The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 148

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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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“Mom passed away when I was around six years old.”

I listened to Euriko’s words while pulling the blanket up to my knees.

“Father was always really busy. They said that’s just how it is for a successor.”

In front of us, the fireplace crackled and burned brightly.

“Since I was around ten, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Father sleep for more than four hours.”

When Euriko blinked, her thick eyelashes trembled slightly.

“Once, with a child’s heart, I went to Grandfather and asked if he couldn’t give Father just a little less work. Then Grandfather said… it was all because of me.”

“What does that mean?”

“In Grandfather’s eyes, I seemed far from adequate as the next chieftain. So Father had to prepare everything in advance.”

I opened my eyes wide in disbelief.

“In the end, it was saying that Father was having a hard time because of me.”

Euriko smiled weakly.

“But our Father is really a gentle person, you know? He’s strict with the assault troops, but not with me.”

I quietly nodded my head.

‘That’s exactly like our Grandmother.’

“Father always says only good things to me. But even so, it’s hard to find strength.”

“…”

“Father is just one person… but there are twenty-four aunts and uncles. If you include the cousins, there are far more.”

I unconsciously frowned.

“Are you saying that the aunts and uncles, and cousins are all saying together that Euriko is far from adequate to become the Barkin Chieftain?”

Euriko nodded slightly.

“…Not all of them, but most did. That Ulgen made a mistake in choosing me.”

“What mistake! They’re the ones who were born from god’s mistake! Ugh, those nasty people like spoiled smoked salmon!”

When I couldn’t hold back and shouted, Euriko opened her eyes wide and looked at me.

I continued speaking while fuming.

“Trip while walking and get multiple fractures! Get bitten by rats with all their might while sleeping! Have centipedes come out of your blankets in the morning! Have poison frogs fall from the ceiling and get inside your clothes!”

These were among the mildest curses I had learned from Lady Larienne.

Euriko burst into small laughter.

“…There really are a lot of centipedes in Barkin though.”

I quickly stepped forward.

“Should I help you put centipedes in your relatives’ tents later? Or poison frogs would be good too!”

“…Yeah. Later when you come to Barkin, then.”

“Of course!”

A brief silence fell between us.

Euriko, who had been blankly staring at the fire in the fireplace, muttered.

“…Pathetic. It was such a trivial matter.”

“Huh?”

“I mean Shahma.”

Euriko looked down and spoke in a trembling voice.

“Annellia, I really owe you and Duke Abner a great debt.”

“…”

“I really hated Shahma all this time. But I couldn’t say I hated him. Grandfather and the uncles said… that marrying Shahma was the minimum I could do for the tribe.”

I closed my mouth in a daze.

“Actually, Father hated Shahma too, you know? He even said he would never marry me to Shahma even if it killed him. But in our tribe… the chieftain’s orders are absolute.”

“…”

“The fact that we’ve held out this long is thanks to Father rebelling against Grandfather until the very end.”

Euriko smiled weakly.

“Annellia, Shahma will be released anyway.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Father is coming here, right?”

I nodded.

Right after the incident happened, we sent a telegram to Takai, Euriko’s Father.

Saying that Euriko had been threatened by Shahma, so please come here.

“Shahma is a grandson that Grandfather cherishes very much. Grandfather must have ordered Father to bring Shahma back to Barkin safely.”

“But even so…!”

“Annellia. The Barkin Chieftain is surprisingly more absolute than the Empire’s Emperor.”

Euriko’s expression became serious.

“The Emperor is just an emperor, but the Barkin Chieftain is different. The chieftain is chosen by Ulgen.”

“…”

“In Barkin, defying the chieftain also means defying god.”

I closed my mouth.

Euriko was right.

In the Empire, treason against the Emperor is just treason against the Emperor.

But in Barkin, rebellion against the chieftain was no different from rebellion against Ulgen.

At least to the Barkin Tribe people, Ulgen was the most absolute existence of all.

“…Then will Euriko really marry Shahma?”

“Since it’s Grandfather’s order, I probably have to.”

I bit my lips tightly.

I wanted to help Euriko somehow, but I couldn’t think of any other way.

‘We can’t start a war with Barkin on the Eastern Continent.’

As I clenched my fists with a troubled heart, Euriko added.

“I’m okay. Actually, Father’s position has gotten much worse because of me. He kept opposing my marriage until the end, making his relationship with Grandfather even worse.”

“Euriko…”

“You know, I’ve only been protected by Father since I was little. I don’t want to hide behind Father anymore.”

“…”

“Besides, people can’t live doing only good things, right?”

Euriko smiled slightly.

“I’m really okay, Annellia. At least now there’s one person.”

“…Huh?”

“Someone who knows how hard it’s been for me. You.”

My nose tingled.

It was the moment I unconsciously hung my head low.

“Euriko, you little rascal!”

Suddenly the door burst open.

I reflexively turned my gaze and opened my mouth wide in surprise.

A man with tremendous height and shoulders wide enough to fill the doorway stood at the entrance.

Heavily armed in armor covered with dirt and dust.

Looking exactly like a general who had just returned from war, I froze for a moment.

Thud- Thud-

As the man walked inside, the room shook.

“F-Father?”

At Euriko’s bewildered murmur, I opened my eyes wide.

The approaching man dropped to his knees in front of Euriko and shouted loudly.

“What’s wrong with only being protected by Father! What’s wrong with hiding behind Father!”

Even though he was kneeling, the man’s eye level was similar to Euriko’s sitting on the chair.

I swallowed hard looking at the enormous sword hanging at his waist.

“Daughters are supposed to hide behind their fathers! Isn’t it natural for a father to protect his daughter!”

Then he stopped abruptly.

Because Euriko’s Father, Takai’s eyes were getting increasingly moist.

“But what is this rascal saying? That I’m having a hard time because of you? That I’m receiving Tegichi’s hatred because of you?!”

Takai’s brow furrowed, and his face contorted endlessly.

He pulled Euriko into a tight embrace.

A single tear streamed down his dust-covered cheek.

“Do you know what you mean to me to say such things!”

Euriko was blinking her eyes with a dazed expression.

“You are my sky, my desert, my grasslands! As long as you’re by my side, this father doesn’t care about anything else! Not even my life!”

Takai’s back began to tremble greatly.

Euriko’s face also gradually contorted.

“F-Father… I, sob, waaah…!”

I quietly rose from my seat while watching Euriko who had started crying her heart out.

“Don’t worry about anything anymore! Really, don’t worry about anything anymore!”

Then I carefully placed the blanket on the chair and tiptoed toward the door.

It was because I thought I should give them space since a touching father-daughter reunion was taking place.

However,

“No one can touch you anymore! Now I will protect you as Barkin’s new Tegichi!”

I stopped in my tracks at Takai’s words that followed.

Soon my eyes met with Euriko’s, who was held tightly in Takai’s arms.

Euriko had the same surprised expression as me.

“F-Father? What do you mean? Father is the new Tegichi?”

Takai separated himself from Euriko.

Then he firmly grasped both of Euriko’s shoulders and said.

“Just before I came here, there was Ulgen’s judgment.”

“…”

“For the first time in Barkin’s history.”

Euriko froze with her mouth half open.

It was me who hesitantly raised my hand, breaking through the silence.

Takai turned his head to look at me.

I asked timidly.

“B-by any chance, did Euriko’s grandfather get struck by lightning?”

Amid the tense atmosphere, Takai soon nodded his head.

“Yes. He was struck by lightning of tremendous thickness too.”

At the same time, a thud- sound was heard from behind.

When I turned my head, Shahma, who had been led in by the knights, was sitting collapsed on the floor.

With his face turned completely pale.

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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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