64 - Rice Fields

The next morning, Nexha woke before everyone else, excitement thrumming in his chest, making it impossible to stay asleep. His new project was finally complete—now he just had to see if the rice shoots had begun to sprout.

He swam swiftly to the rooftops of the houses, which were now connected into a single structure. His gaze swept over the sand spread across the surface, anchoring the plants' roots. The gentle current made the tiny shoots sway, as if dancing with the filtered light from above.

— Perfect! — Nexha grinned, pride swelling within him.

Now, only one thing remained—showing his creation to the others.

Krahs was the first to wake, immediately noticing that Nexha had already disappeared from his bed of soft algae.

— That boy... off on another crazy idea again,— he muttered.

He swam out of the house, still groggy, but soon spotted Nexha floating near the new rooftop. The boy had that gleam in his eyes—the one he always got when he invented something new.

—Nexha, what are you up to now?

— Father! You’re finally awake! Come see what I made!

Krahs raised an eyebrow but approached. One by one, the others began to wake and followed him. Lilay yawned lazily, while Nalu rubbed her eyes, still half-asleep. Zhaelor came last, his usual watchful gaze scanning the scene—but Nexha noticed that, for some reason, he seemed a bit... irritated.

Clapping his hands together, Nexha beamed.

— Everyone, I present to you... our very first functional rice field!

The group stared at the swaying sprouts. Lilay frowned.

— Okay... but what is it? Algae?

— Well, its original name is 'Golden-Haired Lady,' but I prefer to call it rice.

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The atmosphere shifted. The adults exchanged uncomfortable glances. Nexha noticed the change in expression but couldn't understand why.

Nalu turned bright red, avoiding eye contact. Krahs let out a heavy sigh, then looked at Zhaelor, who crossed his arms and said dryly:

— It was the man from his dreams who gave it to him. Don’t look at me—I would never give something like this to a child.

The adults immediately looked even more unsettled. Nexha still didn’t understand. What was wrong with the plant? Ignoring their reactions, he continued explaining to Lilay, who seemed to be the only one oblivious to the awkwardness.

— So... we’re going to eat algae instead of fish? —Lilay asked, barely holding back laughter.

— We’re not eating the plant itself—we eat the seeds! They look like grains of sand, but when cooked, they become soft and really nutritious.

Lilay plucked a strand of the plant and dangled it in front of his eyes.

— Looks kinda weak… are you sure this actually makes food?

— I’m absolutely sure!

Krahs stroked his chin, taking a deep breath. Though discomfort still lingered in his expression, his tone was calmer when he finally spoke.

— If this really is a source of food, it could be useful… But how do you know it’s safe to eat?

— I already told you, Father! Once it grows, I’ll cook a meal for everyone. You’ll see how good it is!

The adults exchanged looks once more. A heavy silence fell over them. Nexha couldn’t shake the feeling that, for some reason, they looked… embarrassed?

In the end, Krahs simply sighed and nodded.

— Alright. But you eat it first.

The boy’s face lit up with a radiant smile.

Before he could celebrate, Lilay raised a hand.

— Does it take long to grow? ‘Cause I’m hungry now.

— It grows fast! The plant has an accelerated growth rate. In just a few days, we’ll be able to harvest our first batch!

Zhaelor, still visibly skeptical, raised an eyebrow.

— Great. Now tell me—have you thought about what to do after you harvest?

Nexha grinned.

— I have! After the first harvest, we can expand the field and… maybe start storing food!

The group fell silent again. But this time, it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence—it was thoughtful.

— Storing food? —Krahs repeated.

— Yes! If we have reserves, we won’t have to hunt every single day. Plus, if a storm hits or a crisis happens, we won’t starve.

Krahs studied Nexha carefully. And for the first time, his expression softened. He looked… proud.

Zhaelor, on the other hand, crossed his arms and muttered under his breath:

— Hmph… This boy doesn’t even realize what that plant truly means.

Lilay still seemed a bit skeptical, but curiosity was clear in his eyes.

In the end, Krahs gave a small nod.

— You’ve thought this through, Nexha. If this works, it’ll be a big step forward for all of us.

Nexha beamed.

— Then let’s get to work!

And so, the village’s first attempt at underwater agriculture began.

Little did they know, that humble rice field would be the first step toward something much greater...