DeokuTeima ~ C19

 

Chapter 19: Picking up trash

 

 

I continued to pick up trash. The trash is not limited to rocks but includes grass, broken vases, and many other things. I had picked up more than 20 pieces of trash.

 

When I check the map, I noticed that I almost finished going around the southern area. Still, I only picked up 20 pieces of trash.

 

"Next, let's go to the western area."

 

While walking through the western area, I am picking up trash. Updating map and trash pickup are going very well. However, some things bother me.

 

"Hey, that's......."

 

"No mistake, it's the silver..."

 

"Si, Silver White! That one?"

 

"The Silver Haired Tamer without his monster......."

 

I felt some strange stares from people. And they are whispering to each other. Oh, my God! I know why. They all know that I'm the one who earned that funny title.

 

About 50 people got the info from Mirei's drugstore. Those 50 people would tell their friends and acquaintances, and then the info would spread further. If this continues, it will spread in no time.

 

If the first 50 people each tell 5 people about it, then it becomes 250 people. If those 250 people then each tell 5 other people, then it becomes 1,550 people.

 

Gossip is scary. It's starting to feel like all people around me know about me. I think I'm too self-conscious, but.......

 

"Sigh, there's no way out of this. I'll just ignore them."

 

I'm sure they'll forget about me soon, with all the events and other things. I just have to be patient until then.

 

I hope so.

 

Then, I proceed with my quest while trying to ignore people's stares. It didn't bother me as much as I thought when I concentrate on my quest. By the time night fell, I was completely used to it. When people start to whisper about me everywhere I go, I only think, "Aah, here we go again".

 

"I think I've covered most of the western area."

 

The map-filling is going well, but the trash pickup is not so good. I only managed to pick up 22 pieces of trash. We only picked up 22 pieces of trash, but I think I've covered most of the western area.

 

"But at this pace, I won't finish picking up 100 pieces of trash even if I go around the whole area, east, west, north, and south.

 

If there are about 20 pieces of trash in 1 area, there will be about 80 pieces of trash in 4 areas, and I won't be able to reach 100 pieces.

 

But there's something that's been bothering me.

 

"There, I'm sure there is a green marker."

 

The place is a canal. It is about 7 to 8 meters wide, too narrow and shallow to be called a canal. The canal runs along the main street in the center of each area.

 

In the middle of the canal, a green marker is appearing and disappearing continuously.

 

"Ho!"

 

I stretch out my tongs and attempt to pick up the trash inside the canal. Because it fell at the edge of the canal, I could pick it up without going inside the water.

 

"Okay, got it!"

 

It is a piece of trash, after all.

 

I felt a glimmer of accomplishment in picking up the trash. But at the same time, the worst conclusion slipped into my mind.

 

"Because it means that there might be trash inside the canal, right?"

 

I could spot it from the shore because the trash I just found was in the shallow area. If the trash is in a deeper area, I won't spot it from the shore. That meant that I must go inside the canal.

 

However, it was already dark. I didn't want to go into the canal at night to pick up trash. If I'm not careful, I might end up drowning in the middle of the city, which is unheard of way to die.

 

"If I die in that way......"

 

The rumor would spread again. But if I wish to pick up 100 pieces of trash, then I must enter the canal.

 

"I'll do it tomorrow."