Chapter 152: Pheromone
That day, because Della was still unwell and Gara hadn’t left his room, Ava’s and Aldwin’s cribs were moved into Gara’s chamber. Only Arion remained in Wina’s room.
Watching his two babies sleep soundly, Gara decided it was time to explore the dimensional home again.
This time, he could check the road more freely. When he pushed open the gate, the long dirt path stretched clearly before him—empty, dry, and seemingly endless.
At least there was nothing dangerous waiting beyond. He thought about exploring further with Fian and Madha, but traveling fifty kilometers wouldn’t be quick. It could take a whole day.
And he didn’t even know how to ride a horse. If he used a carriage driven by Fian or Madha, the journey might take even longer.
"I’ll learn how to ride eventually," he muttered.
He turned back toward the house, unaware of the pair of eyes watching him from within the mist.
As he walked through the yard, a sudden gust of wind swept over him, biting cold. Gara shivered violently.
"Why is it so cold?"
Having lived for a year in an area with insignificant temperature changes, Gara rarely felt a cold wind like this when the sun was directly overhead.
Not wasting another second, Gara hurried inside.
Gara had already explored every room, so he knew the house’s layout. It held five bedrooms—two large, two medium, and one small.
The large rooms each came with their own bathroom and a smaller chamber that he assumed was meant as a wardrobe.
The medium rooms also had bathrooms, though they were connected between them.
Only the small bedroom lacked a private bath, though right beside it was a shared bathroom.
There was also a kitchen, already fitted with an kitchen counter, and another wide chamber nearly as big as the front hall. Gara imagined turning that space into a storage room or perhaps a playroom for the children.
To the left side of the front hall was a door leading outdoors. Another door stood in the kitchen, opening to the outside as well.
Gara stepped through the left-side door and found a small pond of perfectly clear water. Nothing swam in it yet.
"Looks like I’ll have to raise some fish here," he murmured happily.
Continuing around to the back of the house, he was surprised to find it wasn’t empty like the front yard. Instead, dense trees grew tall and close, just like the woodland behind his old home in Suruta Village.
He stepped among them and activated Woodland Camouflage. To his delight, it worked perfectly.
But before he could savor the moment, Gara heard his baby crying from outside.
He hurried out, just as Wina entered his room carrying Arion.
"I’ll check on Ava, Mom," Gara said.
Wina nodded, though she stayed nearby.
Gara picked up his daughter while Pandy who was watching over the triplets squeaked up at him.
Gara tapped his forehead with a laugh. "Right, I almost forgot."
"It’s time to take the little ones into the forest, isn’t it?" Wina guessed. "I was going to bring Arion out, but it seems I’ll need to take Ava first. I already called for Fian."
Gratitude filled Gara’s gaze. "Mom, let me take Ava out myself."
As a new parent, he kept forgetting small things. How would it be when he had a hundred children one day?
He walked over to Ava’s crib, ready to lift her up—
Crash!
A sharp shattering sound echoed from outside, followed by Della’s startled cry.
Wina quickly set Arion back in his crib and rushed out of the room with Gara.
The moment they stepped beyond the protective barrier around Gara’s chamber, a cloying sweet scent struck his nose. It wasn’t food aroma. His body flushed hot almost instantly.
"Looks like Della’s gone into heat."
Madha’s strained voice snapped him into awareness. Gara finally took in the scene.
Madha stood frozen at his own doorway, sweat beading down his forehead. At the main entrance, Fian was in nearly the same state.
If Gara—who could bear children—was overwhelmed by Della’s pheromones, then it was no wonder the two men were suffering as well. He wasn’t about to judge them for it.
By the living room table, Della was curled on the floor, fragments of a shattered earthenware jar scattered around her feet.
Gara watched as Wina rushed over, lifting the blue-haired girl gently and guiding her into her room.
Only after Della disappeared inside did the intoxicating pheromones slowly fade from the air.
Gara wiped his forehead, though there wasn’t a drop of sweat on it.
A strange thought crossed his mind, was his Max Charm working like the pheromones an omega released during heat?
If that was true, how on earth had Madha and Fian resisted it so many times already?
His eyes flicked to Madha, who had just let out a long sigh of relief, then to Fian. The elf’s face was flushed red, but beyond that, he looked confused... and disappointed.
"Fian, are you okay—"
Swoosh.
Before Gara could finish, Fian vanished in an instant, his Ghost Walk carrying him away to who knew where.
Is he reacting so strongly because he’s still a virgin? Gara wondered silently.
But his guess was far from the truth. For Fian, this was different, stronger than anything he’d felt even when it was Gara. And that was what left him shaken.
All this time, he thought those strange feelings and desires came because he truly liked Gara. But now, he felt the same pull toward Della.
Was it really not love at all? Then what was the meaning of everything he’d been feeling?
Fian wandered aimlessly, lost in thought.
Back at the house, Gara turned toward Madha. His gaze slipped downward, catching sight of something... rather obvious. Gara stifled a laugh.
"This is pure instinct. I swear I won’t do anything," Madha said quickly, trying to defend himself.
Gara nodded, but his chuckles didn’t stop. He felt the same way, after all. That pheromone-laced scent had set his body ablaze but not for Della. It was for the man standing in front of him.
His laughter was abruptly cut off by a sudden kiss. Madha’s hand slid around his waist, pulling him close with effortless certainty.
"Careful now... keep that up and I might not let you go."
...