The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 283
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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 283
Before the lunar eclipse ritual, Emeline came to see me. She came to deliver a message from Tree at her request.
“Empress Cecilia asked you to stop the summoning of Aslan?”
“Tree was really desperate about it too.”
“I also don’t want the Shrine to use Mina to summon an angel, but… why do the Empress and Tree feel this way?”
“I asked for the reason too, but she said she couldn’t answer. Tree, that soft girl, has something she can’t tell us. Can you believe it?”
“…”
“She only left one thing. The words ‘Not Aslan. Aslan is…'”
“Can I meet Tree?”
“Empress Cecilia is under house arrest, and it seems like someone has been assigned to Tree too since the day she met me. I’m also trying to communicate with Tree only through the Beggar Gang children.”
“Is it the Emperor’s will that the Imperial Palace shouldn’t interfere in the fight between the Shrine and House Dubbled… Anyway, I understand. Tell Tree that given Mina’s physical condition, angel summoning, no, demon summoning would be difficult. Especially if it’s a powerful demon like Gremory.”
Cecilia and Tree lost Beryl, who was both sister and mother to them, because of the Shrine. Since they hate the Shrine, it’s natural they wouldn’t want an angel summoning.
That’s what I thought, but what if the one who shouldn’t be summoned wasn’t an angel but ‘Aslan’?
I looked at the aide.
“Why did the Emperor allow the proof ritual?”
“Wasn’t it to prevent House Dubbled from gaining too much power?”
“I thought so too… but couldn’t the Emperor have predicted that if I become fake, House Dubbled might wage an all-out war against the Shrine to protect me?”
“He probably predicted it, but isn’t the existence called ‘Child of Fate’ that important? She’s called the daughter sent down by God for the Human World.”
“The Emperor? Someone who doesn’t have even a speck of religious faith?”
“Any emperor would want it recorded that during his reign, the Daughter of God descended and summoned an angel.”
I thought so too.
Current Emperor Alexandre is among the top five emperors in history when it comes to desire.
But what if…
“What if the Shrine threatened the Emperor?”
“No way. How many crises has the Shrine faced until now? They didn’t use their blackmail material until then, but only now? If it were me, I would have used the blackmail when they were protesting to let them search House Dubbled.”
“There’s blackmail material that even the Shrine can’t easily use.”
“What?”
“Demons.”
The Shrine’s primary reason for existence is to protect this land from demons.
If the Imperial Palace were involved with demons, the Shrine could never reveal it to the public.
‘If the Imperial Palace has secrets involving Aslan, the Shrine might know about it.’
When it comes to materials related to angels, demons, and gods, the Shrine possesses the most.
“…The Shrine threatened the Emperor. About Aslan.”
“What?”
I stared intently at the paper with furrowed brows.
“It might be connected to Empress Elsa.”
I hurriedly grabbed the overcoat that was draped over the chair.
“Where are you going!”
The captain asked, so I shouted back.
“If it’s something involving Empress Elsa, Adrian would know best!”
* * *
I headed to the Imperial Palace. I hadn’t obtained permission to enter in advance, but the title of Precious Jewel bestowed by the Emperor helped. Having quasi-imperial family status made it possible to enter the palace without permission.
But something was strange.
“My apologies. The Second Prince is unwell, so an audience is difficult.”
“You’re refusing without even asking the Prince?”
The attendant guarding the front of Adrian’s palace restricted my entry as soon as he saw me.
“He commanded that no one be allowed in.”
“Please inform him that Lady Dubbled has come.”
“My apologies.”
I crossed my arms with a furrowed brow.
“How is he ill?”
“I cannot speak of the Imperial Family’s condition.”
I let out a deep sigh.
‘I should have at least used communication magic before coming.’
I was in such a hurry that I just came straight to the Imperial Palace. I also thought Adrian wouldn’t refuse to see me.
‘Why did I think that? Stupid.’
Wasn’t it too shameless of me to think that, especially after rejecting Adrian once?
“I understand. Please tell him I hope for his swift recovery.”
Saying that, I turned around and walked away, casually muttering, “Then should I go to Marquis Chatelet House (Adrian’s maternal grandfather’s family)…?”
That’s when it happened.
“Wait a moment!”
The attendant shouted loudly. When I turned my head, his face had gone slightly pale as he swallowed nervously and spoke.
“I will inform the Prince.”
“…Suddenly?”
“Now that I think about it, if it’s Lady Dubbled, I think the Prince would be pleased to see you.”
He fumbled with his words as if trying to cover up his statement. Then he hurriedly ran into the palace.
Since meeting Adrian would be good for me, I waited quietly, but it was strange.
‘He acts like this as soon as Marquis Chatelet House is mentioned?’
The attendant returned shortly after.
“Please come in.”
“…”
I looked at the attendant with a suspicious expression as I entered the palace.
Standing before the massive door, the attendant knocked. Soon the door opened, revealing Adrian sitting in a chair.
He gestured to the attendant, and the attendant closed the door.
Only Adrian and I remained in the room.
“You came?”
He asked with a smile.
He must have been really sick, as he looked somewhat gaunt. His jawline had become sharper, and his appearance was slightly disheveled.
“Were you ill?”
When I asked, he shook his head and offered me a chair.
“No.”
“But you wouldn’t even allow visitors?”
“I was just tired.”
While I was outside tearing at each other with the shrine, Adrian must have also experienced war within the Imperial Palace.
First Prince Andre and Second Prince Adrian had both passed twenty, but the Crown Prince still hadn’t been decided.
I knew well from Cecilia how vicious the two camps were. It was more intense than my fight with the shrine, certainly no less brutal.
“Empress Yvonne didn’t do anything, did she?”
“It’s not easy as long as Lady Cecilia is here.”
“….”
“It’s thanks to you, Leblaine.”
I fidgeted with my skirt hem.
‘What should I say?’
Your mother has secrets, doesn’t she? …No, that’s not it.
Your father is being blackmailed for something fishy? …Absolutely not that either.
If I said that to Emeline, I might get slapped. She’d ask if I was picking a fight.
I rolled my eyes around, thinking of a question to ask in a nicer way. Then I spotted the fountain pen on the desk. The one mixed with brown and blue. It was the birthday gift I had given Adrian.
“Ah, that.”
“The fountain pen?”
I nodded with a giggle.
‘He kept it well.’
Just as I was thinking that, Adrian picked up the fountain pen.
“Want it?”
“…Huh?”
“You can take it if you want.”
Adrian smiled gently as he said that.
‘What?’
How should I interpret this?
Is this some sophisticated rebuke?
Is he saying that even though I was young, it wasn’t a suitable gift for a prince?
Was he displeased that I forced my way into the palace? So he’s telling me not to consider it special because of childhood memories?
Does this mean our memories are no longer precious?
Is he pushing me away using the elegant speech that nobles and royalty employ, that roundabout way of speaking?
After pondering, I soon let out a small laugh.
‘Adrian? To me?’
That Child probably wouldn’t say such things to me even if someone held a sword to her throat.
I had that kind of faith.
For someone like me who couldn’t trust people, Adrian had given me that kind of faith for over 10 years.
“You’re returning the gift I gave you?”
As I chuckled and spoke, Adrian’s hand gripping the Fountain Pen tightened with Power.
He smiled brightly and nodded his head.
“It was a joke.”
“It wasn’t funny. I thought there was some meaning behind it, so I worried about it a lot.”
“Right. It was an unfunny joke.”
Adrian sat back down across from me.
“Yeah, I can’t give this away. …This is mine.”
“…”
“The gift you gave me…”
Suddenly, something was strange.
I furrowed my brow and stared intently at Adrian.
“When did I give you that?”
“…Birthday.”
“When, where.”
“…”
“Adrian!”
“Your birthday celebration.”
His expression completely hardened.
When I didn’t speak, Adrian forced a smile and said.
“I was happy.”
“…Right. You were happy. You were happy. Quite unlike someone who received a Cheap Item Fountain Pen from a shabby shop in the Back Alleys.”
Adrian’s expression also hardened. The veins in his hand gripping the Fountain Pen bulged once again.
“What’s wrong with you. Why can’t you remember.”
“Because it was when we were young.”
“Even so, you can’t remember the Prince escaping the Imperial Palace to hold a birthday party in the Back Alleys?”
“…”
“You just guessed it was a birthday gift, right? The only anniversary between us worth giving Gifts for is birthdays. So you figured you received it at a birthday celebration?”
“…”
“Adrian, is something really wrong with you?”
I got up from my Chair and approached Adrian. I held his face and looked at him closely.
Adrian grasped my hands that were holding his face and smiled.
“It’s nothing to worry about.”
“That’s a lie.”
“Really. I just… can’t remember, that’s all.”
He just can’t remember?
Suddenly, the conversation I had with God came to mind.
The fact that figures like Bune, Paimon, and Pur don’t remember the ancient me is because they have blood on their hands.
‘The more blood the Seers have on their hands, the more their memories fade away.’
The Emperor who was threatened by the Temple.
The Imperial Family’s secret that is clearly entangled with demons.
Cecilia’s message that Aslan, at least, must never be summoned.
Empress Elsa.
The incident where Adrian, who inherited her blood, lost his memories.
“…Empress Elsa was Aslan.”
Adrian’s eyes trembled finely.
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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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