Chapter 14
Ma.s.sage and Studying 「 . . . . . How about that?」 「It’s true that Valetta is a bright girl, however . . . . . . A favor to this extent . . . Is that really all right?」 After hearing Kazura’s proposal, Valin’s expression was half-delighted and half-surprised, while Valetta’s, who just finished washing herself, entered the room . Her steamy wet hair that dangled in her neck was strangely erotic .
「Wah . . . I feel refreshed . This soap really has a nice scent . . . . . . . Did something happen?」 Valetta was puzzled after seeing Kazura and Valin, who had serious looks in their faces . 「Valetta, a long time ago you had said that you wanted to go to the city and learn various things in there . 」 「Un[1], I had said that before . But now I don’t have any intention to leave the village, you know?」 Valin smiled after hearing his daughter words and her wish to stay in the village . 「The truth is, you can study about many things in the village too . It seems that Kazura-san kindly offered to teach you . 」 「Eh!?」 Valetta become surprised and then looked at Kazura who started to speak about his proposal . 「Yes, but, as long as Valetta-san fine with it . And also for . . . . . . . 」 「Re-really!? Thank you very much! Certainly, I wish to do it!」 Valetta accepted while interrupted Kazura’s word . Maybe because she was so happy, her eyes were sparkling . [2] Although he was overwhelmed by Valetta’s enthusiasm, at any rate, Kazura continued his interrupted explanation . 「Ah, yes, I understand . Now back to our discussion . I would like for Valetta-san to pretend that it was your idea to build the waterwheel that we a.s.sembled the other day . 」 「 . . . . . . Eh?」 Valetta’s expression stiffened after hearing Kazura’s proposal, but he continued with his explanation . 「From Valin’s story, Isaac-san, who inspected village’s condition the other day, wasn’t well-informed about the connection between the village and the river . But in the future, if Nelson-sama received Isaac-san’s report and became suspicious, he might see the waterwheel after following the aqueduct . If that happens then, the fact that the origin of that waterwheel was me will be exposed, and that . . . . well, it would be really inconvenient for me . . . . . . . . 」 So, Kazura finished his explanation, his speech style with an uncertain tone . [3] 「A, yes . . . . . It’s like that . . . . 」 Valetta nodded . Up until now, regarding the country that Kazura came from, the villagers didn’t deeply pry into it . Valetta and Valin were not an exception, instead they are the ones who instructed the villagers to never inquire about it . They had a legitimate reason for why they did this, but until now Kazura completely unaware of that reason . 「With that, if you accept the proposal as the compensation, not only I will tell you about how to built the waterwheel, beside that, I will also teach you about a lot of things . So do you accept this cooperation?」[4] 「Ye-Yes, I will gladly accept anything . . . . . . But, is this all right . . . . . ?」 Valetta had an uneasy expression, but after Kazura gave his ‘it’s all right’ answer, she replied yes . Although she had consented with this very unreasonable proposal, up until this point, there were still no devised steps . For the time being they just had to just try and do it . Besides, the existence of waterwheel would be not immediately exposed . There was still time to make up a plan . 「Ano[5], Kazura-san, I just had an idea, but . . . . . . 」 Kazura was mumbling about 「What would happen if they inquire in precision machining[6] . . . . . . 」 and looked greatly troubled of it . Seeing him like this, Valetta suddenly had a light bulb shined in her mind and then started to call out to Kazura . 「What is it?」 「If possible, instead of the waterwheel that had been installed, what if everyone build a new waterwheel and install it, is that all right? After all, there is a waterwheel to become the model, so I think that we can build another more easily . 」 「Will it really be an easy thing to do?」 Hearing Valetta’s suggestion, Kazura nodded and pondered it . Even though there was a waterwheel that could become the model, will they really be able to fabricate another waterwheel so suddenly?However, even if considering that they already seen a waterwheel, but the precision machine parts like the axle was made from metal, so that it can handle the entire load in it . In any case, Valetta’s idea was the best solution for now . 「Is that so . . . . . . Certainly if that waterwheel been seen then it will become unpleasant in various ways . So, let us somehow built another waterwheel in 1 month time . At least, as long as it can draw even a little bit of water it will be fine . 」(Kaz) 「Yes, moreover if we had built another waterwheel, then if Isaac-san or Nelson-sama ask about it, we will be able to answer . 」(Val) Hearing their onversation, Valin nodded in agreement and then speak, 「Just like that, Valetta and the villagers will study the waterwheel . One way or another everyone will cooperate and do their best . 」 With that said . The current discussion was settled . ✦✧✦✧ The next morning, with the help of Valetta, Kazura transferred the load from the folding Pullcart No2 to Pullcart No1 . He then, once again, returned to j.a.pan to fetch the fertilizer . 「Well then, I’ll going to fetch the fertilizer . Does studying at evening sounds good to you?」 「Yes, thank you very much . But, if you are tired after scattering the fertilizer, then it’s fine to do it at another day . 」 Although Valetta said that because she worried about Kazura, she was really happy to be able to study and it reflected in her looks that were full with antic.i.p.ation . Even though yesterday they had talked about building a new waterwheel with the villagers’ hand, there still work left, such as scattering the fertilizer on the fields . If that task had finished then they can proceed to building the waterwheel as scheduled . That because they will be able to sow vegetable seeds, so this task took the highest priority . Because at the evening there will be no field or manufacturing work, Kazura decided to use this chance to teach Valetta . 「I understand . Then, I’m off!」[7]
「Yes . Please, be careful!」 While Valetta waving her hand to send him off, Kazura left the residence behind . ✦✧✦✧ 「Ma-My back hurtsss . . . . . . I wonder if I should go to a shiatsu[8] ma.s.sage next time . . . . . . 」 Among the villagers, who were scattering fertilizer wholeheartedly, was Kazura who stretched his back while grasping at it . After returned to j.a.pan after parting with Valetta, he once again went to Home Center and purchased a large quant.i.ty of fertilizer that he then transported to the village . Up until now, Kazura had transported over 1000 kg fertilizer using a pullcart him self . So, the result was as expected . As it took quite a time to transport everything to the village, less than 1 hour after the villager started to scatter the fertilizer, the sky color already turned orange . By the way, Kazura’s lunch today was a gyudon[9] with extra-large egg serving at his favorite shop that he quickly finished . 「Kazura-san, we will be finished after this, so you can go back to the residence first and take a break . 」 Seeing Kazura groan while grasping his back, Valetta worriedly said so to him . Similar to the other villagers, Valetta looked a little tired but she still more or less in a good shape . 「No-no, for me to return home first by myself is . . . . . . 」 「But, it’s not good to push yourself too hard . If you are tired then you must rest your body . 」 「Valetta, you return to the residence with Kazura-san and give his back a ma.s.sage . 」 Valin, who had seen that both of them was arguing back and forth, spoke up to address Kazura’s hesitation . 「Ah, no need to go to so far . All right, I will return by myself and put my body to rest . 」 Kazura was answering while being fl.u.s.tered . 「That’s right . Let’s us return together . 」 Valetta took Kazura’s hand and forcefully guided him to the residence . [10] ✦✧✦✧ 「Then I will go and quickly return . 」 (Val) 「Yes, but it’s fine to take your time . 」(Kaz) Valetta held soap and a bucket of hot water that had been heated in the hearth, and went to the yard . They returned to the residence to take break, but as expected, there is no way they weren’t bothered by the fertilizer smell on their body . So they decided to wash their body first . Kazura went first to wash his body and it was Valetta’s turn after him . 「Even if the yard had wooden wall, for a grown-up woman to take a bath there is still not good . . . In the winter, the chill could cause Cold[11] . Maybe next time I should make a simple adjoining room in this residence . 」
It maybe a common thing in this world, but as expected Kazura was bothered about it . While thinking such things, Kazura opened his travelling bag that contained a large-size notebook and pencil box . He also took out several textbooks that he purchased from the bookstore . 「Okay then, I know I had said that I will teach her, but what should I teach to her? I have brought a few textbook, but I wonder if they will be useful . . . . . . 」 And so, he was flipping the book pages to skim it . 「Huh? What is a 『How to Start a Popular Café』 book doing in here? . . . . . . . . I wonder if I put it in the basket by mistake . 」 Kazura was muttering things like that for a while as he read the book when Valetta, who had finished cleaning her body, arrived . 「Thanks you for waiting . . . . Ah, is that possibly a book?」 「Yes, I brought several books that I think could be useful for Valetta-san’s study . But this one is a book that I brought by mistake, you see . 」 Overwhelmed by curiosity, Valetta sat beside Kazura who opened a book to peek at the book"s content from the side . As she took a look at the book together with Kazura, the sweet soap smell that came from Valetta make his heart thump with *doki*doki* sound . Kazura turned his eyes to Valetta, who was fresh from bath and had her eyed glued to the book . 「Ka-Kazura-san . . . . . Is this thing in the book a . . . . drawing?」 「Drawing? Ah, that’s right, how can I forget!」 What Valetta referred to was a ill.u.s.trated page plastered with a t.i.tle:「Room Design to Attract People . 」If it was the letter then it would be fine, but it was a big photograph printed on it . Things like photographs didn’t exist in this world, so it was not strange that Valetta was surprised after seeing it . But, it can’t be helped since she already saw, so Kazura decided to give a simple explanation to Valetta . 「Ah . . . This thing . . . . This is called ‘Photograph’; it takes the scenery and draws it on the paper without a tiny bit difference from the real condition . . . . . Do you understand?」 「Etto[12] . . . . . So it is possible that the scenery in this house can also be drawn like this, right?」 「Correct . You surely are quick to understand . 」 Although Valetta was seriously looking at the picture on the book, suddenly, she noticed something . 「Ano, could I touch the book?」 She asked permission for touching the book to Kazura . 「Amazing . . . . . I never see a parchment that is as thin as this . May I know what kind of skin it came from?」 「Ah, that’s not made from skin . It was made from a tree . 」 「 . . . . . . . Eh?」 After listening to what Kazura had said, Valetta, who touch the book page with admiration, once again become speechless . 「Uummm . . . . well, the tree undergo a lot of process before turn into paper . But I don’t really know what kind of process, that is . 」
̀「So this is from a tree . . . . . . 」 Seeing Valetta murmuring while touching the paper, Kazura talked to himself to seek the exact process of paper manufacturing from trees . Finally, he began to talk about the real topic for this evening . 「By the way, as what I had promised before, let’s us start to study . What do you want me to teach you about?」 Listening to Kazura’s question, Valetta answered with a small voice while still looking at the book . 「I heard that the people who live at the Royal Capital studied things like Law, History, Theology, and the likes . 」 「 . . . . . . 」 Hearing Valetta’s answer, this time it was Kazura who stiffened . He previously intended to teach Valetta using curriculum based on j.a.pan’s Compulsory Education[13], but if you think about it, this world"s study subjects and Modern j.a.pan"s study subjects were not the same . Even if it just Law or History, for Kazura that just arrived at this other world less than 2 weeks ago, he had nothing to teach Valetta about . 「 . . . . . . I’m sorry, I can’t teach you anything . The study content of education in my country and education in Arcadia is very different . 」 「Eh?」 Valetta became a little silent after hearing Kazura’s answer . Then she quickly opened her mouth . 「If it the things that Kazura-san knows about, then I wish you to teach me everything about it . I didn’t expect to receive the same education as the people in the Royal Capital anyway . 」 「However, what should I teach about . . . . . 」 Hmm . . . . Kazura was pondering, so Valetta also joined an began to think about it . Then she came out with a nice idea and raised her face with an expression of “Eureka” . 「Then, I wish to learn about Kazura-san’s country letters . So that I could read that book . 」 Hearing Valetta, Kazura replied with 「I see」 . 「Ah the letters, right? Well, since we can understand each other"s language, it means that the grammar is identical, so I think it will be relatively easy to memorize it . . . . . I understand . That is a fine idea, but there something I want you to do in exchange . . . . . . . 」 「In exchange?」 This was a nice chance to solve one cause for Kazura’s concern, so he told it to the puzzled Valleta . 「I also want to learn about this country"s letters . Since, I think that I completely unable to read or write in this country"s letters . . . . . 」 To Kazura’s words, Valetta looked a little surprised, but she quickly smiled and answered, 「All right . 」 「Then, shall we begin?」 「Ah, before that, the back ma.s.sage . It’s hurt right? Please lie down in here . 」 Thus, Kazura to Valleta, and Valetta to Kazura . Each of them learn how to read and write from each other .