In the foggy realm of unconsciousness, I tried to regain control of myself.
But somehow, my body continued to approach the bound baby.
‘I have to wake up, I have to wake up…’
I tried to wake myself up, but the effect was minimal.
After staying awake for three nights and only getting a couple of hours of sleep, I didn’t have enough energy to wake myself up.
-Please,… … . Save me.
Despite my unwillingness, my hands naturally reached out towards the baby.
A Baby is somehow full of pure magic.
If it truly existed, then that baby would be an inexplicable being.
‘What are you?’
I tried to stop my treacherous body somehow to question the baby, but….
-I am your only…Understanding-
What nonsense was this?
Have you lived for 3,000 years or something?
What are you babbling about?
Unfortunately, my body still didn’t have any intention of being controlled.
My fingertips touched the baby’s body, and at that moment, the chains and fabrics that tightly bound the baby suddenly unraveled.
Then a tiny infant, who looked like they were just born, opened their golden eyes and looked at me with a satisfied expression .
“Who are you… … .” I tried to ask a baby, feeling a bit breathless.
– Don’t forget, Anastasia. I am your only-
The soft and gentle voice wrapped around my ears, hypnotic.
‘Enough!’
Until another voice came out of nowhere, breaking the enchantment; the hands that didn’t want to let go of the baby, jolted back.
And the baby’s face, which was adorned with a smile seconds ago, became distorted.
‘Another disturbance … … .’ it said with an annoyed voice.
“Baby!” A boy with blonde and purple eyes shouted again, pulling me back to reality.
* * *
‘Mikhail?’ I called, a bit confused.
However, Mikhail wasn’t the only person standing in front of me.
My whole family was looking at me with a worried look on their faces.
My sister’s face was red, her eyes swollen.
Even my brother was crying while staring at me.
‘W..What’s going on?’
My father was standing close, while my mother was praying somewhere in the room.
“Anastasia, my baby.”
My mother lifted me up from the baby bed and embraced it.
“How much have your mother worried during this week?
what? A week?
I was sick for a whole week?
I blinked in disbelief.
“Shasha, huh, is it still hurting? Sister, sister… … “Why not stop and cover up if it hurts instead of continuing?
My sister was crying and talking.
“Laurencia, if you get sick, I’ll be the one worrying myself sick because I am your older brother.”
My brother told my sister with a face that this should never happen.
As they were talking, father hugged them and said, “Our baby, I wish dad could be sick in your place.”
I looked at my mother who was in tears.
“I’m so, so, glad that you woke up, Anastasia. Really! What if something went wrong.. … .” she said.
At that moment, my father stroked Mikhail’s hair.
“Thank you, Mikhail. It’s all thanks to you.”
“It’s nothing special, Duke. “Because it was something I could do,” Mikhail answered calmly as he received a towel from a maid to wipe his wet hair.
“In times like this, I don’t mean to decline. Mikhail. “It’s raining like this, and in the space of a week, you went all the way to the Archduke’s territory and brought the Archduke’s family heirlooms.”
Heirloom?
Only after hearing the word heirloom, did I realize that Mikhail was holding a blue marble in his hands.
It looked so precious, I didn’t even want to breathe next to it.
“Everyone was so surprised when the priest said that Anastasia seemed to be under an unknown curse.”
So, what Mikhail’s holding was some tool that could break curses?
I recalled the baby I saw in my dreams.
‘It was a weird dream.’
In my ninety-ninth life, I decided to take a breath without going out of the corner.
When I prevented the last destruction, I didn’t move, so my body was so stupid.
But relatively about 200 years ago, I kept wiping my abilities.
I have somehow come to give up.
‘It’s virtually immune to fascinating tricks.’
You dragged me into a dream like that?
There’s also a horse world, so even if the highest-level Montma comes, you can’t get into your dreams.
But that newborn baby.
-I am your only understanding-
This sentence was even more weird.
I’ve never met anyone who could understand me even though I’ve reincarnated for 100 times.
But that baby talked as if he knew me.
‘why… … .’
I felt uncomfortable.
What kind of trick are you preparing for the 100th time?
A sense of crisis arose within me.
It was so cozy here that I forgot what my fate was supposed to be.
An absolute principle in my life is that I must seek something.
‘… … I need to grow up quickly.’
I was too small right; my hands, my feet, everything.
I needed to grow up quickly so I could use my strength properly.
‘That bastard, I was using it sparingly so as not to scare my family, but you’ve lost all your strength on your own?’
I will find out what went wrong and fix it.
Of course, for now……
“Anastasia, please grow up healthy.”
My priority was to enjoy being the youngest member of a family that was worried sick because of me.
* * *
For about a month after that incident, for the first time in over a thousand years, I regularly used the barrier before going to bed.
Unfortunately, because I was still growing, I usually ended up with a slight fever in the morning.
Maybe that’s why, or maybe it’s because the bastard didn’t get any closer.
Anyway, time passed without me having to encounter any more uninvited guests.
Then spring came, and I entered the 9th month of my life.
“Come here, our youngest!”
My father clapped his hands with a mixture of worry and anticipation in his eyes.
I strengthened my legs.
I can do it!
I can walk by myself!
One step.
Two steps.
And when I took the long-awaited third step, my body tilted forward a little bit.
Immediately, a large, strong hand grabbed my wobbling body and hugged me.
“Our youngest, our youngest!”
My father lifted me up, excited.
“You walked three steps by yourself!”
Then, he asked the knights nearby as if to confirm, “Did you see that everyone? Did you see our youngest walking alone?”
“Yes, Duke!”
“You looked very elegant, miss!”
“It was a truly moving and incredible sight. I can’t believe I got to see this!”
In response to my father’s excitement, the knights, who were in charge of my escort today, also applauded.
No, what’s so great about just walking three steps alone… … !
No, if I really thought about it, it was a big improvement.
‘The fact that I can now walk on my own means that I’m gradually getting stronger.
If I work a little harder, I will be able to collect information without getting upset.
Well, I’m still trying little by little to see how far I can safely go.
Did you make the dress for the April festival?’
A festival was held in April within the duchy.
‘I will need to go to the Grand Duke’s house. Mid-April, at the latest-‘
The schedule for the Grand Duke’s visit to Michael Leventis, who I didn’t really want to know about.
‘Oh my, it seems like cleaning is going to get better today.’
Even if it’s only slightly, it improves the maid’s work efficiency.
‘This Endeblanc duchy is a very historic place-‘
By sneaking into my brother’s class, I had learned about noble families’ titles and history.
Things weren’t going as fast as I wanted, but I was glad they were going at all.
“Our youngest can walk on her own. Are you guys training properly?” my dad suddenly asked.
For some reason, he was acting like a real boss today.
Because what did baby steps have to do with the knights’ training?
“It’s embarrassing compared to the princess’s achievement, but we’re all trying our best, Duke,” one of them answered.
“I will work as hard as the youngest,” another one.
And they all answered very honestly.
But my father’s eyes narrowed in disbelief.
“Hmm, I heard that the last time the Minor Duke of Leventis went to the Grand Dukedom, there was someone who fell behind.”
“Well, that’s…” … .”
“Spring has arrived, so it’s time to check out the knights’ skills.”
“Duke, what are you saying … .”
“During the April festival, we will hold a martial arts competition. Everyone, be prepared,” my father declared.
And the knights’ faces paled considerably at my father’s words.
I, too, felt uncomfortable.
‘Father, are you using this as an excuse to evaluate my performance?!’
My father couldn’t do this.
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