The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 279

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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 279

As I left the mansion, I asked Johan to kidnap Duke Amitie and also told him the method by which he could kidnap him.

Duke Amitie would surely fall for ‘that method’.

‘Go ahead and search the entire Imperial Capital. See if you can find Duke Amitie.’

I left Reginald and Mina behind and entered the investigation room.

* * *

The situation had become interesting.

A re-arrest warrant had been issued for Mina, but it wasn’t a limited arrest warrant in name only like the first time.

Initially, we did receive an arrest warrant, but the Imperial Guards who brought us weren’t Armed Soldiers.

But this time, Armed Soldiers were combing through the Imperial Capital like they were catching lice. Really like they were searching for a culprit.

It was definitely not an arrest warrant that would be issued for a suspect based on mere circumstantial evidence.

The Cardinals who heard the news rushed to the Imperial Palace like moths to a flame.

“Are you in your right mind! Having Armed Soldiers search through the Imperial Capital! Everyone in the world will think Lady Mina is the culprit!”

“The Second Child of Fate ignored the arrest warrant and fled from the Imperial Palace. Be grateful that His Majesty didn’t issue an immediate execution order.”

“This…!”

It was true that Mina had trampled on the Imperial Palace’s consideration and fled. The Cardinals couldn’t say much.

The shrine severely criticized Reginald for failing to properly assist Mina. Watching Reginald not know what to do was quite an entertaining sight.

Unlike Mina who fled, the investigators were gentle with me as I obediently came to the Imperial Palace, underwent investigation as instructed, and answered well.

“Upon checking, we found that Young Lady wasn’t in Dubbled Territory. Where were you?”

“It’s true that I was in the Imperial Capital.”

“Are you saying you secretly entered the Imperial Capital without using the teleportation circle?”

“Yes, I was in the Imperial Capital the whole time. How could I be in the territory when my eldest brother was cursed? But too much attention was focused on me due to the Seven Families’ mock battle, and there were many high-ranking nobles trying to make contact, so I simply hid myself.”

“Are you saying you were in the shopping district?”

“Yes. But I never cast Meteor.”

“The witnesses said Young Lady cast magic.”

“I find that very strange too. If someone cast magic while meteorites were falling, wouldn’t it most likely be defensive magic? But why did they point to me as the culprit? Even mages can’t tell what magic is being cast just by looking at the surface, so how could they? Isn’t it highly likely that someone targeted me and fabricated witnesses?”

The investigators seemed to think the same way, exchanging glances and nodding several times.

The investigation that took a full two days ended like that. Of course, I wasn’t completely excluded from the list of suspects. There weren’t many with divine power capable of casting such high-level magic.

But having undergone proper investigation with no risk of flight, I was allowed to return to the mansion. The investigators escorted me. The atmosphere was harmonious.

“We apologize, Young Lady. Until the investigation is concluded, you cannot leave the mansion.”

“I understand your position.”

“We’re grateful for your understanding, haha.”

It was when the investigators and I were laughing and chatting. I saw someone being dragged by Imperial Guards from afar. It was Mina.

Mina looked haggard. Her face was pale white as if she hadn’t slept a wink for two days, and her under-eyes were completely black. Her beautiful hair, which she always kept neatly groomed, was disheveled.

Behind her, several Cardinals with troubled expressions could be seen.

Mina’s and my eyes met. That girl shook off the Imperial Guards recklessly, ran to me, and grabbed me by the collar.

The attendants, investigators, Imperial Guards, and even the Cardinals who were passing by were greatly flustered.

“Lady Mina!”

“Let go!”

The Cardinals and Imperial Guards rushed to restrain Mina.

“Where is he! Where are you hiding the Duke!”

I deliberately shrugged my shoulders and drooped my eyebrows.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying, Leblaine…”

When I returned the words she always used to say, Mina’s face twisted horribly.

“You can’t do this. You can’t do this. How could you, how could you do this to Father… What kind of person he is to us…”

“My father is at the mansion.”

“Leblaine!”

I shook off Mina’s hand with an expression of complete ignorance.

“Why are you acting like this?”

“You did something to the Duke…!”

“So which Duke are you looking for from me? It doesn’t seem like my dad, so Grimoire? Marshu? Or… Amitie?”

“You know I’m talking about Duke Amitie!”

“Why?”

“…What?”

I let out a scoff while feigning an incredulous expression.

“So why exactly are you so desperately looking for Duke Amitie?”

“That’s because he’s my…!”

“Lady Mina!”

Reginald stopped Mina’s words with a pale face.

‘That’s right.’

If Mina said something like ‘Duke Amitie is my father,’ she would be branded as a lunatic. That would be very disadvantageous.

In the worst case, it could be perceived that the Temple and Amitie had conspired to create the Child of Fate.

Reginald blocked Mina’s path with an awkward expression.

“The Second Child greatly admires Duke Amitie. She seems to have lost her reason due to his disappearance.”

The investigators spoke with exasperated expressions.

“Anyone would think her father had disappeared.”

“She hasn’t been able to sleep for days due to this series of events and hasn’t been eating properly either.”

“Should we understand that she’s not in her right mind?”

“Sir…!”

“How outrageous. To trample on His Majesty’s goodwill and still act wildly even after being captured by armed soldiers.”

“Please consider that she is still of tender age. She is originally a brilliant person.”

The investigators looked at Mina with cold expressions. I glanced at the frozen Cardinals, let out a small scoff, and passed by Mina.

And I whispered in a very small voice.

“If you want to find him, bring me Benedict.”

“…!”

Mina flinched and looked at me, so I gave her a bright smile.

“How long do you think Duke Amitie can stay alive?”

Mina’s pupils trembled violently, and tears welled up in her eyes as she glared at me.

“Evil girl… Evil, you evil… Leblaine!”

Mina lashed out once again. The Cardinals frantically tried to cover her mouth, but the gazes around us grew even colder.

I smiled brightly once more and waved my hand toward Mina and the Cardinals.

“Cheer up.”

─I said.

Yes, I am an evil girl.

And I intend to do my very best to become even more evil.

* * *

The mansion.

The estate people approached me when I returned.

“Young Lady, your body….”

“Are you alright? Are you okay?”

Leaving their worried words behind, I climbed the stairs and spoke to the administrators.

“Cut off support from Suwon, starting with the villages near the border.”

North flinched and looked at me, but I continued without concern.

“Ban the distribution of long-distance teleportation scrolls. Make sure news spreads across the entire continent that Dubbled is stockpiling teleportation scrolls. Of course, don’t send a single teleportation scroll to the combat zones either. Same goes for Blue Spinel.”

“….”

“Same for all support that Dubbled provides. Slums, disaster areas, talent support—stop all aid.”

“People won’t be able to endure it.”

“I’m telling you to make it so they can’t endure it.”

“Young Lady…!”

I stopped walking abruptly and looked at North.

“Make sure I don’t have to give an order twice. Eugene North.”

“…Yes, Young Lady.”

I left North behind and went up to the greenhouse. When I opened the door, the chairman, Seria, and Trigon, whom I had summoned in advance, all bowed their heads at once.

“Dubbled has cut off all support to the Empire. There will be those who can’t endure it. Lend them money through loan sharks, and squeeze them dry when collecting.”

Seria flinched and opened her mouth saying “Young Lady…!” but the chairman blocked her with one arm and shook his head.

I approached the window with an emotionless expression and gripped the window frame.

“Hope Trading Company withdraws from all business except loan sharking.”

I truly intended to do my very best to become evil.

The Empire was turned upside down in an instant.

The doors of Dubbled, the wealthiest family in the Empire, closed, and Hope Trading Company withdrew from all business.

What became most serious was naturally the economy.

There was no telling when Dubbled and the Hope Trading Company would resume business, and in such circumstances, the first action trading companies took was laying off employees.

Of course, the Great Nobles were also experiencing considerable crisis. As long-distance teleportation circles weren’t being distributed, the price of short-distance teleportation circles skyrocketed, and the price of Blue Spinel also rose without knowing its peak.

Nobles adjacent to the border who engaged in large and small battles with foreign tribes couldn’t hold out.

As the Great Nobles also sensed the crisis and hoarded their wealth, the shopping district that had been bustling daily became desolate.

Seria, who was serving me tea, muttered worriedly.

“Resentment toward Dubbled and the Hope Trading Company will grow.”

“Do you think so, Seria? I don’t.”

“Pardon?”

“They might resent us for a moment. But ultimately, the target of their anger will be the shrine.”

“What do you…”

“Now that the Hope Trading Company and Dubbled are gone, the shrine is the only one that can mine even small amounts of Blue Spinel and distribute short-distance teleportation circles. But who raised the prices?”

“That’s unavoidable price increases due to market principles. The shrine wouldn’t want this either. There are many seeking them but few that can be distributed, so prices inevitably have to rise…”

“But in people’s eyes, it will look like the shrine raised the prices.”

That’s when it happened.

Noisy sounds began coming from outside the window.

Bang─!! Bang!!

It was the sound of people with giant logs smashing down the doors of the Central Temple.

See, it’s starting.

And the communication stone rang frantically. The caller was the Papal Court.

When I connected the communication, Reginald’s shouting could be heard.

[Just how far are you planning to go!]

I spoke pretending to be puzzled.

“What are you asking? Obviously until you get beaten to death by angry crowds.”

[Young Lady!]

“Ugh, so noisy, really.”

[What did you say?]

“Contact me again when you’ve calmed down.”

Bye~!

I greeted him in an infuriatingly cheerful voice and cut off the communication.

In the next communication, Reginald forcibly lowered his voice.

[I will, come to, the mansion.]

Though he was holding back in case I cut off the communication again, his voice was tense with barely contained fury.

“I’m too scared, so no.”

Bye~!

I cut off the communication again.

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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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