The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 254

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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 254

My eyes met with Adrian’s. I quickly covered my eyes with both hands, then sneakily spread my fingers apart.

“That’s not really covering them, is it?”

I could hear Jin chuckling. Feeling embarrassed, I pouted my lips, and Adrian looked back at Jin and asked again.

“Why is there a kid at the school?”

“I was curious about that too, so I brought her along.”

“What?”

“Juliet was keeping her around. I’ve often seen that guy use young kids as experiment assistants, but the interesting thing is…”

Jin put his arm around Adrian’s shoulder with a mysterious smile and said.

“Isaac asked Juliet to do it.”

“Isaac?”

“Yeah. The guy who wouldn’t even blink an eye watching people die in droves right in front of him brought a kid and asked Juliet to take care of her. And he seemed quite restless in front of this kid.”

“There’s no way those brothers would be restless around anyone other than their youngest.”

“Right, there’s no way that would happen, right? But he actually was. And she appeared after their real younger sister disappeared.”

“…”

“So I think that kid—”

He removed his arm from Adrian’s shoulder and stared at me with sharp eyes. In that moment, cold sweat trickled down my back.

Jin came right up to me and spoke with emphasis on each word.

“You’re Duke Dubbled’s illegitimate child, aren’t you?”

…Excuse me?

Jin crossed his arms and smirked, lifting the corner of his mouth.

“That’s right, isn’t it? You’re Duke Dubbled’s illegitimate child, so those brothers can’t do anything about it? Those guys are terrible when it comes to blood relatives. Did Leblaine leave for the territory because of you? As an adopted daughter, she’d be uncomfortable with you being the Duke’s real daughter.”

“…”

“Or maybe you’re one of those brothers’ illegitimate child. An illegitimate child suddenly popped up somewhere, and if their father found out, it would mean death, so they hid you here. Leblaine might have left because she was disgusted by such brothers.”

“…”

Is he insane?

Seeing me frozen, Jin pulled up the corner of his mouth and asked again, “Which one is your father?”

Since I couldn’t say that I was actually the real Leblaine, I rolled my eyes around and answered.

“Eldest Brother.”

“Oh ho, so you’re Henri’s daughter.”

…Sorry, Henri.

* * *

After devouring four sandwiches that Jin gave me as snacks, I patted my full stomach.

When I sneakily turned my head, Adrian across from me was looking at me expressionlessly, while Jin beside me was grinning.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep your secret. Right, Adrian?”

…How very kind of you.

I shook my head inwardly, and Adrian let out a sigh.

Just then, the Communication Stone placed on one side of the sofa table flickered. Judging by the school emblem carved on it, it seemed to be a special Communication Stone issued to Elysiano.

When Jin tapped the Communication Stone, a voice soon came through.

[It’s an attack by the remaining forces of Kuhelm. They seem to have come to retrieve their Chief. They’ve passed through the Second Gate.]

Jin bolted upright.

“That can’t be! How could mere remaining forces succeed in Barrier Breaking when they couldn’t do it even when the Chief was with them!”

[They’re with that monster from before.]

As far as I knew, the Second Gate sentry duty was handled by Jin and the East and West Brothers.

[Should I inform East and West as well?]

“Leave them. Those guys’ fate hasn’t been decided yet, so I’ll go out. Have the Fourth Unit prepare for deployment.”

[Yes.]

As soon as the communication ended, Jin grabbed the jacket he had hung on the sofa.

“Take care of that guy.”

Adrian nodded, and Jin rushed out of the lodging. I looked at him with an anxious expression.

‘Did Isaac and Henri go too? Since it’s not in the Mountain, it shouldn’t be difficult to eliminate the monster, but…’

I felt a nagging worry.

Just then, a warm hand touched my cold wrist.

“Don’t worry. Odis has thoroughly prepared after what happened in the last battle.”

“But still…”

Adrian lifted me up. Suddenly lifted into the air, I blinked in surprise, and he smiled faintly.

“What do you want to play?”

‘This guy has such a tickling smile.’

Adrian, whom I was talking with after a long time, felt slightly different from before.

Maybe because I had gotten smaller, he seemed a bit taller, his hands seemed bigger, and his voice seemed sweeter.

“You know my heart.”

Suddenly, I remembered his gaze that had looked at me so longingly. I felt somewhat shy. Worried that the pounding sound might be heard, I pressed my small fist firmly against my chest, and a gentle laugh flowed from between Adrian’s even teeth.

“You’re really small.”

“…I’m not small.”

“Right, so what would the Little One like to play?”

It felt like my seventeen-year-old self was scolding me, saying ‘Do we have time to be leisurely like this?!’ but as a child, I wiggled my hands and said.

“Well then… um, that.”

When I slyly pointed to the cards on the sofa table, Adrian asked “Poker?” I nodded.

Adrian connected the communication. I wondered what he was doing, but after a while, students came to the lodging.

“Did you call for us?”

Among them was Hayton. Seeing him, Adrian said coldly.

“I didn’t call for you.”

“Most of Elysiano’s assistants have deployed with Jin, so only we remain.”

“…”

“What’s that kid doing here?”

It was well-known that Hayton and Adrian didn’t get along. I grabbed Adrian’s sleeve with an anxious expression.

‘Don’t fight.’

If attention was drawn to us, it could lead to ‘Adrian and Hayton fought. There was a little kid there too’, and then ‘Why was a kid there?’

Adrian glanced at me and settled on the sofa. Then he sat me on his lap and spoke to the students.

“Sit down.”

“What’s this about…?”

When the other students, not Hayton, asked, Adrian said with an indifferent expression.

“Poker.”

“…Excuse me?”

“The child wants to play poker.”

When he looked at them with an expression that said ‘What’s the problem?’, they were flustered. The male student let out a scoffing laugh.

“Cards with such a young child?”

The female student also laughed “Ahaha,” tucking her hair behind one ear while glancing at me.

“Would such a young child even know the rules?”

The two crossed their arms dismissively, while Hayton looked at me with an incredulous expression.

“Cards are only fun when the skill levels match…”

“We’d like to accommodate Lord Adrian’s request, but…”

“…”

The male student cleared his throat and kept glancing at Adrian.

“Well, rather than that… about my sister you saw last time. Ah, she’s coming to pick me up at the Academy for the holidays, you know? She’s very curious about Lord Adrian’s news. Haha, in our hometown she’s renowned for her exceptional refinement and beauty—”

“So?”

“There should be something in it for us to make playing cards fun, shouldn’t there? If I win, would you meet my sister?”

I know that man. He’s the eldest son of a Count family based in Miles, but they only have their lineage left and are far below the standard for forming marriage ties with the Imperial Family.

Those words were tantamount to disrespecting Adrian, who was called the abandoned prince.

“You’ll meet her, right? Yes?”

‘Well, look at this.’

I skillfully hid my cold gaze and grabbed the card case with a bright expression.

“Then shall we play together?”

“Shall we?”

When the male student sat down laughing “Hahaha,” the female student and Hayton also reluctantly took seats on the sofa.

* * *

“Straight flush!”

The students and Hayton stared at me with their mouths agape as I presented my cards.

“I won! Give me the money.”

I smiled wickedly and stretched out both hands.

“Give it to me.”

“You’re… quite… really good at cards…?”

The female student laughed awkwardly, and the male student turned pale. That male student had already lost a considerable amount of money to me. He handed over the money with trembling hands, and the next round began.

This round, the male student had the upper hand. He chuckled and said, “Sorry about this,” as he showed his hand.

“Four of a kind. I won this round─”

I slammed his wrist down on the table with a bang!

“Mister.”

“…What?”

“Are you kidding me right now?”

“What are you talking about!”

“Roll up your sleeves.”

His face went pale as he shouted angrily.

“What nonsense are you spouting!”

“Mister has other cards in his sleeves.”

When I glared at him, he trembled and shot up from his seat.

“How disgusting! That’s ridiculous─”

─That’s when it happened. A card fell out of his sleeve with a thud.

“What do we have here.”

“Th, this…!”

“How dare you defile a sacred gambling table…!”

If Zachary had seen this, he would have chopped off his wrists and ankles.

I climbed onto the sofa table and hopped around trying to grab his collar, and Adrian wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Let’s let it slide this time.”

“No, this is something that cannot happen at a sacred gambling table─”

“Leblaine.”

Huh…?

“What do I do…!”

I looked at him in surprise, and he smiled faintly. Something was moving gently behind Adrian’s shoulder.

‘Amande!’

That’s right. Adrian had the special power to judge the quality even from the faint mana left behind after a person disappeared.

‘He recognized me from the beginning.’

* * *

At that moment, at Duke Dubbled’s estate.

North rushed frantically into Johan’s office.

“Young Master Henri sent a letter, and, well, that is, the Young Lady…!”

Johan frowned at seeing him flustered so uncharacteristically.

What on earth could have happened to Leblaine?

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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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