The Oracle of the Villainous Baby - Chapter 22
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 22
“I won’t abandon you. Why would you think I’d cast you aside, my daughter…?”
Kiriel Yudia spoke with rare firmness, sweeping Bunny into his arms and settling her onto his lap.
Bunny’s eyes widened in surprise.
Kiriel Yudia chuckled softly as he gently wiped the cheeks of the startled child.
“It’s just…”
Bunny blinked her eyes.
Young Master, if your guardian were to become Kiriel Yudia or Kiriel Yudia or someone named Kiriel Yudia, you must be careful! That man absolutely despises useless children—with only one exception. But that exception isn’t you, so absolutely, absolutely, absolutely do not trust him!
Because Kiriel Yudia is a wicked and brutal human who slaughtered all the demons, despises them with a passion, and might hurt you if a new child appears later.
Bunny is a demon, and Kiriel Yudia hates demons.
Bunny blinked several times as she recalled the contents of Luriel’s notebook.
But to become an adult, I must remain a Young Lady of the Duke’s House.
For reasons I don’t understand, Luriel said I must. To do that, I need to be useful…
“Bunny is useless right now…”
As Bunny murmured dejectedly—a rare sight—Kiriel Yudia wiped her wet cheeks with his palm several times before speaking.
“You don’t need to be particularly useful. Being useful in this household…”
Kiriel Yudia trailed off slowly, then released a short sigh.
“Anyway… I won’t abandon you. I’ve already taken you in, so I’ll take responsibility.”
“Until Bunny becomes an adult?”
“Yes.”
At Kiriel Yudia’s words, Bunny’s eyes grew wide. Kiriel Yudia smiled faintly as he gazed at her sparkling eyes.
He slowly turned his head to look at Allen. Allen’s eyes met his, and he flinched slightly before averting his gaze.
“The same goes for you, Allen.”
“…!”
At the added words, Allen’s eyes widened and he clamped his mouth shut.
The carriage moved forward in silence.
* * *
Knock, knock.
Ludbreed responded swiftly to the faint knock that seemed about to fade away, quickly rising from his seat and opening the door.
“Hello, sir.”
“Ah, you’ve come?”
Bow.
As Ludbreed watched Bunny offer a respectful greeting with an almost solemn bow, his lips trembled and a warm smile bloomed across his face.
Who would believe it.
That iron fortress of an old man was grinning like a fool.
With each movement Bunny made, the cheap coins clinked and jingled.
“Bunny came to buy spirit stones.”
“Is that so? Come and choose. I have plenty over here.”
Bunny walked over to the sofa Ludbreed indicated, cradling Elephant in her arms as the coins jangled with each step.
Having procured well-crafted spirit stones for merely 1500 Rostra, Bunny had cleverly mastered the art of purchasing spirit stones—thanks to Kiriel’s introduction.
“So, what kind of stone are we looking for today?”
Ludbreed watched with a slight smirk as Bunny stood before an array of sacred stones in various colors, her expression grave and contemplative.
His youngest son Kiriel, who possessed not a shred of cuteness, had brazenly reported that someone had the audacity to swindle his granddaughter within Yudia Territory—selling her counterfeit sacred stones, no less.
And the scoundrel had taken every last coin the child had earned with her own two hands.
Of course, Ludbreed had personally seen to the matter.
The culprit was one of the drifters who had wandered into Yudia Territory. His fatal mistake was committing such foolishness within these lands.
Yudia Territory was protected by the most formidable sacred power.
Even the Capital was not as safe.
Rumors circulated that when the Capital fell, the Emperor’s last refuge was Yudia Territory.
Particularly since Ludbreed’s birth, the crime rate had plummeted below one percent.
This was hardly surprising, for Pegasus—Ludbreed’s summoned partner and divine beast—possessed the ability to track whatever his master desired and uncover hidden things.
Finding those of Yudia blood, apprehending criminals—as long as traces remained, such tasks were hardly difficult for Pegasus.
“Grandfather, how much is this one?”
At Bunny’s earnest question, Ludbreed let out a small cough and glanced at the sacred stone.
“Let’s see… given its size, I’d say around 2,500 Lost. That’s twenty-five coins.”
Fifty-eight million Lost.
The actual price flashed through his mind, but Ludbreed dismissed it lightly.
‘It’s all for hatching the divine beast.’
Ludbreed nodded to himself.
The egg Bunny had summoned before was growing steadily on a diet of sacred stones. According to reports, it had already grown to match Bunny’s size.
‘An egg-form divine beast… this is a first.’
Judging by the fact that it was alive, it seemed closer to a divine beast than a sacred object. Watching it devour sacred stones so voraciously, he was genuinely curious about what would emerge.
Sacred stones were essentially worth whatever one demanded for them.
Simply possessing sacred stones prevented minor ailments and purified one from murky influences.
Moreover, sacred stones could deal devastating blows to demons and demonic beasts, making them valuable for weapon crafting.
The Udiah Duke Family Estate monopolized nearly all the sacred stone mines due to the extreme difficulty of processing them.
“I’ll take this one!”
“Very well, then.”
“Yes!”
Bunny nodded eagerly and popped off the trunk of her Elephant coin purse, then began extracting coins with a soft jingling sound.
“One, two… four…”
As Ludbreed watched the child count diligently on her fingers, a warm smile bloomed across his face.
“Twenty-five!”
“That’s right, well done. You’ve already memorized up to twenty-five.”
Heh. Bunny the genius!
It was just as Bunny broke into a grin.
Knock, knock.
At the sound of the knock, the child’s ears perked up and her head snapped toward the door.
“Marquis, I’m entering for a moment.”
With the butler Pel’s entrance, Ludbreed’s expression shifted—his smile vanishing as his eyes narrowed with sudden intensity.
“What is it?”
Pel watched Ludbreed with quiet intensity as his voice turned grave in an instant.
More precisely, he was observing Ludbreed stroking Bunny’s hair while holding twenty-five coins in his hand.
“A new ribbon, I see. The yellow suits you wonderfully. Young Lady Bunny looks absolutely adorable today as well.”
Hmm.
At Pel’s compliment, Bunny’s bottom wiggled with delight. Praise made Bunny dance. And Pel was extraordinarily generous with his praise.
‘A good man.’
When I become the great Demon King later, I’ll make sure he becomes rich.
Bunny nodded firmly after stamping her heart’s approval on Pel with a resounding thud.
“Marquis Kiriel’s aide is looking for Young Lady Bunny.”
At Pel’s words, Ludbreed regarded him with a displeased gaze before nodding.
“Shall we prepare to depart?”
“Yesss.”
Bunny nodded and closed the elephant’s trunk again, then began placing the remaining coins back inside.
A satisfied smile played at the corners of Pel’s lips as he watched.
“Ah, and….”
Pel hesitated as if to say something, then glanced at Bunny cautiously.
At that, Ludbreed’s eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth.
“What is it? Speak.”
“Well, that is… among the demon tribes who recently suffered defeat and went into hiding, strange rumors seem to be circulating.”
“Strange rumors? What kind?”
“It is only rumor so far, but… it appears a demon child has survived.”
“A child?”
“Yes, more precisely, it seems the dead Demon King had a child. There are rumors that he is destined to awaken as the next Demon King….”
Jingle jingle.
In that instant, Bunny’s body trembled violently and the coins clutched in her hand clattered to the floor, rolling across it.
“Oh dear, are you alright? Young Lady Bunny.”
“…Y-yes. Thank you.”
Pel picked up the coins scattered on the floor and placed them back in Bunny’s hands.
‘Bunny, heart pounding and pounding….’
The Demon King’s child….
No matter how I looked at it, it was clearly about Bunny.
With her heart thundering in her chest, Bunny hugged the elephant piggy bank a little tighter to herself.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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