Youngest on Top - Chapter 148

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

Chapter 148

* * *

Balotello Temple.
The atmosphere within the temple was dark and turbulent.

“We still haven’t found the Sacred Maiden? It’s already been three days. Well, it’s past midnight now, so four days.”
“Four days missing in the desert means….”

The Temple Priests couldn’t bring themselves to finish their words and fell silent.

“How can the High Priest remain secluded despite such circumstances?”
“No matter how important fasting and prayer are, he should step forward now!”
“It’s already been two months since we’ve even seen his face!”
“It might not be because of prayer.”
“…?!”
“What do you mean by that….”

The Temple Priest who had drawn everyone’s attention lowered his voice and whispered.

“I happened to overhear the Elders’ conversation, and apparently the High Priest collapsed two months ago.”
“What?!”
“B-but then why would he remain secluded? Surely he should gather his holy power to heal—.”
“Apparently, healing doesn’t work on him.”
“Th-then that means—.”
“Hush! Words can become reality!”

The Temple Priests closed their mouths for a moment.
Each of their faces grew troubled with their own thoughts.
But those complicated thoughts ultimately converged into one.

“W-wait. If the Sacred Maiden has also died— no, disappeared in such circumstances….”
“Is our temple really going to be alright like this?”
“Shouldn’t we be looking into connections with other temples right now?”
“The Artemisia Temple Priests are in the kingdom right now! We should meet with them and—.”
“When the Artemisia Sacred Maiden has disappeared alongside her! Artemisia is just as much a sinking ship!”
“Th-then which temple….”

Nelije’s godfather, Frederick, smiled in the darkness.

‘Yes, it was worth spreading the rumors appropriately.’

A temple where the Sacred Maiden and High Priest had fallen.
With this, Balotello would decline for decades to come.
It was only natural that the remaining priests would seek their survival and transfer to other temples.

‘Yes, it’s only natural. Everyone does it.’

So no one would ever suspect Frederick’s betrayal.
Weren’t those people just now desperate to grasp the ties of another temple?

‘If I step forward in this situation and create a connection with Parmanace…’

Rather than being branded a traitor.

‘I would become their benefactor instead.’

The ship called Balotello, already beginning to sink.
Rescuing them from here and guiding them to another ship was essentially what I was doing!

And it wasn’t just any ship.
The Octagon, famous even throughout the Empire.
And among them, Parmanace—the supreme temple.

Would anyone refuse to become part of that?
Rather, they would cling to me, begging to be taken along.

No one would ever know that it was Frederick who had sunk the perfectly sound Balotello.

‘Perfect.’

Frederick opened the door with a smile.
There was an unexpected visitor in his room.

“…Dinah.”

Nelije’s godmother, Dinah.

“It’s been a while, Frederick.”
“You’ve been waiting here without the room’s owner around? How bold of you.”
“Why, do you have something you’re hiding?”

Frederick smiled casually at Dinah’s question and threw back a jest.

“Even I have secrets I’d like to keep.”
“Hmm? When we were young, I knew all about how you drew maps on your blankets.”
“Let’s not talk about that anymore.”

The two of them, facing each other with smiles, embraced lightly.

“Welcome back, Dinah. I needed you. The Temple’s situation is grave right now.”
“Yes, it seems so. That’s why I came to you first without announcing my return.”
“You did well. Did things go smoothly on your journey?”

Dinah had left the Temple saying she would find a way to alleviate the High Priest’s condition.

“…No. I met with renowned physicians and explained the symptoms, but they all came up empty.”
“Don’t worry too much. The High Priest will recover and return to his duties.”
“More importantly, what happened to Nelije?”

Frederick’s face darkened at Dinah’s question.

“She went missing in the desert. The Palace is organizing search parties to find her…”
“What about us? Why aren’t we organizing our own search party?”
“The experts are conducting the search. We should gather the hearts of all the priests and offer our prayers—”
“Rumors about the High Priest are spreading among the priests right now. Can we truly unite our hearts in prayer under these circumstances?”

Dinah regarded Frederick with suspicious eyes.

“Something feels off. That you would make such a judgment.”
“What do you mean? Nelije is my goddaughter. I want her safety more than anyone!”
“Yes, she’s my goddaughter too.”

Dinah’s gaze turned cold and piercing.

“I hear Nelije saw you one last time before heading to the desert.”
“…So that’s why she was waiting in my room.”
“Answer me. What did you two discuss?”
“We talked about the High Priest’s condition. I had no idea she was going to the desert!”
“You had no idea?”
“If I’d known, I would have stopped her, of course.”
“…I see.”

Dinah nodded her head.
But her expression showed no conviction whatsoever.
She simply believed she wouldn’t get answers from Frederick.

‘She intends to investigate this herself.’

After Dinah left the room.
Frederick’s lips curved upward in a smirk.

‘It’s too late anyway.’

It had already been four days since her disappearance.
Nelije wouldn’t be returning from the desert!

It was precisely then.

Tap, tap-tap, tap.

Something struck against the window.
Frederick’s brow furrowed as he approached the window, and he gasped in shock.

“N-Nelije?!”
“Uncle.”

The niece he thought dead was hiding herself among the grass.
Lest anyone see, Frederick quickly opened the window.
And he pulled Nelije up inside.

“Nelije, what is the meaning of this! How did you return?!”
“Uncle?”

Frederick hastily pulled Nelije into his embrace.

“Weren’t you worried? I was truly, truly afraid something had happened to you…!”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s enough that you’ve returned safely. But what on earth happened…?”
“I went to the edge of the desert as planned. But suddenly, a massive demon beast appeared.”
“A massive demon beast?!”
“Yes, and because of that, I became separated from Prince Ryubik…”

It was identical to Prince Ryubik’s account.
Frederick studied her face, wondering if Nelije was hiding anything.
Nelije had gone to the desert after hearing Frederick’s assurance that she would be safe, only to face a brush with death.

‘Of course he could suspect me.’

Nelije asked with a somewhat anxious expression.

“But Saelika still hasn’t returned, has she?”
“Even with the search party and the Artemisia Temple looking, they haven’t found her yet.”
“At least I can read the constellations here and I know about the Dantallian Desert. But Saelika…”
“…Yes.”
“S-so what should we do…? It was I who suggested to Saelika in front of everyone that we go to the desert…!”

Watching Nelije tremble with fear, Frederick became certain.

‘This child doesn’t suspect me. No, rather, she trusts me the most.’

—he thought.

‘Then she’s nothing more than a chess piece I can manipulate with ease.’

Frederick held Nelije tenderly.

“Don’t worry, Nelije. I will protect you no matter what.”
“Uncle…”
“Who knows you’ve returned? From the way you signaled secretly from outside the window, it seems you avoided drawing attention.”
“I didn’t tell anyone. If someone asks what happened to Saelika… I have no answer to give.”
“That’s right, well done. Well done!”

Frederick embraced Nelije, thinking how delighted she must be.

“I can’t let anything dangerous happen to you.”

‘A lie.’

Held in Frederick’s arms, Nelije thought coldly.

‘Everything is exactly as Saelika said.’

This reaction right now.
If Saelika hadn’t told her, she would have been completely fooled.

But now that she knew everything, it was crystal clear.
How thoroughly this filthy traitor was woven with lies!
Even at this very moment, he was only thinking of how to use her!

Nelije restrained the urge to immediately shove away the two arms embracing her.
And she recalled her conversation with Saelika.

.
.

“Nelije, we can’t reveal everything right away.”
“Why? It’s the testimony of the Sacred Maiden, no less. If I testify—.”
“But the evidence is different.

The mirror you used to communicate with Parmanace is a sacred relic of Preitsha.

“Preitsha will be falsely accused.”
“….”
“Moreover, we have no evidence that our opponent is Parmanace, not Preitsha.”

We only have circumstantial suspicion.

“The other side is also a temple with a Sacred Maiden. And one who has received divine revelation at that.”
“Then….”
“We’ll face a backlash instead.”

Parmanace never left a trail behind.
Even if I conducted an unannounced search of Frederick’s room and belongings, the chances of finding anything were slim.
In fact, I’d probably find items belonging to some other temple instead.
Just as when I had ransacked Zaphrez’s room without warning and discovered the emblem of a different temple.

“So we need to make Frederick move on his own.”
“Move on his own?”

At Nelije’s question, Saelika smiled.

“Right now, Frederick probably thinks he has everything within his grasp.”
“….”
“But what happens the moment he thinks he’s secured it all, only to have it slip through his fingers?”
“…!”
“And what if he’s caught off guard and cornered unexpectedly?”

.
.

Nelije lifted her head from Frederick’s embrace.
And she spoke words that would corner him.

“By the way, I noticed earlier that Grandmother seems to have returned.”
“…!”
“If we tell Grandmother the truth and ask for her help—.”
“No!!”

Frederick cried out harshly.
His face was exactly that of someone cornered.
Though it vanished in the next instant.

Frederick forced an affectionate smile and explained to Nelije.

“That would only complicate matters. You know Dinah’s personality too. How stubborn she is.”
“…Yes.”
“If Dinah learns of this, she’ll take you to the Palace. Because she believes that’s the right thing to do.”
“….”
“And truthfully, by Dinah’s standards, that would be the ‘right way.’ But you could end up in danger, couldn’t you?”

Frederick caressed Nelije’s cheek.
As if she alone mattered to him.

“Think about it. If you were summoned to the Palace and interrogated about Sacred Maiden Artemia…”
“…”
“Protecting you—my beloved niece and my Sacred Maiden—is far more important to me than living righteously.”
“Uncle…”
“Informing Dinah would not be in your best interest.”

‘But I was the one who summoned Mother.’

Nelije leaned against Frederick while silently swallowing a hollow laugh.

“Then I’ll trust only you, Uncle…!”

—she said pitifully.

* * *

A few hours earlier.
In the desert, Saelika asked Nelije.

“Nelije, what about your other guardian besides Frederick?”
“My mother? She would never have been involved with Parmanace.”
“You’re certain?”
“She and Uncle had differing opinions regarding the High Priest’s illness. The problem is…”

“…?”
“She said she would find a way to improve his condition directly, so she’s not at the Temple.”

Nelije hung her head low.
Saelika shrugged as if questioning what the problem was.

“Then contact her.”
“What?”
“This isn’t just any situation—the High Priest is bedridden. She’d keep a communication stone at her side day and night, wouldn’t she? And she wouldn’t venture into areas without signal.”
“B-but even if I contact her, there’s no telling when she’d arrive… And I can’t pressure Frederick through a communication stone either—”
“What are you worried about?”

Saelika grinned and glanced to the side.

“There’s someone in this kingdom who can use the portals discreetly.”

Prince Ryubik chuckled.

“This is the first time I’ve heard a Sacred Maiden so boldly suggest abusing authority.”
“Are you opposed?”
“Not at all.”

Ryubik bowed formally to Saelika with exaggerated courtesy.

“As my Elah wishes.”

* * *

Frederick’s head was spinning with rage.

‘It was right there, right there!’

Yet Nelije returned alive.
Dinah kept seeking him out at random intervals to test him.
Dinar keeps coming to find him and testing him at all times.
No, she wasn’t just testing Frederick.

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 339]
“So the person who brought this medicine is Frederick? And he won’t reveal the source?”
“Yes, Lady Dinah.”
“But I heard the lay priests discussing how the High Priest collapsed.”
“The rumor has spread.”
“Since when?”
“Not long after the Sacred Maiden went missing.”

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 347]
There was that too.

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 350]

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 352]
Crash!

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 355]

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 357]
Frederick was using the other Temple Priests to sow confusion in Dinah’s movements, but there were limits to what he could accomplish.

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 360]

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 362]

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 364]
When that happened, Parmanace would undoubtedly abandon him without hesitation.

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 367]

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 369]
Frederick seized the mirror in his grip.
It was the sacred artifact of Preitsha Temple.

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 375]

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 377]

[UNTRANSLATED LINE 379]

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