Chapter 4

Youngest One on Top Chapter 4 (4/299)

Wow?

The High Priest's forehead creased deeply at the unrealistic talk.

"What do you mean by that?"

"That... well..."

The assistant priest glanced at Duke Neuschrahe.

"I'll be going now. No need to see me off."

"Please take care."

With the High Priest's words, Duke Neuschrahe nodded lightly and left the reception room.

Baron Phenum, one of the Duke's close aides, whispered beside him.

"It seems something good has happened at the Artemis Temple."

"..."

"It's only natural that even a small piece of good news can have a significant impact in a difficult situation. I'm quite looking forward to it."

A single gust of wind can change the direction of the current.

It's just that it's difficult to stir up that wind.

"Isn't His Highness curious about who brought this wind?"

"..."

"Pointless talk."

Duke Neuschrahe dismissed Baron Phenum's words and stepped towards his carriage.

Just then,

"Randel! Hurry! The High Priest is waiting! (Randel! Hurry! The High Priest is waiting!)"

A clear and bright voice, out of place in the always solemn main hall of the temple, echoed.

'A child?'

The Duke's eyes caught sight of a child's back, hopping and urging a priest from the other end of the corridor.

"Your Highness?"

Baron Phenum called out to Duke Neuschrahe with a puzzled look.

The Duke realized, uncharacteristically, that he had been momentarily distracted by the child.

"Is something...?"

"No."

Duke Neuschrahe casually climbed into the carriage.

The carriage immediately set off without delay.

* * *

"Ha-ha-ha! With this, we won't have to worry about the budget for a while!"

"We can finally repair the temple. The corridor where the children walk is too dangerous, and I've always been worried about it."

"We can treat the children, who have returned from the training camp, to some delicious food for a change."

The priests' faces, which had been gloomy, finally lit up.

"Sae, did you find this?"

"Amazing, amazing!"

"To bring a divine beast and now a treasure! How can such a small thing be so impressive and admirable? Huh?"

The large hand of Battle Priest Derrick pinched my cheeks.

"Ooh? So soft! Like well-kneaded bread dough!"

‘Aaah!’

My body was jolted around by his thick, fleshy hand.

"Derrick."

Randel, who usually had a gentle expression, looked stern as he held me and glared at Derrick.

Derrick, looking embarrassed, took his hand off me.

"Not only does it look like a chick, but it's as fragile as one too."

...Fragility?

Feeling suddenly treated like a weak chick, I was annoyed.

If only my divine power were stronger, I would be much tougher!

"Sae, I'm not a chick! I'm tough! (Sae, I'm not a chick! I'm tough!)"

"Ouch, not a chick? You're still peeping away."

Derrick laughed.

I puffed up with anger and looked around.

The adults were all laughing.

I knew that if I got more upset, I would just look childish and immature.

So, I had to show the dignity of my third life and endure.

I had to... endure.

"Don't tease her too much."

Right!

"She might get upset."

What?

"I'm not a chick!"

What do you see in me that makes me a chick? If we're being picky, I'm completely—

"I'm a tiger! (I'm a tiger!)"

My loud roar made the adults look at me in surprise.

Seeing their startled expressions, I felt a bit relieved, thinking they wouldn't tease me anymore.

Just as I was about to relax,

The adults, with even more gentle faces than before, said to me,

"Oh, Derrick was wrong. Sae is a tiger, not a chick."

"Ooh, our Sae is a brave and strong tiger."

"This is a big mistake. Calling our tiger a chick!"

They all pretended to agree with me, but their lips were trembling.

"..."

I turned around and clenched my fists, which were as small as potatoes.

'Just wait. When I regain my strength...!'

At that moment, Randel lifted me and stopped the other priests.

"Everyone, stop. Isn't the child upset?"

"Randel..."

Indeed, only Randel.

Even if I become strong, I have to protect Randel.

"Sorry, Sae. We were just too happy."

"Yes, we got carried away and made a mistake."

I clung to Randel and glanced at the adults.

They all looked apologetic.

'...Maybe I'll forgive them this time.'

As a sign of reconciliation, I extended my hand and grabbed Derrick's thick finger.

"Forgiving you?"

"I'm big-hearted! (I'm big-hearted!)"

"..."

Suddenly, Derrick turned his back on me. The other adults did the same.

Looking closely, their backs were trembling.

'Are they moved by my big-heartedness?'

I tilted my head.

"The High Priest is coming."

The door to the hall opened, and the High Priest and the elders entered.

Some of the elders looked at me with admiration, while others looked at me with caution.

However, the High Priest's expression remained unreadable.

I fidgeted and watched the High Priest's reaction.

Is he also suspicious of me?

Will he question how I knew the location of the treasure, or if it was revealed by the Parmenas Temple?

Unlike the other priests who are kind to me, the High Priest dislikes me.

The High Priest's reaction is the real one.

'The priests who were friendly just now might also be wary of me if they find out I came with the divine power of Parmenas.'

Before the regression, some priests at the Parmenas Temple smiled at me.

They turned cold in an instant.

'I don't want to be driven away... '

The High Priest stood in front of me and silently looked down at me.

His cold and indifferent gaze.

I felt a bit deflated, but then the High Priest's lips moved.

"Well done."

"!"

My eyes widened in surprise.

I never imagined I would receive praise from him.

Even though I thought he might suspect I was sent by the Parmenas Temple, he still acknowledged it.

What I did.

Me.

A strange feeling washed over me.

It felt ticklish and suffocating at the same time...

As I hesitated, the other priests looked at me with curiosity.

"Sae?"

"..."

"What?"

"Does Grumon's hair look like this too?"

I messed up my hair, and the priests looked confused.

"Sae, I do it well. When I do it well, Mom and Dad do it like this."

"..."

The priests' faces twisted strangely.

'Is this not right?'

Did I act as if I was receiving praise?

Or.

Is it that someone like me can't receive praise even with this much effort...?

Damn.

I should have shown a better reaction, but I couldn't hold it in...

But I have a reason to defend myself.

'I've never been praised for anything I've done... '

I only secretly watched Amelia when she was praised.

The priests' expressions when they looked at Amelia were incredibly affectionate.

The way they stroked her, as if she were a precious treasure...

I felt I would become as precious as Amelia if I received such treatment, so.

But I'm not Amelia.

She's different from me, who received praise just for smiling.

'Maybe finding the treasure isn't enough.'

I might ruin the good impression I've built up with a single wrong word.

I felt deflated, like a beaten dog, and said,

"Um, I can't do it well."

At that moment,

Thud.

A large hand landed on my head.

"Well done."

It was the High Priest.

I stiffened and looked up at his hand.

Just as our eyes met, he quickly withdrew his hand and avoided my gaze.

His face looked as if he had made a mistake.

The High Priest, without looking at me, gave instructions to the priests.

"The gold coins we found won't be enough to repair the temple. Use the divine statues. They are all made of gold, so it should be sufficient."

The priests responded to his words.

Amid the noisy discussion of the adults, I bowed my head and touched the top of my head.

There was no warmth left.

It was a fleeting touch, almost embarrassing to call it a touch.

But.

"Thank you..."

I quietly repeated the High Priest's words.

"Thank you, thank you, me..."

The words felt like a treasure.

I secretly repeated them to myself, wondering if anyone would hear.

"Ugh, huff... Thank you, me..."

I gently moved my hand on the top of my head.

* * *

"But these are all the divine statues of Artemis and the angels who follow her. How can we touch them?"

"We can't sell them or melt them down."

There wasn't much time to dwell on the moment.

I opened my mouth wide at the priests' words.

My nose twitched.

'So, we're just going to keep those gold lumps? Do the divine statues feed us?'

I looked around.

The priests, who had just said, "Now we don't have to worry about money," looked perplexed.

They hadn't thought about using the divine statues.

'Artemis, there are people here who can't even eat if you don't feed them.'

My head hurt.

How could I persuade them?

If I suggest using the divine statues, they might think I'm influenced by the Parmenas Temple...

I glanced at the High Priest.

'...But since he praised me just now, maybe it's okay to speak up.'

Even so, I couldn't bring myself to speak.

Why?

It was harder to speak after receiving praise than before.

If they suspect me again...

At that moment,

"Children will soon return from the training camp. Shouldn't we give them some meat for their hard work?"

"Bu, but—"

"Artemis would prefer her young followers to be well-fed rather than her golden statues."

Oh, who is that?

Feeling relieved, I turned to look at the speaker.

A man with a firm mouth and sharp jawline stood there.

His face was so cold that it was hard to believe he was a priest.

His perfectly balanced features made him look even colder.

Under his cold face, his broad shoulders and the heavy high priest's robe.

And the brooch on his chest, filled with divine power.

'An elder.'

One of the elders.

Feeling my gaze, he turned to look at me.

"!"

He looked at me with eyes as cold as ice.

After the regression, this was the first time I received such a hostile gaze.

My body, in the form of a child, involuntarily shrank.

"Sirius Elder is right."

"Artemis would prefer to care for her followers rather than be worshipped with material and gold."

The priests began to agree with Sirius Elder.

His gaze had already moved away from me.

But I couldn't relax my stiff shoulders.

It felt like cold water had been poured over my head.

'...This is natural.'

It was just a magical moment earlier.

This is reality.

'It's okay. I'm used to it.'

I felt Randel's gaze on me.

I smiled at him.

* * *

After deciding how to use the gold coins and the golden divine statues.

The High Priest, the elders, and some of the senior priests entered the small conference room attached to the office.

With the general use decided, it was time to discuss other important matters.

"There's something suspicious."

Elder Sirius said in a cold voice.

"How did the child know about the divine beast and the location of the treasure?"

"Elder Sirius, as I said, Sae was just looking for a pretty picture from a fairy tale book."

Randel gently defended Sae.

"Wanting to find a treasure based on a pretty picture from a fairy tale is a very childlike thought."

"Most importantly, everything the child did was good for our temple."

Other priests also defended Sae.

But not everyone agreed.

"But it could be to make us let our guard down."

"Sae is still a child."

Randel's words made Elder Sirius's eyes narrow.

"That's right. A child. A very young one."

"The child knows nothing."

"But what if the Parmenas Temple is using an unknowing child?"

"Elder."

The priests nodded.

"Elder Sirius is right."

"A child is as easy to be used as they are innocent."

The cold words made the other priests exclaim.

"Didn't you see the child just now? She looked like she was about to cry at a single word of praise..."

Remembering her pitiful appearance, the priest fell silent.

The room became quiet.

Everyone felt the small, pitiful shadow in their hearts.

"Does anyone know what Sae said when she wanted to play an exploration game?"

Randel looked around.

"She said she wanted to give me meat and fluffy bread if she found the treasure."

"..."

"To Morgan, cookies, to the other priests, warm tea. And—"

Randel looked up at the High Priest.

"To the High Priest, she would give all the treasure."

"..."

"Thank you for letting me live here."

"..."

"She thought that if she gave the treasure, people might hate her less. Maybe, just a little, they might like her."

The room became solemn.

Elder Sirius slowly spoke.

"What a good child."

"Yes."

"That's why she's more dangerous. Look at yourself, Randel."

Elder Sirius looked around the room with a cold gaze.

"Is there anyone here who doesn't know that the child appeared with the divine power of Parmenas?"

"..."

"Yet, you've already let your guard down."

Elder Sirius clicked his tongue.

"Is this the first time we've let such a young child into the temple? You all look like jelly."

"Hey, when did we ever act like jelly?"

"Are you asking because you don't know? Didn't you open the windows unnecessarily every time the child passed by?"

"Me? When did I do that? I just opened the windows for ventilation."

"Ventilation, all of you? I saw you all plastered to the windows, grinning like fools."

"Ahem, ahem!"

The elders cleared their throats and turned away.

Elder Sirius's gaze grew colder.

"Since you can't pull yourselves together, I have to be even more alert."

He declared heavily.

"I will never accept the child as a member of the temple."

* * *

All the priests knew how much Elder Sirius had dedicated himself to the temple.

They knew his words were out of concern for the temple's future.

So, the priests stopped opening windows and ventilating, and ignored Saelica.

But there was something they overlooked.

"..."

The High Priest raised an eyebrow.

On the tiny hand, a piece of chocolate was placed cutely.

It was mint chocolate.

"Bribe."

Sae was a determined child who would even resort to bribery if necessary.