Chapter 18: Black Water
After finishing our meal, we slept in our sleeping bags.
The next day, we resumed our exploration.
“From what I saw yesterday, it seems the eight sources are gushing to the surface through a pipeline built in ancient times.”
“Even if we were to discover a ninth one, would there be enough room in the pipeline?”
“No need to worry about that. The pipeline has plenty of capacity.”
“Which means there are still more sources left to be found.”
“Exactly.”
So we explored without worry, and on the third level, we discovered what looked like a source.
We had found a pitch-black spring.
“It’s a source like black soda water.”
“Yeah. It’s like cola.”
I scooped some up with my finger and licked it. It was faintly sweet.
“This is black water.”
“Black water?”
“It’s a type of hot spring derived from seawater, containing things like metasilicic acid and hydrogen carbonates (baking soda). It’s also sometimes called fossil water.”
“It seems good for the skin.”
“Of course. See, my finger is all smooth.”
I flirted with my wife, poking her cheek, but we didn’t come all this way just to flirt. My job was to get this water to the surface, and specifically, to The Dawn Fig Inn.
“I said earlier that the pipeline has spare capacity, but just delivering the water isn’t enough.”
“Meaning?”
“Delivering the water is easy, but the aftermath is the problem. If they get their hands on a rare source like black water, they’ll be envied by their business rivals.”
“The Sun Tree Thicket Inn, you mean.”
“Yeah. They can’t touch it while we’re here, but we can’t stay forever.”
“There’s always the option of me becoming the chef and you the waitress.”
“A wandering chef couple isn’t a bad idea, but that little inn probably can’t afford to hire us.”
“I was joking.”
“I know. But it wouldn’t be fun if the black water was stolen after we’re gone. We need to teach those guys a thorough lesson.”
“You’re going to teach them a lesson they won’t forget.”
“Exactly.”
I whispered into my wife’s pointed ear.
Mumble, mumble—
Fina was aghast when she heard my plan.
What I was about to do was both radical and intense.
However, she also understood that to punish a large corporation that was bullying a small inn, we had to go that far.
“—Please make sure no one gets hurt,” she said, giving her consent.
“I know. I won’t let anyone get hurt except those involved with The Sun Tree Thicket Inn.”
“Show mercy to those involved as well.”
“I’ll do my ‘best’.”
With that declaration, Fina summoned the earth spirit Gnomes and had them channel the black water into the pipeline.
At that time, she made a certain modification, but the effects of that would only appear a little later.
