*


　Following a path that was like a wound carved into the grassland, the wagon was aiming for the 'Yellow Earth Temple'.
　This is to carry the luggage of Sion, who was to serve as the director of the Relief and Poverty Institute in its reopening.
　Since it is an outward journey, there is plenty of room to ride, but it is only a wagon.
　The wheels are just wrapped in iron, and there's nothing clever about suspension.
　The mere act of climbing onto a pebble sends a thrusting jolt through the back of the wagon.
　As Crono looked out at the scenery in disgust, Kane, who was next to him, slapped his thighs in a reserved manner.

'That woman is staring at me, what did you do?'
...nothing.

　I glanced over at Sion and saw that she was staring at Crono with a steely look in her eyes.
　When I met her, though, her eyes were loose with a happy look in them.

'I must be a porcupine.
Doesn't it look bouncy to you?
Maybe he has invisible thorns wrapped around his body.

　'He's a self-destructing bastard who hurts others for good and, by the way, hurts himself as well,' Crono added.

'Oh, that. It's like when you pretend to be a righteous bandit and throw money at a poor man and that poor man is beheaded.'
No, not that much.

　I glanced over at Zion and she was groaning on her knees as I stole a glance at her.

'Maybe that's about as much as I'm emotionally capable of doing.
It's like you're doing something good and it doesn't fit together in all directions.
Yes.

　Looking up at the heavens, Crono let out a sigh.

'We should be able to see The Temple by now.

　As the carriage climbed up the gently sloping hill, a huge rock protruded from the ground about five hundred meters away.
　Rather than a rock, it was a bedrock. It looked as if the bedrock had been shattered for some reason and pushed directly to the ground.
　The height of the bedrock was more than 20 meters, and the 'Yellow Earth Temple' stood in the shadow of it.

''........It's not what I imagined.''
I'm sorry about the small size.

　Crono had imagined a building like the Parthenon, but the 'Ochre Temple' was an old brick building.
　From the top of the hill, it looks like the letters of the alphabet 'T' stacked high on top of each other.
　All around the temple is a field with lush foliage.
　Stopping his carriage near the temple, Crono looked up at the rocks.

'Let's go,'
Yes?

　Prompted by Sion, Crono and Kane stepped into the temple.
　Naturally........it would be rude to say it, but the inside of the temple was deserted.
　There were no chairs for the faithful to sit on, just a small altar at the back.

''It's kind of like a chapel.''
?

　When Crono muttered, Sion tilted his head suspiciously.

''........This back of the house is the priest's living space.
Excuse me.

　I ducked through the door next to the altar, and there were three doors lined up across the short passage.

'No one there,'
Did you run a soup kitchen by yourself?

　Sion's lips twitched in frustration and he glared at Crono.
　Perhaps sensing the dangerous atmosphere, Kane intervened between Sion and Crono.

You have to have a good time. A temple is basically nothing without something in return.
'No, sir!　Me and my dad were there for everyone....

　When Kane glared at him, Theon fell silent as if his spirits were diminished.
　Even though he had become Crono's subordinate, Kane was a man who had gone through the shura as a mercenary and bandit.
　For such a man, it might not be difficult for him to silence a daughter like Zion with just a glance.

''The temple can only do so many things for you if you donate money. Where there is no prospect of donations, we'll put a junior priest who is only serious. That way, we won't have to build a relationship from scratch.

　Kukkuk, Kane let out a gruesome, sneaky laugh.

''Well I'll carry my things, so you two can have the back room, please.

　Fearing that he was going to be a bush snake, Theon went into his room.

'Do you have any bad memories of the Temple?'
That's right, he was a thief.
Yeah.

　Crono muttered quietly.
　'Once, Kane said that his parents were speared to death and his sister died on the way out, but in reality, it must not be a past that could be put into words.

It's a long time ago. Let's just get it over with.
All right.

　Kane tapped him on the shoulder as if he was concerned, and Crono nodded.
　The room Theon had directed him to seemed to be used as a storage room.
　There were twenty sacks of cut and dried beets in hemp sacks, scythes, hoes and other farm tools, and shelves lined with old books and dirty sacks.

'Shall we carry the hemp bags for now?
I'll take care of that, and you, Mr. Crono, will get something lighter.

　Grateful for Kane's concern, Crono picked up the small items on the shelves.
　Originally, because there were so few things, Crono and Kane finished carrying their luggage to the carriage in less time than expected.
　

''........What should I do about the beat?''
Yeah, I'll have my guys take care of Hatake.

　When Kane replied, Theon's eyes widened in surprise.

'I'm a cavalryman now, but when I was a kid, I, and my men, used to plow the fields.
I'm sorry you had to go through that.
...unspeakable.

　Kane smiled sadly, and Theon clasped his hands together as if he was impressed.
　A peasant to a cavalryman is an incredible success story.
　You're responding differently to me, Crono said as he loaded up his pack and climbed into the cramped loading bay.



　Without any trouble, Crono and the others returned to the city of Hashel.
　It was impressive to say the fact that Theon was giving Kane a glittering look.
　It's hard to be hated by a girl, Crono said, holding his knees in the corner of the wagon.

'Master Crono. What's wrong with you, holding your knees in the cart?
Yeah, I'm a little down.

　Crono looked up as the landlady called out to him.
　Before he knew it, he had arrived at the poorhouse.......the building that used to be used as a poorhouse....
　It hadn't been used for years, so I asked the landlady and her friend to clean it up.
　The relief hospital was made of brick, and like the hospital where Crono was hospitalized, the first floor was a hall and the second floor was a room for the staff.
　The building is usually plastered to save on construction costs or to make it look better, but this building has bare bricks.
　Staggering down from the wagon, Crono stepped into the relief hospital.
　A little later, Sion and Kane followed.

'Master Crono is here, say hello!
""Yes!"

　In response to the landlady's voice, the four women who had been cleaning the hall run up to Crono.
　They appear to be the same age as the landlady, or slightly older.
　Well, this is probably because the landlady can use the equipment of the Marquis' mansion freely.

''........I have a favor to ask, will you do me a favor?''
If you're just asking.

　When Crono took a precautionary step, the landlady let out a sigh of dismay.

''Would you mind hiring these kids as employees of the Salvation Institute?
Hmm.

　Crono looked at the landlady's friend.

'I'm sure the poorhouse is where some of the less-than-patternly people come to, don't you think?
A man can be a brawler, too. That's why I'm so hungry.

　The landlady pressed her ample breasts against Crono and whispered sweetly.

'Can you guys read and write?'
Yes, I can read, write and do some simple math.

　Is it worth hiring, even if you don't have a strong arm, or even if you have a minimum level of academic ability?

''I'll hire you. But I don't want to leave Mr. Xiong alone, so I want at least one of you to be in the Rescue House.
Good, boys?　Okay, then go back to cleaning!
""Yes!"

　The four of them went back to cleaning again.
　More like a commander and a soldier than a friend.

'Have you ever served in the army or anything like that, landlady?
There's no such thing.

　Caracalla and the landlady laughed.

'Hmm?'

　I felt a look and turned around to see Sion looking at Crono with steely eyes.

''What~ are you staring at Crono-sama with those scary eyes?''
Ah!

　The landlady chopped Sion's forehead without reading the air.

''Wow, I'm a cheater for being decided on everything so easily.''
That's what being a lord is all about!

　The landlady chopped Zion's forehead again and crossed her arms in a pompous manner.

'It might be easy to see from the side, but look at this wound!

　The landlady headlocked Crono and pointed the wound in his right eye at Sion.

'Master Crono is defending his territory with his body!
Me and my dad did our best for everyone!
Who is this 'everybody' you're talking about?
Rural people and poor people.
Ha, don't make me laugh.

　The landlady took Sion's serious gaze squarely in her face and snickered as if she were making fun of him.

''What you call 'everyone' is you. Because, isn't it?　If you've been working hard for the peasants and the poor, you can't just glare at Master Crono for doing what you can't do.


　The landlady put her arms around her and silenced Crono's words.

'You're just sulking because you worked so hard for you and it didn't pay off.
Wow, my father was trying to improve the breed of beet and he said he could get sugar from the beet.
I give your father credit for that. But it was Mr. Crono who made the sugar from beets. Your father didn't know he could get sugar from beets, so why would he breed them?

　The landlady mercilessly takes the escape route away from Theon.

''Well, that's for 'everyone'.
Instead of doing that, wouldn't it be better for 'everyone' if we steadily taught them how to grow new crops and spread new farming methods?

　Completely crushed in his escape route, Theon paled and pouted.

''Even your father was breeding beets for himself.
My dad, my dad, my dad is...

　Theon ran out of the poorhouse without saying a word.

''Hey, hey, landlady,''
Was that too much?

　The landlady unfastened the headlock and scratched her cheek awkwardly.

'You're overstepping your bounds. You've negated not only the efforts you've made so far, but your purpose.'
But if I don't tell you what you need to know, Master Crono will have a hard time doing it, and my friends will have a hard time working for you.
Sure, yeah.

　The landlady said, and Kane agreed, stroking his stubble.

''Until ... Kane,''
'You're asking me to say no to a patron in the first place rather than bite them for personal reasons.　And there's no reason why it has to be that woman, whether it's a relief hospital or growing beets.
No, no, no, no, no. We need them.
''If we steal those beets, we'll be able to grow them ourselves, and I'm sure we'll be able to get a cooperative one sent to the 'Ochre Temple' if we put up the money, right?

　Kane is dry even though he's been getting so much favor from Theon.

''From here on out, it's up to Crono-sama's decision.
Yeah, I won't complain if it's Master Crono's decision.

　The landlady and Kane laughed nastily.
　Letting out a deep sigh, Crono followed Sion.



Oh, my God, he's got good legs for a priest!

　Crono blurted out as he ran along the road to the 'Ochre Temple' once, which he returned to and from.
　He had received a report from a subordinate that he had left the city of Hachel, and he was proud that if he ran, he would be able to catch up with him, but even if he ran, there was no sign of Theon.
　Just as Crono was beginning to regret in earnest that he should have ridden his horse, he saw a figure that looked like Theon.
　The figure that looked like Sion, perhaps caught in the mud, fell down and did not try to get up.

''Zion-san?''
....

　When Crono finally caught up with him, he called out to Sion, who was plopped down on the ground.
　Sion's robe was smeared with mud, as if he had fallen many times.

''........Ugu.''

　Sion groaned as he stifled a sob and picked himself up with shaking hands.
　Slurping slyly and snotty, Sion began to walk with an uncertain gait... and before he had taken ten steps, his feet were in the mud and he fell down.
　His hands, feet, and face are covered in mud.



　Theon picked himself up and began to cry like a child.

'A child, you are,'

　He didn't have a handkerchief, so Crono wiped Sion's face with the sleeve of his clothes.

'Why, why can't it be for everyone else?
'You just didn't like the idea of chanting "for 'everyone'" like it was a title.　I'm not the landlady, so I don't know.

　Kefu, Kefu, Theon coughed.

You fought for the sake of "everyone else", didn't you?
''Well I thought I stayed on the battlefield for my men, but maybe it was for myself after all.

　Crono traced the wound in his right eye with his finger.
　If you eliminate factors such as position and circumstance, you'll arrive at the incontrovertible conclusion that it was because you didn't like it.
　The investment in the workshop, the attempt to mass-produce Washi paper, even the agricultural reform, would all benefit Crono in a roundabout way.

Because I falsified my own mind, did the 'Mother Goddess of Ochre and Fertility' take the Divine Authority Technique away from me?
I don't know how God feels.

　''That's right,'' said Sion, looking down as if he was devastated.

''........I'm the worst. I made excuses, sulked, took the blame, didn't get anything done, lost even the divine power technique, and even pissed off the person who helped me clean up at the last minute. If there's a hole, I want to be buried in it.

　'What about being buried,' Crono pouted in his mind, but he was really depressed that he was about to be buried.

'Mr. Sion,'
Huh!

　When Crono tapped both of his shoulders with a bang, Sion looked up in surprise.

''I'm sure Sion-san is having a fight with God right now. Otherwise, God would have given him time to cool down. Of course he did.''
Oh, um, earlier you said you didn't know how God felt.
''If Zion-san can look at her feelings firmly and make peace with God, she will be able to use the divine authority technique as well.......''

　Popping his mouth open, Sion looked at Crono.

''For now, just keep that in mind. Even if you can't use the Divine Majesty Technique I still have a job I want to ask you to do, Sion-san.
Like what?
"I want the director of the poorhouse to cook for those who don't want to join the poorhouse, teach agricultural techniques, teach my people to study... and I want to do things like job placement, so please negotiate with all sides!

　Crono stood up and held out his hand to Sion.

''Well you're rough with people.

　Blurting out, Theon squeezed Crono's hand back.

*

　A week later, Crono looked up at the plastered poorhouse with Theon.
　Since then, Theon had worked so hard that his complaints were a lie, and he'd come up with ideas, such as dividing the halls with boards so that the residents could have their own space.

'At last,'
I'm a little nervous, but I'll feel free to ask for help from the staff and Mr. Chronosphere at that time.

　Theon smiled softly.
　He'd learned to handle his emotions better in the past week.
　No, maybe he's just happy to see the results of his efforts, or maybe he's just happy to see the results of his efforts.

'Director, we're opening a resident's reception!
Oh, I'll be right there!

　The staff called out to him, and Sion looked at Crono apologetically.

'You don't have to worry about me,'
Yes!

　Crono stared at Zion's back and gave a small smile.