Youngest on Top - Chapter 213

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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 213

* * *

I was happily finishing off the cookies with the Perardin Noishurael Duke when it happened.

Whoosh—.
A strange sound came from somewhere.
I turned my head and….

“Sh— Your Highness Kaishurit?!”

I jumped up from my seat in shock.
Shuri had vaulted through the window and entered the room.

The Perardin Noishurael Duke reacted faster than I did.
He stepped forward, blocking my path.

“…Duke.”

Kaishurit’s expression stiffened slightly.

“Why would you enter through there when there’s a perfectly good door?”
“There are many people who would obstruct my arrival here.”
“That doesn’t justify breaking in like this.”
“I didn’t realize the Duke was so particular about etiquette.”
“At the very least, I don’t scale the walls of the Sacred Maiden’s inner quarters.”
“This isn’t even the Sacred Maiden’s bedchamber.”

Shuri tilted his head, looking at me behind the Duke.
His well-formed lips curved into a smile.

“Besides, the Sacred Maiden boldly threw herself at me even outside her bedchamber.”
“…!”

The Perardin Noishurael Duke froze as if struck by lightning.

“I covered it up? Your Highness, when did I ever—.”
“It was merely a broadcast accident.”

The Perardin Noishurael Duke dismissed my protest.
Then he shifted his position, completely blocking my path forward.
Preventing me from facing Kaishurit.

‘Why is the Duke acting like this again?’

Wasn’t he being overly defensive toward the Crown Prince?
The Duke wasn’t even my guardian.

‘…At least I’m spared the embarrassment of seeing Shuri’s face.’

“So? If you’re such close friends, you’d know this too?”
“Know what?”
“That Saelika likes me.”

The last time I’d met Shuri.
His words to me remained vivid.

“Saelika seduced me.”

Shuri had said it thinking I was Ricardo.
Remembering that moment, my face inexplicably flushed hot.

There was something subtly seductive about it….
Watching her, one felt tempted to nod along—her expression was that alluring.

“You claim to be close with Saelika, yet you knew nothing.”
“….”
“Remember this well.”

Tap.
His finger tapped my forehead.
Shuri’s smile drew closer still.

“Saelika loves me enough to orchestrate such an elaborate scheme.”

A whispered voice.

‘…I like Shuri?’

It was a truly absurd misunderstanding.
Truly.

I carefully peeked my head out to look at Shuri.
Our eyes met immediately.

“…!”

I hid my face behind the Perardin Noishurael Duke’s back.

‘Why did I hide?!’

I was too flustered to realize it.
That the Perardin Noishurael Duke’s heavy gaze was settling upon my crown, piercing through me.

* * *

The Perardin Noishurael Duke was in a foul mood.
Yes, foul.

The Perardin Noishurael Duke became acutely aware of his own feelings.
A sensation he hadn’t felt in a very long time, and one that felt strangely refreshing.

“It seems Your Grace should take your leave now.”
“This child and I had a prior engagement. Did Your Majesty make an appointment?”
“It appears your prior engagement with the Duke has already concluded.”

Kaishurit spoke, observing the empty teacup and dishes.

“Surely someone who trespassed over the wall without permission has less right to be here than I do.”

Even as he spoke smoothly, the Perardin Noishurael Duke couldn’t understand himself.
The business was already finished.
So he should simply leave.

But why did I dislike leaving the Crown Prince and Saelika alone together like this?

‘…Dislike?’

The Perardin Noishurael Duke paused.
When he thought about it rationally, there was nothing to dislike about it.

Why should he concern himself with Saelika’s or the Crown Prince’s relationship?
More than that, forming a connection with the Crown Prince was beneficial for the Sacred Maiden of Artemisia.

‘…Yes. I should stop meddling and just—.’

“This is a matter between the two of us. It’s not something Your Grace should concern yourself with.”

Snap.
The Perardin Noishurael Duke’s thoughts broke off.

“The two of you…? Us?”

The Perardin Noishurael Duke’s eyes turned cold.

“Since when have His Highness the Crown Prince and this child been naturally grouped together?”

Seeing the Perardin Noishurael Duke taking it the wrong way, Saelika opened her mouth.

‘Why is he getting so angry over just one word?’

“Well, we’ve been grouped together in newspaper articles since we were very young….”

Kaishurit drew out his words and grinned wickedly.

“Perhaps we’ve become more deeply connected recently?”

‘Why is that bastard Shuri provoking again!’

What was even more absurd was that the Perardin Noishurael Duke fell for the provocation!

“Ha. Deeply?”

A fierce aura began to emanate from around Perardin Noishurael Duke.

“Did you not see it yourself, Duke? It was broadcast across the entire continent.”

Kaishurit’s presence was equally formidable.
The energy unleashed by these two beasts sent a gale sweeping through the room.

‘What on earth is happening?!’

Saelika clutched her forehead.

The Crown Prince and the Duke.
Why were they dragging me—the Artemisia Temple—into their power struggle?!

‘If you’re going to fight, take it outside!!’

* * *

Fortunately, the standoff between the two subsided quickly.

“Are you alright, Sae?”
“My dear child, how frightened you must have been by that brute.”
“Oh my, such a precious little one being threatened by that crude Duke….”

The adults, sensing the ominous aura, came rushing in.
Kaishurit withdrew the moment he sensed their presence.

“Tell Ricardo I want to meet with him.”

With that whispered in my ear.

As a result, all suspicion fell squarely on the Duke.

“What were you trying to do to our child?!”
“That ferocious aura—you were threatening our youngest!”
“What kind of child is ours?! Does being a Duke give you the right?!”

Our temple members, now incensed, would not hold back even against a Duke.
The Duke stared directly at me.

‘Yes, I know. I’ll be eighteen next year and become an adult, yet I still hear myself called a baby. Wah-wah.’

Besides, my inner self has easily lived for thousands of years.
As I faced him with an enlightened expression, the Perardin Noishurael Duke’s gaze turned toward us adults.

“Just because you helped that brat in the Sacred Maiden Selection Tournament, don’t think you can do whatever you want with my precious little one!!”
“Even if it’s the Emperor himself, you can’t treat my sweet darling carelessly!!!”
“I had a good impression of the Duke after what happened at the imperial palace last time, but I’m disappointed! How could you direct such vicious energy toward my dear little one…!!”

My mouth fell open at the bewildering pet names.
What on earth had been happening between our adults?!

I knew they clapped and cheered saying ‘well done, my little sprout!’ whenever they watched the broadcast.
But it’s gotten worse, hasn’t it?!

“…What did you just say.”

At the Perardin Noishurael Duke’s cold voice, I snapped to attention with a start.
This wasn’t the time for that.
Hadn’t I realized it watching how Shuellina treated the Duke?
That I shouldn’t treat the Duke so carelessly!

I quickly stopped our adults.

“Please don’t speak to the Duke like that.”
“W-wait, youngest?”
“Please be kind to the Duke.”
“H-how, how….”
“Not us, but take the Duke’s side….”

The adults looked at me with wounded expressions.
But there was no helping it.
This was all for our temple.

“Please be kind to him.”

Thump…!
The adults, who had been trembling as if struck by a massive boulder, suddenly glared at the Perardin Noishurael Duke.
Debon Elder was even biting his handkerchief.

“I don’t know how you managed to win over my precious darling!”
“My sweet little one belongs to us!”
“My adorable angel loves us far more than you!!!”
“Don’t get cocky just because my cute little treasure was told to treat you well!!”

That’s enough!!!!

* * *

“How… how sacrilegious…!”

The Adjutant of Perardin Noishurael Duke clicked his tongue indignantly.
The Adjutant who had entered with the Temple Priests was furious at the conduct of Artemisia Temple.

‘How dare they treat the lord of the North and the Empire’s sole Duke in such a manner…!’

The Adjutant watched the Duke’s expression with an angry face.
But what was this.

‘He seems to be… in a good mood?’

Though his face was expressionless, the Adjutant could tell.
The Perardin Noishurael Duke was in a good mood right now.

The Adjutant, who had boarded the carriage with the Duke, carefully broached the subject.

“I never expected the Temple Priests of Artemisia to behave so disrespectfully toward Your Highness. Considering how much you’ve supported Artemisia in the Sacred Maiden Selection Tournament…”
“The Sacred Maiden I cherish took my side over them. That’s all there is to it.”
“Still, even so…”
“If that child hadn’t sided with me so strongly, I wouldn’t be this pleased.”
“Pardon?”
“She took my side without a moment’s hesitation.”
“…”

The Adjutant’s eyes narrowed.
Something felt off about this conversation.

The Duke turned his head to gaze out the window.
And then he muttered softly.

“How utterly ugly is the jealousy of adults.”

A victor’s smile played at the corners of my lips.

“….”

The Adjutant’s philtrum deepened.
Countless words came to mind, but he swallowed them all.

The Duke remained silent for a long while, lost in thought.
As the carriage passed through the plaza, the Duke’s lips finally parted.

“They called that child ‘Aga.'”
“Pardon?”
“They called her ‘Sae.'”

The Adjutant understood what the Duke was referring to.
It was about the terms of endearment the Artemisia Temple priests used for their Sacred Maiden.

“Well, the Artemisia Temple’s excessive doting is hardly a secret. What temple wouldn’t cherish their Sacred Maiden, but….”
“They also called her ‘the youngest precious one.'”

The Duke murmured as if he hadn’t heard a word the Adjutant said.

“Ururukkung, soft bean cake woong-ae, ooh-buh-buh-buh….”
“…?”
“Ppojak-pposhi-raegi, aga-cheonsa-oom-nyam-nyam-kang-jwi, gwiyeom-kong-tteok-malrang-ppojak-aga-pudding-i….”
“…?!???!?!”

The Adjutant’s mind reeled at this torrent of words utterly unbecoming of Perardin Noishurael Duke.

‘Has he been shocked? By those extraordinary terms of endearment…. Well, it would make sense—.’

The Adjutant’s thoughts faltered.

‘Wait.’

With narrowed eyes, he studied the face of the master he had served for decades.

‘…But why does he have that envious look on his face?!’

Could it be….
Could it be?

At that moment, the Perardin Noishurael Duke turned his head to look at the Adjutant.
His eyes regained focus as if his mind had returned(?).

“Turn the carriage around.”
“Sir?”
“We’re going to Admiral Ekellan’s residence.”

* * *

Though it was late afternoon, Admiral Ekellan was still in his bedroom.
A bottle of liquor on the side table.
Playing cards scattered about.
The thick scent of musk permeating the air.

The Perardin Noishurael Duke furrowed his brow.

“Well, what brings you all the way here?”

With a languid voice, Admiral Ekellan rose like a beast awakening from slumber.
Beneath his unbuttoned shirt, his firm pectoral and abdominal muscles rippled with each movement.

“You still live so squalidly.”
“Squalidly? I know how to enjoy life.”
“Is this truly an environment to raise ‘my son’?”
“I don’t know. I hear ‘my son’ at least prefers it to the Duke’s mansion.”

Crack!
Sparks flew between their gazes.

The Perardin Noishurael Duke let out a short sigh and sat on the sofa.
Admiral Ekellan shuffled over and sprawled across the opposite seat.

“So, what brings you here?”
“Do you know how that child cut cookies for me?”

It was a statement without beginning or end.
However, Admiral Ekellan immediately understood who he was referring to and what story this was about.

“…If you came to blame me, you’ve got the wrong address.”
“….”
“I never told you to cut cookies that way.”
“…I know that.”
“Then you didn’t come to blame me for that?”

Admiral Ekellan looked at the Duke with surprised eyes.

The Duke bent his upper body forward.
Deep shadows fell across his face, sharp as a carved statue.

He remained silent in that position for a long time.
Even the Admiral, who would normally have thrown some jest at the Duke, kept his silence.

How much time had passed?
Perardin Noishurael Duke’s lips trembled before closing again.
The Admiral let out a deep sigh and opened his mouth.

“I was surprised too. When I first met her, she cut cookies for me that way.”
“….”
“When I asked why she was giving them to me like that, she said—”
“….”
“The thick part in the middle is the softest and most delicious.”
“….”
“The reason was exactly the same— so I….”

The Admiral swallowed his words as if swallowing his emotions.
Perardin Noishurael Duke blinked with difficulty.
He reached out and grabbed the half-empty bottle of liquor.
Seeing him drink it down in one go, Admiral Ekellan asked.

“Looking at you, it seems that’s not all?”
“…That child said the exact same thing she did.”
“…What?”
“That I have stalker tendencies.”

The Perardin Noishurael Duke let out a hollow laugh.
One that looked strangely pitiful.

—————
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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