Youngest on Top - Chapter 252

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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 252

The children rushed into my room in a clamor.

“Shuellina escaped?”
“Yeah, looks like she broke out of prison. She’s got some nerve.”
“The guards are searching through the Perpidian Temple right now.”
“They’ve already issued a wanted notice.”
“A girl whose face is completely known escaping prison… unbelievable.”
“She would’ve been better off staying locked up. Is she an idiot?”

I chuckled at the children’s chatter.

“You’re heading to the Sanctuary this afternoon, right? Do well.”
“Aren’t you going? You loved going to the Sanctuary the most.”

When I go to the Sanctuary, I can feel Artemia’s presence.
That’s why I love it so much.

“I’d like to, but something else came up. Right?”

I turned to look at Ilay.
More precisely, at the documents in his arms.

[Large-Scale Casualty Investigation Report]

That’s what was written on the first page of the document.
The children asked.

“What’s this for?”
“That mirror demon was copying the Demon King’s power. When it crossed into the human realm, it must have paid an enormous price.”
“If it paid the price itself, it wouldn’t be intact. So then—.”
“It paid the price with people’s lives!”

I nodded.
That’s why I asked Ilay to investigate as soon as the last mission ended.

“But there weren’t that many casualties from it.”
“Right. At most it was just fires or flooding. We wrapped it up well without major damage.”
“Even when monsters appeared near the city, Amelia handled them properly anyway.”
“We’ve been continuously managing the outskirts and remote areas over the past few years.”

It was a fair point.

“We must be missing something. A Demon King-level power couldn’t manifest from just dozens of deaths.”

I opened the documents.
If it was Ilay, he would have brought the answer.

“This is….”

The children looking over the documents beside me widened their eyes.

“Beastfolk?!”

The documents detailed a massive casualty event that had recently befallen the beastfolk.
I lifted my head.
Ilay, whose eyes met mine, nodded with a grave expression.

“That’s right. Six hundred and sixty-six beastfolk lost their lives in an instant.”
“…!”

It was difficult not to think this was Misa’s doing.
I rose from my seat.

“I need to meet the beastfolk.”

* * *

The black panther’s distinctive pointed ears perked up.
Predatory yellow eyes stared directly at me.
And a massive mouth opened wide, revealing sharp fangs that gleamed.

“Are you referring to the Beastkin?”
“Yes.”
“Not half-breeds like us, but the true Beastkin.”
“That’s right, Barensya.”

The black panther’s head tilted curiously.
Beside me, Mikhail pouted his lips with a disgruntled expression.

“What~? I was so happy when the Protagonist called me! Why are you only talking to that beast and not me! Do you like that black panther’s head more than me?”
“It’s a misunderstanding, Mikhail.”
“Right? I’m much better than that beast’s—.”
“I called Barensya from the beginning. You came along as an afterthought.”
“…!”

Mikhail’s face fell in shock as he muttered, “Me, I’m just an afterthought….”

“And don’t call Barensya a beast’s head.”

At my words, Barensya laughed gently.

“It’s quite alright. I’ve grown rather accustomed to the Young Master’s crude behavior.”

Ah, that’s right.
He became Mikhail’s subordinate because he had no human rights.

By the way, Barensya is Mikhail’s Adjutant.
We’ve had a connection since childhood, when Mikhail kidnapped me from the desert.

Barensya spoke with a dignified and elegant demeanor befitting a black panther.

“Though the Young Lady has graciously invited me, I fear I may not be of much help.”
“You don’t know much about them either, Barensya?”
“Broadly speaking, half-breeds like myself are technically the same race, but we are entirely different from them.”
“But you live together, don’t you?”
“We live as slaves.”
“….”
“While half-breeds like us lack human rights, they are… well, if I were to compare them to humans, I’d say they’re nobility.”

I was beginning to understand the general situation.

‘Unlike the Elves, I had no connection with the Beastfolk even during my time as an angel.’

I had tried to forge a connection with them in this life to prevent such a situation, but that too had failed.

“Actually, I attempted to make contact with the Beastfolk before and failed as well.”
“You failed, Young Lady?”
“Yes.”
“That’s surprising. You, who captured the hearts of the Asura, the Muzik, and even the Dragon-kin…”

Barensya, who had been muttering, nodded as if she understood.

“They’re certainly a stubborn bunch who won’t listen to reason.”
“So they’re really unlucky?”
“Even worse than Young Master Mikhail.”

Mikhail immediately furrowed his brow and interjected.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Barensya and I stared at Mikhail without answering.
Mikhail laughed.

“Sae, you’re so cute today too. Your eyes are so round and wide—it makes you even cuter.”
“….”

‘He’s wrong, Mikhail is.’

“Why are you turning away? Keep looking at me. Sae?”

Barensya and I came to a silent agreement to ignore Mikhail.
I spoke.

“I failed to even meet them in the first place. They’re nomads, so they were hard to find.”
“Ah. They probably fled upon discovering you. However, the Beastfolk are not nomads.”
“Really?”
“People mistakenly think all Beastfolk are nomads because those who encounter humans are always wandering.”
“So that means they have a base?”
“Yes.”

Barensya nodded.

“The Beast-kin have diverse tribes within their ranks, each with their own distinct customs. However, they all gather under a single seal. That seal becomes the centripetal force that keeps them unified.”

Hearing those words, something came to mind.

“The Crimson Seal…!”
“You know of it? Beast-kin culture is largely unknown to humans.”

Barensya looked at me with surprise.
Of course it was largely unknown.
But before my regression, at least one thing about it had become famous.

The Crimson Seal, passed from true warrior to warrior.
The absolute being who possessed that seal.
The King of all Beast-kin!

‘And that magnificent being was swimming in Amelia’s pond!’

“The King of Elves and the mightiest Beast-kin bearing the Crimson Seal both fell for Amelia! Can you believe it?”
“They say the two even dueled?”
“Aren’t Elves and Beast-kin supposed to be sworn enemies?”
“Well, how could anyone resist falling for the noble and beautiful Amelia?”

The people were in absolute chaos.

‘Well, the situation has changed since before my regression anyway, and it’s none of my concern now.’

What mattered was investigating how the Beast-kin came to be offered as sacrifices.

“Tell me where the Beast-kin’s stronghold is.”
“Are you planning to meet them?”
“No?”

I answered with wide eyes, and Barensya’s eyes narrowed.

“…That’s fortunate, then. Beastfolk are quite dangerous, after all.”
“Thanks for worrying. So, where is it?”
“…I’d prefer to refuse, but I have no choice but to answer. I have no human rights, you see.”
“…Are you trying to make my heart soften?”

Barensya looked at me and let out a hearty chuckle.

“My apologies. I hadn’t considered it—there are no humans around me who would have their hearts softened by such words.”
“That’s because you serve Mikhail as your master.”

Barensya smiled and wrote down the location for me.
As soon as our business seemed finished, Mikhail eagerly interjected.

“Apple, apple.”
“No.”
“I haven’t even said anything yet.”
“Yeah, no.”
“You said before that you were choosing a partner to bring to the Elves’ tea party. What happened with that? You haven’t gone yet, right? When are you going? What about me? Huh? Huh?”
“That’s why I said no.”

* * *

Before my eyes stretched a vast, open expanse of land.

“Is this the place….”

As I murmured, a chat window appeared.

Enrik: I really don’t think this is a good idea.
Anakin: Why did you insist on coming alone?
Kailros: Yeah, it’s dangerous.

‘The kids need to go to the Sanctuary. I can’t drag them along.’

Visiting the Sanctuary whenever it fills with sacred power is a very important ritual.
It’s a genuine opportunity to grow stronger.

‘The kids need to become stronger.’

Serha: Then you should have brought the Temple Priests instead.
Serha: Your uncles seemed quite capable.
Enrik: I deceived and slipped away from them instead.
Serha: I see exactly how you deceived and slipped away from me.

That’s right.
I pretended to go to the sanctuary with the children and secretly slipped away to meet the beast-kin.

‘My fathers can’t come. They’re too busy.’

The Artemia Temple had always suffered from a severe shortage of priests relative to its size.
But the number of believers kept growing, and external activities increased as well.
The personnel shortage could only become more serious.

‘Even today, I heard Randel and Kaiser talking about it.’

“The problem is these annoying flies keep swarming. Every single one has ‘King’ in their name….”
“What about cooperating with Perardin Noishurael Duke and Admiral Ekellan?”
“You can’t bring a tiger into your house to catch a fox.”
“That’s true.”

The two of them exchanged words with very serious expressions.
Then they stopped talking as soon as I approached.
They clearly didn’t want to burden me with their worries.

‘It’s definitely about the cultists.’

Enrik: …That doesn’t seem right at all.
Anakin: Are you stupid?
Kailros: My brother was always better with his body than his head anyway. It’s fine.

Despite the Sacred Maiden Selection Tournament receiving so much attention, the cultists didn’t decrease.
Instead, their numbers grew larger and their power became much greater.

The Sacred Maiden Selection Tournament is a show.
Just a money-making scheme the temples conspire together to run.
These corrupted Sacred Maidens have no ability to prevent disasters.
They would say such things.

With a catastrophe looming, if people divided like this, it would be difficult to unite their strength.

‘…This really does seem like Misa’s doing.’

Enrik: It is quite a coincidence.
Kailros: Misa has been eyeing you in the human realm this whole time.
Anakin: And now this social movement suddenly flourishes.

“That’s why I have to find out for sure.”
“Find out what?”
“The deaths of the beastfolk from not long ago and Misa’s—.”

I stopped mid-sentence.

‘Who am I even talking to?’

I glanced to the side and saw bones.
More precisely, beings wearing the massive skulls of monsters as masks!

“Beastfolk…!”

The enormous monster skull tilted its head.

“So you really came looking for us on purpose? How did you find out?”
“There’s no presence of anyone nearby.”
“Did you come alone?”
“Quite bold.”
“What should we do? Kill them?”

A massive hand hoisted me up and slung me over its shoulder.

“We can kill them anytime, so let’s take them to Reks first.”

I immediately went limp in their grasp.

‘Perfect. They said only the beastfolk know the way inside!’

Now I could enter easily without having to find the entrance myself.

‘Everything’s going according to plan!’

Anakin: …Is this really the plan?

* * *

The man carrying me on his shoulder entered the ornate building without hesitation.
Inside, a half-naked man lay sprawled lazily atop a beast’s hide.
A large crimson seal was inscribed upon his back, which was covered entirely in small and large scars.

‘The owner of the crimson seal…!’

He lay motionless as if asleep, yet his long tail swayed gently from time to time.

“Reks.”

At the man’s call, the man—Reks’s ear perked up.
Only one ear twitched, turning in this direction.

They were not ordinary beast ears.

‘Ears like those of a divine beast or demon beast.’

A being special from birth.
I could understand why he was the owner of the crimson seal and the king of all beastmen.

The man urged Reks on.

“Wake up.”
“…Why again.”

Finally, Reks rose to his feet.
Fresh from sleep, irritation clung to him.

The beastmen standing by quickly approached and draped a robe over him.
Without properly fastening the robe, Reks asked irritably.

“What’s going on?”
“An intruder.”
“An intruder?”

The man who had been carrying me on his shoulder dropped me unceremoniously.
Reks’ gaze turned toward me.

His vertically slitted eyes resembled those of the Dragon-kin, yet were distinctly different.
Far more feral.
Raw, untamed power seemed to spark like flames within those eyes.

‘Still the same.’

This was my first meeting with Reks, yet it wasn’t.
Before my regression, I had seen him countless times at Amelia’s side.

And Reks…

‘Had keen instincts, as befitted a Beastkin.’

A distant memory surfaced.

“Hey, straw-head.”
“…”
“Why do you smell like Amelia?”
“…I don’t smell. I washed thoroughly.”

At my response, Reks bent down.
And he sniffed at my nape with a soft snort.

“You reek of it. It’s definitely the same scent.”
“I didn’t steal it.”
“What?”
“I didn’t steal what Amelia uses.”

‘What did Reks say back then?’

I couldn’t quite recall.
Then it happened.

A large hand grasped my chin.
Then he turned my face this way and that.
As if examining me closely.

“…?”
“You’ve grown quite a bit.”

Reks released my face with a pat.
Then he grinned widely.
It was a feral, bestial smile.

“Saelika.”

—————
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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