Chapter 3
3
Chapter 1. I Was Reborn as a Baby, Actually (2)
"You won't sleep, you naughty thing."
Hey, you're a kid too.
"You kick off all the blankets. Sigh."
"Hoo-aeng…."
"What, are you complaining? I'm being nice enough to come see you in person."
You're not that much older than me, but I don't like how you act all grown-up and superior. You're a kid too. To this adult, you're all just babies.
A child's face appeared between the bars of the crib.
My eyes had adjusted to the darkness somewhat, but my eyesight wasn't good enough to see clearly, so the features were blurry.
Too bad. It would have been a chance for some eye candy.
"I didn't mention you were with a wolf."
How old are you? You speak pretty well.
"I thought there would be a fuss."
You're quick-witted too.
"Oh, not you, me. I get nagged for going to dangerous places."
You look well-behaved, but you must be a troublemaker.
"I'm sure that wolf had an arrow in its leg, right? Because I followed the bloodstains."
"Woong?"
"But seeing it was fine…."
"……."
"Was it you?"
"Ue?"
I don't know anything.
" Healing magic is something only high-ranking priests can barely do, you know."
The handsome face of the child stuck to the crib suddenly came into focus. He's handsome and cute, but there's something sinister about him. Ha, haha. He's a prince, so he has a different aura, huh….
"How could that be? Huh?"
"...Woo-aeng…."
As expected, a baby's weapon is crying!
"Don't pretend to cry."
Oh, what do you want me to do.
I hadn't decided whether to laugh or cry, so my face must have looked strange. I haven't even seen a mirror yet, but you don't even bat an eye at my cuteness. You cold-blooded….
"You definitely understand everything I'm saying, right? Duke Wentworth told me you're only three months old."
Uh.
"See, you understand everything. Even more suspicious."
"……."
"You're suspicious, but I'll let it slide."
The child smiled slyly. Oh, thank you so much….
"Because I found you."
'You' to a person!
I'm human. I'm a person, Prince!
Whether he's a prince or an emperor, you can tell from his words and actions that he's grown up arrogant. When I was your age, Dad used to brag to everyone in the neighborhood about how well our Yeon-ah greeted people.
"I was going to raise you, but your parents showed up, which is a bit of a shame."
So you weren't the one who found me…….
How can a child raise a child! Leave it to the adults! You may have a lot of money because you're a prince, but raising a child requires more than that!
"Now that you're safe, sleep well."
As if that's all he came to say, the child reached out his short arm and tapped my head.
"Ow, ah…."
"I've been kidnapped a lot too."
He couldn't control his strength, so it honestly hurt.
But the child's face was so cute as he smiled proudly that my desire to complain melted away.
'Is that all you came to tell me.'
Even though he's a baby himself. Even though he's only five years old at most.
'He's a prince, so maybe that's why he speaks so well and is so sharp. He's also arrogant.'
Is it the result of intensive early education because he's a prince?
A child should be childlike.
'No, if that's the case, it means I have to act like a child from now on.'
There can be mature children too. I lowered my standards. Feel free to act as grown-up as you want, kid! The more you do, the more blankets will be ruined when you grow up! I've been through it all!
"Ah, I followed something annoying."
I guarantee you, that 'annoying thing' is a person too. I'm sure of it.
"I should go. Haa…."
The child looked quite tired as he sighed.
Seeing the child walking away from the crib with quick steps, I really felt how young he was. As the distance increased, I could see how small the child was.
And I'm even smaller than him now.
"Right."
The child stopped and turned around.
"My name is Raven. Remember it, got it?"
To be honest, what would a three-month-old baby understand? I shouldn't answer.
"Hey, answer."
"……."
"If you don't answer, right now,"
"Bbaa! Bba!"
Sniff, my pride.
***
Several months have passed since then. I think it's been about three months.
"Do your best, Shana!"
I struggled and pushed my belly with all my might! With all my might! Ugh!
I crawled! I moved on my own! It was just like a caterpillar!
"Wow! Waa!"
"Everyone, clap!"
"Waaa!"
Clap, clap, clap. A shower of applause poured down. At the same time, the strength drained from my body, which had been struggling to hold on, and I collapsed.
"Hoo-ah…. Poo…."
"Shana, are you tired? Here, here. Would you like some water? Would you like a hug?"
"Maria, let her rest."
The people's reactions were as if I had won a gold medal. These people, they were like this even when I rolled over…….
Especially Maria and Bailey were so moved that they were on the verge of tears. Don't cry……. I just did belly crawling…….
"Sniff, sob, Shana, you've grown up so much already…."
I just did belly crawling…….
"You're only six months old! And you're already like an adult!"
It would be a disaster if an adult crawled around on their belly…….
"Not only that, Maria. Our Shana already understands everything we say!"
"That's right! She's amazing!"
"A month and four days ago, she said 'Bbaa!' to Duke Wentworth!"
"Oh, my goodness!"
Are these people trying to make me die of embarrassment……?
"She already called the Duchess 'Maa!' a month and a week ago! Our young lady is a genius!"
"That's right!"
Just kill me…….
I clenched my fists and trembled while lying face down. I could tell my face was red without even looking.
I really couldn't stand this shameful praise that was repeated several times a day.
The problem is that it's all genuine! It's not sarcasm!
"There's more! When Shana takes a nap, Bailey reads books."
"Do you have a problem with that? I'm paying attention to Shana."
"No, it's not that I have a problem! You fall asleep while reading!"
"……."
Yeah, she falls asleep often. Bailey pretends not to be asleep, but everyone knows. Bailey's cheeks flushed red.
"T-t-that day, I was t-t-tired…."
"Yes, anyway, Shana shows interest in the books when you're sleeping."
"Oh, my."
"She pesters me as if she wants me to bring them to her…."
"...If Shana pestered you, there's nothing you can do…. Good job, Maria."
"Right?"
I want to cover my ears.
"I brought her the book, and then!"
"No way!"
"She frowned like this!"
Maria frowned her pretty eyes and made a fierce expression. But Maria, who was cute, looked cute no matter what she did. Oh, how cute.
I was reminded of the moment when my expectations that I would be able to read just by looking at the letters, just like I could understand words, were shattered.
'It was like someone was laughing at me for being able to understand words….'
I was destined to study letters whether I liked it or not.
"She looks like she's going to read it seriously!"
"Oh, my! How admirable!"
"Our Shana is a genius!"
Please be quiet. Just leave me alone…….
I covered my ears and groaned. Unlike my mature self-awareness, only insincere sounds like "Kkyu!" or "Bbaa!" came out of my mouth, so I tried not to make any sounds as much as possible.
"But she doesn't usually talk in front of us…."
"Could it be because she doesn't have any friends her age…."
"Don't say that. You know how difficult and strict the selection process was…."
"I know…."
"Duke Wentworth will never compromise on Shana's safety and security. He won't allow any possibility. Until she grows up to a certain extent, she won't have any friends…."
"But then…. Won't Shana be too lonely?"
"We're here to make sure she's not lonely."
I'm not lonely. It's a problem that I'm not lonely enough.
Rather, it was a bigger problem that they would throw me among the babies to make me friends.
'What kind of friends can you make when you can't even communicate….'
Bailey, Maria, and Ella are always chattering beside me all day, so I'm not lonely at all, but rather annoyed.
Bailey, Maria, and Ella are the people who take care of me, playing with me and taking care of me all day in place of my busy parents. Among them, Bailey is about the same age as my Mother and gave birth to a child around the same time, so she was my wet nurse.
Mother is weak and doesn't have enough milk, so I often drink Bailey's milk more than Mother's.
Breastfeeding is sacred. I'm not ashamed. Yeah.
'I hope she's not sick.'
My mom in my previous life was also weak and often sick. Are all the people who gave birth to me destined to be weak?
'If only I could heal Mother like I healed the wolf….'
I wanted to use the healing magic or whatever that arrogant kid Raven was talking about, but I haven't been able to do anything since then.
'Logically, how often would there be injured people around a baby?'
Besides, I'm not just any baby, but the only daughter of a duke who was kidnapped by her Mother's wet nurse and abandoned in the snowfield just three months after birth.
That's right, a duke.
A real duke…….
This was the so-called fantasy world.
I was reborn in the Wentworth Duchy of the Bayard Empire, which has the largest territory on the continent of El Campa.
My name is Shana Feli Wentworth.
A precious treasure who is only half a year old.
"Quickly, bring Duke Wentworth and the Duchess! We have to show them Shana's belly crawling!"
"Yes! I'll be right back!"
Maria quickly ran off. It's already been three months of this life. I won't die of embarrassment with just this much. I've become stronger!
"Okay, Shana! Shall we lie down again!"
"Bbyaaa!"
I've become stronger, but I hate the crib!
