I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 202

Chapter 202: Those Who Rage (2)

In Week 3, Flora’s Birthday episode is triggered automatically, and after this, the villagers, with their high dissatisfaction level, come looking for me.

This was an unavoidable event in the game as well.

Flora’s birthday was always fixed, and not going to the birthday party at that time would directly lead to a bad ending. So, encountering a Clue and Proof event with high villager dissatisfaction was inevitable in Chapter 2, during the symposium.

Trying to avoid it was futile.

It was a predestined event, a part of fate.

In any case, clearing this Clue and Proof event was essential, a necessary gateway.

But preparing for it within three short days was practically impossible.

Because of the episode’s pattern of triggering incidents that would forcibly eat away at the player’s time, preparations had to be made well in advance.

Choices for rebuttals had to be prepared beforehand, and data to support those arguments had to be gathered using the system’s help.

However, I currently couldn’t use the system’s help.

Even immediately after returning to Shatrain from Flora’s birthday party, it was the same.

Just like when the crop settings window, certain UI elements, and choices hadn't appeared, only a warning message about the increased dissatisfaction level was displayed. Nothing else.

That meant only one thing.

‘Solve Shatrain’s problems using only your own strength.’

Frankly, it was absurd. Suppressing the villagers’ complaints in a Clue and Proof event without the system's help? It was a suffocating thought.

Not being able to use the system's power in an event that required preparing counterarguments and evidence in advance was practically a guaranteed bad ending.

But even within those three days, I could find a solution.

Modern knowledge was a powerful weapon.

Even in this fantasy world, with its unique settings, the principles remained the same.

Soil was still soil.

The laws of modern science applied here as well.

“I’ve prepared everything as you instructed, Young Master.”

Camilla, having finished her preparations, bowed respectfully before me, in full view of the Shatrain villagers.

-Bubble, bubble.

A clear glass container filled with water was bubbling over a flame.

Thinly sliced pieces of something floated within the simmering liquid.

I decided to give a brief explanation since it would take some time.

“Hmm. This will take a while, so let’s start with a question.”

“A question…?”

“Yes. Do any of you know what kind of soil strawberries and grapes thrive in?”

The Shatrain villagers clicked their tongues.

“We’ve been cultivating strawberries and grapes in Shatrain for decades! Of course we know!”

“Is that so? Then why is this happening?”

“What… What are you talking about?!”

“If your fields are in this state, it’s clear that you don’t understand the conditions required for strawberries and grapes to thrive.”

My provocation angered the villagers. Their faces reddened, and their voices rose in protest.

But their answers were all the same.

Use good soil, add fertilizer, and water frequently.

Protect the stems, roots, and other vital parts of the plants from frost in the winter and pests in the summer.

And so on.

Needless to say, it was all useless information.

While they occasionally mentioned minor points about protecting the crops, they completely missed the core issue.

-Thwack!

Frustrated by their useless answers, I slammed my scabbard against the ground, silencing them.

“That just proves you don’t know anything. Your explanations are vague and superficial. My fields are producing more Shatrain strawberries and grapes, and at a higher grade. How do you explain that? Is it because I have better land?”

“Th-That’s…!”

They couldn't argue with that.

The land I had taken control of was mostly located in Shatrain’s eastern fields.

While the land was decent, it was undeniably inferior to the western and central fields. It was common knowledge.

“That’s just luck! Farming depends on luck! You can’t control it!”

“Th-That’s right! It’s just a coincidence that your fields produced a good harvest this time! It’s irrelevant!”

I smiled, satisfied with their response.

“That just proves you don’t know anything.”

“…?”

“Camilla. Is it ready?”

“Yes, Young Master. Just finished.”

“Let’s see what you have to say after you see this.”

-Ding!

▶ Proof required. ◀

[ You must explain the difference between the soil in your fields and the soil in the villagers' fields. ]

[ Success: You will gain the right to enforce one policy in Shatrain. ]

[ Failure: The lockdown on Shatrain will be lifted. ]

***

pH. The potential of hydrogen.

A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, indicating the concentration of hydrogen ions.

Since soil pH directly affects crop growth, this value is crucial in modern agriculture.

Some plants, like mugwort, can tolerate a wide range of pH levels, while others, like Salicornia, thrive only within a very narrow range.

In other words, every crop has an optimal pH range, and if the pH is too high or too low, the plants may die.

Strawberries and grapes generally prefer slightly acidic soil, and it was the same in this world.

The problem was how to prove it, how to demonstrate it to them.

They wouldn’t believe him unless they could see it, hear it, smell it, touch it, taste it – unless they could experience it with all five senses.

Not only was he Carsein, the lord who had once ruined their territory, but Shatrain was also a closed-off community, resistant to new ideas. They wouldn't be persuaded by mere theories.

So, he had to show them.

And pH could be demonstrated visually.

But how to measure pH?

In the modern world, precise pH measurements required specialized equipment like a pH meter with an ion-selective electrode.

Such expensive equipment wasn't available in a typical school science lab, so they used a different method.

Indicators.

“N-No way…”

“The soil really is a different color?”

They were staring at two samples of soil.

One from Harnie’s territory.

The other from Shatrain.

There was a clear difference in color.

Now, he could explain.

“I treated both samples identically. I simply added a few drops of concentrated cabbage water. So, why is there a difference in color?”

The reason was simple.

“Even with the same soil type, the properties can differ. The soil on the right, the one where even regular strawberries can’t grow, let alone Shatrain strawberries, is too acidic because of the nearby mines and the lack of fertilizer.”

The pH was off. That’s why the crops couldn’t grow.

The villagers watched, mesmerized, as the two samples sat side by side.

They could probably guess what was coming next.

“Now, let’s move on. You wanted to see the difference between my fields and yours, didn’t you?”

“…”

“On the left, soil from my field. On the right, soil from yours. Let’s see what happens.”

As the villagers watched, their anticipation growing, I carefully put on gloves and added a few drops of indicator to each container.

And then, something amazing happened.

“N-No way…!”

“It’s… It’s that red…? The soil from our fields?”

“How can the same soil be so different…?”

“Didn’t you say that if it’s too red, the crops won’t grow…?”

“Is… Is that Data Scroll really accurate?”

The soil from the villagers' fields had turned a deep crimson, indicating a much higher acidity than normal.

‘That color is much too dark.’

I pulled out a small chart from my pocket and compared it to the samples.

A pH paper would have been ideal, but such a thing didn’t exist in this world.

So, I had spent the past three days creating my own pH indicator chart, carefully calibrating the colors to match different pH levels.

Based on my experiments, the pH of their soil was around 2 or 3. Most crops wouldn't be able to survive in such acidic conditions, but the crops in this world seemed to have a higher tolerance.

‘But even then, this is strange.’

Their soil shouldn't be this different from the soil in the eastern fields. Until recently, they had been practically identical.

Even the soil from the eastern fields I was managing was slightly more acidic than normal. In other words, all of Shatrain’s soil was acidic.

Why was all of Shatrain’s soil so acidic?

This question lingered, unanswered.

-Ding!

▶ You have successfully cleared the Clue and Proof event. ◀

▶ You have proven that the soil in your fields is different from the soil in the villagers’ fields. As a reward, you have gained the right to issue one command to the Shatrain villagers. ◀

‘Perfect. I can use this right away.’

I had my suspicions.

I had noticed it from the beginning. The Shatrain villagers seemed fixated on something.

Putting aside my doubts for now, I exercised my newly acquired right.

“I’m issuing a new policy. Shatrain will be closed off from all contact with the outside world.”

“What… What are you talking about?!”

“Furthermore, all outsiders, regardless of their purpose, are forbidden from entering Shatrain. All access points will be blocked, and all trade with outside territories, except for Lusmire, is prohibited.”

The villagers erupted in protest.

“Then how are we supposed to get the supplies we need for our fields?!”

“This is absurd! Repeal this policy!”

“You can’t just block everything we need!”

I sighed inwardly.

“As you’ve seen, your soil is highly acidic. Mine, on the other hand, is much less acidic. This isn’t a matter of luck. There’s a problem with your farming methods, and your land management techniques. We have to identify the source of the problem to prevent it from happening again.”

“What are you talking about?! This has nothing to do with that!”

“No. There is a connection.”

“What…?”

“Your high-quality fertilizer. You import it from outside the territory, don’t you?”

“…!”

The villagers’ eyes widened at my pointed remark.

“Shatrain’s soil wouldn't have become this acidic on its own. I suspect the fertilizer is the cause. If you want to refute my claim, you’ll have to prove that the pH levels and the results of my experiments are wrong. Can you do that?”

They were speechless, unable to offer a rebuttal.

***

▶ Agent skill activated. ◀

[ 2. Dyke ]

▶ Skill: Controller

[ All contact with Shatrain, except for Lusmire, is prohibited. ]

‘That takes care of that, for now.’

With Dyke's ability activated, the only territory that could contact Shatrain was Lusmire, the territory managed by Tasha.

‘But this isn’t enough.’

This event, this forced drain on my time, would happen again.

I had to prepare for it, to take preemptive measures.

I needed manpower to properly suppress them, to implement real change.

“Let’s go, Harnie.”

“Okay.”

-Clip-clop, clip-clop.

Let’s go.

To Lilpet.

Talfon, the military commander of Lilpet in the Western Empire, was my final Agent.

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