On the second day of the birth festival, Elia’s family came to visit.
“This is quite something… I heard from Elia, but I almost didn’t recognize you!”
[Haha, my hair color did change a bit!]
That was the first thing Elia’s father, Brian Slade, said when he saw me.
“Not just your hair, but your appearance seems different too. Oh, of course, in a good way! You were already handsome back then, but now you really look like you stepped out of a fairy tale!”
[Awkward]
[Thank you for the compliment…]
Next to him, Elia’s mother, Ayla Slade, chimed in with a friendly smile while clapping her hands.
I mumbled an awkward smile while fiddling with the ends of my hair.
The last time I met Elia’s family was during the first semester tournament. Since then, if they’ve only heard about me through words, it’s no wonder they would find my hair, which had turned white like I was molting, a bit strange.
“Wow…”
“Is that your hair?”
“……”
The sparkling, curious eyes of the children, who were momentarily staring at my hair, were proof enough.
It was adorable how they gathered around my legs like little chicks.
Two were sparkling with excitement while one seemed absent-minded yet curious.
“Wow, it’s super white! It looks like snow in the yard!”
“Wow! Softer than mom’s hair!”
As I flopped onto the sofa, the kids sat close by, tugging at my hair. Their gaping mouths were pretty awkward.
“You kids… don’t be troublesome and come here.”
[No, it’s fine. I like being with Elia’s siblings.]
When Ayla tried to shoo the kids away, I waved my hand. Luckily, they weren’t pulling my hair, so I didn’t need to feel uncomfortable.
“So, Elia, why do you look sulky?”
“I’m not sulky at all!”
“Your words are totally curled up at the ends. You’re trying to hide it, right? You subtly want me to help you out of that bad mood? You’ve been a bit fishy since childhood…”
“Ah! When did I do that!”
Elia, who was facing me, was sulking and bickering with Ayla in a way I had never seen before.
Now that I think about it, I heard that Elia had been very lively as a child and often caused trouble.
I had also heard that this was the person who toppled a thousand-year-old tree back in her hometown.
Her usual… gentle and soft vibe felt way too familiar, so seeing her like this was strange and new.
While I was feeling this odd sensation, Elia suddenly shot a glance my way.
“Hmph.”
“Huh?”
After giving me a briefly sullen look, she turned her gaze away.
…From what I listened to Ayla, it was clear that she was displaying her displeasure quite openly.
‘Huh?’
Feeling guilty, I sunk my shoulders, when suddenly, I felt a stare piercing through me from below.
The kid who had taken my spot on either side… Adella was looking up at me from under the sofa, blinking.
‘Uh…’
That stare felt a bit burdensome, as if asking where her seat was, making my shoulders flinch slightly.
Adella seemed to ponder for a moment with an indifferent gaze before suddenly extending her arms towards me.
In response, I naturally slipped my hands under her armpits and lifted her up into my arms.
“Oh my?”
[Ah.]
And a beat later, I regained my senses at Ayla’s exclamation.
Because Seoyul often stretched out his arms wanting to be held, I had gotten into the habit of lifting him up like this.
Adella seemed completely at ease, adjusting herself comfortably in my arms.
As I blinked in surprise, Ayla, sitting across from me, covered her mouth in astonishment.
“Adella isn’t usually the type to ask for hugs first!”
[Is… that so?]
“Yes… It’s rare for me too…”
Ayla gazed at Adella, snuggled in my embrace, with a somewhat shocked expression on her face. Adella turned her head away as if sensing a hint of betrayal in Ayla’s gaze.
Thud! The shock on Ayla’s face grew even more pronounced.
“…Raising two daughters is totally pointless.”
[Uhhh…]
.
.
.
For reasons like that, Elia and I decided to take care of Adella for a little while on the second day when we had no plans.
No matter how youthful they were, caring for three kids at once in a busy festival would be tough.
“Hmm… How should we pass the time~”
Elia muttered to herself while looking at the holographic map.
The map was being updated with real-time events and schedules for upcoming events.
‘……’
I looked at the holographic map alongside Elia, wearing a puzzled expression.
It wasn’t that I was dissatisfied with the earlier performance. In fact, the dance performed using magic was undoubtedly a sight to behold.
Of course, I had a laid-back reaction to it since I processed it more as information, but Elia and Adella seemed quite interested while watching.
But…
[How about putting the kid in the middle?]
“Excuse me?”
At my suggestion, Elia, who had been studying the holographic map, tilted her head.
[Just in case Adella might trip…]
I gently shook Elia’s hand, which was holding mine and Adella’s. It felt like we were trying to keep the two kids from wandering off.
It felt a bit odd and off to me.
‘Normally, wouldn’t you put the kid in the center… ?’
Indeed, I thought so. Typically, when two adults walk with a child, the child is placed in the middle.
Of course, with the defensive magic I had cast, that wouldn’t be an issue, and Elia knew that too, but still, there had to be a semblance of order, right?
“Hmm?”
Elia tilted her head at my opinion. She looked as if she didn’t quite understand what I was saying.
Blinking, Elia turned her head away for a moment.
Adella was quietly holding Elia’s hand while chewing on a cotton candy with her other hand.
Elia turned back my way with a quirky expression, looking down at me.
“There’s only one child, you say? To me, it looks like there are two!”
Feeling her gaze looming over me made me instinctively hunch my shoulders. The positioning of the light was just perfect, casting her shadow over me…
[…Denial]
“What do you mean denial? If anything, Seoyul looks younger, so just hold on tightly.”
[Denial… Bwee…]
– Bwee…
Elia sneered and pinched my lips before taking my hand again and moving forward.
In the end, she didn’t seem to want to change positions, so we quietly held hands.
‘What should I do…’
Walking around with Elia while holding hands, I pondered how to dispel her sulking.
In reality, there was no particular way to do it. I wasn’t experienced in this area, and nothing plausible came to mind.
Thinking about it, it made sense for her to be sulking. In fact, it felt like a normal reaction.
Right on the first day of the festival, Elia had been the one to express expectations about me.
But even though I remembered that, swept up in the atmosphere, I had acted impulsively with Professor Liana…
[Complicated]
I tried to think of some clever ways to soothe Elia’s sulking in between but just when I faltered, she promptly returned to pinching my lips in discontent.
I was about to let out a sigh, then remembered Adella next to me, so I swallowed it.
Right now, Adella and I were sitting side by side on a bench waiting for Elia, who had momentarily stepped away.
After all, I didn’t want to be sighing away with a kid right in front of me.
[Are you okay?]
As I was in the midst of my complicated thoughts, a holographic screen suddenly popped up in front of me.
Adella, sitting next to me, was snacking while tapping on her smartwatch.
[When my sister sulks, she expresses it around her, and it goes away on its own.]
[No matter what she’s sulking about, since I’m constantly trying to cheer her up, it will end soon.]
With a flurry of swift fingers, she updated the content on the hologram.
[Ah… Is that so?]
I glanced at the text on the hologram and surprisingly felt a bit relieved.
Adella was Elia’s sister. Having been around much longer than I had, she seemed credible.
At the same time, I made an odd expression at the sight of Adella tapping away on her smartwatch.
‘…Didn’t I hear that Adella’s frail since birth?’
Of course, she had improved a lot through various treatments, but her voice was still challenging to use.
“?”
Gently placing my hand on Adella’s neck, she tilted her head curiously without showing any signs of discomfort.
‘Under normal circumstances, she could have used the confession necklace…’
The confession necklace was originally a heritage from Elia’s family.
They had kept it for emergency funds, just in case, but should worse come to worst, Adella would have used it.
But for whatever reason, my presence had made it impossible for Adella to use that necklace.
Because of that, she had been uncomfortably conversing with others until now.
Not being able to share a voice with someone you love is truly sad.
Though I had used the confession necklace meant for her, I felt a slight sense of debt towards Adella.
In addition, no matter how grateful I was to Elia’s family for giving me such a necklace,
‘Hmm…’
I placed my hand softly on Adella’s neck and focused.
Perception through senses and magic. Observing through authority.
By performing both at once, I could accurately grasp a person’s physical condition without error.
Adella’s condition was just as I had heard; she had a physical issue. In other words, it wasn’t some curse-like ability blocking her from functioning.
‘Homogenization.’
An extension ability particularly good at mimicking properties and unique abilities of specialized kinds.
Just like I mimicked the horn of the octagonal beasts, if Homogenization was mastered, it could even affect the physical body.
If I further refined that expansion ability…
‘Hmm…’
I wracked my brains for a moment. Evaluating the gathered information based on feasibility, success rates, and risks…
[But, if you want to help your sister’s anger clear up more clearly and quickly, I know a good method.]
At that moment.
Adella, glancing at my hand resting on her neck, lightly tapped on her smartwatch.
[Good method?]
Absorbed in my concentration, I reflexively asked back.
[Yes, it’s a method that your sister will love.]
Adella nodded her head earnestly.
[…Really?]
[Yes, really.]
Despite her indifferent face, something in her attitude radiated with confidence, making my ears perk up.
[…Is it this?]
Then, I soon donned a puzzled expression.
[Yes, she will definitely love it.]
However, Adella, for some reason, seemed so certain, pointing to something being sold on a nearby stand and thumping her chest as if to say, trust me.
[Hmm…]
I wore a perplexed expression for a moment but then changed my mind.
No matter what, I still needed to ease Elia’s sulking caused by my mistake.
Rather than think about it alone and act on my odd thoughts, it would be better to execute it with my little sister’s support…
Ultimately, steeling my resolve, I reached out with trembling hands.
*
[Player Enhancement System: Favorability]
Lee Ha-yul → Elia Slade
●●●●●●●●○○(86▷87/100)
“Favor,” “Gratitude,” “Cow?” “Chick,” “Kindness,” “Awareness”
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