I'll Stop Regressing and Raise a Baby Dragon - Chapter 24

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

Chapter 24
‘Class starts soon.’
I rose from my seat, thinking I shouldn’t be late.
“Eria, are you heading out now?”
Kai, pressed close to my side, asked in a reluctant voice.
His upturned eyes glistened like a puppy watching its owner leave.
“Yeah. Don’t you have class today?”
“The Duke said he has a lot to do today.”
That made sense.
He was the Empire’s greatest Archmage and the Magic Tower Master, after all.
“I should head out now.”
Class would start soon, so I needed to hurry to Edward’s room.
“Then let’s go together, Eria. I’ll stay in the Library.”
“That works.”
At my affirmative answer, Kai’s face brightened as he stood.
Just as we were about to step outside my room together—
Knock, knock.
A knock sounded from beyond the door.
When I yanked it open, a startled Annie dropped the Cleaning Tools she’d been holding.
“Oh my! Miss! Young Master Kai!”
“Here.”
I quickly picked up the fallen Cleaning Tools from the floor and handed them to her.
She accepted them shyly, her face flushed with embarrassment.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you were right there…….”
“It’s fine.”
“Um, did you perhaps have plans right after this?”
“Yes. With Edward.”
Hearing that, Annie relaxed visibly.
“Good thing you’re not in a rush. The Young Master said today’s lesson will have to be cancelled unexpectedly.”
“Really?”
I hadn’t heard anything special about it at the last class.
Had something urgent come up?
Kai, who had been listening quietly behind me, asked Annie.
“So Eria’s schedule is cancelled too?”
“Yes. She has a fixed appointment once every few months. I believe it’s that.”
That would explain it.
“Understood.”
“That’s perfect, Eria!”
Kai laughed delightedly, pulling me into an embrace and resting his chin on my shoulder.
‘Just days ago it barely reached.’
Now Kai had to lower his head slightly for his chin to touch my shoulder.
His sudden growth in height struck me anew.
“Let’s go out and have fun today.”
His voice whispered softly, and warm breath brushed against my ear.
‘That tickles…….’
I flinched and pushed him back gently, and he yielded as if accustomed to it.
“Where would you like to go?”
“Outside the Mansion!”
“That’s too dangerous.”
I refused firmly, and Kai’s shoulders sagged.
I couldn’t help but feel sorry, but some things simply couldn’t be done.
Luke hadn’t made any official statement yet.
Staying inside here was safest for us both.
‘He said he’d reveal everything once we found solid leads on the Research Facility.’
It seemed the plan was to shift people’s attention from Kai toward the Research Facility.
In that chaos, Kai and I could be brought into Croiman officially.
“How about a walk in the Garden?”
I finished my thoughts and suggested the first place that came to mind.
I believed it was a decent proposal.
Kai had never set foot outside the Mansion before.
“There’s already…….”
Kai’s expression as he answered vaguely was not a good one.
After a moment’s hesitation, Kai shook his head and answered with a smile.
“Anywhere’s fine as long as I’m with Eria.”
“Thanks. Let’s go.”
It was fortunate that Kai was so kind and optimistic.
***
“Huh? What are you two doing here?”
The moment we arrived at the Garden, a familiar voice called out.
“Theodore.”
Kai’s face twisted without a word.
His complexion wasn’t good, but he didn’t look surprised either.
It seemed he’d sensed that Theodore was already here.
“Right. Eria and little Kai.”
“I’m not little Kai.”
Kai objected sharply.
“As if you could help it—that’s just your nature.”
Theodore shrugged his shoulders with what looked like a mocking smile.
Kai’s eyes flared, revealing small pointed fangs that jutted out.
I took his hand and tried to soothe him, while shooting Theodore a glare.
He grinned mischievously and stuck his tongue out at me.
He might well be the person in the world best at getting under people’s skin.
“Weren’t you supposed to be doing sword training at this hour?”
“And what about you—why are you with him instead of Edward?”
“Edward said he had other business today.”
“Really? He didn’t tell you beforehand?”
“I only found out today.”
“That’s not like him. Did he forget?”
While I was speaking about the confused schedule.
Rustle—
“……Oh.”
Theodore’s rabbit darted out from the bushes and nestled into my arms.
At the sudden event, Theodore’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at me.
Kai looked shocked, his expression frozen.
‘Come to think of it, is this the first time I’m properly showing him the rabbit?’
“Kai, say hello. This is Theodore’s rabbit.”
I smiled and turned my body so he could see the rabbit’s face clearly.
“…….”
But he showed no particularly good reaction.
“Oh, perfect. Eria, hold it for a moment.”
Theodore, delighted, thrust forward a piece of carrot he’d brought.
He laughed as he watched the rabbit eat eagerly.
“I didn’t get to feed it this morning because of some business.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. It was bothering me so much I couldn’t even pick up my sword.”
Theodore held out a second piece of carrot.
“……Eria, let me hold it.”
“Huh? Oh…….”
Kai, who had been silent, suddenly stepped forward and reached out his hand.
The startled rabbit leaped up.
And disappeared into the distance with the carrot still in its mouth.
“Hey, wait—”
Theodore looked around in bewilderment.
His face reddened as he snapped at Kai.
“……You! Because of you, little Kai, it ran away!”
“I’m not little Kai.”
“I don’t care if I die—I’m never going to call you what you want, got it?!”
As Theodore flared up, Kai’s expression turned menacing.
The atmosphere was such that they could come to blows at any moment.
The two of them just kept bickering—”You’re little Kai.” “No, I’m not.”
‘Not even a five-year-old would fight like this.’
Just standing beside them was draining my energy.
I made a mental note: never put these two together again, no matter what.
With that firm resolve, I squeezed between them.
“Both of you, stop it.”
The two who’d been arguing heatedly fell silent at my single word.
“Theodore. This isn’t the time to be quarreling like this.”
“But it’s because of him——”
“That’s beside the point. Kai must be hungry. Let’s feed him first.”
“Ah, you’re right.”
Theodore really was simple.
I’d learned he could be swayed with just a little persuasion.
Theodore rummaged through the feed pouch and plucked out several carrots.
He shot Kai one more glare, then left without a word.
“Kai.”
“Eria.”
We called each other’s names at the same moment.
“You go first.”
With a noticeably calmer expression than before, Kai yielded the chance to speak.
“Kai. Animals like rabbits are vulnerable to sudden stimuli.”
“I know that.”
“Then why did you do it, knowing he’d try to escape?”
Kai nodded.
“Why would you do such a thing?”
“I didn’t like it.”
“Theodore?”
“That too.”
So he didn’t like the rabbit either?
‘This is… unexpected.’
In my past life, I’d never once disliked animals.
I’d actually loved them.
What variable had changed?
After mulling it over, I nodded anyway.
“That’s fair enough.”
This version of Kai did seem somewhat more sensitive than before.
But he still followed my lead reasonably well.
Even if his temperament had shifted, the overall situation itself remained manageable.
‘Maybe he just hasn’t had much chance to encounter animals in this life.’
The Mansion didn’t have nearly as many different creatures as that Research Facility did.
Really just the rabbit and the horse.
“I’ll be careful with animals. Next time, let’s play somewhere else—where we won’t run into them.”
“Just the two of us?”
“Yes. But Theodore will have been hurt by this. Let’s make it up to him later.”
“Okay.”
Kai’s face brightened a little.
“Then, Eria—should we go to the Library now?”
“Let’s. We’ve never been together before.”
Kai nodded eagerly.
As we made our way to the Library, we launched into an animated discussion about what books to read.
‘Hm? Those people…’
As we reached the Entrance Hall of the Mansion, I spotted Edward standing there.
Who was that man he was speaking with?
I’d never seen him before.
“…Well then, I’ll be on my way.”
‘Ah, I can hear them.’
As I concentrated on observing the two, the conversation I hadn’t quite caught before began to drift toward me faintly.
The faint murmur grew slowly clearer.
“Instructor. When would your next visit be possible?”
“Let me see, one moment.”
At Edward’s question, the man pulled out a Notebook.
He grasped the pen wedged beside him and began to write something down.
‘Wait… that pen…’
It was exactly the same as the ones the people at the Research Facility used.
In that moment, her heart dropped like a stone — thump.

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