Shop 56.2

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Chapter 56.2. The Rohas Elf In The Wilderness

"What, did I make a mistake?"

"No, I just wanted to talk for a bit."

"Talk...?"

I seated the old man, who seemed about to collapse on the spot, on a conveniently sized rock. Of course, it was quite a distance from the carriage and the large pit.

"So, what do you want to talk about? I'm just a filthy dump worker..."

"Yes, exactly what I wanted to ask about. First of all, about this filth, is it commissioned by someone, or is it voluntary on your part?"

The carriage's loading platform was extremely run-down, and it didn't give the impression of being used for storage.

"No, no! It's a job commissioned by the country, technically. Although I'm not directly hired to do the work, it's the higher-ups who take the job."

"I see, and by 'higher-ups' you mean?"

"The Morimore Company."

"Can you tell me what kind of work it is?"

If the company is involved, there might be room for negotiation.

"Well, it's nothing fancy, just coming here to dump the city's filth, you know?"

"How is the land managed here?"

"I wouldn't know."

Well, that makes sense.

"How long does it take for that big pit to fill up?"

"About 3 months, I suppose..."

"And do you handle that pit?"

"No, no! My back is bad, so I can't possibly do it! When it's full, I report to the company, and they send someone to handle it."

"I see... Have you been doing this job for long?"

"Yes, because there's nothing else for me..."

Judging by Cherina and the guards' reactions, it's probably not a job they'd willingly do.

"By yourself?"

"There were about three of us until recently, but in the past few years, the amount we carry has decreased, and the company's payments have become stingy, so they quit."

"I see. Didn't you think about quitting?"

"My back is already ruined, so I can't switch to another job now."

It may be a job that can be managed with a bad back, better than stacking and unloading lumber at least.

"What happened to the old pits?"

"When we dig new pits, we cover them with the soil from there and leave them."

"Could it be, they've been along this side road all along?"

"That's right. When this pit is full, we dig on the opposite side of the road."

"I see. Thank you for your help. It was informative."

I decided to observe a little longer with a nod of thanks.

"Would it be alright if I stayed here for a while?"

"Sure, but it stinks, you know?"

"I have a reason to endure it."

I tried to maintain a sales smile, but they couldn't see it through the towel.

I returned to Cherina's carriage with Yaralai, taking our time to examine the soil.

The guards pinched their noses and walked away.

We decided to return to town until the smell dissipated.

Cherina called me back to the carriage where we returned to the highway.

"Has the smell dissipated a bit?"

I used all my cleaning aerial tools. So I think it's fine.

"Yes, it's much better now. But could you reveal the secret soon?"

"Don't you already have a hunch?"

Considering Cherina's intelligence, she probably already knows and is just asking.

"Unfortunately, I have no idea."

"For real?"

"For real."

Maybe they haven't dabbled much in agriculture-related matters.

"I see... Cherina, did you feel anything strange about that side road?"

"Strange? Not particularly..."

"I see. Do you remember there being grass only along that side road?"

"Now that you mention it, yes."

"You might not believe it, but manure becomes fertilizer when left to rest. And it's quite powerful."

"Huh?"

Uh oh, this reaction isn't good.

"Even though the impression is that it's dirty when left to rest... that is, fermented, it becomes something not dirty and turns into highly nutritious soil. After all, the land around there was full of grass, right?"

Actually, since proper fermentation wasn't done, the nutrient value wasn't as high as compost. But Yaralai explained that it had become very good soil in this wilderness after being left to rest in the ground for a long time.

"Occasionally, there are places like that. Even though it's unrelated to filth, I think."

"Huh, are there really places like that?"

Unexpected.

"Yes, very rarely. It seems that even if it returns to the original wilderness within a few years."

"Probably, but I think the land around there has been changing for decades."

"That's..."

That's bad. If that soil were usable, it would be quite advantageous.

"We're not trying to directly change the place we're filling in now. Well, if we could take the soil filled in over three years ago to the newly made fields, the success rate would skyrocket."

"The filth soil?"

"That's right, after a few years, it becomes fertilizer..."

This might not work.

"Akira, Veliero."

There was a knock on the carriage with Yaralai's voice.

"Yararlai-sama?"

Cherina opened the carriage's side window.

"The elf village uses compost. I can advise."

"Huh? Compost?"

"It's highly nutritious soil made by letting manure and straw rest for a while and mixing it."

Close enough.

"I see."

"Um, Yaralai-sama, can you really make good soil from filth?"

"You can. Humans, too, are doing it in Lakelel."

"Huh?"

Cherina was speechless.

"Where is Lakelel again?"

Answering my question, she managed to turn her frozen neck.

"It's the country of mountains and lakes, Lakelel. It's a large country facing Lake Mazur, and it's a very rich land... but... to think..."

"That compost is compatible with the soil by the river."

"..."

She's thinking. She's really thinking.

"Animals eat, they poop, it becomes nutrition, grass grows. We take that. It's not dirty. It's normal."

Elves are so Rohas-like.

"Animals increase, grass increases, nature increases. We're happy. That's what they teach me."

Ah, that's why he taught us.

"Is that not elven magic?"

"No, just nature. You just haven't noticed."

"I see... Elves really say that much about it..."

The carriage rattled for a while.

"I understand. Let's do it. There's no reason to doubt elves when it comes to nature."

"What's your real intention?"

I immediately pushed.

"If it's a technology introduced in Lakelel, then we must already be using it. What is there to fear now?"

"You're too much..."

I surrendered and raised both hands. Women are truly strong. Too strong. I feel like crying.

"We need to meet with the Morimore Company soon. Melvin, send a messenger ahead. Let them know we'd like to have a meeting today or tomorrow."

"As you wish."

Melvin instructed, and one of the guards rode his horse towards the town.