Youngest on Top - Chapter 298

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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 298

* * *

The Artemia Temple was in absolute chaos.
It was only natural—their most precious Sacred Maiden had vanished overnight.
And today was supposed to be Saelika’s betrothal ceremony!

The Elders, Temple Priests, and all the Priests gathered to discuss the matter.
And then.

“Well done!”

The stern Sirius Elder patted Ilay on the shoulder.
Ilay, suddenly praised, was bewildered, but soon realized what was happening.
All the adults were looking at him with pride.

“It wasn’t me.”
“Of course it was.”
“Well, it wasn’t!”
“….”

The Debon Elder wiped beneath his nose with a satisfied gleam in his eyes.

“Ilay was the last to see our youngest asleep, and Ilay locked the youngest’s door! But there’s absolutely no way it was Ilay who did it!”
“No, I really—.”
“Hehe, to show such composure! There’s nothing left to teach you!”
“That’s right, to manage such a grand temple, sometimes you must employ such bold tactics!”
“Truly a talent with the qualities of a High Priest! The future of Artemia is bright!”
“….”

All the adults believed Ilay had orchestrated this scheme to prevent the betrothal ceremony.
Ilay felt deeply wronged.

‘They think I’d use such a scheme—well, I suppose I did consider it.’

Ilay felt a slight pang of remorse.
But every scheme Ilay had orchestrated was at Saelika’s request.
Though in the process, Ilay had admittedly(?) employed questionable means without hesitation.
That probably wasn’t a major issue.

“Ilay.”

Edmund placed a hand on Ilay’s shoulder with a soft tap.
Turning around, the brothers who had walked alongside him for so long gazed at him with intense eyes.
As if they understood everything.

“You all….”

Ilay felt somewhat moved.
Though they were terribly disobedient, you really do trust me!

“What you actually carried out was truly remarkable compared to what I merely imagined. But surely you didn’t need to hide it from me?”
“Right! We would have naturally cooperated!”
“We made sure to provide meals properly, didn’t we? If there’s no meat at breakfast, the Protagonist throws a tantrum.”
“….”

There wasn’t a single trustworthy person in this world.
Ilay grasped this sad truth.
He ignored his brothers and spoke seriously to the adults.

“It really wasn’t me.”
“Come on, you don’t need to be like that with us.”

After several rounds of persuasion, the Temple Priests finally understood that Ilay hadn’t orchestrated this.

“Then who on earth did?”
“Was it Perardin Noishurael Duke?”
“If it were him, it would certainly be….”
“For the Duke to infiltrate the temple and abduct the Sacred Maiden is excessive, no matter his station. …But.”
“Given that it stemmed from a father’s affection for his daughter, it’s not entirely incomprehensible.”
“How could the temple fault the divine will set by the Heavens?”
“We have no choice but to let this pass.”

The Temple Priests all nodded in agreement.

“….”

Ilay was at a loss for words.

‘Is it really okay for our temple to do this?’

But soon another problem emerged.
It was revealed that neither Perardin Noishurael Duke nor Admiral Ekellan had done it.
It wasn’t the work of the Elves or the Beast-kin either.

“Are you joking? We have common sense too.”

The Temple Priests felt a pang of guilt seeing the Elf King and Beast-kin King react as if they’d been insulted.
They felt even more embarrassed, having just praised Ilay for executing the kidnapping so well.

“…Of course, inducing a broken engagement through kidnapping is certainly a brilliant strategy.”
“Hmm, the execution and drive behind it are quite impressive.”

At the words added by Nemus and Reks, the Temple Priests were speechless.

‘…Didn’t you just call it absurd?!’

The Elves and Beast-kin were no different from the Temple Priests.

But the more they investigated, the more Saelika’s whereabouts remained a mystery.
It wasn’t something the foreign princes had done in concert.
It wasn’t something the crazed Dragon-kin princess had done either.

Only then did people’s expressions grow serious.

“…It doesn’t seem like a righteous theft to break the engagement.”
“Who on earth would dare….”
“If anyone so much as touches a single strand of my daughter’s hair, I won’t let them off!”

Watching the people grinding their teeth, Tarasius, the Crown Prince of the Dragon-kin, thought to himself.

‘Well, honestly, I think Saelika would win anyway.’

“Could it be someone from the Heavenly Realm took her?”
“Are you insane? That’s ridiculous even for a stretch.”
“No, it couldn’t be. Artemia wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“Right. Considering how Sae never stops singing Artemia’s praises….”

Hmm.
Thinking of Saelika’s praise made me slightly suspicious.

“Well, since Amelia escaped, it’s probably her.”
“That must be it!”
“That vile and despicable creature dares!”
“We should have left the pursuit to the imperial family!”

My fathers gnashed their teeth.

* * *

Amelia stopped in her tracks upon seeing the lavishly decorated hall.
Though she had been raised seeing only precious things since childhood as the Sacred Maiden of Parmanase, she felt utterly overwhelmed.

‘What kind of betrothal ceremony is this….’

The hall, which the late Emperor, the Perardin Noishurael Duke’s household, the Ekkelan Duke’s household, and the Artemia Temple had competed to decorate, was breathtakingly beautiful.
Amelia’s face crumpled as her gaze was captivated by the splendor.

‘All of this is for a rat like Saelika!’

Indignation surged within her.
She was the one truly deserving of all this!

“Really?”

At the voice from beside her, Amelia reflexively lowered her head.

‘Thanks to that man, I’ve changed my appearance….’

The Man possessed special abilities.
With his help, I had completely altered my appearance, but I remained uneasy.
Special abilities were difficult to counter, but they weren’t infallible.
There might be someone who would recognize me.

“I’m telling you, it’s true? The Great Sacred Maiden apparently disappeared, so she hasn’t arrived yet.”
“What? She vanished on the day of the betrothal ceremony? What are we supposed to do?”

Amelia perked up her ears.
It seemed Saelika had disappeared.

‘Was this what he prepared for me?’

I thought The Man wouldn’t have brought me here without reason….

‘A stage made for me….’

Amelia surveyed the hall once more.
The thought of myself making a grand entrance in this beautiful place was intoxicating.
Moreover, the betrothal ceremony wasn’t even being broadcast live.
But.

‘If these foolish people only seek Saelika instead of looking up to me….’

“How dare that fake presume to be the savior and oppress the Sacred Maiden!”
“Meanwhile, how magnificent the Sacred Maiden is! She doesn’t yield even to that vicious woman—”

Words I had heard throughout my confinement in the spire.

“You can’t even match half of what Saelika has, yet you resent her as if what she possesses should have been yours.”
“I wish Saelika had been the Sacred Maiden of Parmanase instead of a fool like you!”
“I wish Saelika had been my granddaughter instead of a worm like you!”

Even Beatrix’s betrayal, she who had loved me so dearly.

‘I, I am….’

Amelia gripped her trembling arms.
I am the most noble and precious being in this world.
Surely that’s true.

‘Right, she said it was all mine originally.’

Saelika had said so.
Before time was rewound, Perardin Noishurael Duke and the princes, the Elves, the beastmen, and the Crown Prince—they all belonged to Amelia.
That had been possible because—.

‘Saelika!’

It was only by obtaining Saelika’s power that all of it had become possible.

“Amelia? Why are you trembling so?”

The man who had approached without her noticing called out to her in a puzzled voice.
Amelia clung to him.

“Change my appearance for me.”
“…What?”
“You can do it. Instead of this face.”

Amelia brushed her own cheek with a deathly pale face.
In her vacant eyes, a portrait of Saelika hung beyond the man’s figure.
Golden hair like honey and eyes like precious sapphires.

“Give me Saelika’s face.”
“…!”

Amelia’s lips twisted into a grotesque smile.
Saelika receives everyone’s love.
Despite the fact that I am the one who should be receiving that love.

If I merely change this meaningless outer shell, won’t all that love be directed toward me instead?

‘Yes, then everything will be mine.’

The protagonist of this magnificent betrothal ceremony.
The position of the Sacred Maiden who saved the world.
The precious jewel of the Noishurael and Ekkelan families.
The seat as the young new Emperor’s beloved.

‘It’s all mine!’

I lamented that I hadn’t thought of this sooner.
Moreover, the man before me and his master possessed tremendous power.

‘They’re the ones who breached the defenses of the Artemia Temple’s regional branch and even kidnapped Saelika.’

Honestly, I couldn’t even imagine what methods they used.
With their help, I have nothing to fear now.
Above all, the man’s master was utterly infatuated with me.

“By the way, when will you let me meet your master?”
“…I told you that you would meet him today.”
“Hehe, good. A romantic meeting in such a beautiful place.”

How much did he desire me to go this far?

“Did you already kill Saelika?”
“…”
“Don’t kill her. She shouldn’t die so easily. She needs to pay the price for tormenting me like this.”

Amelia grinned wickedly.
After reclaiming everything today, I would lock Saelika in the spire.
And I would make her listen endlessly to all the praise and adoration directed at me.
Just as I experienced it!

* * *

Saelika glared at the person before her with a sullen expression.

“You like it, don’t you? The pancakes made with sugar flowers that bloomed this morning.”
“Is it because there’s no meat? You and your picky eating habits.”
“Just wait a bit. I’m grilling meat too.”

I was at a loss for words.

“Do you realize I’m being picky about food right now?! You kidnapped me while I was sleeping!”

When Saelika burst out in anger, my brothers fluttered their wings.

“Oh, kidnapped, you say.”
“We just came home after a while.”
“Here, little one loves pancakes—whoooosh! Like an angel!”

Serha picked up a pancake with his fork and pretended to fly it like an angel toward Saelika’s mouth.
Saelika was utterly exasperated.

“Do you know how old I am?”
“You’re at least two thousand years younger than me.”

Damn it.

“Anyway, I need to go back. I have something important to do today.”
“Just skip it. Skipping things is your specialty anyway.”
“No, we’ve only been dating for a short while, and promising marriage already is far too hasty.”
“You should date your marriage partner for at least a hundred years before deciding.”
“I didn’t raise my youngest to be like this!”

The nagging was relentless.
As I tried to escape, I spotted Asquiel approaching from a distance.
His hands were full of meat.

‘If he catches me, I’m really in trouble!’

Cold sweat broke out down my back.
He said something about career counseling, but who knows what might happen.
Fortunately, Saelika’s savior appeared.

“Artemia!”

Saelika flew toward Artemia in a rush.
A large hand gently stroked Saelika’s head.

“My brothers kidnapped me and are keeping me from descending to the Human Realm! Please help me!”
“Hmm….”
“Artemia?”
“Do you really have to go down to the Human Realm?”
“…What?”

Artemia smiled warmly at me.

“Wouldn’t it be nicer to just stay here and live with Father for the rest of your life?”

In that moment, I realized something.
This overwhelming power completely sealing off the Heavenly Realm and the Human Realm.
This intricate and oppressive force was not something any other angel or deity could accomplish.
Only Artemia could do this.

“Could this kidnapping possibly be….”

Artemia’s doing?!

It was shocking.
Not Asquiel, but kind, gentle, affectionate, and caring Artemia…!

“I hate you, Artemia!”

Words of resentment spilled out before I could stop myself.
I had never resented Artemia even once before.

In that instant.

Rumble rumble rumble!
The Heavenly Realm trembled.
The arrangement of divine power that had been firmly sealing the Heavenly Realm wavered.

Crack.
Artemia looked at me with a shocked expression.
Her face was as if the world had crumbled.

This was the first time I had ever seen Artemia like this.
My heart ached a little.

“I really hate this!”

This was truly too much.
After all the sacrifices Shuri had made for me, to be stood up on the betrothal day!

Rummmmmble!
The barrier that had seemed impenetrable cracked and twisted under the relentless assault of her hatred.
The entire Heavenly Realm screamed at Artemia’s emotional turmoil.

Artemia muttered with a dazed expression.

“I, I just… I gave permission to all the other fathers, but said nothing to me. Just because of that… Of course, it’s because I failed as a father, but still, I wanted to see her beg me for permission too. Honestly, it would be best if she didn’t marry at all, but just seeing our daughter beg me for it…”

Saelika’s brothers stared at Artemia with stunned faces.
This was the first time they’d ever seen Artemia in such a vulnerable state.

Asquiel, the one most familiar with her, finally spoke.

“Artemia, Saelika has left.”
“…”

* * *

“You look absolutely beautiful, Saelika.”

Amelia smiled.
Everything was perfect.

“I was so shocked when I heard you had disappeared.”
“Ah, I had something urgent to attend to. I was a bit late, wasn’t I? Everything is fine now.”

Everything truly was fine.
The palace attendants couldn’t recognize that the person before them was actually Amelia wearing Saelika’s appearance.

‘Probably no one will notice.’

That special ability user’s power was truly remarkable.
Such an exquisite ability.
It was incomparable to the disguise from before.

‘And she’s even wearing Artemia’s sacred artifact.’

The divine power emanating from the sacred artifact would make it even harder to recognize her true identity.

A glance into the hall revealed it was packed with people.
They had all gathered to celebrate her rebirth.

“The Grand Sacred Maiden enters!”

With the herald’s announcement, Amelia walked confidently into the hall.
Everyone smiled and applauded her.

Kaishurit, who had been waiting throughout the betrothal ceremony without a bride, gazed at Amelia with a smile.

‘Ah.’

Amelia was satisfied.
That Kaishurit was looking at her with such intensity.

‘See, I didn’t need to be Saelika after all.’

No, wait.

‘He’s looking at me with such fervent eyes because it’s me.’

Everything felt like it had fallen into place.
Kaishurit took Amelia’s hand.
With a grip so tight it hurt.

“…?”
“You mustn’t run away.”

Kaishurit whispered.
It was thrilling.
Setting aside his status as Emperor, this man was truly captivating.

‘We’re perfect for each other.’

Everything had been prepared for Amelia.
Blessings poured forth from all around.
Upon seeing the betrothal ring Kaishurit had prepared, Amelia nearly cried out in astonishment.
She had never seen a ring like that before.

Amelia waited eagerly for him to slip the ring onto her finger.

“Shuri, why won’t you put it on?”

Amelia brushed her hand across Kaishurit’s shoulder in a seductive manner.
Kaishurit’s smile deepened.

“Because my master has other plans.”
“…?”

That was when it happened.
A brilliant light suffused the empty air.
And then.

“S-Saelika?!”

Saelika emerged from the radiant light!

—————
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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