Youngest on Top - Chapter 13

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 13

In any case, if Ilay isn’t a traitor, it’s advantageous for him to remain at the Temple.

‘…Could it be that Ilay didn’t betray the Temple and flee to the Underworld?’

Well, the future is unknowable, after all.
Given his dedication to training and the lack of any such signs at present, it seemed unlikely.

‘If he’s not a traitor, it would be best for him to stay at Artemisia Temple.’

The future Ilay had risen from nothing while young to become the owner of a casino the size of an entire city.
On top of that, he was even the Master of one of the three major Information Guilds.
He was precisely the talent Artemisia needed, given its shortage of funds.

‘Even if that weren’t the case, that guy is special.’

If I’m reading him correctly.

“Why aren’t you coming faster?!”

Dmitri’s voice called out from across the way.
Wait, he went first—why is he saying that to me?

But training time was approaching soon, so I had to head in that direction anyway.
I dashed over to Dmitri with quick steps.

His mood seemed to have lifted, for a pleased smile played at the corners of Dmitri’s mouth.
So early adolescence really has arrived for him.

“Dmitri.”
“What?”
“What do you like about Ilay?”

Dmitri’s expression darkened instantly.

“Why are you asking that? Didn’t you just hear? How much of a scoundrel that Ilay is?”

Why is he throwing a tantrum again?
Even if puberty does cause emotional swings, this is excessive.

“Listen carefully. That bastard only likes himself. He dislikes everything else.”

That would increase the likelihood of him becoming a traitor.

“As proof of that—.”

Dmitri’s eyes gleamed with seriousness.

“That guy can’t eat beans.”
“….”
“I can eat them.”

Dmitri puffed out his chest proudly.

“That guy can’t even eat beans, so he sneakily hides and disposes of them so the other kids and adults don’t find out! How underhanded!”
“….”

How exactly does he hide them?
I should observe carefully and follow his method.

“Hey, Bean. Are you listening to what I’m saying?”
“Yeah.”
“And that guy can’t eat bell peppers either.”
“….”
“…I’m also not great with bell peppers, but. Still, I refuse them openly! I don’t act so pathetically like he does!”

Dmitri continued rattling off information about Ilay the entire way.
It was all useless content.

‘…It’s my fault for asking.’

It seems I have no choice but to confront him directly myself.

‘Since I’ll need Ilay’s cooperation in training the Trainee Priests anyway, I might as well get closer to him.’

Ilay seemed like a much higher hurdle than the simple Dmitri.

‘If he won’t listen, I’ll just have to beat it into him!’

I have my all-purpose Holy Blow! Fighting spirit!

* * *

After that day, I sought out Ilay whenever I had the chance.
For five days straight.
I burst from the grass like a lion stalking its prey.

“Ilay!”
“Sae, you’re back again?”

Ilay greeted me with a smile, pausing from his solitary training.
I could see right through his facade—he was annoyed, though he pretended otherwise.

‘Besides, he never liked me much to begin with.’

He seemed to have some peculiar interest in me, but it wasn’t kindness.

‘And here he is training again.’

Even during his rest periods, Ilay devoted himself entirely to training.

‘Just as Dmitri said.’

Ilay showed no signs of wanting to leave this place.
If anything, he seemed rooted here like a stake driven into the ground.
And beneath his composed exterior, he harbored quiet ambition.
The ambition to excel and climb to greater heights.

‘Maybe Ilay didn’t betray and abandon everyone after all.’

The future remained uncertain, but at least for now, that’s how it appeared.

“Why did you come?”
“Because I like you, Ilay.”
“….”

It was something I always said, but Ilay gazed at me with an odd expression.
Normally I would have laughed it off with a “Really?”
But around the time that gaze became burdensome.

“You’re lying.”

Ilay blurted it out.

“What? It’s not a lie!”

It was true.
If he wasn’t a traitor, Ilay would be an incredibly valuable asset.

“Hmm? Really?”
“Yeah. You’re really cool.”
“Am I cool? Good-looking?”
“Yeah!”
“So Sae values a man’s appearance above all else.”
“Yeah!”

I answered confidently, then caught myself at Ilay’s gaze.

“My face is a precious gift from Artemisia.”
“…”

I quietly averted my eyes.
My face is going to be exposed, damn it.

“So Sae only likes my face?”

Ilay smiled sweetly and brought his face close to mine.
It was a very charming smile, but if I agreed, I’d be kicked out.

“O-of course that too, but… Ilay, you work hard all the time.”

While the other children gathered to play, Ilay trained alone.
It was a very admirable attitude.

“Your sacred power grows only in tiny increments. Sometimes it doesn’t grow at all.”
“….”
“Ilay hasn’t given up. That’s not easy. It’s remarkable.”

Ilay was gazing at me with an expression different from usual.
His eyes widened slightly, and his lips—which always held a gentle smile—relaxed downward.

Just as he was about to say something.

“What’s so great and impressive about that!”

Dmitri burst out from the grass.

“I’m stronger than him!”

Dmitri, positioning himself between Ilay and me, puffed out his chest.
I regarded Dmitri with cold, distant eyes.

This boy’s premature adolescence was becoming far too intense a problem.

* * *

The next day at lunch.
I slipped away from the Trainee Priest Quarters and headed toward the Main Building.
With my short legs, the round trip from the Trainee Priest Quarters to the Main Building left me with little time, so I had to skip lunch, but there was no helping it.

“Sae?”
“Randel!”

Randel spotted me and approached with surprised eyes, lifting me into his arms.

“What brings you all the way here?”
“I wanted to see you, Randel.”
“Sae….”

Randel gazed down at me with moved eyes.

“After spending every day together, you must have felt lonely being apart. I’ve missed you terribly too.”

Randel seemed more disappointed than I was.

Though, it really had been a long time since we’d seen each other.
The Temple Grounds were vast enough to match their history, so our paths rarely crossed.

Randel said he was heading to the High Priest’s study.
I entered the study cradled in Randel’s arms.

The study looked incredibly busy at first glance.
It seemed there wasn’t even a lunch break.

“Sae?”
“Sae, you’re here!”
“Heh, they say you don’t know where you’re going, but you know where you’re coming from. Without Sae, the study feels so empty.”

The priests, who had been working frantically, greeted me warmly.
The Sirius Elder simply turned his head with a grunt.

“Hi, High Priest.”
“…You seem to have been doing well.”

The High Priest spoke in a tone that seemed somewhat displeased.
His eyes alternated between me and Randel, who held me in his arms.

“I’ve been doing well. Very well. High Priest, don’t worry about me.”
“Who said I was worried.”
“I had the bunny with me.”

It meant I was fine because I had the rabbit doll the High Priest had given me.
The High Priest pressed his lips firmly together.

Then he extended his hand toward me.
Wow, if the High Priest was extending his hand to me like this first, he must have truly accepted me!

But something felt off about the atmosphere.
It was as if a quiet storm was brewing between Randel and the High Priest.

Even as the High Priest continued to hold out his hand, Randel remained motionless, holding me tightly.

“…?”

I looked up at Randel in confusion before he handed me over to the High Priest.
I sat on the High Priest’s lap, clutching the rabbit doll tightly.

‘But I was planning to go to Mogen….’

Still, I had some sense of propriety.
If I said something like that now, all my efforts up to this point would be for nothing.
I stayed quiet, twisting Bunny’s ears.

How much time had passed?
Grrrrowwwl!
Thunder rumbled from my belly.
I startled and wrapped my arms around my stomach.

“Sae’s belly isn’t sick!”

The High Priest set down his pen with a sharp tap.
I flinched in alarm.
Adults dislike children who interfere with their work.

“It can’t be helped.”

The High Priest muttered, fixing his sharp gaze on his aide.
The aide, receiving that look, nodded with a stern expression before disappearing.

‘Could it be that I’m being banned from entering because I’m a nuisance…!’

I trembled and pressed myself firmly against the High Priest.

And shortly after.

‘Huh?’

I stared blankly at the cupcake placed before me.
It was an adorable cupcake with a rabbit decoration on top.

“Eat.”

The High Priest issued a command.
Was this a snack for the High Priest?

I imagined the High Priest eating a rabbit cupcake.

‘Hmm, surprisingly… it suits him.’

The High Priest was terrifying, but undeniably handsome.

“Do you like cupcakes?”

The High Priest looked down at me with a frigid expression, as if asking who dared utter such nonsense.

“Ah, you don’t like them… I see.”

Well, if you don’t, you don’t—but that icy stare was so chilling I thought my liver would freeze.

Then why did he have cupcakes here?

‘Could he have bought them in preparation for my arrival?’

The thought made my belly tickle with warmth.
I gripped the fork firmly and brought it toward the cupcake.

But then.

“….”

The rabbit atop the cupcake gazed at me with glistening, pitiful eyes!

Please don’t eat me… I have a fox-like husband and a bear-like child at home…
I have a fox-like husband and a bear-like child…

“Why aren’t you eating?”

The High Priest urged me on.

“But… the rabbit seems like it’s in pain… ”

I was incredibly serious, but the adults’ shoulders trembled with barely suppressed laughter.

Gurgle, gurgle-gurgle.
Meanwhile, thunder and lightning erupted from my stomach with a bang.

The High Priest frowned and snatched the fork from my hand.
And—

“…!”

The rabbit….
My adorable rabbit….

“There. Better?”

The High Priest placed the fork back in my hand.

The rabbit with its face completely smashed—no, the monster pretending to be a rabbit—was grinning at me.
It was horrifying.

‘That terrible man…!’

If it had been any other child, they would’ve cried!
I glared at the merciless High Priest and hugged my bunny doll tightly.
I’ll protect this one no matter what happens.

“Eat quickly.”

If I didn’t, Bunny might get smashed too.
I quickly spooned up what used to be the rabbit.

“…!”

My eyes widened in surprise.
Sweet and soft cream with moist chocolate cake.

“Is it good?”
“Yes!”

I nodded frantically.

“More than pudding?”
“…?”

Why does he keep fixating on pudding?
Does the High Priest dislike pudding?

I quickly finished the cupcake.

“Would you like more?”
“Yes. You need to eat more anyway.”

The assistant brought another cupcake.
I held it carefully and made a request.

“Um, I’d like to give this to Mogen.”

The High Priest’s face hardened instantly.

“Mogen… that bastard, when did he…”
“With such an innocent face…”

For some reason, Randel’s expression darkened as well.
Was I not supposed to give it to him?

* * *

I came to the office where Mogen was, along with Randel.
Mogen was deeply moved and shed tears.

“Sniff, sob…. Sae gave this to me, something so precious…”
“How despicable, you bastard Mogen!”
“Only you got one…!”

The other priests in the office put Mogen in a headlock.
They all really do love cupcakes.

Mogen’s office was in disarray despite the lunch hour, with work piling up.
I casually glanced at the documents the adults were reviewing.

‘I thought as much.’

Documents containing the children’s personal information were scattered everywhere.
They were examining them to organize the Assembly groups.

I easily found Ilay’s file among them.

‘Nothing particularly special about it.’

I wondered if Ilay had any reason to betray the Temple, but he didn’t.

‘Being a noble, he’d have no reason to turn his back on the Temple for profit.’

After briefly examining the files of a few other children who stood out, I stood up.
Lunch hour was nearly over.
Randel offered to carry me back, lifting me into his arms.
It was welcome news since we needed to hurry.

“Sae, you’re leaving?”
“Things were better when Sae was around.”
“I hope your busy schedule ends soon….”

Mogen cried again.

* * *

That afternoon.
During break time, I moved to follow Ilay, who had vanished like the wind.
Dmitri stuck to my side.

“Are you looking for that Ilay guy again?”
“Yeah. Do you know where he is?”
“What’s so great about that guy anyway.”

Dmitri, who had been grumbling, whispered to me.

“I found out a secret about Ilay.”
“Does he not like mushrooms or something?”

I wasn’t particularly interested.
Dmitri’s information was always so trivial.
But then.

“That guy sneaks out of the temple at night sometimes.”
“…!”

Could he be a spy…?

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————