I Built a Divine Zoo in Another World

Chapter 94: Growth

Three months passed quickly since Lukas and his family returned from Castle Hark.

Time, as always, seemed to have a life of its own at Dmond Manor. The days followed one another in a comfortable routine, mornings of study in the library, afternoons of training in the garden, and nights of reading before sleep.

But there was a new energy in the air, a sense of growth and change that Lukas felt in every aspect of his life.

Summer was slowly beginning to give way to milder temperatures. The intense heat of the previous months had been replaced by gentler days, with cool breezes that swayed the leaves of the trees.

The colors around Dmond Manor were still exuberant, deep greens, vibrant reds, and golden yellows, but some leaves already displayed more golden tones at their edges, announcing the arrival of autumn.

And just as the seasons changed...

Lukas was changing too.

He had grown a little more. His body, once tiny, was now that of a small child, still far from Judite’s height, but visibly larger than in previous months. His clothes, which once hung loosely from his shoulders, now fit him better.

He was still small. Still lifted by Aurora’s arms whenever she deemed it necessary. Still considered a baby in the eyes of adults.

But he was different.

His white hair had grown a little longer, falling softly over his forehead like a cascade of snow. His strands now reached his shoulders, and he often had to brush them aside from his eyes.

His violet eyes seemed increasingly attentive, absorbing the world around him with insatiable curiosity. Nothing escaped that gaze.

However...

He was not the only one who had grown.

Tilbo slept peacefully on the pillow beside Lukas.

The little ant from the past was no longer so little.

Its black body measured approximately half a meter in length, a creature that, in any other world, would be considered a monster. Its carapace possessed a subtle shine beneath the light streaming through the window, with silver veins forming patterns of waves and stylized flames.

Its antennae, now larger and sturdier, occasionally moved even during sleep, as if dreaming of something, or perhaps simply sensing the scents of the room.

Its legs were thick and muscular, with tiny bristles at the tips that helped it climb smooth surfaces. Its mandibles, capable of crushing thin wood, were closed, but Lukas knew that, if necessary, they could open in an instant.

It was no longer an ordinary ant.

It was a monstrous beast.

Prata had changed as well.

The enormous silver-haired spider remained hanging upside down in its web, occupying nearly the entire corner of the room.

Forty centimeters in diameter, with its legs extended, its body occupied more than half a meter.

More than two hundred and fifty grams, a considerable weight for a spider.

On Earth, a creature of that size would be the subject of documentaries, headlines, and nightmares.

But this was no longer the world Lukas had once known.

And Prata... was not an ordinary spider.

Its carapace, once glossy black, now possessed a silver-white tone, as if covered by a thin layer of stardust. Its silver hairs were dense, shining even in dim light. Its multiple eyes, eight black and gleaming points, reflected light like tiny stars.

It was magnificent. And terrifying.

Over the past months, Lukas had studied extensively.

Clavor’s library had been opened to him, with its books on history, geography, administration, and several volumes about creatures.

Although many of the books were administrative reports, harvest records, taxes, and information regarding the movements within Dmond territory, there were still treasures hidden among the shelves.

Books about animals. About magical beasts. About monstrous creatures.

After long hours of reading, sleepless nights, and entire mornings dedicated to research, Lukas discovered that several primary classifications existed.

Common animals. Creatures without mana, such as horses, cows, and chickens. They predominated throughout the continent.

Magical beasts, creatures with innate mana, capable of using special abilities. Prata fit into this category. With her mana-infused threads.

Monstrous beasts, large and dangerous creatures that generally attacked humans regularly. The One-Horned Tiger that Clavor had slain was an example. Though it was also considered part of the magical beast class.

Demonic beasts, creatures corrupted by negative mana, usually originate from cursed lands or the demonic continent. Rare, but extremely dangerous.

Divine beasts, legendary creatures associated with gods or primordial forces. Wyverns, dragons, phoenixes. Extremely rare, most are even said to be extinct.

Prata fit perfectly into both the magical beast and monstrous beast categories.

Her threads were infused with mana. They possessed durability superior to ordinary webs. And her aggression toward strangers placed her in the danger category.

And apparently... she would continue growing.

Lukas had not found much specific information about her species. Silver Thread Venomous Spiders were rare, and the books that mentioned the species were vague.

But comparing her with other magical spiders described in the books...

Prata could potentially reach several meters in length. The thought still occasionally sent chills down his spine.

Tilbo presented an even greater mystery.

Lukas read about different species of magical ants, fire ants, ice ants, iron ants, and shadow ants.

None resembled Tilbo. None.

Its metallic carapace was described in no book. Its size, half a meter and still growing, was unusual even by magical standards.

It made him think. Perhaps it was a rare species. Perhaps an unknown one. Or perhaps...

He simply had not yet found the right books.

His gaze shifted toward Astra. The only ordinary animal among the three.

The little eagle slept inside her improvised box, now larger, with more cloth padding, more comfortable. Her wing remained carefully secured to her body with the splint that the healer from Castle Hark had made.

Even so... she was much better.

She already walked normally, taking small steps inside the box.

She ate on her own small pieces of meat that Lukas offered her every morning.

She interacted more with Tilbo, the two greeting each other with touches of antennae and feathers.

And she completely ignored Prata, as if the spider were invisible.

When Lukas had brought her home, he feared the spider might consider her food. After all, Prata was carnivorous, and Astra was still a small bird.

But that never happened.