The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 22

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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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Owen blinked his eyes in a daze.

“Look here! This part is the most important!”

An unbelievable scene was unfolding before his eyes.

“Oh, oh, you should see this too, Duke. This part as well.”

“…I told you. I can’t understand it anyway.”

Across the heavy reception room table sat the Duke of Abner, whom he had only heard about in stories.

Holding the reagent formula he had created in her hands.

The guard beside them, wearing a curious expression, asked.

“So you’re saying this is such an amazing formula?”

The child looked up as if frustrated.

“Of course! Annellia read all the basic and advanced magic books in the nursery, but there wasn’t a single design this excellent!”

Owen’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Instinctively, he sensed something was off.

Whether the child knew this or not, she continued chattering excitedly.

“It’s much more difficult than the magic stone purification formula I mentioned a few days ago, so it’s really amazing!”

“…Really?”

This time Duke Abner asked.

The child nodded vigorously.

Then she glanced back at Owen and pointed to a spot on the design.

“Actually, Annellia doesn’t understand from here onwards either. But I know this is a wonderful design.”

Owen’s expression hardened more than before.

‘She doesn’t understand?’

The part the child pointed to was exactly where the reagent design formula developed to the next stage.

If she truly didn’t understand, she wouldn’t be able to point it out like that.

While he was staring at the child, a calm voice reached his ears.

“Viscount Dennis, was it?”

Owen quickly raised his head.

And answered tensely.

“Yes. Owen Dennis.”

“You were waiting for me in front of the manor.”

His throat tightened at the unexpected situation.

Right now, he was inside Abner Manor.

He thought he would be blocked by the guards and never get to meet the Duke.

But thanks to that little kid dragging him inside, he was able to enter safely.

He tried to maintain his composure as he answered.

“That’s correct.”

“What was your business? Is it related to this design?”

Gulp. He swallowed.

The hope he had almost abandoned flickered like a thin flame.

If he explained the situation based on that design, he might be able to borrow 1 billion tera.

Then he could save the dying Awin.

Owen steadied his breathing and parted his trembling lips.

“Yes. Actually, I…”

“Master wants to work for the Abner Family!”

At that moment, the child cheerfully interrupted him.

Owen looked at the child with a bewildered expression.

The silver-haired little one approached him with quick steps.

Then she smiled brightly and said.

“Master said so earlier while coming up the stairs. That you wanted to get a job with the Abner Family and make reagents.”

“…Why am I your master? And when did I ever…”

Then the child poked his shin.

Looking at her face, she was forcing a smile while rolling her eyes around as if sending him some kind of signal.

‘What is this kid doing?’

The child was small.

Her height didn’t even reach his waist, and her pale face was round with baby fat.

She seemed to be trying to speak clearly, but her pronunciation slipped every time she spoke.

“Huh? But Annellia definitely heard it! Master saying you came with an excellent design to work for the Abner Family!”

Poke.

Again, the child poked his shin.

Owen kept his mouth shut, then reluctantly nodded.

“…That’s, right.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the child scurried back to Duke Abner.

Then she began speaking passionately, stretching out her small arms and legs.

“Wow, Duke! Congratulations!”

“…For what?”

“You told me! That the Abner Family values smart people!”

The child hopped up and down while pointing to herself.

“But by real coincidence, another really smart person came to the Abner Family! Much smarter than Annellia! I think he could even become a Mage Tower master?!”

Her sparkling eyes wouldn’t leave him.

“Sister Miel and Sister Soya said they would introduce a teacher. But Annellia wants to learn from this master… what should I do?”

A short sigh escaped Owen’s lips.

The child seemed like she was alone on a theater stage.

“It’s not easy to meet such a perfect master. Annellia is so smart, this seems like an opportunity from heaven…”

“…”

Duke Abner looked at the guard beside her.

The guard met her gaze.

How long did the awkward silence continue?

“Magic stone purification formula. Do you know it?”

A calm question was heard.

Owen looked at Duke Abner in surprise at the sudden question.

But soon nodded.

“I know it.”

“You look young. Where did you learn it?”

“On the back of the documents, there are several papers I wrote when completing the gifted program at the Academy of Pharmacy.”

Sharon Abner nodded.

Then she placed his design on the table.

“The child? Do you know how to teach?”

Owen was flustered.

Do you know how to teach a child?

However, after looking at the silver-haired little one once, he nodded.

“…I have a younger sibling of similar age.”

“I see.”

Though it was a conversation without clear context, Duke Abner stood up from her seat.

As if this was enough.

“Wendel. Go tell Roger to prepare the Underground Research Lab.”

After giving orders to the guard, she looked at him.

“I can’t assign you an assistant. There are no other researchers either. It’s hard to hire scholars right now, so you’ll have to push yourself a bit.”

“…What do you mean.”

“Plus, if you’re going to teach this little one, time will be tight too.”

Duke Abner slowly approached.

Then, passing by his side, I patted his frozen shoulders.

“However, I’ll let you conduct your personal research to your heart’s content. Feel free to manufacture all the reagents you brought. It would be even better if you could make money from them.”

“….”

“The funding is… for now, about 2 billion tera.”

Owen’s pupils dilated greatly.

It was twice the amount he had needed.

“Well then, I’m counting on you.”

With those final words, the Duke left the reception room without hesitation.

The guard called Wendel followed behind him.

Owen stood there dazed before turning his gaze to the unidentified child.

The child was sneakily trying to follow the guard out of the reception room.

“…Hey, you.”

The child stopped in place and looked back at him with an awkward smile.

“Yes? What is it, Master?”

“Ha.”

Owen let out a sigh and lowered his posture.

Then, grabbing the child’s shoulders, he asked seriously.

“Annellia, was it?”

“Um, yes.”

“Was it really true? That dark mages still exist in the Empire.”

“….”

“I heard dark mages can freely change their appearance. They can take the form of an old man or a child.”

“Uh….”

Owen’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“Are you a dark mage after all?”

“….”

Silence fell over the reception room.

Owen watched as the smile that had been hovering around the child’s lips disappeared.

Soon the child rolled her eyes and let out a small sigh.

“Master. Why are you being like this.”

Owen’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“…What?”

The bright, sparkling eyes now held a somewhat sullen light.

“Didn’t you want to save your younger brother?”

“What?! I become the Mage Tower Master at thirty?”

Owen’s whispered exclamation echoed softly in the reception room.

“Yes.”

“And Awin… dies?”

“That’s what they say.”

Owen’s pupils shook aimlessly.

“And the reason you know this is….”

“I told you. I regressed.”

“That’s impossible.”

I narrowed my eyes at Owen.

“Why are you surprised? You were already suspicious.”

I briefly explained to Owen what had happened so far.

I had various thoughts about it.

I pointed to Owen’s simplified diagram.

“You realized I understood this, didn’t you?”

I had noticed Owen’s suspicious gaze from early on.

I had even anticipated that he might interrogate me so openly like this.

“I had a hard time getting into the Abner family. Even though I became the Duke’s ward, I don’t know when I might be kicked out. People’s hearts change frequently.”

Owen’s mouth closed.

“Well, it’s actually fine if I get kicked out. But I don’t want to be kicked out when I’m too young. I want to be protected by a stable family until I’m about ten years old.”

“….”

“For that to happen, I need to be genuinely helpful to the Abner family, but what can I do with this body?”

When I stretched out both arms to show my small hands, Owen’s expression became serious.

After pondering for a while, he frowned.

“Why don’t you tell the truth?”

Then he lowered his voice.

“What makes you trust me enough to confess all this? What if I go and spill this to someone?”

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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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