The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 142
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 142
* * *
The next afternoon.
The physician who came to the mansion frowned when he saw me.
“You’ve become a goldfish since I last saw you.”
“Hey!”
When I suddenly frowned, he chuckled.
“Your eyes have become like a goldfish’s, but seeing how relaxed your expression is, things must have gone well.”
I cleared my throat and turned my head away.
“Physician, Father wants you to come to his office.”
“…Am I finally going to die today?”
“I’m not sure about that, but anyway, Father and my brothers found out about my identity. And that you’re my person too.”
I had clearly only told Father yesterday, but when I woke up this morning, my brothers came rushing over and asked, “Little One, is your Adult Thinking working properly today?”
When I was flustered and stammering, Henri laughed and said, “It seems to be working today. That’s a bit disappointing.”
‘Father must have told them.’
And it seems my brothers have forgiven me. It was truly a relief.
The physician let out a sigh.
“I might die today after all.”
“But Father forgave me yesterday, so─”
“Young Lady not speaking up is different from me, a retainer, not speaking up.”
That was true. The physician was the chief administrator of the Council of Elders who was supposed to protect Dubbled. Knowing information that could harm Dubbled and not reporting it was tantamount to treason.
‘That was also one of the reasons I couldn’t reveal my identity.’
I was in the middle of pondering when.
“Leblaine.”
At the voice coming from the top of the stairs, I quickly raised my head.
“Henri!”
I could see Johan and Isaac coming down behind him.
“Little One, you’re going to the office, right? Father called for us too.”
“Yeah. And…”
When I glanced at the physician, the quick-witted Henri smiled brightly. Coming down the stairs, he extended his hand to me and said.
“It’s okay. If he intended to kill the physician, the Wolves would have received orders yesterday.”
“I suppose so…?”
Henri nodded and glanced at the physician.
“If you think about it rationally, it was fortunate that the physician helped you. At least there was someone who could control the situation by your side.”
“Right! The physician─”
“But emotions are a different matter.”
When Henri’s eyes turned cold, the Chairman groaned with a cough. But he soon composed himself and followed behind my brothers.
Though he had become much more benevolent during the five years he spent with me, he was still the Senate Chairman who had been Father’s greatest political enemy. He might say he was afraid, but he must have confidence in his ability to persuade Father or survive.
‘That’s why I was able to keep the Chairman by my side.’
The Chairman, my brothers, and I entered Father’s office.
As we sat on the sofa, Father began to speak.
“Let’s discuss what lies ahead.”
At the word “discuss,” the Chairman looked at Father with surprised eyes. My eyes also widened. Duke Dubbled was someone who commanded, not someone who consulted with others.
Henri was the first to speak.
“First, what’s important is trust. A promise to never reveal Leblaine’s identity.”
When I saw the magic tool and paper Henri pulled from his chest, I bolted upright.
“A life-binding tool…”
“That’s right, Leblaine.”
“That’s a dangerous sacred relic that destroys the body if you break your promise!”
“That’s exactly why we need it now.”
“The Chairman won’t reveal my identity under any circumstances.”
“Do you really think so?”
I flinched at Henri’s words.
“I’ve looked into the people you chose. Hope Trading Company’s Deputy Leader, the Deputy’s assistant, Zachary, and the Chairman. They’re all people who have something more precious than you. In the worst case scenario, they’re people who wouldn’t sacrifice themselves for you.”
“…”
“I understand your intentions. You can regress again, so you chose these people hoping they would survive even if you died. The reason you didn’t choose Lea, whom you love most, is because she’s someone who would unconditionally sacrifice herself for you.”
“…”
“There may be trust between you and your people, but we can’t be reassured by that alone. We need a solid bond. Because we’re going to make Dubbled an independent nation.”
“…For me?”
“For all of us.”
The Chairman grabbed my sleeve.
“Henri is right. We are rebels. We’re plotting against the country.”
“But…!”
“Please let us take responsibility for our choice. Young Lady, you have no right to take away our responsibility.”
“…”
“If we live, we live together; if we die, we die together. That is the price this old man pays for betting his life on you.”
The Chairman was the first to write his name on the petition of names. Soon the magic tool glowed red and crack-like tattoos appeared on the Chairman’s body. They disappeared quickly, but they looked like a collar.
Next was Johan. Then Henri, Isaac, and finally Father.
Watching the people write their names felt very strange. I was deeply sad, but at the same time, some emotion welled up inside me.
After dying three times, in my fourth life I finally met people who absolutely trusted and loved me.
‘How happy a person am I.’
It was strange that while I feared someone would sacrifice themselves for me, I felt happy when I actually reached this point.
When I sniffled, Isaac smiled mischievously and grabbed and shook my nose.
“Crying again. Crybaby.”
“…”
“You really suit being a younger sister more than an older sister.”
Isaac crossed his arms and nodded solemnly.
“What?”
“I don’t know about your previous life. What I know is you at nine years old. So I’m your older brother! Got it?”
What is he talking about?
I tilted my head in confusion, but Henri and Johan chuckled.
Henri, who had been quietly snickering for a while, spoke up again.
“Good. Then Chief, please get signatures from Seria, Zachary, and Trigon as well.”
“Yes.”
“Next is the problem of Marquis Nodelli… Father, if Duke Marche is the ringleader as Leblaine heard from the deceased Valois, this is an opportunity.”
The Chief asked, “An opportunity?”
“Marche and Nodelli have a special relationship. Marche has been continuously supporting Nodelli’s ridiculous business ventures.”
“Supporting them?”
I widened my eyes in shock.
‘Marche? That can’t be!’
Why would that wise old man?
“Leblaine, Marche is secretly operating a trading company called Roconus.”
“Roconus… I’ve heard that name somewhere…”
“You probably heard it while investigating Nodelli. Roconus is the place that helped every time Nodelli came up with those ridiculous business plans like umbrella businesses or dust absorption systems.”
I nodded.
This was information that the Chief, Hope Trading Company, and I couldn’t obtain.
‘Having Father and my brothers’ help definitely makes things easier.’
Father, who owned the Empire’s premier intelligence organization Dark Bird, and Henri and Johan, who had access connections, possessed far superior information networks.
‘Ah, but I feel like I heard about Roconus somewhere else…’
I was too shocked yesterday and cried until I collapsed, so my memories from before regression aren’t coming back clearly.
‘What was it.’
“What’s this umbrella business? The Magic Tower already dominates the market selling umbrellas with superior functions – are they crazy? And what’s this dust absorption system? The Imperial Capital is surrounded by massive mountain ranges, so there’s no need for that.”
“The head of Roconus Trading Company is actually Gerard, Duke Marche’s cousin.”
“The Empress Dowager’s younger brother?”
“Yes, a former meteorologist who studies climate…”
‘Climate!’
I gasped.
“Mina’s trading company!”
“…What?”
“Mina, the real Child of Fate. In her first life, Mina bought up various trading companies to raise relief funds, and one of them was Roconus Trading Company.”
“To outsiders, Roconus would look like an empty shell, so why would the real Child of Fate under the shrine’s protection buy such a trading company…?”
When I looked at Father, he, my brothers, and even the Chief narrowed their eyes.
Father, with his eyes narrowed, said:
“Marche wouldn’t have just handed over a trading company he was secretly operating.”
“Then…”
“There’s a high possibility he’s involved with the real Child of Fate.”
“The Loconus Trading Company did grow incredibly after it became Mina’s. After that, they changed the name to Nus Trading Company, so everyone forgot the name Loconus, but Nus Trading Company is very famous.”
“Why?”
“Because of their incredible skill. When natural disasters occur, they prepare necessary supplies faster than anyone else… the great drought.”
Right, the great drought!
The reason water sources are needed is because a great drought is coming soon. But Nus Trading Company, no, Loconus Trading Company had been involved with disasters even before it became Mina’s.
When I said this, Henri let out a hollow laugh.
“They knew disasters would happen in advance.”
“…Marche told Marquis Nodelli that the great drought was coming.”
“Disasters can’t be predicted. That means…”
All of our gazes turned cold.
“They created the disasters. To get their hands on wealth.”
At my words, Isaac frowned.
“But how? If they could really predict disasters, then Nodelli’s businesses wouldn’t have failed repeatedly until now.”
“They can’t create disasters perfectly. There’s also the possibility of failure. So Marche brought in Nodelli to reduce the risks imposed on themselves.”
The chairman nodded.
“It’s certain that Nodelli and Marche are in collusion. But if Nodelli and Marche fall out…”
The corner of Henri’s mouth twitched.
“We should extend a helping hand to poor Nodelli from our side. So his mouth becomes loose. Of course, after driving him to the cliff.”
Father stood up.
“I’ll handle driving him to the cliff.”
I smiled brightly and raised my hand high.
“Hope Trading Company will extend the helping hand! When Nodelli and Princess Ingrid divorce, he’ll need a lot of money, so he won’t be able to refuse Hope Trading Company’s help.”
Villainous smiles appeared on the faces of my family and the chairman.
And several days later.
Father led the nobles to visit the Imperial Palace and petitioned for Marquis Nodelli’s punishment.
Of course, Marquis Nodelli, who was known for trying to poison me using his child, couldn’t escape punishment.
Marquis Nodelli himself was sentenced to whipping. The punishment was reduced considering he was from a founding contributor family. When his back was torn to shreds and he was nearly half-dead, Princess Ingrid presented him with divorce papers.
* * *
One day in midsummer, Marquis Nodelli finally got divorced!
Princess Ingrid seized the diamond mine and moved into the Empress Dowager’s private residence.
For the Empress Dowager to pass down property to her daughter, she needed to be restored to the Imperial Family, which required having no heir.
This is because Princess Ingrid’s children, not heirs of Marquis Nodelli’s house, have succession rights to the throne.
In the end, Elizabeth had no choice but to have her name removed from under Princess Ingrid.
The child who had been so proud of her semi-imperial status was forever stripped of it and became merely a marquis’s young lady.
Naturally, because the marquis lost the diamond mine, Marquis Nodelli’s house became very poor.
Elizabeth was now completely buried in the social circle and couldn’t throw any tantrums.
It seems she caused quite a commotion as Princess Ingrid’s daughter, so there are even people who deliberately seek her out for revenge.
And I was in a very good mood.
‘Now it’s time to extend a hand to Marquis Nodelli!’
I came out to the shopping district, humming as I headed to the trading company.
“You seem particularly cheerful today.”
“Yeah!”
I was feeling so incredibly good that I was almost skipping as I walked, not paying proper attention to what was ahead.
“Ah!”
After bumping into someone, I rubbed my forehead and looked up.
“My apologies. Are you alright?”
It was a familiar voice.
I stiffened and swallowed dryly as I raised my head.
“Are you badly hurt? Let me take a look.”
I know this person very well.
He was my father in my first life.
“Duke Amitie….”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————