HTNSA 136

Chapter 136

At Yuria’s words, her face grew darker.
“We need to know the cause to fix it… but I can’t even guess. You did water them every three or four days like I said, right?”

“Of course. We watered them just two days ago. But ever since then, the leaves started turning yellow.”

At that, Eila’s head snapped up.
“You mean the symptoms appeared after watering them?”

Lujen turned to her with a troubled look.
“Yes… but it can’t be the water. It’s the same source everyone in this region uses.”

“Where exactly do you draw that water from?”

Lujen hesitated, then answered.
“The Ert River.”

“You mean the whole Falun region uses that river’s water?”

“Yes. Most of the villages draw from it. Drinking water, farming water—everything.”

“Take us there immediately.”

“What? Now? The sun is setting…”

“There’s no time to waste. At this rate, all the Momon herbs will die. No—this isn’t just about the herbs. The whole business we prepared might collapse before it even begins.”

Eila’s firm tone left Lujen speechless. She was clearly much younger than him, but somehow she carried an air that overwhelmed people.

“…Please, follow me.”

As he began leading the way, Piony came close and whispered to Eila.
“Eila, do you have some idea? Going to the river at this hour…”

“No, nothing certain yet. But right now, I think we need to check every possible cause.”

Piony blinked, then nodded in agreement.
“…You’re right. We should do everything we can.”

Eila quietly lifted her gaze, looking over the surrounding land. She didn’t know how Count Arman had managed it, but in the original story he had succeeded in cultivating Momon herbs on a massive scale. If he could do it, then she could too.

With that conviction, Eila steeled her resolve.

“This is the Ert River.”

As soon as Lujen spoke, Piony let out an admiring sigh.
“It’s beautiful.”

The Ert River flowed quietly, small ripples glinting in the fading light. The sunset dyed the water red, and trees swaying in the breeze framed the scene like a painting.

With pride, Lujen said, “It’s so beautiful that nobles come here every year for retreats. It’s the pride of Falun’s people.”

“I can see why. Just looking at it makes me feel refreshed.”

The three women walked along the riverbank for a long while, but no matter how they looked, the water appeared perfectly clean.

Piony tilted her head.
“There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong here.”

The river was so clear that fish could be seen swimming beneath the surface. Nothing looked suspicious at first glance.

Then Eila noticed it—thick black smoke rising into the sky. It billowed from the edge of the village, clashing oddly with the peaceful landscape.

Frowning, Eila asked, “What’s that smoke?”

Lujen flinched, then quickly smiled in recognition.
“Ah, that. Recently a magic shop opened in the village. That smoke must be from there.”

“A magic shop?”

“Yes. Thanks to it, the villagers enjoy much more convenience. Before, they had to travel into the city for such things. I hear the shop owner used to be from the Magic Tower, so the quality of goods is very high.”

At those words, Eila’s expression hardened.
“Do you know what kinds of items they sell?”

“Of course. Farming tools reinforced with magic, powders to repel pests, potions to increase harvest yields, and household goods like scented herbs.”

He shrugged.
“All useful things for the villagers.”

“…I see.”

A cold smile touched Eila’s lips.
“I think I understand the problem now. Please guide us to that magic shop.”

Piony tilted her head.
“You’re saying… the magic shop is what made the Momon herbs wither?”

“Yes.”

“But why?”

All eyes turned to her. With a slight smirk, Eila explained,
“Whenever you make magical items or potions, there’s always waste. But unlike in cities, a rural village like this has no proper disposal facilities.”

“Ah…!”

Yuria gasped softly.
“You’re right. If polluted wastewater flowed into the fields, the Momon herbs would wither. They’re sensitive to mana concentration, even tiny changes.”

Hearing her explanation, Piony and Lujen stared blankly.

Eila narrowed her eyes at the rising smoke and said firmly,
“Let’s confirm it for ourselves.”

They soon reached the magic shop. Instead of entering, they circled the building, inspecting the exterior. While looking around, Lujen stopped suddenly.

“Come here, everyone.”

They followed him to the back of the shop, where a long drainage pipe was laid.

“These pipes must carry in and out the water.”

“Then if we follow them, we’ll know the source.”

“Yes, most likely.”

Following the pipes, they soon found a shocking sight.

“T-this is…!”

Lujen’s eyes trembled violently. The drainage pipe emptied directly onto bare ground with no proper channels. Wastewater spread in every direction, soaking the earth around it.

A foul odor rose—unmistakably the stench of discarded potion waste.

Lujen staggered in shock.
“How could they construct it like this…? Just a short distance from here lies the Momon herb field.”

“This is serious.”

Piony scoffed in disbelief, and Eila’s cold voice agreed.
“As expected, the drainage work was a mess. Probably done cheaply to save money.”

She sighed shortly, then added,
“We’ll need to confront the shop owner and demand proper repairs.”

Grinding his teeth, Lujen clenched his fists.
“I’ll go right now and make them take responsibility.”

“Alone?”

“Yes. This is my duty. I’ll confront the owner and hold them accountable.”

With that, he stormed into the shop without hesitation.

Moments later, loud shouts erupted inside.
“You don’t know anything—don’t order me around!”
“Get lost! If you’re here to interfere with business, get out!”

Eila, Piony, and Yuria exchanged looks.

“…Doesn’t sound like persuasion is working.”

“Yeah, the situation doesn’t look good.”

Yuria’s face went pale. She whispered anxiously,
“Wh-what do we do? I don’t think Lujen can handle this alone.”

Eila frowned. According to Lujen, the owner was a former Magic Tower mage. Such people were always arrogant, proud of their skill, and quick to dismiss ordinary folk.

Looks like I’ll have to step in myself.

With a soft sigh, Eila fastened her cloak.