With a slightly more expensive copper shovel on my shoulder, I lead 200 of my people. They all have some sort of tool with them. We will be starting a big work now.
However, unfortunately, compared to the liveliness behind me, my eyes were lacking in spirit.
We donāt really need 200 people to dig hot springs. But the people were dying to dig hot springs and so after a lot of them gathered up, we had a lottery draw to select 200 to follow me. They were jabbering noisily behind me. There seems to be youngsters who are messing around as well.
āMake sure to not fall behind.ā
āāāYessir!āāā
I like this in sync response, though.
It seems I was a pro at digging up hot springs before losing my memories. I am not really sure if thereās a pro or amateur at that but considering the fact that Helan territory got rich by that, I am guessing it probably isnāt an exaggeration to call me a pro.
And since now I have come back, it seems they think itās only natural to first revive the hot springs. And I, who had no way of knowing that, had been neglecting it all this time. But finally, their hot spring fever boiled up and erupted.
Such passionate opinions were delivered to Lotson-san, who thought it couldnāt be held off any longer and half forced me to carry a shovel.
I really donāt like this. I wanna go back already. What do I not like? Well, itās not like I donāt like heavy labor. In fact, I am probably better at those. And itās also not like I am busy with other work. What I donāt like is my peopleās twisted conviction that if I dig, there will 100% be a hot spring source there.
Thereās no way thatās possible if you think of it normally.
I learnt about hot springs a bit but this is impossible. Impossible, impossible. Thereās no way I will find a hot spring. No way at all.
It seems the craving towards hot springs was also present when prince Arch was ruling. However, the work he did wasnāt quite well received by the people. Itās because he didnāt dig up that many hot springs. Looking at it objectively, the princeās ruling period was wonderful. It wasnāt anything extreme but he contributed to the landās development steadily by building up the base. On top of that, he also had dug up hot springs to a certain degree. But even then, it seems the numbers were low compared to before.
I mean, thatās also natural.
It was absurd back then.
It seems I was the one to pull that off but unfortunately, I donāt remember any of it.
I canāt help but think I had some sort of special knowledge. But I donāt have it anymore. If so, thereās only one conclusion to this.
ā¦..We wonāt be able to dig up any hot springs!!
Itās truly regrettable. Even I do want to dig it up if possible. But reality isnāt so nice.
These guys will also probably disappointed for some time. Well, time will surely also heal that.
What I need to do today is not desperately try and dig up hot springs.
I need to tell them. That the man who dug up countless hot springs no longer here.
Letās just diligently progress as we can. The craftsman city is also coming along nicely. Isnāt that enough? After all, a different path is waiting for the Helan territory.
After walking a reasonable distance, we had reached the wastelands.
It was an unusual sight for the Helan territory, which is filled with life. Even in this territory, where most lands are covered with greenery and flowers, thereās a place like this. I jammed in my shovel into a cracked portion of the dried up land.
āHere.ā
The group behind me were perplexed.
They had been replying in unison all this time but even they were confused.
The sun shined on the dried up land. Even weeds wouldnāt like to grow on this land. You canāt even hear any birds chirping here. It wasnāt even a land suited for crop fields so there was no one living nearby.
I had decided to dig up this land, which was hated by everything.
Of course, they would have doubts. Will a hot spring really gush forth here?
And naturally, thereās no way thatās happening either.
I know that best. But itās no good if I am the only one who knows it. I have come here today to teach them. That I no longer have the ability to dig up hot springs.
āWe will dig here.ā
I took the lead and started digging.\nSound of copper grazing with dried land reverberated. The people also reluctantly continued after me.
Where did all that energy go?
Everyoneās movements are dull except me.
I canāt mop up their painful feelings but this is fine. This is fine.
I just kept on digging. Probably because my body is used to digging, my speed was much faster. I had already gotten far enough to completely bury my torso. I donāt need a hidden skill like this, thoughā¦ Well, I guess itās fine, I was getting closer to my original objective either way.
That was how it was supposed to beā¦ supposed to be butā¦ hmm? It was the moment I thrust in the shovel into the hole I had dug. I feel like the area underneath me just started shaking a bit. The hole was big enough to cover me completely.
And then, immediately after, a sound could be heard from the landā¦.
A few of the people around noticed the sound.
āWhat was that just now?!ā
A few others came rushing. They looked down at me inside the hole.
Oi, oi, oi, donāt tell meā¦ donāt you tell me thatā¦
āWhat was that sound?!ā
āSorry. It seems my stomach grumbled a bit. Do you guys wanna have lunch?ā
āEhh, we just started, you know?ā
Of course, they wouldnāt be satisfied. They werenāt hungry nor was it time for lunch yet. But, itās just that, I have this bad premonitionā¦ If I were to go on like thisā¦
āWell, thatās fine, isnāt it? You heard the sound just now, didnāt you? Our landlord is that hungry, it wouldnāt hurt to eat lunch a bit early.ā
āHaha, landlord-sama, did you have breakfast properly? I guess itās fine. Then, I will go tell everyone!ā
That lively youngster went around and told everyone about lunch.
I also came out of the hole to have lunch.
It was just when I had gotten both of my hands on the ground. It shook again.
āā¦ā¦ā¦ā
It is probably my imagination.
I will try climbing up once againā¦ this isnāt good, itās definitely shaking. It isnāt my imagination. I held my head.