Youngest on Top - Chapter 244

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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 244

Instead of the hesitant Amelia, the Parmanase priests bristled and shouted.

“What are you saying? How dare you attach a Demon to our Amelia!”
“Never mind, why are you so angry?”
“It’s like you’ve been caught red-handed.”
“Wow~ You really have been caught, haven’t you? That’s hilarious!”

At the reaction of Artemia’s priests, Saelika nodded with satisfaction.

‘That’s my people. They certainly have a talent for getting under someone’s skin.’

In any case, there was no time for this.
That was when it happened.

Shing!
The young Asura, Pekacen, drew his curved blade.
And immediately aimed it at Amelia.

“Silence. If you do not follow Saelika, then you are nothing but invaders who dare trespass upon Asura lands.”
“Death to invaders!”

Shink! Shink!
The other Asura drew their curved blades as well.
The Asura, dwelling in harsh wastelands, were naturally warlike by nature.

“Are you truly drawing steel against us, priests of Parmanase?”

Just as Alter and the other Parmanase priests were about to assume an offensive stance.

“Everyone, stand down.”
“Amelia!”
“We came here to save people. Have you forgotten that?”

It was a wise choice.
This entire scene was being broadcast.
There was nothing to gain from breaking the will of the Asura, the masters of this land, and planting the World Tree’s branch here.

Amelia, who had ordered the withdrawal, spoke to Pekacen.

“Since the Asura tribe has made their choice, let them bear the responsibility for its consequences as well.”
“We have always done so.”

Amelia turned her back coldly on the Asura tribe and looked toward Saelika.
Then she led the priests and departed from Asura.

“How theatrical.”
“Following us here for nothing, only to be driven out empty-handed.”
“Why did you even come along?”

Of course, the Artemia priests continued to bicker among themselves until the very end.

* * *

With a clear golden radiance, the branches of the World Tree took root in the boundary stone.
The roots perfectly filled the cracks of the shattered boundary stone and merged with it.
As if they had been one from the beginning.

“Waaaaah!”

Cheers erupted from the spectator stands.
And rightfully so—it was the first successful restoration.

“Sacred Maiden Saelika has surpassed the other Sacred Maidens and been the first to plant the World Tree’s branch in the boundary stone!”
“Truly, what a perfect fusion!”
“Yes, a completely different result from what Sacred Maiden Amelia had worried about.”

The hosts spared no admiration and praise.

“However, there is one regret. Sacred Maiden Amelia clearly stood out in the contaminated zone.”
“Ah yes. Sacred Maiden Saelika neither deployed her sacred domain nor fought against the Abyss.”
“Didn’t fight? Sacred Maiden Saelika went to rescue people.”
“But wasn’t it ultimately Sacred Maiden Amelia who saved those people?”
“If Sacred Maiden Amelia hadn’t intervened, Sacred Maiden Saelika would have saved them.”
“That’s something we cannot know.”

The hosts had differing opinions.
Ultimately, the hosts watched the screen without narrowing their differences of opinion.

“We will naturally come to understand that conclusion by observing Sacred Maiden Saelika’s actions in the next area.”

All eyes turned toward Saelika.
Through the installed magic circle, Saelika was in the process of moving to the next area.
The moment the light faded, what came into view were massive shadows standing like stone statues.

“Oh no! Of all times…!”

A host who had recognized the shadows’ true identity one step ahead of the audience cried out.

“It’s the Muzik tribe!!”
“To encounter the Muzik tribe when we’re already overwhelmed by monsters alone…!”

The Muzik tribe.
Ferocious and brutal northern barbarians.
Due to their massive frames and grip strength that seemed inhuman, there were even rumors they were hybrids of monsters and humans.

“They must have sensed the magic circle and surrounded her! They’re in perfect combat formation!!”
“Why have the Muzik tribe come all the way here?”
“I heard they hide deep in the northern mountains and don’t come out, ever since Perardin Noishurael Duke subjugated them.”
“Regardless of the reason, this is the worst possible situation. The Muzik tribe are sworn enemies of the Duke’s house, are they not? And Sacred Maiden Saelika carries the Duke’s bloodline….”

The Muzik tribe gradually tightened their encirclement.
Wearing the hides of monsters, they looked more like beasts than humans.

Soon, the Muzik tribe stopped their advance when they were close enough for their blades to nearly touch.
A critical moment.
Even the hosts held their breath in silence when the Muzik tribe shouted.

[He has arrived! Justice Spicy Fist!!]

“…Huh?”

[Spicy Fist! Spicy Fist! Spicy Fist!]
[…Stop it.]
[Spicy Fist! Spicy Fist!]

Saelika’s face flushed a brilliant crimson.
A man of exceptional size stepped forward from among the Muzik tribe.

[Why, Spicy Fist. Do you dislike our welcome?]
[Not Spicy Fist.]
[It is I. Buljoomeok. No compromise. My name.]

Buljoomeok was saying that since it was his name, he would not yield on it.

[Who told you to call me Buljoomeok?!]
[Spicy Fist. Same. Long ago. Your nature. Spicy.]

Saelika clenched her fists.
The priests, startled, tried to stop her.

[Patience. Patience. Patience.]
[You, who are so spicy, must endure.]
[Right. Since you’re spicy, you must hold back.]

It was unclear whether they were restraining her or teasing her.
Buljoomeok watched Saelika snort indignantly and grinned widely.

[I’m delighted. I’ve been waiting. For the day you would return.]

Eventually, Saelika herself smiled at him with a helpless expression.

[It has been quite a while, hasn’t it?]

* * *

Within the terrace where the Emperor, nobles, and Temple Priests were seated.
Exclamations and gasps of wonder never ceased.

“After the Asura tribe, now the Muzik tribe as well…”
“When exactly did she form such a connection with the Muzik tribe?”
“The Muzik tribe’s silence wasn’t due to the Duke’s subjugation after all.”

At those words, Perardin Noishurael Duke nodded.

“It’s thanks to the bond my daughter formed with the Muzik tribe.”
“Your Grace, you are quite mischievous. How long have you been hiding that fact?”
“I did nothing. People simply speculated and spread rumors when they saw the Muzik tribe not waging war at some point.”

And at some point, it became established fact.
Admiral Ekellan asked casually.

“There are quite a few of those, aren’t there?”
“Yes.”

Perardin Noishurael Duke nodded.
The nobles exchanged meaningful glances.
It was because of the implication contained in the Admiral’s and Duke’s words.

“…Then perhaps among the rumors circulating….”
“A considerable number might actually be the accomplishments of Sacred Maiden Saelika….”

It wasn’t just the North that had become peaceful.
The pirates of the South had also grown quiet at some point.

Deeds they never would have imagined Saelika capable of.
Those deeds might actually have been her handiwork.

‘If you add to this the affairs of remote regions like the Asura tribe, where rumors don’t even spread….’

Everyone’s gaze turned toward Saelika.

A young girl not yet of age.
Had she been accomplishing all these things without anyone knowing, without leaving a single trace?!

“Yet that place doesn’t seem heavily corrupted despite the barrier stone being broken.”

The answer came quickly.
Around the broken barrier stone, Muzik shamans were seated in multiple layers, maintaining a formation.

[We kept it. Us. Promise. Buljoomeok.]

At Buljoomeok’s words, Saelika nodded.

“Thank you. Because of you, the monsters here haven’t been multiplying. If they had, the people living in the north would have been in danger.”
“Of course. Buljoomeok. Our eternal friend.”

Saelika wasted no time planting a branch of the World Tree into the barrier stone.
Not only Perardin Noishurael Duke, but all the nobles with territories in the north couldn’t help but be moved.

“…Sacred Maiden Saelika has been protecting our territories without our even knowing.”
“I had no idea and have been blaming Amelia all this time….”
“Yet she never showed us a hint of disappointment.”
“Perhaps it was natural for Sacred Maiden Saelika.”
“If not someone like this, then who deserves to be the Grand Sacred Maiden.”

Wherever Saelika walked, similar things happened.
Duke Makandor spoke toward Perardin Noishurael Duke.

“You must be very pleased to have such a wonderful daughter.”

He gestured toward the crystal scoreboard.
At the very top of the Sacred Maidens’ rankings was Saelika’s name.
Saelika was firmly maintaining her position as number one with the most votes.

Empress Adelin and Maxina also smiled and chimed in.

“Sacred Maiden Amelia is putting on quite a display, but it’s Sacred Maiden Saelika who has truly moved people’s hearts.”

Through this mission, everyone came to understand.
How hard the “selfish and bold Saelika” had been struggling all these years, staying quiet alone while other Sacred Maidens conducted public subjugations.

Because of her, people who couldn’t even leave proper bodies behind, like the Asura tribe, continue to live without losing hope.
The barbarian tribes that once opposed each other are now joining forces to protect the world.

“Since the gap between Sacred Maiden Amelia in second place is widening even now, we can say the outcome is already decided.”

That was when it happened.
Through the amplification artifact, the hosts’ voices rang out loudly.

“What an unexpected turn of events…!”
“Carolina, the Sacred Maiden of the Ebrahel Temple, has knelt before Amelia!”
“It’s an oath of allegiance!!”

People turned their gazes in surprise.
Indeed, her words rang true.

[Did not Sacred Maiden Carolina, Sacred Maiden Margaret, and Sacred Maiden Abigail cooperate to plant a branch of the World Tree in the barrier stone just moments ago?]
[Why would they swear an oath of submission to Sacred Maiden Amelia, who arrived so late….]
[…! Sacred Maiden Margaret and Sacred Maiden Abigail kneel as well!]

The three Sacred Maidens knelt before Amelia as if offering up the barrier stone where they had planted the World Tree’s branch.
Amelia stood with composed dignity, looking down upon them.
Like a reigning monarch receiving the salutations of her subjects, her demeanor was one of absolute certainty.
People marveled at her innate majesty.

[Amelia’s charisma is truly remarkable.]
[The votes of the Sacred Maidens who have submitted now belong to Amelia.]
[If this continues….]

On the crystal display panel, the votes of the three Sacred Maidens were tallied and displayed alongside Amelia’s vote count.

[Still, she hasn’t overtaken Sacred Maiden Saelika yet.]
[Why did she make them swear an oath of submission?]

Amelia issued orders to the three Sacred Maidens and moved on.

[Hmm? Amelia’s destination is Osomol. How strange.]
[Yes, other Sacred Maidens are already cooperating to plant a branch of the World Tree in Osomol’s barrier stone.]
[By the time she arrives, everything will already be finished. So why….]

Amelia arrived at Osomol amid the people’s confusion.
And the Sacred Maidens at Osomol knelt before Amelia as if they had been waiting for her.

[…!]
[Once again, another oath of submission unfolds!]

This same occurrence continued to happen repeatedly.
The hosts began discussing this with fervent intensity.

[Amelia made no proposal, yet the Sacred Maidens voluntarily knelt before her.]
[Why would that be?]
[The Sacred Maidens must have learned the current rankings through the magical circles they traverse. Perhaps that’s the reason?]
[What do you mean by that?]
[Saelika is certainly remarkable, but she hasn’t demonstrated exceptional prowess. She hasn’t even deployed a single Sacred Domain yet.]
[Meanwhile, Amelia has truly displayed unparalleled brilliance.]
[So isn’t it that the Sacred Maidens have voluntarily chosen the High Priestess they wish to follow?]
[…!]

Surprise and realization flashed across the Hosts’ faces.

[By casting their votes for the most capable Sacred Maiden, they’re elevating Amelia to High Priestess?!]
[They must believe that if Saelika becomes High Priestess, she won’t be able to stand against the calamity.]
[How could a Sacred Maiden who can’t even properly deploy a Sacred Domain possibly stand against it?]
[The Sacred Maidens, sensing the crisis, resorted to such a tactic….]
[Saelika, really. She finally took first place in votes, yet she’s being overtaken like this…. You could say it’s the limitation of a Sacred Maiden lacking true power.]

Amelia led the subjugated Sacred Maidens, moving freely across the battlefield.
The Sacred Maidens fighting monsters also knelt before Amelia upon witnessing this sight.

‘There are so many subjugated temples.’
‘Once Amelia becomes High Priestess, there will inevitably be a gap between the subjugated temples and those that aren’t.’

So they judged that being subjugated would be better for their future prospects.

[Ah, beyond just a reversal, the gap between Amelia and Saelika has widened this much.]
[If it’s widened this far, it’s irreversible.]

Voting rights could be purchased multiple times.
However, there was a limit to how many times one could purchase.
So when the gap widened this much, it was fair to say the outcome was already decided.

[Unless there are Sacred Maidens who subjugate themselves to Saelika.]
[But that’s impossible.]

The Sacred Maidens who had received enough votes to close the gap were all those ranked highly, like Badarelerna and Preytsha.
Sacred Maidens with such large factions couldn’t decide to subjugate themselves.
Subjugation wasn’t merely an act of dividing votes.
It was deciding the future of one’s temple.

In the meantime, branches of the World Tree were rapidly planted into the barrier stones.
It was only natural that multiple Sacred Maidens under Amelia’s command rushed forward to fight.
There weren’t many barrier stones remaining.
As a result.

[Should we call this a second-place match?]
[Sacred Maiden Elizabeth of Badarler, Sacred Maiden Dolores of Preytsha, Sacred Maiden Anastasia of Sertaasen, and Sacred Maiden Saelika of Artemia!!]
[Powerful Sacred Maidens have gathered in one place!]

The hosts shouted excitedly.

In truth, this mission had defied everyone’s expectations.
I thought the Sacred Maidens would display their full abilities alongside the priests, but it was nothing like that.

The battle between Saelika and Amelia, which I expected to unfold into an all-out war from the start, took an unexpected turn.
The other Sacred Maidens even cooperated and voluntarily knelt before Amelia.

The competition among the Sacred Maidens that people had anticipated was nowhere to be found.
But now, at last, such a situation had appeared.

And the situation unfolded exactly as people had hoped.
Holy magic painted the ground brilliantly as the Sacred Maidens competed.
But at that moment.

[…! W-what is that?]
[A landslide?]
[It’s a landslide!!]

A situation no one had anticipated had arrived.

* * *

The earth trembled as if heaven and earth were shaking.
When I looked up, the mountain was collapsing.
Dmitri let out a sigh.

“The mountain collapses just because they caused a little commotion?”
“A little? Did you not see how hard those guys were fighting?”
“Even so, the mountain shouldn’t collapse from that impact, should it?”

Dolores, Elizabeth, and Anastasia—among the Octagon, they held the highest ranks.
Along with the priests they commanded.
The collision of these three factions was catastrophic.

‘But as Dmitri said, a landslide of this magnitude doesn’t make sense.’

It wasn’t merely a few falling rocks.
The mountain itself was collapsing.

‘Unless someone deliberately intervened.’

“We need to get out of here fast.”
“Of all places, it had to be the gorge….”
“At this rate, we’ll all be buried alive.”

And that someone’s intention was crystal clear.
To bury alive the Sacred Maidens and priests of the four temples!

‘…I have no choice.’

I pulled out a leather pouch from my bosom.
It was the very item Shuri had retrieved from the Imperial Tomb in exchange for visiting the Dessert House with me.

Enrik: A-are you really going to use it?
Kailros: Think about this one more time.
Anakin: Have you lost your mind?

‘This is exactly what I obtained it for.’

I opened the leather pouch and infused holy power into the ring inside.
And then.

Serha: So you finally call upon me.

A message materialized before my eyes.

The second of five brothers.
An Archangel bearing six magnificent wings.
Though only text was displayed, I could hear that gentle yet majestic voice.

That great Archangel spoke.

Serha: Want to die?

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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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