Just like what we had discussed yesterday, I visited the grandma’s house, first thing in the morning. She was with her daughter, Sheryl-san. Euthe-kun had already left for his smelting job and his little sister, Lily had gone out to play with her friends. The moment I walked into their house, the two ladies greeted me with a pleasant smile and welcomed me in. Since there were no chairs, we sat down on the ground.
We talked about a few random things before she put forward a question.
“So what brings you here, wise-sama? Is it to talk about the channel thing?”
“So you guys already know about it eh. looks like Euthe-kun has already explained it to you. That actually saves me a lot of trouble.”, I smiled at the two before me.
“We understand what you are trying to do is for our sake, but is this going to be fine? What if a flood occurs and this channel thing brings, even more, destruction”, grandma asked as she stared right at me. The smile on her face was replaced by a stern look which showed signs of anxiety and a strong will to protect the people from any harm.
“Aah! You don't have to worry about that. That is exactly why I planned to build an underground channel. If we seal it properly with clay, then the channel won't bring any extra harm during a flood.”, with a relaxed voice, I tried to explain it to the two before me. “Also the channel is going to be as wide as two of arms together, so the amount of water that can pass through it is really low. Even during the flood that the amount will not increase at all.”
“Is this really safe? Floods are disastrous phenomena, even if they only occur once in awhile”, she replied still not feeling convinced.
“You have to trust me. I know that’s too much to ask after all I have only been here for a few days. But I give you my word that whatever I do, I promise that it will not bring you any harm.”
“You speak as if you have many things that you want to do.”
Such a response was not something I was expecting. To be honest, I had many things I wanted to try out. I mean a place like this can be improved greatly with the knowledge I and sensei possess.
“This and that. But I have no intention of forcing things on you. In the end, it’s up to you if you wish to use my knowledge. This is your village after all and I am just guest here”, I replied to her with my honest feelings.
But the one that responded wasn't grandma but Sheryl-san who has been silent till now.
“What are you saying? You are already part of this village. Did we not tell you that you can live here forever? Everybody in the village has already accepted you as part of their family, as part of this village”, Sheryl-san attacked out of nowhere. Before I knew it she was right in front of my face and was literally glaring at me. She then turned towards the grandma and continued.
“Mom, I have decided. I am going to adopt him as my son”, pointing her slightly skinny finger towards me she proclaimed.
““Ehhh?””, I and grandma exclaimed together. My gaze met with grandma’s and then with Sheryl-san's. Neither grandma or I didn’t know what to say to Sheryl-san who had an expression which clearly said, ‘I will hear no objection’. But I simply couldn't accept such a proclamation. I mean it’s not that I dislike her or anything, but something like adopting me into her family was something she has to discuss with all the other members of the family. Now that the man of this house was away indefinitely, such a decision would bring some sparks in the future without a doubt. And so as I was about to open my mouth to refute her the grandma stopped me immediately.
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“It’s useless wise-sama. She will not listen to anyone when she is like that. Even her husband doesn’t dare to go against her words. So I advise you to accept her kindness, just think of it as your fate.”
“Eh? Even if you say that. I don't think Euthe-kun or Lily-chan will be too pleased with sharing their mother with a stranger like me”, I didn't want to give up so easily and tried to put forward the problems the decision could bring, but everything was in vain.
“I don't particularly mind. Lily won't mind either. She is already so attached to you that she sings songs about you.”
I turned my head towards the door and saw Euthe-kun standing there with the same serious expression. Still, for you to accept this so easily, Euthe-kun, aren’t you mad at me at all?
“And just like grandma said, it’s useless trying to go against her. Resign yourself and accept your fate, wise-sama”
“What are you saying? I told you that I am adopting him, right? Then why are you two still calling him wise-sama? Listen to me Soma, from this moment onwards you will call me as mom, understood?”
“But...”, even before I could speak the next words, my right shoulder was grabbed hard. Sheryl-san whose smiling face which was close to mine gave off an eerie aura that I felt goosebumps all over me. Before I knew it, Euthe and grandma were standing on the opposite side of the room, literally shivering. My gaze met with Sheryl-san's gaze once again and I felt her gaze trying to gauge out my flesh making me gulp involuntarily.
“Understood?”, she repeated her words, this time with a much stronger tone and all I could do was nod my head nonstop.
And in that moment the eerie feeling around disappeared without a trace and she returned to the calm and beautiful woman I had always known. The transformation was so fast that it once again brought a chill down my spine. She was still smiling, but the smile she had made her look like a blossomed rose, elegant and pretty.
I glared at grandma and Euthe-kun who had betrayed me and run away to the opposite side of the room, but the two shamelessly accepted my glare and were grinning at me.
“Now that we have settled that, why don't we all have breakfast? You haven’t eaten anything right Soma?”, Sheryl-san, I mean, mom said as she clapped her hands energetically and cheerfully.
Thus it was decided that I will be having my breakfast with this eccentric family. We waited for a while for Euthe-kun who went out to call Lily-chan and when the two came back, we started with our usual breakfast. Lily-chan was exhilarated when Sheryl-san told her about my adoption. She immediately jumped into my arms calling me Soma-nii and hugged my tight with her tender arms. My lips stretched into a smile and I tickled the little devil which made her run away from me giggling.
With such a cheerful mood we began to eat the bread and meat and in between grandma once again brought in the topic of channel once again.
“So wise-sa, I mean Soma, what did you want to talk with me?”, she asked as she took in a piece of meat into her mouth. The moment she asked the question the other two stopped eating and then looked towards me.
“I think you already know all the details of my plan for the channel from Euthe”, I turned looked at Euthe who nodded his head at me. I then turned towards grandma and continued, “BUt whatever plans I have for this village, I cannot bring them into practice on my own. For that, I need people, lots of them”
“But even we don't know when the men will come back?” and when she said that, I could feel the worry in all their eyes. Lily-chan who was carefree tell began to look around uneasily as if she could sense something was wrong with the people around her. Before things got any worse, I tried to change the atmosphere.
“But what if we could bring in people from the neighboring village? We could pay them in iron ingots in exchange for labor”, I put forward my idea.
“Bring people from other villages? Hmm, it’s true that we can pay them with iron ingot, but Soma, you are forgetting something important. From what I understood, you plan to use these men for all the major works that you wish to do, right? In that case, we will need to provide them with food and shelter. And at the same time what if these men try something funny with the ladies here? While it has its own advantages, this idea of yours is a like a sleeping monster. I am afraid I can't consent to your idea this time.”
Just like I thought, the security of the village turned out to be a big problem. Does this mean that I have to wait for the men to return, after all? But even if the men arrive, I am not sure that they would appreciate a stranger meddling with their own village. Even if I get adopted, the men of grandma’s family won’t just accept it just like that. I let out a deep sigh as I rack my brain for an optimal solution. Is the only option left with me teaching the villagers how to use magic?
“I understand grandma. For now, I’ll think of something else.”, I accept her rejection with a bitter smile. Grandma’s eyes were apologizing to me, but I shook my head sideways to gesture her that she need not feel sorry.
We finished our meal and then talked about various things before I bid them farewell. And once I was out of their house, I called out to sensei.
“Sensei!”
“Let’s research magic”