Chapter 33: Impending Journey of Surprises
That night, after an exhausting discussion, Park Noah fell into a deep sleep. When she awoke in the middle of the night, Kyle Leonard had already left.
Perhaps because of some rest, Park Noah felt better than before. Her dizziness has subsided, and the urge to vomit has disappeared.
“Are you back…”
She stared blankly at the ceiling, savoring the silence that enveloped her room. Suddenly, she notices that the little child was not beside her. Panicking, her body immediately sprang from the bed.
Where is he? Did he leave for real this time?
Park Noah’s heart throbbed loudly until she recognized a black curly hair on the edge of the bed.
“Oh, thank the heavens. You scared me, Mu. What are you doing there?” She held her chest, relieved. The child was sitting on the floor, hugging his knees tightly. Somehow, something was different.
Park Noah tilter her head as she stared at the little child. He shrank! Muell appeared to be three or four years old, but now he looks like a two-year-old at best.
Maybe it’s just a feeling. Park Noah tried to dismiss her weird assumption. Still, unable to move on, she raised the child, squinting.
He definitely shrank!
“What happened? Why did you shrink all of a sudden?” She asked, startled at the child’s appearance.
“I thought it would be hard for Noah if I kept growing up, so I made myself smaller.” Muell replied guiltily as if he had committed a crime.
“Wow, is that possible?”
“I can’t stop drawing your mana, but…now that I have imprinted, I can control my human form,” explained Mu.
Indeed, it seemed that the little child is in a better condition than before. Mu looked at Park Noah with anxious eyes. “Master, no… Noah, are you okay now? Should I shrink myself more? Shall I go back to my original form?”
“No, no. I’m fine now. You will have to crawl around if you shrink more.” Park Noah insisted. Then, she put her hand on her abdomen. After concentrating for a long time, she could feel the flow of mana, which has become more stable than before.
She recalled the moment Kyle Leonard placed his hand on her abdomen and immediately felt the mana, and scoffed. Clearly, there was a difference in skill.
Park Noah thought that if they can adjust accordingly to their situations, maybe a normal life wouldn’t be so impossible.
“Anyway, why are you down there? I can’t sleep.”
“Just…”
Mu’s tongue seemed to have shortened along with his body. Chuckling, Park Noah tickled the round rosy cheeks of the child. Mu’s laughter echoed in the quiet room. She put her hands under both arms of the child and placed him onto the bed beside her.
Suddenly, Mu distanced himself from Park Noah. Surprised, Park Noah grabbed his shoulder to stop him from descending the bed. “Where are you going?”
“I think I’m just making Noah sick…” He looked down, avoiding Park Noah’s gaze.
Frowning, Park Noah paused for a while and pondered over what the child had said.
Technically, it was true. No matter how unhealthy her lifestyle was, Park Noah had lived comfortably until she came across with the dragon egg. Bluntly speaking, Muell is the cause behind the ruckus in her life.
“I don’t think I can help it even if Noah hates me.” The poor child was miserable; Mu didn’t want to live cozily at the expense of her beloved master.
“No, it’s not like that,” argued Park Noah.
“So even if Noah leaves me, I will not kill Noah.”
“What? So you’re saying that if I abandon you, you’ll go to the man who touched you for the first time? And leave me with this mark on my wrist, which will last forever?” Park Noah interjected.
“Huh?” Deep red orbs stared curiously at Park Noah, surprised at her sudden outburst.
“It’s a betrayal! I’m disappointed, Mu. And what, you’re not going to kill me if I abandon you? What nonsense are you talking about?” Park Noah dramatized, flinger her hands in the air.
Shock was displayed all over Mu’s round face when he heard the words ‘betray’ and ‘disappointed’.
Perhaps it was because of their history wherein Park Noah had tried to send him away several times that Muell had such sentiment. Hence, Park Noah felt the need to build a strong relationship with him, anchored in trust.
“Didn’t you hear every word I said before we imprinted?” She asked.
“What…?”
“We agreed to take responsibility for our own choices. We must not blame each other.”
Nothing was more a waste of time than regretting the irrevocable. Now that she has done it and has accepted to live with the dragon, whether she be killed or eaten in the far future, Park Noah decided to direct her efforts into thinking of a way to get through this difficulty, instead of resenting the child.
“So, don’t worry about useless things. I don’t hate you, and most of all, I won’t throw you away.” She cupped Mu’s cheek and stretched it, flashing his tiny teeth.
Oh, was my tone too strong? I should have said it with a little bit more affectionate.
Upon realizing, Park Noah tried to make her voice as sweet as she could. Patting the scattered bangs on the child’s forehead, she cooed, “You’ll live with me for a very long time, Mu. Remember, that’s our promise. No matter what, we’ll be together.”
“….”
“So, let’s catch the culprit who stole you from Laurent’s fortress.”
Muell stared at her in adoration with his big round eyes, which could not possibly get bigger.
“You have to go and break the resonance with him, so I won’t be sick anymore. After we catch him, let’s come back here. I’d like to stay in this place for life if I could. The air is good, the water is good. Peaceful.” Park Noah smiled awkwardly at the child.
“I think Noah is too nice. Are all humans like Noah?” Mu muttered.
“No way. If all human beings are good, there shouldn’t be war or chaos. And I’m not nice either. If you say that one more time, I’m going to spank your butt.”
Suddenly, morose Muell was no more. His face beamed, and once again, laughter replaced the deafening silence around them. Park Noah pulled the child to her, her lips curling at the beautiful sound of the child’s laughter.
Contrary to what she had said, in the comfort of the child, she had an unpleasant premonition. The moment she takes a step out of Sorrent, a long journey with a handful of surprises awaits her.
I think I’ll have to pack up soon. I should sleep a lot while I still can.
Embracing the child tightly, Park Noah immediately entered into a deep slumber.
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