The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 4

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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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“Unfortunately. You cannot take any child from my land.”

Sharon Abner spoke slowly.

Lambert Longton’s face crumpled with displeasure.

He stepped forward and growled.

“Are you trying to interfere with some petty obstruction?”

Then he extended his palm toward the butler.

The butler quickly placed a thick bundle of documents in his hand.

“I’ve already consulted with the Imperial Palace’s legal officials about whether I can take my daughter from here or not.”

His voice was heavily laden with suppressed anger.

“We came here through legal procedures and didn’t bring any military forces. There’s no provision in Imperial Law requiring nobles to get permission when moving to other territories.”

Sharon Abner smiled like a snake and stared directly at Lambert Longton.

“Yes, adopting your daughter from my land. Even though our relationship is terrible, it’s certainly possible. However.”

Lambert Longton raised one eyebrow.

“Only if the child you want to take is still affiliated with Evehill Orphanage.”

An ominous premonition crossed Lambert Longton’s face as he froze in surprise.

“What do you mean by that?”

At that moment, Sharon Abner suddenly looked in another direction.

“I received your letter well, little one.”

It was toward me, half-hidden behind the barn.

“Your writing skills are better than most of our administrators.”

Our eyes met with perfect precision, and I froze momentarily.

“Wendel, bring the child here.”

With her command, my body suddenly floated into the air.

The bundle I was holding fell to the ground.

“Annellia, why are you there…!”

Leaving Ann’s scream behind, I turned my head.

A tall man who appeared to be about 2 meters in height was holding me.

In the midst of the confusion, Sharon Abner continued speaking.

“The stories you told me. Every single one was useful. Thanks to you, I was able to catch and kill all the little rats hiding in my house.”

Little rats.

She was referring to Longton’s spies hidden in the Evehill region.

‘How else would Lambert Longton have come to adopt me in the first place?’

Since he had planted his spies throughout Abner territory, he knew even trivial information like which children were in which orphanages.

I needed to prove in my letter that I was useful.

So as a sample, I exposed a few of Duke Longton’s lackeys in the letter.

Fortunately, that seemed to please Sharon Abner.

“You wrote in your letter that you were a genius. Abner has always been in need of talent like yours.”

Hills with patches of snow.

Looking at the stunned Duke Longton, Sharon Abner extended her hand toward me.

“So I’m on my way back from putting my name on your guardianship papers. How about that?”

“I’d like someone to explain this first.”

“Your Grace…”

Inside the tent that felt like thin ice.

Duke Longton’s brow furrowed endlessly as he sat in a chair in front of a temporarily placed desk.

“Why the hell is that crazy lioness here?”

Despite his polite tone, his voice trembled with anger.

Annellia of Evehill Orphanage.

She had no surname because she was an orphan.

But she was like a pearl found in the mud.

“The anti-tracking magic was properly applied, right?”

“Ab-absolutely. Before departure, when opening the portal. We tore scrolls three times total, even after moving to Abner territory…”

A short sigh escaped from Duke Longton’s lips.

Originally, great nobles could freely travel between adjacent territories.

There was a condition that they couldn’t bring military forces beyond escorts, but movement itself was not a problem.

So there was no need to use expensive anti-tracking magic or concealment magic,

‘But we used them.’

Tearing nearly ten of those scrolls that cost enormous amounts each.

And all of that was solely to avoid the eyes of one person.

Sharon Abner.

A woman with whom getting entangled would bring nothing good.

When he discovered Annellia and decided to adopt her, the only thing that worried him was that woman.

The fact that the orphanage Annellia belonged to was unfortunately in Abner territory.

‘But I couldn’t give up the brilliant child I had finally found.’

Lambert Longton looked outside the tent with a devastated heart.

In the distance, he could see the child surrounded by soldiers.

“That child. How old was she again?”

“Four years old. Since her birthday is in a few months, she’ll soon be five.”

“Found in the mountains right after birth.”

“That’s correct. She’s lived here ever since, and has only been frequenting the bookstore in the city for a few months.”

“In those few months, she memorized numerous magical and pharmaceutical texts completely.”

The butler fell silent.

“She’s a child with high utility value. It would be strange if we could obtain her easily. But the problem is that the opponent is Abner with their slow information network.”

He raised his gaze and looked around the tent.

“And also. What was that about the letter earlier? She spoke as if the child had sent a letter to Abner’s main castle.”

The young administrator hesitantly stepped forward.

“Sometimes orphanage children do write thank-you letters to the lord.”

“Are you saying Sharon Abner reads all those letters?”

“Of course not. But since the child is famous in the region for being clever, she might have read it out of curiosity…”

The other administrator chimed in.

“But the content wasn’t anything special. When we asked the orphanage teacher, she said the child seemed to have written about methods for catching mice…”

Lambert Longton slowly nodded.

“So that’s what she meant by catching little rats.”

“Yes. Looking at this, she seems like just an ordinary child. It’s strange that Sharon Abner is playing along with it…”

“No. She’s anything but ordinary.”

Lambert Longton cut off the administrator’s words.

“She’s a four-year-old who has mastered dozens of magical texts that even scholars find difficult. Does that seem ordinary to you?”

His eyes flickered with sinister obsession.

“That child must belong to Longton. Her brilliant mind and the fact that she’s a girl makes all conditions perfect.”

“Then how…”

Lambert Longton rose from his seat.

“Don’t let that child fall into the lioness’s hands. Abner must rot as the barren land of magic it has always been.”

“But Your Grace. Didn’t you hear what Sharon Abner said earlier? That woman has become the child’s guardian. It seems difficult for us to adopt the child as planned…”

“Then kill her.”

The administrators looked at each other with bewildered expressions.

However, Lambert Longton was certain.

“Such a treasure should not be easily handed over. If we can’t have her, it’s better to kill her and eliminate future troubles. Have you forgotten all the crises Longton faced because of Isabel Abner?”

Isabel Abner.

Sharon Abner’s daughter and a promising talent who had shown excellence in magical studies.

Until she died at a young age, Lambert Longton was always anxious.

It was because he knew Isabel Abner’s potential better than anyone.

“If that woman hadn’t died early, Longton wouldn’t have achieved its current position.”

She was far more clever and wise than her own brother, Jayden Abner.

Sharon Abner also seemed to be making moves to pass the head of house position to Isabel rather than Jayden.

‘It was truly fortunate that she died.’

If Isabel Abner had been alive, she would have easily secured a position at the Imperial Palace Pharmaceutical Academy by now.

Then the Abner Duchy would have prospered far more than it does now.

Their position within the system would have been solid, and perhaps they might have finally pioneered the field of magical studies.

“That lioness won’t miss a second chance.”

Annellia.

That child was a talent who could present a new direction to Abner, which had been barren ground for magical studies for generations.

Lambert Longton muttered coldly.

“Yes. Indeed, there’s no choice but to kill her.”

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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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