Youngest on Top - Chapter 284

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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 284

* * *

My dear child.

The moment I heard that voice.

Whoooooosh—!
A crystalline energy rippled through my body like water currents.
I felt a buoyant euphoria wash over me.
Drifting upward, floating toward some distant, boundless place.

And when I opened my eyes again.

“This is absolutely unacceptable!”

I saw Asquiel’s face twisted with fury.

“I cannot obey, no matter if it is Artemia’s command!”
“Asquiel.”
“Consider it! What will happen the moment this child’s existence is revealed!”

Asquiel was glaring at me.
At the small, wrinkled form cradled in Artemia’s arms—barely able to open my eyes.

Even as I observed from a third-person perspective, I could sense that tiny, crumpled being was me.
This must be a memory from my soul.

“The order of the Heavenly Realm will crumble! No—not just the Heavenly Realm. The Demon Realm and Human Realm will not escape the consequences either!”

Asquiel had always been a stern angel.
But I had never seen her regard me with such eyes before.
As if she were looking at an obstacle to Artemia’s future….

“It is a stability that Artemia established through her own sacrifice.”
“….”
“Yet how can you render that sacrifice, all of it, meaningless? And for something like that…!”
“Asquiel.”

Artemia covered my ear as she spoke.

“Mind your words. She is my daughter.”
“….”
“This child has inherited everything from me. The blood flowing through this small body, her eyes, nose, mouth, fingernails, toenails…. Even down to a single eyelash.”

Artemia’s fingertip brushed against my eyelash.

“Is it not remarkable? That even this tiny thing possesses eyelashes just like mine.”
“….”
“I already know what color her eyes will be. I knew before she was even born. They will shine with the same light as mine.”

Artemia smiled gently.
Asquiel gazed endlessly at that face.
Soon his lips trembled.

“…Is not everything in this world a creation of Artemia? Yet why do you regard only this child so differently?”
“Yes, I created this world.”

Artemia nodded lightly.

“But this child alone is different. I did not make her, did not create her. She simply inherited all that I am. Because she is my daughter.”

Artemia’s lips touched my cheek.

“Asquiel, I am sorry for keeping you bound as an angel, despite your divine nature.”
“It is the path I chose to serve you, Artemia.”
“There is no one else I can entrust this child to.”

Asquiel’s eyes contorted.
Not a command, but a plea.

“…How could I possibly refuse a request from Artemia?”
“I won’t ask you to cherish and love this child. But.”
“….”
“Keep her safe.”

Artemia’s gaze lowered toward me.

“Saelika, my daughter.”

Artemia smiled.
Yet that smile appeared as painful as swallowing a blade.

“Never forget. I will always….”

The arms that embraced me were extraordinarily gentle.
Yet infinitely firm.
As if unwilling to let go, as if unable to bear separation.

“My precious one.”

* * *

Asquiel furrowed his brow.
The infant’s eyes opened.

“Artemia was right.”

He murmured as if sighing.

“The Divine Eye.”

Clear and transparent blue irises.
But it was far more than that alone.
The power of creation dwelled within them.

A power no other god possessed, unlike what the name Divine Eye suggested.
The moment this frail, delicate body’s possession of such power became known, there was no telling what would transpire.

Asquiel’s palm covered the child’s eyes.
When he withdrew his hand, the radiant power that had shone within no longer leaked outward.

“I’m not sure how long this will hold, but first we need to clean up her identity.”

.
.

“We were born from the same branch.”

Asquiel spoke as he set down the child, curled up round like a bun.
The only difference from an ordinary bun was that this one had wings.

“Born from our branch?”
“I thought no angels dwelled in our branch anymore?”
“Wow, she’s so tiny. Is she alive?”
“She looks just like a human baby.”

The souls of angels are born from branches.
When first born, they spend their early years in the form of early adolescence, but upon reaching the age of awakening, they take on a fully adult form.

At Serha’s remark that she resembled a human infant, Asquiel opened his mouth.

“…She’ll likely develop just like a human baby would. There may be differences in timing, but the process should be identical.”
“Perhaps because the branch was withered when she was born? It seems she’ll need to grow gradually, piece by piece.”

At Kailros’s words, the other brothers nodded in agreement.
They had understood it roughly as a premature birth, which explained why she was so small.
That was precisely what Asquiel had intended.

‘It’s better if she blends in without anyone knowing her true nature.’

In the Heavenly Realm without children, Saelika would inevitably stand out.
If I tried to hide her carelessly, it would only advertise that there was a secret to keep.

“So she’s our youngest, then.”

Enrik was genuinely delighted to have a younger sister to command, but the other brothers felt differently.

“…All of Artemia’s angels are perfect, yet here’s this underdeveloped one. And from the same branch as me, no less.”

Anakin, brimming with pride, examined Sae with a cold gaze.
And he reached a conclusion.

“I’ll need to feed her well!”

I’ll raise her into a superior specimen through nurture!

“But what should I feed her?”
“Meat? Should I catch a divine beast rich in sacred power?”
“There’s a plump divine beast over in Parmanace.”
“Good heavens, she doesn’t have any teeth yet…!”

At Serha’s words, everyone peered into the child’s mouth.

‘Such fussing….’

Asquiel regarded his brothers with an icy stare.

‘I suppose I can leave the childcare to them.’

For safety’s sake, and more importantly—.
Asquiel disliked this child.

Asquiel turned his body away.
Just as he was about to take flight.
Tug, tug.

“…?”

His robe hem stretched.
When he turned his head, a tiny hand—as if just formed—was grasping his robe hem.

“Papa.”

Each time her mouth moved, her plump cheeks trembled.
Asquiel’s brow furrowed.

“What is it?”
“Aba bu!”
“Let go.”

Enrik, gauging Asquiel’s reaction, tried gently to pry open Saelika’s hand.

“Little one, let that go. Geez. Asquiel, if you tear an angel…?!”

Enrik froze.
The plump little hand gripping his sleeve didn’t budge an inch.

“The little one is incredibly strong!”
“Do human babies have this too? Small but with the strength of an ox?”
“That can’t be right. Her muscles haven’t even developed properly yet. It seems the child must have been born with a particularly strong power.”
“She hasn’t even reached the age to awaken her power yet? To possess such strength from the beginning… it’s almost divine.”

At those last words, Asquiel’s voice cut through sharply.

“Just because she can grip something well doesn’t make her divine.”
“No, I was just speaking. Gods are born with their powers from the beginning, after all.”
“….”

All the while, Saelika clung firmly to Asquiel’s robe, refusing to let go.

“Sigh.”

Finally, Asquiel simply lifted Saelika up.
Only then did Saelika release her grip.
When their eyes met, she broke into a bright smile.
Her already plump cheeks trembled as if they might burst.

“She’s smiling!”
“Hmm, I might be willing to acknowledge her as my sister.”
“…What is this? My chest suddenly feels all tingly.”
“Me too! Let me hold her!”

While the brothers made a fuss, Asquiel felt the stubby little arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

‘…If she applied just a bit more pressure, my neck would snap.’

Asquiel ultimately took flight while cradling Saelika in his arms.

* * *

“Asquiel.”

The angel approaching Asquiel flinched.
He rubbed his eyes roughly and opened them again.
Even then, he couldn’t find words for a long moment.

The other angels were no different.

“Asquiel. What is that?!”
“A-Asquiel?!”

They dropped what they were holding.
They were flying perfectly fine before stumbling mid-flight and plummeting.

It was understandable.
Asquiel—the first branch of the great Goddess Artemia, renowned for his severity and ruthlessness… that ‘Asquiel’ who was said to possess no heart whatsoever—.

‘Carrying a baby angel in his arms?!’

It was utterly astonishing.
They had heard rumors of a mutation appearing from the same branch, but…

‘I naturally assumed he would discard it.’
‘No, I thought he wouldn’t even bother discarding it. I believed he wouldn’t pay any attention to it at all.’
‘After all, it’s difficult for an angel born from a withered branch to contribute as an angel.’
‘Only exceptional angels have ever been born from Asquiel’s branch.’
‘Is Artemia’s angels declining to this extent?’

Crash!
The wings of the gossiping angels were torn away.

“Aaaahhhhh!”
“A-Asquiel?!”

Asquiel turned to face them with an unbothered expression.
While keeping Sae’s eyes covered.

“Oh, it was there?”
“J-just now—.”
“What, you have a complaint?”
“…!”

The angels scattered in panic, crying out “N-no, not at all!” as they fled.
The brothers approached with snickering laughter.

“Man, you seem to have gotten an even worse personality, brother.”
“Usually people become gentler when caring for a baby.”
“Maybe it’s because he’s carrying around that lump that he can’t help but become foul.”

Asquiel spoke coldly.
Serha bit back his laughter.
Despite what they said, Asquiel’s hands skillfully patted the baby’s bottom.

“Human babies enjoy playing with toys like these.”
“Since their developmental stages are similar, wouldn’t she like them?”

The brothers pressed a handful of toys into Sae’s hands.
Once Sae was set down, she began playing with the toys.

‘She plays well.’

Asquiel felt reassured and worked with the angels.
There was always work piling up.

Then.

Crack!
With a dull explosive sound, the toy burst apart in Sae’s hands.

“Huh? Sae!”
“At least she didn’t get hurt.”
“Why did it break? I made it with my holy power….”

At the Brothers’ words, Asquiel opened his mouth.

“I broke it. The giggling was loud and irritating.”
“What? Brother!”

The Brothers stared at Asquiel with reproachful eyes.
Artemia’s angels also made no effort to hide their disappointment.

“…Asquiel, that’s too much.”
“Blowing up a toy a baby was playing with….”
“Are you taking out your frustration because a mutation appeared on the same branch? I’ve never seen you act like this, no matter how cold you usually are….”

One angel suddenly stood up and lifted Saelika into her arms.

“This won’t do. Asquiel, from now on we’ll raise Saelika—.”
“Waaahhh!”

In that moment, Saelika burst into tears.
The baby who hadn’t cried even when the toy exploded in her hands now wept, startling the angels.

“Why, why are you crying, Saelika?”
“Are you uncomfortable somewhere? Are you hungry?”

The angels cooed and tried to soothe her.
Saelika spoke through hiccups, her face full of tears.

“Ashu.”
“…?”
“Ashuuu!”

Saelika stretched her tiny hands toward Asquiel, wiggling them.
When she still couldn’t reach, strength surged into her legs.

‘At this rate, she’ll crack an angel’s ribs.’

Asquiel sighed and lifted Saelika into his arms.

“Huh? Wait—.”

The angels who were about to stop her fell silent.
The moment Asquiel sat down, Sae completely stopped crying.

“Let us conclude today’s meeting here.”

Asquiel spoke those words and left the Assembly Hall.
Behind him, the voices of the angels could be heard.

“A child who knows nothing follows Asquiel so eagerly.”
“What does she hate about Sae so much that she even broke her toy.”
“It’s a good thing she didn’t get hurt.”

Asquiel walked quietly.
I had seen it.
The moment Sae excitedly gripped the toy tightly, the toy burst from the pressure she couldn’t contain.

‘…It’s fortunate the others didn’t see.’

Then, Sae buried her face in my arms.
Her soft cheeks were crushed carelessly.

“…Homely, aren’t you.”

It was a wonder how she could be so plain despite taking after Artemia so much.
Yet she was warm.

“…Is it alright for her to have this much heat?”

I found myself questioning anew.
All the angels born from the branch possessed cool body temperatures.
Sae wriggled into my arms, as if drawn to that coolness.

‘…Perhaps it’s not so bad.’

A faint smile had blossomed on my face.
A smile no one else had ever seen.

And the moment Asquiel stepped into my room.

“…Why on earth.”

That smile vanished as if washed away.

“Why are you here, Artemia…!”

Artemia had been in his room.
And she was carrying a mountain of gifts with her.

—————
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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