The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 11

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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 11

Turba confessed everything before the torture even began.

He said there was a sacred relic he needed to obtain in order to make a deal with the Pope, and since it cost an astronomical amount, he desperately needed money somehow.

What kind of ridiculous Ponzi scheme was this?

‘What kind of sacred relic could have driven Turba to commit such a reckless fraud?’

I was wondering what it could be when North brought a drawing of the sacred relic that Turba Trading Company had been keeping.

When I saw it, I was so shocked that my eyes widened.

‘Etoile!’

It was the very sacred relic that had allowed Mina to wield powerful strength.

A six-pointed star, colorful gems embedded at each point of the star, and a circle encompassing the star and gems.

It looked exactly like Etoile, the sacred relic that had enabled Mina to perform all kinds of miracles with her divine power.

‘But the color is different from Mina’s Etoile.’

Mina’s had definitely been platinum for the chain and pendant, but this one was gold. The types of gems embedded at each point of the six-pointed star were also different.

‘So it’s not Mina’s Etoile that the temple is currently keeping.’

Was there a pair of sacred relics?

‘But why wasn’t it revealed in my previous life?’

Etoile was the symbol of the Neriad Religion. If a second Etoile existed, there would be no reason for the religious order not to reveal it.

‘Revealing it would have been advantageous for securing it too. The owner would have handed it over to the temple just to avoid public scrutiny.’

Then, Duke Dubbled narrowed his eyes and muttered.

“A second Etoile.”

“If that’s the case, then I can understand why Turba did something so insane. Wasn’t Etoile the decisive factor that made the Neriad Religion the Empire’s state religion?”

“So where is this Etoile currently located?”

“It’s sleeping on the ocean floor. The only way to retrieve it would be salvage. But the problem is…”

North held out a map with a troubled expression.

“It’s not in the Empire’s territorial waters. By exactly 10 meters, it’s crossed over into the Other Continent’s territorial waters.”

Duke Dubbled snorted.

“So that’s why the religious order couldn’t act directly.”

“Yes, if they made a move, war would be unavoidable.”

As Pope, he couldn’t violate the doctrine himself: [Thou shalt not kill. Blades are needed only for moments of protection.]

The reason Turba needed funds equivalent to a national budget was probably because his trading partner was none other than the King of Other Continent.

He wouldn’t allow territorial water violations for just any amount of money.

“What should we do?”

“If it’s something like Etoile, we should secure it on our side.”

“Will you make a deal with the king?”

“What for?”

“Then…”

The Duke tossed the documents back to North and said.

“We can just go to war.”

His expression suggested there was no need to bother with mental games.

‘Wow.’

I was stunned by his amazing solution and stuck out my tongue.

“Perfect. Instead of looking for other birthday gifts, we can just cut off the heads of those royal bastards from the other continent and send them to the Emperor.”

North grinned and looked at me.

“This is all thanks to the young miss. If the Newit hadn’t broken, would we have known about the existence of the second Etoile? Also, because you read the ancient language, we were able to prevent fraudulent dealings.”

As expected of Dubbled’s first adjutant, who’s called a villain. He looked pleased that things had worked out easily even though war was about to break out.

I was a bit flustered to see this hidden side of North, who usually seemed so gentle.

But it wasn’t a bad thing for me.

‘Getting Etoile is pretty good, me.’

The Newit broke, but I created an opportunity to get the better Etoile.

When I ruined the Newit, I had almost given up on being adopted, but this was really fortunate.

Adoption… maybe I don’t have to give up.

I glanced at the Duke. His expression wasn’t bad.

‘Should I test it?’

Just then, North said “Shall we go?” and tried to pick me up.

I shouted “No!” and ran to the Duke, hugging his legs.

“I’ll stay with the Duke. (I’ll stay with the Duke.)”

North groaned “Ugh” with a hurt expression.

I clung to him tightly and wouldn’t let go, so North had no choice but to give up on me and leave the room.

Now alone with the Duke, I raised my arms high.

“Hold me please. (Hold me please.)”

The Duke stared at me intently, then reached out his hands.

‘Good, we’ve become close enough that he doesn’t mind when I ask to be held.’

Then maybe it’s okay to bring up ‘that topic’ now.

Come to think of it, it’s been a month since I came to Dubbled. It’s about time the Empress Dowager starts asking how the adoption is going.

‘Now when his mood is relatively good is my chance.’

Though I was a bit scared, I scraped together my courage and opened my mouth.

“Leblaine will be a good child. (Leblaine will be a good child.)”

I won’t be a bother and can grow up well on my own.

So, Duke─

“Please become my daddy. (Please become my father.)”

* * *

One week later.

I concentrated all my focus on my fingertips and gritted my teeth.

If I gave up on something this simple, I wouldn’t be able to achieve anything, let alone exile.

Let’s not disappoint myself anymore. I shouldn’t blame myself.

Having experienced death three times, this soul must surely have accumulated will and experience.

I quickly drew up ‘that thing.’

‘I succeeded, putting on socks!’

Thunderous applause erupted from around me, and Lea kissed my cheeks several times as if proud of me.

“How admirable. You worked hard, little miss!”

“You’re already putting on socks by yourself after just a few lessons.”

“You really are a genius!”

I wiped my sweaty forehead with the back of my hand and let out a sigh, “Ahh…”

It was a success on my 6th attempt.

‘Good. I’ve grown.’

Now the preparation was complete.

I grabbed the remaining sock and tugged at Lea’s sleeve.

“Want to go to the Duke.”

“Yes, please show your master.”

Lea smiled warmly and took me to the Duke’s office.

The Duke, who had been reviewing documents with his secretary and retainers, took off his glasses and looked at me.

I held up the small white lace socks that were like ginkgo leaves.

“Leblaine can put on socks now! (Leblaine, I can put on socks now!)”

He rested his chin on his hand and said, “Let’s see,” so I swallowed nervously.

On the day I asked to be adopted, the Duke said nothing. But it certainly wasn’t a negative reaction like before.

The fact that someone so coldly resolute gave no answer might mean ‘if I do well, I might be adopted.’

‘So this place is like an interview venue for me.’

A place to appeal that I’ve grown this much and am now a child who requires less care, so it would be fine to adopt me.

I plopped down on the floor and grabbed the sock with both hands. The retainers and secretaries looked at me with pleased expressions.

‘Widen the opening with my fingers.’

I managed the widening well.

‘Good, next is to gather my toes well and put them into the widened opening.’

I lifted my leg up high and gathered my toes as pointedly as possible.

‘Now I just need to pull it up with force all at once.’

Now, in one go—!

‘…Huh?’

The sock got caught on my heel and wouldn’t go up.

Again.

Again.

No, again!

I rolled around struggling desperately to pull up the sock, but the sock stuck on my heel just wouldn’t go up.

One of the retainers sitting around the table lowered his head and shook his shoulders.

I looked at the Duke with an anxious expression. The corners of his lips slowly rose.

Chuckle.

It was clear mockery.

I wanted to crawl into a mouse hole. The confident me who had come for the interview was nowhere to be found, leaving only a defeated soldier.

‘How pathetic, me…’

When I became dejected, Lea spoke with a voice tinged with laughter.

“You succeeded just a moment ago. After being taught only twice.”

Upon hearing those words, a retainer exclaimed “Ooh.”

“You truly are exceptional.”

“Is that so.”

As the Duke leaned back deeply against his chair and muttered, everyone chimed in one after another.

“Don’t you remember even difficult words? This time we really received great help.”

“Well…”

“Following along when taught is actually quite difficult.”

Meanwhile, I was forlornly staring at the socks dangling from my toes.

‘I failed.’

Then the interview also failed…

That meant days of anxiously wondering when he would send me back would continue ahead.

Having been in this castle for over a month, what I realized was that the Duke was as impregnable as the territorial castle itself.

I had tried somehow to become close with him, but progress was extremely slow. The only gain was—

“Leb.”

That he called me by a shortened name.

“Yes…”

As I trudged along holding my fallen sock, he looked at me.

“I cannot overlook having no improvement while staying in my castle.”

‘Yes, I know.’

He was incredibly cold even to his own son, the Three Young Masters.

The Three Young Masters had been taken away by the Previous Duke as soon as they were born, so he couldn’t raise them directly, and even now the Senate held full authority over their education, but they were still his blood, weren’t they.

The young masters were already receiving education at the Capital Gifted Academy. Even Johan, the eldest son, was at a boarding academy far from the Empire.

“Practice while I’m away inspecting the territory.”

“Yes…”

“Can you do well?”

“Yesh, Leb will do good as Duke’s daughter. (Yes, Leb will do good because I’m the Duke’s daughter.)”

For some reason, it seemed like the corners of the Duke’s mouth went up slightly.

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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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