The first few days passed like this, with pain and aching muscles as constant companions, along with skipping lunch, which was starting to affect me. I knew I had to do something before I slipped up and drew the attention of the overseers.
I had already missed two days of exercising, choosing instead to sleep in until daybreak to make up for working late into the night. If I continued like this, I would miss my ten carts per day. I needed a solution desperately, and fortunately for me, I thought of one.
One of my biggest problems was time, much of which was consumed by rolling the carts to the first chamber, standing in line before depositing them, and getting my name marked. Why not just pile everything at the entrance of my tunnel and deposit five just before lunch? Although I would still use the same amount of energy, at least it would help me a little. That way, I wouldn’t miss lunch and would have the energy to work for the rest of the day.
On the morning of the fifth day, I dragged myself to exercise, even though every part of my body ached. Tiber and Syla shot me surprised looks; they thought I had given up when they didn’t see me for two days.
I ignored them and spoke little as we finished up and went to eat. The food was bad, but it was warm and filled the stomach. Then I went straight to the mine, got my name marked for attending, and headed straight to our wing.
Tiber bid me good luck, and Syla scowled just like normal. I shook my head as I lifted my equipment. "I’m starting to build some kind of routine here," I muttered to myself and made my way to my tunnel.
I began to work as I normally did, removing my shirt first. However, instead of hurling each cart once full, I dumped it at the entrance of my tunnel, then went back inside to start on another cart. It was tiring work, and my thin body was soon coated with sweat, making my hands slick on the pickaxe. I had to stop and rub my hands with dust.
My body was already covered in a mixture of dust and sweat, and my upper body glistened like baked earth. I stopped constantly to wipe my face to avoid the grime getting into my eyes.
Suddenly, I paused when a thought occurred to me. Why didn’t I try entering the inner peace state I always used when training in the mornings? I nearly facepalmed myself. Why didn’t I think of this before?
It was supposed to be something to use during a battle or fight, but the essence of inner peace was to ignore distractions like pain and become absorbed in the task at hand. "Maybe that’s why I didn’t even think of using it for this," I muttered and rolled my shoulder.
I steadied my breathing and then closed my eyes, taking measured breaths. When I opened my eyes again, they were calm and burned with a low light. Everything seemed distant to me, and I lifted my pickaxe as if underwater and slammed it into the rock with more strength than before.
Since I was ignoring my pain, I didn’t flinch or hold back, fearing backlash. As if in a foggy illusion, I began to mine starsalt with quick efficiency.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
I continued to work without stopping, ignoring when the resources on the ground exceeded two carts. I only stopped when my hands burned so fiercely that I flinched at the vibrations running through them.
I blinked as I slowly came back to my senses. All the pain I had been ignoring slammed into me at once, and I groaned, resting my head on the stone wall as I waited for the wave of pain to pass.
I was breathing hard, but my mind was refreshed and sharp, which helped as I packed two carts to add to the ones at the entrance. Then I returned, activated my inner peace again, and soon had another two carts of starsalt on the ground.
"I should make lunch this time." I smiled even through my tiredness. My stomach growled painfully, but I shook my head and began to shovel the starsalt into the cart.
Soon, I was on my way to the entrance with the first load.
"Huh?" I froze suddenly because, at the entrance where my starsalt had been loaded, there was nothing, only emptiness. My starsalt was gone. "I don’t... understand?"
I dropped the cart and hurried forward, almost stumbling, but I didn’t care. I rushed to the place where the starsalt had been. I could see it had clearly been there from the disturbed ground, shovel prints, and some debris of starsalt.
I also saw the deep prints of a cart.
I stood there, staring. Hunger forgotten, my head went blank, as if someone had just slapped me. Then my head grew heavy, and my skin became unnaturally warm. My confusion sharpened into anger. "Did someone just steal my hard work?" I asked softly, but the only reply was the echoing sound from the tunnels.
Bitterness bubbled to the surface, and my face twisted, but when I spoke, my voice was calm. A cold anger burned in my green eyes as I tilted my head and said, "All this maltreatment—first from my clan and now here? I think enough is enough."
I went back into my tunnel and picked up my pickaxe and shovel. Then I walked to the middle of the chamber and slammed the two pieces of equipment together.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
I did it again and again, taking a deep breath before bellowing, "Everyone! Everyone! If you are the one who stole my starsalt, then return it now! I believe we are all reasonable humans—return it now!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"If you are the one who stole my starsalt, return it now!"