Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Only after placing Chaeri on a soft cushion did I finally feel some of the tension leave my body.

At least we were indoors.

Chaeri was resting on a thick, soft cushion.

And around her stood several guards staring at her with wide-open eyes.

They were all Hunters, so not one of them wasted a breath or misplaced a step.

It felt like I was the only one who really needed to be careful.

Once I calmed down, I finally had enough presence of mind to carefully read through the notification windows and Chaeri's status again.

So the main thing I need to watch out for is making sure she doesn't break.

Just looking at the egg shape made it obvious I needed to handle her carefully.

It even looked like the kind of egg that needed to be protected until the bird inside hatched.

I need 10 Growth Points before she hatches. One point per quest... so that's ten quests total.

Judging by how simple the first quest was, the rest probably wouldn't be too difficult either.

Until Chaeri finished growing, I decided I'd focus entirely on her.

I had barely nodded to myself when Kim Seul-gi carefully raised a hand, drawing everyone's attention.

"First... I'm really glad we found Chaeri."

"Thank you."

"And... would it be all right if I reported this to Yeonwoo Guild?"

"Reported it?"

"Yes. There's a huge difference between knowing that something like a 'quest' can exist and not knowing. If you allow it, this alone could become valuable information for Gate and status-window research."

Come to think of it, Yeonwoo Guild was connected to the research institute that created the Gate Emergence Forecasting Device.

Apparently, even after the Association took the device away, they had continued researching Gates and status windows.

Well, it hasn't even been half a century since Gates first appeared.

When I hesitated, another guard beside Kim Seul-gi quickly jumped in.

"Since you'd be providing information, you'll receive proper compensation too!"

"Ah, that's not what I'm worried about. I'm sure Yeonwoo Guild would compensate me fairly."

"Then...."

"It's more that this 'quest' seems related to my skill. It feels like an exceptional case, so I'm not sure how useful it would be for research...."

"That's more than enough. The important thing is that we've confirmed quests can exist in some form. Doesn't that also mean there's a possibility other S-Class skills could produce quests?"

In the end, I agreed to let them report it on the condition that the information would be shared only with Yeonwoo Guild for now.

"All right, then. Everyone can get back to work. I think I need to take care of Chaeri."

"Understood. We'll be outside, so call us anytime if you need anything."

The guards read the mood and headed outside.

I carefully picked up the cushion holding the egg and headed to the bedroom.

It was time for a nap.

When was the last time I slept at this hour?

But the moment I opened the bedroom door, I realized the nap wasn't even the main problem.

"Ah. Why does this place feel so unfamiliar?"

Maybe I'd gotten too used to sleeping on the beanbag in the workshop.

The bedroom felt strangely foreign.

"Cough, cough! Ugh, dust. I need to clean first."

Thinking about it, it had been a long time since I'd properly lain down on a bed and rested.

Considering how often I skipped meals, that wasn't exactly surprising.

I brushed away the worst of the dust and sat on the edge of the bed.

Sunlight was shining across the cushion I'd placed beside the pillow.

At least Chaeri wouldn't be cold.

"Thanks to you, I get to rest properly for once, Chaeri."

For some reason, the Aura around the egg felt slightly stronger.

[Chain Quest: Let's Help Chaeri Grow! (9)]

[Take a walk with Chaeri for at least 30 minutes. (00:00)

Reward: Growth Point 1p

*The 'Growth Period' ends upon reaching 10 Growth Points!]

[Current Growth Points: 8p]

The more quests I completed, the stranger I felt.

Take a nap.

Eat at least 2,400 calories.

Take a bubble bath.

And now, go for a thirty-minute walk.

"Isn't this basically a quest chain to improve my health?"

They were all things I'd been neglecting anyway.

Naturally, I thought of how Chaeri had quietly taken care of me while I worked.

If I went too long without eating, she'd peck at me until I ate.

If I stayed awake too long, she'd nag me to sleep.

If I forgot an appointment, she'd remind me.

And now, even her growth quests were making me look after myself.

"Chaeri...."

Feeling both proud and guilty, I stroked the egg.

At that moment, I felt a faint twitch.

"Chaeri...?"

Another twitch.

"Can you hear everything?"

The egg gave a soft, rhythmic thump as though answering.

The movement was so weak I could only feel it by wrapping my palm around the whole surface.

But it was unmistakably intentional.

It suddenly felt much more real that Chaeri was truly inside this egg.

I checked the quest again, then went to the workshop and fetched a blanket.

I wrapped Chaeri up carefully, tucked her inside my jacket against my chest, and stepped outside.

"Where are you going?"

I turned, assuming it was one of the guards.

Instead, an unexpected person was standing there.

"It's been a while, Artist Do. Have you been well?"

"Vice Guild Master Kim Sang-hyeon."

Kim Sang-hyeon stood beneath the moonlight.

His car was still running, so he must have just arrived.

Had he come because of the report earlier today?

Maybe the question showed on my face, because Kim Sang-hyeon laughed lightly.

"I won't bother you for long. Honestly, I was planning to quietly leave this here and go. I didn't expect to run into you like this."

"You're always welcome, Vice Guild Master. But if you weren't even planning to see me, why did you come?"

"I heard our adorable little bird was preparing to grow. The report also said she might become bigger, so I brought Chaeri some gifts."

That explained the large vehicle.

From the trunk, he pulled out a birdhouse about the size of a medium box, a nest-shaped cushion, and a gift set of apples that looked like something you'd see during a major holiday.

My eyes widened.

Against my chest, Chaeri's egg began vibrating rapidly.

The speed somehow felt unmistakably happy, and I couldn't help laughing.

"I hadn't even thought of getting these yet. Thank you. Chaeri likes them too."

I opened my jacket slightly to show him the egg.

Kim Sang-hyeon's eyes immediately lit up.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing how she grows. Chaeri is our Artist Do's dependable companion bird, after all."

"She is. Honestly, I'm a little embarrassed because every quest seems more for my benefit than hers. I knew Chaeri cared about me, but I didn't realize it was this much."

"Hahaha! From our perspective, we're relieved Chaeri is by your side."

Kim Sang-hyeon apparently really had planned to stop by only briefly.

He soon prepared to leave.

"When Chaeri finishes growing, please visit Yeonwoo Guild once. I'm looking forward to seeing what she becomes."

"Sure."

Maybe it was the way he looked at me.

His farewell somehow felt meaningful.

Usually, rather than asking me to come to the guild, he would've said he'd visit me himself.

Is there something I need to check at Yeonwoo Guild?

Whatever it was, it didn't seem urgent.

After Kim Sang-hyeon left, I brought the gifts inside, put them away carefully, then finally set out on the walk.

The route I chose was the mountain behind the house, where Chaeri often flew around.

I'd seen her flying there countless times, but I'd never actually gone myself.

It almost felt like I was exploring the place where my kid usually went to play.

Whooosh.

The wind blew.

The air carried the damp scent of moisture.

Spring was almost over.

Summer was coming.

The flowers that had bloomed throughout spring were already disappearing, replaced by deep green leaves.

Maybe because summer was approaching, the mountain beneath the night sky seemed unusually vivid.

Soon it'll be the season when controlling the workshop temperature becomes a nightmare.

Whenever I sculpted, I sometimes felt like I lived in a different flow of time from everyone else.

By the time I came back to myself, huge stretches of time had passed.

I rarely noticed the seasons.

Back when I worked alone in the rooftop room, I still had to earn money.

Gate warnings would go off.

There were plenty of things that shocked me back into reality.

After signing the security contract with Yeonwoo Guild, I had even stopped paying attention to most of those things.

Still, this year I'd traveled quite a bit, so I had at least experienced the seasons more than usual.

I'd probably had more unfamiliar experiences this year than at any other point in my life.

Even though there were still more than six months left before the year ended.

The occasional lights installed along the hiking trail helped illuminate the night walk.

The view of the city below the mountain ridge also felt different from the scenery seen from a tall building.

Looking straight down from inside the city...

And stepping back to look at the city from a distance.

I patted Chaeri gently like comforting a child.

"What did you usually do up here?"

Naturally, there was no spoken answer.

But the steady rhythm of the egg and the warmth against my chest felt like a quiet language of their own.

By the time I reached the lowest peak with a refreshed heart....

[Chain Quest: Let's Help Chaeri Grow! (9) Complete!]

[You have received 1 Growth Point as a reward.]

[Chain Quest: Let's Help Chaeri Grow! (10)]

[Make a toy for Chaeri!

*The type of toy will determine what kind of skill the item gains after growth!

Reward: Growth Point 1p]

[Current Growth Points: 9p]

The final quest appeared.

In a way, it was also the most familiar one.

When I got home, I took out a piece of cherry wood.

I'd already noticed long ago that Chaeri loved cherry wood, the material she'd been born from, almost as much as Sacred Wood.

Whenever I pulled out pieces of cherry wood during our travels, she'd puff herself up proudly.

And in spring, she'd sometimes return from playing outside with cherry blossoms in her beak.

She said they came from cherry trees.

More importantly, if I made her toy from Sacred Wood, her favorite material, she'd probably try to peck and eat it.

The real problem was deciding what kind of toy to make.

"The type of toy changes the skill...."

That was already written in Chaeri's status.

Her rank and abilities could change depending on her direction of growth.

I'd assumed she'd grow and change on her own without any input from me.

But this development was actually welcome.

Chaeri probably gained her Inventory because that rooftop room was so cramped.

Maybe this was another way Pygmalion's effects were being expressed.

Pygmalion didn't simply turn sculptures into items.

It also allowed the user's intent to influence their effects and skills.

Seen that way, perhaps a growth-type item meant an item that grew according to its owner.

Custom-made growth.

"It needs to be a toy both Chaeri and I are happy with."

The egg wiggled with soft thumps as though agreeing.

After thinking for a while, I picked up the wood.

Since it had to remain a toy, I decided on a perch with a hanging mobile.

But I intended to put a Story into the perch and mobile.

The perch would be shaped like an isosceles triangle.

A ring at the top would allow it to be hung wherever we wanted.

The mobile would hang beneath the base.

The Story I wanted the perch and mobile to represent was the phoenix.

A symbol of regeneration and recovery.

I wasn't actually activating Pygmalion for this piece, so I didn't care about the size of the Story.

I simply thought the phoenix suited the kind of skill I wanted Chaeri to gain.

There's nothing I can do if Chaeri gets hurt.

During that short period when I'd searched everywhere for her, I'd been terrified.

If a bird created through a skill was injured, could I even expect natural healing?

At some point, I had stopped seeing Chaeri as merely a work.

She had become family.

Someone whose absence made the house feel empty.

Someone I ate with.

Slept in the same space with.

Someone whose intrusion into my personal space felt completely natural.

Maybe I'd realized it late because my relationship with my family had been poor growing up.

And after becoming independent, I'd lived alone for so long.

I hadn't noticed that I depended on Chaeri just as much as she cared for me.

Sorry I'm such an inexperienced dad.

So at the very least, I wanted the skill she gained after growing to be something that could protect her.

That way we could stay together for a long time.

Regeneration.

Healing.

Either one was fine.

Whatever she received would be useful.

I quickly sketched the design.

A phoenix with both wings fully spread.

The entire base of the isosceles triangle would form the phoenix's outstretched wings.

The two longer sides would depict flames rising from the ends of the wings.

The height of the perch itself would vary according to the curves of the wings.

That would probably make it more fun to sit on.

The mobile hanging from the center of the base would represent the phoenix's long tail made of flame.

The wood was as hard as stone.

I secured the piece and picked up my hammer.

The more complete the perch became, the hotter my body felt.

It was like working in front of boiling water.

You could almost call it a blazing Aura.

Just from the way Aura was settling into the work, I had a feeling it would turn out well.

How much time passed like that?

Night faded.

Then dawn light, pale as morning mist, brushed against my forehead.

"...Finished."

The wood had originally carried a faint pink tone.

After applying oil, it deepened into a richer red.

Under the morning sunlight, it looked almost like flower petals.

"You waited a long time, right? Look."

I placed the perch in front of the nest-shaped cushion holding the egg.

The eyeless egg slowly tilted from side to side as though trying to inspect it.

I watched the cute movement for a moment.

Then the notification I'd been waiting for appeared.

[Item 'Chaeri' is greatly satisfied!]

[Chain Quest: Let's Help Chaeri Grow! (10) Complete!]

[You have received 1 Growth Point as a reward.]

[You have collected all Growth Points required for growth! The 'Growth Period' is ending!]

Crack!

Cracks spread across the egg in an instant.

Light like shimmering heat haze flickered between the fine lines.

Then the cracks gradually widened.

Clatter....

The pieces of shell that fell away immediately transformed into light, feeding the growing haze.

By the time the entire shell had broken apart, the whole house seemed wrapped in fog made of light.

Ding!

[Chaeri (A-)]

[A bird from sculptor Do Hwa-in's imagination.

Everything about her is fast.

The way she talks.

The way she flies.

The way she learns.

Created by Do Hwa-in.

Owner: Do Hwa-in

• Small Inventory can be used.

*Currently Stored Items (2/5):
Personal Carving Tool - 24mm Flat Chisel (D+)
1/2 Apple

• Can return an object to its state from one day earlier.

*Condition: The object must be 5m³ or smaller.

!WARNING!

This is the first original work! → The correction from the 'Aura' stat becomes even stronger.

This is a 'growth-type item'! → Rank and abilities may change depending on the direction of growth.]

The light faded as the new status window appeared.

Return an object to its state from one day earlier?

So this was how the phoenix concept had manifested....

I stared in disbelief at the unexpected restoration ability.

That means she can use it not only on herself, but on other sculptures too.

Several of my works were displayed outdoors.

Guards and caretakers maintained them well.

But the risk of damage or destruction still existed.

You never know when or where a Gate might appear.

That meant Chaeri's new restoration ability had an enormous range of possible uses.

I made it because I wanted to protect Chaeri.

But I ended up receiving another benefit too.

Then two bright eyes met mine.

Chaeri.

She proudly fluttered her wings.

Her wings were still large compared to her body.

The feathers were still white at the base, gradually shifting into a reddish-brown near the tips.

Her body had simply become longer and bigger.

Before, she'd looked a little like a tiny round bird.

Now she was about the size of a parrot and looked much sleeker.

"...You really did get bigger."

"What do you think?!"

Her question was overflowing with anticipation.

Even her voice had become slightly lower than before.

That felt strange too.

"You look amazing, Chaeri."

"Right?! Chaeri looks super cool! What do you think of Chaeri's new ability? I like it!"

"I like it too. Thank you."

I smiled.

"And thank you for growing up well."

Chaeri flapped several times and sprang into the air.

She flew several circles near the living room ceiling.

There was definitely more weight to the way she flew now.

She was still fast.

But unlike before, her flight carried a slight sense of pressure.

Her Aura had grown much denser too.

"What if someone who doesn't know better sees you and starts screaming that some legendary bird appeared...?"

What if some idiot tried to hunt Chaeri?

Now that both her body and Aura had become larger, worries I'd never had before began surfacing one after another.

"Dad can protect me!"

Apparently she'd heard my quiet muttering.

Chaeri landed on my knee, tilted her head, and stared straight up at me.

...Still adorable.

"Yeah."

I gently stroked her head.

"Dad will protect you."

The warmth I'd carried against my chest all day spread into my palm.

Somehow, it felt like the distance between Chaeri and me had suddenly become much smaller.