Chapter 752 — Growth

As he spoke, Byron paused, scratched his chin: "It just occurred to me—you've finished all your courses at the general school, so next you'll surely go to the Imperial Academy. Have you decided which division you want to apply to?"

Pea thought about it and shook her head, somewhat slowly.

"That's fine, take your time thinking it over. The winter admissions season is already past anyway, and you're not yet of age—no harm in deciding next spring," Byron said breezily, then remembered something. "Oh, right—you said earlier you were going to South Street today with two friends, isn't that right?"

Pea nodded, picked up the slate, and wrote several lines:

"A new 'Film Pictures Company' has opened south of the mage district, and they're recruiting people who know magitech.

"I've arranged with Paphelia and Bobbie to go do some part-time work.

"I'll go during the day and be home at night."

"I've heard of that company," Byron nodded. "His Majesty gave his approval, and the Ministry of State Affairs threw its full support behind it. Word is the founders include heirs from the North and the West—it all sounds very dependable. Go on, then. Just be careful, and don't come back too late. The observatory says we might get snow tonight."

Pea rose with a smile, went to change into her going-out clothes, took up her writing board, and pushed the door open to leave the house.

The house fell quiet, and only Byron remained in the dining room.

The commander of the Imperial Navy sat frozen by the table for a while, then suddenly laughed at himself.

"Finally get a bit of leave, and staying at home feels strange instead...

"Philip's off guarding the border, and the army's keeping order in every corner of the Empire. The fleet's had a truly idle two months...

"Tch. Since when did I turn so eager?"

Grumbling, Byron stood up, meaning to go upstairs for an afternoon nap—but the moment he rose, he heard the bell hanging by the front door ring.

He hurried to the door, muttering as he opened it: "Forgot something? I told you—"

He got out only half a sentence, because the man at the door was not Pea, but a stooped, slovenly old fellow who looked for all the world like a peddler of fake medicine.

Byron thought it over, took half a step back, and made to close the door. "Nobody's home. Come back tomorrow."

"No, no, no, I know you're joking," Pi Yun said, waving a hand as he slipped past him into the house with startling agility. "I saw Pea heading out earlier, so I figured you'd be home alone about now—perfect timing to come see you."

Byron's eyes went wide as he stared at the little old man. "Observing how a middle-aged bachelor mopes in his dining room all day once his only adopted daughter leaves the house?"

Pi Yun looked at him in surprise. "I hadn't said a word yet, and you've already summed yourself up for me?"

Byron stared at Pi Yun for a moment, then couldn't be bothered to keep sparring with him.

For the little old man was nearly his match when it came to shameless pestering and sheer cheek—and in that regard, this fellow who refused to die of old age was nowhere near as entertaining as Philip, who would honestly take the bait and step right into every trap set for him.

With a sigh, Byron shut the door and said to Pi Yun, who had already wandered over to the dining table to pick through the pastries: "Fine, come in, since you're in. Good timing—I have something to ask you."

Pi Yun did not so much as lift his head, answering between mouthfuls as he rummaged through the sweets: "About how Pea talks, isn't it?"

"Seems you really did come on business today," Byron said, walking toward him. "That's the very thing. Pea still can't speak—but didn't you say the biotechnology your people dug out of the All-Things-End Society's den could cure her?"

"Let me ask you something first," Pi Yun finally raised his head, crumbs clinging to his beard. "Has her tongue grown back?"

"...It has, actually. It grew back, and she spent several days getting used to it."

"So by the measure of flesh regeneration, my team has succeeded. Physiologically, Pea is a healthy girl now—she has a tongue, vocal cords, and her nerves are fine. All of which you knew."

"But she still can't speak," Byron said, eyes fixed on Pi Yun, his expression grave. "What in the world is going on?"

Pi Yun was silent for a moment, then finally spoke. "Her tongue was cut out for six full years... Do you understand what that means?"

Byron's face darkened.

"Her brain has forgotten how to command her speech organs," Pi Yun said unhurriedly. "Even though her tongue has been rebuilt, her language faculty has regressed to an infant's level. That is our conclusion."

"But it can still be retrained, surely?" Byron asked, clinging to hope. "Like teaching a baby to talk—even if she learns slowly, she can start from the beginning..."

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple," Pi Yun said with a shake of his head. "I've seen similar cases, and the facts show that this sort of 'rehabilitation' takes more than effort—it sometimes depends on luck as well. Too many factors beyond explaining can sway the outcome. Pea may well retrain herself to speak, but if she carries some spiritual wound, or if her brain stubbornly refuses to open her mouth, then she may never speak again... Unfortunately, though my people command superb biotechnology, we've done little study of such matters."

Byron frowned, fixing his eyes on Pi Yun's. "You didn't come looking for me today just to deliver bad news and depress me, did you?"

"Of course not," Pi Yun said with a faint smile. "As it happens, we've come across something new in the realm of technology lately... I suspect it might do Pea some good."

(A recommendation for a book still in its seedling stage—its title is *I Got Stronger Even After I Died*, and from the name alone you can tell it belongs to the wild-imagination school.

The blurb is one sentence: They say sacrificing your hair makes you stronger, but Marsha seems to have sacrificed his very life.

In short, it's been blessed and offered to the heavens.)