Chapter 547: Burning(3)
Chapter 547: Burning(3)
They say children grow up in the blink of an eye. It’s a phrase you hear everywhere.
The moment that sentiment truly hit home for me was whenever I saw the families of celebrities. Children who used to appear on childcare variety shows would suddenly be entering middle school.
When I’d check to see when the program first started, it was usually at least five years prior. It always made me realize that more time had passed than I thought.
This world is no different. Lily, the youngest of the Maishal family, has moved past crawling and is now learning to take her first steps.
Seeing the child who used to do nothing but squirm in her cradle grow that much brought up a fresh wave of emotion. Hearing her babble was the icing on the cake.
As such, while children are known for growing rapidly, it is a gradual process, not a sudden leap.
A five-year-old doesn't just "evolve" into a ten-year-old overnight.
At least, that’s the case for "mortals."
"Ariel?"
"Yes, Father."
"..."
The chaotic dawn had passed, and morning had arrived. I stared at Ariel, who was sitting demurely on the bed.
She had sparkling, clear golden eyes and lustrous red hair. Her ears were slightly pointed, and translucent wings sprouted from her back.
No matter how I looked at it, it was Ariel. Since her original clothes had become too small, she was draped in one of my dress shirts.
However, the way she used formal speech and the way her body had matured created a severe sense of cognitive dissonance.
"...Is it really you, Ariel?"
Faced with this absurd situation, Mari asked in a voice half-dumbfounded and half-cautious.
She should have been exhausted from standing guard, but it seemed her sleepiness had long since vanished.
Ariel nodded at Mari’s question and replied in a gentle voice.
"Yes. It’s me, Ariel. Your daughter, Ariel."
"Ariel didn't use formal speech, though..."
"Then should I stop using it?"
"It really is Ariel."
Instead of elegant formal speech, a hopping, rabbit-like informal tone burst out.
It was a way of speaking so uniquely Ariel that even Mari had no choice but to accept it.
I gazed blankly at the brightly smiling Ariel before turning to Mari with a question.
"...I haven't somehow traveled five years into the future, have I?"
"If you had, you would have woken up at the mansion, not the dormitory. You dummy."
"Hmm."
That made sense. Regardless, it meant Ariel had undergone a massive growth spurt overnight.
I just had no idea why. Ariel was an Angel, not a Demon or an Elf, so common sense didn't apply to her.
I stood there with my arms crossed, staring intently at Ariel, before letting out an "Ah" as if I’d realized something.
"Come to think of it, Lord Hirt mentioned it before. He said Angels grow according to their mental maturity. Is that what happened to Ariel?"
"Or maybe Ariel absorbed all the Divine Power that was in your body. Ariel, do you know anything?"
"I don't know."
Ariel shook her head vigorously. In the end, it was a matter we had to set aside for the time being.
Besides, Ariel was one thing, but my own condition was also important. I needed to get my bearings first.
"Lord Isaac. Do you feel any discomfort or pain anywhere?"
Kate, who had been taking turns nursing me along with Cecile, asked in a cautious voice.
I immediately spread my hands and checked my body. Unlike the fifteen days I’d spent suffering from a high fever, I felt more than just fine—I felt refreshed.
That wasn't all; there were other changes. Even though it was the dim light of early morning, my vision was as clear as day, and my body felt overflowing with strength.
But those were all internal sensations; the external changes were even more noticeable.
"Nothing in particular. But my body feels..."
"Cleaner overall?"
"Yeah."
Cecile must have felt the same way, as she finished my sentence for me.
I had secretly washed myself in the early hours while everyone else was asleep, and my skin had peeled away like a snake molting, revealing new skin underneath.
My skin had already been on the pale side due to my profession as a writer, but now it was even clearer. It was white enough to rival Mari’s.
Don't things like this usually happen in martial arts novels?
The phenomenon where the body's structure changes upon reaching a transcendent realization or gaining overwhelming martial power—Rebirth.
It was a famous trope that needed no explanation, but my case was slightly different.
Aside from the new skin, nothing else seemed to have changed.
"Your skin is one thing, but you look like you've gotten a bit bigger too."
"Really?"
"Try standing up."
At her request, I slowly stood up from the bed. Kate supported me, fearing I might stumble.
Once I was on my feet, Mari stood beside me to check.
"You're right. You definitely got taller."
"By how much?"
"I'm not sure, but you're definitely taller than before."
Mari said, measuring her height against mine. The way she stood on her tiptoes was quite adorable.
Did I really undergo a Rebirth?
Dumbfounded, I scratched the back of my head.
If my body had been forcibly reconstructed because an ordinary vessel couldn't handle divinity, then the pieces of the puzzle fit together.
I’d have to ask a god to find out the exact details. Since it was Mora's divinity, I planned to visit her.
Sigh. I still have to work on my serializations.
My to-do list had grown significantly. The only silver lining was that the Rebirth and Ariel's growth seemed to be the end of the strange occurrences.
If something else weird happened now, my mental state might actually crumble.
Knock, knock, knock—
[I'm here. Can I come in?]
Just as I was inspecting my body, someone knocked on the door. Judging by the voice, it was Leona.
If you're wondering why Leona was here, she had also been informed of my condition.
I remembered her taking turns with Mari to stand guard and nursing me with all her heart.
Creeak—
"Isaac is... Oh? You're awake?!"
As soon as Leona entered, she spotted me and her face lit up. Her expression was brimming with affection and relief.
She quickly kicked off her shoes and strode toward me.
Her blue eyes turned golden in an instant, and the tail she had hidden in her pants popped out, wagging vigorously.
Leona had worked hard to nurse me, so I intended to give her all the affection she wanted.
"Are you hurting anywher—Huh?"
"Hello! Cat Mommy!"
Of course, her brain short-circuited the moment she saw Ariel, who had suddenly grown up overnight. Ariel, for her part, was busy waving her hand in greeting.
At the same time, Leona's golden pupils began to tremble like a leaf. Well, anyone would react that way.
Seeing her expression practically demanding an explanation, I gave her a brief summary.
"...I see. So an Angel is an Angel after all?"
"Probably?"
"Well, I'm glad nothing bad happened. As for you..."
Leona trailed off, scanning me from head to toe. She tilted her head, perhaps sensing something instinctively like Mari had.
Then, she crossed her arms and spoke in an ambiguous tone.
"You've gotten bigger, but... why do I feel such a strong urge to hug you?"
"Huh?"
"Don't you guys feel it? I feel like I want to jump into his arms and be petted right now."
While I was questioning her, Leona looked around, seeking the others' opinions. As she did, the animal ears atop her head twitched.
However, unlike Leona, the other women just looked puzzled and shared their thoughts.
"I don't know. I don't really feel that. Can you explain the feeling a bit more?"
"How should I put it... It feels like my instincts are constantly tempting me? His scent has become stronger, but my heart is just drawn to him."
"Hmm..."
At those words, Cecile shifted her gaze toward me. The other women followed suit.
Having all those different eyes focused on me felt... subtle. There was no other way to describe it.
"I don't really feel anything like that. I'm just happy Isaac is all better."
"Me too. I've always wanted to be in his arms anyway."
"I feel the same."
In the end, Leona was the one left feeling awkward. She let out an embarrassed laugh and scratched around her mouth.
However, one had to remember that Leona was a Beastkin. Even though she was a mixed-blood, she still possessed Beastkin instincts.
Furthermore, she never spoke nonsense. If she wanted a hug, she would just ask for one; she wouldn't express it in such a roundabout way.
"Anyway, since I'm all better, let's start getting things in order. Is there any news I should be aware of?"
"Since you stopped publishing, people are starting to wonder if your health is failing. We even got a letter from Mr. Musk."
"What about my family?"
"They were worried, of course. Since you woke up today, you should send them word."
When they first heard I had collapsed from Divine Fever, they had rushed to see me without a second thought.
But because my condition had worsened at that point, I hadn't even realized my parents had visited.
The reason I had stayed in the dormitory instead of going to the mansion was also because my condition had been so dire.
Back then, I was like glass that might shatter at the slightest touch.
I feel incredibly vivid for someone who was like that.
I’d have to check my physical condition soon; I figured I could train alongside Kate when she received lessons from Grandfather Clark.
For now, I had to get back to my overdue serializations. Time was already tight, and I had wasted fifteen days.
I checked my body once more. Beyond the clear skin, I wanted to reconfirm if anything else had changed.
"Hmm..."
Fortunately, I was fine. More than fine, I had even grown, which was actually better.
Finally, after checking my lower half, I looked around. Beautiful women were all looking at me with various expressions.
Seeing them like this... I couldn't help but smile, realizing how many people cherished and loved me.
And on top of that, I had a daughter I couldn't help but love. I lacked for nothing.
I'm really glad to be alive.
Once again, I felt grateful for this reality. This was a life I could never have enjoyed in my previous world.
Having survived a brush with death, I was even more determined. No matter what schemes the Demon worshippers cooked up, I wouldn't fall easily.
I vowed that instead of my loved ones facing danger, I would step up and resolve the situation myself.
To do that, I had to clear the backlog of chapters. I sat down on the bed and asked about the current state of affairs.
"Nothing else besides the serialization, right?"
"There is something. It's not something to worry too much about, though."
Apparently, the Kingdom of Tayros was constantly poking at the Minerva Empire, and the long-dormant Stavirk was heating up again.
During the fifteen days I was unconscious, the world situation hadn't been great. The only good news was that the factories were running well, resolving the supply shortages.
I couldn't do anything about international politics right now. My best course of action was to continue writing.
"Got it. Then I should send out the new chapters first. Should we open the window? I think we need some fresh air."
As I headed toward the desk, everyone nodded as if they didn't mind. The window was right behind the desk.
I figured I’d open the window while I was getting the manuscript from the drawer. Without much thought, I swung the window wide open.
"Chirp, chirp! Chirp!"
"Huh?"
And a single bird took the opportunity to fly inside. It was a cute little bird with brown feathers.
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
"Coo, coo! Coo!"
But then, other birds started swarming in as well. I hurriedly closed the window.
Peck! Peck, peck! Peck!
As soon as I closed the window, the birds that hadn't made it inside began pecking at the glass with their beaks. I stared out the window with a bewildered expression.
The birds were flapping their wings and crying out as if demanding I open up. I had no idea what was going on.
"Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!"
"Caw! Caw!"
The birds inside were rubbing their heads against my body. I felt like I had suddenly become a Druid.
Finding myself the sudden recipient of avian affection, I slowly turned my head with a dazed expression.
The others were also staring with wide eyes, not knowing what to make of the situation.
The bigger problem was...
[Pet me! Pet me! Pet me!]
[Me too! Me too!]
[Me too! Me too!]
Voices of unknown origin were echoing in my head.
With a sense of dread, I looked at the birds perched on my shoulders and head.
[He saw me! He saw me!]
[Look at me! Look at me!]
[Over here! Over here!]
Well, if there was one thing I knew for sure...
It was going to be difficult to go outside for a while.
*
Blood and Iron, which had been briefly suspended due to Isaac's collapse.
Many people had been concerned about Isaac's health, but before long, news came from the publisher that a new volume was being released.
The contents of the new volume of Blood and Iron could be defined by two things: Germany's invasion of Norway and the internal problems of France.
The focus was more on France's internal issues than the invasion of Norway, and it didn't forget to explain the infamous "Elan."
The reason France had established the "Maginot Line" was precisely because their forces had been decimated due to Elan.
And the world...
[Are they daring to ignore the spirit of a knight!]
[The most important thing for a soldier is mental strength! No matter how strong you are, you cannot win with a weak spirit!]
[Why is Xenon ignoring the indomitable spirit?]
Began to burn in various ways.