The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 138

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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‘So Hiana regressed too.’

I walked through the corridor in a daze, thinking.

‘She must have gotten caught up in it when I regressed.’

I came to that conclusion.

Regression is an ultra-high-level magic that requires an enormous amount of magical power.

And theoretically, this kind of magic can also pull in third parties nearby when it’s activated.

“…lia, …ah! …ni!!”

I remembered someone of unknown identity shaking my body as I was dying.

‘If that was Hiana.’

It would make sense that Hiana, who was beside me when I died and the regression magic activated, regressed together with me.

I raised my gaze.

About five steps away, Hiana was walking without saying a word.

My tightly clenched fist gradually grew tenser.

‘So that’s why she called me sister from the beginning.’

Because she had regressed too.

Because she retained all the memories of her previous life.

Somehow feeling suffocated, I secretly took a deep breath.

When I was five years old, when Bella tormented me with a commoner’s corsage.

“Pretty sister, there’s grass on your clothes?”

Hiana suddenly appeared and shouted that out of nowhere.

Thanks to that, the Dowager Empress discovered me, and I was able to avoid worse treatment.

Though I kept denying it, that was no different from Hiana helping me.

‘Today too.’

Taking me in crisis and jumping out the window, rolling on the ground instead of me.

It was Hiana who held me tightly even while getting severely injured.

‘Why? Because of guilt?’

Because she felt sorry for what she did to me in the previous life?

I bit my lips.

My mood kept sinking lower, and my body had no strength at all.

It was when I was completely looking down at the floor.

“Annellia!”

“Hiana Longton.”

Familiar voices came from ahead.

When I raised my head, we had somehow reached the stone stairs at the entrance of the Great Hall.

Among the many people, I saw Grandmother looking pale with worry.

And beside her,

“What on earth is all this about. Leaving the banquet hall without permission.”

Lambert Longton stood there glaring at Hiana with a cold expression.

Grandmother, passing by him, came down the stairs with large strides first.

Grandmother lifted me up and asked.

“Are you alright? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”

I hesitantly nodded.

Meanwhile, Lambert Longton also came down the stairs.

He roughly grabbed the wrist of Hiana, who was standing still.

“Come here right now.”

The words he added after were small enough that only Grandmother, Hiana, and I could hear.

“…A girl old enough to know better bringing shame to the family.”

Hiana obediently went up the stairs while being held by Lambert Longton.

Soon, three other people with familiar faces appeared to meet them.

“Hiana. Are you okay?”

“Little sister! Where have you been? Do you know how worried I was?”

“…Are you hurt anywhere?”

They were the Longton Princes: Kilios, Jas, and Lewis.

Suddenly, our eyes met.

All three looked at me and were startled.

Then they quickly averted their gazes.

Grandmother whispered while holding me tightly.

“It’s good that you’re fine. I thought you might have been hurt…”

“I heard she fell into water.”

At that moment, someone interrupted Grandmother’s words and approached us.

It was Karin Empress, dressed in a splendid dress.

I quickly came down from Grandmother’s arms.

And bowed deeply in greeting.

“I greet Your Majesty the Empress! Actually, I was taking a walk with Longton’s young lady… no, with Hiana, and we got lost.”

“Hiana?”

Karin Empress looked back at Lambert Longton and Hiana, who were awkwardly stopped in the middle of the stairs, and smiled.

“It seems the young ladies from both families have formed a friendship?”

Grandmother’s and Lambert Longton’s gazes met.

Karin Empress looked back and forth between Hiana and me as if amused.

“Of course, there’s no need for children to get involved in adult fights…”

Karin Empress’s eyes turned directly toward me.

“To think you two couldn’t find this one large hall and went all the way to the Crown Prince’s Palace. And even fell into a pond.”

There was a slight hint of puzzlement in her eyes.

“Hasn’t Duke Abner’s daughter been frequenting the Imperial Palace?”

I gulped.

“I knew the young lady was quite close to the Dowager Empress. And being so smart, I thought she had memorized the palace layout perfectly.”

My heart pounded.

“Well…”

Just as I was trying to manage my expression and answer awkwardly.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty… I forced sister to go with me.”

Hiana, who had let go of Lambert’s hand, approached us.

She had a dejected expression, with some moisture around her eyes.

“Longton’s young lady?”

“Sister said no… but I begged to see the Crown Prince’s Palace.”

Hiana pouted her lips as if she was about to burst into tears at any moment.

At that childlike appearance, Karin Empress’s eyes widened.

“Falling into the water was actually because of me too. Sister told me to be careful, but I got excited and ran around…”

As Hiana began to sniffle, Lambert Longton clenched his fists tightly.

His closed jaw remained rigidly tense.

“Sob… Waah! I’m sorry!”

Naturally, a young lady from a family like Longton always had to maintain proper conduct.

Especially at occasions like today.

Sometimes even children couldn’t be children when they were from noble families…

“Waaah-!!”

It wasn’t just quiet sobbing, but Hiana crying loudly like a pitiful child, causing the nobles to murmur.

Karin Empress made a sound of disbelief and looked at Lambert Longton.

“What are you doing? You should quickly comfort the young lady.”

“…My apologies, Your Majesty.”

Duke Lambert Longton approached Hiana with his teeth clenched.

And he lifted Hiana up as if carrying a piece of luggage.

Empress Karin shook her head from side to side.

“I didn’t know the Duke’s youngest daughter was so innocent.”

“…I have no words to offer.”

“It’s fine. Children are naturally like that.”

Then she turned around sharply without even acknowledging Duke Lambert Longton’s greeting.

Duke Lambert Longton watched the Empress’s retreating figure with his jaw tensed.

The murmuring voices of other nobles could be heard.

“…I had some hope since Lady Longton was said to be as brilliant as Lady Abner.”

“Rumors are just rumors. How could the two young ladies even be compared in the first place?”

“Don’t be so harsh. Ten-year-old children are naturally like that. Lady Abner is just exceptionally outstanding.”

“Indeed, isn’t Lady Abner the one who invented Lubarinna and Lubaven at the age of five?”

“That’s right? Lady Abner is so clever and also a genius…”

I raised my gaze.

With her back to the people, I could see Hiana’s face as she was held in Lambert Longton’s arms.

As if she had never burst into tears, the child now had a completely expressionless face.

“Grandmother.”

That evening.

I sat in Grandmother’s office and activated the soundproofing magic device that Theo had made for me.

Grandmother, sitting on the sofa, tilted her head as she watched me activate even the soundproofing magic device.

“The very first letter I wrote to you, Grandmother, do you remember it?”

“I remember it. How could I forget such a thing?”

“Then do you also remember what I wrote in it?”

Grandmother slightly furrowed her brow and made a hmm sound.

“You said you were a genius. That you would be helpful to our House of Abner, so please come get you. Didn’t you write that?”

“That’s right. But Grandmother. That promise to be helpful, at some point it changed into something else in my heart.”

“Into what?”

“Into the desire to live happily with House of Abner for a long, long time.”

“…”

“I want House of Abner to be safe. The elderly retainers, the knight uncles, the people from the academic society and the servants… including you, Grandmother, everyone.”

“…”

“That’s why I’m telling you this. So please, don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say and listen carefully…?”

Grandmother nodded her head.

I opened my mouth with a crawling voice.

“The child that Empress Karin is pregnant with…”

“…”

“I don’t think it’s His Majesty the Emperor’s child.”

Then I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut.

“I think it’s Jayden’s child…”

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