CHAPTER 34: LEASING FIELD (2)

The two adults laughed briefly before Wina shifted the conversation toward the real reason for their visit.

"Elder Jaya," she began, "Gara has just returned from town after the Awakening Ceremony... and he has awakened his Bloodline."

Grandpa Jaya’s eyes widened in surprise and joy. Truthfully, he had assumed Gara hadn’t awakened at all, especially since the boy hadn’t stepped outside the house since returning.

He thought Wina’s beloved son might be upset and had chosen to shut himself indoors. That was why he never brought up the topic with Wina until now.

"Congratulations, Gara." The old man’s wrinkled face beamed as he turned to him with a wide smile.

"Thank you very much, Grandpa," Gara replied politely.

Wina continued, "Gara’s Talent is water-based. It can significantly speed up the growth of herbs.

Thus, Gara wants to help me by using water from his Talent to tend the herb fields. But after thinking it through, we realized it would be unfair for me to keep managing the same large portion of land.

It might seem excessive... and not fair to the other villagers. So I’d like to return half of the field back to the village."

Earlier, they had agreed not to go into too much detail about Gara’s Talent. It was too powerful and too unique. Revealing too much could stir envy.

They trusted Grandpa Jaya completely, but in a small village, rumors spread fast and not everyone was kind-hearted.

For a moment, the old man sat in awe, making sure he had heard correctly. A Talent like that... it was extraordinary. Even more extraordinary than the founder of Falopo Town.

"I hope you don’t mind me saying this," Grandpa Jaya said slowly, "but Gara’s Talent is incredible.

Rather than using it for farming, wouldn’t it be wiser to work as a Liner in town?

It’s not even a dangerous job. He could build a real future for himself. Maybe in a few years, you won’t be confined to this tiny village anymore. You could move to town or even the county."

It was clear he meant well. He truly wanted the best for them.

And Wina and Gara understood that. They could feel the genuine care behind his words.

"Grandpa Jaya..." Gara spoke up this time. "Actually, I like living in the village. I was the one who asked Mom to stay. I don’t want her to overwork herself, so I’m just trying to use what I have to help her the best I can."

Seeing the unwavering look in the young man’s eyes, Grandpa Jaya didn’t argue further.

Instead, he shifted the conversation toward the matter of the land.

"If you’re truly set on returning it," he said at last, "then so be it. I’m an old man now. Even the field I used to manage, I’ve rented most of it out to other villagers. I have no intention of reclaiming your field."

The herb field Wina had been cultivating was originally a gift from the village chief himself, given when she decided to settle in the village years ago.

At the time, the agreement was simple: a fifty-fifty share of the harvest, since the land still technically belonged to him.

Over the years, however, that share began to shift, first to seventy-thirty, then ninety-ten, until eventually Grandpa Jaya refused to take anything at all.

He had declared the past profits as payment for the land, and from that day on, the field belonged to Wina.

But in her heart, Wina never considered it hers. She always remembered whose land it had once been and knew that someday, she would return it.

After all, Grandpa Jaya still had children, and one day they would rightfully inherit his estate.

That’s why she came to see him now, even if he clearly had no desire to reclaim the land.

Neither Wina nor Gara had expected this conversation to unfold like this.

Most people would have seen this as an opportunity for gain, not like Grandpa Jaya. He was, as always, too relaxed for that.

Seeing their troubled expressions, Grandpa Jaya cleared his throat gently.

"You can just rent your portion out to another villager. Abram, whose field lies next to yours, came by a few days ago asking to rent mine for his youngest son who’s returning to the village."

Wina and Gara brightened instantly.

In Gara’s memory, Grandpa Abram was the quintessential village elder, gruff in voice and stature, but with a kind heart.

He often caught birds for Gara when he was a child.

After Abram’s children had moved out of the village to start families elsewhere, he began to treat Gara—then the only small child left in the village—like his own grandchild.

In truth, nearly all the elders doted on Gara. As a boy, he was pale, plump, always dressed neatly, and had a charm that made even the sternest villagers soften.

"Elder Jaya, in that case, please offer my share of the field to Elder Abram’s son," Wina offered.

Grandpa Jaya nodded thoughtfully. "I’ll speak with Abram tomorrow. The rent will go to you, of course. This old man isn’t greedy enough to take what’s rightly yours."

"That won’t be necessary, Elder," Wina replied quickly. "We’re already doing fine with the field we still manage."

But Grandpa Jaya insisted. To him, the field had long ceased to be his, and he refused to take anything from it.

The two people gently tugged the matter back and forth until they finally agreed: they would split the rental profit evenly.

Since the land certificate was still under Grandpa Jaya’s name, there was no bureaucracy to worry about.

A simple written agreement was drawn up between Wina and the village chief, and that was enough.

Gara didn’t get involved.

The next day, while they settled the rental arrangements, he stayed at home tending to the herbs and continuing his small experiments.

Only when Wina returned that evening did she speak about what happened, a faint irritation on her face.

...