The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 281

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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 281

A few days later.

While wiping Lea’s hand with a wet cloth, I glanced at the aide.

“The Pope requested the Emperor to stop Mina’s confinement?”

“That’s correct.”

I hummed and put down the wet cloth.

“On what grounds?”

“They say they’ll hold a verification ceremony during the lunar eclipse the day after tomorrow.”

The aide handed me a parchment as he spoke. It seemed the Dark Bird (Dubbled’s intelligence agency) had secured a copy of the letter the Pope sent to the Emperor.

After reading the contents, I let out a hollow laugh.

So to summarize the contents:

[There is only one Child of Fate who received the Divine Oracle.

This land has become chaotic because a false child is impersonating God’s messenger.

Of the two Children of Fate, one is not truly God’s messenger, so we must distinguish the real one during the lunar eclipse when God’s power is strongest.]

“If Mina is the real Child of Fate, then whether she’s guilty or not, she’s irreplaceable, so she can’t be punished.”

“Yes. They’re trying to gloss over the meteor incident this way.”

“They could also use this opportunity to completely push me out since I’m only a hindrance. But how exactly do they plan to distinguish between us?”

“They say they’ll manifest the Divine Mark during the lunar eclipse ceremony to summon an Angel.”

I crossed my arms and twisted my lips.

“Angel, my foot. It’ll be a Demon.”

The only beings in the Other World are those who were Seers in Ancient Times.

Every single one of them became Demons, but people have been mistaking relatively benevolent beings among the Demons for Angels.

So essentially, Angels don’t exist in This World.

“So which Angel—no, Demon—do they plan to summon?”

“They’ll probably try to call forth an Angel that all people of the Continent know.”

“Then…”

“Yes.”

We spoke simultaneously.

“Aslan.”

“It’s Aslan.”

The Angel recorded in the Empire’s founding period, Aslan.

It was the Angel with the legend of descending to the Human World and saving 100,000 dying Imperial soldiers when the Founding Emperor was defeated by Ivan and had to retreat.

“Aslan… I wonder which Demon’s alias Aslan might be.”

“Among Demons with healing Special Abilities, there’s only one with that kind of power, isn’t there.”

“Right, it’s Gremory. The Shrine must have secured a Passage to Gremory.”

Gremory. Gremory…

After muttering the demon’s name several times, I looked at Lea.

“That passage, can’t we get our hands on it?”

As I stared at Lea frantically, the chairman slightly lowered his head.

“It’s not that I don’t understand your feelings, Little One. Even if we find Benedict, we don’t know if he can make an antidote, and you must be anxious that time is running out. But Little One…”

“…”

“It would be difficult unless we storm the shrine and take the Pope’s head.”

“…”

“The current situation is in our favor. If we get greedy for something we can’t achieve, cracks will start to form from there.”

The chairman couldn’t hide his worried expression, which was rare for him.

After Lea became like this, I moved with thorough planning, but I had completely lost my composure.

No one in Dubbled blamed me. It wasn’t because of the family’s nature, but because everyone knew what Lea meant to me.

The chairman must be worried that I might focus too much on Lea and mess up matters that involved the family and my life.

“Little—”

“I know.”

“…”

“I’m not that clueless.”

When I smiled brightly, the chairman seemed to relax and showed a faint smile.

“How is Lea?”

“My Lea is always wonderful! She’s enduring magnificently even now. Taylor said the necrosis is progressing slower than expected.”

When I said “Ahem” and acted proud, the chairman chuckled.

“This must be the patient’s willpower!”

“Yes. Your Lea is always admirable, Little One.”

I picked up the wet towel again and carefully wiped Lea’s face.

With all my heart, just like how young Lea used to wash a dirty little child.

“How can she be so well-behaved.”

“Lebu, tea is ready!”

“Of course. Our Little One is the kindest person in the world.”

I remember the touch of her hands as she lovingly embraced me. When I giggled because it tickled, Lea would rub her face against my cheek and whisper.

That I was her treasure.

Sunlight streaming in from outside the window tickled Lea’s eyelashes. I smiled like the child I was back then.

* * *

Cecilia finished her private meeting with the Pope and followed the Emperor as he moved.

“What happened? You didn’t allow the proof ceremony, did you?”

“…”

“Your Majesty!”

She spoke with an anxious expression.

“That the Temple supports The Second is something even passing dogs know. They’re not trying to identify the real Child of Fate. They want to place someone who suits their taste as the Child of Fate and manipulate the Empire…!”

“Do you think I am unaware of this?”

“You won’t permit it, will you?”

The Emperor stopped abruptly and stared at Cecilia with a hardened expression.

“Are you the Empire’s mother, or a person of Dubbled?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking if you are truly my consort!”

“…The Empire could not have achieved such prosperity without Dubbled.”

“That is the problem─!”

The Emperor, who had shouted in anger, looked around and lowered his voice.

“That is the problem.”

“Are you concerned that Dubbled’s influence has flooded the Imperial Palace? That you might lose the Emperor’s authority?”

Cecilia’s brow furrowed. Seeing her unwillingness to back down, the Emperor’s gaze grew increasingly cold.

“My people are suffering from the war between the Temple and Dubbled.”

“…”

“While I, while you have been eating your fill and sleeping without want in this Imperial Palace, the people have been falling ill and starving.”

“…”

“How could my heart not lean toward Dubbled? But I am not just that. I and my consort are those who have the responsibility to protect the people and care for our subjects.”

“…”

“Make your position clear. If you choose to remain as Dubbled’s former knight rather than the Empire’s mother, then I as a man will hold onto you, but I as Emperor will bid my consort farewell.”

As the Emperor began walking again with a cold expression, Cecilia spoke once more.

“The Temple has threatened His Majesty.”

The Emperor whipped his head around.

“You…!”

Cecilia roughly grabbed the Emperor’s collar and pulled him close.

“What is it? What threats did they make that caused you to build walls?”

“…”

“Your Majesty.”

It was then.

“Your Majesty.”

From the opposite direction, Empress Yvonne approached with a bright smile.

“I heard you hadn’t eaten and came out of concern, but… it seems I’ve come at the wrong time.”

“Not at all. Let’s go.”

The Emperor turned his back on Cecilia and walked away with Empress Yvonne.

Tree, who had been hesitating from afar, approached Cecilia who was staring at the Emperor’s retreating figure.

“Aunt…”

“…”

Tree carefully took hold of her aunt’s fingertips.

“I know.”

“The reason I came here today isn’t because I’m Dubbled’s former knight, but…”

“Yes, I know that you came as His Majesty’s wife.”

“….”

Tree forced a smile and stroked Cecilia’s hands with both of hers.

“I know that His Majesty hoped he wouldn’t regret today. I also know that he hoped he wouldn’t become more lonely.”

“….”

“It’s because of ‘that incident,’ isn’t it? That incident Leblaine doesn’t know about….”

Cecilia stroked Tree’s cheek and smiled bitterly. Then she looked around and whispered.

“Tell Leblaine through Emeline. You must not contact Dubbled directly.”

“Yes.”

“Tell her that His Majesty has permitted the lunar eclipse ritual, and that if the Second summons an angel, things will become uncontrollable. They must never be allowed to summon an ‘angel.'”

Tree nodded and hurried away.

Cecilia, who had been watching her niece’s retreating figure, covered her face with one hand.

‘Please, Little One.’

Please save His Majesty.

Please save His Majesty… that person who is enduring alone.

The next day, Mina was released.

The lunar eclipse ritual would be in two days, at night.

The world’s attention was entirely focused on the temple where the ritual would take place.

* * *

The night of the lunar eclipse ritual.

Dubbled was extremely quiet. Like before facing a typhoon.

I finished preparing to go out and hung Etoile around my neck. Dahlia, Linda, and Yuni draped a cloak embroidered with Dubbled’s crest over my shoulders.

It was the cloak that Lea had wrapped around me a few years ago when I was posing for a portrait to hang in the territorial castle.

“I thought it wouldn’t fit since you’ve grown so much.”

When I smiled, Dahlia, Linda, and Yuni giggled. Their hands were covered with band-aids. It seemed they had stayed up all night making alterations.

“If Lady Lea had been awake, she would have definitely made you wear this cloak today.”

“Yes.”

“Have a safe trip, Little One. Please return home safely.”

“I will.”

Wearing the cloak, I left the mansion.

Father and my brothers were standing in front of the carriage. We looked at each other once and silently boarded the carriage.

The carriage ran quietly. Toward the temple.

After traveling through unusually deep darkness, we arrived at the temple, which was packed with people.

Nobles and common people surrounded the temple, and on top of the temple stood Mina, wearing a plain white dress.

Just as I had in my first life.

When the Pope raised his hand, flags fluttered from the castle walls around the temple.

And the moon’s shadow began to gradually deepen.

Mina slowly raised Etoile.

Etoile vibrated faintly.

Not the Etoile in Mina’s hand, but Mina’s real Etoile that was in my arms.

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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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