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Chapter 63. Open-Air Bath In The Wilderness

A bath had been constructed just by the riverbank, with no fence around it as it wasn't particularly secretive.

"There's probably no one peeking, but the visibility here is too good..."

"If it bothers you, should we set up a partition?"

Cherina, who was standing beside me, responded before I knew it.

"How did the charcoal and washi turn out?"

"They're both going smoothly. We can release them as products without any issues."

Thinking about the quality of the washi I had just illustrated for the bath, I agreed.

"For today's completed washi, we'll distribute samples to the Commercial Guild. It will naturally gain recognition in areas beyond Veliero Trading Company's usual routes."

"You've thought this through."

"We'll gradually transition our company documents from bulky woodblocks to washi. We'll have to gather penniless scholars who normally have no work to keep transcribing."

"Isn't it a problem if our company documents are seen?"

"We'll handle that part smoothly."

"As long as you're aware of it."

Well, this woman wouldn't overlook such matters anyway.

"But we might need to delay the next departure a bit."

"Departure, as in the ship?"

"Yes, whether it's washi or charcoal, considering the quantity we can load onto the ship at this quality level, we'll need a bit more time."

"Oh, that ship is quite large."

"I can't say for charcoal, but regarding washi, they'll definitely be interested. Lighters will sell well too."

"That's good to hear."

"I'm confident."

Her confidence was quite persuasive.

"Akira, I've finished connecting it."

"That was quick."

Hagg roughly finished up the bath cauldron and stood up.

"I've already started the firing process, so it should be finished by evening. The bathtub might take a few days, but using it today won't break it. We can fire it again tomorrow. I've given instructions on that."

"As expected of Hagg."

Honestly, it wouldn't have been a hassle to get hot water from a container. But I couldn't say that now.

"Wait, does that mean we'll return to town after sunset? Is the gate closed?"

"If I'm with you, we can manage anything."

"Really?"

"Indeed."

Cherina replied with a smile. Just how much power does Veliero Trading Company wield? Do they have noble-level influence? Well, I'm not sure how much influence nobles actually have.

"That's fine then."

As we were talking, a large number of wagons arrived in formation.

"What's happening?"

Looking closely, Yaralai was walking at the head.

"Welcome back, Yaralai-sama."

"Good."

Rather than wagons, they seemed more like mule-drawn carts. Are they called mule carts?

Compared to Cherina's wagon, which was well-built, these were simple wooden carts loaded with heaps of soil.

"Nutrient-rich soil, brought it."

"Good work."

After confirming me, Yaralai gave instructions to Dauro. Listening in, he was discussing which parts of the refuse disposal site had nutrients, how much more composting was needed, and the current disposal methods. I didn't understand the details, but Dauro seemed to get it, so it seemed fine.

I bought some tobacco and lit it.

My remaining fund is 9,898,998 yen.

"Hey, Akira, why are you lazing around?"

"Huh?"

There's nothing to do until the firing is done for the stone oven or the bath. If anything, I should check the quality of the washi and charcoal, but Cherina seems to have handled that, and I've already checked them to some extent.

"Is lazing around not allowed?"

"I'll train you since we have time."

"Huh?! N-no need! Today is enough!"

"There's no such thing as enough for training. Don't give up!"

"Wait! Don't pull me! Ahhh! My tobacco fell! At least let me finish smoking it! Please! Spare me!"

Now a luxury at 260 yen per stick, I reached for the tobacco, but Hagg's strong arm pulled me, making it smaller and smaller. Yaralai, realizing this, sighed and picked it up, placing it in his mouth.

"Don't smoke it without my permission!"

My soul's cry didn't reach anyone's heart.

――――

"I... I'm going to die..."

"Don't worry, people don't die that easily."

"No... I'm definitely going to die from exhaustion..."

I got forced to repeatedly lift and lower logs, akin to the torture of digging and filling holes endlessly in the past.

Lift log, lower log, lift log, lower log, lift log, lower log. Aghhhh! My Gestalt is collapsing!

When I tried to escape, Hagg gently pinned me down with another log.

How can he lift such a thick log with one hand? It makes no sense!

Half in tears, I continued lifting and lowering logs. Well, more like full-on crying. Help.

"Isn't this a bit too Spartan? When I did it, we took more time."

"Not many can order a lady like you to do this. If I'm your master, you have no say in it. In fact, considering your stamina, I should make you do even tougher things."

"T-That's..."

Cherina, who had given me a lifeline, was quickly persuaded. Put more effort into convincing him.

"Don't worry, Akira can already use the minimum amount of waves. He'll gain basic stamina quickly. You agreed to help train Akira too, right?"

"Well, yes, but... I didn't expect it to take this much time."

"Hmph. If you slack off initially, you won't become a warrior."

"I-I never intended to become a warrior..."

"Akira! Instead of idle chatter, put more effort into it! If you don't emit waves properly, you'll die from muscle pain!"

"For real..."

Basically, if I don't emit waves, I can't lift the logs, but if I relax, I'll get crushed. Why do I have to endure such torture?

"Hagg-san, the firing is done."

It was Dauro.

"Oh, is it! Alright, Akira, you're done for today."

"Ugh..."

I threw the log and collapsed on the spot. I'm going to die.

"What are you doing, Akira? The stone oven is ready; we can make delicious food!"

Ah, this guy is a devil. I'll get my revenge someday. Emotionally, at least.

――――

The stone oven had been thoroughly cleaned, with not a speck of ash left. Although there was still residual heat, it wasn't a problem.

"Ah, darn it... If only I had mentioned that I needed to prepare meals when Hagg started talking about training..."

"Well, that's unfortunate."

Cherina sympathized with my muttered complaint. We both knew it was too late for that now.

"Sigh... well, never mind. Cherina, are all the ingredients I asked for ready?"

"Of course. The head chef also wanted to join, but there were other matters to attend to."

"It's not that difficult, as long as we have the ingredients."

I laid out the strong and weak flour, salt, and olive oil that had been prepared for me. Not just the executives of Veliero Trading Company, but even Hagg and Yaralai were curious, eyeing the ingredients.

"I prepared the dry yeast here. Apparently, you can't get it without being a member of the Baker's Guild."

Dry Yeast (50g) = 285 yen

The money will be settled later by Cherina, so there's no change in my funds. I sifted the flour and mixed it with salt, dry yeast, lukewarm water, and olive oil. After lightly mixing, I kneaded it together, rolled it into balls, and flattened them. I covered them with a damp cloth.

"Oh, right. I need to let them ferment for a while..."

Now what? Hagg might explode if I say it'll take another 1-2 hours.

Let's start with something simple that can be made quickly and fill the stomach.

So, I confirmed the new approval and started cooking.

Fresh Salmon (sliced) = 212 yen

Gratin dish = 1350 yen

Basil sauce = 598 yen

Garlic (10kg) = 1980 yen

I took out enough salmon for the number of people and marinated it for 10 minutes. I arranged the salmon in a heat-resistant dish and poured basil sauce over it. I also added sliced lemons for decoration.

I placed them in the already-heated stone oven and baked them.

"Oh, that looks delicious."

"I was fine with meat, but this seemed better."

A delicious aroma wafted through the air when I took out the baked heat-resistant dish.

"It's ready."

Ideally, I should have garnished it with some greens, but I couldn't think of any. It's slightly lacking in presentation, but it should be fine.

"Well then, let's dig in... Mmm! What kind of fish is this?! It's so firm and flavorful!"

Without waiting for any formalities, Hagg dove right in. Couldn't you at least wait for Cherina, our sponsor?

The others were patiently waiting for Cherina to start eating.

"Well then, let's enjoy this... This isn't a fish commonly found around here. Perhaps my father or brother might know it, but it's unfamiliar. The rich and delicate flavor, combining the best of red and white meat, is exquisite. The green sauce complements it well. The olive oil adds a moist texture, making it pleasant on the palate."

"Thanks for the usual food review."

When the young lady encourages others, the remaining people devour the grilled salmon with basil sauce like starving children.

"Delicious."

Yararai is as usual.

"Hmm... I didn't understand why I had to make such a grand dish just by grilling it, but it seems to be quite different from baking directly over the fire. Come to think of it, it seems like this is made in a bread oven..."

"It's because it cooks evenly inside due to far-infrared heat."

"I don't understand what far infrared is, but knowing that heat isn't just get applied to the fire is interesting."

"You can also bake bread, but I think you need permission."

"Yes. Baking bread is an absolute no-go zone."

What is it? The word "sanctuary" comes to mind when talking about rice.

"Well, I hope we don't have to make bread from now on..."

"Is it bread?"

"The process of making the dough is similar..."

"If this trial run qualifies as bread, let's keep it a secret and never make it again."

"That might be a good idea. It's safe to make it here, right?"

"Yes, it should be fine with the people here. We're not going to sell it."

"Alright, since the dough has risen, let's continue."

Maybe because of the high temperature, fermentation is fast.

I degas the dough and roll it again. This is the second fermentation.

Since this also takes some time, I quickly made a grill with the leftover ingredients and served it.

"Cooking with this stone oven gives a juicier finish compared to direct fire."

"You can basically grill meat or fish; it takes practice to manage the heat, but you'll get the hang of it through trial and error."

Compared to the charcoal stoves commonly used in this town, managing the heat seems much easier with this setup.

"Well, this is about as far as I can go; the rest is up to your creativity."

"Yes, that's enough."

While picking out soy sauce-based, olive oil-based, and salt-based grills, the dough finishes fermenting.

The sky is already dark orange as the sun sets.

I lightly stretch and spin the dough with my fingers. It's a technique I got forced to practice by my boss's grandson. It's frustrating because no matter how good I get at it, my salary doesn't increase.

Considering the job and earnings, I feel more blessed in this world. Although occasional crappy games are interfering.

Now, onto the pizza. I initially thought of making the sauce from whole tomatoes, but it seemed like too much work, so I approved using store-bought sauce.

Pizza sauce = 317 yen

I spread the pizza sauce on the stretched dough, arrange the cheese and bacon prepared for me, and put it in the stone oven. Thanks to the already-heated oven, the cheese bubbles up. A delicious aroma fills the air.

"It's done."

I cut the pizza into eight pieces and tasted a slice.

"Hot! ...Mmm, the cheese has a richer taste than I imagined. The dough may be a bit lacking..."

The hastily made dough seems under-fermented, making it a bit unpleasant on the tongue. But other than that, it's mostly a pass.

"Hmm. It doesn't look normal. Yes! This texture is extraordinary! It looks like thin bread, but the main focus is on cheese and bacon! I initially thought of skimping on bacon, but the overall saltiness makes this amount just right."

"Yes. Excessive seasoning can overpower the flavors of cheese and sauce, and since the base dough is thin, it complements the overall balance. Would you consider it a side dish?"

"Delicious."

"This... taste is captivating."

The reviews are quite positive. Since we are originally from a bread-eating culture, it might be well-received.

"If you like it, that's good. With cheese as a base, the seasoning options are endless. With some creativity, it can turn into any dish."

"Yes... But is this? Bread or something else?"

"Miss, if this were commercialized, the Bread Guild would surely come after us."

"I understand... Perhaps it's more constructive to sell the recipe to the Bread Guild."

"What a shame. Making such a delicious thing at home could get us in trouble."

Hagg munches on a third slice of pizza, furrowing his brow.

"While making it at home is quite gray... dealing with bread is tough. It's better not to risk it."

"Human logic is incomprehensible... Sharing and enjoying delicious food together should be the norm."

"I agree. However, bread is closely tied to the country. If only we had favor with the royal family, there might be a way, but it's the opposite."

I recall the infamous Pig King.

If Cherina were to introduce this pizza, they would undoubtedly nitpick and claim it's bread, leading to Cherina's arrest. It never ends.

"If we approach the Bread Guild with a proposal, we might be able to keep making it under a product development name."

Ah, so it's not as straightforward as it seems.

"Well, I'll leave that to you. You don't even understand basic common sense."

"I can hear your stomach growling."

While talking with Cherina, pizzas were being baked one after another. The cooking was already being handled by employees of the Valiero Company.

"Now, I'm hungry, and I'll take a bath."

"Hmm."

Cherina still didn't seem to understand why I insisted on taking baths, giving a foolish response.

"Well, take your time eating."

Without waiting for Cherina's response, I checked the brick bath. The baking was already done, and it seemed safe to add water now. Thanks to the efforts of the Dwarven Hagg and the Valiero executives in the technical field, this area was well prepared. This wouldn't be ready so quickly. And if it were something I had never made before, it would be even more challenging. Both are incredible skills.

I'm aware that I'm wasting resources in terms of technology, materials, and funds, but I've made quite a profit for Cherina. I think this much is within the lending range. Probably.

I filled the bathtub with water using a bucket several times.

Although hot water would have been fine, since I had already created a mechanism to heat water, I had to test it.

Cherina paid for this water along with other miscellaneous expenses. It was a personal expense, but she laughed it off as being less than 100 yen. Those who laugh at one yen will cry for one yen, you know?

I decided to use the lower-quality charcoal produced in abundance during the test. There's no point in using high-quality ones here.

As I heated the coiled iron pipes, the water inside slowly warmed up, and convection seemed to begin.

A bonfire, prepared at some point, was now illuminating the surface of the bathwater.

Since the surface was slightly trembling due to the temperature difference, the water would eventually boil if left like this.

I borrowed a folding screen to arrange it in a way that couldn't be seen from the cabin and blocked the view. In front of me was a river. The water's color was brown, but it wasn't very noticeable. More than that, the plants along the riverbank and the river's flow illuminated by the bonfire taught me the scent of this land.

I shifted the bonfire's position so it wouldn't illuminate the bath too much. In doing so, a sea of stars spread across the night sky. Upon closer inspection, there was a brighter line running like the Milky Way. That is the thickness of the galaxy to which this star belongs. The fact that the night is dark probably means that this planet is also located on the edge of the galaxy.

Today, more than two moons were more than half obscured, and the stars were clearer than ever. If I extinguish all the bonfires, I'll surely experience something like sinking into the starry sky. It reminds me of the first night I got thrown into the wilderness.

Sentimentality doesn't suit me.

Before I knew it, the bath had reached the right temperature, so I shifted the charcoal aside to keep it from getting any hotter and then threw off all my clothes.

As I slowly sank into the slightly hot water, it felt like my body was melting from the inside out.

"Ah, is this heaven or hell."

I took a towel from the container and placed it on my head. I rudely soaked it in the bath once and then wrung it out. I've been doing whatever I want since coming here.

I enjoyed the starry sky floating in the bath while holding a cigarette in my mouth.

Perhaps this is one of the happiest moments of my life, competing for first or second place.

My thoughts sank as if melting into the water. By the time I couldn't distinguish between my body and the water or stars, I had boiled myself.

"Ouch... it's hot."

I sat on the edge of the brick bath to cool off while slowly releasing the heat from my body. The disadvantage of bricks is that they don't have a smooth touch to the skin since they don't exist in this world. It would be difficult to make them smooth.

As I was slowly releasing the heat from my body, someone came from beyond the folding screen. I had moved the bonfire. So I couldn't see clearly. Was it Yararai or Hagg?

"Akira-sama?"

"Hm? Cherina?"

"Yes, it seems like it's taking quite a while. Is there a problem—ahhh! W-why are you naked!"

Cherina turned full circle with all her might as soon as she appeared before me.

"You enter baths naked."

"I-it's embarrassing, isn't it?!"

"It would be embarrassing in the city, but it's normal to undress before bathing in a bath. Did you come to bathe too?"

If so, I wanted her to wait until I finished changing clothes.

"No! I was just worried because you were taking so long! Why are you naked?!"

"Because it's a bath. It would be strange to enter a bath with clothes on, wouldn't it?"

"I didn't know! I just knew it as knowledge to enter hot water!"

"I see. Then let me teach you. Baths are for undressing before entering. If you'll enter later, make sure to undress completely."

"I'm not going in! And don't put your hands on your hips naked and face this way!"

Then, stop peeking through the gaps in your fingers. She probably saw a huge "boom!" behind me.

"I see... I've warmed up enough, so I'm going out soon. Please let Hagg or Yararai know if they want to use it."

While drying myself with a towel, I realized.

"Oh no, I didn't think about drainage. This is a failure."

Yes, I had forgotten to create a drainage hole and plug. If I make another one next time, I should consider adding a drainage outlet. But judging by Cherina's reaction, there probably won't be a second one. I finished dressing, but Cherina was still frozen in place.

"Hey, let's go back."

I lightly tapped Cherina's shoulder.

"Eek!"

She jumped about 30 centimeters with a strange scream. It was funny.

I left Cherina who had fled, and informed Hagg and Dauro about the drainage outlet.

On the way back, I begged for forgiveness from Hagg and Yararai for running in. I didn't want to get sweaty again after taking a bath.

It was good to be excused, but Cherina didn't say a word on the carriage ride back. It was awkward.

Thanks to soaking in the bath that night, I slept more soundly than usual.

God, baths aren't really accepted in this world, are they...?

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

Inside the carriage, Cherina Valiero was thinking.

(What in the world is Akira-sama's body like...)