The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 149

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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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The next day, I woke up to sunlight falling on my face.

However, I almost opened my eyes but squeezed them shut again.

“I really owe the Duke a great debt. Actually, I was truly grateful even while attending the Academy.”

Right beside me, Euriko was having a conversation with Grandmother.

“What have I ever done for you that you’d be grateful for?”

“This estate, I don’t know if you realize it, but it’s really warm. Especially the people.”

I slightly opened my eyes and looked to the side.

I could see Euriko and Grandmother sitting facing each other at the table beside the bed.

Suddenly, last night’s events came to mind.

Euriko and I had fallen asleep holding each other tightly yesterday.

So it seemed Grandmother had encountered Euriko first when she came to wake me up.

‘They seem to be having a serious conversation, so it’s a bit awkward to get up.’

Just as I was hesitating whether to open my eyes or not.

“Duke. Are you perhaps looking for Annellia’s birth parents?”

I was startled by the words that came from Euriko’s mouth.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry, but there have been more information brokers looking for specific people on the Eastern Continent for the past few years.”

I perked up my ears and focused on Euriko’s words.

“They were information brokers looking for a mother who gave birth on June 7th, 1281. There was also a condition that the mother was likely a citizen of the Taranta Empire.”

June 7th, 1281 was my birthday that was written on the cloth I was wrapped in.

“At first I just thought it was nothing special, but thinking about it, it was strange. First of all, that date coincided with Annellia’s birthday…”

Euriko’s voice became even more serious.

“I thought that if an information request to find a Taranta citizen spread all the way to the Eastern Continent, the client must be quite a powerful person.”

Grandmother laughed softly.

“Our Annellia seems to choose only clever friends to befriend.”

Then she answered in a serious voice.

“That’s right. I made a request to Taranta’s largest Information Guild a few years ago. To find a mother who gave birth on June 7th, 1281, or around that time.”

“Did the information brokers find that mother?”

“To cut to the conclusion, not yet. Of course, many people did come to me secretly. Among them were some whose situations and testimonies matched Annellia’s circumstances.”

“But?”

“When we conducted paternity tests using Annellia’s hair, they always came back negative.”

Grandmother let out a small sigh.

“In that situation, all I could do was increase the reward amount. So I tripled the amount last year, and it seems the information brokers expanded to the Eastern Continent.”

My mouth fell slightly open in surprise.

I already knew that Grandmother was looking for my birth parents.

But I didn’t know the investigation was being conducted like this.

Then Euriko spoke.

“Then instead of the mother, how about investigating the midwife?”

“Midwife?”

“I don’t know about Taranta, but in Barkin, a midwife is always involved when a mother gives birth.”

Grandmother shifted her position, and the chair creaked briefly.

“Could you tell me more details?”

“The reason you’re personally looking for the mother is because you found nothing at the medical ward, right?”

“Right. We searched through all the medical wards in the Ibrhill Region, and even the entire Empire, but there were no meaningful birth records.”

“Exactly. So that means the mother gave birth somewhere other than a medical ward, which means a midwife was likely involved.”

I was impressed inwardly.

Euriko’s reasoning was very logical.

It’s dangerous for a mother to give birth alone.

Therefore, it was common practice in the Empire to call a midwife for births outside medical wards.

“Duke. You know how I always slept with Annellia whenever I came to visit here.”

Then Euriko said something seemingly out of nowhere.

“Once, Annellia had kicked off her blanket while sleeping, and I saw Annellia’s belly button then.”

I subtly lowered my gaze.

Come to think of it, even now I had kicked the blanket halfway to the side.

Through the slightly lifted pajamas, my belly button was barely visible.

“Annellia has a really pretty belly button too.”

Silence followed.

‘What is she talking about? Why is she bringing up the shape of my belly button?’

Just as I was wondering.

Grandmother seemed to realize something and took a slight breath.

“Are you saying that Annellia was delivered by a skilled midwife?”

“That’s right.”

I held my breath even more quietly.

Come to think of it, I recalled something I had read in a book about the human body once.

The process of giving birth and cutting the umbilical cord.

Also the process of tying that umbilical cord and waiting for it to fall off naturally.

‘It said that if an unskilled midwife occasionally cuts the umbilical cord too long, the belly button can protrude.’

That wasn’t all.

If follow-up care was neglected, there were countless cases where the child would get sick or something would go wrong.

“Annellia is healthy, bright, and smart.”

“…”

“In Barkin, children who experience difficult births often have problems. There are kids who get lifelong illnesses due to infections too.”

Euriko’s voice became even lower.

“Investigate the midwives who were active around the orphanage where Annellia was. There’s definitely someone who helped with Annellia’s birth.”

“…”

“Definitely.”

“Annellia, I’ll come again soon. Armin and Dimas are supposed to come this winter too, right?”

I nodded gloomily while standing in the garden.

Euriko smiled brightly at me.

“Why do you look like that! We’ll see each other again soon!”

I nodded hesitantly.

Behind Euriko, I could see the soldiers of Takai, the new chieftain of Barkin.

They were dragging someone whose entire body was bound.

Grandmother approached with her hands behind her back and said.

“If we left him in Taranta, we could let him face the gallows.”

Takai, who was standing beside Euriko, burst into hearty laughter.

“If we take him to Barkin, we can put him on the guillotine too.”

At those words, I looked at Shahma being loaded into the carriage like luggage.

From his expression, Shahma looked like he had completely lost the will to live.

‘Hmph, serves him right.’

Then Grandmother said.

“The new Tegichi will have a lot to do once you return to Barkin.”

Takai nodded.

“That’s right. There’s more than one or two things to set straight.”

“Won’t family affection become an obstacle?”

As Grandmother said, what Takai had to do from now on was to execute the brothers and nephews who had attacked Euriko.

That naturally included Shahma and his parents too.

But Takai firmly grasped Euriko’s hand.

“Not at all. I’ve already learned that I can even defy the gods for my daughter’s sake.”

“How is that defying them? In the end, the gods chose to help you, not Brotek.”

I nodded my head.

I had never been to Barkin even once, but I could still tell.

The lightning that struck Brotek was Ulgen’s will.

Roughly meaning something like I mistakenly appointed you as chieftain?

More than anything, this became even more certain when I looked at the great sword Takai wore at his waist.

‘To think he was holding such a huge blade, raised high toward the sky.’

For lightning to strike Brotek’s head on the opposite side instead of there was logically impossible.

Unless it was truly the hand of god at work.

Perhaps thinking the same thing, Takai lowered his head and chuckled softly.

Then he looked at Grandmother.

“I have never lowered myself before any Taranta nobleman until now.”

Grandmother quietly gazed at Takai.

“However, from now on, Abner will be an exception. Abner is Barkin’s brother from today.”

Grandmother smiled broadly.

“How nice that Barkin, blessed by the gods, would treat us as elder brothers.”

Takai laughed heartily again, gave a brief nod, and turned around.

Euriko also patted my shoulder lightly and said.

“Make sure to write letters, Annellia!”

“Mm-hmm.”

“If you need more of Ulgen’s gift, just say so anytime!”

“Mm-hmm!”

I watched Euriko’s retreating figure growing distant.

Then I murmured to Grandmother.

“Grandmother. Euriko is really cool.”

“Why did you suddenly think that?”

“Just because. Euriko is really a cool kid!”

Though she had no talent for magic studies, she was wise and strong.

She was also brave and dependable.

I hugged Grandmother’s waist tightly for no particular reason.

“Grandmother, thank you for raising Annellia!”

At those words, Grandmother’s eyes widened slightly.

Soon a warm hand gently stroked the top of my head.

“…I’m the one who should be grateful, for coming to inadequate me and becoming such great joy.”

Three more days passed like that, and one morning.

I headed toward the Dowager Empress’s Palace, feeling the end of summer that had arrived.

With Ulgen’s gift, personally portioned by Owen, loaded in the back of the carriage.

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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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