Youngest on Top - Chapter 29

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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 29

* * *

Gawain wore a satisfied smile.
The moment he mentioned Saelika, Roana’s expression shifted.

‘I was worried she might follow that girl around because of Saelika’s performance on the day of the fire, but it seems my concern was unfounded.’

Roana definitely hated Saelika.
And the timing was perfect.
It was right after Roana had been rejected by Edmund.
Because of Saelika, no less.

‘Well, of course. She’d have to harbor resentment. She already disliked her anyway.’

The two of them moved to an empty room.
Roana frowned slightly, looking rather displeased.

“What is this? No refreshments?”
“Haha, my apologies. The matter is rather urgent, you see….”
“What’s this about? Why her?”
“Before that, would you answer this question for me?”

Gawain gazed at Roana with a smile.

“On the day the fire broke out, you went to the dormitory alone. You didn’t go to the training room.”
“So?”
“What were you doing alone in the dormitory?”

Roana’s face twisted with displeasure.

“Are you seriously suspecting me right now? That I started the fire?”
“Just be honest with me.”

Roana stared at Gawain with clear disapproval, then crossed her arms.

“It wasn’t me.”
“But someone destroyed the core of the consecration. That’s why the fire started.”
“….”
“Only two people went to the dormitory that day. You and that commoner.”
“….”
“One of you must be the culprit, right?”
“It could be someone completely different—.”
“No one else ever went to the dormitory. We’ve investigated everything and have our results.”

Roana lowered her head and murmured with a hesitant expression.

“…But Sae saved the other children and even protected the divine beast. She sacrificed her own body for it.”

Gawain let out a quiet laugh internally.

‘Is she trying to cover for her out of conscience?’

But that shallow conscience wouldn’t last long, he was certain.
Gawain knew children like Roana very well.

“Then it must be you.”
“…What?”

Roana stared at Gawain with a bewildered expression.
She seemed quite flustered that he, who always catered to her whims so gently, was approaching her this way.

But this was the moment to be firm.
With sheltered young ladies who knew nothing of the world, you had to alternate between strength and weakness.
After all, Roana had only been cruel to Saelika because she was a weak commoner.

“Everyone thinks so. That you went to the dormitory alone that day and destroyed the core of the consecration.”
“That’s absurd!”
“But Sae can’t be the culprit, right? According to you, she sacrificed herself to protect everyone.”
“….”

Roana bit her lip.
She too had felt the adults looking at her with strange eyes lately.

“…So that’s why they were looking at me like that.”

Gawain nodded in agreement at Roana’s murmured words.

“Yes, you felt it too. There’s been continuous talk among the Priesthood. I keep saying it couldn’t possibly be you, but…”

Gawain shook his head firmly.

“You said you saw that Commoner emerge from the Underground that day? The core of the Consecration is located Underground.”
“…”

Roana’s eyes wavered with hesitation.
Seeing the conflict written across her face, Gawain lowered his voice and whispered.

“And that Commoner harbors a secret.”
“…A secret?”
“He sneaks out of the Temple at night.”
“…!”

Roana stared at Gawain with widened eyes.

“People who scheme dirty deeds typically move like that. Thieves or rats.”
“…”
“What if that filthy creature orchestrated this whole charade to avoid suspicion?”

There—I’ve given her every reason to ease her conscience.
Gawain waited without pressing Roana further.

Before long, Roana’s lips parted.

“…That child is certainly cunning.”

Gawain grinned wickedly and clutched his chest in exaggerated fashion.

“I’m truly terrified, Roana. When that Commoner first arrived at the Temple, there were rumors.”
“Rumors?”
“That a demon was masquerading as human.”
“…!”

Roana started in shock, staring at Gawain.

“B-but that’s too much….”
“Roana, do you really think an ordinary child could save all the other trainee priests?”
“….”
“And she’s even younger than you.”
“….”
“Hmm, the culprit is one of two. If that child is innocent, then you, Roana—.”
“It’s not me.”

Roana denied it urgently, then looked directly at Gawain and spoke clearly.

“So the culprit is that commoner.”

Gawain smiled wickedly.

“Yes, I believe in you. Our Roana is a noble young lady of such distinguished standing, worlds apart from such lowly trash. That wretch must have set the fire out of jealousy.”

Roana, who had been listening to Gawain’s words as if they were obvious, let out a discontented remark.

“But other people won’t believe me. If one of us two is the culprit, they’ll all side with that commoner.”
“That’s true.”
“The atmosphere lately is really strange. All the trainee priests are moving around that commoner!”

Gawain took hold of Roana’s hand as she fumed.

“That cunning wretch plotted this beforehand. To pin it on you.”
“…How dare she.”
“For you to survive, you must prove that wretch is truly the culprit.”
“I’ll interrogate her myself.”

Gawain’s lips curved upward.

“A splendid idea. Truly befitting a young lady of the Traishan Family.”
“But she’s so twisted that I can’t do it alone. Even back at the dormitory, instead of being intimidated, she said she’d tell the adults.”

Roana gritted her teeth at the memory, her resentment evident.

“She needs to learn that there are adults whose flattery won’t work on. That way, interrogating her will be easier.”

Roana looked at Gawain with an arrogant expression.

“Gawain, you said you’d teach that commoner a lesson last time, but you ended up being the one who got beaten instead? Losing to a child, no less.”

As she brought up the humiliation he’d suffered back then, Gawain’s mouth twitched.
Roana rose from her seat and brushed her hair back smoothly.

“I’m sure you’ll do better this time.”

* * *

The doctor who examined me nodded with a brightened face.

“Yes, there’s no need for further recuperation now. You’ve recovered remarkably smoothly. Truly impressive.”

Sirius, who had been watching the examination from beside me, lifted his lips in arrogance.

“Indeed. The medicinal ingredients I provided proved quite effective.”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. I was truly astonished. How did you even procure such materials? You truly are remarkable, Elder.”
“Hmph, it was nothing special.”

Devon muttered from the side with an exasperated expression, “You stole them, yet…”
Sirius chuckled with a leisurely smile.

“What, are you jealous because you can’t procure such materials?”
“Good grief, since when have you been taking such care of our little treasure? It’s been me all along, quietly looking after our little treasure.”

That was true.
Devon had been defending me ever since I came under suspicion.

‘To be precise, he became very actively supportive after I discovered the treasure.’

By the way, Devon was the elder in charge of the Temple’s finances.
It seemed he had been quite strapped for money all this time.

“The medicinal ingredients were excellent, but the nursing care was also outstanding. It’s not easy to stay by someone’s side and tend to them constantly.”

At the doctor’s praise, Randel laughed heartily.

“There was nothing difficult about it. Sae follows me so well, after all.”

For some reason, the phrase “Sae follows along so well” seemed to ring particularly loud.
Sirius let out a scoff.

“What good does standing beside him do anyway? Medicinal tonics are the best.”
“You’re so cold-blooded you don’t understand anything. Emotional stability is crucial for a child! I provided that well.”
“Hmm, nursing care fulfills both emotional stability and treatment simultaneously. I’d say I was the most helpful in Sae’s recovery, wouldn’t you?”

Crackle.
Electricity sparked between the three of them.

The High Priest regarded their display with disdain before opening his mouth.

“High Priests with such clouded judgment—how pathetic.”

At the sound of his tongue clicking, all three flinched.
Looking back, I realized they’d bickered far too childishly in front of the High Priest.
Just as they were about to lower their heads, the High Priest tilted his chin slightly upward.

“Wasn’t it I who actually treated that child?”
“….”
“Try to judge matters more properly, rationally, and logically.”
“….”

Whoooosh—
A cold wind blew from somewhere despite the windows being closed.
In the solemn silence, the High Priest grew even more self-satisfied watching the three speechless figures.

“Ha, you’ve all worked hard. The child recovered quickly because you all cared for him so well.”

The physician rose from his seat after making polite conversation.

“And the one who suffered most is this child here. You must have endured so much, yet you held on well.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”

The physician who had pressed a grape-flavored candy into my hand bowed and left the room.

Not long after, the adults were also dragged away by their attendants.
It seemed they had mountains of work to handle.

Alone, I began to pray.
My goal was to recover my divine power as quickly as possible.

How much time had passed?
Knock, knock—someone tapped on the door.
The person who opened and entered was Ilay.

“Ire.”
“You said you were almost better, but half your face is swollen. Half!”

Ilay pinched my cheek lightly.

“Ow.”
“So, why did you call me?”
“I have a favor.”

Ilay asked, “What is it?”

“Can you tell Sae, Randel, Dmitri, and the others that I’m grateful to them?”
“Just do it yourself?”

Ilay looked at me as if I were asking for something ridiculous.

“I want to give them something a little different. Can you help me, Ilay?”
“Of course I can help with that.”

Having made Ilay my ally certainly proved useful.
I was in the middle of explaining what kind of gift to give—.

“I knew it! That sneaky bastard!”

The door burst open and Dmitri shouted.
Edmund was standing beside him.

“Sneaking away alone to visit the sweetheart!”

Ilay chuckled.

“I only called for Sae. I couldn’t very well drag you along, could I?”
“What?”

Dmitri stared at me with a shocked expression.
I quickly explained myself.

“I asked Ilay to do it instead.”
“Right, which means I’m trustworthy and dependable enough to ask separately. You’re not.”
“That’s not true! Honey-bread relies on me!”

I looked at Ilay with bewildered eyes.
Why was he provoking the child?

While the two of them bickered back and forth, Edmund thrust something toward me.
It was warm honey tea in a thermos.

It seemed like he’d made it himself…
When I looked up, Edmund’s expression darkened considerably.

“What are you looking at? You think I went out of my way to find Rubel honey because I was worried you’d get sick, then boiled water and made this myself?”
“…”
“Ha! As if. Unlike you, I’m noble and have never boiled water with my own hands.”
“…”
“Would I, of all people, serve a commoner?”

So he never said he was serving me.

“I’ll enjoy it.”
“…Do as you wish.”

Edmund turned his head away sharply.
The honey tea was absolutely delicious.

* * *

The next day.
While I was alone in my room, Roana came to find me and told me to follow her.
We went to quite a secluded place, and as I looked around, I asked her.

“Where are we going?”
“We’re almost there.”

We arrived at the rear wall of a building that was no longer in use.

“Why here?”
“Seriously? You can’t even figure out the situation?”

Roana crossed her arms and looked down at me.
Just like when she blocked me on the stairs.

“…We became friends, you know.”
“What? Me? With someone like you?”

Roana laughed softly.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. And why don’t you take off that disgusting mask and be honest for once?”
“…”
“You destroyed the core of the consecration and set the fire.”
“That’s not it.”
“The culprit is one of us two, and it’s not me. So who else could it be?”
“Why does it have to be one of us two?”
“Gawain said so.”

Roana spoke with confidence.

“You set the fire and pretended to rescue the children, didn’t you? You’re cunning, so you didn’t want to get caught.”
“Why would I want to hide something?”
“Because you’re a monster.”
“…!”

Seeing my shocked expression, Roana laughed and turned her head.

“Right, Gawain? Gawain said so, didn’t he?”

There was no one there.

“Gawain?”

As Roana called out again, the grass rustled slightly, and Gawain stepped forward.

“Haha, Roana. You seem to have misunderstood me. I never said Sae was a demon—.”
“Waaahhhhh!”

I burst into tears.

“Gawain’s not a demon. Gawain didn’t start the fire. Sniff, Gawain’s not… not…”

Sniffle, sniffle.
As tears streamed down my face, Roana spoke to Gawain.

“Quite disgusting, isn’t it?”
“No, I—.”
“Did Gawain start the fire?”
“That’s not—.”
“Did Gawain say he started it?”
“No—.”
“Then you know Sae isn’t a demon.”

I lifted my head abruptly.

“Because you started the fire.”
“…!”

Gawain’s pupils trembled.
He forced his lips upward into a smile.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, Sae. I—”
“Did Ilay order you to?”

I lowered my voice to a whisper, speaking only for him to hear.
Gawain’s expression shifted.
His face twisted menacingly.

Thud!
Gawain slammed me against the building wall and asked savagely.

“How did you know?”
“Who knows.”

I lifted the corners of my mouth into a smile.

“You’re the one who needs to explain yourself.”
“…?”

Gawain, not understanding my meaning, wore a vacant expression.
And then.

“Would you care to explain what this is all about?”

A cold voice cut through the air.
The Sirius Elder regarded Gawain with eyes as glacial as ice.
And behind him—.

“Y-Your Eminence!”

The High Priest and the other high priests stood arrayed.

—————
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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