Gara watched as the middle-aged woman reentered his room, carrying a small wooden bowl. Inside it was a headache remedy—green, mushy, and clearly made from peppermint leaves.
He already knew how bitter it would taste.
"Mom, I'll take the medicine. You can leave. I just need to rest," he said calmly.
"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" she asked, concern in her eyes.
"I just need more rest, Mom."
"All right then. I'll tell the village chief that you're not feeling well."
With that, the woman left, leaving Gara alone in the room.
He needed time to process the absurd reality he had just been thrown into. But first…
Gara picked up the bowl, walked over to the wall, and dumped the green paste through a small hole in the woven bamboo.
No way was he eating that.
He returned to sit at the edge of the bed.
The first ten minutes were filled with horror and disbelief on his face. But in the next ten, the furrows in his brow slowly faded. He looked… calmer.
He exhaled.
"There's no other way. Whoever brought me here—god or whatever—they clearly have an something shady…
"They said I'd be trapped in this world if I fail. But the system panel didn't mention any penalty…"
He narrowed his eyes.
"Not that I trust gods or systems, anyway. I'll stay cautious. At least… I got reincarnated as a guy."
Gara glanced downward.
There was no bump on his chest, but there was a bit of a bulge between his legs when he squeezed his thighs too close.
He wasn't a pervert or anything, so he wasn't about to go poking around…
But maybe he should check. Just in case. What if he had been reincarnated in his old body?
He swallowed nervously and slowly peeked inside his pants.
"Whoa!"
He yanked his hand back in a flash. He saw something… that clearly didn't belong on a girl's body.
But for a guy?
Totally normal.
"I haven't checked the size yet… Wonder if it's enough to impress the girls in this village?" he muttered with a mischievous smile.
Just as he was about to sneak another look, he remembered important memories— fragments from the original owner of this body.
Gara now lived in Suruta Village, a remote settlement tucked at the foot of a mountain. No one had moved into the village for the past ten years. In fact, most of the villagers had left for the cities.
Only the older generations had remained.
And that meant...
He was the only young person left in the entire village.
"How the heck am I supposed to find a girl to have babies with?!" Gara cried out inside his head, feeling like some irresponsible playboy who just wanted to knock girls up and run.
But no—Gara was responsible guy. He would raise his kids. He wouldn't abandon them.
That is… if he could even find a girl first.
He tried to dig through the body's owner's memories again. Nothing. Not a single girl his age.
The only person even remotely his age that Gara had ever met was Madha, a teen boy from the neighboring village.
When Gara was eight, he'd met Madha by chance at the river. The boy had gotten lost and ended up wandering into Suruta Village. Gara had taken him to the village chief's house.
Since then, Madha had visited a few times. Gara, on the other hand, had never set foot outside the village.
Gara's father had once been a Liner—a title given to those who awakened a bloodline within their bodies.
In this world, bloodlines granted unique powers depending on their type. Each bloodline came with a variety of talents, though most people only ever awakened one.
Gara's father had awakened the Elemental Bloodline and gained the talent Water Shield. Because of that, he was drafted into the army and sent to the front lines. He died in battle before Gara had even learned how to walk.
Gara's mother, Wina, was just a humble herbal farmer. She had raised Gara all on her own, working while taking care of him. The villagers often helped her by purchasing necessities from the town, so she could stay behind and focus on raising her son.
Ever since Gara was born, Wina hadn't set foot outside the village. And now that a small general store had opened up nearby, there was even less reason to leave.
Gara, as Wina's only child and most precious treasure, was never allowed to wander far from home.
But that was about to change.
Gara stepped out of his room, determined to ask his mother for permission to go to town.
"How's your body feeling, Gara?" Wina asked, a needle and his torn shirt in hand.
"I'm feeling better, Mom."
Gara took a deep breath. He was about to tell her his plan—but he hesitated. His mother was extremely strict when it came to anything involving the outside world. He felt a little nervous.
But before he could speak, she beat him to it.
"You should go see the village chief. He was looking for you earlier."
Ah, right. Gara had completely forgotten about that. She had mentioned it earlier, right after he woke up.
Maybe he should take care of that first. And while he was at it, find a way to score some points with her before asking for permission to leave the village.
Gara stepped out of their bamboo house. The front yard was lined with neatly arranged plots of herbs.
He knew the name of every plant—they were mostly his doing. While the herbs grown in the family garden were for personal use, the ones meant for sale were cultivated in the larger fields outside the home.
Gara made his way down a narrow dirt path, a mix of soil and small pebbles beneath his feet. Dense trees stood tall on either side of the trail.
In this village, the houses were spaced far apart. If you wanted to get your neighbor's attention, you'd have to shout at the top of your lungs. Even then, your voice would carry like a breeze in the wind—barely audible.
After passing three houses and walking quite a distance, Gara finally arrived at the village chief's home.
An old man with snow-white hair was sitting on the chair, smoking a handmade cigarette.
"Gara, your mom said you were sick," the old man said, spotting him.
"I'm feeling better now, Grandpa Jaya," Gara replied politely, trying not to sound suspicious.
He took a seat on the empty stool beside the chief.
"You received an invitation to the bloodline awakening ceremony," Grandpa Jaya said. "It's time to find out whether you're a Liner or not."
...