48-Episode 46 Hammer's Work

As I predicted, the rain stopped in the afternoon.

'Onii-chan!A rainbow!

Loretta's younger brother shouted with joy at the rainbow in the sky.

I'm walking through the 42nd district with my hamsters in tow.

Next to me is Oumalo.

'Huh, ......, I can't get motivated.

'Why not?I feel lightly hurt!

There are no girls here now.

Ginette is helping out at the church, while Loretta is gathering materials for the filtration system with her siblings in the caves of the slum. And it is Magda's job to carry those materials.

Estella returned to the house and said that she would have another meeting with Natalia. She said she would try to convince the lord and get the money out of him.

After the meeting in the cave, Oumarro went back to Torbek's store to get more men.

Gusuya and a few carpenters rushed to the site and are now building a filtration system in the cave of the slum.

Yamboldo is calling around to the other carpenters and will join them later. In the evening, all the Torbek construction workers will meet.

In the meantime, we were to go around to the most damaged areas and give first aid to the flood victims.

Umaro, who had traveled back and forth to the 42nd district, had seen several places that were severely damaged.

So, Estella formally requested us to start our charity work ahead of time.

And the first place we visited was this farm in Mo-Mat.

I just found out that Mormat is the head of the agricultural guild in District 42. ...... can't be trusted.

It seems that most of the land around here belongs to Momat, and he rents it out to others to work on his farm. Is he a wealthy farmer?

I don't think he's making any money, though.

'Hey!Mormat!

'Oh, Yashiro!

Standing in the middle of the rice paddies, Mo-Matt greets me back.

...... No, it's not. This must have been Mo-Matt's 'field'.

'...... That's terrible.'

I say frankly, looking at the field that is completely submerged.

The water level was below Mo'amat's knees, and peas, eggplants and tomatoes were completely submerged in the water.

'When the rain came back, this is what I saw. ...... Well, I had expected this to some extent, but ............ I was really disappointed.

The field is soaked with water, but the smile on Momat's face is dry and crispy.

I guess there's nothing to do but laugh. ...... Well, I'm not laughing.

I'm not sure what to do with this vegetable.You can't sell them, can you?

I crouched down along the road and looked into the field.

The canal has overflowed and is covered with water. It no longer made any sense.

The vegetables floating in the muddy water before the harvest are very sad.

'I guess they won't buy them then. Well, we'll eat what we can, but most of it will go to waste. Hey, can't the Garbage Collection Guild take some of it?I'll give you as much as I can since we're in this situation.

'What's there to bargain with, it's not like the vegetables are priceless to begin with.

'The Garbage Collection Guild is the one that collects the garbage, right?

'On the contrary!

This guy must've seen the whole setup of the Garbage Collection Guild.

He must have seen the whole process of setting up the Garbage Collection Guild. He must have known that the 'business of buying useless garbage' was a front to hunt down the Peddlers Guild.

Basically, I have no intention of doing charity work. ...... Well, I'm doing something similar now, but it's not charity. It's an investment of labor that will eventually lead to my profit.

'Are you sure about your life?

'Well, there are some vegetables that I picked early before the ...... rains, so they're poor, but they're not ...... unsaleable.'

'I see. ...... So, if you sell them, will you be able to make a living?'

'......It's not okay. It's completely out of our hands.

Mo Matt was devastated.

The damage must have been considerable.

Oh, no. I'm starting to see the face of Jeannette, who's not even here. And I'm sure she'll say something like this.

'Mr. Yashiro. Can't you do something about it? And.

And when I come up with a solution, he will say with a big smile on his face.

'Yes!Thank you very much.'

............ Ah, that's it. It's a bit of a disease. You can just pretend you don't know. ......

'...... Okay. If you have any vegetables that are not for sale but are still edible, gather them up and bring them to the Sunken Pavilion in the morning.

'Really?

'What do you think my manager would say if he heard about this?

'Well, you'd have a pretty face, and your eyes would be all puffy, and you'd say, 'I feel sorry for you.

'No. These days I don't say what I think, I just say ...... 'Yashiro-san ......', you know?

'Ha-ha-ha!He trusts you, Yashiro!'

'Thanks for the .......'

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure it's a good idea. I'm sure you'll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. ...... Yeah, d*mn it, you godd*mn crocodile.

...... A crocodile in a flooded field is a matter of great panic in Japan.

I'm sure the situation is the same everywhere anyway.And while you're at it, put together a list of your guild members and theirs.

'That's great, but ......, after saying it yourself, are you okay?I'm not sure if it's that useful.Damaged vegetables won't last that long.

'Nah. There's a reason for that. A lot of our people are going to be doing manual labor. I'll give it to them for their brunch. Ginette's going to make it anyway, so if we can get it at an unbelievable price, we'll take it.

'Is that so?No, if you're actually going to buy it, I'm starting to feel bad.

'Then give me a discount. Give me a big discount.'

'That's what I'm going to do. ......'

The farmer's alligator began to squirm uncharacteristically as he felt a strange sense of guilt. It's not ...... pretty.

You can't sell them if they don't look good, but you can eat them if they taste good. Your vegetables will be fine.'

'No, no, no. ............!

A teary-eyed crocodile with its hands outstretched rushes toward me, kicking up a torrent of water.

Scary, scary, scary!I'm afraid of crocodiles near water!

I evade the crocodile's attack by kicking the base of the neck of a mormat standing in a field about 40 centimeters lower than the ground.

'...... That's awful.'

'I don't have the taste to enjoy being hugged by an old man.

While rubbing his neck, Mo-Mat seemed to be somewhat happy. ...... You're not the kind of guy who gets off on that, are you?

I'm not sure what to make of it.

'As you can see, it's a mess. There's nothing we can do about it until the water drains out.

Looking around at the field that had turned into a pond, Mo-Mat let out a breath of resignation.

I wonder how many days it will be before the water recedes. ......

'Actually, we're in the middle of a charity campaign by order of our lord.

'The lord's orders?

'Have you seen him?The Lord of the Forty-Two districts.'

'Of course you have. I'm the head of the farming guild.

I know who you are. You're that unreliable guild leader who's always whining.

'The lord has a beautiful daughter. I've only glimpsed her before, but ......~ I'd like to talk to her at least once. Well, I guess it's impossible because she's too expensive. I'm sure you'll think the same thing when you see it.

No, not really. Not particularly.

I've talked to you before.

Mormat doesn't seem to realize that the lord's daughter is Estella.

It's important to dream.

So, you just keep dreaming of a higher power.

'So, what's this charity business?

'These guys will drain your fields for you.

'Hi!Woomaross, the head of Torbek's construction company!And this is my apprentice. I'll have you help me today.

'Heh, heh ......, is that right ......?

After a twitchy smile, Mo-Mat said this secretly in a voice that only I could hear.

'Hey, Yashiro. You know those guys,......, don't you?

It is obvious that this is not a question of acquaintance.

You've been ignoring them even though they've been in your sights for a while now.

It seems that Mormat does not have a good impression of the slums. ...... Well, I guess that's the standard in this town.

'These are the brothers of my employees. They're rather useful, you know?'

'Oh, oh. ...... I see. Well, if you know Yashiro,...... yeah,...... it's okay,............, vegetables, nothing that you can't afford to have taken. It's not like there's anything you can't afford to lose,......, but it's okay.

Does he think his brothers are stealing vegetables?

I don't. They're well-behaved.

Well, watch it carefully.

'So, how are you going to drain the water?'

'We'll dig a hole. You guys can do that, right?'

'Yes, we can!

'We'll make a big puddle next to the canal.

'A water refuge!

Hey, that last one. Don't say that like it's a jewel box of food. ...... Isn't there someone like a gourmet reporter here?

I don't know.This vacant lot is good!

'Oh!

'Hey, it's good, what are you doing at ......?

'That's your land, right?

'Yeah. This whole area is my land. ......'

'Then lend it to me. I'm sure you'll receive a formal contract from the lord later.''

'What?Well, ...... is fine.''

With the owner's permission, we rented the place.

It was a vacant lot in a good location upstream of a waterway that drew water into the field, and it seemed to be a place that he was planning to turn into a field.

A large hole was dug here to allow the water from the canal to escape. Until the sewage system is completed, we will use this place to control the water in the farmland.

'All right, then, all hands!Let's dig!

'Digging!

'Super digging!

'Great soil revolution!

No, that's why the last one!

What the hell are you, Maro?

'Oh, ............ this guy ......'

Mormat was speechless at how hard his brothers were working.

That's just as well. They were digging through the soil like they were digging through butter.

............ They're really fast. These guys can dig holes like this?Isn't it really a mole people?

'What's going to happen to this?

Mormat, standing next to me, watching his brothers working under Umaro's command. He keeps his eyes on them and asks me.

He can't take his eyes off them. It's true, I never get tired of watching them. It's an impressive work ethic.

My brothers seem quite happy, though.

'First, we dig a huge hole in the side of the canal. Then, after securing the depth, we break part of the canal wall. Then the water will flow into the hole you're digging, and the water in your field will recede all the way to the height of the channel. After that, you can dump the water into the canal by yourself.

'But this is the uppermost part of the canal. What should I do after the water recedes?'

'If you put a wooden board up where you destroyed it, it won't flow into the hole.

'Won't the board fall over?

'If you make it so that it fits to some extent, the water pressure will keep the board in place.

'Oh, ......, is that so?

Mo Mat groaned.

His gaze lingered on his brothers.

'......I'm not ready yet either. ............'

I don't ask what he means by those words.

But I am convinced that I made the right decision in choosing this place for my first job.

There was no longer a hint of avoidance of the slum dwellers on Mo'amat's face. There was only admiration and a little guilt.

Then we watched in silence as my brothers dug the hole.

The hole got deeper and deeper. In no time at all, a huge hole 3 meters long, 5 meters wide and 5 meters deep was born.

............ is fast.

When a part of the channel was destroyed, water flowed in and the water level in the field went down as expected. The water level in the field was dropping as expected.

'Well done, boys.

'I've been praised!

'My big brother praised me!

'Big brother's praise!

I wonder why they like me so much. .......

And the last one. I think you're Hammaro.

'Well, you work harder than I thought you would, my brothers.'

That's right. More than I expected.'

'At this rate, we might be able to get around the serious parts by the end of the day.'

Umaro seemed to be impressed with the way his brothers were working.

He's looking kind of lively.

'Well, then, Mo-Mat. Do the rest.'

'Oh, oh!

Without so much as a greeting, we pulled the cart with the digging tools and started walking.

'Oh, hey!

Mormat called out to us as if in a panic.

When I turned around, he was looking at me with an indescribable expression. No, he seemed to be looking at his brothers.

'That ............ something ............ no, I'm sorry. It's nothing.

Well, it's not easy to get rid of avoidance feelings that have been ingrained in you for years.

I'm glad that you tried to take action like that.

I don't think it's going to happen overnight either.

'But, good luck!

'You too! Bye.'

We greeted each other lightly and walked out.

I wonder what my brothers thought of my reaction.

They didn't seem to be particularly bothered.

They are happily talking about how much fun they had digging the hole, who was digging the hardest, and the next race. However, this is something that is completed only within themselves, and they only see the external world through the filter of me. To them, I'm just 'helping my brother'. It doesn't matter who sent them. Maybe they realized this when they were doing the ...... mobile sales. If you don't expect anything, you're less likely to get hurt.

That's a sad thing, though. I'm not in a position to say, '............'.

'Next stop, Hardware Street. There's still a lot of digging to do. Don't get tired in the first half.

'''Yes!

These guys' energy sometimes makes me sad.

I've got to do something about ....... So that I don't have to be sad.

The next stop was a very intricate street that Magda had taken refuge in when she turned into a cat.

This street also had poor drainage, and the road was submerged.

'Who are you?

In front of a workshop where shields were being made, a foxy-looking woman with a smoking pipe approached us.

I'm pretty sure I've met her before when I came looking for Magda.

'It's been a while!I'm the guy who talked to you before, the one with the 'little girl in a bag'! Would he remember me if I said that?

...... I can't stand to be reminded like that.

'I came here by order of my lord to get rid of the water in this street.

'That's nice of you to say, but ............ are you the one who's going to do it?

The fox sister glared at her brothers with a quizzical expression.

She looks like a tired salaryman who feels uncomfortable with students making a fuss on the train.

This must be the real reaction of the inhabitants. ...... The roots are deep.

'These people are going to dig a ditch in the street. We can't cover it up this time, so you'll have to deal with it yourselves.

'No, I don't mind that much, but ............, are you going to do it?

'Then, can you send us someone to do it?

'No,...... we've got our hands full with our own store,......'

'So we just leave it?

'No. ......'

'What do you mean, 'no'?

'Yashiro-san!

Umaro puts his body between me and the fox lady.

Unknowingly, I was getting annoyed.

'I know how you feel, but ...... it's for the betterment of my brothers' image. ......'

'Ugh,............, I know.'

I can't afford to lose my temper and get into trouble with the residents.

Calm down. ...... Calm down, me.

I'd like you to leave this to me.

'Oh, ...... please.'

I stepped aside and decided to wait by the cart.

'Well, that's it then, I hope you'll leave it to us.

'............ Well, we can't turn our backs on them, can we?

I don't have a choice. The fox lady shrugged her shoulders with such an expression on her face.

When I looked around, I saw that those who were looking at me had the same expression on their faces.

When their eyes met mine, they awkwardly averted their gaze.

I guess they all felt the same way.

'We can't trust the slum dwellers, but we can't leave the flooding unattended, so it can't be helped.

'Mr. Yashiro. Actually, there's another dangerous place ahead of us, and that's the last site with high priority.'

'So, why don't we split up and get on with it?

'I think that's a good idea. There's sewage flowing into the reservoir over there and it's about to collapse. If we don't hurry, a tragedy like the one at the church will happen.

Is it dangerous for sewage to overflow? ......

'Hey, who's the fastest guy in this group?

'Yes!

'Well, why don't you go back to the house and gather some men. That's right, about ten people.'

'Yes, sir!I'm off!

As soon as he said that, my brother ran away at an impossible speed like a 70's gag comic.

If Einstein had been born in this world, the theory of relativity would have been much different.

'Okay!Then you guys dig a trench all the way along this street!Eventually, you'll make a hole outside the street to let the water escape.Sounds good to me!

'''' Yes! ''''

'Okay, we'll divide into two groups, Group A and Group B!Team A will dig trenches and team B will dig holes!

'I'm in group A!

'Me, A!

'Me, B!

'Hole!

'Ditch!

'Ditch's ............ uh ............ street... ......... er ......'

Hammaro. If you can't come up with an analogy, you don't have to try.

'Okay, let's get started!

Following Umaro's signal, the work began.

My brothers are digging a hole as hard as they can.

They didn't look aside, didn't complain, didn't slack off, didn't slack off, didn't cut corners.

They don't say anything to the residents who just look at them in a bad way and don't want to lend them a check.

...... d*mn. Who uses this street a lot? You should feel a little remorse.

'''Big brother~chan~!

Pretty soon, reinforcements were pouring in.

Including my sisters.

Well then, I'd better get going too.

'Hey, Hammaro.

'Hammaro?

Oh, that's right, it's just a nickname I've given myself.

Umaro is following Team A, digging trenches in order from the top of the street.

Team B, in charge of the water hole, was currently being watched by me, but now it was time to pass the baton.

'All right. You're the leader here now. Check the status of the other guys' work and give them orders. You know the final product, right?You're in charge.

'I'm the leader of my ............ brothers!

Oh, yeah. That's exactly what I said. Where's the metaphor?

'If you don't understand something or have a problem, come and get me.

'Yeah!

Trusting my brothers to follow through with their instructions once given, I took the second unit and headed for the next site.

We headed in the direction of the poultry farm across the main street.

It seems that a manure dump and a reservoir have overflowed and become one, and the reservoir needs to be expanded.

The water in the pond is contaminated and cannot be used anymore. But if left unchecked, the sewage will overflow and damage houses and roads. We have to prevent that.

The site was located near a house.

The reservoir seemed to have been built lower than the road, and the road was still intact. The road was still intact. The sewage was close to the road, but it had not overflowed yet.

In the middle of the road, a pair of parents and children were standing there.

They seemed to be a girl of about five years old and her mother.

The girl was crying profusely, and her mother had a distressed expression on her face.

'Boshi!

'Give up now. You can't get it if it's that far away.

'Yeeeeeeaaahhhhh!

She's crying.

My eardrums are about to give out.

I don't want to get close to her. ...... While I was thinking that, one of my sisters quickly ran up to the crying girl.

When the mother saw her sister, she backed away. and backed away. ...... You're so rude.

'What's wrong with you?Why are you crying?

At first, the crying girl looked puzzled by the sudden appearance of the ham, but gradually tears began to flow and she began to cry again.

'What the hell are you doing?Get away from my daughter!

'Oh, I'm sorry. Hasn't the lord spoken to you?

She intervened in front of her mother who was verbally abusing her sister and protected her with her back.

She's an immature old woman. If she wasn't pretty I'd throw her in the sewage pond.

'My lord, ......?...... Oh, by the way, in the morning, the Lord's messenger came to see if there was any trouble. ......'

And we were sent here. Can you please stop attacking the workers?

Oh, no.

I'm irritated.

Why are you threatening your mother? We're trying to improve the image of the ham kids. ......

'...... those kids?...... But those kids are ......'.

'So, you want to do something about it?

'..................'

Pointing to the sewage pond with a smile, the mother averted her gaze and closed her mouth.

If she'd said the rest of 'But those kids', I'd have left this place and gone home.

'hat......'

The girl who had been crying behind me muttered in a slightly lowered tone of voice, as if she was tired of crying, and pointed towards the sewage pond.

A pure white hat was floating near the center of the pond.

It must have been blown away by the wind.

If we don't pull it up soon, the dirt will soak into it and it won't come off.

'Give up now.

'Hey!Boshi!

The girl began to cry furiously again, as if it was something very important.

I mean, isn't this woman too unskilled as a mother?

It looks like she is forcing her daughter to put up with her because she doesn't want to be in this place. ...... Do you hate slum people that much?

I'll get it for you!Wait for me!

As soon as she said that, she jumped into the sewage pond.

It was a no-brainer action. ...... This is what I should have done, right?

In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, you can call us at the web site.

When she came out of the water, her clothes were black with dirty water.

'Yes. If you wash them properly, you can use them again.

She handed the hat on her head to the girl who stopped crying.

When the girl took the hat, her tense face gradually softened.

'Oh, ............ thank you.

'Come on, that's enough. Let's go home.

Before the girl can even smile, her mother roughly takes her by the arm.

Not only did she not say thank you, she didn't even let her say thank you.

'Wash it well before you use it. It's dirty.'

That's because you fell into the ...... sewage pond, right?That's because it fell into the sewage pond, right?

I was about to lose my temper, so I chased after him, said a few words, gave him a slap on the face, and told him the truth: 'You're an a**h*le! I was about to tell her the truth, throw her into the sewage pond, and tell her to wash up, because she's dirty, when she took a step forward and grabbed my sleeve.

Her little hand cupped my sleeve.

'The hat ...... was cute,' she said.

And then she smiled weakly at me.

It's not like he ...... doesn't care. But he doesn't say anything.

He is willing to get himself dirty, he is willing to do something for someone else and not be rewarded, but still he doesn't say anything.

...... Don't get used to it, you idiot.

But I'm not going to trample on their patience.

d*mn it. It's bothering me.

'All right, you bastards!Let's start the expansion of the reservoir!

''''Oh! ''''

My siblings all jumped down onto the ground at once.

They dug a large hole next to the rising sewage pond.

They left a 50 cm wide strip of soil between the pond and the sewage pond, and finally broke the soil to connect the ponds together.

The work proceeded at a rapid pace, and the earth was being gouged out as we watched.

Now that I think about it, there was a huge pit at the entrance of the slum. It was probably just a simple pit dug in a short time like this. ...... Let's not make enemies of these people. We may not lose, but we'll definitely be in trouble.

Well, as a token of friendship...

Maybe I'll make you a hat.

'All right, boys!I'll give you a reward for your hard work!

'''' ohhhhhhh! ''''

The Hammies' motivation has been ignited.

......They're on fire.

............No,hey,......that's too much fire!I'm not planning on going that deep!If you dig that deep, you'll go right through it!

The hamsters are digging with such vigor that you might think they are really planning to reach the mantle.

I'm both amazed and relieved. ......

...... and then...

As I was watching over the work of the Hammies, I felt their eyes on me.

When I turned around, I saw a dozen or so residents who had gathered there before I knew it, looking at me from a distance.

All of them had a somber expression on their faces, and they didn't open their mouths or make eye contact with me, just staring into the distance.

Are you trying to keep an eye on them so that they don't do anything unnecessary?

Then you'd better watch.

See who's working hard, for whom, how hard they're working.

And take a look at what you're doing and what you're able to do right now.

'Alright!That's enough, boys!

'''' Yes! ''''

With a cheerful reply, everyone finishes their work at once.

There are those who say 'a little more' or 'just this one last thing! There is no one like that.

These people are always equal, they can help each other, and they can put all their effort into what needs to be done now.

From a manager's perspective, they are the best. But I have my doubts about their leadership. He also likes to play.

'Who worked the hardest?

'What's your reward?

'Me?

'Me?

The mud-caked hamsters swarmed me.

Hey, stop it. I'll get dirty too.

All right!All right, all right!

'They're all tied for first place. You're all going to get a prize, so just wait and see.'

'All of you~?

'Zugee!

'We're all together!

'It's a miracle!

'I can't say anything!

'I'm happier than I've ever been in my life!

The Hammies are overjoyed. ...... There are a few swimmers in the mix, though.

'All my siblings!

...... Hmm?

'My brother is awesome!

No, wait, wait, wait. Who said anything about all siblings?

There's over a hundred of you.

I meant everyone here right now. ......

'Hooray for siblings!

'Hooray!

.................. All right. I'll make you something. Just make it, man.

'Well, let's break down the wall!

'''' Whaaaaat! ''''

'Stay back, it's dangerous!I'll take care of this!'

The little ham could be swept away by the current.

Checking for safety, I thrust the pickaxe into a 50cm section of the mud wall.

The cracked wall could not withstand the surging water pressure and collapsed in a flash.

Thus, the swollen reservoir discharged excess water into the newly dug hole, lowering the water level.

It should be all right now.

'Oof!This is the last stop for today!We'll meet up with the guys on Hardware Street and head home!

He threw the pickaxe into the cart and pulled it. The wooden wheels creak and slowly begin to move. It is rather heavy until it starts moving.

And then, my younger sister got on the back of the cart with a lot of people.

'Hey, hey, hey!What are you doing?

'Aaah!

'I like it!

'Me too!

'Don't be silly, you guys!We can't take them all!You guys walk, come on!

'No fair!

'Zulu!

'Zula!

'Who's got a wig?It's my natural hair!

I leave the scene with the noisy hamsters.

As usual, the inhabitants were only looking at us from afar.

...... Helping people doesn't pay off, does it? ............

'...... ah'

I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but I'm sure you have. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.

I saw that the crying girl was running toward me.

Her mother was also running behind her.

'Oh, thank you!

The crying girl hugged her brown, dirty white hat and said loudly.

'This is a very important hat!

She speaks frankly and without embellishment.

The child's own simple method of communication, devoid of all the cumbersome expressions that adults unconsciously attach to them, such as "so what?

'Yes!That's a very cute hat!

'Yes!

There's no need for unnecessary words.

'Hey, ......, don't you dare interrupt me.

The mother grabbed the crying girl by the arm and said.

The mother grabbed the crying girl by the arm and said, 'I want you to go home quickly.

'Hey. Let's go.

'Yes!

I was proud of my sister, who was covered in mud and still smiling with satisfaction. ...... That smile made me proud.

You're much prettier than me.

I'll make you an even prettier hat. You can look forward to it.

'Oh, that ............'.

Just as the wheels were creaking and about to start moving, her mother called out to her fearfully.

She stopped me at the point where I needed the most strength, and I failed to start the cart. The next time, she had to put all her strength into it. The cart is most tiring when it starts moving.

You made me waste all that effort. ......

I looked back at him with such vindictiveness: ......

'...... popcorn............'

'What about ......?'

'Is that ...... no longer available?'

The expression on his face was twisted in embarrassment, but there was a hint of regret on his face. ......

I'm not sure what to do....... I like this girl, popcorn. ............ If you're going to resume, let me know. ...... So long.'

In the event that you've got a lot of time, you'll be able to take a look at a few of these.

............ What the heck.

They are surprisingly ............

"Big brother!

My sister looks up at me with sparkling eyes.

'Are you going to do the stall again?

'...... do you want to do it?'

'I do!

These guys probably don't remember every single failure or bad memory they had before.

They will be overwritten by the happy and joyful things that happened now.

So, well, if ...... they say so, then ............ it's in your best interest.

'Well, let's resume soon!

''''Oh! ''''

When I heard that voice, I felt a sense of relief ...... from the crowd that had only been watching from afar, but was that really too optimistic?

I'll be back this time!

''''Yes! ''''

Pulling the heavy cart, wheels creaking, we began to walk.

That's enough for a first day.

If we could see such a change in the inhabitants, ...... if we keep on doing this, one day they will be accepted properly.

With a feeling of near certainty, I headed home under a sky that was beginning to darken.

I'm sure this evening's dinner will be delicious, I thought to myself.