Youngest on Top - Chapter 59

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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 59

While I was still reeling from shock, Randel examined my face.

“Sae, are you alright?”

When he gently touched my nose, the throbbing pain vanished completely.
But now was not the time to worry about my nose.

“Sir.”

I grabbed the Admiral’s sleeve urgently.
Gerald gasped in surprise from beside me, then quickly covered his mouth.

“Are you the Admiral?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have a ship?”
“I do.”

Gerald, who had been fidgeting beside me, spoke up.

“Priest, this is Serge Echelan, the Grand Lord of Southern Echelan and Admiral of the Navy.”

Serge Echelan!
So this man was that famous southern Admiral.
The great power who had brought the entire vast southern coastline—plagued by pirates and sea monsters—under his complete control.
The great Admiral who rewrote the history of the navy.
The man who commanded the invincible fleet that never suffered defeat.

But Admiral Ekellan had two rumors even more famous than his reputation.
One was—.

“A womanizer!”

That Admiral Ekellan was an absolute womanizer.

“Priest?!”

Gerald let out a sharp cry.
Yet Admiral Ekellan merely raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue as if urging me on.

“Oh dear.”

I covered my mouth with both hands.

‘Could it be… am I really acting like a child right now?’

I had thought myself merely tired, but my actions were apparently far from composed—a miscalculation on my part.
I groaned softly and quickly bowed my head in apology.

“I’m sorry. I made a mistake.”

Admiral Ekellan chuckled.

“Well, since it’s an apology from such a cute little lady, I suppose I can let it slide.”
“Thank you very much.”

As I offered a grateful bow, the Admiral grinned widely.
Seeing that expression, I finally understood why the rumors about him never ceased.

“Our child has caused you trouble.”
“Not at all. It’s merely the words of a young one.”

Randel apologized on my behalf once more, and the Admiral waved it away lightly.
Phew. Thank goodness.

‘So he is indeed lenient with children.’

Beyond his reputation as a philanderer, there was another famous rumor surrounding Admiral Ekellan.
And that was—.

‘That he searches for his daughter.’

It was a tale as renowned as that of the Duke of Noishurael in the north.

Both the Northern Duke and Southern Admiral are desperately searching for their daughters, so rumors inevitably spread and intertwine.
Moreover, the Duke and Admiral are open rivals.
I’ve heard people are even betting on who finds their daughter first—need I say more?

“Haha, then Admiral, please come inside. Young Priest, we have ships in our merchant company too, so feel free to ask me about them later if you’re curious.”
“This lady seems to have asked me about it.”

The Admiral who said that looked at me and smirked,

“Isn’t that right?”

He winked at me.

‘But… he’s so different from Gerald.’

The contrast was so stark that I felt a bit uneasy about it.

In any case, I quickly nodded my head.

“Yes! That’s right!”

I couldn’t let this big catch slip away!
I looked up at the big catch—no, the Admiral—with sparkling eyes.

“Randel said so. If you board the ship, you can return even after a hundred nights.”
“That happens sometimes.”

Ilay, who had been quietly observing the conversation, looked at me with a skeptical expression.

“There is. Saelika knows about meat and vegetables that stay edible even after a hundred nights.”

Are you interested?
Come on, come on?

“Sae…”
“I was wondering what you were about to say.”

Ilay pressed his forehead while Randel laughed as if he’d expected this. And Gerald stared at me with his mouth wide open.
And Gerald stared at me with his mouth wide open.

Admiral Ekellan, by contrast, remained utterly unmoved.
He rubbed his chin and flashed me a grin.

“Now that’s a fascinating story.”

* * *

The trading company staff ushered Admiral Ekellan into the Reception Room with even greater care and deference.
Before we could follow them in, Gerald whispered to me.

“Young Priest. It’s certainly possible to suddenly pitch business to someone you’ve bumped into by chance.”

His tone carried the weight of someone who’d done this many times before.

“But the other party is Admiral Ekellan! The fearsome one who drowns pirates left and right, feeding them to the fish! That Admiral Ekellan!”
“….”
“In all my years, I’ve never seen anyone approach Admiral Ekellan like that. I almost took back what I said about you resembling me, Young Priest.”

Gerald continued fretting at me after that.
His heart was absolutely pounding.
I could’ve just stayed quiet and you would’ve sold us well enough to the navy anyway—why did you have to step forward yourself!
We should turn back right now!
And so on.

Given how many merchant vessels Whitepearl maintains, there would be plenty of opportunities to connect with Admiral Ekellan.
I also know it would be easier to leave everything to Gerald.

‘But….’

“Say something, Randel! The Young Priest listens to you even when he won’t listen to me.”

When I made no move to respond, Gerald’s face fell and he turned to Randel.

“Admiral Ekellan isn’t just playful on the surface! He can kill people as a joke!”

Despite those terrifying words, Randel maintained his usual gentle smile.

“There is no need for concern, Sae.”

Hmm, so it’s Randel after all.
He knows full well how incredibly powerful my fists are from the Assembly tournament, so that must be why.
I’m a tiger so strong that even Derrick acknowledged it.

“The Admiral is a man with eyes and ears—he would never harm our Sae.”

…Wait?

“Because she’s adorable.”
“Pardon?”
“The most adorable in the world.”

‘Ah…’

I couldn’t help but sigh.

And surprisingly, Gerald looked at Randel with a displeased expression.
Considering what he usually does, he shouldn’t be capable of making such a face.

“No… Priest Ilay, even you shouldn’t—”
“Sae isn’t just the most adorable in the world—she’s the most adorable in the entire universe.”
“Ah, yes…”

Gerald immediately dismissed Ilay’s words with an expression that said, ‘So you’re the same kind of fool?’
Instead, he grabbed my shoulder and tried to persuade me.

“I understand the young priest’s desire to earn considerable money. I will earn well for you, so trust me and leave it to me. I think it’s best we return for today.”
“Yes, sir.”

Did he really think I said that just to earn a bit more money?
That’s not what I want.

The status of Artemisia Temple now is completely different from just a few months ago.
Not only have we become wealthy, but we’ve seized overwhelming victory in the Assembly, drawing all manner of attention.
The visible indicator is the noticeably increased number of people visiting the Temple.

Artemisia Temple’s representative, barely clinging to survival at the lowest rung of the Octagon.
The other temples could not possibly overlook this.
And their gaze would be far from favorable.
So then—

‘What Artemisia Temple needs now is a powerful backer!’

* * *

I entered the Reception Room with Randel and Ilay, where the Admiral awaited.
Gerald had suggested joining us as well, but I refused.
I could already foresee him constantly interjecting.

The Reception Room was filled with the fragrant aroma of coffee.
Admiral Ekellan sat upon the sofa with his legs crossed, leisurely sipping his coffee.
It was a picturesque sight.

‘I was acting too childish before.’

I needed to sharpen my wits and demonstrate that I was a worthy negotiating partner.
I politely gathered my skirts and greeted Admiral Ekellan.

“Good day, Admiral.”
“Hello there, little lady.”

Admiral Ekellan smiled and returned my greeting.
It was not merely a casual salutation, but one conducted with proper decorum.
Yet his face bore a smile brimming with playfulness as he regarded me.

“So, what is it you wished to tell me, little lady?”
“Well, the Ekellan Navy are wonderful people. They are magnificent protectors of us.”

Admiral Ekellan’s smile grew thin.

“Randel said that to stay strong, one must eat a balanced diet. But he mentioned that aboard ship, it’s difficult to eat meat and vegetables properly.”
“….”
“If that continues, he might become ill. How sad.”

Admiral Ekellan, who had been listening with his chin propped up, tilted his head.
Shimmering golden hair slid smoothly across his cheek.

“…How adorable.”
“…?”

I had been earnestly presenting compelling information, so why such an odd response?
I was about to appeal once more regarding the provisions.

“Sae, wait. You have something in your eye.”
“Huh?”

Randel urgently grasped my face and turned it toward him.
Then he gently pressed the corner of my eye with his handkerchief.

‘Something in my eye? Me? I washed up properly this morning, didn’t I?’

No, that wasn’t the real problem here.

‘I was trying to appear trustworthy to the Admiral…!’

I had made such an effort to greet him politely and conduct myself maturely, only to have something in my eye.
I must have looked like a careless child.

Before I could even lift my head, Ilay interjected with a smooth chuckle.

“Surely it would be more comfortable to converse with me rather than with such a young one. I shall explain in detail.”

Yet Ilay was young himself.
Was he hinting that I had misspoken earlier and now had something in my eye?

“What if there were provisions that don’t spoil, can be preserved for long periods, and are beneficial to one’s health? Surely they would prove invaluable for extended voyages.”
“Such provisions exist, you say.”

At Ilay’s words, the Admiral’s lips twisted into a smirk.
It was an entirely different expression from his earlier smile.

“When you sail the seas, you encounter all manner of peddlers.”
“….”
“These peddlers have silver tongues. They always claim they want to sell me some treasure they happened to acquire.”
“….”
“Everything from goblets that endlessly pour wine to shields that never shatter, even elixirs that supposedly make you fall desperately in love with a single sip. They peddle quite the variety.”

A sharp glint of intelligence flickered across his twilight-hued violet eyes.

“It’s all nonsense.”

The Admiral’s expression vanished from his face.
The playful demeanor that had lingered moments before dissolved instantly, replaced by an oppressive aura that bore down upon the room.

“Right now, your words sound no different from what those peddlers spout.”

Even beneath that crushing pressure, Ilay did not retreat.
He opened his mouth while maintaining his smile.

“I cannot disclose the manufacturing process until the transaction is confirmed, but we speak only truth to you, Admiral.”
“I heard you call yourselves priests earlier. So now the Temple uses the name of God to run scams?”
“…!”

Randel’s eyes darkened with displeasure.

“That remark is difficult to overlook. How dare you invoke the name of God while speaking of fraud.”
“Is that so? All you Temple Priests seem equally skilled at such things.”

Admiral Ekellan laughed savagely.

‘…Sigh.’

I understood why Admiral Ekellan was being so discourteous.
Under the pretense of finding his daughter, he had been thoroughly exploited by countless temples.

‘It seems he never visited Artemisia because there is no Sacred Maiden there.’

Separately, the Duke of Noishurael had once come to Artemisia Temple grasping at straws.

In any case, Admiral Ekellan’s disdain for temples had become quite famous before my regression.

“You speak as though you’ve met every Temple Priest.”
“I can’t condemn the whole by one, but I’ve met more than a few Temple Priests in my time.”

A tense standoff unfolded between Randel and the Admiral.
The pressure radiating from both of them was formidable.

‘Ah, the atmosphere’s gone completely south.’

Neither one seemed willing to back down an inch.

‘This won’t do.’

I thrust my hand up and called out loudly.

“Then let’s make a wager with Sae!”

Both their gazes snapped toward me.
Admiral Ekellan raised his left eyebrow.

“…A wager?”
“Yes. Sae will give you a gift, Admiral. An apple that doesn’t rot and meat that doesn’t rot!”
“…”
“You hold the apple and meat, Admiral, and we’ll wager whether they rot or not.”

The vegetables used at the Assembly banquet were also spoiled produce that Reyatan had brought.
That’s when I understood.
Even wilted, spoiled vegetables could become as fresh as the moment they were picked!

Gerald focused on the meat, but Admiral Ekellan, being a seafarer, would be far more interested in vegetables.
They could provide essential nutrition aboard ship.

The sailors could escape the dreaded scourge of scurvy.
Moreover, vegetables blessed with healing, just like the meat, were far more beneficial to the body than ordinary produce.

“Chew thoroughly and eat it all evenly to stay strong and healthy. You magnificent Ekellan sailors must be strong and healthy.”

Providing quality meals boosted both the soldiers’ capabilities and morale.

‘So go ahead and try it. Yes? Yes?’

I gazed at the Admiral, my eyes gleaming with interest.

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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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