65-Doubts and Discomfort

  When Nexha and Lilay finally swam away, excited about expanding their plantation, the adults remained behind in silence. The air felt heavy. Krahs ran a hand down his face, exhaling deeply.

  — Golden-Haired Lady... That kid really has no idea what he's been given.

  — It's not his fault,— Nalu murmured, wrapping her arms around herself as if struck by a sudden chill. — He only sees it as food. But we know what that plant truly represents.

  — And that’s exactly why it’s a problem,— Zhaelor grumbled. His dark eyes were still locked onto the swaying plants, as if the sight itself unsettled him.— We grew up hearing stories about this thing. It's always been tied to... well, fertility, life energy, mating. Not food.

  Krahs clicked his tongue, irritated.

  — Exactly! There are entire places dedicated to it! And now he wants to turn it into a staple crop?

  — And he seems pretty determined,— Nalu sighed.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Krahs crossed his arms, glancing at the uneasy expressions around him.

  — Look... I understand why this makes you uncomfortable. But putting aside what it symbolizes—what if it’s actually useful?

  The others turned their eyes to him.

  — Think about it, — he continued. — We live off hunting and fishing, right? If this plantation works, it means we won’t have to rely solely on that. And let’s be honest—how many times have we struggled when the fish disappear or storms wipe everything out?

  — That’s true…— Nalu admitted, biting her lip.

  — Not to mention, Nexha is stubborn. He’s going to keep at this, with or without our approval. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better if we at least monitored things to make sure nothing goes wrong?

  Zhaelor let out a frustrated growl. He hated to admit it, but Krahs had a point. Nexha wouldn’t give up so easily.

  Nalu clenched her fists. The thought of eating something so... laden with symbolism still made her deeply uneasy.

  — If this actually works... are we just supposed to pretend we don’t know what it means and go along with it?

  She fell into a brief silence before finally answering her own question.

  — If Nexha can prove it’s safe and beneficial… then maybe it’s worth it.

  Krahs turned to Zhaelor.

  — And you?

  The older man exhaled slowly, tearing his gaze away from the plantation.

  — I hate this. But… I’m not foolish enough to stop the boy without a good reason. Let’s see how far he gets.

  For a few more moments, they stood there, watching the young shoots sway gently with the current. Something deep inside them whispered that this decision would change everything.

  For better or worse, only time would tell.