Chapter 307: We Will Carry out Water Quality Research
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After pulling himself together, Sword took a look around himself.
“We’re the S-Rank adventurer party 【Allrounders】. Well, I doubt ‘nyone in this desert town would know ’bout my name, but you do know what an S-Rank entails when it comes to adventurer ranks, right? If not, it basically means I can do whatever I want. So, it also means the likes of a merchant guild don’t measure up to me. And goin’ even further, the same applies to royalty, too.”
Given that Sword admitted that he’d even defy the king for a change, I chimed in.
“In short, it’d be absolutely no problem even if I were to slaughter the whole bunch of you after thorough torture for the offense of having tried to destroy the barely I had painstakingly filled with water. But, if you don’t believe it, I don’t mind proving it to you either, you know? …It’s getting my blood pumping! Want to have a go!? It’d be boring if only Sword was able to have some fun!”
I’ll use them as a distraction!
When I tried to charge at them full of motivation, Sword grabbed me by my nape.
“Gotcha. It was my fault. I’ll apologize, so could you give it a rest?”
The merchant-like guy and his underlings scurried away in panic while I was struggling against the hold.
“Sword! You’re pissing me off!”
“That’s why I’ve said I’m apologizin’, no? Come one, let’s go.”
I finally shook free.
“Nooooo! I’ll stay here and watch whether any further trouble might occur over here!”
I resolutely rejected his words, folded my arms and sat down cross-legged.
＊
However, the water distribution finished without any further troubles afterwards.
Baaaahhh!
Once I got totally sulky, Sword carried me away under his arms.
“Don’t pout. Come on, let’s go.”
Why is he treating me like luggage!?
But, wait a moment. We might need to handle a request first.
I asked the guildmaster, “What are you going to do about the water quality investigation?”
“Please take care of it for us. I don’t know how long it’ll take, but how about I pay you a hundred gold if you learn the cause?”
Ohh, how generous~!
“Okay! We’re going to take care of the investigation then!”
“Water quality investigation?” Sword asked doubtfully.
“If you drink the lake’s water, you’ll apparently get an upset stomach and die from it.”
“The hell? That’s damn scary. But, sure, let us go then.”
He headed towards the lake while still carrying me under his arm.
＊
We arrived at the lake.
While peering into the water, Sword said, “It looks pretty clear to me though?”
He’s right. The water got no green coloring to it. Rather, it’s clean and transparent.
“Hmm. It has no muddiness either. I can’t really say much since I don’t know any other desert lakes, but I’ve heard that water along a sandy beach is fairly transparent…”
You can’t describe that as a set rule, but I feel like toxins won’t propagate under these circumstances. Kind of? The vegetation around the lake looks like the sort of plants which will pull through even with little water and hot temperatures. There are some palm trees around and similar.
The vicinity wasn’t covered by just sand either. Some patches seemed to be made out of regular soil.
And even when I brought my face so close to the lake’ surface that my nose tip touched the water, it looked quite clean to me. I scooped up some of it and ran a magic element analysis on it.
“The water quality is neutral. The rate of plankton underwater is low. The rate of harmful bacteria is low too. It doesn’t have any toxic elements either.”
Hmm, you can actually drink it.
“Guess I’ll taste it.”
“Hey! Is that goin’ to be alright!?” Sword became flustered.
“I’ll probably be alright, but…I suppose there’s no point in me drinking it, if it won’t show any effects anyway. Sword, want to drink it?”
Sword lowered his fist on my head.
＊
We made a full lap around the lake, dashing across the water on our boards.
The water is truly clean. Its transparency is comparable to the lake we visited the other day.
I wonder why it’s so transparent, although you’d expect it to be muddy? Is it a default setting for the lakes of this world to be transparent? Maybe muddiness through plankton or soil isn’t possible?
“Sword, are the lakes and rivers all over the world as clear as this water here?”
Sword became dumbfounded.
“Is it not supposed to be like that?”
In other words, Sword has never seen muddy water, I suppose.
“Usually, if a lot of rain falls, river streams become a lot more violent, turning into a brown, muddy color due to all the sand, earth, and so on. On the other hand, lakes tend to become stale, resulting in water plants spreading and the water itself taking on a green, muddy color. Moreover, the ratio of harmful elements goes up because of the dung of the creatures who use those plants as a source of food.”
Sword frowned upon hearing my explanation.
“Over here, such things are eaten by slimes. And slimes don’t poop.”
Wuuut!? I didn’t know!
“I see! Slimes are incredible!”
That’s why the water isn’t impure, huh!? What wonderful life-forms, those slimes!
“In that case, slimes must exist in this lake as well, I’d say. What nice boys they are for cleaning the water so nicely~ I’d love to meet them.”
Me muttering this full of spirits was a flag.
“Looks like your wish is goin’ to come true.”
Sword’s detection apparently caught something. The Ryokus and I also looked out to the lake, just to spot a huge object at the bottom of the talke.
“Oooohh? That’s a big one! Hey, can you understand me?”
I tried to address the huge object. And it seems like it did understand.
“Seems so,” Sword commented.
Sword, you understood it as well!?
“I see, so you’re the lord of this lake, huh?”
I appeared to be correct about it since it sent me a telepathic affirmation.
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