I Think My Daughter Has Regressed (7 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 7
“Daddy?”
It was when Damian had crossed about halfway through the garden. Lucy, seated under the canopy, spotted Damian first.
“Daddy!”
“I greet Her Imperial Majesty the Empress.”
“Duke of Genova.”
The Empress’s eyes widened in surprise, then quickly broke into a radiant smile.
The way her delicately curved eyes held Lucy’s hand tightly made it perfectly clear she had taken a liking to Lucy.
To have captured the heart of the Imperial Empress… It surely couldn’t have been easy to win the Empress over to one’s side.
Apparently, his daughter had quite a few hidden facets he hadn’t known about—
aspects that seemed somehow extraordinary, visible only to Damian.
Of course, as long as Ariel was happy, Damian didn’t feel any need to reveal every single one of Lucy’s quirks to her.
Perhaps it would even be better if Ariel never found out in her entire life.
“Lucy isn’t causing any trouble for Your Imperial Majesty, is she?”
“Not at all. A duchess like you wouldn’t raise a child that way. Honestly, I’d love to adopt her as my own daughter.”
“…Daddy, where’s Mama?”
Lucy tugged anxiously at Damian’s sleeve as she asked.
A hint of fear and dread surfaced in her eyes. Damian frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“Don’t tell me you left Mama alone back there! …What will you do if you leave Mama all by herself!”
Tears welled up in the child’s scolding eyes as she fixed her gaze on Damian.
“I told Mama I’d play with Daddy, but what if Daddy comes to me and leaves her all alone!”
Startled by Lucy’s raised voice, the Empress looked toward her.
Seeing the tears brimming in the child’s eyes, the Empress carefully knelt down.
Damian was more surprised by the Empress lowering herself to the child’s eye level than by the child’s sudden outburst.
This went beyond merely taking a liking—it was something deeper.
“Lucy, you shouldn’t leave Mama alone back there, should you?”
At the Empress’s question, Lucy flinched and pursed her lips.
“Well… that place…”
“It’s alright, dear. Go ahead and tell me.”
“…It’s dangerous. Mama… she shouldn’t stay alone in a place like that.”
Lucy glanced sideways at Damian and frowned slightly.
“That’s why I told her I was going to play with Daddy.”
Hearing this, the Empress chuckled softly and took Lucy’s hand.
“Oh dear. It seems we must show Lucy the true side of the duchess. Duke, you should come along as well.”
“…Mama’s true side?”
Lucy tilted her head, and the Empress nodded.
“Have you, Duke, ever seen your duchess in high society?”
“Yes. I often saw her before our marriage. But lately, with frequent deployments to war, I haven’t had the chance.”
Ah, come to think of it, just a moment ago… she had gently patted the back of his hand.
Her gesture was as elusive as clouds drifting across the sky—
though her fingers clearly touched his skin, they still felt as though they might slip away at any moment.
That uniquely ticklish sensation he only ever felt from Ariel.
Damian rubbed the back of his hand, recalling Ariel.
There was an unyielding insistence behind Ariel’s softly curving gaze.
Add to that her skillful eloquence that ensnared others—yet always restrained, never overbearing.
She must have known better than anyone how everyone paused when her lips parted to speak, yet Ariel never grew prideful about it.
That much was clear from her demeanor and tone.
Even Damian himself had once hesitated when her steadfast green eyes locked directly onto his.
Yet, precisely because she never wielded that power forcefully, people felt completely at ease around her—
thus, everyone ended up resting comfortably in the palm of Ariel’s hand. Damian was no exception.
“Lucy, your mother was once called the flower of high society.”
The Empress’s eyes drifted slightly, as if recalling old memories.
The cheerful curve of her lips resembled the expression of someone fondly remembering a man she’d briefly fancied before marriage.
“If people called her the flower of high society merely for her beauty, Ariel’s name wouldn’t still be mentioned today. I think it’s best you see for yourself what your mother’s true weapon really is.”
Damian and Lucy followed the Empress to where she led them.
Standing before a large door, the Empress smiled gently and gave Lucy a quiet instruction.
“Especially here, you mustn’t raise your voice too loudly, Lucy. Understand?”
“Yes. I’ll be quiet—shh!”
Lucy placed a finger over her lips and mimed “shh” toward Damian as well.
In moments like this, he caught a fleeting glimpse of Ariel in her.
Entering through the door, Damian glanced at the Empress and gave a faint smile.
…So that’s what this was about.
The place the Empress led them to was none other than the second floor of the ballroom.
It was a spot where members of the Imperial family came to discreetly observe nobles from a slight distance during banquets.
The architecture ensured those below couldn’t see upward, allowing secret observation of the nobility.
He’d known the Empress favored Lucy, but he hadn’t expected it to be this serious.
It was clear she intended to bring Lucy into the Imperial family—
and she didn’t hide that intention even from Damian.
Perhaps she didn’t bother hiding it precisely because Damian was present; after all, Ariel had no intention of making Lucy an Imperial.
“There she is. How is it that the duchess stands out so clearly, even from this distance?”
Following the Empress’s words, Lucy’s gaze shifted. Damian, who had already been looking at Ariel, now watched his wife in the ballroom after a long while.
Pale brown hair, snow-white skin, and vivid green eyes set above them.
While others in high society were often compared to roses, Ariel was surprisingly likened more often to delicate creatures—like deer or magnolia blossoms.
Damian leaned forward slightly, drinking in the sight of her.
Occasionally, nobles at banquets would invite Damian on deer-hunting trips.
But Damian always declined. There was no need to travel far for hunting.
After all, a beautiful deer awaited him at home—and hunting there brought him far greater joy.
Hmm—prayer and hunting.
Even in metaphors, people likened Ariel to prayer. Unconsciously, Damian let out a soft chuckle.
“Mama…”
Lucy blinked.
Watching Ariel speak with the marchioness, the Empress’s eyes softened.
“How does it look from up here? Does the duchess seem dangerous to you?”
Lucy’s eyes dimmed sadly. Her head shook weakly in denial, devoid of strength.
But the moment Bruno approached Ariel, Lucy leapt up from her seat.
“No! Daddy, Daddy!”
Lucy grabbed Damian’s sleeve desperately and whispered urgently in a small voice.
Damian’s eyebrows twitched as he looked down below.
Just as both father and daughter seemed ready to bolt from the spot, the Empress stopped them.
“Didn’t we come here to see the duchess’s true nature?”
Letting out a deep sigh, the Empress looked down and told them to wait a moment.
Though Damian couldn’t hear exactly what was said, Ariel kept a constant smile as she briefly spoke with Bruno.
Within just a few minutes, Bruno left his place.
“See? Your mother handled it all on her own…”
Yet despite the Empress’s words, both father and daughter kept their eyes fixed on Bruno’s retreating back.
Their eyebrows, equally displeased, twitched in perfect unison.
Alone, the Empress shook her head slowly.
“Ariel must be having a hard time.”
*
“I heard the duchess has been teaching Lucy history.”
At the marchioness’s subtle inquiry, Ariel hid a knowing smile behind her fan.
“Not exactly. Lucy reads on her own.”
“The duke’s daughter reads by herself? Does a child really read such dull books on her own?”
“Well, I read a little to her every night before bed. That might be why she grew so fond of books.”
“You read to her personally every single time?”
The marchioness’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Yes. I read to her every day.”
“How admirable. It seems spending so much time with your child naturally extends into building a bond even with books. I always leave such matters entirely to tutors, so my child keeps growing more distant from academic studies.”
The marchioness frowned, clearly frustrated.
“I suppose being taught in a stifling environment would cause that. Children naturally want to run around freely.”
“Exactly! Unlike Benjamin, the duke’s daughter must be exceptional from such a young age.”
“Not at all, Madam.”
Ariel lowered her fan and gently took the marchioness’s hand.
Her soft grip carried a warm gentleness along with an inexplicable, undeniable strength.
“Lucy does happen to follow me especially well, but it’s not wrong for children to want to play and run about. Benjamin is growing up very strong and healthy.”
Touched by Ariel’s warm words, the marchioness’s eyes glistened.
“Yes… Benjamin is growing up wonderfully. I suppose I was being too hasty.”
“Hmm… How about letting Lucy play together with your child instead of relying solely on tutors? You could pose light questions occasionally and offer treats when they get them right. While fostering rivalry isn’t ideal, a little competitive spirit can be a good motivator for children’s growth.”
“You mean having lessons together in the same space?”
“Oh, no, no.”
Ariel shook her head.
“I mean going out to play together—not lessons.”
Ariel smiled gently, correcting the marchioness.
“So you’d come along too, Marchioness.”
“…Go out to play? I’d love that very much.”
This time, the marchioness eagerly grasped Ariel’s hand.
“Playing together with the duke’s daughter while learning—it would surely be good for the children’s emotional well-being too.”
“Of course.”
Ariel beamed at the marchioness.
She’d been worried about how to rekindle her relationship with this influential marchioness of high society, but Lucy had turned out to be the perfect bridge.
Having stayed away from society for so long due to the war, she’d felt somewhat unfamiliar—but thankfully, everything worked out.
“Ariel.”
Just then, Bruno approached and called out to Ariel once again.
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
I see that Lucy is guiding her tutor to discover the truth and realize that he is being manipulated.
Poor Ariel, I know her daughter Lucy would have ways to resolve that situation peacefully, but she went to extremes 😅 Poor mother, I imagine the next episode will show the anguish she’s carrying in that situation, especially since Lucy is under Ariel’s care.
What a fascinating novel! The title suggests that Lucy might be a regressor, but from my point of view, she behaves like a gifted child. How curious!