The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 285
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Side Story. Hiana and Annellia ⑵
At the mention of a wanted criminal, Kilios’s expression grew serious.
Lewis and Jas also stopped what they were doing and looked at the woman.
The woman caught her breath and continued speaking.
“A serial killer, they say? Such a vile person that knights came in droves from the Imperial Palace…”
Hiana’s expression darkened.
After their family’s downfall, she and the Longton Princes had hidden in the forest for nine years.
When Hiana turned eighteen, they left the forest and began their wandering life.
‘We couldn’t live in the forest forever.’
By that time, even the name Longton was beginning to fade from memory.
Few people could recognize the faces of the four.
It might sound ridiculous, but they hadn’t left the forest due to lack of money.
The night the manor burned down.
Hiana had freed all of Lambert Longton’s test subjects and slaves who had been imprisoned in the basement.
At the same time, Jas and Lewis had emptied the vault of all remaining gold and valuables.
Since they were no longer nobles and had no need for luxury, a single gold coin was enough to live on for a month.
“Has the village been sealed off by any chance?”
“Completely sealed! They’ve blocked even the forest paths and are interrogating everyone…”
“This has become troublesome. We might have to abandon the cargo wagon.”
Kilios approached and muttered seriously.
Hiana led the woman to a spot a little away from the three men.
“Thank you for letting us know. I’ll handle the rest, so please go back.”
“Oh dear, why did that damned bastard have to flee to our village! What if they find out about your unlicensed clinic?!”
The woman grabbed Hiana’s hands with a worried expression.
“Doctor, I looked into it and the fine for an unlicensed clinic isn’t that large. How about just getting a license this time?”
Hiana smiled awkwardly instead of answering.
If it could be resolved by getting a license, she would have been fine with that too.
But the problem was that they were descendants of the vanished Longton family.
Members of a traitorous family who had attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince and fled from their burning home.
“I suppose so.”
Hiana gave a vague answer and patted the woman’s back.
The woman stamped her feet and hesitated for a long while before finally bowing her head.
Then she ran off toward the path on the opposite side of the open field.
As soon as the woman disappeared from sight, Kilios, Jas, and Lewis approached.
“Hiana. Can you climb the mountain?”
Instead of answering, Hiana furrowed her brow.
“They’ve blocked even the forest paths and are interrogating everyone…”
It was because of the information the woman had just shared.
This village was unfortunately located on vast plains.
Even the mountain to the northeast wasn’t very large, so if they set up checkpoints at the base of the mountain, escaping the village while avoiding the surveillance network would be nearly impossible.
Of course, if only the three princes moved without her, there might be a chance, but if she joined them when she wasn’t used to climbing trees…
After thinking, Hiana spoke.
“Let’s not abandon the cargo wagon.”
Kilios’s eyes narrowed.
“What do you mean?”
“You guys escape the village through the mountain path. I’ll take the cargo wagon and pass through the checkpoint.”
“Wait. Then you’ll get caught for running an unlicensed clinic and have to pay a fine.”
Paying the fine itself wasn’t a big problem.
Combined with the money they originally had and what the three princes earned as a hobby, it would be more than enough.
The problem was that during the fine collection process, the subject’s resident registration would be checked based on their name.
And Hiana’s name must never be shown to the Imperial Capital knights.
“If you mess up, you could be dragged to the Imperial Court. Then…”
“I have another name.”
Jas’s eyes widened.
Kilios and Lewis also looked puzzled.
Hiana smiled awkwardly.
“Hiana Calbey.”
The name she had abandoned as a child when she left the slave trader holding Philomena’s hand.
That name, which had never been reported missing or dead because there was no one to do so, would most likely still exist.
Hiana smiled at the three princes.
“It’s fine. Once they verify it, they’ll let me pass right through. Running an unlicensed clinic isn’t a detention offense, and I can pay the fine on the spot.”
In the silence, Kilios was the first to nod.
“Alright. Do that.”
“Brother, are you crazy?”
“Right. It seems too dangerous.”
Jas and Lewis objected, but Kilios was firm.
“We can’t take Hiana through the mountain path anyway. And if we stay here, we’ll eventually encounter the inspectors.”
“Still…”
“We need to leave this village, even if we have to push ourselves.”
Jas and Lewis looked doubtful but soon nodded.
Hiana quickly approached the wagon and climbed onto the horse.
The surroundings were already growing dark.
“If you’re going to take the mountain path, you need to leave quickly.”
The three princes nodded.
Jas patted her back a couple of times.
“See you outside the village.”
Hiana nodded and started the wagon.
“Your name?”
“Cairo Winston. I live in the second alley of District 4 over there.”
Right in front of Hiana.
At the middle-aged man’s words, the knight nodded.
“District 4, I know it well. You may pass.”
The man moved away and the knight naturally turned his gaze to Hiana.
Hiana slowly drove her horse forward to the knight.
Seeing the cargo loaded behind her, the knight looked at Hiana and bowed slightly.
“Pleased to meet you, Lady. We’re conducting inspections due to an unfortunate incident, but may we check your wagon for a moment?”
Hiana nodded with a smile.
“By all means.”
“Thank you.”
When the knight raised one hand, other soldiers who had been waiting approached the wagon.
They untied the ropes securing the cargo and began looking inside the cargo compartment.
The soldiers were thorough.
They seemed to be considering the possibility that the wanted criminal might be hiding in the wagon.
But all that came out were dried herbal powders, chairs, a folding desk, and a tent.
After checking for a while, the Imperial knight asked in a still polite voice.
“Excuse me, Lady, but are you perhaps a physician?”
“But.”
“In that case, may I check your medical permit?”
Hiana slightly clenched her hand beneath her cloak.
She had hoped she could pass through just by giving her name, as many people seemed to do that.
But the knight seemed determined to check both her resident registration and medical permit.
Hiana took a deep breath before answering.
“Of course. Please look it up under Hiana Calbey.”
Naturally, no medical permit would come up in the search.
If the knight made an issue of this, she planned to say she had forgotten to renew her expired permit.
After that, it would only be a matter of time before she could pass through the checkpoint by paying a fine.
“Hiana Calbey, please wait a moment.”
The knight began searching through a thick ledger.
As he flipped through the pages, he suddenly looked up at Hiana.
“Your name isn’t in the Abner Territory resident list. Were you perhaps a resident of Longton Territory before the territories were merged?”
Her heart sank at the mention of Longton.
However, Hiana nodded without showing her reaction.
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Jenen. Go and bring the Longton Territory resident ledger.”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————