The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 200

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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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Kanaelle took a sharp breath.

I continued speaking.

“From the moment you enter the Imperial Palace, you’ll lie about having a terminal illness. Karin won’t suspect anything. She’s the one who used the poison herself.”

[Right! Then she’ll let her guard down? At the crucial moment, she might think I’ll die on my own without her having to lift a finger!]

“Exactly. And that method could actually be used in practice too.”

[In practice?]

“If the situation becomes dangerous, use your health as an excuse to return to Victor’s Territory. After that, announce that you died.”

That way, Kanaelle would be able to stay safe from the Empress.

But asking a perfectly healthy person to pretend to be dead did feel a bit concerning.

“But the most important thing is what you want to do! If you don’t like it…”

[Lia! Your idea is so good! Then everyone in the world will think I’m dead?]

“Um…?”

[I’ve always wanted to try something like this! You know that fairy tale, right? About the rich man who pretended to be dead to filter out his real friends!]

Kanaelle chattered in a completely excited voice.

[The more I think about it, the more fun it sounds! I’ll do it, I’ll do it right away!]

[Ahem, Kanaelle. Even so, you should discuss it with the family…]

[Father, I nearly died and came back to life. You saw how much I suffered.]

I could hear Kanaelle bickering with Duke Victor through the communication stone.

[This incident taught me something. You never know what will happen in life. I never thought the wet nurse who cared for me for 16 years would be so easily bought off, that she would even use poison on me…]

Kanaelle’s voice dropped slightly.

She soon continued with determination.

[Anyway, from now on I want to live doing everything I want to do and enjoying everything I want to enjoy. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime existence, so I’ll get my revenge too.]

A small smile unconsciously spread across my lips.

I learned about Kanaelle’s poisoning incident the day before the hunting event began.

“There was also an incident where Duke Victor’s daughter was poisoned.”

Right after hearing the news from Tian, I instinctively had a hunch.

That Karin was behind it all.

Originally, I planned to investigate in detail after finishing the first day of hunting, but I couldn’t.

Because on the first day of hunting, a black magic incident occurred in the forest.

I stepped on the ritual altar that day and collapsed, then had to lie in bed for a whole month afterward.

After waking up, I had no time to spare because I had to visit the Magic Tower where Crookiatus was.

The situation was finally sorted out a week ago.

Around the time when the engagement talk with Tian ended and we began planning how to hold the engagement ceremony.

“Grandmother. Is there any way to reach Duke Victor?”

I immediately began looking for ways to contact Kanaelle.

However, after Kanaelle was poisoned, the House of Victor had locked their doors tight and wasn’t communicating with anyone.

It was natural, considering their beloved second daughter had ended up in such a state.

“I absolutely must find them. I can make medicine to treat Duke Victor’s second daughter.”

But I didn’t give up.

There were several reasons for this.

First, the problem was that I had become Tian’s fiancée.

The Crown Princess position was one that Kanaelle ultimately couldn’t obtain even after being poisoned.

But if I took that position relatively easily, the House of Victor might turn against Abner.

Also, Kanaelle’s health itself was a problem.

‘If it had been someone else, I wouldn’t have cared this much.’

But somehow Kanaelle’s situation was similar to mine from my previous life.

In that we both experienced poisoning incidents orchestrated by someone else at sixteen and seventeen respectively.

After investigating for several days, I was able to find an answer from an unexpected person.

“Duke Victor’s house? Isn’t that in the eastern part of the Empire? I think Lulu went that way.”

As soon as Ann heard my story, she recalled where Lulu, who had been the youngest at the orphanage, was adopted.

After that, everything proceeded quickly.

With Wendel’s help, we were able to contact Lulu’s adoptive parents,

‘And it turned out those people were longtime friends of Duke Victor.’

I immediately sent medicine to treat Kanaelle through Lulu.

Duke Victor, who received the medicine through Lulu, gave it to Kanaelle.

Trusting Lulu and her parents, he temporarily set aside his suspicions about me.

‘If we had been even a few weeks later, treatment would have been difficult.’

However, thanks to the medicine’s components matching well with Kanaelle’s constitution, the effects appeared immediately.

Kanaelle, who could speak again, immediately contacted our family.

It was a message thanking us for sending the medicine and expressing gratitude that we were their benefactors.

[Lia, I’ll definitely do it. I owe you so much already.]

Kanaelle’s voice brought me back to my senses.

[What should I do? While serving as Empress Karin’s maid, I mean.]

When I first sent medicine to Kanaelle, I hadn’t predicted this situation.

‘Whatever happened, I just hoped Kanaelle would recover her health.’

But who knew Empress Karin would set up such a scheme on her own.

I cleared my throat and spoke.

“There will be something like a ritual altar at the Hunt Family, the Empress’s maternal family.”

[A ritual altar?]

“I can’t go into details, but Empress Karin will perform some kind of ritual at that altar within a few weeks at the shortest, or a few months at the longest.”

The other side of the communication stone became quiet.

I could feel that everyone, including Kanaelle, was seriously listening to my words.

“I need someone who can find out what Empress Karin does there.”

[I see. It’s perfect work for a maid.]

“Honestly, yes.”

If Kanaelle became the Empress’s maid, the Empress would take Kanaelle everywhere.

By now, Karin would be desperately needing a new subordinate she could handle easily.

[I’ll do it, Lia.]

Kanaelle answered from the other side in a determined voice.

[Don’t worry about anything. So we’ll meet at your engagement ceremony?]

I finally nodded.

“Yes, that’s right.”

[Then let’s plan to see each other that day.]

Kanaelle gave a brief farewell and ended the communication without hesitation.

I stared at the communication stone whose light had gone out for a moment, then placed it on the nightstand.

‘I owe you so much already.’

Kanaelle’s words echoed in my ears.

‘Until I was five, I think this kind of thing made me really uncomfortable.’

Back then, I was always busy trying to survive.

Naturally, all these various relationships that formed around me only felt awkward.

‘When someone was kind to me, I would be suspicious of their kindness, and when someone hated me, I would be suspicious of their hatred.’

But now it was different.

Without even realizing it myself, I seemed to have changed somewhere along the way.

“Annellia, may I come in? His Grace is looking for you. He says dinner preparations are all finished.”

A small knock could be heard from outside the door.

I quickly got up from my seat.

When I went outside, Ann was standing there with Wendel.

“You seemed to be talking for quite a while, who was it?”

I pondered for a moment, then answered with a giggle.

“A friend! A new friend I made.”

Ann’s eyes widened, but she soon smiled brightly.

“There’s nothing better than a friend.”

We soon reached the Kitchen.

Even before opening the door, loud noises could be heard from inside.

“Mom, this tastes terrible. This really tastes so bad, you know?”

“Then you should have done it yourself! While this old mother was cooking, you just stood there with your hands behind your back watching, and now you’re giving such harsh reviews?”

“If something tastes bad, what else am I supposed to say other than it tastes bad…”

When Wendel opened the door, the scene inside finally came into view.

They said dinner preparations were finished, but the Dining Room was in complete chaos.

On the table without even a tablecloth, there was a huge loaf of bread.

“If it tastes so bad, why do you keep tearing off pieces of bread? I haven’t finished spreading the cream yet!”

I let out a small laugh watching Grandmother trying to put white cream on what appeared to be a cake base, and Lady Isabel beside her constantly tearing off pieces of bread.

Everyone immediately turned to look at me.

“Annellia! Come sit down quickly.”

Lady Isabel approached with a bright face.

Theo silently pulled out a chair for me.

“What’s with the sudden cake?”

As I sat down and asked, Grandmother squeezed cream onto the bread and said.

“Before leaving for the Imperial Capital, we should celebrate at least once at the Duke’s Castle.”

Seeing me with wide eyes, Grandmother smiled.

“A celebration of everyone being reunited.”

At those words, I unconsciously opened my mouth slightly.

Grandmother gazed at me like that and continued with satisfaction.

“Thank you, Annellia.”

“…”

“I didn’t expect to see El again before I died. Or that I could be this happy.”

I could see Theo wrapping his arms around Lady Isabel’s shoulders.

“You are like a gift to me.”

At those last words, something stung below my throat.

“…Me too.”

I answered quietly after a long while.

“Hm?”

Grandmother, Theo and Lady Isabel.

Miel and Soya standing near the Kitchen entrance, and even the Head Chef.

“It’s not all over yet, but… having family… all together like this makes me happy.”

When I turned my head, I could see Lady Isabel burying her face in Theo’s embrace.

Hearing the soft sobbing that followed, I bravely wiped the corners of my eyes.

“Let’s do it together!”

And I ran to Grandmother’s side and picked up the remaining cream container.

Grandmother’s eyes curved gently.

“Yes. Let’s do it all together.”

“…”

“From now on, everything.”

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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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