Chapter 6 – Farmer Crocodile and Sister Bertina (Part 2)
I and Ginette left the Hidamari-tei and walked down the road, towards the south. The vast fields stretched before them.
There seems to be some people who’s devoting themselves to field work from early in the morning!? T-That scared me…….. The farmer who’s working in a nearby field is a crocodile guy. Hmm, wait a minute, he isn’t actually in the middle of wrecking the field, is he?
“Mormatt-san. Good morning!” (Ginette)
“Oh, Ginette-chan. Morning!” (Mormatt)
Mormatt a crocodile anthromorph, seemed to be alerted the moment he saw my figure near Ginette.
Oh, are you treating me as some kind of a suspicious character? Oh well, knowing Ginette’s personality, it’s normal for him to be worried. This might be necessary to form a connection with him for the future’s sake. I need to make a good first impression.
“You’re so diligent.” (Yashiro)
“……..mmm!? Oh, yeah.” (Mormatt)
His respond is too stiff. Let’s get closer while keeping a friendly smile.
“Can I take a look?” (Yashiro)
“The field? Sure, but there’s nothing special here.” (Mormatt)
“I came to this city two days ago, so everything is still new to me.” (Yashiro)
“Oh, I see.” (Mormatt)
After getting his consent, I parked the cart filled with 30 servings worth of food on the road shoulder, left it with Ginette, and step into the field alone.
I can see the waterways are drawn around the field, and it seems that a decent agriculture is being carried out. However, the land looks rather barren, and the crops leaves that spread in the field are a bit thin. This is…. a carrot field?
“How are you doing this year?” (Yashiro)
“Hmm, well, it’s the same as the other years.” (Mormatt)
Still though, I think that now is not a season for carrot, it’s a little too early.
Looking at the next field, I saw a lettuce field, and beyond that…. pumpkin field, green pepper field, and tomato field.
I feel that my sense of season just got messed up. Can vegetables be harvested all year round in this world? If so, this place is like a paradise.
I picked some soil and crushed it with my fingers.
The soil moisture is quite good, and this smell…. I guess he used compost. The field condition seems to be just fine. There are some traces of insect bites, which means the vegetables here are most likely pesticides-free. It’s a good vegetable. I want it!
“Checking at the soil condition, are you interested in agriculture?” (Mormatt)
“Hmm, well, a little….” (Yashiro)
Instead of the agriculture, I’m more interested in the commercial value of vegetables here.
“Do you want to try one?” (Mormatt)
“Can I?” (Yashiro)
“Yeah. It’s not going to make much money even if I sell it, anyway.”
“I see.” (Yashiro)
The farmer’s woes seems to be similar in any world.
“I’m going to throw away those that didn’t sell. Please eat without hesitation!” (Mormatt)
“Then, I will accept your kindness.” (Yashiro)
“Sure, take this. There’s still some dirt left, so wash it in the river there before eating it.” (Mormatt)
“Oh! What are you doing, Yashiro-san!?” (Ginette)
Seeing me receiving carrots, Ginette came into the field.
“I got it. I don’t steal it.” (Yashiro)
“Hahahaha…. a vegetable thief who could steal the vegetable in front of its owner, I want to see it!” (Mormatt)
Mormatt laughed out loud. When Ginette arrived in front of me, she gazed at the soiled carrots and drooled.
“…….. *slurp*” (Ginette)
“This girl, are you hungry all year round?” (Yashiro)
“Eh!? N-N-No, you’ve got it wrong! Today, I missed the breakfast, so….” (Ginette)
“In that case, this is a present for Ginette-chan.” (Mormatt)
“Eh!? N-No, please don’t mind me! I’m fine, really!” (Ginette)
Mormatt pulled out some carrots without a second thought. Ginette tried to decline, but because the carrots had already been pulled, she could say nothing more. Ginette received the carrots carefully with both hands, and thanked him.
“Thank you very much. I will accept it gratefully.” (Ginette)
“No, really, it’s fine. It doesn’t even worth 1 Rb.” (Mormatt)
What!?
“How much carrot can I get for 1 Rb?” (Yashiro)
“I sold them by the weight, but…. I guess about seven to eight.” (Mormatt)
One carrot should be around 150 grams, so it’s more or less 1 Rb /kilo. Ginette purchased 10 kg of thrown-away vegetable at 80 Rb…. After all, buying it directly from the farmer is much cheaper.
“I’ve washed them!” (Ginette)
It seems that Ginette has been washing carrots while I and Mormatt were talking. Well then, let’s taste it!
I received the carrot from Ginette and bit its tip.
There’s a subtle…. sweetness? Well, the taste is so-so. The vegetable of this quality, I don’t see a problem if we use it in Hidamari-tei.
“Oh, it’s sweet…!” (Ginette)
Ginette was impressed. She put both hands on her cheeks, and stared at the carrot with a charmed expression.
Is it that good? Oh well, since she always eats the thrown-away vegetables, I understand her reaction from eating a decent and freshly-picked vegetable. Feeling happy just because of that, in a sense, she’s an unfortunate girl.
With sparkling eyes, Ginette brought her body closer to me.
“This carrots, if we don’t eat them all, we can serve it to our costumer!?” (Ginette)
“I think being frugal and being stingy are different, though.” (Yashiro)
What I want her to learn is the right financial management. But watching the figure of Ginette who’s telling her stomach: “Please bear it with just one carrot~“, I’m completely lost for words.
“Oh, that’s right! Everyone is waiting with an empty stomach, we need to hurry!” (Ginette)
The sun brightly illuminated the sky, and the clear air of the morning was gradually getting warmer.
“Well then, Mormatt-san. I apologize for interrupting your work. The carrots were delicious.” (Yashiro)
I corrected my posture and extended my right hand for a handshake. Holding my hand, Mormatt smiled happily.
“No, it was nothing. Since you’re not familiar with this city yet, please come to me if you have any troubles. I can be your strength anytime.” (Mormatt)
“Thank you.” (Yashiro)
I got a good word…. with this, Mormatt had to help me when I was in trouble. If I bring up the Judgement of Spirit to threaten him, I don’t think he will be able to refuse.
Good. For the time being, a connection to farmer was obtained.
Leaving Mormatt, I pulled the cart and headed to the church that was just a short distance away from the vegetable fields.
“This is.... a church!?” (Yashiro)
For a second, I thought it was a haunted house.
There was a dilapidated wooden building that seemed about to collapse at any moment, with pointed roof typical of the church, and a symbol made of combination between cross and circle attached on its peak.
I guess this kind of dilapidated building is a common for 42nd District….
I have no idea of what are they wary of, but there’s wooden fence surrounded the area around the church and some kind of a gate.
Who are going to steal what from such a rundown church!? I feel dizzy just from thinking the effort wasted on it. Or is this to fend the attack from another religion? If so, I would like to tell them to not spending unnecessary effort. If you leave it alone, this church will likely collapse in a couple of years on its own.
I’m inside a train and a girl is sitting on the opposite seat. That girl looks at me while holding her skirt, as if I’m some kind of pervert aiming at her. I really want to say; “I won’t look even if you asked me, bitch!” to her face. — I have that kind of discomfort feeling when looking at this church with fence and a gate in front of me. Still though, this tilting wooden fence seems will collapse from a single kick.
“EXCUSE ME!?” (Ginette)
Ginette stopped in front of the gate and called out loudly. Then, little kids came out one after another from the church. Every one of them dashed to the gate while smiling happily.
“Ginette Nee-chan!”
“Anee-chan~!’
I watched the scene of Ginette being flocked by little kids from the distance.
I’m not good with children…. I mean, the logic just doesn’t work against them.
“Aaah!?”
Then, when one boy from the group saw me, he pointed his finger at me while making a loud noise.
Hey brat, hasn’t someone taught you to not pointing your finger at other people’s face? Do that, and your finger will be bent in the wrong direction!
“There is a man!”
“You’re right! Ginette Nee-chan brought a man!”
“Sister! Ginette Nee-chan is with a man!”
“W-W-Wait, everyone! Please calm down! Yashiro-san is someone who will help me at the restaurant, and we are not in that kind of relationship….” (Ginette)
“Will you get married?”
“Fuee!? W-W-We won’t get married... maybe.” (Ginette)
“Eeeh….”
“That’s boring!”
“Even if you say it’s boring….” (Ginette)
Something seems has started. I don’t want to get involved, so let’s just ignore it.
I turned my back so that the children were out of sight. But suddenly….
“There!”
“Ouch!?” (Yashiro)
Some of children approached while I wasn’t looking, and kicked my butt.
“He said ‘ouch’. Hahahaha!”
“Hahahaha!”
Two children were laughing at me. One was a human and the other was a fox anthromorph.
They’re both boys, right? Okay, I won’t hold back!
“You little brats!” (Yashiro)
“Whoa~”
“He’s angry!”
“Got you!” (Yashiro)
Holding the boys who tried to escape from him on both side, I started rotating his body on the spot.
“Gyaa!?”
“Scary…….!”
How is it? Do you understand the terror of an adult now?
“Hahahaha! It’s scary….”
“Hahahaha!”
Their screams soon turned into laughter.
Dammit! I’m pretty tired, but it doesn’t seem to do any damage to them.
“I’m tired…. Let’s stop it…!” (Yashiro)
“Eee!?”
“More…!”
Shut it! This is just the fourth day after my body was rejuvenated. I’m still a middle-aged man inside.
I raised my face after lowering the boys. There, I saw a line was formed.
“What is this?” (Yashiro)
“They’re waiting their turn, Yashiro-san.” (Ginette)
“What?” (Yashiro)
The children who lined up looked at me full of expectation
Are you serious? I counted the children who lined up, and there’s eight people. This means four more round…. are you guys trying to kill me?
“Now, Ginette. Let’s prepare the breakfast!” (Yashiro)
Let’s leave this place immediately. I’ve done enough physical labor for today, so scram, brats!
he children didn’t break the line even after I declared as such. Not only that, a little girl at the front line (four-year-old girl with cat ears) seemed about to cry.
“Umm, Yashiro-san.” (Ginette)
“What is this?” (Yashiro)
Ginette approached me and whispered.
“Even if only once….” (Ginette)
This girl, are you a demon?
“Okay, I got it! Don’t piss yourself even if it’s scary!” (Yashiro)
Desperation mode: On!
Having no other choice, I held the cat girl and goat girl, and started rotating my body on the spot.
“”Kyaaa~””
Shit! Holding little girls is not fun at all. There’s nothing to touch. Are we really going to do it until the last person?
“Oh my, it’s quite lively here.”
There was a calm and cool voice. Turned my line of sight to the source, I saw a beautiful woman with a surprised expression. I was completely charmed by her.