CHAPTER 71: DIE

But Wina wouldn’t let it go just like that.

"You! I told you—!"

The floodgates opened, and Wina’s scolding poured forth. Gara stayed silent, head lowered in guilt and regret, enduring the repeated warnings he’d heard many times before.

While she lectured, Gara gave Fian a subtle signal to wheel the cart inside. Fian obeyed, slipping past without a word. Wina barely glanced at him before continuing her tirade.

Gara was still thinking about what to do with the meat and hide when Rea, in the middle of carrying her tiny children into the house, suddenly retched.

Both Gara and Wina turned sharply toward the little ball of white fur.

They rushed to her side. The white squirrel, lively just moments ago, was now foaming black from the mouth.

Gara’s heart clenched—he remembered the crystal Rea had eaten. The serpent must have been poisonous... and the crystal likely carried the same toxin.

Without hesitation, Gara forced his water between her lips as he carried her into the house.

Meanwhile Wina gathered up the baby squirrels and hurried them into Gara’s room, where one of their siblings was already waiting.

Laying Rea on the cloth-covered table in the front room, Gara worked quickly. He had no proper antidote, so he kept forcing her to drink water and coaxing her to vomit.

"Rea, stay with me. Come on, spit it out!"

Her eyes were beginning to roll back. Gara’s pulse pounded. He would not—could not—allow anyone close to him to be lost.

He refused to let his life in this fantasy world become one of constant death and sacrifice, like the novels he used to read.

Everyone around him would make it to the end. All of them.

With that resolve, Gara pressed more water into her mouth and massaged her belly, brewing any herbs he could—some to boost stamina, others to ease stomach pain. Anything that might help.

Fian watched with a hollow expression. He’d seen too many fellow slaves die; the loss of one or two more souls hardly shook him.

The only thing weighing on him now... was the panic and desperation in Gara’s eyes.

As for Wina, she couldn’t bring herself to watch. She slipped into the kitchen, after bringing Gara hot water for the herbs.

The little squirrel had once saved her from the vile hands of Dilan the thug. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing her.

Her eyes blurred with tears as she whispered silent prayers over the kitchen counter.

In the front room, every passing second weighed heavier on the air. Sweat trickled down the sides of Gara’s face.

Rea’s belly had swollen—likely from the sheer amount of water Gara had been forcing into her.

"Come on, Rea. You have children... don’t you dare die on me!" Gara’s voice was hoarse. If not for the effort to hold them back, tears would already be streaming down his cheeks.

He lifted Rea again, tilting her head downward.

"Hooekk!"

Suddenly, Rea vomited a thick stream of inky black liquid.

"Why is it getting worse?" Gara didn’t stop, forcing more water into her mouth.

But as the last of the water went down, Rea’s eyes—once rolled back—returned to normal. The foamy white froth around her lips had vanished.

"Rea!" Gara called, realizing the black liquid was most likely poison leaving her body.

"Cciitt." The squirrel’s faint, weak chirp reached his ears.

It was enough. Relief crashed through him like a wave. He set her gently on the table, his own body nearly collapsing—only for Fian to catch him just in time.

Gara’s head lolled weakly toward the elf, his voice soft. "Rea’s safe." His thin smile, though faint, was utterly genuine.

Fian’s heart pounded. Every detail of Gara in that moment seemed... dangerously tempting—the sweat-damp strands of hair clinging to his forehead, the pale pink curve of his parted lips, the tired yet smiling eyes, even the glimpse of collarbone peeking from his shirt.

Conclusion: every small detail about Gara was far too alluring.

For someone who had never been drawn to anyone before, the sensation baffled Fian... but it wasn’t unwelcome.

Meanwhile, Gara felt the sudden heat radiating from Fian’s body—and something pressing against his back.

Before he could turn, Fian had already stepped away. "I still need to store the snake meat and hide," he said, striding toward the door.

What... just happened? Gara blinked in confusion.

"Your Max Charm just activated, hehehe."

Gara froze. The robotic laughter of the goddess was far too pleased.

Why would my Max Charm suddenly activate when I’m not even in danger? he asked silently.

"Max Charm activates when you’re near someone capable of getting you pregnant," Goddess Freya replied matter-of-factly.

"...No wonder..."

Now that he thought about it, every time he was alone with Madha, the man seemed wilder... bolder.

Maybe Langga hadn’t released him after learning he wasn’t the one who poisoned him—half because of Max Charm’s influence... or maybe just because the man was simply immoral.

But still, Goddess! I’m already pregnant. What’s the point of activating Max Charm now? It’s not like I can get pregnant twice!

"First, it’s better to lay the groundwork early. Once your baby is born, you can conceive again faster. Second, double pregnancy is not impossible."

Gara’s jaw dropped.

You’re telling me to get pregnant again right after giving birth?! Are you insane?! And double pregnancy? That’s—

His voice cut off, not because someone had silenced him, but because he’d just realized... what he thought was impossible might not be impossible at all.

He did not want to imagine that scenario. Conversations with Goddess Freya always left him with the most disturbing "fun facts."

"Cccitt ccitt."

His thoughts were broken by the sound of the white squirrel—now standing bright-eyed and lively, as if she hadn’t just been at death’s door.

"You’re feeling better? Hungry? Wait here. I’ll pick a few nutrient-rich flowers for you."

Gara stepped outside. Rea leapt from the table to follow, bounding in a half-hop, half-run toward the door.

The little creature stopped in front of a ripe poppy seed pod, hopped up, and bit into it with gusto.

"Don’t—!"

...