Chapter 21

Morning. It's wonderful to have a healthy body that doesn't feel heavy even after eating so much meat.

The tiles I had washed and leaned against the wall were missing. I'll just pretend that I didn't have to think about how to dispose of them.

Now, what request should I take on today? I'm not tired, but I'll do an indoor job today. Considering yesterday's crowd, I spent some time having a leisurely breakfast to kill time.

"Here you go. This is the map. Please be careful on your way."

Today's job is to clean the ditches.

Odd jobs like this seem to be rarely taken on. There was a request with a deadline approaching, so I decided to take it. The price was low. It's probably heavy labor and not worth it. Still, I took it because I thought everything is an experience.

My previous life's self also seemed to be an experienced person.

With the map in hand, I arrived at an ordinary house. It looked like ditches ran on both sides of the house, filled with mud and dead leaves.

There was no doorbell, so I called out, "Excuse me," towards the entrance. After a while, a man in his forties came out. He was using a cane and dragging one foot.

"Hello. I'm from the Adventurer's Guild. Is this the right place for the ditch cleaning request?"

"Oh! You finally came!"

It seems he's the client.

"Well, you can see my leg, right? I couldn't do it myself. I wanted to get it done before the heavy rain."

I see. If the ditches overflow or get clogged, it would be a problem for the neighbors too.

The request is to clean the ditches on both sides. The mud and garbage should be taken to the garbage dump outside the city. When finished, I need to call out and get a signature.

Hmm, it looks more difficult than I thought. And I don't have any tools. Should I do it by hand? With magic? And the trip to the garbage dump seems tiring.

"...Can you handle it alone?"

Of course, he'd be puzzled if a small person came alone.

First, I asked for directions to the garbage dump. I'll pick up a stick or something. Actually, can't they lend me a shovel?

When I asked how they usually do it, they said they scoop it up with a sieve. They offered to lend me a sieve, but I put it on hold. I could only see a future of a dead back.

The garbage dump was about 400 meters away.

Slimes were attached to the pile of garbage. About a dozen of them were eating the garbage. These eco-friendly slimes convert what they eat into fertilizer. Since they always have food, they don't run away even if they're not tamed. Well, sometimes kids try to play with them and get absorbed, but that's a different story.

I looked around for something useful, keeping an eye on the slimes. I found a broken shovel. Hmm, this might work. The blade is rusty and worn out, but it's fine.

Next, how to transport the mud. I want a wheelbarrow like the ones used at construction sites, but of course, there isn't one. I'll make a makeshift one. A sled? No, that's too much. A sieve... I'll use a sieve. I found two sieves with holes and borrowed them. I also got a long stick. I'll use my own rope.

I returned to the client's house and quickly made some modifications.

Using earth magic, I shaped the rusty blade into a wide blade. It's a hoe. I extended the handle with more earth magic.

Now, let's try it out.

I straddled the ditch... I almost split my crotch. This won't do. I decided to scoop from the side of the ditch. The mud is heavy with water. Fortunately, the water isn't very deep. I repeated the process of scraping and dumping, and a pile of mud formed on the road. I moved along, scraping and dumping.

"Phew..."

My back already hurts. I'll definitely have muscle pain tomorrow.

"You're working hard. I haven't seen that tool before."

The client came out, looking worried. He offered me some peeled tangerine-like fruit. Seeing my dirty hands, he smiled and fed me. The sweet and sour juice made my throat involuntarily tighten. He kept feeding me two or three pieces.

"Thank you for the treat."

It was a good break, and my throat was quenched.

He watched me continue digging with interest. Is it that interesting?

"...Huh?"

Something hard got stuck. When I scooped it up, a white skull emerged from the mud.

"Ah!"

The client, who had been watching, recoiled with a strained voice. My heart skipped a beat for a moment. But then,

"It's okay. This is probably a weasel's or something's bone."

It's too small to be a human skull, and it has teeth. It's not good that it's an animal, but it's not a crime. He relaxed, letting out a sigh.

"A weasel... I see. You know a lot."

"Well, I'm an adventurer, and I've taken apart a few things before."

I haven't taken apart a weasel, but the size fits. A kitten or a puppy... The client went back home, relieved.

I continued digging. I finished one side and decided to do the other side quickly. If I take a break, I won't be able to move. My back and arms are dead. Ah, do potions work for fatigue? I gulped one down. Hmm, it's a bit weak. It seems to work for muscle pain, but it doesn't take away the fatigue.

Finally, both ditches were clean.

Next, let's make a carrying device.

I covered the holes in the sieves with large leaves I had for wrapping meat. They should be strong enough. I tied ropes to three points on the edge of each sieve, and attached them to the ends of a long stick.

It's like a balance scale I've seen in Edo period films. Is it still used in Asia?

Wet mud is heavy. I can't use a drying spell. It won't work with fire either. Can I use earth magic to remove water? Hmm... No, it doesn't seem possible. But it doesn't feel completely impossible, so maybe I can do it with practice.

I scooped the mud with the hoe... Hmm? If I just move the mud... It worked! I lifted it in the air, and the mud clump moved without touching my hands.

I carefully piled the mud into the sieves, put the stick on my shoulder, and... It's too heavy, so I reduced the load. I carried it. Yes, this should work. I moved slowly at first to avoid spilling the mud, but I got used to it and could move at a decent speed.

I moved all the mud to the garbage dump. I buried the skull in the ground just in case. I washed the area where I had scooped the mud to keep it clean. Mud looks dirty when it dries.

How does it look?

I showed it off to the client. He was very happy and even gave me a thank you gift and a tip. I tried to refuse the money, but he insisted with a good smile.

In any case, the request is complete.

I think I'll stay at an inn today...