Chapter 85

A few hours later.

Kazura returned to the Balin residence just before sunset and was having dinner with Valletta.

The dinner menu consisted of thick omelets, vegetable soup, and leftovers from lunch.

Valletta had prepared a considerable amount of food for lunch that day, so about a third of the dishes were still left over.

In this world, the humidity is lower compared to Japan, so leftover food can be stored in a wooden box in a cool corner of the earthen floor and will last for about a day.

Balin, as usual, left early to do his nightly rounds, so only Kazura and Valletta were in the living room now.

“So, you’re going to continue with the development of farmland and the improvement of the city’s hygiene for a while, right?”

“Yeah, with the population continuing to grow, it seems that crop production won’t be able to keep up without food aid from other territories. We need to create more farmland in areas that haven’t been cultivated yet. But before that, we need to dig wells and mass-produce hand pumps, so it will take some time before we can start the full-scale development of farmland.”

“How long do you think it will take before we can start the development?”

“Well… considering the situation of the craftsmen in the city, it will probably take quite a while to start mass-producing hand pumps… I think we’ll have to ask the blacksmiths, but they seem to be busy with the production of weapons and daily necessities. We’ll have to squeeze it in somehow, but it’s hard to say how long it will take to start production.”

Kazura explained the planned work for Isteria in response to Valletta’s questions, which she had been asking since Balin left earlier.

“It would be difficult to do everything at once, so why don’t we start the full-scale development next spring? We need to make machinery for the craftsmen and ice houses, and if we start everything at once, we might not be able to keep up later.”

“Yeah, that’s true… It might be safer to limit this year’s work to well-digging and surveying the land for future development. We should focus on making the tools and machinery.”

“Also, when do you think we can start the flood control project?”

“I called the construction company earlier and asked, and they said that the plan for reinforcing the areas where floods have occurred in the past will be ready in a month. So, we need to arrange the personnel and the site before then… Ah, there’s so much to do, it’s giving me a headache…”

Kazura had called the director of the construction company that had taken on the task of creating the construction plans, and was told that the plans were progressing smoothly. However, it would take another month to hand over the plans for reinforcing the areas where floods had occurred, due to the time required for research on construction methods and procedures. The director, who answered the phone, said with an excited voice, “This is the most enjoyable work I’ve ever done.”

“But if we can get the construction plans in a month, it should be in time for the rainy season, which starts in May next year. Even if we estimate it to be short, we have about six months to work on the construction.”

“Yeah. The problem is the full-scale renovation of the entire river, which we’ll have to start later… It’s a project that will drastically improve the hygiene and living environment, so it might completely change the appearance of the city.”

“Does that mean you’ll be using mortar to install water supply and drainage systems in all the districts?”

“We will use mortar, but not in all the districts. It’s too extensive to do that, so we’ll probably start with communal water drawing and washing areas. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to create a sewage system yet.”

Kazura finished his meal while answering Valletta’s detailed questions and carried the empty dishes to the washing area in the earthen floor. The washing area was a simple setup with a large rectangular tray on a low wooden stand. The process of washing dishes involved using a rope scrub brush to clean the dishes on the tray and rinsing them in a bucket of water. If there were leftovers, they were placed on the tray and, after washing the dishes, taken outside with the bucket of water to be discarded in a hole dug in the ground, covered with soil.

The people of Grisaea Village, who deeply understand the importance of food, rarely have leftovers, so the only things discarded are inedible parts like vegetable cores and peels. According to Valletta, the leftovers from the Nelson residence were fed to livestock like Myagi, so the methods of disposing of organic waste varied by location.

The two of them finished the dishes while chatting and, after dumping the water from the bucket outside, returned to the living room and sat down again.

“By the way, I bought you a souvenir, Valletta.”

Kazura took out a vinyl bag from a nearby Boston bag and removed a few beauty products, including a folding mirror and hand cream.

“Wow, such beautiful boxes…”

Valletta took the items from Kazura and marveled at the beauty of the box designs. She had seen empty cans and boxes from Lipod and canned foods before, but the beautifully designed boxes used for beauty products were something new.

“The containers inside are even more beautiful. These are beauty products for skin care. If you’d like, you can try them. There’s a medicated hand cream for dry hands, a moisturizing gel and toner to use before bed, and a day cream for daytime use.”

Valletta immediately opened the box labeled “Medicated Collagen Gel White” and started reading the instructions. Kazura, not very familiar with such beauty products, found the included instructions very helpful.

“…The claims are quite impressive. It says, ‘No need to fear freckles and sunspots! Bestow you with the ultimate radiance!!’”

“Yeah, those claims are usually exaggerated, so it’s better not to take them too seriously… But in this world, it might be different.”

Considering the incredible effects of Lipod and the nutrients in the food, beauty products containing large amounts of moisturizing ingredients like collagen might have surprising effects on the people here. However, to avoid any adverse effects on the skin, it would be wise to test a small amount on the back of the hand before using them extensively. If the beauty products he brought caused any harm to a woman’s skin, it could lead to more than just an apology; it could be a matter of seppuku.

“Let’s apply a little to your skin tonight and check the reaction in the morning. There might be differences in how well it suits your skin.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

Given Valletta’s already excellent skin and hair due to the effects of the food Kazura brought, it might be difficult to see the effects of these beauty products. However, over the long term, there would likely be a difference between taking care of one’s skin and not. As a girl of her age, Valletta would surely be interested in such products. After reading through the instructions together, they took out plant-based shampoo and conditioner from the bag, and Kazura briefly explained how to use them before giving them to Valletta.

After that, Valletta asked about the future plans for Isteria again, and Kazura spent a few minutes explaining. After finishing the explanation of the current plans, they relaxed with a warm cup of chamomile herbal tea.

“Hey, Kazura.”

While enjoying the aroma of the herbs, Kazura was relaxing when Valletta, sitting next to him, took out a small cloth bag from her waist and handed it to him.

“What’s this?”

“Open it and see.”

When Kazura opened the cloth bag, he found a small cylindrical wooden pendant inside. The surface of the wooden pendant was intricately carved, apparently depicting a lavender flower. It was carved with remarkable skill, though it was unclear what tool was used.

“Oh, it smells like lavender…”

A faint lavender scent emanated from the necklace. As Kazura sniffed the scent, Valletta smiled shyly.

“I tried making an aromatherapy pendant. I made it in a hurry during the day, so it might not be very good…”

“No, it’s good enough to sell. To be able to carve it so beautifully, you must be very dexterous… Since it’s an aromatherapy pendant, the inside is hollow, right?”

An aromatherapy pendant is a pendant with a hollow top that contains a piece of cloth soaked in essential oils, allowing one to enjoy both its design and scent. Kazura had given Valletta a few books on aromatherapy and herbs, and she had seen the aromatherapy pendant in one of them and made it for him out of wood. The cylindrical pendant was about 5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. The bottom was sealed with a wooden plug, and it seemed to contain a piece of cloth soaked in essential oils.

“Yes, it contains a piece of cloth soaked in lavender essential oil. I want you to wear it while you’re in Isteria…”

Valletta said shyly, and Kazura nodded with a smile.

“Thank you. I’ll wear it close to my skin while I’m there.”

“…Okay.”

Valletta answered with a slightly awkward smile after a brief pause, but quickly composed herself and started asking Kazura questions about the machinery in the files she had placed nearby.

The next afternoon.

At the entrance of Grisaea Village, Kazura was saying goodbye to Valletta and the other villagers. The questioning from Valletta had continued until late last night, and the two of them didn’t go to bed until around 2 a.m. However, Kazura had slept until around 8 a.m., and he felt quite refreshed.

Several carts behind Kazura were loaded with appliances received from the Japanese residence that morning, the hydroelectric generator delivered to the village the day before, and cardboard boxes and coolers filled with food items and frozen foods purchased from the supermarket that morning. The coolers contained frozen vegetables, meat, and seafood. There were also many ice creams, which had all been lost last time, and the dry ice was added in much larger quantities this time to prevent a similar disaster.

“I’ll be back in a month, but if any problems arise or if you need anything…”

“Yes, we’ll contact you immediately. And if there’s anything we can do for you, please let us know. We’ll all come to your aid.”

Kazura was relieved by Valletta’s bright response. He had noticed that Valletta had been trying to hold back tears when they parted last time, but this time, her bright expression suggested that the farewell would be fine. He hoped she would stay healthy and happy until he returned.

Waving goodbye to Valletta and the others, Kazura got into the cart and left Grisaea Village.

After seeing Kazura off at the village entrance, Valletta returned to the residence with Balin and moved all the books left in the living room to her room. She took out a book titled “The History of Metal Refining” and flipped through it.

“The photos are definitely… here. This should be fine, right?”

She found the page with the color photo she was looking for and marked it with a piece of cloth. She put the book in a burlap bag, along with a towel, and fastened a leather belt around her waist, attaching a short sword to her back.

After preparing her gear and taking the burlap bag, she left her room, passed through the living room, and went down to the earthen floor. Balin was washing the dishes from lunch.

“Hmm, are you going out?”

“Yeah, I’m going to the mountains with Rozuru. I’ll be back by dinner.”

Balin looked puzzled at Valletta’s response.

“To the mountains?”

“Yeah. I think it will be dark by the time we get back, so can you prepare dinner for me?”

Valletta said this as she headed for the exit of the residence.

“What are you going to do? And the mountains are quite far away…”

“I