"We shall do our best to make sure the 'pasture can recover', we have to prepare as the 'spring time' is still far in sight…" Eli answered.
[We must strive to get inside as soon as possible so that we can still save these people and the temple. The war will only stop if we manage to discover and destroy the root.]
"Alright… we'll definitely do as you said…" Kayden nodded in agreement.
In the end, the two went back to their respective quarters. Before Eli stepped inside, she made sure that she took the antidote given to him by Kayden.
"You're finally back…" Ada and the rest of the girls looked at Eli and smiled. "Rest early so that we can start fresh tomorrow."
"Alright…" Eli replied rather gently. She moved to her bed and finally took out the makeshift gloves and masks to give to the ladies.
"As a welcome gift to everyone, I created these facemasks and working gloves for everyone. It's not that beautiful but I hope it will help you…"
Eli looked at them timidly and explained rather shyly. She was like a pure naive young lady who just wanted the people around her to be happy.
The women did not reject Eli's kindness. In fact, they were quite happy to see that the new recruit thought of them nicely and even prepared gifts. With bright smiles on their faces, they got a pair of gloves and a pair of masks.
They tried wearing it and were surprised at how comfortable they were. They praised Eli and thanked her sincerely. Only then did they finally sleep with excited eyes, clearly they cannot wait to use the items Eli gave to them the next day.
Eli looked at them and sighed in her heart. If she manages to infiltrate sooner, she can prevent the inevitable for these poor women. But she did not know how many days it would take for her and Kayden to do so.
Before she went to bend, she made a mental note to create more masks and gloves for them to use at least prior to moving on to their mission.
The next day came quickly. Eli and the women went to the kitchen to hastily take their meals. Then they moved to their work area where the raw materials were already delivered in front of their courtyard.
Ada and the rest very naturally moved and carried the heavy herb past vats inside. Eli also followed the suit. Because she was a devourer and her body was trained, she did not even feel the weight of these vats while the others were already red in struggling.
Eli felt bad for the women and so she told them to wait on their workstations while she carried the vats inside.
"No little one, we are all workers here, we share the same burden…" Ada and the rest quickly turned down Eli's suggestion.
But Eli insisted by saying, "It's fine. I am the youngest and my body is still quite agile. Just wait at your workstations and prepare, that way you no longer have to think of going back and forth after finishing one mixture."
And so the ladies could only feel embarrassed but nevertheless thanked Eli once again. But her suggestion proved to be more efficient as they were able to finish their work even before noon arrived.
This made the ladies extremely happy and they also felt that their bodies felt lighter and they suffered less nausea during the day probably because the mask and the gloves protected them quite nicely.
Three days passed and the line leader noticed this development in their group. At first, he only expected that Eli would at least learn to adapt to the odor of the place, but did not expect that her actions would even make her entire team efficient.
"I did not expect you to have this kind of talent…" He looked at the young lady in front of him and praised her.
"It is just my good intention to help my team… I have no idea that it will really make our team's work easier…" Eli very 'humbly' replied.
The line leader nodded perfunctorily and left their group after giving some reminders. But while he left, he looked at Eli once more as if he had thought of something.
The next day, he came back with the same cleric who they first met before they entered the temple.
They called Eli and talked to her for a while.
"You are the one who made these masks and gloves for your teammate?" The cleric scrutinized her and asked her very straightforwardly.
"Y-yes... I made them with the little materials I managed to take with me here." Eli replied.
"Hmm… do you still have a lot of materials in your hand? Why don't you create a few more with it… I think it will also help the productivity of the other workers in the herb section if they had one of these items too." The line leader interjected and finally revealed his intent to make it.
Eli appeared to be hesitant and taken aback. She did not expect that she would catch the two's attention like this. Moreover, she felt quite troubled. It is true that the materials she had were limited as she can only replenish her stocks if she went back to the village and entered the laboratory once again.
Nevertheless, she replied regrettably, "If the line leader and the cleric feel that way, I can make a few more with the materials at hand… however… I can only really make it for only five more people at most."
"Is that so? Take me to see your materials and I see what we can do…" The cleric answered and did not see anything wrong with Eli's reply. After all, 'Eli' is a peasant and she could only take as much as her status can.
"Alright…" Eli obediently nodded and led them to their dilapidated quarters. When they saw the place, both the line leader and the cleric stood in the courtyard and asked Eli to go inside and take the materials while they stayed there.
"Cleric Rhoda, are you sure you want her to create things even though they might be limited… we have so many workers and clearly she cannot produce enough…" The line leader asked the cleric in a hushed tone.
"That's why we have to see how much she can make at the moment. If those things could really help others maybe we won't need to recruit more workers every month. One less worker to die is gain on the outside…" The cleric replied.
"I see… Cleric Rhoda really thought it through…"
"Hmm… let's inspect her materials. If you see that those were inexpensive, then I'll take her with me to the Administrator and get funds."
Not long after, Eli showed them the materials she used.
When she was left inside, she quickly pulled out the book of knowledge and searched for alternative items that could do the work in lieu of the true gas masks from the modern world.
She presented her materials and even told the cleric and the line leader how it would be more efficient if they used the materials she found in the book of knowledge.
"Hmm… I see… So you are saying that the improved version of the mask will help them not to become nauseous due to the strong odor??"
"Yes… and they are washable as well. We only need to change the filter in the respirator to purify the air that they breathe…" Eli suggested.
Eli did not dare to say that the gas mask is completely safe but only effective until a certain hour of usage. After all these masks were only improvised and were only a temporary measure until they saved everyone from the evil schemes of these people.
"Alright then… be ready tomorrow and make sure to prepare your samples as I will take you inside to talk with the temple administrator. Only then we would be able to ask for funding and make more of these protective materials." The Cleric nodded satisfyingly as she instructed Eli.
Eli did not dare to feel delighted and answered with great trepidation, "Thank you esteemed Cleric and Line Leader for this opportunity. It is such an honor to help you create these materials for the benefit of the workgroup."
"No worries, just do not disappoint us tomorrow. We still have to convince the administrator to give you funds."
"I will do my best…" Eli replied.
They left Eli in the courtyard and continued supervising the other work teams.
When Eli was already alone, she could not help but feel amazed. She was entering the main temple way earlier than expected! It only took her five days to do that.
'I must inform my brother of my movements… he had to know my moves…' Eli thought to herself and decided to find Kayden during dinner time and tell her plans.
