The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 245

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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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“It doesn’t hurt at all, really!”

I pulled my wrist away from Grandmother and took a step back.

Then I continued rambling incoherently.

“The spots just spread a little, but there’s no pain at all. Lasandra said it would be fine, didn’t she?”

“How could it possibly be fine! You summoned thirty-two siege weapons across the entire Empire and other continents!”

“…Grandmother.”

“Do you know how shocked I was when I heard about some mana rampage or whatever? I couldn’t even tell Isabella the truth! I was worried she might collapse from shock, especially since she’s not alone!”

“…”

“I can’t compromise on this matter either. If you want to keep using your mana, go to the Marque Archipelago and take a rest period.”

Before I could even try to stop her, Grandmother left the room with those final words.

[That’s why you shouldn’t have summoned monuments on the Eastern Continent too. It would have been enough if you’d only done it in the places I told you about.]

As soon as the door closed, Lasandra revealed herself.

Lasandra wore a complicated expression that she rarely showed.

[If you had used just a little less power when summoning the siege weapons, the spots wouldn’t have spread that much… No, it would have happened anyway.]

I slumped down onto the sofa.

[Annellia. Your power is much stronger than I thought. Even when I did my best, I couldn’t handle it, so how much more so for others.]

“…”

[I really want to take your side whenever possible too. But this time, your grandmother is right.]

Lasandra looked at me with serious eyes.

[You need to rest, Annellia.]

I bit my lips tightly.

“Why did Crookiatus become so powerful in the first place?”

[…]

“I understand that he recovered inside the Nest, but does it make sense that he became stronger than before he was near death? It’s completely beyond common sense.”

Lasandra let out a sigh.

[Lord Ulgen has been looking into it. There was chaos when Euriko coughed up blood while fighting the demon beast.]

“…”

[A deity named Rikentia from the Heavenly Realm is helping Crookiatus. It seems she returned some of his sealed power to him.]

“Why? Crookiatus is a demon.”

[He’s a demon to you and me, but not to Rikentia. To that woman, Crookiatus is just a pitiful being who was granted divinity by her but was banished from the Heavenly Realm long ago.]

“What does that…!”

[I told you, didn’t I? Most gods except us have no interest in the Underworld at all. They don’t care whether you live or die.]

As I fell silent, having lost my words, Lasandra crossed her arms.

[Of course, there are ways. We just need to prevent Rikentia from helping Crookiatus.]

“How?”

[That’s where our role comes in. We could win over other gods to restrain that woman, or we could try a gentler approach. Persuasion or negotiation.]

I unconsciously frowned.

“So you’re saying we have no choice but to endure until then?”

[That’s right.]

My fists clenched unconsciously.

It was a lie that the spots didn’t hurt.

As soon as I got up, a stinging pain traveled from my side up to my shoulder.

Lasandra spoke in a subdued voice.

[It should get better in about two weeks. Until then, it’s best not to use demanding magic.]

“I just need to avoid using magic, right.”

[What?]

“If I have to rest while forced into hiding, I’ll complete that technique you couldn’t finish, Lasandra.”

Lasandra frowned.

[That won’t be so easy.]

Then she reluctantly nodded.

[If you insist on doing it, I won’t stop you. Using your brain won’t affect those spots.]

I left Grandmother’s office with heavy steps.

The next afternoon.

“Academy President, no, Princess!”

I widened my eyes at someone running toward me with a bright face.

“Don’t tell me you came out to meet me?”

With something enormous strapped to her arm that was obvious even at a glance, Shasha smiled brightly.

Father, who had been behind her, walked over and held something out.

“Annellia, put this on first.”

I widened my eyes at Lasandra’s ring in Father’s hand.

It was the ring Father had temporarily taken from me a few days ago, saying he needed to work on it.

“I’ve cast the most powerful concealment magic I can manage. While you’re wearing this, all traces of your mana will completely disappear. Even if it’s just a deception, it should be able to confuse Crookiatus. And…”

Father then removed the other ring that had been on his own finger.

“This one belonged to your mother.”

I stared blankly at the pair of rings placed on my palm.

Lasandra’s twin rings.

They were what Father and I had been sharing all this time.

“Never take them off while you’re at the Marque Archipelago.”

Father personally put one ring on my finger as he spoke.

I looked up at Father with a downcast expression.

“…It’s only ten days anyway. I’ll come back right after.”

“It doesn’t have to be exactly ten days. Once your body recovers sufficiently, check the situation here first and then return slowly.”

“I don’t understand.”

Father closed his mouth.

I faced Father.

“You’re deploying to the 3rd Gate tomorrow. Together with Awin and Uncle Rico.”

“…Because we’re short on troops.”

“Exactly. Everyone doesn’t care about their own bodies, so why do you only worry about me?”

My voice grew louder without realizing it.

“Master went to the battleground even though he can’t fight. He didn’t even tell me! But now Father and Awin are going too? Everyone acts so recklessly, so why do you only take care of me? What am I supposed to be…!”

At that moment, Father took my hand.

And he said quietly.

“Because everyone thinks they owe you their lives, or something more precious than that.”

I closed my mouth in a daze.

“And I’m your father. Of course I want you to be safe.”

My eyes stung at the hand stroking my head.

Father pulled me into a tight embrace.

“Annellia. Even Crookiatus can’t keep creating enormous amounts of demon beasts indefinitely. According to our predictions, the standoff will continue for the next two weeks.”

“…Does that mean the number of demon beasts has decreased?”

“There are still many, but compared to before, they have decreased. We’re gathering troops now to kill as many demon beasts as possible during the standoff.”

After Father separated from me, he tucked my hair behind my ear.

“What you’re worried about won’t happen. Everyone is much stronger than you think.”

“…”

“So recover first and then come back. Rather than you helping us by overexerting yourself, it’s much better for you to stay healthy even if you can’t help much.”

Tears finally fell from my eyes as I met Father’s golden gaze.

Seeing this, Shasha spoke in a determined tone.

“Don’t worry, Princess. I’ll protect you with this.”

Only then did I turn my head to look closely at Shasha’s condition.

Attached to Shasha’s previously mangled right arm was a strange device I had never seen before.

Father explained matter-of-factly.

“I attached the magic cannon as you wished. The problem was that it has good firepower but consumes an enormous amount of magic stones.”

Father looked at me and burst into a chuckle.

“It seems like it just works when you’re nearby.”

My eyes widened.

“Amazing, right? But it’s true.”

Shasha, who had spoken, approached me and said ‘Excuse me’ before placing the back of his hand against mine.

Then the device on his right arm began operating with a whirring sound.

“What in the world is this…”

“Isn’t this truly fate? It means I must stay by the Princess’s side to guard and protect you.”

I blinked blankly at Shasha, who was completely excited.

Shasha removed his hand from mine and proudly showed off his right arm.

“I already tested it at the battleground. Every time I fire, about ten demon beast heads go flying.”

Then he pretended to shoot something into the air and continued speaking.

“At first, His Highness Tian really disliked hearing that I would accompany the Princess. But after seeing my right arm’s performance, he immediately understood.”

Eventually, a deflated laugh escaped from my mouth as well.

I reluctantly smiled back at Shasha.

“…Alright. I’m counting on you, Shasha.”

The next day, a special teleportation circle designed directly by Father and Rico was set up in the ducal palace basement.

It was a device designed to prevent Crookiatus from tracking Mother and me.

“Don’t worry about things here and just focus on recovery.”

Grandmother held me tightly and couldn’t continue speaking for a while.

Mother and Father shared a brief kiss.

And so, we departed for the Marque Archipelago while several people watched.

We carried five boxes full of materials about the incomplete summoning circle that Lasandra had failed to complete.

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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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