Chapter 2: The elf taught the Disaster Star (1)
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A week had passed since Enoch arrived at Rionne's home.
He'd adapted quickly to his new surroundings.
These days, he even followed Rionne around constantly, much to her delight.
"Undine! Look! Isn't he adorable?"
[Hmph! What's so adorable about that ill-tempered brat?]
Crackle-!
Electricity sparked in Enoch's eyes as he met Undine's gaze.
He bared his teeth, growling, but then…
"Ah-ah."
Rionne tapped Enoch's head.
He meekly accepted the touch, feigning innocence.
[He's already learning bad habits!]
Undine grumbled.
Rionne straightened, ignoring her.
Now that Enoch had settled in, it was time to begin his education.
"Alright, Enoch. Starting today, we'll begin your studies."
"Studies?"
"Yes, studies. Things you absolutely need to learn to fit in with the world."
Rionne stroked his hair as he stared blankly at her.
"Do you ever feel a sudden surge of anger?"
"Mmm?"
"Like, when electricity flows through your body?"
"Mmm."
"If you don't control that, very bad things will happen."
Rionne spread her hands wide, trying to startle him, but Enoch just stared.
[Idiot.]
"Ahem. Anyway, just remember that from now on, you need to study."
"Okay!"
Enoch had no particular thoughts on the matter.
Rionne was a good person. What she was doing was good.
Rionne smiled warmly at him.
'First… it's best to create his dantian, right?'
There was only one way to overcome the curse of the Disaster Star: to conquer it himself.
And for that to happen, Enoch had to transcend the limitations of being human.
"Enoch, what did I tell you yesterday about the Disaster Star?"
Enoch thought hard, then answered, "It's bad?"
"That's right! It's a wicked creature, like those little dwarves."
The chaos-loving Disaster Star only blessed humans.
The blessing granted extraordinary talent, but in return, it lurked, waiting for an opportunity to consume their rationality and unleash carnage.
According to ancient records, which even Rionne hadn't witnessed, it almost wiped out all life on the continent.
But conversely, there were those who overcame the curse and reached a transcendent state.
The fact that humans held considerable territory on the continent in this era was due to the achievements of one such individual.
'Hmm…'
Rionne grimaced, briefly recalling his face.
"Rionne?"
"Yes?"
"Are you hurt?"
"Hee hee, it's nothing."
Rionne ruffled Enoch's hair vigorously.
"Shall we begin?"
****
Rionne sat Enoch in the garden and stood behind him.
She would teach him the Estor family's foundational cultivation technique.
Although it was foundational, it was a closely guarded secret, not to be shared with outsiders… but,
'Who cares?' she thought, scoffing.
Then, in a gentle voice, she said, "Now, can you follow along?"
"Yes."
Having explained the basics, Rionne placed her hand on Enoch's back.
A fairly dense, chaotic mana already permeated his body.
He was using it, but it was unstable.
Rionne recited the mantra softly, as if telling a bedtime story.
"Flowing mana is like water, so become a mighty tree and bloom. Take root in the nutrient-rich soil…"
She repeated the mantra several times, guiding his mana.
At some point, he began to guide it himself.
"Hee hee," Rionne chuckled, pleased.
As a Disaster Star, Enoch was naturally gifted.
Despite having only known him for a week, she felt as proud as if he were her own child.
"Good. Now, gather the mana below your navel, in your dantian."
Enoch obeyed, pulling the mana down to his dantian.
From there, he drew out tendrils, circulating them slowly along the path Rionne had shown him.
'Oh?'
Suddenly, lightning infused the mana.
-Rumble!
The mana began to circulate faster, urging Enoch onward.
-I can go further. Let's ascend to greater heights.
Enoch mentally smacked the mana into submission and glanced at Rionne.
She simply smiled warmly, saying nothing.
'Okay.'
It seemed he was allowed.
Enoch released the reins on his mana.
Boom-!
Like a bolt of lightning striking upward, the mana surged from his dantian to his heart.
Rionne's heart nearly stopped.
"E-Enoch…!"
It was too early to open his middle dantian.
If a child who had just formed his dantian tried to open his middle dantian, his body could explode.
"Undine! Hurry!"
The elf called for help.
Undine didn't like Enoch, but she didn't want him to explode either, so she rushed over.
[You idiot! You have no idea what you're doing!]
Undine summoned water with her power.
Healing water enveloped Enoch.
Rionne, sweating profusely, struggled to soothe the mana.
"Enoch! Don't push yourself!"
Rionne could forcibly stop his mana, but that could cause irreversible damage.
Enoch had to control it himself.
'Oh…'
Enoch realized something was wrong.
Honestly, he didn't think it was a problem, but Rionne might get angry if he continued.
Panicked, he mentally smacked the mana again.
'If you don't listen, Rionne will hate me.'
-Rumble!
But the surging mana ignored him.
The swirling lightning in his dantian finally erupted skyward.
Flash-!
It finally forced a path from his dantian to his heart.
'Oh no…'
Enoch broke out in a cold sweat.
It was over, and he could open his eyes, but if he did, Rionne would be angry.
He squeezed his eyes shut, desperately feigning ignorance.
But Rionne was no fool. The astute elf quickly realized Enoch's condition.
"Ha… I thought something terrible was going to happen."
This was unprecedented.
He hadn't undergone a transformation yet, due to his lack of enlightenment, but for a child this young to open his middle dantian was unheard of, something that would be dismissed as nonsense.
It was as if he were a dragon.
Calming her racing heart, Rionne flicked Enoch on the forehead.
"Ow…"
Startled, Enoch's eyes snapped open, shaking like there'd been an earthquake.
Rionne, unable to find the words, simply hugged him tightly.
"Don't be so hasty next time, okay? I was worried."
"Okay…"
[Rionne, you idiot! You should be scolding him, not comforting him! Look! He's doing that with his eyes again!]
Enoch glared sharply at Undine.
[What! What! What are you going to do about it!]
Undine snarled back.
"Undine, don't be like that to a child. Are you a child?"
[Wh-what…!? Hey! How could you do this to me!]
Undine flew away, scattering tears of betrayal.
Rionne sighed. She'd be back in five minutes.
"Enoch, you worked hard today. Shall we have something delicious?"
"Okay!"
"Hehe, let's go inside."
****
[Rionne, you're too soft on him! That's why he's like this! Look! He's doing it with his eyes again!]
Undine, who'd returned as soon as the meal was ready, pointed at Enoch.
"Hmm?"
As soon as Rionne looked at him, Enoch widened his eyes innocently, the picture of a guileless child.
[Agh! My head hurts!]
Ignoring Undine's dramatics, Enoch and Rionne finished their meal.
It was now lunchtime. Rionne took Enoch to the study instead of the garden.
"Enoch, do you know how to read?"
"Mmm…"
He shook his head.
It was to be expected. Rionne smiled brightly.
"Then shall we start with reading?"
She spread out the books she'd secretly bought from a nearby city the night before, wearing a hood.
Most were picture books for children.
"Now, this reads 'apple.' Do you know what an apple is?"
"Yes…"
Rionne pointed alternately at the picture and the word. Enoch nodded. Or rather,
"Oh? Hehe, you must be tired."
He wasn't nodding; he was dozing off.
They'd hit a snag with the very first word, but Rionne didn't mind.
"You must be exhausted. Shall we take a nap?"
"…Okay."
Enoch held out his arms.
Rionne picked him up and carried him to bed.
"We'll study again when you wake up, okay?"
"Mmm…"
Enoch didn't like studying.
****
Rionne took drastic measures.
After his nap, she held Enoch in her lap on the bed and opened a picture book.
"Enoch, what's this?"
"…Apple."
"And this?"
"…Rabbit."
Enoch was smart.
He seemed to dislike studying, but he memorized and internalized anything she taught him quickly.
Looking at his pouting lips, Rionne's heart softened, and she closed the book.
"Shall we stop here for today?"
"Okay!"
Ten words. That was enough.
They still had 150 years, so there was no rush.
****
The next day, Rionne began teaching Enoch martial arts.
-Rumble!
"Oh no…!!!"
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Read more in - https://darkstartranslations.com/series/raising-the-elfs-disaster-star