Elf Tensei Kara no Cheat Kenkoku-ki

Book 1: Chapter 16-1: Raising the Banner of Rebellion

Book 1: Chapter 16-1: Raising the Banner of Rebellion

I looked in on the composting.

The day after I planted the potatoes I began the composting process.

I had made preliminary preparations and used the fertilizer tank I had previously crafted.

In our village the waste would be tossed outside the village once a day.

I had simply crafted a receptacle for that waste to be stored in.

The fertilizer tank was quite well received because the village was no longer plagued by the smell of open sewage thanks to the fact that the tank was deep and had a lid.

The tank was a much more sanitary option. Once you discarded feces and urine inside it and allowed it to ferment the temperature would increase to around 70 degrees. It would kill the disease causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Furthermore it would make it usable as fertilizer.

Without the fermentation process feces would cause nitrogen starvation if used directly as fertilizer. It would cause things to rot and the plants would fall ill. Furthermore it was common for plants to be damaged by the methane and heat released by feces decomposition.

Well its not like I want to use nightsoil unless I have to.

I removed the lid of the huge tank that I had left for a week. We had tossed in some maple leaves and threshed wheat husks that had been collected by female villagers.

I made sure to use the wind to blow away the smell that could kill as I uncovered it. If I only used feces then the fertilizer would lack nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potassium so we supplemented it with maple leaves and wheat husks. Bad compost balance is basically poisonous to plants so I needed to be careful when I mixed it.

Good it looks like the fermentation is going pretty well.

I was able to see some white mold growing on the surfaces. That let me know that things were progressing properly. Fermentation wasnt finished since people were still throwing crap inside it daily. So I added something that will be nutritious and help the fermenting process proceed more rapidly.

Now I just need to add oxygen and mix it every 10 days to activate the bacteria. It should be usable within a month.

Itd be best to add the fertilizer to the potatoes in about a month. I would aim to replenish the soil as its nutrients run low. I should barely be in time for that.

I was stirring the waste around to introduce oxygen and removing the smell by blowing it away with wind. Even so I had to desperately endure the horrid smell that couldnt be completely eliminated.

Once the compost was complete it would change colors to blackish brown and it would smell like the soil instead of crap. I thought of the end result as I continued mixing.

Cyril, I mean, Chief! There are Empire soldiers on their way! Theyll arrive in 30 minutes!

The young elf Roleau was one of our watchmen. He ran up while holding his nose to avoid the smell. I didnt expect the Empire to be so slow. It had already been ten days since the supply base raid.

Arent you just a little brat? Quit joking around.

No, in an elf village anyone over the age of fourteen is considered an adult. I am treated as a full fledged adult in this village and was voted into office by everyone in the village.

He didnt seem completely convinced, but he could see I wasnt lying from the reactions of the elves around us.

Fine then. Youll do. Hand over the wheat written on this paper and 3 of your villagers.

He ignored everything else and got straight to the point. I could see that there was no flexibility in either his words or actions.

Was he in a hurry?

Our tax should have already been paid. Why is there an additional tax at this time?

I had the perfect chance to probe their intentions.

Our base was attacked by thieves and we dont have enough to send back to our country.forget I said anything! Hurry and bring the items!

I see, this wasnt revenge for killing the soldiers from before but instead an irregularity caused by my theft.

In that case it hasnt been exposed that I was the one to attack their base.

I will have to decline.

What did you say!?

I said, I will have to decline. We have already paid our taxes and an extra deposit of wheat. If we hand over any more we wont make it through the winter. In fact wed like to ask you to return our wheat deposit sooner rather than later.

Deposited wheat is just like it sounds. It was wheat we had leant the Empire.

In order to prevent revolts the Empire takes all but the bare necessities. If you were to rebel against the Empire you would not receive your wheat back and you would starve. So in addition to normal taxes you would have everything else taken as well.

Deposited wheat? Wouldnt know anything about that. I dont think we received it this year.

The soldiers representative Joseph carelessly ignored it.

The Empire looked down on us. Even if we obeyed their rules they would simply ignore their agreements as soon as it became inconvenient.