The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 260
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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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“Everyone, please have some of this…”
Miel, who was entering Owen’s laboratory, stopped in surprise.
Then she looked around the chaotic interior of the laboratory with wide eyes.
“Number 78235… finally… it’s done…”
Owen, setting down a paper densely covered with coordinates like a mad scientist.
“Kuh… khung…”
Rico, curled up sleeping under the desk with his disheveled hair sticking out in all directions.
“Father. I think it would be easier to use spherical coordinates instead of orthogonal ones. The interdimensional space is a multi-dimension that expands uniformly from the central axis.”
“Who does our daughter take after to be so smart?”
“Obviously Father. So hurry up and calculate this zeta value here.”
“Mmm…”
Even Annellia and Theo, heads together whispering about incomprehensible content.
Behind them, countless researchers were sprawled everywhere – on research desks, sofas, and makeshift beds.
Among them were some familiar faces like Shasha and Abner Research Institute staff.
Miel set down the tray on a table by the door and carefully walked to the window.
When she drew back the curtains, bright sunlight immediately poured in.
Several researchers who saw the sun let out groaning exclamations.
They looked as if they had been trapped in hell and were now meeting a god.
Miel then opened the window wide.
When the cool breeze rushed in, only then did Annellia turn her head.
“Miel?”
The paper in her hand was fluttering slightly in the incoming wind.
Miel approached with a worried expression and brushed Annellia’s hair to one side.
“Young Master, aren’t you pushing yourself too hard? You haven’t even slept, and if you’re so absorbed that you don’t even notice I came in…”
But Annellia smiled brightly as if it was nothing.
“I’m fine!”
From a distance, Owen added in a dying voice, “I’m not fine…”
Miel sighed and brought over the tray she had set down.
On the plate were tomatoes that Isabel had grown in the garden, beautifully sliced and piled high.
“The little master said you should eat some before working. She said snacks are essential when working.”
Theo smiled and was the first to put a piece of tomato in his mouth and chew.
“Mm… it’s delicious.”
“Of course it would be good for a gourmet like you. But brother, maybe you should stop eating so much.”
Rico, who had smelled the food, had somehow gotten up and reached for the tray.
“Why do you eat so much these days? At dinner too, you finish three bowls while others finish one. I can’t remember if brother always ate this much.”
As Rico said, Theo had become an incredible big eater lately.
The amount of food made in the kitchen had increased by ten servings solely because of Theo.
“I don’t know. I’ve been like that lately.”
Theo put a small piece of tomato in Annellia’s mouth and then ate another one himself.
Rico continued to tilt his head in confusion.
“I think there was a time when brother had a very small appetite… There was a period when you didn’t eat or take care of yourself.”
“Stop talking nonsense, Rico. How can a person live without eating?”
“…Come to think of it, wasn’t brother not human? Or am I wrong?”
Theo, who couldn’t stand listening anymore, tilted his head sideways.
Rico quickly shut his mouth.
Then he avoided Theo’s eyes and quietly took a piece of tomato and stepped back.
It was to give it to Owen, who was draped over the sofa like half-dried laundry.
Annellia chewed and looked around at the other researchers.
They too were each eating the snacks from the plate Miel had brought.
“But there really are a lot of tomatoes. Mother grew all of this by herself? Even combining our greenhouse and garden, the vegetable patch isn’t that big.”
Miel smiled brightly.
“It’s thanks to the fertilizer she patented when she became the Apothecary Dean this time. The cultivation period was almost cut in half! Isn’t that really amazing?”
“Oh, Grandmother must have really liked that?”
“She loved it! She had been complaining a lot lately about the poor quality of vegetables sold by food merchants, but now we can grow simple ingredients in the garden too…”
“Is that why Soya has been busy?”
“Probably. Maybe because she has experience managing large-scale greenhouses, Soya has a talent for farming.”
Miel, who had spoken, picked up the empty plate.
“Shall I bring more?”
Annellia smiled and shook her head.
“No need. We’ve caught our breath for 5 minutes, so now we have to work again!”
At those words, a terrible silence fell over the laboratory.
Only Annellia had a nonchalant expression.
Even Theo was blinking with his lips tensed.
Miel looked around at everyone with pitying eyes and then carefully retreated.
“Th-then, everyone fighting…”
After Soya left, Annellia let out a short breath.
Then she got up from her seat and stood in front of a mountain of papers piled up in one corner of the laboratory.
It was 300,000 sheets of parchment that quantified and catalogued every interdimensional space existing in the world.
“Master. You said you did number 78235 earlier, right?”
Owen couldn’t even answer and covered his eyes with one hand.
Annellia picked up the 78236th paper.
“I love you. My treasure, my everything… my precious son.”
Tian opened his eyes blankly.
He couldn’t tell how much time had passed.
What was certain was that far away in this space that had been dark all along, there was a bright point of light that hadn’t been there before.
He got up from his seat.
His hair, which had grown to his shoulders, flowed down in front.
“My son, Tian.”
Tian quietly furrowed his brow.
What was coming from the bright point was definitely a familiar voice.
“Are you awake? My baby, Tian.”
His pupils grew large.
This voice.
Warm and nostalgic, a voice that made his heart flutter just by hearing it.
Tian unconsciously took a step toward the light.
“…Mother?”
“Baby, I love you.”
The voice echoed once more like an answer.
The lullabies Miraena had sung until she passed away, morning greetings.
All the whispers of love she had held him and told him every day, without missing a single one.
Every voice was repeating endlessly without stopping.
Tian’s steps quickened.
My legs wobbled and my head spun, perhaps from doing nothing for so long, but I couldn’t stop.
“Tian, I’m sorry.”
At that moment, a different voice reached my ears.
“As a father… I know well that I’ve hurt you.”
Tian stopped in his tracks.
The light was still flickering slowly in the distance.
“When you marry, I plan to abdicate the throne. You would lead the Empire better than I could.”
“…Father.”
This time it was Edward.
Was this before the war broke out?
Or perhaps around the time of his engagement to Annellia?
Edward, having regained his health, had once grasped his hand and wept for a long time.
“I love you more than anything else in this world. I always wish for your happiness. Please remember that above all else.”
As Tian blinked, the light emitted yet another voice.
“My puppy, my precious one.”
That voice that was always pleasant to hear, that made all fears disappear just by listening to it.
“What is there to worry about with this old woman behind you? No one will dare treat you carelessly!”
In his childhood, when he had confessed to being abused by the butler Karin had assigned.
Those were the words Alexandra had said while embracing Tian.
Tian’s expression gradually became vacant.
The light continued to emit one final voice.
“Your Majesty.”
Tian’s body slowly tilted forward.
He collapsed to his knees on the floor.
“Tian, thank you.”
As he lowered his head, his body began to tremble on its own.
“To me, you’re a blessing.”
All the words Annellia had whispered, all the whispers that had melted Tian’s heart and made it race, were replaying.
He closed his bloodshot eyes tightly.
“Tian, I miss you.”
Hot tears fell drop by drop onto his clenched fists.
He knew.
He knew what kind of place the rift was, what the void was like.
It was a path he had chosen despite knowing.
But.
“I like you…”
When he raised his head, he saw the light that had moved just as far away again as he had gotten closer.
Tian instinctively understood.
Even if he ran for a lifetime.
Even if he reached out endlessly without rest.
Even if he died and completely disappeared from the world, he would never be able to reach that light.
“I love you, Tian.”
This place truly was hell.
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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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