When I threw the decision to her, Mrs. Eureka, the manager, decided to increase the production of aloe ointment. Since all ointment making is done by hand, this decision would inevitably create jobs. However, only a few people could be hired, so Mrs. Eureka decided to give the slots to villagers who were having a particularly hard time financially.
For example, families with deceased family members who were in the prime of their lives, families with sick family members, and women who were not suited for hard work.
In this way, it would be difficult for other villagers to complain, and we could prevent a situation where the whole village collapses as a result of a chain of events starting from the weakest part of the social structure. I guess it’s the same idea as public works.
After all, Mrs. Eureka is very talented. I was so impressed that I agreed to a meeting to teach the new workers how to make it. Since the newly recruited people could not read, the plan was that Mrs. Eureka and I would take the lead in teaching them, and then they would manufacture the ointment under the supervision of Miss Maika.
As a first step, we will teach the villagers how to make the products and let them try their hand at it. It was no more dangerous than working in the kitchen, so there was no problem. The problem arose after they had finished making it. One of the villagers, who were holding the prototype in his hands with great interest, casually muttered something to me that I didn’t miss.
“Come to think of it, my mom used to make one just like it.”
Oh, really? What did you just say? The person I was looking at was Miss Tanya. Apparently, her name is actually Filternya, but it’s a bit longer. No one ever calls her by her official name, and she only calls herself Tanya, so I don’t know much about her. She is a girl in her late teens with freckles that give her a simple impression.
“Ms. Tanya, can you tell us more about what you mean by that?”
“What? Oh……No, it’s similar, but it’s completely different, so don’t worry about it.”
No, I won’t. How similar was it and how did she make it? Very interesting. The procedure for making the aloe into an ointment is completely original, so there is a good chance that I can improve on it. My recipe is simply chopped aloe, boiled with tallow, mixed and hardened. If I had a book on how to make medicine, I wouldn’t have such a hard time……
“Alas, I am very curious. How can they be so similar and yet so different?”
“Well, I’ll tell you why…….”
At a loss for a response, Miss Tanya chuckles.
“Hmm. I guess I asked the wrong question. …… First of all, what are the similarities that you have seen, Miss Tanya?”
“Let’s see…”
Miss Tanya tilted her head slowly and took her time to squeeze out the words. She’s a bit of a slow thinker. However, very agile in her actions. I think she is a person who thinks things through and acts on them immediately.
“My mother used to make this kind of medicine for wounds, but I think it was more for rough skin.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. It certainly looks a lot like aloe ointment. So, what’s the difference?”
“Well, the ingredients are different, I guess.”
“Do you know what kind of ingredients she used?”
“Yes,” Miss Tanya nodded with a smile.
“I remember making it in a beehive.”
“A hive? Not honey?”
“Yes a hive. We used honey separately. I think there was something else in the hive, but I don’t remember what it was.”
A beehive, I muttered again in surprise. The hive, not the honey, makes the ointment? Why not? Because it’s a hive, isn’t it? Isn’t that thing hard?
I was very surprised to hear that the hive is used in ointments, but then I realized that I shouldn’t be too surprised because I don’t know the raw materials. The only thing I know about beehives is that their shape is called honeycomb structure, which is a very functional design. I had no idea what it was made of or how it was made. Perhaps, like honey, it is a wonderful product of the bees.
“It’s a wonder that a beehive can produce something that resembles aloe ointment.”
“I think I’d be more surprised if a strange leaf could produce something similar.”
“Hmm, maybe so.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
It’s very interesting. And I’m very curious. But Miss Tanya doesn’t know the details. Miss Tanya’s mother would know, but……her parents have already passed away. That’s why she was called here.
“Oh, by the way, Tanya, you collect honey?”
“Yes, I do, because my father used to be a beekeeper. But I’m not any good at it.”
It seems that her father was the one who had the beekeeping skills. After her father’s death, her mother seemed to have taken over some of the beekeeping, but she died soon after. All that was left was Miss Tanya and her brother, who had been taught very little about beekeeping.
The only thing she could do was to pick up the hives she saw and extract the honey. The hives will be purchased by Mr. Quid as is. It’s not enough to make much money on its own, so the farm is her main source of income now, and the bees are her side job to make some extra money. Perhaps this is how the advanced knowledge and technology of the ancient civilization died out from the tips of its branches and leaves.
“What a waste.”
“I wish I could have helped out more, but my mom told me not to…….I can’t do it like my dad, so I had to learn to work in the fields.”
Miss Tanya smiled apologetically, but of course it was not her fault. It was the harsh rural life that was to blame. Miss Tanya was the victim of having her parents taken away from her.
“Honey tastes good and, great nutritional value, and if the hive is also useful, then I want to know more about beekeeping.”
“You’re talking about something interesting again.”
Sensing my rising spirits, Mrs. Eureka came over to me.
“Mrs. Eureka, you came just in time.”
“Yes, I heard you. Indeed, beekeeping is an essential industry in rural areas. When Tanya’s parents were healthy, they used to make honey and candles, which helped us a lot.”
I was even more excited when I heard that the beekeeping industry can even supply candles. It’s really wonderful. If we can get candles cheaply, we can shave off the long nights and be more active. That’s the potential for increased productivity. It is also the danger of overworking.
“How about it, Mrs. Eureka? We don’t have enough money to go into animal rearing, like horses and cows, and beekeeping seems to be an affordable option.”
“Yes, I think so, too.”
It’s great that a single industry can have multiple effects. Besides, honey is easy to store and has a high commercial value. Even if we are forced to spend a little money, it will be easy to make it back. Sweetness is a powerful weapon even in another world.
“Then, beekeeping is our first choice for the next step to improve the life in the village, so let’s look into it.”
“You’re very reliable, Mr. Ash.”
That’s a bit early to say, isn’t it? I haven’t seen any books on beekeeping in the Church. I’ll check with Priest Folke, but I don’t think there are any in this village.
“It will start with getting the book, until then, I am a helpless child.”
“I can’t say you’re helpless, but you’re right, it’s a long way from the first step. I’ll contact my parents and see if I can get some information about beekeeping.”
Mrs. Eureka and I chuckled at how long it would be before we could actually move. The bees will start to work in the spring, but we won’t be able to get them going in time for next year. I’d really like to get them working the year after next. That’s what I was thinking.
“Oh, by the way……”
There was one person who slowly tilted his head and squeezed the words out slowly.
“My dad had a book he kept that had a picture of a bee in it.”
My gaze and Mrs. Eureka’s are drawn to the freckled face of Miss Tanya. She smiles unsurely and asks.
“Do you think it’ll help?”
It’s going to start very well. I had never imagined that there would be a book in this village, outside of the Church. I politely, sincerely, and passionately asked Miss Tanya if I could see the book. Permission itself was granted with a simple “please,” but I had a hard time getting her to nod in agreement to my request to see it now.
She said something about it being a little messy. What the hell does that have to do with the book? A book is a book, no matter if you read it in a snowy mountain or in a stormy sea. Well, in a life-threatening situation, the reader would be too busy to read.
I was trying to explain this to her, but not only Miss Tanya, but also Mrs. Eureka and Miss Maika interrupted me, saying that I couldn’t do it all at once. In this situation, I was outnumbered and with tears in my eyes, I gave up.
“Then let me read it to you outside if you’d like.”
Let’s fight to the bitter end!
“So, outside?”
“Outside Ms. Tanya’s house, right outside. Let me read it in the yard.”
“What do you want to see so soon……?”
I am annoyed by Miss Tanya’s question.
“Isn’t it obvious? Why should I bother to answer?”
For some reason, Miss Tanya turned her head away from me. What is it about Mrs. Eureka that makes her shake her head so gently? Even Miss Maika looks away a little.
“I’ll do anything you want. Tell me anything, and I’ll do anything!”
“Okay, okay, okay!”
Yes! Finally, she gave up! I should have said so from the beginning. With a rough snort, I dissipated the passion I had used to persuade her.
“Uh……well, why don’t you just follow me to my house……?”
“Yes, I’ll be right there. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Eureka-san and Maika-san.”
I want to go quickly because I spent a lot of time persuading her. I left Miss Tanya behind and quickly walked out. It was a small village. I’ve never been there to play, but I knew Miss Tanya’s house.
“I was under the impression that you were a quiet person, Ash…….”
“I’m sure everyone in the village thought so.”
“Oh, that’s part of your charm…….And can I come with you?”
The women are talking about something behind me. I don’t care what it is, please come quickly.