Youngest on Top - Chapter 220

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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 220

* * *

“Ha. I never expected Wiridian to grow up so twisted.”

I grumbled and pouted my lips.

“When we first met, he was such a pure and innocent child.”

When I fell to the ground.
All living creatures on the surface were suffering due to Misa’s schemes.
Naturally, the Elves were no exception.

“The gods abandoned us long ago!”
“They’re all the same. They take our tributes and pretend not to know us!”
“Gods are worthless. It would’ve been better if they never existed.”

The Elves I first met were extremely hostile.

“So you’re saying you didn’t even offer prayers to Artemia?”

Of course I was furious.
To curse other gods alongside her, when you never even prayed to our magnificent, handsome, and kind Artemia.
The audacity was infuriating!

Just as I was about to explode in anger.
A small, warm presence clung to my feet.

“So you’re Artemia’s Messenger, right?”
“Huh?”
“You came to save us?”

Eyes gazing up at me with pure clarity.
Young Wiridian, who barely reached my knees.
When I unconsciously nodded,
“Wow!”
his brightly smiling face remained vivid in my memory.

“You were incredibly cute and lovable back then.”

“Come over here, Wiridian.”

Nemus then shielded Wiridian behind him, glaring at me with eyes full of wariness.
That cute Wiridian from before was now looking at me with a face like Nemus’s.

Enrik: Wait a moment.
Enrik: I’m asking just in case.
Enrik: When you fell to the ground back then—could it have been—
Enrik: When you drew a beard on the sleeping god Parmanase and ran off?

Ugh.
Why would I still remember something from hundreds of years ago?

Enrik: It wasn’t just the beard! You drew hair on his chest too!
Enrik: And you wrote “idiot” on his forehead!!
Anakin: You wrote “fool” on his cheeks.
Anakin: That was genuinely hilarious.

“Anakin found it funny too.”

Enrik: Is that the problem? I was so confused about where you’d hidden since we couldn’t find you—

“You’re so petty.”

Enrik: What?

“Must be because you’re old-fashioned.”

Enrik: Hey!
Anakin: I agree that Enrik is old-fashioned.
Anakin: Excluding the youngest, he’s the youngest one but also the most old-fashioned.
Anakin: This is what you call being young yet stuffy.
Enrik: Brother!!!!!

They’re fighting, they’re fighting.
I was grinning as I watched, when Kailros, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke.

Kailros: Saelika.

Unlike his usual casual remarks about “my sister,” his voice carried a grave and weighty tone.

‘What’s going on?’

I grew serious as well, waiting for his next words….

Kailros: Nothing in this world exists that is cuter and more lovely than you.

…Pardon?

Kailros: Take back what you said about that elf runt being cute and lovely.

“….”

Enrik: ….
Anakin: ….

What on earth had Kailros gone through while I was reincarnated as a human….
At this point, I was genuinely frightened.

* * *

A few days later.
While I was working the children hard… no, training them, a visitor arrived.
It was Shuellina.

“Are you alright, Saelika?”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“Well, what people are saying.”

Shuellina held out a Manashell to me with a worried expression.
On the screen was Amelia, surrounded by elves and smiling brightly.
And below it, the comments.

The Elves are treating Amelia remarkably well.
Isn’t Amelia the only Sacred Maiden the Elves have ever sought out like this?
So what about Saelika?
She was acting all high and mighty like she had something special going on with the Elves lol
Ugh, that’s why an empty cart makes the most noise.

The gossip was too predictable to bother reading further.

“Even the Knights are making a fuss about it.”

【Shock! Saelika Shows Territorial Behavior Toward Amelia Over the Elves!】
【”Don’t Pry for Information!” Saelika Displays ‘Territorial’ Attitude Toward Amelia】
【The More Gracious Amelia Becomes, the More Stiff Saelika Grows】
【”Are You Trying to Become High Priestess?” Saelika Hurls Insults at Amelia】

I understood why such an article had appeared.
It was because of our conversation during the last gathering.

“Saelika, how did you know the Elves were there?”
“What do you think?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did that bother you? It must have seemed like I was prying for information. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“….”
“I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just that if we could cooperate with the Elves against the coming calamity, that would be ideal.”
“Right, the High Priestess will handle that well on her own.”

The article portrayed me as if I’d shown territorial behavior toward Amelia and sternly told her not to pry for information.
As though I were questioning her audacity to ask when I wasn’t even the High Priestess.

‘They should become novelists instead of journalists with that kind of creative embellishment.’

That was when it happened.
Snap!
Roana closed the Manashell.

“Why are you even looking at that? It’s just idle chatter from people with nothing better to do.”
“Everyone’s being too harsh. Saelika just avoided answering, but to write about it like this…”
“Don’t bother paying attention to thoughtless gossip. There are plenty of legitimate articles too. This is all just tabloid nonsense.”
“But this one has way more views—.”
“That’s how tabloids always are!”

Roana grabbed my shoulder firmly, her expression stern.

“There are far more people supporting you. This is just a fraction among hundreds of thousands.”

Roana clicked her tongue and said, “Why would you even show her something like this…”
Shuellina’s spirit deflated completely as she lowered her head.

“I’m sorry. I was just worried…”
“It’s fine. It’s nothing to worry about.”
“As expected of you, Saelika. You’re amazing.”

Shuellina gazed at me with sparkling eyes.

‘It’s only because I’ve been cursed at so much.’

Kailros: My beloved sister must have suffered so much before the regression…

‘In the Heavenly Realm.’

Kailros: …
Enrik: …
Anakin: Who dares insult our family’s troublemaker in my domain.
Anakin: Tell me right now.
Anakin: I’ll teach them a lesson.

‘It’s you, you!’

Anakin: ?? When did I insult her?

Anakin asked, genuinely bewildered.
Regardless, a few comments and articles like these didn’t even tickle me.
Compared to what I endured before the regression, living as Amelia’s battery.

Enrik: But seriously, are you really okay?
Enrik: The other Sacred Maidens visit the Elves constantly.
Enrik: Especially that Sacred Maiden of Parmanase…

I know what Enrik left unsaid.

‘Amelia is receiving treatment like a princess among the elves, after all.’

For some reason, the elves who had been cold when I first arrived at the imperial palace were now giving Amelia special treatment.
People were making a fuss about it.
They said Amelia’s charm had even melted the hearts of the elves.

‘Perhaps it’s true. Amelia was the elves’ princess even before regression, after all.’

Enrik: Then—

‘Still, it’s fine.’

Wiridian came to the imperial palace as part of the elf delegation.
This hadn’t happened before regression.

‘Wiridian isn’t the type to be chosen for an important mission just because he likes it.’

Besides, since it’s a task entrusted by Nemus, he would set aside personal feelings and verify it thoroughly.

Kailros: Do you really think so?
Kailros: You only knew Wiridian hundreds of years ago.
Kailros: Even angels change after hundreds of years pass.
Kailros: Much less an elf….

‘Wow, when Kailros says it, it’s incredibly convincing.’

Kailros: …What do you mean, my beloved brother?

Of course, Wiridian has changed.
But I don’t think his very essence has changed.

‘Last night, the Wiridian I saw in the forest has changed, but still—.’

“Um, Saelika.”

Shuellina spoke to me in a cheerful voice, perhaps wondering what I was thinking as I remained silent for so long.

“This is a very precious lucky bracelet to me.”
“A bracelet?”
“Ah, it’s a bit small. I’ve been wearing it since I was a child.”

Shuellina held out the bracelet to me.

“I wish Saelika would interact with the Elves, not as another Sacred Maiden, but as herself. I can’t help much, but at least my luck…”
“I can’t accept something like this. You said you’ve been wearing it since childhood.”
“I’m just lending it to you. It’s my wish for my luck to reach Saelika.”
“Me, me too!”

Rip!
Roana tore off a button with force.

“This is a lucky button!!”
“…”
“…”

Since Roana had chased after Shuellina during training, she wasn’t wearing any accessories at all.
Even so, a button from her training clothes…

“It’s my heart! My heart won’t lose either!!”

Roana glared at Shuellina and snorted.
Shuellina stood up with an awkward smile.

“I’ve taken up too much of your time. I should be going now.”
“But still—”
“Yes! Go on!”

Roana practically shoved Shuellina away and sent her off.

“Roana.”
“What! She just showed up out of nowhere while I was spending time with you.”
“She wasn’t even here for thirty minutes. She’s a guest—”
“I don’t like her!!”
“You don’t like Nelije, Dolores, or Princess Grizelda either.”
“Anyway! Out of all of them, she’s the one I dislike the most!!!!!”

Sigh.
It seems she’s gotten quite upset now that I’m spending more time with the other young women.

“There, there.”

I patted Roana’s head reassuringly.

* * *

At the same moment.
The Parmanase Temple’s Imperial Branch.
The Temple Priest asked Wiridian in surprise.

“Did you say a test?”
“Indeed.”
“…So you’re not simply choosing our Amelia? After all the support we’ve provided—.”
“Support? I thought of it as a transaction. Haven’t we already paid our dues to your side?”

Wiridian’s eyes sharpened at the Temple Priest’s tone, as if he were bestowing favors.
Beatrix interjected with a subtle smile.

“I’m not changing my words. It’s simply— we’re taken aback, that’s all. We thought we had quite a favorable cooperative relationship.”
“Yet you yourself don’t seem to trust me entirely, given how fond you’ve grown of her.”
“Because Amelia seems to have taken quite well to you.”

The Elves flinched at those words.
Since arriving at the imperial palace, the Elves had certainly treated Amelia with reverence and special consideration.

‘She may well be the master of the World Tree—a person of such precious standing, so naturally….’

Wiridian spoke without wavering despite the Elves’ agitation.

“Since the King has entrusted this to me, a fair procedure is necessary.”

Just then, Amelia entered the room.
With a fresh demeanor, she personally set out refreshments and offered them to the Elves.

“Please try these. These are pickled apples I made myself.”

The Elves’ gazes were drawn to Amelia as if enchanted.
Seeing this, Beatrix smiled deeply.

“If this is merely a test for procedure’s sake, there would be no harm in informing us of the test’s contents beforehand.”

At those words, Wiridian asked Amelia.

“Are you comfortable with this?”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, would it be alright if you alone knew the contents beforehand, while the other Sacred Maidens do not?”

Amelia fell into thought with a soft “Hmm~”
Soon she smiled brightly and spoke.

“From an outside perspective, it would look like a cowardly violation, wouldn’t it? Thinking about that pains my heart.”
“….”
“But I must overcome this pain. I learned that to become a High Priestess and save the world, small and great sufferings are inevitable in that process.”
“…Is that so?”
“This trial will make me stronger. And the stronger I become, the more people I can save. When I think of that, something like this is nothing at all.”
“….”

Beatrix and the Temple Priests of Parmanase gazed at Amelia as if she were truly admirable.
Wiridian opened his mouth.

“The test’s contents are simple.”

After hearing the explanation that followed, Amelia smiled brightly.

“Ah, if that’s the case, there’s nothing difficult about it. It’s what I do ordinarily.”
“Then I look forward to your performance.”

With those words, Wiridian stepped outside.
Keiacsen spoke from beside him.

“So you ended up revealing the test’s contents. I thought you said you wouldn’t.”
“You had no choice but to treat Parmanase’s Sacred Maiden specially.”
“If she truly is the World Tree’s Master, then naturally we must serve her with utmost sincerity.”
“Do you not know how long we have awaited the World Tree’s Master?”
“…Do you truly believe she is the World Tree’s Master?”
“Well, did you not say yourself that you felt the World Tree’s power, Wiridian?”
“It’s somewhat different from what I expected, though…”
“And the way you spoke of it as a trial earlier…”

Is this person truly the World Tree’s Master?
Such thoughts arose unbidden.

“We cannot force our expectations onto the World Tree’s Master.”
“I merely sensed the World Tree’s power within her sacred energy. That alone is not enough for certainty.”
“…That is true.”

The Elves nodded in agreement.
They were not deferring to Amelia out of ignorance.
Rather, even the mere possibility of “one in a million” made the World Tree’s Master precious beyond measure.

“Above all, I do not acknowledge the World Tree’s Master. Because of that, we Elves have lived constrained lives.”
“Wiridian.”
“Keiacsen, you said otherwise. But this is the truth.”

Wiridian spoke with conviction, his gaze turning toward a distant place.
Keiacsen followed his gaze and hesitated.

‘Why does he look in that direction when speaking of the World Tree’s Master?’

The direction of Wiridian’s gaze was not toward the Parmanase Order’s branch.
It was toward the Artemia Temple’s branch.
Where Saelika was.

* * *

Several days later.
All the Sacred Maidens competing for the 【Arbor】 gathered in one place.
It was Wiridian’s invitation.

“I never expected them to invite everyone all at once.”
“Right? I thought they’d just announce giving it to Amelia.”
“Either way, if I stand out today, an opportunity will definitely come— huh?”

The Sacred Maiden who had stepped into the building looked around in surprise.
The other Sacred Maidens who had been bustling around her just moments ago were nowhere to be found.

“What? Where did everyone go?”

The Sacred Maiden glancing around flinched.

“W-where am I…?”

Massive trees stretched endlessly in every direction, packed densely together.
A suffocating, thick, and murky miasma hung in the air.
Grrrrr—
And dozens of monsters at that!

“T-this can’t be real…. Just a moment ago I was— wait? Where was I?”

I couldn’t remember what I had been doing at all.

“More importantly, these monsters….”

These were monsters that couldn’t be found in ordinary contaminated zones.
Facing this many would be impossible, even for a Sacred Maiden.
In the first place, Sacred Maidens specialized in support rather than direct combat!

“N-no, no, I don’t want this…!”

Thump!
Surrounded by monsters, the Sacred Maiden collapsed to the ground.

* * *

“What nerve does a Sacred Maiden who panics like that have to claim she’ll obtain 【Arbor】?”
“That’s why she failed the High Priestess selection too.”
“Still, there are Sacred Maidens who respond calmly and well.”

The Elves whispered with their eyes closed.
Their spiritual bodies were connected as one, like trees rooted together.
And the space created by those spiritual bodies maintained the trial grounds.

That was right.
The illusions the Sacred Maidens were experiencing were the Elves’ trial.

“Everything is proceeding as expected.”
“Both the Sacred Maidens who perform well and those who struggle.”
“…Yes.”

Wiridian nodded with a cynical expression.
That was when it happened.

“Wait, stop! An anomaly has occurred!”
“Emergency!”
“At this rate, the trial grounds will collapse!”
“Impossible! This is the union of Elves with even a High Elf participating! Breaking this is inconceivable!”

Yet that impossible thing was happening.
At the Elves’ cry, Wiridian hastily shifted his spiritual body.

‘Is something wrong? Could it be that those Demons noticed and are infiltrating…?’

Wiridian’s thoughts came to an abrupt halt.
What stood before him was not a Demon.
It was Saelika.
And….

‘Me…?’

Standing before Saelika was himself.
More precisely, a younger version of himself.

—————

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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