Youngest on Top - Chapter 141

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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 141

* * *

The next day.
I received an invitation to lunch with the Queen.
The Queen greeted me with a radiant smile spread across her face.

“It seems the Emperor of the Empire was right to appoint the Sacred Maiden as the representative of the delegation.”
“I am merely grateful for Your Majesty’s warm hospitality.”

It was because of the letter I had sent.
A letter expressing my desire to conduct business with the Queen.

“Come now, please eat. You’ve never tasted Bennaise cuisine before, have you?”

Unlike the cheerful Queen, Crown Prince Habid ate sparingly.
The Queen paid no attention even though the child barely touched his food.

Only when my gaze landed on Habid did she show interest.
But it was not concern about why he couldn’t eat properly.

“Oh my, I really must find a suitable match for our Crown Prince soon. It’s quite the dilemma.”

‘Now I understand why that little brat mentioned concubines the moment he saw me.’

I could clearly picture the Queen forcing the boy to meet this young woman and that young woman.
That’s why I had thought it was something the adults had fabricated when I saw him alone in the forbidden zone.

‘Though it turned out to be the Queen’s scheme after all.’

“I heard about the meeting between the ministers and Randel. He said that everything depends on the Sacred Maiden’s heart.”
“Because they trust me.”
“Then your intention to conduct business with me is essentially the intention of the entire Imperial delegation.”
“What the delegation wants is to trade Kaston without any complications. To achieve that, I must work with the person who has the most power and the most authority, wouldn’t you agree?”

The Queen let out a delighted “My goodness” with a pleased smile.

“The Sacred Maiden truly has a gift for stirring people’s hearts.”
“I’ve already met with Prince Ryubik yesterday. Wouldn’t I be more helpful to His Majesty as the official envoy rather than these unofficial others?”
“And it seems your actions match your words just as well.”

The Queen nodded with a deeply satisfied smile.

“Indeed. You’re right—there’s certainly much more the Sacred Maiden can accomplish than others.”

‘Perfect.’

Just as I’d discussed with Ilay.

“The Queen will want to conduct trade with us rather than anyone else.”

Prince Ryubik had completely botched the negotiations with the Imperial delegation.
The incompetent Prince Ryubik needed to take responsibility and step back from the front lines.

“—that’s what we’ll argue.”
“But we can’t make that claim if we’re shaking hands with other nations or rival factions within the Empire.”

Why would we take the long way around when there’s a direct path?
Besides, going in circles might get our tail stepped on.

“So if we extend our hand to the Queen quickly and cleanly, she’ll be eager to grasp it just as readily.”

Moreover, she’ll offer us something additional to sweeten the deal.
To make the trade absolutely certain.

“The Artemisia Temple truly has a remarkable Sacred Maiden. And Randel is quite an exceptional priest as well.”
“Thank you.”
“I do wish the Bennaise Kingdom had a temple like this.”

And so.
As I smiled, the Queen smiled back in return and whispered softly.

“Between us, the Ballotel Temple is…”
“Is that so?”
“Bennaise is also due for a new deity.”
“…”
“I do hope it will be Artemia.”

The Queen placed her hand over mine.

* * *

After lunch concluded, the Queen spoke to me with a reluctant expression.

“I wish we could talk more, but I have afternoon engagements.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“However, our Crown Prince will give you a tour of the palace. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, Mother.”

The Queen smiled and left the dining hall.

‘She must be busy reporting our handshake to her close advisors and proceeding with her next plans.’

Crown Prince Habid gazed at me with an unusually complex expression for a child.

“You don’t have to show me around if you don’t want to.”
“…If I did that, there would be chaos. Come along.”

I followed Habid.
Habid proved to be an unexpectedly sincere guide.
The boy led me to hidden scenic spots throughout the palace.

“Wow, how beautiful!”

As I marveled, I felt his gaze upon me.
Habid stared intently at me, but the moment our eyes met, he quickly turned his head away.

I looked at the boy and let out a long sigh.
He was far less endearing than Teodor.

“You need to make a choice too.”
“What?”
“You want to have everything, don’t you?”
“It’s none of your business!”

Crown Prince Habid shouted arrogantly.
But his voice soon lost its force.

“…I know. I understand I have to choose one side. But it’s my mother and my brother. How could I—”
“If you don’t make a choice, you’ll end up like this—unable to have either.”
“I know! I said I know!”
“And I never said you had to choose between your mother and your brother.”
“What?”
“If you want to have everything, then make the choice to have everything.”
“What does that mean?”

I sensed a presence in the distance.
Before long, Ryubik appeared.

“H-brother.”
“I’ve told you not to address me that way, Your Highness.”
“But—”
“So you were here, Sacred Maiden.”

Ryubik approached me.

“I’d like to have a word with you.”
“Of course.”

I nodded and bade Crown Prince Habid farewell.

“Thank you for showing me around, Your Highness.”
“…Yes.”

Crown Prince Habid looked at me with much left unsaid, but ultimately bowed his head deeply.
He looked dejected, having been dismissed by his brother.

* * *

Walking alongside Ryubik, Saelika whispered to him.

“Why are you being so cold? You don’t even dislike Crown Prince Habid.”
“It is not the concern of the Empire’s Sacred Maiden.”
“The Temple doesn’t belong to the Empire.”
“Yet you move according to the Emperor’s will.”
“I know you hate the Empire, but right now I’m worried about your brother.”

At those words, Ryubik stopped walking and looked at Saelika.

“This is better for him too.”
“I disagree.”

Ryubik let out a small laugh despite himself.
This young woman never backed down and always spoke her mind.
Yet her face looked as innocent and kind as an angel’s.

“So, what brings the Empire’s Sacred Maiden here? Have you come to argue again?”

Ryubik gazed at Saelika for a moment before speaking.

“I apologize.”
“…?”
“Everything you said yesterday was right. Pride alone won’t solve anything.”

I stepped back from the political struggle for the sake of the kingdom and yielded the Crown Prince’s position.
Right now, stabilizing the realm is what matters most.

But the Queen sought to eliminate me entirely.
One by one, my limbs were severed.
The government became paralyzed, and the kingdom’s people cried out in suffering.
It’s true that I felt betrayed by my brother, who had done nothing wrong.
And from that, stubbornness took root.

“But what comes after that?”

Her clear blue eyes seemed to pierce right through him.
Unable to see the future because the present situation felt so hopeless.

“I have misunderstood you.”
“….”
“I apologize for everything I said yesterday.”

Ryubik lowered his head.
Saelika watched him with some surprise, then turned her head away awkwardly.

‘…This feels strange.’

Despite living for such a long time, I was unaccustomed to apologizing to someone.

“Well, it’s fine. I’ve said all I needed to say too.”
“Then you accept my apology?”
“Yes, I do.”

Ryubik smiled.
The young boy’s face, which had been as dry and parched as a desert, suddenly bloomed with freshness.

“Then are we Elah now?”
“Elah?”
“Companions who treat each other with sincerity and keep faith with one another.”
“…?”

How on earth did that happen?
Saelika tilted her head in confusion.

Ryubik extended his hand toward her.
His large hand gently grasped her hair.

That was when it happened.

“What exactly are you doing, Prince Ryubik?”

His voice was so cold it seemed to freeze the very air.
Randel approached the two of them with long, measured strides, his expression glacial.

“What do you mean, what am I doing….”
“Remove your hand from my daughter at once.”

Randel pulled Saelika into his arms before Ryubik could even withdraw his hand.

“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, Father.”
“Let me see. What else did that scoundrel say to our Sae? Did he touch anywhere besides your hair?”
“I’m really fine.”

Randel remained unconvinced and examined Saelika carefully several times over.
Then he nestled her securely in his embrace and fixed Ryubik with a wary, threatening gaze.

“….”

Ryubik stared at Randel with an incredulous expression, as if being treated like a criminal.
Had he not just called him a scoundrel?

“…I was merely attempting to remove the flower petals caught in her hair.”

Somehow, an explanation spilled from his lips without being asked.
Of course, Randel merely scoffed in response.

“That’s a rather unconvincing excuse.”
“It’s not an excuse—.”
“Companions who treat each other with sincerity, who keep faith with one another?”
“That is….”
“Know your place. How dare you attempt to seduce my daughter.”

Ryubik was utterly bewildered.

‘I heard Randel was a gentle man who valued courtesy?’

But what was Randel’s demeanor like now?
It seemed as though he would draw his sword at any moment if provoked further.

Just then, a gentle voice slipped between the two of them.

“Ah, well. I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”

It was the young woman who had been with Randel.

“A companion, well, a business partner? I think you could understand it as that kind of concept.”
“…A business partner?”
“In Vennaise, both ‘companion’ and ‘business partner’ are called ‘colet.’ It seems to be a misunderstanding that arose when translating to the common language.”

She gazed at Prince Ryubik with an awkward smile.

“There’s no way Prince Ryubik would have feelings for Saelika. It’s truly a misunderstanding.”

Prince Ryubik did not respond.
Saelika poked her head out from Randel’s arms.
A special aura emanated from the young woman.

“…A Sacred Maiden?”
“I am Nelije, the Sacred Maiden of the Balotelo Temple. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Saelika.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you, Nelije.”
“I heard of your arrival and wanted to meet you. Unlike the Empire with its many temples, the Kingdom of Vennaise has only the Balotelo Temple.”

Nelije brought her palms together adorably with a joyful expression.

“We don’t even have gatherings like the Conclave. The Conclave is an event for temples within the Empire, after all.”
“That’s right.”
“I’ve always regretted not having the chance to meet other priestesses, so I’m incredibly happy about this.”

Nelije wrapped her hand around Randel’s arm with a bright smile.

“And Randel is such a wonderful person!”

Randel naturally withdrew his arm from her grasp.

“Thank you for showing me around the palace, Nelije. I’ll take my leave now.”
“Ah….”

Randel simply scooped Saelika into his arms.
Then, with cautious eyes fixed on Prince Ryubik, he turned to leave.
That was when it happened.

“…I suppose I was overstepping my bounds.”

Nelije spoke with a sorrowful smile, her voice tinged with dejection.

“Even though we’re both Sacred Maidens, I’m different from the Empire’s Sacred Maiden. Since I’ve never met her before, I simply wanted to get closer to her…”

Saelika glanced sideways at Prince Ryubik.

‘I think I understand what’s happening.’

Saelika spoke.

“Then Nelije, would you like to join me for some refreshments?”
“Really? Truly?”
“Of course.”
“Then I shall join as well.”

At Prince Ryubik’s words, Randel’s brow furrowed.

“…It doesn’t seem necessary for you to join us.”
“Spending time with one’s Elah is only natural.”
“My daughter is not the Prince’s Elah.”
“To exchange Kaston, we must treat each other with sincerity and keep our faith.”

Prince Ryubik smiled widely at Saelika.

“Isn’t that what our relationship is?”
“Do not speak my daughter’s name so carelessly. Mind your manners.”
“Then let’s be fair. Saelika, you may call me by my name.”

Saelika glanced at Randel’s expression before answering.

“…How could I presume to call the Prince by his name?”
“Hmm, but you speak informally to the Crown Prince. Even use casual speech.”
“…!”

Saelika was startled.

‘How did Prince Ryubik even hear about that?’

She’d heard that many of his informants had been eliminated.
Now she understood why the Queen was so determined to expel him.

“Come on, just call me by my name too. Ryubik—like that.”
“It seems my daughter wishes to build a wall between herself and the Prince?”
“There are no walls between us, Elah.”

Saelika clamped her mouth shut.

‘I barely managed to escape Admiral Ekellan and Demian at the Imperial Palace.’

Why was I experiencing this all over again after coming all this way?!

“….”

Nelije quietly observed the scene before her.
Unlike the three noisy people, her surroundings remained peaceful.
Nelije smiled brightly and approached the three of them with a skip in her step.

“Then please speak comfortably with me too, Saelika!”

* * *

“…You really do have quite a large group?”

Ilay, who had been in the room, smiled as soon as he saw Ryubik.

‘He’s annoyed.’

This was Ilay’s first time meeting Ryubik.
Yet he disliked him on sight.
How very like Ilay.

“Wow, Priest Ilay. You’re so impressive.”

Nelije gazed at me with admiration.

“Saelika must be so fortunate. Randel is so wonderful too, and Ilay as well….”
“Thank you.”
“And Saelika, your abilities are excellent too.”
“My abilities?”
“Yes! It’s amazing that you’re a Sacred Maiden and yet do all sorts of things!”

Nelije clasped her hands together in admiration, her expression endearingly earnest.

“You’ve come as a diplomatic envoy representing the Empire, you oversee Caston trade, and I’ve heard you’ve already shared tea and lunch with Her Majesty the Queen.”
“….”
“Her Majesty the Queen is already quite fond of you, Saelika. How can you be so talented in everything!”
“….”
“You truly live up to your Imperial origins. I heard that in the Empire, temples are even ranked—there’s something called the Octagon, the eight highest temples, and the Artemisia Temple is one of them.”
“….”
“They say it’s possible because there’s a wonderful Sacred Maiden like you, Saelika.”
“….”
“I don’t know anything about such things. Compared to you, Saelika, I’m far behind.”

Nelije’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“I’m ashamed to say it, but I’m already busy enough just with my training.”

I smiled wryly.

“Thank you.”
“…Pardon?”
“Then I suppose I should show you what someone from the Empire is capable of.”

—————
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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