r18novel Chapter 61 The Locals' Persuasion to Retreat
Chapter 61 The Locals' Persuasion to Retreat
Chapter 61 The Locals' Persuasion to Retreat
"Is this Katish? It feels like I've arrived in a desert region."
Two days later, they arrived in the Katish region.
The ground beneath our feet was sandy, and there was a dried-up riverbed not far away.
The riverbed surface is cracked, and it's unclear how long it's been dry.
"Brother, we can't find water."
Losang went to look for water, but after searching around, he couldn't find any.
"If I had known, I should have fetched water from the stream I passed by yesterday at noon."
"It's no use talking about this now. Who knew that after arriving here, we wouldn't be able to find any water at all?"
The water had run out by the morning, and many people were thirsty under the midday sun.
"I'll go back and fetch some water."
Broly wasn't thirsty, but that just meant he had a high tolerance for thirst.
"No need to go back to fetch water, Brother Broly. The nearest town is just three kilometers ahead."
"We should be able to see it once we cross that hill. Once we reach the town, we can replenish our water supply there."
Nahashu held the map, wiped his sweat with his hand, and said.
"Let's go, it's so hot, and I feel all sticky."
Melard also urged them on.
"I need to take a shower after we get to town."
"There's still some fruit in the car, does anyone want some?"
At this moment, Kuroko poked her little head out of the carriage and asked.
"Give some to the thirsty people, and feed the horses that pull the carts, lest they die of thirst."
Nahashu made the arrangements, and the group of children continued onward. After crossing the hill and seeing the town surrounded by green vegetation, the children's spirits lifted, and the horses quickened their pace.
The three-kilometer journey passed in the blink of an eye. After paying the town entrance fee, Broly and his companions passed through the town gate without incident.
"Excuse me, where is the well in this town?"
Nahashu stopped an elderly man and asked him for information.
"You're from out of town, what are you doing here?"
The old man looked up at them and asked directly.
"We're from outside; we've come to find our relatives."
Nahashu answered the question.
"You've come to Kathisi looking for your relatives, hoping they're still alive."
The old man muttered something to himself.
"Grandpa, what did you say?"
Because he was muttering in a local dialect, no one could understand what he was saying.
"It's nothing, I just mean, there's no free water available in town."
The children were initially surprised, but quickly said they understood, because even the river had dried up in this area.
"Paying money is fine too."
"Then let's go to Sunny's Tavern in the east of the city. Water there only costs 7 Imperial Coins per liter."
"Huh?!"
"Don't complain about the price. The tavern owner is related to the sheriff, which is why he can get such cheap water. If others go to the well in the center of town to fetch water, a ten-liter bucket will cost 100 Imperial Coins, and that's non-negotiable."
"Well……"
"Where can I take a shower?"
Melard asked the question.
"Ha, taking a bath, what a strange word, I haven't heard it in a long time, little girl, people in the Katish region rarely take baths, if they get dirty they just scrub with clean sand."
As for bathing, only nobles and the wealthy could afford that. For us commoners, bathing with drinkable water was far too extravagant.
The old man shook his head as he spoke, and his words reminded Broly of himself on Vampa, where he also lacked water and had to bathe in sand. Broly nodded in deep agreement.
"This grandpa is right. If there's too little water, it can only be used for drinking. It's such a waste to use it for bathing."
Melard: "..."
Even if the price of water were to increase tenfold or a hundredfold, she could still afford to take a bath.
But Broly thought it was wasteful, so he decided not to waste it. Merard then complained about how expensive the water was in Katish.
She rarely came here before. Although she knew about the major cities in the West, she didn't know about the local prices in some areas.
"Who says otherwise? It's all that damn iron ore's fault."
The old man sighed.
What does water scarcity have to do with iron ore?
Akame felt that there seemed to be no connection between these things.
Why should I tell you so much?
The old man pursed his dry lips, not wanting to say anything more to this group of outsiders.
I was only able to give directions because the people asking the questions were a group of children.
"We'd like to offer you some water, Grandpa."
"That's what Mine said then."
"Then what are we waiting for?"
The old man immediately sat in their carriage and urged, "Go to Sunny's Tavern, drink the water you pay for, and I'll tell you all about the situation in Katisi."
. . . .
"Ton ton ton~"
Upon arriving at the tavern, the old man named Victor downed a glass of water in one go. After ordering another glass of water, he began to tell Broly and the others about the connection between the iron mine and the water shortage in Katish.
"At the time, Kathisi was an oasis, but after the discovery of rich underground iron ore resources, the local nobles and some wealthy merchants joined forces to establish a large number of iron smelting plants."
Ironworks need charcoal to smelt iron ore, so a lot of trees were cut down in Katish and burned into charcoal, which was then sent to the factory.
At the time, everyone thought it was a profitable business, and no one cared how many trees were cut down, until the wrath of the god of the Kathisi Oasis arrived.
"The wrath of the god of the Kathisi Oasis?"
"Fertile land has turned into sand, riverbeds that once flowed through oases have gradually dried up, some wells can no longer be filled with water, and rainfall has decreased year by year, until it has become what it is today. Is there any other explanation besides God's wrath and divine punishment?"
The group of children looked at each other, seemingly having no other explanation.
"superstitious."
Melard muttered to herself, remembering that the Oasis God seemed to be something created by a recently popular religion around here.
Old Master Victor heard it, but he wasn't angry.
"Perhaps. In any case, the Katish region has suffered its just deserts, losing its water."
"Isn't there still water?"
Black Eyes was a little puzzled, and took small sips of the water with added sour fruit and sugar.
The sweet and sour taste seemed to make all the fatigue from the long journey disappear.
"This water costs money."
"Seven Imperial Coins for one liter of water, is that a lot?"
A group of children were puzzled, mainly because their eldest brother had recently made a fortune of over 27 million yuan.
Of course, it's also because they eat a lot. In a bustling city, their daily food expenses can be close to 10,000 Imperial Coins. They are used to the high cost of living that comes with such a large appetite.
"Seven imperial coins for a liter of water isn't much, but the problem is that people can't live without water every day. Water used to be free, but now it costs money, so everything made with water has become more expensive."
As he spoke, Mr. Victor gave a vivid example: he ordered a large piece of bread and started eating it right away.
"This whole-wheat bread I'm eating now cost 35 Imperial Coins three years ago, but now it's 70 Imperial Coins. This across-the-board price surge, coupled with the decrease in people's income, has led to a severe decline in the livelihoods of people in the Katish region..."
As he ate, old man Victor talked, gradually describing how the area had gone from prosperity to decline. When he was full and ready to leave, he suddenly stopped.
"Eating your food is just a warning. If you're here to find your relatives, there are still ways outside. And if your loved ones haven't died in this godforsaken place yet, then hurry up and leave with them. There is no future or hope in this place called Katishi."
Upon arriving in the first town, they were turned away by an old man, leaving the group of children looking at each other in bewilderment.
"I already told you, this isn't a good place."
Melard said again.
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(End of this chapter)