The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 263

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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 263

Edgar, heir to Suheil, who had been watching Mina through his telescope, let out a hollow laugh.

“Does the Second have no thoughts, or is she looking down on us?”

For a mock battle commander to openly reveal their position was tantamount to saying ‘I’m here, so please rain down bombardment magic on me right now.’

Count Wiltro’s Son, who had formed an alliance with Suheil, laughed heartily with a “Hahaha.”

“Or perhaps she has other thoughts. Like how Lady Dubbled once used herself as bait in that virtual battle long ago.”

“Why do you mention that incident?”

The family that was defeated by Leblaine in that virtual battle was Suheil. He himself had been the commander.

Prince Wiltro shrugged his shoulders and said.

“In any case, I’m reluctant about a hasty preemptive attack. It would be better to clean up the periphery first. Have you definitely spoken with Dubbled?”

“Yes, we made a pact not to attack each other unless the number of families in the arena (mock battle’s battlefield) drops below five.”

“Just as we joined hands with Dubbled, the Second, no, Amitie must also have families they’ve colluded with. Do you have any information?”

“Well. Their security was quite thorough.”

That’s when it happened.

Bang─!

A loud explosion was heard from the mountain entrance where Suheil and Wiltro’s garrison was located. The moment Prince Suheil and Prince Wiltro’s eyes widened, their respective soldiers came running into the barracks.

“Duke Marshu Family at the western barrier!”

“Brieuc forces have appeared at the eastern barrier!”

“Dimonte’s magic corps in the sky…!”

All of them?

That was impossible.

Just as Suheil and Wiltro had formed an alliance with Dubbled, other families could have made secret pacts, but Marche, Brieuc, and Dimonte were not families that could cooperate with each other.

Marche was a family led by Igor Marche, First Prince Andre’s maternal grandfather, while Dimonte was a loyal retainer of Marquis Chatelet, Second Prince Adrian’s maternal grandfather.

‘They’re families trying to enthrone the First Prince and Second Prince respectively as emperor, so there’s no way they’d join hands.’

Moreover, Brieuc was the focal point of the new nobility. They had been keeping each other in check with the old great nobles for several years now.

‘What on earth is going on!’

The answer came from the last soldier who ran in.

“Paladin Jonathan is commanding them!”

Who was Paladin Jonathan? He was the first-class knight protecting the Papal Court, a man who was the representative of the shrine paladins.

Prince Wiltro clicked his tongue with a “Tsk.”

“It seems they’ve joined hands with the shrine as the main axis.”

Paladin Jonathan was someone the Pope had placed on Amitie’s military roster to support the Second Child of Fate.

Then it made sense that Marquis Chatelet, who had Second Prince Adrian as his grandson, had colluded with them. The shrine consisted of those who wanted to make Adrian the Sacred Emperor. Count Brieuc was also a person who had recently been implementing shrine-friendly policies.

The two princes of Suheil and Wiltro rushed out of the barracks while gripping their swords.

“Inform Dubbled of the situation.”

“Request support!”

However, Dubbled never came to support them. Before reinforcements could arrive, the flags of Suheil and Wiltro had fallen into enemy hands.

Less than an hour after the mock battle began, two houses had disappeared.

Mina nodded as she looked at the flags of Schuheil and Wiltro that had been handed over by Paladin Jonathan. Then she turned her head to look at the heirs of Marshu, Dimonte, and Brivoe.

“You’ve all done really well. Your courage has become a great leap forward for us. Jonathan deserves much credit.”

Jonathan bowed his head, saying “You flatter me.”

“Now, let’s continue to quickly get our hands on more flags.”

At that time, in the Imperial Palace.

[You’ve all done really well. Your courage has become a great leap forward for us—]

The people watching Mina’s garrison through the magic mirror let out silent screams.

In Mina’s camp were gathered the commanders from each house that had formed alliances with them.

Besides Marshu, Dimonte, and Brivoe, there were tremendous numbers.

It was more than half, no, most of the houses participating in the mock battle.

“How remarkable. How did the second Young Lady manage to persuade all those houses and bring them under her command?”

“We can only assume His Holiness the Pope lent his support.”

“…His Holiness’s actions are so different from when it was the first Young Lady.”

Mina’s stock price soared endlessly high.

Hong Hae, who had been focusing on the magic mirror along with the Elysianos of Odis, furrowed her brow.

“Why are they so excited? All Mina did was give a few words of praise, and all the work was done by the paladin.”

“What matters is that the paladin worked for Mina’s sake.”

“Huh?”

“Your country is across the sea so you might not know well, but Neriad’s power on the continent is tremendous. The point is ‘the Pope who just stood back during the first one has now stepped forward for Mina.'”

“I see.”

“Right, now the nobles of the continent will be clamoring to get on Mina’s side.”

Hong Hae let out a hmm, groaned and then muttered.

“Why though? If it were me, I’d focus more on Leblaine. She must be an incredible child if that great Pope personally stepped forward to keep her in check.”

“…”

“…”

When Juliet and Jin stared at her intently, Hong Hae looked flustered and drooped her eyebrows.

“What did I do wrong this time?”

“…This girl usually only says stupid things, but sometimes she properly hits the blind spots.”

“Well, Hong Hae didn’t get into Elysiano just by luck.”

Juliet and Jin spoke in turn, and Hong Hae made a tsk sound and crossed her arms.

“I’ll have you know I’m a Princess who survived in a palace like the Imperial Palace.”

“Yes, yes, you’re amazing.”

Juliet, who said that, leaned her back against the wall with a thud.

“Now the key point is how well Dubbled performs.”

Jin nodded at Juliet’s words.

“If they can’t properly turn around the current situation, Mina will use this mock battle as an opportunity to push out Leblaine.”

“But would that be easy? With Dubbled in an almost isolated situation.”

And some time later.

“The Amitie Alliance’s preemptive strike against Dubbled!”

The Amitie Alliance crossed into Dubbled territory, leading their allied forces with Paladin Jonathan at the front.

“The Pegasus Corps…!”

If Dubbled had wolves, the shrine had the Pegasus Corps.

Paladins riding sacred white horses with wings unleashed fierce attacks toward Dubbled’s barrier spread across the sky.

Kwaaaaang─!!

Explosive sounds erupted continuously, and cracks in the barrier became visible even to those without divine power or magic. And before long, with a sharp shattering sound, Dubbled’s barrier was broken.

[Advance─!]

Jonathan’s voice echoed through magical devices, and the Amitie Alliance, their morale boosted by the fact that they had actually broken Dubbled’s barrier, crossed over.

Dubbled’s wolves fought valiantly, but they were outmatched. Each wolf had to face dozens of enemies. And they had to face the Pegasus Corps, who could manifest aura just like the wolves.

Moreover, for this mock battle, the Emperor had chosen terrain that favored them most in order to support Duke Amitie.

Dubbled was at a disadvantage both numerically and geographically.

Unable to withstand the Amitie Alliance closing in from all sides, Dubbled was gradually pushed toward the center.

But at that moment, bang─!! With a violent explosion, part of the forces that had crossed the boundary were pushed back.

Someone watching through the magic mirror let out an exclamation.

“It’s Count Dubbled!”

Johan Dubbled.

Odis’s youngest graduate and Dubbled’s eldest son, who received a title at the mere age of eighteen.

A massive formation rose above his head, and mist began to fall from within it. Enemy soldiers hit by the mist turned pale and groaned, as if being strangled.

“That’s right. The Count must step forward here! He’s the only one there who can face Jonathan.”

When a white-haired noble shouted, others also watched the magic mirror with excited expressions.

That’s when it happened.

Johan in the magic mirror covered his mouth. Bright red blood flowed down between the fingers covering his mouth. Moreover, his fingertips were strangely transforming like pieces of wood.

The people watching the mock battle through the magic mirror stirred greatly, and the expressions of Duke Dubbled, Henri, and Isaac hardened.

“What’s wrong, why is eldest brother…”

When Isaac muttered with a bewildered expression, Theodore shouted.

“Contact Veronica Dubois!”

“What? Father, why Veronica…”

Isaac asked with a puzzled expression, but the quick-witted Henri understood his father’s meaning.

“Alchemy?”

“…”

“Did someone use alchemy on elder brother from outside the mock battle?”

“…”

“Father!”

Veins bulged in Theodore’s fists.

“Yes.”

During the time when he lived like a dog to protect his children from the Previous Duke’s hands, he had witnessed it. One of the retainers who had fallen out of the Previous Duke’s favor had ended up in the same state as Johan.

The culprit was his father, the Previous Duke. He had commissioned an alchemist to assassinate the retainer.

“We must immediately bring eldest brother back and break the alchemy. If we delay, there’s no telling what might happen.”

Henri spoke through gritted teeth at Isaac’s words.

“If we do that, the commander disappears.”

“Is that the problem right now?!”

“You and I didn’t register our names on the replacement soldier list, and the other soldiers are being pushed back.”

“Then replace with someone capable of commanding among those registered─”

“Mina is over there!”

“What?”

“The Second─”

─Henri, who was speaking, looked around and lowered his voice drastically.

“Just because The Second can’t use Etoile doesn’t mean she can’t use Divine Power. It’s papal-level Divine Power. Among the registered soldiers, Elder Brother is the only one who can stop The Second when she steps forward.”

They had registered Leblaine on the replacement soldier list, but that was merely a deception. That girl who had become younger couldn’t possibly step forward.

Since Mina appeared in the mock battle, they had only registered Leblaine as a soldier to avoid suspicion if she wasn’t registered.

‘If we replace Elder Brother, we’ll lose.’

If they lost, they couldn’t obtain the demon that nullifies abilities, and Leblaine would have to live in her ancient form forever.

If Leblaine couldn’t summon the demon, confronting the Shrine would be impossible.

‘…Little One will die.’

It was a situation where they could do neither this nor that. It was when the Dubbled family’s expressions crumbled.

[We are replacing a soldier.]

A voice announcing the replacement came from the magic tool floating above the mock battle. One of the Dubbled soldiers’ shoulder straps lost their light.

And what appeared was,

“Look at the mountain top!”

When someone shouted, people’s gazes settled at the edge of the magic mirror.

Fluttering brown hair. Shoulders draped with a cloak bearing Dubbled’s emblem.

“Leblaine Dubbled…”

It was the opening of the true mock war.

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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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