Vol 1 Chapter 16 (1/2)

Chapter 16: Revolt

I am delighted to get impressions, bookmark and evaluation on a moonlit night.

I saw the making of the compost.

I started making the compost from the next day after the potato was planted.

A receptacle for manure that’s use has already been made first.

In the village of the elf, excretion produced from each household is dumped outside the village once a day.

I make sure that the manure receptacle made is left there.

The receptacle itself is popular, as until now it was thrown away near the village and the smell drifted out.

There is no smell when thrown into the deep receptacle with a lid.

The receptacle for manure is a very sanitary device. The feces and urine starts to ferment when it’s thrown away there, and temperature rises to 70 degrees, killing pathogens which are origins of diseases and parasites. Above all, it can now be used as a fertilizer.

Without going through the process of fermentation, if you directly use excretions as fertilizer, nitrogen starvation occurs,  roots rot and crops becomes sick. In the first place, crops are often damaged by the methane and heat released during excretion decomposition.

“Well, excrement itself however, isn’t something I would like to use willingly.”

I opened the cover of the huge earthenware pot used as a receptacle after leaving it for a week after tossing large quant.i.ties of husk from threshed wheat into fermenting excretion and maple leaves collected by the female villagers.

While fermenting, as the smell of the world ending is emitted, I did not forget to let the wind carry away the smell and make sure it doesn’t reach the village.

If it’s only excretion, nitrogen, phosphoric acid and pota.s.sium are all insufficient, so I supplemented it with maple and wheat. Bad compost balance becomes a poison, so I mixed it with care.

“Alright, seems like fermentation is going well.”

Something like white mold is growing on the surface. That is evidence that compost is made smoothly.

Within the receptacle, fermentation isn’t complete as new excretion is placed into the receptacle everyday. Thus, I added something that will become nourishment and let fermentation advance more by pa.s.sing 1 week through time in this way.

“After that, once every 10 days, oxygen is send in by stirring to activate the bacteria, it will be in a usable state after one month.”

The best timing to add fertilizer to the potatoes is 1 month from now, and I aim for just that timing when the nutrients from the ground has been absorbed. It also seems to be just in time for it.

I am stirring it to introduce air while dispelling the smell by blowing with the wind. Still, I had to endure desperately as I can’t completely prevent the smell.

When the compost is complete, the color becomes blackish brown, and the bad smell turns to the smell of earth. I am reminded of that scene as I stirred the decomposition wholeheartedly.

“Syril, no, village chief! Empire soldiers are coming and will arrive in approximately 30 minutes!”

A youth raised to being a guard……Roreu, while holding his nose came to me who was mixing the compost. It was unexpectedly slow, 10 days later after the raid of the supply base.

“Ah, prepare the greetings. How many are able to handle the crossbow?”

“30 people.”

“Please call out to all the members.”

“I understand. Where is the greeting?”

“It might be good in the center of the village, it’s easy to aim at there.”

“Do you think that you will use the crossbow?”

“First of all, I have no doubt. Do you intend to tell everyone to be prepared?”

“Roger. See you later.”

And saying so, Roreu turns back running. Though he was in a hurry, but this smell would still be harsh. If the making of this compost succeeds, I’ll make a detailed recipe and as for this work.

I decided that I will force it on that fellow and returned to the village.

“Hey there, thank you for coming over. People of the empire. What is your business today?”

10 empire soldiers came along riding on 2 carriages. All members are fully armed and revealing wariness.

Although the attacker of the supply base is not thought to be in the elf village, the soldiers who came to collect tax and new elves not returning the other day might be the basis of taking precaution.

“I am Joseph. I came for the collection of tax. Lets get Nijie the village chief out.”

The man who seems to be the most important looking one among the soldiers took off his helmet and expressed that.

Looking down on the surrounding, his bad character is seeping out from his eyes.

And I can guess that he is a n.o.ble from the fact that a family crest is carved into his armor.

“Nijie left the village. The present village chief is me, Syril accepting the responsibility.”

I took a modest approach while I was concealing my real intentions.

“Are you still a child? Will you stop joking?”

“No, one will be an adult by fourteen in the elf village. I am treated as an adult in this village. I became the village chief after everyone in this village consented.”

Although they do not seemed convinced with my words, he seemed to have judged that it was not a lie from looking at the appearance of elves other than myself.

“Then, you are fine. Shall I have you present the quant.i.ty of wheat written on that paper and 3 of your fellow countrymen?”

Going straight to the point, business is thrust at me. I can see that he has no words and actions to spare.

Are you in a hurry or something?

“I should have paid this year’s tax. Why are there additions at this timing?”

Probing at great pains, I want to confirm the intention of these guys.

“After the base was attacked by a thief, the amount sent to our own country became insufficient….it doesn’t matter! Hurry and bring it.”

I see, this isn’t the retaliation for killing the previous guys, but purely distortion made by the attack to the supply base.

In this case, it doesn’t come to light that it’s me who have attacked the supply base.

“I refuse.”

“What!”

“I said that I refused. In addition to tax, I handed over the deposit of wheat. When anymore is taken, we cannot get through winter. Rather, would you return the wheat deposit soon?”

Called a wheat deposit, wheat is lent to the empire as its name suggests.

To prevent a revolt, the empire prevents storage except the minimum food used as emergency stores. If you act against the empire, the wheat deposited isn’t returned, it’s a plan for starving to death. In addition to taxes, most of the wheat in the village is taken.

“Wheat deposit? I do not know it. We probably didn’t received it this year.”

Frivolously, Joseph the representative of the soldiers declared.

The empire which looks down on us, even if I followed it, agreements are simple to annul in this way if it’s inconvenient.

“Shall I bring the certificate?”

“Ho, do you intend to bring a forged certificate? I will cut off your head at this place if you do something like this. You seem to have bad comprehension, shall I kill you quickly and arrange for the next village chief!”

This man doesn’t notice. The atmosphere with the elves surrounding the soldiers becoming more serious steadily, and the finger reaching for the crossbow concealed in the back also…….

“I see, the empire is going for such an att.i.tude. I think that’s good. I give up the wheat loaned out. However, above this, as with the matter of giving more wheat, villagers cannot be presented. We can’t starve to death and lose my comrades anymore.”

“Na, you! Are you mistaken! We didn’t come for a request! It’s an order! To starve and die? Then, after we kill you one by one, I’ll convert you to magic stone! Then after the cost of your food decreases, you would be able to pa.s.s through winter even if you pay tax! We are happy to obtain quite a lot of magic stones. You guys are happy without annihilation of the village, everyone is happy.”

Joseph pulls out the sword and applies it to the bottom of my neck, bringing his face close on top of that and scowls.