Chapter 63: Pipes and Privacy
Morning light poured through the windows of the town hall. The table was packed again—Elira, Zira, Garin, Dorgrim, and Borin sat around, waiting for Caelen to speak.
He stood at the front, rubbing the back of his neck.
"So... I've got another idea," he said.
Zira raised an eyebrow. "Another invention?"
"Yes. This one's important." Caelen leaned forward. "I want to build toilets. For everyone."
The room went quiet.
Elira blinked. "Toi...lets?"
"Wait—like, those things you sit on?" Garin asked.
Caelen nodded. "Yes. No more going in the bushes, no more digging holes behind your house. We'll build real bathrooms. One for every home. And we'll connect them all with a pipe system that takes the waste far away from the village."
Dorgrim scratched his beard. "Sounds fancy. But why now?"
Caelen sighed. "Because I can't take it anymore. We all share one bathroom near the farm, and I don't know who keeps missing the hole, but I've had enough."