A Single Mother's Farm of the Gods
Chapter 117: Securing the Lotus Seeds

Chapter 117: Securing the Lotus Seeds

While the ruckus that is happening on the farm is being addressed by the Harvest Goddess, Elaina and the girls on the other hand are now surveying the area for further threats. Elaina is pretty particular about it, especially with the appearance of the Swamp Walker Trout earlier. Although there is a low chance of happening, there is no zero chance there won’t be a second Swamp Walker Trout hiding underwater or anything.

"So, how do we even tell there won’t be a second one of that giant walking fish?" Princess Tabatha asked.

"Those fishes are sensitive to sounds and ripples. One ripple into the water and they will be agitated and will attack. The first one is gone so if there is a second one here if we disturb the water slightly..." Elaina then picked up a nearby rock and threw it into the water, creating a small splash. "...the Swamp Walker Trout should immediately appear the moment we have dropped the stone. Seeing that there is nothing else happening, then the fish we have defeated just now is the only Swamp Walker Trout present here."

"I am kind of impressed, Miss Elaina. Every time we venture into this forest, you never fail to have some knowledge that even I did not learn in the books. And even that walking fish earlier is something I haven’t seen in books and yet you easily knew what to do next without even panicking or faltering just by its appearance. Are you perhaps someone who has vast experience in this regard?" Princess Margaux asked.

"You can say that. I have experience regarding different ways to survive in a forest or wilderness since I did live in a forest back when I was a kid and I have to use everything in the forest at my disposal to survive. It took some time to master but it became normal to me at some point. I have the basics memorized to the point that I don’t need to think much and just move by instinct. You can say that it became a natural thing for me."

"I see. Having more experience with something can give you the advantage of using those things at your disposal in different situations. And the way you used the sword earlier, that was a precise move without a single hesitation."

"Haha, don’t be sad that you got toppled by the fish earlier. Even I was helpless back then and was forced to escape. After studying its movements, the fish became predictable and so I started to challenge and try to fight against it. I try and try until I succeed."

Elaina then focused her attention on the lotus. Although she can directly get the seed of the lotus, she decided that it is better to have the whole lotus altogether secured instead of just the seed. That way, the seed will be protected during the travel back to the farm. The seed is delicate and will potentially die if taken lightly. So for now, they have to take the entire lotus and take it back home where the seed can be removed freely and safely.

Elaina carefully looked at the lotus that were present. Currently, 7 lotuses are floating in the water with 5 out of reach for Elaina unless she goes into the water and drags them back to the land. She didn’t want to dip herself into the water voluntarily especially in the forest since there was a chance that a hidden predator was just chilling underwater and was waiting for unsuspecting folks to dive under.

As for the two, they are ripe for the picking so Elaina slowly reaches out to the water when Elaina immediately notices something. She didn’t hesitate to back away and shout to her companions about the danger.

"Get back!"

As soon as she warned everyone, the water splashed off and a monster covered in mud and water appeared. It doesn’t appear to be a fish but based on its form, Elaina can deduce that this monster is either a new monster she didn’t know or a giant crocodile. On top of the monster’s head is the lotus that is growing. It seems that the back of this monster has effectively become a soil that allowed the lotus to live normally.

Elaina grits her teeth. She can’t move as agile as before with her growing belly. And she can’t force herself to exert too much force or the stress and the force she exerts might cause more harm to the babies in her belly than to protect them.

"Everyone, back me up," Elaina calmly said as she assumed her drawing stance and ready herself as the monster was readying itself to charge forward.

Princess Tabatha knew why Elaina said that. She already noticed from earlier why Elaina is not moving as much as she does back when they are fighting. When she knew that Elaina was pregnant, she assumed that during that time, Elaina had not yet entered the sensitive time of her pregnancy. But those times are different now especially now that the bulge in her stomach is already noticeable.

"I will back you up, Miss Elaina. I will carry you around if needed!" Princess Tabatha said as she readied her sword as she stood beside Elaina.

Elaina nodded, with her sword ready to attack. Although she didn’t know which monster or creature it was, she would need to eliminate it to retrieve the lotus. She can’t have it be lost or else she will have to find another one.

"It’s about to attack!" Princess Margaux alarmed the two swordswomen about the change in the monster’s behavior and shortly after that, the monster charges forward with its big mouth open.

Elaina immediately unsheathed her sword and attacked it with a quick slice to the mouth to ensure to rip it up but the sword didn’t work, and instead, it bounced off from the monster’s skin.

Princess Tabatha noticed this and immediately leaped to take Elaina off from the radius of the charge and put her to safety.

"It’s hard!" Elaina looked at the monster stop its charge after its targets disappeared.

"If the skin is hard, then softening it up will perhaps help out," Julia said as she conjured multiple icicle shards and let it rain into the monster.

"Careful on shooting that! Make sure the lotus above the body of the monster is spared from all of that!" Elaina warned to Julia.

"I will try, Sis! But no guarantees since this monster is moving quite a lot."

"I am sorry, I can’t help much. But I can tell if the monster is about to attack or not," Princess Margaux felt bad for being a bit useless during this battle.

"That’s plenty enough, little sister. We can’t tell if it is about to attack or not with all the mud covering its body so having you to indicate if it will attack or not is much better," Princess Tabatha consoled her sister.

"Alright, let’s try again," Elaina didn’t sheath back her sword this time around. Since her first move didn’t work, Elaina switched gears on her technique immediately. The only way to get this enemy down is to defeat it with a different one that she knew. Princess Tabatha also noticed this as this is a different style that Elaina is currently using.

The monster turned in their direction once more, annoyed that the targets of its attack moved away roared in agitation.

"Careful, I sense an increased agitation of the monster. It seems it will be more wilder than ever before! Be careful everyone!"

"If that is the case, restricting its movements should help," Julia clapped her hands twice before putting both palms on the ground, causing massive spikes of ice to appear beneath the monster’s arms and legs. It should have pierced through but because the monster’s skin was a lot tougher, it didn’t get to be pierced and instead, just tore off a part of its skin, causing a massive gash on its four limbs. It’s not enough to make the enemy in big trouble but its movements will be reduced quite a lot due to this."

"I think I got a good idea, Princess Tabatha on how to defeat this monster but I needed your help, are you up to this?"

"Eh?" Princess Tabatha was surprised.

"It’s fine if you don’t help since I can do it alone just fine but having your help will do this task much easier than it should have. So are you up to it? I will teach you some technique I know that might be perfect for you," Elaina enticed the princess.

Hearing this, Princess Tabatha’s eyes lit up and she readily agreed. "Of course! You can count on me!"

"Then, once I tried to slash through the monster’s body while I was trying to attack it horizontally, you attacked my sword vertically and pushed the sword straight, got it? Alright, let’s get to work.

The monster charges towards them again and this time, Elaina anticipated it already and assumed her usual stance but with her sword drawn from its sheath already.

When the monster tried to lunge forward, Elaina immediately put her sword towards the mouth and tried to slice it up. But like earlier, it is hard and it is not enough to pierce through.

"Now!"

Princess Tabatha appeared behind Elaina and swung her sword, down to the blade of Elaina, pushing it towards the skin of the monster. It was strong enough that the monster wasn’t prepared to take a wound that was fatal enough as both Elaina and Princess Tabatha sliced through its skin with effort.

The monster struggled for a bit as it bled profusely before it slowly stopped moving after the pool of blood slowly formed underneath it.

With the monster in its last throes of breath, Elaina went to the back of the monster and with a yank, retrieved her main goal for the forest expedition in the first place.

"The lotus is secured."