228 A Father's Ambition
“Ahem!” Anara cleared her throat, producing an audible gulp as she prepared to speak. She hesitated for a moment before responding, “I’m alright. It’s just that this is the first time I am feeling something other than my essence in my flower. It feels a bit uncomfortable, but I will try to adjust to it.”
While she shared her thoughts, I cupped the back of her head, running my fingers through her long, shimmering green hair that was adorned with vine bounds. My other hand gently encircled her waist as I carefully lowered her onto the soft grass.
ƥαṇdαηθνε|
“Haaaa!!! Haaaa!!!!” I focused on regulating my breathing while Anara turned her body towards me, both of us still lying on the soil. “So, how are you feeling now?” she inquired. Expecting her question, after already noticing her from the corner of my eyes, I responded to her with a warm smile gracing the side of my lips. “I’m fine now. Surprisingly, using your flower hole worked even better than we expected. My penis doesn’t hurt anymore.”
A sigh of relief escaped Anara’s lips as she nodded, her face lightly grazing against the grass. Then, she abruptly suggested, “Since everything’s okay, I think it’s best to inform the Chief about what happened. Perhaps he can find a way to prevent such occurrences in the future, considering how painful it was.”
My eyes widened in alarm as I quickly turned my head towards Anara. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to bother the Chief with this issue right now. Besides, I believe this happened because I was too exhausted and drained….. Actually, I had already planned to visit Greta, the village healer, for treatment. Knowing her expertise, I’m sure the Chief would consult her first. So, it’s better if I take care of it myself.”
Anara let out another sigh, nodding in understanding. “Alright, I suppose you’re right,” she said. “But now that we’re finished, I should get…..”
“Waaaawwww… WaaaaaaaaaaaWW!!”
“WAAAAAAWWW!!!”
My body jerked upright the moment I heard the excruciating, piercing sound that penetrated my ears without obstruction, causing me to wince in pain as my ears instinctively twitched. But, as the cries continued, I slowly regained my composure, only to hear a deep exhale next to me, rushing into my ears.
“They are awake…” Anara’s voice broke the silence, answering the question lingering in my mind. And I didn’t need to guess who ‘they’ were, as Anara had already warned me not to disturb ‘the ones on the left’ because they were asleep. Now, it seemed that they had awakened, and I couldn’t deny my curiosity about how Anara cared for them.
However, with my mind now settled, I actively searched for a solution for the babies. Although these babies would contribute to the growth of a new settlement and their awakened gifts might be useful, there was a challenge. Raising over 60 children discreetly would require the cooperation of the Village Chief, the caretakers, and other key figures, without the whole village becoming aware.
But the real problem would arise when the new settlement was fully built and occupied because the villagers, known for their tight-knit nature, would undoubtedly sense that something was amiss. The sudden appearance of over 60 individuals would be unsettling for them, if not entirely unnatural.
And one undeniable truth was that, despite their different culture and way of life, they were far from being stupid, just as the Village Chief and others had demonstrated.
Honestly, the only plans that currently occupied my thoughts were enough to frighten me personally when I contemplated how to execute them. It was also enough to make me sigh in defeat, as not everything in this world was straightforward. Letting my sense of righteousness guide me might lead to more harm than good.
‘Ahhhhhh!’ I screamed, scratching my head within my mind. ‘Where is the HR that fires thousands of people without hesitation, regardless of their jobs or circumstances?’
“Orion…” Anara’s voice suddenly resonated in my ears, snapping me out of my contemplation and redirecting my attention towards her. “I’m still experiencing some discomfort in my flower, and it’s affecting my ability to walk properly. I’ll need your help to stand up and soothe the babies, so they don’t disturb the other tree nymphs nearby.”
Without uttering a single word, I rose to my feet and extended my hand downwards for her to grasp, helping her stand up. As she regained her footing, she immediately wrapped her hand around my neck for support, and I placed my arm around her lower waist as we proceeded towards the left hut.
Upon reaching our destination, I pulled the door open and was met with a scene similar to the one in the right hut, except all the babies were now awake and screaming at the top of their tiny lungs.
Anara let out a tired sigh, freeing herself from my shoulders, and limped towards the children with some effort in her steps. She extended her right hand and began to make fluid swinging gestures through the air, causing the vines to mimic her movements.
Surprisingly, the vines started to uproot themselves from the ground, cradling the babies within their vine-formed embrace. They swayed back and forth, soothing some of the infants and quieting their cries.
Noticing that some of the babies remained inconsolable, I spoke up, breaking the silence. “Can I give it a try?” Anara turned her head towards me and responded with a warm smile, nodding in agreement. “Sure, go ahead. Just be careful. My vines can only soothe or lull them to sleep for a limited time before they awaken again, so removing the vines will only agitate them further.”
Fully understanding the challenge, I nodded in acknowledgement, before my gaze settled on a baby within close proximity. Carefully, I scooped the infant into my arms, gently detaching it from the comforting embrace of the vines. And in an instant, just as Anara had warned, the volume of the child’s screams escalated, reverberating through the air with a piercing force.