Youngest on Top - Chapter 186

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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 186

* * *

The Grand Sacred Maiden.
Among all the Sacred Maidens in each temple, she who possesses the highest qualities and potential, recognized as the most exalted being.
She who holds the authority to unite all Sacred Maidens and all temples.
She who calls forth miracles upon this land.
The Divine Regent.

“There are countless other titles besides these.”

I nodded at the High Priest’s words.

‘I never imagined something like this would happen the moment I returned to the temple.’

The sacred flame had ignited.
That holy fire is a divine instrument bestowed upon the mortal realm by God.
A flame that warns of impending danger to the earth.

“When the sacred flame rises, the divine will commands us to select a Grand Sacred Maiden and overcome the crisis.”
“And this is that moment.”
“Indeed.”
“Perhaps this works out well.”

All Sacred Maidens must bow their heads to the Grand Sacred Maiden.
Beyond that, the Grand Sacred Maiden possesses far greater authority than any Sacred Maiden.
But most importantly, the most exceptional aspect is—

“The Grand Sacred Maiden never loses her power as a Sacred Maiden, even unto death.”

Typically, each temple has one Sacred Maiden per generation.
As generations change, the previous generation’s Sacred Maiden naturally loses her power.

‘I cannot lose my strength until I restore the Artemia Temple to its former glory.’

Among all of them, there was but one exception.
The Grand Sacred Maiden.

“I was already wondering why the Messis period was delayed.”

As I mentioned before, the Messis period refers to the time when children with talent in sacred power are born.
Thanks to this, the priests of the temple can share the same generation.

‘I wasn’t born during the Messis period, so I’m younger than the other children.’

“It certainly has been delayed. All the Sacred Maidens from other temples have already passed twenty and entered their prime.”
“But the Messis period hasn’t even begun yet. Now I understand why.”

It’s all to give birth to a Grand Sacred Maiden.

“Saelika.”
“Yes, High Priest.”
“You don’t necessarily need to become a Grand Sacred Maiden.”
“Yes…?”

I lifted my head in surprise.
The High Priest was gazing at me with eyes of unfathomable depth.
The other adults wore the same expression.

“The High Priest speaks the truth.”
“The path to becoming a Grand Sacred Maiden is treacherous. In the worst case, you could lose your life.”
“You don’t have to overcome the risk of death and become a Grand Sacred Maiden to shine with glory.”
“Sae, your very existence is enough for us—”
“What are you saying!”

I was so flabbergasted that I thrust my fist up with a sharp motion.

“Of course I have to become a Grand Sacred Maiden!”
“…”
“…”
“I’ll crush everything that stands in the way of becoming a Grand Sacred Maiden!!”

Whoooosh—!
For some reason, silence fell over the reception hall and a cold wind swept through.

“…Wasn’t that just a touching moment?”
“It’s strange—after half a year away, nothing has changed in the temple.”
“If our youngest changed, then she wouldn’t be our youngest.”

I heard the adults murmuring amongst themselves.
I cleared my throat and lifted my chin.

“I am the Sacred Maiden of Artemia. Of course I’ll become the High Priestess.”

If I bowed to another Sacred Maiden?
Then Artemia would be bowing to another god as well.

‘I absolutely cannot allow Artemia to submit to another god!’

I burned with fierce determination.
I would kill anyone who dared to stand above me!

“That’s the spirit!!”

With a resounding shout, someone suddenly embraced me.
It was Debon Elder.

“Well said, our little treasure!! How could our precious gem ever submit to anything else?”
“Debon Elder speaks the truth!”
“Our tiger is a tiger, after all!”
“I saw before how a rabbit kicked an eagle with its hind legs and won.”

No one but our youngest could become the High Priestess!
The adults gazed at me with sparkling eyes.

‘This… this isn’t what I meant?’

Somehow it felt burdensome.
Just as I was about to unconsciously step backward.
Tap—hands settled upon both my shoulders.

“Of course. She’s my daughter.”
“My daughter is the most magnificent in the world.”

It was Kaiser and Randel.

‘Please do something about this atmosphere, High Priest!!’

The High Priest, receiving my desperate gaze, arrogantly tilted his chin upward.

“She’s my granddaughter.”
“….”

Our temple is doomed.

* * *

The Grand Sacred Maiden Selection Operations Headquarters.
The moment flames soared from the sacred fire, the hastily established headquarters moved with perfect coordination.
Journalists had set up camp and were peering at the entrance.

“I didn’t know the Grand Sacred Maiden selection actually proceeded like this.”
“What do you mean?”
“Of course, I thought high-ranking officials would secretly light the sacred fire according to their needs.”
“Well, that’s a reasonable question for a journalist. But unfortunately, the Grand Sacred Maiden selection is genuine.”

The senior journalist grinned and nudged his junior colleague.

“Pay close attention to the atmosphere. This is no different from a gambling den. You need to place your bets wisely.”
“True, even a Sacred Maiden from the very bottom gets a chance to receive attention and interest.”
“Usually, those who already have everything climb even higher. But if we use this opportunity well, we’ll strike it big too.”

The junior journalist tilted his head and looked at his senior.

“But why are we here?”
“What do you mean?”
“Shouldn’t we get interviews with the leading contenders first?”
“How would you know who the favorites are?”
“Well, by looking at the temple factions….”

The senior journalist shook his head, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

“The most important thing is what kind of picture the Operations Headquarters is trying to paint.”
“…?”
“Remember how you turned that famous opera singer—our knight—into someone unlikeable with just a few lines?”
“Come on, I didn’t make anything up. I exposed the truth.”
“The public doesn’t see the Sacred Maiden directly.”
“….”
“They see her through the lens that the Operations Headquarters shows them.”

The junior reporter swallowed hard at the senior journalist’s words.

“You mean….”
“The words being exchanged in there right now will determine the direction of this entire gamble going forward. Do you understand?”
“Yes!”
“Then hurry and grab the Manashell. We need to catch whatever we can.”

* * *

Inside the Operations Headquarters First Tournament Group Composition Team conference room.

“Position any Sacred Maiden with the potential to become a High Priestess as favorably as possible. That way, when she eventually becomes a High Priestess, she’ll have momentum behind her.”
“Amelia from Parmanase is naturally S-rank, right?”
“Of course. She’s been the only S-rank so far.”
“What about this one? Helene from Reyatan? Ugh, her background is absolutely ridiculous. Let’s put her at F-rank.”
“F-rank is just a throwaway category anyway. Pair her with S-rank or A-rank to make her a sacrificial lamb.”
“Um, what should we do about Artemia?”

At those words, everyone’s gaze turned toward the speaker.
Emily, sitting beside them, opened her mouth.

“Sacred Maiden Artemia? She hasn’t done anything noteworthy in years.”
“But she has star power. Just a few years ago, she drew tremendous attention.”
“A fleeting star, that’s all.”
“Emily, still—.”
“What about a C rating?”
“What?! That’s absurd! She’s still an Octagon contestant…. She deserves an A.”
“Look at Sacred Maiden Badarler, classified as A-grade here. She’s an Octagon contestant who brought rain during last year’s drought.”
“….”
“You’re saying someone who no one even knows what she’s doing now, a washed-up fleeting star, deserves the same rank as her?”
“No one knows what she’s doing, you say. But just recently—.”
“Is that the same as bringing rain during a drought?”
“….”
“I understand the fan sentiment. But let’s do this properly.”

That was when it happened.
A knock sounded, and the door opened.
The people in the meeting rose from their seats at the Official’s entrance.

“Please, everyone sit.”

The Official gestured quickly, then continued speaking.

“You all understand our objective. We must draw people’s attention to this Grand Sacred Maiden selection by any means necessary.”
“….”
“The atmosphere across the entire continent is unsettling right now. Cults are even emerging in the outer regions.”

The Official picked up the tournament bracket on the table.
The bracket had ten seeds classified on it.

“The principle is to draw seeds randomly and transparently. But if there’s no excitement, if people turn away, what’s the point of any of it?”
“….”
“If a crisis arrives in the near future, a Grand Sacred Maiden chosen this way won’t be of much use.”

Tap.
The Official set down the tournament bracket.

“I trust you all understand what I’m saying.”

The Official left those words behind and exited the conference room.
Emily let out a sly laugh.

“Then Sacred Maiden Artemia will have to go with C-rank after all.”

Emily scrawled a large ‘C’ across Saelika’s documents.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she glanced around the room.

“Ah, hearing what you just said reminded me of a proposal.”
“A proposal?”
“The tournament seeds are being arranged with balance in mind, so higher-ranked competitors don’t face off from the beginning, right?”

Lower-ranked competitors served the purpose of making higher-ranked ones shine, which was convenient.

“Wouldn’t it be fine to have one seed we sacrifice for drawing attention?”
“A seed we sacrifice?”
“Yes, to draw interest in the early rounds.”
“But to throw away an entire seed…”
“We could compose it with Sacred Maidens classified as D, E, and F.”
“…!”
“W-well, it’s not a bad idea, but isn’t that too harsh? Not giving them any chance at all—.”
“It’s to birth a powerful Grand Sacred Maiden and save the world.”

The justification was solid.
Everyone fell silent.
Emily opened her mouth with a troubled expression.

“Ah, but people might find it suspicious. If the seed drawing all that attention only has obviously weak Sacred Maidens.”
“Then—.”
“What if we add a few decent ones from C-rank as bluffing material? Then the public won’t think we deliberately sacrificed an entire seed.”
“Will C-rank be enough for that?”
“We can’t exactly throw away B-rank either.”

Emily exclaimed “Ah!” as a brilliant idea struck her.

“We should put Sacred Maiden Saelika in. She’s C-rank, but depending on who you ask, they’d think she’s A-rank.”

Emily glanced to the side as she spoke.
A moment of silence settled over the conference room.
However, Emily’s proposal was certainly a clever scheme that could concentrate the public’s attention all at once.

‘…If she’s truly a Sacred Maiden with real power, she’ll survive even from a discarded seed.’

In the end, rationalizing it that way, the people nodded their heads.
Emily smiled with satisfaction.

‘Hehe, Beatrix will love this.’

* * *

“It’ll definitely draw attention.”

At Ilay’s words, I shrugged my shoulders.

“Of course it will. People’s attention needs to be focused so that when the Grand Maiden is selected, she can wield greater power. They’re already promoting it heavily anyway.”

[Vote for your Sacred Maiden]

As I tapped the Mana Shell screen displaying those words, Ilay shook his head.

“No, it’s not just that. Drawing attention like this could mean someone dies in the very first match.”
“Huh?!”
“When someone dies at the start of a drama, it becomes a hot topic. The more shocking the death, the better.”
“….”
“In reality shows, they edit things to make people look bad, then witch-hunt them to death….”
“…?”
“These temples already have strong entertainment tendencies anyway. They broadcast their competitions against each other as conferences, and popularity actually affects their real power.”
“Explain it so I can understand.”
“The operations headquarters could deliberately create a scapegoat Sacred Maiden.”
“Ilay, how did you come up with such a cunning idea….”
“After living for decades in a capitalist society rife with showbiz, you end up thinking like this.”

What kind of place is Earth, anyway?
But there was merit to what Ilay said.

“I wish I knew how it would proceed beforehand. You said there was no Sacred Maiden selection before the regression, right?”
“Right. But don’t worry.”
“How can I not worry?”

Ilay rested his hand on top of my head.

“It’s your matter.”

I gazed quietly at Ilay.

“Ilay.”
“Hmm?”
“Shouldn’t you be the one participating in the Sacred Maiden selection?”
“What?”
“I think you could win with just your face.”

Ilay chuckled softly.

“Am I really that handsome?”
“Of course. It’s Artemia. Have faith sincerely. If you believe in Artemia, you’ll become even more handsome.”
“….”
“Do your best. You need to spread the word about Artemia’s handsomeness. Understand?”
“….”

Why isn’t he saying anything?

“Anyway, don’t worry too much about the Sacred Maiden selection. Actually, it’s turned out well.”
“Turned out well?”

I silently activated the Eye of Omniscience.
A map of the continent materialized before my eyes.

‘The contamination is growing worse with each passing day.’

I had found it strange that despite continuous purification, the contamination only worsened.
Only recently did I discover that heretical cults had been spreading in secret.

‘If the heretical cults are the source of the contamination, it makes sense that I couldn’t properly perform purification.’

So I was investigating the heretical sect when the selection of the Grand Sacred Maiden was decided.

“From now on, my image will continue to be broadcast. The more attention and goodwill I receive from people—the more people believe in me, the stronger my power becomes.”

Through people’s faith, a trivial demon can play the role of a god.
And a god who possessed power greater than anyone else can become powerless.

“And if the attention of the entire continent beyond the empire focuses on the Grand Sacred Maiden selection, I can also check the heretical sect to some extent.”
“…You.”
“…?”
“You always see so much more.”
“Huh?”
“…I only think about whether you can win. Whether it might be dangerous.”

Ilay lowered his head.
His face was not clearly visible.

It was strange.
Ilay was now a full-grown man.
He had grown tall, his shoulders were broad and firm, and his jawline had sharpened into maturity.

Yet strangely, right now Ilay looked like the age he was when I first met him.
Though he never showed me this side back then.
I grabbed his arm.

“Don’t worry.”
“….”
“There’s no way I could lose, right?”

It wasn’t an empty boast.
Everyone says the Grand Sacred Maiden selection is unprecedented.
After all, no sacred flame has bloomed in hundreds of years.

‘But I’ve watched from above several times before!’

I lifted Honey Bread up with a flourish.

“I’ve never lost, not even when I fought 1,700 against 1 in the heavenly realm.”

Only then did Ilay smile.
He flicked my forehead.

“This isn’t a brawl.”
“If it looks like we’re losing, we’ll just beat them and win anyway.”
“Right.”

Ilay grinned widely.

“If things get rough, I can always step in since you praised me for being so handsome.”
“Get your words straight! Honeybread thinks I’m more handsome than you?!”

A booming voice made my ears ring.
Behind Dmitri, I could see Edmund and Roana.

“Show some dignity. The youngest likes people who are refined and dignified. Like me, for instance.”
“Sae is closest to me!”
“…Knock before you enter.”

Ilay sighed.
I could still see shadows hovering at the open doorway.
The shadows of my children.

‘Though they’ve grown so much, they’re hardly children anymore.’

The thought that they were all worried about me made me laugh.

‘Then I should tell them not to worry!’

“Everyone, gather around!”
“Huh, what?”
“G-gather? We just got back today?”
“To celebrate our return—.”

I pointed to the ground.

“Roll.”
“….”
“….”
“You don’t want to roll? Fine. I’ll make sure you can’t help but—.”
“I’ll roll! I’m rolling!!”
“Everyone to the training grounds! Let’s go roll!!”

The children bolted toward the training grounds.
Gone was the listlessness from before—they’d become remarkably spirited.

Enrik: …Spirited, you say?
Enrik: That?

And so time passed.
A month later.

The first selection tournament for the Grand Sacred Maiden was held.

—————
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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