Youngest on Top - Chapter 63

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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 63

* * *

The Saturday I’d been waiting for had finally arrived.
I’d already submitted my outing permit in advance.
As I left the Temple with the other children, I felt a strange sense of novelty.

‘I… never went out before the regression.’

Now that I thought about it, that was true.
Back in Parmanace, I could only watch as the other children went out together on days like this.

Especially how they all pestered Amelia to come play with them—I could only observe from the shadows.
I had to hide in the darkness for Amelia’s sake, and I couldn’t leave the Temple.

“So where should we go on this outing? That new tea house?”
“What about outdoors? I heard there are swans at the park. I want to go see them!”

I used to envy how the children would chatter about what to do together when they went out.

“Ugh, that place’s pancakes were terrible. Why were they so dry? And the syrup wasn’t even sweet—it was salty.”
“The cupcakes were decent enough.”
“Next time, let’s go to that famous tart shop. What do you think?”

When the children returned, they’d exchange stories about what had happened.
And as if it were the most natural thing, they’d chatter away while already planning their next outing.

Listening to their conversations in secret, even though I was hearing joyful stories, I felt myself sinking as if into deep water.

“What are you doing? Come on, hurry up!”

Dmitri’s voice snapped me back to attention.
The children were waiting for me a few steps ahead.

Their eyes asking why I wasn’t coming.
Between Dmitri and Ilay, Roana and Edmund, there was an empty space that seemed perfectly sized for me to fit into.

My spot.

‘So that’s what this was about.’

I broke into a wide smile and rushed over to the children.

* * *

Edmund and Dmitri both extended their hands toward me simultaneously.

“Hold hands. We can’t lose a child. Consider it an honor—a commoner’s hand isn’t easily grasped.”
“Honey buns are round, so they roll away easily.”

‘…Should I hit them?’

My nose stung slightly, but I found myself composing my expression instead.

From there, we wandered through the Commercial District.

“Sae! Sae! How about this? Pink for you, red for me. We’re a couple!”
“Love it!”

Roana insisted on matching couple headbands, so we bought identical ones in different colors and wore them as we strolled about.

“We can’t wear headbands. What should we do with us?”
“This is why you need to go out with someone as broad-minded as me. There’s a magical camera shop over there.”
“We have plenty of time on our outing pass. Should we get some photos?”

We all took a group photo with the magical camera.
Since it was our first time taking a group photo together, it turned out wonderfully funny.

After wandering around and sightseeing, we headed toward the Dessert Shop.
On the way, I encountered an unexpected person.

‘Huh? That back view…?’

A head taller than everyone else around.
Broad shoulders and a trim waist.
Even shimmering golden hair.

I could tell from his back alone.
It was Admiral Ekellan.

‘Since he’s going to be our backer (presumably), I should greet him.’

My stubby little legs couldn’t possibly overtake the Admiral.
So I ended up tapping the hem of his pants.

The Admiral turned around immediately.

“Hello there.”

The Admiral’s eyes widened slightly before breaking into a grin.

“Hello, little lady.”

Roana whispered beside me.

“Who is he?”
“The Admiral.”
“Gasp, you don’t mean Admiral Ekellan?”

At those words, Dmitri straightened his posture and bowed respectfully.

“Greetings, Admiral!”
“Hello, little gentleman.”
“Greetings. I am Edmund of Rapashiello.”
“Ah. From Rapashiello… Yes, you’ve grown quite a bit.”

The children took turns bowing brightly in greeting.
Good, that should cover all the courtesies toward our future backer.

“Sae, you wanted to try the limited edition, didn’t you?”
“We’d better hurry if we want to eat mountains of strawberries.”

At Ilay and Edmund’s words, I grew impatient.

“Admiral, goodbye. Don’t forget our bet.”

I quickly greeted Admiral Ekellan and strode purposefully toward the Dessert Cafe.

“Wow…!”

Beyond the cafe’s glass window, an array of colorful desserts gleamed with a lustrous sheen.
Just looking at them made my inner child want to burst free.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away even as we entered the building, so Roana giggled and firmly grasped my hand, guiding me inside the shop.

“Sae, you need to look ahead.”
“Want to eat it all.”

But leaving anything behind would invite divine punishment, so I had to be careful.
After an intense deliberation, we finally selected our desserts.

“Shall I show you to a private room?”

Edmund nodded as if it were obvious, so I quickly grabbed her sleeve.

“Hey, can we eat in the hall instead?”
“The hall?”
“Yeah. By the window. I want to see outside.”

This was my first time going out aimlessly just to play, so I wanted to see as much of the outside world as possible.

“Well, I’ve never eaten in the hall before, but experiencing something new isn’t a bad idea.”

With the kind staff member’s guidance, we took a seat with a perfect view of the outside.
The weather was beautiful, and beneath the clear blue sky, people moved about so vibrantly that the scene was absolutely lovely.

“Don’t crumble the strawberry! Whoever crumbles it has to get extra lessons from Sae!”
“Honey bread! Try this. Seriously! The lemon flavor is incredibly strong!”
“This is a really famous drink. Try it. It’s called ‘Rife’s Sweet Sweet Golden Whirlwind.'”
“…?”

What kind of name is that for a beverage?

I cautiously took a sip.
It truly felt as though golden whirlwinds were swirling inside my mouth!
It was an absolutely enchanting chocolate beverage.

“Try it! You’ve never had anything this good!”
“Sure. Then taste this croissant.”

And so we sat in the hall, happily sharing desserts together.

“Hm?”

Someone poked me repeatedly from behind.
When I turned around, a young woman was looking down at me.

“You’re that girl from the orphanage, right? Oh yes, that’s it! I didn’t recognize you because your hair is shorter now.”

The young woman’s friend asked a question.

“Do you know her?”
“Not exactly know her, but my mother specially sponsored her because she felt so sorry for her. When we went to the orphanage for a charity event, she was quite dirty.”
“I see. Your mother does such wonderful work.”
“She does. My mother just donates funds occasionally, but Josephine’s mother personally takes care of the orphans. That’s truly admirable.”

‘…Who is this person?’

No matter how hard I tried to remember, nothing came to mind.
And for good reason—I had never received any “personal care.”
Nor had I ever received any special sponsorship.

Most nobles would simply glance through the orphanage building, take photographs for newspaper articles, and leave.

‘She seems like the type who came to the orphanage to take pictures with her parents…’

Children like that would find pleasure in looking down on the orphans and feeling superior.
The orphans could never protest, no matter what the noble children did to us.
So we were essentially living toys.

The young woman gazed at me with fresh curiosity.

“But why are you here? This isn’t a place for someone like you. Do you even have money?”

The young woman let out a snort of laughter at the sight of dessert plates covering the table.

“Ha, orphans these days have it so good. Are you eating these with your mother’s money? If you received charity, you should know your place and spend frugally. Then again, what would you learn from? Orphans and orphanage teachers.”

She then tugged at my sleeve and clicked her tongue as if exasperated.

“Ha! What is this outfit? You wore this while claiming to have no money to receive donations?”

Smack!
Dmitri struck the hand of the young woman who had grabbed my sleeve.

“Ow! What?”
“Hey.”
“Who are you?”

Only then did the young woman look around at my companions and begin to panic.

I was equally astonished.
Doesn’t anyone see that they stand out far more than I do?

Edmund, Roana, Ilay, and Dmitri.
Every single one of them was beautiful and handsome, radiating an air of nobility.

The young woman’s eyes darted around before she pointed at me accusingly.

“What, what is this? You’re even lying about your status?!”

* * *

Admiral Ekellan had been struggling to contain his laughter since earlier.
Each time he chuckled, everyone around him—men and women alike—groaned with dizziness.
Being so accustomed to it, the Admiral paid it no mind.

Rather, something else was on his mind.

This reckless little brat who kept pretending to run into him by chance.

‘Good grief.’

This was a situation that should have annoyed me, but perhaps it was the confirmation that my prediction had been correct?
I found myself laughing despite myself.

‘Just as I thought—even that act at the Temple that day was all to capture my attention.’

He’d simply chosen to behave differently to appear distinctive.

Today was no exception.
He’d gone through the trouble of tracking my movements, pretended to bump into me by chance, exchanged a simple greeting, and went on his way.

I would have been flustered before, but not now.
I simply thought he was using the same trick again.

‘…But then.’

Admiral Ekellan furrowed his brow as he watched the child walking ahead of him with a light, bouncy gait.

‘Why isn’t she wearing any of the gifts I gave her?’

He had bestowed so many presents upon her.
Literally enough to adorn her from head to toe.
Yet she wasn’t wearing a single one of them.

‘Doesn’t she usually wear the gifts she was given on purpose to look good?’

And then show whether they suited her or not,

‘Um, does it suit me? This is the outfit you gifted me, Admiral. I’ve never worn anything like this before. Thank you so much!’

—shouldn’t she be smiling shyly like that?

Admiral Ekellan glared at the back of Saelika’s head with displeasure.

‘…Why is she wearing a pink hair ribbon?’

Pink didn’t suit her at all.
A sophisticated purple would suit that shimmering blonde hair far better.

‘Where did I put that amethyst hairband I gave her? And she’s wearing this cheap thing…!’

Now that I think about it, why is her hair so short?
Did she cut it deliberately because it was hard to manage back in Artemisia?

Short hair suited her well enough.
But with longer hair, there are so many ways to style it, and she could wear all sorts of different accessories.
Children grow so quickly—I should see her in many different looks.

‘Right now, I can’t even tie her hair up.’

What on earth were those Temple Priests thinking.

Hmph.
Admiral Ekellan stopped in his tracks.

What did it matter whether that child’s hair was short or long?
Even if she were completely bald, it wouldn’t concern me.

The child who had been waddling ahead stood mesmerized before the dessert showcase, then was pulled inside by another child’s hand.

‘…Now that I mention it, that boy did have a sweet tooth.’

I’m simply going to buy desserts for him.
It has nothing whatsoever to do with Saelika.
Absolutely nothing.

Ding—
A bell chimed to greet him.
At the same moment, a sharp voice rang out.

“You’re that kid, right? From that orphanage.”

Of course, Admiral Ekellan paid it no mind either way.

‘Hmm. I’ve never been here before, but they have quite a variety.’

He examined the desserts displayed in the showcase, mentally noting which ones were worth buying.

“It’s not that I know her well—my mother just took a special liking to her because she pitied the child so much. When we went to the Orphanage for a charity event, the girl was rather… unkempt.”

What would taste the best?

Now that I thought about it, that child was terribly thin.
Her cheeks had a rosy, apple-like hue that looked soft to the touch.
But shouldn’t children her age appear plump and well-fed to look healthy?

“Ha, these orphans have it good these days. Eating things like this with my mother’s money? If you receive charity, you should know your place and live frugally. Though, what would you learn anyway? From orphans and orphanage staff?”

I’d heard that wrists and ankles should be so plump you can’t see where they are, so that the baby fat eventually turns into height.
Otherwise, she might remain small and elfin forever.

“Um, um, are you really ordering all of this?”

The employee asked hesitantly.
While thinking of that boy, I’d ended up selecting far too much.

‘There’s no helping it.’

This much would be difficult to carry back to the Hotel, so I had no choice! Absolutely no choice!
I’d have to leave it with that scrawny little thing who’d brought all her friends here.

‘I’m purely leaving this behind for my own convenience.’

I couldn’t very well tell the employee not to sell it after they’d gone to the trouble of packing it.

“Shall I wrap these for you?”
“I’ll eat everything here except these two.”
“Ah, yes!”

The employee looked puzzled seeing the Admiral alone, but soon nodded professionally.

“How many forks should I bring?”

‘Hmm. Did that little thing prepare a fork for me too?’

I had absolutely no desire to eat together with her.

‘But since I’m inclined to give her hope, I might as well play along.’

“It’s fine. My companions are already here.”
“I’ll prepare everything right away. Do you know which room in the private section your companions are in?”

Admiral Ekellan shook his head.
That child was waiting for him.
Then she must be eating in the hall.

‘So I can find her right away.’

The Admiral surveyed the hall.

That very moment.

“What is this outfit? You took donations saying you had no money while dressing like this?”

A young girl’s sharp voice rang out.
Before her stood a child with a dejected expression, head bowed—.

“What, what is it? You even lied about your identity?!”

It was Sae.

—————
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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