143 5.32 Seijuro Tumbler - A Contract Is Born!! (1/2)
While we are still having our lunch, the delivery boy came back and he had with him the menu and an order taking form. He was almost out of breath and I offered him cold green tea in which he flatly refuse.
I looked at the menu and quickly choose what I needed. Since fish and vegetables were rather cheap, I choose 2 onigiri, 1 Saba shioyaki, 1 portion of stir fried vegetables and miso soup for lunch in the next 7 days for 11 people from tomorrow onwards. I told him to prepare the receipt and place it on the round table here. I picked a small pebble and told him to put the bill here.
I returned the menu and the order form to him and gave him 5 copper coins for his effort and he thanked me, saying he would come by to pickup the bento boxes later after his rounds.
We soon finished up our lunch and placed the bento boxes on the garden table and was feeling kind of nostalgic since people started to observe us having our lunches not at the terrace but at our own garden furniture. It's not really called a garden right now, but soon right after the construction of the new house, I intend to buy Hiko-sama pottery and use it to decorate the place here.
At the meantime, Hiko-sama had a task to do later which is to register a business trade name and told him to settle any payment first. Also as for the banner, it would be based on payment upon delivery as well. I passes him the money box and told him to keep it with him since I dont really like to have too much gold coins lying around.
”Sensei, if they were to ask who is the Director or Chief Finance Officer, just name it under you. As for the Chief Executive Officer or the Manager, just put it under my name. Please don't forget to bring my ID.”
Hiko-sama nodded in apprehension. He slipped the small wooden chest with the mixture of gold, silver and coppers inside his right sleeve and went back to the house. I told him I'd continue to clean the house of Kami-sama and return home afterwards.
I soon reached Kami-sama's House and started to resume my tasks. As this is the last house for the week, I made sure that the house would be as clean as the rest of the houses. I checked the laundry drying in the wind and discovered that its already dry and I brought it into the house.
I started to clean the parts of the house that was left earlier and can't wait to finish up my work to join Hiko-sama and hear his good news upon returning.
---Meanwhile, on Hiko-sama's part---
”Hiko-dono, where are you going this time?” Hiko-sama turned around and saw Izumi holding a basket in her hands and were selling bouquets to those who wanted to present for their spouse, girlfriends or mistresses.
”Oh, I am going to the government district for some official business.” Hiko-sama simply replied.
”You seemed busy all the time, running errands for Senpai. He is still doing cleaning?” asked Izumi.
”Yes, he is a very down to earth and humble guy. Even he had so much money, he still obligated to clean houses which was his first earnings ever when he stepped into this village. He never forgets where he comes from.” explained Hiko-sama as he feels pride in his heart when he mentions my name in that manner.
”Oh... I see. He is a humble person and doesn't mind sharing his joy and wealth.”
”Yes... Oh yeah, before I go. Do you happen to know a few friends that suffers the same fate as you? If you do know them, please invite them over to our place for dinner and supper like last night. I guess Himura has some things to say to them.”
”Oh Yes... I know 4 other girls who were the same state as me, I will go and find them and ask them to come along with me tonight. Is that alright for 4 other girls to join us?”
”Sure... Sure... No worries. OK, I've got to hurry now and settle two tasks. I would be back home soon after.”
”Thank you, Hiko-dono. See you later for dinner.” she bowed and quickly continued her business to sell those flowers to potential customers.
Hiko-sama then proceeded to the government building when he saw a messenger and stopped him.
”I need to send a message, how much do you charge if delivered within the hour?”
”Just 1 copper, sir. What message would you like to send?”
”Come, I write the message for you. And send it to Samurai Kami-san's house. A boy there will receive it.”
Hiko-sama wrote that ”6 girls will be coming for dinner tonight. They should be those that you needed. Signed, H.S”. He gave the message to the messenger and asked him to deliver it first and handed him 3 copper coins. The former thanked Hiko-sama for his generosity and told him that he will deliver it now.
Hiko-sama arrived at the government office and inquired that he wanted to open a business trade name. He was ushered to an office and he entered. Since he was alone, he was promptly served.
Hiko-sama explained that he wanted to open a business trade name at this moment and would be operating at home. When asked what kind of products he would be selling, Hiko-sama simply replied that it's mainly a service for the community.
The registrar nodded and filled the necessary form. When asked about the name of the business, Hiko-sama simply said, ”Fasuto Japan KabushikiGaisha” and the registrar raised his glasses on his forehead and said, ”That's a very good auspicious name. We do not have any records of such name here and it would befitting for such entry. Beautiful... Beautiful name....”
Hiko-sama smiled when the registrar also noticed it was a fine business trade name.
”Who are the Directors and Vice-Directors? Can we have the ID to officially register it in our records?”
Hiko-sama passed his ID and mine to the registrar and saw the affiliation to one another and assumed that Hiko-sama was the Director while I am the Vice.
The registrar completed the form and showed it to Hiko-sama to confirm. Once confirmed, he asked for 5 silvers and then he officially stamped it as duty paid and returned the perforated form part as the original copy. He gave a receipt as well for the 5 silvers.
”Keep this in a safe place and if anyone comes, just present it to the person to state that you are allowed to operate a business.”
”A question, if you may. If I wish to bring this service out of the country to export, who do I look for?”
”Just proceed to business district and look for the main office. They will direct you there. What kind of service that you wish to export?”
”Community service...” Hiko-sama smiled and the registrar scratched his forehead in bewilderment.
”I take my leave, sir. Thank you.” Hiko-sama took the two ID, the business trade name and receipt and walked out from there before any more questions were to be asked.
Seems Hiko-sama still does not like to socialise and his quirky answers soon have him a good 2 seconds getaway.
As Hiko-sama was walking on the trading district, he asked the people around if they knew of any shop that deals in banners. Some helpful passerby showed Hiko-sama the local tailor and mercantile shop that would help him out in making banners.
Hiko-sama thanked the passerby and found that the shop he initially bought the clothes for me also deals in making banners.
He walked through the door and a soft tinkle sounded. The apprentice soon recognised Hiko-sama and he exchanged greetings and asked what he could do for Hiko-sama.
”I wanted to make a banner. It should be red in color with gold lettering. My master told me there should be 2 golden balls at the ends of it. Do you have done any kinds of it before?”
”Ah... That's a common banner you were referring to. Our temples in the East and West Side have such banners.Come, let me show you how it looked like.”
The apprentice took a long piece of cloth about 2 meters in length and he twirl the ends in the middle part and formed a knot. Then he made the same one on the other end as well. He strung it loose and gotten another apprentice to hold the other end. Hiko-sama looked at it and finds it similar to those dojo entrances and he liked it right away.
”The two ends would be fitted with a golden ball right? The length should be the same length of a house main entrance. How would the golden balls look like, do you have any samples here?”
The apprentice went to fetch a half round ball and the bottom part looked like a button with a kind of hook on it. He explained that the folded part would enter through here and sewn up and then a thin metal wire would be threaded and hooked up against the wall or pillar.
”I wished these words to be spelled out accordingly (Fasuto Japan KabushikiGaisha) in the middle in gold letterings. The size would be like this.”
Hiko-sama showed how wide the lettering should be, so that it would be visible when people passes by the house. The apprentice wrote down the business trade name and the size of it.
”You intend to use this business trade name? It's authentic, fresh and auspicious. With its gold lettering and red backing, this would bring prosperity and wealth.”
”Ah... That's very good to hear. Once it's done, let me inspect it and pay in full. I need it within 7 days from now. By the way can you find me some fireworks as well? And do you have anyone to help to hang this?”
”The two of us can help you hang them. Sure we can find for you some fireworks. There's an alchemist shop that sells fireworks for all occasions. I can bring you there now, so you can choose which one you wanted.” both apprentices grinned to assist in the hanging.
”Ok, please prepare me the receipt and one of you can show me the way.” Hiko-sama suggested and waited for the owner to write the receipt and takes the order for the banner.
Upon receiving the receipt, Hiko-sama followed one of them to the alchemist and finds what he wanted. He bought 4 spinning roman candles, 10 rockets and several boxes of colorful sparklers. He paid a total of 10 gold coins and got the receipt for it.
He handed 4 coppers for the boy and told him to give the other 2 coppers to the other one and went back holding all the fireworks in his arms.
He walked past the furniture shop and saw Kayu-San and reminded him of tomorrow. Kayu-San waved back and went to sit on his table with his head buried in his hands.
”Haa... Haa... Haa... He must be thinking that he got tricked B-I-G time by Himura.” Hiko-sama laughed softly to himself as he was thinking of the fate that he would have to face in the next day. If he can't complete the task he had promised, he would end up being paid only 200 gold coins and if he delayed the work more than 7 days the price would be lowered to 150 gold. ”Himura Kenshin, you really are a genius kid!”
---Meanwhile at Kami-sama's house---
”Aatiicchooooo....! Hmm, I must have caught a cold or something or maybe some dust went into my nose. Haaa... My job is almost done now. A bit more to clean the floor and throw away the water, then that's it.” I said aloud to myself as I wrung the rag I used to wipe the floor into the bucket.
”I wonder what time is it now. Shush... Its hard to predict the time if the clouds happen to cover the sun. Maybe I should go to the trading district and look for something nice as a present.” I said to myself talking to no one in particular, especially when Max was still in his trailer and its not the episode for him to appear.
”Konnichiwa... Konnichiwa...” I heard someone greeting at the front door and I went there to meet the messenger. He handed me a note and then left. I opened it up and its in Hiragana writings and took a while before the words before me changed to English.
”6 girls will be coming for dinner tonight. They should be those that you needed. Signed, H.S”
”Ehhh.... How come so many girls coming for dinner? Is he starting a harem club or something after he told me Izumi and Riko bathing in the front yard and promoting Karada Soap?”
”Ehhhh..... Is he getting horny? But wait... I get too excited over nothing. Just reading the 1st sentence made me misunderstood the whole meaning. Hmm those that I need.”
”Whoa... Sensei, you can really be in the same channel as me right now. Its good he have a great sense of common understanding. He means to say that these 6 would be helping us for the marketing and sales.”
”Good... Good... Good... That should be the way! ” I laughed out loud and slapped my thighs as Hiko-sama also would know what was going in my head without telling him. He got good initiative after all.
I finished up my tasks and closed the main sliding door and walked out to the trading district right after I had washed my face and cleared all kinds of soot and dirt off my hair and gi.
I asked the passerby if there was a clock shop in the area and they pointed to a watchsmith shop that had a wooden plywood sign outside that looked like the watchtower clock in the square. I thanked them and walked to the watchsmith.
I saw quite a number of table clocks that uses water, another one was using a windup spinning pendulum and then I saw smaller pieces that could fit nicely for the both of us. Since there was no price, I decided to drop in and ask the watchsmith personally.
”Good afternoon good sir, I am looking at the pocket watch outside and was wondering since it does not have a price tag, may I know how much it would costs?”
”Oh, that. Its 20 gold pieces each.” replied the watchsmith without looking up.
”May I know good sir, what time do you close up for the day?”
”Nosy kid, I'm here all night. Don't ask if you do not have the money. You know how much is 20 pieces of gold or have you ever seen one?” the watchsmith was looking up and down at me like I'm kind of beggar.
”Fucking old scoot... You gonna get it from me, just watch out.” I thought to myself and thanked him and laughed when I used the watch out in a watch shop. Hahahaha.
I hurried back and saw a machinery place right at the end of an alley. I peered in and suddenly I saw what was needed! A place to develop the Seijuro Tumbler. All the parts that I need was here. I saw a hand cement mixer and it was exactly the same concept except minor changes could be done to it to fit the wooden barrel sideways.
”Good day kind sir, I would bring someone here to let you take a look at some drawings and wondering if we would ask you for your kind assistance.”
”Oh hello, kid. Sure... No problem. We can wait for you and your uncle.”