CHAPTER 156: CHAPTER-156.

Ken’s lips twitched into a shy smile, the kind that flashed too quickly before he lowered his head, almost as if embarrassed by his own expression. His shoulders hunched ever so slightly as he gave a small bow and turned away, quietly following after his teammates. Kaya gave a slow nod as she watched them go, her eyes lingering longer than she intended.

There was something about it that caught her off guard—not just Ken’s reaction, but all of them. A kind of soft change she hadn’t expected.

She had seen people broken before. Even in her own world, where slavery was illegal, it didn’t mean it didn’t happen. And when they rescued those who had suffered, most didn’t recover. Some stayed stuck in their silence for the rest of their lives. Some even gave up entirely. Kaya had never let herself expect much. She didn’t believe in miraculous healing or instant change. She just wanted her house built, a place to breathe in peace.

But now... seeing this? Watching these people—who had no therapy, no doctors, no special intervention—start to smile, talk, blush? It felt strange. Almost unreal.

Were they just incredibly strong, mentally? Or was this... actually real?

Kaya didn’t have the answer. But she found herself standing there, thinking longer than she thought she would.

.

.

.

As Kaya had instructed, the flyers returned with everything she’d asked for—every single leaf she had distributed was now back in their hands. They didn’t just bring the fruits from the tree either; they went ahead and brought everything related to it. If Kaya had even vaguely mentioned she wanted the whole plant, they made sure to deliver exactly that.

What surprised her most was how careful they had been. Instead of just yanking the plants from the soil, they had dug them up gently, preserving the roots with surprising precision. The earth around them was dotted with small holes—evidence of their patient work.

One of the plants Kaya had really wanted was Thor. It had taken them a while, combing through the forest and nearby areas, but they finally found one. The plant was much larger than she expected. Since transplanting the whole thing wasn’t practical, Kaya asked them to chop it into pieces—nothing too small, but not massive either. About the length of an arm. They planted those chunks at even intervals, placing them in a rough circle around the house, about twenty meters out.

Thor didn’t grow fast, but that wasn’t a problem. It didn’t need much—just a bit of side water, and it would keep growing. That was all Kaya needed. She was already building a barrier out of wood and stone, but the idea of layering that with living plants made her feel a little more prepared... a little more in control.

As she moved around, Kaya also noticed a few familiar herbs—simple, common ones. Tulsi, for example. It grew easily, and if she planted enough of it, it could help with colds and coughs later. She made a mental note to spread it wherever she could.

Then came the fruit. The apples here were just as she suspected—massive. Much bigger than any she had seen before. She instructed them to slice the apples with a stone knife, cut them down into small pieces, and dry them as much as possible. The cold season was creeping in, but they still had some time. She didn’t want to waste the harvest. If they left the apples as they were, they’d just rot eventually.

Kaya wasn’t sure what else the wild would offer—what vegetables or fruits might grow hidden in some hole or tucked under thick leaves. Honestly, who even had time to wander out and explore right now? But one thing was certain: their storage space didn’t have any protected or sealed areas. That meant she had to gather everything ripe—or even unripe—while she could.

And for the unripe ones? She’d bury them in dry grass and wait. Eventually, they’d ripen on their own... and they’d have something to eat.

As night settled in and everyone was gathered around, eating quietly under the stars, Kaya suddenly froze, her spoon halfway to her mouth.

"Damn it," she muttered under her breath.

How could she forget something so basic?

Her oil.

Not the cooking one—though that mattered too—but the kind she used for her hair and skin. In her world, she had options. Even if she didn’t go for fancy brands, there were always things—cleansers, moisturizers, hair oils—something to keep the body feeling like its own.

Here? Nothing. The only thing she had that remotely counted as oil was the fatty residue that came from boiling or frying meat—lard, basically. But that wasn’t the same. It was greasy, hard to wash off, and it made her skin feel like it was coated in something thick and smothering.

She needed coconut oil.

At the very least.

Forget about olive oil—that was out of the question in this world. She’d tried looking for anything remotely close, but no luck. Coconut, though... yeah. That was possible. Coconuts grew near the sea, and if she could get her hands on enough, she could make her own oil. She knew how to. It wasn’t complicated like pressing olives or seeds with machines. Coconut oil could be made manually, with time and effort.

But there was one big, annoying problem.

They were far—really far—from the coast now. Flying back to the sea would take at least two days... and another two to return. A full four-day detour just for coconuts.

And that wasn’t even the worst part.

The merfolk.

Kaya’s jaw clenched at the memory. No matter what, she couldn’t forget how they treated her. The humiliation, the threats. It made her skin crawl just thinking about it. And now? Now she’d have to send her own beastmen—her people—back through that same area?

Could she even trust the merfolk wouldn’t lash out again? Why would they suddenly let them go peacefully?

Her mind buzzed with uncertainty. But the need for coconut oil didn’t fade. It wasn’t just a luxury. It was becoming a necessity—one she could feel with every dry patch on her arms and every strand of tangled hair. Something had to be done.