Reborn After A Death March

Chapter 74

"For today's volunteer work, we're cleaning up the aqueducts!"

"""Yes, ma'am!"""

The children brandished their cleaning tools in unison and cheered at Arisa's stirring declaration. With permission secured for the aqueduct cleaning, the group eagerly commenced their task. We had enlisted the assistance of the girls from the tenements downtown. Earlier this morning, I had informed Neru of my plans, but the turnout far exceeded my expectations. Despite the meagre compensation of a single copper coin per person, the attendees demonstrated an extraordinary enthusiasm to lend their support.

"This is a strange tool, Hero Lady."

The redheaded Neru gazed curiously at one of Satou's hastily constructed trash-picker tools.

"Will the stalls be all right without you, Miss Neru?"

"Just 'Neru' is fine, Miss Hero. The other gals are there, too. It'll be okay! Figured I'd come to help out here since I can use Everyday Magic and all!"

"How convenient, eh?"

"I wanna pick stuff up, too."

"Wait your turn!"

The sight of the trash pickers hard at work captivated both the young and the old. Laughter and chatter filled the air as they tackled the task of cleaning the aqueducts, transforming a chore into a lively and enjoyable activity.

"Mister, I mean, young master! This tool is from a foreign land, isn't it?"

"Is it?"

"Yeah, I ain't... Erm, I've never seen one."

"If you pull this string, the thingies on the end close! That's so cool!"

The girls from the tenement houses approached Satou, struggling to keep their language polite as they spoke.

"Erm, excuse me, Lady Hero. Could you get the young masters' permission for us to make something similar to these trash pickers and sell them?"

Neru, still captivated by the trash picker, was oblivious as a serious-faced girl approached me with a request.

"It shouldn't be a problem," I reply. "If you can find some hollow branches like this, it should be pretty easy to make."

However, because the handle of this trash picker was made thin but sturdy with Treespirit Pearls, they would have to use different components.

"That should be fine! I know a lumber dealer who sells thin bamboo."

A new product would be beneficial for the girls. They might even level up in developing the product and gain some creation-related skills. More good news was that with only a few minor incidents, the aqueduct cleaning was proceeding smoothly.

"This is quite a lot of garbage."

"What are we going to do with it? Burn it?"

"There's a dump site outside the city, so we've been told to throw it away there."

A government official had told Satou when he went to get permission the day before to take everything there. We used a human-wave tactic to carry the garbage out of the city.

"What an enormous pit."

About a hundred and fifty feet away from the south gate, the hole was nearly thirty feet around and ten feet deep.

"The viceroy hires Earth Magic users to remake this hole once a year."

"Wow, that's interesting."

This piece of knowledge came from one of the old folks who had helped transport the garbage.