The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 178

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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 178

Returning to the Selection Participants’ Quarters, I opened my bag and poured out everything inside.

‘Mana stones. Quickly, quickly!’

I was picking out only the mana stones when Cecilia from the adjacent room came to visit.

“Miss?”

“Yes?”

She blinked with an expression asking what I was doing, but soon smiled and held out a communication stone.

‘This communication stone is mine though?’

“Why does Cecilia have this…?”

“There was contact from Dubbled Territory.”

“From who?”

“Everyone.”

I looked at the clock hanging on the wall. The hour hand was pointing at 5.

“Ah, it’s almost dinner time so everyone must have been gathered together.”

“No. Separately.”

“What?”

“Separately. All of them. His Excellency and the Three Young Masters, and Lady Javelin and Sir Lea Shabanol, Chairman Nuanok, and…”

As Cecilia counted on her fingers one by one, I said “Stop, stop!”

So many people contacted me. The communication stone must have caught fire.

How embarrassing, what kind of behavior is this!

I answered with a slightly reddened face, mumbling.

“Ah, I understand.”

“Yes.”

“Um… normally they don’t contact me this much. Usually it’s very, really, extremely moderate…!”

“I’m sure that’s the case. I know there wouldn’t normally be occasions where they contact you until the communication stone catches fire, as if you’d gone abroad to study.”

“…”

“Normally I wouldn’t have to repeat like a parrot to a total of twelve people that ‘Miss is doing well, how many snacks she ate, and that she went out briefly for business but will return soon.'”

Cecilia was smiling with her mouth, but she must have been quite fed up because her eyes looked tired.

I smiled back awkwardly and quietly took the communication stone. Then I sent a communication to Father.

Not even a few seconds had passed when the communication connected immediately.

[Yes.]

[Is it Little One? Please switch!]

[The Empress Dowager didn’t bother you with useless words, did she, Leblaine?]

[I have something to tell Miss…]

[Ah, Miss! Are you eating your meals well?]

[Please tell her that tonight is quite cold so she must cover herself with a blanket when sleeping. There’s a wool blanket in the twelfth luggage bag, so please make sure…!]

The surroundings were incredibly noisy.

‘No, why are these people making such a fuss!’

Cecilia’s expression clouded as if she was looking at the most dramatic family in the world.

I glanced at her and whispered.

“I’m doing well. They give me lots of food, it’s warm, and they’re assigning Imperial Guards as escorts…”

[That’s a relief.]

“Yes, so let’s limit communication to just once a day from now on.”

[Why?]

“If I keep receiving communications, I won’t be able to do anything else.”

Cecilia nodded several times as if she completely agreed.

[Hmm, then we’ll all have to set a schedule for contact.]

“Once a day, just one person.”

[That’s difficult, Leblaine. Grandfather and all of us are worried about you…]

“Should we make it once every two days?”

[Once a day, one person. That’s a good idea, Little One!]

Good.

I nodded. And since I had already connected the communication, I decided to talk with my family.

Of course, my hands were busy absorbing mana stones.

‘What? I used twenty mana stones and only got this much Divine Power?’

Was this all I could get because it was my first time absorbing power from mana stones, or was this the normal amount?

‘If this is the normal amount for such expensive mana stones, I’m really disappointed.’

The price of one mana stone that charges power by a tiny amount approaches that of a 3-carat diamond.

‘I almost cried tears of blood buying them…’

These mana stones weren’t extracted from people, but were very rare minerals that formed naturally in the mountains and fields.

There are special minerals that can extract the two powers that are altered forms of mana – Divine Power and magical power.

Divine Power could be extracted through Blue Spinel, and magical power through mana stones.

But the method to extract pure mana wasn’t known.

‘Only the Temple knows.’

That’s why I had no choice but to buy these eye-poppingly expensive mana stones.

‘But my head does feel clearer.’

That’s fortunate. This should make it somewhat easier to find the intruder.

[…so make sure to eat dinner.]

“I understand. Well then Father, I need to go now, so I’ll contact you later.”

[Alright.]

[Take care of yourself, Leblaine.]

[Little One, if anyone bothers you, contact us immediately.]

“Yes. Oh, but Johan isn’t there?”

[Eldest Brother left again saying he had work to do.]

“I see. I understand. Then everyone have a good night!”

[Alright.]

[Yes.]

[Let’s meet in five days.]

The communication ended, and I carefully put the communication stone in my pouch before changing clothes.

“Cecilia, I need to go out again. If anyone from the Imperial Palace looks for me, please tell them I’m playing with Adrian.”

“Yes. Have a safe trip.”

I left the lodging with Cecilia’s farewell.

And I headed to the garden where I had promised to meet Adrian, but he was already there.

“Sorry. I’m ten minutes late…”

“I just arrived.”

“That’s a relief.”

I laughed and grabbed his sleeve. Then our hands brushed, and his was very cold.

I was so surprised that my eyes widened involuntarily.

“Adrian, you liar! You waited a long time!”

“…”

“How long did you wait?”

“…Ten minutes.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“…Fifteen minutes.”

“Adrian.”

“I came straight here from the library.”

Then he had been waiting for over forty minutes. With winter approaching, the days were cold. He was already dressed lightly, yet he waited this long.

“I’m sorry…”

“I had things to think about, so I didn’t notice the time passing.”

When I became dejected, he smiled faintly and changed the subject.

“Let’s go now.”

“Okay…”

‘I really am sorry.’

When I bring Cecilia into the Imperial Palace, I must ask her to take good care of Adrian.

I made that resolution and went with Adrian near the library.

I thought security would be tight since the guards had noticed the intrusion, but surprisingly, it was quieter than before.

‘They didn’t even station anyone by the window.’

Apart from Adrian and me, not even an ant was visible.

“Why?”

When I frowned and muttered, Adrian answered.

“Since nothing went missing from the library, they might not have reported it to the Empress Dowager. To avoid responsibility.”

“That’s true. That could be… Huh? But did you know I came out of the library? How did you know I didn’t take anything with me?”

Adrian’s hand seemed to flinch for a moment, but his voice remained casual.

“You were being chased by the library guards. It was clear you had infiltrated the library, but you weren’t carrying any books.”

Something felt a bit strange, but it was a reasonable explanation, so I nodded.

“Then I’ll ask you now.”

As Adrian gazed into mid-air, crack-like lights gathered and soon took the form of a fish. Then Amand appeared.

He spoke to Amand, who was lightly swimming through the air.

“Go and come back.”

Amand approached the closed window. It flowed through the window gap as if seeping in.

And after some time.

Amand returned.

It swam in front of Adrian in the shape of a lying figure-eight, and Adrian furrowed his brow.

“…Five different types of mana.”

“As many as five?”

When I widened my eyes, he nodded.

I let out a sigh.

“Do we have to investigate all of them?”

“Narrowing down the suspects isn’t difficult. One is you, two are the knights who followed you, and another is the Empress Dowager. But…”

Then there’s only one left!

“But what?”

“The last mana is divine power.”

“…Divine power?”

“Yes, and very high purity at that. If there’s someone with divine power this pure who was in the Imperial Palace today, there’s only one person.”

“Who would that be?”

“Cardinal Blasio.”

“…The Pope’s closest aide.”

“That’s right.”

We faced each other with stern expressions.

* * *

Following Adrian’s guidance, I headed to the Cardinals’ Office called the ‘Palace of Grace.’

The Cardinals take turns entering the Imperial Palace to evangelize the Imperial Family and prepare for enemy invasion in times of crisis.

According to Adrian, this week was Cardinal Blasio’s turn.

The closer we got to the Palace of Grace, the more convinced I became that Cardinal Blasio was the intruder.

‘The vibration in the passage is getting stronger.’

When we reached the door, I could feel vibrations so powerful that my heart was pounding.

I took a deep breath and prepared to knock on the Cardinal’s office door.

But then.

“This way.”

Adrian carefully took my hand and headed to the prayer room in the center of the Palace of Grace.

No, to be precise, to the shabby warehouse attached to the prayer room.

When Adrian entered the warehouse and drew a sacred sign in the air, the bookshelf moved smoothly. What was revealed was a small passage.

‘A secret passage.’

“Adrian, how do you know about this…”

“Because the Temple regards me with special favor.”

If the Temple wanted to establish a new Sacred Emperor, it was highly likely they had approached Adrian in advance.

“Let’s go.”

I followed Adrian down the passage. After walking for a while, a space that appeared to be the Cardinal’s Office came into view.

There was no one in the room.

‘It’s connected to the office bookshelf.’

I was looking around when it happened.

Thump─!!

A sharp pain struck my heart. My gaze naturally turned toward a certain box placed on the sofa table.

As if entranced, I approached and opened the box.

[…must go. Me….]

“Ah….”

[Call to me, Little One.]

A strange voice echoed through my mind.

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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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