The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 183
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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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“I’m going to have it.”
Isabel, who had returned from meeting the physician, was resolute.
Theo sat silently in his chair with a stern expression.
“Think about it, dear. You said Crookiatus is getting weaker. Maybe it’s because of this baby.”
The more Michaeliann there are, the weaker Crookiatus becomes.
“I’ll give birth, and I’ll continue my research. I’ll find a way to seal Crookiatus.”
“What if you can’t find it?”
Then Theo interrupted her words.
“What are you planning to do if you can’t find it.”
Isabel closed her mouth.
Then she quietly looked at Theo and answered in a firm voice.
“…I will find it, without fail. You were also looking into your own methods, weren’t you?”
Theo clenched his fist beneath his clothes.
As Isabel said, Theo was also searching for a way to seal Crookiatus.
But the limits of what he could do were clear.
‘I could embrace Father and die together with him.’
He had recently discovered that theoretically, it was possible to draw and amplify power from the Heavenly Realm.
But no matter how much he searched, there was no scenario where only Crookiatus would die and Theo could survive.
His heart pounded heavily.
‘Maybe I was wrong after all.’
Self-loathing washed over him as he wondered what he had hoped to achieve by telling Isabel everything.
‘Not only did I drag Bell into this madness… now even a child.’
Fear and guilt engulfed his entire body.
The child to be born would live under threat for their entire life.
Perhaps they might become Crookiatus’s sacrifice before even understanding what that threat meant.
If his beloved wife and child were at that scene of massacre that Crookiatus always spoke of…
“Theo!”
Suddenly someone roughly grabbed and shook Theo’s shoulders.
Cold sweat trickled down his chin.
“Pull yourself together, you can’t be like this.”
Before Theo’s eyes, Isabel’s violet pupils shone with determination.
“This is something we’ve already discussed. It’s just come a little earlier than expected.”
His dry mouth stung.
Theo barely managed to calm his breathing.
As Isabel said, they had talked about it several times after moving to the cottage.
About their future and children.
Unlike Theo who was defensive, Isabel was always positive.
She had even said they could build a happy family with children when the right time came.
Wouldn’t it be nice to live peacefully together in a world without Crookiatus.
But Theo had always opposed it.
“I told you, Bell… I’m not normal.”
His low voice trembled uncontrollably.
“I can’t be a father. Because I’m a monster. If the child happens to resemble me…”
“You’re just an ordinary person. You’re just a little different from others, but in the end, you’re a person with emotions.”
But Isabel was firm.
“Think of your mother. I don’t know what your father was like, but your mother was just a person.”
She hugged Theo and slowly stroked his back.
“Just a person. Your mother was. Just a person who loved you dearly.”
The child was born after two more seasons had changed.
Silver hair.
Eyes that resembled both Theo and Isabel equally seemed like a pale violet, or perhaps an ivory color tinged with gold.
“Honey, it’s Annellia.”
Theo couldn’t take his eyes off the tiny hands moving restlessly as he heard Isabel’s voice.
“Call her name. She needs to hear your voice.”
But he couldn’t bring himself to part his lips.
The child seemed so small she might break just from having her name called.
“…I can’t do it.”
Just as he was about to hand the child back to Isabel.
“My goodness, she must already like daddy.”
His breath stopped at the touch of tiny fingers gripping one of his fingers tightly.
‘So small.’
The baby’s torso, limbs, and face were all so tiny.
Her adorable hands seemed like they would be smaller than a rye cookie even with all fingers spread.
Theo very slowly turned his gaze to the child’s face.
The child, no, Annellia, resembled Isabel and Theo exactly half and half.
Her large, round eyes resembled Isabel.
Her straight, well-shaped eyebrows resembled Theo.
Her nose was still too small and round to be certain who she resembled…
Something dropped onto the cloth wrapped around the child’s body.
Theo wiped his cheek with one hand.
Hot tears were flowing from his eyes.
“You…”
At Isabel’s surprised voice, Theo slowly wiped away his tears.
“…Father, no, Crookiatus has weakened.”
The magical device that had been attached to his wrist was glowing with a strange light.
It was a signal that the Magic Tower was summoning him.
“It’s because of Annellia.”
He nodded.
With this, another Michaeliann had been born into the world.
Crookiatus would have weakened once again, just as he had when Sharon Abner gave birth to Isabel.
“I don’t know how many days it will take. I’ll send Rico if there’s anything urgent.”
“Okay. Don’t worry about here and go.”
Theo carefully placed Annellia back in Isabel’s arms.
At the same time, someone entered the room carrying a basin full of hot water.
The old woman with a wrinkled face was named Marsha.
She was a midwife that Isabel had secretly hired from the city.
The old woman spoke to Isabel in sign language.
[Please give me the child.]
When Isabel handed over Annellia, the old woman skillfully began wiping the child’s face and body with a water-dampened cloth.
Theo watched the scene, then nodded farewell to Isabel before leaving the room.
When he arrived at the Magic Tower, a severely weakened Crookiatus was waiting for Theo.
[What is the meaning of this, Theo. Suddenly my body, my physical form…]
Crookiatus’s face, which had seemed to be regaining human form, had changed back to something terrible.
[My power has only weakened this suddenly when a new Michaeliann was born! Don’t tell me Isabel Abner gave birth to a child behind your back?]
Facing pupils trembling with rage, Theo shook his head.
“I’m not sure. However, it seems Isabel Abner has put some experiment into action.”
[An experiment? Is that the research she left the palace alone to devote herself to?]
“It seems to be an experiment to awaken Lasandra’s power sealed within the Michaeliann bloodline.”
A look of terror appeared in Crookiatus’s eyes.
He let out a long, gurgling sigh.
[Damn Michaeliann, damn Isabel Abner…]
Crookiatus, who had been trembling, soon staggered toward Theo.
[Is killing Isabel still at an impossible level?]
“Killing her is possible at any time. What I fear is a very small possibility that might exist.”
[Possibility, yes… We must not ignore any possibility. It was the same during the battle with Lasandra. I never thought that insignificant human would seal me…]
“I’m afraid of losing Father. If I were to harm Isabel Abner and somehow awaken something dormant within her.”
Crookiatus held his breath.
He remained silent for a long while before speaking through gritted teeth.
[Son, you’re right. Such a thing must not happen.]
Then he continued with an ominous voice.
[Theo, it seems the time has come for you to ascend to the position of Magtop Lord.]
Theo froze momentarily.
[I will conserve my strength in the Nest. Unlike me, you have a human appearance, so you’ll be able to exercise more authority as Magtop Lord.]
“…More authority, do you have something else you desire from humans?”
[Yes. Make deals in my place.]
Theo’s brow furrowed.
[Put humans in debt. Then when unpleasant matters arise in the future, there will be those who will lend strength to you and me.]
“Humans, to Father?”
[Yes, I recently heard some interesting information through my puppet.]
Crookiatus chuckled darkly.
[When I had just awakened from Lasandra’s seal, even before building the Magic Tower. Do you remember the story of how I made a deal with a human, putting my magic power into scales?]
Theo slowly nodded his head.
[That human’s descendant has apparently become the Empress of Taranta.]
Theo unconsciously held his breath.
He had heard that the Emperor of Taranta had taken an Empress.
But to think that Empress was a descendant of the House of Hunt that had made a deal with Crookiatus long ago.
[Perhaps we’ve gained reliable reinforcements when we least expected it. At times like this, I should lower my stance.]
Crookiatus, who had looked at Theo once, stroked his cheek with long claws.
[Tomorrow, register your name as the new Magtop Lord. Tell the world that the First Magtop Lord has died.]
Theo reluctantly nodded his head.
Afterward, he had to remain at the Magic Tower for some time.
At least Rico secretly conveyed stories about Isabel and Annellia.
‘Her eyes are just starting to follow me! Her face is getting whiter too, oh right. Lady Bell told me not to worry about her…’
Theo moved busily.
While adapting as the new Magtop Lord, he secretly searched for ways to seal Crookiatus.
But on the day he finally returned to the cottage.
What awaited Theo was an unexpected scene.
“…Isabel.”
Inside the house that had become a mess, Isabel lay collapsed, covered in blood.
Holding Annellia tightly in her arms.
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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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