The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 235

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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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Exactly two hours later.

“Aaaahhh…!”

When about the twenty-sixth scream burst from my mouth as I walked down the street, Tian stopped.

He pulled me into an alley where there were fewer people and took off his hood.

“Annellia. Are you really okay?”

I barely managed to nod my head.

“Y-yes, of course…”

But my gaze was still anxiously scanning the outfits of people passing by the alley.

From people covered head to toe in bright red liquid, to people wearing fake organs sewn from cloth attached to their bodies.

Even people wearing taxidermied wolf or bear heads on top of their necks.

“W-well, it’s all fake anyway…”

Tian, who had been looking down at me with worried eyes, shook his head.

“This won’t work.”

I stared blankly at Tian walking toward a nearby stall.

On the stall were pretty cat masks that looked handmade, lined up in a row.

“Tian, what are you doing?”

I approached and asked, but Tian quickly bought two masks, one black and one white, then grabbed my hand.

“You’re becoming more of a target because you’re walking around with your face exposed.”

My eyes widened at those words.

Come to think of it, the people who really became targets were mostly those who weren’t in costume.

Tian put the white cat mask on my face and said,

“If they can’t see your expression when they scare you, it’s no fun. This should be better.”

When I looked up, Tian was also wearing the black cat mask.

“But you’re wearing one too?”

“I need to cover my face anyway.”

After answering, Tian took off the long robe he was wearing.

He wrapped it around my body, then pulled up the hood attached to the back before saying,

“This should be fine.”

“But what about you? Your sword sheath is all visible, and your uniform is really fancy… What if people recognize you?”

“They’ll think it’s a costume. I saw about thirty people dressed as royalty on the way here.”

“Hmm…”

But I still couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

Looking at Tian, it seemed like he would draw even more attention from passersby rather than less.

‘How can he be so handsome even with his face covered?’

Though his face wasn’t visible because of the mask, Tian’s body was perfect enough to catch anyone’s eye at first glance.

His firm-looking neck and shoulders, his sculpted chest and back.

Even his two legs that stretched out so long it seemed impossible.

I met Tian’s eyes and said worriedly,

“I think people will stare even more because you’re too handsome.”

“That’s nothing compared to how pretty you are.”

“Wh-what?”

Tian chuckled softly and took my hand the next moment.

Then he went out of the alley and instantly joined the procession of people.

After walking a few steps, Tian bent down and whispered quietly,

“See? It’s fine, right?”

I reluctantly nodded my head.

As Tian said, once I put on the mask, passersby no longer targeted me.

“Then let’s go to the apothecary shop first.”

Instead of answering, I followed Tian closely.

Tian had been protectively wrapping his arms around both my shoulders since a little while ago.

Soon, at the end of the street, I could see the apothecary shop I always visit whenever I come to the Imperial Capital.

“Oh! We can go there. Mom and my teacher boil so many things that the glass needs to be heat-resistant.”

We passed by a fancy carriage parked in front of the shop and went inside.

The sound of bellows filled my ears, and the smell of dust and burning wood reached my nose.

“That must have been stuffy.”

After confirming no one was around, Tian immediately took off my hood and mask.

Then he tucked the stray hairs behind my ears and said,

“Let’s take our time looking. We still have quite a while before the play.”

I nodded and walked past Tian toward where the thin, long test tubes were displayed.

Then I exclaimed with sparkling eyes,

“Look at this, Tian! They sell test tubes in this shape these days. They’d be really suitable for experiments with multiple distillation processes.”

“Doesn’t your mother mainly do those kinds of experiments?”

“That’s right. Just in case, I should buy about a box of these. Tian, could you help me carry this…”

That’s when I turned around, pointing at the box.

“Crown Prince?”

Suddenly, a calm and clear voice echoed through the shop.

When I turned my gaze, someone was standing at the other end of the shop.

The blue eyes looking at us curved prettily.

“I wasn’t mistaken after all. I greet the small sun of the Empire.”

I closed my mouth with a blank expression.

A tall, impressive height.

Cool and deep-set eyes.

Shining golden straight hair and a neatly worn white dress.

“I must be lucky today. I didn’t expect to see Lady Abner as well…”

The day of the coming-of-age party.

Bloz Nancia, the very person who had grabbed Tian’s wrist and dragged him to the back of the party venue, smiled brightly.

“Are you two out to see the festival?”

“My goodness, I’m so happy and delighted to see you. We haven’t had much chance to meet lately.”

I reluctantly nodded while looking at Bloz, who was smiling as brightly as a flower.

“I suppose that’s true.”

Bloz’s eyebrows drooped.

“Actually, I was hoping Princess would be at every gathering I attended. But you were rarely there…”

“My social foundation is a bit weak.”

Bloz’s eyes widened.

“Pardon?”

“You know. How I went around fighting with everyone since I was little. So maybe that’s why it’s difficult to get close to everyone as if nothing happened.”

Confusion immediately spread across Bloz’s face.

It was natural.

What I had just said was practically forbidden talk in current high society.

Until it was revealed that I was Abner’s real daughter, I was always good prey to be torn apart in high society.

Starting with Bella when I was five, Christine who called me a mongrel, and so on.

There were countless young nobles who had conflicts with me.

Bloz hesitantly opened her mouth.

“I’m sorry, Princess… Those young ladies must surely be regretting it now.”

“Just because they regret it doesn’t mean the emotional wounds I received back then disappear, does it? I was completely just a little kid then.”

When I drooped my eyebrows, Bloz blinked as if flustered.

I grabbed Tian’s sleeve next to me and shook it.

“Right, Tian? I was really pitiful back then. It’s only because I was so strong and mature, but if it had been another child, they definitely wouldn’t have been able to handle the emotional trauma.”

Tian silently placed his hand over mine.

When I turned my gaze, I saw Bloz staring intently at our clasped hands.

‘Bloz Nancia.’

Perfect reputation, and beautiful enough to be counted among the top five in the Empire.

Bloz even had such a gentle disposition that her name had come up multiple times as a Crown Princess candidate.

‘She’s also the young lady most likely to actually become Crown Princess if Tian and I break off our engagement.’

I shook off the strange feeling that had somehow crept over me and looked at Bloz.

Then I asked directly.

“What did the Dowager Empress say to you?”

Bloz’s eyes widened slightly.

“Pardon?”

“You know, don’t you? You must have already met and spoken with the Dowager Empress.”

“I don’t know what you mean…”

“The Crown Princess candidate the Dowager Empress has her eye on is you. Did you not know?”

Bloz closed her mouth.

Her eyes looked back and forth between Tian’s and my face, lost and confused.

Soon her pale cheeks flushed slightly, and Bloz spoke.

“…I know.”

“Right? Did the Dowager Empress tell you that we would be breaking off our engagement soon?”

Bloz looked at me intently, then answered calmly.

“Actually, yes. She hinted to me alone that your engagement was a contract marriage.”

I unconsciously closed my mouth.

‘…I had a feeling.’

I already knew well that the Dowager Empress didn’t approve of Tian’s and my engagement.

But I hadn’t known she was sharing the entire situation with Bloz like this.

I was searching for words to say when—

“I… I know you might think I’m overstepping, but Princess.”

Bloz spoke carefully.

Her blue eyes were filled with worry.

“Since it’s come up, I’d like to ask. When might you be able to break off the engagement?”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m asking when the Crown Prince and I might be able to have formal marriage discussions.”

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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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