Helping Make the Ice Room
There is a habit in Legol to collect a decent amount of snow before it melts.
It’s called an ice room.
Unlike areas where perennial snow remains, that’s not the case in Legol. So in winter, they quickly collect the fallen snow and pack as much as they can into an underground space.
By doing this, even in the hot season, the stored snow and ice doesn’t melt, allowing cold storage and various uses.
The ice is made by compacting the snow or pouring water on it to harden it. If there was a big lake, it would be easy to harvest ice, but it’s a bit laborious.
The problem is the snow collection work for this ice room.
When I say collecting snow, the snow that falls in Legol isn’t that much. If there’s foot traffic, a path somehow forms, and then it naturally disappears.
The snow in the city is a bit dirty, so if collecting it, they go to fallow fields or grazing lands. They skim off the top layer and laboriously collect it…but of course since it’s done in the cold, it’s an incredibly tough job. There are no heavy machinery either.
However, there’s no need to dwell on it too much. At times like that, there are conveniently deployed inexpensive workers in Legol. Most troublesome problems are solved by them.
Those would be the criminal slaves. Namely, criminals serving sentences.
“There are some good tools lent out this year, so the work should be easier – work hard!”
The line of criminal slaves in the fallow fields are diligently picking up and collecting the fresh snow. Scooping and gathering it, and once gathered, going below and piling it up in one place. Carefully from the edge bit by bit, being mindful not to trample the fresh snow. It’s terribly hard labor that requires much more caution than just shoveling snow.
“Keep moving – if you slack off you’ll just get colder.”
The supervisor overseeing the snow collection is a Legol guard.
The task is quite mundane, but it can’t be carelessly outsourced to civilians since criminal slaves are involved, so it can’t be helped.
Still, there’s always a labor shortage.
This work can be taken on not just by criminal slaves, but also by guild members.
“Ah, you’re from the guild…oh…you’re carrying that much at once?”
“Yeah, it’s light!”
I’m currently doing the snow transport work a bit away from the criminal slaves.
Fetching snow from far away is easier said than done – it’s extremely hard labor requiring many round trips by horse carriage. Especially loading and unloading the carriages is exceptionally difficult.
Well, in my case it’s a breeze since I have brute strength.
“Still, this compacting work is tough. I didn’t realize making ice would be this laborious.”
“Well, that’s why the work goes to the criminal slaves. You volunteered for this job yourself, didn’t you? That’s unusual.”
“I did it last year too. It’s a novel experience if only for a day.”
Making ice rooms isn’t a job you can just decide to do. It’s still enjoyable when it’s fresh.
“Huh…hey, does the guild pay well for this? Probably not, right?”
“Nah, it doesn’t pay much. It’s the kind of job cash-strapped Iron-rank adventurers take in winter to make ends meet.”
“I figured as much. Why are you doing it then?”
“Like I said, I just wanted to try this unique job.”
“You’re an odd one. But honestly, the work progressing is a relief for us too. It’s tough for us just standing around in the cold.”
The compacted snow becomes a bit cloudy white, but it’s easier to transport.
I pass that to the guards waiting with horse carriages, or for big chunks, use a log pick tool to lift them up.
With my strength, I can load it at a faster pace than the snow piles can be collected. I have enough leeway to even assist in snow gathering at the fallow fields in between.
“…Hey, you’re from a guild, right?”
“Yes, I am.”
While I was carefully scooping up snow to avoid mixing in dirt, a male criminal slave next to me spoke up.
He had a sturdy leather band around his neck marking him as a criminal slave.
“Did someone escape and you came to help look for them? That’s why you’re sneaking around in a place like this? This isn’t Bronze 3 level work.”
And he tried tacking on some odd assumption about me.
True, in terms of cost-effectiveness it makes no sense at all, but there’s no hidden motive or anything…
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“I’m just doing this job to experience making an ice room.”
“…I see, I guess that’s all you can say.”
No, don’t just randomly make up scenarios.
“You’re mistaken. I did this last year too. The guard with the carriage knew me from last year, so ask him.”
“…You’re seriously just here for work?”
“Yeah.”
“…Why?”
“Because I wanted to try making an ice room.”
“…”
With a look like ‘This guy’s crazy, right?’, the criminal slave went back to work.
My heart was deeply wounded.
“That’s what happened, Barlgar.”
“Well of course anyone would see that as the act of an oddball.”
When I talked about making the ice room at the guild’s tavern, Barlgar mercilessly said as much.
“It’s true there’s less work in winter, but doing the same labor as criminals is rough…”
“What about you Alex, you were in the military so you must have experience with making ice rooms, right?”
“Well yes, but…that was just in a supervisory role like the guards. Actually doing the labor in the cold is too arduous, so I’d rather not.”
Ah right, he just supervised…making the criminals do the actual work while managing them. Definitely completely different.
“Remember when stray monsters came up to the outer walls recently? What did you do then, Mongrel?”
“Ah, some guild members did rush out in a panic from the guild. But the guards took them down before any guild members arrived. I foresaw that and didn’t leave the guild!”
“You sure brag a lot about doing nothing…”
“Well I don’t have any projectile weapons. Should I have thrown rocks from atop the outer walls?”
The guards here aren’t so leisurely that they’d open the gates just to deal with monsters outside the walls. They aren’t that complacent either.
“Speaking of which Mongrel, weren’t you practicing archery?”
“Really? This is the first I’m hearing of it.”
“Yeah, definitely not archery for me. I have a bow but no way I can hit anything.”
“But you at least own one, so you must be somewhat skilled? I’m surprised…I didn’t imagine you used projectiles.”
“Nah, I probably couldn’t even hit a tree 5 meters away.”
“You were more of a novice than I imagined…!”
A novice through and through. In my case, I’d probably be better off just chucking the arrows like darts.
“It’s a waste you didn’t keep up the practice when you started. Being able to use a bow doubles the prey you can hunt…Since you’ve been chatting with Artemis’ girls a lot lately, why not learn from them?”
“That’s true. I’ve been friendly not just with Raina but also Ulrika was it? You’ve gotten quite close with that person too lately. You might as well learn while you’re at it.”
“…”
“You’re making an awfully reluctant face…”
“You really hate archery that much, Mongrel?”
To be honest, it’s tedious. Having to painstakingly retrieve the arrows after each shot is especially…
What about stone throwing? No good?
“Once spring arrives we’ll be busy again, so if you’re going to practice, now while you’re free is perfect…”
“Hmm, when you put it like that…I am getting tired of just loitering at the tavern…Dick Vault has been around a lot lately too, giving off an odd vibe…”
“Ah…our leader…Well, he’s a good person so don’t misunderstand…”
“Yeah, I know.”
“I know, but it just…gives off this weird atmosphere…”
Barlgar belongs to a more casual group, so he doesn’t party up with their leader Dick Vault too often.
Even being in the same party with an unfamiliar face can feel quite strange. Barlgar probably respects him, but still.
…The tavern atmosphere tainted by Dick Vault’s presence might actually be more comfortable for Raina and the others to teach me archery at the training grounds.
Archery practice is tedious, but I’ll consider it since I’m free.
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