63-Golden-Haired Lady?
The next morning, as soon as he woke up, Nexha quickly opened the shop again and searched for the plant from the night before. Before purchasing it, he carefully analyzed the description.
[Golden-Haired Lady]
Classification: Very rare
Ability: Fast growth.
Description: A very rare plant that only grows in shallow waters or near small islands. Usually recognized by its golden fruit curls, which, when ripe, resemble blonde hair. Many legends say that eating its seeds can increase fertility.
—...Okay, the culture of this world can be pretty weird sometimes. I really hope that’s not true... Feeding an entire population could become a problem if everyone starts having more kids than food.
Even with that concern, he bought the plant for 5 MD, which he considered cheap for the benefits it would bring. Carefully storing it, Nexha headed to the moray seaweed forest to start building the new floors.
With not much else to do, Zhaelor decided to help. At first, he thought a second floor for the houses was unnecessary, but he didn’t question it—if his young master wanted it, he would assist.
His confusion only grew when Nexha asked to place sand on the second-floor rooftops. But realizing that the current might wash it away, the boy had another idea: he built a wall extending to the surface to prevent the soil from being carried off.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
After an entire morning and part of the afternoon of work, everything was ready. Nexha smiled, satisfied, and took out the plant to begin planting. But suddenly, Zhaelor tensed up, his expression changing drastically.
— Where did you get that? — he asked, his voice laced with something between concern and anger.
"Uh... It just appeared near me when I woke up," Nexha tried to deflect.
Zhaelor remained silent for a few moments, his mind seeming to process something important.
— I don’t believe that son of a b...
He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed the child next to him. Taking a deep breath, he recomposed himself and placed his massive flipper on Nexha’s shoulder, his gaze serious.
— Nexha, if that man from your dreams ever offers you anything, never accept it, okay?
—...Okay. — Nexha nodded slowly, not fully understanding the reason behind that reaction.
However, at that moment, his mind was more focused on his first rice field. So, he decided to worry about it later.
Meanwhile, in the cold castle, the man bound to the throne let out a loud sneeze.
— It seems my old friend is speaking of me — he mused, his voice a smooth whisper against the cold silence of the chamber. —I can only hope he isn't filling my little star's ears with unflattering tales.
A slow, crooked smile curled his lips as he leaned back against the frozen throne, fingers tapping idly against the armrest. The vast, dimly lit hall stretched before him, its icy walls shimmering under the pale glow of enchanted lanterns.
He exhaled. What could they possibly be saying about him? A warning? A plea? Or perhaps—something far more amusing?
Chuckling softly, he rested his chin on his hand, his eyes gleaming with intrigue.
— Ah… how I do love being the subject of conversation.