Youngest on Top - Chapter 137

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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 137

The moment that thought crossed my mind, my mood suddenly turned foul.
I couldn’t understand why.

* * *

Kailros: Why does my mood feel so filthy?
Enrik: You too? I feel the same way.
Kailros: Did my younger brother really need to give a blessing like that?
Kailros: To someone who was living just fine even while cursed.
Enrik: Is he really injured? A guy who can endure a curse is complaining about pain from fighting a demon?
Kailros: No matter how I look at it, he’s faking it.
Enrik: He’s definitely faking it.

The chat window had been incredibly noisy since earlier.

‘What’s the big deal about giving a blessing?’

Enrik: You’ve never given me one!
Kailros: My younger brother and I don’t even have that memory together, yet he’s doing it with someone else!

“….”

For a moment, I imagined giving a blessing to Enrik and Kailros.

“Ugh….”

Kailros: …? What kind of reaction is that?
Kailros: Huh? My beloved younger brother.

“Uuugh….”

Kailros: ….
Enrik: Brother, are you crying?
Enrik: Anyway, never give a blessing like that again.
Enrik: You little thing. Kisses are at least five thousand years away.

I was at a loss for words.
Who would interpret a blessing kiss in such a manner?

Enrik: In the first place, it’s something that could be done without kissing the forehead at all. Tsk, tsk!

‘It was an abbreviated ceremony. Without an altar or holy water, there was no other way to ensure the blessing would take hold properly.’

Enrik: What do you mean there’s no other way!

I let Enrik’s words pass through one ear and out the other.
That wasn’t what mattered right now.
I needed to think about how to win over the nobles at the party—.

“Sae…”

The moment I opened the door, I was startled by the sight of Randel.
His green eyes held shock, pain, and sorrow.
I hurried over to him.

“Father?”
“I heard. You chose someone else as your party partner.”
“…”
“I naturally assumed Sae would be going with me.”
“…”

I looked up at Randel in bewilderment.

‘He was grieving over that?!’

Randel smiled and stroked my hair.

“It seems there’s someone else who must be upset as well.”
“…?”
“I heard news that a long voyage has come to an end.”
“…!”

It was clear who Randel was referring to.

“Surely not! You said he wouldn’t return until next year?”
“The ship has already docked, or so I heard.”
“If he’s truly returned—.”
“Yes, he will be a great strength to us.”

* * *

A few days later, at a social gathering hosted by Maxina.
The nobles leisurely fanned themselves with their fans while conversing.

“I heard Artemia’s Sacred Maiden is coming to today’s gathering?”
“There’s a rumor that Princess Grizelda obtained an invitation for her.”
“Hmm, when a Sacred Maiden joins, the atmosphere becomes rather awkward.”

The high-ranking nobles present had always received romantic overtures from priests and the Sacred Maiden.
Hearing nothing but requests to visit their temples, their pride had naturally swelled.

“Still, I’m curious. You’ve all heard what happened at Toramilen Hall, haven’t you?”
“His Majesty was rather mischievous.”
“Those who witnessed the Sacred Maiden of Artemia’s exploits all praised her.”
“I heard about it too. It’s a shame, really.”
“A shame? Countess Agnes, you wished to be there? With monsters appearing?”

At the noblewoman’s question, the young girl—Countess Agnes—smiled softly.

“It’s not that I regret not seeing it myself. It’s about Artemia’s Sacred Maiden.”
“…?”
“If only her origins weren’t so lowly, she could have been of greater service to the Empire.”

Countess Agnes believed that noble status required strict hierarchies of rank and station.
Above all, she had a half-sister.
A bastard who, despite carrying base blood, was recognized as a member of the ducal house.

“Of course, now that she’s awakened as a Sacred Maiden, that lowly status has been washed away. Originally, she wouldn’t have been permitted to enter the imperial palace.”
“Indeed, even half-tainted blood is repugnant. When it’s entirely base—”
“To me, it feels like cheating, somehow. Dirty blood forcing its way in through another means.”

Snap—Agnes closed her fan sharply.
The surrounding nobles quickly agreed with the countess’s words.

“That’s right. The eastern temples have never been particularly impressive, have they? Moloresta included.”
“I’m not expecting much, to be honest.”
“But you said you were curious a moment ago?”

At Agnes’s sharp question, the young lady quickly curved her lips upward.

“I meant I was curious about who would become that lowborn girl’s partner.”
“Ah, certainly.”

Agnes nodded with satisfaction.

“I’m curious about that too. Given how lowborn she is, she probably never formed any proper connections in the imperial palace. Who would want to become that lowborn girl’s partner?”

It was then.
The hall doors opened and a tall young boy entered.

Since it was a small social gathering, there were no formal announcements.
Yet as if he had deliberately drawn attention, all eyes turned toward him.
An overwhelming presence that pulled everything in like a black hole with mere appearance.
It was Crown Prince Kaishurit.

‘The Crown Prince?’

Agnes was startled and rose from her seat.
The Crown Prince Kaishurit attending such a social gathering.

‘Did Empress Maxina request this specially? Or was it Princess Grizelda?’

It wasn’t his nature to attend even if asked.
In any case, this was fortunate.
Agnes had no intention of missing this opportunity.

Agnes straightened her attire and quickly approached Kaishurit.
She offered him a charming smile.

“What a pleasure to meet you here, Crown Prince.”

Agnes, who had spread her skirts wide and bowed respectfully, lifted her head.

“…!”

Agnes’s laughter turned stiff.
Only then did she notice the person standing beside Kaishurit.

‘Artemia the Sacred Maiden? Why is Artemia the Sacred Maiden beside His Highness the Crown Prince….’

Moreover, Kaishurit was offering his arm to Artemia the Sacred Maiden.
As if he were escorting her.

“My, what an unexpected partner.”

Grizelda the Princess, who had approached without notice, spoke.

‘Partner?’

Agnes couldn’t believe it.
That lowborn woman, filthier than even that incompetent half-sister, dared to be the partner of the most noble Crown Prince?

‘His Highness the Crown Prince has never been anyone’s partner until now!’

Grizelda the Princess spoke to Saelika in a familiar manner.

“I was curious who you’d come with. You could have given me a heads up.”
“I didn’t particularly intend to keep it secret, Your Highness.”
“Welcome, Saelika the Sacred Maiden.”
“Thank you for the invitation, Your Majesty Maxina.”

At Saelika’s greeting, Maxina the Empress laughed as if amused.

“Actually, the invitation wasn’t from me. Grizelda asked me to invite you. To be honest, I wasn’t particularly keen on calling a Sacred Maiden to my gathering.”
“….”
“But now I think it was an excellent decision. Thanks to this, a very distinguished person has graced my gathering.”

As both the Princess and the Empress welcomed her with favorable attitudes, the other nobles also greeted her with considerably softer expressions.
Above all, since she was the Crown Prince’s partner, no one wanted to risk offending him through any tactless behavior.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Saelika. I heard your performance at Toramilen Hall was extraordinary. I’ve been wanting to meet you.”
“Were you already acquainted with the Crown Prince? I’m curious.”
“It’s the first time the Crown Prince has attended a social gathering as someone’s partner….”

‘…What is this.’

Agnes clenched her fists as she watched the crowd swarming around Saelika.

‘These so-called high nobles…. Catering to something so filthy and base!’

* * *

‘The Shuri effect is incredible!’

I marveled at it.
People wanted to catch the eye of the Crown Prince, who rarely showed himself in public.
And because they feared Shuri, they didn’t approach him directly—instead, they spoke to me.

Thanks to that, I naturally became the center of conversation.
Even now, while Shuri was away briefly to attend to matters with the other royals.

“You rushed forward without hesitation to face the monsters, didn’t you? That’s truly remarkable.”
“The youngest among the Sacred Maidens.”
“That must be why His Majesty entrusted you with the Kaston exchange without hesitation.”
“How could we have overlooked such a gem until now.”

I quickly clasped my hands together.
The knack I had for charming my sisters when I was young was still alive and well.

“I’m also quite regretful. It would have been wonderful to have known such wonderful people earlier.”
“My?”
“If the Artemia Temple had a branch within the territory, we could have cultivated our friendship from long ago.”
“Ah, the Artemia Temple doesn’t have a branch in the territory.”
“That’s quite unfortunate. Oh my!”

I naturally let a few photographs slip from my bosom.

“Saelika, I dropped the photograph here— Oh my!”
“What’s wrong? Oh my!”
“Oh my, oh my!”

The Young Ladies forgot the situation entirely and gasped in admiration.
And no wonder—the men in the photograph were far too handsome!

‘As expected.’

Handsome men were always rare and precious, no matter when or where.
When caught off guard by an unexpected assault of beauty at an unforeseen moment, anyone becomes helpless.
This had been proven countless times at the Temple of Artemia.

“W-who is this person?”
“He’s my godfather. Kaiser.”
“Kaiser the Sacred Knight! I’ve heard the rumors, but such a magnificent face… no, body… no, I mean…”
“And who is this person?! How can someone possess such maturity and yet be so beautiful?”
“Ah, he’s our High Priest.”
“That can’t be right… The High Priests I know…”

The Young Lady muttering to herself had an expression as though she’d wasted her entire life.

“Actually, I was startled when I saw Priest Randel. How can someone be so kind and considerate? Just being near him feels like a blessing.”
“And Priest Ilay—just looking at him makes you feel like melting away.”

The Young Ladies who had been making a fuss spoke to me.

“Ahem, the people from the Temple of Artemia are certainly exceptional in many ways.”
“It’s because they all resemble Artemia.”
“Resemble Artemia?”
“Yes, among all the gods, Artemia is the goddess of beauty—”
“Sigh, I really can’t listen to this.”

A loud voice cut off my words.
I turned my head to see a Young Woman with a frown glaring at me.

‘That Young Woman is… Agnes Countess?’

Though there was an age difference from when I had known her, I recognized her immediately.
How could I forget?

‘Amelia’s most fervent devotee.’

“You there. Why don’t you stop parasitizing off Amelia and living like that, hm?”
“A base and filthy creature that even your mother and father don’t know. Relying on Amelia’s pity, scrounging for this and that.”
“Amelia is of such noble standing that someone like you wouldn’t dare even speak to her. Yet here you are, clinging like a leech.”

Agnes always called me base.

‘Right, Agnes would naturally be here at the gathering. I had forgotten.’

I smiled.

‘How fortunate.’

* * *

Agnes was displeased with the current situation.
That a base creature, ignorant of her place, had become the Crown Prince’s partner.
That the base creature had drawn all the attention the moment the gathering began.
That even now, with the royals absent, the young ladies remained clustered around that base creature.

‘How frivolous.’

These supposed young ladies of high noble houses squealing over photographs like that.

“Everyone seems to covet Kaston, don’t they?”
“Agnes Countess, what do you mean—.”
“Isn’t that why you’re all catering to that base creature?”
“Calling her base is too harsh. Saelika is the Sacred Maiden of the Artemian Temple. A maiden chosen by the divine.”

At those words, Agnes laughed sharply.

“A god who chooses base blood… When there are young ladies from noble houses with all manner of divine mythology who could be chosen instead.”
“….”
“I can only imagine what level of god would make such a choice.”

At those words, Saelika’s expression shifted.
Her pale blue eyes blazed like consuming fire, ready to devour Agnes whole.
Agnes instinctively shrank back, her shoulders drawing inward.

‘What kind of look is that… How audacious.’

Agnes refused to acknowledge that she had felt fear before a mere orphan.
She forced the corners of her mouth upward and stepped closer to Saelika.

“Does being called a Sacred Maiden erase that lowborn blood of yours?”
“….”
“You were filthy from the start, and no amount of washing will ever make you clean.”
“Yes, that does seem to be the truth.”

At the sudden voice, Agnes spun around in surprise.

Gleaming golden hair and violet eyes.
A tall frame and broad shoulders.
A cinched waist and long, elegant legs.

A breathtakingly handsome man stood before her.

“Admiral Ekellan.”
“We greet you, Admiral.”
“Admiral, we congratulate you on your return.”

The nobles present immediately bowed their heads in unison.

Admiral Ekellan smiled with a grin.
His cheerful yet cunning expression was undeniably charming.

“A mouth that speaks filthy words can never be cleansed, no matter how much you wash it.”

Though his words were far from cheerful.

“Admiral….”
“Before calling others lowborn, Countess, perhaps you should reflect upon your own vulgar conduct and words.”
“….”

Admiral Ekellan passed by Agnes with a cold gaze.
Then he swept Saelika up into his arms.

“Have you been well? My apology.”

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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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