I'll Stop Regressing and Raise a Baby Dragon - Chapter 17

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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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Episode 17
I wasn’t blessed with hearing quite like a dragon’s, but my ears were sharp enough in their own way.
Especially when I focused my will there, drawing my consciousness down into them.
I could feel my senses sharpen even further, keeping time with the quickening of my heartbeat.
Was this too part of the Beast Tamer Ability?
I’d have to ask Luke about it in detail later.
For now, I should focus on what they were saying.
‘I can hear them.’
“Your Grace! The young lady has arranged this Tea Party so you might mingle with others of your station — how can you keep interrupting her like this!”
Ren’s voice, sharp with exasperation as they headed toward the Manor’s entrance, came through as clearly as if she were standing right beside me.
Luke’s reply followed just as distinctly, a measured contradiction.
“Eria seemed unnecessarily tense.”
“Of course she’d be nervous. But that’s simply what one must endure to make friends, isn’t it?”
Friends?
They’d thrown this whole party just to help me make friends?
Why on earth?
I tried to listen more closely, searching for answers in their conversation, but their voices faded beyond my reach.
‘I need to figure out what those two are scheming.’
For now, I’d play along with their plan — I’d make some acquaintances at this Tea Party, see if I could build a few connections.
If I failed at this “making friends” business, they’d probably drag me through another tedious Tea Party, and I wanted to avoid that.
Keeping house staff satisfied was exhausting enough without having to placate children as well.
But if I was going to carry out my role as a Noble Lady perfectly, having allies would matter.
Apparently normal young noblewomen had at least one or two friends their own age.
I’d have to make the effort.
It was only sensible.
“Good heavens, they really don’t share a single resemblance, just like we heard.”
First, I’d deal with the ones who were growing increasingly direct in their gossip about me.
The murmuring started not long after Luke left — one voice, then another, rising from the assembled guests.
I tilted my ear toward their whispered conversation, hidden behind the gentle swell of violins and their fans.
“Quite right. Anyone can tell she was simply… brought in.”
“Found in the Duke’s slums, wasn’t she? Rather pitiful, really.”
“Oh my, I heard she came from a pleasure district—”
I suppressed a laugh and slipped a small chocolate into my mouth.
‘This is too absurd for words.’
They were trading wild rumors, each one more sensational than the last, and none of them worth a moment’s concern.
But I didn’t step in. Instead, I waited quietly for my moment.
If I spoke up now, they’d just paint me as delusional.
The murmuring grew louder.
Their lies meant nothing to me anyway — I wasn’t about to be hurt by gossip about things that never happened.
So I simply laughed it off as if I’d heard nothing at all.
Even the guests who’d seemed well-disposed toward me at the start
began to distance themselves once they caught wind of the whispers.
They were isolating the party’s hostess. How little they thought of me.
It was almost funny.
I fixed my gaze on the one spreading the most vicious rumors.
The daughter of Count Stefan.
I’d made note of her while memorizing the portraits of last night’s invitees.
She looked to be around the same age as Edward and Theodore.
She continued to huddle with her peers, whispering and giggling conspiratorially.
The way she looked toward me with that sneering smile was pathetic.
She and her little circle approached me now.
“Eria.”
Using my given name in a formal setting, no less.
Among intimate friends of the same rank, perhaps, but for a first meeting? Never.
If I had to interpret it, she was saying: ‘I don’t recognize you as Croiman, so I’ll call you whatever I please.’
She’d finally crossed the line.
Behind her, her friends tittered with barely suppressed laughter.
They clearly believed I was too naive to notice their mockery.
“How lovely to meet you. Which name would you prefer I use?”
“Just call me Jeaniel.”
The corner of that fellow’s mouth twisted into a sneer.
For reference, Harrison was the name of the other girl standing behind him, giggling stupidly.
I spoke while deliberately watching Harrison, who’d positioned herself in the rear.
“How lovely to meet you, Young Noblewoman Harrison.”
My gaze fixed on the Countess Jeaniel standing at the very front.
I pronounced each syllable with deliberate precision.
“And Young Noblewoman Jeaniel.”
The color drained from the faces of those who’d been snickering moments before.
They looked utterly bewildered—as if wondering how I could possibly know their real names.
Did they mean to drag out this transparent charade where no one believed a word?
Jeaniel, who’d been sweating nervously, forced an awkward smile and spoke.
“Oh, but my name isn’t—”
“Jeaniel, Countess of Stefan. Thank you so much for coming. Are you enjoying the party?”
“…….”
“And Young Noblewoman Marian Harrison—is the food to your liking?”
I found their expressions absolutely delightful as, with each word I spoke, their faces grew progressively darker.
“……How did you—”
“Surely a young noblewoman from any respectable house would know the basic courtesies, wouldn’t you agree?”
“…….”
“If one is to avoid bringing shame upon one’s family name.”
I smiled with innocent sweetness, then arranged my face into an expression of concern as I gently took hold of their hands.
“Oh, if I should happen to make any mistakes, I do hope you noble ladies might find it in your hearts to overlook them with grace.”
“Well… of course. Since you still have so much to learn, after all.”
“Exactly. There have been so many times I nearly called someone by the wrong name without realizing it.”
“That’s… not quite the same thing…….”
“I’ve heard that here, one mustn’t address someone by their given name unless you’re close friends. I must be careful not to behave in such an unrefined manner.”
They flinched at my words and hastily retreated.
I lifted my teacup to my lips, a subtle smile playing across my face.
‘Is this why the nobility loves Tea Parties so much?’
In that moment, I finally understood why they bothered with such an utterly useless affair.
The ones who’d fled to the corner of the Garden resumed whispering to each other.
I didn’t miss the opportunity—I turned my ear toward them and listened in on their conversation.
“Young Noblewoman Harrison, didn’t we say she was some clueless pauper? How does she know all our names?”
“Calm down, Young Noblewoman Stefan. It seems the Croiman family must have educated her thoroughly.”
“Then what do we do now—”
“I have an idea. Let’s wait a moment.”
How intriguing. I wondered what their clever little scheme might be.
I made a show of ignoring them and turned to conversing with the other guests.
After seeing how those two had just been thoroughly put in their place, the others now approached me with friendly warmth and familiar smiles.
Though I remembered every bit of the nasty gossip they’d been spreading about me right up until moments ago.
After finishing conversations with several people, I took a moment to rest when I heard footsteps approaching from behind me.
The moment this someone stood directly behind me, an artificial-sounding voice rang out across the Garden.
“Young Noblewoman Harrison, watch out!”
At the same instant as Stefan’s cry, something collided hard with my shoulder.
“Oh my!”
My pink Dress darkened as it became soaked through with liquid.
A Teacup clattered to the ground, and Harrison crouched down frantically, pulling out a Handkerchief to dab at my Dress.
“Oh dear, oh no. I’m terribly sorry.”
She didn’t look sorry in the slightest.
As Harrison carelessly dabbed at my Dress, she glanced up at my face.
‘She’s probably thinking about the conversation I just had with Luke.’
Children this age would cry or throw a tantrum if something precious were damaged.
……Did they really resort to something this childish?
Well then, there was only one thing to do—pay them back in kind.
With exaggerated movements, I collapsed to the ground and seized both her hands, asking with evident concern.
“Young Noblewoman Harrison! Are you all right? You haven’t been hurt, have you?”
“……What?”
“I’m fine, truly. I’m just relieved you weren’t hurt either. At least it was only the Dress—if that tea had splashed on your face, it would have been absolutely dreadful!”
The people around us began to murmur to one another, and Harrison’s face drained of all color.
Well, of course it did—I’d just announced to everyone present that she’d nearly caused someone serious harm.
Of course, they had no real intention of pouring hot tea on me.
They were only trying to intimidate.
Surely there couldn’t be someone mad enough to actually throw scalding water at another person…….
“Eeeek!!!”
……Could there?
Marian shrieked, her body convulsing as the liquid struck her.
Her carefully arranged hair and makeup dripped and ran in the onslaught.
In shock, I lifted my head to see who had done it.
The person standing behind Marian shook the last few drops from an empty teacup over her head.
Then, with a brazenly mocking smirk, the corner of one lip curled upward as he spoke.
“My mistake.”
The madman’s identity was, unsurprisingly, the reckless Theodore Croiman.

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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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