The sun had yet to fully rise when the village chief’s house received a town messenger. The news was brief but heavy.

Mayor Danan and the Heir of Duke Eshaan, Gara Eshaan, would arrive in Galigo Village within a few hours.

Seno, the village chief, taken a back as he received the message. He turned his head toward the backyard.

There, Madha stood bare-chested, chopping firewood.

"Gara is coming," Seno said.

He didn’t raise his voice. Madha heard him anyway.

Madha’s axe froze mid-swing. Sweat slid down his temple and dripped onto the log beneath his feet.

He turned to look at his older brother, who was already heading back into the house.

"I’m going to the mountain behind the village to hunt," Madha said calmly. "I probably won’t be back for a few days."

Seno paused, about to say something.

But Madha activated his Talent. In the next instant, his figure vanished.

"So they really did fight," Seno muttered, shaking his head.

...

Madha hadn’t actually gone far.

He hid behind the house first, quickly pulling on his clothes. He grabbed a wooden pole shaped like a spear, then headed toward the mountain.

After an hour of trekking through the forest, he stopped to eat.

Sitting alone beneath the trees, his thoughts drifted to the man he loved.

He still loved Gara deeply. He had promised to protect him for the rest of his life.

But after entering the academy, Gara had become too extraordinary for him.

Not just stronger in Talent, but acknowledged for his mastery of herbs and alchemy. He had reunited with his biological father’s family. He had even been named the Duke’s heir.

Meanwhile, Madha felt like he hadn’t moved forward at all. The gap between them kept widening.

At the academy, there were countless powerful people. People who felt far more deserving of standing beside Gara.

Madha was too ashamed to face him.

And yet, he missed him desperately.

Before he realized it, his feet had carried him down the mountain slope.

From a distance, he could see the village gate. It was crowded.

Villagers gathered to welcome the mayor and Gara. Among them, Madha spotted Gara instantly.

Black hair wasn’t rare in Galigo Village. But to Madha’s eyes, Gara seemed to glow on his own.

"I’m not worthy of being the fiance of someone as perfect as Gara," Madha whispered to himself. "Maybe... I should end our engagement."

From afar, he watched Gara smile warmly, greeting the villagers one by one.

Gara knew Madha’s parents were gone. But the people of Galigo Village were still Madha’s family. Whether close or distant, they were all tied to him.

"He’s probably being careful," Madha exhaled heavily, "so no one thinks badly of him."

He saw chatty aunts and noisy cousins swarm around Gara. "Maybe if he gets tired of them... he’ll leave on his own."

With a tight, aching chest, Madha turned away and headed back toward the mountain.

He didn’t notice the small white furball quietly following him.

...

Madha spent the night deep in the forest. He slept on a thick, sturdy tree branch.

The next morning, he went to the river to wash up and catch fish.

Fishing stirred old memories. Back when he used to catch fish for Gara in the river near Suruta Village.

Each memory tightened his chest with guilt. ’I let him down.’

As he was about to eat, a rustling sound came from the bushes. Madha stood immediately, body shifting into a defensive stance.

From the foliage emerged a small, familiar white figure.

"Rea?" Madha froze in shock.

The squirrel chirped nonstop, its expression panicked and urgent. It pointed frantically toward the village, tugging at the hem of Madha’s pants.

Madha didn’t understand Rea’s words. But panic spoke its own language.

Something bad had happened. Something involving Gara.

Madha’s heart dropped.

Without thinking about his plan to stay away, he hoisted Rea onto his shoulder and sprinted down the mountain.

A journey that should have taken hours was reduced to thirty minutes.

Even Rea, usually swift and nimble, clung tightly to Madha’s neck in fear, claws digging in hard enough to leave shallow wounds.

Madha didn’t feel the pain. All he cared about was reaching the village.

Protecting Gara. Saving him from whatever danger awaited.

He ran past a small garden beside a neighbor’s house, overgrown with pulutan plants. When he burst through, his pants were covered in coarse seeds. His bare legs were scratched and bleeding.

Madha didn’t care.

Because from here—

He could see his house. Surrounded by shouting villagers.

A crowd that looked less like a welcome...

And more like a protest.

When Madha reached the front of the house and tried to force his way inside, the villagers suddenly turned around.

Madha froze, dumbfounded.

He grabbed one of his cousins by the arm. "What’s going on?"

"Last night, a few aunties talked the villagers into visiting Young Lord Gara," his cousin explained. "They demanded double payment for the harvest they sold to Alrova Merchant House. That’s why everyone came here today."

Galigo Village was one of the villages supplying herbs for Alrova’s products.

Madha frowned deeply. The request made no sense. But once a crowd like this gathered, who would dare refuse?

Guilt weighed on him again. Gara had walked straight into a tiger’s den just to find him.

"Did Gara agree?" Madha asked quietly, his expression dark.

"Not completely," his cousin replied.

He explained that instead of outright agreeing to double the price, Gara said he could even pay triple, as long as the herbs met strict quality standards.

The first aunty who suggested raising the prices was known for maintaining excellent-quality harvests.

Seeing the opportunity to earn more while keeping her standards, she backed down and persuaded the others to follow Gara’s conditions.

Madha was stunned. And impressed.

Since long ago, Gara had always handled problems on his own. He never truly needed help.

Yet Madha was the one who had promised to always stand by his side. And now, he was also the one breaking that promise.

After the conversation ended, his cousin left with the rest of the villagers. Madha turned to go as well—

Only to stop short.

Standing just beyond the gate was Gara. He wore a bitter smile.

Rea sat on Gara’s shoulder. It was obvious she was the one who had told him Madha was here.

Madha’s body went rigid. He couldn’t step forward. He couldn’t turn back either.

This was exactly why he had tried to avoid Gara. If he saw that face, he knew he would want to pull his fiance into his arms.

Gara walked toward him, slow but steady.

Madha saw the moisture gathering in those hazel eyes, and his chest tightened painfully.

Gara said nothing. He grabbed Madha’s arm and pulled him inside the house.

Rea, still perched on Gara’s shoulder, grumbled loudly while pointing accusingly at Madha. Madha didn’t understand her words, but he could tell she was tattling.

Gara let out a small chuckle. It eased Madha’s heart just a little.

Gara led him into the bedroom, leaving Rea outside the door. The white squirrel froze in disbelief at being abandoned, then resumed her indignant chattering.

Seno, who witnessed the scene, scooped Rea up with one hand.

"I prepared some poisonous mushrooms for you," he said casually. "You like poisonous plants, right?"

Rea’s face lit up instantly. She forgot all about being ignored.

...

Inside the room, Gara carefully treated Madha’s wounds.

When Gara leaned close to clean the injury on Madha’s neck, Madha caught the familiar faint, sweet scent.

It made the longing he had been suppressing surge violently.

But, Madha said nothing. Not a single word. Neither did Gara.

Only after he had finished healing him did Gara finally speak.

"It’s done," Gara said softly. "There won’t be a scar."

Madha touched his neck. No pain. No trace of injury.

He looked down. The scratches on his legs were gone too. Even the rough pulutan seeds and mud on his pants had been cleaned away.

"...Thank you," he finally said.

Gara thought that maybe now, they could finally talk properly. Instead, Madha suddenly stood up, heading for the door.

Snap! Gara’s patience, never particularly deep to begin with, finally shattered. He grabbed Madha’s hand and shoved the taller man backward.

Madha gasped as he fell onto the bed.

Before he could react, Gara climbed onto his lap, facing him directly. Gara’s arms wrapped possessively around Madha’s shoulders.

"Don’t even think about running away again," Gara said quietly.

...

Seno had no idea what happened inside his brother’s room, and he had no intention of interfering.

Only hours later, when lunch prepared by his wife was ready, did he reluctantly go to call them.

He raised his hand to knock, but stopped abruptly.

Gara stepped out of the room. His hair was a mess, and his lips were pink and slightly swollen.

"Lunch is ready," Seno said.

Gara nodded and said he would wash up first.

Judging by appearances, the two should have reconciled. And yet, Gara’s expression looked anything but pleased.

Seno chose not to think too much about it.

Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, Gara lightly smacked his own forehead.

A translucent blue panel appeared before his eyes.

[Third pregnancy confirmed. Charm +1, Lottery Ticket x1]

...