Chapter 146

Chapter 146: Yeona's Growth

Ria's equipment was complete.

Gear with nearly identical performance to mine.

Ria was very pleased.

Then came a sparring session.

Ria single-handedly took on all four former Knight Order officers at once.

I watched from the sidelines.

'Fast......'

Ria's movements were even lighter than before.

On top of that, when she amplified her Strength with the Giant's Strength spell engraved on her gauntlets, she became even more ferocious.

'I had almost closed the gap with Ria through equipment, but now the distance has widened again.'

Ria now had the equipment advantage too.

The former Knight Order officers facing Ria displayed impressive coordination, but it still was not enough.

When Benny went down, the Knight Order's formation began to crumble like a burst dam.

Ria subdued them one by one, and finally broke through Ruina's magical barrage, shattered her shield, and held a blade to her throat.

"I surrender......!"

With Ruina subdued, Ria had won the sparring match against all four knights in what felt like a real battle.

'This is the first time Ria has beaten all the former Knight Order officers at once.'

Before the new equipment, the matchup had been evenly fought.

Ria walked over to me, looking immensely satisfied.

"The Behemoth Magical Equipment is incredible. It is as comfortable as wearing a tracksuit."

"Really? It took me about a week to adjust to the new gear, but you adapted instantly."

"I have worn many different sets of armor over the years."

Ria then hugged me while still in her armor.

"Thank you. First the sword, and now this wonderful armor."

Ria's sword was also made from the rare mineral Rederterium.

The ultra-expensive sword I had given her as a birthday present.

"You do not need to thank me. I am the grateful one."

I hugged my wife back.

It was a bit rigid with the armor on.

But it was still nice.

The Knight Order members, now healed by Ruina, approached.

"Commander, you beat us black and blue and then went straight to being lovey-dovey with your husband."

At Neville's remark, Ria cleared her throat and released her arms from around me.

"Ahem! Are you all okay? Benny, I think I broke two of your ribs."

"Ruina healed me, so I am fine. An injury like this is nothing."

Two broken ribs being nothing.

Then again, hearing stories from Ria's Knight Order days, broken ribs really were nothing.

That was how tough the Northern Knights had had it.

Neville then asked me.

"When will our equipment be ready?"

"It will take a few months. In the meantime, Neville, do you want to wear the Drake gear I used to have? We are about the same build, so I could ask Maxim to make a few adjustments."

"Sounds good."

I planned to outfit the Knight Quartet and the S-Rank Hunters who had formed Sovereign's Bonds with me in Behemoth equipment.

Not the same high-quality level as Ria's and mine, of course.

They would receive standard-issue versions.

'We need to boost our combat power for what lies ahead.'

According to Ashley and Fenrir, the Land of Death was encroaching and the Boundary was gradually narrowing.

The number of undead monsters crossing the Boundary was increasing.

We needed to be fully prepared in case the so-called Master awakened someday.

***

Children grow so quickly.

It felt like only yesterday she was born, and already Yeona was celebrating her first birthday.

'A whole year flew by.'

Time passing felt so precious.

I wished both Yeona and Rin would grow slowly, but at this rate, they would be grown and independent before I knew it.

'No......!'

Just imagining it made me feel lonely.

It was still far off, yet here I was already getting wistful.

I was clearly destined to be a hopelessly doting father.

In any case, we were preparing Yeona's first birthday party.

We decided to keep it simple and hold it at the Rift house.

Yeona toddled over to me while I was grilling barbecue outdoors.

She grabbed the hem of my pants and looked up.

"Dada!"

"Who does our daughter take after to be this adorable?"

"Dada!"

"You are saying she takes after Daddy?"

Let me see.

Did she really look like me?

"......"

I could sort of see a hint of my face.

About five percent, maybe.

The corners of her mouth were slightly similar.

Everything else was the spitting image of her mother.

Especially the clear blue eyes and the silver hair that had now grown past her shoulders.

"Thank goodness she takes after her mother."

I briefly handed the barbecue duty to Ji-young, picked up Yeona, and carried her to Rin and Yeona's room.

Today's star needed to be dressed up nicely.

Inside the room, Ria was deliberating between a baby hanbok and a white dress.

Ruina was selecting hair accessories.

They turned to me.

"Seon-u, should we dress Yeona in the hanbok or the dress?"

"Hmm, I think both would look great on her."

I could not choose either.

Ria made the call.

"Then let us go with the hanbok. Rin and the two of us will wear hanbok too."

"All right."

And so hanbok it was.

Ria's and my outfits, and Rin's too, were all decided as hanbok.

Ruina then settled on the hair accessory.

"I will go with the baby's breath brooch."

Rin, who had just returned from a quick trip to the Farm Dungeon, also changed into hanbok and got dressed up alongside Yeona.

I went to the master bedroom, changed into hanbok, and returned to the yard to check on the food.

Today's spread included twenty main dishes.

Various salads, fruits, and beverages were also prepared.

With food preparation done, I brought the guests.

Guild officers and key figures from the Outpost.

And my mother from outside the Rift.

The birthday party began.

When the Sword Saint elder, serving as emcee, called out "The guest of honor enters," Rin and Yeona walked out hand in hand.

Ria and I followed behind.

"Kyaaa! So adorable! The first young lady and the second young lady!"

Ruina cheered the loudest.

"Babies in hanbok are too cute......"

Ji-young looked like hearts would shoot from her eyes.

"The little rascals are cute, I will admit."

Even Eriksson could not suppress his grin.

"Walking hand in hand with her big sister, step by step. Whose granddaughters are these darlings?"

My mother's eyes were practically dripping honey.

After their entrance, met with everyone's adoration.

Ria and I thanked the distinguished guests for attending.

We said we would raise Yeona to be healthy and good.

I slipped a platinum first-birthday ring onto Yeona's finger.

Then came the doljabi, the traditional first-birthday item-grab ceremony.

Several plush-toy versions of symbolic items were laid out.

Yeona looked at them and then.

GRAB!

She chose one.

It was a green cross, the hospital symbol.

Watching this, the Sword Saint elder announced.

"Little Miss Yeona has chosen the green cross plushie. She is clutching it tightly to her chest. As if to say she will embrace and heal the sick."

A doljabi result that matched Yeona's skills perfectly.

Yeona was a healer and support-type Awakened.

'May you grow to be a good child who brings light and salt to the world.'

And I hoped both Yeona and Rin would grow up to be the happiest children in the world.

Ria and I would work toward that goal.

Next was the congratulatory performance.

A performance by Damon, the Bard who had become our guild member.

Classical guitar and singing followed.

Mounted on his microphone stand was a Magical Microphone.

A creation jointly made by Dr. Jack and Ashley.

'Beautiful tone.'

A vocal timbre that never got old.

After his song ended.

The seated guests began chanting my name.

Even Rin joined in.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Rin had started calling Ria and me "Daddy" and "Mommy" instead of "Papa" and "Mama."

I could not pour cold water on the mood.

I went up and sang my heart out, even though I was not a great singer.

After the song.

"Happy first birthday, our second daughter Yeona!"

"Dada."

Yeona toddled over to me and snuggled into my arms.

I picked her up and lifted her high.

Apparently delighted, Yeona used a skill.

An area-of-effect Benedictum skill.

Yeona had used Competentia numerous times before.

And she had once used the Reparatio skill to heal a minor sparring wound of mine.

But this was the first time she had used Benedictum.

[Benedictum]

[All stats increase by 19.8% for 15 minutes.]

[Nimbleness increases by 7% for 15 minutes.]

A truly extraordinary buff.

And an area-of-effect one at that, not targeted at a single person.

"I feel stronger too......"

"Me too. My body feels lighter and I am surging with power."

The buff had apparently been granted even to the non-Awakened Knight Order members, who lacked a status window.

The same was true for Ria.

"It feels like receiving Haste or Strength magic from a support mage. Our second daughter is incredible."

"Mama."

Yeona squirmed her arms toward Ria.

I handed Yeona to Ria.

But Awakened and non-Awakened were not the only ones buffed.

"I feel stronger too. Overflowing with power."

"Baby human, what an extraordinary skill."

Ashley and Fenrir as well.

The buff had worked on both of them.

A buff that worked regardless of whether the target was Awakened, non-Awakened, or monster.

Given that Competentia could also be used on Rin, it seemed all three of Yeona's skills were universally applicable.

'My daughter is remarkable.'

I then checked Yeona's stats.

[STATUS: Strength 17(+25.2) / Agility 18(+27.9) / Dexterity 21(+34.1) / Mana 29(+48) / Stamina 17(+26.2)]

Yeona's base stats had risen by an average of four points each since the first time we formed the Sovereign's Bond.

'She cannot train since she is a baby, but as her body grows, the stats rise on their own.'

Even so, the growth seemed remarkably fast.

It was likely influenced by her other passive skill, Growth Potential.

'I do not want to push her onto the Hunter path......'

But her abilities were too exceptional not to become a Hunter.

Well, whatever path she chose, I would let Yeona do what she wanted.

I would never force my children as a parent.

It was laughable to be thinking about this when Yeona had just turned one.

'I am a hopeless doting dad.'

It was absurd even to myself that someone who had planned to live alone as a bachelor had turned out like this.

We took commemorative photos with an analog camera.

Then the meal began.

"I am going to eat meat until my stomach bursts today."

"And I will drink all the wine."

Ashley and Fenrir steeled themselves.

They went absolutely wild for free meat and wine.

While there were meat lovers, there was also someone who preferred vegetables.

That was my mother.

"Your food is always delicious no matter when I eat it, Seon-u. The vegetables in the dishes are so fresh, I especially love that."

"Well, they were grown by your own granddaughter."

Rin smiled beside me.

"Hehe! Grandma, eat lots of the veggies Win grew!"

"Ho ho, I will, Rin."

Our family enjoyed the meal together.

We also enjoyed wine.

The dinner turned into a drinking session that lasted late into the night, like a party.

My mother, sipping wine, said to me.

"This place feels so warm and cozy."

"Does it not?"

"Yes, it is so peaceful that sometimes I forget I am inside a Rift."

"I feel the same way."

Then my mother asked me earnestly.

"Seon-u, are you happy these days?"

"Yes, of course. Every day is so happy that my heart feels like it might burst."

"I hope that happiness continues throughout your life."

"I will make sure of it."

To protect this happiness, I needed to be strong.

I would defend this happy daily life, this family, no matter what.