Youngest on Top - Chapter 219

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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 219

Wiridian momentarily lost his words.
A quiet forest.
Golden hair gleamed palely, revealing his presence.
Skin that shone like pearls.
Eyes that glowed a clear blue like midday beneath the night sky.
As if I had seen it before—or merely thought I had seen it…

“Wiridian?”

At those words, Wiridian snapped back to attention.
He glared at the uninvited guest with guarded eyes.

“…The Sacred Maiden of Artemisia.”
“I’m Sae.”
“How did you come to this place?”
“Is it forbidden? This isn’t Elven land either. It’s a forest anyone can visit.”
“That’s only something you can say if we hadn’t met while you were pretending it was coincidence.”
“Well, you’re right about that.”

Sae shrugged lightly.
Her demeanor was composed and unflappable.

“I came looking for you on purpose.”
“…”

Wiridian felt an odd tingling sensation below his neck.
He clenched his fists tightly, deliberately shaking off that sensation.

“Did you follow me?”
“You know that’s not true. I’m not foolish enough to think I could tail an Elf in the forest without being detected.”
“There are humans foolish enough to attempt such things occasionally.”
“Those people are just stupid.”

Sae smiled softly and looked at Wiridian.

“I just thought you’d prefer a place like this to the Imperial Palace.”

The prickling sensation had now crept up to my throat.

“What do you think you know about me?”

The moment Wiridian asked, he regretted it.
It was a pointless question he shouldn’t have asked.
Yet he couldn’t help but let it spill out like a sneeze.

Sae stared at him before answering.

“Well— I know nothing at all.”
“….”

It was a deflating response.

‘What was I expecting?’

Wiridian clicked his tongue inwardly, then froze.

‘…Expecting?’

Had he truly done such a thing?
From a human?
And moreover—

‘From Artemia’s Sacred Maiden?’

Wiridian’s sculptural face hardened into rigid planes.

“I don’t know what schemes you used to extract permission from the King, but they won’t work on me.”
“Schemes? I made a fair wager and—.”
“Artemia has no credibility with me.”
“Why on earth—.”

Sae, who had been about to argue back in frustration, released a long, deep sigh instead.

‘I need to hold back.’

Everyone everywhere was catering to Wiridian’s moods and making a fuss, so there was no point in indulging my own temper here.

Anakin: Why does Sacred Maiden Artemia tolerate this?
Anakin: That elf should be punished for daring to spout such nonsense about lacking credibility.

‘Hmm, seeing Anakin speak like this tells me that restraint is the answer.’

Saelika became certain of it.

“Then what about Parmanace?”
“What?”
“Does Parmanace have credibility?”
“….”

Saelika let out a soft laugh.

‘Still can’t tell a lie, I see.’

“Shall I guess? Amelia must have made a perfectly sound proposal.”
“….”
“More precisely, a perfect proposal from the perspective of humans, Parmanace, and the elves.”
“….”
“But not from the perspective of the elves—from your perspective, Wiridian. Isn’t that right?”
“….”

Wiridian had no answer.
But in that silence, Saelika read affirmation.

‘That bastard, still the type to clamp his mouth shut rather than lie.’

I’d thought he’d grown foolish seeing him prattle on about credibility, but his core had matured well.

Before regression, I never understood how Amelia came to be so beloved by the elves.

‘But I know other things.’

The behavioral patterns of those Parmanace creatures.
And—

‘Wiridian, you.’

Saelika spoke with certainty.

“Amelia must have offered favorable conditions only to those she hand-picked to suit her tastes.”
“….”
“Of course, she’ll claim it’s for the sake of all humanity.”
“….”
“But there will be far too many people excluded from that definition of humanity.”

Just as I was excluded before my regression.

“Certainly, some would actually prefer that. In fact, most people would find such terms favorable. But you are not one of them.”
“….”
“Isn’t that right?”
“…Is Artemia different, then?”
“Of course she is.”

Saelika cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders with confidence.

“I won’t speak of giving lands to the Elves, or bestowing mana stones, or providing whatever resources they desire.”
“….”
“As the Sacred Maiden chosen by Artemia, I will become the Elves’ friend with sincerity and faith.”
“….”
“What do you think, Wiridian?”

The name Saelika called drifted gently on the breeze.

“Wiridian.”

A voice I had heard once before.
The voice that had called my name.

“I won’t grant the Elves powerful divine authority or bestow great blessings upon them.”

A faint smile came to mind, hazy and indistinct.

“But you are my friends.”
“….”
“Of course I will help you.”

Wiridian’s breathing trembled.
His rigid face wavered as if crumbling, then hardened like stone, even more unyielding than before.

“Divine will?”

Hot flames ignited in his eyes, which had been cool as tree shade.

“The Sacred Maiden of Artemisia speaks of divine will—and not even of another god?”
“….”
“Ha. At least Parmanace would honestly lay his cards bare.”
“What?”
“Friend? You dare speak that word with that mouth?”

His voice seethed with bitter anguish.
In an instant, Wiridian’s form closed the distance to Sae.
Their shadows tangled together.

Thud!
Her back struck the tree, and Sae’s brow furrowed.

Kailros: How dare he lay hands on my sister!

Wiridian’s face loomed inches from hers.

“You’re trying to plunge us into despair again.”
“Wait, let go of me for a moment….”
“Seducing us with honeyed words before you betray us?”
“I said let go!!!!”

Boom!
With a tremendous crash, Wiridian’s vision spun violently.

“…!”

Wiridian’s body moved with elastic force, spinning through the air.
Landing, Wiridian quickly raised his head.

Sae’s heaving form came into view.
And beside her….

That was when it happened.

“Wiridian!”

The Elves who heard the thunderous crash came rushing to the clearing.

“The Sacred Maiden of Artemisia?”
“How is she here…?”
“Wait. That thing next to the Sacred Maiden!”

The Elves were momentarily at a loss for words.
Next to Saelika, a massive ancient tree lay split cleanly in half.

“Who on earth…?”

There was no need for an answer.
The culprit was clenching her fists tightly.

“The Sacred Maiden Artemia split a tree in half…?”

Between the dazed murmurs, Saelika stomped her foot with a bang.

“Ugh! This is so frustrating!!”

The forest trembled.

“Why won’t you just believe me?! A god? Can’t I be a god if I say I am?”
“…”
“Fine, I may have done a little—just a tiny bit of cheating when I made that bet with Nemus!!”
“…”
“But I didn’t break any rules! There was nothing about not interfering with your opponent!!”

Keiacsen opened his mouth.

“…So you’re saying you won the wager against His Majesty by employing interference tactics?”
“If you don’t like it, interfere yourselves.”
“No, what kind of Sacred Maiden—”
“I simply utilized the abilities of the other Sacred Maidens!”

They say when you’re at a loss for words, you lose the ability to speak altogether.
Keiacsen was experiencing that very phenomenon right now.

“To prevent disaster, we must utilize everyone’s abilities effectively. Isn’t that right?”
“That’s a fair point, but…”

That didn’t mean she should resort to deliberate obstruction.
Yet Keiacsen found himself unable to say anything.
Another piece of wood was splitting apart under Sacred Maiden Artemia’s hands.

“What do you mean? Is our Artemia inferior to someone like Parmanace?!”
“No, first just calm down—.”
“Calm down~? Do I look calm to you?!”

Crack!
This time a boulder split in two.

Sae pointed her finger accusingly.

“Our friendship is cancelled!”
“…”
“Until you apologize properly for what you just said, we’re done!”
“…”

Sae huffed and turned away.
After taking a few steps, she spun back around with a resounding shout.

“Don’t you dare follow me!!”
“…”

Then she turned again and stomped away.

“…I had no intention of following anyway.”

Keiacsen scratched his head.
The other elves exchanged bewildered glances.

“Why are you treating us like friends who’ve known each other for a hundred years?”
“…Have we met somewhere before? Did we share a cup of oath-binding wine…?”
“That couldn’t possibly be….”

There was something about her demeanor that made even false memories seem plausible.

Keiacsen exhaled softly before approaching Wiridian’s side.

“Lord Wiridian.”

Wiridian remained silent, his head bowed.
It was only natural that he would be displeased—he despised anything related to Artemisia,
and the Sacred Maiden of Artemisia was no exception.
And yet.

“…She truly is incorrigible. Is it because she is the Sacred Maiden of Artemisia…?”

When Wiridian lifted his face, shaking his head, his expression differed entirely from what Keiacsen had anticipated.
The face that had been cold as stone now gleamed with gentleness beneath the moonlight.
An expression wholly at odds with his reproachful words.

‘I never knew Lord Wiridian could wear such an expression.’

Keiacsen was startled by this unfamiliar side of Wiridian.

“What is it?”

When Wiridian’s gaze turned back to Keiacsen, it carried neither warmth nor coldness, as always.

“…What happened between you and the Sacred Maiden of Artemisia?”
“Nothing happened.”
“Then why—”
“She merely attempted to persuade me, just as the other temples have.”
“It was not quite the same, was it?”
“…You heard everything.”
“The Forest merely relayed it.”

Wiridian fell silent.
Keiacsen, watching his profile, spoke.

“Then you intend to hand over the Arbor to Amelia after all.”
“….”
“After all, we’ve been in communication with her for years, and the conditions she proposed were the most favorable.”
“….”
“But I am the Sacred Maiden of Artemia… and Sae’s words also seem to have merit.”
“….”
“The conditions Amelia mentioned are all favorable to us and to her people. That is different from our true wishes.”

Wiridian’s eyes narrowed.
He did not entirely disagree.
However.

“Certainly, Parmanace’s proposal has aspects that don’t align with us Elves. But that doesn’t make it wrong.”
“….”
“On the other hand, Artemia made no explicit promises. She merely revealed her true nature.”
“That is precisely the way of the Elves.”
“But she is human.”

Wiridian turned his head to face Keiacsen.

“Humans are a race that breaks their word even when conditions are clearly stated, are they not?”
“That is….”

Keiacsen nodded bitterly.
Humans who betray their oaths were scattered everywhere.

“But if that human child had asked for clear conditions, she would have provided them. The reason she did not is evident.”
“….”
“The night of the full moon. The oath in the forest.”
“….”
“Aren’t those the ways of the Elves?”
“….”
“Is there another Sacred Maiden who has shown us such respect and expressed such willingness to be with us as that child has?”
“….”

Keiacsen gazed at the silent Wiridian with frustration.

“Before hastily claiming that she doesn’t keep her faith, consider the meaning behind the actions that child has shown.”
“….”
“Where else can you find a Sacred Maiden who understands the Elves as well as she does?”
“….”
“I don’t know what happened between Artemia and you in the past.”

At those added words, Wiridian’s eyes gleamed.

“You overheard my conversation with the King.”
“I didn’t intend to listen. Normally, you would have noticed my presence.”
“….”
“That’s how agitated you were, Wiridian.”
“….”
“What exactly did Artemia’s angel deceive and how?”

At Keiacsen’s words, Wiridian closed his eyes.
The conversation he’d had with the King before leaving the temple became vividly clear.

“Is being deceived once not enough? We Elves suffered for centuries because of that cunning and vicious angel.”
“Suffered? Do you truly believe that to be suffering?”
“Then tell me, Your Majesty. Why are we Elves bound to the Forest while humans expand their territories and flourish on this land?”
“….”
“Why must we live isolated, waiting for a messenger of the gods who doesn’t even answer us?”
“….”
“She has forgotten her promise to us!”
“Do you truly believe she forgot?”
“It is the scheming of that wicked angel who lured us in with honeyed words.”
“If not for that wicked angel, we would all have perished long ago!”
“If I had known we would suffer like this, it would have been better to die back then!”
“Wiridian!!”

“…I was born before that time, so it’s difficult for me to even speak of it. However, I do not believe that I suffer unhappily, bound to the Forest.”
“….”
“I am grateful to be by the side of the great Wiridian.”
“….”
“So please do not insult my pride by calling it misfortune.”
“Keiacsen.”
“This is the first time I have seen Wiridian become so agitated.”
“….”
“That must mean he is precious to you.”

Precious?
Wiridian looked at Keiacsen as if hearing a word he had never considered before.

“Isn’t that the owner of that feather?”

Keiacsen glanced toward Wiridian’s chest.

“…Did you know?”
“I have always been by your side, Wiridian.”

Wiridian withdrew the feather from his embrace.
It was a feather that shone white even in the darkest night.
Looking at it, the day he first met the owner of this feather naturally came to mind.

“Yes, an angel. Everyone, clear this away first, and um… what did they say happens when I descend? Ah! You may worship and praise me too.”

An angel who had fallen straight from the heavens spoke with a bright smile.
Yet the blades of the Elves aimed at the angel only shone more keenly and sharply.
Seeing the blade pointed directly before her, the angel was taken aback.

“Hey, I’m an angel, aren’t I?”
“So? We have abandoned our reverence for the divine.”
“What have the gods done for us? Children died. The weak and the sick, we had to bury them with our own hands. While that happened, the gods only took their tributes and abandoned us—ugh!”
“Sacred Maiden Artemia is different!!”

Somewhat frivolous, quick to anger, hot-blooded, skilled with her fists—

“Is this an angel sent by the Goddess Artemia?”
“But we never offered prayers to the Goddess Artemia.”
“What?! You were unbelievers!”

But it was indeed an angel.

“So the angel is Artemia’s Messenger, right?”
“Huh?”
“You came to save us?”

Wings gleaming with pristine white radiance.
Golden hair that sparkled like the sun itself.
Eyes so pure they seemed capable of purifying everything they touched.

“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Wow!”

Speaking thus, laughing—

‘…my angel.’

Wiridian’s face as he gazed down at the feathers was shadowed, his expression unreadable.

“…It’s something from long ago that I barely remember. I merely carry it out of habit now.”

‘But you would never discard it, would you.’

Keiacsen swallowed those words.

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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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