CHAPTER 32: ACCELERATING GROWTH

Unlike regular flytraps, Nofloris’s trap didn’t catch insects, it held water. And the best part? This plant could detect the toxicity level of any liquid stored inside. Its trap would change color depending on how poisonous the water was.

Gara intended to use it as a poison detector. According to Wina:

Bright green meant safe.

Yellow indicated a toxin level that might cause an upset stomach.

Red could paralyze or kill within 24 hours.

Black meant instant death.

Gara began testing with Thimvine, trying to determine which part of the plant was most poisonous: the seed, the cocoon seed, the leaf, or the vine itself. Some parts he dried in the sun, others he boiled.

He got so caught up in the experiment that he didn’t notice Wina had returned.

"Gara! What are you doing?!" she yelled, furious.

"Mom, I’m fine! Look—I’m wearing gloves, a face cover, foot covers, even a head cover," Gara replied, hoping she would understand.

But Wina was still angry. She grabbed him and pulled him out of the kitchen, which was now filled with experimental materials. She was absolutely livid.

Gara pulled his arm back, then said firmly, "Mom, I’ve already been trapped with a wicked man once. That time, I had no idea what kind of threats this world really holds, because no one ever told me. I understand you were trying to protect me, but keeping me from doing anything... that’s just another way of destroying me!

If he were the original owner, this was what he would say.

Wina’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. His words pierced her like a blade. It was true, the protection she’d tried so hard to give him had turned into a double-edged sword.

Gara felt a little guilty. He hadn’t meant to guilt-trip her, but she had to realize that keeping her child ignorant was not the right way to protect him.

He hugged her gently, trying to comfort her. And she sobbed in his arms.

After a while, she finally stopped crying and apologized to Gara.

"I don’t blame you, Mom. I just want you to know that I’m grown up now. I even have Talents. From now on, I will protect you," Gara said with a smile.

"Thank you, Son," Wina replied, smiling back.

With Wina’s permission, Gara was finally given his own experimental space, the front room of their house.

A week passed with the same routine: watering and recording the growth of the Lumora plants, observing the development of Nerthalis, watering Belladonna and Poppy, and continuing his poison experiments.

"Gara, your water really does make a difference," Wina said in amazement, staring at the Lumora plants.

Despite only being a week old, the Lumora watered by Gara had already reached 20 nails in height. The neighboring one had reached 15 nails. Meanwhile, the ones Wina had watered with well water were only 10 nails tall. Even the ones she’d watered using Gara’s water were also 10 nails tall, but had significantly more leaves.

In just a week, Gara could already draw conclusions about his Talents. Both of them—Unlimited Water and Divine Fertility—clearly accelerated plant growth.

His poison experiments were also starting to yield results. He discovered that the vine of the Thimvine was the least toxic part—only toxic enough to cause a stomachache. It wasn’t instant died like before.

Next, he planned to test various dosages. He also conducted similar experiments with Aconite.

Amid all this excitement, Gara completely forgot that he was supposed to head to Falopo Town today with Madha to carry out their Liner mission.

Madha had already joined his uncle’s carriage early that morning, assuming Gara would be waiting at the fork road. But among all the people from Suruta Village, Gara was nowhere to be seen.

After asking around, Madha learned that the last time anyone had seen Gara was a week ago. Since then, Gara hadn’t left the house at all. But Wina was still working in the fields as usual.

Madha begged his uncle to wait so he could go check on Gara. His uncle eventually agreed.

Madha rushed off to Gara’s house. The low wooden fence let him see the tightly shut front door. He knocked, but no one answered. Eventually, he gave up and decided to leave.

He climbed back into the carriage, and it began moving.

Only then did Madha snap out of it.

What am I doing? Why did I just leave like that? I didn’t even check anywhere else!

Madha was deeply confused with himself but it was too late. The carriage had already left, and his uncle wouldn’t agree to stop again.

...

A week had passed. In front of Gara’s bamboo house, he and his mother were observing the Lumora plants he had labeled L3 and L4, which now stood 40 nails tall with large, brightly glowing yellow leaves.

"Lumora plants that grow this tall can only reach this stage if the one growing them has a fertility-related skill, Gara," Wina said in awe, glancing between the glowing plant and her son.

"Maybe the water from my Talent has a similar effect, Mom," Gara replied quickly, trying to sound casual. He knew that his Divine Fertility Talent also played a role here.

"Growing that fast—half the normal time—is amazing, Son. Your Talent is incredibly useful."

"I know, Mom. I have an idea..." Gara’s eyes sparkled as he looked at his mother with a serious expression.

"What kind of idea?" Wina asked, puzzled.

"What if, from now on, you use water from my Talent to water the herbs in your field?"

"Don’t joke around, Gara. It takes a lot of water to cover my whole field—it’s 10 by 20 arms wide."

"Then how about you reduce the size of the field you manage? With my water, plant growth time can be cut by 25%, even up to 50%, Mom. You won’t have to work as hard but can still earn the same income." Gara looked at her with pleading eyes. "I don’t want you to overwork yourself."

...