Youngest on Top - Chapter 75

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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 75

‘What was that reaction?’

Everyone was puzzled, but this wasn’t the time to point it out.
For some reason, I felt like this bait was working.

“And all the children have awakened their sacred power, haven’t they?”
“To be honest, I was shocked. The last time I saw them, I thought this generation of trainee priests had no hope whatsoever.”
“But it was Sae who helped them awaken.”
“After Sae trained the children, they all awakened.”

Now that I thought about it, it really was remarkable.
The knights nodded their heads enthusiastically, continuing their praise of Sae.

“It wasn’t just awakening. They were strong enough to defeat Reyatan.”
“And Reyatan had the Sacred Maiden, sacred relics, and even cheated by using the broken Scylla.”
“It wasn’t the Sacred Maiden—that child was chosen as Divine Nova. Isn’t that extraordinary?”

Kaiser swirled his wine glass lightly.
And he answered with arrogance.

“That much is natural. I was also a Divine Nova without a Sacred Maiden.”
“Is someone like you common?”
“No. Across the entire Temple, one appears per generation at most.”

Kaiser murmured “Well…” and tilted his wine glass.
That was true.
A priest of my caliber rarely appears.
And Saelika wasn’t even born during the Messis period.

The knights nodded with serious expressions.

“Yet that child is following a similar path as you, Kaiser.”
“As if something connects the two of you together, hahahaha!”

Kaiser answered as if it were nothing.

“You’re exaggerating over something trivial.”

Yet even I had to admit the child was remarkable.
How had she conceived of enchanting food with healing magic?
How had she thought to distribute it through the navy?
And not just any merchant guild—she’d secured a contract with Whitepearl, one of the three greatest trading houses on the continent.
From what I heard, she’d negotiated the terms shrewdly in my favor.

‘Well, she’d need to accomplish at least that much to hand me her name card and ask me to adopt her as my daughter… No.’

The tendons on the back of my hand twitched and jumped.

‘Of course, I would never adopt her as my daughter.’

But she didn’t seem to be the type to pester me about becoming her godfather without understanding her place.
And the way she conducted herself was quite…

I recalled Saelika from days past.
She’d pursued her goals so earnestly that everyone found it admirable.
Seeing how much she valued something suggested I truly had good taste.

‘She certainly has an eye for people.’

I’d assumed she’d be like Randel since she was close to him.

While I was thinking such things, Quentin spoke again.

“And regarding that fellow Gawain. Do you remember? The one you said gave you a bad feeling, Kaiser.”
“Yes.”
“I wondered where he’d disappeared to, but it turns out he’s the one who set fire to the temple.”

I furrowed my brow.
I’d suspected he’d do something suspicious, but setting a fire?

‘I should have torn him to shreds back then, regardless of what the other priests said.’

“Kaiser, it was Saelika who identified Gawain as the culprit.”
“That’s an exaggeration. What would a child know to catch a criminal?”

Though I said as much, Kaiser was inwardly curious as well.

“How so?”
“That bastard not only set fire to Saelika’s head, but when he tried to pin the blame on another child, he coerced Saelika—.”
“…What?”

Kaiser’s crimson eyes flared with killing intent in an instant.

“Th, that is….”
“What did you say?”
“I, I apologize.”

The holy knights tensed their bodies rigidly.

‘Wait, we’re not the ones biting—we’re the ones being bitten.’

Indeed, that Kaiser would never listen to such trivial matters.
Especially when he despised that child enough to turn her away at the gate.

Kaiser spoke again with a terrifying gaze.

“I asked what you said.”
“My apologies. I will never speak of that child again—.”

Quentin swallowed hard.
Even for a long-serving adjutant like him, Kaiser today was far too frightening.

In that very moment.
Bang!
Kaiser shot up from his seat and rushed out.

* * *

“Not only did he set fire to Saelika’s head—.”
“When he tried to pin the blame on another child, he coerced Saelika—.”

Quentin’s voice lingered in her ears.

‘That child went through something like that?’

“Kazamin!”
The child calling out to me seemed so bright and cheerful.
Always appearing without a shadow of darkness.

Now that I thought about it, something was odd.
All the other young women had long hair, but she alone kept hers short.
I had assumed it was simply because she was still young and found it difficult to maintain longer hair.
But that wasn’t it….

“Kazamin!”

At the sound of her voice, I turned to see Saelika waving her hand at me.
With that same radiant, unblemished smile as always.
She came running from a distance, her footsteps quick and light, and soon reached me.
Warm, soft hands touched Kaiser’s body.

“Pick me up!”

The child stretched out both arms.

I lifted her into my arms.
At some point, it felt as though I had been bound by a spell.
That I, of all people, would do whatever this child asked of me.

And yet….
The body nestled against my chest was incredibly soft and light.
Achingly so.

Words spilled from my lips without my knowing.

“Why have you come in the middle of the night?”
“Kazamin said you couldn’t sleep well, so I came to help.”

This small child had walked through such a deep night just to say this one thing to me.

“What are you doing coming all the way out here in the middle of the night?”
“No, it’s not like that. ‘Sleep well’—those are precious words.”
“…Why would that be?”
“It means don’t have bad dreams, and that I want to see you again tomorrow.”
“….”
“And that’s… what people call love.”
“….”

I disliked this child from the very beginning.
My instincts were sharp enough to sense it.
That this child was something special.
And perhaps that they might change me as well.

Kaiser suddenly came to his senses.

‘What am I thinking?’

Kaiser quickly set the child down.

“Go back to your room.”
“Okay! Sleep well, Kazamin!”
“….”

Kaiser strode away with long steps.
Nothing changes.
There is only one person in this world who could change me.
Only the Sacred Maiden.

* * *

A few days later.
I glanced around cautiously.
The adults were walking about with gloomy expressions.

‘It seems the adults are disappointed after all.’

At first, I didn’t realize they would be disappointed.
But when I noticed the strange expressions on the adults’ faces, I thought about it more carefully….

‘That makes sense.’

The adults had shown me such affection, yet here I was, scurrying after Kaiser whom I’d just met. They might feel disappointed.

‘They said they’d all take me as their adopted daughter.’

The Elders could never establish a direct blood relationship with me anyway.
I’d thought they were joking, but it seemed they were surprisingly sincere.

The Temple Priest whose eyes met mine let out a stifled laugh and turned away.

‘I can’t let this continue like this….’

I clenched my fists tightly.
There was no helping it.
I had to soothe the adults’ hearts.
I resolved to begin my social endeavors.

First, I should naturally target the person of highest rank.
The thought spurred me into action immediately.

“Here pretty flower. Looks like High Priest.”

—And so I went to the High Priest’s Office carrying a flower.

The High Priest stared at me intently.

“….”
“Flower bloomed. Keep getting prettier.”
“….”
“I like High Priest the most.”

Whoooosh!
Suddenly, the flowers that had been arranged in the vase burst into flames.

The High Priest placed the flower I’d given him into the now-empty vase.
Then he examined it carefully from every angle.
Though it was just a single bloom, he rearranged it repeatedly, as if searching for the most beautiful way to display it.

Only then did he clear his throat and glance at me sideways.

“Why would you do such a thing…?”

But he seemed to love it.
Though somewhat bewildered, I quickly threw my arms around the High Priest’s neck.

“If the High Priest had been Saelika’s senior, I would have asked him to be Saelika’s father.”
“…Is that not why I refused to be made your adoptive father, given my higher standing?”
“That’s right!”

The corners of the High Priest’s mouth twitched upward.

‘Good, one down.’

I waved my hands cheerfully at the High Priest and left his office.
My next destination was the Elders’ quarters.

I gave each of the Elders a flower suited to them.

“I’m giving these flowers to the Elders because I want you to stay with me for a long, long time.”
“Is, is that so?”
“Well, with such noble intentions, I suppose we should accept them.”

As if they had all agreed beforehand, they tucked the flowers into their robes and beamed with delight.

‘Second one cleared.’

Similarly waving my hands cheerfully, I headed to another room.
It was the quarters of the generation above me, including Derrick, Mogen, and Beckman.

“Even though Saelika has a godfather, Derrick is still Saelika’s mace father. Because Derrick is the one who taught me mace!”
“Krheheh, our little tiger! Yes, we’re bound together by the mace!”

Derrick rubbed his teary-eyed face against my cheek.
The stubble was so prickly I thought I’d die.
But he seemed completely happy.

Next.

“Mogen, give me a hug. Mogen gives me hugs, pats my head, and touches my hair.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“Ire says that’s what mommy and daddy do. Mogen, are you my family?”
“Of course! You’re family.”
“Even if you’re not my godfather? You’re still my family?”
“Absolutely! Of course!”

Mogen pulled me into an embrace, declaring, “Sae and I will be together forever, names or no names!”
I nearly got flattened, but I seemed to feel better.

Next.

“Beckman! I learned all my holy magic from Beckman. All my magic comes from Beckman.”
“I thought I had awakened it on my own…”
“No. Beckman is my mother. My magic is connected through Beckman’s magic!”
“Sae…!”
“Even if you have a godfather, Beckman is my magic father!”

Beckman lifted me high into the air.
He spun around, saying, “Yes, I’ll be Sae’s magic father!”
I nearly got sick from dizziness, but I seemed to feel better.

Next.

After that, I wandered around the Temple for quite some time.
My feet ached from walking so much.

‘Phew, I think I’ve managed to comfort most of the people.’

I wiped the sweat from my brow with my hand as I thought.

‘Now there’s just one final step left.’

I finally found the most important room.
Knock, knock.
I tapped on the door and poked my face inside.

Randel, who had been sitting at his desk, rose to his feet.

“Sae? What’s the matter?”
“Randel… Is it okay if I leave?”
“Of course. Come in.”

I stood before Randel, fidgeting with my hands.

I wanted to speak to Randel with complete honesty.
Not through calculation or social maneuvering, but with genuine sincerity.

“Father, if it weren’t for Randel, I wouldn’t be able to survive in the temple.”

It was the truth.
Randel had been kind and gentle to me from the very beginning.
Even knowing I had come with Parmanace’s divine power.
Without his consideration, I would never have adapted properly.

I loved Randel so very much.

But what Artemisia Temple needs from me is not a patron I love.
It’s a patron who can support me from outside the temple.

‘Randel’s abilities are extraordinary, but no one outside the temple knows that…’

I cannot wish only for my own comfort and happiness.
I have duties to fulfill as Artemia’s messenger.

“So—.”
“It’s alright.”

Before I could even speak, Randel met my gaze and said so.

“It’s alright, Sae.”
“…”
“Whatever decision you make, I will support it.”

Randel squeezed my hand gently.

“Your decisions have always had their reasons. You don’t need to tell me what they are.”
“….”
“But I’ve always believed in your choices.”
“Randel….”
“Of course, I would have been delighted if our Sae had become my beloved daughter.”

Randel smiled warmly, as he always did.

‘I wish I had been the Sacred Maiden.’

For the first time, I had such a thought.
I had never regretted not being the Sacred Maiden, and I had never wished to become one.
I simply wanted to find the Sacred Maiden quickly, grow stronger, and gain power.

But in this very moment, I thought this way.

‘Because the Sacred Maiden can have two godparents.’

I wanted to tell Randel, who was smiling so warmly.

[Randel, will you be Sae’s second father?]

—With my chest held high and with confidence.

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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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