Chapter 44 — The Innate Ability.

Kael watched her go, a satisfied gleam in his eyes. He hadn’t just gotten the milk; he had successfully planted a seed of obsession in the mind of the most prominent milk lady in Korua. He knew that, sooner or later, she would be back for more.

Lyla quickly pulled her clothes back into place, the urgency in her movements betraying how rattled she truly was.

She offered a hurried, distracted goodbye to Amber, who, sensing her friend’s sudden need to escape, didn’t attempt to prolong the visit.

Just as Lyla reached the threshold, she heard Kael’s footsteps behind her. He held out the earthen bowl, his expression studiously polite.

"Ahem... Aunt Lyla, I think this is quite a bit more than what we paid for, isn’t it?"

Lyla paused at the doorway and turned back, a low, heady giggle escaping her lips as she looked at the container he held—overflowing with the fruits of his technique. She didn’t offer to take it back.

Instead, she flashed him a look that was equal parts patronizing and promising.

"That is your reward, little Kael. You can keep it, and drink it all up. Just remember to perform well at the upcoming ceremony, and who knows? Perhaps Granny herself might see fit to invite you to visit the farms."

She blew him a playful kiss, then turned and stepped out into the crisp air. Kael stood in the doorway, watching her stride toward her cart.

With a final, graceful motion, she climbed onto the seat and snapped the reins. "Move," she commanded, her voice firm as she directed the massive, hulking Ratga pulling the cart to lurch forward.

Kael stayed on the porch, the heavy, warm bowl in his hands, watching the cart rattle down the road. The Ratga’s steady, heavy footsteps echoed through the quiet, but Kael was already focused on the sweetness in the bowl.

After Lyla left, Amber stood in the living room, feeling completely astounded. Her son had been giving her back-to-back surprises without stopping ever since he had woken up from his four-day-long slumber. She couldn’t hold her curiosity back any longer.

"Kael, tell me the truth," she asked, looking at him intently. "Did anyone actually teach you the technique you used to milk Lyla?"

Kael looked at her calmly and replied, "No, Mom. I was telling her the truth. In fact, I have never used that technique on anyone before today. You would have definitely noticed if I had been practicing something like that."

Amber thought about it for a moment. He was right; she was always nearby, and she would have certainly seen him if he had been learning or practicing such a skill.

Sighing, she decided to drop the matter for now, though she couldn’t shake the feeling that her son had changed in ways she was only beginning to understand.

After that Amber called Mira down and they all headed to the bath together. Kael didn’t miss the opportunity, once again asking his mother and sister to show him their backsides.

This time, there was no hesitation or fuss from Mira; she willingly exposed herself to him and allowed him to slide his fingers into her, exploring her intimately as they washed. Despite the thrill of the contact, the bath passed without any new discoveries or complications.

Kael had every intention of making a trip back to see his aunt, but his mother shut that idea down before it could even gain traction.

"Kael, Mira, I need help from both of you with the garden," she said firmly.

Instead of being with his aunt as he had hoped, Kael found himself relegated to the dirt, pulling weeds alongside his mother and sister.

He knew he couldn’t refuse them; maintaining his facade as the dutiful, sweet boy was essential, and a sudden change in attitude would risk undoing all the progress he’d made.

He resigned himself to the chore, but he was far from idle. As he sat among the flowerbeds, tugging rhythmically at the weeds, he decided to turn the tedious labor into a productive session for his own growth.

He closed his eyes slightly, focusing his mind on his internal pathways, and began to work on his mana circulation, letting the energy flow through his body in time with his movements.

Kael had begun to genuinely enjoy this mana circulation practice. It might have been the intoxicating, powerful sensation of the mana gushing through his veins, or perhaps it was his subconscious mind taking the dragon’s warning to heart.

He knew that if his life were truly at risk, he could rely on no one but himself; those who depended on others always seemed to meet a bad end.

He sat on the ground, lost in the refreshing, cool current of mana as it coursed through his meridians. He shifted his focus, sensing the flow of energy both within his body and interacting with the world around him.

"What happened here, Brother?"

Mira’s voice rang out, loud and filled with shock, snapping Kael out of his trance. It didn’t take long for him to see the reason for her astonishment.

The patch of ground where he had been sitting was now covered in thick, lush grass that had grown nearly a foot in height in the span of a single minute.

For a few moments, Kael felt like he was dreaming—how could grass grow that much in such a short time?

"Brother, did you do that?" Mira asked, staring at him with eyes wide in disbelief.

As much as Kael wanted to deny it, he knew there was no other logical explanation.

A cold, calculating thought sharpened in his mind: he needed to be much more careful with his mana before he went through the official ceremony.

Revealing such raw, potent magical ability before his official baptism would only draw the attention of powerful people.

He was still a rookie; if those in power felt threatened, it wouldn’t take them long to eliminate him.

He put on his most convincing, confused expression and looked up at his sister.

"How could I do something like that, little sister? You know as well as I do that I don’t have any magical abilities at the moment."

Mira seemed to accept his denial, though her gaze lingered on the lush patch of grass with deep suspicion.

Still, in a world where magic was as common as the air they breathed, she eventually shrugged it off as some bizarre, localized phenomenon.

"Leaving that aside," she huffed, crossing her arms, "why didn’t you answer Mom? She was calling us for lunch. You didn’t answer, so I had to come look for you. Humph!"

Before Kael could even frame a reply, she waved a dismissive hand. "Whatever, you don’t need to tell me. Just make sure you get rid of that grass patch, even if it has nothing to do with you. For now, you might as well come have lunch with us."

Kael could only huff in silent frustration as he stood up. Who is supposed to be the elder sibling here? he wondered, shaking his head at her bossy tone.

He took one final, appraising look at the overgrown plot. The implication was clear: his mana wasn’t just raw energy; it had a distinct, nature-based affinity.

So, my abilities are going to be tied to plants, he thought, his brow furrowing. That’s a powerful start, but how am I supposed to use flowers and grass to save my sorry ass from the dangerous people I’m going to have to face?

He offered a wry, secret smile—a mask of innocence returning to his features—and turned his back on the anomalous garden patch, heading inside to join his mother for the midday meal.

*****

Advance Chapters of this Is now Available on Patreon.

Together with Exclusive Character Arts.

Check it out

/ITz_DeaD