Youngest on Top - Chapter 226

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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 226

* * *

A night of the full moon.
All the lights that humans had kindled in the Perardin Noishurael Duke’s residence had been extinguished.
The divine stone bathed in moonlight gleamed with an otherworldly radiance.
Like a myth that had been hidden beneath artificial light, now awakening and breathing once more.

“It’s not quite as potent as the Northern Duke’s castle, but this should be sufficient for verification.”
“Very well.”
“…Must you truly do this, Your Highness? The young lady will endure considerable pain.”

The Sage’s question was met with silence from Perardin Noishurael Duke.

The Sacred Maiden’s blood carries divinity within it.
So no matter how many tests are conducted, the result only confirms descent from mythic bloodlines.

However, certain families possessed special examinations that differed.
For families entangled with legendary myths—such as the Imperial House, the Perardin Noishurael Duke House, or the Ekkelan Duke House.
Using artifacts related to those myths, one could verify whether the subject was ‘connected to the myth.’

“I will—”
“Please, allow me.”

At the sudden voice, everyone’s heads turned.
There stood Shuellina with a resolute expression.

“I truly wish to become the Duke’s daughter.”
“…You.”
“Don’t call me vaguely as ‘you’—call me Reyarsha.”
“….”

Shuellina understood as well.
The Perardin Noishurael Duke had taken her into his home and granted her every wish, yet he had never called her by name.
He could not call her Shuellina, nor could he call her by a daughter’s name.

“Young Lady, expelling the mythology embedded in your blood is an extraordinarily painful ordeal. You mustn’t think of it so lightly—”
“I didn’t make this decision lightly. No matter how much it hurts, if I do this, I can prove that I’m the daughter of the Perardin Noishurael Duke, can’t I?”
“Young Lady….”

Shuellina laughed awkwardly with a nervous chuckle.

“If it were someone like Saelika, you would have believed at once that she was the Perardin Noishurael Duke’s bloodline, but I’m so lacking, aren’t I?”
“That’s not true.”
“So I want to do it. No, please let me do it.”

After observing Shuellina for a moment, the Perardin Noishurael Duke nodded.

“Then let us begin.”

Without hesitation, Shuellina lay upon the sacred altar.

Uuuuuuung—!
Rings of light began to circulate.
A blade that seemed carved from the eternal snow of the north.
And a trident bearing the hue of the deep sea.
The two relics rose into the air before striking the altar like lightning.

“Kyaaaaaaaa!”

A scream that sounded as though she were being torn apart echoed across the chamber.
The retainers could not bear to witness it and squeezed their eyes shut, turning their heads away.

Only the Perardin Noishurael Duke and Admiral Ekellan stood firm, their eyes fixed upon the scene.
If Shuellina truly was Reyarsha.
Then they had to face the reality of inflicting such suffering upon her.

.
.

An eternity seemed to pass.
The Sage cried out.

“The relics—they’re responding!”
“Good heavens, truly the Young Lady—!”

The attendants, who had worn expressions of panic, all prostrated themselves at once.

“We offer our respects, Your Majesty!”
“We offer our respects, Your Majesty!”
“We offer our respects, Your Majesty!!”

Despite the thunderous salutation that seemed to shake heaven and earth, Perardin Noishurael Duke did not move a muscle.
His gaze remained fixed solely upon Shuellina.

A pallid face drenched in cold sweat trembled as it turned toward Perardin Noishurael Duke.
He crumbled forward and approached Shuellina.
Shuellina, cradled in his embrace, struggled to lift the corners of her weary mouth.

“Am I… your daughter now?”
“…Yes.”
“Really? Can I truly call you father?”
“Yes.”
“Even though I’m not the Sacred Maiden…”

With a sudden motion, Perardin Noishurael Duke could no longer contain his emotions and pulled Shuellina into his arms.
Grand Duke Noishurahel couldn’t contain his passion and embraced Shuellina.

“Hehe. He… *sniff*, uh, *sob*…”
“Hehe. He… *sob*, ugh, *sob*…”

Admiral Ekellan knelt before the child like a crumbling monument.
Admiral Eckeland knelt before the child like a crumbling monument.

“It’s alright, Uncle.”
“It’s okay, Uncle.”

The admiral lifted his head at the voice that descended softly like salvation.

“Because we’re family.”

Everyone in that place gazed blankly at that angelic face.
Everyone in the room stared blankly at that angelic face.

* * *

“My beloved genius Sacred Maiden has once again captivated the Elves with your genius, opening a brilliant path for this genius! How wonderful!”

I regarded Gerald with a reluctant expression.

“I didn’t do it for Gerald.”
“But as a result, you’ll be opening a brilliant path for me. You’ll entrust the Elves’ resource distribution to me, won’t you? Right? Yes? Yes? Yesss?”
“Depends on the conditions.”
“Tsk, you never let anything slide. But that’s the charm of our genius Sacred Maiden.”

Gerald poured me a fresh cup of tea as he spoke.

“By the way, the Admiral is running late, isn’t he? It’s already been over an hour. Usually, he arrives an hour earlier than this….”
“Well, he must be busy too. He found his lost daughter, after all.”
“Even so, it’s strange. For someone who kept saying ‘my apple, my apple,’ to disappear without a word like this.”

Gerald grumbled as if he felt quite put out.
I shrugged my shoulders.

“I was never really his daughter anyway. Of course he takes priority.”
“…True, she’s definitely his real daughter. They even verified it with artifacts.”
“Wow, Gerald, your information network is impressive?”
“Ahem! Of course! The Whitepearl Merchant Guild doesn’t prosper like this for nothing! This genius operates things brilliantly—”
“The Admiral won’t be coming today, so let’s adjourn.”
“What?! It doesn’t matter if the Admiral doesn’t come, but I haven’t properly explained this genius Gerald’s brilliant business operations yet?!”
“That’s exactly why we’re adjourning. I’m getting earwax buildup from listening!”
“Genius Sacred Maiden! Genius Sacred Maiden?! Are you really leaving me behind? Yes?”

.
.

‘…That was a few days ago.’

I gazed upon the grand mansion before me.
This was the famous estate of Perardin Noishurael Duke.
Today, I had come at Shuellina’s invitation.

“Apple!”

As I stepped down from the carriage, I heard a voice calling to me from afar.
Admiral Ekellan came rushing toward me, waving his hand.

“Admiral.”
“Last time, I was truly, truly, truly sorry! How could I forget the day I was supposed to meet with my Sae? I still can’t believe it.”
“You’ve already apologized by sending a gift.”

For standing me up that day, Admiral Ekellan had sent me an extravagant gift as his apology.

“I should have given the gift to Sae myself, but I only sent it instead…”
“It’s really fine. You must be busy enough as it is, so just apologizing separately was more than enough.”
“Sigh, who does our Sae take after to be so lovely?”

Admiral Ekellan smiled brightly and reached out his hand toward me.
That was when it happened.

“Uncle!”

A lively voice.
The hand that had been reaching toward me suddenly withdrew.

“Resha! You’re not even well—why did you come out?”
“Come on, am I a feather? Just stepping outside the door won’t cause a catastrophe.”
“You are a feather. If the wind blows, I’ll have to hold you tight so you don’t fly away.”
“Uncle, you’re really…”

When Admiral Ekellan playfully pulled Shuellina close, she nestled into his embrace and giggled.

Watching their affectionate exchange, it seemed they had grown quite close.

It must be because they’re family.
I had thought Shuellina was a timid and quiet child, but I never knew she could be so spirited and full of charm.

It was a pleasant sight.

While the two of them continued their playful banter, I simply stood by the door.
It would be improper by noble etiquette to enter first when the one who invited me hadn’t greeted me yet.

Then, the door opened from inside.

“Saelika, why are you standing out there? Come inside.”
“Aren’t you cold? Hurry and come in.”

It was Demian and Mikhail.
They must have seen me standing vacantly through the window.

“I’m dressed warmly, so it’s fine. Besides, I’m sturdy enough that I don’t catch colds or anything like that.”

As I swung my arms about while speaking, Demian grasped my hand firmly.

“Your hand is like ice.”
“You’ve become a frozen apple.”

Demian breathed warm air onto my hand.

“Achoo!”

A cute sneeze sounded out.
When I turned around, Shuellina was sniffling with her nose turned bright red.

“How could you come out dressed so thinly!”

Demian released my hand and quickly approached her.

“No, I only came out to the door for a moment…”
“Uncle was already holding you, but you were still cold? I need to hold you tighter.”
“That won’t make me warmer.”
“Sigh, this girl really is a handful, isn’t she?”
“Brother Mikhail, you’re always too much.”

Mikhail grumbled as he removed his own coat and plopped it over Shuellina’s head.

“Hey, be gentle, be gentle.”

Demian said so while breathing warm air onto Shuellina’s hands.

I took the scarf I had removed to give to Shuellina and carefully wrapped it around her again.
It felt like I shouldn’t intrude on their intimate family moment.

“Come on, let’s get inside before you catch a cold.”

Admiral Ekellan moved forward while holding Shuellina close.
Shuellina, surrounded by three men as she entered, paused when she saw me.
A beautiful smile bloomed across her face like a flower.

“Oh, Saelika. Thank you so much for coming.”
“Thanks for inviting me.”

The moment we stepped inside, warm air embraced me.
My ears ached slightly, confirming just how bitterly cold it had been outside.

“I wanted to have tea and dessert with you, Saelika, so I chose everything very carefully!”
“Thank you.”

If I picked up the teacup as I was, I would surely drop it.
I clenched my frozen hands several times before releasing them, then took a sip of tea.
Demian asked.

“Is it good?”
“Yes.”
“I knew you’d like it. You do enjoy sweet things—.”
“Oh, Demian, could you hand me the cookie in front?”

Demian, who had been talking with me, flinched and pointed to the cookie before him.

“This one?”
“No, the one next to it!”
“Here you go.”
“Thanks, oppa!”

Shuellina laughed brightly.
Then she asked the butler.

“Why isn’t Father coming?”
“His Highness is occupied with estate matters.”
“But this is the first time I’ve invited my own guest. I wish Father could come.”
“Young Lady, His Highness is simply too busy at the moment….”
“…I understand. It can’t be helped. I don’t want to trouble Father.”

Shuellina smiled with a lonely expression.
A servant who witnessed that face quietly left the room with a pitiful look.

I gazed at Shuellina and asked.

“Are you feeling alright?”
“Pardon?”
“Earlier I thought you were just cold, but looking at you now, your complexion is far too pale.”
“Ah, I haven’t been feeling well lately. But I’m fine! I think the tension just melted away now that I’m back in my family’s embrace.”
“Is that so? Would you like me to heal you? Sacred power requires vitality to use properly.”
“Oh, no! The mission will start soon anyway, so how could I possibly ask Saelika to expend her strength for me?”
“It’s nothing difficult if it’s just a simple condition issue.”
“I said I’m fine!”

Shuellina waved her hands urgently.
I narrowed my eyes and looked at her.
That was when it happened.

“The first guest has arrived.”

Perardin Noishurael Duke entered the tea room.

“Father!”

Shuellina sprang up with a bright face.

“I heard you were busy—did you come anyway?”
“My daughter invited a guest for the first time. Of course I had to come.”
“I didn’t cause you any trouble, did I?”
“None of your requests trouble me. Whatever they may be.”
“Yay!”

Shuellina embraced the Duke’s neck like a child.

“Your Grace, it is an honor to meet you.”

I rose from my seat and offered a greeting, and the Duke’s gaze turned toward me.
He merely nodded once before turning his attention away.

“…?”

What’s going on?
What did I do wrong?

Shuellina clapped her hands together with a sharp sound and spoke.

“Now that I think about it, you said the next mission would allow us to watch from the venue, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”

Admiral Ekellan nodded with a slightly uncomfortable expression.
I thought I understood the reason.

Originally, all four of them were supposed to sit in my cheering section.
More precisely, in the VIP seats within my cheering section.

‘Usually, that’s where family sits.’

Since I had no family, I had asked these four to sit there instead….

“I’m so happy to be cheered on by family! It feels like a dream!”

Shuellina spoke with a radiant smile.
Admiral Ekellan looked at her with an awkward expression, then turned to me.

“Um, Saelika. Originally—.”
“It’s fine.”
“Saelika.”

Even Demian looked at me apologetically, so I quickly waved my hand.

“Really, it’s fine!”

And I meant it.
It was only natural for family to sit in the family section.
These four were Shuellina’s family, after all.

Just one thing.

‘Anakin.’

Anakin: Just leave those things alone and let’s hurry back, will you?
Anakin: You’ve been ignoring me since earlier?
Kailros: How pathetic, pining over a mere human who can’t even touch the hem of my sister’s charm.
Kailros: I’m beginning to doubt whether you truly carry the bloodline of our legend.
Enrik: Youngest.
Enrik: Let’s overturn this.

‘….’

Perhaps I had been ignoring my brothers’ words all along?

‘Anakin.’

Anakin: What.
Anakin: I’ll conjure thunder and lightning, so while I do, want to sneak in a hit on him?
Anakin: Boom boom boom, and you strike in rhythm—pow pow pow!

‘…No.’

Anakin: Then why.

‘Let me use the Eye of Omniscience.’

I spoke while gazing at Shuellina.

‘Something about her seems off.’

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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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