am-books Chapter 45: 27: The Two Who Were in the Orphanage
Chapter 45: 27: The Two Who Were in the Orphanage
When Oswald pushed Aiwass through the door, they were greeted not only by the male servants of the house.
Yulia, wearing her pajamas and holding her doll, stood quietly by the window.
She had been eagerly watching Oswald push the wheelchair, slowly making his way along the front path. Then she ran to the door to welcome them.
"Miss Julia was waiting for you," Oswald whispered behind Aiwass.
Aiwass nodded, also lowering his voice, "I think Yuli is just feeling a bit lonely. After all, kids her age are usually playing with classmates at school. But the only peer Yuli has to see is me."
The old butler sighed but said nothing more.
He simply closed the door as Yulia approached, keeping the biting winter wind of the early evening outside.
His brow furrowed, he said sternly, "Miss Julia, the wind is chilly in winter. Please don't come too close to the front door."
"...I'm fine."
Yulia stubbornly murmured, "I've already taken medicine twice."
"That's still not good," the old butler said without hesitation. "You're already frail, and catching a cold would only make things more troublesome..."
"...It's alright, Mr. Oswald. If Yuli gets sick now, I can also treat her," Aiwass interjected warmly. "I believe the Sacred Arts taught to me by Bishop Mathers are meant to be used at times like this."
With that, he first took off his coat to reveal the sweater underneath.
Aiwass placed his hands inside his sweater, trying to warm them with his own body temperature.
He had just come back from outside, his coat and hands covered in the chill. This would be very uncomfortable for Yulia, whose body temperature was higher than normal. It was much like how a person with a fever would feel cold.
This was also an old problem for Yulia.
From a young age, Yulia's body had been home to a Phantom Demon in its larval state—the Defiant Flame Butterfly.
Individuals like her, hosting a larval Phantom Demon within them, were called "Phantom Demon Eggs."
Their spiritual, physical, and even life force would be continually drained, nourishing the Phantom Demon inside. If they died due to weakness or external forces, the Phantom Demon within would awaken and cause a disaster. However, if the Phantom Demon could be safely nurtured to a certain stage, they could borrow some of its power even without taking the Transcendent path.
As the Phantom Demon further developed, the strength of a Phantom Demon Egg would gradually increase, requiring more and more stringent nutrition for growth. Only when the Phantom Demon developed a complete personality would its growth be considered complete. At that point, it could choose to awaken forcefully or become a symbiotic partner with its host.
The choice lies in the hands of the Phantom Demon, not the host, which is why hosts are called Phantom Demon Eggs—because most Phantom Demons choose the former.
Even though the Phantom Demon inside Yulia had not yet awakened, it had already granted her some of its powers. This, in turn, placed a heavier burden on her.
Yulia's body temperature was a few degrees higher than that of a normal person.
Specifically, it was as if she was in a constant state of fever. Her body temperature was a bit higher than average... at six or seven years old, it was half a degree higher; and now it was two degrees higher than the average person's.
With a constant temperature around 38.5 degrees Celsius... if it weren't for regular treatments from the church priests, she would've probably died a long time ago.
More troubling was the fact that this kind of fever was unrelated to diseases or curses, and thus could not be cured through Transcendent methods. It could only be treated using Illumination Art on her nerves and organs, and with magic potions to help her body replenish the nutrients required by the Phantom Demon.
Yulia was not James's biological daughter, either. She was his foster daughter as well.
The reason she was so close to Aiwass was that they were both in the same orphanage as children.
As the gentle light seeped through Aiwass's fingers, Yulia's body gradually relaxed. Her breath, which was short and shallow, also slowly became steady—the illness was easily dispelled by Aiwass.
Although she had been ill for a long time, under the premise of James's continuous treatment, she wasn't very sick—because before each deterioration of her condition, he would call for a Priest to heal her hidden injuries. Aiwass used only two points of Light mana to heal her body.
Subsequently, Aiwass moved his still-glowing right hand from her back and placed it on Yulia's forehead.
With the nourishment of the light on her spirit, her languid mental state also immediately improved significantly. This time, Aiwass used less than a point of mana.
Yulia's body remained feverishly hot. But clearly, she would be able to have a good night's sleep today.
"Good girl," Aiwass's mouth lifted slightly, "Let's go, time to eat..."
Just then, Aiwass absentmindedly touched the Codex Book that lay on his knee.
His movement paused for a moment.
For he had never touched Yulia's Codex Book, yet now when he did, it radiated the same burning heat as her body, and a distinctly different, bizarre sensation.
It felt as if Aiwass wasn't touching the cover of the book but was making contact with the skin on Yulia's back instead.
Without the barrier of clothing, the heat was even more intense than what Aiwass felt when touching Yulia moments ago, almost to the point of being scalding.
But the strange sense of incongruity made Aiwass look down.
There was no steam rising from the air, and the material hadn't changed at all. It was still the same sort of leather-like material.
That's when Aiwass suddenly realized—that although it was burning hot, his legs didn't feel the heat at all. Only his right hand, which had just used Illumination Art, experienced this illusion. Even when touched with his left hand, it felt like a normal temperature.
So, discreetly, Aiwass handed the hot Codex Book to Yulia, "Can you help your brother put this book in his study, alright?"
"Mhm."
Yulia nodded lightly in response.
Receiving the book, she showed no particular reaction.
It was as if she didn't feel any of its heat at all.
"Does it feel a bit cold? It has also been exposed outside for a while," Aiwass asked with concern.
"A little, but it's okay," Yulia hummed a reply and then asked, "Where should I put it, brother?"
"Just place it in front of the desk. It's a book that your brother wants to read after dinner."
"Okay."
Yulia nodded, then left with the book.
Aiwass confirmed something.
It seemed that only he could feel the change in temperature and touch of the Codex Book.
Interesting, he thought.
I'll thoroughly examine it after dinner.