The Oracle of the Villainous Baby - Chapter 126
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 126
Shalone entered through the door and, upon seeing me, her expression crumpled with emotion as she furrowed her brow and her cheeks trembled.
When I turned to glance at the mirror, I saw myself smiling gracefully—serene, benevolent, and composed with the bearing of an adult.
There was nothing particularly strange about my appearance.
‘Could it be jealousy?’
Ha! So even Shalone is, after all, only human.
Though I suppose it’s fortunate that she’s developed a human heart.
Once a Homunculus, she was gradually awakening to human emotion, finally being reborn as a true human being.
“You… you took that book I hid away and read it!”
At Shalone’s accusation, I simply smiled quietly and tilted my head to the side with an innocent tilt.
“Sister, why are you so worked up? Perhaps you should calm down first?”
“Give me back my book.”
“I’m not sure what you’re referring to. But Sister, I do hope that in the future you’ll knock properly before opening the door. It’s a courtesy that any adult should observe.”
“Stop joking and give it back right now!”
Shalone’s body trembled as she seized her dress hem in both hands and strode forward, suddenly grabbing me and shaking my entire frame with vigor.
“Sister, when you’re angry like that, it means your heart is filled with rage. Why don’t you come over here and have some warm cocoa while we watch the falling snow?”
Even as I was being shaken by my collar, I remained seated in place.
An adult must maintain dignity at all times and in all places.
One must never show weakness or vulnerability to an opponent.
‘Yes, just like that tree standing tall and dignified in the falling snow.’
I continued to smile, willingly allowing my upper body to be jostled about by Shalone without moving an inch from my seat.
Since I remained perfectly still despite being shaken, Shalone’s eyebrows twitched once.
Crack.
Veins bulged across the back of Shalone’s hand.
“Stand up!”
“Sister, don’t strain yourself. You’ll break your wrist.”
But who am I?
Now eleven years old, my spirit is that of a magnificent adult.
Even more formidable and vastly more powerful than when I was merely eight.
‘My hidden strength could seriously injure someone. I… have finally come to possess the Heugyeomryong in my left arm.’
Recently, Luriel had even said to me, “At last you have awakened the Heugyeomryong in your left arm, Young Master.”
And indeed, just as Luriel said, lately there were times when I could not contain the surging power within me.
“Won’t you get up this instant?!”
Crack.
Just like now.
As I gripped the armrest to brace myself, a fissure formed in the wooden chair’s arm.
It happened because Shalone, who had seized my collar, was pulling with all her might to lift me up.
“Sister, I have no idea what book you’re talking about.”
“‘The Cunning Wolf and the Duke’s Daughter’—give it back!”
As Shalone whispered the title in a small voice, I simply blinked innocently, feigning complete ignorance.
I gazed down at the armrest with a regretful expression before lifting my head to look at Shalone again.
Thud, clatter.
Shalone, unable to stop rattling it, finally broke the armrest, which fell to the floor—and I let out a hollow laugh watching it.
‘I want to stand up, but if I do, the chair will fall apart completely and Shalone might get seriously hurt…’
Feeling sorry for Shalone, who was trying so hard to make me get up from the chair without knowing anything, I deliberately narrowed my brows and shook my head firmly.
“But I remember seeing it before, and according to my genius-level memory, it was the Udiah Duke Family Estate, not an Earl’s house.”
“See! You took it!”
Shalone’s face flushed red as she tensed every muscle in her body.
Watching Shalone breathe heavily and roughly, I lowered the corners of my eyes and shook my head firmly.
“No.”
“You’re acting like the abandoned wolf from my ‘The Wolf and the Young Lady’ novel right now! Because you think it’s cool!”
“No, I never took a book from your room. I just went to your room and found garbage under the bed, so I cleaned it up for you…”
“Ugh!! Please don’t touch under my bed!”
“Oh.”
Thud.
As Shalone raised her voice and pushed with all her might, my body tilted forward.
Caught off guard by the sudden force, I stumbled and stood up from the chair. At the same moment, the chair I had been sitting on collapsed with a crash, and something tumbled to the floor.
It was a book with a red cover.
‘The Sinister and Ferocious Wolf and the Young Lady of the Udiah Duke Family’
Seeing the title written in gold letters, Shalone quickly bent down, snatched it up, and hid it inside her skirts.
Shalone glanced around to confirm no one was there, then exhaled a long breath.
“Are you going to keep sneaking into my room and taking my books?!”
“I was just picking up something that was lying around…”
I pouted my lips and spoke with displeasure, and Shalone pressed her forehead.
“I told you, that’s not something you should be reading yet. Children shouldn’t read it.”
“Sister, I’m all grown up now.”
I spoke with deliberate intensity in my eyes, and Shalone sighed.
“You can’t be called grown up when you sneak into my room without permission and steal books like this.”
“But if I buy the book myself, Father checks everything.”
“That’s because you stole my book before and got caught reading it!”
I answered with a pouting lip, and Shalone burst out loudly.
Glancing at the mirror, I saw myself with pouted lips like a child, my subtle smile nowhere to be found.
Gone were the plump cheeks I once had as a young child.
I had pestered Melissa relentlessly to add waves to the tips of my hair, and now my water-blue locks bounced and swayed softly.
And what about my noticeably increased height?
The mirror reflected someone who had quite splendidly climbed the second step into adulthood.
‘Bewitching me.’
With the Heugyeomryong on my left arm, I looked quite impressive.
As I gazed quietly at the mirror, a worry suddenly reared its head.
‘What if I end up twice as tall as Father?’
I was a bit troubled by it all.
In any case, I was quite pleased to see her become such an excellent adult and transform into a refined young lady of High Society.
In any case….
“『The Young Lady’s Secret Tales After Coming of Age』, right?”
“Please don’t say the book title!”
At Bunny’s words, Shalone turned ashen and waved both hands frantically, raising her voice slightly.
“I didn’t even finish reading the whole thing….”
As I let my dissatisfaction spill out between my protruding lips, Shalone sighed and pressed her forehead with her hand.
“Anyway, that’s right. When you read that sentence saying you’re not an adult unless you have your Coming of Age Ceremony, you came to my room and cried as if you’d suffered some great betrayal from the world.”
At Shalone’s words, my face suddenly flushed hot.
“Ah, we agreed to forget about that!”
“Anyway, stop taking my books and projecting yourself onto the protagonist like that. I’m telling you, you’ll regret it later.”
Shalone warned me and shook her head disapprovingly.
I looked at Shalone with displeasure, then sighed and turned away.
“Sigh…. Sister, you don’t understand anything. I’m different from you. I have so much to think about for world peace.”
….
“You know. Life is fleeting, passing in an instant. Especially youth.”
….
As I spoke with a touch of sentimentality, Shalone trembled as if moved, then looked at me with an expression of mild exasperation.
She let out a long sigh and turned away.
Unusually, she didn’t turn and leave right away, which puzzled me, when Shalone opened her mouth.
“And….”
“Hmm?”
“Mother will be coming next week.”
At Shalone’s words, I sat by the window and bounced my legs lightly.
“Really?”
“…Yes.”
“I see. I’m fine with it.”
“W-who said I was worried about you?! I was just saying you should hurry up and become independent or do something productive!”
At Shalone’s words, I laughed and snapped my fingers lightly.
The shattered remnants of the chair that had broken apart during our strength contest floated up, and like puzzle pieces assembling themselves, they began finding their places in midair.
Soon, the chair that had been in pieces was restored to its original form without a trace of damage.
A crimson glow reflected in Shalone’s bright eyes.
“It’s fine. I’m stronger.”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————