The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 39

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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 intruder.”

“We’re continuing to track the traces, but they seem to be skilled. They’re fast and leave no traces, making it difficult to guess their identity.”

After nodding, she quickened her pace.

Several members of the Abner Knight Order followed behind Sharon Abner.

“We’ll strengthen our security for the time being. We’re also planning to station soldiers at the outposts that weren’t being used.”

“Good.”

Abner Manor had four watchtowers in total, one on each side.

The tops of the tall spires attached to the building were where the soldiers waited.

‘But we’ve left them empty for the past few years since there haven’t been any significant intrusions.’

As the Abner family regained even a fraction of their former power, the assassins who used to storm in constantly disappeared on their own.

The decisive moment was when Sharon Abner began securing imperial weapon supply contracts.

“I was complacent.”

As she muttered, the search captain of the knight order bowed his head.

“Expand the search radius to the maximum and find traces. As discreetly as possible. It won’t be good if rumors leak out.”

“We’ll do as you command.”

The search captain and the soldiers following him departed.

Sharon soon arrived in front of her office.

When she opened the door and entered, the chilly atmosphere unique to an empty room swept over her.

“…It wasn’t Ann Clark.”

As soon as the door closed, she muttered to herself.

She slowly approached her desk and picked up the documents that were placed on top.

“Age thirty-four. She inherited the orphanage from relatives and has been running it for sixteen years now.”

It was data she had the family’s informants investigate.

Her good reputation in the village, how she had stably operated the orphanage all this time without major support.

Her gaze lingered long on the documents containing Ann Clark’s information.

She slowly approached the fireplace.

And threw the documents she was holding onto the pile of logs where red embers remained.

Whoosh, wind rose and the paper was instantly engulfed in flames.

All the circumstances were telling her.

“Ann Clark has no motive.”

She had to acknowledge it now.

That Ann Clark was an excellent orphanage administrator.

That she truly loved the children of Evehill Orphanage and was more honest than anyone in running the orphanage.

She had no reason to abuse Annellia.

The paper burned red, then yellow from the edges.

The remaining burned parts became pale gray ash and crumbled down.

“Again, that expression.”

The image of her crying out with bloodied hands came to mind.

Also the scene of her scolding Miel, asking why she couldn’t protect the child.

And hadn’t Annellia finally burst into tears in front of such an Ann Clark.

The child who wouldn’t cry even when her whole body was battered, finally relaxed in front of Ann Clark.

“If she had been abused all this time, such a reaction couldn’t have occurred.”

Sharon Abner looked toward the door with a hollow voice.

“Come in, Wendel.”

The office door quietly opened.

Wendel, who had been waiting, entered.

“I think the same.”

Wendel looked down at the floor with a confused expression.

“When we brought Ann Clark, the other children were the same way.”

“…”

“They became very anxious when separated from Ann Clark, and the children who are currently waiting without knowing the situation are still looking for Ann Clark.”

“I see.”

Sharon approached her desk and sat down.

For a long while, a cold silence circulated in the office.

Finally, Sharon Abner opened her mouth.

“We’ll stop the investigation into Annellia for the time being.”

Wendel startled and raised his head.

“Then what about Lady Annellia’s background…”

“Everyone says I’m barbaric and despicable.”

Sharon Abner muttered while leaning back in her chair.

“To raise Abner, I had to be wary of everything and suspicious of everything.”

The embers in the fireplace had already burned all the paper and were dying down.

Sharon Abner’s eyes slowly sank.

“But I should have been selective about that too.”

“…”

“I lost my sense. I temporarily forgot that excessive suspicion leads to loss of trust.”

“…”

“Annellia is Abner’s benefactor, Wendel.”

Wendel looked at Sharon Abner with surprise.

“She’s the child who helped us recover the money stolen by Coel, and helped us establish amicable relations with the Imperial Palace.”

“…”

“The family gained a capable researcher, and there are countless other things we received.”

Her voice was heavily subdued.

“On the other hand, what that child asked of me was only one thing. To not ask anything. That must have meant not to be curious either.”

Wendel stared at Sharon Abner with a surprised expression.

“Because I was foolish, I’m only now certain. What’s most important in the current situation.”

“…”

“The child’s safety comes before anything else.”

“…”

“My keeping faith as the family head comes first. Whatever that child is hiding, listening to it comes after.”

Wendel looked at Sharon Abner for a few seconds.

Then, following her gesture, he bowed briefly and left the room.

Sharon sat alone in the empty office, slowly leaning back against the chair.

“…Wicked thing.”

The image of her collapsed on the floor covered in blood came to mind.

“…Wicked and cunning thing.”

Also the gaze that stared up at her while collapsed on the floor.

The ivory-colored eyes that trembled while greatly dilated caught her attention.

Sharon slowly closed her eyes.

She had been by the child’s side while the doctor examined her.

The doctor explained what was damaged and how in the child’s body, how fatal the injuries were to that small body.

He also talked about how expensive and difficult to obtain the healing medicines needed to treat such serious injuries currently were.

Because the child’s status was that of a commoner.

Because she was merely a sponsored child staying at Abner Manor.

He suggested using just a little painkiller.

That meant to just ease the pain a little and then let her die.

Hearing those words, Sharon had been lost in thought for a moment.

It wasn’t because she hesitated about buying expensive and hard-to-obtain medicine.

‘It was because I had changed.’

In the past, she would have weighed Annellia’s value against the cost of the medicine.

She must have worried about receiving all kinds of criticism from the branch families over the mere cost of medicine for a sponsored child.

But the thought that came to her at that moment was not of that kind.

No matter how much the treatment cost.

Whether she received criticism from the branch families or not.

If only the child could be alright, she thought none of it mattered.

“…Such a, such a troublesome thing.”

She should have expected this would happen from the moment she decided to bring that child into Abner Manor.

When she saw the child laugh and eat, at some point she found herself naturally smiling faintly.

She bit her lip.

“…At least, she’s alive.”

She was still breathing, still blinking, and had even cried her heart out when she saw Ann Clark.

That alone was fortunate.

If she recovered safely like this, the child would walk and run again.

She would eat well and sleep well, and roam the library with sparkling eyes like before.

And…

‘Your Grace!’

Those words, “Your Grace.”

That was recognition that had never come easily to her.

But from the moment they first met, the child had always called her that without even a second’s hesitation.

Such pure and unconditional recognition was a first for her.

“She’s alive…”

The thought that this alone was enough filled her mind completely.

Sharon Abner suppressed the guilt that had briefly surfaced.

The emotion she had felt from the moment she witnessed Ann Clark sobbing in front of the child.

That small one who only said she was fine even after being hurt so badly.’

She had continued to suspect and tried to uncover what was behind it all.

Even after promising beforehand that she wouldn’t do such things.

‘Protecting the child’s safety should have been the priority.’

There was nothing wrong with what Ann Clark had said outside the room.

Giving that child plenty of support and love should have been the priority.

‘You’ve grown ugly with age, Sharon Abner.’

Sharon Abner remained silent for a long while, only letting out sighs.

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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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