7 Chapter 7

When the white light disappeared, there were a mountain of stuff on the table. Edmund recognized a lot of them. There were lots of bibs, cloth diapers, all sorts of creams, and baby bottles, which was just what he needed. Even a car seat and stroller was thrown in, buried under the pile. Abriel's mouth hung agape, wide open as she pointed up and down to all the things on the table that happened to appear faster than she blinked. She squirmed in the cradle, mumbling in excitement. Edmund took the opportunity to shake the bottle a few times (as per the system's instructions) and handed it to her. However, Abriel only looked down slowly. Edmund could see her pupils drifting left to the desk, when she focused on the warm bottle of milk at her feet. Then, her attention turned to him.

The two blinked at each other before Edmund finally realized that it was clear she didn't know what to do with the bottle.

"Abriel, look," Edmund called for her attention.

He grabbed and pointed to the bottle in his hands, then demonstrated how to drink. He emphasized on the sucking sounds and the position of his lips. Edmund then handed the bottle back to Abriel. Her two hands were too small to wrap her fingers around the bottle, and she struggled to lift the bottle up. She squeezed her eyes shut and grunted a few times before she gave up.

"Nghrh," Abriel exclaimed. "Waaa—"

The bottle slid into her mouth, stopping her cries immediately. Edmund supported her hands as she raised the bottle upwards. She gave two sucks before she pulled away. The bottle was just as full as ever. Edmund was about to question the system on what the taste of the milk when it's voice rang in his head.

[Proper positioning for bottle-feeding is essential to success. Host, hold Abriel slightly upright and snuggled into your arm and not in her cradle. Make sure her head, neck, and body are in a straight line.]

"Like this?"

[Pressing in with her feet and bending her knees will help her feel more stable.]

Edmund made sure he got the position right. After the system dinged in confirmation, he handed the bottle to her again. However, Abriel's brows scrunched up in frustration. She squirmed in his arms.

"It's okay, you can do it," Edmund encouraged. "Daddy will help you drink the milk. It'll help you grow big and healthy and pretty."

Abriel paid no heed to his words, which embarrassed Edmund. He'd even thrown away his dignity, calling himself daddy and she didn't even show a hint of acknowledgement. Edmund tried again with the bottle, but that seem to have enraged Abriel even further. While she didn't cry (god forbid) she kicked and kicked. Edmund set her down into a cradle hold and rocked her for a moment to try and calm her down, but alas, it also didn't work. Eventually, his arm grew numb from her restlessness and he almost dropped her. His heart sank just as fast.

Clearly, Abriel felt the same. Her mouth was shut tight; not even letting a single sound escape. She didn't dare move an inch. Edmund felt his heart go through a roller coaster ride when the system affirmed him that he might need to change the nipple of the bottle. He dug through the essential supplies to find a pack and switched out for a smaller nipple.

This time, Edmund held the bottle to her instead. Abriel didn't resist, perhaps shocked obedient from the sudden fall. She attempted sucking a few times, but spat it out in the end. Edmund tried a few different flow variations. The system also recommended him to let her mouth explore the nipple of the bottle for some time, which he did. Edmund also attempted some other things, like pressing the nipple down to her tongue, before eventually, Abriel got the hang of it.

The milk flowed down the bottle slowly between each gulp of Abriel's. Before Edmund even knew it, she was finished with the drinking. A trickle of milk dribbled down her cheek, which Edmund scrambled to wipe off. Letting out a content sigh, Abriel snuggled back into his arms. She fell asleep within a few minutes.

Edmund was full of smiles as he read the notification that popped up. He patted her back with gentle and rhythmical taps that matched with her heartbeat. He chuckled noticing another trickle down the corners of her mouth, this time drool, which made him curious about the milk and its taste.

[Beginner-level Cradling Skills +17 Proficiency]

[Hidden Task Completed: Bottle-feed your daughter Abriel for the first time.]

[Rewarded: Beginner-level Bottle-feeding Skills, x2 Attribute Point (Assignable) , 1xp]

"Aren't babies supposed to be breast-fed by their mothers?" Edmund asked, whilst wiping away her drool with the bottom of his shirt. "And isn't formula, like, not as healthy or harmful to them?"

[Colostrum, which is the breast-milk humans produce for the first few days following the delivery is is the ideal nourishment for newborns. Highly concentrated, full of protein and nutrient-dense, colostrum is ideal for a baby's development and plays a crucial role in building their immune system to fight infections and their gut.]

[In other cases, breastfed infants do less difficulty with digestion than do formula-fed infants; with fewer bouts of diarrhea or constipation and a lower risk of infections. In case host is worried, the milk that Abriel drank earlier is a mix of both formula and breast-milk obtained from her mother.]

"What?" Edmund exclaimed.

[The milk that Abriel drank earlier is a mix of both formula and breast-milk obtained from her mother. The gene-decoding process is too complex to explain. Host, please rest assured. All you need to know is that the milk is the most optimal for Abriel's health, providing ideal levels of energy, hydration and nutrients for her development. By the time she finishes breast-feeding stage, her body will be practically immune to all pathogens.]

Edmund nodded, clearly pleased with the system's words. "What about the bottle? Does it refill itself? Tell me it can."

[It cannot. T'was a one-time limited offer to help you complete the mission. In the future to fill the bottle, host must buy and procure baby formula of his own. Any brand would do. Leave it in the inventory and the system shall exchange it whilst refilling the bottle in the process.]

"Great." Edmund set Abriel down gently into the cradle and clapped his hands. "Do you have other magical means of.. making money perhaps?"

[No. Curb your wishful thinking.]

Edmund pulled out his phone to check his balance. Even though he was expecting the $0.19 in bright red, seeing it upfront was still disappointing. The system had told them that Abriel should be bottle-fed nine to ten times per day and the bottle was currently empty. There certainty wasn't any baby formula inside the apartment, or people he could borrow some from. He needed to go out and find ways to make money.

[Issuing Mission]

[Money makes the world go round and money is the required commodity for survival. A perfect father should have the means and the career in which his earnings can support the his family, without sacrificing the meaningful time with his loved-ones. This mission can be considered the baby steps for the main mission "The Somatic Perfect Father"]

[Return to Kofiyate Cafe and secure a part-time position] (0/1)