Chapter 44

And so, Jill sought help from one person and one creature, and the table relocation was completed as planned.

Ignoring the slight damage that occurred.

"U-Uh, this turned out pretty bad, didn't it..."

Jill let out a dry laugh.

Matthew also had a rather ambiguous expression on his face.

"No, don't worry about it... hehe... There wouldn't be anyone to lend a hand if there was something dangerous, anyway... The repair costs will be high, but..."

Carol responded, trembling slightly.

Seeing the state of things, Jill genuinely felt pained.

First, the front door of the haunted house had been removed.

That would have been fine, but the door frame was also somewhat damaged.

A large cloth was used to hide the damage from view.

The floorboards were also cracked in some places.

One could say that the haunted house had taken another step closer to being a derelict building.

However, Gald and Karappa, who had accomplished this task, looked very confident.

"Give it up. If we tried to lift this table by hand, we'd need ten strong men. Besides, the floorboards were a bit rotten, and the floor and walls needed to be replaced anyway. Think of it as a shortcut and forgive us."

"Bukubuku"

"See, even he's saying it couldn't be helped."

"Why do you know that?"

"Well, that's just how I feel. Right?"

When Gald looked up at Karappa, Karappa nodded as if in agreement, clicking his scissors.

Jill chuckled, thinking that these two might actually get along well.

"Well, that's true. The three of us couldn't even lift the table..."

Matthew muttered, sounding resigned.

To move this table, Gald had divided the work into several steps.

First, he attached a sturdy belt to the table to hang heavy objects, and connected it to a chain.

Next, he set up a makeshift crane using a framework borrowed from a carpenter friend.

All that was left was to pull the chain.

Even with the tools, the table was heavier than the combined weight of two men and two women.

That's where Karappa came in.

Karappa was far stronger than ten grown men.

He did a magnificent job, pulling the belt and lifting the counter table.

Of course, there were a few damages, such as the door frame being damaged when Karappa entered and the floorboards being broken when he pulled the chain.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to call in people I didn't know... There was also a possibility of something that shouldn't be talked about being stored here."

Jill bowed apologetically.

"N-No! I understand completely. There was a 'demon' and all, so I can understand. I think a renovation was necessary anyway."

"Um, what about me, Miss Carol... Is it okay with you?"

Gald asked, tilting his head.

"I'm not sure, but if it's okay with Jill, then it's fine."

"I thought it would be fine since Gald and Matthew are in the same boat."

"I don't want to carry any more strange secrets, but... I guess it's fine."

Gald was convinced by Jill's casual answer.

"Alright, then... let's check it out."

Everyone's gaze focused on where the counter table had been.

It was a simple underfloor storage, something you might find in any home.

"Should I open it?"

"No, there might be some magical traps. Leave it to me."

Jill put on gloves and opened the storage lid.

Dust flew up because it hadn't been opened in years.

Fortunately, there were no signs of insects or mice, just a bit of dust.

"A cloth bag...?"

A light clinking sound came from inside.

"Metal sound? So, maybe gold coins?"

"Wh-What!?"

Gald and Carol looked at each other, their chests swelling with anticipation.

But Matthew, who didn't seem to have much hope, watched the cloth bag with a wary eye.

"Hmm, unfortunately, it's not something valuable."

Jill opened the bag and showed its contents to everyone.

"......Broken dishes."

Gald visibly showed his disappointment.

Matthew, who had a feeling it wouldn't be anything significant, looked unsurprised.

"That's probably it... Considering the history of this place, I didn't expect much in terms of wealth or inheritance. I was more worried about something inconvenient or dangerous."

"It's something inconvenient... This is quite expensive porcelain. And it's custom-made."

Jill took out a white teacup, broken in half.

"How do you know that?"

"Look at the bottom of the cup and the saucer. See the crest? It's likely from when the owner's ancestors were nobles."

A strange pattern with various symbols was drawn in a circle.

Carol gasped when she saw it.

"There's no mistake. This is definitely from my main family... the ancestors of the owner, the Andromalius family. And... this...!"

Carol reached for the cup Jill was holding, trembling.

"Wait, it's broken. Do you recognize it?"

"Yes... I broke one of these when I was little."

"Huh?"

"When I was about two or three, my parents were busy, and I was left here. I broke an expensive white porcelain cup and saucer. That's right... I remember now... Why did I forget?"

Carol began to speak, not really addressing anyone.

Her tone was as if she was asking and confirming with herself.

"Come to think of it, you said you were taken care of here."

Jill wrapped the broken cup in a handkerchief and handed it to Carol gently.

Carol's eyes welled up.

"Yes... The cup I broke was here..."

"There are a few more. They were all of excellent quality and were carefully wrapped and stored to prevent further damage."

"What a strange story... Broken porcelain is useless, after all."

Carol chuckled, but tears were in her eyes.

"The owner's wife comforted me when I cried over breaking the cup and said, 'This is a secret,' and hid it for me... But the owner also said, 'There's nothing we can do about stolen items'... So, he knew but pretended not to. Ah, how embarrassing..."

"Embarrassing?"

Jill genuinely wondered why she would say that.

"Because I forgot something important and was afraid of this building being a haunted house. I should have defended the owner, saying he wasn't the type to haunt a place."

"Well... It's understandable. You were very young. I'm sure I have many similar experiences. Besides..."

"Besides?"

"It's not a haunted house anymore."

Carol clapped her hands.

Seeing this, Jill and the others laughed.

"The interior is a bit damaged, but the foundation and pillars are solid. I think it's a highly recommended property for a store. Would you like to see the second floor?"

Carol wiped away her tears and spoke in a deliberately formal tone.

Her proud gesture had no trace of doubt.

"Then, let's see the second floor... and discuss the rent and conditions in detail."

"Yes!"

Carol nodded happily in response to Jill's words.

◆

Normally, real estate rentals are handled by agents.

There are tasks that only professionals can do, such as registering who lives where in the city or mediating disputes between residents. However, there was a bit of a problem this time.

"Miss Carol, I want to rent this place."

After touring the second floor and the kitchen, Jill returned to the store area. The suspended counter table had been moved and placed on the floor, and everyone was sitting on chairs arranged around it.

"Thank you!"

"But... how should we handle the contract?"

When Jill asked, Carol groaned and put her arms around her head.

"Umm... The real estate agent has disappeared, so, this time, can we have a direct contract between me, the building owner, and you, Jill? Or, if you know a trusted agent, we can have them mediate."

"I don't have a problem with that... but, will the paperwork be okay?"

"Yes, it will be fine. I used to work at a notary's office. The main reason for using an agent is to prevent issues with such buildings, but..."

"The issues have been resolved."

Everyone chuckled at this.

"Actually, I should thank you for that... but, I don't have much cash on hand... Could I offer a discount on the rent instead?"

"Oh, right, you quit your job, didn't you?"

Jill asked with a wry smile, and Carol's face clouded over again.

"Well... hahaha... I do have some assets, so I look rich. But it's just an appearance..."

Matthew interjected.

"But Miss Carol, you are the owner of this building, right?"

"Yes."

"That means everything inside is also yours, right? The counter table and the broken dishes could be worth some money."

"Ah... but, um..."

"Of course, I'm not suggesting you sell them. I'm sure Jill wants to keep the counter table as it is."

"That's right. I'd like to keep it."

Jill's words made Carol even more troubled.

"Um, in that case, I still don't have much cash... And the maintenance and renovation of the building will cost a lot."

"Speaking of which, can I contribute to the renovation costs?"

Carol was surprised.

"Huh? You would?"

"We did break the floorboards and the door."

"Ah, that's fine, don't worry about it..."

"But, you'll be fixing the floorboards and walls, and repainting, right? If I pay for the repairs and take the lead, it would be more efficient. In return, could you reduce the monthly rent? It would balance out eventually."

"Ah, please, I'd be grateful!"

Carol took Jill's hand, looking as if she was about to cry, and praised her like a deity. Jill chuckled and calmed her down.

"For me, it's a win-win, so no need to be so formal."

"No, I can't sleep with my head on the pillow. Please, anything you need. I'll dedicate my life to thanking you, Jill!"

"Everyone seems to like saying that... But my proposal is based on my own interests, so don't worry about it."

"Ugh, when I have money, I'll bring a proper cup for the opening, not a broken one."

"Oh, right, that reminds me."

Jill clapped her hands.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"If it's okay, can I have a few of the broken cups? I want to try repairing them."

"Repairing them... But, they won't be usable as practical items anymore."

The technique to repair porcelain and ceramics by gluing and painting them to look like they were never broken existed on this Algenes Island. However, it had a clear drawback: the items would no longer be usable for food or drink. The adhesives and paints were harmful to humans.

Even if the adhesives were harmless, the paint would eventually peel off after repeated exposure to hot food and water.

"Repairing them to look exactly as they did before... means they won't be usable."

"That's right."

"But if you don't mind the appearance, they can be repaired."

"Huh?"

Carol, Matthew, and Gald were all surprised by Jill's words.

"Ah, but I need materials. The lacquer is in the forest, and the flour is in the house... I just need the gold powder. Matthew, do you have gold powder?"

"Yes, I can get it from a precious metal merchant, but... what are you planning?"

"That's a secret until it's done."

Jill smiled mysteriously.

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