Everyone in the group was watching Aaryan closely—some with scorn, others with pity, and many were simply entertained by his misfortune. To them, it was no more than a spectacle.


    Aaryan, however, wasn’t one to care about others'' judgments, but today was different. The weight of their stares pressed against his skin like an unseen force. The murmur of voices surrounded him, thick with anticipation. The damp air pressed against him, thick and suffocating. Any wrong move could lead to a beating—or worse, death.


    “I’ll have to handle this carefully,” Aaryan thought. His heart was heavy with nervousness, but on the outside, he remained calm, a faint smile on his lips. To anyone observing, it seemed as though he was simply being led to a tree to be tied up. No sign of distress.


    He clasped his hands, bowed again, and spoke in a voice as steady as water, "This flower may indeed look similar to the 12 Petal Earthly Lily, but it''s actually a Blue Vein Ground Flora. It bears no medicinal value and could cause harm if consumed."


    The group was silent, no one responding immediately. Murmurs rippled through them as brows furrowed, eyes darting for someone who might confirm or deny the claim.


    "Blue Vein... Ground something?" one of the men hesitated, turning to his neighbor.


    "Never heard of it," another admitted, scratching his head.


    A snort came from the back. "Sounds made-up."


    One of the men in the crowd spoke up uncertainly, "It really does look like the 12 Petal Earthly Lily."


    Another chimed in, "But what if it isn''t? I’ve heard that the Blue Vein Ground Flora is poisonous."


    One of Aaryan’s team leader’s subordinates sneered, "What do you know? This is clearly the 12 Petal Earthly Lily. You think Junior Chief Nayan, with his vast knowledge, would make such a mistake? Aaryan was planning to take the treasure for himself, and now he’s trying to talk his way out of it."


    "He''s always causing trouble," someone muttered under their breath.


    A few exchanged knowing glances, their eyes filled with thinly veiled disdain.


    Nayan had never liked Aaryan. From the moment they''d met, there was an instant animosity. Aaryan, being a lowly orphan, had no place in Nayan’s world, and his existence only reminded Nayan of his own superiority. Today, though, Nayan saw an opportunity to further degrade the young boy. When he heard the murmurs of doubt, especially from Aaryan''s team leader’s minion, a fire sparked in Nayan''s chest.


    Nayan’s jaw tightened as his fingers drummed impatiently against the hilt of his sword. His eyes flickered between Aaryan and the uncertain murmurs of the crowd, irritation darkening his features. He had never liked Aaryan, but now—now he was making him look like a fool. His grip on the hilt tightened before he snapped, "Do you think we’re children, Aaryan?" His voice was sharp enough to cut through the air.


    "You think you can fool us so easily? I’ve seen the 12 Petal Earthly Lily with my own eyes. All the characteristics match. Men, take him away!"


    Aaryan’s fingers twitched slightly before he stilled them. He could feel the sticky dampness of sweat on his palms, the cool breeze doing little to ease the heat rising beneath his collar.


    He forced his voice to remain even, "Junior Chief, please examine the last two petals from the bottom side of the flower. You’ll see the unique blue vein structure that’s only found in the Blue Vein Ground Flora."


    Sharan, Nayan''s older brother, was hesitant. He’d spent years studying rare herbs, but even he had never personally encountered this one. His fingers traced the edges of the petals, his mind recalling old records and lectures. Something didn’t quite match up.


    His suspicion wavered for just a moment. He nodded to Aman, who ordered a few men to inspect the petals. The three brothers moved a short distance away, whispering among themselves, leaving Aaryan alone with the rest of the group.


    Aaryan watched them carefully, his heart pounding in his chest. If they don''t believe me, there''s no escape. I need to shift the blame before they make up their minds, else I won’t make it out of this alive.


    Minutes dragged by, each one stretching longer than the last. He could barely read the expressions on the brothers'' faces as they inspected the flower. It felt like an eternity before they returned.


    "What you said is true," Aman finally spoke, his voice measured.


    Aaryan’s breath hitched with relief, but before he could speak, Sharan cut in with a cool, calculated tone. "But the veins on the petals aren''t exactly like the Blue Vein Ground Flora. In fact, only one petal has the full vein structure. The others are incomplete. If I recall correctly, all petals should have the same vein structure."


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    Aaryan’s eyes widened with surprise. He hadn’t expected Sharan to notice that. It was true that the veins only developed fully once the flower matured, but it wasn’t something a casual observer would catch.


    With a forced smile, Aaryan bowed deeply. "What Junior Chief says is absolutely right. Your profound knowledge surpasses even my understanding. I merely wanted to seize this opportunity to show a little of the knowledge I’ve acquired."


    The crowd’s eyes widened. Aaryan’s words were clearly designed to flatter. The leader of Aaryan’s group clenched his fists in frustration, cursing Aaryan inwardly for stealing his own tactic.


    Aaryan continued, "Both plants are very similar in appearance, and it''s hard to tell them apart at a glance. The Blue Vein Ground Flora, when it matures, develops blue veins on the petals. But since this flower was plucked early, only two petals have veins. If you let it mature, all the petals would show the characteristic vein structure."


    "Look, whether it''s a ten-petal or a twelve-petal, it''s still just a flower," someone grumbled.


    A few nodded in agreement, their expressions doubtful.


    "Kid could be spouting nonsense for all we know," another said, arms crossed.


    The air was thick with tension and the scent of crushed leaves. Even the rustling trees seemed to hold their breath.


    But still, Sharan remained silent. His expression gave nothing away, though his eyes were sharp and calculating. Aaryan could feel the weight of his gaze, but he couldn’t predict what would happen next.


    As silence hung heavy, Aaryan felt his stomach churn. He couldn’t wait any longer. He had to push his luck. "I didn’t pluck the flower because it wasn’t fully matured and hadn’t borne fruit. The fruit is what’s truly valuable—it can be used to create deadly poisons. The flower itself is almost worthless in comparison. I was hurrying back to report to you, Junior Chief, when one of these men destroyed the treasure. It’s a great loss, and now we’re in this mess."


    Gasps rippled through the group. None had expected Aaryan’s quick wit. The man who had plucked the flower was shaking with fury. He had no idea how to respond to Aaryan’s accusation, and he felt his mind going numb.


    "You…" the man began to yell, but his words faltered as he trembled.


    Just then, the two silver-armored men stepped forward, silencing the commotion with a glance. Their presence alone caused everyone to hush.


    One of them, his nose sharp and eagle-like, grinned. "You’re all wasting our time. This could be settled easily. Have one of you eat a petal, and we’ll know if it’s poisonous."


    The suggestion was simple, but it wasn’t lost on anyone that the silver-armored men were taking amusement from the situation. Aaryan’s stomach twisted again, but he steeled himself. He couldn’t predict how this would turn out.


    Sharan, though, was calculating. His fingers briefly curled into a fist before relaxing. His gaze flickered over the group, lips pressing into a thin line. He had studied countless herbs, but uncertainty gnawed at him. If Aaryan was right, then they had almost made a grave mistake. If he was wrong… allowing doubt to fester would make him appear weak. He knew they couldn’t make Aaryan eat the petal after the warning.


    “You..Eat It.”


    The silence stretched unbearably as all eyes locked onto the trembling man. His fingers twitched around the petal, his breathing shallow. Sweat trickled down his temple.


    Someone took a slow step back, their face twisted in uncertainty. A hushed whisper rippled through the group—“This is going to be bad...”


    A younger man swallowed hard, glancing at the others. "What if it''s poison?"


    Another shifted uneasily, inching toward the edge of the gathering, ready to flee if needed.


    The silver-armored men exchanged glances, their smirks deepening. As enforcers under the regional commander, their job was to maintain order—but they were just as entertained by a good spectacle as anyone else.


    One of them folded his arms, leaning forward slightly, clearly entertained. The other chuckled under his breath, murmuring, “This should be fun.”


    Aaryan fought to keep his expression neutral, but the corner of his lips twitched for just a moment. He had read about this particular reaction before—just not in any medical text. If his hunch was right, things were about to get... interesting.


    The man took a deep, shuddering breath and placed the petal in his mouth.


    The crowd leaned in, holding their breath. A second passed. Then another.


    His face contorted—first in confusion, then horror. His stomach let out a deep, ominous growl.


    Sharan''s eyes narrowed. "Is it working?"


    Someone took a cautious step back.


    Another gulped.


    The wind rustled.


    Then—


    Pfffffffffffffffffffffffftttttttttttttt...


    The sound ripped through the silence like a war drum.


    A stunned pause.


    Then chaos.


    Half the group staggered backward, their expressions ranging from shock to barely contained laughter. A horrified yelp escaped one of the villagers, while another gagged and cursed, waving a hand in front of his face.


    The armored men doubled over, roaring with laughter. One of them wiped a tear from his eye, gasping, "Oh, this was so worth the wait!"


    The man, still trembling, clutched his stomach. "W-what did you make me eat?!"


    Aaryan exhaled slowly, suppressing a grin. He had hoped for chaos, but this? This was perfect. If the silver-armored men were entertained, they might not bother questioning him further. And if the commotion escalated, slipping away unnoticed would be even easier. All he had to do now was act just surprised enough to stay out of suspicion.


    Sharan didn’t laugh. While the armored men doubled over, his gaze remained fixed on Aaryan, fingers tapping absently against his arm. His lips parted as if to speak, but he only exhaled, his expression unreadable.


    His gaze lingered a beat longer. The boy’s movements were sharp yet measured—reactive, but not reckless. Not just surviving. Adapting.


    Sharan’s fingers stilled. A flicker of thought passed behind his eyes before he turned to Aman, murmuring something too low to hear.


    Nayan’s face twisted in fury. “Enough of this nonsense!” he snapped, voice sharp as a blade. “He—"


    But his words were drowned out by the roaring laughter of the armored men. One of them clapped him on the shoulder, grinning. “Relax, Junior Chief. We all needed a good laugh today.” Nayan stiffened, his hand twitching near his sword hilt, but he could do nothing.


    No one was listening.


    Aaryan exhaled slowly, keeping his expression neutral. The moment passed, but he knew better than to relax completely. With practiced ease, he shifted just enough to blend into the background—quiet, unremarkable. Just another commoner.