I'll Stop Regressing and Raise a Baby Dragon - Chapter 14

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

Chapter 14
“So Kai wants both a family and a friend?”
Kai paused for a moment, then nodded once.
I moved closer and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
He flinched at my gesture, but he didn’t push me away—he simply held still.
“Kai, I think family and friend are just names.”
“What do you mean?”
“It means that whether you’re my family or my friend doesn’t matter—I’ll always think of you as the most important person to me.”
…….
“Even if you’re not my family, I’ll think of you first.”
Listening quietly, Kai carefully wrapped his arms around me from behind.
He answered in a very small voice.
“…… Me too.”
Had his anger started to fade?
I was relieved.
“Thank you, Kai. I’m really sorry about before.”
“…… It’s okay.”
A brief silence fell, and after finally accepting my apology, Kai asked softly from my embrace.
“What are we learning today?”
“Today we’re reviewing what we did yesterday, and then we’ll have a theory lesson once we’re done.”
I gently pushed Kai away—a signal that class was about to begin.
It seemed he was disappointed that break time was over, for he withdrew with a drooping face without complaint.
***
“Straighten your posture a little more.”
…….
“It’s good that you’re concentrating, but don’t furrow your brow so much. If it becomes uncomfortable, you can take a short break.”
Through the window, the crimson sunset poured across the Training Ground.
Since training had run late, I wouldn’t be able to teach much, so I decided to focus on reviewing what he’d already learned.
The main focus was perfecting his human form.
Kai’s human form was still clumsy.
And he seemed to frequently overlook the delicate adjustments required.
Things like wings and tails, for example.
Of course, Kai had much more to learn beyond that.
‘I should ask someone to find a magic instructor for Kai soon.’
Dragons naturally wielded Mana far better than humans.
But that was only comparing raw instinct.
Since he was still young, it was true that he lacked what a trained mage possessed.
At the Research Institute, there was a dedicated mage assigned to Kai’s instruction.
“Good work today, Kai. Let’s call it here.”
I handed Kai a Candy.
Seeing him accept it obediently this time, I felt reassured and pulled out a blank sheet of white paper, beginning to write my report.
First, the title.
[Report on the Training and General Care of the Dragon Kai]
Next came the date written, author of the report, table of contents, overview…….
I was absorbed in writing the report for some time.
By then, Kai had finished reviewing everything he’d learned and approached me.
“But Eria, why are you writing that?”
“On the day I came to the Duke’s Estate, the Duke asked me to write a report about you every day.”
“Does the Duke read it every day?”
“No, he hasn’t asked me directly about it yet.”
If that were the case, I couldn’t fathom why he’d asked me to write daily reports.
Muttering internally, I finished today’s report.
Then I slipped it beneath all the reports I’d written so far.
“Couldn’t you give it to him first?”
“I’d like to, but the Duke seems to be busy.”
Unsatisfied with my answer, Kai said nothing.
For some reason, I felt his gaze boring into the back of my head.
“Do you enjoy writing that?”
“Not particularly. But I still have to do it—just like how you take theory lessons even though you hate them.”
“Does Eria get Candy once she finishes writing?”
“I don’t accept them.”
“Then don’t use them.”
“What?”
“If there’s no candy, there’s no reason to do work you don’t want to do. I’d rather you didn’t take on tasks like that, Eria.”
Fair point.
I don’t see why I’d write a report if he’s not going to read it.
These basic tasks were things I’d done hundreds of times over, so there was no need to organize them at all.
And yet here I was, drafting the report with such care—honestly, it felt like a waste.
‘Maybe I should just go find him without overthinking it.’
Luke didn’t seem to dislike me.
We were nominally father and daughter, so it wouldn’t be strange to visit him whenever I had the chance.
“Kai. Come with me after you’re done.”
“Where?”
At Kai’s question, I lifted the corners of my mouth.
“To get candy.”
***
As Luke stepped down from the carriage, Ren bowed his head in greeting.
“Welcome, my lord.”
“Yes.”
Luke handed Ren the stack of documents he’d been reviewing during the carriage ride.
Ren accepted them and gave a brief report of the day’s events.
“Theodore and Eria have gotten closer, you say?”
“Yes. They’ve been seen spending time together in the Garden quite often.”
“And Edward?”
“Even a new tutor proved insufficient. After his lessons ended, he remained in the Library to study on his own.”
“What was he studying?”
“Books on Magic theory, primarily.”
Luke fell silent for a moment.
Ren noticed the flicker of emotion that crossed his face and looked away.
“I should tell him not to overextend himself.”
“I shall convey that.”
“No. I’ll tell him directly.”
Ren answered Luke’s words with a light nod.
The two bypassed dinner and headed straight for the Study.
The moment Luke entered and began working, a soft knock sounded at the door.
“Come in.”
Eria entered through the Study door, and the dragon Kai followed behind her.
The two men stopped what they were doing and immediately turned their attention to the newcomers.
“What brings you here?”
Eria answered with proper courtesy.
“Good evening. My lord. I apologize for the intrusion during your busy time.”
Ren regarded her with mild discomfort.
Her speech and manner—so unlike what you’d expect from a child her age—always struck an odd note with him.
“I’m not particularly busy.”
“Then I’m relieved.”
Luke’s calm reply brought a smile to Eria’s face, and she approached him, holding out a stack of papers.
“What is this?”
“The things you asked for on the first day. My work is lacking, but I’ve prepared it for you.”
Luke recalled the events of that first day and immediately realized what Eria had brought was a diary. A slight smile tugged at his lips.
“You’ve done well.”
Luke offered light praise and began reading through the papers.
With each page he turned, his expression grew increasingly rigid.
Eria waited composedly for his reaction, uncertain whether his face signaled approval or disapproval.
After a long stretch of time, Luke finally spoke.
“It’s very well organized.”
“Thank you.”
Luke set down the documents, troubled in thought.
He’d been expecting something light, the sort of thing a child might write.
What he held instead was work thorough enough to submit to an academic society—hardly what he’d anticipated.
‘Now that I think about it, I did ask her to write about what happened while raising the dragon.’
It was enough to warrant a misunderstanding.
Luke realized that a communication error had arisen from his own negligence.
“From now on, you don’t need to write reports.”
“……Was there perhaps some aspect I fell short on?”
“Not at all. If there’s fault, it lies with me, not with you. Don’t worry.”
Luke withdrew Edward and Theodore’s diaries from the drawer.
Then he took a blank sheet of paper and, using their diaries as reference, sketched out a new format and handed it to her.
“What I wanted was a diary like this—one filled with small, everyday moments.”
“A diary?”
“Yes.”
“What’s that?”
At Eria’s question, Ren appeared flustered and adjusted his spectacles, while Luke set down his teacup with a similarly troubled expression.
“……It’s a written record of small stories from everyday life.”
Luke’s expression was uneasy as he fumbled through the explanation.
Here was a child of her age who grasped perfectly well things she needn’t know.
What troubled him was that Eria remained ignorant of something so elementary.
Yet Eria could have no idea of their unease.
‘Was not knowing this really such a shocking thing?’
Eria felt as though she appeared an ignorant child.
“What purpose does one write such a thing for?”
“Because I’m curious about you.”
Her face clouded with confusion, as though the words made no sense.
“As you know, I have far too much to do. By reading your diary, I can fill the time we couldn’t spend together.”
Only after hearing this fuller explanation did Eria manage a hesitant nod.
Seeing this, Luke added further clarification.
“That said, you needn’t try too hard or write perfectly. You don’t need to record everything about your life.”
“Then what should I write?”
Luke gazed at Eria, his brow furrowed in thought.
He recalled something Serena had said when she first suggested the idea of a diary.
‘Edward. Happiness, like chocolate, is sweet, but it melts away quickly with time. I hope the precious feeling you both experience will remain with you for a long, long while.’
“……Just the happiest memory from each day would be enough.”

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