novelraw Chapter 46 : Searching for the Spot
Chapter 46 : Searching for the Spot
The seed glowed faintly in my arms as we stepped outside. The morning air smelled fresh, the sky clear over the borderland’s ruined earth.
“Alright, Rooga,” Father said, scratching his beard. “Where do you want it planted?”
“Hmm…” I squinted at the fields, the hills, the twisted treeline in the distance. The HUD flickered faintly in front of me:
[Planting Site Evaluation Activated]
[Bad] – [Good] – [Great] – [Perfect]
A tiny arrow shifted as I turned my head.
“There!” I pointed, waddling toward a patch of soil near the shed.
Selene crouched beside me, eyebrow raised. “Here? But the ground is thin. It won’t hold a tree.”
The HUD blinked: [Bad].
I frowned, shaking my head. “Nope. Not here.”
I marched on, clutching the seed. Father and Mother exchanged looks, but followed as I led them across the fields.
Every few steps I paused, turning in circles, waiting for the HUD to shift.
[Good].
[Great].
“Closer,” I muttered. “It has to be perfect.”
Hours passed. Father sighed, resting the hoe on his shoulder. “Rooga, it’s just a tree. Any spot with soil will do.”
“Noooo,” I insisted, stomping my little foot. “It’s not just a tree. It’s my seed! It needs the right place!”
Selene rubbed her temple, muttering something about stubborn Valemont blood. But she still smiled faintly, trailing behind me.
Finally, near the edge of the land where the corruption’s grip was weaker, the HUD shimmered gold:
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
[Perfect]
I froze. My little chest swelled with triumph. “Here!”
Father raised a brow. “Here? Are you sure?”
I nodded furiously, hugging the seed. “The seed says yes!”
Selene’s eyes softened. “…Then here it is.”
Together, we dug. Father broke the earth with his hoe, Mother cleared the soil with her magic, and I clutched the seed tight until the hole was ready.
“Ready?” Father asked.
I nodded, lowering the seed into the ground with both arms. It pulsed once, faint green light spilling from the cracks.
We covered it gently. Selene whispered something under her breath, a small blessing of mana.
And then we waited.
The HUD flickered:
[Seed of the Goddess – Planted]
[Growth Condition: Satisfied]
A faint tremor rippled through the soil.
Tiny shoots of green sprouted, then thickened, curling upward.
Before our eyes, a sapling pushed out of the ground, glowing faintly with divine light.
I gasped, clapping my hands. “It’s alive!”
Selene stared, stunned. “Impossible…”
Father’s lips curved into a rare, proud smile. “…No. It’s a miracle.”
And for the first time, the corrupted land felt a little less cursed.
The field shimmered faintly as sparks leapt from my fingertips.
“Again,” Mama said firmly, standing with her arms folded.
I gritted my teeth, shaping the mana into a flicker of flame. It flared, then fizzled, leaving only smoke.
She crouched, her violet eyes sharp but patient. “Steady, Rooga. Don’t push. Guide it.”
I nodded, trying again. This time the flame lingered, a small steady spark. Mama smiled softly.
“Good. You’re learning.”
I puffed out my chest, ready to brag, when something tugged at the corner of my vision.
“…Mama?”
She turned as I pointed toward the edge of the land.
The sapling we’d planted only a short while ago… was no longer a sapling. Its trunk had thickened, bark shimmering faintly with green veins of light.
Branches stretched outward, already taller than me, leaves rustling with a sound almost like whispers.
Selene’s breath caught. “That… that’s impossible. It hasn’t even been a week.”
I grinned wide. “See? I told you it was special!”
The HUD blinked faintly in front of me:
[Seed of the Goddess – Growth Accelerated]
[Stage: Sapling → Young Tree]
The branches swayed gently in the wind, but… no, not the wind. They moved with purpose, almost leaning toward us.
Mama stepped forward, brushing her fingers over one glowing leaf. Her expression softened, but her eyes shone with both wonder and fear.
“This tree…” she whispered. “It’s not just alive. It’s listening.”
I tilted my head, smiling. “Then maybe it wants to train with us too.”
She glanced back at me, lips trembling between laughter and unease. “…Perhaps it does.”
Behind us, Father’s voice rumbled. “Or perhaps it wants to protect us.”
And for the first time, I felt it too—the faint warmth, the quiet watchfulness of something growing not just as a tree, but as family.