White Ant Extermination
I held up what I had in my hand and grinned.
"This is the secret weapon for wiping out those soldier white ants."
"……Pardon?"
She was half a beat slow in responding, clearly not grasping my words right away. Of course it would be hard to understand immediately. I glanced at the liquid in the canisters I held in both hands and the tank strapped to my back, recalling yesterday's preparations.
'Robed, think you can get me a bunch of lemons?'
'Lemons? Why?'
'Got a use for them.'
'Hold on! I'll see what I can do, but no promises on the quantity.'
I'd gotten the lemons from Robed.
'Kind, didn't you say salt was easy to get last time?'
'Yeah, yeah, it is. Why salt?'
'Grab as much as you can, as fast as possible.'
'Right now?'
'Yeah, ASAP.'
And salt from Kind.
'Ruslan, you training?'
'Just about to take a break. What's up?'
'Nothing much. Mind lending a hand for a sec?'
'……?'
I'd mixed the lemons and salt with water, then borrowed Ruslan's strength to stir it all thoroughly. That was how I'd spent the entire previous day making this lemon-scented saltwater.
'This is something Estelle discovers in the future too.'
The combination that saved the black charcoal tree groves from white ants. Before it was developed, the standard method was spraying cinnamon powder to repel them. Like most pests, white ants hated the smell of cinnamon.
'But cinnamon costs a fortune.'
Cinnamon powder was used against white ants and all sorts of primal pests, so demand always outstripped supply.
'They probably planned to haul in cinnamon powder and spray it this time too.'
It might drive off the soldier white ants temporarily, but they'd come swarming back, requiring more powder each time. That vicious cycle led to endless research until this mixture was born.
'Thanks to it, the future has fewer white ant primal outbreaks.'
I itched to tell the dubious-looking Estelle all this.
'Your sister comes up with this in the future. Give it a shot.'
But saying that would just get me labeled a lunatic. All I could do was prove it with results.
"You really think that will…… drive off the white ants?"
"Yep."
"Hmm, I smell something sour and salty mixed together. Is it just lemon and salt water?"
"……!"
I was a bit startled by Estelle's sudden insight. Figuring out the ingredients just from a quick sniff? No wonder she'd discover this combo in the future.
"That's right."
"Oh!"
Her eyes lit up with interest at my confirmation. But not Amy.
"W-Wait, you're saying lemon and salt water will take care of white ants? Sis, are you nuts?"
She alternated glances between Estelle and me, her face screaming disbelief.
"What is this…… Some kid's game? What if you just piss them off more?"
Her glare wasn't friendly. Fair enough—if I didn't know better, I'd doubt it too. That's why I hadn't explained, planning to show results instead.
"Look, I was trying not to butt in…… but this seems like a bad idea."
I opened my mouth to respond to Amy, but Estelle beat me by a beat.
"It's fine, Amy. Let's give it a try. If you're worried about agitating them, we can test it on one nearby first, right?"
"Well, yeah, but…… Sigh, whatever. If that's what you want, sis."
Thankfully, Amy didn't dig in her heels and nodded. Whew—nearly lost momentum before we even started. With Estelle's intrigued gaze and Amy's skeptical one on me, I headed toward the soldier white ants' territory.
* * *
The black charcoal tree grove wasn't far from the eleven-day market.
"This section is our managed area."
I could only click my tongue inwardly at Estelle's words. Countless black charcoal trees lay toppled or hollowed out before us. The ruined stretch seemed endless.
'Looks like over a third are gone.'
This was serious money down the drain. Even I winced at the damage.
"Be careful from here on."
As we entered the grove proper, Estelle whispered a warning. That's when a new sound reached my ears.
Crunch, crunch.
Undeniably, the sound of trees being gnawed.
"See those? That's them."
I looked where she pointed. The jet-black trees ranged from a few meters to dozens tall. White clumps clung everywhere—soldier white ants, numbering in the hundreds at least.
'Most around a meter. As expected, all 1~2nd instar workers. The occasional bigger ones are reserve soldiers.'
Just as I'd predicted. My prep would handle this easily. Fully mature soldiers would be trouble, but they were rare outside massive colonies.
"Still think this'll work after seeing that?"
Amy asked, even after laying eyes on them. I showed her with actions, not words.
"Perfect—some stragglers off the main group."
A few crawled on the ground, bellies full or scouting new trees.
"Watch closely. Like this……"
I yanked the long hose from my tank—fire-hose style—and aimed at one wanderer. Lever pulled.
Whoosh!
"Kieeeek!"
The 1~2nd instar white ant primal screeched, shaking off the lemon saltwater and fleeing in panic.
"No way."
"……Whoa."
Obvious to me, mind-blowing to the sisters. Estelle's face was pure shock; Amy's eyes shook like an earthquake.
"It…… actually worked?"
Amy blinked, incredulous.
"That's really just lemon, salt, and water?"
She touched a dripping droplet from the hose.
"Eek, sour and salty!"
She licked it? Definitely more hands-on than her sister. Anyway, seeing proof flipped her attitude.
"Sorry for doubting. I had no idea."
Her usual brashness softened with embarrassment. I chuckled inwardly and handed her a spare tank.
"Now that you get it, spray carefully."
Her eyes sparkled like a kid with a new toy.
"Alright, die, you bastards!"
She hosed the tree-clinging workers gleefully.
"Kieeeek!"
They bolted like they'd been struck by lightning.
"Try not to hit the trees too much. Too much and they'll wilt."
"I know that much!"
……Her past antics made me doubt her "common sense," but whatever. Her Maturity Stage physique outpaced mine; she cleared ants fast.
"How about those up top?"
She paused, frowning at the problem. Hoses reached small trees fine, but not the giants' upper branches.
"Leave that to me."
Estelle and Amy eyed me curiously—'What now?'—but with newfound trust.
'Time to release the iron orbs.'
Norton had okayed it for emergencies, so no rule break.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
The orbs dropped from my limbs; their eyes widened. Hidden by sleeves till now.
"You've been…… wearing those this whole time?"
I nodded lightly at stunned Estelle. They looked impressed—and wary.
'If they saw me training with Norton like this, they'd faint.'
I shook out my wrists and ankles.
'Stats up—feels lighter than ever.'
Plenty capable now.
'High Jump (D) activate.'
Crunch.
Leg muscles twisted and bulged with power.
Boom!
I exploded upward over ten meters amid a cannon-like blast.
Whoosh!
Hose aimed at treetop ants—lemon saltwater rained down.
"Kieeeek!"
They flailed in surprise, plummeting.
Thud, thud, rumble!
Dust billowed as they hit ground. I landed softly using residual skill force and form.
"……!"
The sisters gaped. Amy stammered; Estelle recovered enough to ask.
"You…… aren't mantis clan? Locust?"
I chuckled and shook my head.
"Then how?"
"That's……"
"That's?"
"Trade secret."
"……."
Estelle burst out laughing, then roared with it.
"Ahahaha!"
"S-Sis?"
"Ahaha…… Sorry. Haha, I didn't recognize a true expert. Still got a ways to go."
She wiped tears, still giggling.
"Let me reintroduce properly. I'm Estelle de Arielle, leader of the Red Rose Merchant Guild."
"……!"
Amy's eyes bulged. Estelle had shared her true name.
'She fully accepts me now.'
Unexpected this soon—took ages pre-regression.
Few ever heard it; they all became VIPs, reaping top-tier benefits.
"Patented this lemon saltwater yet? If not, I'll handle all the paperwork."
She beamed confidently.
'Oh ho, patent.'
I'd overlooked it, uninterested in business. But royalties sounded nice.
"This invention's revolutionary. It'll make bank. We can talk details after cleanup."
She added,
"Oh! Want a VIP card? VIPs get A-rank Origin Protection Runes, not B."
'……!'
A-rank? My eyes lit up at the bonus. She'd dangled B-rank for VIP bait. Knowing Red Rose's future boom, I'd have taken it anyway—but upgraded? Jackpot.
I nodded eagerly. Or tried to.
"KIIIIIIEEEEEEK—!"
A sky-shattering roar hit, followed by skin-prickling killing intent engulfing us.