The Baby Who Regressed Refuses Childcare - Chapter 74

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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 current Emperor had been bitten by a venomous insect when he was very young.

The venom from that insect was of a terrible kind that caused hives to break out from the bite area.

Once the hives appeared, they became unbearably itchy, and even scratching until bleeding wouldn’t relieve the pain and foreign sensation.

If his body temperature rose even slightly by mistake, he could have lost his life in that moment, but the Emperor overcame all of this alone without any antidote.

Though it did leave terrible scars on his body in the end.

“That potion… really erases scars.”

“Yes!”

The Emperor extremely hated showing those scars to others.

You could tell from how he still insisted on long sleeves even after decades had passed.

‘Well, no one would look kindly upon scars on the Imperial Family’s body.’

But I pretended not to know about the existence of those scars and capped the medicine bottle.

“I heard Your Majesty enjoys hunting just like our Duke! So you might get scratched by tree branches or injured from being attacked by prey.”

“…”

“For those times, I prepared wound treatment medicine, and scar treatment medicine so that even if scars form, they’ll disappear quickly!”

I bowed again as if embarrassed, then stepped back.

I didn’t forget to smile bashfully while lightly scratching my cheek.

The Emperor’s face showed an expression of genuine surprise.

An awkward silence flowed for quite a while.

“…By the way. You also erased scars with medicine.”

“Pardon?”

“Just before. Didn’t you say you erased a large scar on your back with this medicine.”

I blinked my eyes and then nodded.

“Oh, yes. There was a bit of an accident in the past…”

The Emperor turned his gaze to look at Sharon Abner.

“Is this true.”

Sharon Abner opened her mouth.

“There was an attack on the Duke’s Castle a few months ago. An assassin targeted the child…”

“So a large scar was left on the child’s back.”

“Yes. It was my negligence.”

“Right. It was indeed your negligence. She’s a talent of the Empire, so you should have watched more carefully.”

My eyes widened.

But Sharon Abner nodded without any objection.

“You speak correctly. I still regret it now. I plan to pay even more careful attention going forward.”

“Right. That’s as it should be.”

The Emperor, who had spoken reproachfully, looked at me again.

“My Princess’s gift pleases me greatly.”

And he said to me as I blinked in bewilderment.

“What does the Princess want? Wealth, land, people. Whatever it may be, I’ll give you one thing you desire.”

Meanwhile, in the Elder Council Chamber of the Abner Estate.

Herman’s eyes became infinitely serious as he received the meeting agenda.

“Selection of an estate administrator.”

The Council of Elders was having a constructive meeting for the first time in a very long while.

It wasn’t a conspiracy to pull Sharon Abner down from her ducal position, but a meeting about how to assist her and the family.

“Since Young Master Jayden is still lacking, I think it might be good for the Council of Elders to make the selection for now…”

“Wouldn’t it be better to invite someone if there’s a suitable person nearby?”

“Then it should at least be someone from the Abner Branch. But as for the branch families, they’re all…”

When one elder trailed off, the meeting hall became solemn.

That was because among the Abner Branch, there were few talents worthy of being an estate administrator.

Including all the elders.

The reason was the karma they had accumulated over the past 10 years.

“How about Count Peros? Wasn’t he someone who had relatively little hostility toward the Lord?”

“No. During the council meeting 6 years ago, he questioned the Duke’s dignity just because the Lord sneezed.”

“Then Viscount Nocturne…”

“That man screamed loudly calling her a witch when the Lord had just received the ducal title.”

“Duke Hans…?”

“That man’s son was caught trying to secretly put thumbtacks in the Lord’s shoes…”

In the end, everyone solemnly closed their mouths.

The more they reflected, the more shocking their own atrocities became.

“W-we must have been insane.”

The youngest elder muttered with a forlorn expression.

“How could we have even thought to do such things? Looking back now, wouldn’t we have deserved mass execution?”

“What execution, we wouldn’t have had anything to say even if we were beheaded.”

“I think it’s miraculous that we’re alive now.”

Recalling the council meeting from a few months ago still sent chills down their spines.

On that day, the Lord’s legitimacy was completely proven with ancient documents and legal records.

On top of that, even a letter from the Previous Duke containing his intentions was discovered, so they could have been imprisoned on the spot without complaint.

‘Writing lines would be better! Copy the legal records five times!’

If it hadn’t been for what Annellia, who was now a Princess, had said.

“If it weren’t for the Princess, we would have…”

One elder shook his head as if the mere thought disgusted him.

“We all owe our lives to the Princess. Count Kainton has gone missing, but he was particularly extreme in his troublemaking.”

In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the branch families’ hostility toward Sharon Abner had started with Kainton.

When Sharon inherited the ducal title, there was a group of vassals in Abner who opposed her.

What Kainton and his group constantly argued was always the same.

That Sharon Abner had no legitimacy.

That she was a dark sorceress who came to destroy the family.

That it would be right for Jayden to inherit the ducal title, or else for a successor to come from the branch families.

Those words made even the thoughtless branch families dream vain dreams.

“W-we’re alive thanks to His Grace the Duke and the young miss.”

“Of course! Do you think they overlooked our mortal sins out of ignorance?”

When Lady Larienne, who had been the loudest voice, changed her attitude first, most of the branch families came to their senses.

Also, now that Kainton had disappeared and Sharon Abner’s hostile forces had completely vanished from the Council of Elders.

They were doing their utmost to repay their debt of life.

This was because shortly after Kainton’s disappearance, Annellia had come to visit the Elder Council Chamber and said this:

‘You know, grandfathers. Are your fingers okay from writing lines?’

‘F-fingers?’

Some elders awkwardly frowned in front of the child, while others fidgeted restlessly.

But Annellia didn’t mind and chattered away.

“Even if it hurt a lot, please endure it. It’s much better than going to heaven and not being able to feel anything!”

Despite the childish voice, the gist of her words was utterly chilling.

Of course, the elders couldn’t respond at all.

Because everything the child said was absolutely right.

‘You know, the grandfathers are rotten pillars.’

‘R-rotten pillars?’

‘Yes! Rotten pillars that need to be torn down completely!’

‘…Hic.’

‘But even if they’re rotten pillars, if you knock them all down at once, the roof will collapse. Because of gravity! You know gravity, right?’

Annellia smiled brightly while making eye contact with each of the pale-faced elders one by one.

‘That’s why the Duke forgave you! It would feel refreshing to destroy everything at once, but the roof would collapse. Plus it would take forever to build new pillars.’

‘N-new pillars, you say.’

‘Yes! First he’ll try repairs, and if that doesn’t work, then he’ll probably break them down one by one!’

Then she asked innocently.

‘Hmm, but grandfathers are pillars that can be repaired, right?’

The elders had no choice but to nod their heads with all their might to the child who didn’t even reach their thighs.

‘O-of course! We’re pillars that can be repaired!’

‘We’re more confident than ever that we can firmly support Abner’s roof! Trust us!’

Though she was a commoner from the orphanage, the child had already proven her presence.

Wasn’t it amazing enough that the Lord had spared them with just one word from the child?

Moreover, Sharon Abner had already subtly hinted to the elders her intention to adopt Annellia as her daughter.

So they worked even more desperately.

To prove that they were pillars that could be repaired.

And on the other hand, they gained certainty about Annellia.

That the child’s suggestion of writing lines at the council meeting hadn’t simply come from childish thinking.

“We must select a territory administrator who will satisfy the Princess!”

“That’s right! Wasn’t it also the Princess who suggested moving residence to the Imperial Capital?”

The elders’ eyes sparkled with passion.

“Let’s select a young, smart, and capable territory representative so she can move her residence with confidence!”

“I want a house!”

When I blurted it out without any hesitation, the Emperor’s eyes widened.

“A house?”

“Yes! I want to have just one small house in the Imperial Capital! Oh, and it would be nice if there was a tiny greenhouse too…”

The Emperor looked at me intently and asked.

“What’s your reason for wanting a house? I thought you’d ask for toys at most.”

“I’m going to enter the Apothecary Guild’s gifted program as the youngest student, and I want to commute from home then.”

The Emperor’s lips parted slightly.

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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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