Chapter 98

I thought it would be a day of rest, but looking back, it was a dense day, and I ended up musing until dusk.

Ah, on top of that, there was the issue with Teisha... In the end, it turned out to be a busy day, and I felt even more dejected.

When I trudged back home, Riz was already in the kitchen, looking quite satisfied as she helped with dinner.

"Ah, Hiro. Welcome back. The soap you made is getting great reviews."

She said it with a proud look. Yeah, she's cute.

It seems she had spread the information through the ladies' network.

"Did you tell them that a lot of hot water is needed to use it?"

She looked puzzled at my question.

"Is that so? Everyone asked how they got clean, so I just told them that using the soap you made would make them clean."

Her words made me feel a chill. If those ladies come in a large group, I won't be able to handle it.

I decided to start by recommending hand washing. Ast hasn't returned yet, so there's still time before dinner. I headed to the shed to start molding the soap.

I cut pieces of the soap with a spatula and pressed them into the smaller mold using the top and bottom boards. When I couldn't press any more, I added more soap and pressed again.

Once the mold was filled to the edge, I removed the finished piece. The blocks were about twice as thick as the soap in hotel and inn amenity kits.

Ideally, I would like to shave the edges to make them rounder and more user-friendly, but for now, I'll just wrap them in paper and tie them with rough string.

I turned a pot of oil into soap, and it turned out to be a decent amount. It would be enough for the Ast family, but not nearly enough for the whole village.

I regretted not stopping Riz, but I figured I'd need to advertise it eventually, so I decided to let it be.

I placed the wrapped soap in a well-ventilated, dry place. To produce a certain amount, I checked the oil for the animal fat candles.

It seemed Teisha had followed the same steps I used when I made it, as there was no smell of decay, just a faint odor of used oil.

I still had some oak wood left from before, so I started a fire by transferring the flame to a small branch and fanning it to increase the intensity. I decided to wait, fanning until it burned out.

While waiting, I reflected on today's encounters.

But, Dianine and the chat were quite unique... Since coming to this world, I've often met unique people, but they felt especially so.

Well, the chat's accent might be the reason for that impression.

Then there's the 'Detection' skill. Every time I get a new skill, I think it's helpful, but the problem is that I don't know how to use it correctly. I know it's a luxury to complain, but...

To detect where an object is... I'll try testing it with Riz, the most straightforward option.

I imagined Riz's detailed information in my head and tried to think about where she was. Vaguely, the direction where Riz was located came to mind.

However, this isn't practical. Even in games, I can't think of anything that comes to mind. Hmm...

Then, I imagined the CAD screen I used at work, with a cubic grid of 1m intervals on each x, y, and z axis.

I placed myself at the center and tried to imagine where Riz was.

A 3D image of myself and Riz appeared in the grid in my head. Hmm. This way, I can determine the direction, distance, and height.

I'll practice using this method. Adjusting the grid size should allow me to get more detailed information.

But how do people in this world master this skill? Even with 'Alertness,' perception skills vary greatly from person to person.

Well, senses are ambiguous, so thinking about it is probably futile. I just need to use it in a way that works for me.

By the time I finished thinking, the oak wood had burned to white ash. I adjusted the amount of material and water and started stirring. I just need to wait for it to settle and then collect the clear liquid on top.

As I was thinking this, Riz came to the shed and said dinner was ready. I hurried to the living room so as not to keep her waiting.

While eating, I listened to Riz's heroic tales of the day. She seemed so happy that the more I listened, the more I realized she had spread the word in many directions. My stomach felt heavy.

Not only is increasing production difficult, but spreading the correct knowledge is also challenging. I thought I should start with hand washing and face washing.

After dinner, while taking a break and talking with Riz, an eager Teisha appeared.

"Hey, hey. Aren't you going to take a bath?"

I was taken aback by how eager she was, but I headed to the kitchen's bathing area with Riz.

I told Riz to teach Teisha the proper way to bathe and to learn it well.

Since we would need hot water simultaneously, I asked her to boil it.

"I'll show you how to bathe, Riz, so please remember."

For now, Teisha would just observe. I filled a barrel with hot water and diluted it with cold water, then had Riz undress and get in.

"First, you soak in the water to soften the dirt."

Riz looked like a contented cat, resting her chin on the edge and sighing.

When her body was warm, I had her submerge her head in the water and then get out onto the wooden platform.

"This is where you wash your body."

I lathered the soap and washed her hair.

"Your hair is especially delicate, so gently massage it with fine bubbles."

I washed her scalp and hair gently.

After confirming there was no residue, I rinsed her with water from the barrel.

"Use a rag to wash your body. Don't scrub too hard, just wash gently."

Starting from her neck, I washed her from top to bottom.

I rinsed her with water when she was covered in soapy bubbles.

"Finally, soak in the water again to warm up your body."

I refilled the barrel with hot water and cold water, and Riz got in.

"Ahhh... I can't help but make sounds..."

Riz looked so happy, but I ignored it.

"When your body is warm, you're done with the bath."

I helped Riz out of the barrel, dried her off, and had her put on clothes.

"That's the whole process. Teisha, since your hair and body are dirty, please repeat the cleaning steps."

I also asked her to replace the water in the barrel after the first soak and wash.

"Why do you need to replace the water?"

Teisha asked.

"Because the dirt from your body and hair will dissolve in the water. The first time is especially bad, so you need to replace the water. For subsequent baths, it's not as necessary."

After that, since Riz's hair was still rough, I mixed some fragrant oil with water, gently applied it, and dried it with wind magic.

When the stillness spell was cast, I cut off the wind and gently lifted her hair. It felt smoother than yesterday.

"Wow, it's so smooth..."

She sighed contentedly. I wondered if she would be okay helping Teisha after this.

I went to dispose of the remaining water in the barrel outside. I didn't want to pour it on the floor.

I returned the barrel and refilled it with water.

"Okay, Riz. I'll leave the rest to you."

Riz, looking content, was eagerly pulled away by Teisha. I didn't want to see a married woman's skin, so I told them to call me when it was time to dry Teisha's hair and returned to my room.

I waited, lost in thought, but heard cheers coming from the kitchen. I guess Teisha is a girl too.

When I was called, I went to the kitchen. There, Teisha, who had become a super beautiful woman with a fresh look, was blushing.

"Gently applying the fragrant oil and drying it felt amazing. I can't go back to the way it was before."

Teisha said, and Riz nodded vigorously in agreement.

After drying her hair, Teisha, feeling the smoothness, was moved to tears and shook my hand vigorously.

"It's like I'm a different person. Thank you, I'm so happy."

She spun around happily and then rushed to the master bedroom, probably to show Ast.

"Wasn't it a lot of work?"

I asked Riz.

"Mom's hair is longer and there's more of it, so I had to wash it twice to get the bubbles out."

"Well, that's not too bad."

We talked a bit, and I sent Riz back to her room first.

Me? Since it was a good opportunity, I decided to dispose of the current water and refill the barrel. I wanted to take a bath too.

"Haah... Japanese people can't relax without a bath."

I muttered to myself as I bathed and continued to fetch water from the well.

The insects outside were starting their chorus, signaling the arrival of the cold season and the onset of winter.