Youngest on Top - Chapter 31

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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 31

* * *

“P-please! Stop, I’ll tell you everything! I’ll tell you everything!”
“I’ll talk! I’ll speak, cough!”
“P-please! Saelika! Please let me, ugh, speak!”

Strange parasitic noises kept buzzing from somewhere.
Since it wasn’t human speech, I continued with what I was doing.

Not long after, Gawain collapsed without uttering another word, trembling with a “grrgh.”
I set down my mace and smiled brightly.

“Good. Now you seem ready to have an audience.”

Gawain only trembled without responding.

“Hmm, is it still not enough?”

As I lifted the mace again, Gawain panicked and jerked his head up, crying “N-no, I’ll tell you! Everything!”
Then, without me even asking, he began confessing the details of his crimes.

Just as I suspected, Gawain had been acting under Reyatan’s orders.
Destroying the core of the consecration, starting the fire—all of it was Gawain’s doing alone.
Apparently, his original plan was to pin everything on me.

Reyatan had ordered the arson because of the Divine Beast.
He judged that Artemia wouldn’t be immediately expelled from the Octagon since she had summoned the Divine Beast.
Upon hearing that the Divine Beast had taken residence in the Trainee Priest Quarters, he ordered the arson.

“If the fire causes the Divine Beast to be unsummoned and the children of high-ranking nobles die or are injured in the flames, all the better.”
“Even better?”
“Wouldn’t the parents of those powerful children move to crush Artemia?”

I wasn’t asking because I didn’t understand.
I was asking because I was flabbergasted.

‘Those Reyatan bastards. Treating children’s lives like chess pieces.’

My teeth ground together involuntarily.
In any case, now I understood why Reyatan was moving differently than before my regression.

“Why did you listen to Reyatan?”
“R-Reyatan promised us a position in the Octagon if we cooperated. Since Reyatan has a Saint, it’s possible to alter the nature of my divine power….”

This was exactly as I had anticipated.
I asked about something else.

“How did you know Sae left secretly at night?”
“That night, I was going out to meet with Reyatan….”
“Don’t tell anyone else that you saw Sae.”
“B-But I’ve already told people.”
“Then keep saying you saw her.”

As I spoke while gently stroking my mace, Gawain’s face went deathly pale and he bowed his head.

“I-I never saw Saelika at night in the first place!”

Seeing him claim he should live despite trying to burn children to death filled me with disgust.
He was truly remarkable in all the wrong ways.

‘While establishing connections to the Triashen family through Roana, he was executing a plan to kill her.’

His philosophy was simple: as long as he benefited, nothing else mattered.

But one thing bothered me.

‘Why would Reyatan specifically order an arson attack?’

Something felt off.
Of course, if Artemisia fell, Reyatan would be the greatest beneficiary.
With a vacant seat in the Octagon, they’d have the highest chance of joining.
And now they’ve suddenly summoned a Divine Beast—they must be getting anxious that a Saint might appear next.

‘But why go this far? Rushing to eat only causes indigestion.’

Well, I can just resolve the mystery.
I swiftly picked up the essential tool for quick and smooth conversation.

“Why, why are you picking up the mace again?”
“Why? Because our Weyni hasn’t told me everything yet.”
“I, I really did tell you everything! Even who the Temple Priest of Reyatan that I made contact with is!”

Thinking I was about to hit him again, his words grew desperate and clipped.

“Think carefully. There’s still something you haven’t told me.”
“What on earth is that?!”
“That’s something Weyni knows better than anyone.”
“Damn it! This pathetic temple is doomed anyway!”

Gawain cried out, grinding his teeth.

“I was helping you. Isn’t it better to accept defeat gracefully and exit cleanly rather than suffer through useless hope and fail miserably, achieving nothing?”

Gawain possessed a remarkable talent.
The talent of spouting utter nonsense with great sincerity.

Thud.
The god’s mace shone once more.

* * *

Gawain became docile again.
And he was desperate to tell me even a little more.

I suspected there might be someone behind the scenes, but there wasn’t anyone special.
Gawain had spilled everything, which is why he was so angry.
Of course, I didn’t feel sorry at all.

Come to think of it, considering how arrogantly that bald fool had behaved, it made sense that he would resort to such reckless methods.
Reyatan was originally a god with aggressive and destructive tendencies.

‘And his inferiority complex toward our Artemia was immense.’

Now that an opportunity had finally arisen to surpass Artemia’s influence, he would naturally incite his priests.

I was nodding along when Mogen called out, “Sae?”

‘Oh right, Mogen was brushing my hair.’

When I said it was nothing, Mogen returned his focus to brushing.
Since my hair had grown shorter anyway, there wasn’t much point in putting in so much effort.
As I sat still, the Temple Priests began chatting amongst themselves.

“Someone paid a visit last night, and that bastard Gawain was beaten to a pulp.”
“Who did such a commendable thing?”
“Everyone denies it, but I suspect it was Derrick.”
“It could have been Devon Elder.”
“Surprisingly, it might have been Randel.”
“Sirius Elder and the High Priest would be… too much.”

That was me.
I felt a bit embarrassed.

“There, all done. It really suits you.”

Mogen laughed as he placed the rabbit hat on my head.
It was the gift I’d received before—a hat that Mogen had knitted himself.

“Aww, how cute.”
“I just want to bite you, seriously.”
“Ooh ooh, should we give Sae the bunny some carrots?”
“Mmmm, carrot please.”

I spoke in a whimpering tone and was startled at myself.
I hadn’t intended to answer that way.

‘Goodness, I barely slept last night and I’ve been using my holy power recklessly.’

Not sleeping in a child’s body was absolutely fatal.
On top of that, my holy power hadn’t recovered, yet I’d used it lavishly to beat Gawain.
The worse my condition, the easier it was to slip into childish behavior, so I needed to stay sharp today.

‘I can’t hide graffiti in the High Priest’s study like last time!’

I clenched my fists lightly and made a firm resolve.

“Does our Sae like carrots?”
“Then would Sae like turnips?”
“What does Sae like?”
“….”

I gazed at the temple priests melting into puddles with hazy eyes.
They had adored me ever since I first arrived at the temple, but it seemed to grow worse with each passing day.

‘They must feel sorry for me because of the fire incident.’

Mogen extended his hand to me.

“Well then, shall we go?”
“Yes.”

I grabbed Bani’s ear and stood up from my seat.
Mogen said he had somewhere to take me today.

‘What could it be? Oh, a grasshopper!’

I quickly dashed toward the grasshopper.

“Sae?”
“There’s a grasshopper!”

As I pointed and spoke, Mogen laughed.

“Sae is quite spirited. Not even afraid of grasshoppers.”
“Mm. Tae is stronger anyway.”
“That’s right. Sae is the strongest.”

I giggled, then suddenly snapped to attention with a “Huh!”
I had completely acted like a child just now.
I really need to keep my wits about me.

I followed Mogen with a much more composed demeanor.
Even when sparrows chirped beside me, butterflies fluttered past, or pill bugs curled into perfect spheres, I remained unmoved.
Though I truly wanted to touch that pill bug.

“Here we are,” Mogen said.

Mogen stopped before a large door.
I had no idea what business we had here.
I thought that since my body had recovered, we would return to the Trainee Priest Quarters.

As I tilted my head in confusion, the massive door slowly swung open.
And inside—

“Congratulations on your recovery, Sae!”

Everyone from the temple had gathered together.

The grand banquet hall, flooded with sunlight, gleamed beautifully in every detail.
Sheer curtains swayed gently in the breeze.
Spring flowers adorned the tables with delicate charm.
Caramel pudding, cream puffs, and cookies shaped into the most adorable forms.
Beyond these, there were countless desserts I had never seen before, and others I recognized but could not name.

And people smiling brightly as they looked at me.

“Why are you standing there so dazed? Come here and sit down.”
“We’ve been waiting so long we thought our necks would break. I’ve never waited for anyone before.”
“Sae will love this one.”
“Our little blessing loves sweet things.”
“That’s why—always wanting the same sugary treats as herself.”

The people exchanging words fell silent as they saw me standing there, frozen in place.

“What’s wrong?”

At Randel’s question, I could only move my lips.
The High Priest was watching me.
My seat was right beside his.
Right in the center of the main table.
Like I was the protagonist.

‘Is… is this really allowed?’

“I told you not to stand out! You should stay silent as a mouse, hidden away in the corners!”
“A worm like you doesn’t know your place and dares to be greedy.”
“Now, repent. Repent and wash away that filthy greed of yours.”
“I’m… I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please spare me. Please, please spare me!”

The Parmanasus Temple held many parties.
I attended several of them.
To assist with the timing when Amelia used holy magic.

For someone who couldn’t leave the temple, everything in the party hall looked so glittering and beautiful.
So I stared, and was scolded harshly for it.

I always had to stand behind a corner curtain, holding my breath so I wouldn’t catch anyone’s eye.
If I so much as stepped into the light or where people were gathered, I had to “repent.”
Especially the center of the party hall where Amelia stood—that was a place I didn’t even dare to look at.

‘Because I’m tainted.’

“Repentance” was truly agonizing.
They said my very existence was filth itself, and I could only wash away such dirty sin through pain.

Without realizing it, I took a hesitant step backward.

“Sae? What’s wrong? Come here.”
“No…”

I shook my head.

“You can’t come in.”
“Why can’t I?”
“If you come in, it will be… Sae will bring misfortune.”
“…What?”

The people’s faces contorted.
I felt a sudden chill of fear.

“I won’t look….”

I quickly lowered my head.
Artemisia Temple had finally started to feel welcoming, and I couldn’t let my presence bring misfortune upon it.

“Lift your head.”
“….”
“Saelika.”

At the High Priest’s voice, I hesitantly raised my head, stealing nervous glances.

“Sit down.”

I shook my head firmly.

“That’s not Sae’s seat. That’s the protagonist’s seat.”
“Yes, the protagonist’s seat.”

The High Priest nodded and looked at me.

“This party was prepared for you.”

I couldn’t understand what he meant.
That was the protagonist’s seat, so what did he mean by a party prepared for me?
If I kept staring like this, I would bring misfortune.

“Sae.”

The High Priest opened his arms wide.
He no longer pressed me to hurry.
The others were the same.
No one dragged me forward or pulled me out.
Everyone was waiting for me.

One step.
As I moved forward, light from the banquet hall poured down onto my shoes.
Looking around, people nodded as if to say it was fine.
I carefully took one step, then another, moving forward.

Nothing happened.
The High Priest lifted me up and set me down in my seat.

Again, nothing went wrong.
I had thought the world would crumble if I sat in this place.

“Congratulations on your recovery, Sae.”
“You’ve been through so much. It must have hurt terribly?”
“This party is to celebrate Sae regaining her health. Do you like it?”

Warm words poured down upon me.
I clutched Bani tightly in my arms and asked.

“Is Tae really here too?”
“Of course.”
“Naturally!”

For some reason, my chest felt strangely ticklish.

“Why is our little tiger acting like this?”
“Are you nervous since this is your first party?”
“Come now, we’ve prepared this all for you, Sae. Eat whatever you’d like first.”
“You like pudding best, don’t you?”
“Once you try the chocolate fudge I prepared, you’ll forget all about pudding.”
“Hmph, macarons are the real choice.”

All sorts of precious confections were offered to me.
I gazed at the scene with a somewhat bewildered feeling.

I had never experienced anything like this before.
Never been invited to a party.
Never been the center of attention.
Was it really okay for me to accept something like this?

“Go ahead and choose.”

At the High Priest’s urging, I hesitantly reached out my hand.
A delicate pastel-colored macaron.
It was so beautiful that I’d wanted to try one since before my regression.
The moment I took a bite, it crackled softly, and sweet fragrance bloomed across my palate.

My eyes widened at the unexpected flavor, and those around me laughed seeing my expression.
Everyone seemed to think it was fine that I was here.

‘…It’s delicious.’

* * *

‘I’ve lost my mind.’

Once the sweetness settled and I grew accustomed to the banquet hall, my senses gradually returned.
My condition was already poor, and I’d only ever seen a banquet hall at Parmanasus Temple, so the memories from that time suddenly overlapped vividly.
And because of that, I caused such a commotion….

‘How bewildered they must be.’

They went through all the trouble of preparing a party to surprise me, and I ruined the atmosphere instead.

‘How can I salvage the mood?’

I had no idea.
Amelia always seemed so good at things like this.

I pondered for a moment, then picked up a cookie and offered it to the people around me.
After all, no one dislikes food.

“Here you go.”
“Thank you, Sae. I’ll enjoy it.”

Randel smiled kindly.
Giving cookies didn’t seem like a bad choice after all.
I smiled contentedly as well—.

“My little blessing gave me a heart-shaped cookie, no less. So my little blessing really does like me the best!”
“Hmph, you’re deluding yourself.”
“Huh? Sirius, what did you receive?”
“…”
“Eh? A snowflake? Puhaha! So you received a heart as fleeting as snow itself!”

Devon teased Sirius again.

‘Sirius wouldn’t even care about such things.’

How could someone so bound by rationality concern himself with such matters?
As expected, Sirius regarded Devon with a look of exasperation.

“You need to think more rationally.”
“I’m perfectly rational, thank you.”
“A snowflake is water crystallized through freezing.”
“And?”
“Water is essential for human survival.”
“So?”
“By giving me a snowflake, she crystallized her heart’s message that I am essential to her survival.”
“…”

Was he serious?
Surely he was joking?
Why was he delivering a joke with such a grave expression?

As I stood there bewildered, the High Priest called out to me.

“Sae.”
“Yes?”

After calling me, the High Priest simply stared at my face for a long moment.
What was he trying to say?
Could he have found out that I hit Gawain?

I forced myself to smile innocently, pretending it was nothing, but sweat trickled down my back.
Soon, the High Priest opened his mouth.

“Why am I a circle?”
“….”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————