Chapter 12 Chapter 12: Teacher and Student
Chapter 12: Teacher and Student
Understanding Kevin's meaning, Yelena struggled to prop herself up with her arms.
To her surprise, this action didn't require much effort, and the pain and exhaustion she imagined did not come.
Her body felt unprecedentedly good!
She gently lifted a corner of the blanket, her slightly thin and petite body moving lightly as she carefully got out of bed.
She didn't wake Pozëmka beside her. Her considerate behavior made Kevin's gaze soften slightly.
——
Hoo——
Outside the tent, the cold wind brushed past, clearing Yelena's muddled mind a little.
"Sit."
Kevin sat on a rock, next to a burning fire.
Yelena sat down opposite him, visibly nervous.
"Name?"
"Yelena."
The clear voice characteristic of a child rang out, answering the man's question.
"That flower."
Kevin extended his hand.
"For you."
The girl placed the crystal flower in Kevin's palm almost without hesitation.
It was originally his thing, and she knew it must be a very precious treasure. There was no reason not to return something he had temporarily left with her to save her life.
The moment it left her hand, the warmth faded. She felt the cold power within her body stirring again.
Kevin weighed it in his hand, a few glints of light flashing in his blue eyes.
He wasn't skilled in methods of controlling people's hearts, but a small test wasn't difficult.
After all, even when adopting kittens or puppies, you have to see if they guard their food, let alone people with more complex minds?
But judging by the result, this child passed.
Originium Arts? A power system completely different from Honkai energy; he was still very interested.
Kevin tapped his fingertip. A ring slowly extended from below the crystal flower. A white rope appeared out of thin air, passing through the ring, forming an accessory resembling a necklace.
"Wear it. Until you completely master the power within your body, you can freely decide what to do with it."
Under Yelena's astonished gaze, the necklace was handed to her.
"This is too much... Thank you..."
The child's reserve didn't make Yelena insist on her own opinion, because in the man's indifferent gaze, she only sensed one meaning:
"I don't want to say it a second time."
She obediently put it around her slender neck. The exquisite crystal flower looked like the world's most perfect adornment.
"I'm very interested in the power within you. I can teach you how to tame it. But in exchange, while teaching you, I will also study that power. How about it?"
Kevin asked.
Yes, "tame"!
A power that cannot be fully controlled is like an untamable beast.
Like when Kevin's body temperature once dropped to -50°C due to fusing with Parvati genes. Even after entering a stable period, it remained at -30°C year-round. Ordinary people would get frostbite just by being near him.
By the new era, after a long time, when he finally could completely master that power, there were no longer any companions or comrades-in-arms in the world who needed him to restrain his body temperature.
However, today it came in handy. The essence of the energy was similar.
Yelena's condition wouldn't be more severe than his. Naturally, his experience should be useful.
When it comes to taming "beasts," there probably isn't anyone in this world with more experience than him.
"Become... your student?"
Yelena nervously clenched the hem of her clothes with her small hands. She could tell Kevin's identity was absolutely not simple.
Whether it was the elegant and luxurious tent or the crystal flower he casually took out that could heal her...
But was this really something she could hope for?
"You can understand it that way. If you're unwilling, we can also simply maintain a transactional relationship."
Kevin didn't care much about so-called teacher-student titles. There were many processes; as long as he could achieve his goal, it was fine.
"Willing! Of course I'm willing!"
Yelena said excitedly.
"Willing... what...?!"
Patriot, who had just arrived here, heard Yelena's excited shout, and the entire Wendigo felt unwell.
Faint flames flickered on his halberd, and black smoke gradually emanated from his body.
Patriot — Destruction Stance!
————
Of course, the misunderstanding was eventually cleared up, and Patriot also stated his intention.
That was to hope to adopt Yelena as his foster daughter. Like Kevin, she also had no reason to refuse her savior.
Thus, in just one day, our poor little Yelena simultaneously gained her own teacher and father, becoming one of the few people in all of Terra with an extremely powerful background.
This should have been a good thing, but—
"Ah! Where's the child?!"
A panicked voice came from the tent, followed by Pozëmka anxiously lifting the tent flap and running out.
Her hair was disheveled, her cuffs wrinkled. Only when she saw Yelena safe and sound next to Patriot and Kevin did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"It's good that you're okay... It's good that you're okay."
She was really afraid Yelena had left on her own while she was asleep. Then she would have no face to meet Kevin and Mr. Patriot.
"Hello, I'm Pozëmka, Kevin's companion."
She smiled and extended her hand to Yelena. Her fair, delicate, and beautiful face under the sunlight was breathtakingly beautiful, to the extent that even Yelena, also female, couldn't help but stare blankly for a moment.
"Ye... Yelena, teacher's student."
Even wrapped in bandages, some black Originium fragments could vaguely be seen on her arm.
"So teacher's name is Kevin?"
She pondered.
Yelena half-raised her hand, wanting to shake it but hesitating slightly.
But soon, her hand was grasped by a pair of soft hands. What met her eyes was Pozëmka's gentle smile.
"Yelena, very pleased to meet you."
"Kevin, you should have woken me up."
At these words, Kevin stiffly turned his face away. He just... wanted her to rest a little longer.
After all, cleaning the wounds, applying medicine, bandaging—all were done by Pozëmka. He only handled the final cleanup.
"However, teacher? It seems something happened that I didn't know about."
"Mmm..."
After Yelena's explanation, Pozëmka finally understood the whole story and also felt happy for her.
After all, not everyone could have such good fortune.
"Come with me. I will teach you how to 'tame' it."
Kevin showed no intention of delaying. He could see Yelena had mostly recovered; there was no risk of overexertion.
The function of that crystal flower wasn't just suppressing out-of-control Arts and providing warmth.
Yelena didn't complain but nodded firmly instead.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; clever as she was with ice and snow (a play on words implying intelligence), she understood this.
If she had possessed power as strong as teacher's back then, would the subsequent suffering not have happened?
——————
【Event - Regarding Humanity · Part One】
Theresa: ...... Mr. Kevin, I heard from Human Resources that you wish to join Babel?
Kevin: Yes.
Theresa: Babel greatly appreciates your assistance. But, perhaps this is somewhat presumptuous, may I know your reason for joining us?
Kevin: I'm not interested in your ideals. What you want to do, what goals you want to achieve—I'm not interested. So let me state upfront: after achieving my own objective, I may leave. I'm joining you because of him (her?). That's all.
Theresa: Why is it the Doctor?
The figure leaning against the wall, the hooded person called the "Babel Phantom," also raised their head.
Kevin: Because he is human.
Theresa (muttering softly): Human? But aren't we all human...
Theresa: That's a frank yet perplexing answer. However, Mr. Kevin, welcome to Babel nonetheless.
lmao bro felt his daughter becoming another dudes daughter
oh shit kevin and doctor in the future boutta go crazyyy