Youngest on Top - Chapter 109

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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 109

“Hey! What are you saying right now?”

Roana immediately flared up in anger.
Martina blinked in surprise.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“You insult someone by bringing up their origins, and then you ask why? Are you really that oblivious?!”

Faced with Roana’s fury, Martina looked flustered and at a loss.

“Ah… I’m sorry. I meant it as a compliment…”
“A compliment?”
“Well, being a commoner isn’t an insult, is it?”

Martina tilted her head in confusion.

“I don’t understand why you’re so angry. There’s nothing wrong with being a commoner—I was just stating a fact about your origins.”
“That’s not the tone you used!”
“Huh? I didn’t mean anything else by it. Are you perhaps the one who interpreted it that way?”
“What…?”

Martina stepped closer to Roana.
Her expression was one of disbelief.

“Say… do you perhaps think the word ‘commoner’ is an insult?”
“…!”

Roana’s expression hardened completely.
Though she bristled, Roana said nothing.

Martina covered her lips with a slight gasp of realization. “Oh my.”
Then she offered Roana a benevolent smile.

“I understand. Most other nobles think the same way. Don’t worry about it.”
“…”
“But if you keep thinking that way, Saelika will be quite hurt, won’t she.”

Roana flinched and looked at me.
Martina continued.

“You seemed close, but deep down you were thinking of Saelika that way.”
“I, I would never—!”

Martina’s voice drowned out Roana’s words as she spoke, her face drained of color.

“Saelika, if my comment about commoners bothered you, I’m sorry.”

Martina bowed her head to me.
It was completely different from her casual demeanor from before.
Her politeness was so earnest it made receiving the apology feel burdensome.

“Regardless of my intent, if the other person found it unpleasant, I should apologize.”

The trainee priests from Moloresta standing beside Martina interjected with indignant expressions.

“Martina, why are you apologizing?”
“This is ridiculous. She’s the one who took offense at the word ‘commoner’ as if it were an insult.”
“Having a good personality like our Martina just gets you taken advantage of? She’s the one with prejudices, yet Martina apologizes first.”

Martina held up her hand to the trainee priests with an awkward expression.

“Everyone, stop. If Saelika was displeased, it’s right that I apologize.”
“But—.”
“I’m used to it. Since I’m a bit rough around the edges, there have always been people who misunderstood my intentions.”

Edmund furrowed his brow.

“Misunderstood, you say.”
“Yeah. Strangely, other sacred maidens do this a lot…. It must be because I don’t read the atmosphere well.”

Martina continued with a dejected expression.

“It’s my fault. Sacred maidens are naturally quick-witted, intelligent, and good at reading situations. They all have excellent social skills.”
“….”
“But I don’t understand the unique gleam in their eyes or their expressions…. I’m sorry.”

When Martina apologized once more, the Molloresta trainee priests erupted into even greater chaos.

“Wow, the Sacred Maiden of Artemisia is really scary, so scary.”
“Look at how she’s making Martina apologize just because she has an inferiority complex about being a commoner.”
“Her personality is twisted, yet why does our Martina have to apologize like this?”
“Isn’t this harassment? So scary~.”

Roana and Edmund, both irritated, were about to say something, but I firmly grasped both their hands.

“How curious.”

I tilted my head and gazed at the Molloresta trainee priests.

“I haven’t said a single word. So how did I end up forcing Martina to apologize and harassing her?”
“…!”

The Molloresta trainee priests widened their eyes, seeming somewhat flustered.
They themselves didn’t quite understand it.

They’d been too busy mindlessly cursing me.
On the stage Martina had set.

The bewildered children blamed me.

“W-well, that’s because you created that atmosphere—.”
“Ah, so I can control the atmosphere without saying a single word? Thank you for rating my abilities so highly.”

As I chuckled, the Molloresta trainee priests’ faces flushed crimson.
Even they could see their own words made no sense.

“But if I controlled the atmosphere without saying anything, what about Martina, who kept talking?”
“…!”
“If someone really did drive the atmosphere, as you say, wouldn’t that be Martina’s doing rather than mine, since I stayed silent?”

I turned to Martina and offered a gentle smile.

“Of course, I mean nothing ill by it. After all, for a Sacred Maiden, the ability to guide the atmosphere well is an important virtue.”
“…!”
“Still, if I’ve upset you in any way, I’m sorry. Regardless of my intentions, if the other person feels hurt, it’s right to apologize.”

Martina’s face flushed a deep crimson.

Roana snorted with a sharp “Hmph!” and thrust her chest out confidently.
Edmund’s lips curved upward ever so slightly. His expression was utterly arrogant.
Our children’s shoulders straightened with unmistakable pride.

‘Good.’

Since the evening party would be starting soon, I decided to wrap up the situation here.
I had far more pressing matters than dealing with Martina.

But then.

“Saelika’s right. I… I guess I was wrong after all.”

Martina mumbled uncertainly, her face burning red.

“I’m sorry. I keep apologizing. I only said those things because I genuinely wanted us to get along.”

Seeing their Sacred Maiden diminished to such a degree, the trainee priests of Moloresta glared at me in unison.

“Do you really have to reduce a person to this state?”
“Martina may seem carefree and straightforward, but she’s tender-hearted and carries deep wounds! The other Sacred Maidens have tormented her so much!”
“How cunning of you to exploit our Martina’s good nature!”

Unable to hold back any longer, our children began interjecting as well.
My gestures to stop them were futile.

“When did our youngest ever exploit anyone!”
“Good nature? What’s wrong with your heads!”

The trainee priests of Moloresta shouted back just as loudly.

“You take advantage of Martina’s casual friendliness and treat her like she’s easy prey!”
“It’s the classic pattern of bullying the weak while fearing the strong.”
“If your precious Sacred Maiden had been as domineering as the others, would she have acted this way?”

Our children responded to that question with unprecedented conviction and confidence.

“Yeah.”
“…Huh?”

The Trainee Priests of Moloresta looked bewildered.
My children were utterly confident and unrestrained.

“Our youngest acts the same way even toward the overbearing Sacred Maiden.”
“Actually, it doesn’t even stop there.”
“Our youngest isn’t strong-weak-weak-strong! It’s strong-strong-strong-strong!”

Enrik: There are times I wish she’d be a bit gentler.

“….”

They’re taking my side, which is the right thing to do, isn’t it?
So why does this feel strange?

Either way, it was time to wrap this up.
The High Priest of Moloresta was ascending the stairs.

“I know you said that because you wanted to get closer to me.”

I approached Martina and gently squeezed her hand.

“I hope you won’t worry about me misunderstanding. And please don’t apologize.”
“Mm….”

Martina tried to smile, as if concealing her confusion.
I smiled back and nodded.

“And Martina, you were right.”
“Huh?”
“The fact that I accepted your casual treatment—it seems that’s because I’m a commoner, just like you said.”
“Oh, you’re not upset, right? I was just—.”

Is she trying to push the narrative that I’m upset again?
Absolutely not.
I smiled more brightly than ever.

“Why would I be offended? As Martina said, ‘commoner’ isn’t a derogatory term. It’s simply where I come from.”

I tilted my head curiously.
Just as Martina had done moments before.

“But it’s strange. You’re not from a commoner background, yet you act so freely around me.”
“What…?”
“Oh, were you perhaps born a commoner? I don’t know much about the other Sacred Maidens. I just assumed most of them were nobility since that’s what I was told.”

I slowly examined Martina from head to toe, then met her eyes again.

“Actually, that explains everything about you.”
“What do you mean by that?”

Martina asked sharply.
I widened my eyes in feigned surprise.

“Why are you getting so defensive?”
“What?”
“Commoner isn’t a bad term, is it? And didn’t you say my behavior feels refreshingly familiar because of my commoner background? I meant it in the same way…”
“…!”

Martina’s expression froze as realization dawned on her face.

“If Martina truly believed what she said, there’d be no reason to get defensive, right?”
“I…”
“But seeing you react like this makes me wonder if you meant something different after all…”
“No, that’s not—”

Before Martina could properly explain, a loud voice echoed from above.

“Welcome, everyone.”

The High Priest of Moloresta had begun his welcoming remarks for the evening party.

With so many guests from outside present, we couldn’t speak during the High Priest’s address.
Martina bit her lip and swallowed her words.

I felt the attention that had been directed toward us gradually disperse.

‘This should have preserved Artemisia’s dignity well enough.’

The Sacred Maiden was the most symbolic figure.
People tended to evaluate temples through the lens of their Sacred Maiden.

I caught a glimmer of admiration in several people’s eyes and chuckled softly.

* * *

After the welcoming remarks concluded, the evening party began in earnest.
The Elders and High Priest of Moloresta monopolized the distinguished guests, engaging them in conversation.

But Sirius was no ordinary man.
He inserted himself into the conversation with remarkable naturalness.

“I was impressed upon seeing the party hall, High Priest. You’ve clearly put considerable effort into its decoration.”
“Haha, considerable effort? It must be quite different from the Artemisia Temple, then? We’ve merely maintained the basics here.”
“Is that so? It’s remarkable that you’ve managed such basics while hosting such distinguished guests.”

Sirius’s words caught Vilpredo, Moloresta’s High Priest, off guard.
His eagerness to humble Artemisia had blinded him to consideration for his guests.

‘That cunning fellow…!’

High Priest Vilpredo forced a smile.

“Haha, I believe that adhering to the fundamentals is the greatest virtue. Excessive ornamentation alone cannot satisfy distinguished guests, after all.”
“Indeed. A most sensible perspective.”

Sirius nodded while gazing at the unnecessarily lavish interior decorations.
High Priest Vilpredo cleared his throat with a “Ahem!” and changed the subject.

“Ah, Elder Sirius, you’re not familiar with the people here, are you? That’s understandable. These are such distinguished individuals with refined tastes that they seek only the finest.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, and that’s why our Moloresta, bearing the reputation of being the finest in the east, has maintained such deep relations with them for decades!”
“Remarkable.”
“Don’t be too discouraged. Artemisia can also forge connections with such distinguished individuals if you make the effort, can’t you?”

Vilpredo laughed heartily.
Sirius Elder merely offered a thin smile without saying a word.

That was when it happened.

“Sirius Elder, the holy water you gave me last time has been incredibly useful. Thanks to it, my territory has benefited greatly.”
“I’m glad it proved helpful to you, Count.”
“I’d like to receive a private blessing again sometime… and I’d also like to be consecrated. Would Saelika the Sacred Maiden perhaps have time for that?”

At that, other nobles nearby interjected.

“Ha, Count. You’ll have to get in line behind me.”
“A line?”
“I already mentioned a month ago that I wanted to receive Saelika the Sacred Maiden’s consecration, and I’m still waiting.”
“My goodness, you too, Viscount? I’ve been waiting for three months now.”
“Even if you are a Count, I can’t yield my place!”

At the nobles’ words, Vilpredo High Priest stood there with his mouth hanging open stupidly.

‘What… what is this?’

Sirius Elder and the nobles seemed to know each other well, their atmosphere quite intimate.

‘This can’t be right. They’re all people who’ve formed deep connections with us, so when exactly did they connect with Artemisia…?’

Watching Vilpredo’s expression lay bare on his face, Sirius Elder wore a cold smile.

‘To think such a fool serves as the High Priest of Octagon…’

Shedmen, who had been the Elder of Reyatan, was actually on a higher level.
No wonder Artemisia couldn’t compete when she had a Sacred Maiden in those days.

‘For so long, our Artemisia suffered humiliation at the hands of such a mediocre man…’

Not all religious leaders possess exceptional ability.
Rather, if one rides the tide of fortune, even absurdly incompetent leaders can attract enormous followings.

‘But thanks to that, things have worked out well for us.’

Because the opponent is such a person, I can transcend that flow and make a leap beyond it.

‘Of course, that was only possible because our youngest created a new flow.’

The Eight Immortals Elder laughed heartily, forgetting the situation.
And spoke with a proud expression.

“Then shall we call our Sacred Maiden over?”
“Oh, I was actually watching for the right moment to speak with her. How perfect.”

At Sirius Elder’s call, Saelika arrived and greeted the distinguished guests with quiet courtesy.

“Hello, there are many people I’m meeting for the first time. I’m Saelika. I look forward to working with you all.”
“My, seeing her up close, I can truly feel the sanctity radiating from her.”

The distinguished guests gazed at Saelika with curious eyes.
Then, a cheerful voice rang out.

“Hello everyone!”
“Sacred Maiden Martina!”

Martina pushed her way in front of Saelika.
Naturally, Saelika was pushed back.

Martina chattered away with a characteristic friendly smile, laughing cheerfully.

“Come on, just Martina is fine!”
“We cannot possibly address a Sacred Maiden so casually.”
“Oh my, even you, Count! By the way, hasn’t it been ages?”
“Haha, it seems the Sacred Maiden has missed me quite a bit?”
“Of course! I missed you so much, Count!”

The distinguished guests seemed to enjoy Martina’s lively manner of speaking, their expressions pleasant.
As the Sacred Maiden of the Octagon, she could have been haughty, but her completely unpretentious demeanor was endearing.

“But aren’t you quite busy, Sacred Maiden Martina? I heard you went on a training retreat with the trainee priests last time.”
“Many of the other Sacred Maidens don’t even attend such retreats. You are truly remarkable, Sacred Maiden Martina.”

At those words, Martina offered a bashful smile.

“Oh, it’s nothing special. Since I’m so close with our trainee priests, I feel like we’re all on equal footing rather than me being someone particularly special as the Sacred Maiden.”
“My, Moloresta certainly chose the Sacred Maiden well.”
“Ha, you’re too kind. Rather than me—.”

Martina turned and gently pulled Saelika’s shoulder from behind.
It was a gesture of looking after the isolated Saelika.

“Here, our Artemisia’s Sacred Maiden! Saelika is truly a remarkable Sacred Maiden.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Of course! So many talented individuals have emerged from Artemisia’s trainee priests this time.”

The guests responded immediately to her words.
They were already curious about Artemisia Temple.

“Ah, I’ve heard about it too. Priest Ilay, Priest Dmitri, and Priest Edmund are supposedly remarkable.”
“They have quite the reputation despite being so young?”
“I’d like to see them directly. Where are they?”

The guests glanced around.
Martina looked at Saelika with a bright expression.

“I want to see them too! I saw Priest Edmund earlier. I’m curious about Priest Ilay and Priest Dmitri. Saelika, will you introduce them?”

—————
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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