The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 140

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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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“However, Jayden was always my son. In the past, and now… I never once thought of that child as anything but my own.”

“….”

“Though it seems Jayden didn’t feel the same way.”

I quickened my steps while recalling Grandmother’s voice.

The Second Prince wasn’t the Emperor’s child, and Jayden wasn’t Grandmother’s biological son either.

I rubbed my goosebump-covered arms and shook my head.

‘At this rate, I’d believe it if someone said I was Grandmother’s real granddaughter.’

And I slipped into the open room.

“Annellia!”

“My disciple, are you alright?”

Ann and Owen immediately welcomed me.

“Did your conversation with the Duke go well? Looking at your eyes, you’ve been crying again…!”

Ann made a tearful expression.

Owen anxiously rose from his seat.

“What did His Grace say? That he’ll start a war with Longton tomorrow? That he’ll kill every last one of those Longton bastards?!”

I sighed and answered.

“Calm down, Master. Not immediately, at least.”

Now that it was revealed that Jayden was having an affair with Karin Empress and planning to assassinate the Emperor.

This wasn’t exactly a safe situation for our Abner family either.

‘If we don’t handle this well, Grandmother, me, and other family members will all be thoroughly investigated for treason.’

In this situation, no matter how close I was with Dowager Empress or Tian, it wouldn’t matter.

Treason was a high crime that the Imperial Army could march out and execute directly.

“I have no intention of blindly protecting Jayden. However, I don’t want you or others to share the price of that child’s sins.”

“….”

“If someone must bear that price together, it’s my sin for raising that child wrong.”

The more I recalled Grandmother’s words, the more complicated my feelings became.

I pondered for a moment, then raised my head.

“Let me tell you what’s become certain first.”

Ann and Owen’s expressions became serious.

“Jayden, Philomena, and Karin Empress are all on the same side.”

The common factor between Jayden and Philomena that was finally revealed was Karin Empress.

“During the Senianna incident, it was probably Karin Empress who wrote the script for Jayden too.”

“Right, the scenario about finding and bringing back a biological child who was almost sold as a slave. You said Philomena Longton used the same one in your previous life.”

I nodded at Ann’s words.

Owen frowned and muttered.

“Hiana, Senianna. Even their names are similar. Then there’s a high probability that Hiana wasn’t Lambert Longton’s real daughter either, right?”

I remained silent for a moment, then answered quietly.

“…That’s right.”

I couldn’t be completely certain yet, but it was one of the assumptions I’d been considering.

And today, this suspicion had grown even stronger.

“Leaving the banquet hall without permission.”

The first thing Lambert Longton said when he saw Hiana return to the Great Hall.

And he added this:

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

She was a child who had gotten lost and wandered around for a long time before returning.

Normally in such situations, ordinary parents wouldn’t speak like Lambert Longton did.

They would ask if she was okay, or check on the child’s condition first.

At least if they loved the child.

Just looking at Grandmother, she was even thinking of bearing the sins of Jayden, who was adopted…

I pondered quietly, then spoke again.

“I didn’t realize it before, but this time Hiana’s life seems a bit different from her previous life too.”

Ann and Owen’s gazes turned toward me.

“In the previous life, Hiana was loved by everyone, you know? Especially Lambert Longton cherished Hiana tremendously. I thought it was because Hiana was Lambert Longton’s real daughter, but…”

“He probably just thought she was a useful daughter.”

Owen interrupted.

He spun the quill pen on the table as if he couldn’t believe it.

“That bastard Lambert Longton, he definitely knew in advance that she was stealing your achievements in the previous life.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Of course! That bastard never saw you as human from the beginning. When he adopted you from the orphanage, he probably treated you like a tool.”

“….”

“But then one day, ta-da! His real daughter appeared?”

Owen slammed the quill pen down.

“That bastard probably wanted to brag about his daughter more than his tool. ‘Our family has such an amazing tool~’ versus ‘Our daughter is so amazing~’ – the latter would be better for the family’s reputation.”

I was at a loss for words and closed my mouth.

Finally, I answered in a deflated voice.

“You’re right, Master.”

When Hiana stole countless magical formulas from me in the previous life, I thought only the two of us knew about it.

But looking back carefully in this life, that didn’t make sense.

“He might not have known at first, but as time passed, he definitely would have noticed…”

“Right! Later on, he just pretended not to know even though he did!”

“Owen! Stop it.”

At that moment, Ann cut off Owen’s words with a stern expression.

Owen looked at Ann with wide eyes.

“Our Annellia can figure all that out herself. Why do you keep poking at the child’s painful spots? Why are you making the situation heavy?”

Owen made an aggrieved expression.

“No! I’m just so angry at that bastard Lambert Longton…!”

“Is there anyone here who likes Lambert Longton?”

Ann breathed in deeply as if she was angry.

“If it were up to me, I’d grab that man and give him a really, really…”

“….”

“Really good beating!”

“Pfft!”

At Ann’s gesture that looked like she was giving someone a knuckle sandwich, Owen covered his mouth and burst into laughter.

“Wait, you grab him and all you do is give him little taps?”

“Then what would you do?”

“Torture him.”

Ann froze in shock.

Owen began speaking while extending his fingers one by one.

“Look. Just take His Grace the Duke – he has exceptional talent for removing certain body parts.”

“Re-removing body parts…?”

“Using him as an experimental subject wouldn’t be bad either. I’ve been studying black magic so much lately that I can actually read ancient curse materials now.”

“You can’t use those things! That’s black magic!”

“The bad guys use it anyway, right? Why should we let only them use such good attack methods?”

“Owen!”

I, who had been staring blankly at the two of them, finally burst out laughing.

Owen and Teacher Ann stopped talking and looked at me.

“When did Master and Teacher Ann become so close?”

Teacher Ann replied with a look of disgust.

“Lia, close? Owen keeps saying such ridiculous things…”

“I told you it’s fine to just call me Owen. And the reason what I say sounds strange is probably due to the generation gap.”

“What?!”

“There’s no need to get so worked up. Everyone experiences generation gaps. I sometimes can’t communicate with Awin either.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have that problem! I always communicate just fine with Miel and Soya, who are in their twenties!”

When Owen’s eyes widened, Teacher Ann huffed and added.

“Plus, I even know what confession methods are popular in the Imperial Capital these days! Owen probably doesn’t know since he’s so unpopular with the opposite sex.”

Confession methods?

I never would have thought Teacher Ann would know about such things.

I looked at Owen with interested eyes.

I expected Owen to immediately argue back.

But surprisingly, Owen had no response.

He just stood there frozen with his eyes wide open, making “uh…” sounds.

Then after a long while, he opened his mouth.

“Come to think of it. Something’s suddenly coming to mind, or not? I think I saw something through the Research Room window a few days ago.”

“…What, what did you see?”

“I saw this while half-asleep… Teacher, weren’t you at the rear of the Main Manor a few nights ago?”

Teacher Ann’s mouth gradually fell open.

Owen frowned and continued speaking.

“When I saw it, I was like ‘Wow, this is really crazy!’… But I happened to see it while dozing after staying up for three nights straight, so my memory is…”

Teacher Ann hesitantly avoided Owen’s gaze.

Then she even subtly moved to sit farther away from Owen.

“Ah! What is it? What did I see?! Aah!!”

Owen stomped his feet while practically tearing at his hair.

I tilted my head in confusion as well.

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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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