Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 18. preparing for a journey and Departing (2)
As the sun set over the mountains, a large wagon bed was being assembled in the village’s central square, dyed in the setting sun.
It was modeled after a large, covered cart called a wagon, but the roof has been replaced with corrugated iron. It is built like a small hut.*
The galvanized iron is made from a special metal, making it thin, light, and durable, taking into account the burden on the horses. The children of the village explained the various aspects of the crafts on behalf of the busy craftsmen to me, so I became a little more knowledgeable about the craft.
At the end, Mr. Dolph installed the big wheel as the villagers and I looked on.
A barrel of sake was brought in to celebrate the completion of the project, and the craftsmen cheered.
“Flora, Gilbert, come on, let’s take a look inside.”
Barbara-san said to me, and I headed for the door at the rear of the loading platform. Feeling excited, I opened the door and…
“What?!”
“Wh, what is this…?!”
Gilbert and I were both stunned.
Mr. Dolph, Barbara-san, the craftsmen, and even the village children all looked very amused, satisfied that their prank has been a success.
From the outside, the loading platform looks like a small hut, but behind the door it is more than twice as large as it appears. Clearly, the exterior and the interior dimensions do not match. There is a bunk bed on the side of the platform, and even a small cooking hearth in the right corner of the entrance.
“Is this also magic…?”
I couldn’t think of anything else to say, but when I asked, unable to think straight, Barbara nodded with a big smile on her face, as if it were only natural. Mr. Dolph also lets out the loudest laugh of the day.
Apparently there are several other wizards in the village besides Barbara-san, and that this is a special carriage made by a combination of craftsmen and wizards. It may be a little late to say this, but this village may be something special and amazing.
“Well, it’s still a bit cramped for four adults. But we will have to take turns being the coachman on the journey anyway, so I think we’ll be able to manage.”
“Can you pull this with a horse ……?”
Gilbert asked.
True, when you see the inside, with its solidly constructed timber walls, the weight of the wagon is a concern.
“The weight is the same as a normal covered wagon.”
Dolf’s answer reminded me of the leather tool bag I had made during the day, and I was convinced. Mr. Gilbert still had a puzzled look on his face.
Afterwards, we will have a dinner party under the stars in the middle of the village to celebrate the completion of the carriage and to thank all the craftsmen who worked on it.
At the enthusiastic request of the village children, I made duck soup again this evening.
In addition, everyone will join together to prepare the main dish of the banquet, the village’s celebratory dish.
On a large griddle, the size of my outstretched arm, we lay out many meats, fish, peeled potatoes and vegetables, and fill in the gaps with rice, a rarity in this country. After pouring in a little water, we sprinkle spices and rock salt on top to add flavor, then cover the top with a layer of butterbur leaves, which we have removed from the top, and then cover it with another layer of bayberry leaves, and Myrtle leaves. The griddle is about the size of the palm of your hand.
The iron griddle has a rimmed edge about as deep as the palm of your hand, and the covered leaves act as a lid. To finish the process, a round iron plate is placed on top, like a drop-lid to act as a weight.
A shallow hole is dug in the ground and covered with charcoal collected from the blast furnace, and then cover it from above to steam the leaves. The leaves have a high moisture content and little oil, so they don’t burn easily. This is a dynamic cooking method unique to a village of blacksmiths.
Once the food was steamed, we removed the charcoal on top, and the large unburned leaves of the magnolia tree were lightly rinsed with water and used as plates for the finished dish.
The craftsmen, already drunk, were in high spirits and singing exotic songs, while the children were dancing around them.
“It’s lively, isn’t it? It’s a party to celebrate wish you a safe journey and to welcome you at the gate.”*
“You’re going to celebrate first?”
“Yes. it’s a kind of a crappy wishful thinking that since we’ve already celebrated first, it’s bound to be safe. But it’s not so bad, is it?”
Barbara smiled at me and I smiled and nodded.
Ever since coming to this village, everything has been fun, and even though it was only a short time ago that I left the royal capital, the bitter memories now seem like a distant past.
After the banquet, the luggage will be loaded onto the carriage and we will be leaving in the evening.
“Hey, isn’t it too early…? We can leave tomorrow morning…”
“What are you talking about, Gilbert? You really want to catch up with Lionel as soon as possible, don’t you?”
“That’s …… true. I’m sorry, Old man Dolph, but I appreciate everything …… you’ve done for me.”
“You can thank me when all is well and done. Make sure you earn money for the drinks, okay?”
Hearing this conversation between Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Dolph, I steeled myself. Our destination was the north of the kingdom, and we were heading to the battlefield. We couldn’t just be happy and excited.
I pulled myself together, straightened my back, and started carrying my luggage when Mr. Dolph suddenly tapped me on the shoulder.
“Flora, there’s no need to get worked up. Whether you enjoy this moment or put on a serious face, the result will be the same. It will go better if you have a relaxed attitude.”
With that said, Mr. Dolph smiled and returned to his loading duties, and I took a deep breath and followed behind.
There may not be much I can do. But I hope that I can be of some help to those who have already become so close to me in just two days, along with the happy memories I have left behind.
Before I left, the children of the village brought me a gift. It was a small wooden statue of the Goddess.
“Today, I got a nice piece of wood from big brother lumberjack, so I decided to make it!”
The boy, about 10 years old, smiled proudly. He told me that he wants to be a sculptor in the future. Although the sculpture is small, it is very intricate and beautifully made.
“I helped him, too! Look here!”
The little girl points to a small floral ornament that adorns the terracotta base attached to the foot of the goddess. The flowers are a little bit misshapen, typical of a young child, but that made it all the more adorable.
“Big sis, when you get back, make me some more soup!”
“If I had to name it, I’d call it the Soup Prayer Goddess.“
The boy who created the statue of the goddess said this with a proud look on his face. He was happy that I liked the statue so much, and it warmed my heart to think that the statue contained the children’s prayers.
Before coming to the village, I had nothing but the travel money Chelsea had given me and a few belongings, but I have unexpectedly found myself gaining many wonderful treasures here.
Tl note:
Fuki plant*蕗ふき*giant butterbur (Petasites japonicus); Japanese sweet coltsfoot
Asian bog myrtle; Yamamomo leaves.
Japanese big leaf magnolia