Volume 8, Chapter 8: The End of the Break (1/2)

The next day, Maomao went to check the pail from yesterday. The water that had been brown was almost black.

“See, look at this.” Maomao slowly tilted the pail. She poured out the top layer of black water; there was white sludge sedimented at the bottom.

“What’s dis?”

Sazen peered at it. Chou’u was next to him—does he have free time?

“The sedimentation at the bottom is what makes kudzu powder. It’s denser than water, so if you leave it for some time, it’ll sink to the bottom. The top layer is dirty so get rid of it. After you strain it a few times and remove the first layer, you can get clean kudzu powder,” Maomao said.

“Is this what became yesterday’s mochi—” Chou’u asked.

“Hey, don’t stick your finger in that, it’ll mix together.” Maomao pushed Chou’u, who was being a hindrance, away. “After doing that a few times, the sedimentation gradually whitens. There are still some kudzu fibres in it; we can get rid of that with the water.”

“I see,” Sazen said.

“If you do it four to five times, we can reduce the amount of water and pour it into a different container. Once we remove that first layer, we can dry it.”

“W-wait a moment. I’ll note it down.” Sazen flusteredly went to grab writing equipment. The steps were all there even if he didn’t write it down, but he’d probably learnt it better if he wrote it down.

“If staying here is boring you, go play somewhere else.” Maomao shooed Chou’u away like a dog.

“I’m here to help too. Be thankful, Freckles,” Chou’u said.

“Cat paws are more helpful,” Maomao said.

“Nyaa—” Chou’u carried maomao over and punched with its paws.

“Fur’s gonna fall in.” Maomao set maomao free. “If you’re going to help, then carry water over. You stole Ukyou’s share yesterday, didn’t you?”

The head manservant who likes children, Ukyou always spoils Chou’u.

“Wha— manual labour again,” Chou’u said as he headed to the well with a bucket. “Oh yeah, Freckles.”

“What?” Maomao replied as she removed the top layer.

“You came back yesterday, right? When will you be back next time?”

“Hmm…”

Officials are given a break every ten days, and court ladies go on breaks with them. However, as the latter have fewer important duties compared to the former, they have many breaks. On top of that, there are the seasonal national holidays, but those are scant after the new year break.

(The next break is ten days later? Coming back on a day trip is also a hassle.)

Provided that Sazen is being more reliable than expected, it’s not necessarily a good thing for Maomao to show her face too often. He could send letters if anything comes up, so it should be fine.

Also, on Maomao’s breaks, she does the laundry and medicine making she couldn’t do on the days she has work, and reviews what she’s learned. Recently, Yao’s group also invite her to go shopping, so there was no way she’s free.

(I shouldn’t forget about Yao’s group’s matter.)

It’d be good if nothing bad happens with regards to the book they discovered at the weirdo tactician’s house, however.

“About one month later?” Maomao said.

“What? That’s ages away.”

“I have a lot of things to do.”

Chou’u sulked. He headed to the well with a bucket, and Sazen came back to take his spot.

“Oi, are you bullying Chou’u again?” Sazen treated Chou’u as a young master before, but it seems he treats him with no problem now. The man knew about the few secrets of the Shi Clan, but at this point in time, he probably hadn’t done away with the veil of secrecy.

“Not really. I only told him that I won’t be back since I’m busy,” Maomao said.

“Ahh, poor thing.” Sazen was surprised as he listed down on the wooden slip the things she taught him. The man used to be a farmer in the Shihoku province, but he was very proficient in reading and writing. “Kids pretend to be tough and still want to be spoiled. Especially Chou’u, he’s a little…he doesn’t have a family and he doesn’t remember anything about those times.”

“I don’t know about family, but don’t the courtesans spoil him?”

“Even so. He’s imprinted onto the person who looked after him the first moment he didn’t have his memories. Like a duckling.”

“A duckling.”

Ducklings, as soon as they are born, believe the first being they see to be their parent.

“I’m not that kid’s parent though,” Maomao said.

“Chou’u knows that much as well. But you know, he’s still a child.” Sazen, who finished writing on the wooden slip, started to slowly tip away the water in the bucket.

“When I was his age, I was earning my keep.”

“…capable people do not understand the feelings of those who are not, something along those lines, right? But, those who are extremely capable know the extent of an incapable person’s ineptitudes.”

His words were somewhat reproachful, unlike those of the usually flustered Sazen.

“…Sazen, you’re just repeating what Ukyou told you, aren’t you?”

“How did you know!?”

Right on the mark, it seems. The somewhat philosophical manservant had said many similar things to Maomao when she was young.

“I’m done. Then, I’m going to tell you the next steps so write it down,” Maomao said as she picked away the remaining fibres.

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