NOVEL NEXT Chapter 127: Usagi’s First Meal
"Remember, from now on, your name is Usagi." Tom reminded her, though he didn't mind that the little one only seemed to half-understand. Even if she was a divine beast, a newborn's mind wouldn't be fully developed. That would take time and nurturing.
"Come on, I'll take you to meet your sisters and your aunt."
Tom walked to the head of the bed and took a small, card-case-sized box from his pocket. He set it down on the floor, and the moment it touched the ground, it suddenly expanded. Tom flipped open the lid and stepped inside.
It was his own custom-made "Riddle edition" of Newt Scamander's suitcase — a magically expanded space that had surpassed even his own expectations, holding a stable area larger than one and a half Quidditch pitches.
He had even transplanted flora and trees from the Forbidden Forest into it. At the very center of the space was a pool about the size of a standard swimming pool, its waters purified and enchanted to remain pristine.
Normally, when you added such a massive extension, the container could no longer change shape so easily. But Tom had used the finest dragonhide and dragonbone, giving it unmatched durability. The smallest it could shrink to was its original card-case size, making it very convenient to carry.
Tom entered the suitcase with Usagi in his arms. Inside, three unicorns were lazily basking in the sunlight channeled from the outside world. But the moment they noticed the man and the dragon approaching, they panicked, jumping to their feet and staring in fear at the tiny dragon in Tom's arms.
Even after Tom introduced her and, right before their eyes, kneaded Usagi into a fluffy little ball, their fear didn't lessen much. Some instincts couldn't be reasoned away.
Dragons and snakes do not dwell together, and a divine beast's aura was something even unicorns could not bear. Baby or not, the pressure Usagi exuded was real. In the world of Pokémon, legendary creatures' territories rarely had any other Pokémon living within them.
Tom had originally planned to have the unicorns act as nannies for Usagi, but that clearly wasn't going to work.
Besides, the little one was extremely clingy — leaving her alone here was impossible. She flat-out refused to be apart from him.
Right now, Rayquaza was still small enough to fit comfortably in his arms, but later…?
He remembered that a fully grown Rayquaza could reach at least ten meters in length — a giant among Pokémon.
Forget it. Tom sighed.
She was still a baby, not even a day old. Clinginess was normal. She'd grow out of it eventually.
"Don't scare your sisters and aunties," Tom said, rubbing Usagi's small head. Then he approached the unicorns to feed them their daily ration of Patronus essence. Usagi watched with interest and imitated them, nibbling a little herself. The sudden arrival of another mouth to feed made the unicorns quietly speed up their eating.
Unlike the unicorns, Usagi didn't seem to feel much from the meal — after two bites, she stopped.
That made Tom realize… he didn't actually know what Rayquaza ate.
He quickly went to the small warehouse at the edge of the space, bringing out all sorts of herbs and pet food to let Usagi choose.
She ignored the herbs entirely, tried a couple of bites of various pet foods, then looked up at him with a distinctly human-like expression of disdain.
So Tom carried her into the warehouse itself — and immediately, Usagi's eyes lit up at the sight of dragon meat.
All of it was frozen solid with a Freezing Charm. Tom took out a piece to thaw, and Usagi tore into it with gusto. When she finished one piece, she wanted more — eating three more in quick succession before finally curling up in satisfaction and falling asleep.
Altogether, she had eaten well over ten pounds. Tom honestly had no idea how such a small body could hold that much.
…
With Usagi asleep, Tom finally had some peace. He entered his learning space, ready to test out the effects of the Meditation Room.
When he arrived, Andros was in the middle of explaining its benefits to Grindelwald, whose eyes gleamed as he listened.
"It's really that powerful?" Grindelwald asked.
Andros nodded firmly. "I used it just one night, and the improvement is beyond words. If I'd had this back in my day, perhaps I too could have become a legend."
His expression was full of emotion. "Who'd have thought, even after death, we'd have such an opportunity — a chance to keep getting stronger."
Grindelwald's eye twitched. "Mr. Andros, please watch your wording. You're dead. I'm still alive."
"Oh, don't be so picky," Andros said with a casual grin. "You've been locked up for fifty years — what's the difference?"
Grindelwald: "…"
He had a distinct feeling that Andros would one day annoy him to death.
If it weren't for the fact that Andros's strength matched his own, there's no way a mouth like that could have lived to old age.
Still, a heat burned in Grindelwald's chest.
A chance to grow stronger?
Even after being imprisoned in a tower for half a century, his love for magic had never dimmed. If there was a way to advance further, he would never let it pass.
"Gentlemen."
Tom approached them. "I understand your excitement, but don't forget the main task. While I'm away, you're free to use the Meditation Room, but only after the flight spell research is complete. Then you can think about your personal gains."
"Don't worry, Tom." Grindelwald's voice was steady. "Andros and I already have an idea. In a few days, we should be able to stabilize it as a fully functional spell."
"That's excellent news," Tom said with a satisfied nod.
He didn't know how long it had taken Voldemort to develop his flight magic, but from the moment Tom had assigned the task until now, only two and a half months had passed.
And truly, 2.5 was proving to be a magic number.
Tom stepped into the Meditation Room, instantly entering a transcendent state of mind. He began tackling the difficult questions and unresolved puzzles he had accumulated, cross-referencing them with the insights Andros and Grindelwald had given him. Twenty minutes later, the transcendent state ended, leaving him feeling greatly enriched. He stayed another hour before leaving the learning space.
By then, it was already ten in the morning.
Seth was still in the backyard practicing martial arts. Tom left the orphanage and flicked his wand twice over himself — his appearance shifted rapidly, transforming into Michael.
He had now mastered Grindelwald's signature Human Transfiguration technique, and the original Michael had, naturally, lost any reason to remain alive.
With Transfiguration and Confundus Charms, Tom could pass any identity check in the Muggle world without breaking a sweat.