The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 7

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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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I wanted to speak much more coherently.

But it was impossible.

I’d felt it before, but it seemed to be a limitation of a young child’s body.

In the end, I squeezed my eyes shut.

“I’ll definitely be useful!”

“….”

“Just don’t ask me anything and keep me around, I’ll study hard. When I grow up later, I’ll make lots of magic formulas too!”

Sharon Abner remained silent.

Following the silence, tension grew thicker and thicker.

“I can even… succeed in the research the Duke wants done…”

My head kept dropping lower and lower.

In my blurry vision, I could see my small hands gripping the blanket tightly.

From beside me, I felt Wendel’s intense gaze.

Suddenly, such a worry occurred to me.

If I couldn’t get a definitive answer from Sharon Abner here.

‘Then where would I go?’

When she came to pick me up from the orphanage, she didn’t ask anything, so I was relieved.

But it seemed she was just saving her words back then.

At this point, even though adult-like thinking was difficult, one thing became clear.

‘What if she kills me?’

If she thinks I’m a spy from Longton or a dark mage or something…

My complexion grew paler and paler.

When I met Sharon Abner in my previous life, my abilities had already been proven to some extent.

Though I had given most of my magic formulas to Hiana, there were still a few published under my name.

‘Yes. That’s why she valued me highly.’

That’s why she gave me the seal, saying she wanted to help me.

‘But right now, I’m just a four-year-old snotty kid.’

Not only that.

Sharon Abner giving me the seal was something that hadn’t even happened yet in this life.

There were no magic formulas or pharmaceutical recipes registered under my name in academia.

In short, I was nothing but a damn suspicious brat with nothing to prove myself.

Even so, this was the only path I could choose, so that’s why…

“I, I am…”

Before I could do anything, tears welled up in my eyes.

Memories from before my regression and memories from the few days after regression mixed together, making my head dizzy.

Soon, unbearable sorrow washed over me.

The moment tears hanging on my eyelashes dropped to the floor with soft thuds.

“Hah, this won’t do.”

Sharon Abner let out a sigh as if exasperated.

When I looked up, I saw her slowly rising from her seat.

She approached me and spoke with a troubled expression.

“I said it would be strange not to be curious, but when did I say I’d interrogate you?”

My mouth fell slightly open.

“And even if I did ask, looking at your state, you’d probably faint before answering.”

“…Ah.”

“Don’t worry about foolish things. What do you take me for?”

Sharon Abner’s expression became serious.

“You told me not to ask you anything, and I brought you here. To my home.”

“….”

“Don’t you know what this means? It means I’ve accepted your proposal.”

“Then, then.”

“As promised, I have no intention of asking you anything. How you knew about that seal’s existence, where you got information about Longton spies. …There are many things I’m curious about.”

Sharon Abner, who had come right up close, sat on the edge of the bed.

“So first, release all that tension from your body. Being clever is good, but you’re unnecessarily fearful.”

I stared up at her blankly.

In the moonlight streaming through the window, Sharon Abner’s violet eyes sparkled.

Her lips, positioned below her elegantly straight nose, curved in a very subtle line.

Without realizing it, a small voice escaped me.

“Th, thank you…!”

“….”

“Really, I’ll do really well!”

Along with the thought that I was alive, relief washed over me like waves.

“I’ll definitely keep my promise. About helping the Abner Family, about being useful…!”

In my previous life, Lambert Longton adopted me because I was useful.

Even after getting his real daughter Hiana back, he didn’t throw me out for that reason alone.

Because of me, because of the things I created, the family could gain great benefits.

‘I just need to do the same for the Abner Family.’

Since there’s no Hiana here to steal my achievements, no unfair situations will arise.

This is good.

I smiled with tears glistening in my eyes.

“Thank you so much. Really, truly.”

Then, somehow, Sharon Abner’s brow furrowed slightly.

She stared down at me intently, then soon answered briefly.

“…Yes.”

The next day.

‘You are now a ward of Abner. I’ll arrange a place for you to stay in the main building soon, so stay in this room for now. Always accompany Wendel when leaving the manor, and I’ll assign you some maids as well.’

I woke up recalling the conversation I had with Sharon Abner last night.

As I shifted my drowsy body, I could see half-drawn curtains and spotlessly clean windows.

“…Abner Manor.”

I’m really at Abner Manor.

As tension released, a languid sigh escaped.

After my regression, every single day had been frantically busy.

Honestly, I couldn’t sleep properly due to the pressure.

For the past few days, I could barely feel hunger, being in such an extremely tense state made it worse.

But today…

Growl-

I gently placed one hand on my rumbling stomach.

Grrowl- Gurgle-

Perhaps because I felt somewhat relieved, my stomach was growling tremendously.

I sat up in the large bed.

And carefully gripping the footboard railing, I stepped down onto the floor with both feet.

Since I was up, I thought I’d go to the kitchen to get something to eat.

Then I paused, seeing the blanket draped on one side of the bed.

The soft cotton blanket was packed full with fluffy cotton and feathers.

‘No wonder. I thought the bed was too comfortable yesterday.’

Looking again, logs were crackling in the fireplace, and the room was cozy.

It was proof that someone had been checking on it all night to keep the fire from going out.

Ahem, I cleared my throat softly.

Then I fidgeted awkwardly as I headed toward the door.

‘Sharon Abner seemed to like me.’

Thump, thump, my heart was beating strangely.

‘She kept all the promises I asked for too.’

She had even given me such a nice room, bed, and blankets.

But I soon stopped in my tracks.

And I looked down at my hands that had been fidgeting unconsciously.

A sudden feeling of unease sprouted inside me.

‘…No. Duke Longton was like that at first too.’

My gaze fell on the mirror in one corner of the room.

Disheveled silver hair that half-covered my face.

Pale ivory-colored eyes peeking out from beneath it.

Lips pressed so firmly shut they looked stubborn.

Inside stood a thin, small child with an expressionless face.

My heart slowly sank.

“…Pull yourself together, Annellia.”

I hadn’t come here to be doted on.

So I shouldn’t be so happy just because I got a nice room, just because the bed was warm.

“This is where I’ll prepare.”

I had once dreamed of becoming the head of a pharmaceutical academy.

I had thought it would be good to enter a magic tower too.

From my young days, during my childhood before Hiana returned.

When I had read through all the magic-related books and started writing scholar-level papers, my dream seemed right within reach.

‘I wanted recognition.’

Magic studies, pharmaceutical studies.

They were the first things I had ever loved in my life.

The first things I had become completely absorbed in, the things I had devoted myself to without noticing time pass.

‘I shouldn’t have given up so easily.’

Just because Duke Longton changed, just because my brothers hated me.

I shouldn’t have given up just because I had no place to stand.

“I can do it here.”

Here I can build my foundation step by step again.

The young child in the mirror nodded.

I stared at the mirror for a few more seconds, then turned around without hesitation.

I walked quickly to the door and grabbed the handle, turning it with all my strength.

Click, the door opened with the feeling of the lock releasing.

It was at that very moment that someone suddenly burst through the gap in the opened door.

“…!!”

I collided head-on with them and tumbled to the floor.

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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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