From within Elina's embrace, I could still see past her shoulder. What caught my attention wasn't the room itself, but the way everyone looked at me. Their gazes were filled with love and affection.
After singing for a while, Elina finally paused and sighed, lifting her head to look around at everyone. She stood there for a moment, as if gathering herself and thoughts.
Not long after, she and John decided it was time for everyone to sleep. The day had been far too stressful—too many things had happened—and no one wanted to dwell on it any longer.
Everyone needed rest, a chance to ease themselves from what had happened.
No one objected. If true be told, no one wanted to remember any of it.
As for me, the sudden events of the day had left me more worried than relieved. I had gained benefits—skills, abilities, an evolved system—but they were pushed to the back of my mind.
Right now, my priority was simple: observe my body carefully and study the system.
The evolution had been too sudden, too shocking. I couldn't afford to let even the smallest detail slip past me.
I spent my first week as a baby doing exactly that—examining my body and investigating the system whenever I could.
Since I had no responsibilities whatsoever, I figured I might as well use the time productively.
Even though I wanted to avoid interacting with the system, that decision came with consequences. Avoiding it also meant avoiding feeding—and that worried my parents more with each passing day.
From their perspective, ever since that incident, I had stopped feeding entirely. I refused Christy's milk.
That hurt her deeply.
My strange behavior left everyone anxious, wondering what could possibly be wrong with me again. I could manage for a while, but without drinking milk, the system began sending me notifications every day.
One day without milk meant losing HP.
Even so, I didn't care much at first. If anything, I was more cautious than before. I had no idea what kind of trick the system might pull next.
Then, on the third day, a notification appeared that turned my world upside down.
[Your Health decreases]
[Cursed One body has reached its limit. Your body can no longer suppress the need for milk!]
[Host HP will decrease by -10 every 24 hours… until death… *Error* …Until milk is consumed!]
The sudden message stunned me.
I didn't know if the system was serious or if my mind was just playing tricks on me after three days without milk.
I looked left. Then right.
The notification didn't disappear.
I blinked several times, even closed and reopened my eyes.
It was still there.
So… my HP really will drop faster if I don't drink milk?
Suspicion filled my thoughts.
While thinking, I decided to test something.
Host attributes, I thought.
The system interface appeared instantly.
[Host Attributes]
[Level: 1]
Name: Ragna Ringwood
Title: Cursed One
Age: 6 days
Race: Unknown
Exp: 5/100
HP: 97/100
[Attributes]
Mana: 10
Strength: 10
Perception: Null
Vitality: 10
Agility: Null
Mana Sensitivity: Null
{Attribute Points: 10}
"Hm?"
Seeing it laid out before me, I almost laughed.
I knew it. Either it's a system glitch… or it's trying to scare me into drinking milk. So I thought.
I shifted my gaze away from the screen briefly.
Then I looked back.
The HP value had changed.
"…Eh?"
I nearly voiced it out loud.
{
[Host Attributes]
[Level: 1]
Name: Ragna Ringwood
Title: Cursed One
Age: 6 days
Race: Unknown
Exp: 5/100
HP: 87/100
[Attributes]
Mana: 10
Strength: 10
Perception: Null
Vitality: 10
Agility: Null
Mana Sensitivity: Null
{Attribute Points: 10}
"…It actually dropped?"
My thoughts froze.
Wait—does that mean if I don't drink milk for eight more days… I would really die?
My heart began to race, faster with each second.
I was tempted to keep testing my theory—until memories of everything that had happened before the evolution resurfaced.
I stopped.
No. I shouldn't.
If what the system said was true, then I only had two choices.
Drink milk now.
Or die in eight days.
The next day
That morning, John rushed out with the mule cart to fetch the old midwife, Nana. When she arrived, Elina nearly collapsed with relief. She finally felt like she could breathe again.
My recent behavior had left her both worried and confused.
Nana was quickly brought into the room to examine me.
The moment she laid eyes on me, she froze.
Upon closer inspection, she noticed my extra pair of pitch-black eyes.
A chill ran through her, though she quickly masked her reaction. After all, this wasn't her first rodeo—she had seen worse in her lifetime.
She began examining me carefully.
At times she gently opened my mouth, only to close it again. Other times she softly pressed my stomach.
Throughout it all, I didn't cry.
I didn't move.
I just stared at this strange-looking old woman.
"Mama Nana," Elina said anxiously, her voice trembling.
"what's wrong with my baby? Why hasn't he been drinking my milk for days?
This has never happened before—not with any of my children…"
She was on the verge of tears.
"Shush, dear,"
Nana said gently, her calm voice instantly easing the tension.
"There's nothing wrong with the child."
Christy froze.
"Though this is a rare case,"
Nana continued, "it's nothing serious—from what I can see."