Disarm Evil

Chapter 17: Luck

The slums emitted more brown scents than this level of society, and I can now discern the difference, whereas before, as an atu, both places were just a brown blur. Now I can detect the subtle presence of pleasant scents amidst the overpowering sewage odor.

I find myself imagining how Sudihatosema must smell with this nose. There is certainly a trade-off. While the scents might be a pleasant blue blur to an atu, for a bitu, the brown would be there too, not lost in the blue blur. One can never escape the brown. But how much more beautiful must Sudihatosema smell through the nose of a bitu? Perhaps the brown adds to the scent image, similar to how browns can enhance the beauty of a painting or even be beautiful as subject matter.

Most of my labor-dreams now revolve around experiences of scent rather than sight, as they used to. Ever since we moved into this apartment, which is roughly the same size as the hut, if not smaller due to the addition of a stone slab covering a hole in which water is constantly running by to carry away waste.

At least the family no longer has to travel and pay to use a public toilet, and Miya and I no longer need to worry about making as much of a mess when nature calls. We even have a designated area for a fire under a chimney, and the walls are made of brick that extends to the ceiling. So, although the space looks similar, it is undoubtedly an upgrade in many aspects.

Apart from the overwhelming scent of sewage, which fluctuates when waste floats by in the water beneath the floor, there are also occasional whiffs of what I assume are cheap floral perfumes. Flowers don't grow down here, so the scent must come from perfumes, unless the flowers are imported, which seems unlikely given the financial circumstances of the residents.

The scent I find most welcoming is the intermittent and familiar aroma of baked goods. Judging by how little of the air is filled with these scents, I assume they are treats that only a few people purchase for special occasions or celebrations.

However, there is one scent that dominates over all others, except for the sewage. It is so prominent that I might have detected it even as an atu. It's the distinct aroma of burning woods and coal. As an atu, one campfire smelled like any other campfire, but as a bitu, each wood and type of coal has its own unique scent. It is more clear than ever that illegal wood burnings in Hosudiha is a widespread "issue". People even seem to take pride in the different scents they can acquire for burning.

What I cannot understand is why, when I was an officer, I wasn't informed about these burings. It is not like the bitu try to hide it. Even Jove and Kidu have spoken quite casually about looking forward to acquiring some nice woods for burning. Though as newcomers, we haven't had the chance to burn anything in the quarter-deposit we've been here, as we're still adjusting to the new expenses that came with the move.

Speaking of new expenses, Jove sits between Miya and me, hunched over a wooden plank with a pencil in ver paw. Ver eyes are filled with stress and disbelief as ve struggles to balance expenses against income. Kidu and the pups sleep behind ver, while Miya appears to be sleeping as well. I have been pretending to sleep, but my thoughts won't let me rest.

What is the point of virtues when luck seems to play a bigger role in a person's quality of life than anything that is under their control? You have to be lucky enough to avoid sickness, injuries, and trouble that would set the family back by salaries. Even in Sudihatosema, it seemed like I couldn't go a deposit without the expense of something breaking, needing replacement or repair. Such expenses are all the more costly down here, and back then, I didn't even have to worry about healthcare because it was freely provided by the ministry, with ample supplies. So there is also being lucky enough to be born into favorable circumstances.

Though is there such a thing as luck when Ritu is pulling the strings? What truly got us out of the slums? The image of the incomplete tower of Matuha comes to mind. Ritu.