CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 35 - THE COMMOTION.

The ground was still trembling when the door to the house burst open.

Alenia was the first to appear, her calm, steady steps carrying urgency this time, gown brushing against the dirt as her eyes immediately found Kael.

Selene swooped down right after, her silver-white feathers glinting under the moonlight, landing lightly with her wings still half-open.

Lyra hurried forward, her ears twitching, scarlet eyes wide with worry, while Evethra moved silently at her master’s side, her pale gaze fixed on him with unwavering attention.

Behind the house walls, villagers’ voices rose in panic. Murmurs, shouts, and confusion—hundreds of worried questions ringing out.

They couldn’t see what was happening in the garage because of the walls surrounding Kael’s house, but they could feel the earth shaking, and that scared them.

So, Kael didn’t waste a heartbeat. With the twins still clinging to his arms, their wide eyes fixed on the floating bear, his golden gaze slid to Alenia and Selene, who had just arrived.

"Alenia. Selene." His voice cut through the chaos with smooth authority. "Handle the villagers. Tell them all is well, and that it’s just me experimenting. No danger."

Alenia gave one sharp nod, her composure instantly restored, as if his words had steadied her heart. "Understood."

Selene glanced once more at the bear’s hovering, flailing body before swallowing hard and nodding quickly. "I’ll see if the commotion attracted any beasts."

Neither asked further questions.

Both turned on their heels—Alenia striding with practiced confidence, Selene soaring skyward on silver wings—to calm the restless crowd outside and check the surroundings.

That left Lyra and Evethra with Kael.

Lyra’s ears twitched nervously as she looked from Kael to Druvarn. "Kael... what’s going on?"

Kael’s smile was gone, his tone more thoughtful now. "That, I’m still thinking."

He turned his gaze back to Druvarn, frowning.

With a thought, he summoned the bear’s status window, and looking at it, his eyes narrowed.

The ’Name’ section, which had once read ’Earth Bear,’ was blurred, shimmering with the word ’changing’ beside it. The ’Race’ field, too, was blurred, glowing faintly with the word evolving.

Kael’s lips curved faintly. "...So that’s it."

He leaned back slightly, murmuring more to himself than to anyone else. "The moment I named him, it triggered this. Evolution—forced by naming."

Lyra covered her lips with her hand, her eyes widening, while Evethra tilted her head, her black hair sliding like silk over her shoulder, and her voice calm and reverent. "Evolution by naming. I guess only you can do that, Master."

Everyone in the room, except the twins, knew that it wasn’t normal because evolution was a rare phenomenon.

Only after continuously breaking past one’s limits for years could one evolve, and even then, there was no guarantee one would.

In most cases, it doesn’t happen.

The earth bear, now known as Druvarn, was one of the few lucky ones who could evolve, and above all, it happened to him not because he was a hard worker but because Kael named him.

From observation, it was also said that evolution was painful, but the earth bear didn’t seem to be in pain.

Instead, he was feeling—

"W-Warmth! Power! My body feels like it’s filled with fire and honey at the same time!" Druvarn roared, trembling in alarm.

However, his tone changed the next instant as he again realized that he couldn’t control his body. "But why the hell am I floating like a sack of feathers?!"

He kicked and flailed his thick legs, but all he could do was twist awkwardly in the air.

Rue giggled, hiding her face in Kael’s chest, muttering how Druvarn looked like a chicken, while Rina also clung tightly to the dragon, her wide eyes trembling with awe.

Kael, on the other hand, arched a brow. "Can’t help you. Whatever’s happening, it’s for the better. Let it be."

"LET IT BE?!" The bear was almost breathing fire as it hated this feeling of being powerless. "Easy for you to say when you’re not dangling like a chicken!"

Druvarn kept growling, but soon, his voice warped under the pressure of the phenomenon.

The light around him intensified, glowing brighter until even Kael shielded the twins’ faces with his hand. Lyra squinted, and Evethra turned her head aside, her expression cool yet tense.

Then—

BOOM.

The light burst outward, swallowing the entire yard in blinding white.

Everyone shielded their eyes. The air grew still.

The next instant—

"...What the hell happened to me?!"

The voice that rang out was sharp, high-pitched, almost squeaky, and childlike.

When they blinked the light away, the sight before them left them stunned.

Druvarn was no longer the towering, hulking beast he had been. Instead, sitting in the dirt was a plush-sized bear—round, fluffy, his fur softer and shinier than before.

He clutched his tiny head with his little paws, glaring up at everyone towering over him.

"WHY DOES EVERYONE LOOK LIKE GIANTS?! WHERE DID MY CLAWS GO?! WHY AM I SO SMALL?!"

He scrambled in a tiny circle, squeaking and puffing, his little paws waving like he was trying to ward off the world.

He was in despair, unable to understand what was happening and what he had become.

The world he used to look down on had suddenly turned so big that he felt intimidated, and this wasn’t a good feeling.

The others, on the other hand, couldn’t feel even a bit of the bear’s horror. To them, it was rather funny seeing a small, fluffy bear running around in circles with his head clutched between his hands.

Lyra’s ears twitched twice before she burst into laughter, her delicate voice chiming like bells.

"Pfft—!" She covered her mouth but couldn’t stop herself.

Even Evethra’s lips curved, and although she turned her head sharply, pretending composure, the faint tremor in her shoulders betrayed her.

"You’re laughing at me!" Druvarn snapped, his squeaky roar utterly powerless.

Realizing that his roar only made their laughter increase, he stomped one tiny paw, which only made him look cuter.

Rue squealed in delight, slipping from Kael’s arm.

"SO CUTE!" She lunged forward, hugging Druvarn like a doll before it could even defend itself.

Rina followed timidly, slipping down as well, her small hands reaching out to stroke the bear’s fur. "You’re... softer than before..."

"HEY—!" Druvarn puffed up, cheeks burning. "I’m supposed to be scary! FEARED! Not... Not—mmph!"

He was smothered between Rue and Rina’s arms, their laughter ringing out as they squeezed him tight.

Kael sat back on his chair, one hand propping his chin, golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "Well... congratulations, Druvarn. You wanted to be remembered. I doubt anyone will forget this sight."

The plush-sized bear growled—or tried to. "I HATE YOU."

But Rue’s laughter, Rina’s shy smile, Lyra’s giggles, and Evethra’s silent trembling shoulders filled the yard with warmth that made his words powerless.

For the first time, Druvarn’s presence didn’t scare anyone.

Kael’s golden eyes, however, narrowed as a silver glint passed through them, and Druvarn’s status window appeared again.

The glowing panel pulsed faintly, every line blurred—name still solidifying, race shifting.

But one line stood out, written clear as day: "Powers locked for 24 hours—Penalty for sudden evolution."

Kael arched a brow, lips curving in wry amusement. "Huh. That explains it."

Meanwhile, Druvarn sat in Rue and Rina’s grasp like a prisoner of affection, his plush body squirming uselessly. His squeaky voice broke into a wail.

"M-My powers...! They’re gone! I was scammed! Scammed by a damn dragon who said he’d make me strong, and now I can’t even push two little girls away!"

Rue squeezed him tighter, giggling. "You’re sooo soft!"

Rina tilted her head, blinking softly. "...Are you crying?"

"NO!" Druvarn squeaked, his tiny paws frantically swiping at his wet face. "I am NOT crying!"

Everyone just stared. Lyra covered her mouth with her sleeve, eyes sparkling; Evethra’s lips tightened as if suppressing another laugh.

Rue leaned in, grinning. "You totally are. Look—tears."

"IT’S SWEAT!" Druvarn snapped, voice cracking adorably, which only made it worse.

Kael leaned back, chin on hand, and let his voice cut through the giggles. "Druvarn."

The little bear jolted so hard he nearly slipped from Rue’s arms. "D-Don’t call me that name! That name is cursed! This is all because of it!"

Rue and Rina immediately began patting his back.

"There, there," Rue cooed, rubbing circles on his fur.

"Shh..." Rina added softly, and without realizing, Druvarn buried his little head against Rue’s chest, clinging tighter.

Kael only shook his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Relax. You’re only like this for a day. When the penalty ends, you’ll be stronger than before."

Druvarn’s watery eyes widened. "...This is temporary? I—I’ll be stronger?"

Then, with a cautious gaze, he asked, "You aren’t lying, right?"

Kael shrugged lazily. "What would I gain from lying?"

The bear sniffled, hope flickering in his squeaky tone. "Really...?"

"Really."

"...This is not a vain hope?"

Kael sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, then nodded.

At that, Druvarn’s little face softened.

His eyelids drooped, the tension bleeding out of him at last. He slumped into Rue and Rina’s arms with a tiny sigh.

"...Good... then I’ll... wait..." His squeaky mumble faded into a soft snore.

The girls blinked down at him, wide-eyed, then squealed together.

"He fell asleep!"

Kael leaned back in his conjured chair, smirking faintly as the night finally settled.

The yard still trembled with the weight of what had just happened—but now, instead of fear, it was filled with warmth and laughter.

In Rue’s arms, Druvarn—a guardian, a region lord, and now... the village’s first stuffed toy—slept like a stuffed toy, dreaming of strength yet to come.