Chapter 10: The first morning the two spent together
Translator: Tseirp
The next day.
When I woke up, I turned my head as I felt the hard floor on my back while cramped inside a narrow sleeping bag.
” ... Oh yeah.”
Looking at Lit sleeping soundly on the bed, I smiled bitterly to myself as I recalled the conversation we had yesterday.
We had a disagreement on who would sleep on the bed last night when it was time to sleep.
Naturally, Lit offered to sleep on the floor while I also insisted on sleeping on the floor.
We reached a meaningless conclusion along the lines of ‘Let’s both sleep on the floor then.’ after an hour so in the end, I won in scissors-paper-stone and slept on the floor.
“What a fruitless quarrel.”
I was already used to camping out so sleeping in a sleeping bag was not a big deal to me.
Now that I think about it, it wouldn’t have been an issue if I slept on the bed either.
“Well, there’s no point thinking about the past. I guess I’ll prepare breakfast.”
During summer in Zoltan, the days were hot even from the morning. It was already autumn in other places but it would take another month before Zoltan entered autumn.
Cicada cries could be heard from outside and I half found it irritating but also half found that it gave elegance to the summer season as I crawled out of the sleeping bag and headed to the washroom.
“Uhyaa, it’s warm?”
The water stored in the water jug did not cool down during the night and was instead slightly warm.
“Ah~ It would be the Zoltan’s way of living to laze around at home during days like these.”
However, washing your face with such warm water would not be refreshing at all. I guess I’ll have to take the trouble and draw water from the well.
☆☆
I balanced four water-filled jugs on the ends of two poles and carried them.
Fundamentally in Zoltan, the water from the creak was used for domestic uses. The water drawn from the well was used for drinking.
In addition, alcohol beverages like diluted wine or ale were also popular as replacement for drinking water and these alcoholic drinks were also consumed by children.
“Huff ... things would be a lot different if Divine Protections capable of magic was more common ...”
I placed the water jugs in a dark area in the kitchen. In such heat, placing them in direct sunlight would turn them into hot water in a blink of the eye. Maybe it was even possible to boil an egg.
“Egg huh, maybe bacon and omelet? Lettuce salad and potato soup. Oh right, I didn’t buy bread yesterday. Maybe I can use the wheat flour to make crepe and wrap the salad and omelet in it.”
Since I had already decided on what to make, all that was left to do was make them.
Lit’s smile when eating came to mind when I was making breakfast. Looks like even though it was the first morning since Lit moved in, I had already gotten used to this lifestyle.
☆☆
“Morning~”
“Oh you’re awake, morning.”
I was just about to finish cooking when Lit greeted me.
She looked at my face and grinned before heading to the washroom to wash her face.
“Ah, there’s cool water in the kitchen, you can take it.”
“It’s okay~”
I heard the chanting of a spell from the washroom. I didn’t think that she would actually bother to use magic to cool the water.
“Sure is convenient.”
Thinking of the troubles I had to go through to draw water from the well in the morning, I really envy those with Divine Protections that can utilize magic.
I placed the food on the table during that time.
“Ooh~ looks good~”
Lit had returned from the washroom. In spite of washing her face, Lit still groggily sat on the chair. She was stretching her sentences and her pajamas was also unkempt with her shoulder showing.
“Lit, you’re not a morning person?”
“No, it’s because it was a different bed so I had some trouble sleeping.”
“I didn’t know Lit was so delicate.”
“Hum, thanks for the meal.”
Lit started eating her breakfast deliciously without answering my question. Despite saying she had a hard time falling asleep, she still looked satisfied. It didn’t seem like she couldn’t sleep well on my bed.
I smiled wryly and picked up a spoon.
The Zoltan lazy late summer morning passed slowly as we had small talk. She poured cool water with a lemon slice floating in it in a cup and gulped it down.
“Delicious.”
I unconsciously smiled faintly as I heard her satisfied comment amidst the cicada cries.
☆☆
After finishing our meal and cleaning the dishes, we drank cold tea as we discussed the plan for today.
“Should we dry the contents of your item box like mentioned yesterday?”
“Ah, we should do the important things first, I can do that anytime.”
“I see, then, it would be to get your bed and essential items right?”
“No no, my bed can’t fit in that room.”
” ... So you’ve been sleeping in a wonderful bed, no wonder you had a hard time sleeping.”
“That wasn’t the reason why I couldn’t sleep but anyway, I plan to buy a new bed. But I do plan to pick up the paintings or decorations that can be placed in the shop from my house.”
“Paintings?”
“Don’t underestimate the power of art works okay? Placing appropriate art works will surely raise sales.”
“Really?”
But it is true that a shop with a good atmosphere will have to power to draw people in.
“We can get the permission for the anesthetic alongside our shopping so maybe we can buy some gift?”
“That’s a good idea.”
Of course, it isn’t a law to have to present gifts to the official when sending in an application. There isn’t one but ... it’s unusual for a country to have strict rules against it even though it might affect the decision. Not to mention in a country known to be lazy like Zoltan.
Approval of a new drug is up to the judgment of the official in-charge. It would change according to the impression we made.
“Since you are an emerging Apothecary, it might be better to bring something more expensive. Since there is no credence for your shop.”
“Okay. I’m well versed in these kinds of negotiations.”
Rather than management of shops, I used to be in charge of negotiating with the influential people in the land during our journeys. Let’s see, a gift costing about 30 peryl should suffice. Precious metals that can be sold at close to the market price are usually preferred. I guess silver tableware might be reasonable.
“Not just for the gift, maybe we should buy some tableware for Lit’s use too?”
“It’s okay. I can use the same ones as you.”
“I do have a sufficient range of tableware but it was bought for single person use. I don’t mean that we have to use separate dishes but there just purely aren’t enough.”
“Okay then if that’s the case. I’ll pay for it since it will be for my use.”
“Please don’t buy any high-class tableware. I can pay for it since I’ll be using it too.”
Since I’ve been accustomed to living frugally, washing up would be terrifying if there were high-class tableware.
You might laugh at me and call me timid but if the plates in my hand equate to half a year’s worth of income, I would treat it excessively tenderly and the efficiency when doing housework would drop.
“You don’t need to treat it tenderly even if it is high-class tableware. Tableware are consumables after all.”
“Nevertheless.”
Moreover, I also did budget management during the journey. I was a little strict with money.
“I’ll follow your suggestion then. Next would be my salary.”
” .... Yeah.”
I swallowed nervously. I don’t think that she won’t ask for an unreasonable amount but ...
“How about a daily pay of 1.5 so it would turn out to be about 30 peryl in most months? Furthermore, since meals and accommodations are included, I think it is reasonable?”
I think it’s a little less compared to the pay for shop workers but like she said, food and accommodations were included so it could be said to be a sufficient amount.
But Lit was a B-rank Adventurer. Her previous monthly income should exceed ten thousand ... 30 peryl, in terms of her assets, was probably nothing.
However ...
“All right, let’s go with that.”
It would have weighed down on me if she said that she didn’t need any pay. I felt that I should somehow repay her as long as she worked for me. If Lit said that she didn’t need any remuneration, I would have tried to pay her a salary no matter what. I was aware that I was that kind of person.
And that sum would most likely be greater than 30 peryl a month.
That’s why it actually helped me when Lit quoted a sum according to the market price.
Ah, perhaps she said that she wanted to live in this house so that I won’t have to worry that much about the salary I pay her?
Don’t tell me Lit thought it out from the start!
“Thank you, Lit.”
“Eh? Ah, yeah, you’re welcome?”
She gave a blank look but as expected of an Adventurer who solved Zoltan’s problems in a solo party.
I didn’t say anymore and thanked Lit once again in my heart.