Youngest on Top - Chapter 160

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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 160

Crack!
A loud noise erupted from between Houston’s teeth.
Saelika jumped in surprise and asked him.

“Are you alright? How fragile must your teeth be to make such a sound? Though I suppose you are of a certain age.”
“What…?”
“Would you like me to take a look?”

Houston was flabbergasted.
He was absolutely not at an age where his teeth should be deteriorating!

“Well, I don’t usually offer this service, you know. Do you realize how rare it is to receive direct healing from a Sacred Maiden?”
“…”
“It’s a special premium service. Still, since you’re our greatest contributor, I suppose I can do this much for you.”

Saelika let out a long sigh as though she were making an enormous sacrifice.
Then she confidently extended her palm.

“Just pay me 10 million gold.”

So it wasn’t free after all!
And 10 million gold at that!!

Crackle crackle!!
An even harsher sound came from between Houston’s teeth than before.

“Oh my! Are they actually broken? Let me see!”
“Get lost!”
“Hmm? Your pronunciation sounded a bit off just now? Could it be…!”

Saelika covered her mouth.

“Your teeth are broken and full of holes?”

What nonsense is this!
Yet Houston closed his mouth.
He quickly ran his tongue across his teeth, but of course there were no gaps.

“Ah, this won’t do with just 10 million gold. I’ll need 20 million gold, won’t I? No, perhaps 50 million?”

In the meantime, Saelika was contemplating seriously.
Houston took a deep breath to calm his anger.
He was a Temple Priest whose abilities were recognized in his own right.
He couldn’t let a moment of rage ruin the situation—.

“I’ll even discount the silencing fee and just take 100 million gold. What a bargain, a bargain! For a mere 100 million, to suppress rumors of a Temple Priest with holes all over!”
“You demonic wench! Get out this instant!!!”

In the end, Houston couldn’t hold back and exploded in fury.

It was unavoidable.
Houston had walked the elite path as a Temple Priest of Parmanase.
Who would have ever treated him this way?
For Houston, this was a spiritual catastrophe he was experiencing for the first time.

* * *

‘That was too much.’

Saelika muttered as she was practically driven out of the Parmanase Island Branch.

‘How could he call a former angel a demon?’

Enrik: I’ve never seen Parmanase’s lackey look so pitiful.
Enrik: A punch would’ve hurt less, I think….
Enrik: No wait. It’s not just anyone’s fist—my youngest sibling’s fist could tear a human apart.
Kailros: My sister excels at everything.
Enrik: …Are you praising her for being good at beating people right now?

Enrik, exasperated, asked Saelika.

Enrik: So why did you come here?

‘Of course it is. Can’t you tell?’

Enrik: I had my suspicions.
Enrik: As expected, to prepare for the next move, I needed to monitor the enemy’s movements—.

‘I came to mess with you!’

Enrik: ….
Enrik: Ah, right. Even in the Heavenly Realm, you hunted down every last one hiding and beat them senseless.
Enrik: It’s my mistake for expecting you to think things through, given how you handled the voting matter. I assumed you had a reason for your actions.

‘Really, Enrik. Are you an idiot? Using your head is a last resort.’

Saelika clenched her fist firmly.

‘When I have such excellent fists, why would I bother thinking?’

Of course, this time I beat him with words rather than fists.
In a sense, it was a non-physical punch.

Enrik: …Usually, violence is considered the last resort.

‘Well, it wasn’t entirely without gain.’

Enrik: Gain?

‘Look at how composed he still is despite being angry. What he’s thinking is obvious.’

Kailros: Land.

‘Exactly. He thinks we have no land. Ultimately, he believes he holds the advantage.’

Enrik: That’s actually pitiful.
Enrik: The Emperor’s Attendant already came by a few days ago and gifted us land.

Saelika tilted her head, recalling that moment.

‘But why did he suddenly give us land? It’s nice, though.’

No matter how much I thought about it, there was no reason for the Emperor to do such a thing.

‘As expected, Sacred Maiden Artemia has answered my prayers!’

Saelika clasped her hands together and offered a prayer of gratitude.

* * *

After Saelika left.
The Messenger spoke to Houston with an indignant expression.

“She’s completely different from our Sacred Maiden Amelia, isn’t she?”
“…Damn it.”

Houston also muttered a curse, but his tone was quite different from the Messenger’s.
His face was one of frustration.

“What’s wrong, Houston?”
“That demon knew.”
“Pardon?”
“She knew I was trying to extract information. That’s why she deliberately provoked me.”

Houston habitually started to grit his teeth but stopped.
Instead, he spoke with his fists clenched tightly.

“And I fell for the provocation!”
“A provocation…? But it didn’t seem that way.”

Honestly, it just looked like she was messing with him.
Because she seemed to be having a great time doing it.

“Regardless of what method she used, that demon subdued Varotelo in a short time. Her schemes run deep.”

Moreover, she even hid the fact of the subjugation and struck Houston from behind.

“Would such a cunning demon really come all the way here just to spout meaningless nonsense without any purpose?”
“…That couldn’t be the case.”
“Because of her, I couldn’t even properly ask how she subjugated the Varotelo Temple.”

No matter how much the Kingdom of Bennayser pursued its temple reduction policy, the Balotelo Temple remained the kingdom’s sole temple.
In other words, it held a status no different from that of the state religion.
It meant this was no temple that could be easily subjugated.
Was that not why Houston had gone to such lengths—creating spies and even cursing the High Priest?

“But surely that demon gained something from this, didn’t she? If she hadn’t come here in the first place, there would have been nothing for you to interrogate her about.”
“Gained something? What did she gain?”
“Pardon?”
“She came to find me the moment the vote concluded. What do you think the outside world will make of this?”

The Messenger exclaimed, “Ah!”

“They’ll think we’ve completely joined hands with her. And we did actually recruit the voters.”
“Exactly. That demon made it perfectly clear. She said she came to express her gratitude to the ‘greatest contributor.'”

Looking at it that way, it was certain.
Saelika had deliberately come to ensure that in everyone’s eyes, Houston appeared to be the ‘greatest contributor.’

“Normally, I would have driven that demon away before she could even enter. But I let her in because obtaining information about Balotelo took priority.”
“So after achieving that goal, she deliberately provoked you in a childish manner and extracted no information whatsoever… is that it?”

Truly a sinister scheme!

“She used me thoroughly!”

Crash!
Houston slammed the table.
While he raged at being toyed with, the Messenger inwardly marveled.

‘Indeed. Houston! I made the right choice in following you.’

Houston had fallen out of favor with Beatrix over the Kingdom of Bennayser incident.
But with such insight, regaining her trust was only a matter of time!

‘If it were me, I would have simply thought that demon came to mock me and left it at that.’

Houston truly possessed a perspicacity that I could never match.

“But it will only be for a moment. In a few days, that demon will come crawling to me of her own accord, begging pathetically.”

That remarkable man declared it outright.

“If you don’t beg me, how else will you obtain the land?”

The Messenger gained enlightenment from those words.

“If we beg and scrape to get land and merely establish a branch there, we’ll only face ridicule. The temple will have nothing but flies buzzing about.”

For now, the unprecedented results from the branch vote would draw all attention to Artemia.
But the moment Artemia seized the citizens’ park, that attention would become poison.

“Enjoy this moment while it lasts. The higher you climb, the faster you’ll plummet.”

Houston’s lips curled into a contemptuous smile.

“And in contrast, our Parmanase, who built a park for the citizens, will be revered all the more.”
“So then, should I thank that demon as the ‘greatest contributor’ when the time comes?”

Kahahaha!
Houston burst into raucous laughter.

From now on, Saelika would run about searching for temple grounds.
And she would come to understand the situation.
But she would be helpless.

‘Because there is no other land.’

* * *

When I returned to my quarters in the outer palace, I was taken aback.
The palace was crowded with nobility.

“For Artemia to establish herself in the empire, wouldn’t she need connections in this place as well?”
“I’ve been deeply interested in the Artemia Temple ever since I heard the Sacred Maiden had returned.”
“Now that a branch has been established in the empire, I look forward to seeing you all more frequently.”

The nobles clung to the priests, speaking over one another.
Watching this unfold, Ilay whispered to me.

“They’re simply amazed at how I won the vote. They’ve concluded that this side has the momentum.”
“That makes sense. Among the nobles without voting rights, rumors spread that I moved Parmanase.”

At Edmund’s addition, I tilted my head in confusion.

“Did the voters let it slip? I thought most people still wouldn’t believe it.”

I’d expected most would dismiss it as a rumor, saying Parmanase wouldn’t go mad enough to help a competitor.

“You went directly to Parmanase’s branch office.”
“The moment the voting results came out, seeing you meet with Parmanase makes it clear there’s a mutual interest. That’s what they thought.”

‘Gasp! Such an effect!’

I was startled, but in moments like this, I needed to display the dignity of the Sacred Maiden.
I nodded as if I’d anticipated everything.

“Heh, exactly as I intended!”

Ilay and Edmund looked at me simultaneously.
Their eyes held a pitying glint.
I couldn’t lose here. I had to be confident.

“What, what, what.”
“No.”
“It really was my intention!”
“Sure, let’s go with that.”
“That’s not how it works—it really was!”

Just then, Dmitri approached.
He tilted his head, then stretched out my cheeks.

“What’s wrong? Did someone puff up Honeybread again? Your cheeks are all swollen.”

Ilay, Edmund, and I exchanged glances for a moment.

‘Wager?’
‘Call.’
‘Evening training on the line. Go.’

I was confident.
Dmitri wasn’t just anyone—he would believe in me unconditionally.

Ilay spoke up as the representative.

“Dmitri, they’re saying Sae went to Parmanase as part of a scheme to deceive people—.”
“What? That can’t be right!”

Dmitri was genuinely angry.
I was a bit shocked.
Dmitri didn’t believe my words?!

“Honeybread just went to take a look! How can you not trust Honeybread like that?!”
“….”
“My Honeybread is! More impulsive than you’d think! The type to strike first and ask questions later!!!”
“….”
“Before coming up with some sinister, petty scheme, she’s the straightforward kind who acts on instinct!!”
“—is what he’s saying?”

Ilay asked with a slight smile.
Dmitri looked at me with a very proud expression.
It was the look of someone who understood me better than anyone else.

“I’m right, aren’t I?”
“Well, you’re not wrong.”
“See? Honeybread and I are really—.”
“Dmitri’s spouting nonsense again!”

I clenched my fists tightly.
That was when it happened.

“Wow, someone’s jealous.”

An unexpected voice rang out.

* * *

Empress Adelin’s Palace.
Empress Adelin’s attendant maids opened their mouths in admiration.

“I must confess, I was astonished. To move Parmanase and achieve victory in the vote.”
“Yes, I never expected Parmanase would join hands with Sacred Maiden Artemia.”
“She’s far more remarkable than I anticipated. Your Majesty, did you foresee this and prepare the Botia painting accordingly?”
“…That’s wrong.”

Adelin shook her head.

“Parmanase didn’t push Sacred Maiden Artemia forward.”
“Pardon? Then….”
“That child maneuvered Parmanase himself into—.”

.
.

“—placed Parmanase on the board. Yes, this was that child’s plan.”

Maxina nodded and spoke.

“Placed on the board?”
“Parmanase would never have intended to help Sacred Maiden Artemia. He wouldn’t have wanted to be placed on the board.”
“….”
“But she made it so he had no choice but to be placed on the board.”
“I’m not entirely certain what you mean….”
“Once Parmanase is on the board, word will spread. That a magnificent game is afoot. Everyone will want to join that board.”
“Ah, certainly. I’ve already heard that nobles are seeking out Sacred Maiden Artemia’s priests.”

Maxina smiled with satisfaction.

“Now, those latecomers trying to join the board will have to pay a steep price for their seat. Ordinary offerings won’t secure a place.”
“But Your Majesty paid the price first.”

Maxina nodded.

“Saelika must have prepared a seat for me. Unless some force suddenly emerges to shake the entire board.”

It was then.
Without warning, the door burst open.
Maxina’s brow furrowed.

“Your Majesty Empress, a new person has just made contact with Sacred Maiden Artemia…!”
“Why are you making such a fuss?”
“Well… somewhat.”
“Did Saelika encounter a monster or something? Why do you look like that?”
“Well, they are a person, technically speaking…”
“…?”

.
.

“Someone met with Saelika?!”

The Emperor asked the Attendant with a startled expression.
The Attendant spoke with his head bowed.

“Surely this isn’t something to be so surprised about? Prince Ekkelan is a person too. Technically speaking, at least.”
“That ‘technically speaking’ is precisely the problem!”

The Emperor exclaimed.
Duke Makandor, who had been playing chess, opened his mouth.

“Mikhail Ekkelan, you say…? It seems a figure capable of overturning the board has appeared.”

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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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