Chapter 76
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Preparation for Childbirth - 1
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The field was quite large, but with my stamina and Clara's, we plowed it in no time once we got serious. Clara wiped the sweat beading on her forehead and gave me pointers on farming like a pro.
"Whew, next up is fertilizing the field."
"The compost we made from monster dung before should be more than enough, right?"
"More than enough—it's overflowing."
Here, they called it fertilizer: a mix of animal dung, leaf mold from rotten leaves, and finely chopped forest humus, all burned together at once.
Fertilizer in name only—it was closer to compost than the chemical kind from modern tech. Anyway, they said the stuff made from monster dung was packed with earth's energy, restoring soil vitality fast.
"After fertilizing, give it two weeks to rest."
"Why?"
"It takes time for the field to fully absorb the earth's energy in the fertilizer."
It wasn't scientific at all, but I didn't argue with Clara's experience-backed words.
"So what do we do for those two weeks?"
"Not much. Plow like today or build ridges."
"That's it? It's easier than I thought—kinda disappointing."
"That's why everyone farms instead of hunting, right? If it were hard, folks like you would be the norm."
"Fair point."
I bought her logic and used the extra time to prep the drainage ditches to a decent point.
Lugeron Village had no upsides, only downsides—except for the powerful river flowing down from the Titan Mountains, so water for farming was never an issue.
"Good work."
As Clara and I headed home, Elsia came out to greet us. She didn't look tired despite yesterday's marathon. Sylvia, of course, was buzzing around full of energy.
"Breakfast is ready."
"Already?"
Our household now had a whopping ten members.
Prepping meals for ten wasn't easy, but Sylvia showed no strain.
"Hee hee, we all pitched in, so it went quick."
"Thanks for the hard work."
And so, everyone except Chloe gathered at the table for breakfast. Sylvia looked after the Vivian sisters, still shaky with imperial tongue, while Clara tended to her baby sister Clia, who was barely awake.
Naturally, I took care of mobility-challenged Chloe.
"Chloe, ahh~"
"Honey, I can feed myself..."
Blushing, Chloe still chomped down nicely on the bread I offered.
"You eat too, honey."
"Watching you eat fills me up."
"Bro, that sounded just like Mom."
"Clia!"
Clia got scolded by her big sis Clara for butting in. Brushing off my sulky sister-in-law, I shared an intimate meal with Chloe.
"Sian, you home?"
As we finished eating and cleaned up, Tom dropped by.
"Tom, good morning. What's up?"
"Nothing major—just passing on word of a village meeting at noon."
"Thanks. I'll swing by your place at noon."
"Haha, no need to fuss over an old timer."
"What're friends for? Oh, and I finished the washer sketch we talked about."
"No kidding? Been looking forward to that."
"Wanna hear it over tea?"
"If you're offering, count me in."
And so, Tom and I chatted about the washer for a bit.
Not a modern machine—this was a traditional paddle washer using the river's flow. I planned to harness the mighty stream from the Titan Mountains.
A water-rich village like this had to make use of it somehow.
'Washing's tough manual labor too.'
Tom marveled at my blueprint.
"Here it is."
"You put real effort into this."
"Yeah, using the waterwheel's power means it can even spin-dry."
"You're a genius! How do you come up with this stuff?"
"Not my idea."
It came from a documentary I watched during downtime as a NCO—something I idly sketched from memory. But I couldn't explain that, so I name-dropped my adoptive dad.
"Dad told me. Said it's a traditional method from some region."
"Ian always was well-traveled. I couldn't buy his tales of fizzy drinks in the Holy Kingdom, but hearing this... sounds legit."
"Huh?"
What now? Fizzy drinks?
"You haven't heard? Holy Kingdom's full of wonders, but he raved about their carbonated beverages most."
"...Yeah, rings a bell."
Next chance I get, gotta sample some Holy Kingdom specialties via Helen.
Come noon, I headed straight for Tom's when I spotted a familiar woman en route. Selenia.
'What? Still hung up on Elsia?'
Luckily not—she spoke urgently.
"Help me."
"With what?"
Ah, needed assistance. I'd promised to help her before.
"The meeting today will probably bring up the waterwheel."
"Waterwheel?"
Her words jogged the Village Chief's earlier comment.
'We should appoint a dedicated manager.' I'd agreed. Wasting high-end village talent like me and Tom on it would be a loss.
'Like last time, pick someone who struggles with fieldwork for the job and split fees. We'd get a cut as owners, sure.'
"So you want me to recommend your husband for mill master?"
Selenia's hubby Jace lost a leg saving a comrade in the war—farming's out, and most work too. Village Chief was probably eyeing him.
But I had reservations about handing it to him. Even with spousal consent, sending another man's wife around didn't sit right.
Selenia's reply threw me.
"Opposite."
"Huh?"
"Recommend someone else besides my husband."
"Who?"
"Austin, Kara's husband."
"Austin? Who's that?"
"You might not know— the boy who went blind from treatment during the village plague."
"Blind?"
"Yeah."
Blind folk had always faced discrimination. A leg cripple useless for fieldwork might get scorned in the sticks but not abandoned by kin. The blind were different—daily life impossible, even family ditched them.
And a "boy" meant young, not old.
"Why help him out?"
"Kara's known him like a little brother forever."
"You sure about that?"
Selenia's a lesbian. Woman who likes women. Rumor had her tailing Elsia for a spell back in the day.
Made me wonder if she was after some young girl this time.
"Danger? What danger?"
"You really don't know? It's..."
Selenia started to spill but glanced at nearby villagers and rushed off.
"Later. Just do this for me."
"Sheesh... way to ask a favor."
Flabbergasted by her hit-and-run, Helen's old tip suddenly hit me.
Maybe the village harbored secrets I didn't know?
'Gotta ask Tom.'
I hurried to his place.
Environment shapes personality, and even tiny Lugeron Village had generational divides.
Lugeron's were stark.
The older gen endured daily monster harassment near Dark Forest; the young saw resistance possible via Ian; kids fretted zero thanks to Sian's overwhelming power reshaping local monster ecology.
Elders thought conservatively, irked by clueless youth rampaging blindly.
Youth scorned war-inept elders, pushed to lead village change; kids were too young to grasp the feud.
Village Chief mediated between them.
Not easy without noble power, lord's wealth, or might.
"Mill master? What if embezzlement happens again like last time?"
"But we can't just let the waterwheel sit idle."
"Its makers should handle it."
"Those two? You're too young to think straight. How much does the blacksmith contribute? Hunters go without saying."
"Wanna fight?"
"Now, now, settle down. It's decided—we'll discuss candidates."
"Who you nominating? Not kin, I hope?"
"Course not. How 'bout Jace? Reliable guy."
"Jace—solid character."
Decades of experience bred know-how.
Staying neutral and mediating felt natural now.
Then Sian raised his hand for the floor.
"Sian, something to say?"
"I'll nominate someone else."
For once, the usual naysayers fell silent.