A week had passed since the birth of Rynan.
I'M A PROFESSIONAL CRAWLER NOW!
Rynan had made it. He could crawl. And not just in a straight line like some amateur. No, Rynan had mastered the art of crawling in every direction. Backwards, forwards, sideways, even in circles. He couldn't keep still for more than a second. The urge to move, to explore, was overwhelming. It was like his tiny body had been upgraded with a brand-new skill.
He glanced around the room, eyes sparkling with determination. The house was huge. Two stories, full of corners and strange rooms he hadn't seen yet. The first floor was already pretty impressive. He'd spent the past week crawling around, exploring every nook and cranny. But the second floor? Now, that was a whole new world. And that world was calling to him.
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Should I try it? Rynan thought, eyes narrowing at the stairs leading up. I bet I can climb it.
For a moment, he just stared at the wooden stairs, sizing them up like they were some kind of challenge. Just a few steps. I can do it.
His little hands gripped the edge of the first step, the wood cold under his touch. He paused, his heart thumping in his chest. This is it. No going back now.
With a grunt, he pulled himself forward. One step. Then another. Slowly, carefully, trying not to fall face-first into the ground. His tiny knees scraped against the smooth wood with every movement. This isn't so bad. I'm doing it. I'm really doing it.
The third step. Then the fourth.
Rynan felt a surge of pride. I'm almost there.
But then, gravity—always that annoying, unstoppable force—reminded him who was really in charge.
Uh-oh...
BAM! His head slammed into the wooden floorboards with a sickening crack. The world spun as pain shot through him. The impact rattled his tiny brain, and for a second, he couldn't even remember what had just happened.
"Owie..." he muttered, rubbing his head with both hands, though the pain was already making his face scrunch up in discomfort. The cold floor beneath him was somehow both reassuring and painful all at once.
Well, that was a bad idea.
His mind tried to piece together what had happened. I guess I'm not ready to be climbing stairs...
A soft gasp echoed through the room. A second later, Rynan heard hurried footsteps approaching.
"Rynan!" a voice called out, full of panic.
He looked up just in time to see Babysitter-chan, the maid—whose real name was Andrea—rush toward him. Her face was a mixture of concern and mild disbelief as she knelt beside him. "You fell down the stairs!?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide as she looked him over.
Rynan gave her a small, cute nod.
"Of course I did," he thought. What else did you expect, genius?
"Oh no..." Andrea's voice softened as she held out her right hand. There was something strange about the way her fingers moved. She was chanting, muttering words he couldn't quite understand.
Wait... what is she doing?
"Healing Magic!" Andrea said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Rynan blinked. Magic?
And then it happened. A soft green glow began to emerge from Andrea's palm, swirling around her fingers before wrapping itself gently around his tiny head. He felt the heat of the light spread across his skull, and just like that, the pain from his fall started to vanish. The pressure in his head faded, the dull ache replaced by a warm, soothing sensation.
What... what just happened?
Rynan blinked again, eyes wide as he stared at Andrea. His tiny hands went to his head, pressing gently as if to make sure the pain was really gone. It was. He couldn't believe it. That was amazing.
Andrea smiled down at him, brushing a few stray strands of hair from his face. "There, there. It's okay now," she said, her voice soft and comforting. She patted his head, the motion almost too gentle, like he was the most fragile thing in the world.
Rynan's face lit up in awe. That was... THAT WAS AMAZING!
His little chest puffed up in excitement, and he beamed up at Andrea, though he was still processing everything. She just healed me... with MAGIC!
He didn't really understand the full extent of what that meant, but it was enough to make his heart race. There was magic in this world. Real magic. And it wasn't just some flashy trick. No, Andrea had just healed him. That was some powerful stuff.
Before Rynan could say anything, there was a loud thudding sound coming from the door. The wood creaked as someone rushed in, their footsteps rapid.
"What happened to Rynan!?" a voice called out, full of worry.
It was Linia. His mother. She burst into the room with wide, terrified eyes, her hair flowing behind her like a firestorm. Her hands were pressed together as if she were praying, and her gaze locked onto Rynan with an intensity that made his tiny heart flutter.
"Linia, wait—he's fine!" Andrea quickly reassured her, glancing up at the new arrival. "Well... he tried to climb the stairs and fell down."
Linia froze, her lips parted in disbelief. "He tried to climb the stairs?" she repeated, her voice breathless.
Andrea nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. "But I healed him." She waved a hand nonchalantly, as though it was no big deal.
Linia's expression softened slightly, but there was still concern in her eyes. "Oh, Rynan... you're so reckless." She rushed over and crouched beside him, her hands coming to rest on his tiny shoulders, her touch warm and soothing.
Rynan blinked up at her, feeling a strange surge of affection for her, a feeling he couldn't quite explain. This woman is my mom, he realized. She was... perfect.
He couldn't help it. His baby hands reached up toward her, as if he could pull her closer.
"Mom…" Rynan murmured, though the sound was more like a garbled mess than a real word.
Linia's eyes softened even more. "Rynan... don't scare me like that, okay?" She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling. "You're still so young. You need to be careful."
Yeah, like I didn't know that already, Rynan thought wryly, though it didn't come out as clearly as he would've liked. Still, he felt a sense of pride. He'd tried to climb those stairs. Maybe he hadn't succeeded, but the fact that he'd even attempted it was enough to make him feel a little bit more like himself.
Maybe next time...
"Don't worry," Andrea said, smiling down at them both. "He'll be fine. And he's going to be a strong one."
Linia laughed softly, brushing her hair from her face. "I hope so. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. One stair at a time, alright, Rynan?"
Rynan nodded, his tiny body trembling with excitement. Yeah. One stair at a time.
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