"Sis, why isn't he waking uuuuup?" Sophia's voice broke the quiet of the room, her tone both impatient and a little whiny. She leaned over the crib, staring at the tiny form inside. Her young nephew lay wrapped in soft blankets, completely undisturbed by the world around him.
Sigh "Sophia, relax. He was born just yesterday." Brian's voice was more tired than annoyed, as though he had been through this exact conversation too many times to count. He stood on the opposite side of the crib, arms crossed, but his eyes softened as he looked down at the newborn. "Give him a break. Besides, isn't it nice just to watch him sleep? You've never seen a baby so peaceful."
Sophia's eyes narrowed. SMACK
"Oww! What was that for?" Brian stumbled back, rubbing the back of his head where she had slapped him.
"Hmph, creep," Sophia muttered, her cheeks puffing out indignantly.
Brian blinked in confusion, still rubbing his sore head. "What do you mean by 'creep'? I'm just looking at my new nephew!" He gestured toward the crib, as if that would somehow explain his innocence.
"But that's what you do to every woman too, you pervert," she teased, sticking out her tongue at him.
Brian groaned, rolling his eyes. "I don't do that at all, Sophia... Don't make stuff up." His frustration seeped into his tone, but it was clear this was a well-worn argument between the two.
Sophia huffed and crossed her arms. "Hmph. That's what they all say. Even my husband. One minute they claim they're madly in love, and the next, they're sneaking glances at the nearest woman that walks by." Her tone was teasing but laced with a hint of something else—perhaps a memory of her own experience.
Brian waved her off, grumbling under his breath. "Why you... Ugh, never mind." There was no winning this conversation, and he knew it. Instead, he tried to steer things in a different direction. His gaze softened again as he glanced back at the sleeping infant. "But to think that Lenny and Selene were able to have another child... You know how rare, even impossible for two different races to have a child that carries both bloodlines and looks normal as him."
Sophia's playful expression faded, replaced with a thoughtful frown. "Yeah, I know." She ran a hand through her hair, eyes shifting to the window where soft sunlight filtered through. "The blood and mana from two different races are tough to blend, let alone bind together to be stable enough. It's a miracle he was born at all. Most kids born like this either have trouble with their mana seeds later on, or they can't even use mana at all."
Brian nodded, the weight of the situation settling in his chest. "Yeah, and if they can't use mana, they can't cultivate... Which means they'll have a rough time surviving. He would have to cultivate Qi instead. Which is harder than regular cultivating, most say its impossible." His voice was quiet, almost distant, as if he were thinking of someone he once knew. "I just hope he lives long enough to grow up strong."
A brief silence fell between them, the only sound the faint rustling of leaves outside the window. The newborn continued to sleep, oblivious to the worries and concerns of the adults around him.
Sophia broke the silence with a soft chuckle. "That still doesn't change the fact that you're a creep." Her grin was back, mischievous as ever.
Brian's patience finally snapped. "I am NOT a creep, Sophia!"
"You totally are! I saw you ogling the new neighbor this morning with those same perverted eyes," she shot back, wiggling her fingers in an exaggerated imitation of Brian's "creepy" gaze.
"UGH!" Brian buried his face in his hands, groaning loudly. There was no way to win against Sophia's relentless teasing.
Just as Brian was about to fire off a comeback, the door to the room swung open with a loud creak. Selene, the mother of the newborn, stood in the doorway, her expression thunderous. "What is all this racket in my son's room?" Her voice was sharp, leaving no room for argument.
Sophia jumped to attention, her playful demeanor vanishing. "Sister-in-law! We weren't—"
SMACK
"Oww!" Brian yelped as Selene delivered a swift smack to the back of his head. Again. "What was that for?!"
Selene glared at him, arms crossed. "Hmph, creep."
Brian's jaw dropped. "What?! How did I—"
"Alright, enough. Both of you, out!" Selene waved them toward the door, her voice steely. "Before you wake up my son."
The two siblings exchanged guilty looks before hurriedly scurrying out of the room, leaving Selene to tend to her child.
However, what none of them knew was that Azure had been awake for a while now, quietly listening to the chaos outside his crib.
"Mmmmmmmm..." he mumbled, letting out a long, lazy yawn. 'Ive... What day is it?'
'Today is the second day since your birth, host,' the voice of Ive chimed in his mind. 'The date is 15/01/4539.'
Azure blinked, still groggy. 'Second day, huh? Time is moving fast... Guess it's time to wake up for real.'
Slowly, Azure opened his eyes, adjusting to the light. Something soft and strange draped over his small body, catching his attention. He frowned, confused. '...Ive, what is this fluffy thing on me?'
'That is your tail, host,' Ive responded matter-of-factly.
Azure stared at it, his mind going blank for a moment.
...
...
'.....WAIT, WHAT?!' His eyes widened in disbelief. 'Didn't you say I was human?!'
'I recall of no such thing, but currently, yes. However, I lack the skills and equipment necessary to analyze your additional bloodlines.' Ive stated
Azure's heart pounded in his tiny chest. 'Additional bloodlines...? Does that mean one of my parents isn't human?'
'Correct. Your mother is a demi-human, or more specifically to the looks of it and what your previous world called, a beastman.'
Images began to flash in Azure's mind—beastmen, demi-humans, their features both familiar and foreign.
'Hold on... Does that mean I have ears too?!' His eyes widened further as panic started to rise.
'Yes, host. You possess both a tail and ears,' Ive confirmed. 'You did not notice your mother's because your eyes hadn't yet adjusted to the light, or perhaps she concealed them. Many demi-humans learn to hide their animal traits by the time they reach five to eight years of age.'
Azure blinked in surprise. 'So I'll be able to hide them too... in a few years?' He glanced around the room, still trying to process everything. 'Well, no one seems to be in the room now... Maybe I should start exploring a bit. Who knows what else is different?'
Determined, Azure tried to stand up, but his body refused to cooperate. Every muscle felt stiff and unresponsive. 'Ugh, why is it so hard to move? Don't I already know how to do this?'
'Your body is still in its growth stage, host. Certain movements, such as walking, are currently beyond your abilities.'
Azure let out a long, frustrated sigh. 'I guess I'll try crawling then... Is that possible, Ive?'
'Processing... Crawling is possible at this stage, but your body will tire quickly. It is not recommended until you are older.'
'Oh, NOW you care about me?' Azure muttered sarcastically. 'Well, too bad. I'm still doing it.'
With sheer determination, Azure attempted to crawl. The effort felt monumental, as if every movement required lifting a boulder. Slowly but surely, he managed to pull himself over the edge of the crib, landing softly on the floor with a quiet thud.
'Owwwww, ugh... This is way harder than it looks.' He glanced around the room, breathing heavily. 'Alright... I just got to move slow... One... step... at a time...'
CREAK
The door began to open.
Azure's eyes shot wide open. 'Oh no! BACK TO THE CRIB! BACK TO THE CRIIIIB!'
He scrambled in a panic, trying to crawl back to the crib, but before he could reach it, the door swung open fully. A loud crash echoed through the room as something heavy fell to the floor, followed by the unmistakable sound of shattering glass.