Chapter 22: Japanese Love Bathtubs

Translator: Haruchin   Editor: Marky

Riche and I took a stroll on the mountain this morning.
The snow hadn’t melted yet from the mountaintop, and it looked like there’s more to come.

My firewood ration for this winter was around four tons.

It’s cheaper if I buy the logs as is, but I decided to buy the dried ones that were as big as the fireplace just like yesterday.
Besides, firewood will definitely become more expensive as snow piles up.
Ordinary families also knew that, but they couldn’t buy in bulk since there’s no place to store it after.

Actually, my firewood back home is still fine, but maybe it’s good to prune some of the trees as a way of caring for the forest.

Time to go back.
It’s still a bit early, but let’s have lunch.
Riche is a spirit, so he doesn’t get filthy per se, but I tried washing the spots where the mud stuck.
He’s gained some strength, but he just curled up beside the fireplace and slept after drinking water.

Okay, time to prepare the meal.
I tried experimenting with the flower stems of a winter plant called lella.
It had a strong alkaline kind of taste, so I tore it first and soaked it in water before going out.

I also prepared the main dish while at it.
I marinated the leg part of the beef in soy sauce, mirin, and rice malt, then sprinkled some salt and pepper when it’s done.
Brushed some olive oil on top then grilled it, then stored it inside a thick pot that would keep the heat so that the inside the meat would keep on cooking.
Sprinkled some anchovies, salt, olive oil and just an insy bit of garlic, plus roasted walnuts on the lella, and voila, my salad is done.

My roast-beef-wanna-be dish was also done, so I got some bread for it.
Preps done.
Ah, wait, soup, I forgot the soup.
I placed the pot near the fireplace, and left it for a long time.
It turned out perfectly, since it was cooked on its own without rushing.

Alright, really done with the preps this time around.

The salad was crunchy and a bit bitter.
The meat had a faint taste of soy sauce and it’s super soft, while the bread’s a bit tough, plus there’s the hot soup.
The deliciousness was a real pay-off after strolling through the mountains as exercise.

This lella is tasty, so maybe I should plant some.
Ah, the spirits will come so I have to plant some flowers first.
When I went to 『 Fae’s Bough 』, everywhere you look was kinda like Water! Flowers! Trees! afterall.

Changed Az’s water while checking up on Ash — I’ve been doing this in the morning, noon and evening.
There’s no movement aside from Az’s, though.
Alright, time for that bathtub.

I bought more utensils before that.
That’s because there’s too many deities….
At least let me change their utensils.
I asked the shop I’m in about the location of the workshop where we’re meeting up.

The shop was in the city, but the workshop was at the outskirts of town.
There’s a lot of bottle-shaped buildings made from bricks — Oh, they’re kilns, huh.

「 Hey there, I’m Malcolm.
You got a new idea for a product, I heard? 」
「 I’m Jean.
Not really an idea, it’s just a bathtub.
」

We shook hands, then I handed him my scribbles that’s flaunting itself as a specs document, and explained to him what I wanted.

「 Good timing, the neighboring country also requested some bathtubs.
You’re a godsend.
」

Neighboring country, huh….Pft! It must be from Sis and her friends, alright.

Several inquiries from the high ranking nobles came pouring in, so he started making some prototypes.
The request wasn’t that clear since there’s a middleman dealing with it instead of them directly negotiating, but it’s something like a clawfoot bathtub.

I just wanted it for myself, but it seems that it became an item sold to aristocrats.
Now that I think about it, maybe it’s weird that I was personally inquiring at the Commerce Guild and having only one made for me.

Great news, enamel coating seems okay, or should I say, there’s an enamel available.
They’re plating the enamel on the porcelain.
It’s not really what I imagined, but it’s still enamel.

And so, a foundry was also involved in the process, so we met up with them.
I funded the project — I wanted them to make it anyway, so that’s fine.
I was a bit nervous at first, but they’re going to make two, one for me and one as a sample.
They’ll send the bill after and I’m just going to pay half of the total price so they can start making it, so it’s safe.

The rules are a bit different for the workshop’s patrons, and if it’s a well guarded secret of the trade.
Generally, even if it’s just contributing an idea like what I did, if it was done through the Commercial Guild, you can get 10% of the earnings for 3 years.
Not sure if that period is considered short or long since it’ll take six months to make the product until it’s time for billing.

Anyway, thanks to Sis, maybe I’ll get back what I paid? I did 【 Cut Ties 】 with them, so info about me probably won’t reach them, but not sure what to feel about this connection.

They hadn’t tried making something as huge as this in the workshop, but they’re experienced with the process, so I’m relieved.
Only one bathtub can fit in the kiln, so I hope they’d successfully make it in one shot, ‘coz it’s pretty expensive.

Had to prepare to wait since it’d take a few days for casting the metal — I’ll ask the foundry if I can observe them later.

I ate out for dinner, but the taste was a bit….

Gonna hunt bears tomorrow to earn a bit of ka-ching.
The money I got was reduced quite a bit, but it’s within my expectations.
Ah, but it’ll be break time for hunting once snow piles up.
Some of the monster bears are still up and about, but normal bears are going into hibernation, too.
Besides, I plan to stay at home all the time.

Baked some bread for tomorrow’s bento.
Planned to make some sandwiches from the roast beef left-overs and some veggies.

After doing those preps.
I took a bath, then chugged down some milk before sleeping.

…………………… Hey me, growing a bit taller is fine, you know?