novelraw Chapter 59 : The Bloom and the Field
Chapter 59 : The Bloom and the Field
Rooga’s POV
The sun was warm as I sat in the field, watching Papa hoe the soil. His movements were slower today, shoulders stiff, but his hands were steady as always.
I clenched my fist, staring at the rows of sprouts. They looked healthy… but I wanted more. Faster. Stronger. Enough food that Papa wouldn’t have to work until his back bent.
My eyes flicked to the HUD.
[ Aqua Ball – Stable ]
[ Evolution Path: Aqua Bloom – Achieved ]
I could feel it. The spell was ready. If I used Aqua Bloom here, the crops would thrive.
I raised my hand, mana gathering—
“Oi! Stop right there, caretaker!”
A blur of green dropped from the tree, landing right on my arm. Maori’s tiny hands pushed at my palm, glaring up at me with puffed cheeks.
“That bloom isn’t for them,” she huffed. “That bloom is for me!”
I frowned. “What? It’s just water magic. Why not use it here?”
Her little eyes narrowed. “Because Aqua Bloom is a gift spell. It feeds life directly. If you waste it on these weak little sprouts, you’ll drain yourself dry before the field even grows an inch!”
I looked at her, confused. “Then what am I supposed to do? Papa works every day. If I can make it easier, why shouldn’t I?”
She crossed her arms, nose in the air. “Because that’s not how my magic works. You want crops to grow? Then feed me. I’ll help the land myself. My roots can carry what you can’t.”
I blinked. “Feed you?”
She tapped her chest proudly. “Yep! Give me mana, and I’ll share it with the soil. That’s what a goddess does, silly!”
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For a moment, I hesitated, staring at the sprouts swaying in the breeze. Then at Papa, still bent over the rows, his back slick with sweat.
“…If you’re lying, I’ll find a way to do it myself,” I muttered.
Maori grinned, sharp and smug. “Then try me, caretaker. But I am the land. Who better than me?”
The HUD flickered faintly at her words:
[ Unique Bond: Goddess Channeling – Locked ]
[ Requirement: Trust the Goddess with mana offering ]
I exhaled, lowering my hand. “…Fine. I’ll trust you. For now.”
“Good boy!” she chirped, clapping her tiny hands. “Now, give me everything you’ve got!”
I groaned. “Why do I feel like I’m about to regret this…”
“Alright, caretaker. Hands out. Close your eyes. Think of me as a big empty stomach!”
I groaned, holding my palms open. “…Why does everything you say sound weird?”
Maori stuck out her tongue. “Because you’re too serious!”
Still, I obeyed. I let my mana flow, not into a spell, not into a shape—but toward her. The green core pulsed, and for the first time, it felt like I was pouring mana into a cup that wasn’t mine.
Maori gasped, her tiny body glowing with a faint emerald light. “Yessss… more, more, more!”
The HUD flickered faintly:
[ Mana Transfer: 5% Capacity ]
[ Goddess Channeling – Initiated ]
The air shifted.
Behind her, the great tree shivered. Its trunk pulsed with green veins, faint at first, then brightening as though it had drawn in breath for the first time in centuries. Leaves that had been pale turned vibrant, their edges shimmering blue and green.
Then—pop!
Tiny orbs of light drifted down, like fireflies. Wisps. At first only one or two, then more. They floated across the soil, landing on the sprouts, sinking into the dirt. Wherever they touched, the plants straightened, leaves unfurling with fresh strength.
Maori twirled in the air, her glow softening as she laughed. “See? I told you! I’m the best fertilizer there is!”
I opened one eye, watching the wisps scatter across the fields. “…So this is what you meant.”
Papa stopped mid-swing of his hoe, staring wide-eyed at the crops. “By the heavens…”
Selene appeared at the door, carrying Riaz on her hip, her expression caught between awe and disbelief.
The sprouts weren’t just surviving. They were thriving.
The HUD pulsed again:
[ Goddess Channeling – Stable ]
[ Wisp Generation: Active ]
Maori landed back on my head, hands on her hips. “Told you, caretaker. Feed me, and I’ll feed the land. That’s the deal.”
I let out a breath, half relief, half worry. “…Guess you weren’t lying after all.”
She grinned. “Of course not! Now keep feeding me every day!”
Papa crouched beside me, voice quiet. “…Rooga. You’ve done something even I couldn’t. This land… it’s alive.”
I glanced at the glowing wisps, at Maori swaying happily on my head, and felt the weight of his words.
Alive.