The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 110

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

“You’ve arrived.”

 

“Duke Abner. Have you been well?”

 

Sharon Abner bowed to Crown Prince Tian who had just stepped down from the carriage.

 

Only a year had passed, but the Crown Prince’s appearance had changed once again.

 

His face, which had baby fat, had become slender, and he had grown taller than before.

 

“Where’s Annellia?”

 

As if proving they were close friends, the Crown Prince looked for Annellia first upon arriving at the manor.

 

Sharon guided him inside the manor.

 

“The dressmakers came early this morning today. Please understand if the manor is busy.”

 

“It’s fine. I wanted to come earlier too, but I had some matters to review this morning.”

 

Sharon’s expression became serious as she watched the Crown Prince answer nonchalantly.

 

‘Is he really learning to handle other governmental affairs now?’

 

Tian was no longer the former Crown Prince who had been called a puppet.

 

People no longer called Tian a either.

 

As she was admiring his changed appearance anew, Tian’s voice reached her.

 

“By the way, I heard. The ducal manor was quite noisy for a while.”

 

Sharon looked at Tian in surprise. Tian had already stopped in place and was gazing at her.

 

“…Yes. A child appeared claiming to be my granddaughter.”

 

“That must have been quite bewildering for Annellia.”

 

“It would have been.”

 

“But knowing Annellia, she probably didn’t show it at all, right? Instead worrying more about you.”

 

“…That’s correct.”

 

Tian nodded.

 

Then he said casually.

 

“First of all, Grandmother and I are ready to bring Annellia to the palace anytime.”

 

Sharon Abner was startled.

 

“Pardon?”

 

“If by any chance someone else appears claiming to be your blood relative, and Annellia becomes uncomfortable staying by your side. You can send her to the Imperial Palace anytime.”

 

Sharon froze with wide eyes, then answered seriously.

 

“Annellia is my family. This place is her home, and she will never leave Abner.”

 

Tian looked at Sharon Abner.

 

“Is that so?”

 

Then he smiled innocently as if he had never worn a serious expression.

 

“Then that’s settled.”

 

Sharon stared blankly at Tian’s retreating figure.

 

However, she soon followed behind Tian.

 

It was when they finally arrived at the main courtyard.

 

“M-Master.”

 

One servant approached with a strange expression and hesitated.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

Come to think of it, something was strange.

 

The courtyard, which should have been bustling with preparations, was somehow shrouded in silence.

 

She could feel the coachman standing awkwardly by the horse subtly avoiding her gaze.

 

Sharon frowned and walked past the servants.

 

Soon she could see Annellia standing with her back turned among the people.

 

“Annellia.”

 

Annellia’s small shoulders were strangely stiff as she stood with her back showing.

 

Somehow feeling an ominous premonition, Sharon’s palms began to sweat.

 

When she hurriedly approached and turned the child around, Annellia looked up at her weakly.

 

Her round face was pale as if struck by lightning.

 

Sharon stammered restlessly.

 

“Annellia. What’s wrong with you? What happened…”

 

Then she slowly lowered her gaze.

 

Something the child was clutching tightly in her hands suddenly came into view.

 

It was an apple as big as Annellia’s face.

 

“Why do you have an apple…”

 

But there was something eye-catching on the shiny, smooth surface of the fruit.

 

Something white that looked like small stones or grains of rice.

 

Something embedded side by side in the center of the apple with a bit of blood on them.

 

Sharon’s eyes widened.

 

“…Teeth?”

 

“Huh, wahhh…!”

 

Immediately, a groaning sound burst from Annellia’s mouth.

 

Between her parted lips, the space where her two front teeth should have been was completely empty.

 

Sharon looked around with bewildered eyes.

 

Now she could understand why the courtyard had been shrouded in silence.

 

The coachman, the servants carrying luggage, even the maids attending to Annellia.

 

Everyone was desperately trying to hold back laughter with their lips pressed tight.

 

“Baby teeth usually fall out around this time.”

 

“…”

 

“It’s normal for them to fall out between six and seven years old, so it’s proof that you’re growing up healthy… Ahem, pffft.”

 

I clenched my fists and looked down at the ground with pitiful eyes.

 

Grandmother, who had been struggling to hold back laughter, cleared her throat and quickly added.

 

“It’s proof! Ahem! Everyone goes through this, you don’t need to be so shocked. Okay?”

 

“…”

 

This time I squeezed my eyes shut completely.

 

Then, feeling so wronged, I cried out pitifully.

 

“But why today of all dayth!”

 

“…”

 

The surroundings became quiet again.

 

When I looked up with hurt eyes, I could see the people surrounding me.

 

Teacher Ann had her head down covering her mouth, and Miel was wide-eyed twitching her nose.

 

“I thaid! Nobody laugh!”

 

“Pffft!”

 

Even though I clearly told them not to laugh, Owen, who was leaning against the door, burst out laughing openly.

 

I looked down at the apple I was still holding with devastated eyes.

 

The two baby teeth were still embedded side by side in the apple.

 

“Thith ith ridiculouth…”

 

I recalled the situation from a moment ago.

 

I had been sitting cross-legged in the dining room, leisurely polishing an apple that Miel had brought me.

 

Until then, my mind was only filled with thoughts of my valedictorian speech.

 

As the top student of the Prodigy Academy entrance exam, I had to stand on the dais as student representative.

 

After that, I was scheduled to receive my admission certificate directly from the Apothecary Dean and recite my valedictorian speech.

 

“I wath jutht eating an apple magnificently…!”

 

When I bit into the shiny apple with all my might, I knew something had gone wrong.

 

Instead of the crisp sound I should have heard, I heard another strange sound.

 

“Crunch?”

 

“Didn’t you just hear a crunch?”

 

The plan I had carefully built crumbled in an instant.

 

Miel’s eyes widened, and Head Chef Marenese came running over.

 

I trembled as I pulled my lips away from the apple with shaking hands.

 

Then, with a feeling of something slipping out, my front teeth felt empty.

 

“Oh, oh my…”

 

“Your upper tooth fell out? Little one, say ‘ah’ for me. My goodness, your lower teeth are perfectly fine?”

 

While Marenese turned my cheeks this way and that, I sat there dazed like a raccoon who had lost its entire fortune.

 

The tooth that had gotten stuck in the apple and been pulled out was just that shocking.

 

“I was really surprised. While all children lose their baby teeth at different times, it’s been a while since I’ve seen upper teeth fall out before lower ones.”

 

Marenese said with a chuckle.

 

Phil, who was both her husband and the head chef, laughed heartily along with her.

 

“That’s right. Is this the second time now?”

 

Just as my lips started to pucker involuntarily, Grandmother gently patted my back.

 

“Don’t worry. Isabel’s upper teeth fell out first when she was little too. But in the end, there were no problems at all.”

 

I hung my head gloomily.

 

Miel took the apple from beside me and made a strange laughing sound as she collected the fallen tooth.

 

I could hear the sound of two teeth clinking as they were placed in a small container.

 

I muttered quietly.

 

“Now what am I gonna do…”

 

How was I supposed to give my acceptance speech looking like this?

 

But in this space, I was the only one taking it seriously.

 

‘Everyone… everyone thinks this is someone else’s problem!’

 

Seeing everyone just laughing filled me with a sense of betrayal.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Hm? Your Highness?”

 

Looking now, I could see that Tian had arrived where Awin and the knights were standing.

 

He had said he would come see me today, and it seemed he really had come early in the morning despite being busy.

 

Feeling both pitiful and glad, I ran to Tian.

 

“Your Highneth… *sniff*”

 

But because of my missing teeth, I made a crying sound again.

 

Still, Tian had a much more serious expression than the others.

 

Awin spoke carefully from the side.

 

“Lia, don’t worry, *sniff*. It’s more cute than you think… *sniff*”

 

I glared at Awin.

 

Tian across from me opened his mouth much more seriously.

 

“It’s okay, Lia. Let’s practice your pronunciation a bit on the way to the Academy of Pharmacy. When you’re up on the dais anyway, your teeth won’t be very visible.”

 

I looked at Tian with impressed eyes.

 

“Your Highneth…”

 

It seemed like Tian was the only one who truly worried about me.

 

But the moment I smiled brightly with gratitude,

 

Tian’s gaze began to waver.

 

“So… what I mean is, so it’s too…”

 

Tian ultimately couldn’t finish his sentence.

 

Eventually, his head slowly dropped.

 

Watching Tian’s shoulders shake, the emotion that had been circling my face cooled.

 

I turned my hollow gaze to look at the mirror leaning against the wall.

 

I was wearing very pretty clothes and pretty shoes, but inside was a little child missing two teeth.

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