Avatar - Conquering the Elements-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.

*

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.

Occasionally, I'm taken on walks through the city, my favorite part being when we pass where the waterbending masters train their students. That's where I realized how one-sided my use of waterbending had been. Sure, having a few guaranteed lethal moves was effective, but here, I saw an entire art form honed over centuries. The fluid, graceful movements seemed slow, but it was an illusion. When needed, the bender could shift to a more brutal, sharp style. Humans, naturally weaker than spirits, relied not on overwhelming power but on adaptability to any opponent. I'd never seen so many techniques, not even in the show.

I understood all this just by watching ordinary students spar, not even close to masters. I can't imagine what monsters those who've mastered the element truly are. A lifetime of learning, right?

I also got to see another character from the show: Waterbending Master Pakku. His hair is only starting to gray, but he's tough on his students. By the way, the show only featured one Master Pakku, but here, there are many, even elders who fought in the war.

Watching those frail-looking elders from afar, you'd never expect them to demonstrate moves even Pakku couldn't match, with such economy of motion. Even other masters seemed smaller in their presence. Perhaps by the time the Avatar arrived, they were gone—after all, benders don't live much longer than ordinary people. But while they're here, I'll keep observing them scold other masters, including Pakku, like they're novices.

I managed to beg for training, which I successfully did. After watching a sparring session, I made puppy eyes and said determinedly, "I want to be like them," pointing at the training benders. For my age, they devised simple stretches: mostly, Mom just stretched my body, which will make me more flexible and less likely to hinder future training. As they say, the devil's in the details. Right now, being far from a manipulator, I'm trying to intuitively embed some of my traits so they won't draw attention later.

At two years old, I delved deep within myself again to check my energy state. Everything's going well: half my spirit has merged with my body, meaning full integration should be complete by age four.

*

Glancing at Jun's rounded belly, I began to suspect it wasn't just overeating. Slapping my forehead, I remembered how my parents had casually started talking about younger siblings.

"Mom, are we getting a new addition to the family?" I asked, pointedly looking at her growing belly.

"Finally, someone noticed! You don't even pay attention to me and Dad, do you?" she said with a sad expression, though her sparkling eyes gave her away. "You're growing up so smart, yet you miss the obvious," Jun teased.

Best not to say I'd thought of something else entirely—I might get in trouble.

"I noticed it last month but kept forgetting to ask," I said nonchalantly, calmly sipping my tea to make my words more convincing.

"Sure, I totally believe you," said Jun, now fully amused. "Arnuk and I decided you'll name the baby. What do you think?"

"I'm all for it!" I said with a joyful smile, secretly hoping the new child would be a good distraction when I want to travel the world. After all, they're unlikely to let me go.

*

Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I wondered why, at three years old, I looked five. Only one answer came to mind: "It's magic, Harry," or in my case, "It's your nature as a spirit, Yuki."

With long, silky hair whiter than the first snowfall, skin so pure it rivaled ancient cultivators, and delicate features even more feminine than Haku from *Naruto*, I thought, *"It's a trap! Don't fall for the girly face."* Where is my ruggedness? I lamented to myself. Though there are perks—I'm a walking target for shotacon fans. Too bad this isn't a daily ecchi; with this appearance, I'd be the main character, just because of my looks. Oh well, venting a bit helps. Time to focus.

Today, according to the doctors, Jun will give birth. I didn't want to stay cooped up in my room, so I'm waiting near the birthing chamber. I've had a bad feeling since morning, unsure what to expect. I've been on edge all day, and Dad's uneasy too—he's even posted extra guards on the walls and increased patrols in the city.

Even if there are complications, Dad can always ask the spirits for help. They didn't refuse in the show, so they shouldn't here either.

Sighing heavily, I decided not to fret until there's something to worry about.

Dad came for me and led me to the chamber where Jun's labor had begun. The wait felt endless, though only two hours had passed. An hour ago, hearing Jun's cries, Dad entered the chamber to support her. I stayed here, not wanting to get in the healers' way.

Labor began at sunset, around nine o'clock, and has been ongoing for eight hours. My body, unaccustomed to such prolonged wakefulness, is signaling for sleep, but the tension that's gripped me all day only intensifies as the birth progresses.

After another hour, Dad appeared in the doorway, looking a decade older. I've never seen a stronger-willed person, so seeing him so exhausted and broken felt surreal.

In that moment, I felt time slipping away, knowing the baby likely hadn't survived. Still, I dashed into the chamber, Dad trying to stop me but failing as I dodged under his arms.

Inside, I was met with somber faces and a sobbing Jun holding the baby. Rushing to her, I leaned toward the child, clinging to a sliver of hope that this tiny bundle was alive and the atmosphere was due to something else. But there was no breath.

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Panic overwhelmed me, and just as I was about to give up, I remembered I wasn't entirely human. Grasping that thought and hoping for a miracle, I tore a piece of my spirit—nearly fused with my body—and mentally pushed it toward the baby, not knowing why, how, or what I was doing, just following my intuition. The last thing I remember is Jun's worried face watching me.

*

"Is he really okay?" Jun anxiously asked the healers for what felt like the hundredth time, her hands gently cradling her son and newborn daughter.

"Physically, yes. The only issue we've diagnosed is a decrease in his energy volume and tension in his energy system, but it should resolve within a month," the head healer assured her. "We're not sure what your son did, but we suspect he unconsciously shared his magical gift. As a healer yourself, you know a mage's body is far stronger than a human's. Likely, your daughter will be a bender too. What a brave young man—calling it a miracle would be an understatement," she concluded, nodding approvingly at the boy.

The child's mother knew her son was a hero, but minutes ago, seeing him lose consciousness, she'd feared losing him too.

"What will you name the girl?" the healer asked, opening the book where all newborns were recorded.

"Leave the name blank for now. We promised Yuki would name the baby himself," said the mother of two.

"Alright, promises must be kept," the healer said, closing the book. Without waiting for a response, she turned to Jun, seeing her peacefully sleeping face.