The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 111

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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 111

 

* * *

 

Valois Ducal Residence.

 

Duke Valois irritably drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair.

 

Four days had passed since the virtual war preliminaries. He had contacted the Papal Court repeatedly, but could not meet with the Cardinal.

 

The virtual war, for which he had even received support from secretly trained Paladins, failed to pass even the preliminaries, and his son Hayton was humiliated.

 

At this rate, receiving support from the shrine was as good as going down the drain.

 

Grinding his teeth, he pressed his forehead.

 

With the failure of the medium-range teleportation formation he had poured his heart into, several pillars of the family had already collapsed.

 

Due to exploiting the territory’s people to hastily cover up this incident, uprisings frequently occurred in the territory.

 

‘Without the shrine’s help, the family will collapse.’

 

If the shrine turned its back on them, the Marche Ducal House, their biggest investor, would also withdraw their support.

 

Marche was already searching for Duke Valois’s hidden assets to recover their money.

 

But the hidden money had already been squandered.

 

He had drawn enormous sums even from his wife’s family, and even his father-in-law kept visiting the mansion, desperately pleading for repayment.

 

If he hadn’t received financial support from Rain, the woman his wife brought – the one who claimed to be an art dealer – it would have been difficult to survive even the next month.

 

“Damn it!”

 

Just as he roughly set down the whiskey glass he was holding.

 

“Master!”

 

The adjutant rushed in with an urgent voice.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Dubbled has inquired to the Imperial Palace about military replacement. And it’s about Captain Zachary!”

 

Duke Valois furrowed his brow.

 

“Why would they replace someone who performed well in the preliminaries…”

 

“It seems his aura manifested during the preliminaries.”

 

“Aura?”

 

Duke Valois clicked his tongue.

 

If it had manifested just a little earlier, that girl from Dubbled wouldn’t have been able to mess up the virtual war.

 

Since he passed the pre-preliminary verification, there would be no problem even if his aura manifested during the match.

 

The problem was the main event.

 

They would go through aura verification again before the main event. Aura users would be immediately excluded, so in the worst case, only nineteen people might compete in the main event.

 

It would be better to quickly replace Zachary.

 

‘In any case, this is good news for Valois.’

 

“Contact the Marquis Shuheil family. Tell them I urgently need to meet with the Family Head and his son.”

 

“Yes.”

 

The shrine’s purpose was said to be the prize of the virtual war, so even if they messed up the preliminaries, if they could just hand that over, there would be no complaints.

 

A cold smile appeared on Duke Valois’s lips as he found a breakthrough.

 

* * *

 

The Imperial Capital was bustling with excitement a week before the finals.

 

This was because rumors had spread that I would be deploying a different knight instead of Zachary in the mock battle.

 

I visited Grand Duchess Camilla’s Estate. Mock battles aside, today was the day I was to receive social etiquette education from Grand Duchess Camilla.

 

“Young Lady, cheer up.”

 

“Yes. Even if you don’t win, you’ve done your best…!”

 

The kind Young Ladies who visited the Grand Duchess’s residence encouraged me. Recently, everyone I met had this kind of reaction.

 

I nodded awkwardly with a smile.

 

“Thank you for your concern.”

 

When I answered maturely, the Grand Duchess chuckled softly.

 

“Now that you’ve exchanged greetings, you should all be on your way. I have a prior appointment with this child today.”

 

“Yes, Grand Duchess.”

 

As the Noble Ladies greeted her, their daughters also bowed politely to the Grand Duchess.

 

I saw the people off together with the Grand Duchess. However, one Young Lady who had left the mansion hurriedly returned.

 

‘It’s Lady Isabella Hadelloro.’

 

She was the Young Lady I had met at Countess Wiltro’s party, where she had previously exposed that Nils Valois had illegally taken out a scripture interpretation.

 

“Um…”

 

Lady Hadelloro hesitated while glancing at the Grand Duchess.

 

The Grand Duchess thoughtfully stepped away, and only then did Lady Hadelloro speak.

 

“Lady Dubbled, do you happen to know what the finals will be?”

 

“No.”

 

“I know. It’s 【Capture the Flag】.”

 

What?

 

At this unexpected answer, I opened my eyes wide.

 

‘That can’t be!’

 

People thought the finals would feature 【Mounted Combat】. And mounted combat was indeed correct.

 

I had seen it several times before my regression. The mounted combat in this year’s mock battle finals.

 

“What capture the flag means is…”

 

“I know. It’s a game where you win by capturing the person designated as the from the opposing camp.”

 

“That’s right. That kind of game.”

 

“But how did you know about that?”

 

“I’m in the middle of marriage talks with Prince Suheil. Yesterday when I went to have dinner, I overheard the Prince talking with a soldier.”

 

Ah, that’s right.

 

I nodded inwardly.

 

I had heard about this in my previous life.

 

Marchioness Suhail had taken a liking to Isabella and proposed the marriage talks.

 

Count Hadeloro, Isabella’s father, was someone who had received many favors from the Suhail Marquis family, so he couldn’t refuse, and Isabella and Prince Suheil would become engaged in the near future.

 

‘But why is she telling me this?’

 

Like most nobles in the Imperial Capital, Young Lady Hadeloro was rather cynical. She wouldn’t move without benefit.

 

How do I know this? Because in my first life, Young Lady Hadeloro didn’t get along well with Mina.

 

‘It would be good for Young Lady Hadeloro if Prince Suheil, who will become her fiancé, wins.’

 

Just as I was tilting my head in confusion.

 

“Leblaine.”

 

At the voice from behind, I quickly turned my head.

 

“Henri!”

 

“Why are you here instead of going inside?”

 

He smiled warmly and buttoned up my coat.

 

“The weather is cool.”

 

“Yeah, I had something to discuss with Young Lady Hadeloro…”

 

As I was saying that, Young Lady Hadeloro shouted.

 

“Ah, ah, ah, hello, Young Master!”

 

Her cheeks were flushed and her face was dreamily dazed.

 

Henri glanced at her. An expression as if calculating something flashed by for a moment, but he smiled his usual gentle smile.

 

“It’s been a while.”

 

“Yes, yes! It’s been 281 days…!”

 

“But what business do you have with my younger sister?”

 

“I, I told the Young Lady some helpful information!”

 

Her extremely nervous voice sounded almost like squawking.

 

“Helpful information…”

 

When Henri narrowed his eyes, Young Lady Hadeloro quickly explained.

 

“This final event is flag capture!”

 

Henri looked at her with his specialty – a smile that melts people.

 

“Thank you for telling us. It will help my younger sister.”

 

Young Lady Hadeloro, with her hands clasped in front of her chest, looked at Henri with a dreamy expression.

 

“It, it’s nothing…”

 

“You’re truly kind.”

 

“Do, do you like kind people?”

 

“I like helpful people.”

 

“…!”

 

Young Lady Hadeloro’s eyes widened.

 

“Prince Suheil has been training for four days now. The knight most likely to be the flag is called Telburn, and he’s fast! And Prince Suheil’s weakness is…!!”

 

—And so Prince Suheil’s prospective fiancée poured out ‘helpful’ words like rapid fire.

 

Young Lady Hadeloro, who even shook hands with Henri, boarded her carriage with her face bright red and wobbling.

 

After House Hadeloro’s carriage left, I said to Henri.

 

“The Young Lady seems to like you, older brother.”

 

“For about three years now.”

 

“You knew?”

 

“I couldn’t help but notice such an intense gaze.”

 

“Then do you like Lady Hadeloro too, older brother?”

 

“I do like her.”

 

I took a deep breath.

 

‘Wow, wow!’

 

A family member’s romance! My heart is pounding.

 

‘Come to think of it, it’s about time Henri got a fiancée too.’

 

Then could Lady Hadeloro become my new sister-in-law?

 

When I made an interested expression, Henri’s eyes curved even more sweetly than they had in front of Lady Hadeloro.

 

“She’s quite a helpful informant, you see.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean…”

 

I made a deflated, disappointed expression.

 

But it was true that he had obtained plenty of information that couldn’t be easily acquired with just a few smiles and words.

 

‘They say beauty is a weapon…’

 

Recalling words I’d heard in my previous life, I nodded inwardly, thinking it really was true.

 

“Have you decided on the new soldier to add for the finals?”

 

When he asked, I went “Hmm…” then grinned.

 

“I decided long ago.”

 

“I’m looking forward to it.”

 

That afternoon, news came that Prince Suheil had won.

 

* * *

 

The day of the finals.

 

I looked at the recording stones floating in the air with a tense expression. There were more recording stones than during the preliminaries.

 

The finals between me, who had been active in the preliminaries, and Prince Suheil, the previous champion.

 

The entire Empire was buzzing with anticipation, and the largest crowd in virtual battle history had gathered at the Imperial Palace and plaza where magic mirrors were installed.

 

The judge blew his whistle.

 

Prince Suheil and I each turned our backs on our armies and headed to the center to shake hands.

 

“Are you going to put a sword to my throat right from the start like in the preliminaries?”

 

“Would that be okay?”

 

When I spoke cheerfully, Prince Suheil chuckled.

 

“Please go easy on me. I have a weak heart.”

 

“I should say that. You’re friends with Isaac, aren’t you?”

 

“I’m older, though. That’s why I have a grudge against Isaac, who can match me.”

 

“Oh my. But since I have no grudge against you, please go easy on me.”

 

While we chatted and laughed, we sharply probed each other to the point where our skin tingled.

 

‘What a cunning fellow.’

 

Prince Suheil seemed to be thinking the same thing. His gaze was that of someone looking at a formidable opponent.

 

We bowed to each other and returned to our armies.

 

Edgar Suheil and I had all our soldiers wear robes and pulled their hoods deep enough to cover their faces.

 

It was to hide the expressions of the soldiers who had become flags.

 

“Don’t forget to go easy on us!”

 

The cunning Edgar Suheil shouted.

 

I skillfully concealed my true intentions as I climbed to the highest building in the shopping district and yelled loudly.

 

“I will!”

 

As soon as I shouted that, our soldiers threw oil bottles at the enemy. And I really did cast fire magic gently.

 

KWAAAAANG─!!!

 

With a thunderous roar, flames shot up and Edgar Suheil’s expression crumpled instantly. His soldiers were startled and quickly retreated.

 

In the process, several soldiers’ robes came off.

 

I didn’t miss that moment.

 

‘Prince Suheil looked at the red-haired man.’

 

When people face a crisis, they look for what’s precious to them first.

 

‘That man is the flag.’

 

When I grinned, Prince Suheil looked at me with a hardened expression.

 

His expression said ‘You said you’d go easy!’ so I kindly answered him.

 

“But I did throw the fire gently?”

 

When I smirked, his face crumpled instantly.

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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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