Chapter 87

After leaving Camilo's shop and arriving home, nothing particularly noteworthy happened except that Ridi attracted a lot of attention from the townspeople. She is beautiful, after all. I'm not sure if it's because she's an elf. The most troublesome situation would have been if Ridi got involved in any trouble, so I was relieved that didn't happen.

When we got home, everyone helped carry the luggage inside. I even let Apoita-kara into the workshop. Ridi also helped carry lighter items like root vegetables into the house.

After we finished moving everything in, it was time for a break as usual. Even though it's called a break, when we go out into town, everyone tends to do their own work. I currently have a special order, but I decided to spend the day as usual after asking Ridi.

I thought about working on Apoita-kara, but since it involves blacksmithing, I decided to put it off and instead made something I wanted in the workshop.

I gathered leftover wood from making sheaths and other items in the workshop. There were some decent-sized pieces, so I think I have enough for what I want to make. Using the sharpness of the knife, I cut out the parts from the wood. The sharpness is also due to magic, I think. From now on, I'll be more conscious of this when taking special orders. I cut the parts to fit together as much as possible without using nails, so it took a while, but I managed to secure enough time to assemble it, so I moved on to the assembly.

Eventually, I completed a somewhat misshapen miniature house, about the size of a palm. I don't know much about the form, so I just made it look like one, but I think the thing that should be enshrined doesn't exist in this world (at least, it didn't seem to be in the knowledge I was installed with), so I'll just leave it at that. I made a shelf from the wood I cut out and attached it to the wall, then placed the miniature house-like object on it, completing a "simple kamidana." As a former Japanese person, it felt a bit unsettling not to have a kamidana in such a place, so I decided to make one. It might be better to put it in the house, but personally, I think it fits better in the workshop.

I'm not sure if there are gods in this world, but I hope they'll be lenient. I don't even know if the gods that should be enshrined exist in this world.

I took a small plate and a small cup from the kitchen, filled them with salt and water, and placed them on the shelf. I need to add changing these to my morning routine. After bowing to the simple kamidana and clapping my hands, I started preparing dinner.

The next morning, after fetching water, I first replaced the water and salt in the kamidana with new ones. I don't want to waste them, so I use them in the morning soup. My actions don't change much until breakfast is over.

After breakfast, we discussed the day's work assignments. I will, of course, continue forging the mithril sword, but from today, Rike, Sermia, and Diana will start making general models. We need a decent number of deliveries in two weeks. Ridi decided to observe or, rather, supervise my work.

When I entered the workshop, I went to the kamidana and bowed twice, clapped twice, and bowed once more, praying for safety in today's work. I'm not sure if anyone receives these prayers, but having something like this helps me smoothly switch my mindset. It's worth it just for that.

While I was bowing (or something like that), Rike asked me a question.

"Master, what are you doing now?"

"It's a ritual to pray to the gods, passed down in my northern home."

"What about that unusual house-like thing?"

"That's a kind of simple shrine for each household."

"Wow, they have such customs in the north?"

"It might be just my family, and I don't know how effective it is."

I answered Rike's questions, which piqued her interest.

"Do you have a family name, Eizou-san?"

Ridi, who had been listening to our conversation, also asked a question. Come to think of it, I hadn't mentioned it.

"Yes. But as you can tell from living here, there are some reasons."

"I see, that's why you don't usually use it."

"Exactly."

Ridi nodded thoughtfully. She's the type who can't help but confirm things she's curious about.

"Master, can we do what you just did?"

"Hmm? Oh, sure, go ahead. It's not a secret ritual or anything."

Rike asked hesitantly, but I agreed because it's better if the whole family does it. When Ridi asked, "Can I do it too?" I also agreed.

I taught the four of them the two bows, two claps, and one bow, and I did it again myself. A human, a dwarf, a beastman, and an elf—people from different origins and races doing the same thing, just like saying "itadakimasu" before a meal, gives me a warm feeling.

This is how another "routine" was added to our home.