The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 251

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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 251

A month and a half after Father returned to the Imperial Capital.

After final exams, I was resting in my room with Emeline when I heard bird sounds from outside the window. When I stepped out onto the terrace, a white dove circled about three times in the air.

‘They succeeded.’

That carrier pigeon was sent by Dubbled from outside the academy gates, signaling that they had successfully staged the demon summoning.

“A carrier pigeon in this day and age.”

Emeline shook her head and popped a ripe green grape into her mouth.

“New students can’t use communication stones.”

“Why don’t you borrow one from your older brothers?”

“School communication stones might be monitored.”

“True… So? Did you successfully disguise the demon as an angel?”

“It seems so.”

“Dubbled really is amazing. Forging ancient documents, recruiting continental scholars, and handling it all so quickly. That must be Eugene North’s handiwork, right?”

“North is an exceptional person.”

Fortunately, he’s on our side. When I giggled, Emeline shook her head as if she was fed up. Then she put a green grape in my mouth.

“Sweet! Delicious!”

“Of course it is. These are the finest fruits from Count Decal’s family, who owns the largest farm on the continent. Count Decal sent loads of them as thanks for saving his only daughter, so eat up.”

Emeline said, glancing at the boxes piled up throughout the room.

That’s right. The parents and siblings of the students I saved in this battle had sent loads of gifts and letters. There were so many that they wouldn’t all fit in my room, so I had to borrow the school’s warehouse.

And this was after the school had completed their initial screening of the gifts. Some families had sent boxes full of gold bars.

“The gold bars are really a shame. You could have bought a mansion in the Imperial Capital with those!”

I shrugged at Emeline’s words.

“Those weren’t gifts of gratitude, they were bribes.”

“Gifts saying ‘Please look favorably upon our family’ to the immensely powerful Lady Dubbled, you mean?”

“Well…”

Emeline and I looked at each other in silence for a moment, then simultaneously covered our mouths with both fists and giggled.

Being kidnapped by the Kuhelm Tribe and fighting monsters was truly terrible, but it resulted in tremendous gains.

“The kids who used to gossip about me entering through the commoner special admission can’t say anything to me now! They say they’re close to you. Is this the sweet taste of connections?”

“Allen runs away the moment he sees me! He can’t even think of picking a fight!”

“That seems more like he’s afraid of your family than you. Anyway, his spirit must be completely crushed. He tries to act arrogant and lead the atmosphere like usual, but it doesn’t work at all. How can he lead when all the kids are watching your mood? Everyone’s saying Allen picked the wrong side.”

“The priests can’t move either.”

“Even the professors subtly ask, ‘Is there anything uncomfortable for Miss Leblaine…?'”

“Ah, this intoxicating taste of power!”

Corrupted by worldly matters, we cackled wickedly. I plopped down on the sofa.

“Now I just need to deal with Mina.”

“You still haven’t talked to her?”

“She’s not even coming to classes. She seems to just stay in her room. Even when Professor Sebastian (Class A’s homeroom teacher) went to the dormitory, she wouldn’t open the door.”

“That much?”

Emeline hummed thoughtfully, resting her elbow on the gift box and propping her chin on her hand.

“We can’t keep waiting for Mina forever.”

“So I was thinking of going to find her today.”

“Right. Once we finish final exams it’ll be vacation, but we need to finish this conversation before then.”

I nodded and got up. Since the topic came up, I thought I’d go find Mina.

“Eat dinner first. I’ll probably be late.”

“Go ahead. I’ll lock up before I leave.”

After nodding, I left the room. Mina and I were in different dormitories. The freshman dormitories were divided into Building 1 and Building 2, sharing only the underground dining room while the entrances leading to the rooms were far apart.

I was heading across the Central Garden toward Building 2 where Mina was when I hesitated.

‘It wouldn’t be good for people to see Mina and me together, would it?’

What the Shrine was most concerned about lately was us joining forces. The school had the Shrine’s informants hidden everywhere, so if Mina and I had a conversation, it would quickly reach the Cardinals’ ears.

‘I should take a detour and go through the back gate.’

With that thought, I turned onto a deserted walking path. Then I headed toward the road connected to the back gate. Just as I could see the back gate in the distance.

“Well then, we’ll be going now. We hope you’ll take good care of yourself.”

“Yes, thank you for coming.”

It was Mina. She smiled weakly while facing some people I’d never seen before. From the situation, it seemed she was seeing off outsiders who had come to visit her.

I unconsciously hid behind the bushes and watched them secretly. The outsiders were all wearing robes – an elderly man with white hair and a tall man with his hood pulled deeply over his head.

‘That white-haired man looks familiar.’

He was someone who gave me a sense of déjà vu, as if I’d seen him somewhere before.

“I’m greatly concerned that we may have bothered you with our eagerness to meet such a precious person as soon as possible.”

“Not at all. I was happy to meet you.”

“Well then.”

When the elderly man bowed his head, Mina looked at the man with the hood pulled deeply over his head.

“Um… what you said earlier is true, isn’t it?”

“Of course.”

The hooded man’s voice was a very pleasant low tone.

‘It sounds like someone Father or Uncle Taylor’s age.’

Mina greeted them with a bright face, and they left shortly after. Mina stared intently at the spot where they had disappeared, then took something out of her school uniform pocket.

Buzzzz─

Startled by the familiar vibration, I emerged from the bushes. Mina’s eyes widened when she spotted me.

“Leblaine? Why are you…”

“What is that?”

“…The Shrine sent it.”

‘I’m certain. It’s a Devil’s Passage.’

When my expression hardened, Mina tiredly ran her hand through her hair and said.

“Let’s talk next time. I’m a bit tired─”

“Do you even know what that is?”

Mina stared at me intently, then bit her lips tightly as if choosing her words.

“Yes, you should know. I don’t want to deceive you. This is a ‘passage to the Other World.'”

“No! That’s─”

“You want to say ‘Devil’s Passage’?”

“…What?”

“I know. The shrine knows too. That you used demonic power. But in this world, the distinction between demons and angels isn’t clear, right?”

Her words were correct.

Just like Duke Valois regarded Glashalabolas as an angel, there are people who consider demons to be angels.

It seemed the shrine had intervened in history, defining seers chosen by Neriad as angels and seers chosen by the Evil God as demons. That’s why it wasn’t difficult for Dubbled to disguise Bune as an angel either.

“Return it to the shrine.”

“…I don’t want to.”

“Mina, you don’t understand what it means that the shrine gave that to you.”

“That it’s a scheme to make you and me keep each other in check? I know that too.”

Mina, gripping the Devil’s Passage tightly, hung her head low.

“I know too. I know….”

“That might be part of their scheme. But the biggest reason is─”

“Are you afraid of me?”

“…What did you say?”

“Are you really afraid of me like the shrine says, worried that if I, who has stronger divine power than you, also get power from the other world, you won’t be able to match me, so you’re trying to corner me?”

When I let out a hollow laugh in disbelief, Mina clenched her fists tightly.

“The shrine, That Person said they were sorry for giving me power from the other world. Because this would make me truly bear the burden God has given me. But even so, they had no choice but to give me this power because they can’t be certain that you’re the savior God sent down. They said my power would be desperately needed in case of an emergency.”

“….”

“Leblaine, I saw you in my dreams. In my world, no one could understand someone like me, so I couldn’t tell anyone, but still, even now I─”

“….”

“I love you, Sister.”

“I love you, Sister. Thank you for becoming my family, Leblaine.”

The words I had heard from her in my first life came to mind.

The foolish Leblaine of my first life couldn’t say anything in response, but that night she pulled the blanket over her head and cried all night long.

Because my worthless life, my meaningless existence, gained meaning with her single sentence. I vividly remember that day when I was so happy and moved that I could be her sister.

The reason I resented her. But also the reason I ultimately couldn’t truly hate her.

I too truly loved you as my younger sister.

“That’s exactly why you should return it to the shrine, Mina. Do you think the shrine really gave that to you to keep me in check, because they’re worried I might be fake? No, that’s your shackle.”

“….”

“The fact that the distinction between angels and demons isn’t clear means they can twist the angels you summon into demons!”

I looked straight at Mina and said.

“If you prove to be real and defeat me, do you think that’s the end? They’re the kind of people who would disguise the angels you summoned as demons and use them! You’ll just end up being used for the world they want.”

“I know it sounds stupid. I know you think I’m foolish. Even in my world, I heard a lot that I was a fool lost in delusions. But Leblaine….”

“….”

“Even if I’m foolish… I love this world. I’ve endured all the loneliness and solitude with those dreams. The most righteous father in the world, caring brothers like blood relatives, someone I love, friends who share the same beliefs as me… everyone was here.”

Thick tears began to fall down her cheeks, drop by drop.

It was strange. That I would be the person who could understand her best. Because this life was just as precious to me too.

“The shrine said so. That you would try to persuade me with words like that.”

Mina grabbed my hand while crying.

“Leblaine, please let me trust you. I am you─”

“What would you do if my death would bring the peace they believe in?”

My calm expression reflected in Mina’s pupils. Her lips that had been trembling turned cold.

“If it were me, I would gladly die for this world. And you would be the same. I believe that.”

I realized it. Our beliefs were at opposite ends, and ultimately we could never join hands.

She suddenly pulled my arm hard, and I lost my balance.

“Leblaine─”

An amethyst popped out of my pouch as I fell. The startled Mina dropped the passage in her hand, and the two passages spun around and overlapped.

At that moment.

Flash─!

The surroundings lit up brightly and my vision darkened.

And when I opened my eyes, I was….

“Ow! …Huh? (It hurts! …What?)”

…I had become a little child.

‘What is this!!’

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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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