The childlike Ihayul suddenly burst into tears.
The world’s most unjust sobs slammed into their eardrums, and everyone’s minds went blank.
There was no need to add any minor reasons. It was purely a natural reaction.
"Shh, were you scared lying down by yourself? It's okay..."
"Ugh..."
Fortunately, Ihayul’s crying stopped quickly.
As soon as Hong Yeonhwa rushed to him, he calmed down, slowly reducing his sobs.
‘Ah, I’m really shocked...’
Hong Yeonhwa sighed in relief, but then swallowed her breath back down.
Her heart skipped a beat. When tears started to flow from Ihayul’s moist eyes, she felt like she couldn’t breathe.
Was he really in that much pain? Or was something wrong?
A flood of worries came to her, and all other thoughts burned away in the fire.
Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
"Yeonhwa... I missed you..."
"Hahyul..."
Mumbling with his face buried in her chest, the feelings of warmth and affection surged within Hong Yeonhwa.
The reason he had cried was irresistibly adorable.
"Yeah, I missed you too..."
All the scolding she had planned to give Ihayul when he woke up was long buried in her heart.
She couldn’t resist the impulse. She pulled him closer, nuzzled her cheek against his snowy white hair, and gently kissed his lips.
"Hehe..."
"Aw, are you that happy?"
Ihayul, who had been crying just moments ago, smiled shyly as soon as he lifted his head. A flower-like smile blossomed on his face when she kissed his forehead.
"...I guess you're not fully regressed, huh?"
At Baek Arin’s mutter, Ihayul’s smile froze for a moment.
"Even though his body has regressed, it seems his memory is still intact."
Hong Yeonhwa, who had been watching him closely, could see the tension in his face.
"Hmm..."
"Eh, hmm..."
When Hong Yeonhwa’s eyes lost their sparkle, Ihayul immediately buried his face in her chest again, pretending to be unaware and acting all spoiled.
"...Sigh, this little one is really something."
After thinking for a moment, Hong Yeonhwa stroked Ihayul’s back, unable to be upset with him.
After coming so close to death, and now having him regressed back to his child form, it was hard to scold him.
Ihayul flinched at the touch, but soon relaxed under the soft caresses, lazily stretching out.
"All the wounds are gone."
While Hong Yeonhwa comforted Ihayul, the others weren’t just sitting idly by.
They had brought clothes for the childlike Ihayul and also checked on his condition.
It was confirmed that his injuries had completely healed.
"It seems the wounds disappeared as he regressed..."
"Thank goodness..."
Hong Yeonhwa sighed in relief, touching Ihayul's right hand.
The scarred, grotesque burn was now smooth and white, and when she lightly ran her fingers over it, it felt soft to the touch.
The burn that had appeared again nearly broke her heart, but thankfully, before she could cry or apply medicine, it had disappeared.
And...
She turned her gaze to the other side. She noticed Ihayul’s white left hand, moving slightly.
"His left hand has grown back as well. Phew, that's a relief..."
"Yeah. Thankfully, the spiritual blueprint wasn’t damaged."
This wasn’t his usual prosthetic hand. It was his original left hand, skin visible.
Elia, who had been touching Ihayul’s left hand, sighed in relief, while Baek Arin curiously compared the small palm with her own.
"Is this normal for fairies? Since they’re spiritual beings, I get that their physical bodies don’t matter, but... Do you know about this, unni?"
"No, as far as I know, fairies don’t have such a characteristic."
"Hmm... Then what is this?"
Baek Arin tilted her head, confused.
Ihayul had regressed before, though.
Last summer, during the twin-headed wyvern hunt, Ihayul had regressed once.
"So, could it be due to serious injuries?"
While it was true that Ihayul was showing signs of recovery, they couldn’t deny that he was nearly dead when they found him.
He had regressed during the last vacation, but considering the strength of the wyvern and the remains of the scene, he couldn’t have been in good condition.
"Could his body have regressed to remove the injuries themselves?"
"...Do you think such artificial regression is possible?"
"I feel like it might work with Ihayul."
At Baek Arin’s lighthearted remark, Lee Jiyeon couldn’t find a reason to disagree.
After all, Ihayul was using the powers of Flame, Seonghae, and Taesan all at once.
If anyone could make the impossible possible, it would be Ihayul.
The conversation moves forward with some introspection on Ihayul’s mysterious regression and his new state. The group's growing concern is palpable, but they’re still coming to terms with the many unknowns surrounding his powers.
Anyway, while Ihayul had regressed, no major issues had been discovered.
The phenomenon wasn’t new, so they were somewhat accustomed to it.
The real surprise came from an unexpected place.
"Baby? It's time for us to eat, okay? Be good? Ah~"
"Ughhh..."
When they offered him a spoonful of cooled porridge and gently held it near his mouth, Ihayul stubbornly shook his head.
As they persisted, he buried his face in Hong Yeonhwa’s chest, rejecting it completely.
Elia, looking embarrassed, withdrew the spoon.
"What should we do... This is the first time this has happened."
"He didn’t do this last time?"
"No, last time, even when I fed him with Seoyul, he ate just fine..."
This wasn’t like Ihayul at all.
Usually, when he was sick, he would eat well. It was a universal truth, regardless of age or gender.
So now, Hong Yeonhwa was left with the task of feeding Ihayul, but...
Elia furrowed her brows, pondering deeply.
"Ihayul? You need to eat, okay? Hmm?"
Hong Yeonhwa felt just as perplexed as Elia, struggling with Ihayul’s sudden refusal to eat.
At least the Ihayul she knew always ate anything well.
But she couldn’t just leave him unfed.
Hong Yeonhwa, feeling helpless, patted Ihayul’s head.
"Yeonhwa..."
Ihayul lifted his head. His chin resting on her chest, his gray eyes blinked as he looked up at her.
"I’m hungry..."
"Hungry? Then you need to eat. But you don’t like porridge?"
"Uhh... I don’t like it..."
"Oh no, you don’t like porridge?"
"It’s tasteless... No taste..."
"Eh? But I think it has some seasoning?"
Hong Yeonhwa responded to Ihayul’s complaints, but then her eyes blinked in confusion.
‘It’s tasteless?’
Something felt off about his words. Hong Yeonhwa tasted the porridge from the spoon.
"Mm, yeah, it’s a bit bland."
It was bland since it was made for a sick person, but it wasn’t completely tasteless.
Considering Ihayul’s condition until just now, it actually seemed a bit salty.
‘...Did Ihayul normally like salty food?’
A strong sense of unease surged within her. Her head tilted further in confusion.
She recalled Ihayul’s usual eating habits.
He didn’t have particular preferences. He ate anything without hesitation.
Wherever they went—whether it was a restaurant, a café, or a dessert shop—if Ihayul was given food, he would eat it eagerly.
Thinking back, it was odd that he had no real dislikes.
If she had to choose one, maybe alcohol? But that was because of bad memories, not a dislike of the taste.
‘What is this?’
The feeling of discomfort was growing stronger. For some reason, Baek Arin, Lee Jiyeon, and Elia were all exchanging silent glances.
Why was this happening suddenly?
"Yeonhwa..."
"Uh, uh? Yes, what’s wrong?"
The whimpering from Ihayul snapped Hong Yeonhwa out of her thoughts.
She immediately refocused and patted Ihayul’s back.
"You're hungry, huh?"
"Ah, yes, I am. Is there anything else I can have?"
"Anything you want to eat?"
Now, it was more important to feed Ihayul than to figure out what was causing the unease.
Hong Yeonhwa encouraged him to say what he wanted, and Ihayul, rubbing his face into her chest, mumbled.
"I want mama..."
"What?"
It was an unexpected answer. Hong Yeonhwa, along with everyone else, blinked in confusion.
The way he said it felt very strange.
Hong Yeonhwa looked down at Ihayul, wondering if his mental state had affected his speech.
"..."
His eyes were firmly fixed on her chest. The meaning behind his gaze left no room for misunderstanding.
Hong Yeonhwa regained her composure, looking around before shrugging her shoulders.
"...He says so. He needs to eat, so everyone, please go outside."
"No, no, no!"
Ihayul didn’t respond as expected. Elia raised her voice in surprise.
Her face turned bright red like an apple as she shook her head in disbelief.
"Wait, wait! This is strange!"
"What's strange about it? He says he wants food."
"Then just give him something else to eat! What... What is this nonsense..."
"He doesn’t want anything else. So, there’s nothing else we can do."
In response to the calm question, Elia’s mouth dropped open. Looking at Baek Arin and Elia, they seemed unfazed by the situation.
‘Am I the one who’s abnormal?’
Elia fell into deep contemplation. She was the only one confused, and that made her doubt herself.
"I can breastfeed him too."
It was then that Elia spoke up.
She opened her chest and confidently made her bold statement.
"What?! Elia, what are you saying—"
"What do you mean? You’re not even allowed inside..."
Hong Yeonhwa’s words were interrupted by the sight of Elia pulling out a medicinal herb from her bag.
"...When did you get that?"
"I made it myself. It wasn’t that difficult, actually."
"I have one of those too."
"This little fox...!"
"No, you had it too..."
Hong Yeonhwa’s mouth dropped open in shock as she shook her head.
"Anyway, you’ve never fed him before, right? I have. And what he’s asking for now is me."
"Ugh..."
"Trying to show off your first feeding isn’t really the time..."
"Shut up."
Elia, rarely showing annoyance, expressed her frustration.
Hong Yeonhwa proudly beamed with superiority as she embraced Ihayul tightly.
"Well then, you should leave. If we keep dragging this out, he’ll stay hungry. Can’t you see he’s starving?"
She gestured for everyone to leave.
This part concludes with some amusing tension between the characters, highlighting their interactions and personal dynamics, especially regarding Ihayul's odd behavior and the group's concern for his well-being. Let me know if you'd like to continue or need further adjustments!
Apologies for the break! Here's the continuation of the translation:
Anyway, while Ihayul had regressed, no major issues had been discovered.
The phenomenon wasn’t new, so they were somewhat accustomed to it.
The real surprise came from an unexpected place.
"Baby? It's time for us to eat, okay? Be good? Ah~"
"Ughhh..."
When they offered him a spoonful of cooled porridge and gently held it near his mouth, Ihayul stubbornly shook his head.
As they persisted, he buried his face in Hong Yeonhwa’s chest, rejecting it completely.
Elia, looking embarrassed, withdrew the spoon.
"What should we do... This is the first time this has happened."
"He didn’t do this last time?"
"No, last time, even when I fed him with Seoyul, he ate just fine..."
This wasn’t like Ihayul at all.
Usually, when he was sick, he would eat well. It was a universal truth, regardless of age or gender.
So now, Hong Yeonhwa was left with the task of feeding Ihayul, but...
Elia furrowed her brows, pondering deeply.
"Ihayul? You need to eat, okay? Hmm?"
Hong Yeonhwa felt just as perplexed as Elia, struggling with Ihayul’s sudden refusal to eat.
At least the Ihayul she knew always ate anything well.
But she couldn’t just leave him unfed.
Hong Yeonhwa, feeling helpless, patted Ihayul’s head.
"Yeonhwa..."
Ihayul lifted his head. His chin resting on her chest, his gray eyes blinked as he looked up at her.
"I’m hungry..."
"Hungry? Then you need to eat. But you don’t like porridge?"
"Uhh... I don’t like it..."
"Oh no, you don’t like porridge?"
"It’s tasteless... No taste..."
"Eh? But I think it has some seasoning?"
Hong Yeonhwa responded to Ihayul’s complaints, but then her eyes blinked in confusion.
‘It’s tasteless?’
Something felt off about his words. Hong Yeonhwa tasted the porridge from the spoon.
"Mm, yeah, it’s a bit bland."
It was bland since it was made for a sick person, but it wasn’t completely tasteless.
Considering Ihayul’s condition until just now, it actually seemed a bit salty.
‘...Did Ihayul normally like salty food?’
A strong sense of unease surged within her. Her head tilted further in confusion.
She recalled Ihayul’s usual eating habits.
He didn’t have particular preferences. He ate anything without hesitation.
Wherever they went—whether it was a restaurant, a café, or a dessert shop—if Ihayul was given food, he would eat it eagerly.
Thinking back, it was odd that he had no real dislikes.
If she had to choose one, maybe alcohol? But that was because of bad memories, not a dislike of the taste.
‘What is this?’
The feeling of discomfort was growing stronger. For some reason, Baek Arin, Lee Jiyeon, and Elia were all exchanging silent glances.
Why was this happening suddenly?
"Yeonhwa..."
"Uh, uh? Yes, what’s wrong?"
The whimpering from Ihayul snapped Hong Yeonhwa out of her thoughts.
She immediately refocused and patted Ihayul’s back.
"You're hungry, huh?"
"Ah, yes, I am. Is there anything else I can have?"
"Anything you want to eat?"
Now, it was more important to feed Ihayul than to figure out what was causing the unease.
Hong Yeonhwa encouraged him to say what he wanted, and Ihayul, rubbing his face into her chest, mumbled.
"I want mama..."
"What?"
It was an unexpected answer. Hong Yeonhwa, along with everyone else, blinked in confusion.
The way he said it felt very strange.
Hong Yeonhwa looked down at Ihayul, wondering if his mental state had affected his speech.
"..."
His eyes were firmly fixed on her chest. The meaning behind his gaze left no room for misunderstanding.
Hong Yeonhwa regained her composure, looking around before shrugging her shoulders.
"...He says so. He needs to eat, so everyone, please go outside."
"No, no, no!"
Ihayul didn’t respond as expected. Elia raised her voice in surprise.
Her face turned bright red like an apple as she shook her head in disbelief.
"Wait, wait! This is strange!"
"What's strange about it? He says he wants food."
"Then just give him something else to eat! What... What is this nonsense..."
"He doesn’t want anything else. So, there’s nothing else we can do."
In response to the calm question, Elia’s mouth dropped open. Looking at Baek Arin and Elia, they seemed unfazed by the situation.
‘Am I the one who’s abnormal?’
Elia fell into deep contemplation. She was the only one confused, and that made her doubt herself.
"I can breastfeed him too."
It was then that Elia spoke up.
She opened her chest and confidently made her bold statement.
"What?! Elia, what are you saying—"
"What do you mean? You’re not even allowed inside..."
Hong Yeonhwa’s words were interrupted by the sight of Elia pulling out a medicinal herb from her bag.
"...When did you get that?"
"I made it myself. It wasn’t that difficult, actually."
"I have one of those too."
"This little fox...!"
"No, you had it too..."
Hong Yeonhwa’s mouth dropped open in shock as she shook her head.
"Anyway, you’ve never fed him before, right? I have. And what he’s asking for now is me."
"Ugh..."
"Trying to show off your first feeding isn’t really the time..."
"Shut up."
Elia, rarely showing annoyance, expressed her frustration.
Hong Yeonhwa proudly beamed with superiority as she embraced Ihayul tightly.
"Well then, you should leave. If we keep dragging this out, he’ll stay hungry. Can’t you see he’s starving?"
She gestured for everyone to leave.
This part concludes with some amusing tension between the characters, highlighting their interactions and personal dynamics, especially regarding Ihayul's odd behavior and the group's concern for his well-being. Let me know if you'd like to continue or need further adjustments!
At that moment, news arrived that Ihayul had regained consciousness.
Overjoyed, Atra led Daera toward the healing room.
"......"
Their conversation was minimal as they walked together. There was an awkwardness since their reunion, but it was more because of Daera’s state.
Atra glanced at Daera.
Her shoulders drooped, the air around her heavy and dark, like a storm cloud.
She had been like this ever since receiving the news about Ihayul.
"Daera, it’s not your fault."
"...Yes."
Atra’s words were simple, but it seemed they didn’t comfort Daera much, as she blinked weakly.
It was obvious she was drenched in guilt.
But beyond that, Atra couldn’t do much.
‘The only thing left is for her to either shake it off alone, or receive comfort from the little one...’
Atra turned her head, arriving at the healing room just in time. However, there were already people gathered outside the door.
Baek Arin, Lee Jiyeon, and Elia had been kicked out of the healing room. The atmosphere was strange.
Raising an eyebrow, Atra approached them.
"What’s going on outside?"
"Atra... Huh? Who’s with you?"
Baek Arin, who was answering in place of the others, tilted her head when she saw Daera standing next to Atra.
"This is... Well, my student who was missing before."
"Your student?"
Baek Arin, along with Lee Jiyeon and Elia, all looked at Daera with wide eyes.
They knew about Atra’s circumstances, and they knew that Daera was officially listed as dead, even though her disappearance had been called "missing."
Atra scratched her cheek awkwardly and turned her body slightly.
"It’s not the right time to explain everything here. Let’s go inside first."
"Oh, but inside..."
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She pressed the magic tool on the door. Moments later, a voice came through the device.
"It’s me. I heard he regained consciousness, so I came."
It was Hong Yeonhwa’s voice.
Atra tilted her head at the excited tone of Hong Yeonhwa’s voice.
The door opened.
As Atra stepped inside, receiving the purification magic, Daera timidly followed behind.
"...Huh?"
Atra blinked in surprise at the scene inside.
It wasn’t Ihayul lying on the bed. It was Hong Yeonhwa.
She was leaning against the backrest, and Ihayul, looking as lazy as ever, had his head buried in her lap.
Hong Yeonhwa was softly rubbing Ihayul’s back as she exhaled in a dreamy sigh.
"Hah... Our little one, was it good...?"
"Yeah... Ugh, ugh..."
At the gentle pat on his back, Ihayul released a small burp.
As he exhaled deeply, his expression grew even more drowsy.
"Good boy, you must have eaten well..."
At his adorable state, Hong Yeonhwa giggled and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.
Anyone who knew her would likely faint at the overly maternal smile she wore as she gently kissed his forehead.
"Mm?"
As Hong Yeonhwa continued to pat Ihayul’s back, she noticed Atra’s gaze fixed on her.
"..."
Atra’s expression had changed, her face reflecting some surprise, as memories from the past resurfaced.
She remembered the hospital visit after the Shifnaha incident.
At the time, she had gritted her teeth, seeing how closely Ihayul and Hong Yeonhwa had stuck together.
Now, the roles had reversed.
"Heh."
Hong Yeonhwa couldn’t help but smile slyly.
"..."
Atra’s face visibly stiffened.
"Master, you had a child...?"
Daera, who had been following Atra, stood frozen in shock, mouth agape.
The scene continues with Atra’s realization about Ihayul and Hong Yeonhwa's evolving relationship, and the ongoing mystery of Ihayul’s condition and powers. It’s a mixture of tender moments and growing tension. Let me know if you'd like to continue or adjust anything!