The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 208

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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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“Stop right there.”

On the table after dinner was finished.

Colorful small stones were placed on a cloth marked with various patterns.

Father’s gaze sharpened.

“What was that just now?”

Mother gave an awkward smile.

“Hm? What?”

“The number 3 stone. I think I saw you sneakily taking it to your deck.”

“I saw it too!”

I quickly stepped forward.

And pointed at Grandmother as I spoke.

“I saw Grandmother subtly pushing it toward Mother too! This mother-daughter fraud team!”

“Ahem!”

Grandmother coughed loudly and glanced at Father and me.

“I, I must have made a mistake. My eyes are getting dim with age.”

“Mother-in-law. For someone with dim eyesight, you accurately shot a rabbit’s eye across the river two days ago.”

“Well, I can see things far away clearly! The problem is I can’t see things up close…”

“I also saw you reading every night and cleaning the gaps in your quiver.”

“Ahem-!”

Grandmother finally put down the stones she was holding onto the board.

“Fine, fine. I forfeit!”

The corners of Father’s mouth lifted very slightly.

Mother, who had been watching this, cried out as if wronged.

“Why are you and Annellia both so competitive? If you’ve won five games in a row, you could lose one on purpose!”

“Eh? Mother, that’s not right! A game where you lose on purpose isn’t a real game.”

“Annellia is right. You shouldn’t try to win by using underhanded methods, Bel.”

Father and I looked at each other and giggled.

“Of course.”

Grandmother, who had been leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed, muttered.

Then she looked out the window where darkness had fallen and added.

“You need to win and lose in moderation to make fighting worthwhile. Come to think of it, if even a simple game is like this.”

Grandmother’s eyes turned toward the three of us.

“Karin won’t have any fun at the end. It seems the Dowager Empress is slowly preparing for the Second Prince’s paternity test.”

A serious atmosphere immediately descended on the table.

Mother, who had pushed the game board to one side, spoke up.

“Speaking of which, the atmosphere at the Academy of Pharmacy has been unusual lately too.”

Academy of Pharmacy.

The Empire’s prestigious research institution operated under Imperial supervision.

“A large number of scholars who were usually close to Karin have resigned. They were all scholars who received research funding from the Hunt Family.”

I made an “ah” sound.

“I know about that. It’s because Etian Hunt and Karin Empress’s relationship has gotten bad lately.”

Everyone’s attention focused on me.

“Victor’s Daughter says that Etian Hunt is gradually stopping the support he used to provide to Karin behind the scenes.”

Grandmother frowned.

“By Victor’s Daughter, you mean the maid you planted on Karin’s side, right? She’s been working as our spy for over 7 years now.”

“That’s right, Kanaele Victor. The ritual altar is also in its final stages, so I’m planning to fake her death soon and extract her from the Imperial Palace.”

“Good thinking. It’s obvious how much Karin will rampage once the full-scale paternity test begins.”

Grandmother looked at me.

“By the way, is the bad relationship between Etian Hunt and Karin because of the evil dragon’s scale?”

“That’s right.”

Instead of answering, I looked at Father.

Father knew more about this part than I did.

Father opened his mouth.

“Crookiatus is currently in a dormant state. Simply put, he has no consciousness and only his heart is beating.”

“But?”

Instead of answering, Father brought back the game board that Mother had pushed aside.

And he flipped it over to show the clean side.

“What Crookiatus made with the first Hunt was a contract based on sorcery. There’s a central connection network, and through that network they can exchange things with each other.”

I watched Father arrange colorful stones on the board.

Between two yellow stones, one black and glossy black stone was placed.

“That connection network is the ritual altar in the Longton Duchy Basement.”

At the same time, Kanaelle’s reports that I had heard echoed in my mind.

“The carved patterns are incredibly complex, but it’s not really a large altar. Karin first cuts her palm to draw blood, and when that blood touches it, the altar’s sorcery glows and begins to react.”

“While the first Hunt directly met Crookiatus to make a contract, his descendants are merely ordinary humans. For such people to reach an evil god through sorcery is not an easy task.”

“The problem is that even when the altar seems to activate, it shuts off again within a few minutes.”

“But for some reason, Karin knew how to use the scale. She knew how to communicate with Crookiatus through the altar and even how to charge dark magic.”

“This time when she went, she made a fuss for hours. She bled so much her face turned blue, but even then she kept drawing blood trying to activate the altar.”

“But the important thing is that at this point in time, all those actions are useless.”

Father placed one of the yellow stones on the floor with a thud.

“Because Crookiatus isn’t in a state to respond to calls.”

Father’s golden eyes glinted sharply.

“Until Crookiatus revives, Karin will never be able to charge the scale. No matter how many times she tries, the result will be the same.”

“That must be why Etian Hunt is pressuring Karin.”

Grandmother added.

“Karin and the Hunt ducal family have been in a perfect symbiotic relationship until now.”

Grandmother was right.

Karin from her family the Hunt ducal family, the Hunt ducal family from Karin who was the Empire’s Empress.

The two had been helping each other and coexisting for a long time.

“She’s a woman who used sorcery as she pleased until the scale’s magic ran out. There’s no way Etian Hunt didn’t know. He either turned a blind eye knowing, or sometimes encouraged sorcery for his own benefit.”

“But 7 years ago, at the blessing ceremony, she used up all the scale’s power trying to target Tian.”

Grandmother nodded.

“It feels like yesterday when Karin had complete control over the Imperial Palace. Back then, I never dreamed that everything was achieved based on forbidden sorcery.”

Grandmother’s voice became even lower.

“I never expected that Jayden would be involved in it.”

Silence fell over the table once again.

“Roger told me. The days when Jayden is given sleeping medication are increasing. That boy has maintained the same intensity for 7 years.”

“…”

“What has he done well.”

Mother silently clasped Grandmother’s hand.

I quietly lowered my gaze.

‘Jayden. You’re still rebelling fiercely these days.’

7 years ago, right after the Magic Tower collapsed.

Grandmother returned to the Duke’s Castle and first confined Jayden.

“Until the day you properly pay for your crimes. Don’t even dream of leaving the West Wing.”

Grandmother completely renovated the West Wing that Jayden had been using.

She installed magic mirrors in every room and corridor, making thorough preparations to prevent any possibility of escape.

Since a large number of mage scholars were staying at the palace at the time, the West Wing renovation proceeded quickly and perfectly.

The problem was Jayden.

“What do you think will change by locking me up here?! Do you really think it will?!”

Grandmother told Jayden that if he stayed quiet, she would guarantee him freedom at least within the West Wing.

But there was no way Jayden would follow those words obediently.

“Just kill me instead. It would be better for Mother to kill me, wouldn’t it? Otherwise, whenever I see them, whoever I can get my hands on. I’ll kill them first.”

In the end, skilled guards and knights were stationed on each floor of the West Wing, and even in each room.

Everyone had to carry anesthetic magic tools in preparation for emergency situations.

‘Jayden kept biting his tongue so much that we even had to station a physician there…’

The West Wing was noisy every day until Father came up with the idea to just use sleeping pills to put him to sleep.

“It’s almost over now. Once Karin’s atrocities are revealed, that bastard will also pay for his crimes.”

Grandmother muttered.

“Whether he’s executed in front of the Empire’s citizens, or whatever else happens.”

Grandmother’s eyes became slightly moist.

“When that time comes, it will all be over.”

“This should be enough for the official document. We can finalize it like this and send it to each household.”

Dowager Empress Alexandra placed the gold-decorated paper on the table.

Immediately, six Chief Justices bowed their heads before her.

“We obey your command, Your Majesty the Dowager Empress.”

The clearly written text on the paper reflected the light.

Emergency Council Meeting Attendance Request

– Regarding the Discussion of Prince Adrian’s Qualifications and Dethronement

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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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