Chapter 5
"A-bu-bu."
Raon gave a soft sigh.
'As expected, it isn't easy.'
There was no time to work on the Ring of Fire since his waking hours were short. Even then, he was mostly around other people.
But considering the progress was delayed by the short, one- to two-hour practice time and the ice, the outcome was surprisingly decent. It was as if someone was helping him.
"Raon, shall we move a bit more today?"
Sylvia bent over and shook the baby rattle. It appeared as though she thought he liked the rattle, as he continuously reacted to it.
'Playing with her is tiring.'
Frankly speaking, it was more tiring having to play with Sylvia or the maids than it was tolerating the ice.
Though, it couldn't be helped. After all, his was an adult's consciousness inside a child's body.
"Aah-ooh."
It was just as Raon bobbed his head and was about to crawl towards Sylvia…
Click.
The door opened smoothly and an unfamiliar old man with silver hair entered the room. He was wearing frayed and shabby clothes, but his eyes were as clear as the river.
"Oh? Uncle!"
Sylvia ran to the door with a bright smile on her face, as if she recognized the old man.
"It has been a long time."
"No, no. Saint…"
"Aah-woong."
Raon babbled in surprise before he realized it. He recognized the old man from the title of Saint, and because of his beggar-like clothes.
'The Ragged Saint!'
The Ragged Saint Patrick was one of the most famous healers in the continent.
Though his holy powers and medical experience extended beyond the sky, he was a vagabond and difficult to find—even when one searched for him.
"Not Saint. Just call me 'Uncle', like before."
Patrick chuckled and approached the bed Raon was lying on.
"I heard that you had a child, and popped over on my way by. Is this the child?"
"Ah, yes."
"Oho! Blonde with red eyes? Is he not the first since you?"
"That's right. Isn't he beautiful?"
Sylvia stroked Raon's hair and beamed.
"That's what I mean. He is not even a year old and looks pretty. Completely different from a wild guy like Glenn."
Patrick chuckled and wagged his finger in front of Raon.
"What's his name?"
"It's Raon…"
"Raon?"
His face wrinkled up at the name.
"His name can't mean 'shadow'?"
"It does…"
"Whatever is Glenn thinking, naming the child 'shadow'?"
Patrick referred to House Zieghart's head as just 'Glenn'.
'So the rumor that Glenn Zieghart and the Ragged Saint are friends is true, then.'
Raon smacked his lips as he looked at the broom that was Patrick's hair.
Having lived as an assassin, he did have quite a bit of information regarding the affairs of the world.
It seemed that the information regarding the considerable closeness of Glenn Zieghart and the Ragged Saint was true.
"Raon, allow this old man to look at you for a bit."
Patrick gently massaged Raon's shoulders and arms, legs and chest area.
"Hmm…"
He chewed on his lips with a grave expression on his face, and finally spread out a white light. Upon basking in that light, a burning energy filled up his body—if he had entered a hot spring.
"Phew."
Patrick turned his body after a low sigh.
"How is he? He is more sensitive to the cold, and grows slowly compared to the other children…"
Sylvia walked towards Patrick, her hands clasped together.
"It is the Curse of the Frost."
Patrick knit his brows.
"C-curse? What do you mean by that?!"
"It is not an actual curse. It is the constitution where an intense ice blocks the mana circuit."
"Ah…"
"It is a constitution rarely seen, typically among young girls. It is my first time seeing a young boy born with the Curse of the Frost."
He surveyed Raon's body with an odd look in his eyes.
"There should be no major problems as his mana circuit is open, but he may experience serious chill and pain when the mana circuit starts to close up—that is, once he reaches four years of age."
"Th-that…"
Sylvia chewed her lips uneasily.
'I can fix it on my own, so don't worry.'
Raon shook his head slightly.
Though it would take some time, he would be able to remove the ice by using the Ring of Fire. There was no actual need to get treated.
"There are a total of nine chunks of coldness blocking the mana circuit. That is a number that even I have not seen in the young girls that I have treated before. And as each of the chunks of coldness are very potent, there is a possibility of mental slowness should a forceful attempt to drill through it be made."
"Wh-What about the method to cure it?!"
Sylvia grabbed onto Patrick's sleeve, looking as if she might faint at any minute.
"Let him drink diluted elixir, containing the properties of fire, once a day. Let him bask under the sunlight for two hours at noon, when the sun is at its highest."
"Will he recover if we do that?"
"As I have said, this is not an illness. It is a matter of constitution. He shall not return to heaven's bosom at a young age, at the very least, if you follow my directions. However…"
When Patrick cut his words short, everyone swallowed hard as he took his time answering.
"Because the ice will eat at the child's constitution and strength, it will be difficult for him to become a swordsman, even after treatment."
"That does not matter."
Sylvia fiercely shook her head, as if to say that it was all fine, as long as he did not die.
"It is a relief that you think that way. Anyway, this child should…"
Knock, knock.
Just as Patrick was about to give additional advice, the door opened with a knock.
"Please excuse me."
A middle-aged man wearing posh formal attire entered the room and bowed his head.
"My lord is looking for the Saint."
"Let him know that I will find him later."
"He has said to come find him immediately."
"Hah. He has such bad timing."
Patrick clicked his tongue, and turned his head.
"Sylvia. I shall come by again later."
"Ah, yes."
Patrick left the room with the middle-aged man after gazing at Raon for a moment longer
'The Curse of Frost…'
Raon rubbed his fingers.
'I finally know.'
The identity of the ice that had tormented him had been revealed. Only, nothing would really change.
He would cure the Curse of Frost and develop an incomparably outstanding physical body and affinity for mana before he became an adult, and he would do it by continuing to practice the Ring of Fire and removing the coldness at the same time.
"Raon."
The moment the door shut, Sylvia hugged Raon and scrubbed at her face. It was how she acted when anxious.
"Mommy promises to save you. Whatever it takes."
Her eyes, which were always smiling, filled up with tears.
'What's this…?'
As Sylvia's trembling was conveyed to him, his heart felt suffocated. It felt as if a rough wire was scratching his heart.
Though he did not know what the emotion was, he did not want to continue feeling that tingling sensation.
Which was why—
"A-bu-bu."
With his small hands, Raon wiped away the tears welled up in Sylvia's eyes.
"Ah…"
"Young Master!"
"My-my goodness…"
Sylvia narrowed her eyes, and the maids gave a short shriek.
"Raon…"
She lowered her head and caressed Raon's hand, wet with her tears, for some time. Suddenly, she jumped to her feet.
"I must go find my father."
The hesitation on Sylvia's face was gone.