The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 290

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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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Side Story. Kanaelle and Adrian ⑷

“Y-Your Excellency.”

Ricardo’s face turned pale as he looked up at his distant superior.

Having wandered the frontier, he had transferred to the Fortress Garrison after marrying Kanaelle.

And above his superior’s superior’s superior’s superior was…

“Report to me. Tell me what kind of quarrel you had with my mentor and how.”

Adrian, currently serving as Commander of the Fortress Guards.

“Ah, well, you see…”

Ricardo’s eyes darted back and forth between Kanaelle and Adrian.

‘Mentor.’

He already knew that Kanaelle had cared for young Adrian in the past.

But he hadn’t realized their relationship was this close.

Ricardo tried to change the subject first.

“More importantly, how did Your Excellency come to be here…”

“I was taking a night walk when I heard a woman’s scream.”

Ricardo flinched.

“I followed the scream and found it came from a house where someone I know well lives. So I climbed over the wall.”

His expression grew grim.

Had Kanaelle screamed?

It didn’t seem like it, just some shouting at most…

“More importantly, did you do this?”

At that moment, Adrian gestured toward something with his eyes.

Following his gaze, Ricardo’s complexion turned ashen.

On Kanaelle’s wrist, handprints that were clearly his own remained as red bruises.

Ricardo sent a desperate look toward Kanaelle.

But Kanaelle only sighed.

Finally, Ricardo opened his mouth with difficulty.

“Th-that was, I was trying to grab her lightly but accidentally…”

“What about her knees?”

This time Ricardo looked at Kanaelle’s knees.

Whether from falling on the stairs earlier, blood was flowing from a long scrape.

Ricardo still forced a smile.

“Haha! My wife was running and fell…”

“In the middle of the night. And what would she be running for in the manor.”

“Y-Your Excellency.”

“A small argument?”

As if finding it ridiculous, and as if he could roughly see the situation.

Adrian slowly lowered his eyes.

Ricardo flinched at the intimidating presence emanating from someone a head taller than him.

“So in a small argument, you lay hands on a woman and chase after someone fleeing until they fall. I suppose that’s your chivalry.”

Shock filled Ricardo’s eyes.

That was because Adrian was someone who could strip him of his knighthood at any time for any reason.

His subsequent thoughts didn’t last long.

Ricardo prostrated himself flat on the floor.

“I’m sorry!”

Adrian gave no response.

“I was short-sighted! I forgot that my wife was Your Excellency’s mentor… Would an apology suffice? Kanaelle, I…!”

But the next moment he had no choice but to close his mouth.

It was because Kanaelle roughly shook off the hand he had raised to grab her.

“K-Kanaelle…”

“Let’s consider the marriage void, Lord Heyton.”

Ricardo’s mouth fell open in bewilderment.

“What?”

“I didn’t know you were such trash when I agreed to marry you. If I had known, I wouldn’t have agreed.”

“Even so, to do it this way…!”

“What’s complicated about it? This town house, the wedding, all expenses were paid by House of Victor, which is far more affluent than your household.”

“You really!”

“And. Getting your work location transferred was also extremely difficult. I heard that knights stationed in the Fortress Garrison are all exceptionally skilled, but you don’t seem to fit there.”

Ricardo’s face turned bright red.

Having flared up, he barely managed to take a deep breath and forced another smile.

“Kanaelle, why are you being like this? You’re not this kind of person. Don’t tell me you’re acting like this now because I mentioned the pre-marriage rumors…”

“Leave everything and get out as you are.”

“What?”

“Get out right now.”

Ricardo’s face went blank.

He tried to say something more but closed his mouth.

It was because Adrian, standing firmly behind Kanaelle, was staring at him intently.

Finally, Ricardo staggered to his feet.

Unable to believe the situation, he was walking unsteadily toward the main gate when.

“I changed my mind.”

At Kanaelle’s voice, both Ricardo and Adrian looked at her.

“Since we were once associated, it seems wrong to send you out in sleepwear.”

Kanaelle gestured toward the inside of the manor.

“I’ll give you time to go in, change clothes, and leave.”

Ricardo’s brief hope was soon shattered completely.

The empty garden without a single servant.

Sitting in front of the stairs, Kanaelle held her throbbing forehead.

“…This is trouble.”

As she had said, Ricardo had done nothing since their marriage.

The newlywed house for them to live in, the wedding, even the furniture decorating the newlywed house and the servants they hired were all supported by House of Victor.

But still, a marriage was a marriage.

“We even had a wedding ceremony, and His Majesty the Emperor came…”

“My brother won’t mind at all.”

At the calm response, Kanaelle pressed her lips together.

And muttered listlessly.

“You can be honest. Say that my situation is pathetic.”

Only then did Adrian turn his head toward her.

“What kind of talk is that?”

There was a small crack in his straight brow.

Kanaelle sighed and lowered her head.

“My nickname in the marriage market was a cake left to spoil at an old party.”

Adrian’s frown deepened.

After a moment, he asked as if he truly didn’t understand.

“Why?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you a spoiled cake?”

Kanaelle blinked, at a loss for words.

It wasn’t just something he was saying – Adrian truly looked like he didn’t understand.

Kanaelle hesitated before answering.

“No… I never married even after coming of age, and marriage proposals stopped coming for a while. So my charm as a woman…”

Adrian let out a hollow laugh and replied as if dumbfounded.

“Why wouldn’t there be any? Marriage proposals that came to you.”

Kanaelle looked at Adrian with surprised eyes.

“There were many marriage proposals even until recently. I hated seeing them so I angrily asked for them to be kept out of sight. I never thought the butler would actually do that…”

The butler of Hunt Duchy was a capable man.

She had hired him directly because she liked how he always prioritized Adrian above all else.

So it wasn’t strange at all that he had intercepted the marriage proposals meant for her in order to follow Adrian’s orders.

“…I see.”

Silence settled between the two.

As Kanaelle sat with an awkward expression, her eyes suddenly caught sight of swaying roses.

When she was alone with Ricardo, even breathing felt uncomfortable.

But with Adrian, even without saying anything, the air felt peaceful and calm.

Feeling her melancholy lift slightly, Kanaelle murmured.

“What should I do about this estate?”

Adrian let out a small sigh.

He was surely holding back words like ‘you should have chosen your husband more carefully.’

“…Pfft.”

At that thought, laughter burst out without her realizing it.

It was strange since this definitely wasn’t a situation to laugh about.

Kanaelle glanced at Adrian.

Then hesitantly parted her lips.

“…Um, Yan.”

“…”

“Should I move back into your house?”

Adrian paused.

“I’ll only stay until Father settles this house. Going back to the main family feels a bit… you know, there’s no place more comfortable for me than Hunt Estate.”

Adrian was silent for a moment, then lowered his gaze and sighed.

Then came a barely audible reply.

“…Do as you wish.”

She felt both grateful and sorry.

Kanaelle watched him and unconsciously patted Adrian’s back lightly.

His back was too broad for her to cover completely even with her palm spread wide.

“But you know, are you going to fire Ricardo? You transferred your work location to the Imperial Capital because of me.”

“Why would I fire him? I should bring him to the Imperial Knights directly under the crown.”

“Huh? So you’re going to promote him?”

Adrian smiled slightly.

“How can you think of marriage when you know nothing? That’s not a promotion.”

“Then?”

“I’ll keep him close and watch until he quits on his own.”

Kanaelle, who had opened her mouth slightly, soon nodded.

Imagining Ricardo struggling under Adrian somehow made her frustration fade.

As she fidgeted with her hands and looked up, the Milky Way was sparkling in the sky.

Kanaelle suddenly realized that Adrian’s uniform was draped around her shoulders again.

‘When did this…’

The night breeze touching her cheek tickled as if it would make her sneeze.

Kanaelle kept her mouth closed and looked at Adrian’s profile.

‘It’s familiar.’

It was definitely a face so familiar she could draw it with her eyes closed, yet today Adrian’s face looked strangely unfamiliar.

Kanaelle forced herself to look away and face forward.

And she sat on the garden stairs for some time more, feeling the night breeze.

Of course, she didn’t feel cold or chilly at all.

It was because of someone’s heart that wrapped around her shoulders.

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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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