Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Making the Child Sturdy
I quietly observed the old man.
The book was only a little over halfway through.
The old man, as if considering my ignorance,
was meticulously writing down even the smallest details.
He added small footnotes below the notes,
wrote relevant examples,
and even sketched crude illustrations with his unskilled drawing.
I lowered my gaze to examine the old man's notes.
'It's full of things I don't understand...'
Still, it all felt deeply grateful.
Having someone join me in this learning process, just like now.
"Thank you."
"No need to thank me."
The old man smiled.
As if it were truly nothing at all.
The old man gazed leisurely at the child and said,
"Raise the child well."
"...Yeah."
I slowly nodded.
The old man lowered his gaze again and moved his pen.
'I need to put in effort too.'
For some reason,
it seemed like I'd need more books.
I stepped away from the counter and headed to the shelves.
'First, books on rabbits...'
While searching for books,
my eyes met the child's.
In that instant, the child's eyes widened round.
When I smiled at her,
the book in her hands dropped to the floor again with a thud.
A slight worry sprouted.
Seeing her drop books so easily,
her grip must be terribly weak.
I slowly approached the child.
The child, who had been fumbling to pick up the book,
froze and looked up as I drew near.
In that moment,
the book slipped from her hands once more and fell to the floor.
"Hmm..."
"......"
I carefully knelt down.
I picked up the fallen book and placed it back in her hands.
"Here you go."
"......"
The child hugged the book tightly.
'If she holds it that firmly, it won't fall.'
With that thought,
as I tried to pass by her─
"Huh?"
"......"
A small hand grabbed my robe tightly.
Her arm trembled with the effort.
It looked like she was straining with all her might not to let go.
Yet,
it was so weak that a slight pull from me would free it easily.
"You're really weak..."
"......"
Still, the child's heart was strong.
Her desire to stay by my side
transmitted clearly even to my impassive self.
I slowly extended both hands.
"Want me to pick you up?"
"!"
The child's eyes widened.
Soon, she nodded vigorously.
I carefully pulled her into my arms.
"Alright. Let's pick one out together."
"......?"
"I'm looking for a book on rabbits."
"!"
The child's hand gripped my robe even tighter.
From her tiny fingers,
expectation and excitement seemed to flow.
Holding the child,
I slowly walked between the densely packed bookshelves.
The child's gaze darted around.
She looked at each book with wonder,
and tilted her body slightly to shift position in my arms.
"Found it."
"!"
I stopped at the section displaying animal-related books.
"Rabbits... There are hardly any books on rabbits."
"......"
"Maybe just three at most..."
I pulled out all the visible books.
The child's gaze slowly scanned over them.
Her eyes were filled with such seriousness that I couldn't help but smile.
I carefully set the child down on a chair.
As if reluctant to be let go,
she spread her arms and whined softly.
Instead of picking her up,
I placed the rabbit-related books on her lap.
The child pouted and looked up at me.
"Can you check them carefully to see which one's good?"
"......?"
"The rabbit will like the one you pick more."
"!"
The child's eyes sparkled.
She pressed her lips together and opened a book,
flipping through the pages with a serious expression.
Her small finger carefully traced the pictures,
and her lips curved slightly up each time a rabbit appeared.
The sight was somehow amusing and endearing, so I stood watching for a moment.
"You're doing great."
"......!"
The child hid her face behind the book.
Her slightly protruding ears were red again.
'...Is she cold?'
I was a bit worried.
What if the clothing store refused to sell too?
I examined the child's thin clothes.
Worn and torn,
more like rags than clothes.
Winter was coming soon.
Even in this late autumn chill, she was shivering like that;
there was no way her frail body could withstand midwinter cold.
'I should measure her size in advance, or...'
I pondered solutions and let out a small sigh.
It would only be a temporary fix.
To live with the child,
I'd need many more things.
Food,
clothes,
and other necessities.
'If they refuse like the food merchant...'
I imagined it for a moment.
The whole village shaking their heads and closing their doors.
"...That would be troublesome."
"......?"
"No. Keep reading."
I sank into thought slowly.
The surest way was
to leave for a place where no one knows the child, but...
The problem was that the surrounding villages were in dire straits due to the war.
Villages in ruins,
vanished paths,
collapsed bridges.
Landscapes I'd witnessed in recent years flashed by.
Too many places had already crumbled,
and the intact ones were far from here.
And even those─
were overflowing with refugees,
infested with bandits and thieves.
'Including the monsters everywhere...'
Even with caution, completely avoiding danger was hard.
It would be nothing if I were alone,
but traveling with the child made the world too harsh.
'This is inconvenient.'
If only [Long-Distance Teleportation] magic were possible,
I could go anywhere and back in a day.
I glanced aside for a moment.
Her head tilting side to side.
Round eyes fixed on the book.
Finger slowly following the pictures.
Everything was small and fragile.
As if it would shatter at the slightest touch.
'Too weak, even for weak.'
If she could at least withstand [Long-Distance Teleportation] magic.
Since that's impossible,
I couldn't use the fastest and easiest method.
'...Is there no way?'
While pondering, I checked the magic and alchemy sections.
There were methods in the past.
Ways to strengthen and toughen the body.
Herbs.
Minerals.
Mushrooms.
Mana stones.
And other rare materials.
Potents made by combining them
hardened skin, strengthened bones, and bolstered muscles.
'Not sure if it'd work now...'
Besides that,
there was ancient magic to remodel mana circulation in the body,
and incantations that dramatically boosted durability and recovery.
The issue was,
it required a body that could endure it.
"Hmm..."
The child now
lacked even basic stamina.
Small, fragile, no strength at all,
and bleeding and bruised from just crawling on the dirt floor.
'Her body couldn't handle it now.'
To strengthen her,
I needed to focus on recovery first.
Carefully,
but reliably.
I stopped scanning the book spines.
I took a slow breath and thought calmly.
'It's not entirely impossible.'
Fortunately, the effect of my horn worked well on the child.
She had more vitality than at first,
and the bruises and wounds that were red and swollen healed quickly.
If it worked that well,
recovery and strengthening beyond a certain level should be possible.
I quickly scanned the book spines again.
'And... potions suited to current humans...'
If I adjusted carefully,
meticulously,
with utmost precision...
Very slowly,
calculations began in my mind.
Past memories,
alchemy ingredients,
magic structures,
theories and practical discrepancies.
I began piecing all the fragments together slowly,
yet without disruption.
'Dilute the potion, use magic as support. Design incantations at minimal units and readjust.'
By fine-tuning each one,
I could tailor it to a level the child could handle now.
Dredging up the past, I quickly searched for books.
Focusing on recovery,
strengthening,
regeneration.
"Ah, this one's good too."
"......?"
The child's eyes turned to me.
Her head tilted slightly.
"Just picking books."
"......"
"Thinking of making your body a bit sturdier."
"?"
The child's eyes widened round.
Her small head nodded very slowly.
Looking down at her, I gave a gentle smile.
"It'll work out. I'm confident in this."
"......"
For now,
I needed to assess the current state of humans first.
'...I should contact Rakiss.'
Rakiss would know better than anyone.
Until then, I'd focus on the child's recovery and stamina building.
"Alright. These will do for now."
"!"
"What about you? Decided on a book?"
The child held out a book.
A single volume in her small hands.
The cover featured two rabbits illustrated.
In a soft watercolor style,
and below it, the title.
[Everything About Raising Rabbits]
I nodded slowly.
"Yeah. Good choice."
"......!"
The child's eyes sparkled.
Her lips curved up faintly,
but definitely.
"Well done."
"!"
I lightly stroked her head.
While doing so, I glanced at the counter.
Having finished organizing,
the old man had set down his pen and was watching us.
I carefully scooped the child into my arms.
"Let's go. We need clothes too, and there's a lot to do."
"......!"
I gathered the selected books and stood before the counter.
The old man, taking the books, said as if he'd been waiting.
"About the food. I'll buy it for you."
"Is that okay?"
"Heh heh, who'd complain about an old man doing some shopping?"
The old man chuckled slyly.
His expression held deep consideration more than mischief.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. Tell me if anything else troubles you."
"Then buy clothes too?"
The old man paused his calculations and looked at me.
"I need to buy clothes for the child, but worried the clothing store might refuse."
"Hmm..."
The old man nodded slowly.
After finishing the tally, he carefully handed me the bagged books.
Then, he removed his apron and stepped out from behind the counter.
"I'll go with you."
"With us?"
"The clothing store owner's character is decent, but you never know with people. Wouldn't it be better with this old man along?"
"Is that alright?"
The old man waved a hand nonchalantly with a laugh.
"The bookstore can be empty for a bit. Not many customers anyway."
"...I see. Thank you."
Finishing his words, he grabbed his coat and hat.
I slowly gazed at the old man, the books in hand, and the child in my arms.
"Ah, right."
"Hm? Something else?"
"Is it okay to make the child sturdy?"
The old man, donning his coat, looked up at me.
"That's quite the phrasing for you."
"What?"
"Well, it's fine. Sturdy is best for a child."
"...I see."
Sturdy is best.
Repeating the old man's words, I hugged the child in my arms tighter.
"Alright. Let's head out."
"Yeah."
Following the old man who stepped out with leisurely strides, I moved my feet slowly too.