The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 161

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

Chapter 161

‘Where are they? Where could they be?’

I frantically looked around.

They weren’t on this path. They were probably wandering around outside the alley looking for me.

‘No, why are they chasing me!’

I had told the Wolves and Zacharie, who had escorted me to the Imperial Palace, that I would be away for about an hour or two.

The Wolves were a bit anxious, but Zacharie understood since he knew I was connected to Pur and could summon him from the mansion at any time.

But suddenly looking for me meant.

‘…Father. Father has come.’

The only command the Wolves would prioritize over mine would be Father’s order.

Instantly, ominous futures flashed through my mind with clicking sounds.

The Wolves discovering me with Adrian.

Adrian and I being captured.

Father and my brothers walking through the Wolves.

‘Adrian might be killed…!’

When I imagined the expressions on Father’s and my brothers’ faces when they saw Adrian, I got goosebumps.

Just as I was about to call Adrian, Emeline, who had been biting her lips tightly while glaring at him, took a deep breath.

“You…!”

“Emeline, Emeline!”

Tree, who had just come out of the fabric shop, rushed over and grabbed Emeline.

“Let go!”

“He’s someone who spends silver coins without a care. There’s a high chance he’s a noble. We’ll be in big trouble!”

Only nobles or newly rich people carried large denominations of money like silver coins and gold coins.

Moreover, Adrian was actually a prince. By convention, he was someone a commoner, especially a child from the Beggar Gang, couldn’t even speak to.

“Come on, unless a noble has gone mad, why would they come to this alley! At most, he’s probably some nouveau riche young master.”

“Emeline…”

“I guess the precious young master from a wealthy family never learned manners? That’s the most important thing. 【Do not look down on others. What you consider a blunt stick may one day become a blade aimed at your throat, as history warns.】 Don’t you know that?”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

It was understandable since that wasn’t a sentence that should come from a street child’s mouth.

That was a passage from 【Nobleship】 that noble children typically learned when young.

Emeline snorted and crossed her arms.

“I treated you with kindness. But you humiliated me by telling me to get lost. Apologize.”

“It seems you don’t remember the passage 【Look to yourself before pointing out others’ rudeness】.”

“…What did you say?”

Adrian, who had properly adjusted my half-fallen hood, looked at Emeline with cold eyes.

“It means I’m escorting someone.”

It’s rude behavior to converse with another person of the opposite sex while escorting a woman.

Though I was wearing a hood, my long hair was flowing out of my clothes, and after leaving the fabric shop I had been talking with Adrian, so there was no way Emeline wouldn’t know I was a girl.

‘Even so, I’m nine years old though.’

Emeline’s face turned red as she shouted “Th-that’s…!” and Adrian lightly wrapped one arm around me.

“Haven’t I shown enough courtesy by not tearing apart someone who was rude to my partner?”

“…”

“If you understand, then get lost.”

Emeline trembled while clenching her fists tightly, and Adrian passed by without even looking at her.

From behind, I could hear Tree comforting Emeline. Emeline, still angry, shouted “What kind of person is that!”

* * *

After leaving the area where the fabric shop was located, I sighed and took off my hood. I could no longer hear the sound of the knights’ footsteps.

‘They wouldn’t come this far, would they?’

They wouldn’t think a noble young lady would go deep into the alleys. Especially not while bringing a prince along.

In my first life, whenever Johan and Adrian encountered each other, they would act as if they wanted to kill one another. There were times they actually almost did.

Knowing this well, I became increasingly anxious.

‘I can’t let him hit a member of the Imperial Family.’

There’s no telling what Isaac might do if he loses his temper.

If Adrian got beaten up, there was no knowing what the Emperor might demand.

What worried me more than having to compensate the Emperor was my certainty that he wouldn’t demand compensation out of affection for his son.

‘Adrian might get hurt.’

As I clenched my fists tightly, Adrian asked.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh?”

“You look anxious.”

I stared intently at Adrian’s worried expression.

“When I look at you like this, it seems like there’s no one as kind as you in the world.”

He blinked as if asking what I meant, so I chuckled.

“I was surprised earlier when you told Emeline to get lost. You looked really scary.”

“…Do you dislike scary people?”

I tilted my head.

“No?”

“…?”

“It’s better than being foolishly kind and just getting taken advantage of. You’re a good person to me, so what does it matter.”

Adrian, who had been silent for a while, softly narrowed his eyes.

“Why?”

When I asked, he answered.

“Because you always give answers different from what I expect.”

I playfully mimicked Adrian’s question from a moment ago.

“You don’t like people who give unexpected answers?”

“No. I like it.”

“Then that’s fine.”

I giggled and looked around.

‘Gifts. Let’s quickly buy gifts and go back. What would Adrian need?’

Just then, I spotted a fountain pen shop. This was one of the few specialty shops among the stores in the alley. Most shops in the alley were general stores that sold various items to make ends meet, with every other shop being a general store.

‘There should be something decent.’

I grabbed Adrian’s wrist and pointed to the fountain pen shop.

“How about that? For your gift, I mean.”

“Good.”

I smiled brightly and said “Let’s go!” as I energetically entered the shop.

We received the shop clerk’s greeting and looked at the fountain pen display case together.

“The black one is pretty too. That one with the snake pattern engraved on it.”

“Yeah. Pretty.”

“How about the red one? It doesn’t have a pattern, but it looks cleaner without one, don’t you think?”

“Good.”

“That navy blue one too…”

“I’ll take that one.”

I narrowed my eyes and smacked Adrian’s back. He looked at me with wide eyes.

“Pretty, good. Stop saying things like that and choose what you like. You’re allowed to express your opinion, you fool!”

“…”

It was frustrating. This child was still just a boy. Boys Adrian’s age caused trouble so frequently that the Empire had a saying called ‘the cursed age of 13.’

Having lost his mother at birth and living under the Emperor’s indifference with survival as his only goal, this child had naturally learned to suppress his own will.

“Choose. Take your time!”

Adrian looked at me with trembling eyes before turning his gaze to the display case. After slowly examining the products, he pointed to a fountain pen in the far corner of the display.

A blue fountain pen. It had a light brown strap attached.

“You like that one?”

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t choose it because it’s the cheapest, did you? There are better ones available.”

Being inexpensive, the design was also somewhat tacky.

“I like this one.”

It was a rare stubborn expression. I stared into his eyes, then chuckled and nodded.

‘Well, he chose it himself anyway.’

“Try holding it once. See if it’s comfortable.”

When I asked the shop clerk if we could try the display fountain pen, she replied “Of course!” and brought some parchment.

Adrian carefully held the fountain pen after the shop clerk filled it with ink.

‘His hands are really beautiful.’

“Oh my, Young Master’s hands are so beautiful.”

It wasn’t just my opinion, as the shop clerk made a fuss over them.

‘Right, exactly.’

Watching his long, smooth fingers move lightly was enjoyable just to observe.

Come to think of it, this child has no flaws anywhere. Not only his appearance, but his voice is so sweet it could lull you to sleep, and even the shape of his fingernails is breathtakingly beautiful. He’s like a work of art that God carefully crafted.

“How is it? Comfortable to write with?”

“Yes.”

“Hey! Be honest!”

“…The pen barrel seems a bit thick.”

Then the shop clerk smiled kindly and said, “Our shop also does custom work. We can make the pen barrel thinner too.”

“Could I try different circumferences?”

“Of course. There are various shapes too.”

The shop clerk showed us various pen barrels. I pointed to a pen barrel that was flat on one side and looked at Adrian.

“Want to try holding this? It’ll be comfortable.”

Because this shape of pen barrel will become popular in a few years.

Adrian awkwardly gripped the pen barrel. It looked clumsy because he wasn’t supporting the flat part with his thumb.

“Not like that. The flat part…”

Just as I took his hand and was correcting how to hold it.

“How lucky you are. With my daughter.”

Four men with rough expressions kicked open the door and entered.

What’s with this delinquent-like pose?

“Ah, Father…”

“Come here.”

“Father, this is…”

“Let go of that hand.”

I swallowed nervously.

Since I had frozen and wasn’t moving, my family spoke again with grave expressions.

“Come here, Leblaine.”

“Let go of her hand.”

“Leblaine.”

“Little One!”

When I hesitantly approached my family, Isaac quickly grabbed my hand and vigorously rubbed it clean on his coat.

“Where do you get off following people around without knowing how scary they can be, huh?”

“I didn’t follow him, I brought him with me…”

Isaac’s eyes widened, and Henri smiled incredibly brightly. Johan had his usual expression, but his gaze looked like it could tear Adrian apart. Really scary.

Father kept his gaze fixed on Adrian while speaking to me.

“What were you doing here?”

“It’s Adrian’s birthday, so I brought him out. I was going to buy him a fountain pen…”

Then my family’s gazes all focused on me at once. Their eyes were blazing intensely.

“Adrian?”

“A-dri-an?!”

“You call him by his name?”

“…”

It was Johan, Isaac, Henri, and Father in that order. I panicked and quickly corrected myself, “Oh, no, Second Prince…”

I had only come to buy a birthday gift for a friend, so why did I have to feel like a criminal whose crime had been discovered…

“A gift, you say…”

“A fountain pen? I never got one from Little One either!”

“How absurd.”

“…”

This time too, the order was the same.

It was unfair. I had given gifts for my family’s birthdays without fail too. I just didn’t have fountain pens.

How should I resolve this situation? While I was pondering, Adrian bowed deeply to Father.

“I apologize.”

“For what?”

“I know your household must have been greatly worried when we went out together to an unsafe place without notice. Leblaine was only being considerate of me, so please direct your blame toward me.”

It was a very polite apology. For the Emperor’s son, and moreover the Empire’s only legitimate prince, to apologize this much was absolutely not a common occurrence.

I fidgeted restlessly and clung to Father’s arm.

“No, it’s not. I was the one who insisted on going out. Really!”

Father watched Adrian, who was still bowing his head, with a cold expression.

“Do not meet my daughter again in the future.”

“Father!”

“You don’t seem foolish enough to be unaware of your own circumstances. Always keep in mind that my daughter is far, far too good for Your Highness’s position.”

“Ah—”

When I frowned, Isaac and Henri held me back.

“Father’s words aren’t wrong. When the Prince gets struck by a sword, getting struck together is never friendship.”

“That’s right, Little One.”

I burst out emotionally.

“Adrian really didn’t say he wanted to go out. I was the one who suggested going out. Since I was the one who chose, I should be the one taking responsibility. I’m not a baby! But you brothers are making me into a petty child who pushes my responsibilities onto my friend.”

“Leblaine.”

Father called me sternly, and Johan pulled my wrist.

“Let’s go.”

I looked at Adrian as I was dragged away by my brothers.

Seeing him standing there all alone made my throat sting.

* * *

They say the mansion was turned upside down looking for me. Mages were summoned and Dubbled’s Imperial Army combed through the shopping district like they were catching fleas.

“You’re in big trouble, Little One!”

Isaac scolded me with a stern expression.

I sat on the sofa with a sullen face, looking at Father and my brothers who surrounded me.

“I went to play with a friend.”

“Making your family worry.”

Father said coldly. Normally I would have flinched, but this time I didn’t back down either.

“The shopping district is a place I go to all the time. Father said I could move around freely because he trusts me.”

“With the condition that you go with guards.”

“I had Pur with me. Summoning Pur is more powerful than having the wolves as guards!”

When I shouted with a pouty, sulking expression, Father and my brothers flinched. It was because I had never rebelled against Father this much before.

Today was Adrian’s birthday. The first birthday anyone had ever celebrated for him.

The image of him smiling brightly and treasuring even a single candle overlapped with the sight of him standing alone and forlorn in the shop, making my throat feel like it had thorns stuck in it.

Henri spoke as if trying to soothe me.

“But you were with the Second Prince. He has many enemies…”

“Dubbled has many enemies too. Probably more than Adrian does. Then does that mean I can’t go anywhere and have to stay home all the time?”

“But…”

“I know my family loves me. But that doesn’t mean you should hurt others.”

Henri closed his mouth as if he had nothing to say. The four of them exchanged glances for a moment. Isaac, who was hot-tempered, spoke with a flushed face.

“Anyway, it’s not allowed! Especially not the Second Prince. That bastard feels worse than the other bastards!”

“You say it’s fine with the maids or other ladies from social circles, so why isn’t Adrian allowed!”

“Because he’s a guy!”

“Isaac is a guy too. Then I shouldn’t play with Isaac either.”

“If it’s not allowed, then it’s not allowed! All guys are equally scheming! Little one, they’re all just waiting for a chance to propose to you!”

“No, he’s not.”

“Yes he is! Because you’re the cutest in the world!”

There was no getting through to them. Since they only insisted on strange logic, I didn’t have the energy to have a conversation.

Usually, my family members who would tell him to stop talking nonsense were quiet.

I glared at them and stood up abruptly. Then I stomped my feet, thump, thump, as I went up to my room.

My family followed me into the room.

“Leblaine, we were just worried about you.”

“That’s right, little one. Don’t be angry and let’s eat ice cream. We have apple sherbet that you like.”

“And salmon too.”

This time they seemed to be trying to gently coax me.

Isaac, who had received apple sherbet from a maid, tilted his head.

“…What are you doing?”

I was lying down neatly with my hands folded together, like lying in a coffin without covering myself with a blanket.

Then I answered my family with my eyes closed.

“From today on, I’m going to sleep without covering myself with a blanket.”

“What?”

“L-little one!”

“…!”

“…”

My panicked family rushed to the bed, but I spoke in a nonchalant tone.

“I’ll probably catch a cold. Cough cough.”

“Th-that’s unfair!”

“Leblaine!”

“Let’s calm down and resolve this through conversation.”

“Leblaine!”

The family members didn’t know what to do, and sounds of wailing flowed from the surroundings.

“Oh my, Little One!”

“Oh my, oh my!”

When I slightly opened my eyes, the employees were kneeling and mourning, while the family members trembled as if they had heard a bolt from the blue.

A guard passing by near my room shook his head as if he had witnessed something unbearable to see.

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