive.”

 

The nobles gathered at the venue continued to voice their opinions. The Imperial Capital was buzzing with news of Leblaine’s participation in the mock battle.

 

Valois Ducal Residence.

 

Duke Valois, who had been nervously tapping the table, twisted his lips in displeasure.

 

“Damn bastards. They keep blocking my path at every turn.”

 

Muttering through gritted teeth, he looked at his sons standing before his desk.

 

Nils, the second son of House Valois, shrank his shoulders under his father’s fierce gaze and looked at his elder brother.

 

Eldest son Hayton smiled broadly.

 

“The participating knights are boy soldiers under 17 years old. It’s not like Dubbled’s pride, the Wolves, will be participating, so what’s there to worry about?”

 

While there might be boy soldiers among the Wolves, they are all Mage Knights who use aura.

 

By the rules of the mock battle, aura users cannot participate.

 

Since Valois had received support from paladins secretly trained by the shrine, even if they were Dubbled’s soldiers, the difference in skill wouldn’t be that great.

 

“If there’s no significant difference in skill, then what matters is the commander’s ability. How could a nine-year-old girl even keep up with my toes?”

 

Arrogantly curling his lips, he continued speaking.

 

“Above all, Dubbled’s soldiers will prioritize protecting that stupid girl who stepped forward as their commander. They’ll be held back before they even begin.”

 

“…”

 

“In such a situation, a lowly girl like that is no match for me.”

 

Only after hearing his son’s confident words did a smile return to Duke Valois’s face.

 

“That’s right. There’s no way my child would lose to some lowly adopted brat!”

 

Laughing loudly, he gestured toward Hayton.

 

As his son approached, Duke Valois put his hand around the back of his neck and whispered.

 

“The rule is that no one is held responsible for injuries sustained in the mock battle. Hayton, don’t send that girl back in one piece.”

 

“Of course. I’ll have to at least cripple her halfway to feel satisfied.”

 

The father and son who faced each other grinned, lifting the corners of their mouths.

 

* * *

 

I stood straight with my back against the wall, glancing around at the older brothers surrounding me.

 

“One.”

 

At Isaac’s words, I shouted loudly.

 

“If it looks like I’ll get hurt, I’ll run away quickly!”

 

“Two.”

 

“If I encounter soldiers from the enemy camp, I’ll start with intimidation!”

 

Henri smiled brightly and asked, “What did we tell you to do?” so I quickly said what I had learned.

 

“Dubbled returns what it receives multiplied. Exterminating three generations is my family’s specialty.”

 

When I spoke vilely while standing on one leg as taught, Isaac crossed his arms and nodded.

 

“Well done.”

 

“…But is it really okay to do that?”

 

I asked with drooping eyebrows.

 

The rule was not to retaliate for what happened in mock battles.

 

If you retaliated, you would not only be buried in high society, but the Emperor would also show displeasure.

 

At my words, Isaac answered triumphantly.

 

“Don’t worry. Second brother specializes in dirty schemes. Even if you make such threats, second brother will handle it sneakily and despicably… Ugh!”

 

Isaac, who was speaking like that, got kicked by Henri.

 

Johan handed me several sheets of paper.

 

“I’ll explain the mock battle in detail, so sit down.”

 

He pulled out a chair for me, so I nodded and sat down.

 

When Johan gestured, the secretary and North spread out a large map on the table.

 

“The mock battle will have families that passed the preliminaries compete in tournament format.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“The preliminaries are in two weeks, where children from 23 families will compete in the area marked on the map.”

 

Looking at the map, I opened my eyes wide.

 

“You mean in the Imperial Capital?”

 

Moreover, part of the shopping district was included.

 

“Yes. The preliminary content is ‘Treasure Hunt.’ Those who possess the hidden tokens when the time limit ends can advance to the main tournament.”

 

“How many tokens do we need to find?”

 

At my question, Henri said.

 

“Ten.”

 

“I see…”

 

When I nodded, Johan said.

 

“In the preliminaries, as long as you follow a few rules, you can use anything like in a real war. Strategy is important.”

 

The rules of the mock battle are simple.

 

[Do not kill.]

 

In other words, whether it’s participating noble children or soldiers, you can do anything as long as you don’t kill them.

 

In the early days of war games, there were cases where captured soldiers’ bones were scraped to extract information from enemy camps.

 

But that was only in the early days, and by now it had become customary not to inflict excessive harm.

 

“War games are prepared by family units. The families of participating nobles have already formed preparation committees. North and I, along with Henri and Isaac, will help you until the war games.”

 

“I’ll definitely win!”

 

I’ll repay these people who are helping me and get my hands on Noak.

 

When I widened my eyes, Isaac grinned.

 

“Good. Then shall we start with training?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

We brought soldiers to participate through the Long-Distance Teleportation Circle. They were all waiting outside the window.

 

I was thinking it was good that Isaac would train me, but people were staring at me intently.

 

“…?”

 

I tilted my head and asked with ‘surely not….’ eyes.

 

“Me?”

 

You want me to train?

 

With only 2 weeks left, there’s not even enough time to plan tactics?

 

Isaac threw a wooden sword at me with a whoosh, and I caught it reflexively.

 

“You need to learn how to evade.”

 

“I have Divine Power, so if I deploy a barrier…!”

 

“You think war games only have guys who use swords? Of course mages and trainee priests are included too. There will be plenty who can destroy your barrier.”

 

“My barrier is pretty strong though?”

 

I deployed a barrier as a demonstration. But then.

 

Kwaaaaang─!!

 

It was instantly destroyed by the wooden sword Isaac threw.

 

I wasn’t hurt. Henri had deployed another barrier to stop the wooden sword in mid-air.

 

I looked at Isaac with stiffly frozen eyes, and he dusted off his hands with a grin.

 

“Strong, you say?”

 

“…I was mistaken.”

 

When I spoke with a tearful expression, Henri chuckled.

 

“Just having strong Divine Power doesn’t mean you can deploy strong barriers.”

 

I became dejected, and Isaac opened the door for me.

 

“Follow me.”

 

“Yes….”

 

I had to learn evasion, strategic retreat, and intimidation methods to death until the war games.

 

And as time passed, 2 weeks.

 

The war games began.

 

* * *

 

The nobles gathered in the Imperial Palace focused their gazes on the giant magic mirror.

 

Young nobles wearing armor engraved with their family crests bowed to the Imperial Palace flag with determined eyes.

 

“Glory to the Empire…!”

 

“Glory to the Empire!”

 

The nobles watched with satisfaction as the children shouted while placing their hands on their left chests.

 

“There are unusually many participants this year.”

 

“It must be because of the Prince’s direct guard unit. Even the ducal houses have two participants each…”

 

People focused on Hayton, who stood in the very center wearing a cloak with the Valois crest.

 

Then they shifted their gaze to his side.

 

The Dubbled crest was engraved on the shoulder armor of the Little Lady who was struggling to hold onto her large helmet as if it was too burdensome.

 

“Oh my…”

 

Small.

 

Really small.

 

Leblaine was already smaller than her peers, but standing among the tall-framed youths, she looked like a single chick waddling among a pack of tigers.

 

“Duke Dubbled’s greed is excessive.”

 

When someone whispered, most nodded their heads.

 

“I wonder if she can even properly hold a sword…”

 

A Noble Lady said with a pitying expression.

 

Grand Lady Camilla, who was watching Leblaine through the magic mirror, sighed and glanced at the members of the Dubbled ducal family.

 

Duke Dubbled and the Three Young Masters watched Leblaine without blinking once as she earnestly supported her sliding helmet with both hands.

 

‘If they’re so worried, they shouldn’t have sent her out.’

 

As most people feared, the child didn’t suit the virtual battlefield.

 

[Formation!]

 

The vice-captain of the Imperial Knights, who served as judge in the magic mirror, shouted.

 

The participants bent one knee and bowed their heads.

 

Hayton and Leblaine, children of ducal houses, each held torches and approached the platform.

 

The two simultaneously lit a giant candle with their torches.

 

Sixteen-year-old Hayton easily lit the flame, but Leblaine swayed back and forth as if the armor was heavy and barely managed to light it.

 

As the candle was lit, drum sounds echoed.

 

Boom─ Boom, boom, boom─!

 

When the judge waved his hand in the air, the Mages displayed the time limit in the sky.

 

[10:00:00]

 

It was the start of the virtual battle.

 

The nobles watching the magic mirror groaned.

 

“The first to be eliminated will probably be Lady Dubbled…”

 

It was when someone muttered that.

 

Leblaine, who had just finished lighting the candle pillar, instantly thrust her sword at Hayton’s throat.

 

“…!”

 

“…!”

 

It was when that child, who had thrown off her heavy helmet, grinned wickedly while looking at the pale-faced Hayton.

 

Dubbled’s soldiers who had been hiding in the plaza all burst out at once and surrounded Hayton and Leblaine.

 

The nobles’ jaws dropped at the bold attack from the child who was certain to be eliminated first.

 

* * *

 

When I thrust my sword right in front of him, the pale-faced Hayton said to me.

 

“What are you doing from the very start…! It’s customary to return to camp before attacking!”

 

“It’s a custom, not a rule, isn’t it?”

 

I learned this during my beggar days.

 

First Strike Victory.

 

In a fight, the one who strikes first wins.

 

‘When it’s obvious what you’re going to do, why would I let you loose on the battlefield.’

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