Chapter 201 - Father

"What a pitiful girl."

I muttered as I watched the young girl be enclosed in a tube.

She cannot open her eyes, cannot move her lips, and needed help for her heart to beat.

I've been tasked to see if she can even live. In my opinion, we have to give her mercy. What can she do even if she's alive now? Does she even know what's happening to her?

"Professor, we have the results!"

"Tell me."

I nervously replied even though I have retained my composure on the surface. It has been a difficult month. We kept trying to know if this girl is even alive and finally, we decided to scan her brain activities for any responses.

"We have already confirmed that she's alive based on her bodily conditions. Now, we have also confirmed that she is not in the state of any comatose since she's consciously responding to stimuli."

In other words, she's been this whole time... but why is she not moving?

It's very strange but it's not out of our expertise. We have only begun to treat her.

"Let me talk to her."

My assistant immediately gave me a device that will transfer my voice into the tube of liquid.

"Hello, can you hear me? My name's Iero Koss. You can call me Professor Iero... if you can."

I looked at my assistant and he gave me a thumbs up. there's a strong possibility that this little girl can hear me.

"Do not feel fear, we will not hurt you in any way. Rather, we are here to treat you."

I walked up to the screen and found her heartbeat increasing. Is she scared? Or is she excited that someone is talking to her?

Whatever it is, it means that she can understand me.

"You can feel, right? I know you can feel."

I gently spoke.

"Follow everything that I say, okay? Feel your body. Feel where your arms are... your legs... your head..."

There was no response as I look at her floating body.

"Now, feel your eyes and open them."

But of course, there was no response. Still, I was not disheartened. Just her heartbeat and brain activity alone is a great success...

Days passed and every single time, I have tried to communicate with her.

"Don't worry, we are here to protect you and cure you. If you can open your eyes..."

My eyes widened. I didn't expect it at all but we have established eye contact.

"Hi..."

I waved, hoping that she would recreate my movement.

But soon, her eyelids closed again.

It was brief but it was progress!

...

"This is where your heart is. Slowly, feel them. Softly and gently, pump it."

I pointed at the drawing I've prepared for her. 

It's been a month already and she's now aware of her surroundings. But before she can talk and walk, she needs to get out of the capsule... and to get out of the capsule, she needs to keep her heart beating, her stomach working, and everything else that should be working automatically.

This is the price for her power...

"Professor, critical! Her heart contracted past its limit!"

When I saw her face contort to a frown, I felt my heartache.

"Don't worry, Dehian... we are here to keep you safe. As long as you're here, you will immediately be healed."

What I said is the truth. Inside the capsule, she will be healed given enough time. We have to try again. I hope that she still tries to pump her own heart even after experiencing that pain...

Fortunately, this girl's a genius, and teaching her had been easy.

Three months or so have passed, Dehian is finally going out of her capsule. She had been training and keeping her automatic system had become a habit for her. Even if she's learning other things, her heart is still beating, her stomach working, and everything else. That's why she needs to get out soon. With her stomach working again, she will feel hunger. She needs to eat real food.

At first, she cannot even chew her own food. But after a few tries, she gulped her first food.

"Prowewor!"

Dehian proudly smiled at me as she pointed at her mouth. Did she just try to call me Professor?

Hahaha, this is the cutest girl I have ever met.

In just a blink of an eye, two years have gone by. She's now ten years old.

"Dehian, you know how to walk now, why still want a wheelchair?"

"But if I walk on my own, Professor will no longer be there."

"Silly girl, do you just think of me as some sort of servant? Even if I don't need to push your wheelchair, I will be here."

"Hehehehe!"

Her every laugh is the most precious. Before I knew it, I treat her as my daughter I've never had.

"But still, I'm not walking!"

"I guess I have no choice but to be your servant, huh..."

One night, my assistant talked to me for help.

"Professor, can I do it?"

"About the boy? You can do it. I believe in you. And won't you be having your second child soon?"

"Ahaha... yes, I will."

"Congratulations, Milliv!"

I'm truly happy for my assistant. For all the years he had endured, I hope he will be happy.

"Yes, Professor but that's why I'm scared. What if something happens to her?"

"No, we have everything under control. Dehian is growing stronger."

"I hope so..."

I leaned back with a worried expression.

"Say, Milliv, isn't the name Dehian a little harsh?"

"Ah, well, it's just a project name. We just got used to calling her that acronym."

"Hm, it's a cool project acronym but as a name. I don't think so. So maybe... I'll call her Iesa Hun?"

"P-professor?"

Milliv shyly turned his head away which made me laugh but I didn't show it.

"It's a good name, Milliv... really."

"But... is that alright? Wouldn't that pose a problem?"

"As you know, she's too young to remember anything. As long as we don't say anything then everything will be alright."

"The only exception is the Ancient."

"Hm..." I nodded, "That's up to fate. The Ancient does everything for the good of the world.. But all I ask for is when that time comes, everything will be alright and the children can live normal lives, especially her."