The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 196

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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 196

‘8 years later, January.’

Things had changed.

Mina’s arrival to the Empire was supposed to be when I was around nineteen, but it had been moved up by two whole years.

‘How?’

Mina was a dimensional traveler. A child who had crossed over from another world, not this one. That’s why it made even less sense.

There was only one case where the future would change. When it became entangled with me.

But dimensional travel was something that couldn’t be done by human power, so there was no possibility of me getting involved.

There were only a few things I could think of.

First, my interpretation was wrong.

Second, the future changed because a person was involved in the dimensional travel.

And lastly.

‘Divine intervention.’

If others heard this, they would think it was nonsense, but having lived as a child of God, I truly knew that gods existed.

In my first life, I witnessed with my own eyes what kind of disaster occurred due to the Evil God whose seal had cracked. Because of that, didn’t Mina use me as a medium to reseal the Evil God?

Since the last possibility was the most likely, my head was complicated.

The things that had been happening behind my back, which I didn’t know about, were gradually being revealed before my eyes.

The remnants of darkness that appeared before me were much deeper and more massive than I had thought.

‘If a god intervenes in the human world, there’s no way I, who am merely human, could win.’

If God Neriad helps the shrine that has Mina in their grasp, then what happens to me?

The shrine will use me as a sacrifice again, and my family will surely risk death to protect me, so what should I do then?

Can I protect my life and my family?

Have I been dancing in the palm of a god’s hand all this time?

My head became dizzyingly tangled.

‘Stop—! Calm down!’

I slapped both my cheeks with my hands—smack!

“What are you doing, Little One! You should hit your second brother instead!”

“Leblaine?”

“Youngest.”

Only then did I see my brothers and Father looking at me with concern, and Mother’s photograph placed on Father’s desk.

I took a deep breath and glared at the shrine’s spire visible outside the window.

‘Do you think I’ll give up just because of that?’

Even though I was separated from my family as a baby and went through all kinds of hardships, I eventually returned to the safety of my family.

Starting with nothing, I found my family, built a trading company, and made countless people mine.

When it comes to being wicked, I’m number one in the Empire.

‘Whether it’s a god or whatever, they messed with the wrong person.’

There was no need to be hasty. I still had eight years left. No matter how much God intervened, time was on my side.

I’ll take it step by step, one thing at a time.

I clenched my fist tightly and turned my head sharply to look at Taylor.

“First, the Grand Lady’s recovery!”

“…What?”

“Follow me!”

I grabbed Taylor’s sleeve and marched majestically out of the office.

* * *

The Emperor, Imperial Consort, and attendants from the Grand Princess’s Palace watched with worried faces as the unconscious Grand Lady lay there while Taylor examined her.

Taylor, who had put his ear close to the Grand Lady’s nose, soon nodded his head.

“She’ll regain consciousness soon.”

Only then did the Emperor let out a sigh and slump into a chair.

“Thank goodness. Yes, thank goodness.”

If the Empress Dowager had been framed as the Grand Lady’s poisoner, not only would the Imperial Palace’s prestige have been damaged, but the nobles and shrine would have risen up in revolt.

The Emperor pressed his forehead with a relieved expression.

“Lady Dubbled’s contribution is great.”

I acknowledged this by bowing my head without offering any modest denial.

‘Yes, my contribution is great. So what are you going to do about it?’

When I looked at him with such eyes, the Emperor groaned.

“I shall bestow one thousand gold coins to Dubbled.”

A measly thousand coins?

I saved the Grand Lady while preserving the Emperor’s dignity and prevented the resentment that would have flooded the Imperial Palace, and that’s all?

That would be about two months’ allowance for me.

When I glanced sideways and smirked, another groan escaped from between the Emperor’s teeth.

“How about the farmland in Caledonia?”

Caledonia was barren land where only grass barely grew.

“Your Majesty, Dubbled lacks neither money nor land. What we lack is simply Your Majesty’s sincere heart…”

I trailed off and glanced sideways again.

“What is it that you need?”

Finally getting the words I’d been waiting for, I quickly answered.

“Please forgive Her Majesty the Empress Dowager!”

At my words, silence settled over the Grand Lady’s bedroom.

Since Taylor hadn’t mentioned that the Grand Lady’s condition was due to a Haro flower allergy, the misunderstanding about the Empress Dowager wouldn’t have been cleared up.

Everyone gathered here was fed up with the Empress Dowager’s thoughtless actions, so they all had displeased expressions.

“Dubbled’s daughter has deep affection for the Late Empress. Very much so.”

The Emperor’s voice lowered, as he was the most angry at the Empress Dowager.

“It’s not because of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager…”

When I deliberately put on a gloomy expression, the Emperor narrowed his eyes.

“What if I do?”

“Father said this matter must not become known to the outside. So people will think His Majesty is being unreasonably cold to the Late Empress. Among the five great sins decreed by God Neriad, there is filial impiety, isn’t there? Both the shrine and the nobles will gossip that His Majesty is in the wrong.”

“….”

“I don’t want His Imperial Majesty to be wronged….”

When I clasped my hands together tightly and acted like a good child, the furrow in the Emperor’s brow softened.

“But this is a grave crime that cannot be overlooked, even if it involves the Late Empress. If Aunt recovers and pursues the Late Empress relentlessly….”

The Emperor looked as if his head ached just thinking about it.

“Don’t worry about that!”

“Don’t worry, you say?”

“Uncle is the one who saved the Grand Lady. Since the Grand Lady knows gratitude, she will bestow a reward upon Uncle, and Uncle will say as his reward that he wishes His Imperial Majesty to have no troubles!”

I poked Taylor in the ribs.

‘Hurry up and agree.’

When I glared at him with that expression, Taylor nodded his head halfheartedly as if annoyed.

“Would Aunt accept this when the Late Empress is the cause of her collapse?”

“Dubbled is on His Majesty’s side. Of course, so am I.”

I gently folded my hands over my chest and smiled brightly.

I am the ‘Child of Fate of the shrine,’ after all.

It meant I would take responsibility for the shrine, and Father would keep the nobles in check.

Even if the Grand Lady demanded punishment for the Empress Dowager, there would be no one to support her. Then the Grand Lady would keep quiet under the pretext of granting Taylor’s request.

There would be Dubbled and me to handle the surroundings, and there would be an excuse to keep the Grand Lady quiet. No problem, right?

Seeing my expression, the Emperor’s lips curved upward.

“Where did such a cute thing come from? Who raised you to be so lovable?”

“The Emperor is the father of his subjects, and his subjects are the Emperor’s children, so Your Majesty raised me~”

As my fourth-life worldly wisdom was fully displayed, the Emperor’s expression melted. He chuckled heartily and said “There, there,” while stroking my cheek.

“I shall grant your request. But I cannot fail to commend your devoted heart for my sake. Hear me! I bestow upon Lady Dubbled the title of Precious Jewel!”

What?

I rolled my eyes and looked around.

‘Really?’

Really.

People nodded as if answering that way, so I smiled awkwardly.

Precious Jewel was an honorary position. It was a title bestowed upon a certain young lady who saved the king in a war about a hundred years ago.

No one would call me ‘Lady Precious Jewel,’ but the accompanying privileges were enormous.

Precious Jewel meant becoming quasi-imperial family. Like the Grand Duchess descended from the direct line, or Princess Ingrid, or the Grand Lady.

In other words, it came with the privileges of quasi-imperial family.

Upon reaching a certain age, one would gain voting rights in the Golden Council (a council composed of imperial bloodlines).

Permanent access to the Imperial Palace.

And….

‘Permission to enter the Elysiano Class!’

The Elysiano Class was a class at the Foreign Academic Institute composed only of the Empire’s imperial family and foreign royal families.

There was a Foreign Academic Institute where only the continent’s finest talents gathered, and it was where Johan was currently enrolled.

The Elysiano Class is the most exceptional class even in this place where only the children of the continent’s most prestigious families attend.

The two princes of the Wigzentra Empire.

The twin princes of Waynes.

The princess of Gahong.

The chieftain’s grandchild of Atar.

This was the place where such people were about to enroll.

‘In that case…’

I cupped my cheeks with an ecstatic expression.

A place full of treasures that would help with independence! A field of golden connections!

‘They say good deeds bring good fortune…’

I wouldn’t have known since I hadn’t done good deeds until now.

As a reward for doing good deeds, I had suddenly come to embrace a golden treasure.

I left the Grand Lady’s palace humming and walked as if bouncing. Taylor watched me and smiled with amusement.

“It might not be such a good thing.”

“Why wouldn’t it be good?”

“Why did your speech become polite again?”

“Because I received help. Anyway, if it’s the Elysiano Class, it’s a field of golden connections, so that’s reason enough to be happy.”

If I establish myself properly here, the Temple won’t be scary at all.

Even if I fail at independence, I can quickly escape to the land of connections I’ve captured.

“It would be nice if my brothers could go too…”

When we become independent and the Dubbled Kingdom is established, they’ll become princes.

When I pouted my lips regretfully, Taylor glanced at me.

“It’s not like you’ll become royalty.”

I flinched and smiled awkwardly.

‘It’s a secret from Taylor. I can’t trust him.’

“Getting to know good connections helps that much in life.”

“…Now that I look at it, the one who resembles the Previous Duke the most isn’t Henri, but you. Even though you don’t share a drop of blood.”

“Are you calling me garbage right now?”

“Garbage?”

“The Previous Duke is worse than garbage!”

When I put both fists on my sides and huffed angrily, Taylor’s eyes widened.

“I wonder if you have no fear or no thoughts…”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re probably the only one who talks about the Previous Duke like that.”

“What’s strange about calling a bad person a bad person? I’m not a good person either, but he’s garbage.”

“He’s your grandfather on the family register. So his sins are your sins.”

“Why are his sins my sins? Those are that damned grandfather’s sins. I am me, and that grandfather is that grandfather. If you want to tie us together, then live my life for me instead.”

When I snorted and spoke, Taylor’s eyes trembled slightly.

“Is that so.”

“Of course.”

“I see.”

“Of course?”

Why is he like that.

I furrowed my brow as I watched Taylor, who was suddenly muttering “I see…” to himself and then chuckling.

Just then, the communication stone rang.

‘It’s Seria.’

I said “Wait a moment!” and quickly ran toward a secluded place.

[Miss.]

“What’s the matter?”

[I’ve gathered all the documents on time regression. I can go get Prince Adrian!]

My goodness!

I covered my mouth.

Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness. I don’t know how terrified I was that we might never be able to bring him back.

I sighed and lifted my head.

But…

“What is this…”

[Pardon?]

“Seria, right now the sky is…”

I looked up at the sky with trembling eyes.

What was revealed as the clouds completely cleared away was a red moon.

A red moon has risen in the sky right now.

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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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