Youngest on Top - Chapter 95

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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 95

Hair black as if a piece of the night itself had been carved away.
Eyes a blue colder than the northern sky.
Deep-set eyes, a sharp nose, and a chiseled jawline.
Despite his youth, his face was complete and refined.

The Sacred Maidens rose from their seats in unison and hurried toward him.

“What brings you to this place, Young Master?”
“You should have told us you were coming.”

But Demian didn’t spare them a glance.
He walked with unwavering steps until he stood before a child.

“So you’re Saelika, the Sacred Maiden of Artemisia?”
“Yes.”
“That was an impressive victory. You overwhelmed everyone present.”

The other Sacred Maidens bristled at his words.

“That’s because she used underhanded—”
“Underhanded? From where I stood, it looked like a loss by skill. Or am I mistaken?”

His cold blue eyes swept slowly across the room.
The Sacred Maiden who had been protesting couldn’t meet his gaze and lowered her head.
The other girls did the same.

Demian Noishurael possessed an overwhelming presence that dominated the gathering.

“To lose to a child who has only just awakened and still refuses to accept it—how pathetic.”

Tsk. Demian clicked his tongue in disdain.
The Sacred Maidens bit their lips in silence.

Then Eyrene smiled gently and nodded.

“The Young Master is right. For the Sacred Maidens, sacred power is both strength and skill. A loss is a loss, no matter the circumstances.”

She gently grasped Demian’s arm, her eyes narrowed in a pitiful expression.

“But please understand. The others have their grievances too.”
“Grievances?”
“I won’t say more about being deceived due to lack of skill. However, deliberately raising the stakes in that situation was clearly deception. The others have every right to feel wronged.”
“I see.”

Demian’s lips curved into a crooked smile.

“But it wasn’t that child who suggested raising the stakes.”
“What…?”
“From what I recall, it was someone else who proposed increasing the wager.”

His azure eyes regarded Eyrene with glacial coldness.

“Wasn’t this the result of your own greed rather than that child’s deception?”
“…!”

Eyrene’s face hardened like stone.

“More importantly, let go of that.”

Demian glanced pointedly at Eyrene’s hand gripping his arm.

“It feels like some large insect crawling across my arm.”

Demian Noishurael was famous for many reasons.
Noble bloodline that could be called the pinnacle among the ruling families.
A beautiful appearance that could never be forgotten after seeing it even once.
Overwhelming skill—he had already distinguished himself in the demon war years ago, when he was even younger than now.
And—

‘A filthy personality.’

Enrik: That bastard only speaks the truth.

Saelika asked Eyrene with a dejected expression.

“Eyrene, did Sae do something wrong to you?”
“N-no?”
“It was Eyrene who raised the stakes. Not Sae. You keep blaming Sae for your own mistakes.”
“That’s—.”
“Sae isn’t at fault. Eyrene said three o’clock.”

I pulled out the invitation and showed it to him.
It clearly stated three o’clock.

“It seems there was a mistake on my part.”
“But Eyrene, you stayed quiet when Sae was being scolded earlier.”
“I didn’t know the invitation said that either. If I had, I would have changed it to two o’clock.”
“A mistake?”
“Of course. You don’t think I did it on purpose, do you?”

Eyrene forced a kind smile.
Demian let out a soft laugh.

“You didn’t even verify it properly when you sent the invitation.”

Eyrene’s eyes widened in realization.
She had forgotten what Demian might think.

‘I’ve been completely outmaneuvered by that tiny thing!’

Still, claiming it was a mistake was far better than admitting she had intentionally given the wrong time.
But having made that excuse, she couldn’t escape the impression of being careless.

‘That cunning girl. So that’s why she stayed silent earlier.’

To expose it before the Young Prince Noishurael.

“Thank goodness! I thought Eyrene did it on purpose and that Eyrene disliked Sae.”
“…Why would I dislike Sae?”

Eyrene could only grit her teeth while maintaining a smiling face.

Then, Kaiser, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth.

“Yes, then I should apologize.”
“Pardon?”
“Because of your mistake with the invitation, my child heard words she shouldn’t have had to hear.”
“But….”
“You make a mistake and don’t even apologize? Is that the policy of the Herrisrel Temple?”

At Admiral Ekellan’s words, Eyrene’s face flushed crimson.
After her lips trembled for a moment, Eyrene finally bowed her head toward Saelika.

“I-I’m sorry, Saelika. It wasn’t intentional.”

Then Randel spoke up.
He was smiling, but his smile was different from usual.

“I think it would be good to apologize to the others as well. You did say some unkind things about Sae based on a misunderstanding, didn’t you? How embarrassed she must feel right now.”

The other Sacred Maidens, who hadn’t been embarrassed at all, were startled.
Eyrene had no choice but to bow to them as well.

“I’m sorry, everyone. Because of me….”
“W-well, it would be better to confirm things properly next time.”
“Yes, we almost misunderstood Saelika too, didn’t we?”

The Sacred Maidens who had cursed Saelika for being late and shameless cleared their throats and drew a line between themselves and the situation.
Seeing this, High Priest Anatullio opened his mouth.

“Even if it stems from a misunderstanding, it’s right to apologize if you’ve done wrong.”

Eventually, the Sacred Maidens who had been hesitant and reading the mood bowed their heads to Saelika.

“…We’re sorry, Saelika.”
“Forgive us. We spoke carelessly without realizing we had misunderstood….”

Saelika was bewildered at suddenly receiving so many apologies.

‘…So they had been holding onto this all along.’

Saelika gazed at the four men with clouded eyes.
It was such a trivial matter, yet they had been so considerate about it.

‘This is a bit embarrassing.’

I fidgeted with my fingers, feeling oddly self-conscious.

Enrik: You certainly know how to collect what’s owed, just like the priests of Artemia.
Enrik: But you still have more to receive, don’t you?

Enrik was right.
Since I’d won the wager, it was my turn to receive the sacred relics.

Though it was called an informal gathering, this was a meeting of Sacred Maidens.
It was customary for everyone to bring one or two sacred relics with them.
Since news of the Sacred Maidens’ gathering had already been reported, what each person wore to this event had become a matter of public interest.

When word spread about which sacred relics were worn, it became a tourist attraction and generated promotional value.
The divine power flowing into the temples varied depending on the number of believers and their influence.
That’s why the temples were desperate to boost their brand power in even the smallest details.

‘And this incident will be reported too.’

There couldn’t be better publicity than announcing that a Sacred Maiden had finally appeared at Artemisia Temple.
Saelika giggled.

* * *

The Sacred Maidens were reluctant, but they each gave me a sacred relic anyway.
Demian Noishurael and Admiral Ekellan were watching.
They wouldn’t want to go back on their word in front of them.
For temples conducting business, maintaining an impression of keeping promises was crucial.

I grinned at the pile of sacred relics before me.
So this is what it means to feel satisfied just by looking at something.

‘I need to make money off these too.’

I’d hold a special exhibition of sacred relics to coincide with my coronation as Sacred Maiden.
Sacred relics obtained through wagers with other Sacred Maidens—wouldn’t everyone be curious?
They’d all come to see.

Above all, these sacred artifacts are symbols of Artemisia’s victory.
As people gaze upon these holy relics, the truth will naturally embed itself in their minds.
That Artemisia has triumphed over the other temples!

‘Then the influence of Artemisia Temple will grow, and Artemia will be pleased, won’t she?’

As I chuckled to myself, I felt their gazes upon me.
When I lifted my head, Kaiser, Randel, Admiral Ekellan, the High Priest, and… Demian were all staring directly at me.

‘What’s this?’

Admiral Ekellan spoke to me with a particularly charming smile.

“I heard there are many plants from the Southern Region in this greenhouse. You were curious about our apples earlier, weren’t you? I know quite a bit about Southern plants.”
“I’m not going to become a botanist, so I don’t need that kind of knowledge to tour a greenhouse.”
“True. A greenhouse stroll is meant to ease the mind. Come to think of it, they say children’s emotional development is best when they’re with someone they’re comfortable with.”
“Sae, would you like to eat cookies in the greenhouse?”
“Still as cunning as ever, Randel.”

The adults began bickering amongst themselves.

‘…Could it be they’re all trying to become my partner for the greenhouse tour?’

But why was Demian staring at me like that?
Could he actually want to go to the greenhouse with me?

‘That can’t be right.’

Before my regression, Demian was famous for never allowing anyone close to him.
There was only one person he had ever deemed special enough to let into his inner circle.

‘Amelia.’

The moment Demian came of age, he inherited his title.
It was common knowledge even to a three-year-old that the newly appointed Grand Duke of the Northern Region was ardently courting Amelia.

‘The Crown Prince and the Northern Grand Duke competing over Amelia was incredibly famous.’

Every newspaper was plastered with the story.
At Parmanasus Temple, whenever two people gathered, they spoke of nothing else.

As for Amelia herself—.

“Stop teasing me, everyone. The rumors are just exaggerated. Both of them care for me deeply, but it’s not like that.”
“But they both quarreled over who would be your partner for the New Year Festival.”
“What about last hunting festival? Both of them called you their lady!”
“Honestly, is there any man who wouldn’t fall for Amelia?”
“Which one do you like more, Amelia? Come on, tell us!”
“Haha, you’re all joking. Both of them are truly precious to me.”

—She would laugh brightly, as if knowing nothing at all.
Even I had to admit it was an endearing sight.

‘I’ve already become entangled with Shuri unintentionally. There’s no need to get tangled up with Demian as well.’

Shuri doesn’t know my true identity, but Demian knows exactly who I am.
If I created an awkward connection with Demian, it could become complicated to untangle later.

‘Demian, who avoids people, wouldn’t easily let me stay by his side anyway.’

He probably just found it curious that I obtained a sacred relic through a card game wager.
Or perhaps he found Admiral Ekellan’s behavior strange?

Either way, it wasn’t my concern.
Right now, I had a much bigger problem.

“I wanted to walk through the greenhouse with our Sae.”
“Your apple is so curious, after all. She’ll definitely be intrigued by the exotic plants of the Southern Region, won’t she? I can explain everything to her.”
“Well, if you really want, I can go along. I’m your ‘first father,’ after all.”
“Understood.”

‘What should I do? If I choose one, it’ll cause an uproar.’

Should I take them all?
I was already exhausted.

That’s when it happened.

“Would you not grant me the honor of escorting the Sacred Maiden?”

I lifted my head at the hand extended before me.

‘What, why you?’

Demian was extending his hand toward me.

* * *

An uproar erupted.

“Who do you think you’re asking to escort her right now?”
“Demian, withdraw that hand. I claimed the apple first.”
“I was not aware that the Prince of Noishurael had any connection with our Sae.”

At Randel’s words, Demian let out a soft laugh.

“Such connections can be forged starting from this very moment, can they not?”

Naturally, sparks flew from the eyes of the four men.

“I will not permit this!”

In the end, I stepped forward to mediate the situation.

“Wow! Sae has a new friend!”

I grasped Demian’s hand and shook it enthusiastically.
Demian raised one eyebrow slightly, but did not pull his hand away.

Right, in good conscience he extended his hand first, so I shouldn’t reject it.

The adults stared at me with eyes full of shock and betrayal.

‘If the Grand Duke of the North extends his hand first and I refuse, I’ll make an enemy of Noishurael.’

I had no desire to become entangled, but refusing would entangle me in a different way.

After much difficulty, Demian and I finally arrived at the Greenhouse together.
The Greenhouse, warm and cozy even in winter, was filled with all manner of beautiful flowers and trees.

‘The Artemisia Temple originally had a Greenhouse too.’

Greenhouses are expensive to maintain.
So it had been neglected for a long time, losing its function entirely.
Since it didn’t seem particularly necessary, I hadn’t bothered to restore it during the expansion, which was a bit regrettable.

While I eagerly explored the Greenhouse, Demian remained silent.
I thought he had something to discuss since he’d asked to come here first, but…

He simply gazed at me with an appraising look.
It seemed he was trying to determine whether I could find his sister.
Since I was the one who had surpassed the other Sacred Maidens, I must have seemed like the most promising option.

‘Enrik, can you find that child’s sister?’

Enrik: You know.
Enrik: Reading and managing the threads of life isn’t my job.
Enrik: If you want to know, you’ll have to ask my older brother.

Even if Enrik asked his other brothers on my behalf, they wouldn’t be able to tell me.

‘They’d probably censor it with some talk about causality.’

In the end, I had no choice but to grow stronger myself.

I felt a bit sorry for Demian, who couldn’t even bring himself to state his purpose.
I stared blankly at the child for a moment before speaking first.
I didn’t want to deceive him with false hope like the other temples did.

“I don’t know where your sister is.”
“…”
“I’m still too young to find out.”
“…I see.”

Demian nodded slowly.
I watched him quietly and then fell silent.

“Your younger sibling is precious. Such a precious little one.”

Those blue eyes turned toward me.

“But Demian is precious too.”
“…What?”
“Demian is a precious little one too. To Mother and Father.”

Demian’s face contorted.
In an instant, the child lunged toward me.
A violent grip seized my collar and shoved me backward.

“Ugh…!”

My back struck the tree trunk hard—that pain eclipsed the grip on my collar.

“Don’t spout nonsense. What could you possibly know?”

Demian growled the words out.
So close that my eyes couldn’t focus properly.
Those blue eyes blazed like a scorching sun.

I reached out and firmly grasped the small hand that clutched my collar.

“…!”

Flinch—the child’s eyes trembled.

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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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