Chapter 4195: Important Detail (Part 2)

"Congratulations, Kami. You did a wonderful job. Your son is perfect." Zinya said when her turn to hold the baby came. "Say hi to your cousin, kids."

’I don’t care what Zogar says. I want to Awaken.’ She thought as Filia and Frey made silly faces and noise at Raldarak. ’No matter the risks that a pregnancy might entail, this is worth it.’

After the grown-ups, the kids had the opportunity to hold the baby under supervision. Especially the triplets and Fenrir.

"No, you can’t hold the baby." Selia said to a barking Solkar. "You are a small baby yourself. You can sniff him, if you want."

Raldarak was brought back to Kamila, who had gone to sit on the bed to catch her breath.

"Make space. It is time." Lith carried the crib inside the room as the toddlers peered through the bars with great interest.

He put Elysia and Valeron on the bed beside Kamila, and she bent forward so that the kids could see Raldarak and he them.

"Ra?" Elysia asked, expecting the baby boy to answer her question.

After meeting Jirya and Orikan, she had understood that babies started very small, and her father had told her to come and meet her brother. Since Valeron was already in the crib with her, the newborn’s identity was obvious.

"Uh." Raldarak replied.

"Ral?" Valeron extended his little hand and covered it in Dragon Scales. "Is that you?"

The baby boy shapeshifted his hand as well, making Elysia giggle with excitement. Even though the two baby boys shared no blood, Valeron’s Dragon and human sides had resonated with Raldarak’s Dirge, bringing them closer.

"I’m Val, your older brother." Those words moved and worried Lith in the same measure.

’I hope that Valeron doesn’t come to resent Ral as my brothers did to me. The fact that he’s adopted can easily sour their relationship if either of them has even a drop of bitterness in them.’ He thought.

"I can already use the potty." Valeron puffed his chest out, considering the achievement as a badge of honor and expressing it as such via the Dragon Scales.

"Me madder." Elysia claimed to be smarter to gain points when she felt how impressed Raldarak was by Valeron’s feat.

Ral had no idea what a potty was, but he felt Valeron’s sincerity through the scales and took his words at face value.

"She is." Valeron the Second nodded, making Elysia cry, and with her Ral.

"Wal goo. Wal bed boder." The baby girl crowned Valeron the best brother in the world to make up for what she considered her earlier mean words.

’Or not.’ Lith watched the babies hug and cry together from happiness just a few seconds after they met.

They shapeshifted in their respective forms, with Valeron’s Griffon form receiving much admiration for its bright color, fluffy feathers, and soft fur.

After that, it was Orikan and Jirya’s turn. They looked at the newborn for a while, flew around the room looking for a way out, and were caged again when their intentions became apparent.

"Gods, Manohar never touched my life force." Quylla said. "Then why do my children seem to have taken after his passion for escapades?"

"That’s actually on me." Morok scratched his head in embarrassment. "I remember being restless and curious as a kid. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve changed much. I just learned how to control my impulses better."

Surin looked at Raldarak for five seconds before getting bored. She had no way to communicate, and the baby boy just looked like a smaller version of Elysia to her.

"Guys, I’m sorry, but I feel very tired, and I’d like to feed Ral before I fall asleep." Kamila said after everyone had the opportunity to see the baby. "It should buy me one and a half hours of uninterrupted rest. Two if I’m lucky."

"Don’t remind me of that." Quylla groaned. "I’m surprised Ral hasn’t started crying to be fed already. He’s gone through a lot of emotions for today."

"He’s a very quiet kid, just like his father." Elina caressed Lith’s face with the same tenderness she used for Raldarak. "He too never cried much."

Everyone left the room but Lith and Zinya. Solus had to take care of the other two toddlers, while Zinya didn’t want to miss a moment of her vicarious motherhood.

"Gods, it’s been less than an hour since my water broke, yet it feels like an entire week." Kamila sighed while lying on the bed. "I’m dead tired, yet I’m bursting with joy. Not only is our son healthy, but we foiled Leegaain’s plan.

"Ral’s first word is still an open game. No sudden dad this time." She refused to use the word Dya, afraid that Ral would pick it up quickly as Leegaain intended. "Whether he says mama or dada first is up to fate."

Kamila unbuttoned her shirt, and Lith needed sheer willpower not to stare and enjoy the scenery. She brought the baby boy to her bosom, but Raldarak wasn’t interested.

He kept staring at Kamila’s face with a deep-thought expression.

"What’s wrong, little fella? Aren’t you hungry?" Despite her best attempts, Raldarak remained as still as a stone statue.

’What if our son is a reincarnator just like you?’ Kamila asked in a panic via a mind link. ’Ral is looking at me just like Elina said you did as a... let’s say, baby.’

’That’s ridiculous!’ Lith didn’t even want to think about the possibility. ’The real Strata died before I arrived here, whereas Ral never suffered so much of a scratch, or the Guardians would have set this world ablaze.

’Besides, when Ral was in your womb, he asked us naïve questions and expressed honest feelings. He cried when he came into this world and behaved like a baby.’

’Then why isn’t he eating?’ Kamila’s fear was quickly turning into despair. ’Why does he look at me with those cold eyes?’

"Call Elina back, I want the opinion of an expert." She said out loud, retaining the presence of spirit to hide her mind link with Lith from Zinya.

"Mom, get inside, please." Lith called Elina and went to check on Raldarak with the Dragon Scales.

He felt Raldarak’s determination as his young mind sifted through his memory for an important detail.

"What’s wrong, Kami? Are you alright? Is Ral alright?" She felt stupid for asking such a question since there were four Guardians outside the door and none of them looked worried.

"Ral isn’t eating!" Kamila said as if announcing the baby had been shot. "And look at his face. Isn’t that the same expression Lith used to have?"

"Maybe he’s not hungry." Elina tilted her head in confusion. "Not all babies are gluttons. And yes, Lith was that serious, but only when left alone. Why are you so worried about it, though? Lith grew up into a wonderful man, just like Ral will-"

"Ma?" Raldarak asked once he remembered his father’s words. "Ma...ma."

Silence fell over the room as if someone had sucked the air away.

"It’s just baby babble." Kamila said. "This isn’t possible."

"Ma... ma?" Ral said again. "Ma... ma?"

"I think he’s having trouble making sounds with his human throat." Lith said, making the three women turn pale.

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