Youngest on Top - Chapter 81

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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 81

“Partner? Oh, partner!”
“Why, Sacred Maiden? Why must it be Kaiser?”
“Am I not suitable?”
“Diaena likes Kazamin.”

Diana spread both arms wide and waved them dramatically.

“This much! This much Diaena likes Kazamin! So much!”
“Wow, such a passionate confession.”
“No matter how beautiful a woman confesses to me, none could compare to a confession from the Sacred Maiden. Haha!”

The Holy Knights played along with Diana’s enthusiasm, but Kaiser’s expression grew even more menacing.

‘He seems incredibly irritated. I shouldn’t go near him.’

If I provoked Kaiser further, he might lose control and explode.
It wouldn’t matter for me, but it would be catastrophic for Diana.

‘She just awakened as the Sacred Maiden, so she’s unstable. She could collapse or cough up blood.’

Diana was especially vulnerable given her young age.
Even minor stress could affect her.

What if Kaiser’s aura flared up?
Diana’s unstable sacred power could be drawn in and react to it.

‘If her sacred power goes haywire, it would be truly catastrophic.’

It seemed best for me to remove myself so Kaiser wouldn’t become angry.

I turned and left, heading back toward the Trainee Priest Quarters.
That was when it happened.

“My dear little priest!”

Gerald, grinning mischievously from across the way, waved at me in greeting.
He bounded over to me and winked.

“I heard a Sacred Maiden has been born in Artemisia?”
“Yep!”
“Congratulations.”
“Hehe. Now the Artemisia Temple just needs to catch its breath before the real work begins.”
“You seem quite pleased about it.”
“Of course I am!”

The Sacred Maiden was the most crucial existence for Artemisia to reclaim its former glory.

‘Once it reclaims its original position, Parmanace will crumble!’

My eyes gleamed with intensity.

“Gerald, you’re in on this too? Gerald, you’re in the same boat as the Artemisia Temple.”
“Well, the boat I’m in isn’t exactly the Artemisia Temple—it’s our baby priest here.”
“Right, that’s the one.”

Gerald said “Well then” and handed me a box.

“Here’s what you requested. It was quite difficult to obtain.”
“Thank you.”

It was the material for Crepundia that I needed for Kaiser.
With the materials in hand, I could complete it within the timeframe.

“Admiral Ekellan hasn’t been troublesome, has he? He keeps pestering me about the baby priest.”
“He’s fine. Apple pie tastes good, but lately it’s been a bit much.”
“Ah, he went to Jezdo. Normally he would have stayed there, but somehow I have a feeling he’ll return here soon….”

Gerald spoke with a weary expression.
As we were talking, I heard a voice calling for me.

“Big sister!”

Sparkling eyes, shimmering navy-blue hair.
Diana, who had toddled over, tilted her head upon seeing Gerald.

“Who might you be?”
“Greetings, Priest.”
“Ah, Diaena isn’t a priest—.”
“No! Diaena is the Sacred Maiden. Not a priest!”
“My apologies, Sacred Maiden. I am Gerald of the Whitepearl Merchant Company.”

Gerald smiled warmly.
Diaena’s eyes sparkled with delight.

“Wow, the Whitepearl Company? Diaena knows about it. It’s a really, really big company, right? How amazing!”
“Haha, thank you for saying so.”
“What does a company sell? Dolls? Clothes? Candy?”
“We sell everything. It’s faster to say what we don’t sell.”
“Wow! Diaena wants to see too. Can we visit?”
“You’re always welcome. As the Sacred Maiden of Artemisia, you’re like the Sacred Maiden of Whitepearl as well.”
“Really? Then Whitepearl belongs to Diaena too?”

A slight pause.
Gerald stopped and looked at Diaena.
He was still smiling, but his eyes had turned sharp.

I tapped his leg lightly.

‘She’s our Sacred Maiden. Treat her well.’

Gerald, quick to read the situation, relaxed his expression and laughed.

“Oh! I need to get back to Rapashiello!”

With that cry, Diaena bowed respectfully.

“Then I’ll take my leave. Diaena must go now.”
“Go safely, Sacred Maiden.”
“Goodbye, Diaena.”

After Diaena disappeared, Gerald whispered to me.

“What do you mean?”
“She’s still just a child, so she was thoughtless. Diaena will apologize on her behalf.”
“Why should the young priest apologize instead?”

Gerald frowned and spoke.

“Well, she just awakened and is in an unstable state, so I understand keeping her close, but…”
“…”
“I have a bad feeling about this.”
“The merchant guild matter was Diaena’s mistake. But she is the Sacred Maiden of Artemisia Temple. Show respect.”
“But the way you’re treating the young priest…”
“…?”
“You came calling for the young priest, yet you only spoke with me.”
“Are you bragging?”
“…”
“I was curious seeing the merchant guild person for the first time. She was just curious. She’s still young, so it’s only natural.”

Gerald looked at me with an expression full of things to say, then shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, if that’s what the young priest says.”

* * *

Finally, Diana arrived at the Trainee Priest Quarters.
The children were thrilled at her appearance after such a long wait.

“Sacred Maiden, you’re so adorable!”
“Sacred Maiden, do you know my name? I’ll tell you!”
“Your name is Diana Chetris, right? We asked the Temple Priests about it.”

The children swarmed around Diana like clouds, each trying to speak.

“Wow! So many. Diaena can’t remember all the names.”
“Ah… Yes, yes! You don’t need to memorize them all at once.”
“Of course! We can get to know each other slowly!”

Diana brushed her hair back as if tired, then looked toward me.

Perhaps she recognized my face and decided to approach me.
I waited eagerly as Diana drew closer, my heart racing.
But then.

“What’s your name?”

Diana hadn’t spoken to me.
She was addressing the other children beside me.

“…Ilay.”
“I’m Dmitri!”
“Edmund, ma’am.”
“I’m Roa—.”
“What are all your names!”

Clap!
Diana clapped her hands and laughed with delight.

“What, what is this. People are saying their names and…!”

When Roana protested, Diana’s face crumpled and she shrank back.

“I, I just couldn’t hear them…”
“Roana, aren’t you being rather disrespectful to the Sacred Maiden?”
“It’s because she couldn’t hear!”

The other trainee priests reproached Roana.
Roana’s face flushed crimson.
The children had never spoken to her in such a manner before.

‘This won’t do. If Roana explodes like this…’

Though she’s changed quite a bit now, Roana had always been impulsive and reckless.
I grabbed Roana’s hand and pulled her away.

“Roa, let’s go eat some sweets with Diae!”

Roana frowned as if she had much to say.
But in the end, she didn’t shake off my hand and followed me.

Seeing this, Diana smiled brightly at me.

“Thank you, big sister Sae. Diana helped too.”
“…Big sister? Wait, isn’t the Sacred Maiden older than you?”

Roana asked me.

“I suppose so. Sae is younger than me.”
“…No, no matter how I look at it.”

Roana, who had been muttering, shrugged her shoulders.

“Still, when I see the mercenaries, even though I’m my age, they look so mature.”

She was quite envious of the mercenaries.

We went to my room and selected confections to bring to the lounge.

‘I should give this to Diana.’

I took out a confection I had been saving.
Admiral Ekellan had given it to me, saying it was a specialty from the southern regions—a chocolate tart studded with sea salt crystals.

* * *

While Saelika went to her room.
Diana was chatting animatedly with Dmitri.
Mostly Dmitri would boast with his chest puffed out, and Diana would laugh delightfully and marvel at his stories.

‘She finds such joy in listening to that fool’s boasting—in a way, she really is like a Sacred Maiden.’

Ilay thought this as he watched them.

The two were talking about what had happened at the meeting with Reyatan.

“That’s why I told you right then! ‘Is that all? It doesn’t hurt at all?'”
“Dmitri say! Reyatan all broken! Tudler!”
“Oh, how did you know? Honeybread told me exactly that. ‘Tudri, tudler beat.'”
“Honeybread? Honeybread is food.”
“Oh, the honeybread I meant is Sae.”
“Why is Sae’s older sister honeybread?”
“Why? Because she’s just like honeybread. Her hair is like honey, and her cheeks are soft like bread dough.”

At those words, Diana furrowed her brows.

“No! Not at all!”
“Huh?”
“Sae’s older sister not honeybread! Honey is sweet. People not honey!”
“Ah… Right? People aren’t honey. But she just looks like honeybread—.”
“If you call her that, does Sae’s older sister hate it?”

Flinch.
Dmitri froze.

‘Hate it? Honeybread?’

Now that he thought about it, she had said something with a sullen face before.

“Sae not honeybread.”

He had explained why she was honeybread, but her sullen face had only looked more like a pufferfish.

‘Did she really hate it….’

Unlike moments ago when he had boasted confidently, Dmitri’s spirits suddenly sank.

Diana firmly grasped Dmitri’s hand.

“But Diaena like Dmitri no matter what!”
“….”
“Diaena like Dmitri.”

Diana beamed brightly at Dmitri.

Yet Dmitri wasn’t even looking at Diana.
He was staring blankly at something below.

“I really did hate it….”

He muttered something under his breath.

‘What is this.’

Diana pouted her lips and turned toward Edmund.

“Diaena, Edi ara. Rapashiello? Maza?”
“Yes, Sacred Maiden. I am Edmund of Rapashiello.”
“Mazatta! A very distinguished family, I’ve heard. Pleased to meet you.”

Diana placed both hands on her belly and bowed politely.
It was an adorable sight.

Edmund watched her quietly, and when Diana tilted her head curiously, he moved.
He offered an elegant bow befitting noble etiquette, and Diana marveled at it.

“Wow, merci! Diaena will learn too.”
“…There is nothing particularly worth learning for the Sacred Maiden.”
“Why? Diaena wants to bow like a princess.”
“…Even if you bow that way, the Sacred Maiden cannot become a princess.”
“What?”
“Because you are the Sacred Maiden, not a princess.”
“But Diaena is the most precious being in Artemisia Temple. So Diaena is like Artemisia’s princess.”
“That reasoning contains a logical fallacy.”
“….”

Diana looked at Edmund with a sulky expression.
At first she liked how respectfully he treated her, but now she didn’t.

“Why do you speak so formally to Diaena?”
“Pardon?”
“You don’t talk that way to the older sister. You just speak normally.”
“…I was merely showing respect for the Sacred Maiden. After all, you are the Sacred Maiden of Artemisia.”
“I don’t like it! Just speak normally to Diaena too. Diaena will call you brother.”

Edmund’s face hardened rigidly.
Though he had changed considerably now, he was originally a child so arrogantly aristocratic that he despised anything lacking in formality.

“Eddie oppa, Dmitri oppa, Ilay oppa!”

Diana pointed at each of them with her finger and spoke, her face brimming with pride.
The three who had just been called “oppa” showed little reaction.

“Huh? Why don’t you like it? Do you hate Diaena oppa?”
“Uh, I… have to like it?”
“I’d rather not be called that, honestly.”
“The Sacred Maiden is essentially the face of Artemisia Temple. I would appreciate it if you would conduct yourself with more propriety.”

At the successive responses from Dmitri, Ilay, and Edmund, Diana’s brow furrowed.

“Why? Diaena is the Sacred Maiden. Being the Sacred Maiden’s oppa is a good thing.”
“….”
“This is too much… These three people hate Diaena… They don’t want to call me oppa……”

Seeing Diana’s face crumple, the other children quickly tried to console her.

“N-no way! We’re just not used to it yet.”
“We all want to be the Sacred Maiden’s older siblings!”
“We actually think it’s nice—we’re just being shy. How could we hate the Sacred Maiden?”
“…Really?”

At Diana’s question, everyone answered, “Yes!”
Diana laughed with delight.

* * *

I returned to the lounge with an armful of sweets.
But the atmosphere felt strange.
The children were busy consoling Diana.

‘What happened?’

As I tilted my head in confusion, Dmitri approached me.
For some reason, he was watching my reaction carefully.

“Honey… Sae, you came?”
“Yeah.”
“You brought so much. Honey… Sae was quite the candy rich kid.”
“Share eat. (Want to share.)”
“Then can I eat Honey… Sae’s candy too?”

I finally asked.

“Dmitri.”
“Huh? What?”
“Why do you keep calling me that cutesy name?”

Dmitri flinched and avoided my gaze.

“That’s… I’m sorry.”

Why was he apologizing?
Puzzled, I watched as Dmitri scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“It’s still a habit, so I do it without thinking… I’ll try not to call you that anymore.”

This was the first time I’d seen Dmitri like this.
I asked, a bit surprised.

“Why is that?”
“Huh?”
“Why did you change like that? Dmitri’s not like that.”
“…You said you hate being called honey bun.”

His words came completely unexpectedly.

“I didn’t know that and kept calling you it. But it’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing. I call you that because—.”
“Call me.”
“Huh?”

Dmitri’s eyes widened as he looked at me.

“Call me whatever feels right.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Got it, Honeybun!”

Dmitri’s face brightened instantly, and he threw his arms around me.

What was he so gloomy about anyway?

‘But why did I suddenly think of that?’

Regardless, at least he was cheerful again now.

As I distributed cookies to Dmitri, Edmund and Ilay approached.

“I wouldn’t normally eat prototype cookies like these, but if you ask, I suppose I could make an exception.”
“These look delicious. Did you bring a lot thinking of me?”

As I crunched through the cookies, the hungry children crept closer, their noses twitching.

“That looks tasty. Give me some too.”
“Wow, these are really good!”

The children swarmed over, but Diana didn’t come.
She stood apart, watching me intently.

‘Does she not like sweets?’

The moment I tried to approach her, she cried out.

“Big sis, you said you’d watch our training. Diaena wants to show you her training. Cool training!”

Oh no!
Only then did I realize the break time had ended.

Ilay was right—I was clearly too distracted.
Of all things, I’d missed the children’s training time.

“Let’s go watch your training!”

At my words, the children’s faces turned grim.
But they followed without complaint.

* * *

“Artemiaaaaaaa!”
“We believe in youuuuuu!”

The trainee priests were brimming with fervor.
And for good reason—the Sacred Maiden was watching them.

The Sacred Maiden was observing.
Harder, more magnificently!

‘…But is this really impressive?’

Before Saelika arrived, the training had been dignified and graceful.
After all, they were priests.

‘But now this….’
‘It feels like they’re receiving group encouragement shouts….’
‘…It’s not impressive at all.’

That thought had just crossed my mind.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Saelika lightly flicked three children on the head.
Light was the word, but getting hit by that morning star made stars dance before their eyes.

“Focus!”
“F-focus!”

Right, the Sacred Maiden wasn’t the problem now.
To survive, one had to keep moving.

That was when it happened.

Whoosh!
A sudden pushing force sent Saelika’s body tilting, but she barely regained her balance.

Saelika startled and lifted her head.
Diana was glaring at me with heavy, labored breathing.

‘Why…?’

Diana let out a sharp cry.

“Don’t bully Diaena’s priests!”
“Huh?”
“Bad to Diae!”
“….”
“Bad! Bad! You’re baaaad!”

* * *

I was utterly bewildered by Diana’s words.
The children giggled as they watched my reaction.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t bully us.”
“Wow, the Sacred Maiden is taking our side! Even the adults are on Sae’s side!”
“Haha, this is the first time I’ve ever seen the youngest so flustered!”

The children snickered amongst themselves.
Their faces were absolutely delighted.

‘These brats are asking for it.’

The moment my eyes gleamed, the children yelped and hid behind Diana’s back.

“Sacred Maiden! Sae is glaring at us.”
“You’ll protect us, won’t you?”
“Of course! Diaena, you’re an amazing Sacred Maiden who cherishes my priests.”

Ahem!
Diana lifted her chin and planted both hands firmly on her hips.

The children burst into laughter.
Their eyes sparkled with mischief as they looked at me.

‘I don’t want to ruin the mood….’

I stood there uncertainly, unsure of what to do.

—————
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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