The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 247
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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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“A field army unit has been formed to search for Crookiatus’s main body?”
[Yeah. Your father took command. Rico seems to have gone there too.]
“…It’s not dangerous work, is it?”
[It depends on the situation. It’s essentially a rear unit. They’re tracking Crookiatus’s traces with detectors and various magical tools.]
My grip tightened on the communication stone.
Awin continued as if to reassure me.
[Don’t worry too much. The number of demon beasts has clearly decreased for now, so it should be fine.]
But the anxiety wouldn’t easily disappear.
“…I understand. Thank you, Brother Awin.”
After ending the communication, I eventually let out a deep sigh.
‘They’re going to chase Crookiatus’s main body.’
Though I was worried, it was actually not a bad plan.
It was certain that Crookiatus was behind the demon beasts.
“…I wonder if mine and Mother’s presence is properly hidden.”
Muttering to myself, I paced around the already messy room.
Well, if they had noticed we were in the Marque Kingdom, there would have been an attack already.
But for the two days we’d been in the kingdom, the sea had remained peaceful.
I rubbed my throbbing temples and walked toward the small desk covered with parchments.
The room the kingdom provided was in an old cottage located a bit away from the palace.
‘They said they’d hide our presence here as much as possible just in case.’
Though old, the cottage was full of warm and cozy atmosphere.
The room assigned to me also had everything it needed – a bed, desk, and even a small drawer.
Of course, it was a bit small.
“Annellia, may I come in?”
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
When I opened it, Mother was smiling with her bright face.
“How’s the research going?”
“Mm, not bad.”
Mother came into the room.
Then she sat in the chair by the window and said,
“Someone from the royal palace came by earlier. They said one more person will be coming to this cottage.”
My eyes widened.
“One more person? Who could it be?”
“I don’t know the details either. They said it’s a princess from the Eastern Continent Union… seems like she’s taking refuge for similar reasons as us.”
I narrowed my eyes and frowned.
‘If it’s the Union, that’s the side that won the unification war when we were young.’
Unlike the Taranta Empire completely controlling the Western Continent,
The Eastern Continent had countless tribes and kingdoms.
The Northern Region was barren land undergoing desertification, so mainly small tribes and settlements existed there.
The Barkin Tribe where Euriko was located was also in that region.
In contrast, the south was quite fertile compared to the north.
Perhaps because of this, large and small kingdoms in the south had always been struggling for power.
The reason the unification war broke out when I was young was precisely because of this.
‘Fortunately, the Allied Forces won thanks to the weapons we supported.’
After the war ended, the Allied Forces bound several kingdoms together and named it the ‘Union.’
Since then, they had been operating under a parliamentary system after distributing the power of each king.
“Aren’t there quite a few Union princesses? I know there are at least over ten.”
“Mother heard that too. If you include the princes, there are over thirty. I don’t know which one is coming, but anyway, one of them has taken refuge here.”
I nodded quietly.
If someone knew the Marque Archipelago was safe, it meant their intelligence network was fast.
It must be a princess from a powerful family within the Union parliament.
‘I probably don’t need to be on guard, but…’
“When are they coming?”
Just in case, I asked, and Mother frowned.
“Well, seeing as they said she arrived earlier than expected, maybe this afternoon…”
“Ta-da, I’m here now!”
Just then, someone poked their head through the open door.
Mother and I stared wide-eyed at the woman entering the room.
Bright red hair reaching down to her waist.
A remarkably beautiful face and clothing far too casual for a princess.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Tia! Isn’t it too hot here? The air is so sticky.”
The princess who introduced herself as Tia approached me while fanning herself with her hand.
And then,
“By the way, I really wanted to meet you. I’ve heard so, so much about you.”
The next moment, she grabbed my hand tightly.
I looked down at my hand caught by Tia with a bewildered expression.
Contrary to her words about it being hot, Tia’s hand was somehow cool.
“This place is pretty. Though it is muggy.”
Tia, lying sprawled on the long garden chair, said.
I replied lightly.
“Isn’t the Southern Continent quite hot too? You must be sensitive to heat.”
Tia slightly raised her body and stared at me.
“Very much so. Enduring heat has been torture since I was young.”
“I hate the heat too. I can endure cold well, but I can’t handle heat.”
“…Oh my. Did you just drop formalities with me?”
I nodded.
“Is that not okay? I thought it was fine since you dropped them first, Princess.”
Now that my marriage to Tian had been announced, I was practically in a position comparable to a Union princess.
Though I said that, Tia’s mouth fell slightly open.
“My goodness, you’re incredibly interesting!”
I replied lightly to the giggling Tia.
“You’re interesting too, Princess.”
Tia got up from her seat, approached me, and sat next to me with a bright smile.
“Were you angry that I entered your room without permission earlier?”
“Not particularly. Though I wasn’t pleased either.”
“I’m sorry. I grew up a bit unusually, so I’m sometimes rude. That’s not my true nature though.”
Tia glanced at the parchment I was holding in my hand.
“As an apology, shall I help you if you need it?”
I narrowed my eyes, then stared at Tia with a curious expression.
“Can you read magic formulas?”
“Need you ask.”
Tia took the parchment from my hand with just enough force to not be unpleasant.
Then she began reading while making “hmm” sounds.
After turning pages for a while, she muttered as if finding it interesting.
“It would be quite fun once completed.”
“In what way?”
“You’re trying to neutralize curse-type demon beasts with this, aren’t you? It’s a Beholder summoning formula. A curse-purifying Beholder at that.”
I kept my mouth shut, hiding my surprised expression.
‘…She’s right?’
Tia’s words about being able to read magic formulas weren’t a lie.
She even knew exactly what I was trying to create.
Perhaps reading my expression, Tia smiled slightly.
“Don’t look at me like that. I just know how to read some ancient language. The rest was just guesswork.”
But I couldn’t easily look away from Tia.
Even if it was just guesswork, this was remarkable.
This summoning circle was a technique that Lasandra, the world’s strongest mage, had personally conceived but never completed.
‘Yet she accurately predicted what this magic formula was for.’
“Thanks to that monument you summoned to our continent, at least twenty thousand people probably saved their lives.”
Then Tia said with a bright smile.
She returned the summoning circle to my hand and continued speaking.
“In the Allied Nations, civilian evacuations couldn’t be carried out as quickly as in Taranta. There were several monster attacks during the evacuation. Everyone nearly died, but your siege weapon played a major role.”
“…That’s fortunate then. Since we were able to save innocent people.”
“So actually, I came here to see you.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“You came to see me?”
“Yes.”
“How? No one knows I’m here. It’s a secret that even the Marque Kingdom is keeping strictly confidential.”
Tia let out a small laugh.
“I have my own information network too. I also know a bit about the complex relationship between the Evil Dragons and the Michaeliann Bloodline.”
“…”
“From what I could see, you were the core of our military strength, so I thought the Crown Prince of Taranta wouldn’t leave you in a dangerous place.”
“…”
“Also, the place with the fewest monsters and safest location these days is here in the Marque Kingdom.”
I unconsciously held my breath.
‘What is this person?’
Looking into Tia’s eyes, my heart beat slowly.
She was undoubtedly the quickest-thinking and most clever person I had ever met.
She had even fluently read the ancient weapon summoning circle that even Owen couldn’t understand.
“Let me be your friend.”
At that moment, Tia spoke.
“…Friend?”
“I know the situation is difficult, but don’t you need someone to lean on in times like these? My skills may be modest, but I could help you if you need it.”
Tia glanced again at the summoning circle in my hand.
I narrowed my eyes, then smiled meaningfully.
“Alright, let’s be friends.”
Then I quietly watched Tia’s profile as she began examining the summoning circle.
‘As I thought.’
Now I was certain.
‘This woman isn’t human.’
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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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