CH 56

I returned to the rented house and lit the fireplace.

The fire was my pretense that I was home, but I also used it so that the spirit living inside the fireplace could tell me if there was a guest. The fireplace spirit was usually sleeping and hiding between the brick cracks or underneath the soot, but it would wake up and circle around once there was a fire.

The small spirits involved in my everyday life were weak, but there were some of them that could communicate with their fellow spirits even if they were apart. It was especially common among the spirits that were fixed in their places, and the fireplace spirit also had that power.

I requested the fireplace spirit to tell me if I had a visitor in the rented house when I was in my own home. I was expecting visitors today, though. As for why, well, I did escape from the guild halfway through the reporting, so Ash and Butler would bring my reward with them after they’re done at the guild. In return, I promised to let them take a bath here.

I requested it in front of Kaina-san, and I also asked her to hand the reward to them.

And so, I filled half of the rented house’s bathtub with hot water. It was to warm the bathroom, and also as a pretense that I already used. I couldn’t muster myself to use the soap here, so I planned to use the bathroom in my own house.

There is soap in this world, but they’re made from tallows, so it’s the soft kind. Shall I make some soap?

Oops, I should also kindle the stove.

「 I’m home, Riche. 」

I 【 Teleport 】 back to my house, and Riche came running towards me, so patted his head, before kindling the fireplace here.

I relaxed in the bath, and washed my body. It was too dirty so it didn’t foam… I ended up washing myself three times. So refreshing.

Riche and I then played afterward, when the fireplace spirit started to make a racket. Well, I did say ‘make a racket’ but there’s no way it would talk in human speech, so the fire burned up higher, and it crackled louder than normal.

「 Oh, guests, thanks. 」

The fire calmed down and went back to its original size when I called out.

「 Please wait for a bit. 」

I【 Teleport 】back to my rented house, faced the door and called out, then headed towards the bathroom. I drained the lukewarm water then replaced it with fresh hot water from inside my 【 Storage 】.

Puffs of warm air rose as I filled the tub with water that was a bit hotter than normal. A bucket for water temperature adjustment — okay. Towels — okay.

「 Come in. 」

I opened the door and invited the two people in.

「 Sorry to disturb you. Here you go. 」

Ash said as soon as she stepped through the door, and Butler placed the money sack on the table.

「 Thanks. I already prepared the bath, it’s a bit hotter than usual, and the towels are also the ones you used before. 」

Butler took a towel and a basket from the shelf on the bathroom wall, then he entered the bath. A splash resounded, so it was probably too hot for Ash’s liking.

「 Ojou-sama, the bath is prepared. 」

「 Mm. 」

I was also busy with the other preps while listening to their convo. Hmm, maybe I should really install a dressing room even if it’s a bit narrow, huh. I got the feeling that the towel and clothes might get damp when soaking for a long time.

「 Pardon me. 」

I was about to draw water from the well, when Butler switched with me, and he pulled the bucket rope. We put a huge pot on the fireplace and on the stove, and hot water for Butler was also done.

「 Please. 」

「 Thank you very much.」

We took a breather, and I offered Butler some tea with walnut pound cake.

「 If it is alright with you, could you please tell me where to order the bathtub that you have here? 」

It seemed that they wanted to make one using the commission they got from requests and selling raw materials.

「They make this in a city called Edy, Kingdom of Pasteul.」

「 Pastel…I see, it would take us six months in order to get it, so we will just make do with fashioning one out of wood.」

That would be three months for placing the order, and another three months for delivery. Moreover, bandits frequently appeared around the road, and it would also have to cross a number of countries along the way, so there was also a risk that it would be confiscated by some fief lord. In short, it’s safe delivery wasn’t guaranteed. There was also a chance that they wouldn’t be able to place an order right away, because of the line of aristocrats who heard the rumors and wanted one for themselves.

He probably misunderstood that it was my hometown, deducing from the potteries displayed in my house. It’d be weird if I went out of my way just to correct that, so just let it be.

「 As for the robe that you have lent to me, may I ask if you are willing to sell it to me? 」

「 Nah, it’s okay, I decided to make it from the start. 」

「 No, I wouldn’t be able to accept it, then. 」

It was decided that they would join the monster subjugation based on the results of our expedition, so he wanted to have it for that reason, apparently. So they would go camping again, huh…moreover, it seemed that they would be staying on location for several days.

The butler was fussy, so I decided to base the price on the monitor lizard skin. The cost for lizard hide would probably drop since there were many hunters this time around, so I didn’t add the manufacturing cost.

Halfway through our conversation, we transferred the hot water from the pots into a washbasin, then heated more water.

「 Noth, I’m done. 」

Ash emerged from the bathroom, looking toasty warm.

「 Drink some tea, Ash. 」

「 Let me help. 」

「 Ojou-sama, please rest 」

Ash had tried to help, but she returned back to her seat after being told off by Butler. He probably wouldn’t allow his master to prepare the bath of a servant.

I washed the tub a bit, then poured the hot water once a bit of water had accumulated.

「 Then please excuse me. 」

Butler carried the basket with his change of clothes and towel in it and he entered the bathroom.

「 Take your time. 」

I called out after shutting the door, then I returned to the table where Ash was.