Chapter 377: Total (3)

    “Then... you’re saying that both the innocent victims and the two surviving family members were demon worshipers, and they staged this to tarnish my honor and get close to me?”

    “Yes.”

    “And that grandmother was found dead at the entrance.”

    “Right.”

    “That’s it?”

    Kate nodded in response to my question, though she looked uncertain.

    It was understandable—while the beginning, the progression, and even the crisis were solid, there was no climax or conclusion.

    It felt like the story had been cut off midway.

    I understood the intentions of the demon worshipers, but their execution felt sloppy.

    Moreover, I couldn’t figure out how they carried out their plans.

    Just to be sure, Kate had declared a sanctuary, but nothing unusual was detected.

    I was still slightly groggy, having woken up in the middle of a nap.

    Compared to the urgency earlier, the resolution felt somewhat anticlimactic.

    Pooof!

    Amid this perplexing situation, a noise too peculiar to ignore caught my ears.

    It was loud enough that I didn’t need to check who made it.

    After all, it came from Ariel, who I was holding in my arms.

    I turned my head to look at her.

    She was staring into the air with her head tilted back, as though looking at something I couldn’t see.

    “Ariel?”

    “Yeah?”

    “Did you just fart?”

    “What?”

    Ariel tilted her head in confusion at my question.

    Now that I thought about it, Ariel didn’t pass gas—or perform most basic physiological functions, for that matter.

    Given her nature, I’d always dismissed it, but I had conducted detailed examinations out of concern.

    The results showed that while she had all the human organs she should, most were practically non-functional.

    Even when she ate more than an average adult, she didn’t need to defecate, with only the occasional burp to show for it.

    So naturally, I was a bit surprised to hear her fart.

    “You know, the sound you just made. It was like a ‘pffft’ and felt like something inside emptied out.”

    “That’s called a fart?”

    “Exactly.”

    Pffft!

    “Like this?”

    “...”

    She didn’t need to demonstrate it again.

    I chuckled awkwardly at Ariel’s innocent response.

    What could she have eaten to start farting?

    Could it be the snack she ate before bed?

    That thought led to a wave of concern.

    Ariel, who could chew through rocks, could seriously hurt herself if she ate the wrong thing.

    Last time, she nearly tried eating a plate, so I couldn’t help but worry.

    “You didn’t eat anything strange while I was asleep, did you?”

    “...”

    It seemed my question hit a nerve.

    Ariel avoided eye contact and looked away, confirming my suspicions.

    So what did she eat?

    There wasn’t anything dangerous in the dorm that she could’ve gotten her hands on.

    At most, there was some dough in the fridge, but Ariel had taken one bite of that before spitting it out and receiving a stern scolding.

    Pooof—

    How much had she eaten?

    She kept farting like some little fart machine, and I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.

    Interestingly, there wasn’t any odor.

    For the record, I had no intention of scolding her—my question came purely out of concern.

    “I’m just worried, Ariel. Can you tell me what you ate?”

    “Umm... cloud chocolate cookies?”

    “Cloud chocolate cookies?”

    Cloud chocolate cookies?

    That didn’t sound like an ordinary snack.

    Was it something Adelia had baked, or was Ariel just naming something on a whim?

    “Correct. Sorcery is the power to interfere with the ‘natural order,’ including nature. Even the most potent divine powers can’t deviate from the natural laws created by the gods. That’s why necromancy leans closer to sorcery.”

    I had assumed it was a simple ability like praying for rain, but clearly, it’s far more complex.

    Then again, humans relied on sorcery before they learned magic, so its effects are undeniable—albeit risky.

    If magic expends 50 units of energy to achieve 50 results, sorcery might yield 30, 100, or even 0.

    “I need to investigate this further.”

    I’ve barely delved into sorcery. It’s a skill rarely used today, and there’s too much uncertainty surrounding it.

    But this incident has given me a reason to research it.

    Ariel handled the situation this time, but there’s no guarantee she’ll be able to do so next time.

    “Understood. You’ve done well today. Now, let’s...”

    Poof—

    Could she have indigestion from consuming something foul?

    I looked at Ariel, who seemed to have no control over her sphincter.

    She was clutching her stomach with a distressed expression.

    Considering the malicious nature of the spirit targeting me, it must have been quite taxing.

    Still, I couldn’t prescribe medicine for her; this wasn’t a real stomachache.

    “Ariel, does your stomach hurt a lot?”

    “Ugh... A little.”

    “Lie down for a moment. Daddy will make it better.”

    “Really?”

    “Don’t you trust Daddy?”

    At that, Ariel quickly lay down on the bed. Her red hair, inherited from me, spread across the sheets.

    I smiled at her adorable reaction and gently lifted her shirt, revealing a small belly button and a round tummy.

    I placed my large hand on her tiny stomach, covering it completely due to its size.

    The ‘mommy’s hand is a healing hand’ method—a universal remedy for children. Anyone who grew up in Korea has experienced this loving gesture at least once. There’s a belief that its effectiveness depends on the amount of love put into it.

    “Daddy’s hand is a healing hand. Ariel’s tummy is a happy tummy.”

    I gently rubbed Ariel’s stomach while making eye contact and smiling warmly.

    For the record, this method does work in real life.

    It helps disperse intestinal gas and, more importantly, reassures the child with love, which eases their discomfort.

    Ariel seemed to feel my affection and burst into giggles. I smiled back and continued the soothing motion.

    After a while...

    Poooof!

    Ariel let out a loud expulsion of gas—or rather, expelled the remaining spirit.

    “Ahh...”

    Her expression suggested she had finally rid herself of everything inside. I rubbed her stomach a bit more before removing my hand.

    “Feeling better now?”

    “Yeah! It doesn’t hurt anymore!”

    “Good to hear. Up we go.”

    I lifted Ariel, who fit snugly in my arms. A small, delicate girl.

    The gods once said there would be no crises for a while. It’s probably because Ariel is with me.

    But I can’t keep her by my side forever. Even as a transcendent, she deserves the freedom to live her life.

    “I need to grow stronger quickly.”

    At least enough so she won’t be a burden to anyone and can protect herself.

    As I pondered this, gently patting Ariel’s back, I noticed a piercing gaze ahead.

    Looking up, I saw Kate staring blankly at us. Her mouth was slightly open, and her eyes were unfocused.

    The sight made me uneasy. In a hesitant voice, I asked her, “Um... Ms. Kate?”

    “Yes? Yes?”

    “Do you... have something to say?”

    “No, nothing.”

    Nothing? That’s a relief...

    “Sigh... Sigh...”

    “...?”

    “Sir Isaac’s healing hand...”

    Wait, why was she rubbing her stomach?

    “Ms. Kate?”

    “Yes, sir?”

    “Feel free to speak.”

    “I think... my stomach hurts a little too...”

    “I don’t give healing hands to liars.”

    It becomes something entirely different if done to an adult.