Do ratmen dream of the sacred tree of spirits?

Chapter 118 Keeping Warm

"Ha—" Fafnir exhaled softly through his mouth, and the white mist he exhaled was clearly visible. The weather had become very cold, and Fafnir suspected that it might snow at any moment. The outdoor temperature was already enough to freeze water. At nine o'clock in the evening, Fafnir finished work and set off on his way home with Professor Luke.

"Fafner, you've worked a whole month now. Tomorrow's your holiday, Fafnir. How about we go eat at a restaurant near the city center?"

"No, Mr. Luke, eating at a restaurant is a bit expensive, and I need to make up for the half-day I missed on the first day tomorrow morning."

"Hehe, we can eat it in the afternoon. It's not expensive to eat it once in a while, especially since we have a rare day off————"

As usual, the two chatted as they opened the door and returned to their familiar second-floor room, where Luke's son, Luca Jr., had already lit the stove.

This black, cast-iron stove could both provide warmth and heat water. Fafnir knew that the stove was fueled by coal; there was no shortage of coal here, nor in the entire city. Of course, it cost money, and Fafnir was essentially "mooching" Mr. Luke's stove and coal. These things weren't cheap, and he offered to help Mr. Luke pay some of the cost, but was firmly refused. He remembered Mr. Luke telling him then, "Fafnir..."

"Funa, don't be so polite. You need to save more money now. I am your teacher and also your kin—"

"Have a seat, Fafnir, I'll make you some tea."

Luke took a small box from beside his bed, put some tea leaves into the kettle on the stove, and said, "Fafner, you also need to develop the habit of drinking tea. It can replenish our energy and invigorate our spirits. You know, in my grandfather's generation, not everyone could afford tea. Unlike now, where everyone can afford cheap tea."

Luke recounted how people developed the habit of drinking hot tea: "And you know what? Many years ago, probably decades ago, those who drank hot tea survived, while most of those who didn't drink hot tea died."

Fafnir was curious and listened quietly to Luke's story: "That's what my grandfather told me, back when the Steel Territory had only just been built!"

A sudden epidemic infected many people. Those who often drank hot tea survived because they later learned that cold tap water was undrinkable as it contained the disease, and that high temperatures could dissipate the disease from the dirty tap water. The thermos flask was a product of this event, and now every household has one so they can drink hot, disease-free water. Initially, thermos flasks were not cheap, but later, a thermos flask manufacturing plant opened in the Steel City, and they became commonplace.

Fafnir listened with great interest to what Mr. Rook had to say; Mr. Rook shared interesting things every evening.

The stove made the room warm, and Fafnir saw little Luca curled up on the bed beside him. Luca rarely spoke and seemed quite introverted.

"Alas, the plague—the plague—my wife died from a plague—"

Fafnir was somewhat surprised and listened silently. He had indeed been curious about Luca's mother's whereabouts for the past month, but it would be impolite to ask questions abruptly.

Teacher Luke paused, as if recalling something: "Actually, ratmen are quite good. I heard from somewhere that ratmen are more resistant to diseases. Even with the most severe epidemics, under the same conditions, ratmen can survive more than other races—"

My wife wasn't a rat-person. Luke was only two years old when she passed away. We lived outside the city at the time, and although it was a long walk to work every day, Dangdang was quite happy. It felt like everything was getting better. Ah, it's okay, things will pass.

Luca moved closer to his father, sitting next to him.

Fafnir wanted to say something, but felt his words were too light and weightless.

"We are born workers, we can withstand disease and exhaustion — keep it up, Fafnir, work hard and save up!"

"With this money, I can settle down and start a family in the steel industry."

Settling down and starting a family in the steel industry? Is that it? Perhaps this isn't what he wants, Fafner thought. In the past month, he had been able to independently cut the parts needed by the factory and check their precision. He knew the basic maintenance methods for machine tools. He was already a qualified apprentice. Of course, this was also inseparable from the meticulous teaching of his teacher, Luca. But it was too tiring. Fafner felt that his physical strength was still okay, but his hands and feet ached after work every day. The noisy working environment and the tedious operation of the machines left him mentally exhausted.

The boiled tea was too hot to drink, so Fafnir and Luke took out their lunchboxes and ate the extra food they had packed for lunch.

"Operating the machine tool is quite good. Although it's a bit tough, it's better than other jobs. Luca, tell Fafnir about your previous job," Teacher Luca suddenly smiled and said to the little guy sitting next to him.

Is Luca also working? Is he still doing the work he did before?

Fafnir was unaware that every day when he came home, he would see the little guy waiting by his bedside early in the morning. The little guy looked to be only seven or eight years old. In fact, Mr. Luke was only in his twenties, but years of hard work made him look like a middle-aged man.

"Oh, okay, Daddy—Brother Fafnir—I hope I can operate a machine tool someday. I was an apprentice chimney sweep two years ago, for about six months, and I could earn a few copper coins a week," Luca said slowly, counting on his fingers.

Luke continued calmly, "I will never let him be an apprentice like that again. The smoke ducts of those chimneys were only big enough for him to crawl up and down like an insect in the uneven chimney openings. When I saw Luka come home with his clothes chafed and bleeding, his arms and knees covered in scabs, I immediately sent him back. This was not a job that could allow him to survive. It would be better for him to stay at home and not go anywhere than to suffer there. When Luka is a few years older, I will take him to the factory to learn how to operate the machine tools—"

"I'm never going there again," Luke said, pulling Luka closer. "Haha, when Fafnir finishes his apprenticeship, I'll have him teach you how to operate the machine tool. It's noisy and tiring, but at least you can work standing up instead of being huddled in those dark holes."

As the tea gradually cooled down, Fafnir picked up the kettle, poured a cup for Mr. Luke first, and then poured one for himself.

It tastes somewhat bitter, but leaves a slightly sweet aftertaste.