CHAPTER 115: TRIPLETS’ CRYING

Narin tucked the flask back at her side and sat down next to Fian. Loka followed and sat beside her.

Gara, meanwhile, kept glancing at the flask. He couldn’t help but feel curious.

What exactly was inside her water? Was it anything like his own? His water was just H₂O infused with something he still didn’t fully understand.

"Narin, what’s actually in your water?" Gara finally asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.

Narin blinked, her lashes fluttering innocently. "It’s an antidote for the human body, just like I said."

"What kind of antidote? What compounds make it work?" Gara pressed, genuinely curious.

Her brow creased for the briefest moment before she returned to her gentle facade. "You don’t know what an antidote is, Gara? What’s your talent, really? Is it more offense-focused? Or defense?"

Gara stayed silent. His water could almost fit into every category. Still, he asked again, "I mean, what special energy makes your water an antidote? What makes it different from normal water?"

Suddenly, Narin shot to her feet. "You’ve gone too far, Gara! Do you mistrust me so much that you’d question me like this?!"

Without waiting for his reply, she turned and ran off, wiping at her eyes with small, dramatic gestures. Loka looked stunned.

"Go after your friend," Gara said calmly.

Loka nodded, stealing one last glance at Gara’s breathtaking face—enough to make his heart pound wildly—before running off. The tall, broad-shouldered man easily caught up to Narin, whose eyes, though not shedding tears, were rimmed red.

"Gara’s such a terrible person," she muttered loud enough for a few nearby liners to hear.

Loka still looked confused, while the others quickly began whispering among themselves. Some agreed that Gara was arrogant, while others dismissed Narin as nothing more than a drama queen.

Narin stormed toward the liner camp. Inside, she was boiling with anger. She felt attacked and humiliated by Gara’s question.

She thought Gara had known full well that only B-rank liners or higher could answer it, yet he had singled out Narin, a mere C-rank.

"I’ll get you back for this, Gara!" she swore under his breath.

...

Gara’s wooden house was bustling with villagers. The men were building three new rooms, while the women worked on the front yard, preparing plots of soil for the herbs Gara would eventually plant.

With the help of nearly the entire village, the three new rooms were completed in just one day. Of course, Wina didn’t have them work for free.

That was why the villagers were so eager—after months of relying on savings and food aid, it had been a long time since they’d earned any income. The villagers grew especially warm toward Gara.

But by the next morning, gossip was already spreading among the liners: Gara was nothing more than a briber, buying the villagers’ favor to make his life easier.

To make matters worse, the only liner who always stood up for Gara—Orman—was leaving the village that very day. Kevio’s two-week mission had ended, and the two were heading back.

"About that enhance crystal... you should be careful. Don’t use it recklessly," Gara reminded Orman again as he escorted them to the village gate.

"Relax, Gara," Orman replied, brushing him off.

Gara said no more. He had given his warning, more than once. That was enough.

After seeing them off, Gara and Madha returned home. Fian had stayed behind.

The house already looked cleaner and more lively. A few herbs had been planted, while the rest were still in seed trays out back, waiting to be transplanted into the soil.

When Gara opened the door, the place was strangely quiet. Neither Wina, Fian, nor Della greeted them in the front room.

Before Gara could call out, Rea rushed out of his bedroom, squeaking in panic.

"What’s wrong?" Madha asked, not understanding her words but sensing something was wrong.

"The triplets won’t stop crying," Gara answered grimly, already hurrying to his room.

The moment he stepped inside, the cries hit him, three babies wailing in turns, their voices echoing against the walls. Each was already in someone’s arms, but none could be soothed.

Panic showed clearly on the adults’ faces. Even Rea’s children, lined up nervously at the table, were fidgeting in distress.

"What happened?" Gara asked, taking Aldwin from Fian’s arms.

"We don’t know, Gara," Wina said, half frantic. "It started with Ava, then Arion and Aldwin followed. Rea’s kids tried to calm them, but nothing works. They must be full. When we tried giving more, they vomited. Their diapers are still dry too."

Gara carefully checked Aldwin’s tiny body. Maybe a bite? Something stuck to his skin? Nothing. And there shouldn’t be. Not even an ant could pass through the barrier without his permission.

If Gara wanted to suspect Della of anything, that would’ve been impossible. Wina had already made a soul oath with Wina.

And even if, somehow, she had managed to slip past that oath, one of the Rea children said nothing happened to the triplets. Whenever they weren’t watching the babies together, they took turns. At least one of them was always present. They were like living baby monitors, far more reliable than any actual device.

"Then what is it?" Gara muttered in frustration.

It wasn’t the loud crying itself that got to him, but the knowledge that letting babies wail too long was never good.

Amid the chorus of cries, Della spoke softly. "Maybe it’s something from a particular race’s trait. Something we haven’t done, and it’s making them uncomfortable."

"Mom, do you remember anything?" Gara immediately turned to his mother.

Wina looked thoughtful. "Back then, Lady Vita always took you into the forest, or somewhere thick with trees. I thought she just wanted to take a walk. But maybe... there was something more to it, something I didn’t know. And usually, she did it once a week."

Once a week. The words struck Gara. Today marked the seventh day since the triplets’ birth.

"Let’s try it," Gara said, his voice firm with sudden conviction. Even if it wasn’t the answer, they had to try—didn’t they?

It was decided that Ava would be taken out first, since she was the one who cried first.

Gara wanted to carry her himself, but Aldwin only screamed louder whenever Gara strayed too far.

"Fian, go with Mom," Gara instructed, forcing himself to stay calm.

Still, unease stirred inside him for no reason.

"Nothing bad will happen... right?"

...