Chapter 128: Share Your Food!
The young woman standing at the front clearly wasn’t pleased with Gara’s response. It only made her feel even more certain that she was in the right.
Her name was Yuvika, daughter of a wealthy county merchant. Her father was close friends with Kevio’s father, the man who employed Orman.
Through that connection, Yuvika’s father learned that the medicinal herb Orman once used had actually come from a friend of his, now living in Bota Village.
Seeing its potential, he planned to commercialize the medicine. It was almost as effective—and far more reliable—than the herbs supplied by the newly rising Herb Merchant House, which had recently rebranded itself as the Alrova Merchant House.
To get a head start, he sent his daughter to carry out an initial Liner mission in this backwater village.
But Yuvika only knew one thing, the name of Orman’s friend, Madha. She had just arrived a few days ago, right after Madha and Mohan left for town.
Unlike Kevio, spoiled since childhood, Yuvika had grown up learning business directly from her father. She held fast to her opinions and placed great value on fairness.
So, when Narin whispered to her that one of the villagers’ homes—where two Liners happened to live—had far more food than the entire Liner Camp, Yuvika felt such inequality couldn’t be ignored.
Standing tall before Gara, she spoke boldly.
"The food you’re eating is meant for the Liners. But because you live here in the village and are close with the locals, your share is much greater than what’s given at the Camp. Yet there are only two of you."
Gara dragged a hand down his face with rough impatience. His furrowed brows and unfriendly air did nothing to dim his striking beauty.
The sight made Yuvika’s heart skip before she even realized it. She was, after all, one of the few women who secretly preferred men with a more delicate, almost feminine charm.
Flustered, Yuvika quickly shook her head, chasing away the inappropriate thought.
Meanwhile, Gara didn’t need to ask who was really behind this. He already knew. Narin again. I thought she’d given up on her little schemes.
"Does Kian know about this?" Gara asked lazily. His voice carried no hint of denial, no attempt to defend himself.
Yuvika stiffened. She couldn’t answer. When Narin first told her, she had gone to confirm it with the other Liners.
Their shock had matched her own, and together they marched straight here without saying a word to Kian, the one who was responsible for the Liners in this village right now.
As Yuvika struggled for a reply, a voice rang out from the back.
"If Kian knew, he’d just take your side because you two are close!"
Even without seeing her, Gara recognized the voice immediately. Narin. He shook his head in disbelief. Since when had he ever been close to Kian? What wild imagination.
But the other Liners began nodding along, echoing Narin’s claim one after another. Yuvika’s confidence returned with their support.
Gara let out a quiet breath. His next words fell calm but sharp. "Everyone here... I won’t allow you to use the water I provide anymore."
It was like a thunderbolt. The Liners froze, suddenly remembering the hundred liters of water Gara had been giving them for free. Silence smothered the yard.
Yuvika, however, was left blinking in confusion. She was new here. No one had told her about the camp’s water source. She’d always assumed all of it came from the nearby mountain.
And every time Gara provided water, she happened to be away with the others, fetching the water.
"If you won’t let us use your water, then hand over your extra food rations!" That was Narin’s voice again, sharp from behind the tall man.
At her words, the Liners seemed to find their excuse to negotiate. Some of them started pushing Yuvika forward, urging her to speak.
Yuvika still didn’t understand the whole issue about water, but since it had already been refused, she knew they had a point. The food rations were supposed to be theirs.
"That’s right. Give us our share of food! Otherwise, don’t blame us if we get a little rough," Yuvika declared.
"Your name is Yuvika, right?" Gara asked calmly.
She nodded, suddenly nervous.
"You’re leading them?"
Another nod.
Gara tilted his head with a faint smirk. "If I let you inside, and you so much as scratch anything in my house, I want compensation tenfold, if it turns out your accusations are false."
Yuvika’s heart pounded. Gara’s voice carried not a shred of fear. Could they really be accusing the wrong person?
"Go on, go inside!" Narin urged again.
But Yuvika didn’t move. Gara’s words were weighing on her. He didn’t look anxious at all. If anything, he looked tired, as though this kind of misunderstanding happened to him far too often.
Maybe it was her feelings for Gara, but Yuvika’s chest tightened, imagining him going through this again and again.
She turned back to the others. "I’ll confirm this with Kian first."
The Liners murmured among themselves. From the back, Narin shouted, "Just go in! Now!"
Several of them began to step forward, but Yuvika panicked. "No! We need to confirm it with Kian first! Someone call Kian here!"
"No need. I’m already here."
Everyone turned toward the voice. Kian had arrived, not alone, but with Mohan, Madha, and several Liners who hadn’t joined earlier.
Mohan spoke with his steady, commanding voice. "The food rations given out at the Liner Camp are supplied by Falopo Town, and I’m the one in charge of distributing them as the leader of the Liners in this village.
Those rations have nothing to do with the villagers. Gara, Fian, and Madha don’t live in the camp. They have no claim to the camp’s food rations. Whatever food they eat in their own home belongs to them. It has nothing to do with the Liners’ share."
Mohan’s explanation cut off all further protest. A few Liners, embarrassed, slipped away, including Narin. Others just stood there, uncertain.
...