Chapter 7. Addition.
Time marched on, and the number of unread books on my shelf dwindled. Fortunately, this was just a small library collected by the leaders for their own needs. The main library in the city held far more diverse books, manuscripts, and even ancient parchment scrolls.
This world reminds me of the New and Old Worlds, where the "white-faced" people are akin to the Fire Nation—a people with a well-organized army, industrial power, and a steady stream of innovations. While the Water and Earth Nations still use simple sailboats, the Fire Nation already boasts a fleet of high-quality steel ships powered by coal by the time the war begins. Even the forms of government align: the Water Tribes remain essentially united tribes with their own currency, while the Fire Nation is an absolute monarchy with a more robust and complex state structure.
The history aligns in some ways too. Once, the Fire Sages—akin to a dominant religion in medieval Europe—ruled the islands alone. At the North Pole, they worship spirits, much like Native American traditions.
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I recently turned one year old. There was no cake or candles, but I received several gifts—from my parents and the people who essentially work in my home, or rather, the Palace. I still can't get used to that. They gave me new clothes, as the old ones had grown too small, a few toys made from animal bones, and an entire notebook—a truly valuable gift, nearly impossible to find at the North Pole. My father gave it to me, and it shows he's a true leader: he immediately noticed my love for books and drew the right conclusion. Now, I need to double my efforts to learn to write. After all, if I start writing in the languages from my past life, my parents might misinterpret it as mere scribbles on valuable items. It's not a huge issue, but they might stop giving me such gifts.
A few days later, Mom began visiting the Healing Huts to resume teaching healing magic, which she'd abandoned when she learned she was pregnant. Childbirth already strains the body, but birthing a potential powerful mage drains both physical and energetic resources. Jun was only recently allowed to use magic fully, once it was clear things had stabilized.
Now, Aska, my nanny who's cared for me since birth, spends more time with me. I've noticed that my parents sometimes don't sleep in our room, slipping away after I fall asleep and leaving Aska behind. I think someone's finally getting their sweet time together, heh-heh.
As soon as I began walking, slowly but steadily, new horizons opened up for exploration. My world expanded from a single room to an entire palace, filled with so much that's new and unexplored for me. Every day after breakfast, I set out to explore the palace. Before, I was influenced by the nature of a lesser spirit; now, I'm influenced by a child's body. Thankfully, the latter is temporary, and I plan to enjoy my childhood to the fullest. I've missed these simple, pure emotions—joy in everything around me.
I've grown closer to the Northern Tribe. Often, Father takes me to his office and teaches me what he knows: our way of life, traditions, and the things a leader must understand. Sometimes, I sit in the Healing Huts, observing experienced healers undo damage that would take months to heal in the 21st century.