The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 166

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

Sharon and Spencer Viscount walked through the dark forest for quite some time.

When their legs began to feel numb, the viscount lowered his voice and asked.

“Were we originally this deep in the forest?”

Sharon Abner shook her head.

“No. We stayed within an hour’s walking distance back.”

“Then why can’t we see the Central Outpost no matter how far we go…?”

“Because demon beasts are positioned throughout the forest. This is the only way to return without confronting them.”

As Sharon said, unidentifiable howling sounds continued to echo from the forest.

It was a bizarre sound that seemed like ordinary animal cries, yet also like human screams.

“The Central Outpost should be fine, right…?”

“Probably.”

Sharon cut through branches blocking the path with her saw blade and added.

“The Central Outpost has troops stationed there. They also have scrolls that can open portals.”

Spencer Viscount nodded.

If what she said was true, they should be able to hold off even if demon beasts directly attacked the outpost.

‘If they lack troops, they can receive support through the portal.’

Suddenly, he recalled what had happened during the day.

Early in the morning, his son Billy, who was Spencer Young Viscount, suddenly complained of a headache.

His head, which had been fine until the night before, suddenly hurt.

‘At the time, I scolded him, asking if he would skip the first day despite being a young viscount…’

Looking back now, that was fortunate a hundred times over.

If not for the headache, Billy would have entered this forest as planned.

Then he too would have encountered those terrible monsters.

The viscount’s heart trembled just imagining that scene.

Billy was only tall for his age but was a gentle boy.

‘If that boy, who can’t even handle weapons properly, had become a target of demon beasts…’

He tasted faint blood from his bitten lip.

The viscount turned his gaze to Duke Abner walking ahead.

‘…I heard the duke also cherishes his adopted daughter.’

The Abner Princess had gone hunting directly with the Crown Prince today.

The group included Prince Marcs and Awin Dennis, the brother of the Abner Dean.

‘Since they know how to fight, I wonder if they’ll protect the princess well.’

Though he didn’t show it, the duke must surely have complicated feelings too.

“Viscount.”

Then Sharon called the viscount in a voice barely audible.

The viscount quickly raised his head.

Sharon Abner was silently pointing somewhere with her left hand.

Beyond where her fingertip reached, a flat, large rock was visible under the moonlight.

Spencer Viscount frowned as he observed it carefully.

Looking closely, something was strange.

Black smoke was billowing up from the rock’s surface.

“…Don’t tell me.”

The moment Duke Abner muttered, black flames surged greatly from the rock.

The flames gathering in mid-air gurgled and created something in an instant.

“Kruk, kruruk…”

Four legs with grown claws.

A snout filled with teeth.

Even black scales covering the body.

“It’s a demon beast summoning circle.”

“Y-you mean it’s black magic?”

“Yes.”

Spencer Viscount closed his mouth as if he couldn’t believe it.

Black magic.

A word that made his heart clench just by being mentioned.

Was that monster really a demon beast summoned through black magic?

Meanwhile, the completed demon beast jumped down from the rock.

The demon beast disappeared silently into the forest beyond, but the black smoke spewing from the rock didn’t stop.

“I-it doesn’t seem to be just one.”

As Spencer Viscount said, the rock was now creating a second form.

When another demon beast was almost fully formed, Sharon suddenly turned around.

She began returning the way they came.

The viscount urgently followed behind her.

“Your Grace, what’s happening? Black magic in the hunting ground?”

The sudden appearance of demon beasts and witnessing a demon beast summoning circle with their own eyes were entirely different matters.

Moreover, weren’t there many children who hadn’t yet reached adulthood in this hunting ground?

That wasn’t all.

There were also women and elderly at the outpost.

“This must be the work of a black magician. Do you have any suspicions…!”

The viscount suddenly closed his mouth.

After uttering the word ‘black magician,’ something came to mind.

As he hesitantly raised his gaze, his eyes met Sharon Abner’s.

The viscount unconsciously stiffened.

“…Did you just remember that I’m from the Michaeliann Bloodline?”

At Sharon Abner’s calm question, the viscount, who had been dazed for a moment, shook his head vigorously.

“No, that’s not it!”

Then he added with a reddened face.

“You’ve been with me all day today. I know best that Your Grace isn’t the culprit who drew the summoning circle!”

“…”

“And I never believed those past rumors either! People love to spread baseless stories, don’t they?”

The viscount hesitantly spoke his final words.

“…Above all, Spencer isn’t such a scoundrel as to not recognize the benefactor who saved his life.”

Duke Abner was silent for a moment.

But soon she turned around and began walking again.

The viscount followed behind her in the awkward atmosphere.

In the silence, only the quiet footsteps of the two continued.

“Y-Your Grace. Please look over there.”

Far between the birch trees.

Though small, a clear light was visible.

It was the Central Outpost they had finally found.

However, when they arrived in front of the tent where they had been staying.

Spencer Viscount had no choice but to collapse to the ground.

“Lord Viscount! The Young Viscount…”

Billy, who they thought would be waiting obediently at the outpost, wasn’t in the tent.

“He suddenly took a hunting rifle and entered the forest! We told him it was dangerous, but demon beasts appeared in droves at the perimeter…”

Spencer Viscount barely supported his weakened knees with his hands.

When he raised his head, he saw demon beasts sprawled along the forest perimeter.

Some demon beasts were dead right near the tent.

The sounds of noble ladies sobbing and knights shouting as they ran about mixed together.

Billy had taken a rifle and entered the forest?

“…That’s a lie.”

And this happened while demon beasts were appearing one after another to attack the outpost?

“Billy couldn’t have done that.”

His son was afraid of guns.

To begin with, he wasn’t bold enough by nature to do such a thing.

The viscount steadied his trembling breath and looked around more carefully.

He pictured in his mind what the situation must have been like when the demon beasts attacked.

People getting hurt, demon beasts fighting battles with the knights.

Gunshots would have been ringing out by the riverside in front of the tent.

At that time, Billy should have definitely hidden under the tent bed.

‘The idea that he grabbed a gun and went into the forest….’

Ringing echoed in his ears and his head felt dizzy.

As he was barely managing to take deep breaths, someone approached him.

“Viscount. Did you find your son?”

It was Duke Abner.

At the word ‘son’, Spencer Viscount bit his lips.

And he shook his head with a pained expression.

A moment of silence followed, and Duke Abner muttered.

“Annellia hasn’t returned yet either. So I’m thinking of going back into the forest.”

She looked directly at Spencer Viscount and said.

“Will you come with me?”

Spencer Viscount’s eyes widened.

The next moment, he nodded without a moment’s hesitation.

At the same time, deep in the forest far from the central outpost.

“Lia! Are you okay?!”

Tian, who had hit the fourth demon beast, reached for his quiver and turned around.

However, the quiver was empty, and Annellia was also standing still in place.

“Come here, Lia. It’s safe now. Just in case, let me retrieve the arrows….”

Tian, who had been speaking urgently, closed his mouth.

Annellia’s movements from a distance seemed strange.

“Annellia…?”

Tian called out to Annellia carefully.

Annellia was holding something with unfocused eyes.

When he lowered his gaze slightly, he could clearly see what it was.

It was a crossbow with the safety released and an arrow loaded.

The moment Tian noticed the black smoke swirling around the crossbow.

“…I’m going to kill.”

A dazed voice flowed from Annellia’s mouth.

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