novelraw Chapter 43 : The Magic of Soil and Water
Chapter 43 : The Magic of Soil and Water
The morning sun was high when Father returned to the field, hoe slung across his shoulder. His steps were heavy, his breath uneven, but still he moved with that quiet, stubborn pride of a man who refused to yield.
I was waiting.
“Dad! Dad, look!” I called, waving both arms.
He frowned, pausing. “Rooga? What are you doing out here? This isn’t a place for play.”
“Not play!” I puffed my chest out. “Magic!”
He raised a brow. “Magic…? Out here?”
I nodded furiously, then turned to the soil. I lifted my small hand, focused, and with a soft pop, an Aqua Ball shimmered into life. This time, it didn’t wobble or fall. It hovered, steady and smooth.
I tipped my palm. The water splashed gently, soaking into the cracked earth. The dirt darkened, softening.
Father’s eyes narrowed.
“Wait—again,” he said, voice sharp.
I grinned and cast another, then another. Aqua Balls plopped into the soil, each one seeping deeper. The ground shifted, alive again, the harsh cracks beginning to close.
The HUD flickered:
[Aqua Ball – Proficiency: 45/100]
[Evolution Progress: Aqua Flow 18%]
I turned back to him, beaming. “See? Magic can help with farming too!”
For a long moment, Father said nothing. He just stared at the soil, then at me. His expression was unreadable.
Finally, his lips curved—just slightly.
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“…You really are your mother’s son.”
My eyes widened.
He reached out and ruffled my hair with his calloused hand. “But maybe… you’re something else, too.”
The words were gruff, almost reluctant, but the warmth in them was real.
I grinned so hard my cheeks hurt.
The HUD shimmered faintly:
[Bond Strengthened: Darius Valemont – Approval Earned]
[Hidden Effect: Inspiration – Future Skill Path: Agricultural Magic]
Behind us, Lyra watched quietly, her hands clasped in front of her. Her lips curved ever so slightly.
And for the first time, I thought—maybe this was what magic was really for.
Not just for war.
Not just for monsters.
But for life.
That afternoon, Father set the hoe against the fence and beckoned me closer.
“Rooga,” he said, his voice low, “if you’re going to use magic for the fields, you need to understand more than just water.”
I tilted my head. “More?”
He crouched, scooping up a handful of dirt. He let it fall slowly between his fingers, the grains dry and pale.
“This soil is thin. It won’t give much no matter how much you water it. That’s why farmers mix it with… this.”
He walked to a small shed and came back with a sack. When he opened it, a sharp, earthy smell filled the air.
I wrinkled my nose. “Ugh! What is
that?”Father smirked. “Monster ash.”
“Monster… ash?”
He nodded. “When beasts are burned down, their remains turn to this. Dangerous to handle raw, but once it settles, it becomes the best fertilizer in the world.
Rich in mana, makes crops grow faster, stronger. But…” His eyes narrowed. “Too much, and the land will twist. Corrupt. That’s how wastelands are made.”
I blinked, staring at the black dust. “…So monsters can… feed the land?”
“Everything can,” he said simply. “It just depends on how you use it.”
He poured a thin layer into the furrowed soil, then nodded at me. “Now. Try your Aqua Ball again.”
I raised my hand, forming a sphere of water, and let it splash gently over the ash-laced soil.
To my surprise, the earth seemed to hum. Faint sparks of blue mana shimmered where the water soaked in, like the ground itself was waking up.
The HUD flickered:
[New Interaction Detected: Aqua Ball + Monster Ash]
[Skill Evolution Path Expanded]
[Aqua Bloom – Requires repeated use of Aqua Ball on fertilized soil until growth stimulation occurs.]
My jaw dropped. “Dad! Look! The dirt’s glowing!”
He chuckled, the sound rare but warm. “That means it’s alive again.”
I grinned, bouncing on my toes. “Then I’ll make it glow more!”
Father’s eyes softened as he watched me rush about, splashing Aqua Balls across the rows.
For the first time in a long time, his pride wasn’t the pride of the Empire’s Sword. It was the pride of a father, watching his son find joy in something far from war.