The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 263
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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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The size of interdimensional spaces varies greatly.
Some are so large they seem endless, while others are small enough that with luck, you could explore the entire space within a few months.
“If the rift keeps moving, it must be leaving traces or tracks inside the interdimensional space. Going in to find them would be the fastest way right now.”
Father’s expression darkened.
Father remained silent for a while before opening his mouth.
“We have plenty of time, Annellia. We could conduct a bit more research and then make contact using a safe method, couldn’t we?”
I lowered my gaze without answering.
In truth, there was nothing wrong with what he said.
The work we had done so far wouldn’t have been strange even if it had taken 10 years.
However, we had advanced such research this far in just a few months.
Common sense would dictate taking our time and approaching slowly at this point.
“There’s no need to rush. Of course, I’ll support whatever you want to do. But if it puts you in danger…”
Father’s eyes shone with seriousness.
“I can’t just stand by and watch.”
I put down the pen I was holding.
“It’s because we don’t have much time.”
As I mentioned before, time flows differently between interdimensional spaces and here.
One second here could be dozens or hundreds of years there.
“Actually, it’s the rift I’m looking for, and there…”
Due to the restriction, I couldn’t say “Tian is trapped there.”
Instead, I clenched my fist tightly.
“I’ll do it safely. I’ll keep a portal open to the interdimensional space, and if anything goes wrong, I’ll come right back out.”
Father’s expression hardened. His face looked extremely confused.
Mother and Father had opposed my plan from the beginning.
It was absurd enough that I wanted to find the rift out of nowhere, but saying I would even enter it myself wasn’t an unexpected reaction.
So when I started the research, I reached a reasonable agreement with both of them.
Instead of me entering the rift, we would install a portal that connected precisely to the rift and only check the interior remotely.
“Annellia. You promised.”
Father said sternly, as if reminding me of that.
But I had no choice.
“Technically speaking, I’m not entering the rift itself, but going into the interdimensional space where the rift might be, right?”
“That’s the same thing.”
“It’s different. Also, since we don’t have time, this is currently the most rational path.”
“As I said before, what’s the reason you need to rush this much? You could be in danger.”
I held my breath for a moment.
As Father said, the rift was a dangerous place.
That’s exactly why I had to go.
Because Tian was trapped there.
“Father, you know too.”
I finally said quietly.
“Even if you try to stop me, I’m going to do it anyway. If you don’t give permission, I’ll have no choice but to do it secretly.”
“…Hah.”
After Father’s exclamation, silence fell over the research room.
I lowered my head in guilt, then carefully looked at Father.
“But this is really the last time, asking permission for dangerous things.”
Father’s brow furrowed.
Feeling impatient, I quickly added,
“If you just give permission this once, I’ll never, truly never pester you about things like this again.”
A long sigh echoed through the research room along with a groan.
Finally, after a long while.
Still with a displeased expression, Father nodded.
“…As long as you make sure the portal is secure so you can escape anytime, fine.”
The next day.
Twenty carriages loaded with highly compressed magic stones departed for Michaeliann Gorge.
Of course, I went along too.
“…It’s been so long that I’m nervous.”
I stepped onto the magic circle drawn around the ritual altar and gulped.
Right after the war, most of the magic power that had been circulating in my body had disappeared.
It was the result of Crookiatus’s destruction and completely exhausting my strength during battle.
“Annellia! Don’t take off that bracelet, absolutely not!”
Father shouted from outside the magic circle in the distance.
I was wearing a bracelet that fit perfectly on my left wrist.
This bracelet was a device Father had designed to track my traces after entering the interdimensional space.
“The portal will always be open, so if anything happens, come out immediately!”
Mother also shouted worriedly, holding her swollen belly.
Instead of answering, I waved my hand vigorously.
Whooooom-
Meanwhile, light that started from outside the magic circle gradually gathered toward the center where I was.
This was a portal that opened a path to interdimensional space.
An enormous amount of magic stones went into just operating it, and the portal couldn’t be maintained anywhere other than this place where the power of the Heavenly Realm flowed in.
“…Annellia, take care of yourself!”
Finally, Grandmother’s voice reached me.
I nodded while the light that had already surrounded me completely was at my back.
“I’ll come out quickly-!”
I would somehow find Tian and come out together with him.
To the world, outside the Void.
“So everyone…”
I couldn’t continue speaking and closed my mouth.
My eyes stung, but I tried to show the brightest smile possible.
‘I love you.’
It felt like I could only continue these words after Tian returned.
The next moment, bright light covered Michaeliann Gorge once again.
“Ow ow…”
Opening my eyes, I barely managed to get up.
And I rubbed the area above my sore bottom.
When I raised my head, I saw a strange sight.
‘…A forest?’
Actually, this was my first time directly entering an interdimensional space.
Perhaps because of that, every aspect of the scenery was surprising.
The interdimensional space in my imagination wasn’t like this.
Getting up from where I was, I walked slowly while looking around.
Blue sky, sunny weather.
Dense forests covering the surroundings and clear stream water flowing between stones.
Frowning, I checked the bracelet on my left hand.
My current coordinates were clearly displayed on the bracelet with a green light.
“…The location is correct.”
Confirming that I had arrived properly made me feel even stranger.
This means that somewhere in this place there’s a chasm, and Tian is trapped inside it.
[Lia.]
At that moment, small letters appeared below the bracelet.
[I’ll send you the coordinates of the moving chasm right away. As soon as the calculations are finished.]
I stared at the bracelet with wide eyes and muttered to myself.
“Father…?”
This place was an interdimensional space completely separated from the underworld, where even finding coordinates was difficult.
But not only could he track and share real-time coordinates in such a space…
[Northwest of your current position. It’s stationary at a 10-minute walking distance.]
To think he could create a device that could transmit such specific information.
‘He’s my father, but he’s truly an amazing person…’
I rubbed my goosebump-covered forearm and checked the direction.
When I turned my body northwest, I could see a fairly dense forest.
I swallowed my saliva and began moving forward, pushing through the thick branches and grass.
[You’re going the right way.]
A short sentence appeared on the bracelet.
My steps grew faster.
Of course, I still couldn’t know exactly what form the chasm would take.
Or how I could get Tian out from inside it.
Even so, if I could just see the chasm’s existence with my own eyes, if I could just confirm where Tian was.
“…Please.”
It felt like my heavy heart would become much lighter.
I had been walking through the bushes for quite a while.
[The chasm is moving. It’s to the east.]
I hurriedly turned my body at the vibration I felt from the bracelet.
When I turned east, a shallow stream appeared.
I crossed the stream hurriedly, not caring that my feet got wet.
Soft soil and grass stuck to my wet shoes, but I picked up the pace even more.
My heart pounded with anxiety and anticipation.
[You’re almost close. It’s right in front of you now.]
Just as I confirmed the sentence that appeared on the bracelet.
“Who are you?”
Suddenly, something cold pressed against the side of my neck.
I froze and stepped back.
To the right front.
A man who had appeared from nowhere stood there, pointing a sharp spear at my neck.
“Answer me. Who are you?”
The man asked again.
Feeling the spear tip pressing against my skin, I spoke in a trembling voice.
“Annellia Abner.”
It was already absurd that there was a dense forest in this interdimensional space.
Confirming that an armed person existed here as well made my head spin.
Thinking rationally, there was only one thing I needed to do right now.
I showed the man both my hands with the most pitiful expression possible.
“Please spare me…”
And the moment a puzzled expression appeared on the man’s face, I gathered some magic power in one hand and grabbed the area below the spear blade.
“Uh, what!”
The wood supporting the spear tip immediately emitted white light and crumbled.
I rushed at the frozen man and quickly snatched away the bladeless staff.
Then I took the combat ready stance that Tian had taught me once.
‘I’m lucky I still have some magic power left.’
Bright light energy immediately spread along the wooden staff.
It looked exactly like the aura that swordsmen manifest through their swords.
I spoke in the most fierce voice possible.
“You’re the one who should answer who you are.”
The surprised man stepped back with his mouth agape.
I pointed the magic-infused staff at him and asked once more.
“Answer me. If you don’t, I’ll attack?”
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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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