Chapter 30 (2/2)

As expected, they each had their own opinion about it.

「Well, I think it’s better for them to receive the beating than me so that’s why I didn’t hesitate to do it. Ichii-san told me 『No matter many you’re up against, you should still do it fair and square』. I’m not strong like him though」

*gulp gulp*

We continued chatting while eating and drinking. I remember doing something like this in a family restaurant during my college days. Once they got drunk enough, the topic s.h.i.+fted into their nightly activities.

「Ah, un. It’s okay, I guess. She likes to be spoiled so I was surprised at first」 (Sc.h.i.n.ken)

「I got used to it but…I get troubled since she suddenly has these really violent moments sometimes」 (Speck)

「It’s normal but I just wasn’t expecting for her to be the one to proactively ask for it. While I was taking care of the kids in this area, I heard her say 『I want one too』 so I was just surprised」 (Wurst)

Because it’s been a while since you came back, you’re going to do it, right? Our conversation suddenly headed in that direction. It seems like there’s an unspoken agreement between the villagers about the vacant houses at the outskirts becoming a place for ‘those’ kinds of activities.

「Well, it’s Suzuran we’re talking about so I’m sure she already has plans arranged for that. I just hope she doesn’t come right now while we’re still drinking」

*gulp gulp* I finish off the remaining fruit wine in my cup.

「Which reminds me, how’s the distillery coming up?」

「It’s going completely according to the headmaster’s instructions. The school has already become his secondary priority right now」

「It would be nice if someone could help the headmaster change, right」

「「「Right」」」

Their voices overlapped as they said that. It seems like his fixation for liquor has already gone overboard. I guess I’ll go take a look tomorrow.

After that, we all went our separate ways. Since I earned a lot in town, it became my treat. Why does it always have to be the treat of someone who’s working away from home whenever he comes back?

Incidentally, I wasn’t a.s.saulted by Suzuran today. Would it happen tomorrow, I wonder.

◇

I don’t know if it was because it has been a while since I slept in my own bed, or because I was tired of my walk home, or because there was n.o.body singing next door but I feel like I was able to get a good night’s sleep.

As for my plans today, I’ll check out the brewery first then spend the rest of the day with Suzuran. It’s nice that I don’t have to make breakfast myself this time. Since I have to go to the brewery, I was trying to finish my meal quickly when suddenly, a loud knocking sound came from the door.

「I heard that Caam-kun has come back! I want to meet him!」

My parents were still taken aback because somebody started shouting all of a sudden so I’ll just open the door myself.

「Ooh, Caam-kun! I wanted to hear your opinion about a little something」

It’s still morning but my mood has already taken a turn for the worse…

「Yes, what is it?」

「What should we do with the village from now on?」

「Rather than talk about it here, let’s head to the a.s.sembly hall」

*

「So? Do you actually have something planned for the village?」

「That’s right. I’ve come up with some ideas and I want you to see which ones are good」

Sell the distilled liquor that’s being made by the school headmaster right now as a specialty product of the village: We’ll use the money we get from that for the planned extension of the waterways and the expansion of the fields. This is a rare chance so we’ll use a large plot of land to make a provisional field to try and grow grapes and apples. We’ll discuss whether we’ll sell those or make it into sake later on. Sell the technology in making sake: Once people hear about our sake, there will be people who would want to make it in their own towns and villages. Those people can come here and they would just have to pay a technical fee in order to learn how to make it. Either that or we could just send out our craftsmen to teach them. For the second option, we’ll have to add the transportation costs and the price for the lodging to the overall price. Sake research #1: For the time being, we’ll try making alcohol using different kinds of things and ascertain the difference in taste. Sake research #2: The flavor and aroma changes when you char the insides of the barrels before pouring the liquor in it so we have to try out different methods and check out the results. Sake research #3: Depending on the wood used to make barrels, the aroma would change so we’ll have to try out different kinds of wood at first. Sake research #4: We’ll steep fruits into the distilled liquor, try drinking all of it and see which ones are easier to drink. Regularly increasing the number of villagers: We’ll employ clever people and then convince them to permanently stay in the village. Before we increase the number of villagers, we have to build even more rent houses and plow more fields first. Have frequent discussions with the neighboring villages: So that we can focus on making Beryl Village’s sake, we won’t produce anything else other than grains and tubers so we’ll have to depend on the other villages to raise livestock. The last option, we won’t be doing anything: We’ll just continue with what we have been doing right now. We don’t really have any problems with our current situation so we won’t make any unnecessary changes.

「Fumu fumu」

Was what the village chief murmured while frantically taking down notes.

「Those are just rough ideas I thought up until now so please ask the other villagers for their opinions as well. I still want to travel and learn many things so hopefully, the village chief will be able to lead the development of the village without me being here」

「No, well, it’s just that I didn’t think that things would grow to such a large scale」

「Your family has led this village for generations so please prove to us that you’re worthy of your lineage. If that doesn’t work, please employ capable people and ask their opinion about various things. If all else fails, why don’t you just retire and let your son try and take over?」

「That boy’s still not good enough yet. 」

「Then the chief has no other choice but to it by himself」

「Muu. Fine, I’ll try to do it! I’ll arrange a discussion with the headmaster and the people from the dragon race so that we can deepen our relations with them」

Un un, I was able to get him to do it by himself somehow. I didn’t really want to have anything to do with village or town administration, politics, and laws. Even if somebody gives me a territory somewhere, I really don’t know how to manage it.

We continued talking a bit more after that and he has already decided on the village’s policies to some extent. It gives me some sense of relief that he has started moving on his own. I’ll be saved if with this he no longer needs to come to me every time I come home to ask about my ideas.

「Ohー these guys sure are fired up」

The energy levels in the distillery couldn’t be compared to when they first started.

「Ou! It’s really interesting. The villagers are quite pa.s.sionate about it so they’re saying that we should get another still. We’re always running out of firewood so they’re thinking about using coal instead. Regarding that matter, it seems like they’re selling those at the headmaster’s hometown so he left while saying 『Leave it to me! I’ll get it for as cheap as possible』」

「Ahー, un. No matter how much of a discount he gets, he still needs to transport it back, right? What’s he going to do about that… It’s a three-day hike up that mountain, right?」

I said that while pointing at the direction of the headmaster’s hometown.

「……he probably hasn’t thought about that」

「Thought soー」

「It’s a really funny story, right?」

A creepy voice started talking. While I was still a bit surprised, I turned around.

「So it’s the headmaster as I had expected. You frequently appear in these situations after all」

「So, about that story. Want to hear more about it?」

His eyes suddenly turned into that of a reptile so it was pretty scary.

「Even if I say that it’s just my hometown, it’s a bit unreasonable to say that I’ll transport it myself. With that distance, transporting coal would obviously take time and cost money but I could probably reduce the time by getting zealous youngsters who were willing to help. There were no problems with money as well but if you can only load so much into a cart since I believe that its wheel and axle would get damaged」

So he tried doing something like that.

「Then why didn’t you just turn into a dragon and fly back?」

Ah, so he can turn into a dragon. I thought their horns are the only dragon-ish part of them.

「How many round trips do you think would that take? My stress would start to pile up and I’ll eventually lose all my scales you know?」3 「Muu. It’s true that you can’t carry heavy things when flying」

「Then, can’t you just come up with else?」

「You’re smart so you must some other ideas, right?」

This d.a.m.n shotajiji. So he’s starting to be dependent on me as well, huh!

「Wouldn’t charcoal work as well?」

「Charcoal? You mean those things left over after burning firewood? You can use those?」

Well, it’s true that I haven’t seen them using it in town as well but what else do they have in this world? There really is a severe lack of books in this world. Ah, geez. Whatever, I’ll just say I heard it from someone else.

「I got to know a well-informed old man back in town so I asked him. He says it burns even longer compared to firewood」

Even though he’s small, he still placed his hand on my shoulder.

「Can you teach that to us?」

He said that with a smile, his eyes weren’t smiling at all. Rather, his eyes once again turned into that of a reptile. It’s really scary so please stop it.

It can’t be helped so I brought over a small pot and a few branches and started explaining.

「When you burn wood, it turns into ashes, right?」

While saying that I burned the wood chips I had in my hand.

「However, if it doesn’t get exposed to air while it’s burning, it turns into charcoal」

I placed a few twigs inside of the pot and lightly cover it with the lid. Then, I produced fire from my finger to heat it and show it to them like some sort of science experiment. As the twigs start to carbonize, a liquid-like substance started dripping at the bottom of the pot. It’s wood vinegar.

「「Oohー」」

They’re like children who are excited seeing the results of the experiment.

Then, after the twigs have completely been carbonized, I take them out and set it on fire. 4

「Did it not work?」

「No, it’s already burning. You just can’t see the fire」

While saying that, I hold the side that’s not burning bring it closer to their hands

「Hou, it certainly feels hot」

Wurst got curious so he came closer and also held his hands out.

「How can we make this in large quant.i.ties?」

I drew a simple ill.u.s.tration on the ground.

「You use a kiln to make it. However, it won’t work if you just use the kiln normally. You have to seal it up and create small vents on the bottom and an outlet on top」

「「Un un」」

「You pack the wood tightly inside and set it on fire. You need to do that so that air won’t be able to circulate inside. After a while, white smoke will start to come out.」

I continued explaining while pointing at the drawing I made on the ground.

「「「Un un」」」

「After that, the white smoke you saw before would become clear so when that happens, you plug the vents like covering a pot with its lid to top the air from flowing in」

「「「「「I see, I see」」」」」

「Then, after letting it cool naturally for a few days, you take the charcoal out and it’s done」

「「「「「Ooohh!!!」」」」」

「You can also let the smoke condense because that liquid has its uses」

「「「「「Uwoahh!!!」」」」」

I didn’t realize but the number of people listening has already increased. I was surprised.

「By the way, charcoal also has a deodorizing effect. You can put it in your bath as well.」

「「「Ooh!?」」」

「It can get rid of the bad smells that soap can’t」

I guess they’re probably thinking of something like a potion. I don’t know anything about alchemy so I have no idea how to make it though. I don’t even know what materials could be used. I should have accepted a few quests for gathering medicinal herbs as well.

「Then, let’s immediatelyー!」

「Making the kiln would take time. Stacking the wood and burning it until the smoke becomes transparent would also take time. Even cooling it down would take time. It doesn’t actually take “that” much time, but I’ll be leaving tomorrow so it would be impossible for me」

You could visibly see the headmaster’s enthusiasm die down.

After that, we went to the a.s.sembly hall and I gave them even more details about the blueprint I drew on the ground earlier and made it easier to understand. I also taught them how to extract the wood vinegar and described how to use it. I also asked them to add a simple roof over the kiln like those on the rent houses.

「With this, the matter with fuel has been resolved」

「You guys might overdo it so please don’t clear out the trees in the forest. That would cause a lot of problems later on」

I feel like that would cause pollution, natural disasters or even the decrease in wildlife among other things. I hear that you will no longer be able to catch fish in the sea if you cut trees in the mountain as well5. Well, we’re at the plains so I haven’t seen the sea yet though.

While I was doing this and that, it has already gotten dark. I’m worried that I won’t be able to take care of Suzuran today. While I was doing that, Mir came and scolded me.

「Even though it’s been a while since you came back, what the h.e.l.l are you doing! Suzuran is waiting for you at one of the vacant houses near the outskirts of the village so head on over to her quickly!」

She was already pretty angry but when I asked her the exact location, she got mad even more. I don’t know which house you’re talking about so it can’t be helped.

I headed to the location I was told. When I arrived, I was greeted by Suzuran.

「Welcome back」

I’m not sure what’s going on but she was laying out what appears to be dinner preparations on the table. It was a splendid karaage festival. Un, could you please stop thinking that everyone would like the things you like? I also love karaage but there’s got to be a limit. Even though I like it, I’d lose my appet.i.te with that amount.

「Ah, I’m back」

Un, this is probably a setting where a couple started living in their new home for the first time.

「You can take a bath first」

So she was heating up the bath until now. I’m really grateful for that.

While I was relaxing in the bath, Suzuran came in and said,

「Can I take a bath with you?」

I didn’t hear any rustling sounds when she undressed so she probably took off her clothes someplace else. This girl is quite a schemer. She called out first so I was able to prepare myself but because it was so sudden, I was still surprised.

「Let me wash your back」

I got slightly embarra.s.sed when she said that but I’ll just keep that a secret.

「Wash me this time」

This is also a secret but when she said that, I once again got embarra.s.sed.

The karaage had already gotten cold so we also made chicken soup while reheating it. We talked while eating then I did my laundry first before we slept together. There was already that thing in the bath earlier but Suzuran let herself get spoiled while we were under the covers.

We had a conversation while in bed.

「 I didn’t have any siblings so I think that having a lot is nice.」

I couldn’t really just brush her off like that so I just said,

「Well, once the first one gets grows up a bit, we’ll think about it then」

◇

I knew it. The task of making breakfast fell onto me as expected.

To improve the karaage we had yesterday, I added some vegetables to it and put it in-between bread. I was able to make a lot of these simple karaage sandwich. I should also prepare a bento for lunch.

Then, a nude Suzuran started to get up. She’s still not fully awake yet so I was looking forward to her reaction since it’s been a while since we did it but once she finally woke up, she hit me at full strength. Why!?

When I complained, she said.

「It’s okay when it’s dim but it’s embarra.s.sing if you can clearly see me. I’d like it if you would leave the room once you get up」 or so she says. Ahー, I started seeing stars for a while there. Did I not faint just because of my resistance? Thank goodness I didn’t lose any teeth.

After eating breakfast, we thoroughly cleaned everything that we used except for the sheets which we brought back with us. It seems like those are the rules. I escorted Suzuran home and when we got there, Ichii-san greeted us with a terrifying smile and started hitting my shoulders. He was making a face that was saying, 『Although I said I’ll let it pa.s.s this time, did I say you can stay out until morning?』.

I was really afraid, to be honest. Ricoris-san also greeted us with a gentle smile but it’s not offsetting how scary he is. Even if you don’t hit me, I can tell what you want to say just by looking at your face. Well, she’s your one and only daughter after all.

While I was experiencing an unpleasant morning that I haven’t felt for a while, I went home. My parents had a broad grin so I just decided to go back to town.

My mother kept saying, 「I wonder if we’ll get to see the face of our grandchild soon」. I pretended not to hear that as I went out. I really wanted to say 「She won’t get pregnant today as well, you know」. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, mother.

I bid farewell to the three idiots as I was about to leave but, they all tapped my shoulder and said 「Congratulations on staying there until morning」. Is there a rule that says when you should come home when you use those vacant houses? HUH? While complaining, I headed back to town.

It was also really peaceful on my way back.

I couldn’t think of anything else to use here I don’t know what this line is referencing to so I’m not sure if it’s correct It actually says ‘will go bald’ but I thought that was more appropriate Seriously skipping a lot of steps here… Probably a proverb

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