The next day,
Morning sunlight filtered harshly through the thin fabric of Rowena's tent, casting faint crimson patterns across her pale, tired face.
She had barely gotten a few hours of rest, her body heavy with fatigue, the strain of the journey weighing heavily on her exhausted frame.
She didn't even get enough time to hunt for blood after looking after Ravina for so long. However, sleeping for a while seemed to restore some energy to her body.
The tent was quiet, serene—a brief refuge from the hardships that lay beyond.
But her peaceful sleep was abruptly interrupted when Merina hurriedly entered the tent, her gentle face flushed with urgency and astonishment.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for disturbing your rest," Merina whispered apologetically, gently shaking Rowena's shoulder. Her voice trembled slightly with suppressed excitement and shock.
Rowena's crimson eyes fluttered open slowly, her gaze hazy with sleep and confusion. But seeing Merina's distressed expression, she immediately felt a chill of worry gripping her heart. "What happened? Is everything alright, Merina? Is Ravina okay?"
Merina quickly raised her hands to reassure her, shaking her head softly, "No, no! Nothing is wrong, Your Majesty. Ravina is perfectly fine. But... but you need to come quickly. Something has happened. You must see her yourself."
Rowena quickly sat up, heart pounding anxiously despite Merina's reassurance.
Without another word, she hurriedly rose from her makeshift bed, slipping on a simple robe as she rushed out of the tent. Her eyes widened instantly as she took in the surreal scene before her.
Standing amidst a circle formed by a shocked but fascinated crowd—Sabina, Silvia, Esther, Seron, Jael, and Igrid among them—was a small child, around one year old, wrapped in a makeshift black cloth resembling a robe.
Isola stood beside the child, watching affectionately as the little girl, with her eyes wide and her finger in her mouth, wobbled slightly as she attempted to walk.
Rowena felt her breath catch sharply, her eyes frozen wide in disbelief, unable to move or look away from the child's glowing dark golden eyes.
The little girl seemed equally startled by Rowena's sudden appearance, her mouth falling open slightly in surprise and her finger popping out.
Isola crouched down gently beside the child, a soft smile lighting her face as she spoke tenderly. "That's your mother, Ravina. You can call her 'Mama' too."
"Mama!" Ravina's surprised expression immediately dissolved into delight as she excitedly cried out.
Her tiny legs moved quickly but unsteadily, carrying her toward Rowena with wobbling enthusiasm.
Instinctively, Rowena knelt down and opened her arms, catching Ravina easily as the child nearly stumbled into her embrace.
Holding the warm, giggling little girl in her arms, Rowena felt her heart twist with wonder and disbelief. She clearly remembered holding Ravina as an infant mere hours ago.
Yet now, she had grown impossibly fast into a small child capable of speech and walking.
"Ravina..." Rowena whispered softly, her voice laced with awe and shock, gently tightening her embrace, feeling the newfound weight and size of her daughter.
How could this be possible?
Rowena slowly stood, still clutching Ravina protectively to her chest. She turned urgently to Isola, eyes wide with confusion. "What happened to her, Isola? How is she..."
Isola offered a comforting smile, gently reassuring her, "Don't worry, Rowena. Nothing is wrong with her."
Igrid quickly stepped forward, his aged face wearing an expression of fascination and understanding. "She is right, Your Majesty. You have nothing to worry about."
Rowena turned to Igrid, eyebrows knitting tightly in confusion, voice trembling slightly. "What do you mean, Senior Igrid? What is happening to her?"
Ravina, oblivious to the adults' confusion, happily tugged and played with Rowena's raven hair, innocently stuffing the strands into her little mouth as her mother spoke.
Igrid carefully explained, eyes filled with quiet awe, "When I first examined her, I sensed a powerful energy lingering around her mana circuit. But at the time, I wasn't completely sure. I needed confirmation. Now, it's clear—the enormous amount of Deviar energy she absorbed through you still remains within her body."
Rowena's eyes widened in alarm, her hold on Ravina tightening instinctively. "Then...could it harm her?"
Igrid shook his head reassuringly, his smile growing gentle yet excited. "If she were an ordinary child or even one of us, it would be deadly indeed or impossible, to say the least. But the little princess doesn't follow the normal rules or limits we abide by. She already harnessed that same Deviar power to accelerate her growth within your womb. Now, she's still unconsciously absorbing it, rapidly accelerating her development. She's already close to becoming a Soul Devourer."
Rowena stared, lips parted in shock, eyes filled with wonder and confusion. "Then does that mean she'll continue growing rapidly?"
Igrid shook his head gently. "Not exactly. The bigger and stronger she becomes, the faster she'll consume that lingering Deviar energy. Eventually, it will run out. Until then, though, we may see more rapid growth."
Sabina, standing nearby, watched Ravina in bafflement and envy, voice tinged with disbelief. "Fu! She's casually consuming the power of a Deviar? Simply by walking around and playing? Even a genius like me would nearly lose my life trying something like that! This lucky little thing..."
Silvia's face, however, broke into an ecstatic smile, eyes sparkling joyfully. "Our little Ravina is incredible! She's going to become so strong!"
Esther, Seron, and Jael exchanged astonished glances, each silently contemplating the implications of Ravina's rapid growth.
Esther, in particular, felt quietly awed, realizing just how extraordinary Asher's child truly was.
Seron couldn't help but feel even more hopeful that they would have a future. If this child kept growing at this pace or at least fast enough, then maybe...they could truly reclaim it all even if her father does not return.
She just needed to be kept safe until then.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login