The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 26

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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 26

‘Hmm, as expected, he’s been marked.’

I silently offered my condolences to the naive-looking Administrative Officer.

“What brings you here?”

I quickly pulled out the excuse I had prepared.

“I memorized all the letters yesterday. I want to learn more.”

“How diligent of you. The morning assembly just ended, so please wait. I’ll bring some books.”

After saying that, North left me with the servants and stepped away.

The new Administrative Officers, their tension now relieved, began to speak one by one.

“That person is the very…”

“The one who solved the northern drought during his time at the Imperial Palace and was the youngest member of the Imperial Intelligence Department – that ‘Eugene North’?”

“Wow, I never thought I’d actually see him. They say he’s a genius without mercy or compassion.”

Everyone had expressions filled with tension and anticipation.

‘Right, that’s true.’

I had forgotten because North was so incredibly soft-hearted, but he was a talent among talents who had made a name for himself even in the Imperial Capital.

“Why are you even nervous? Even if he’s that Eugene North, he’s just a mere slave like us now.”

When the large man spoke, the woman wearing glasses frowned.

“Charlie, did you forget you’re in front of the Young Lady? Watch your words.”

“Seria, why do you always nag at me whenever you see me? Don’t tell me you like me?”

“Are you insane?”

As their voices grew sharp, the oblivious Administrative Officer hurriedly intervened.

“Don’t fight. What if the examiners see?”

“Mind your own business, Jacob. Among us, you’re the one who’s been marked the most.”

I looked at the men and woman called Charlie, Seria, and Jacob.

‘Those people have Nokston (Border Territory) accents?’

On the day the wanted criminal murdered the nobleman, according to the employees’ testimony, muttering with a Nokston regional accent was heard from his bedroom.

People speculated that it might have been the perpetrator’s voice.

While I was in the Central Courtyard until North arrived, I observed the Administrative Officers, but there was no one with a Nokston accent.

I grinned.

Then the range had been narrowed down to three for now.

* * *

Even while having lessons with North, other thoughts were spinning furiously in my head.

‘If I had known this would happen, I should have learned more details about the wanted criminal in my previous life.’

I only remember a few famous things.

The wanted criminal’s crime was murder.

And it was the murder of a noble at that.

This incident that occurred early this year drew the anger of all the people.

That was because he ran an orphanage and spent all his fortune to take in abandoned elderly and disabled people, truly practicing noblesse oblige.

‘That’s why people jokingly said the Temple might have killed him.’

Since the murdered noble was doing all their work for them.

Despite the entire Empire’s rage, he couldn’t be easily caught because not even the perpetrator’s appearance had been revealed.

‘But how on earth did Dubbled manage to catch the wanted criminal.’

As I was thinking this, someone knocked on the library door. It was the butler.

But for some reason, the butler’s under-eyes were unusually dark.

“His Excellency is looking for you.”

“…’That matter’?”

“Yes.”

North, looking haggard, dropped his shoulders weakly.

“Young Lady, if there are any toys you want─”

“What’s this.”

Cutting off North’s words, Isaac and Henri appeared from behind the butler.

Isaac glared sharply at North.

“Are you trying to cut in line?”

“Of course not.”

At North’s awkward words, Henri smiled deeply.

“I suppose the Duke is also preparing ‘that’?”

“Well. I don’t know everything His Excellency is working on.”

“If Eugene North doesn’t know, who would.”

North and Henri’s gazes clashed fiercely in midair.

“My apologies. I must go see His Excellency now. Young Lady, let’s have our next lesson the day after tomorrow.”

I nodded saying “Yes,” and North greeted the Young Masters before leaving the library.

Isaac, who had been glaring at his retreating figure, muttered.

“How petty.”

“…”

“This won’t do. Let’s do ‘that’ today.”

“Good.”

Soon both of them turned to look at me simultaneously.

“Leblaine, would you like to go to the shopping district today?”

“Let’s go.”

What shopping district?

I opened my eyes wide.

‘People have been acting strange since yesterday.’

It wasn’t just the Young Masters making random remarks.

The maids from the West Wing were smiling brightly,

“What kind of toys does Young Lady like best? Young Master─”

“Oh my, you!”

“Ah, no, we were just curious…!”

─and they would laugh with their “ohoho” giggles.

Also, the knights would sneak up to me and ask,

“Have you ever handled a wooden sword?”

“Surely practical gifts would be best, wouldn’t they?”

─they would ask.

As I pondered what was going on, I narrowed my eyes slightly.

‘Ah, tomorrow is Children’s Day.’

Since it’s my first Children’s Day after being adopted, it seems the Duke and Young Masters want to celebrate it for me.

Both Duke Amitie and Duke Valois had celebrated my first Children’s Day too.

Duke Amitie did almost everything a guardian should do, except give love.

Duke Valois threw gifts at me because of what others might think. He didn’t want to appear as if he was neglecting his adopted child.

‘The Dubbled people probably have similar reasons, I suppose.’

Last time, a priest came to take me back again, but the Duke snapped his arm clean in half and sent him away.

But if they didn’t even observe occasions like Children’s Day, the temple would protest, asking ‘Then why didn’t you send the child back?’

I had more than enough toys, but I did want to go play in the shopping district.

“Can I go too?”

“Of course.”

“But I didn’t get permission from the Duke.”

“It’s fine if you go with us, Leblaine.”

At Henri’s gentle smile, I beamed brightly and said, “I wanna go~!”

‘I should pretend to be happy when I receive toys.’

* * *

The place we went to by carriage was a luxurious building with no signboard.

As we entered through the entrance, a half-masked man bowed deeply at the waist.

“I shall escort you.”

I followed behind Henri and Isaac, pattering along as I looked around the interior.

‘This place looks just like an opera house.’

There was a large stage at the front, with audience seats packed densely in front of it. Those many seats had hardly any empty spots.

We took our seats not in the general seating, but in the VIP section on the second floor.

Three single sofas, much more luxurious than the other seats, were arranged side by side.

‘Did we come to watch a performance instead of buying toys?’

How exciting!

Actually, I had more than enough toys, so watching a performance was better.

I had only seen an opera once during my time as the Young Lady of Duke Valois.

“What kind of drinks shall I prepare?”

“Earl Grey.”

Henri answered briefly, and then Isaac, sitting crookedly, opened his mouth.

“Milk─”

He started to say, then glanced at me with a start.

“─I mean, black tea.”

“What type would you prefer?”

“Something bitter.”

“Pardon?”

“Something bitter!”

“Ah… Yes. I’ll prepare something as strong as possible.”

Then they asked me what drink I wanted, so I said “Strawberry milk!”

Isaac looked at me and grinned.

“Are you a baby?”

“Isaac is a baby too.”

“I’m an adult. I drink black tea. Really bitter stuff.”

Then he laughed cheerfully, saying “Baby, baby.”

I wasn’t particularly annoyed. What he said was true – I was a child. Besides, even when I grew up, I was used to being called ‘Young Lady’ because of this damn Child of Fate name plate.

The drinks arrived shortly after.

Ruby-like sparkling strawberry sauce had settled at the bottom of the white, creamy milk.

I quickly grabbed the milk, stirred it around, and slurped it through the straw.

“Is it good?”

Henri asked with a chuckle, so I nodded enthusiastically.

“Have some refreshments too.”

“Yes.”

Henri and I enjoyed the drinks they served here. But Isaac was very quiet.

His tea was several times darker than Henri’s. Just looking at it, it seemed incredibly bitter and astringent. And.

“…”

Isaac looked dejected.

‘I knew he wouldn’t be able to drink it.’

I quietly offered him my glass of milk.

“Isaac, drink this.”

“Milk is something only kids drink…”

“No, adults like milk too.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

Isaac took the glass from me and sneakily tasted the milk.

His face brightened as if it was delicious. But soon he changed his expression and cleared his throat.

“It’s decent enough to drink.”

“Delicious.”

“So I take a sip, then you take a sip?”

Saying that, he held the milk glass out toward me again.

Henri looked at Isaac like he was looking at a cockroach.

“Order another one, you idiot.”

“…I-I know that too!”

“Leblaine, that milk is contaminated now, so let’s order another glass for you.”

Isaac felt frustrated because Elder Brother ignored him completely, but he quieted down when I put the strawberry milk straw back in his mouth.

I sipped my newly arrived milk through the straw and looked forward to the start of the performance.

‘A play? Or maybe a real opera?’

Seeing that they brought a young child like me, I thought it might be a play.

My heart pounded because I liked plays more than opera.

Soon, the Half-Masked Man I had seen earlier came up onto the stage.

“I greet the gentlemen and ladies who have come to visit this place called ‘Heaven.'”

The Man’s lips curved into a crooked smile as he looked around the audience seats.

“We will now begin the slave auction!”

…What?

‘He’s lying, right?’

I looked at the Young Masters with that expression, and Isaac smiled brightly.

“If there’s anything you want, pick whatever you like. I’ll buy it all for you!”

Only then did I suddenly remember who these guys really were.

That’s right. These kids were budding villains.

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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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