Isekai: Princess Marquess Becomes Entrepreneur of Tempe

Chapter 42. Biogas

"Now, lift all these stones, move them there! Hurry along!"

"Sister, what the hell?! There are still other workers who are unemployed, why should Art do it?!"

"I want him to work too!"

While at Armelin, Stefan helped lead the workers in the construction of Elona's soybean factory. During that time, he deliberately disturbed Art, told him to go to and fro, lifting this and that thing, so that Stefan was satisfied. He deliberately pranks Art as revenge for the mischief that his wife's cousin did first.

Of course, Elona who had no idea about the past that had happened between Stefan and Art became very astonished and angry at her brother. The girl felt that her brother did not like her friend and was bullying her.

"So why, the hell, always bother Art?! Is he wrong, brother?"

"His fault? Just ask him directly." Stefan said as he looked at Art mocking. He knew very well that Art could not dare to divulge the mischief he had done to Stefan.

"You guys have met before? You guys know each other?" Elona asked again with great curiosity. But at his wife's request, Stefan just shrugged his shoulders and did not want to answer.

"You ask yourself 'your fellow from the village!" Stefan sneered while giving emphasis.

As soon as Elona turned her head towards Art, the young man could not give any explanation.

"That's it, I'm fine." Art replied with a forced smile. But in his heart he was very upset and wanted to repay Stefan.

"No, he himself is fine. Isn't that right, 'Art the young man from the village'?" Stefan defiantly with a smile.

"Yes, Mr. Locke..."

Watch out for you, Stefan!, Art screamed inwardly.

*****

After a month, Elona's soybean factory is ready. It is shaped like a four-story building, which is equipped with various rooms. Elona wanted to make the first floor as a management and managerial floor of the factory, the second floor for the manufacture of soy milk, the third floor as the manufacture of tofu, the second floor as the manufacture of tofu, and the fourth floor that hasn't been functionalized for anything and is currently just a shelter for soybeans from the fields.

In fact, Elona was already thinking about other products he could create from soybeans other than milk and tofu. But the problem is, one of the raw materials to make these objects does not exist in this world.

But that's not what Elona thinks right now. Because now the main focus is how the waste out of the soybean plant can flow well in the direction of a large tank that has been buried in the ground as deep as 3 meters. It takes hard work from the miners to be able to dig that deep without machines in this fantasy world.

Elona started his business a few days after the factory was completed. But first, he made some rules for the factory workers he had recruited over the past few days. Most of them were citizens from the City of Armelin itself. The city became more advanced and the poverty rate decreased since Elona opened jobs for them in the factory and land.

"All Father and Mother. The rules of work are, we must always maintain personal hygiene and work environment. Because we produce food, we should be as clean as possible in presenting what we make to society.

One, always wash your hands with soap. Second, wear a cloth headgear so that no hair enters the food. Third, wear an apron. Fourth, always wear shoes. Fifth, clean the work environment such as the floor and production table every time it is dirty. Sixth, always dump the remaining production like solid and liquid waste into this channel, yes."

Elona shows a supplied channel, which is connected by a large pipe leading outside the plant towards the sewage tank in the ground. Even the girl had written a big warning 'Always Waste to Here' above the channel hole.

"Don't forget it. Always thrown in here."

"Why, Miss?" one of the workers asked curiously.

"Because this waste is toxic. So we're going to put him in an underground tank." Elona explained.

"Poisons...? So this is the food we're gonna make..."

There began to be whispers of horror among the workers. Elona thundered hard to break it.

"Just calm. Only the waste is poisonous, but the food is safe. So you don't have to worry about it."

After Elona gave instructions, the workers began to do their respective parts of the work. Some began peeling soybeans from the skin, squeezing lemons, some were pounding soybeans to make it smooth and into powder. There are also those who start packing finished products with packaging packs and bottles that have been prepared by the One-Stage Cafe for the Elona factory.

Although Stefan is still present with the existence of Art on Elona's side, but he must still admit that the help received by Elona from the One-Seek Cafe must be the result of his friendship with Art as well. There is no way this Elona soy product can be present as a menu in the number one cafe in the country, if not because of the help of insiders.

And were it not for the help of Art and the Eckart family, Elona would not have been able to rebuild this abandoned land into soybean production land, either, and automatically also his brother could not help the financial condition of the Locke family until the success of today.

Realizing all these things, Stefan looked at Art who was watching Elona who was instructing the workers in the making of tofu. Stefan approached the man.

"Thank you for your help with Elona all this time" Stefan said as he stood next to Art, looking at Elona, who was smiling and happy to be among the workers.

Art was surprised to turn to Stefan, "What this means is, I can rest you to get close to Elo-"

"It doesn't mean you can get close to my sister, huh! Watch out!" threaten her with a deep tone so that Elona does not hear. Stefan stepped out of the factory. Art looked at Stefan's back with great fury.

Cih, I think he has already approved of me...

*****

"Waste that is already in this tank will you want what, Elona?"

Elona shook her head and said, "I can tell Big Brother about its function, but not now. Wait another month."

Stefan just looked at his sister in confusion. But he just fell silent.

A month later, according to her promise, Elona invites Stefan, Art and Ryndall to go with her to the waste tank area.

"So how this tank works is, the tofu waste enters from the pipeline into the tank. Then the waste settles and after a month will appear gas. Gas will rise up, through this pipe," Elona showed a small pipe line in the tank cap section.

The small pipe is long to the area in the factory back. Elona and the other three men entered the factory following the direction of the gas pipeline.

At the end of the pipe, the pipe turns upward, and there is a tap on the side. Elona held the shell.

"Can anyone start a fire?" ask Elona. Ryndall raises his hand.

"I have flint" said Ryndall. Then, he swiped the iron knife with flint, and lit an extinguished candle on the factory wall. The candle that had been lit with the fire was then brought to Elona.

"Son Stefan knows, in the air, other than the gas we're breathing right now, there are other types of gas that can explode?" ask Elona.

Stefan shook his head. "Are there, gas that can explode?"

Elona opened the tap in front of him. Nothing comes out of there. But when the girl brought the candle flame close above her, it continued to burn from the pipe hole even though the candle had moved away.

Both Ryndall, Stefan, and Art gasped. The three of them looked at Elona in disbelief as well as in amazement.

"Elona, here..."

"It's called methane gas. It can be created from waste, referred to as biogas. When ignited with fire will burn. And this can replace the source of fire that has only come from burning wood. But yes, because the waste is unstable, the gas is also only coming out this way. Later I will only use to dry soybeans when there is no sun, then..."

Elona continues to explain about the gas he calls methane. Stefan looked at her in disbelief. Without Elona himself realizing, he had created a new breakthrough as the source of fire in this world.

*****

*Tok!*

"Elona, it's me."

"Sister Stefan? Come inside."

That night, Elona was in her room getting ready for bed when Stefan knocked on her door. The girl opened the door.

Quite rarely did Elona receive guests other than Art nights like this, especially after she had stayed in Armelin City.

"What's up, brother? Anything to talk about these nights?"

Elona looked at Stefan. The two of them were sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at the window of Elona's room. The moonlight came in from that direction.

His sister also stroked the girl's head. Stefan looked out the window. The man sighed.

"You've changed now" Stefan said, smiling.

"Changed? You mean, brother, I'm a mess?" ask Elona. Stefan laughed too.

"Hahahah not only that. But overall. Though you have always been alone since our parents died, now you are more open to accepting others. You used to be less confident, now you're braver."

Elona smiled at him. "That's because of everyone's help! Ryndall, Art, Mai, Uncle Wilson, Uncle Stan, Uncle Bran, everything! They all help me!"

"Yes, you're right. Many people help you. But.more than that."

"I mean Brother...?" Elona Mukai did not understand which way Stefan's conversation was heading.

Stefan sighed, then stared fixedly at his sister. Elona was nervous.

"W-What's up, brother...? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Take it honestly, who are you?"

"Eh?!"

*****

...\=\= original writing by @author.ryby \=\=...

...\=\= cover art by @fuheechi_ \=\=...