Growing Up

Arthur Wayne was a tall man with broad shoulders. His short, sandy-blonde hair fluttered in the wind as he marched inside the mansion, ignoring the maids and butler greeting him.

His palms were soaked with sweat, as he clenched his hands in overwhelming nervousness. It had been a year of torture and he was finally seeing his kids for the first time, so how could he not be nervous?

"Good morning, Master."

The maids were surprised to see Arthur behave like that, but they guessed that even a strong man like him would be nervous in this situation.

After covering many corridors with huge steps, Arthur finally reached his room and twisted the knob after wiping his hands. Opening the door, he was greeted by a sight that melted his heart.

Jasmine, his beautiful wife, sat there on the bed with his two kids, the gems of his life. Seeing him, she looked up and smiled, "What are you waiting there for?"

"Ah! Yes," Arthur smiled as his eyes landed on Damien and Elise. Carefully and gently, he took them in his arms and looked at them. A warm smile automatically formed on his lips as he said, "They're so lovely."

"I know, right?" Jasmine giggled, as she stood up. She pinched Damien's cheeks and said, when he protested, "This little one is naughty though."

"He's my son, after all," Arthur chuckled, earning a pinch on his belly. "Sorry, sorry. I should have come earlier."

"At least you know your mistake," Jasmine sighed, as she caressed Elise's head, making her giggle cutely, "They were waiting for you."

"It was a Tier 7 Rift, dear," Arthur said, as he sat on the bed. "Anyway, we shouldn't talk about these things. I'm finally here so I want to spend time with my kids."

In his arms, Damien looked at his new father and thought, 'He really is a macho man, huh. Also, Tier 7? The hell?'

No wonder, he couldn't come back even when he had kids back at home. The Tier 7 Rifts were too dangerous and could wipe out whole counties in a matter of hours if left unchecked.

'This world is fucked. No wonder I liked it so much.'

Damien looked at his new parents and wondered how he should act around them. It was kind of awkward for him, considering that his parents in his previous life had a very busy life and rarely spent time with him.

Still, he was getting used to their presence, especially Jasmine who did nothing but shower him with love. It could get excessive but he was more than welcoming it.

"Yeah! This is my new life and I would protect everyone. No one will die!"

He swore in his heart. He had already lost his family once and absolutely wasn't going to let it happen once again. The World of Miracles was too messed for anyone to survive but he would.

As his parents continued to talk with him and Elise in their arms, he slowly drifted to sleep even though he wanted to hear their conversation.

'Damn it! Just how much sleep does this body need?'

After a few hours, Damien woke up and began to cry, even though he found it extremely embarrassing. But his stomach was protesting too much.

"Oh! My baby is hungry? Here!"

Jasmine quickly scooped him in her embrace and began to breastfeed him. Surprisingly, Damien couldn't bring himself to have any dirty thoughts, even though Jasmine was probably the most beautiful lady he had seen.

The motherly aura and love she gave him was just too much for him. So, he simply accepted it and enjoyed his new life with his parents.

After a month, he began to speak, albeit very awkwardly or should he say, Babily? It was very weird to see himself speak like that but fortunately, he was numb to most things now.

He could also walk now, though it was mostly crawling. But at least it was some improvement. He had spent the whole month trying to grow up fast as he needed to learn a lot of things of this world.

As he sat in his cradle, Damien was playing some box game with his twin sister. He hated kids in his past life, but with Elise, he made an exception.

"Ely, here!" Damien pushed the box and watched as how the little red-headed girl giggled whenever she pushed a piece inside it. He smiled, only to realize that he had actually scratched his finger on the pieces.

It sent a pang of pain, but more than that, a warm feeling of some invisible energy caressing it. Damien blinked in surprise and then a wide smile broke out on his face.

How had he forgotten something so basic? He could have used it so much earlier.

Just then, his parents walked inside the room and saw their children laughing and playing with each other. A smile formed on their faces, as they went close to them.

"My little pumpkins are playing without me?" Jasmine smiled and poked Elise's plump cheeks, making her laugh even more. She was like a morning sun, bringing joy and warmth to everyone.

"Hmm?" Arthur frowned when he sensed Essence fluctuations near Damien and quickly picked him up, his face etched with worry. Only then, he noticed a soft, golden glow on his little fingertip.

'Ah! Bad timing!' Damien had a strong urge to sigh.

"How did you get that wound?" Jasmine also noticed it and snatched him from Arthur and sucked his fingertip in her mouth. "Does it hurt?"

Not wanting to make his parents worry even more, Damien opened his mouth and began to laugh. Fortunately, his soft giggles made Jasmine calm again.

Arthur looked at his son deeply, before a smile broke out on his face, "Honey, I think our son is going to be a monster in the future."

"Don't you dare use that term on my child!" Jasmine glared at her husband, making him flinch. "Monster? Can't you see how cute they are? They're so adorable!"

"You misunderstood," Arthur chuckled softly and then held Damien's finger. "You didn't notice it in your panic, but he actually healed by himself."

Jasmine blinked before realization dawned on her. She gasped, "No way! He has a Regeneration Innate Skill?"

"It's possible, actually he probably has," Arthur nodded, as he pinched Damien's cheeks, making him punch his arms, though it was futile.

"It should be of Common Rank now but what about the future?" Jasmine muttered, before a solemn expression appeared on her face as she coldly said, "Ruby!"

Out of nowhere, a figure materialized behind her, clad in a dark, body-fitting suit. Her face was hidden behind a wooden mask and she appeared to be a ghost, as one couldn't even detect her presence.

Ruby Cornerstone, the shadow bodyguard of Jasmine Lionheart.

"Remember! Do not let Damien get injured and if he does, use potions on him as quickly as possible. Do not, under any circumstances, let the news of his Innate Skill get out," Jasmine ordered.

"Understood, Mistress!"