I'll Stop Regressing and Raise a Baby Dragon - Chapter 13

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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 13
“What? You’re saying that’s… that’s all right?”
“This one likes Theodore. He’s a benefactor, as far as it understands.”
“How could you possibly know that?”
“That’s just what I felt when I communicated with it.”
I’d only relayed what I sensed through my Empathy with the rabbit, yet Theodore stood slack-jawed, struck speechless.
“It remembers that?”
“I suppose so.”
All I could discern was its heart; I couldn’t very well dissect its brain.
I urged him to take it, and as Theodore accepted the rabbit with a bewildered expression, his eyes gleamed with wonder.
“It’s so soft. Incredibly tiny.”
Theodore smiled, stroking the rabbit with careful tenderness.
The anger from moments before had vanished without a trace.
“I rescued it once—it was caught in a trap in the forest near the estate.”
As he spoke, Theodore kept pressing the rabbit with question after question about what else it might remember.
…Maybe I’ll tell him just one more thing.
“I think it remembers when you built its home.”
“Wow, that’s right. I had such a rough time with that. Look, look—I still have this scar from hammering back then.” Theodore scurried over to me, proudly displaying the mark on his hand.
He seemed grateful and amazed that the rabbit understood his effort to some degree.
“Impressive,” I said, then quickly steered the conversation elsewhere.
There was no time for sentiment.
“I should go now. I’ll tell you more next time.”
‘Kai is waiting for me, after all.’
So this touching reunion would have to end here.
I stepped toward Theodore and extended my arm.
“There isn’t much time.”
Theodore looked reluctant, but since he’d overheard my exchange with Kai, he quietly released the rabbit he’d been holding.
As I set the rabbit back down in the garden, I asked, “Is the misunderstanding cleared up now?”
“Misunderstanding? Oh, that.”
Theodore’s expression seemed remarkably unbothered as he said, ‘Right, I suppose it was.’
It was serious to forget something so quickly.
“Yes. I understand now—you didn’t help me with Magic.”
I felt relief wash over me at last.
…But then, why had he gotten angry about Magic in the first place?
And him, the second son of the family most steeped in Magic tradition in the world.
I studied him intently, puzzled.
Theodore looked embarrassed and apologized, scratching his cheek. “Sorry for snapping at you earlier.”
“…”
“I was already on edge, and for a moment—well. I had a wrong impression of you.”
…Was this actually the Theodore Croiman I knew?
I was genuinely surprised.
The Theodore who always griped was offering me a proper apology.
Beyond my shock, there were things I needed to know, so I pressed him. “What wrong impression?”
“It’s just… I thought you’d entered this house with some hidden agenda.”
“Hidden agenda?”
My agenda was crystal clear, but…how did he know that?
My heart raced as I exhaled a heavy breath.
Stay calm.
The second son, who knew nothing of my background, couldn’t possibly have figured out my revenge or my plans.
And sure enough, Theodore veered onto a different subject.
One I hadn’t seen coming—shocking in an entirely unexpected direction.
“I thought you’d entered to become the heir of this house.”
“…Excuse me?”
Me? Why?
Edward exists.
He’s already receiving heir training.

Then a single fact flashed through my mind.
Edward was old enough to inherit the formal title without it seeming strange.
Yet he hadn’t inherited the title, and the household called him “Young Master” instead.
Could it be that Edward wasn’t in line to inherit?
As that thought took hold, I recalled what Theodore had said to me when I used my skill.
‘He asked if I’d used magic on him.’
He wasn’t angry that I’d used magic—he was angry that I could use magic at all.
Perhaps…….
‘Edward Croiman can’t use magic.’
During my days in Croiman, I’d heard nothing but praise for Edward’s perfection.
There was only one thing I never heard mentioned.
Praise for Edward’s magical ability.
I’d formed a hypothesis; now I just needed to confirm it.
I’d have to observe the household more carefully and gather information.
First, I made my position clear to Theodore.
“I have no intention of inheriting Croiman. I know I’m not suited for it.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Are you satisfied now? Has the misunderstanding been cleared?”
“Yes.”
“Then I should be going.”
I nodded quickly and spoke in haste.
Time was growing short.
I still had training with Kai, and I needed to learn more about Edward.
“Wait. Just a moment.”
As I rushed to leave, Theodore stopped me and pulled out a locket pendant he’d hidden inside his clothes.
It was the same pendant from our first meeting—the one he’d said was tarnished and told me not to look at.
I looked at him with an expression asking why he was showing me this now, and he explained.
“Our parents.”
Why was he suddenly showing me this?
Bewildered and at a loss, I was about to give a perfunctory response.
Until I saw the two figures drawn inside—nothing like what I’d expected.
…….
The man in the portrait wasn’t blond.
He didn’t resemble Luke at all.
Rather, it was the woman who bore a striking resemblance to him.
“This is Father, this is Mother. Mother was the Duke’s—Duke Croiman’s—younger sister.”
…….
“Both of them died in an accident a year ago, so the Duke took me in.”
Theodore’s shoulders sagged as he spoke in that measured tone.
“The anniversary of their death is coming up, so I’ve been irritable lately. I was in such a foul mood, I even forgot the Training Ground was about to close.”
He’d always been sharp-tongued and ill-mannered, but never without energy.
Looking at the portrait in the pendant, Theodore’s face was so different from usual—it felt like looking at a stranger.
I didn’t know what to say.
I pressed my lips together and simply gazed at the image.
Watching my silence, Theodore continued quietly.
“I’m sorry about before. Not just for the misunderstanding and getting angry—I mean for breaking curfew at the Training Ground and being bad-tempered.”
Theodore offered a sincere apology once more, then folded the pendant and tucked it back inside his clothes.
“I’m telling you this as my apology. My secret. The way you shared yours with me.”
Theodore smiled as he said this.
It was ambiguous whether it was his usual sneer or a forced smile.
“Cheer up. You’re already plain-looking enough without making that face worse.”
Theodore gave my forehead a light tap.
Unable to retort at such a trivial jab, I stood there stupidly, and he hurried me along.
“Go on, I’m done talking now.”
“……Understood. Brother. I’ll see you here again next time.”
At my words, Theodore’s eyes widened, then he laughed and replied.
“Yeah. See you next time.”
***
When I opened the Training Ground door, Kai, who had been crouching in the corner scribbling something on the ground with his finger, jumped to his feet.
“……Eria.”
Kai stood in place, calling only my name.
It was nothing like the way he usually came running with a bright smile.
It was clear he was thoroughly upset about what had just happened.
“Kai, I’m sorry.”
I apologized without any real excuse and moved toward him.
Kai glanced at me, then turned his head sharply away and crouched back down in the corner.
I approached him and hesitated for a moment.
This was the first time I’d seen Kai angry like this.
I had no idea how to comfort him.
With the candy shattered to bits and dust, I couldn’t coax him with sweets the way I usually did.
“Kai.”
I sat down on the floor and called his name slowly, watching him.
Kai glanced at me, then wrapped his face in his arms.
“Kai. Will you tell me what you’re upset about?”
……
“If you tell me, I promise I’ll try not to do it again.”
“……Really?”
“Yes.”
Kai carefully lowered his arms.
Still avoiding my eyes, he began to speak.
“You lied.”
“I won’t lie anymore. And?”
“You’re doing dangerous things.”
“What I just did wasn’t dangerous.”
Disagreeing with my point, Kai gave me a sharp glance before turning his gaze away again.
“Eria’s family. That person is bad.”
From Kai’s perspective, that was more than fair to think.
“I’d rather be Eria’s family.”
The sudden statement caught me off guard—it didn’t fit the moment at all.
Could it be that the boundary I’d drawn, saying he wasn’t my family, still lingered with him?
“……Hmm, Kai. Why do you want to be my family?”
“Because I’m not Eria’s family anymore.”

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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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