Blessings of the Waterwheel — A New Challenge for Daily Life
In Akio’s town, a construction boom had begun thanks to the operation of the new water-powered lumber mill. The abundant timber gifted by the Forest Lord was being processed into boards and pillars by the powerful churning of the waterwheel’s gears. Under the villagers’ enthusiastic hands, new homes for Alto and Kenta, an expansion of Celestina’s school, and housing for the ever-increasing number of refugees were all steadily taking shape. The rhythmic pounding of hammers rang through the air like a heartbeat marking the town’s growing future.
Amid that bustle, Ayane—Akio’s first wife—approached him one day with a thoughtful, serious expression.
“Akio-sama, the water-powered mill has truly been a blessing. But… might we not use the strength of that wonderful waterwheel for something beyond lumber? Perhaps even to help with our food?”
She pointed toward the women of the village, who were taking turns grinding grain with hand-operated millstones.
“The flour grinding for bread, dumplings, and porridge is still such a heavy burden on the women. If we could harness the waterwheel to turn a large stone mill, we could grind far more flour with far less effort. It would ease our work, and the children could eat more nourishing food.”
Her words carried both the earnest concern of a homemaker and a strong desire to improve the entire village’s diet.
Akio nodded, knowing this was an important issue he had already considered.
“Good thinking, Ayane. You’re exactly right. The power of the waterwheel can certainly be applied to flour milling. I’ll consult with Dolgan-dono right away and have him design a water-driven mill separate from the sawmill. We may need to redesign the millstones as well.”
Ayane’s face lit up with relief and excitement at his reply.
But the town’s growing population also brought new problems—chief among them, a shortage of clothing. Many refugees had arrived with only the clothes on their backs.
“Sylvia-sama, Celestina-sama,” Ayane spoke up during a women’s council at the central hall, “with our current means of production, there’s no way we can keep up with everyone’s clothing needs. Do you have any ideas?”
At present, the villagers relied on fibers from a nettle-like plant, processed tree bark, and animal pelts, but spinning those materials into thread and weaving cloth required enormous time and labor.
“On Earth,” Akio mused, “most clothing came from plants like cotton, or animal fibers like wool. But I’m not sure if those exist in this world.”
Sylvia considered for a moment. “It’s possible there are plants in the forest that can yield good fibers—we just haven’t found them yet. Perhaps the forest spirit might know something.”
For now, they decided to improve the use of existing materials, assign spinning and weaving duties among the villagers, and ask Dolgan and Akio to devise simpler spinning and weaving machines.
Just as those discussions were underway, an unexpected beacon of hope appeared—one that would transform their diet.
Among the recently rescued refugees was an elderly woman who, while fleeing the war in her homeland, had carried with her a small pouch containing a few precious seeds passed down through her family for generations. While helping in Sylvia’s herb garden, she showed those seeds to Akio.
The moment Akio saw one of the beans, his eyes widened—and then he shouted in delight.
“Th-this is…! There’s no mistaking it! This shape, this color—it has to be soybeans!”
It was the round, slightly yellow bean so familiar from his homeland, Japan.
“Soybeans?” Ayane asked curiously. “What kind of bean is that, Akio-sama?”
Barely containing his excitement, Akio began explaining passionately to Sylvia, his wives, and the villagers nearby.
“Soybeans are incredible—so rich in nutrition they’re called ‘meat of the field.’ You can boil them to eat as they are, or make tofu, miso, soy sauce, natto… even roasted flour for sweets! With these, our meals will become so much richer!”
The possibility of recreating miso and soy sauce—the seasonings he had long dreamed of tasting again—made Akio’s heart race.
“We’ll plant these right away and see how they grow! Sylvia, Ayane—please, lend me your wisdom and strength so we can cultivate them here!”
His enthusiasm quickly spread, filling everyone with excitement over the promise of a new, miraculous crop.
With plans for the flour mill underway, efforts to solve the clothing shortage, and the astonishing discovery of soybeans, Akio’s town stood at the beginning of a new chapter. The completion of the waterwheel had sparked not only progress in industry but also a transformation in the villagers’ daily lives—toward richer, more comfortable, and more cultured living. The road ahead would not be easy, but it shone with hope and the joy of creation.
What do you think about this chapter?
