The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 174

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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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Sharon Abner’s pupils dilated.

People let out small gasps here and there.

Lambert Longton, still bound by vines, also looked at Philomena with disbelief.

“She used black magic to try to kill the Crown Prince. She was planning to eliminate the heirs of other families too…”

“Shut up-!”

Before Philomena could finish speaking, Lambert Longton burst out shouting.

Even while suspended in mid-air, his eyes flashed as he glared at Philomena.

“Our Longton being black magicians! The honorable Longton being filthy sorcerers-!!”

He twisted his body desperately as if he wanted to cover Philomena’s mouth immediately.

“Stop lying! Do you think I’d stand by and let someone like you tarnish the Longton name!”

People fell silent at the grotesque sight.

And they glanced nervously at Sharon Abner with uneasy eyes.

Sharon knew why people’s gazes were focused on her.

It had always been Abner who was suspected of being black magicians.

And it was Longton who had led the charge in despising them.

But just moments ago, Philomena had turned this entire situation upside down.

By revealing herself as a black magician, she had made a laughingstock of the Longton she belonged to.

“I should explain why I did this.”

Philomena continued speaking in a calm voice.

“Shut up! I’m ordering you not to say another word! Sister-!! Mmph-!”

Lambert, who had been screaming beside her, was forced to close his mouth when Philomena flicked her hand.

The vines had tightly wrapped around his neck and mouth.

Philomena looked around at the people.

“I should start with how I murdered my husband Oteger William 14 years ago.”

Silence fell.

The silent people soon began to whisper quietly among themselves.

Philomena Longton was known to be unmarried.

Many people thought that her staying cooped up in the manor was because she hadn’t been able to marry despite her advanced age.

But Philomena Longton had actually been married and had a husband.

Moreover, that husband was…

“Oteger William? That Marquis Oteger William?”

Oteger William was a figure who had died 14 years ago as the victim of a brutal murder case.

As Marquis William, he was found with a knife stuck in his neck in his own burned-down manor.

The culprit was never found, and the little property that remained after the fire was divided up by the branch families.

The marquis title went to a young child from the William branch family.

However, the heir was a child who knew nothing about noble life.

The William Marquis House had essentially been destroyed at that time.

“Are you certain? Philomena, you’re known to have never married, and the late Marquis William also…”

One nobleman spoke while watching Philomena’s expression.

“I heard he was a libertine who associated with various women in unconventional ways…”

People nodded with frightened faces.

At the time of the murder, Marquis William was an old man over 70.

People always gossiped that he must be infertile.

Because until then, he had neither a legitimate wife nor children.

But no one could deny the fact that young and beautiful women constantly came and went from the marquis’s manor.

Sometimes rumors circulated that he would bring more than ten women into his bedroom at once.

“We were definitely married. Though we didn’t live like a normal couple.”

Philomena answered calmly.

“Because my father sold me to Oteger William. In exchange for three diamond mines.”

Even louder gasps and screams erupted from the crowd than before.

Sharon slowly frowned.

Finally.

She remembered where she had seen Philomena’s familiar black dress.

“If I were you, I’d send the Abner duchess to the pharmacy or anywhere else.”

Meeting Philomena was on a spring day long ago.

At a shabby tavern in the province she had stopped by on imperial business, Philomena had approached her first.

Sharon still wondered why she had engaged in conversation with Philomena that day.

Normally, she would have left as soon as she realized it was Philomena.

But that day, she somehow felt she shouldn’t ignore Philomena.

“Mind your own business. Do you know that your father and younger brother are constantly trying to brand Abner as a den of black magicians?”

Philomena smiled and emptied her glass without answering.

“I know. But the duchess’s brilliant talent is too precious to waste. Being able to do well at something you love isn’t luck that comes to just anyone.”

Her gaze naturally went to the clothes Philomena was wearing.

She was wearing a dress that didn’t suit the back-alley tavern at all.

Though it wasn’t clearly visible due to the robe she had pulled over, the black dress looked exactly like funeral attire, which stuck in her mind.

When she looked up, Sharon noticed that Philomena was crying.

Her wet eyes and cheeks were clearly visible under the hood.

‘At first I thought it was strange.’

Philomena was a young researcher who was making significant contributions to the Longton Academy at the time.

There were even rumors that she was receiving the love of the previous Longton head for being helpful to the family.

But such a Philomena was crying in a back-alley tavern with a robe pulled over her head.

“You say it’s not luck that comes to just anyone, yet you’re crying so sadly.”

After some consideration, Sharon Abner ordered a new drink for Philomena.

Though she was from a family that might as well be enemies, she thought she could show that much kindness.

But Philomena just stared blankly at the glass placed in front of her for a long time.

Then, just when Sharon was about to forget she was there, she murmured in a barely audible voice.

“I… ended up with misfortune even greater than that luck.”

That was the last of it.

Philomena left the tavern without even touching the glass.

At the time, she couldn’t understand the situation itself.

But thinking about it now, she felt she understood something.

Sharon silently stared at Philomena’s face.

“On our wedding night, Oteger William tied a chain around my neck and locked me in an empty room.”

People became as quiet as mice.

They seemed unable to even think of gasping or screaming at the unexpected story.

“My room was no different from a beast’s cage. I ate, slept, and even relieved myself in that cage. After living there for 3 years, the one day I rebelled, the marquis beat me nearly to death.”

Finally, the noble ladies began to let out scream-like sobs.

Several cried out “Barbarian!” and covered their ears.

“The marquis always said that my father had sold me like livestock. So he would never think of me as human.”

The House of Longton was an ancient family.

But to think that a duke’s daughter from such a family lived in a marquis household without even maintaining the minimum dignity.

The marquis’s filthy private life, and the fact that the previous head of Longton had directly pushed his own daughter into that private life.

These were all stories shocking enough to stun everyone.

“One day I begged him. I said I had worked at the Longton Academy. So couldn’t I help you in that area instead? I said I knew how to do more things than he thought.”

Sharon Abner let out a sigh.

“Oteger William laughed and said that’s exactly why I came here.”

Philomena Longton gazed at the sky with a somehow strange expression.

“He said the more I knew how to do, the more interesting it was to watch me struggle in helplessness. He said he felt thrilled when seeing such a sight.”

Finally, sobbing sounds began to be heard from among the people.

More and more snow was accumulating on Philomena’s black hair and dress.

“Then finally, I killed Oteger William.”

Philomena’s voice dropped even lower.

“Lambert came from the Longton family. While I was imprisoned, the previous head had died and he had inherited the ducal title.”

The people listened to Philomena’s voice as if entranced.

“Lambert set fire to the entire marquis residence, massacred all the servants who had been staying there, destroyed all evidence that I had killed Oteger, and then approached me.”

Philomena turned her pale face to stare at Lambert Longton.

Every time she blinked, her snow-covered eyelashes trembled.

“I remember so clearly what he said with a sigh to me as I sat collapsed.”

“…”

“Sister, is this the best you can do? Don’t you think about the family? Think about how much the family’s reputation will fall if this matter comes to light.”

When Philomena smiled slightly, something flowed down her cheek.

It was pitch-black tears, just like old blood.

“You know what, Lambert? You got it completely wrong.”

“Mmph! Mmph-!!”

“I thought about the family a lot. That’s all I thought about during the entire three years I was imprisoned in the William Estate.”

Her eyes slowly sank.

“What kind of trouble I could cause. How far I could bring down the damn Longton reputation with it.”

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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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