Chapter 85
Chapter 85: Looking at the Tomorrow Several hours later .
Kazura returned to Valin’s residence just before the sunset and ate dinner together with Valetta . The dinner menu was thick fried omelette and vegetable soup, plus the leftover from the lunch . Valetta made quite a large amount of lunch today, so there was still a third of the food remained . Since the humidity of this world was lower compared to j.a.pan, if the leftover food was put into a wooden box and placed in the ground floor corner that had a lower temperature, it could be preserved for about one day . As always, Valin was going to night patrol and quickly left as soon as dinner was over, so right now only two people remained in the room, Kazura and Valetta . 「So, for the time being, you plan to perform farmland expansion and city sanitary improvement, right?」(Valetta) 「Yes, at the current situation, if the population keep increasing and the other province cut out their food aids, then the food production wouldn’t be able to catch up, so I plan to expand the farmland into the area that wasn’t able to be cultivated before . But, before that, we must dig wells and ma.s.s produced hand pumps, so it will take a bit more time until the farmland expansion could begin . 」(Kazura) 「How long until the farmland expansion could begin, then?」(Valetta) 「Let’s see…… Considering the city’s craftsmen situation, it looks like it will take quite some time until hand pump ma.s.s production could begin…… Perhaps, I could ask the blacksmiths, but they already had their hands full producing armaments and daily necessities . I need to slot in the hand pump production somehow in between their schedule, but just how long until the production could begin……」(Kazura) Kazura was explaining his work plan that he wanted to perform in Isteria while Valetta inquiring it . Since Valin left the residence some time ago, Valetta was asking Kazura about his Isteria’s work plan in this fashion . 「Since it will be difficult to do everything at the same time, how about doing the farmland expansion in the spring next year? Since you also need to make the machines for the craftsmen and the icehouse, if you start every work at the same time then there could be not enough hands in the future projects and this could be a great problem . 」(Valetta) 「Ah, certainly…… Perhaps it’s safe that we only stop at digging wells and investigating new farmland location for this year . About the tools, perhaps we should focus on producing the machines . 」(Kazura) 「Also, when do you plan to begin the flood control work?」(Valetta) 「I had called the construction firm through the phone not long ago, it seems that it will take another month until the construction plan to reinforce each past-flood p.r.o.ne area finished . Since I also need to arrange for the personnel and prepare the work construction site until that time…… Ah, the thing that I needed to do is so many that my head hurts……」(Kazura) When he inquired the construction firm’s director, who undertook drawing up the construction work plan, through the phone not long ago, the work plan was progressing well . However, since the investigation for the construction procedure and technique took time, it seemed that he needed a month until the construction work plan to reinforce the priority flood p.r.o.ne area could be delivered . In the phone, the director was saying with excited voice, 「This is the first time I have a work this enjoyable . 」 「But, if you get the construction work plan after a month, it still could be in time for the rainy season on May next year . Even at the quickest estimate, the construction would need half a year . 」(Valetta) 「I see . The problem after that is to improve the whole river length, but when should that begin? …… Since the subject of the work will be to improve the sanitation and living environment condition straightaway, the city’s appearance could have a complete changeover . 」(Kazura) 「That means, even using mortar to put sewer service in every city district?」(Valetta) 「I will use the mortar, but even then, it won’t cover every district . That scope is too big, so even if I perform it, then it will be waterworks like public water source or washing place . I still don’t really know about creating a sewer . 」(Kazura) Kazura finished his meal while answering Valetta who asked even to the minute details as the emptied tableware was moved to the washing place on the ground floor . Even if it was called as washing place, it was just a simple low wooden rack where a large oblong tray was placed . On top of this tray there was a scrubbing brush made from plaited rope to clean the dishes, then the scrub will be washed from the filth inside a water bucket, and repeated, which was the sequence of how the dishwashing go . If there was a leftover, then it will be placed in the tray . When the dishwashing completed, the tray will be taken outside together with the bucket, where the leftover food and the water will be thrown together into a hole dug for this purpose . Since Grisea Villagers had known deeply how precious a food is, they rarely produce any leftover from their meal, and what remained behind was just the inedible part like vegetable’s hard stem or rind . In Nelson’s estate, any leftover food will be eaten by livestock like Myagi and the likes, so depending on the place, the method in dealing with kitchen waste is different . Both of them were standing side by side and conversing in the washing place while finishing the cleaning . After the waste water in the bucket was discarded outside, they returned back into the living room once again and sat down . 「That’s right, I had bought a souvenir for Valetta-san . 」(Kazura) Kazura took out a plastic bag from the travel bag placed nearby . And took folding mirror and several beauty care products like hand cream from it . 「Waa, what a beautiful box……」(Valetta) Valetta received it from Kazura and leaked out her admiration for the beauty of the box design . Until now she had repeatedly seen the box for LipoD and canned food, but she never saw a box which had such lovely design like this beauty care product . 「The content is more beautiful . It’s a beauty product to be used for skin care, so please try to use it if you don’t mind . It could be said as a medicine hand cream, you used it when your hand gets rough from cleaning and before sleeping you also use it with moisturizer gel and face lotion . There are also daytime cream to be used during the day . 」 Valetta quickly opened the box that had 『Medicinal Collagen Gel White』written on it, took out the instruction inside and started reading it . Kazura didn’t really know much about beauty products so he was thankful that there was instruction included . 「…… W-what an amazing promotional phrase . 『Don’t be afraid of spots and wrinkles! The supreme brilliance is yours‼』is what written in here . 」(Valetta) 「Ah, it seems that those lines make the impression greater, don’t just believe it blindly…… No, in this world, I’m not sure if this will be true or not . 」(Kazura) When he considered the current situation where the nutrition from LipoD and the food granted extreme physical strength, the beauty goods that contained a lot of beneficial ingredients like collagen, perhaps would exhibit an astounding effect on the people of this world . Nonetheless, since it will be troublesome if there are some bad effects on the skin, before using it for real, it might be better to use it a little on the back of the hand and see the response . If the beauty goods that he gave had any bad effect on a girl’s skin, just apology won’t be enough, it’ll be harakiri . 「Tonight, let’s use a bit on the skin and see what happen tomorrow morning . Since there is a possibility it doesn’t suit your skin . 」(Kazura) 「That’s true . 」(Valetta) In the first place, not only Valetta is still young, but thanks to the effect of the food that Kazura brought, her skin and hair were in a very good condition, so it might be difficult to confirm the effect of these beauty products . However, it would be a different matter about maintaining her condition, there might be a long term difference . Valetta was still a young girl, so she should have an interest in this kind of products . After both of them read the instruction of the beauty product, Kazura took out a shampoo from vegetable source and conditioner from the bad and explained briefly how to use it to Valetta . Afterward, Valetta asked once more about the plan in Isteria next time and he spent dozens of minute to explain it . After he explained almost every plan that he likes to do at the current point of time, they took a break while drinking a warm chamomile herb tea . 「Ano, Kazura-san . 」(Valetta) Kazura was fully relaxing while enjoying the herb scent, when Valetta who sat beside him took out a small cloth bag from her waist and presented it to Kazura . 「What’s this?」(Kazura)
「Please open it . 」(Valetta) Kazura opened the cloth bag and inside there was a small woodcraft cylinder pendant . On the face of the pendant there was a pattern carved in it, it was a carving of what looks like an image of a lavender flower . He didn’t know what is used to carve the pattern out, but it was an amazingly skillful carving . 「Ah, there is a scent of lavender……」(Kazura) That necklace had a faint scent of a lavender . Kazura’s nose twitched at that scent and Valetta made an embarra.s.sing smile . 「I tried to make an aroma pendant . I made it hurriedly during the day, so it might not turn out well……」(Valetta) 「How should I put this, this is so good that it could even be sold in the market . To carve this so beautifully, your finger is really skillful… . . An aroma pendant, right? The one with hollow in the center?」(Kazura) An aroma pendant was a pendant that was hollow in the center where a cloth soaked in aroma oil inserted into, it was a pendant that could be enjoyed on the design and the scent . Since Kazura had given several books about aromatherapy and oil to Valetta, she might have read about the pendant in those books and tried to make it using wood for Kazura . The dimension of the cylinder pendant was about 5 centimeters long, while the diameter was about 2 . 5 centimeter . There was a wooden stopper lid at the bottom so there was something soaked in aroma oil inserted through it . 「Yes, inside it there is a cloth soaked in lavender oil . I wish that you wear this during your trip in Isteria……」(Valetta) Valetta said it while being embarra.s.sed, so Kazura nodded with a ssmile . 「Thank you . When I’m there I will wear it close to me . 」(Kazura) 「……That’s good . 」(Valetta) When Kazura replied so, for some reason, Valetta broke out a complicated smile just for a few moment . But he quickly fixed her expression and then took out a machine blueprint from the file folder placed nearby her and then started to ask Kazura about how the machines mentioned in it were used . ✦✧✦✧✦ Noon, the next day . At Grisea Village’s entrance, Kazura was exchanging farewell with Valetta and the other villagers . In the end, Valetta’s barrage of question continued until late night, the time when they went to sleep was close to 2 o’clock in the night . Nevertheless, since Kazura slept until 8 o’clock in the morning, his body was in a good shape . Several carriages behind Kazura was fully loaded as they were transporting the electronic appliances that he received this morning in j.a.pan’s mansion and the water turbine generator that he transported to the village yesterday, then the cardboard containing the large amount of groceries he purchased in the supermarket this morning and the cooler box packed with frozen foods . The content of the cooler box was frozen vegetables, meat, and seafood . Since last time the ice completely melted up, this time he put a lot of ice until there wasn’t any gap that could be seen between the frozen food . He put quite an amount of dry ice this time, so he wouldn’t see a disastrous scene where everything melted when he reached Isteria . 「I plan to return in one month, but if something happened or there is something important, then……」(Kazura) 「Yes, we will immediately inform you, right? Kazura-san too, if there is anything we could do then please say so . Since everyone will come in haste to a.s.sist . 」(Valetta)
Valetta answered with a cheerful expression, so Kazura felt a relief inside his heart . Last time when he was leaving Grisea Village, he noticed that Valetta had an expression as if she was trying to hold back her tears . However, seeing how she was this cheerful, it seemed she was fine with the parting this time . Until Kazura returns next time, she ought to pa.s.s her day in the village lively . Kazura waved his hand while Valetta and the villagers sent him off as he boarded the carriage and left Grisea Village . ✦✧✦✧✦ After sending Kazura off, Valetta returned to the residence with Valin and carried every book that had been left in the living room to her own room . She took a book t.i.tled 『History of Metal Smelting』 from the pile and flipped the pages . 「The photos are certainly…… There . Perhaps this will going to be fine . 」(Valetta) She found the page that had the color photo of her objective and put a cloth on the page as a subst.i.tute for a bookmark . She put the book inside the sack placed in the room, in addition she also put one cloth towel into the sack . Furthermore, she wrapped the leather belt placed at the corner of the room to her waist where she inserted a short sword at her back . After she got her equipment ready, she took the sack and left her room into the living room and step down to the ground floor . In the ground floor, Valin was washing the dishes used for lunch . 「Hm? Leaving out?」(Valin) 「Yes . I will go to the mountain with Lodurr-san and return at dinner time . 」(Valetta) At Valetta’s answer, Valin made a confused expression . 「To the mountain?」(Valin) 「Yes . Perhaps when I return, it will already dark, so I’ll leave the dinner making to you . 」(Valetta) Valetta answered so and quickly headed towards the residence’s entrance . 「What are you planning to do there? Furthermore, I believe the mountain is quite far……」(Valin) 「I want to search for iron ore . If I run then I think it won’t take much time, it will be fine . 」(Valetta) Valetta answered Valin’s question with a smile and then after saying 「I’m off」 she left the residence . 「…… Iron ore? What’s that?」(Valin) Valin who was left alone, inclined his head in confusion while still holding the rope brush in his head . ✦✧✦✧✦ Valetta exited the residence and then headed towards the village’s entrance where she had just parted with Kazura not long ago .
In the village’s entrance, Lodurr had been waiting for her . On his back was a hatchet and empty backpack tied together . Other than these, he didn’t carry anything else . 「Lodurr-san, thanks for waiting . I will be relying on you for the guidance . 」(Valetta) Valetta bowed her head to Lodurr and took out the aforementioned book from the sack before she opened the page with the bookmark . Lodurr went hunting every autumn on the mountain that could be seen in the distance, so he knew the mountain terrain really well . Since it will be an immense effort to search the mountain around for the iron ore by herself alone, Valetta seeked the cooperation from Lodurr who know the area well . 「I want to search for this kind of stone . Have you ever seen it?」(Valetta) 「Ah, I often saw this red one beside the mountain river . I also often find this black one in riverbed…… By the way is the picture in this book really a picture? It had been drawn really well . 」(Lodurr) 「This is called photograph, it’s a drawing produced by a tool that could catch and reproduce a true image of a scene . Kazura-san had informed me so . 」(Valetta) 「Oh, that’s amazing . 」(Lodurr) Valetta explained about the photograph and Lodurr nodded with great interest . The reason why he wasn’t that surprised might be because he had gained tolerance from seeing the many tools that Kazura had brought . After seeing something with a great impact like the agricultural tractor, perhaps he already wouldn’t be surprised that much anymore . 「Then, shall we go now? We will be running . 」(Lodurr) 「Yes . 」(Valetta) Lodurr saw Valetta nodded and then began running towards the distant mountain . Valetta also running with the sack in her hand and lined up beside Lodurr . 「Are you fine?」(Lodurr) While running at the speed that could surpa.s.s the first place runner in Hakone-Ekiden long distance relay running, Lodurr asked Valetta who was running beside him . [1] 「I’m still alright . Let’s increase the speed a bit more . Since I need to return before dinner, let’s hurry . 」(Valetta) 「I understand . Here we go . 」(Lodurr) Lodurr nodded at Valetta’s words and increase the speed even more . Valetta also matched with Lodurr, increased her speed and lined up with him . While raising a cloud of dust, both of them accelerated, and now reached a speed of 40 kilometers per hour . ☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽ [1] Hakone Ekiden (箱根駅伝), is one of the most prominent university ekiden (relay marathon) races of the year held between Tokyo and Hakone in j.a.pan on 2 and 3 January . It is a popular spectator sport that draws large crowds (a million or more) along the whole route and receives full network television coverage nationwide over the two days . This ekiden event was so great that many university student runner describe it as the peak of their life . Takarakuji de 40 Oku Atattanda kedo Isekai ni Ijuusuru . Chapter 84