The search starts

Village activities continued as normal for an entire week, despite the appearance of a never-before-seen man, nobody seemed to care much. People were more concerned with getting funds to survive than knowing about the individual in question. Just below everyone, in the excavation mine, were the two united brothers looking up watching the rest working, unlike the others, they had great concerns about the arrival of this mysterious being, in addition to the clear lack in the future of resources.

-Do you know what our father plans to do with him? -Ker asks his older brother.

-I'm not sure, but it seems he has something in mind.

-I saw that he is feeding him well, does he know that our resources are scarce?

-You know the elder is aware of that, we had our meeting to talk about it.

-Then why is he wasting our precious food on him!

Ker's fury drew the attention of other workers who were doing their activities around and for fear of being warned, they soon returned to their work, pretending they didn't see anything.

-Watch how you talk. It even seems that he is doubting our elder.

-Does not seem dear brother, I'm doubting him. That old man isn't thinking straight. But nobody listens to me, not him and not you.

-Don't put me in the middle of your brotherly fight Ker.

-I admired you brother, you, unlike our father, were always active and concerned about others. But it's a pity his brain didn't develop like his muscles!

Ker skips sentences with the intention of hurting his brother's pride and walks away from him into the dark excavation mine.

-Ahhhh. Mazir groans.

Mazir shows a tired face, just like his brother said, he was active and did everything for his people, but he wasn't smart and the imminent lack of resources was something that worried him a lot, because he couldn't see a solution to this problem. Looking at the levels of floors of his cave he wondered what his father was planning to solve such a problem, would he be thinking of using him?

-It's not possible. After all, what could that man do?

Inside the old man's house, near the dining table, the young man was reading one of the old books from his host's collection until he suddenly appears entering his house.

-It's been a week I'd say. Can you understand me?

-Yes, thanks to that book I can speak your language.

-Excellent. Just in case if they ask you what happened, tell them we couldn't communicate, so I taught you my language. Don't mention the fact that I can speak yours. OK?

-Understood. But why only you know how to speak Portuguese? Why doesn't anyone else know?

-Knowledge of this language, as well as the secrets of my society, are passed on from elder to elder. Of course, in case something happened to me, I had a person who also had knowledge of this language and these secrets to pass along to the new elder. However, for her safety I prefer not to reveal who she is.

-Everything is fine. These past few days, where have you been?

-Let's say I was just enjoying the view from outside. Spending a long time in a dark and closed place like my residence causes some disturbances in my head. Don't you feel that way too?

-No, actually I find it quite cozy.

-Hmmm, it must be something related to culture, but all the inhabitants here also prefer the outdoors.

-I finished reading some books, apart from the dictionary you gave me, but I didn't finish reading the rest.

-Impressive, not only did you learn a whole new language in just one week, but you also had extra time to read several textbooks. Excellent, but for now I would like you to put the books aside and come with me, we have some things to discuss.

-OK.

The elder was about to leave his house when he suddenly stopped at his door.

-Something happened? - asked the young man.

-Sorry for my rudeness, after all this time with you sleeping here and I didn't even ask your name.

-My name is Miguel. And you?

-Miguel, nice to meet you. My name is Vitur, I hope we can get along very well.

Shaking each other's hand the two greet each other and finally know the name of the person in front of them. Going outside, the elder guides him to the area of ​​some farmers, at first the people of that place stare at him with suspicious looks, but first of all they lower their heads and bow in the presence of Vitur.

- I see that you are very busy. - says Vitur.

-Yes, we are trying to improve the quality of the brambles, but they seem weak and unwilling to stand up. -answers a man who was kneeling in front of everyone else.

-Any idea why this is happening? - asks Vitur.

-Unfortunately no, in the worst case scenario I fear we won't have any harvest in the next few days.

-You see the state of our situation.

Vitur looked directly at Miguel as his eyes penetrated his mind, it was as if he was pleading for help, no, it was more as if he was ordering Miguel to solve the problem.

-If it's not too much trouble, I can try to do something. - replies Miguel.

-I would be forever grateful for that.

The elder bends down a little, thanking his guest for his willingness to help them.

-Does the man speak our language? -asks one of the harvesters.

-The elder taught me his language while he was accommodated in his residence. My name is Miguel and I will be in your care today.

The villagers were a little uneasy about working together with a total stranger, but on the elder's orders they were forced to accept. The young man, seeing that they have granted permission, enters the middle of the plantation and begins to search the brambles. They were starting to show a more withered and flaccid layer, without quite understanding why this was happening, but with that little information it was enough for Miguel to notice the main problem in the development of silveiras, which was the lack of water.

-Do you water them often? Miguel asked the villagers.

-Water? I don't understand, with what exactly? -asks the villager confused.

-What do you mean "with what"? With water, what else could it be? -Answers aggressively asking another question.

-Water?

The villager looks confused at another of his companions who shakes his head negatively. At that moment Miguel's eyes widened a little, the Maourians didn't know what water was. Looking to the elder to ask why the people have never heard of her and how they survived until this moment without her, but before he can say anything he is stopped by a closed look from his listener, who tells him to settle that question first and then get proper explanations. Returning to observe that plant again, he notices countless white hairs in the region of the leaves of the brambles, the old man behind him notes that that had caught his attention.

-Did you find anything? - asked the old man.

-Do you see these little "hairs" on both sides of the leaf? It is because of them that these brambles were able to survive even without anyone watering them or draining water from the ground. - replied Miguel.

-And how did they do it?

-Thanks to their help, these plants are better able to capture moisture from the air and transform it into liquid form when they come into contact with the leaf, a time-consuming process that is imperceptible to the naked eye.

The people around were not understanding even a word of what he was saying, the only one who understood in parts was the old man. After having said all that, a hypothesis arises in his mind, looking at the baskets of the villagers whose fruits had been removed he asks.

-Can I have a look at one of these fruits?

The villager is strange at first, but as he had been the leader's guest of honor he doesn't make much of a point of looking at one of those fruits. Approaching the basket and taking the purple fruit in his hand he carefully analyzes it. Then came the time to test his theory he holds it with both hands and squeezes it causing an amount of liquid to overflow through his hands. It made her eyes pop out of her face like everything was connected.

-Boss, he's spoiling our food! - said the villager irritated.

-I discovered. I found out why your crops are not going forward. -reported the man.

-And what would be the reason? -asks the elder euphorically.

-These purple parts that look like a fruit that you keep picking are actually a kind of root of these plants. They use these roots to store water that they capture by humidity for later use.

-I understand in parts what you're saying, but I still can't see the reason why our plantations are not bearing fruit. -answered the old man.

-The reason is that you are removing these "fruits" too soon. These plants need them to be able to develop, if they stopped pulling them out so soon, I'm sure they could bear many more "fruits" in the future.

-Wait, wait, wait! Are you telling us to stop our harvesting? Are you crazy?! Where would we get sustenance to support our children? And the village? - asked the angry villager.

Under complete pressure from the population's denialist looks in relation to his idea, the man was silent in fear.

-I understand, so be it then. - said the old man.

Everyone in the place looked at him in astonishment, including the stranger.

-Sir... I'm sorry, but what did you mean by that? - the villager asked stuttering.

-From now on, it will not be allowed to remove any more fruit from the brambles. - ordered the old man.

The villagers were in shock, that kind of order was completely absurd. However, as they were words spoken by the old man, none of them had the courage to contradict them. One of the villagers who was nearby couldn't take it anymore and crawling with his knees on the ground approaches Vitur.

-Lord, if we can't eat the fruits, how will we feed ourselves? -asks the poor villager.

-Don't worry, just as we survived the constant changes of this irregular world, we will overcome this challenge together.

Vitur approaches Miguel and whispers in his ear.

-The people will be distressed for now, it's better we let the agitation down here.

Nodding his head he agrees with Vitur.

-There is another place I want you to take a look at, but this time I won't accompany you. Mazir!

-Yes? - says Mazir responding to his father's call questioning him about what it was about.

-I need you to take him to our mines.

-I will not question him, let's go outside. - firmly responds to Vitur's order.