Youngest on Top - Chapter 221

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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 221

Wiridian’s pupils trembled.
Standing before Saelika was unmistakably his younger self.

‘Why am I there…?’

In that instant.
Boom!

The space convulsed violently.
Anomalies had already been manifesting in this realm.
This was a space formed by the combined consciousness of the Elves.
As Wiridian’s consciousness—the very foundation of it all—wavered, the entire space began to crumble catastrophically.

Whoooosh— Crash!
The space that had swelled as if about to explode suddenly contracted violently.
Wiridian was helplessly swept away by the tremendous shockwave that followed.

The moment he raised his head again.
Before his eyes lay a devastated forest shrouded in acrid smoke.
The pungent stench of sulfur assailed his nostrils.

It resembled the very scene from the past when the Demon King Behemoth invaded the Elves’ lands.
A nightmare repeating itself.

* * *

‘What is this?’

Sensing an ominous presence from afar, Amelia surveyed her surroundings.

‘Some Sacred Maiden must have touched something she shouldn’t have.’

Amelia shrugged her shoulders, then marveled.

‘Still, it really does feel like reality.’

They said that upon entering this space, one forgets everything—what they were doing just moments before, who they were with, all of it.
Even the question of how one suddenly found themselves in a forest teeming with monsters would soon vanish.
It was like how in a dream, one doesn’t question even the most absurd occurrences.

In other words, for those trapped within this space, the present moment becomes their reality—their only truth.

‘I would have been flustered too, had I not possessed the sacred artifact.’

Amelia gazed at the ring adorning her finger before lifting her head.
A young Elf was being pursued by monsters.

‘Of course, even if I had panicked, what I would ultimately do would be the same.’

Helping and saving others was something she had always done.
Amelia hurried toward the Elf.

“Are you alright?”

At Amelia’s voice, the young Elf lifted their head.
Amelia was startled.

‘Wiridian?’

The young Elf bore a striking resemblance to Wiridian.
Yet unlike Wiridian, there was no coldness or rigidity to their presence.

“W-who are you?”

The face gazing up at her with wide, round eyes was so soft and gentle, so utterly innocent.
Amelia smiled warmly.

“I’m Amelia. I’ll save you.”

* * *

A throbbing headache threatened to split my skull as I clutched my forehead.

“What is this? I was clearly… ugh…”

My mind felt completely scrambled, as though someone had rummaged through it.

‘I was definitely taking a test… A test? What test was it? Did Artemia give it to me?’

My back felt strangely hollow.
When I shrugged my shoulder blades, they felt oddly light.
Curious, I turned to look—

‘Where did my wings go?!’

My wings were gone!

‘Is this what happens because I’ve been tearing off other people’s wings so much?!’

It was shocking.
It’s not like I’ve lived badly—I was simply dispensing righteous punishment to those wretched creatures— wait?

‘No, of course I don’t have wings. I’m not an angel or anything…’

I’d never been an angel in my entire life, yet I’d been taking wings for granted.
Was I still half-asleep?
I shook my head, and only then did I notice a child pinned beneath me.

Memories of what had just happened came flooding back.
A tremendous wave of force suddenly crashed down, so I instinctively shielded her with my body…

“Are you alright?”
“Y-yes?”

The face gazing up at me was gentle and docile.
Somehow, she resembled…

“…?”

Who did I just think she resembled?
The question arose, but my thoughts scattered immediately.

‘Monsters…!’

Right above my head.
Massive monsters gaped their grotesque maws wide open.
I quickly rolled away while clutching the child to my chest.

Crunch!
The ground where I had been standing was devoured by the monster and vanished entirely.

“H-hiiii! Ugh, u-ugh….”
“Stop that. Don’t cry and get up.”

I helped the child to his feet and brushed the dirt from his knees.
A young elf this small being in the heart of a contaminated zone meant one thing.

‘All the adults who could have protected him must be dead.’

The village had surely already been devoured by the monsters.
The longsword hanging at the child’s waist—one meant for an adult—was proof of that.

‘As a final act, someone must have given the child their own blade while helping him escape.’

The sword’s owner was likely already….
I drew the sword and placed it in the child’s hands.

“…?”
“Why are you staring blankly upward? Grip it firmly.”

I met the child’s eyes directly as I spoke.

“We have to fight.”

* * *

“It’s dangerous, so step back.”

Amelia spoke in a gentle tone.

“You’ll be safe behind me. Don’t worry.”

At Amelia’s gesture, the young elf who resembled Wiridian stepped back.

Wiridian gazed silently upon the scene before him.
It was not merely this spectacle alone.
His consciousness perceived every event unfolding within the space.

[Indeed, Sacred Maiden Amelia. She assists our child without hesitation.]
[As expected of the World Tree’s master….]

Elves marveling in admiration.
Sacred Maidens desperately evading monsters.
Sacred Maidens receiving aid from the Elves they encountered.
Sacred Maidens fighting in cooperation with the Elves.

Countless events were occurring simultaneously, and Wiridian could perceive them all.
It seemed that when the anomaly had manifested earlier, the space expanding and contracting had intertwined his consciousness with it.

A fusion of consciousness and space.
The appearance of his younger self must have stemmed from the same cause.

‘Are Amelia and Saelika the only ones who have encountered my younger self?’

Amelia was protecting the young Wiridian while fighting at the forefront.
The other Elves’ admiration was not misplaced.

Amelia truly seemed like a Sacred Maiden who could save all of humanity.
Compassionate and just.
Befitting the World Tree’s master whom the Elves so revered….

‘Then why.’

Wiridian stared ahead without blinking once.

‘Why can I not tear my gaze from that child.’

Crack!
Saelika delivered a sharp slap across the young Wiridian’s face.

“Snap out of it!”

Focus returned to the young Wiridian’s eyes.

“Don’t stop moving! Don’t give up! Grab the sword again!”
“B-but….”

The monsters were countless, each one towering and formidable.
A young Elf stood no chance against them with a blade.

Yet Saelika forced the sword into Wiridian’s trembling hands.

“Ah, it hurts. I think I’m going to die….”
“You won’t die. These wounds are nothing. Come on, advance again.”
“How can I possibly match them just by moving forward! Just now…!”
“Would you rather die like this?”
“…!”

Saelika refused to compromise.
She drove the child forward with a severity that bordered on cruelty.

The child’s hand gripping the sword held no strength whatsoever.
Saelika wrapped her own hand around those trembling fingers.

“You have to overcome this yourself.”
“I-I can’t do it. Even though I’m a High Elf, I’m weak and useless—everyone says I’m a disgrace….”

Crack!
The monster lunging forward was sent flying by Saelika’s punch.

“Who said that?”
“What?”
“Is he stronger than me?”

Gulp.
Young Wiridian swallowed hard.
Who could possibly be stronger than someone who crushed monster skulls with her bare fists?

“I’m the strongest, so I know best.”

Her voice rang out with particular clarity.

“You’re not weak, and you’re not useless.”

Young Wiridian’s eyes wavered.
Meanwhile, Saelika’s eyes meeting his remained as still as a windless, fathomless lake.
Trustworthy enough to believe in.

“I’m not strong either. But—.”

Trustworthy enough to have faith in.

“—I will become strong today.”

Squeeze.
Saelika gripped their clasped hands firmly, then withdrew without hesitation.
She turned her body toward the monsters.

“So stop whining and grip your sword properly.”

Young Wiridian stared blankly at her retreating figure.

He was weak.
Just moments ago, his blade hadn’t even pierced the monster’s armor—instead, he’d been struck back and sent flying.

But.
Even in this murky atmosphere, the golden hair before his eyes gleamed brilliantly.

….

Young Wiridian gripped his sword tightly and rose to his feet on his own.
He took a step forward.

Forward.
Forward.
Further forward.

The present Wiridian watched in silence, unable to speak.
His throat felt parched.
His chest felt heavy.

Before coming to the Imperial Palace.
The words the King had spoken to him echoed in his mind.

“Wiridian, you’ve always said that you need to go out and cooperate with humans.”
“Then go and judge for yourself. Who would be good to work with.”
“Which human do you wish to be with.”

‘Your Majesty, you are mistaken.’

Wiridian stubbornly clenched his empty fist.
It was an expression of unwavering resolve, yet also an attitude of resistance against emotions surging like a tidal wave.

‘You thought that if I saw her myself, I would accept Sacred Maiden Artemia.’

You are wrong.

‘I absolutely will not—’

“Aaaahhhhh!”

Young Wiridian screamed and charged at the monster.
A cry that lacked the firmness of a battle shout.
Yet it was imbued with a desperation that cut to the bone.

‘Absolutely not.’

Young Wiridian’s irises gleamed with an eerie brilliance.
The High Elf’s unique ability was manifesting.

‘Absolutely not.’

Squelch!
The blade’s edge pierced through the seams of the monster’s armor.
Precisely at the spot Saelika had shown him.

‘Absolutely….’

Young Wiridian, having driven his sword into the monster, gasped for breath.
Saelika smiled brightly.

“You’re going to become an incredible swordsman, I’m sure of it.”
“M-me?”
“Yes. Maybe even the King’s Knight?”

‘….’

Wiridian gazed at Saelika with an entranced expression as she beamed at him.

Words he had heard before.
Words he had spoken before.

Wiridian felt as though he already knew what Saelika would say next to his younger self.
He could not help but know.

“So—”
“So live.”

Saelika grinned widely.

“Living means—.”

Boom!

“Fighting and overcoming.”
“Fighting and overcoming.”

His breath caught in his throat.
The voice that had slumbered within his memories was now awakening and moving before his very eyes.

His sight, his hearing, his touch—every sense of Wiridian’s being sharpened and turned toward Saelika.
They could not help but turn toward her.
Like parched earth thirsting for rain.

[….]
[…Wiridian?]
[Wiridian!]

Flash.
Wiridian’s eyes opened at the sound of his name being called.

Keiacsen and the other Elves were gazing at me with worried eyes.

“…Why are you all looking at me like that?”

My voice came out oddly hoarse.

“Are you alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, that is….”

Keiacsen hesitated and looked at me.
I felt something amiss and brought my hand to my cheek.

“Ah.”

It was wet.
Only then did I realize.
I had been crying silently.

* * *

Amelia destroyed the core of the corruption.
At the same time, the space that had unfolded began to vanish.

“What, what is this?”
“This is… the Imperial Palace?”
“I was just….”
“Wait, could that have been a test?!”

The Sacred Maidens who had returned to reality were in disarray.

“I, I didn’t even know it was a test….”

The Sacred Maiden who had abandoned the Elves and fled muttered with a pale face.
If she had retained all her memories, she would have realized it was a test immediately and not acted that way.
But within that strange space, she had no idea at all.

“Wait, so the test is over?”
“Who released the space?”

The wandering gazes of the Sacred Maidens came to rest upon a single point.

“Ah, Amelia has the core!”

It was exactly as she said.
Amelia stood there, gripping the core of corruption in her hand.
Regardless of how it happened, the victor was unmistakable.

“So Amelia won.”
“…She’s truly remarkable.”
“As expected of Amelia.”
“Then what about Arbor….”

The Sacred Maidens murmured amongst themselves.

Amelia smiled inwardly.
It was a natural result, if anything.
Unlike the other Sacred Maidens, accustomed only to being cherished and protected.
She was a true Sacred Maiden.

‘I didn’t even need to know the test’s contents beforehand.’

That was when it happened.
The hall doors opened and the Elves entered.

Amelia straightened her posture, befitting a dignified Sacred Maiden.
Now the Elves would approach her and extend their hands.
She would become a unique and irreplaceable existence to them.

‘This too is only natural.’

Amelia smiled and gazed toward Wiridian.
His eyes held an expression different from usual—one that even seemed tinged with tenderness.

‘…To think he regards me so specially.’

It was pitiable and touching.
It was the moment Amelia was about to extend her hand.

“…?!”

Wiridian passed by Amelia.

“What?”
“Wasn’t Amelia the victor?”

The Sacred Maidens whispered among themselves.
All eyes turned toward Wiridian.

Soon, Wiridian came to a halt.
But that was not all.
He dropped to one knee and bowed his head with utmost respect.

“…!”

An Elf—and a High Elf at that—displaying such deference to a human was beyond anyone’s imagination.
The Sacred Maidens’ eyes widened in astonishment.

“Would you offer me your hand?”

Wiridian spoke, gazing up at his counterpart.

“Saelika.”

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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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