The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 31
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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 31
The place was filled not only with Young Masters but also countless Retainers, Administrators, Secretaries, and high-ranking Employees, and it reeked of blood.
A few broken teeth were scattered at my feet. They were Jacob’s.
Jacob lay sprawled out covered with a blanket, and judging by the blood soaking through the blanket, he must have been in terrible shape.
Blood dripped steadily from Isaac’s scabbard and Henri’s hands.
Seria was kneeling with her head bowed.
‘They haven’t handed him over to the Security Force yet.’
I was worried the soldiers had dragged him away, but it seems they have things to investigate regarding Jacob.
The Duke asked in a subdued voice.
“Where are you hurt.”
I quickly answered.
“I’m not hurt!”
“….”
The Duke’s gaze grew intense, so I mumbled and answered again.
“My head a little….”
Then Henri’s hand glowed blue and a Seal appeared.
Unlike Isaac’s Seal which had flame-like patterns inside a circle, Henri’s had vine-like curves wrapped around the circle.
The red light that had been wrapping around his arm shot out like an arrow and entered through the gaps in the blanket.
“Gaaack!”
Jacob writhed as if he was being strangled.
From the other side, Isaac rushed over with his eyes rolled back.
“You bastard.”
Even after stomping on his head violently several times, his anger didn’t seem to subside as he continued grinding his teeth for a while.
No one dared to try to stop him.
‘This is terrifying.’
The intimidating presence I’d seen from the Dubbled people so far was nothing compared to this.
When they were truly angry, they emanated a pressure that made your heart shrivel.
“Enough.”
At the Duke’s words, Isaac clicked his tongue and stepped back.
Then the Administrators lined up in front of the Duke’s Golden Throne and knelt.
At the front was North, the chief administrator responsible for managing the interior of the Imperial Palace.
One of the Retainers shouted.
“I, Newt Shagal, petition you with tears of blood in my heart. Please take the head of Eugene North who brought this treacherous scoundrel into the Imperial Palace!”
North couldn’t participate in this Administrator selection.
It was due to my adoption matter, the Etoile incident, and the Terramore case all overlapping.
Because of that, they say the Retainers’ influence was particularly strong this time.
‘That’s why this batch of trainee administrative officers is such a mess.’
It was simply a preemptive strike, since North would have to take responsibility for this matter if their heads were to remain attached.
“….”
“….”
I looked anxiously between the silent Duke and North.
The Duke doesn’t go easy on anyone, even his close associates.
His trust in North wasn’t based on genuine faith, but because he was the most outstanding talent available.
The Duke pressed his temple firmly with his eyes closed and spoke.
“So it seems.”
North replied expressionlessly.
“There is no excuse.”
‘North, you frustrating fool!’
Why is there no excuse?
Dubbled insisted on management and employment tests that could allow spies to infiltrate because they were confident in their ability to control such situations.
The reason no safety measures were prepared for the blood relatives was because Henri, Isaac, and the Duke possessed martial prowess far superior to most knights.
After the trainee administrative officers arrived, guards were always stationed at my room.
“All administrators who participated in the new recruit selection will be referred to the Disciplinary Council. Eugene North is….”
The Duke opened his eyes narrowly and spoke coldly.
“Cut off your wrist.”
And a dagger fell in front of North.
People wore grim expressions as if they had expected things to turn out this way.
North slowly drew his sword from its scabbard with trembling hands. Just as the gleaming blue blade was about to touch his wrist.
“Waaaah─!”
I burst into tears.
Everyone looked at me in surprise.
The Duke, Henri, and Isaac, who had been expressionless, widened their eyes.
Henri and Isaac rushed to me.
“Why are you crying? Did someone hit you again? Who was it, who!”
“Leblaine….”
“Waaaah! Duke is sca─ry─!”
Seeing me cry loud enough to shake the world, both of them were very flustered.
“The Duke is naturally scary! Everyone in the world is afraid of him! It’s natural to be scared!”
Isaac said restlessly, while Henri wiped away my streaming tears.
The Duke, still looking at me with widened eyes, signaled to the butler.
The butler picked me up and brought me to the Duke.
“Leblaine.”
“….”
“Leblaine.”
I sniffled my running nose and fidgeted with my hands.
“Don’t want North’s wrist cut off….”
“….”
The Duke seemed somewhat flustered.
‘Right, this is the moment.’
I clung to his legs and rubbed my face against them frantically.
“Your Grace, please forgive North.”
“…I understand, so stop crying.”
Saying that, he sat me on his knee and wiped around my eyes.
“…!”
“…!”
Gasps could be heard from all around.
When I sneakily looked around, people were staring at me with expressions as if they might faint.
North was looking at me in a daze.
‘Since I went this far to protect you, you’re mine now.’
It was the moment when the Duke’s First Adjutant, coveted even by the Imperial Palace, fell into my hands.
* * *
Thanks to Leblaine’s tears, the Administrators barely avoided being dragged to the Disciplinary Council.
North’s wrist was also safe.
They all knelt before Leblaine and expressed their gratitude.
North, who was at the front, bowed his head before the child’s feet. It was a pledge of loyalty that even Johan, Dubbled’s Eldest Son, had never received.
After the matter was settled, Isaac and Henri entered the Young Masters’ Private Study.
After entering the room, Isaac was unusually quiet. Only after about ten minutes did he finally speak.
“Elder Brother.”
“What.”
“Our little one, if she had been taken away, would she have ended up like those slaves we saw before?”
Henri’s hand, which had been writing something on paper, stopped abruptly.
“…She would have.”
The Previous Duke, who had educated the two from infancy, had said:
It’s the way of the world for the weak to be devoured by the strong. The weak are the ones at fault.
They had thought it was true.
The two had never once been in the position of the weak.
Bodies that were incomparably strong.
Minds that were more than sufficient to be called genius.
With mana and family lineage, they were apex predators incomparable to others.
Since nothing around them had ever been weak, they couldn’t empathize with the fear of the weak.
‘But Leblaine is.’
In Isaac and Henri’s minds, an image of Leblaine in shackles like the Runsha Tribe Siblings was drawn.
Leblaine being captured.
Leblaine unable to get even thin gruel, clutching her starving belly.
Leblaine crouched down, covering her head in front of the whip.
Leblaine crying “Henri…” or “Isaac…” while sobbing.
Both men’s faces hardened.
They felt strange.
Their chests felt heavy and stuffy, and blood rushed to their heads.
Isaac suddenly stood up and looked at Henri.
“Heaven is being rebuilt, right?”
“Why, are you going to buy a slave?”
“I won’t buy one. Never again in my life.”
Then Henri spoke to Isaac who was grabbing the door handle.
“Idiot, do you think they’ll free the slaves if you just go and smash the place up?”
Henri threw the documents he had been working on to Isaac.
“Go to North and deliver this.”
“What is this?”
“You don’t need to know. It’s a conversation between Half-Mask and the Previous Duke.”
“What happens if I deliver this?”
Henri leaned back deeply in his luxurious chair and smiled slyly.
“Well. Maybe by this evening we’ll hear news that Half-Mask committed suicide.”
“Elder Brother, at times like this you’re really…”
Isaac shook his head and said.
“Damn cool.”
That evening, nearly a hundred slaves owned by Heaven were all freed.
* * *
“…dy.”
“Young Lady.”
I was sleeping when I slowly opened my eyes to a gentle voice near my ear.
Lea and the maids were looking at me from beside the bed.
“Is it morning?”
“It’s evening.”
“I want to sleep more…”
When I said this while rubbing my eyes, Lea patted me.
“Master is looking for you, how about going out for a moment and coming right back?”
Duke Dubbled?
I groggily sat up.
I had North investigate Jacob’s ‘client’ this afternoon, so did he already find out?
I left the room with the maids.
Even while walking, drowsiness kept coming over me, making me stagger like a sick chicken.
The place we arrived at was the first floor dining room.
‘It smells delicious.’
Was a meal prepared at such a late hour?
Wondering what was going on, I opened the door to find numerous servants, the Duke, Henri, and Isaac.
The dining table was filled with all kinds of delicious food, and Duke Dubbled and the young master each had a box tucked under their arms.
‘Ah, that’s right.’
Today was Children’s Day, wasn’t it.
I had received gifts from the maids, but I’d been so busy I forgot about it.
Isaac quickly ran over and pulled out a large box for me.
It was a box so long and heavy that I couldn’t even lift it.
“Open it. Quickly.”
When I opened the box, what came out was a training bow without arrowheads.
It was light enough for even a child to hold, and above all, it was pretty.
Next was Henri.
When I opened the box he gave me with a bright smile, there was an absolutely adorable little lady’s dress.
It was made of soft, fluffy fabric that looked like packed snow, with small wings attached to the back.
“Please don’t fly away, my angel.”
Words that would seem cheesy if said by someone else suited Henri incredibly well.
Maybe it’s because Henri really does look like an angel.
I was truly grateful for both their hearts, so I hugged Henri and Isaac once each.
The corners of both their mouths slightly turned upward.
Then, the Duke pulled out a document envelope for me.
“Open it.”
I glanced at him and opened the envelope. And while checking the contents inside…
I quickly stuffed it back in.
‘I think I just saw something scary.’
I took several deep breaths, huffing and puffing, then slowly pulled out the paper.
What was written on the luxurious gold-decorated paper was the same text even when I looked again.
[Deed]
Oh my goodness.
I looked at the Duke with a dazed expression. The hand holding the paper was trembling violently.
My heart was beating so fast that I pressed firmly against my chest.
‘Is this the sweet taste of being a child with a rich father…’
Fireworks were exploding pop, pop, pop in my head, and I could hear trumpet sounds in my ears.
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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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