I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 4

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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4

Chapter 1. The Truth About Me Being Reborn as a Baby (3)

People often say.

That childhood is the best time.

I thought that saying was true too. I even nagged my Younger Sister, who was only 4 years younger than me, with old-fashioned lectures like “You should appreciate how good you have it now.”

I thought teenagers had it better than adults, children better than teenagers, and babies better than children…

I thought I knew!

I was the same! I thought babies had it made!

I thought what could be so hard when all you had to do was eat, sleep, and poop without needing to work or study.

They feed you when it’s time, pat your back to help you digest, you can sleep whenever you want to… It’s paradise, right? You don’t even need to walk around on your own feet since someone’s always carrying you around.

But I was wrong.

Babies don’t have nothing to do – they can’t do anything for themselves!

Do you know that frustration? When you just want to pull the curtains slightly, when you want to grab something you can see! That frustration of not being able to do anything by yourself!

At first, it felt suffocating, like someone had tied me up.

Even when I put all my strength into it, I didn’t know how to move this small, short body, so I just flailed around… I could barely squirm to turn over and lie on my stomach!

I said ‘barely’! ‘Barely’! It was really hard.

And every time, there would be cheers and praise and applause! So embarrassing!

‘It’s heartbreaking…’

If that was all, I wouldn’t have said anything.

But a person! An adult!

Wetting yourself while lying down… *sob*… My dignity…

Well, other babies don’t know about this part, so I suppose that’s different, but anyway, living as a baby wasn’t ordinary either.

Adults don’t understand the sadness of having to give your all just to crawl while pushing your belly along…

I lay there staring blankly at the mobile Bailey had hung up.

What am I supposed to find entertaining about this thing? A mobile isn’t Netflix, and I’m used to the diverse entertainment of modern times, so what am I supposed to…

‘I’m only watching because there’s nothing else to watch, okay? Not because it’s interesting, okay?’

It’s definitely not because the mobile that Mother made by hand is interesting as it sparkles and moves in the sunlight… I’m only watching it because I’m pondering what principle makes it spin around even when there’s no wind.

This isn’t a world with electricity, so it can’t be batteries…

Honestly, it is kind of addictive. I hate to admit it, but it’s interesting. It hurts my pride.

“Shana! My beautiful daughter!”

“Couldn’t you say ‘our daughter,’ Anais…”

“Our daughter!”

Here they come.

Maria ran to open the door, and my mother Anais and father Kail entered.

“Shana, it’s been so long.”

Father smiled gently and lightly stroked my forehead. His sweet bass voice like melting honey and his warm smile that seemed like it could stop even a blizzard were dazzling.

“What do you mean ‘so long’? Kail, did you get amnesia or something? It’s only been a few hours since you saw her this morning.”

As Mother said, Father had rushed to see my face first thing when he woke up this morning. It had only been a few hours since Mother dragged him away when he tried to stay by my side until breakfast.

“Whether it’s a few hours or a few minutes, if I haven’t seen her and then I see her, it’s been a long time.”

“Such a fuss…”

Mother scolded him with her words while picking me up and holding me tight. Her slender arms looked like they wouldn’t have an ounce of strength, but she lifted me without hesitation.

“Our Shana, I heard you learned how to crawl!”

“Won’t you show us?”

“Uh, bah…”

Then put me down. Put me on the floor. Father spoke while looking at Mother who was talking while holding me tight.

“You’ll have to put her down first if you want her to show us anything, won’t you?”

“But I don’t want to let her out of my arms.”

“Then we won’t be able to see our Shana’s crawling.”

Mother put me down with a very reluctant expression.

The Baby’s Room floor was covered with soft carpet, but next to the baby bed was a blanket-covered space prepared for me to play with toys.

Mother and Father, who had put me down, spoke with expectant eyes sparkling.

“Show us, Shana!”

“Let’s try crawling!”

Wait, these people… It’s only because I have memories from my past life and can understand speech, but do they really think a baby who’s only been born for 6 months would understand what they’re saying…?

“Come on, come to Mommy, Shana!”

“No, come to Daddy.”

Hey, isn’t this too much for a baby who’s only just succeeded at crawling like a caterpillar!

About five adult steps away, my parents had their arms spread wide open. Their faces showed not even a speck of doubt that I might not understand their words.

‘If this continues…’

I’ll want to live up to their expectations!

“Ah, Da…”

“That’s right, Daddy!”

“Ma…”

“Yes, Mommy!”

Ah, I can’t speak properly!

I looked at my parents with complicated feelings as their eyes sparkled.

Mother’s complexion looked pale despite the midday sunlight. Looking at her deer-like long neck, slender limbs, and delicate frame, it was amazing how she had managed to give birth to a baby with that body.

‘She must have overexerted herself giving birth to me.’

On top of that, she had been bedridden for a long time from the shock of her barely three-month-old baby being kidnapped. Mother seemed to still not have recovered from the aftermath.

“Shana!”

The voice calling my name was sweet.

I could tell just from hearing their voices calling me that Mother and Father loved me.

‘Yeon-ah.’

‘Please take good care of Min-ah.’

Just like my parents from my previous life.

It would be a lie to say it was easy for me, with memories of my past life and adult consciousness, to accept those two people as my parents. But how could I turn away from them.

“Shana!”

From people who looked at me like that, so lovingly.

“Bbyaaa.”

Just wait. I’ll crawl over to you.

“Did you hear that, Kail? Did you hear our Shana talking to me?”

“I heard it. Though I don’t know what she’s saying.”

Mother Anais was physically weak, but had a bright and cheerful personality. Father Kail, on the other hand, smiled warmly like a gentle breeze toward me, but judging from his occasionally blunt way of speaking, he didn’t seem very friendly toward people outside the family.

Are you perhaps a male lead from some novel…?

It would be perfect if only your hometown was in the North.

“Uh, bu, bua…”

Ah, I’m drooling!

“Lady Shana, let me wipe your face.”

“Bya!”

It’ll just drool again anyway.

After 3 months of baby life, I’m confident even when pooping and comfortable even when drooling. I’m tough! More importantly, I was eager to show off my achievement.

‘My body seems to be somewhat weak.’

I don’t know what the average stamina of a baby is, but I get tired and fall asleep quickly after just a little movement. If this is normal, just how difficult are the days that babies go through…?

Sorry for thinking it was easy, babies…

If I think about it a little, moving with a body that hasn’t even developed muscles couldn’t be comfortable… Urya!

“Shana, you can do it!”

“You can do it!”

“Lady Shana, you can do it!”

“Just a little more!”

I barely managed to put my belly on the floor and wiggle forward like a turtle, but reaching where my parents were was absolutely impossible. Uweng. Is this the first setback of my life?

“Shana! Mommy came this much closer!”

“Anais. That’s cheating.”

“Kail, you come here too. Come on, Shana!”

Mother came very close. She hadn’t been that far away to begin with.

I looked up at Anais, who had knelt down for me, while lying on my stomach with my face probably red from exertion.

Even though my face was covered with drool, Mother couldn’t hide her feelings of finding me adorable to death.

Ah, really, how foolish.

I buried my reddened face on my two clenched fists.

‘My fists are too small and my face is too big, so it hurts…’

I can’t even be moved properly.

There’s so little a baby can do.

How long has it been since I acted spoiled with my parents? I couldn’t even remember.

My mother from my previous life had been ill for a long time. My father worked hard to pay for hospital bills, so taking care of my Younger Sister had been my responsibility for a long time. From age twenty onwards, even making a living had been entirely my responsibility.

Perhaps because of that, being completely indulged like this was embarrassing but not unpleasant. No, honestly, I liked it.

“Shana, what’s wrong? Did you overdo it?”

“Mmph…”

No, it’s not like that.

Mother tried to reach out to me, but Father stopped her.

“Anais, Shana hasn’t given up yet.”

That’s right. I haven’t given up yet… I was once an adult, and though I don’t remember, I’ll show the dignity of someone with experience…

I became a turtle. This is the Sea, I’m a turtle, and there’s food at the end!

My small, chubby hand that even I could see lightly touched Mother’s fingertips.

‘Huh?’

I felt something being sucked in from inside my body.

‘What is this feeling?’

It was a vivid sensation. It was strength, but not muscular strength – something closer to energy. The back of my tiny, chubby hand sparkled.

Mother seemed to feel something too as her eyes widened, and Father’s face hardened. Oh my.

“Shana, did you just…”

“Use healing magic?”

“I, I think so…”

As they stared with bewildered faces, Mother suddenly lifted me up.

“Kail, quickly contact the Clergy! Call a healer and summon a Mage too. Bring everyone related to this.”

“I was planning to do that without being told.”

“Shana, are you okay? Your complexion doesn’t look bad…”

Mother touched my forehead and started to tear up.

“You’re so tiny, yet you did this for me…”

No, well, I did want to heal you, but what I just did was really unconscious…

It was unintentional filial piety.

“Madam, we’ll watch over Lady Shana.”

“It would be best to have her lie down for now.”

“Abuh! Bah! Bahbyah!”

I don’t want to!

‘I just became able to crawl around! Don’t lock me up again!’

Today too, I’m… trapped in the prison called a baby crib…

Wearing the prisoner uniform called baby clothes…

‘…What am I even saying…’

My nonsensical thoughts keep increasing day by day. I’m not crying – this is sweat.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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