Chapter 11

First, it's the toilet.

I decided to start the Rasmor village reform plan with the improvement of the act of excretion, which everyone performs.

Some might think there are more pressing matters.

Usually, one would improve the villagers' food situation or devise a plan to increase tax revenue. However, the food situation in this village is not bad at all.

Furthermore, the Rockheart family has never faced a shortage of tax revenue.

The reason is simple.

The Rockheart family, as the rulers, do not need much tax.

The taxes levied by the Rockheart family are quite low, almost outrageously so.

Most of the residents of Rasmor village are farmers.

Even if the food situation worsens due to poor harvests, the low taxes allow them to store more.

Moreover, the grains and other items collected as taxes are mostly stored in the manor. In emergencies, these are released, so the villagers rarely suffer from hunger.

There are two reasons for the low tax rate.

First, the Rockheart family and their retainers can mostly provide for their needs through self-sufficiency, so there is no need to levy excessive taxes from the villagers.

While nobles might incur high social expenses for clothing and meals, the Rockheart family, being knights of peasant origin in a remote area, have no social obligations and thus no unnecessary social expenses, making it unnecessary to levy excessive taxes.

Second, since merchants only come twice a month, the village has not developed a monetary economy. Naturally, the Rockheart family has few opportunities to use cash, so there is no need to increase the taxes paid in kind.

For normal, legitimate uses of tax revenue, such as road repairs and other infrastructure improvements, the lack of infrastructure in Rasmor village means that most of these issues are resolved by the villagers' volunteer efforts.

Some might suggest that infrastructure should be improved, but there is no demand from the villagers.

Regarding military expenses, in this peaceful village, the only significant expense is the occasional update of the self-defense group's equipment. Even this is not a large amount, as the village earns cash by selling the materials and magic crystals from the monsters they regularly hunt.

The exact tax rate is unknown, but I estimate it to be around ten percent of annual income.

Despite the good food situation, the population of Rasmor village has not changed much in the past ten years. This is because epidemics occur every few years, and children and the elderly, who lack resistance, die.

According to the information I gathered from Nicholas, the infant mortality rate is high, with more than ten children dying each year. With about thirty children born each year, this means a mortality rate of over thirty percent.

While not all the causes are related to toilet conditions, I believe that if the concept of hygiene can be instilled in the villagers, it will help protect young children.

I entered the office and re-energized myself before approaching my father.

With renewed determination, I began, "Father, I have a request."

"I want to improve our family's toilet."

At my unexpected words, my father nearly fell off his chair.

"T-toilets...? Is that the result of today's inspection...?"

I nodded vigorously in response to my father's puzzled words.

"Yes. There is a concept called 'hygiene management.' It involves keeping the body and environment clean to prevent the spread of disease."

Father raised his hands, looking completely lost.

"Hygiene management? Is there a connection between keeping the body clean and disease?"

"Yes. Disease often originates from unclean conditions. Especially, feces and urine contain many sources of disease. If these sources enter the mouth, they can cause diarrhea or fever. For adults, it might just be a slight discomfort, but for young children, it can be fatal."

"Is that so? Children do often get fevers, but isn't that normal?"

"No, every disease has a cause. While not all diseases are caused by feces and urine, the current situation is not good..."

I emphasized to my father how unsanitary the manor's toilet was and how it could be a source of disease.

Currently, excrement is left outside until it is washed away by rain, flowing into the roads and around the houses.

So far, there is no sign of contaminated water entering the wells, but it could happen at any time.

Moreover, children often touch things on the ground without washing their hands. If the ground is contaminated and they do not wash their hands, they could be infected with bacteria like E. coli, which can survive on the ground for some time, leading to illness.

"Therefore, I propose placing barrels or buckets under the toilet to collect the excrement and dispose of them regularly."

"Placing barrels is fine, but won't they fill up quickly? What do you plan to do with these sources of disease?"

"The collected excrement will be buried in holes dug away from the manor. We will cover them with decomposed leaves from the forest, which will help break down the excrement, eliminate odors, and turn it into fertilizer for the fields..."

I suggested a pit latrine and the use of microorganisms for decomposition.

From what I remember, decomposed leaves contain many microorganisms that can accelerate decomposition like compost.

"We can clean the current toilet location, but it might be faster to build the toilet outside. We need to raise the floor to place the barrels or buckets, and we plan to build similar toilets in the village later."

During the inspection, I confirmed how the villagers relieved themselves.

To my surprise, they used the grass or shade in the fields outside their homes.

Father seemed skeptical about spreading the idea to the village but approved of building it within the manor.

I received paper and writing tools to draw the plans and began sketching on the desk.

(Quill and parchment. It's hard to write, but I can manage. I'll borrow a knife as a ruler...)

Holding the pen, I began to draw the plans I had visualized in my head.

(About two meters by one meter in size, with a floor height of one meter, making the total height about three meters... A hundred-liter barrel is too tall, so I'll use a wide-mouthed bucket. It needs to be placed on a cart for transport... It would be convenient to have the cart built in from the start. This means the floor height needs to be a bit higher...)

Struggling with the pen, I drew the three-view plans of the toilet.

My father watched with interest.

"How do you read these plans? Ah, the front, side, and top views. I see..."

Although my father's constant exclamations of amazement were a bit distracting, I completed the rough plans in about twenty minutes.

I then added details about the size of the hole, the structure of the ventilation, and the material of the bucket.

"This is what I have in mind. The location is up to you. If possible, please build similar ones near the retainers' homes."

"I understand, but how do I explain it..."

(That's true. It would be difficult for Father to come up with it. I should probably come out to Walt and the others...)

"I have a request, Father. I think it would be better to tell the retainers about my secret. That way, I can explain it."

Father thought for a moment and murmured, "You're right, Nicholas might already know."

"I'll consult with Father. It might be best to tell Bertram as well. I don't want to spread it too much, but the retainers and their families are like family. Bertram can be trusted, considering his friendship with Father."

It seems my grandfather and father decided to tell the retainers and their wives about my secret.

The next day, the retainers and their wives were called to the manor, and my grandfather explained the situation in the hall.

I was not present, so I don't know their reactions, but when I met Walt and Molly later, they acted as usual, and I couldn't help but relax.

However, their usual behavior made me wonder.

(No matter how much Grandfather talks, shouldn't it be creepy? Their reactions haven't changed at all...)

My grandfather revealed the answer.

"Our retainers all thought something was up with you. They had the same reaction as us. Hahaha!"

Grandfather laughed heartily.

(So, my acting was completely terrible... Is it good or bad? Are Mel and the others aware too?)

Seeing my expression, Grandfather became serious.

"Rod will talk to Matt when the time is right. We'll talk to Melissa and the others afterward."

I nodded, thinking it would be awkward to talk to my brother first.

Walt and Nicholas were discussing my plans.

I watched from a distance but couldn't help but ask,

"Is there a problem? If you have any questions, please let me know."

Nicholas was slightly surprised by my sudden question but welcomed the opportunity to consult.

"We understand the plans, but we're not sure where to build it. Walt suggests the north side, which is less conspicuous, but I think the east side, near the forest, is better."

It seems they were struggling with the location.

"Walt's suggestion might be better. The north side is closer to the water source for handwashing. However, don't place it too close to the well. If it overflows during heavy rain, the water could become contaminated."

They seemed to agree and decided on a slightly lower spot on the north side, about ten meters from the manor.

(Who will transport the buckets? Will they hire someone from the village?)

For now, the retainers will handle it, and once they understand the process, they will spread it to the villagers.

The next day, Craig, a carpenter, began construction.

The retainers helped, and the manor's toilet was completed in just three days.

The floor height was about one meter, but the slope was used to reduce the stairs to three.

I explained the importance of handwashing, so a bucket of clean water was placed next to the entrance. Water could be scooped with a ladle to wash hands.

(I'd like to be able to wash both hands, but the water supply is a problem. Maybe I should make some soap...)

Looking at the back, a path was made for removing the buckets, leading to the stables. At the stables, a disposal hole was dug next to the barn.

According to Nicholas, the smell from the stables would mask any additional odor, so this location was chosen.

(Well thought out. The path is slightly downhill, making it easier to transport the heavy cart... The horse manure can also be composted.)

I instructed that the horse and cow manure be collected in one place and covered with decomposed leaves.

(Maybe I should add some earthworms to improve the soil quality...)

Work began on the retainers' toilets and was completed three days later.

The smell inside the house and garden was gone, and the family, initially confused, gave it a good review.

However, on rainy days, they had to wear raincoats and their feet would get wet, which was not well-received.

(Inside the house would be more convenient. It would be difficult in winter. But farmers go outside even in the dead of winter. What do they do when it rains?)

The toilet inside the manor was cleaned, and a winter toilet was planned.

With the manor's toilet improvement complete, I made further requests to my father and Nicholas for spreading the idea to the villagers.

"Along with the toilet reform, please also spread the following points. One, collect and process animal manure in the same way. Two, encourage frequent handwashing, especially before handling food. Three, do not give raw well water to infants or those who are weak. Four, keep dishes clean. Five, wash wounds thoroughly with water..."

I had prepared a list of basic hygiene practices and explained them as I showed it.

They looked puzzled and grumbled.

"None of this makes sense, but is all of this necessary?"

In response to my father's question, I nodded firmly.

Nicholas also grumbled, "Do we really need to enforce all of this..."

"It doesn't have to be all at once, but please enforce the first two points. This alone will have a significant effect."

Impressed by my confident explanation, my father and Nicholas began discussing how to spread the information to the villagers.

Thus, my Rasmor village reform plan began.

I finally started something that could be called internal affairs, but I wonder if it can be called an internal affairs cheat.

Well, the protagonist, like me, is quite a clean freak.

Usually, one would start with agricultural reforms or increasing tax revenue through specialty products (like salt or glass), but this seems a bit off.

By the way, I considered a dry compost toilet, but since it's not familiar to Japanese people, I based it on the Edo period's pit latrine.

I look forward to your comments and feedback.