The first beekeeping meeting between Van and Tanya was to be held at the village chief’s house. At the table, Mr. Van and I, the interpreter, and Miss Tanya and Miss Maika, the support staff, were facing each other. Mr. Jekyll is not participating. Miss Tanya had told him about resuming beekeeping, but he seemed to be at a difficult age and his response was not good. Well, at this stage, Jekyll’s absence is not a problem. I’m hoping that he’ll be able to help us as a laborer once the actual work starts.
“Come on, Tanya, you have to ask him something.”
Mistress Maika whispered to Miss Tanya, whose shoulders were stiff and tense.
“Uh, yeah, I know…….It’s been a while since I’ve seen you at…….”
“Hmm, since the day before yesterday.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right.”
It hadn’t been long at all. Of course, it’s a small village; you’ll see each other at least once in a while, even more so, since Mr. Van cares for Miss Tanya. This is not good. Miss Tanya, who had suddenly messed up, didn’t know what to say next. I didn’t have any expectations of Ms. Van from the start so I have to get the conversation rolling.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve talked like this, hasn’t it?”
“Uh, yeah, I think so.”
Mr. Van nodded as usual and agreed with Miss Tanya.
“You two have known each other since you were kids.”
“That’s because our…..parents used to hang out together.”
“We played a lot.”
Miss Tanya’s cheeks blush at Mr. Van’s words. She seems happy to be sharing her memories with him.
“I think it’s wonderful that people who have known each other for a long time are now working together as adults to help the village. I think it’s a wonderful relationship. Right, Miss Maika?”
“Yes, I’m so jealous!”
I was trying to lift the spirits of the young couple, but I guess I was a little embarrassed with my lines. Mistress Maika’s face also turned bright red. Whether my words had given her momentum or she had made up her own mind, Miss Tanya raised her head and looked at Mr. Van.
“Oh, uh, Brother Van! I’m really grateful for all the help you’ve given me in the past!”
Mr. Van listens intently to Miss Tanya’s desperate plea. Indeed, looking into her eyes and nodding with a faint gesture, the silent hunter listens.
“I want to be a beekeeper like my mom and dad! So I need your help!”
“Okay.”
Mr. Van’s reply sounded plain if you are not used to it, which made Miss Maika feel a little uneasy. But then he continued with a long sentence, and Miss Maika’s expression became surprising. I’ve never heard such a long sentence from Mr. Van before.
“I remember where your father used to put the hives. There are other places in the forest that look good. I’ll help you if I can, when I’m free or while I’m hunting.”
Miss Tanya was holding her mouth and was very emotional, and Mr. Van patted her head gently.
“I just want to help Tanya.”
At the sight of the two of them, I looked over to Miss Maika and Mrs. Eureka. The three of us were in agreement.
“I’m going to go prepare some food.”
Mrs. Eureka announced in a whisper, and we all took our seats and promptly left the room. The rest of the time, it’s just the two of you young people. No, it’s very difficult for a third party to stay in that space. The dense affection that fills the room is at such a level that the mental osmotic effect almost turned us into dried-up fishes. Even if it’s only for a very short time, I feel exhausted from being subjected to it. However, Mrs. Eureka, who is a married woman, is smiling broadly.
“I’m glad it worked out for you.”
“Yes, I am. I mean, I didn’t think that one little opportunity like this would push me over the edge.”
Why didn’t it happen before? That’s more mysterious.
“Oh, that’s the way things are. A person’s heart, in particular, can fall or rise with a single casual gesture or word. You know, Maika?”
“What? No, um, yeah, well……sure.”
I see. Even though she’s young, she’s still a woman, and it seems that Miss Maika has some experience. She shyly affirmed. It’s funny to see young people like this. Well, we are physically the same age in this life.
“Now, Maika, please help me prepare the meal. Ash, you take your time. Let’s eat in peace, one there and one there.”
“I’d be honored.”
I didn’t expect to be invited to the village chief’s table as a family member. Even though it was just a matter of convenience to take care of the young couple, they might have been treated rather well.
＊＊＊＊
As the village chief and his family proceeded to eat, Miss Maika (again, next to me) spoke to me.
“Hey, Mr. Ash, what’s next on your mind?”
“I have to work on the beekeeping business now.”
I smiled and replied to the gleaming eyes of Miss Maika. I’m not smart enough to come up with ideas like that.
“Is that so? You know, Ash, I’m sure you’ve got other things on your mind.”
“I agree with you.”
Miss Maika’s words were taken over by Mrs. Eureka, who had a drunken blush on her cheeks. I had the impression that Mrs. Eureka, who also enjoyed drinking, was relaxed and had her collar open. No, I didn’t think so because her collar was physically loosened.
“Even if you don’t have a concrete plan, don’t you at least have a direction of what you want to do?”
She tilts her head mischievously and smiles at me. She’s a really attractive woman. Not only is she beautiful and capable, but she also has cute gestures. She’s the strongest. No wonder the husband next to me was drinking with a face full of adoration. When my eyes met his, we both nodded at each other unconsciously.
“Oh, you guys are talking in private?”
No, it’s between men.
“Well, if you don’t mind me giving you a vague direction, I’d like to……rodent proof the warehouse and prevent disease and insect damage to the crops.”
“Isn’t that specific enough?”
Miss Maika chuckles.
“I don’t think so. I just want to make sure we don’t reduce the amount of crops we have, and I don’t know where to start, so I’m not sure what I’m……going to do.”
For a while, I tried to develop a rat poison as a solution, but it failed miserably. I can make as much poison as I want to kill rats, but it doesn’t work as bait. I guess the competition for survival in the wild is not easy, and if there is even the slightest discomfort, they will not bite the poisonous bait, and once their own kind is harmed, they learn.
To be honest, I thought they were dumber than that and underestimated them. Since this is the case with poisons that only kill, I have completely foregone the development of pesticides to combat disease and insect damage.
It seems to take at least several years of trial and error to create such a product, so just like beekeeping techniques, I am waiting for a convenient book to appear. When I told them about this situation, Miss Maika and Mrs. Eureka smiled at me with similar faces.
“I’ve given it a lot of thought.”
“You’ve been thinking about it a lot.”
Miss Maika sounded admiring, and Mrs. Eureka sounded like she was praising me.
“But if that’s the case, I’ll see what I can come up with when I can spare the profits from the aloe ointment sales.”
“Mom, are you sure about that?”
Miss Maika questioned Mrs. Eureka’s words.
“Oh, why?”
“Because of Tanya’s beekeeping, you know.　If we spend all this money, we won’t have enough.”
You’re absolutely right. It was a reasonable opinion, so Mrs. Eureka nodded to her daughter happily.
“Yes, Maika is right, we can really only use a little. If you want to rat-proof the warehouse, there are probably less expensive ways to do it, like adding a few more rat traps.”
“Oh, I see. That would make it easier to adjust the money.”
“I’m glad you’re getting smarter and smarter, Mom.”
I’m happy too, so I join the husband in nodding my head. As the daughter of the village head, it is really meaningful that Miss Maika has grown up to be able to think things through systematically. She was embarrassed but proud when she found out that she passed the test that was given to her (or rather, that was given to her by accident).
“”Well, I study with Mr. Ash all the time, so this is about as good as it gets……Right, Mr. Ash?”
“Yes, I’m very proud to be your teacher.”
“I’m so proud of you, Mr. Ash!”
“I was joking, but I meant it, didn’t I?”
At this rate, I would like you to follow up on my shortcomings. My dream is to have more than enough talented people in the world. When I smiled at her, Miss Maika blushed even more, as if she was very happy.
＊＊＊＊
This autumn, a cat was going to come to the village. When Mrs. Eureka told me about it, I laughed out loud. If you want to protect the warehouse from rats, just bring in their natural enemy. Cats will hunt rats and use them as food. They are natural enemies so they are more reliable than poisoned bait.