Youngest on Top - Chapter 79

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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 79

Kaiser irritably brushed away that hand.

“What are you doing here?”
“Is there somewhere I’m not allowed to be? This is a public space, isn’t it? I didn’t summon you or anything—I was simply touring the Temple.”
“I asked for a reason.”
“Because I wanted to see you?”

Kaiser found no value in responding to such nonsense.

“Since I’m here after so long, I looked around, and the Temple has become quite extravagant, hasn’t it?”
“That’s none of your concern.”
“I heard rumors of dealings with various places, but… the construction should have been completed before that. How curious. Where did the money come from?”

Her tone was ambiguous—whether she truly didn’t know where the funds came from, or was asking while already knowing.
A finger painted with bright crimson nails traced gently across Kaiser’s shoulder.

“If you need help, just say the word. After all, what are we to each other?”
“Your habit of distorting memories hasn’t changed, I see.”
“As someone who remembers when Artemisia shone brightly, I simply find it regrettable.”

There was no point engaging with someone whose words made no sense.
Besides, there was something far more pressing on his mind now.

The small warmth trembling in his arms.
Kaiser’s attention turned completely toward the child.

Beatrix’s lips twitched as she realized Kaiser’s interest had shifted entirely away from her.
Her gaze moved to the child nestled in Kaiser’s embrace.

‘…How irritating.’

Beatrix skillfully concealed her murderous intent.
She was certain she had—.

CRASH!

A wave of energy erupted from Kaiser, engulfing Beatrix.
Beatrix swiftly twisted her body away.

She thought she’d dodged it perfectly, but the hem of her garment was singed and smoldering.
Beatrix smiled wickedly.

‘So his attention has returned to me.’

She spoke in a languid, melodic tone.

“My, how scorching.”
“What were you trying to do to that child?”

Beatrix’s eyes twitched slightly.

‘That child again?’

He remained unmoved when I touched his body.
Yet he unleashes a killing intent at a mere small child, and directs it at me like this?
It was infuriating, and my pride was wounded.

Beatrix raised her eyebrows slightly.

“Wow, I’m really getting offended here.”
“Tell me what you were trying to do.”

Kaiser’s aura grew increasingly ferocious.
Beatrix shrugged her shoulders.

“Nothing.”
“Do you wish to die by my hand?”
“Well, if you don’t want to believe me, that’s fine too.”

Beatrix leaped backward, creating distance.
She wanted to torment this proud man a bit longer, but she had no intention of fighting here.
Besides, it was time for her to leave.

‘I’ve confirmed everything I needed to in this place.’

“Then I’ll see you next time, darling.”

Beatrix winked and vanished without a trace.
As if she had never been here at all.

Kaiser held the child tightly in his arms, his gaze snapping toward the empty space in an instant.

“Kaiser.”

Quentin rushed over quickly.
He was asking what to do about Beatrix.

Kaiser spoke in a low voice.

“Let her go. We can’t lodge a complaint with Parmanace just because she came and went through the open areas.”
“That would only be true if she’d used the Main Gate. For Parmanace to be so brazen as to mock us like this…”

Quentin ground his teeth.
Kaiser lowered his gaze to the child in his arms.

“Saelika.”

At his call, Saelika, who had buried her face in his shoulder, hesitantly lifted her head.
When their eyes met, the child shook her head frantically.

“No, no…!”

Her blue eyes, streaked with tears, were filled with terror.

“Dae is not… is not…”
“…What?”
“Dae is not a traitor… Sae is not a traitor…”

Small hands gripped Kaiser’s clothing with desperate force.
Her grip was so strong that her knuckles turned white.
As if she would never let go of this embrace.

“Kazamin… don’t abandon Dae… I’ll be good… I promise I’ll be a good child…”

With those words, the child’s eyes, which had been shedding tears without pause, finally closed.

“Ha….”

A sharp sigh escaped from Kaiser’s lips.

“I don’t know what to do with you.”
“….”

Why do you keep stirring up my heart like this?

Kaiser buried his face against the child’s head.

* * *

My eyes snapped open.

‘I’m doomed!’

The moment I regained consciousness, I bolted upright in bed.
My entire body felt heavy, drained from exerting myself in this child’s form.
But that wasn’t the important part.

‘Didn’t I just make him more suspicious of me?’

I wasn’t sure exactly what aspect of me Kaiser suspected.
But he had definitely said it with suspicion in his voice.

“…You grew up in an orphanage sponsored by Parmanace.”

And of all times, he had to witness me alone with the Temple Priest from Parmanace!
Why on earth did Beatrix have to show up here?
And I had even cried uncontrollably as if I already knew her!

‘Honestly, I don’t remember much after meeting Beatrix.’

I was so flustered that what I said was all a blur.
In moments like this, I should keep my wits about me and act rationally.
But the more agitated I become, the more I revert to acting like a child….

‘What am I going to do about this?’

As I fretted, the door opened.
Only then did I realize.

‘This isn’t my room!’

It was Kaiser’s Room.
So I had fallen asleep here again?

Flustered, Kaiser approached me with long strides.

“Saelika.”
“Yes?”
“What did that woman say to you?”
“Nothing at all….”

I shook my head vigorously.
For a moment, I worried that my inadequate answer would only deepen his suspicion.
But I couldn’t bring myself to lie either.

“Then why were you trembling like that?”
“I was scared….”

Kaiser gazed quietly at my face.

‘Is he going to press me further…?’

Tense with anxiety, I watched as he simply nodded.

“That woman is rather unpleasant.”

After a long silence, he asked me.

“…Why did you think I would abandon you?”

My eyes widened in surprise.
Had I said something like that?

“I, I just….”

I tried to dodge the question, but Kaiser continued staring at me persistently.

Fine, whatever.
I just squeezed my eyes shut and blurted it out.

“Kazamin, I suspected you.”
“….”
“I suspected you came from the Orphanage of Parmanace Temple.”

Kaiser raised his left eyebrow at an angle.

“But that woman wore Parmanace robes….”
“It’s true that I suspected you.”

Kaiser, who had been staring at me intently, spoke.

“But it’s completely different. I never once thought you had any connection to Parmanace.”

What?

I lifted my head to look at Kaiser.
His crimson eyes gazed at me with utmost seriousness.

“Then why….”
“I wondered if you might—.”

Kaiser stopped mid-sentence.
Then he looked at me quietly before shaking his head.

“It’s nothing.”

Kaiser tried to stand up.

“Wait!”

What if you stop talking like that!
I’m curious what you suspected about me!

Kaiser, who had my grip on his robe, paused and looked down at me.

“I’ll fix everything Sae did wrong. I promise.”
“You—.”
“I can fix it all. Sae will be a good child.”
“That’s not what I meant.”

His voice grew louder, and I flinched, my shoulders shrinking.
But my hand gripping Kaiser’s robe refused to let go.

He looked at me, trembling with emotion, and sighed.

“That’s not it. I never suspected you of doing anything wrong.”
“….”
“It’s purely a matter of ‘what if,’ in case something were to happen.”

Kaiser chose his words carefully, speaking slowly.
As if torn between whether it was better to speak or to remain silent.

“You might possibly be Artemisia’s—.”

That was when it happened.

“K-Kaiser!”

The door burst open and Quentin rushed in.
This was the first time I’d ever seen him act so urgently.

“She—she—she appeared! She’s appeared!”

Quentin spoke in a jumbled rush.
He seemed confused about whether he was even forming coherent sentences.

“What has.”
“The Sacred Maiden! The Sacred Maiden has appeared!”

* * *

The Sacred Maiden has appeared?
I bolted upright.

Kaiser did the same.
He abandoned whatever he was saying to me and quickened his pace.
I hurried after him without hesitation.

The Sacred Maiden.
The Sacred Maiden, no less!
She has finally appeared!

My heart raced with anticipation.
The Sacred Maiden I had longed for so desperately had appeared.
Unexpectedly, like a miracle!

‘Artemia!’

I pressed my hand to my chest and called out Artemia’s name over and over.

The Sacred Maiden can communicate directly with the Heavens.
Of course, merely awakening as the Sacred Maiden doesn’t immediately grant such power.
Yet the mere possibility set my heart ablaze.

I longed to see Artemia and my brethren.
I had rarely encountered Artemia, and my brethren had only ever scorned me, yet still.

‘And now, at last, the true revival of the Artemisia Temple begins!’

No matter how much wealth I earned or how many children I taught, a temple without a Sacred Maiden had its limits.
And now a Sacred Maiden had appeared to shatter those very limits!

I didn’t need anyone to tell me where the Sacred Maiden was.

People had gathered in one place like clouds.
The High Priest and Elders, along with senior priests and regular priests, and even some trainee priests.
It seemed everyone who had heard the news had rushed over.

And for good reason.

‘They must all feel the same way I do.’

The Sacred Maiden.
A being capable of uniting the Temple and spreading the will of God to all corners of the world.
God’s representative.

Such a being had been absent for two generations, only to finally appear in the third.
Surely their wait was no less arduous than mine.

‘Is that the child?’

Through the crowd, I caught sight of a child.
Navy-blue hair that bore a striking resemblance to Kaiser, and crimson eyes.
A girl slightly older than me.

Kaiser strode forward and asked.

“This child is the Sacred Maiden?”
“It appears to be so.”
“What of the sacred relic’s response?”
“We’ve gone to retrieve it.”

Soon the Temple Priest came running from afar, cradling the sacred relic in both hands.

The sacred relic Alpania.
One of the sacred relics used by the Sacred Maiden, it sensed the Sacred Maiden’s divine power and amplified it to its fullest potential.
And due to such properties, it served a special purpose as well.

The verification of the Sacred Maiden.

The High Priest received Alpania and approached the child.

Thump-thump.
Despite so many people gathered, not a single breath could be heard.
All eyes were fixed on Alpania.

Though such a situation might have been overwhelming, the child stood unflinching, her face radiating confidence.
The High Priest held Alpania before the child.
And then.

Whoooosh!
Sacred light erupted from Alpania.
Brilliant rays of radiance painted the surroundings in five brilliant colors.

Alpania had responded to the Sacred Maiden!

“R-Really a Sacred Maiden!”
“She’s the Sacred Maiden… she’s definitely the Sacred Maiden!”
“Artemia… you have blessed us!”
“Finally, finally Artemisia has a Sacred Maiden…!”

The voices and eyes of the people trembled.
But soon they transformed into thunderous cheers.

“A Sacred Maiden has been born to Artemisia!”
“Waaaahhhhh, long live the Sacred Maiden—!!”

People cheered and embraced one another.
Some clapped their hands, others wiped away glistening tears, some offered prayers, and many did all of these at once.
Everyone was savoring this joy in every way they could.

I too clasped my hands together and offered a prayer.

‘Artemia, I will work so very hard. I will absolutely, without fail, revitalize your temple.’

Unlike in the Celestial Realm, I will be of true service to Artemia.

“It is finally done, High Priest!”
“How much you must have endured all this time!”

The High Priest had suffered the most, leading the temple all these years without a Sacred Maiden.
Everyone gazed at the High Priest with joyful faces.

But the High Priest, as always, merely regarded the child with his usual indifference.

“What is your name?”
“Diaena. Diaena Cetrishe. High Priest!”

And the child reached out her hand toward the High Priest.

“Daddy, pick me up! (Please hold me!)”

The High Priest’s eyebrows rose slightly at those words.

“Diana, my legs hurt so much from coming all the way to the Temple!! (Diana, my legs hurt so, so much from coming to the Temple!!)”
“…I thought you came by carriage.”

Even as he said this, the High Priest lifted the child into his arms.
His expression remained as impassive as always, yet surely he found the Sacred Maiden, who had appeared after such a long wait, endearing.

I flinched as I watched the scene.
It felt as though our eyes had met for a moment.

* * *

Four days passed after that.
Diana did not stay in the Trainee Priest Quarters.
That was because she had said,
“I want to stay with Daddy.”
That’s why he said so.

There was originally a space prepared for the Sacred Maiden, but since there had been no Sacred Maiden for so long, it needed to be refurbished.
So, according to the child’s wishes, she came to stay in the room next to the High Priest’s.
It was the same room I had stayed in when I was ill with burns before.

Not only the Sacred Maiden’s chamber but other things as well needed preparation.
It was only natural, given that there had been no Sacred Maiden for two generations.

The adults were busy asking Diana about this and that, preparing things for her.
So I had not seen her again since the first day she arrived at the Temple.

The other trainee priests were in the same situation.
Whenever they had a chance, the children talked about Diana.

“What kind of child is she?”
“We finally have a Sacred Maiden. That’s amazing!”
“Ah, I can’t wait to meet her.”

I listened to the children talking and let out a quiet laugh.

‘Do you all miss me as much as I miss you?’

Unable to sit still any longer, I paced back and forth in front of the door, shifting my weight from one foot to the other.
When would they arrive?

‘Why don’t I just ask Randel instead of waiting like this?’

That was a good idea.
Once the thought took hold, I found it impossible to remain still any longer.
The moment lunch hour arrived, I bolted from the Trainee Priest Quarters.

“Sae, aren’t you going to eat?”
“In a bit!”

Besides, Randel would be eating too, so it would be nice to share a meal together after so long.
The thought of Randel’s delighted expression lifted my spirits.
I walked briskly down the Corridor.

‘Oh, there’s Randel.’

I spotted Randel in the distance, walking alongside other Temple Priests.
They must be heading to the dining hall now.
I quickened my pace toward them.

That was when it happened.

“Randel!”

A bright, cheerful voice rang out.
It was Diana.

She came bounding toward Randel with quick, light steps.
With a radiant smile, she took his hand.

“Randel, let’s eat together.”
“Sure.”
“Hehe, Diana likes Randel the best. You’re so kind, and gentle, and sweet.”

Diana glanced at Derrick beside her, then as if realizing her mistake, she quickly covered her lips with both hands.

“Aw! I love Derrick too!”
“Haha! Thank you, Sacred Maiden.”
“Derrick, you’re not upset, are you? Diaena loves you so much!”
“There’s no reason for me to be upset.”

Perfect.
To meet Diana like this.

‘If we’re together, there’s no need to ask separately!’

Diana and the Temple Priests had already headed into the dining hall.
I rushed after them into the dining hall.

When I arrived, Diana was surrounded by adults and eating.
She spoke with a bright smile.

“Diaena, you did it thirty times in a row!”
“Thirty times! That’s impressive.”

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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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