CHAPTER 2

"Hi, Hirayon! I'm Elira. I am the nurse assigned to you. Can I ask you a few questions?" The woman sweetly inquired, her gentle smile offering a sense of comfort.

Hirayon nodded, his curious gaze fixed on Elira. Though he didn't comprehend some of her words, he held back his questions. Despite the fear of the unknown, his curiosity about the woman overpowered any hesitation about her intentions.

While Hirayon's mother taught him about people, she also mentioned that humans can be fickle, selfish, and wicked. It gave him the impression that they couldn't be trusted, but he wanted to believe there were still kind ones like his mother.

"How are you feeling? Do you feel any pain?" Elira asked while examining the child's body. Hirayon arrived at the Health Facility with a severely battered body. He had deep-seated wounds, fractured bones, and internal injuries—a severe case that no kid could potentially survive, yet Hirayon did.

"I feel fine," Hirayon answered honestly. Despite some lingering fatigue, he felt significantly better compared to the mind-numbing pain before losing consciousness.

Elira gave a bright smile, concealing the peculiarity of the child's recovery that all the facility's doctors were investigating. Such a case was beyond their expectations, and if they managed to uncover the root of Hirayon's fast-recuperating ability, it would be a breakthrough in the medical field.

"That's good. Next question, how old are you?"

"...six."

Elira's lips parted slightly, and her eyes revealed a hint of doubt. She couldn't believe Hirayon was six, as he looked more like a four-year-old. Aside from being extremely skinny, Hirayon was also short for his age.

"Do you remember what happened before you fell unconscious?"

Hirayon frowned, trying to recall the events. He had been running in the forest when monsters appeared and chased him.

"I was running away from the monsters," he answered nonchalantly, making Elira pause before realizing the gravity of his words. The oddities who left the child in the hospital claimed they didn't know what happened but still suggested the possibility of the child being chased. Elira initially found it absurd, but now, hearing it from the child himself, she had no choice but to consider it.

"Monsters? Could you describe what they look like?" she asked while inputting Hirayon's information into a hologram visible only to her.

Monsters varied in appearance but could be categorized based on specific criteria. Type 1 monsters were considered the most ordinary and weak among all types. They typically had one or two enhanced body parts, classified into five levels based on strength and speed. These were the types that mainly resided in the outer part of the forest near the cities.

Then there were the Type 2 monsters that could utilize abilities under an element. They usually inhabited specific forest areas and could be found where they could harness their element. They were also classified into five levels based on the number of abilities they could use. Level 1 monsters could use one elemental ability, level 2 could use two, and so on, and up to Level 5 monsters which could use five abilities.

Next are the Type 3 monsters, which can use two elements. Like Type 2, they can also be organized into five levels depending on how many abilities they could use on both elements. They are rarer than Type 2 monsters but permanently reside deep in the forests where the elemental aura is thick and condensed.

The last is Type 0. Little information is known about them, but the most crucial aspect is that they are intelligent and can think independently, unlike the previous three types that move based on instinct. They are intelligent and are also classified based on how clever they are. Due to their intelligence, they rarely come to areas where other types reside. Still, it is believed they can always be seen in the ruins of previous civilizations hidden inside forests, caves, and even underwater.

"One monster had long limbs. It was a Type 1 - Level 2 monster," Hirayon replied.

"You know how to identify monsters by levels?" Elira inquired with utter disbelief. While children his age could identify monsters by type, determining their specific levels was beyond their capability. Elira considered the possibility that Hirayon might be bluffing about the level of the monster that chased him. After all, he was still a child, and it seemed implausible that he could intelligently classify the monster's strength.

"Yes," the child answered in a small voice.

"Who taught you that?" Elira continued, still doubtful. Hirayon kept silent, contemplating what to say. Marin had instructed him to be honest but warned him not to reveal information about her or their home. In the end, her mother's reminder comes first.

"Hirayon?"

Instead of answering, the child looked at Elira with his large bluish-violet eyes, unwilling to disobey his mother's words.

"What's wrong? Can't you hear me?" She asked, confused by Hirayon's actions.

"I can hear you," he replied.

"Then, please answer my question?" Elira repeated with a patient smile. However, like earlier, Hirayon just looked at his confused nurse.

"Do you not know the answer?" The woman asked again, but Hirayon's mouth remained shut. This confirmed the woman's speculation that the child did not want to answer. She wasn't sure why, but she knew Hirayon wouldn't answer her, no matter how much she asked. So she closed the floating document in front of her, which contained little information about Hirayon, and looked at him with a small smile. She was disappointed that she couldn't get more details from Hirayon, but Elira was a nurse. She was used to these things, and thus, she knew that trust must be built first between them.

"Are you hungry, Hirayon?" This time, Hirayon answered by nodding his head. The nurse then instructed him to continue resting on the bed while she fetched him some food.

Left alone, Hirayon fell into thought. Though not entirely sure, he could feel that Elira was a nice person like his mother. She didn't hurt him and even offered him food, so he deemed her good. It was a fitting conclusion from an ignorant child like him who had no idea about the masks people wore to hide their true intentions.

Hirayon gazed out of the window, revealing the night sky. Despite the darkness, his keen eyes could discern shapes. The cave they lived in had no light source during the night, and even the three moons couldn't reach the deep part where they stayed. This environment honed Hirayon's ability to see and navigate better in the dark, a skill he developed after living in darkness.

Through the window, he could see a vast forest in the distance. Although it was once a source of fear due to lurking monsters, he now felt a somber connection to it. Despite its dangers, it was his home, a place he and his mother had created and treasured.

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The child's heart ached, but his expression remained stoic. Instead of contorting in pain or sadness, it became darker and more serious, an unusual sight for a six-year-old. While an average adult might be disturbed, doctors accustomed to peculiar behaviors found Hirayon more interesting.

"What do you think, Dr. Vinne?" A doctor in a white lab coat asked another doctor in the room. The latter adjusted his glasses and squinted at the hologram showing Hirayon's facial expression while looking outside the window.

"He was found in the forest, you say?" Dr. Vinne inquired.

"Yes, he was brought by a group of oddities on the mission. He was wearing a dirty shirt that was full of blood and dirt. He had internal injuries and broken bones all over his body, and the group's healer said he had already healed his open wounds. He was only given a low-class recovery pill, but his recovery speed was more than magnificent, unbelievable even. Five times faster than a normal adult. He should have been dead or sleeping for months, yet he woke up immediately. Truly fascinating," the first doctor said passionately, watching Hirayon with eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"It is indeed fascinating," Dr. Vinne remarked with a small, meaningful smile. His gaze remained fixed on Hirayon, who was now devouring the food brought by Elira like a ravenous wild animal.

"I will send a request to the clan's council so we can conduct harmless experimentation on him," the first doctor declared with fervent eyes as he observed Hirayon eating with bare hands.

"Why do we need to send a request?"

"Huh?" The doctor's mouth opened slightly. He couldn't believe what he had heard and looked at Dr. Vinne, who had a playful smile on his lips.

"You got me there. I really thought you were going to break the rules," he chuckled before returning his attention to the child, unaware of the dark visage that had overtaken Dr. Vinne's face.

Hirayon happily ate when the nurse returned and dropped a pile of children's storybooks on the bedside table.

"Do you know how to read?" Elira asked.

Hirayon nodded and eyed the books. He knew what a book was because they had one in the hut. His mother used it to teach him how to read and write.

"Then you can read this while recovering. If you have any questions, you can ask me. And if you need something, just press this button, and I will come to help you," she said, pointing at the first silver button on the side of Hirayon's bed.

"The second button here controls the lights. Press it once to open, long press to dim the lights, and twice to turn them off. The third button is for the restroom, and the last is to open the room's door. However, you can't leave yet because you are still under observation," Elira explained slowly while demonstrating the function of each button.

"Do you understand?" she inquired after carefully explaining everything he needed to know.

When Hirayon nodded, she offered him a soft smile. "Then I will leave you now; don't forget the buttons," she said before departing with a tray of dirty plates and clean utensils. Elira intended to teach Hirayon how to use the silverware, but witnessing the child's hunger, she decided to postpone the lesson for the next time.

Once Elira exited the room, Hirayon rose from the bed and approached the window. As before, he gazed at the forest in the distance, softly illuminated by the bright moons above. His mind swirled with a plethora of thoughts and questions. Uncertain of where to begin or what steps to take next, he grappled with the reality that his mother had forewarned him about — her impending demise. However, the total weight of her absence and the stark reality that he was alone in an unfamiliar world had not yet fully settled in.

Gazing above, Hirayon felt his whole being blessed by the moon's celestial gleam. He found solace in the radiant yellow moons reflecting in his bluish-violet eyes. Its gleam stirred his emotions, shaking his core with a tremor that carried the gravity of his lonesome situation. Yet, It also cleared all his buzzing thoughts and doubts, delivering quietness and peace in his clouded mind and heart. The moons offered him more than just light; they granted a serene calm, a guiding presence watching above as he embarked on an inevitable journey in the world of oddities.

***

The following morning, Hirayon delved into the books Elira had provided. He was on his third children's storybook when the door slid open, and Elira entered accompanied by a man adorned in a pristine white coat. Its ends fluttered in the air as the man walked toward him.

"Hello, Hirayon! How are you feeling? I see you're an early riser," the man greeted warmly, his eyes shifting to the still-dark sky beyond the window.

"I feel fine," responded Hirayon.

Dr. Beka's eyes lit up with delight, and his smile broadened. "That's good! That's good! I am Dr. Beka, by the way. I am your doctor and will visit you every morning to check your condition. So should we start?"

Hirayon looked at the doctor with a puzzled expression but still nodded. With Elira present, the child assumed the doctor was there to assess his condition alongside her.

In the next moment, the doctor's brown eyes transformed into a luminous shade of green, emitting an eerie glow that prompted the kid's strange, wary look. Dr. Beka scrutinized Hirayon from head to toe, slowly moving towards his feet. This ability allows the doctor to see beneath Hirayon's skin and examine his bones and organs.

"Wonderful... everything looked like they weren't broken and wounded yesterday. There are still small cracks on the bones, but most large fractures and internal injuries are already gone. Fascinating, truly intriguing," he exclaimed, drawing closer to Hirayon to observe the cracks in his ribs.

"Doctor?" Elira called out, noticing Hirayon's frown, but the doctor remained oblivious to her. He was engrossed in his thoughts, exploring new theories sparked by Hirayon's rapid recovery. In his entire life, he never imagined encountering someone who could heal so quickly, especially considering the child's slender physique.

"Doctor Beka?" Elira called out once again, her voice edged with concern.

Beka's eyes intensified with an intense glow, the fervor of a doctor's curiosity radiating from him. His blood was boiling with so much passion that he showed a creepy grin, wholly absorbed in his examination. He couldn't hear Elira or anything else anymore.

Hirayon regarded Dr. Beka with alarmed eyes, the unfamiliarity of the situation unsettling him. He never knew that a person could make an expression like that. Elira always smiled at him, so this experience was new and a little scary.

"Doctor!" Elira exclaimed, her disapproval evident in the frown on her face.

"Huh?" Dr. Beka looked at Elira with genuine confusion.

"You're at it again. Compose yourself. You're scaring the patient," Elira reminded sternly, her concern for Hirayon apparent.

"Oh? Am I?" Beka asked, feigning innocence, and finally turned his attention to check on Hirayon. Seeing the caution in the child's eyes, he laughed awkwardly and apologized, "I'm sorry, Hirayon, I just got a little excited."

"You see, I love discovering new things. This is my passion. That's why I decided to become a doctor, to learn more about the body of oddities. I might look strange and creepy, but I mean no harm," he said with a wide grin.

"That wasn't really believable," Elira commented, her skepticism evident.

Dr. Beka ignored her, focusing on Hirayon with a serious expression. "Hirayon, I want you to know that your body is different from other child oddities. We have given you a low-class recovery pill, and you were supposed to be unconscious for months. But it only took you a few hours to wake up, and your broken bones almost completely healed. Based on what I saw as I scanned your body earlier, your bones will be brand new by tomorrow!"

Hirayon looked at Dr. Beka with puzzlement. He could understand some of what he was saying, but only partially.

Aware that the child didn't fully grasp his words, Dr. Beka continued, "So if it is alright, I would like to continue observing you for the next few days. Would that be alright?" he asked. Although he already had permission from the Earth Clans' council, he still sought approval from the child.

"You're going to observe me?" Hirayon asked with a frown. He didn't understand why the doctor wanted to do that and somehow felt he shouldn't allow it.

"Yes, although your body is almost perfectly healed, I would still like to see how it will be in the next few days. We will also provide you with nutritious food three times every day, plus snacks, so you can have the healthy body of a six-year-old."

Hirayon's eyes widened slightly when he heard about the food. He could still remember the meal he had eaten yesterday evening; it tasted much better than the monster meat and soup his mother used to make. He also didn't know where he could get food if he left, so after careful thought, Hirayon looked at the doctor and spoke.

"I can eat a lot of food?"

"Yes! Although the food here is quite bland," Dr. Beka answered, expressing dissatisfaction with the Health Facilities' food. Hirayon overheard his mutter and thought otherwise. To him, his supper yesterday was the most delicious meal he had ever had.

"So, is that a yes?" the doctor asked hopefully.

"Yes," Hirayon answered, and Dr. Beka clasped his hands in excitement.

"Don't worry. I'll request for your food to be made tastier! Oh, do you have any requests or questions?"

Hirayon then thought momentarily and remembered the word Dr. Beka had said earlier.

"What is a doctor?"

R E H I L I Y A