Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

"Those Noise Flowers used in Professor Jorge's experiments weren't left by your wife, were they?" Asher closed the dictionary, set it aside, and interlocked his hands. "I think it's best to take a look at the Noise Flower left by your wife. With a concrete sample, it might be quicker to pinpoint the issue."

Asher's words convinced Professor Jorge.

This was also because the Noise Flower left by his wife had very little time left. If there was even a glimmer of hope, Professor Jorge was willing to give it a try.

It wasn't that he had no doubts about Asher at all.

After all, Asher's age was evident.

But… aside from Asher, Professor Jorge couldn't find anyone suitable, anyone who might truly help him.

Whether it was believing in Asher's genius or trusting in his luck...Professor Jorge was determined to try one last time in the Noise Flower's final year of life.

Action was immediate.

Professor Jorge was not someone who dawdled, and Asher followed suit aptly.

The two bought tickets for the earliest flight.

Including the time spent transferring to other vehicles, they didn't arrive at Professor Jorge's small city until the evening.

———

Quiet.

Peaceful.

Life moved at a slow pace.

The air was filled with a sense of everyday life.

If not for occasionally spotting a few beast walked by Beast Tamers, for a moment, Asher even felt like he had returned to his previous world.

At this thought, Asher couldn't help but smile.

How much time had passed?

He was already starting to feel like everything had changed.

"Peach Blossom District—this small city lives up to its name, like a tiny idyllic paradise," Professor Jorge said as they walked through the bustling city center. Even the tension in his body seemed to ease somewhat.

"Actually, we used to live in big cities like Bluestone or NY in earlier years, but after my wife was diagnosed with an incurable disease, we both quit our jobs and searched the map for a city where we wanted to live."

"It had to have a lively atmosphere, be calm and comfortable, offer tranquility amidst the bustle, and be far from big cities... In short, we listed a whole bunch of scattered requirements." Professor Jorge adjusted the thick glasses perched on his nose and smiled as he spoke.

They got off near a relatively silent villa cluster in the city.

"After eliminating a bunch of unsuitable options, my wife and I settled on this small city, which matched both its name and our needs," Professor Jorge explained as they passed facial recognition at the gate and entered the villa area together.

Asher glanced at the villas.

Compared to the Rose Villa in NY City, they were worlds apart.

Moreover, it was too quiet here.

The sparse lights in the villas suggested not many people lived in the area.

Professor Jorge confirmed this, saying, "Because of the Noise Flowers my wife raised, we always chose houses with a lower occupancy rate to minimize disturbance to neighbors."

Asher nodded.

It made sense.

This way, they wouldn't easily bother nearby residents.

Otherwise… the noise of Noise Flowers wasn't something mere soundproofing could easily block.

Good soundproofing could handle most of it, but when Noise Flowers went all out… well, good luck.

After a few more steps, Asher finally arrived with Professor Jorge at the most remote villa in the area.

Because of the town's tranquility and low development rate, the villa backed onto grassland, which stretched into a wild mountain. A small river ran nearby, unadorned with additional buildings.

It was indeed peaceful.

The chances of the Noise Flowers disturbing neighbors were reduced to the lowest possible level.

Asher could imagine how hard it must have been for Professor Jorge and his wife to find such a suitable place for both recuperation and letting the Noise Flowers be themselves.

This small villa was a testament to Professor Jorge's love and understanding for his wife.

"Professor Jorge, your lab isn't in this city, is it?" Asher asked. "So do the Noise Flowers live here alone most of the time?"

Professor Jorge entered the password and opened the door.

"Not quite. Apart from the Noise Flower, two evolved Quiet Flowers also live here," Professor Jorge sighed and opened the door. "I hired a caretaker who delivers food weekly, leaving it at the doorstep."

"The Quiet Flowers retrieve the food themselves and eat it."

"I spend most of my time at the lab, returning only during holidays or festivals."

Following Professor Jorge inside, Asher finally stepped into the house.

It was a three-story villa with an internal elevator. Not too large, each floor spanned just over 200 square meters. Everything was spotless.

Even someone like Asher, who wasn't skilled in housekeeping, could tell how hard it was to maintain such cleanliness.

"This… is all thanks to the Quiet Flowers and Noise Flower," Professor Jorge explained, noticing Asher's curious gaze. He smiled. "When my wife was alive, they loved following her around, doing chores and cooking together. I couldn't even squeeze into the kitchen, bathroom, or balcony." [T/N: 🤨]

Asher: "…"

Noise Flowers were such domesticated beast?

For some reason, Asher felt slightly tempted... definitely not because he wanted a free housekeeper pet.

No, really!

Clearing his throat, Asher asked, "So, where are they now?"

The ground floor had no partitions except for the bathroom. The open kitchen featured several large floor-to-ceiling windows. There was no central sofa, only a massive, circular, green patchwork carpet with several washed-out cushions.

Scanning the area, Asher didn't see any beast.

"They're on the second floor," Professor Jorge replied confidently.

"The first floor was where my wife and they would relax indoors, watch movies, or play games together. The third floor has a large open balcony where they'd enjoy the sun and play instruments on good days. Only the second floor serves as their living quarters."

It was clear that, for his wife's comfort, Professor Jorge had designed the house to her needs, dividing the space into functional zones.

It was nothing like Asher's "as long as it's livable" philosophy.

The second floor had four rooms: a master bedroom for Professor Jorge and his wife and one for each of their three pets.

At the stairwell corner sat a soft two-seater sofa, flanked by bookshelves, serving as an open study. The cozy, inviting setup made Asher want to curl up on the sofa.

Closer inspection revealed photos hanging on the walls.

About a dozen, each featuring Professor Jorge and his wife.

No matter the background, the couple always leaned close to each other.

One photo of a younger Professor Jorge caught Asher's attention—once a handsome young man or dashing middle-aged gentleman, now a balding professor.

Let's not go there…

The photos showed Professor Jorge's awkwardness in posing, yet he always cooperated with his wife's gestures.

From the scattered decorations, Asher sensed that Professor Jorge's wife had been someone who loved and enjoyed life deeply.

Her physical disabilities or sudden illness hadn't dampened her zest for life.

The house radiated a unique energy.

A husband who lost his wife, pets who lost their Beast Tamer...

The thought of the kind lady now gone made Asher sigh for both Professor Jorge and the Quiet Flowers and Noise Flower he was about to meet.

Professor Jorge led the way, opening the master bedroom door. Inside, two towering Quiet Flowers and a Noise Flower about shoulder-height sat with their backs to the door.

Asher studied the three beast closely.

Noise Flowers and Quiet Flowers, as plant-type beast, shared green trunks.

The Noise Flower had a sturdy trunk and broad leaves. Two large leaves on either side resembled arms, with root-like legs below. A massive red flower on its head served as both its face and voice source.

Since entering the villa, Asher hadn't heard the Noise Flower make a sound.

It was as if the Noise Flower knew the person who most wanted to hear it was no longer there and had lost its will to make noise.

The Quiet Flowers' trunks were much thinner but longer, with delicate, slender green leaves. Their flower heads had transformed from bright red to ethereal pink and white, resembling fairy-like lilies at night.

"Ding Ding, Dang Dang, Hua Hua, I'm back," Professor Jorge addressed the three beast.

The Quiet Flowers and Noise Flower turned to look at him.

Through the gap in their movements, Asher finally saw what they were doing.

Before them was a memorial shrine for Professor Jorge's wife.

The table beside it was adorned with fresh fruits that had clearly been replaced not long ago. Beside them were three flowers, their colors strikingly similar to those of Quiet Flowers and Noise Flowers.

They seemed to be gazing across the chasm of life and death, toward the Beastmaster who had passed away.

The Quiet Flowers and Noise Flowers saw Professor Jorge and also noticed Asher standing behind him.

The three flowers tilted their heads in different directions, their movements uncoordinated.

Although Professor Jorge was not the Beastmaster of the Quiet Flowers and Noise Flowers, having spent so many years together, he could instantly discern their thoughts. He smiled and said, "Asher is a guest I brought home."

Quiet Flower Ding Ding stood up and walked amicably to Asher's side, sprinkling him with shimmering pollen.

"Ding Ding, Asher isn't sick. I just brought him over as a guest," Professor Jorge said, his face showing a mix of amusement and exasperation.

He quickly explained to Asher, "Sorry about that. Last time, a young man from the lab wasn't feeling well, so I brought him back to let Ding Ding and Dang Dang use their soothing pollen on him. Ding Ding must have thought you were in the same situation."

"No worries," Asher waved it off, smiling. "The pollen smells really pleasant."

The moment the whitish pollen touched his skin, it seemed to vanish, like snow melting in the sun.

At the same time, Asher's mood inexplicably lightened.

He immediately understood—it was the pollen of the Quiet Flower taking effect.

The results were instant.

So effective, it was worth every bit of its steep price—selling for several times the price of gold per gram.

Considering how rare the evolution of Noise Flowers into Quiet Flowers was, it was no wonder the price kept climbing.

It felt like he'd struck a bargain just being here.

Quiet Flowers Ding Ding and Dang Dang seemed to grasp something, and the two flowers moved in unison, heading downstairs.

Only Asher, who hadn't figured out what was happening, turned a puzzled gaze toward Professor Jorge.

"Cough… They're probably preparing some food for you," Professor Jorge said, amused, as he raised a fist to his lips. "My wife used to treat our guests this way, so they're just mimicking her."

Then Professor Jorge's worried gaze shifted to the motionless Noise Flower. He let out a long sigh.

Once they left the room and were sure their quiet conversation couldn't be overheard by the Noise Flower, Professor Jorge began, "My wife's death was a huge blow, not just for me but also for these three."

"But life has to go on. Day by day, step by step. Staying stuck in endless mourning… she'd probably scorn and despise me if she knew."

"So, whether it's me or the Quiet Flowers, we're trying our best to adapt to life without her."

"We miss her and will always keep her in the most important place in our hearts. For her sake, the Quiet Flowers are willing to stay in this house and wait for me to return. And for them, I'll return to this house, just like when my wife was still here." Professor Jorge's voice grew softer, as if he could still see her presence lingering in the empty seat at the table.

All of them held tightly to one another, unwilling to sever the last thread connecting them to their beloved.

"But the Noise Flower…" Professor Jorge sighed again, clearly troubled. "It actually went on a hunger strike for a time. It was only through our combined efforts—me, the Quiet Flowers, and my wife's dying wish—that we managed to keep it alive."

"Even so… it seems to have lost all its vitality."

It was no longer Noise or chaotic.

A Noise Flower, meant to generate sound so loud it became noise, had grown silent, almost like a Quiet Flower—except it hadn't truly evolved.

This was abnormal and defied logic.

It hadn't evolved for years.

It had lost the will to make noise.

And now, with only one year left in its life cycle, the end seemed inevitable.

Professor Jorge had no idea how to save the Noise Flower. His only hope lay in his profession—researching new evolution paths for beast.

Was the Noise Flower's lack of evolution into a Quiet Flower because it wasn't suitable? Or was it incapable?

If a new evolution path existed, would it finally be able to evolve?

Professor Jorge knew the chances were slim.

He had no better options.

Rather than waiting for its demise, watching its silence eat away at him every day, he threw himself into his field, desperately pursuing another possibility.

And by the end of the first year, he discovered something astounding—a new evolution path for the Noise Flower truly existed.

He found a faint clue and eagerly dove into further research. But three years passed with no progress.

It wasn't that they had no findings at all.

Along the way, their mistaken research efforts uncovered a new evolution path for Little Inchworm Grass.

This additional discovery allowed Professor Jorge, an otherwise unremarkable scholar of extraordinary creature evolution, to secure continued funding from the Alliance, saving his project from being axed.

Hearing this more detailed story, Asher rubbed his forehead.

Headache.

Not a small one.

"So… you're researching a new evolution path for the Noise Flower, hoping it will allow your wife's Noise Flower to evolve, right?" Asher asked, confirming Professor Jorge's intent.

"Yes, that's exactly my goal."

Asher: "Have you ever considered the possibility that this Noise Flower isn't unable to evolve, or blocked by external factors, but simply doesn't want to evolve at heart?"

He hadn't yet used his talent ability to check the Noise Flower.

But he was certain this wasn't about strength or capability.

The most likely reason?

It didn't want to evolve.

After all, if a Noise Flower could stop making noise, what was so surprising about it refusing to evolve?

Although Asher could have turned a blind eye and let the matter be, his conscience wouldn't allow him to.

And deep down, Professor Jorge probably suspected it too.

Asher decided to take the ordinary approach first.

"...I don't know," Professor Jorge said, his eyes showing confusion.

If the Noise Flower truly didn't want to evolve, what could he do?Force it?

Even if he tried, it might retaliate with a rare bout of noise. Worse, he might end up in the hospital.

This was his wife's last contracted pet, the youngest member of their family, and a companion of fourteen years.

To Professor Jorge, the Noise Flower wasn't just a pet but a cherished daughter.

He could neither be too soft nor too harsh.

How could he bear to see it suffer?

"I…" Professor Jorge turned away, unable to find the words.

If even he didn't know what to do, how could Asher?

Instead of responding, Asher re-entered the room and activated his Eyes of Insight while approaching the flower.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

[Beast: Noise Flower]

[Species: Mid-tier Extraordinary, Low-grade]

[Level: Six, Advanced]

[Skills: Scream, Frenzied Decibel, Roar, …, Mental Shock]

[Evolution Path: Nightmare Flower]

[Evolution Progress: In Progress—]

[Beastmaster… I miss you… evolve, can't evolve, evolve, don't want to evolve…]

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Asher blinked.

This was the most powerful extraordinary creature he'd encountered—a Level Six, Advanced.

Moreover, from Professor Jorge's account, his wife wasn't the type to train combat-oriented creatures. She treated them more like family members, raising them with care.

For the Noise Flower to reach such strength without structured training was remarkable.

But "In Progress"?

What did that mean?

This was the first time Asher had seen such a status.

He opened the detailed information, and his expression turned complex.

[Evolution in Progress: Due to the extraordinary creature's strong internal resistance, the evolution process has been forcibly interrupted. Evolution can only continue once the creature regains the will to evolve.]

What was this?

A forcibly interrupted evolution?

His initial guess was correct.

The Noise Flower wasn't evolving because it didn't want to.

But something else caught his attention.

Why couldn't it evolve?

Was it truly unwilling, or was there more to it?

He focused on its evolution path.

[Nightmare Flower]

Most Noise Flowers could only evolve into Quiet Flowers. A "Nightmare Flower"? Its lack of a standard Quiet Flower path was odd.

He checked the evolution requirements.

As he read, Asher fell into silence again.

If this was true, he might finally understand why the Noise Flower didn't want to evolve.

And whether it should evolve at all became a difficult question.

He decided it was time to have a conversation with the Noise Flower.

"Can I speak with it alone for a moment?" Asher asked.

Professor Jorge glanced between Asher and the Noise Flower. Knowing Asher was a Beastmaster, and confident the flower wouldn't harm him,"Alright, then I'll head downstairs to check on Ding Ding and Dang Dang first."

With that, Professor Jorge quietly went downstairs.

Asher walked over to Hua Hua. His footsteps didn't disturb Hua Hua in the slightest. She continued to sit quietly, the direction of her red flower bud facing the photo on the table.

He sat down cross-legged next to Hua Hua.

"You should know that Professor Professor Jorge has been working hard all this time, trying his best to ensure your survival," Asher initiated the conversation, his voice soft as if afraid of disturbing her.

Hua Hua still didn't move.

"Professor Jorge has been searching for a new evolution path for the Noise Flower. He believes you don't refuse to evolve but that some unexpected circumstances are preventing you from doing so. He wants to help you," Asher continued.

Something about his words seemed to strike a chord with Hua Hua. Her leaves trembled slightly.

Through his constantly active innate skill, Asher also saw the changes in Hua Hua's thoughts.

[Jorge... baba? Beast Master... mama... No, this isn't right... Evolution can't happen!]

It was normal for the Noise Flower to think of Professor Jorge and his wife as its parents.

After all, the two treated the Noise Flowers in their home as if they were children.

Ding Ding and Dang Dang had evolved normally, but they hadn't forgotten their Beast Master's love. They stayed in this home to care for their remaining family members—Professor Jorge, who was like a father to them, and the youngest sibling, Hua Hua.

As for Hua Hua…

[I don't want to evolve. I want to sing for mama!]

[Evolution can't happen! Evolving would harm baba!]

Hua Hua's emotions fluctuated violently, and a torrent of thoughts surfaced. Had Asher not been paying close attention, he might have missed them.

"You don't want to evolve into a Nightmare Flower because you're afraid of hurting Professor Jorge, right?" Asher asked, his tone affirmative despite phrasing it as a question.

Hua Hua suddenly turned to look at him.

Her crimson flower bud opened, revealing fiery red lips inside, looking as though they could release deadly noise at any moment. The sight was full of menace.

Little Raven and Cat Worm, sensing the threat to Asher, leapt out of his spiritual sea and Beast Space without his command.

Little Raven spread her two-meter-long wings, standing imposingly in front of Asher.

Cat Worm, standing on seven legs with its dragon-like horns twitching, bared its tiny teeth as if ready to pounce on Hua Hua and take a bite. Up close, its scales were slightly flared.

Seeing his two loyal Beast companions, a smile appeared on Asher's face.

"It's okay, it's okay. Hua Hua is just trying to scare me. She won't actually hurt me," he said, bending down to pick up Cat Worm and pulling Little Raven into his arms, stroking them both gently. "I'm a friend of Professor Jorge. There's no way Hua Hua would harm me. Isn't that right?"

After calming down his two adorable companions, Asher smiled at Hua Hua.

Hua Hua, who had indeed been ready to unleash a noise attack, froze.

"..."

Slowly, Hua Hua closed her fiery red lips, turned back, and sat in her original position, pretending that nothing had just happened.

'Right.'

'Attacking baba's friend? No idea what you're talking about. Hua Hua was innocent!'

From Hua Hua's guilty body language and movements, Asher couldn't help but break into a bright smile.

Seeing this, Hua Hua felt indignant.

"!"

'Angry!'

'So angry!'

'Why did baba have to bring such an annoying person home?'

'Hua Hua is upset and decided to sulk with baba.'

Watching Hua Hua's sudden liveliness, Asher's grin widened.

'Heh heh heh~'

After all, he wouldn't be the one facing the consequences later.

'Not a problem, not a problem.'

"Hua Hua, is it possible that the situation isn't as bad as you think?" Asher said. "Maybe even if you evolved into a Nightmare Flower... ah, headache."

"Why isn't Professor Jorge a Beast Master?"

Hearing this, Hua Hua silently nodded.

'Yeah.'

'Why isn't baba a Beast Master?'

But then she imagined Professor Jorge contracting other beast, and her anger flared again.

'No way!'

'Baba being a Beast Master? Unacceptable!'

The youngest in the family had to remain her.

From Hua Hua's furious waving of her leaves and roots, Asher could tell what she was thinking.

"..."

'Goodness.'

He once thought Little Raven was bad at getting jealous, but Noise Flower took it to another level.

Still, Asher believed this behavior had a lot to do with how Professor Jorge's wife raised them.

From the beginning, the couple never treated the three Noise Flowers as ordinary partners, friends, or family members—they were raised as children.

Ding Ding and Dang Dang were slightly better because the couple had been younger then and less doting. By the time it was Hua Hua's turn, the couple had aged and remained childless, so they spoiled her to no end.

Hua Hua's jealous streak only confirmed Asher's assumptions.

Asher made a mental note to himself.

It's okay to think of them as children in your heart, but don't actually act like you're raising kids. Otherwise, your pets might start treating you as their parent for real.

Dealing with sibling rivalry in a multi-pet household wasn't something everyone could handle.

At that moment, Professor Jorge came upstairs with a plate of fruit, followed by the two Quiet Flowers, Ding Ding and Dang Dang.

"Asher, Hua Hua, have some fruit," he said.

But he paused mid-step.

Professor Jorge noticed the two beast in Asher's arms—a bird he didn't recognize and... 'is that a cat?'

After scanning the surroundings and seeing no signs of conflict, he breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was fine.

He placed the neatly peeled and sliced fruit platter in front of Asher and Hua Hua.

Asher glanced at the fruit platter, which was not only peeled and cut but also artistically arranged. His urge to complain grew stronger.

'...If this isn't spoiling your "daughter," then what is?'

Hua Hua, who had been lively just moments ago, reverted to her sullen, lifeless state upon seeing Professor Jorge approach.

Asher sighed, unsure how to approach the situation anymore.

The task of researching a new evolution path for a pet had turned into a complicated, multi-faceted issue.

"What's wrong?" Professor Jorge immediately noticed something was off with Asher's expression.

Could something have happened between Asher and Hua Hua while they were alone?

Was that why Asher had summoned his pets? Did something happen that Professor Jorge didn't know about?

"Asher, these..." Professor Jorge's gaze fell on the two small creatures in Asher's arms.

"This is Little Raven, and this is Little Dragon. They're my pets," Asher explained with a smile. "Don't worry. They didn't fight. I just summoned them to help me communicate with Hua Hua."

Professor Jorge nodded, accepting his explanation.

Beasts might have a way of communicating with one another. That made sense.

The Quiet Flowers, Ding Ding and Dang Dang, shook off some pollen in gratitude to Asher for his efforts to help Hua Hua.

Little Raven and Cat Worm lay contentedly in Asher's arms, basking in the dreamy pollen. They both showed expressions of pure bliss.

=v=

'So comfortable!'

'It feels so good!'

As for the actual situation—where the three were nearly at each other's throats—Hua Hua, aware of the truth, listened to Asher's fabricated story and watched as he was thanked for his efforts.

"..."

'Unacceptable.'

'Absolutely unacceptable!'

She couldn't stand this anymore.

'I am going to evolve into a Nightmare Flower right now!'

'Then I'll destroy everything along with this annoying guy.'

The next second.

Hua Hua saw the photo of the Beastmaster in front of it again, smiling quietly. The darkness and rage in its heart were instantly soothed... It couldn't.

'I can't harm mama's home.'

'I can't harm the photo mama left behind.'

'I can't harm baba...'

The flower bud on the top of the Noise Flower suddenly snapped shut.

Hua Hua: *Self-isolating*

Professor Jorge, noticing Hua Hua's actions: "?"

The Quiet Flowers, Ding Ding and Dang Dang: "?"

'What's the little sister doing again?'

'No idea.'

The two Silent Flowers exchanged glances, then helplessly gathered around Hua Hua.

One reason they were here was to commemorate the Beastmaster. The other reason was to take care of Hua Hua.

Who knew what unexpected things Hua Hua might do if they let their guard down for even a second?

"That... about the Noise Flower's new evolution path..." Professor Jorge hadn't forgotten the main reason he brought Asher home.

He'd met the Noise Flower.

He'd reviewed the experiment reports.

Did Asher have any ideas?

Professor Jorge couldn't help but look at Asher expectantly. He knew it was unlikely to get a quick answer, but he still hoped to hear something useful from Asher.

Maybe while talking, inspiration might strike, and he'd come up with a new evolution path for the Noise Flower?

"Professor Jorge, may I be so bold as to ask you a few questions?" After a moment of contemplation, Asher hesitated before speaking, "It's related to your wife's illness."

Professor Jorge frowned slightly at the question.

It was indeed rather bold.

But he wasn't angry. "Does this have to do with the Noise Flower's new evolution path?"

"It's related to Hua Hua's evolution." Asher's gaze locked directly onto Hua Hua.

Professor Jorge was stunned. When he came back to his senses, he didn't hesitate at all. With a firm tone, he said, "Ask away. I'll do my best to answer whatever I can."

"What illness did your wife have?"

This was a question Asher had never asked before.

As Asher had mentioned, the world's medical technology was incredibly advanced. Most illnesses could be easily cured, and even many terminal diseases that Asher knew from his previous life now had treatments.

Under such circumstances, the fact that Professor Professor Jorge's wife still passed away from a severe illness was undoubtedly a huge blow to him.

"It was an extremely rare spinal disease." Taking a deep breath, Professor Professor Jorge listed a series of medical terms that Asher had never heard of. "This disease is exceedingly rare. Since the advancement of medical technology, there have been fewer than 200 confirmed cases worldwide."

"It starts with the spine. In the early stages, it's just mild pain. Gradually, the pain spreads throughout the body, leaving no part—from head to toe—untouched."

"They say half of the patients with this disease eventually choose to commit suicide."

"Because compared to the pain of that one moment of death, the torment of living feels like being in a personal hell, enduring the severest of tortures."

At this point, Professor Professor Jorge took a deep breath. "When we learned that my wife's illness would lead to such torturous pain, we discussed it. If it became unbearable, I would agree to stop the medications and treatments to let her..."

'... end the torment as quickly as possible.'

He didn't want his reluctance and attachment to force her to stay in this world, enduring such unbearable suffering.

"But according to what you said, your wife ultimately passed away because she could no longer hold on, right?"

Professor Jorge nodded.

"That's right." Professor Jorge forced a smile, one that seemed both relieved and pained. "Perhaps my wife was lucky. When the disease reached the middle and late stages, the fungal and bacterial infections caused by the spinal disease had spread through most of her body, yet miraculously, my wife didn't feel any pain."

"If it weren't for the continuous deterioration of her condition during each check-up, even the doctors wouldn't have believed she had such a disease, just based on her outward state."

Asher: "Could she have been pretending, just to reassure you?"

"No, that's impossible." Professor Jorge decisively rejected the idea. "The pain in the mid-to-late stages is impossible to fake... From the few cases I've studied, the symptoms were truly horrifying."

A complicated expression appeared on Professor Jorge's face. "Just looking at the images and descriptions of those patients, you can feel the extent of their pain. To act completely normal under such agony—it's impossible."

"At least, my wife couldn't have done it. She was very afraid of pain."

"When she passed away, my wife's face was still smiling, as if she had simply fallen asleep, not as if all her organs were failing and dying."

Hearing this, Asher didn't ask any further questions.

"Then I must tell you, the reason your wife felt no pain even when the disease had infected her entire body wasn't due to luck or a miracle."

Asher's gaze shifted to the Quiet Hua Hua.

"All of this... was thanks to Hua Hua, the Noise Flower."

Professor Jorge: "?"

In this world, there's no such thing as tranquility without a price.

Someone, somewhere, must silently bear the weight for you.

This saying, often dismissed as online platitudes, felt perfectly apt here.

Hua Hua, the Noise Flower, the youngest "child" of the couple, silently bore all the pain brought by the disease in a place they couldn't see.

Pain akin to a personal hell.

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