Wings Spread (2)
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Ed…win…Reid…?”
“That’s right. Just why do you keep… making that face… Ah.”
The way Isana was staring at me now was the complete opposite of the image I usually carried of her. It was like someone had flipped a switch and turned the feisty demon warrior into a wide-eyed, dazed idiot.
And honestly, I didn’t even need to think twice. Of course. I just hadn’t recognized my own gaunt cheeks.
Thinking about it, my voice sounded different too. It carried a heavier, more solid weight—trustworthy, like a firm hand on your shoulder.
“Isana, sorry, but if you could bring a full-length mirror, that would be great. A standing one would be even better.”
I was dying to know how much I’d changed. After all this time, the urge to peek was almost painful.
A moment later the maids carried in the full-length mirror from the reception room. I sprinted over and stopped in front of it.
“Oh my…!”
The reflection staring back at me was a tall, handsome man.
Edwin’s original frame was already tall; even with the full-length mirror pulled in, I had to step back three or four paces just to fit him in one shot.
The biggest change was in the face.
The sharp black hair and nervous-looking eyes stayed the same, but the rest of his features had grown far more defined. The chubby cheeks that used to hide his nose bridge had vanished, leaving the straight line of it standing out proudly. His cheekbones were gently hollowed, casting soft shadows that sharpened his masculine lines. The double chin that used to double beneath his jaw had disappeared entirely, replaced by a clean, sharp jawline that flowed smoothly from his ear.
“This… isn’t bad at all.”
Looking at the mirror, I decided I actually looked decent. Of course, that was just my own opinion. Men are notoriously generous when it comes to judging their own faces, so I’d have to wait until other people saw me to know the real score.
The only problem was that no one was around to give me honest feedback.
Not my father—especially not when Adele was still little and would probably be upset that I’d lost my chubby belly. And Isana and Pyne were demons, so their standards would be different anyway…
Still, my gamble had paid off again.
The only thing that bothered me was that my body had somehow shed every last bit of its former plumpness. It looked like a dried sardine now. Compared to my old self, it was… not impressive by this world’s standards. But I’d picked up the power scripture in Palana and taken an elixir on top of everything, so my body had definitely improved in multiple ways.
Muscle, for example, could be rebuilt in days—faster and stronger than before, if I wanted.
And then there was the mana sclerosis.
I sat down, closed my eyes, and began circulating mana through my entire body at maximum intensity. Five whole minutes passed, and not a single spot felt blocked or tight. The elixir must have healed the sclerosis too.
Good. That was more than enough satisfaction for one day.
I only managed to calm my racing heart before I stood up, opened the door, and stepped into the hallway.
Isana was still waiting right in front of the reception room.
“Isana, sorry, but could you ask the maids to bring some new clothes? As you can see, I’m in this state—everything is way too big now. If I leave like this, it would be rude to Pyne-nim, so… could you do that for me?”
“Huh? Ah, I-I understand.”
She was still staring at me like she’d just seen a ghost. Of course—someone who’d been transformed in half a day would need time to catch up.
I wasn’t exactly in the position to lecture her, either.
“From the way you speak now, it really is Edwin Reed. This is unbelievable… I can’t believe my eyes… Ahh…”
“Didn’t I tell you? Those herbs—all of them have a purpose. Now that you’ve seen the proof right in front of you, are you finally going to believe me?”
“What…? Herbs? So… you ate the ones I gave you and it turned you into… This is insane!”
“Hah. That’s enough. The leftover herbs are still in the medicine room. Burn them or throw them away—your choice.”
“Wait—Edwin Reed!! Hey!”
The maids arrived with the new clothes. I slipped into the dressing room to change, and I could still hear Isana calling my name desperately from the other side.
***
“Oh my… Oh my…”
I changed, then headed back to the reception room where I’d first visited.
It was already evening, so I figured I’d give Pyne a quick summary of the past few days over dinner.
His reaction was almost identical to Isana’s—complete, speechless shock.
“You’re… really Edwin-nim…?”
“If that’s what you’re asking, then the only answer is yes, Pyne-nim.”
I smiled as I watched Pyne’s eyes widen in genuine awe.
“Even though I haven’t lived many years, this is my first time experiencing something like this. How is it possible for a person to change so drastically in such a short time…? Did you really just eat those herbs…?”
“Strictly speaking, I didn’t rely on the herbs alone. I used several additional methods I learned. They’re not the kind of thing anyone could copy overnight. I risked my life on this gamble. Luckily it worked, but if even one step had gone wrong, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
“What…? Oh my…”
“That’s why I originally planned to try the method back in the territory. But because Isana was so worried about the ingredients’ uses, we had to do it here instead. I still owe you an apology for that.”
“No, no. It’s fine. If I were in your shoes, I’d have done the same. You didn’t have to lower your head for something so small.”
“And none of this would have been possible without your help, Pyne-nim. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’ll remember today’s kindness forever. If you ever need my help in the future, don’t hesitate to call on me. I’ll do everything in my power to repay you.”
It wasn’t empty flattery. If I hadn’t met the Demon King by chance, I would have needed several times more time and effort just to gather the things I needed. I only remembered the name of the hidden holy spring, not its exact location, and I knew the names and combinations of the herbs, but not how to obtain them.
Without Pyne and Isana, I might have been dying alone somewhere in the unknown mountains of the Demon Realm right now.
“Hehe. Do you know what, Edwin-nim? In the past few days I’ve felt more joy than I have all my life combined. And every single one of those joys came from you. I’m looking forward to seeing how many more such gifts you’ll send my way, Pyne.”
—Joy? While someone was risking their life and future for this…
He called himself the moderate faction Demon King, but I had a feeling Pyne wasn’t going to end up as the Demon King at all. The throne clearly belonged to someone who was slightly… unhinged.
Since I couldn’t read his true feelings, I gave him a suitably polite reply.
“I feel the same way, Pyne-nim. The only regret I have is that we never got to talk directly. I hope that day will come someday.”
“Hehe, I feel the same. You don’t have to worry so much. The day might come sooner than you think.”
Was I wrong? The shadow of the man speaking looked almost like he was smiling.
***
After seeing my condition, Pyne tried to persuade me to rest for a few more days. I couldn’t stay long, though—there were still things to do—so I stayed only one more day and prepared to leave East Hall at noon the next day.
“Then… take care, Edwin Reed.”
Isana, who wasn’t present, gave me a farewell in Pyne’s place. Her usual rude, grumbling attitude was still there, but somehow it felt strangely comforting now.
After spending those days together, had a little love developed between us?
“You take care too. Next time we meet, try to fix that insolent attitude of yours.”
“What?! That’s only for you! Anyway, until the very end…”
When I teased her with a half-serious smile, Isana immediately flared up. From that reaction, it looked like she’d never learned proper manners after all.
I shook my head with a grin, climbed onto my mount, and set off toward East Hall.