Chapter 176: She Did It
Hugging the porcelain box tightly, Yuvika stepped down from the carriage and entered the house. Servants hurried forward to greet her.
The brunette girl simply hummed in a good mood, nodding as she walked past them. She went straight to her room, ignoring their curious stares.
Especially those of her father’s servants, who assumed she would report that she welcomed the master herbalist who arrived in the county today.
"Young miss—" one of them called, but the words never reached her. She had already shut her bedroom door.
Inside, Yuvika sat before her wooden vanity and set down the elegant white porcelain box. It wasn’t just for storing the crystal, its aesthetic appeal also made it a great decoration.
She carefully lifted the lid, revealing the faint glow of a blue crystal.
"I always planned to use an Enhance Crystal someday, but I hesitated because of the risks. Besides, I don’t really need a stronger Talent than I already have," she murmured.
Her cheeks suddenly flushed. "But... since it was Sir Gara who asked me..." The thought alone felt almost intimate, and her face grew even redder.
She nodded quickly, whispering to herself. "Right. Even if I suffer backlash, it’s fine. Maybe I won’t be able to apply to Gyakarta Academy, but that doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t have passed the test anyway."
Resolute, Yuvika picked up the crystal, holding it firmly as she tried to focus her mind.
She acted without preparation. She didn’t even tell her maids to stand by in case of backlash, or to have a healer ready.
The clever young woman had turned a little foolish—simply because she was in love.
Hours slipped by.
Servants peeked into her room every now and then, but Yuvika remained fully absorbed, struggling to activate the crystal. It was far from easy, requiring both patience and time.
One maid, worried, reported to the master what the young miss was doing.
Yugo, her father, was immediately baffled. "Why would that girl suddenly use an Enhance Crystal?"
"It seems to be a gift from the herbalist she met earlier, young master Gara," the servant explained.
"Oh? A gift from Sir Gara?" Yugo frowned.
To him, nothing in the world was ever truly free. Every gift carried weight, and as a businessman, he believed in give and take. What was Gara’s intention here?
"Summon a healer," he finally ordered.
Meanwhile, Yuvika had already skipped both lunch and dinner. Sweat dripped down her forehead as she sat cross-legged, holding on with sheer determination.
Her servants, unwilling to interrupt, fanned her carefully from a distance.
Then—her body suddenly began to glow with a soft, pale-blue light.
Gasps echoed through the room as the healers and Yugo himself arrived.
"She did it," the healer whispered. He had only ever seen someone successfully absorb an Enhance Crystal once before, despite being summoned countless times for failed attempts.
"My daughter, Yuvika... she succeeded?" Yugo stared in disbelief, his chest swelling with joy.
He muttered under his breath, almost to himself, "This Enhance Crystal came from Sir Gara... Is her success connected to him, or is it just coincidence?"
Yuvika’s eyes fluttered open. Her room was crowded, but she barely noticed. All that mattered was the vibrant new energy coursing through her veins.
"Father... I think I did it," she said softly.
Yugo nodded with pride. "Yes, you did, my daughter. Before you leave for the capital, we’ll have to test exactly how much your Talent has improved."
"Yes, Father," Yuvika nodded. "But Father, besides that... we should also prepare a proper gift for Sir Gara."
Yugo immediately understood. Whether this was truly Gara’s influence or not, there was no point in guessing. They had plenty of wealth, after all. It would do no harm to prepare a gift.
...
Unaware of what was happening at the Yugo household, Gara was lying on a soft bed.
Finally, after a week of being tossed around in a carriage, he could enjoy the feeling of a real mattress again.
But he didn’t stay there long. A week without entering his dimensional space also meant a week without seeing his beloved little ones.
In his room stood three wooden cribs lined neatly against the wall. But their tiny occupants were currently in the lounge just outside his door.
When Gara stepped out, he saw the triplets lying on a fluffy carpet, giggling and reaching their tiny hands at whatever caught their eyes.
"Did we wake you?" Wina asked, glancing at her son.
"No, Mom. I missed the triplets." Gara walked over and picked up Ava, the closest one to him, holding her gently in his arms.
The baby squealed happily, tiny fingers reaching for his face. Gara couldn’t help but smile back.
Compared to most children their age, his triplets seemed unusually sharp.
He wasn’t sure if it was because of the divine fertility blessing—or the effect of the water he fed them through the breast milk he provided.
From the kitchen, Fian appeared, carrying several cups of water. Beads of condensation slid down the earthenware cups, proof that the drinks were chilled.
"Ice Lumora Soda," Fian said.
Gara set Ava back on the carpet and accepted one of the cold drinks. Just what he needed to chase away the last traces of travel fatigue.
But as he looked inside the cup, his eyes widened. Floating inside were ice cubes. "Wait—"
"I managed to make ice cubes," Fian said, his tone calm though pride flickered faintly on his face.
Gara blinked, caught off guard. He suddenly felt awkward. He had been just about to ask whether Fian had used the ice cube mold stored in the warehouse.
That tool had only been finished right before their departure and Hilda had packed it with their other supplies.
He had completely forgotten to tell Fian that he didn’t need to practice making ice cubes anymore.
"You’re amazing, Fian," Gara praised, forcing himself to smile naturally. Maybe he’d better keep that ice cube mold hidden for a while longer.
Fian’s lips curved, the kind of effortless smile that made him shine with the classic charm of an elf, captivating people of any race.
But that smile vanished when Della chimed in, "I’ll make Lumora Soda with ice cubes for Master Gara too, using the ice cube mold."
...