Youngest on Top - Chapter 173

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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 173

“Be quiet.”
“Why, sir? Are we disturbing your view of the little Sacred Maiden?”

Eventually, Shuri turned his head to look at his retainers.
They clamped their mouths shut as if to say when had he ever smiled like that.

They weren’t worth engaging with.
Shuri turned his head back.

“But why did you really help us?”

A retainer asked seriously.
Though he’d joked about it, there was no way someone would help another person out of pure goodwill without reason. Especially not Shuri.
Especially not Shuri of all people.

“Did I not tell you? I find it suspicious.”
“Ah, you helped us because you found it suspicious?”
“Since it’s suspicious, I must continue observing.”

This was understandable reasoning.
The retainers nodded their heads.
But they still didn’t understand why he’d helped.

Shuri explained while regarding his retainers with a look of pity.

“For that, it’s better if the Temple of Artemia establishes itself firmly within the system.”
“Ah, certainly. It would be difficult to observe from so far away in the eastern islands.”

Once firmly established within the system, he would have reason to visit frequently for management purposes.
Especially since the Temple of Artemia’s foundation within the system is currently centered on Saelika.

“…But couldn’t you just assign people without helping and be done with it?”
“Yes, that would be more convenient and easier.”

There was no need for Shuri to personally examine Saelika himself.

“It’s more reliable to watch from up close than from a distance.”
“Well, that’s certainly true, but…”
“And it wouldn’t hurt to win her favor while we have the chance.”
“…Her favor?”

The retainers stared at their master with bewildered eyes.

‘No, if you want to win her favor, you have to help openly.’
‘How would the little Sacred Maiden ever know if you help her in secret like this?’

The journalists swarming like bees to the Parmanase Temple’s Institutional Branch right now.
They hadn’t come by chance.
They’d all come with Shuri’s influence pulling strings from above.

Of course, Saelika had invited the journalists first, and they’d gladly accepted her invitation.
Sacred Maiden Saelika, who was currently setting the Institutional Branch ablaze with excitement.
What journalist would want to miss following her movements?

But how to handle the article content was another matter entirely.
With public opinion being so favorable, they wouldn’t dare put negative articles about Saelika front and center—.

‘They would have hesitated to attack by dragging Parmanase into it.’

Considering the media outlets’ established stance and their already entrenched relationships, it was certain.

‘Actually, the little Sacred Maiden’s good public opinion is all thanks to the master…’

The subjugation broadcast was watched by the nobles in the conference hall.
But how would all the citizens of the Institutional Branch know about that footage?

‘It’s because the master released that video to the Mana Network.’

Thanks to that, people were still rewatching the video on their Mana Shells and leaving comments on it.

‘And when Admiral Ekellan and Duke Perardin Noishurael began moving, the master quietly withdrew, didn’t he.’

In other words, he’d even concealed the fact that Shuri had played a role in spreading the video.
(For reference, Mikhail simply enjoyed the video. He regretted that he should have gone too.)

‘Then at least you should make it obvious that you’ve been moving the reporters today!’

My retainers were frustrated.
It wasn’t just this matter.
What about in the Dantalian Desert?

Right after the subjugation ended.
There was a group that tried to approach Saelika.
Masked figures wearing bone masks.

The trainee priests who had just felled the core were all exhausted.
It wasn’t a favorable situation to respond.

That’s when Shuri stepped forward.
Or rather, it was ambiguous to say he stepped forward.
Shuri simply revealed his presence right there.

That alone was enough.
The bone-masked figure, sensing the aura Shuri quietly emanated, flinched and raised his head.
Then he turned back the way he came.

‘…His condition must not be good either.’

The seal Ricardo had placed was beginning to crack.
The curse trapped within was trying to force its way through the gaps by any means.
A situation of enduring a curse that thrashed about ever more fiercely and violently.

“In any case, that child needs to establish herself properly in the system.”
“It’s a system within the Master’s sight.”

The nuance was a bit strange.
Shuri furrowed his brow as he looked at his retainers, then issued an order.

“Make sure Houston fulfills his promise properly.”
“Yes.”

My retainers bowed respectfully.
Then they slowly raised their heads and added something more.

“But Master, shouldn’t you make it obvious that you’re helping the little Sacred Maiden if you want to win her heart?”
“…That’s not what I’m trying to do.”
“Yes, well. To keep a closer watch on her, of course.”
“That way, the baby Sacred Maiden will trust and rely on you more. You can’t keep helping her in secret like this.”

Shuri crossed his arms and pondered for a moment.

“Didn’t you all say before that it’s good to share common interests?”
“We did, sir.”
“So I read the same book that child reads.”
“Oh…!”

The retainers were taken aback.
The Master was taking such a human approach!

“In that book, the protagonist got annoyed when the other person interfered openly, and when they helped subtly while making it obvious, the protagonist found it irritating and shameless.”
“…Well, that’s not wrong, I suppose.”
“The best reaction came when the protagonist accidentally discovered that the other person had been secretly helping them.”

Of course, she’d probably be moved then. Probably—.

‘Something about the book’s content seems odd.’

I naturally assumed the Sacred Maiden would be reading scripture.
But the more I hear about it, the more it sounds like a romance novel….

“What’s the title of that book?”
“After the Divorce, My Ex-Husband, the Northern Duke, Became Obsessed with Me.”
“…Pardon?”
“After the Divorce, My Ex-Husband, the Northern Duke, Became Obsessed with Me. Are you deaf?”
“….”

The retainers fell silent.

‘Isn’t a divorce story too mature for a child?!’
‘Is that really the problem right now?’

And just thinking about how my master read it with such a serious expression….
Suddenly, dizziness washed over me.
Was this really just an action taken to monitor out of suspicion?

“Well, um, that is…. Wouldn’t it be better to show it anyway? A novel is just a novel….”
“You want me to make a show of every trivial matter?”
“Trivial matter?”

The retainers were at a loss for words.
Who in their right mind would call crossing a desert to protect someone and manipulating the press trivial?

“Boasting about insignificant deeds only brings shame.”

‘Honestly, if the little Sacred Maiden returns now, Admiral Ekellan will probably be the first to boast about what he did.’
‘He’ll definitely boast.’

“…Then why don’t you just go and pretend to be ill?”
“Have I lost my mind?”
“The baby Sacred Maiden is weak to sick people, so just do that much.”
“Even if one were truly ill, showing one’s illness is something only the weak do. Much less pretending to be ill.”
“Didn’t you do that before?”

When those three fools were hitting on Saelika.
Wasn’t it then that he, faster than anyone else, pretended to be ill in a way unlike the others?

“That was merely a strategic move given the circumstances at the time.”
“Yes, yes.”
“It won’t happen again.”

Shuri declared sharply.

* * *

“Look at what I’ve done for our little apple’s apology. Give daddy Serge a kiss for working so hard!!”
“Who are you calling daddy?”
“Hmph, Kaiser, you claim to be the apple’s father—so what exactly did you do?”
“You went along with Bennayser and yet didn’t participate in the subjugation. Because of that, how much did Saelika suffer? In that dusty place.”
“My daughter told me to stay put. I kept my promise to her.”
“Apple, why didn’t you take me along? It looked like so much fun.”
“Why would we bring Prince Ekkelan to our temple’s affairs?”
“But still, the apple and I aren’t strangers.”

Back in the Celestial Realm, my brothers all said I lacked patience.
But truthfully, there’s no angel with more forbearance than I possess.
Because I’ve endured this chaos for days since returning to Seido.

“Apple, daddy Serge did well, didn’t he? Give me a kiss of praise!”
“Who dares thrust that filthy face at my daughter!”
“Saelika, look at the view count on this. I uploaded this video.”

For once, these days had been filled with good things.
Without the help of others, such favorable results would have been difficult to achieve.

‘So I should endure. Even if I become a wreck, I should endure. Just endure—’

“Take your hands off my daughter!”
“No! She’s my apple.”
“Give me my precious one!”

‘—or should I?’

In the end, I exploded.

“Everyone out!!”
“Whimper.”

The adults began to sniffle.
I made a decision.
If they won’t leave, then I will.

.
.

After overcoming numerous obstacles, I succeeded in escaping alone.

‘Phew, that was exhausting.’

Somehow, it had been more difficult than fleeing from my brothers in the Celestial Realm.
I pulled out something from my bosom that could soothe my weary body and spirit in an instant.

‘The deed!’

I unfolded the document I’d examined countless times once more.
There, the words “Transfer of Land Ownership” were written boldly.

‘From Parmanase to Artemia!’

With this, I had completely reclaimed the land that had been stolen from me.
And Houston, who had issued this deed, would no longer be seen in the empire.

‘Given Beatrix’s personality, she wouldn’t simply let Houston go unscathed.’

Houston had committed far too many failures.
Starting with the Kingdom of Bennayser and the Valotel Temple, all the way to my branch vote and public subjugation.

‘Ah, he was such a useful fool.’

From my perspective, all of this had been made possible thanks to Houston.

‘Even without me doing anything, he gave me free publicity. And as he departed, he even gave me land as a final gift.’

I won’t forget! I won’t forget!
I shed tears gazing up at that distant sky.

The only thing that bothered me was that Parmanase’s statue was slightly obscuring that sky.

Enrik: We’re tearing it down soon anyway, right?
Kailros: Now that it’s become your land again, my lady.

I nodded in agreement.
The park where I now stood had become our land.

‘Now I just need to recover the divine statue.’

The ‘Miraculous Divine Statue’ that once stood in this place had long since vanished from sight.
I’d made inquiries everywhere, but couldn’t find a single clue as to its whereabouts.

‘Artemia, are you listening? You’ve been responding well lately. What about the divine statue—is there nothing we can do?’

Just then, I spotted a familiar figure in the distance.

‘Shuri?’

Despite the casual attire and hood, his exceptionally striking bearing made him unmistakable.

‘Well, I should just pretend I didn’t see him.’

I turned to leave, but our eyes met directly.
I had no choice but to approach him.

“Crown Prince, what brings you to a park like this?”
“I have business here.”
“Business?”

What sort of business could possibly bring someone to a park where everyone comes and goes?
Though admittedly, there wasn’t a soul around Shuri.

“…It’s quite the coincidence, meeting like this.”
“Indeed.”

I shrugged my shoulders.
Shuri let out a soft laugh.
Even beneath the shadow of the hood, his enigmatic eyes still gleamed more brilliantly than any jewel.

“Congratulations, Sacred Maiden.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. You must have been quite busy lately?”

When I was first invited to the imperial palace, I thought I wouldn’t encounter Shuri.
Yet I ran into him far more often than expected, and just as I was growing accustomed to it, he suddenly vanished from sight.

“…A puppy running around here and there, so I’ve been chasing after it.”
“A puppy?”
“Well, perhaps not a puppy. There is one. Quite demanding, that creature.”

Shuri smiled.
That smile made me feel oddly more uneasy.

‘That “puppy” isn’t actually a person, is it? Did someone he was supposed to deal with escape?’

Whoever it was, I genuinely pitied them.

‘How unfortunate to have fallen into Shuri’s hands.’

I needed to slip away before any of this blowback landed on me.

A scene I’d witnessed in Roynando’s memories.
I was curious about what had transpired between young Shuri and the Crown Prince Roynando, but it wasn’t something I absolutely needed to know.

To be honest, it felt rather awkward.
The last time I’d seen him, I’d thrown a punch at him.
Realizing it had actually been a kick, not a punch, made me genuinely uncomfortable.

‘What if I become the next “puppy”?’

And if he discovered I was Ricardo—

“Well then, I should be going.”

At my words, Shuri lifted his head.

* * *

“What do you think?”

At the Emperor’s question, the Attendant clapped his hands.

“Indeed, Your Imperial Majesty. Even in plain clothes, you carry such commanding presence and magnificence.”

The Emperor stroked his chin with satisfaction.
He was currently riding in a carriage without imperial seals, dressed in plain clothes.
To visit Saelika.

“I’m curious how that child will react when she receives such a plump new statue.”
“Are you truly planning to call it a plump statue even before Sacred Maiden Saelika?”
“…? But that’s the statue’s actual name, isn’t it?”
….

The Attendant gave up.

“It was worth the wait. Didn’t the perfect dramatic setting fall into place?”
“Yes, and of all places, you’re gifting the plump statue in the park where Parmanase’s statue stands.”
“That child arranged this dramatic stage. She knew I would gift her the plump statue.”
“I see….”
“It means our event together is precious to her as well.”
“Yes….”

The Attendant had much to say but held back.
He was beginning to think the Emperor might actually be right about everything.

Soon the carriage came to a halt.
The Emperor hummed as he descended from the carriage.
Walking deeper into the park, the Emperor whispered.

“Look at that. Not a soul around. That child prepared this emptiness for our event together, I’m telling you.”
“Indeed, Your Majesty.”

The Attendant was inwardly astonished.
He thought the Emperor might be right, but he never expected it to be this certain.
The Attendant opened his mouth with an admiring expression.

“Then did Your Majesty also anticipate that scene?”
“Hmm? What scene?”
“The Crown Prince is here, Your Majesty.”
“What?”

The Emperor stretched his neck forward with a startled expression.

“Why is he here?!”
“Your Majesty was unaware?”
“How am I supposed to understand Kaishurit’s actions? I’m no god.”
“….”

The Attendant regarded the Emperor with an incredulous gaze.
Surely he could understand his own son’s actions, at least?

‘Though, this is Kaishurit we’re talking about, not just any prince….’

It was not entirely incomprehensible.

“Duck!”
“Pardon?”
“Duck down! Hide for now!”

The Emperor concealed his head among the flower beds.
Then he observed Saelika and Kaishurit intently.
After watching for some time, the Emperor spoke.

“This makes absolutely no sense.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“But I’m asking just in case, you understand.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor’s face took on the expression of one defying the very laws of physics itself.

“Are those two flirting?”

—————
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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