CHAPTER 68: STAY

Wina continued, "I’ve informed Captain Tristan to take care of your slave status. In a few days, he’ll come to the village to deliver your certificate and your identity as a commoner. You’re free to explore the outside world."

It was supposed to be good news—something to celebrate—but Fian only furrowed his brow and gave a slow shake of his head.

"You don’t want to leave?" Gara asked.

Fian nodded instead, eyes pleading.

That look reminded Gara of a stray puppy silently begging to be adopted.

He quickly added, "If you really want to stay here, then that’s totally fine. Your room’s already been built anyway, right?"

Fian nodded eagerly, a small smile appearing on his face. Wina didn’t object either. She felt sorry for the boy.

And for some reason—one she couldn’t quite explain—Fian still hadn’t spoken a word. She worried that he would be bullied outside.

As long as his presence didn’t cause trouble for Gara, she didn’t mind letting him here.

...

The next day, the sprouts were ready to be transplanted into the herb field. Wina, Gara, Fian—even Madha—joined in the planting.

Madha came carrying planks and bamboo to build a connecting door between Fian’s room and the main house.

By the end of the day, everything was done. Madha even built a wooden bed using extra lumber. If it weren’t for the sharp glares he shot Fian every time they crossed paths, people might’ve thought Madha actually cared about him.

That night, Gara was absolutely drained. The day had sapped every last drop of his energy. The moment he lay down, sleep wrapped him up like a warm blanket and whisked him away into dreams.

The next morning, Gara felt completely refreshed, especially after drinking his self-made Niskara herbal tea, is own blend using Niskara herbs as the main ingredient.

Thanks to the Niskara tea, he had been able to go days without any morning sickness.

Wina was amazed when she found out that Niskara—usually just used for flavoring dishes and water—actually had other uses if processed the right way.

That afternoon, as the heat scorched everything in sight, Gara sat on a rattan lounge chair Madha had brought and sipped on his latest concoction—a soda made from Lumora tea mixed with ice produced by Fian’s Talent, which had been confirmed safe to consume.

"Finally, cold soda!" Gara cheered. "Ahhh~"

Fian sat across from him, on another rattan lounge chair with a small table between them holding their glasses. His eyes smiled as he looked at Gara.

He had tried the so-called "soda" Gara made, but the sour aftertaste didn’t suit him. He preferred bitter flavors over tangy ones.

They sat in silence, enjoying the soft breeze of the afternoon. Until a round, white blur suddenly shot toward Gara.

In a flash, Fian nearly reacted with a glacial spike. Gladly, he realized the blur was none other than Rea, the white squirrel.

Rea landed in Gara’s palm, squeaking in distress. Gara’s brow furrowed in concern.

"Let’s go save your baby," Gara said, rising to his feet.

Fian stood too, even though he had no idea what was going on.

Gara was about to tell him to stay behind. But after remembering Fian possessed two Talents, both useful for defense and evasion, he decided not to say a word.

"Rea’s nest is deep in the forest on the mountain," Gara explained while walking out of the yard. "It’s where she keeps her babies. But a giant snake suddenly showed up and started lurking around. She managed to distract it and get here. Luckily, the villagers’ wire barrier kept the snake from entering the herb field, but it’s still prowling near the tree where the nest is. We have to save Rea’s babies before it’s too late."

He cast a quick glance back at the house, hoping he’d return before his mother noticed he was gone.

He wasn’t planning to do anything reckless. He would avoid confronting the snake directly if he could. The most important thing was getting Rea’s babies to safety.

They sprinted up the mountain path. Thankfully, ever since he started drinking herb tea with his water regularly, his stamina had increased. He didn’t feel tired at all.

Fian, too, looked perfectly fine.

They passed through the herb field and continued climbing upward. As they neared the wire barrier set up by the villagers, Gara signaled for them to slow down.

"From here on out, we need to be careful. No rushing. Stay alive, that’s the priority," he instructed.

Gara took the lead with Rea perched on his shoulder. Fian followed just a step behind.

Krekk.

In the silence of the forest, their footsteps sounded ten times louder than usual, pounding like drums against the stillness. Gara’s heart thudded in response.

Fian suddenly turned his head, alert. Three seconds later, Rea let out a sharp squeak.

"Cciit! Cciit!" she chirped, pointing to the right with her tiny paws.

Without hesitation, Gara veered left, avoiding whatever snake Rea had sensed. He still hadn’t seen the creature yet, but Rea’s instincts were reliable.

The trees all looked the same, however Gara could tell they were getting close to the nest. Just ahead stood a massive banyan tree.

"Cciitt!!"

Rea’s screech sounded like tires screeching to a halt. So loud in his left ear that it made him wince, especially with her sitting on his left shoulder.

Trying to steady himself, Gara looked ahead, just in time to see a spike of ice erupt from the ground about a meter away from the banyan tree.

Before he could ask why Fian had attacked, the ice shattered, revealing a snake so massive it looked like it had crawled out of a nightmare.

Its size was beyond anything that belonged on Earth. The creature was about a meter and a half thick, and its length... Gara couldn’t even see the end of its tail. On the crown of its head, there was red crystal, making the snake deemed more menacing.

Its gaping jaws towered higher than Gara’s head.

If it swallowed him whole, there wouldn’t even be a trace left. He would be completely crushed inside it.

The snake surged forward, gliding across the ground with terrifying speed, as if it were floating.

...