The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 278

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 278

In an instant, the room was shrouded in pale, misty fog. Just like a midnight cemetery.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

The sound of footsteps echoed from all directions like drums.

“What, what is this!”

The Head Butler’s shout could be heard from within the room where no shadow figures could be distinguished. It was at that moment the fog lifted.

Ghost soldiers filling the room were each pointing spears, swords, and bows toward the monster and the Head Butler.

Behind me, a pillar of light had appeared at some point. Click, click. As the sound of shoe heels could be heard, Bune walked forward in front of me, dressed in a jet-black suit.

His appearance was different from usual. Scales reflecting on his cheeks, his whites were jet black, and in the center of his forehead grew a grotesque horn similar to those of the ghost soldiers.

He shouted something loudly. Though it was incomprehensible words, I could vaguely tell it was the language of ancient times.

Several ghosts who quickly lowered their bodies nimbly rushed into the monster.

“Kieeek─!!”

A tearing scream echoed.

When the monster flapped its wings, crash, crash─!! The windows began to shatter with sharp bursting sounds.

Just as large fragments were flying toward me, a strange wind whirled through the room and the fragments flew toward the Head Butler instead.

It was Pur’s power. He appeared in the form of a stag, but he too was not in his usual appearance like Bune.

His fur rippled like jet-black filth, his eyes were bright red, his fangs protruded sharp like a tiger’s, and his massive antlers were rough like thorny branches.

Hum, hum, strange vibrations crossed through my mind. My vision turned red and only rage surged within me.

As if synchronizing with my emotions, the appearances of Bune, Pur, and the ghost soldiers changed into increasingly horrifying forms.

The iron masks that had covered the ghost soldiers’ faces cracked and fell to the ground with a thud, then disappeared as smoke. Their faces were revealed, their eyeballs became black tears flowing down, and in their place, chilling eyes like those of beasts were created. Soon the newly formed eyes glowed bright red and seals in the same form as my activation seal appeared.

The room became pandemonium. Every time the soldiers who rushed at the monster thrust their swords and spears and shot arrows, horrifying screams burst forth.

They carved the monster’s flesh and drank its blood. It was a scene like a hellish painting.

The monster that had been trembling faintly gradually became smaller, and some kind of activation seal appeared on the floor. The activation seal seemed to devour the monster—that is, Benedict.

“No. No…”

No, I won’t let you go!

I rushed toward Benedict, but before my hand could even reach him, Benedict vanished without a trace.

I collapsed to the floor and struck the spot where the activation seal had appeared.

Bang!

Bang!!

While striking it several times, my hand broke and blood dripped down, but I didn’t even know it hurt.

Then, the Head Butler collapsed. Having wet himself, he crawled backward with his palms.

“Uh, uh… Uaaaah!”

When he screamed and tried to flee, I grabbed the sword blade that Lea had dropped.

‘I have to kill him.’

I can’t let that man escape.

I frantically rushed toward the Head Butler.

“Ah, Little One. Please spare me. Please spare me, Little One.”

“….”

“I-I was threatened. So, ah, yes. My family was taken hostage, so that’s why…! Miss, what power does this old man have to refuse their orders? Please spare me, please let me live.”

I couldn’t understand the Head Butler’s words. The only thing occupying my mind was murderous intent.

Die.

Die.

Just die!

Just as I was about to plunge the blade into the Head Butler’s chest, something grabbed my ankle. It was Lea’s hand.

“….”

Lea’s unconscious hand was wrapped around my ankle.

Only then did the crimson vision begin to return to its proper colors.

I looked around the room in a daze. The momentum of the ghost soldiers, Bune, and Pur hadn’t diminished in the slightest.

Their aura was truly evil. Their forms were as horrific as demon beasts.

‘Ah…’

Only then did I realize that they had synchronized with my emotions. And that if I didn’t stop now, I would never be able to stop again.

As the blade dropped from my hand with a thud, Bune, Pur, and the ghost soldiers gradually began to fade.

It was at that moment that noisy sounds came from outside the room.

“Miss?”

They were the castle’s employees.

Those who had escaped the Head Butler’s schemes had noticed something suspicious and came running, each wielding makeshift weapons like clubs, hoes, and kitchen knives.

“Good heavens, Lord Shabanol!”

“Hey, someone get a doctor! The Miss and Lady Lea are…!”

The employees rushed to me, and only then did tears burst forth.

“Lea, Lea… someone please help Lea…”

“….”

“Oh, Lea…”

I crawled over to Lea and wailed sorrowfully.

* * *

The castle was turned completely upside down.

The Head Butler was captured, and upon hearing the news, Duke Dubbled immediately issued a first-class barrier dispelling order to cancel the false command the Head Butler had activated.

Only then could the people of Dubbled enter the territory.

The Duke, Javelin, and the Dubbled brothers, who had moved to the castle through long-distance teleportation, frantically rushed to the infirmary inside the castle.

When they burst open the door, they saw Lea lying unconscious on the bed, and Leblaine.

Leblaine looked like someone whose soul had left their body.

Henri asked an employee in the hospital room about Lea’s condition.

“They say that using Dubbled’s medical technology and magic, the external injuries aren’t in a state that’s difficult to treat, but the problem is…”

He continued with a troubled expression.

“It seems there was poison on the monster’s claws, but it’s an unidentified poison that can’t be analyzed. Detoxification is impossible.”

“What about the mages? Is there absolutely no antidote?”

“Among the medicines that currently exist.”

“Can’t you make one either?”

The employee shook his head.

“It would be difficult without finding the monster and investigating the poison. According to the doctor, she won’t last long. If her lungs completely necrotize…”

Isaac squeezed his eyes shut. The other family members also couldn’t bring themselves to speak anymore. They all knew well what Lea meant to Leblaine.

Her closest friend, the person she trusted most in the world, a mother figure…

When everyone was unable to even approach Leblaine, who seemed to have lost her soul, she muttered.

“…It should have been me who died. I… Lea, what am I…”

“Leblaine Dubbled!”

A thunderous roar burst out. It was Johan.

Johan had never once raised his voice at Leblaine since the first incident when she hid her injuries.

Isaac and Henri looked back at him with surprised expressions, and Johan walked toward Leblaine.

She hung her head low and mumbled.

“It’s because of me. To protect me, because I foolishly moved to the territory, because I didn’t dress properly…”

“Being born? Coming to Dubbled? Why don’t you call that a sin too.”

Isaac shouted “Elder Brother!” but Johan just stared at Leblaine with a stern face.

“You know it’s not your fault.”

Leblaine slowly raised her head. Tears welled up in her bloodshot eyes. Johan knelt down to meet his younger sister’s gaze and spoke again.

“What was the reason you, who wandered endlessly through misfortune, were able to reach this place?”

The tears that had been pooling fell in drops. Leblaine distorted her face messily like a child and said.

“Be-because I didn’t give up.”

“That’s right, you’re someone who knows how not to give up.”

Johan embraced her. Supporting his trembling younger sister’s head with one hand, he spoke tenderly.

“Pay them back double. In the most despicable way, befitting a member of Dubbled blood.”

Light returned to Leblaine’s eyes as she gripped her brother’s collar tightly.

She would absolutely never give up. Not Lea, not herself.

* * *

The next day.

Lea was moved to the Imperial Capital mansion.

The Imperial Capital mansion, where Taylor, the magic tower, and Trigon were located, was more suitable for treatment than the territory.

Aunt and Viscount Dubois would manage the territory and take charge of interrogating the head butler. Even before we left, screams from the head butler could be heard from the underground prison.

Father, my brothers, and I returned to the Imperial Capital mansion. What greeted us were the Imperial Guards.

“Leblaine Lisette Dubbled. You are under arrest as a suspect in the shopping district meteor incident.”

I let out a hollow laugh.

‘The shrine fabricated the shopping district incident.’

Since Benedict returned with serious injuries, the shrine must have realized that things had gone wrong.

‘They’re going to frame me to cover up the shopping district meteor incident?’

In the family’s mock battle, I had instructed the mages to use meteor, which was an extremely advanced magic that only Imperial Palace mages could use.

But in my first life, after much deliberation, I created a formula to cast Meteor more easily, and through that, I cast Meteor in the mock battle.

‘I wondered why it had to be Meteor of all spells.’

They were probably targeting the unforgotten formula of ‘Leblaine=Meteor’ in people’s minds, planning to frame me even if things went wrong.

“What reason would I have to cast Meteor on the shopping district?”

“We confirmed that the Second Child of Fate was in the shopping district. The shop owners also testified that the meteor fell targeting the Second, someone saw you there, and we also confirmed you weren’t in Dubbled Territory.”

‘They’ve fabricated everything perfectly.’

“That alone can’t prove I’m the culprit. Mina could have cast Meteor targeting me.”

“The Second is also under investigation. Arrest warrants have been issued for both of you, so it would be wise to comply obediently.”

Isaac stepped forward with a surge of emotion.

I blocked him.

‘If I refuse the investigation claiming innocence, they’ll find that even more suspicious.’

“Fine. Let’s go.”

“Little One!”

“Leblaine.”

Isaac and Henri looked at me with hardened faces, but I shrugged my shoulders.

“I’ll be back. Oh, before that…”

I whispered something to Johan, and Johan’s eyes widened.

“Youngest.”

“Please.”

“…Alright.”

After finishing my words, I left the mansion following the Imperial Guards. There was commotion behind me.

When I arrived at the Imperial Palace, I saw Mina walking from the opposite corridor with Cardinal Reginald.

She looked very anxious.

When our eyes met, she flinched and clenched her hands.

“Young Lady.”

Reginald addressed me with a benevolent expression.

“I was worried about what would happen if you didn’t come to the Imperial Palace. If you didn’t submit to investigation, it would invite unnecessary suspicion.”

When my expression turned cold, Reginald chuckled. I ignored him and continued walking.

Just as I was passing by Mina, I stopped with an “Ah.” and whispered.

“Mina.”

“…”

“You know, there are many bad people in this world. For instance, people who try to sacrifice innocent people to uphold their beliefs… or people who destroy what’s most precious to someone else to vent their anger.”

“What?”

I said with a bright smile.

“How is Duke Amitie doing?”

Mina’s expression hardened.

“You don’t mean…”

“How do I look to you? Do I seem like a bad person?”

Reginald looked at us with a puzzled expression as we whispered to each other.

“Lady Mina?”

At that moment, Mina urgently began to run. Toward the opposite side of the Investigation Room.

“Lady Mina!”

Reginald looked at Mina in complete panic. I clapped my hands together and shouted.

“Oh my. If she doesn’t undergo investigation, it’ll raise unnecessary suspicion.”

Reginald’s expression hardened stiffly.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————