Youngest on Top - Chapter 48

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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 48

I was groaning and whimpering, feeling as though I might truly be crushed flat.
That was when it happened.

“Tsk.”

The High Priest glared sharply.
Only then did the Priests obediently release me and return to their seats.

The guests chuckled at the sight.

“Now that I think about it, this child is the youngest of Artemisia, yes? How adorable.”
“Not just adorable! Remarkably clever beyond measure!”
“Oh, is that so.”
“This steak was prepared exactly as this child instructed.”

The guests’ eyes widened.
It seemed extraordinary that a child who could barely speak coherently knew how to prepare such delicious steak.

“Truly? A child who would only play with flour dough like clay—how on earth could they possibly….”
“A special child indeed. Among us, we call it a blessing bestowed by Artemisia.”
“Oh, I’ve never seen a child who isn’t the Sacred Maiden referred to in such a manner.”
“Ah, now that you mention it, Gerald also wagered quite a sum on this child today.”

The guests nodded thoughtfully.
I could feel their intense curiosity directed toward me.

“I suspected there must be some reason behind Gerald’s actions… but hmm, now I’m even more curious?”

The Reyatan Priests stiffened.
The person who had spoken was a talent that Reyatan took great interest in.

Madame Caitlin.
A renowned mana craftsman from the Rear World.
In the future, she would become a prominent figure as the chief craftsman overseeing the Imperial Palace’s military supplies.

She, who had shown little interest even in Helene, the Sacred Maiden until now, smiled brightly at me.
“Little one, what’s your name?”

‘This is an opportunity to forge a connection with someone influential.’

I concealed my dark intentions and lifted my arms childishly with enthusiasm.

“I’m Saelika!”
“Hehe, how adorable. So your name is Daelika.”
“Saelika!”
“Daelitka?”
“Sa! E! Lika!”
“Ah, Taelitka.”
“Not Sa, it’s Sae. Sae… e… Would you like me to write it?”

This blasted tongue.
Here was an opportunity to connect with someone powerful, yet she couldn’t even pronounce my name correctly.

My frustration was so intense that I began bouncing up and down, which caused laughter to erupt throughout the banquet hall.
The distinguished guests watched me with clenched fists and stomping feet, finding me utterly adorable.

Madame Caitlin laughed heartily, her whole body shaking with mirth.
She laughed so hard that tears clung to the corners of her eyes.

“I’m sorry, little Priest. I was just teasing because you’re so cute. So your name is Saelika, yes?”
“Yes!”
“Hmm, I’d also like to see you write your name… Ah, would you come to my chambers after the banquet?”

At that, the female guests around Caitlin let out envious sighs.

“That’s not fair, Madame. I was hoping to invite the child as well.”
“So was I. Why don’t we all see the child together instead?”
“Oh my, then I shall prepare some fine tea.”

‘Jackpot, jackpot!’

I felt like breaking into a tap dance right then and there.
These sisters were people I knew well!
They were sisters who would become powerbrokers as formidable as Madame Caitlin in the future.
Of course, they were already impressive now, but in the future they’d become even more, even more, even more impressive.

‘They’re all people who will grow so much they’ll be invited to Parmanasus Temple!’

The other distinguished guests and the Reyatan Priests looked like their eyes might pop out of their heads.
Well, they were people famous for not showing favoritism to anyone.

Shedmen fell into deep thought.
The bigwigs who had tried to gain favor by presenting the Sacred Maiden were all turning their attention to me instead.
And Helene….

‘At this rate, she’ll crack her jaw.’

She was clenching her teeth so hard it looked like her jaw might grind to dust.
Regardless, I went over to the sisters and rubbed my palms together eagerly.

“Sae likes big sister. You smell nice.”
“How delightful. But I’m not your sister, I’m your aunt, you know? My conscience won’t let me say otherwise.”
“No way. If you’re cool, you’re a big sister!”
“Oh my, how adorable.”

Ohohoho!
The banquet hall filled with the laughter of the powerbrokers.

* * *

After the banquet ended, I walked along holding the hands of the (bigwig) sisters in both of mine, pitter-pattering.

“So how long has Sae been following Artemia?”
“Saelika thousand years over…no, seven months.”

I let go of the sister’s hand and started to spread all ten fingers ten times, but only spread seven.

‘I almost counted from my time as an angel.’

What if they think I’m an idiot?
I was worried, but instead the sisters squealed with delight and cooed over me.

“A thousand years? You want to serve for a thousand years? Like the angels?”
“How adorable. I’ve always wanted a daughter like this.”
“Me too. I don’t want marriage, but a daughter like this? I’d take her in a heartbeat.”
“Oh my, don’t forget that husbands come as a package deal with children. There’s always a price to match such loveliness.”

These sisters must be guardians of the unmarried.
We made our way together to Madame Caitlin’s room.

“So, shall we watch Sae write?”

I picked up the crayon the sisters had given me and wrote large letters across the sketchbook.

[ARTEMISIA]

“What is this?”
“It’s the name of the goddess I serve! (It’s the name of Artemisia Temple!)”
“How devout.”
“Because Artemisia is so cool. (Because Artemisia is so cool.)”
“I see, she must be a merciful goddess.”

I shook my head vigorously.
And answered with a serious expression.

“Her face is cool. (Her face is cool.)”
“…Huh?”
“Cooler than the High Priest. (Cooler than the High Priest.)”
“…No such being exists.”

The sisters were adamant.

“It’s nearly impossible for anyone to be more handsome than Artemisia’s High Priest. No matter if they’re a god.”
“He’s like the very incarnation of the god of beauty himself in this world.”

True, the High Priest was extraordinarily handsome.
Even in middle age, he radiated an otherworldly brilliance.
With such immense divine power, his physical body naturally grew younger over time.
Compared to men in their twenties, he was superior, and beside those his own age, he seemed almost inhuman in appearance.

But I shook my head even more firmly.

“Artemia is cooler. (Artemia is more impressive.)”
“But…!”
“Artemia has a young face. (Artemia has the face of youth.)”
“…Age is a formidable thing, but, hmm.”
“Artemia’s hobby is cooking. (Artemia enjoys cooking.)”
“Really? Is it mentioned in the scriptures?”
“Artemia is good at cleaning and very sincere. (Artemia is diligent at housework and dependable.)”

During the Celestial War, Artemia single-handedly swept away all those arrogant demons.
Not a single hair of them remained.

“A man who excels at housekeeping is truly precious…”
“If we worship such a god, might she grant us such a husband?”
“Should we participate in worship?”

The sisters of marriageable age let out deep sighs.
Their families were pressing them relentlessly at home, they said.

I nodded along, humming in agreement, then delivered my final blow.

“Artemia has breasts. (Artemia has a generous chest.)”
“…!”
“…!!”

That broad chest that goddesses and even angels would lean against, feigning dizziness.
Once they rested against it, they would all
“B-breasts…”
grow dreamy and lost in reverie.
The sisters’ eyes widened in shock.

“When do they hold worship services for Artemisia?”
“What time?”
“Is it on weekends? I’m busy on weekends—aren’t there services on weekdays?”

Well, excellent.
I had just gained another believer this way.

‘Artemisia! I did it!’

Just then, a breeze swept through the window with a whoosh.
As if Artemisia herself were sighing.

‘Hm? That must be my imagination.’

I tilted my head in confusion before refocusing on the sisters around me.
As I wrote each of their names on individual slips of paper, they all carefully folded them and tucked them into their bags and bosoms.

“Your handwriting is so adorable. Oh, I must treasure this.”
“Me too. Ah, if only I could obtain a Cremwell—then I could preserve it without any fading for a lifetime.”
“Oh, are you perhaps referring to a Cremwell?”
“Yes. It’s a magical artifact that allows you to store items in a subspace.”

The sisters braided my hair while chattering away.

‘A Cremwell?’

If I recalled correctly, that would be an ancient magical artifact that the Magnolia Merchant Company would own in the future—one of the three greatest merchant guilds on the same continent as Whitepearl.
It could accommodate an enormous quantity of items within its subspace.
Moreover, everything stored inside remained perfectly preserved as it was.

‘That’s why it was perfect for transporting provisions.’

Even sacred stones could be stored without their divine power leaking away.
Thanks to that artifact, the Magnolia Merchant Company’s influence grew even more formidable.
They had become the supreme force in logistics.

“It would be nice if something like Kremwall existed, but it’s only supposed to appear in legends.”
“Ah, but I’m telling you all this in confidence—apparently it was discovered in the Petrochia territory.”
“My goodness, is that really true?!”
“It’s still classified information, so it hasn’t spread anywhere yet, it seems.”

The sisters seemed to think I wouldn’t understand such matters because I was young.
So they carelessly discussed this incredibly high-level information.

Talk of the imperial palace conducting a targeted investigation into a certain noble family.
Talk of the Western Grand Duke’s precious only son falling ill with an incurable disease, and the Grand Duke desperately searching for someone who could cure him.
Talk of the Southern Admiral likely coming to the Eastern region soon.
Talk of a thief breaking into the Dertera Temple and stealing something, and so on.

I opened my ears wide like a king and carefully memorized everything the sisters said.
Every single story was like treasure.

‘So that’s why everyone is so eager to form connections with the powerful!’

Thank you, Reyatan, for inviting the sisters.
Today, Reyatan looked absolutely beautiful to me.

* * *

“Ahahaha! Our little Priest Sae is so adorable!”

Through the window, I could hear the voices of distinguished guests fawning over Saelika.
Helene, passing by that spot, twisted her skirt hem tightly in her fists.

“How infuriating, that wretched girl….”

How dare that girl, not even the Sacred Maiden, show off like this?
That girl was stealing everything that belonged to her.
The banquet atmosphere had ended in disaster for Reyatan, and no one paid attention to her, the noble Sacred Maiden.

‘Those powerful people surrounding her were the ones the Elder was trying to attach to me!’

Helene stopped in the darkened corridor and opened her eyes wide.
Beyond the window, a crystal display board shone brilliantly.
At the highest point, displayed largest of all, was the child’s face.

A child with hair that sparkled like sunlight was giggling brightly, their plump cheeks trembling with delight.

Crunch, crunch—Helene ground her teeth.

“That face… I’m going to grind it to dust.”

─she muttered with chilling intensity.

* * *

Deep into the night.
I stepped out from my sisters’ room.

“Are you sure you don’t need us to escort you?”
“The Trainee Priest Quarters are quite far, after all.”

My sisters gazed at me with worried expressions.
I clutched the sweets they’d given me to my chest and shook my head vigorously.

“Sae can go alone! (I can go by myself!)”
“But it’s very late.”
“Sae is a priest. If monsters come, I can fight them. (I’m a priest. I can handle any monsters that appear.)”

When I spoke with such seriousness, my sisters burst into laughter.
One of them gently pinched my cheek and shook it playfully.

“That’s right, independence is important for a child too.”
“Hehe, with so many outsiders in the temple, Artemisia is on high alert anyway, so nothing should happen.”
“Then go safely.”

I gave my sisters a respectful bow.
Watching me, my sisters let out another long sigh of adoration.

After bowing, I walked down the corridor of the guests’ dormitory.
And then outside…
…instead, I scampered down the corridor at a quick pace.

‘Gerald. Where is Gerald’s room?’

I’d been following the sisters and picked up on their hints.
Since he was the most important guest, they mentioned his room was located deeper within the establishment.

‘Then it must be the door with the messenger’s head carved into it.’

I hurried toward Gerald’s room without letting anyone notice.
And I was about to knock on the door when—

‘I don’t have a free hand.’

I was clutching the pastries in both arms.
With no other choice, I bumped my forehead against the door instead.

Knock, knock.
Knock, knock, knock.

After knocking, I heard movement from inside.
Not long after, the door opened.

“I told you I wouldn’t be joining you for tea… Oh? Little Priest!”
“Shh—!”
“Eh? Oh, yes! Shh!”

My eyes grew clouded with frustration.
I wasn’t asking him to imitate me—I was telling him to be quiet.

“Sae’s going to come in. Here.”
“Yes, yes. Of course.”

Gerald grinned foolishly and stepped aside from the doorway.
I quickly entered the room.

“Shall I have Artemisia bring tea? What kind do you prefer, little Priest? This season, the golden petal tea is absolutely exquisite—”

Gerald closed the door and followed me inside.
His chattiness was still as overwhelming as ever.

Gerald was laughing with that ridiculous grin, but I regarded him with a displeased gaze.

“Of course there is.”
“Yes, little Priest!”

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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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