Chapter 7

After the short break, I saw the villagers returning to the rice fields. Just as I was about to approach the fields to check on the rice growth, a hand reached out from behind and Link picked me up.

"Huh?"

With my line of sight raised, I couldn't properly see the rice fields that were dug into the ground.

"Uncle, put me down."

As I flailed my arms and legs,

"Wait, Ashe! You can't go into the rice fields! It's a bottomless swamp for you!"

Link said, holding me even tighter and refusing to put me down.

Link, who had witnessed me getting stuck in the soft soil of the rice field and sinking up to my stomach, crying, seemed to have developed a trauma.

I see, that's why he was holding me so tightly ever since we came to the rice fields.

**Danger!! Children Strictly Prohibited**

The sign in front of me was set up because of me.

In the first year of the rice field, the soil was uneven and the depth was inconsistent. The last time I came, Link went into the field first to check the seedlings.

"Come on, Ashe."

He called me, and walked halfway to meet me, so I sat on the edge of the field and put my feet into the soil.

A few steps in, I unfortunately stepped into a deep spot.

The soft mud stirred up in the water, making it murky and impossible to see the depth, and the area was more eroded than the surroundings.

The moment I stepped in, *splat*!

What!?

I sank up to my thighs silently, and my feet were caught in the soft mud, sinking further and further...

What??!! It won't stop!!

Even after sinking up to my stomach, it kept going!!

Bottomless??

Why am I sinking so much—!!

*Waaaahhh!!*

I panicked and started crying.

*What! Ashe!*

Link, who had frozen for a moment, hurriedly pulled me out.

*Whoa!! What is this!! I'm buried up to my knees too!*

When he pulled me out, one of his feet sank in up to the knee.

*Sorry! Sorry!! That's the deepest spot!!*

Even adults sink up to their knees, Toi apologized profusely.

After that, I was in shock for a long time.

I clung to Link all the way home, crying whenever I remembered.

When I returned home, covered in mud and trembling with fear, I cried out in the middle of the night, causing my mother and uncle a lot of worry.

Hmm.

It seems my body's reactions and emotions are being pulled by my current age.

But, because I have memories from when I was an adult, I feel really embarrassed after calming down.

───But, it can't be helped, right? I'm a child now.

(But, it's embarrassing~. Struggling)

Now, the area where I got stuck has a long pole and is surrounded by a rope.

Even after improving the soil, it's still a bit deep because the soil is soft, to prevent people from tripping and falling.

It should be okay elsewhere, right?

But.

I definitely don't want to experience a bottomless swamp again.

The trauma is firmly rooted in me.

I won't go into the rice fields until the water is drained in autumn. I won't.

"It's okay. I won't go into the rice field."

As I told Link this,

"Sir Link. I will protect Lady Asheira."

Selt said, and Link reluctantly put me down on the edge of the rice field.

Protect... I won't go in.

"There's a possibility of falling due to unforeseen circumstances, Lady Asheira."

When I looked at him with pleading eyes, he replied.

Well, that's true.

But, isn't that position uncomfortable?

Are both hands... assuming I'll fall?

Ugh.

I sat on the edge of the rice field and looked at the rice growing vigorously.

The plants were dividing and increasing in number.

Yes, it's going well.

Thinking back, I didn't really like farm work in my previous life.

Even though I was exhausted from working late into the night, I had to help with farm work at my parents' house on weekends.

Please, just let me rest!

Such a physically demanding job, dealing with nature and no days off—impossible!

Not to mention, the soil preparation, seedling management, and daily water temperature control—there's so much to do even for one type of rice.

I knew it wasn't easy, which is why I think farmers are amazing.

They sustain everyone's lives.

Thanks to the common people who do such difficult work, we can eat bread, vegetables, and fruits.

Farming is a respectable profession.

Of course, livestock and fishing are too.

There is no hierarchy in professions.

After seeing my interest shift away from the rice fields, Link seemed relieved and started talking to Toi about the rice growth.

I, on the other hand, was fascinated by the plants growing in the grass a bit away from the fields.

By the way, Selt is right next to me.

Someone is always with me outside to prevent me from being alone, even for a moment.

The vegetation here is quite similar to my previous life, and there are quite a few familiar plants.

I wasn't very knowledgeable, but I always enjoyed looking for edible plants.

In the spring when the rice planting started, I used to collect ferns, young oak leaves, and mugwort every year and fry them as tempura.

But, I haven't seen any of them here yet.

Maybe they don't exist in this world.

I haven't seen that many places, so they might be in other areas.

Otherwise... I'm not sure.

Hmm. It doesn't look like I'll have any new discoveries today. What a pity.

Actually, there are watercress plants growing naturally in the irrigation ditches here.

Everyone knows that watercress is edible, so they pick it at the end of the workday and it ends up on the dinner table.

One of the women came to Link with a basket full of watercress.

"Sir Dain. Could you please appraise the watercress?"

Actually, Link has the ability to 'appraise'.

During his visits to the rice fields in the spring, he noticed the women picking watercress and felt something was off.

Link, a noble who didn't know much about how vegetables grow, had only recently started learning about farming after coming to the Barthea Viscount's territory.

He knew nothing about wild herbs.

The women were happy, saying,

"It's edible~"

"Watercress growing here naturally~"

"Watercress? Oh, this is it."

He remembered seeing it at meals, but something didn't feel right.

So, Link asked to see all the watercress they had picked.

"Appraise"

Link used his magic.

– And there were a few plants that looked exactly like watercress, but were actually deadly nightshade.

【Deadly Nightshade】

Toxic plant

Causes vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness,

and breathing difficulties

Can be fatal in small amounts

Even before the appraisal, the watercress looked fresh, but the deadly nightshade had a different aura.

"These, these, and these are deadly. The appraisal shows they are toxic deadly nightshade."

"Wh-What!!"

Not just the women, but everyone gathered around to look at the spread-out watercress and deadly nightshade.

"I can't tell the difference... But, are they a bit different? Maybe..."

"The roots! The deadly nightshade has bulbous roots!"

"But, if you break them off when picking, you can't tell, right?"

"Then, we should pick them with the roots. That way, it's easier to tell."

"...But, it's still scary."

"Indeed."

Seeing the disappointed women, Link chuckled and said,

"Also, the watercress. It's edible, but it needs to be cooked."

"What... Can't we eat it raw? We've been eating it raw..."

"It's probably been cultivated in purified water and sold as food. The water here is from the irrigation ditch, which was dug and prepared this year. Even if it looks clean, don't eat it raw. Not the water or the watercress."

Link speaks casually in front of us, but he uses a more formal tone outside.

He looks impeccable, with his silver hair tied back and his blue eyes shining attractively.

His appearance and aura make him look like a noble, yet he works alongside us and talks to us, and he notices things.

"As long as it's cooked thoroughly, it's fine."

When Link smiled, the women were captivated and pressed their chests.

"Right! We can stir-fry it! It's delicious that way!"

"Yay~! We got dinner ingredients!!"

Seeing everyone's reactions, Link emphasized,

"I'll appraise the watercress, so don't pick it on your own. The same goes for other wild herbs."

"Understood!! We will!!"

That's how it became a regular thing for Link to appraise the watercress when he visits.

Thank you for reading.