Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 17. preparing for a journey and departing ①*
In the village of blacksmiths, by the time the sky begins to lighten, all the furnaces are lit and the sound of the craftsmen striking iron echoes throughout.
Some of them had been working through the night since the previous night, and some, completely black with soot, were running around the village in the morning sunshine.
“Good morning, Flora. It was noisy last night, wasn’t it? Did you sleep well?”
“Good morning, Barbara-san. Strangely enough, I slept so soundly!”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Mr. Dolph and his team worked late last night, drawing up blueprints, lists of things they need, and making some kind of prototype. Some people don’t like the sound of people talking or noises when they sleep, but I think I rather fell soundly asleep with them as my lullaby.
Even now, from outside the window, I could hear the sound of hammers hammering iron, saws cutting wood, a brisk hammer hitting nails, loud shouts of people carrying something, and laughter. The village Is filled with sounds, but they do not seem unpleasant; they even sound like pleasant music.
After washing my face, I quickly start preparing breakfast for everyone.
The barley porridge is made with a base of corn soup made by sautéing corn and onions in butter, mashing them, and straining them, then adding potatoes, vegetables, and barley, simmering it, and finally sprinkling cheese on top. It’s a hearty barley porridge. We also prepared steamed chicken with herbs and more egg dishes.
“I’m starving…… I, I’m not going to make it…… I’m dying of hunger…….”
“Hey, don’t die yet! hold on, Mister lumberjack!”
“Big brother woodcutter, breakfast is almost ready! Hang in there!”
For some reason, Gilbert returned home supported by the village children.
“……By the way, boys, I’ve told you many times, I’m not a lumberjack,……! I’m just helping out today. …… Old man Dolph, you took a grudge when I lied about me becoming a lumberjack and spread it around…”
Surrounded by children, Gilbert’s shoulders slumped, but before he knew it, Mr. Dolph was standing behind him with a big smile on his face.
“What are you talking about? If you work as a lumberjack chopping wood all day, then it won’t be a lie, right?”
Mr. Dolph gives a hearty laugh as usual, while Gilbert pretends to cry dramatically and is being comforted by the children.
It seems that Mr. Gilbert had been out cutting wood since early morning.
Normally, green wood needs to be dried, but with the secret technique of this village, it can be dried naturally in a few hours.
“Ahh… it’s delicious, I feel revived… the food you make is so good, Ms. Flora…”
Gilbert said this in a heartwarming voice as he sat at the dinner table with the children, and gobbled down his breakfast. They looked so happy and ate so much, it made me, the cook, happy.
“Sorry, am I the only one eating too much? I’m afraid there won’t be enough for everyone.”
“Don’t worry, the magic pot is working well again this morning, and If we run out, I’ll make more. It’s fun and worthwhile to make when people are happy with it.”
“Soup Lady’s food is delicious!”
As we talked, Gilbert’s eyes lit up with joy as I handed him his third bowl of corn soup and barley porridge.
Mr. Gilbert has a dignified and surprisingly beautiful face when he is quiet, but for some reason, the way he eats his food reminds me of a big dog. Don’t tell him that.
After cleaning up after breakfast, I got to work making a bag to hold the equipment for the journey, as Barbara-san had asked me to do.
Using a treadle sewing machine that Mr. Dolph made himself, I sewed the tanned leather together. The inside of the bag is lined with a quilt of cloth sewn together and filled with cotton, making it a double-layered structure. I also pay special attention to the strength of the bag, so that it won’t tear even if it contains heavy iron pots or tools.
Once it was finished, I immediately put the pots and utensils I was going to take on the trip inside…yet.
“……? Barbara, is this magic, too?”
Strangely enough, the bag, which looks about the size of a single pot, already holds three pots and a medicine kettle, and there is still plenty of room inside. And yet, when I lifted it up, it was light.
Barbara-san is smiling with the gleeful smile of a child who has successfully pulled off a prank.
“You’re right! But you see, the magic is in that sewing machine. And the needle and thread, too.”
Then she came up next to me and looked carefully at the bag, which was full of pots and kettles, examining it from every angle and gently stroking the seams.
“Yes, it’s wonderfully made. Even though it’s got magic in it, you know, it doesn’t mean that anyone can use it at any time and it will do the same thing. …I was right to leave it to Flora.”
Barbara-san said, patting the leather tool bag I had made lovingly.
Maybe my experience as a seamstress helped me. I was so happy to receive praise that I felt like my heart was flying high.