Chapter 19: Bathtub
Peeking into the room, I found Ash still asleep. I moved a table closer to his bedside, leaving a note that I would be going out, along with a pitcher of water for him to drink when he woke up.
I also took a moment to water the little blue bird and give it a gentle stroke. It was a different kind of fluffiness compared to Rishu. This little bird seemed tired from years of use, remaining still in one spot without moving.
“I’m heading out. Please take care of Ash when he wakes up,” I said to the little bird before setting off for my shopping.
First, I needed to buy firewood. Since I didn’t want to make multiple trips, I decided to buy a large stack to be delivered. I figured I might as well buy anything that seemed odd if I hadn’t picked it up or bought it yet.
As for food, I could probably get away with pretending I was eating out. I’d just buy some seasonings and flour. The tea leaves sold in this town didn’t seem well-managed and weren’t very tasty, so I’d get those in the Royal Capital. Oh, and I needed a bathtub too.
With that in mind, I moved from the Royal Capital to a town famous for its pottery. The bathtub I envisioned was a slightly oval-shaped barrel. I heard that in towns near water, there were stone bathhouses, but here, barrels and tubs seemed to be the norm. Nobles might have brass ones, though?
At home, I had that white clawfoot bathtub, but it was made of enamel. If I remembered correctly, it was made from cast iron coated with a glass-like finish. I didn’t know the exact process myself.
So, my plan was to have it made from pottery with a smooth glaze. If that didn’t work out, I thought I could go for a hinoki wood bath instead, even though it seemed like it would require a lot of maintenance.
I had come to this town following rumors and trade routes after seeing a ceramic vase in the Royal Capital.
“Hello. I’d like to be introduced to a workshop that can make a bathtub as large as possible,” I said.
“As large as possible, you say?” the clerk replied.
“Yes.”
I didn’t know the area well and had no connections, so it was quicker to ask at the Merchant Guild building.
“Are you looking for a new creation or a custom arrangement?” she inquired.
“I suppose it would be a new creation? I might be able to go for an arrangement as well, but I’m not sure,” I admitted.
I had no idea how large existing items were. If they had something like a big flower pot, maybe an arrangement would work? I had only seen unglazed pots so far.
“Do you have a guild license?” she asked.
“Yes,” I replied, handing over a guild coin. The clerk wrote down the identification number on a form.
“Do you have a specification sheet?”
“It’s not exactly a specification sheet, but I have a rough idea of the shape I want,” I said, handing over a paper with sketches of the side and top views, along with my size and texture preferences. It’s hard to explain shapes verbally, so I prepared this.
The bathtub should allow me to stretch out and lie down comfortably, with a slight incline on the back for leaning, and steps on the opposite side for resting my feet or sitting. I wanted two normal types without any steps.
I felt like the clawfoot design wouldn’t support the weight well, so I preferred metal supports for the feet. Alternatively, I could embed it in the floor to prevent water from escaping. I was worried about mold if there was a gap between the floor and the bathtub that couldn’t be cleaned.
Of course, it needed to hold water without leaking, so I couldn’t forget the drainage hole. I wondered if I should seal it with cork or a wooden plug.
“Do you have a preference for the manufacturer?” she asked.
“As long as they are a reliable craftsman,” I replied, realizing I didn’t know anyone at all.
After a brief wait, I was told I could meet someone tomorrow afternoon. It seemed they had brought some pottery samples, and I received a beautiful cup as a gift. Just that made me a bit happy.
I bought a complete set of tableware for both my house and the rented house. In this world, most people used wooden dishes, while the wealthy often had silverware, making pottery and porcelain quite rare. I couldn’t help but buy a lot.
I also picked up some food supplies before returning to the rented house. I figured I could just make some soup and leave it by the fireplace.
I diligently installed locks on the doors of the second and third floors, trying to be as quiet as possible while checking on Ash.
“Please keep my noise down, ‘Silence’,” I murmured, recalling the existence of magic and using it.
Even though it felt strange, like playing a game without sound, I managed to lower the volume.
It turned out that the magic I used was thanks to the Spirit nearby working hard. While the skill of the caster mattered, the Spirit’s Power also influenced the outcome, so even the same person using the same magic could have different strengths depending on the environment.
While I was working, the firewood arrived, so I released the magic to greet the delivery person and had them place it at the bottom of the stairs. Just as I was carrying it, the delivery of flour arrived. I accepted that and took it to the storage room in the basement.
I was a bit concerned about the storage room being next to the sewers, so I added an extra wall. I knew there was some distance from the sewers based on the size, but it still bothered me. I instinctively stuffed charcoal between the walls and added a brick wall, then coated it with plaster from above.
I stored the flour and beans that had just arrived on the shelves I had attached to the wall. I also had several bottles of wine I had bought in the Royal Capital.
Was that everything? I chose items that wouldn’t spoil easily and also picked up some suitable boxes.
With the locks installed on all the doors, I moved on to dismantling the potion-making area. I had set it up in the back near the courtyard on the first floor, but I decided to turn it into a bath. I could boil water in both the kitchen and the fireplace.
I didn’t think I would be using the bath here, though. Modifying a small space felt like I was building a trailer house, which was oddly enjoyable.
“Sorry to interrupt your fun,” I said.
“Hm?” A girl with golden hair, resembling spun sugar, peeked in.
There was no sign of the door opening. Startled, I turned around to see a strikingly handsome young man and a gentle-looking elderly woman behind her.
“Mishto, Rudil, Pal? It’s been a while,” I said, surprised. But why were they here?
“Details are in your domain,” Rudil said in a flat voice, and suddenly, the surroundings transformed into the interior of my house.