Youngest on Top - Chapter 138

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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 138

“Admiral Ekellan…!”

Saelika gasped in surprise and threw her arms around Admiral Ekellan’s shoulders.

“How long has it been since I’ve seen my little apple’s face?”
“There are other people here—if you suddenly lift me like this—”
“I missed you.”

Admiral Ekellan smiled.
His violet eyes sparkled with warmth.
In the end, Saelika nodded.

“…I missed you too.”
“I heard you’ve grown quite a bit. But seeing you in person, my little apple is still just a child, aren’t you?”
“A child? I’ve grown so much! I’m taller now! And I can take anything out of the cupboard by myself!”
“With a step stool, though.”
“Being able to use a step stool is an accomplishment in itself!”
“Yes, my little apple is quite impressive.”

Admiral Ekellan chuckled and gently pinched Saelika’s cheek.

“But the flesh is still soft and tender. It will take a while before it hardens.”
“Just wait and see. Soon all my baby fat will be gone.”
“That would be terrible! My apple becoming half of what she was!”
“Admiral Ekellan!!”

Chuckle, chuckle.
Looking back at the sound of laughter, the noblewomen were smiling.

“It seems the Sacred Maiden was conducting herself quite formally until just now. So this is her true nature? How adorable.”
“Lady Darpeta.”
“Hehe, you’re still as charming as ever, Admiral.”
“We heard that someone who used to spread countless rumors has finally settled on one person.”
“Now I understand why, seeing you today.”

The noblewomen laughed softly and teased.

“That’s too much. So many rumors and gossip. Our apple will hear and misunderstand.”
“I won’t misunderstand.”
“Right? You trust me, don’t you, apple?”
“I’ve been well aware of Admiral Ekellan’s romantic history for quite some time.”
“…apple.”

Admiral Ekellan sighed as if he’d been defeated, pressing his forehead against Saelika’s.
The people around them began to whisper at the sight.

“This is the first time we’ve seen Admiral Ekellan like this, isn’t it? He’s always been sociable but maintained clear boundaries.”
“There were rumors that the Sacred Maiden of Artemisia had monopolized the Admiral’s affection.”
“Since the Admiral dislikes the Temple so much, I thought it was purely political in nature….”
“It doesn’t seem to be that way at all. Seeing it in person, it’s even more….”
“Now that I think about it, they say Admiral Ekellan achieved another great victory in this expedition, didn’t he?”

The people who exchanged knowing glances began to approach Saelika’s side.

* * *

‘What….’

Agnes couldn’t understand any of this.

‘It’s not enough that Crown Prince Kaishurit is fawning over her, but even a top-ranking noble like Admiral Ekellan is protecting such a lowly creature!’

Normally, that lowly creature wouldn’t have been able to properly fit in among the high nobility.
She should have been shunned by everyone and hidden behind the curtains…!

“How dare that seductive wretch, not knowing her place, bewitch both the Crown Prince and the Admiral?”
“Well, the one who doesn’t know her place and runs her mouth is you.”
“…!”

Agnes was startled and looked to her side.
Clear blue eyes looked down at her coldly.
Agnes quickly lowered her head.

“D-Demian….”
“You’d do well to watch your tongue. If you keep spewing garbage, I might get the wrong idea.”
“….”
“Ah, garbage indeed? Something so unsightly should be torn to shreds, I suppose.”

Agnes’s face drained of all color at the contempt in his words.
How dare he speak to her, a Countess of the Empire, in such a manner!
And all to shield that lowly creature!

But the Noishurael Duke’s house of the North had always been monstrous, merciless, and cruel.
Noishurael didn’t threaten.
Every word he spoke was truth.

Agnes couldn’t bring herself to protest and bit her lips hard.
Demian passed by the trembling Agnes with indifference, then stopped.

“And it’s the opposite.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s not Saelika who’s cunning. It’s the Admiral and the Crown Prince.”
“…Pardon?”

Demian resumed walking, lost in thought.

‘The Crown Prince? How did he even discover Saelika and approach her?’

Saelika had only recently ascended to the Temple.
Yet she was already entangled with the Crown Prince, who barely showed his face.

‘…Perhaps I shouldn’t have invited the Crown Prince to the coronation.’

At the coronation, Saelika had been truly adorable.
Even if Kaishurit were an emotionless killing machine, he couldn’t have forgotten that sight.
Meeting again, and she had grown so lovely….

“Saelika.”
“Demian!”

Her eyes sparkled with joy at the sight of him.
Demian felt a surge of satisfaction.

“You’ve grown quite a bit in these past six months.”
“Haven’t I?”
“Though you’re still young.”
“…Duke, isn’t he remarkably similar to Admiral Ekellan?”
“That doesn’t sound like a compliment.”

At those words, Admiral Ekellan raised one corner of his mouth.

“Hmm? My dear nephew, what exactly do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said.”

Watching the two bicker, Saelika burst into quiet laughter.
Having embarked on this expedition together, they seemed even closer now, and more alike.

‘When I first met them, Demian had subtly kept his distance from Admiral Ekellan.’

“Why are you laughing?”
“Oh, I was just thinking how surprisingly well you two get along.”

Demian furrowed his brow as if questioning what she meant.
Meanwhile, Admiral Ekellan grinned widely and draped his arm across his nephew’s shoulders.

“It’s all thanks to our apple.”
“Me?”
“Yes, all thanks to our apple.”

‘Ah, that’s true.’

Saelika nodded in agreement.

“Since I revealed the identity of the Demon Sword and the spy, the Duke is no longer being consumed—.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Pardon?”

Admiral Ekellan laughed as if amused.

“No, of course that’s significant too. It is, but.”
“…?”
“This fellow rarely comes out from the north, and when he does, it’s all to see you. Thanks to that, the time I spend with him has increased.”
“That’s not it.”

Demian flatly denied it.

“Really? Then why did you join this expedition? You clearly went because of Saelika—.”
“That’s not the reason.”
“Right, of course.”

Admiral Ekellan chuckled with amusement.
Demian glared at Admiral Ekellan with dissatisfied eyes, then froze.

“A dance is starting.”

Just then, the music for the dance began.

“Saelika.”
“Saelika.”

Both men extended their hands simultaneously.

“I cannot yield on this.”
“Shouldn’t you show respect to your uncle?”
“You said you’d support everything for your precious nephew, didn’t you?”
“This is non-negotiable.”
“Neither will I.”

Sparks flew between the two relatives.
Their gazes held not a shred of compromise.

“Saelika, take my hand.”
“Saelika, dance with me.”

Both men thrust their faces inches apart.

‘Why are they both looking at me….’

Saelika broke out in cold sweat, beads of perspiration glistening on her skin.
From experience, no matter who I chose, the backlash would be catastrophic.

That was when it happened.

“Cutting in line like this? I never thought the Admiral and the Duke would be so lacking in etiquette.”

A smooth voice interjected.

“…Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
“We pay our respects to Your Highness.”

Admiral Ekellan and Demian greeted him with an attitude that could be interpreted as considerably disrespectful.
Kaishurit only smiled wider.

“The Sacred Maiden’s partner is me. Don’t you know that the first dance is with one’s partner?”
“That’s hardly something you should say, having abandoned your partner and left your seat.”
“I wasn’t aware there was a rule that a partner must always remain at one’s side.”

Kaishurit chuckled and took Saelika’s hand.
Demian and Admiral Ekellan’s eyes widened.

“Don’t worry. As the Duke said, from now on I shall never leave my partner’s side.”

With only those words, Kaishurit smoothly led Saelika toward the dance hall.

Saelika shrugged her shoulders.

‘After all, Shuri is my partner, and he’s been quite helpful.’

In this case, it was right to defer to Shuri’s wishes.
Besides, if I had chosen either Admiral Ekellan or Demian, it would have caused an even greater uproar.
The problem was—.

“You’re not a very good dancer, are you?”

After I stepped on his foot for the fourth time, Shuri laughed with an odd expression and teased me.

“A gentleman is supposed to overlook a lady’s mistakes, or so I’ve heard.”
“I’m not a gentleman.”
“I’ve hardly ever danced before.”
“Even so, isn’t this a bit much?”

In the meantime, I stepped on his foot again.

“Are you doing this on purpose?”
“Of course not.”
“Stepping on someone’s feet this many times is actually a talent of sorts.”
“If you’re going to keep teasing me like that, why don’t you dance with someone else?”

Shuri’s hand pulled Saerika close.

“I don’t want to.”

Eyes swirling with crimson, azure, and gold filled my vision.
He smiled.

“I absolutely despise dancing.”

‘Then why…?’

Why are we dancing right now?
Before I could voice my question, Shuri whispered against my ear.

“Dancing is not combat, Sacred Maiden.”
“…I know that much already.”
“Then don’t try to compete with me—surrender yourself to me instead.”

Shuri gently drew my hand along with him.
I reflexively tensed my body, but when I met his gaze, I relaxed.
Immediately, it became much easier.

“Yes, like that.”
“Don’t say things that make me want to resist.”
“That was a compliment.”
“That was a compliment?”

Shuri smiled as he gazed into her wide, round blue eyes.

“The Sacred Maiden is truly terrible at dancing, so you must never dance with anyone else.”

* * *

The nobles marveled as they watched the two figures dancing in the dance hall.

“This is the first time I’ve seen the Crown Prince dance.”
“Indeed. Doesn’t he absolutely despise physical contact with others?”
“It’s a lovely sight. They truly make an adorable and charming pair.”
“Do you think the Crown Prince appears this way because he’s with a girl his own age?”

The whispering nobles exchanged glances.

“The Crown Prince, Admiral Ekellan, and even the Duke of Perardin Noishurael.”
“And she earned the Emperor’s trust at once, receiving authority over the Caston trade agreement.”
“Now I understand why Princess Grizelda wanted to invite her.”

The nobles fell silent for a moment.

“…If the Sacred Maiden Saelika truly succeeds in the Caston exchange…”
“Yes, it might be acceptable to acknowledge her.”

The nobles facing each other nodded in agreement.

“We might even invite the Sacred Maiden Saelika to Akaastel.”
“…!”

Behind the curtain, Agnes clenched her fist tightly upon hearing this news.

‘They’re going to invite that lowly creature to Akaastel!’

This was something that absolutely could not happen!

* * *

“What a rare sight to witness. To think my lord completed the entire dance.”

The moment Kaishurit stepped outside the terrace, a voice reached his ears.
Though they remained hidden from view, they were Shuri’s retainers.

“Making such a fuss over nothing.”
“A fuss, my lord? Isn’t this the first time you’ve danced?”
“Indeed. What were you thinking, dancing with that little Sacred Maiden?”
“She’s presumptuous.”
“…Pardon?”
“Willful, and she talks back without hesitation.”

Kaishurit leaned against the terrace railing.

“At first she pretended to have manners, but look how her true nature is gradually showing through.”
“That is…”

‘Isn’t it because my lord was the one who first pretended to have manners, then gradually revealed his true nature?’

The same thought occurred to all the men simultaneously.

Still, that little Sacred Maiden’s temperament was no joke either.
Those watching from afar wouldn’t know, but they had heard every word she spoke while dancing.
There was no other young woman who could speak to their master in such a manner.

“In any case, there are too many suspicious things about her, which is why I keep her nearby. Haven’t I said this before?”
“Yes, but…”

Then why are you smiling like that?
They dared not ask their master.

A rare smile played faintly across Shuri’s face.

* * *

Agnes left the banquet hall immediately.
Upon returning to the Countess’s residence, she seized a communication stone at once.
Before long, a voice emerged from the communication stone.

[Countess Agnes?]
“This is terrible! That lowly creature from Artemisia is throwing the social circles of Sido into chaos!”
[I heard His Majesty the Emperor granted it the Caston Exchange Rights. But that alone shouldn’t—.]
“That’s not all, and that’s the problem!”

Agnes shrieked loudly.

“Do you know who that lowly creature came with as a partner today?!”
[….]
“It was the Crown Prince himself!”
[…Crown Prince Kaishurit.]
“And on top of that, Admiral Ekellan and Grand Duke Demian came, and that filthy thing strutted about like it owned the social circles!”
[…It’s become quite troublesome in many ways. I thought the Admiral and Grand Duke wouldn’t return until next year.]
“And apparently that lowly creature can be invited to Akastehl.”
[…!]

The voice beyond the communication stone grew quieter.

[Akastehl. That must be stopped at all costs.]
“They said they would invite it if the Caston Exchange succeeds.”
[In other words, if the Caston Exchange fails, the invitation to Akastehl becomes meaningless.]
“His Majesty the Emperor will surely be disappointed in that lowly creature as well.”

That filthy, lowly thing has blinded everyone’s eyes.
Its true, disgusting nature must be revealed soon.

[Don’t worry, Countess.]

The voice beyond the communication stone soothed Agnes gently.

[That lowly, filthy blood will never succeed in the Caston Exchange.]

It was an unwavering declaration.
Agnes felt reassured.
The other party’s words had never been wrong, not even once.

That filthy lowly creature will be humiliated miserably and driven out of Sido.
Just as my dirty half-sibling was.

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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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