Kids Naturally Grow Fast (3)
Kids Naturally Grow Fast (3)
When Taesan manifested, my senses connected to the ground.
The soil, stone, and ore beneath me, the trees and grass rooted in the earth—it all flooded my senses at once, as if the ground itself had become my hand.
I could also sense the vitality energy it held.
'Hm...'
Through Taesan, my ability to perceive and manipulate vitality was limited to 'me' and 'the earth.'
Anything outside that range was hard to sense or affect.
Was this what Lee Ji-yeon meant when she said Life Force Manipulation was a subcategory of Earth Manipulation?
I couldn't properly sense the vitality of elements beyond the earth, and manipulation was only possible after I had established earth domination.
'The original Lee Ji-yeon and the Taesan Clan Head could interfere with external things too. That's a drawback you overcome with proficiency.'
I began controlling the vitality, drawing it in gradually. I pulled life force from the surrounding earth and let it flow into my body.
My body heated up.
Heat seared through me, as if I'd plunged into a furiously boiling pot. Steam soon began to rise from my skin.
'Not yet...'
Vitality, life force, essence, primal energy... it didn't matter what it was called.
The energy that all living things should possess seeped sluggishly into me.
My body was already brimming with vitality—it had been generously recharged, and Lee Ji-yeon had abruptly stuffed it to bursting.
As if crying out against its limits, my body trembled violently. A wave of rejection surged, like the urge to vomit an excessive intake.
I endured. I seized the escaping vitality and forced it back in. I made myself accept the incoming energy, refusing nothing.
- Grrrrruuun...
At some point, the vitality that had felt ready to burst out was rapidly consumed.
Simultaneously, pain followed. An ominous contortion resonated from deep within me.
My bones creaked. They twisted and lengthened. The muscle fibers encasing them tore and reattached, again and again.
'Ah... this hurts more than I expected?'
My brow furrowed. I'd known there might be pain, but actually feeling it put me in a foul mood.
I had no choice but to sharpen my focus and endure the agony.
My body was transforming. The vitality, with nowhere else to go, clung to the vessel that contained it.
The vessel, shrunken from a lack of materials, began an expansion project. The bones, muscles, and entire frame that had been somehow deficient grew rapidly.
The pain intensified.
I squeezed my eyes shut and let time pass.
How long did it take?
"Hooo..."
Suddenly, breathing came easier. I exhaled, then inhaled consciously. The pain was gone.
Instead, a sense of pure refreshment flooded in. The air filling my lungs felt almost sweet.
'It's done.'
[Joy]
[Delight]
A soft smile spread across my face.
My observed appearance was different from before.
My overall impression... the pure-white hair and features were the same, but I had grown, as if I'd aged.
I kneaded and tapped my forearm. My limbs were much longer, and I was taller.
I scrutinized myself carefully for any anomalies. There were none. Nothing had grown oddly out of place.
I'd already undergone something like a total body transformation before.
Back then I had become younger and couldn't gauge my physical abilities, but I'd confirmed a vast improvement in my mana quality and the state of my mana circuits and core.
Now that my body had normalized, I could measure my physical abilities during training.
And my height must have increased during the body's optimization process. How much taller had I gotten?
I beamed as I interpreted the information.
...
[Goddammit]
Well, what matters is I'm back to normal.
Let's just think positive.
I grimaced and thumped the ground.
.
.
.
I buried the soil that had been drained of life force and was starting to look barren, then brought fresh earth to the surface and mixed it in evenly, tidying the area.
I left the external training area and entered the commercial district.
I checked the time. It was too late for lunch. The training session with my master was soon, so I wouldn't have time to sit and eat.
I slipped a hand inside my clothes and pulled out a fistful of calorie bars I kept in my subspace.
'Been a while since I've had these.'
They were the ones I'd relied on heavily at the start of the semester.
Even in China, I'd filled my stomach with them, but since my return, I'd been eating nothing but passably decent—if bland—food and constant porridge.
Since the time was awkward, I just tore open the wrappers, crammed them into my mouth, and walked toward the training yard.
I stood upright on my own two legs and moved. Floating around on spirits was very comfortable, but I wanted to walk myself, to feel my body returned to normal.
My appearance drew attention.
That was only natural.
Just a few days ago—or even just hours ago—I'd been a tiny little kid, and now I'd shown up having undergone a growth spurt.
Just look at those stares. No longer the looks you'd give a child. Not the concerned look for a lost waif abandoned on the roadside, either!
They were merely watching me, dazed, as if I were some fascinating sight.
'Heh heh...'
I shrugged my shoulders. No longer being treated like a little kid. I walked confidently, with my back straight and a firm stride.
As if reflecting my mood, the Sky Wing Feather rippled, drinking in the sunlight freely.
* * *
Atra blinked, staring dazedly at Lee Ha-yul, who stood right before her.
[Ta-da!]
Having just arrived, Lee Ha-yul beamed and stretched both hands upward.
That pose, as if showing off, looked exactly like a tiny, pure-white bird spreading its wings wide.
Behind him, the winged garment faintly shimmered as it fluttered, creating a scene worthy of a nymph from a fairy tale.
He was markedly different from the Lee Ha-yul she had seen that morning.
He was just as sweet and lovable, but his childlike form had abruptly grown by quite a lot.
His pure-white complexion and the aura of his mana were the same, but his apparent age had changed.
If anything, he was now close to his original build.
Was this why he'd asked for her understanding, saying he might be a little late today?
Atra dazedly processed the situation.
Perhaps dissatisfied with that reaction, Lee Ha-yul suddenly puffed his cheeks and fluttered his wings—no, his arms.
[Full recovery!]
[Not a kid anymore!]
The necklace clicked as it voiced the words. Maybe it was her imagination, but to Atra's ears, the monotone delivery seemed tinged with inexplicable joy and expectation.
[I told you]
[I'd be back soon]
Ah...
She'd spent a considerable amount of time with Lee Ha-yul now. As he'd grown more spoiled and affection-seeking, it had become easier to read his thoughts.
She inferred that he was sulking, asking why she hadn't believed him when he said he'd be back soon.
Certainly, Atra had been skeptical of that statement at the time. Getting younger was one thing, but 'coming back' from that? How...
"Yes. I was wrong."
A small laugh escaped Atra.
The sight of him, having bottled up his sulking all this time only to come running and pout the moment he got his body back, was unbearably adorable.
Letting the emotion guide her, she hugged Lee Ha-yul tightly where he stood.
He was acting proud about having grown, yet his frame was still petite, nestling perfectly into Atra's embrace.
"I'm sorry for not believing my disciple."
[Heehee]
Lee Ha-yul's lips twitched upward as he buried his face in Atra's chest.
As she gently stroked his head and even down his back, his tiny bit of lingering resentment melted softly away.
"......"
Atra carefully read Lee Ha-yul's mood.
The season was firmly summer now. The sunlight was intense, and the air so muggy that sweat beaded up on its own even while standing still.
Naturally, superhumans felt the heat too.
Even a superhuman who could stand in a furnace without a burn still felt 'hot' under the blazing sun.
Atra, a top-grade hero, also felt the heat and sweat.
Especially the mounds of flesh she'd considered uselessly large countless times and had thought of trimming down—those, in particular, grew warmer and more prone to perspiration.
That naturally led to a certain issue.
In the past... there had been no need to care about such a thing, but ever since she'd gotten entangled with Lee Ha-yul, she'd been managing it consistently.
With some concern, she glanced down at Lee Ha-yul.
...Lee Ha-yul didn't seem bothered in the slightest.
Even with his face nestled between her breasts, he showed no sign of discomfort; rather, he seemed to like it, burrowing in further.
"Snff..."
As Atra secretly swallowed a sigh of relief, she suddenly noticed a sweet fragrance wafting up from below.
Atra's eyes grew strange.
Down below... the scent was coming from Lee Ha-yul, wrapped in her arms. Her head spun for a moment at his increasingly fragrant body scent.
"...Ehem."
She pulled her hazing mind back together.
Atra cleared her throat noisily, banishing the shadowy lust that had momentarily bloomed.
Then she tenderly stroked Lee Ha-yul's head, smoothing down his slightly disheveled hair.
[Hehe]
Lee Ha-yul smiled, warm and brilliant like the intensified sunlight of late, pressing his head into Atra's touch.
Despite having declared he was no longer a child, the spoiled behavior made Atra snicker.
More than anything, just a few days ago when he'd shown up with horns on his forehead, he had been the very picture of an innocent, pure child.
- [Three-headed Dog?]
- Wh-what...? What kind of dog?
"Heh."
She stifled a laugh at the sudden memory. Liana's shocked scream was still vivid.
This memory would serve as a means to subdue that pesky woman for at least the next few years whenever she tried to get drunk and act up.
"Now that your body's back to normal, there shouldn't be any issue with the tower entry."
[Yeah!]
[As long as I finish the adaptation training before then, it'll be no problem!]
"There are about two weeks left before the entry. Let's get you adapted and proficient by then."
['Kay]
At the word 'tower entry,' Lee Ha-yul nodded firmly.
Having keenly felt his limits in power even in China, he needed to grow as much as possible during this entry.
'The theme is Contemplation... At least I won't have to fight with midget legs and arms.'
The master and disciple stayed pressed together for a while, feeling each other's warmth.
It was a ritual that hadn't changed, even now that Lee Ha-yul's body was back to normal.
* * *
I returned to the dormitory after finishing my tasks for the day.
I entered the dorm building, crossing the lobby floor where twilight was slowly spreading its hues.
The other students still had lectures, while I was scheduled to train in the dorm.
I took the elevator and got off at my floor.
Then I walked with a steady pace, letting the presence I had been suppressing show.
- ...? ...! ...!
I felt a presence. I suppressed the laugh that nearly burst out at the flustered yet delighted reaction.
Soon, I arrived at the dorm door. The presence beyond held its breath.
Chuckling to myself, I brought my smartwatch close to the authentication device.
[Cadet Lee Ha-yul, authenticated.]
Ding— with the chime, the door slid open with a soft hiss, vanishing into the wall.
"Daddy!"
Immediately, the small white figure that had been holding its breath behind the door came charging straight at me.
Just as I'd prepared, I gently caught the child as she jumped into my arms. Her five-colored wings fluttered wildly.
The face buried in my embrace shot up. A flurry of question marks popped up in her wide white eyes as she stared.
"...Daddy got bigger!"
[I've returned to normal]
The identity of the attacker was Seo-yul.
Her eyes brimming with welcome, joy, and bewilderment, Seo-yul pressed her face firmly into my front.
A smile made its way onto my lips at the intensely enthusiastic welcome.
"Welcome back, young master."
As I was exchanging greetings with Seo-yul, Eriel, dressed in a modern maid's outfit, walked in gracefully from inside.
"...You really did grow up in no time."
[Thank you again for today, Lady Eriel.]
"I merely fulfilled my duty."
Upon seeing me, Eriel's eyes widened in a rare show of surprise.
However, she immediately restored her expressionless face and gave a slight nod.
She was the type who stuck to the book—truly reliable in official matters. I expressed my gratitude once more and patted Seo-yul on the back.
[Seo-yul]
[Did you listen well to Lady Eriel?]
"Yes! I ate all my meals well. And I worked hard on brushing my teeth and studying, too!"
[You did everything thoroughly]
[What a good job! That's amazing!]
As I tidied her hair, disheveled by her leap, I asked. Seo-yul, who'd seemed a bit gloomy, immediately began chattering like a lark, reporting on her day.
Of course, I could find out everything by looking at the observation records, but wasn't the process of telling and listening to each other like this what truly mattered?
"And...!"
[Oh...]
[That must have been so hard! How on earth did Seo-yul...]
As the saying goes, praise makes even a whale dance. I'd learned that a child needs generous praise.
Holding Seo-yul in my arms, I stepped deeper into the dorm. I didn't forget to listen carefully to every single word and shower her with ample praise.
'...Um...'
Meanwhile, I inspected Seo-yul's condition internally and broke out into a cold sweat.
Legs that can dash and jump without issue...
Speech that flows fluently without a hint of the earlier pronunciation problems, vocabulary exploding at an exponential rate...
'She's growing up way too fast...?'
I observed Seo-yul's unstoppable growth spurts and sweat dripped down my back.
I'd barely done anything for her yet, and she was growing up so fast...
'I should be making lots of childhood memories with her...'
Besides, isn't she a fairy, a species known for a short childhood? There must be emotions and kinds of happiness you can only feel when you're young; such rapid growth was troubling.
"Heehee."
Oblivious to my worries, Seo-yul just giggled brightly, as though she was simply happy with this moment.
Her wide-spread, five-colored wings intertwined snugly with the azure cloth of my wing feather.
* * *
[｢Curse of Beauty's Misfortune｣ is restoring the body.]
[Consuming vitality energy.]
...
[Player Correction System: Affection]
Lee Ha-yul → Atra Clyde
●●●●●●●●○○(87▷88 /100)
｢Master｣ ｢Anticipation｣ ｢Sense of Stability｣ ｢Craving Affection｣