The battle against the second raid boss ended and it seems they also found out the main reason why they got tired so easily which is good, considering I didn't even tell them about it. I am happy for them but since the effects of the raid boss will reappear again after the effects of the Lemon Juice disappears, the only best way to remove that debuff that did not appear on their status is to log out and rest for the entire day which is why I always tell them to have some good rest in the real world instead of resting for a while, while they are still in the game.
As for me who didn't participate in the battle just decided to head back into the cabin. I am not busy in the real world so I can just dump a lot of time into the game for now. Besides, I am still occupied with making a few more kinds of stuff in preparation for the future. The crafting never stops and never ends which is why I will have to continue with my job.
I was about to go into my workshop when I noticed that the door to the room where Cotton was currently in her metamorphosis phase was open and the chair where Tina was sitting to guard the door was empty. I peeked inside the door and saw Tina watching the cocoon of Cotton. It was currently moving.
"Tina, what-" before I can continue what I was about to say, Tina gestured to me to keep quiet.
I went inside the room as quietly as possible and stood beside Tina as the cocoon is moving.
"What's happening?" I asked in a hushed voice to Tina.
"It seems the cocoon is hatching. Cotton is about to come out and complete her evolution. I needed to remain near her cocoon so that I can assist her in coming out of it in case she gets some difficulty in doing so."
When I heard that Cotton is about to come out, I suddenly got excited. After all, it's been a while since Cotton has become a cocoon, and seeing her final form shake like that, it must mean she was about to come out and emerge in a new form.
"Do you think Cotton will have a new appearance?" I asked.
"Why are you asking the obvious, Master? Of course, she will. That is the main point of her evolution. The only downside of her evolution though is that her level might likely be reset back to level 1 to compensate for her new body and abilities. There is a big chance that her skills when she was still small will disappear after she transforms. Which is why we have to make sure that she will be properly helped if she struggled. We can't let her get in trouble if she was not able to get out of her shell."
"Is there something bad happening if we don't help her?"
"Most of the time, no. But there are some special cases which are why, instead of relying on luck that she won't get that special case, we instead go and help her out. We can't just risk her to get stunted growth as a result of failure."
Oh, so there is also a consequence if we don't aid her if she is in trouble. That is interesting. After all, in the real world, those insects that go out of their cocoons can go out on their own without a problem. Alternate World does not work the same as the real world.
As we continue to observe the cocoon, it soon started to make some cracks in its outer shell. It's slow but the cracks are getting bigger as time goes on. It continues to shake as well and exudes a little bit of mana as well.
Lina and Gobu seem to have noticed the mana leaking and headed straight to us.
"What happened?" Gobu is agitated as he thought something is happening.
"Shhh!" Tina immediately gestured for the two to quiet down. This made Gobu whisper "sorry" and quietly entered the room as we continue to observe the cocoon.
Since they just came in, I explained to them what is happening and why we are on standby outside. They immediately understood the situation and decided to remain as well to see what Cotton will turn into and to also assist us in case something happened.
Soon enough, the cracks are starting to get bigger and it slowly spreads through the whole cocoon. We are anticipating the arrival of the new form of Cotton but at the same time, we are also nervous. After all, we don't know what will come out. Sure Cotton is a caterpillar that looks like a baby as well and yet we don't have the slightest idea what she was as an adult.
Compared to us, Tina is confident. There's not an ounce of worry on her face and she waits without showing signs that she is worried about Cotton.
It didn't take long for the cocoon to shake a lot and some of the cracks on the cocoon starts to fall off from it as well. It fell only one before it starts to fall by two, then it started falling more and more. That's when Tina started to help on removing some of the cocoon shells as well.
"Master, everyone, help me out now. It's time to clear some of the cocoon shells and help out on Cotton. But don't tear a big one. Just pull out bit by bit so that it won't injure Cotton inside."
And so, we started taking some of the cocoon shells off. Unlike egg shells, the cocoon shell of Cotton is like glass. It's thick and very solid to the touch and can cut you like it was broken glass, yet it was so brittle to the touch that one slight pressure would make the shell disintegrate.
"Alright. That should be enough. It's Cotton's time to break out now without our help."
We sit back and relax as we wait for Cotton to break off the remaining shell of her cocoon. I thought it would take some time for her to break it off but it lasted only a few minutes before she breaks out of it. The remaining shells on her cocoon exploded to pieces and revealed a golden cocoon-shaped thing inside.
"Is that Cotton?" Lina frowned.
"That's her alright. She is inside while being covered by her wings."
She slowly opens up her wings, revealing a young girl with golden wings connected to her back. I thought she would look like an insect, but she resembles a human. But there are clear signs she isn't one and that is her head. Just like Tina, she had antennae that clearly a human doesn't possess. Other than her antennae, on her head is a little crown. It was small but it seems to be not part of her body and it was just an accessory. Yet, it seems it comes from her evolution as well.
Cotton seems like she became a newborn again so Tina immediately released a silk cloth and covered her as the golden wings on her back retracted and disappeared.
"Master. We need new clothes for her, please make one for her please," Tina asked for Cotton.
"Alright. Leave it to me. Just give me her measurements and I will make one in a jiffy," I opened up my inventory and pulled out a measuring tape, and handed it to Tina to measure up Cotton. Without measurements, the clothes that I make will end up bad.
"Okay then, Sir Gobu, please give us a pail of water and a towel as well," Tina also asked Gobu with a task.
"No worries, I will be right back," Gobu immediately rush out as well to get the items they needed.
As for me, I started gathering the items I needed and what will make good clothes for Cotton. After a while, Lina handed me the measurements for Cotton. Before I can begin, Lina asked me a favor.
"Master, I wanted to help as well in making the clothes for Cotton. I have the Tailoring passive as well. I can definitely help you on making it!"
"That's good! Alright. You cut the cloth over there and give it to me after you cut it this short..."
We started making clothes of Cotton. The sooner we finish up, the faster we will be able to dress up Cotton as well. Thankfully, Lina is a wonderful helper and her suggestions are good as well, allowing me to make something cute and good at the same time. A little pink dress made from natural materials and fiber for Cotton.
"This came out cutely than I thought it would look like!" Lina happily spreads it out, proud of the joint work result.
"Good. Now hand this over to Tina and dress Cotton up. Make sure to tell me if there is something wrong with the dress so that I can adjust it up."
Lina happily nodded and went back to Tina. As for me, I am also excited to see Cotton as well. The feeling is like I just became a dad all of a sudden. It's quite a fascinating emotion, but I like it.
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