Youngest on Top - Chapter 132

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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 132

* * *

Kaishurit’s expressionless face betrayed a flicker of boredom.
The nobles gazed upon him with the same vacant expressions as always.
The moment his gaze might drift toward them, they hastily averted their eyes.

Only one.
A small child alone held her head high, meeting his gaze directly.

‘…The Sacred Maiden of Artemisia.’

The child who had somehow grated on my nerves from our very first encounter.

Within those wide, luminous blue eyes burned unmistakable emotion.
Unguarded and wholly transparent, that emotion was achingly tender and delicate.
Eyes that stirred the memory of someone.

“Are you alright?!”

The child rushed toward me with an expression overflowing with concern.
What could be so urgent?
What could be so heartbreaking that her face had gone deathly pale—

“Fool! Why did you have to interfere!”

The child reached me in an instant and seized my hand with fierce determination.

“—Dolores!”

Dolores’s hand, right before Kaishurit.

“…”

Kaishurit gazed down at the scene in silence.
Whether he felt his stare or not, the child remained wholly absorbed in examining Dolores’s condition.

“Why did you interfere if you were going to get hurt like this?!”
“It’s just that Saelika seemed to be in danger….”
“There was no danger at all! I could have handled everything myself!”
“Haha, you’re angry because you were worried, aren’t you? Saelika, you’re not very good at expressing concern for others.”
“That’s not it—you just caused unnecessary trouble—.”
“I’m not really hurt.”

Dolores spoke the truth.
The attack had appeared severe enough to inflict grievous wounds from even a glancing blow.
Yet Dolores had only suffered a slight tear along her flank and was otherwise intact.

“It seems the barrier absorbed the impact as it tore, which is probably why.”
“That can’t be right.”
“…Pardon?”

Saelika did not answer.
Instead, she staunched the bleeding from the torn wound and cast a healing spell.

“Wow, Saelika’s healing power is truly formidable. I was amazed when you were striking down those demons earlier.”
“Stop moving and stay still.”
“…But Saelika, you’ve been speaking informally this whole time?”

At those words, Saelika faltered.

“…I was just startled, so it happened.”

It was the first time someone had sacrificed themselves to save her.
It had always been the other way around.

‘Why…?’

Under normal circumstances, Dolores would have been gravely wounded.
So why did she throw herself in front of the attack?
What benefit could she possibly gain from it?

“I wasn’t criticizing you for using informal speech.”

Dolores murmured softly to herself and smiled.
Then her gaze met Saelika’s.
For the first time, I realized that her eyes held the most crystalline shade of green.

“I’m so glad you’re safe, Saelika.”
“….”

Saelika remained silent, feeling oddly uncomfortable, and finished treating Dolores.

“If someone as adorable, lovely, and wonderful as you had been hurt, my heart surely would have shattered.”
“….”
“This situation isn’t so bad after all. To think that Saelika would look at me with such tender eyes—truly, I—.”
“I get it, so please be quiet.”

* * *

The moment I finished treating Dolores, Ilay and Randel returned.

“We’ve handled everything outside. The creatures kept pouring in this direction, but it’s all done now?”
“We could feel our Sae’s sacred power even from outside. You did well.”

Randel gently stroked Saelika’s head.

“Father, what about the situation outside?”
“There’s barely any damage outside. The creatures were drawn to the Banquet Hall as if enchanted.”
“Just as you said, Randel. And Sae, you felt it too while fighting the creatures, didn’t you?”
“Yes, it does seem… By the way, did you find where all those creatures came from?”
“Of course. That’s why I sent you out to look.”
“There was a magic circle. Right where the security had been disabled.”
“As expected.”

The three of us exchanged glances.
In that moment, the surroundings grew chaotic.

“Is… is it finally over?”
“We survived…! We made it!”
“We’ve defeated all the creatures!!”

Some collapsed as their strength drained away, while others finally burst into tears they’d been holding back.
As relief swept through the Banquet Hall, something else took its place.

“But why did the Imperial Palace’s barrier fail like that?!”
“The mana network? How can a security system have such a critical failure?!”
“Even if Toramiren Hall is outdated, this is unacceptable….”
“We nearly died!!”

The furious nobles vented their outrage.

“Your Majesty! We cannot overlook this matter!”
“Yes, we must immediately punish those responsible and ensure such an incident never occurs again…!”
“How amusing—watching them bark and whine like dogs afraid their necks will be bitten off.”

The Emperor’s quiet rebuke.
The nobles who had been ranting fell silent.

The Emperor, looking down at the nobles with displeasure, turned to address the small child.

“Sacred Maiden of Artemisia. Speak.”
“What could I possibly say, Your Majesty?”
“Did you not resolve this situation?”
“Indeed, Your Majesty.”

The child met the Emperor’s gaze directly.

“Have you obtained a satisfactory answer?”

The Emperor, who had been quietly observing Saelika, let his lips part slightly.
Then he began to laugh, a deep, rumbling sound.

“Y-Your Majesty?”

The nobles watching the situation exchanged startled glances at the Emperor.
The Emperor’s laughter showed no sign of stopping.

Only after a long while did the Emperor finally cease laughing and speak to Saelika.

“You’re quite something, truly something!”

Still wearing a face full of amusement.

* * *

“Yes, the Sacred Maiden of Artemisia— no, Saelika.”
“…!”

Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise at the Emperor’s call.
The Emperor was cold even toward his own blood.
Yet he was calling her name with such warmth?

“What are your thoughts on this demon intrusion?”
“To be precise, it wasn’t an ‘intrusion.'”
“It wasn’t an intrusion?”
“It was merely a ‘test’ carefully prepared by someone.”

Gasps erupted among the nobles: “A, a test?!”
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed with amusement.

“Your Majesty mentioned during the banquet that you would pose a problem. This was that problem, wasn’t it?”
“Perhaps.”
“That’s why I said I had nothing to add. I could hardly presume to speak at an event orchestrated by Your Imperial Majesty.”

The Emperor let out a satisfied laugh.

“Wait, then—.”
“You’re saying those demons just now were truly Your Majesty’s test?!”

Realization struck, and the nobles immediately protested.

“Your Majesty! This time you’ve truly gone too far! To pose a problem to the Sacred Maidens in such a manner—.”
“When did I ever say the problem was only for the Sacred Maidens?”
“…Pardon?”
“Did you think you weren’t test subjects? Look at how you all responded!”
“B-but we each have different duties, and we are not accustomed to demon combat—.”
“Is it your duty to tremble in fear and hide behind a child?”

The nobles fell silent under the Emperor’s scathing rebuke.

“Don’t make excuses about lacking personal military strength! If you’re a noble leading the Empire, you should at least have shown effort to contain the situation, even if you didn’t step forward to fight!”
“….”
“When crisis strikes, if you lack the ability to control it, who will the people trust and follow?”

The nobles bowed their heads at the Emperor’s stern voice.
Yet dissatisfaction had not entirely vanished from their faces.
No matter how I thought about it, this ordeal was far too severe to call a mere test.

“…Still, Your Majesty, this was too much. It’s fortunate it ended well, but if something had gone wrong—”
“So, was anyone among you nobles injured?”
“Well, that is….”
“Do demons invade after observing the situation, timing, and location?!”
“….”
“If you hadn’t been so preoccupied with protecting yourselves, it would have been suppressed far more easily!”
“….”
“The Black Lions were standing by outside! The mana network could have been reactivated! If command had been properly given, the situation was entirely manageable!”

Would the Emperor have gone mad and locked the nobles in the Banquet Hall to die, releasing demons upon them?
Of course he had taken measures.

“So what did you do?”
“….”
“The youngest Sacred Maiden stepped forward alone.”
“….”
“And she alone saw through my true intention.”

The Emperor’s gaze fell upon Saelika.

“I’m curious. How did you realize this was my true test?”

Saelika hesitated slightly.
Somehow, this didn’t feel like the answer he wanted.

“…When I actually fought them, the demons seemed too weak?”
“What…?”

As expected, the Emperor’s eyes widened at the unexpected answer.

The arthropod demon was a fully mature adult—or so it appeared on the surface.
At least, that’s what it looked like at first glance.
But once we actually fought it, the truth became clear: its carapace was still underdeveloped, and both the strength of its legs and the corrosive potency of its bodily fluids were disappointingly weak.

‘It’s as if it were artificially accelerated through potions or magic…’

Sensing something amiss, I surveyed my surroundings and found no shortage of clues.

1. Not a single powerful noble was present—as if they’d been deliberately removed.
2. The Imperial Guard did nothing but cry out about compromised security, making no genuine effort to protect us. If anything, they only amplified the nobles’ anxiety.
3. The Emperor neither vacated his position nor showed any intention of doing so.
4. The demons attacked only the Banquet Hall.
5. The demons emerged precisely from magical circles installed in locations where security had been disabled.

Every single circumstance was far too coincidental, far too suspicious.

“…So you’ve already deduced this is my test? Ha!”
“There was one decisive hint in particular, Your Majesty.”
“And what might that be?”
“Your question regarding our relations with the Kingdom of Bennaiser.”
“…!”

That question had not merely been a bluff to obscure the true test.
Rather, it had been an example.

“Bennaiser isn’t raising their demands in the existing treaty for no reason.”
“Then?”
“They’re raising military funds.”

The Emperor and several high-ranking nobles’ eyes deepened with understanding.
Meanwhile, the other nobles asked in astonishment.

“M-Military funds?”
“Does that mean Bennaiser is preparing for war?”
“More precisely, they’re preparing to subjugate the Dantalian Desert.”

Demons had proliferated in the Dantalian Desert to the point of forming colonies.
Beyond the borders, in what amounted to a wasteland, even the Imperial Palace had been slow to notice.

Bennaizer possesses the Kaston that everyone covets.
Thus, they kept this fact secret to avoid alerting other nations to their national defense crisis.

‘But the Empire’s Emperor and high-ranking nobles surely noticed.’

“So that’s why the Sacred Maiden said we must subjugate the Dantalian Desert!”
“If we attack the Bennaizer Kingdom to obtain the Kaston, we cannot escape international condemnation.”
“But if we save a kingdom in distress and receive the Kaston as compensation, it’s perfectly clean!”

The nobles who had been marveling furrowed their brows.

“But what does that have to do with this trial?”
“Because such circumstances are occurring within the Empire as well.”

The crisis in Bennaizer Kingdom was merely an example.

“Contaminated regions continue to expand throughout the Empire. Not long ago, numerous Demons appeared in the Phaeren Region.”

That very battle where Kaiser was wounded.
The Empire too is no longer safe and peaceful.

Thus, the Emperor devised this trial.
Using the Imperial Palace—a stage people consider safest—as the setting.
To instill vigilance and find those capable of fulfilling their duties in moments of crisis!

“Correct.”

The Emperor nodded with a satisfied expression.

“Artemisia has produced a gem! It seems I’ve labored quite hard all this time to cultivate such a Sacred Maiden!”

Guffaw, guffaw, guffaw!
The Emperor’s laughter resonated through the vaulted Hall with a resounding ring.

As the laughter subsided, Saelika posed a question to him.

“May I ask Your Majesty one thing?”
“Speak.”
“I am curious why Your Majesty chose such a drastic method.”

The Emperor wouldn’t have resorted to such madness simply because demons had begun appearing more frequently.
Not unless he was a pervert who enjoyed others’ suffering.

“Hmm, well. I’m not a pervert who enjoys others’ suffering either.”

‘…Did he just read my thoughts?’

“A Sacred Maiden has received a revelation.”

A revelation.
It was an unexpected statement.
Saelika’s heart pounded wildly, and she pressed down on her chest.

“A revelation?!”
“You’re saying one of the Sacred Maidens of this generation has already received a revelation!”

The Emperor nodded at the barrage of questions.

“Indeed.”
“What exactly was the revelation?!”
“The contents of the revelation cannot be disclosed carelessly.”

Saelika barely calmed her turbulent heart and opened her mouth.

“Which Sacred Maiden received the revelation?”

The Emperor’s gaze turned toward Saelika once more.
He smiled with satisfaction.

“The Sacred Maidens of this generation are remarkably talented. You, Saelika, and that child who has already received a revelation—both of you are exceptional.”
“…”

Saelika waited without pressing the Emperor for an answer.

Thump, thump, thump—
No matter how much she tried to calm herself, her heart raced wildly.
Anxiety crept up the back of her neck like a premonition, cold and unsettling.

I didn’t need to hear it to know what name would fall from the Emperor’s lips.
Each second stretched unbearably, as if gnawing away at my nerves.
At last,

“The Sacred Maiden of Parmanace, Amelia.”

The name that emerged matched my premonition perfectly.
Yet my chest still sank heavily.

Amelia.
That name clawed through my mind like an indelible brand.

* * *

“Master.”

Shuri ignored the call as he always did.
His subordinates, as always, paid no mind and spoke their piece regardless.

“You seem to be in poor spirits, sir?”
“Why did you even bother going to the Banquet Hall? The demon wasn’t that strong, and it wouldn’t matter if a few nobles there died anyway.”
“There was no reason for anyone to die in the first place.”
“Still, that Sacred Maiden certainly had quite the punch— wait, where are you going?”

The burly men scurried after Shuri as he strode forward.

“I told you not to bring up that Sacred Maiden!”
“Why not?”
“The master dislikes it!”
“Hah, as if the master would concern himself with such a Sacred Maiden!”

As they chattered, a Sacred Maiden appeared approaching from the distance.
The men vanished into the shadows in an instant.

“Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince…!”

Zabelina, the Sacred Maiden coming from the opposite direction, spotted Shuri and startled, bowing her head respectfully.
Her cheeks flushed with joy.

‘Could it be that you were waiting for me?’

Shuri smiled.
That alone was enough to make Zabelina’s eyes grow hazy.

“That was quite impressive.”

‘He must have appreciated how I lured those demons!’

To wait for me separately and offer his thoughts like this!

‘Of course, I’ve made a better impression on him. Better than mindlessly throwing punches!’

“Oh, it’s nothing special. If I ever get the chance to cast a blessing directly upon Your Highness—.”
“A blessing? Not a trap?”
“…Pardon?”

Shuri lowered his head.
His black hair tumbled across his cheek.
His soft breath brushed against Zabelina’s ear.
Zabelina found herself holding her breath without realizing it.

“You tried to kill another Sacred Maiden.”

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