The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 172

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

Chapter 172

I held a warm cup in the greenhouse and inhaled the aroma with deep, contemplative eyes.

“Mm, what a lovely fragrance.”

“…Isn’t that just milk?”

“Very savory.”

Then Trigon muttered with clouded eyes.

“The savory taste is probably from something else.”

That’s right. I was in such a state that even if I picked up mud from the roadside and ate it, I’d taste sesame seeds.

The reason was that all the greedy people who had been lining up at the mansion had disappeared.

Augustino’s plan to devour Dubbled by creating a fake Baby Bird through the magic mirror had been exposed to the entire world.

Augustino, who was caught by the Dubbled soldiers I had brought, was handed over to the Imperial knights who came rushing in like lightning.

Since everyone’s attention was focused on ‘the one who tried to create a fake Baby Bird,’ the greedy people were scared out of their wits.

I giggled and said.

“Augustino, that bastard is in huge trouble. The Emperor was absolutely furious.”

What was revealed through the magic mirror wasn’t just Augustino’s true nature.

[The Emperor even took money from Duke Dubbled and appointed me as priest.]

Everyone in the world came to know that the Emperor had taken bribes from Dubbled and tried to interfere with the sacred harvest festival ceremony.

Having even incurred the Emperor’s wrath, Augustino and the shrine connected to him would probably be having a hellish time.

“Aren’t I in just as much trouble…”

Trigon covered his ashen face and screamed silently.

When I shrugged my shoulders, his eyebrows twitched upward as he looked at me through the gaps between his fingers.

“Do you know what I did because of your orders, Miss?”

“You leaked the Imperial Palace’s magic mirror code. Also, you illegally broadcast Augustino’s true nature together with Veronica.”

“Do you also know that if I get caught, I’ll be torn limb from limb?!”

I nodded nonchalantly while slurping my milk. Trigon made an expression like he was about to burst with frustration.

“You’re stealing someone else’s identity, a commoner living by stealing a noble’s status, yet you’re strangely conventional in weird places.”

“Ah, right. I was already a criminal…”

Trigon looked so haggard that he seemed ready to collapse, so I patted his shoulder.

“Think about it, Trigon.”

“Yes?”

“When I broke the Imperial Palace barrier because of Glashalabolas, you dared to try to extort a huge sum from Dubbled under the pretense of helping me, right?”

“…That’s true, but.”

“If you hadn’t been able to handle the incident of me breaking the Imperial Palace barrier by yourself, Father would have killed you. Really. I’d bet on it.”

His ashen face had somehow turned pale blue. He glanced toward the greenhouse door and swallowed dryly.

“Back then I was blinded by money… When I thought I could fulfill Lord Aragon’s lifelong wish, I lost my mind…!”

“Yeah, anyway, things worked out well and you’re alive like this. You already almost died once, so what’s there to be afraid of?”

“It sounds like comfort, but why do I feel more miserable… I’ll be going.”

“Yeah, cheer up~!”

Trigon staggered to his feet.

Just then, the ceremonial guard entering the greenhouse saw him half-dead and widened his eyes. Trigon gave him a perfunctory bow and left the greenhouse. The ceremonial guard frowned and asked.

“Why does that guy look like he’s dying?”

“Because of the illegal Magic Mirror broadcast.”

“…He’s strangely principled in weird ways.”

“That’s what I’m saying. He performs tasks the best when ordered. I guess having a guilty conscience is his habit.”

The ceremonial guard chuckled and handed me some documents.

“This is the personal profile of the person you mentioned. When I asked Seria about it, she said you once ordered an investigation during the Empress Dowager’s Youth Medicine incident.”

“He was involved with the shrine back then too. That’s why I remembered.”

“Pardon?”

I smiled bitterly and changed the subject by opening the documents.

Reading the personal profile the ceremonial guard had investigated made me sigh involuntarily.

‘Even though I know people don’t change no matter how many times I regress, why did I hold onto hope and investigate this man again?’

* * *

After parting with the ceremonial guard, I headed to the dining room.

In the dining room, Emeline was eating as the maids had told me.

I dismissed the people serving the meal and sat across from the child, saying.

“The salmon is delicious, isn’t it? I was amazed when I first tried it too.”

Most beggars in the Imperial Capital don’t even touch fish.

In the Imperial Capital, far from the sea, only those with money can eat fish. The fish that reaches beggars is spoiled or problematic. The kind that causes stomach problems without fail.

That’s why even on desperate days when the Beggar Gang children had to rummage through garbage, they wouldn’t touch fish.

Only after coming to Dubbled did I learn that salmon was such delicious food.

Emeline quietly put down her fork with salmon on it and replied sharply.

“Are you scolding me for eating too much? You can eat this kind of food to your heart’s content. Once I leave this place, unless I find Father, I won’t even be able to see…!”

“Do you really want to find him?”

At the flat question, Emeline frowned.

“Our deal was that if I help you, you would tell me Father’s whereabouts.”

“I’m being considerate of you before the deal, Emeline.”

Consideration for you, who was my friend in my previous life.

“Once you hear his whereabouts from me, you can’t turn back. You might become more miserable than you are now.”

“That’s ridiculous. How could I be more miserable than living as a beggar now? Even if Father isn’t as wonderful a person as I think, I’ll be happier than I am now.”

Her tone was full of conviction.

Feeling that the child’s mind would never change, I had to experience the same complexity from my previous life once again.

“Alright, I’ll tell you.”

“Father is a noble, right? Mother said so. He didn’t deceive Mother, did he? Right?”

“He is a noble.”

“Ah, I knew it…! See. I’m going to be happy─”

“He’s also a priest. A priest from a noble family.”

“Then… I guess he’s not from a good family. B-but that’s okay! If he’s a noble and also a priest, his household won’t be lacking.”

“One of the 21 priests of the Central Temple.”

Emeline’s expression froze. This smart child understood what my words meant.

There are three conditions to be one of the 21 priests of the Central Temple.

First, one must possess divine power excellent enough to be summoned to the Central Temple.

Second, since they govern other priests, there must be no problems with their personal life or family background.

And lastly.

‘They must take a vow of celibacy.’

Emeline was an illegitimate child.

If this child went to find her father, he would immediately be cast out from both the temple and his family for the sin of mocking God.

* * *

The Central Temple was turned upside down. It was because of Augustino’s incident.

The Emperor flew into a rage and threatened during his private audience with the Pope that he would reduce the authority of the corrupt temple.

The 21 priests gathered at the round table. All had somber faces, but especially those who had supported Augustino couldn’t hide their predicament.

“Priest Augustino will have to remove his priestly robes, won’t he?”

“We’d be lucky if it ends with just that man removing his robes! If the temple’s authority is really reduced… What kind of mess is this because of one loach!”

“The Pope won’t just stand by and watch. Even the Emperor can’t carelessly touch the temple’s authority. That’s the power of the state religion.”

“Everyone should meet with nobles you have good relationships with. We need to pressure the Imperial Palace and Dubbled.”

“Yes, since the Pope is also talking with Duke Marche, we should also…”

The 21 priests began moving busily.

Priest Stefano, who left the conference room, shook his head.

“What kind of calamity is this.”

A priest who followed him out clicked his tongue and agreed.

“Really, Priest Augustino… But, isn’t this not entirely bad news for you, Priest Stefano? Congratulations in advance. On becoming a Cardinal.”

When the priest rubbed his hands together and flattered him, Stefano’s face contorted.

“What are you saying. A servant of God has committed corruption. The temple is in danger, and the people’s hearts are in chaos. How can personal joy matter in the midst of this?”

“Ah, no, I…”

The flustered priest smiled awkwardly and changed the subject.

“As expected, you are a model priest, someone the likes of me could never hope to follow.”

“Really… Practice self-discipline.”

When he bowed his head, Stefano frowned and walked briskly.

First, he had to calm the confused hearts of the people. It was a priest’s mission to guide the people who were starving from the great drought so they wouldn’t lose their way.

It was just as he was passing by the chapel. A child wearing a robe was looking around, searching for something.

“Child.”

“…”

“Are you lost?”

“…I was looking for the confessional.”

“Turn the right corner where the angel statue is.”

When the child who had been staring at him blankly bowed their head, Stefano took off his outer garment and draped it over the child’s shoulders.

“Your clothes are thin.”

“…”

As he started to walk away, the child called out.

“…Priest!”

“Hmm?”

“Please listen to my story, Priest.”

“There should be a priest in the confessional.”

“I don’t want another priest.”

He gazed at the child quietly, then smiled and moved to a nearby bench.

Even after sitting down, the child hesitated for a long time, unable to open their mouth.

“If it’s difficult, shall we talk again next time?”

“No. No. I can speak.”

“Alright.”

“…If a priest who took a vow of chastity had a child, would it be a sin to seek out the father even knowing it would cause him trouble? Would going to see him be a sin?”

Stefano’s hands tensed. He glanced at the child who had their head deeply bowed. The small clasped hands were trembling faintly.

“Well. That’s a difficult story. But…”

“…”

“How could simply being born be a sin? It’s the fault of the priest who committed the transgression.”

Stefano muttered in a self-deprecating voice, “Yes, it’s the sin of the priest who loved her…”

The child bit their lips tightly before asking.

“Th, then if by any chance, if it really were you, Priest…”

“I wonder, I have no children so I can’t imagine.”

“Just hypothetically.”

“It would be a terrible feeling.”

“A terrible feeling…?”

He gently stroked the child’s head and stood up.

“I’m sorry. I should be going back now.”

Stefano walked away quickly. He didn’t look back at the child even by mistake.

“Priest! Priest! Ah─”

“I’m sorry.”

“…”

“I’m sorry.”

Emeline pulled down her robe.

The face of the child watching Stefano’s retreating figure became wet with tears.

That was a rejection.

A gentle, oh so gentle rejection.

A request to never come looking again, to live as if they didn’t exist.

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