The season has turned from spring to early summer.
"It's been almost two months. ......"
It has been almost two months since Jin came to Kaina Village. In that time, Jin has installed a pump, dug a hot spring, and maintained the sewage system. He made a wheeled cart and a wheelbarrow.
The cart was made because Hannah thought it would be difficult to carry water. Then I thought it would be convenient to have a unicycle as well, so I made one, and it was surprisingly well received.
Right now, Jin is playing tag with his children. It is a game that had never been played before in this world, at least in this village, and is now the most popular game because it can be played without distinction between men and women.
"Jin-chan is the devil this time!
"Okay, here we go. Let's count to 10. 1,2,3,4,5,6. 7,8, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8......"
All the kids run away at once.
"Nine, ten!"
Okay, here we go!
"Whoa!"
Martha watched them with a smile.
"I had been depressed since I lost my parents, but now that Jin came, that girl (Hannah) is all cheered up. I was wondering who you were when I first found you..."
"Well, we caught one of them first."
The number of ogres is gradually increasing as the rule called "more ogres" is used. When all of them become ogres, the game is over for the time being.
"Hannah, I've got her!"
"Kurt, I got you!"
"Mario, wait!"
"Jesse, I got you!"
And so it went on until dark. After working up a sweat, we washed our bodies in the hot spring and headed home with refreshed faces.
Lately, Hannah's hair seemed to be getting shinier. It has gone from a dull golden color to a shiny golden color. It must be the effect of the hot spring. Jin thinks to himself as he follows Hannah as she hurries home.
I'm home.
I'm home.
"Welcome home, Hanna. Jin."
Martha, who was preparing dinner, greets him.
"You must be hungry.
"Thanks for everything you've done for me."
"You know, thanks to Jin, we have more time to live, it's easier than ever.
In fact, the labor of fetching and carrying water had been greatly reduced, and it had become much more convenient to use the hot water from the hot spring for washing dishes and the like.
"Here, it's ready!
"Wow, it looks delicious!
Tonight's menu is fried eggs and stir-fried vegetables.
"I'm a little short on salt, it may not taste very good, but bear with me," Martha says apologetically.
Martha said apologetically. Jin heard this and said,
"Oh, I see. But we'll be stuck without salt, won't we?
"Well, Roland will probably be here tomorrow or the next day, so we can buy some.
"Roland?"
Roland?" Jin asked, the name unfamiliar to him,
Roland is a peddler who comes every two months or so to sell salt, sugar, dried fish and other foodstuffs, as well as fabrics and clothes.
"I see."
It seems that being self-sufficient is not an option.
Martha interrupted him before he could say that he had some rubies with him for living expenses.
"I don't need money, I'm bartering. It's such a remote village, there's no way to make money.
Martha laughed, saying that Roland knew that.
* * * * * *
The next day at noon, just as Martha had said, a wagon arrived. It was a big wagon, pulled by two horses. There were two passengers.
The mayor of the village, Giebeck, greeted them.
"Oh, Mr. Roland, welcome. "Welcome, Mr. Roland, and welcome, Eric.
Roland is a stocky man of about 40, and Eric is a handsome man of about 20. They both carry short swords at their waists, probably for self-defense. They both carry short swords at their waists, probably for self-defense.
They both carry short swords at their waists, probably for self-defense. You look well, chief.
Thanks to you. My niece was looking forward to your arrival.
Eric looked embarrassed. He had a crush on the mayor's niece. Roland looked at Eric with a shy look on his face,
"We arrived a day or two earlier than planned. I brought more salt this time.
"Oh? That's very helpful."
The demand for salt was increasing with the summer season approaching.
Roland and his team immediately parked their wagon in the central square of the village, set up a simple table, and laid out their wares on it.
We started with groceries. Salt, sugar, dried ogi. And these are black-eyed peas. They are tolerant to the heat, so you can sow them even from now on.
Salt, please.
Yes, a bag of wheat is 200 grams.
Sugar, please.
Yes, 20 furs, that's 2 kilos.
I'll have some of those black-eyed peas.
"Oh, this is a nice gem, I'll give you a little extra."
Everyone traded wheat, furs, and sometimes gemstones. Eric was looking hard at them.
After all the food has been purchased, Roland has Erik help him change the items. This time it is fabrics, clothes, and tools.
Jin watches from a distance to see what tools they are selling.
"Hmmm, aside from fabrics and clothes, are those lanterns? And pens and ink, huh?
By the way, it was the village head who bought the pen and ink.
"I hope we can talk to him later.
Jin thought that he would like to hear about the outside of the village, preferably about this world. The next day, he received a message from the other side.
* * * *
After the business was over, Roland packed up the goods and tables and put them in the wagon.
"Now then, let me show you a nice place," the mayor said to them.
The mayor said to them.
"A nice place?"
Yes, this way please.
The mayor showed them to a hot spring.
"What is this place? It wasn't here the last time I was here, was it?
Yes, it was just opened the other day. <
A hot spring?
Well, please come in.
Needless to say, Roland and Eric were surprised at how comfortable the hot spring water felt.