As expected, I can do nothing but increase the production of gunpowder.
I didnt know how much ti it would take to stabilize my company so that it could safely cover the living costs of the girls, were I to sell only soap.
Even soap takes lots of ti and effort to be made, but, more importantly, I realized I could raise my funds by increasing the production of gunpowder.
For the ti being, I managed to improve our living conditions in the camp a bit, but, even there, it will be hard for us to live like this for a long ti.
I want to quickly build a shop with a firm floor and roof.
Luckily, there seed to be a fair demand for bombs used for blasting purposes. A new order ca from Nattal from the Rosugo mine, whereas, the Earl, Donovan, wanted to buy so firecrackers.
As for the Earl, he saw beco desperate in searching for ans to raise money, so hes most likely doing this out of sympathy.
Well, anyway, if they want the gunpowder, then the only problem will be producing niter.
I need more niter, more soil with the fernted dungs of animals in it!
Louise, together with her apprentices, Suzanne & Claudia, will be in charge of supplying us with materials while making a living by doing monster quests near the city of Est, whereas, Lyle-sensei(?) and Viola will go pick herbs.
I had to choose people from out of my soap making group and form a new one that will be producing niter.
Master, Ill do it.
Laure? However, you know that making niter is quite hard in comparison with soap, right?
The process of making niter is simple, you could say.
You collect soil containing appropriately aged dung from an animal huts and boil it together with potassium carbonate (Yes, its the familiar scum that you use for creating soap) inside a hole in the ground or under the floor, where light doesnt reach. After that, you concentrate the mixture, crystalize it, then lt and boil it again, after which you crystalize the niter.
Nevertheless, despite the process sounding simple, the actual labor is much more troubleso.
Carrying large amounts of soil, mixing it with water, and boiling, just how much effort would it take?
For a young girl, it was quite a harsh job.
Whats more, in addition to drying up the soil, you had to gather human and animal dung, and even build a small hut for collecting niter at the sa ti.
Its a job that consists of sll, dirt, and many labor pains.
I can do it if you tell how it works.
Hmm, well then, Ill try and teach you, so Im relying on you.
The copper-red haired and brown skinned Laure is a daughter of a miner.
She is also a dwarf (from black spirits) with a height shorter than other girls and pointed ears.
Ive heard about female dwarves being physically more inferior to males, but, among all the girls here, shes probably the only one suitable for this job.
Upon teaching her, she generally grasped which soil she should collect and what the process of making niter is. Laure wasnt quick witted, but, she would do her job calmly and steadily while working twice as hard as others.
Whether she did good or bad, she was the type of person that would imrse herself in her job without looking aside, so perhaps, she could cope with this job of making niter that required lots of perseverance.
Later, Ill create a line of production for niter and entrust the rest to Laure.
If she can do her job well, I shall praise her. However, even if she doesnt, I wont get mad.
I entrusted Laure with making niter and decided to return back to Rosugo for now together with Lyle-sensei.
Loading our covered wagon with niter and goods, which the village was lacking of (such as cloths, salt and miscellaneous), we set off for a one day visit.
I was worried, since I would be leaving the girls in charge of the company, but, I made a request to Louise to protect them, as she seed to be dependable.
As soon as we arrived in Rosugo, we offloaded the items at a general store, after which I took the wagon and headed towards the Rhod family.
Once we stopped in front of this sowhat nostalgic farm, a blonde haired girl ca out to et us. I quickly apologized.
Sorry, Sara-chan. It looks like Ive been borrowing your horse for quite a while. Later, Ill make it up by paying you lots of money, therefore.
We dont particularly mind about the horse. We only use it during the growing season, so you saved us the cost of feeding it. More importantly, Id rather have Takeru apologize for constantly using my Sensei, you see.
Saying that, Sara-chan made a smile of satisfaction.
Did she treat Lyle-sensei too, as so kind of belonging? I was surprised by such a possibility.
Well, to begin with, its Sara-chans Sensei, so taking him away from her would be a bad thing, I think.
Im sure Sensei is currently catching up on the paperwork that had accumulated during his his absence, but
If you hadnt brought Sensei with you, I wouldve been able to study letters.
I see. In that case, Ill give you lots of howork this ti.
Ah, Lyle-sensei.
Gah!
I turned my face toward Lyle-senseis clear voice who had imdiately caught up with .
Sensei, have you finished sorting the docunts?
Sorting the docunts and sending them to the capital didnt even take five minutes. Recently, Ive beco unable to understand my purpose here, you see.
The very capable Sensei, made a bit of a loneso expression while saying so.
I guess, you could say that working in an office inside a village is similar to being demoted for him.
Still, I didnt know Sara-chan was this keen on learning. It makes proud as her teacher, you see. Im going to give her lots of howork.
Uwaaa, save ee.
Sara-chan dashed inside her house as if trying to run away.
After all, shes still a child, I guess.
For so reason, things have settled down since I arrived here.
Even though working on a plantation is severe, a farming village is quite tranquil in comparison with the hectic city of Est.
I felt the urge of wanting to rest here now.
However, it wasnt the right ti for that.
I had to collect sulfur, create bombs, and deliver the goods to the mine.
I too, had beco occupied with lots of things.
Goodness , your bombs are excellent indeed. Our work has been greatly progressing thanks to them.
What reached first was the voice of Nattal, the Rosugo mine governor, whom I hadnt t in a long ti.
I brought him bombs made from niter, which I had previously carried to this village. As I did so, I was handed over a full sack of Silesian golden coins.
Was he at the mining site again? As always, he looked muscular while being half-naked.
I wonder if hes always dressed like this.
With these, we can blow apart even that hard bedrock thats impossible to be broken with a miners hands. Normally, we wouldve had to call a high class magic user to pierce through that thing, so if we consider the ti for waiting, even one gold coin is cheap.
It looks like Nattal has worked out the best way to utilize the bombs and is now showing it in practice.
I also showed my fellow engineers from other mines how the bombs work, but, they were curious to try out the bombs themselves.
Is that so? Im glad to hear that.
I was grateful to Nattal, since I was worried if he wouldnt try to promote himself thanks to his influence.
No matter how much money it is, having a demand is important at the early stage of a company.
Later, if you want to sell your bombs to the state mines, I think its safe to go along the Ye mountain range. However, if you plan to visit the royal capital, you better pay enough attention, even to the road.
On my way back, I was given such a piece of advice by Nattal.
I had nothing in particular to do in the royal capital, but, Nattals comnt made a bit curious.
What do you an?
Apparently, monsters have beco more active near the royal capital for so reason. Even among the rchants, there are rumors about that place being dangerous.
Ah, now that you ntion it, I think Ive heard about the royal capital becoming boisterous.
Even the kingdoms chivalric order has had a hard ti protecting their territories. I would still understand if it was just a caravan of rchants getting destroyed, but, theres even been rumors about groups of bandits getting caught up in monsters attacks, so you should consider it a serious threat.
I think that the rumor about the bandits, who prey on rchants, isnt that bad, but, monsters becoming active is a scary thing indeed.
I wonder what the reason for that is. I beca a bit curious.
If we go with that theory, its possible the environnt will be destroyed or sothing like that.
It wasnt related to , since I didnt plan to leave the peaceful city of Est for the ti being, but..
While thinking so, I recalled sothing.
Lyle-sensei, about the herd of monsters that attacked the rchants and slaves nearby Est.
Thats right. Their trip was probably delayed due to the sudden outbreak of monsters outside the royal capital. Even if its not related to us, its better to pay more attention.
Lyle-sensei too, seed to ponder for a while.
As expected, do we need to strengthen our fighting strength even though we have just started to make a living from trading?
As I thought, this is world is indeed harsh.
However, Ive beco robust to that. I also noticed that those who are troubled will beco a source of inco in this worlds economy.
Taking into account the number that can be hunted, I beca able to see monsters as a source of inco.
Speaking of which, I want to make this, but, I wonder if it can be crafted by soone whos a blacksmith here.
Taking into consideration a plan to enhance our fighting strength, I decided to show Nattal so of my blueprints containing ideas I had thought of.
Following the production of gunpowder and bombs, I imdiately ca up with guns and cannons.
I was a bit reluctant about introducing this technology, which brought damage upon my world during wars, into this world.
Nevertheless, for the sake of protecting myself from those monsters, I, who possessed no magic power whatsoever, wanted those firearms.
Whats this, a hole made inside an iron rod.?
By detonating the gunpowder placed inside that hole, you can fire a lead ball straightly, using the force of the explosion.
Hmm, do we need to make sothing as dull as this?
If you want to attack an enemy, shouldnt it be fine to throw these bombs directly at them? Is what Nattal wanted to say.
Since Nattal was just an engineer, he probably couldnt imagine how effective a gun and cannon are.
Well, if I hadnt witnessed the real things myself or learned about their history, I too would probably have had the sa impression as Nattal.
For example, there should be those catapults in this world. The cannon, which I ntioned, can fire a large iron ball a far longer distance than a catapult. How about that?
Despite you telling so, its still hard for to imagine. As long you pay the necessary expense, I dont mind asking a blacksmith to craft the tube and balls, but, he might have never heard or seen sothing like this, so it might take him so.. no, actually, quite a bit of ti to make these.
Nattal wasnt sure about this himself, but, Lyle-sensei, who stood next to while listening, had his face turn pale as he snatched away my blueprint and looked at it intensely.
As expected of Lyle-senseis cheater detecting sense, could it be that he quickly understood my intention?
Governor Dacole-dono! Id like to ask you to manufacture these things, but, please do so using your utmost power.
O, Oh. Fine by , however, was Secretary Laertius always this ardent?
Even if you ask that, I dont know.
Nattal, seed to be surprised from witnessing Lyle-senseis rare emotions.
If we manage to make these, the whole concept of wars will be turned upside down.. Lyle-sensei, whose face was unusually stern, gazed even more at that clumsily drawn blueprint of mine while muttering these words.
Im glad he can understand it, but still
No matter how much it was, Senseis conjecture was way too sharp for soone coming from this world, which made pull back.
Having concluded our sale, we went to the Rhod family and took a breather there.
I paid them a generous amount of money for lending the horse, since I made quite a lot thanks to my previous transaction.
I can buy whatever I want without having to worry about money for now.
I think Ive already told you not to fret about the horse, but, how long do you plan on staying here?
Eh, so Im being a nuisance to you?
Being told like that by Sara-chan, I was a bit shocked.
I thought I had already beco a part of this family, but, I guess Im still an unwanted laborer.
Thats wrothats not what I an. You are always welcod here.
Well, its about ti I should check on the company in Est, so I was thinking if I shouldnt go back soon.
Hmph, is that what you an..?
I wonder if Sara-chan was in a bad mood. For so reason, it felt that way.
Well, after all, I was about to take Lyle-sensei with at my own convenience.
Ahh, thats right. I bought this gift for you, Sara-chan. If its fine by you, please try it on.
Oh my, this dress from Est is indeed lovely. Arent you quite thoughtful, Takeru?
What I gave her was a red apron dress bought in Est (child sized).
I thought it would suit Sara-chan, so I bought an extra set.
I also thought ahead and deed it was necessary for to have this family cooperate with . They were a family that raised cattle, so they could supply with soil and materials for making niter.
Like this, I made yet another future investnt and also was able to put Sara-chan back in a good mood.
Also, I brought you so drink called coffee, but.
Whats this? Its bitter, so I dont need.
Just as I thought, she doesnt like it.
Uhaha, it cant be helped. After all, shes still a child.
I too, used to consider bitter drinks in the sa way when I was small.
Later, I would drink coffee after adding milk and sugar, however, I soon realized that black coffee suited my taste much more.
Apparently, coffee has beco popular in the royal capital and is drunk by everyone from noble families.
Ehh? Is that true?
Sara-chan was a self-interested person, so as soon she heard about that, she decided to give her best and try to drink the coffee.
How about you start drinking it by adding sugar and milk?
Well, if its too sweet, it wont do as well, but.. this one is bitter.
Could it be that Sara-chan is longing for city life in her own childish way?
The coffee that I told her about was a caf au lait, but even so, she tried to drink it with a painful expression.
Thats right, Takeru. Its been a while since we last went to a hot spring. Shall we go again?
Ahhh, thats sound like a good idea.
As expected, perhaps, it was the best thing to do to recover from exhaustion.
Well, in any case, it ant Id be in charge of digging a spring once again, but
I tried to ask her sothing that had been on my mind since before, when we spent our ti together inside the spring.
Hey, dont you wear underwear?
Honestly, nobody in this village does such a thing.
No no, thats probably not true.
Is it because shes a child that she isnt aware of such things yet?
There bound to be lots of complication if a girl doesnt wear underwear, but
Well, she seed to be pleased with my gift, so I thought maybe I should buy her a pair of underwear the next ti we et
Once I fully recharge my batteries at the spring, well proceed to leaving the village.
Looking around the general stores and secondhand shops in Rosugo, I worked out what we should bring to replenish the villages stock when we co here next ti.
For so reason, goods here were overly expensive, as the stock was short of items. Perhaps, it could have sothing to do with the goods distribution being delayed, due to the increased activity of monsters near the road leading to the royal capital.
Thanks to that, I managed to sell the cargo, which I had carried here with , at a high price, however, I was a bit concerned about the market being slightly in unrest.
As expected, what we would carry with us from Rosugo would be iron-made goods.
Later, I thought about collecting large amounts of sulfur from hot springs, which is needed to make gunpowder.
Lyle-sensei and I set off back to the city of Est.
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