Volume 1 - CH 19

Chapter 19 [At the lake town, part 2]

[Good afternoon]

Gripping the request slip in my hand, I opened the door of the adventurer's guild. Maybe it has something to do with the location, but there is a fishy odor that followed.

[Ah? What is it, little girl]

Responding to my greeting was a man who came out from behind the counter. With hair as white as snow and an old hardened face, he was of advanced age.

Smoking the pipe in his mouth, he observed me with his sunken eyes. Between here and the mining city, I wonder if the guild's receptionist could be more amicable.

[Erm, I would like to accept this request]

As if to escape his gaze, I unveiled the request slip in front of him, to which he muttered [Oh, this] as he extinguished his smoke.

[Well, I don't mind if you accept it but it's fishing you know? Do you have any experience as a fisherman?]

He scanned my body as if he was mocking me and continued with [From the look of those arms, I doubt so] as he laughed.

Haa? It's about the arm again here? Distasteful.

[Despite appearance, I have the experience of working in a mine. It isn't wise to stereotype I think] which he replied [What's a stovepipe?] as he titled his neck. Oh, he is an uneducated person I see.

[Leaving that aside, I heard that I can rent boat here]

[Yes, there is. Here]

Pulling myself together and asking, the man exited the counter and headed to the front. Following him, I was escorted to a boat anchored at the harbor.

[This is the boat]

...What is this half-submerged boat.

That was my first thought. The sail was soiled brown and the ship is ridden with holes. Not to mention the main body was making creaking sound due to the waves of the lake, it wouldn't be surprising if it sank anytime.

[...And what is the rental fee for this?]

[10000 Fol]

This wreck? I almost blurted out my thoughts but manage to control myself.

...I forgot. On the adventurer's guild bulletin board there is a bunch of requests that isn't worth doing.

[...Very well. I will rent it]

That was my answer after giving it some thought. It would need to be repaired but there is no other way.

[Hehehe, thanks for the business. Well, do your best]

Receiving the payment with a jovial grin, the man waved his right arm haphazardly while departing from the harbor.

Gununu, just you watch. I will show you what I can do! Don't underestimate alchemy!

Facing that back full of composure, I complained in my heart.

◯ ◯ ◯

[Alright, let's start with the repair first]

After eating a late lunch in the form of a taco filled with vegetable that I bought from the main street, I confronted the half-submerged boat.

According to the recipe book, it seems like I can craft a new boat by using this as base. But I wonder if it will fit inside the cauldron. No matter how, it’s a boat meant to hold a person......or so I thought as the cauldron vacuumed the boat along with the water of the lake. Ooo, I haven't seen the cheat this cauldron is capable for in a while.

Not only me but the people who were strolling and fishing were all surprised so [It's nothing! Sorry for the bother! I am doing alchemy] as I tried to cover up what was happening. They probably didn't understand what I was saying.

With this and that, the crafting of the boat was completed, and as if it was reversed playback the completed product was spitted out from the cauldron.

However, the sail was missing which was weird. After investigation, it seems like the sail must be created separately.

[Ah, cloth again huh]

Since the boat's locomotion is in correlation to the wind, the sail has to be sizeable. Needless to say, a decent amount of cloth would be needed.

I encountered this issue previously but, cloth aren't natural resources so there is the issue of not having enough. This time too it was the same.

[Uhm, whatever should I do]

While going through the recipe book, I took a glance at the direction of the main street. If I recall, there were beautiful dyed scarf and cloth being sold as gift. Should I use those?

[No no. I can't imagine how much cloth is needed to make the sail. If I use presents as ingredient, no matter how much money I have it wouldn't be enough]

Laying that idea to rest, my sight rested on the recipe book again. I wonder if there is something like an auto rowing oar.

[Oh, there is something good]

What I found was something named 「Outer Motor」. Simply put it's an outboard motor, the engine for small ship.

[Material are......steel and oil and gunpowder and......]

Similar to the bathtub I made before, the quantity needed is a lot but I happen to have enough. Within the large quantity rock, I gathered at the mining city are iron ore mixed inside, I am thankful I do not lack steel.

[Alright, it's complete!]

From within the rainbow-colored process, an engine that I often see from television show appeared. In fact, it's exactly the same.

[Ok, this area should work]

Copying what I seen, I attached it to the boat. Firstly, let's take it for a test run.

[Ooooh, it feels great---!]

In my original world a license would be needed but as there is no driving school here, the controls are sloppy too. Just by chanting [Advance!] the boat went full throttle. The suddenness almost made me fall into the lake]

Incidentally, the fuel seems to be infinite. I wonder if this is the work of the ultimate cauldron too.

[Bend right there! Left now!]

When I gave the command, as if there was a voice recognition system the boat changed its direction accordingly

The boat was moving at speed that was impossible to achieve in this world and the waterfowls on the water surface was looking with shock.

[Haa, that was fun]

After having my fill of the enjoyable cruising, I headed back to the harbor. It was an exhilarating feeling which was different from the feeling of riding the witch's broom.

[That's right. I half-forgotten it but the original aim was fishing. Fishing equipment are needed]

Setting the cauldron on the boat, I started preparation to make fishing tool.

The next thing on the menu was the fully automated fishing rod. Previously, when I disassembled the fully automated pickaxe, the fairy stone were refunded to me so I can recycle them here.

[Alright, complete!]

Repeating the familiar process on tossing material into the cauldron, what I got in return was 10 fully automated fishing rod. With this, it's the same as employing 10 fishermen.

[Nn, I did whatever I could today. The work will begin tomorrow so let's rest at the inn]

Overlooking at the reborn boat once again, I returned to the inn.

...By the way, dinner was Acqua pazza made using the ingredient from the lake. Dishes made from the cauldron are delicious too but nothing beats hand made.