Chapitre 36: Chapter 36
As Lara and Tony continued throwing fruit at each other, their food fight was interrupted by Etzli and Uchu. Seeing them approach, Lara and Tony quickly stopped, brushing bits of fruit off themselves.
"Oh, how's our little king doing?" Lara teased as she wiped fruit from her face and body.
"Pretty good," Etzli replied with a small smile. "Uchu has been helping me learn the responsibilities of ruling." While he appeared cheerful, it was clear to anyone paying attention that he was still grieving the loss of his mother. Time was the only thing that could truly ease his pain, but he was a remarkably strong boy. Ever since being crowned King of Paititi, he had made a conscious effort to hide his grief, projecting strength and resilience.
The day after Amaru's death, Unuratu's funeral had been held, and the following day, Etzli was crowned King of Paititi.
Speaking of Paititi, it had officially been recognized by Peru as a sovereign state. Croft Holdings was now working to secure recognition from Western European countries, leveraging favorable contracts to gain their support.
Plans were also underway to turn Paititi into a unique tourist destination—something akin to a protected zone or national park. Visitors would be able to enter for a fee to experience the culture, history, and natural beauty of the region, while also being able to buy locally crafted products made in an authentic native style by the people of Paititi.
This initiative would also breathe new life into Kuwaq Yaku, Abby's hometown. Since modern infrastructure like hotels, restaurants, and shops wouldn't be built in Paititi to preserve its cultural and natural heritage, Kuwaq Yaku would become the hub for visitors, offering these conveniences. This setup would not only boost the local economy but also grow Peru's overall tourism industry.
Making Paititi famous and known worldwide wasn't just about economic growth—it was also a strategic move to protect its people. If Paititi were under the global spotlight, with recognition and backing from countries and corporations like Croft Holdings, it would deter potential threats. A villain like the High Evolutionary or an organization like A.I.M. might see an isolated, unknown people as an easy target for experimentation and exploitation. However, as a celebrated attraction, potentially even declared the Eighth Wonder of the World, Paititi would be far less vulnerable. Being in the public eye meant being protected.
Etzli asked, stealing glances at Lara's curves—it couldn't be helped. Lara even believed she might have been his sexual awakening after he first saw her in a bikini. "I heard you wanted some capybaras?" he said with a curious tilt of his head.
"Yeah," Lara replied, finishing brushing the last bits of fruit off herself.
"Well, a hunter found three unusual baby capybaras. He tried to locate their mother but only found a carcass. He didn't think they could survive in the wild because of their odd trait, so he brought them to me. I remembered you mentioned wanting some," Etzli explained.
"Nice. Where are they?" Lara asked, glancing behind Etzli.
Uchu answered, "The hunter is on his way now with them."
They waited a moment until the hunter arrived. Lara and Tony squinted into the distance, seeing a vague shape behind the approaching man.
The hunter stopped in front of them, greeted everyone, and then stepped aside to reveal the three baby capybaras. They looked healthy, without any visible defects or signs of malnourishment.
'Are these guys the South American version of bears?' Lara wondered as she studied the capybaras. The three of them were stacked together like a tower, yeah a capybara tower, the largest one on the bottom, with the middle-sized one standing on its back, and the smallest perched on top.
The size difference wasn't dramatic, but with her enhanced vision, Lara could easily distinguish their proportions.
Tony, staring at the capybaras with wide-eyed, declared, "I'm buying them."
Before Lara could strangle him on the spot, Uchu interjected, "They're a gift for Lady Lara."
"Yeah, Tony," Lara added, crossing her arms and giving him a pointed look. "And I'm not selling them."
Tony sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. But if you ever need a future billionaire capybara babysitter, you know where to find me." After a brief pause, he added, "So, what are you going to name them?"
Lara stepped closer to the trio, crouching down to get a better look. The largest one, who was calmly carrying the other two on its back, caught her attention. "How about Coconut for this one?" she suggested, pointing at the capybara.
Tony nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he's definitely the most robust of the three and looks like the toughest. Is that why you chose the name?"
Lara shook her head with a smirk. "Nope. He just reminds me of a coconut."
Tony blinked at her before saying, "The middle one gives me intellectual vibes. Like, if he were human, he'd be a bookworm who spends all his time learning."
"Yeah, he does have a strange vibe for a capybara," Lara agreed, tilting her head as she studied him. There was something about the middle one that gave off the illusion of a know-it-all. "How about Wyclef Montgomery III?"
Tony nodded thoughtfully. "It could work."
As they turned their attention to the smallest capybara still perched on top, Jonah and Abby walked over to see what was going on. Jonah, noticing the yet-unnamed capybara, pointed at him and said, "This little guy reminds me of the two of you."
Both Lara and Tony turned to him in confusion. "Why?" they asked in unison.
"Because he's just as arrogant as you two," Jonah replied with a grin.
"We are not arrogant!" Tony protested.
"Yeah," Lara added, pointing at the smallest capybara. "And neither is he!"
Abby couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, don't kid yourselves. Look at him—he's literally got his nose in the air," she said, gesturing at the capybara.
Both Lara and Tony paused to look more closely at the smallest capybara. Sure enough, his tiny nose was tilted skyward, and his expression seemed to radiate disdain, as if he were looking down on them from his high perch.
"She's kind of right," Tony admitted.
"Yeah," Lara agreed. "So, what should we name him?"
Tony thought for a moment before grinning. "How about Mr. Worldwide?"
Lara chuckled. "That works."
And just like that, the three capybaras were officially named: Coconut, Wyclef Montgomery III, and Mr. Worldwide. After confirming their genders to ensure the names matched appropriately, the trio earned a nickname as a group: The Capybara Brothers.
Winston, returning to the scene, stopped in his tracks as his eyes fell on the mess of fruit scattered across the ground. His expression immediately soured, and he opened his mouth, ready to scold Tony and Lara. However, he froze when he noticed the group gathered around a stack of baby capybaras.
"What are these, young lady? And good afternoon, King Etzli and Sir Uchu," Winston asked, raising an eyebrow as he approached while politely greeting Uchu and Etzli.
"Good afternoon, Sir Winston," both Uchu and Etzli replied in unison.
"My new pets," Lara declared proudly.
Winston frowned. "And how exactly do you intend to care for animals from the warm climate of the Amazon in the much cooler British Isles?"
Lara shrugged with nonchalance. "I don't know. We'll build a hot spring or something."
Winston closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling deeply. After a moment, he let out a long sigh, resigning himself.
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
SteffenStephen
SteffenStephen Guys, I’m asking for something other than stones—please leave an honest review of your thoughts so far. Also, about the stones… I was kidding. I totally need that stone dust!
Should I make a discord server to chat?
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
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