Kays Translations

Chapter 59: The Shower Room Is Complete

The next morning, I received Rosalia’s letter. On bright green stationery, she had written “Thank you” and “I love you” again and again in her careful handwriting.

I placed it safely in my desk drawer and thanked her during breakfast.

“I received your letter. Your handwriting has improved greatly.”

“Thank you. I’ve been practising because I need to draw magic circles neatly.”

So her determination to improve at magic-tool making was also improving her handwriting. Two benefits from one effort.

“We’ll practise magic together this morning,” I said. “This afternoon, each of us may work on whatever we choose.”

“What will you do?”

“I’m going to inspect the training grounds. The shower rooms and soap may be finished.”

“May I come?”

“Of course.”

Rosalia began eating with renewed enthusiasm.

During our lesson, I would also experiment with magic for flattening ground. If it worked, we might improve the roads in the territorial capital. Father would be astonished when he returned.

I was smiling at that imagined success when Rosalia gave me a puzzled look. I hurriedly resumed eating.

After breakfast, we played with stuffed animals until our magic instructor arrived.

Rosalia and I went to the knight order’s magic-training hall, greeted Instructor Carnell, and began our lesson.

“Instructor Carnell, is there a spell that can flatten the ground?”

“Flatten the ground? I’ve never heard of one.”

“Do you want to level the roads, Big brother?” Rosalia asked.

“Yes. If magic could flatten and harden the surface, road maintenance would become much easier.”

“I see… road maintenance.”

Carnell folded his arms and considered the question. Apparently, no established spell served that purpose. I had expected one, since earth magic could dig trenches and raise walls.

Those spells, however, had obvious military applications.

Most formal magic education focused on combat. That might explain the absence of healing and support magic as well.

“Unfortunately, I know of no such spell,” Carnell said.

“That’s disappointing.”

Then I would eventually develop one myself. I tentatively named the concept Gaia Control: a spell for reshaping terrain at will.

The rest of our training passed normally.

That afternoon, Rosalia and I went to inspect the construction. As before, we visited the shower building first so we wouldn’t disrupt the knights’ exercises.

“It looks complete,” I said.

“Is this the shower room?” Rosalia asked.

“Yes. Let’s take a closer look.”

The craftsmen noticed us and summoned the master builder.

“Welcome, Lord Julius.”

“Thank you for your work. It appears to be finished.”

“The building is complete. We only need to install the magic tools you prepared.”

“Then I’ll help. I designed them, after all.”

“I’ll help too!” Rosalia declared.

Together, we installed the shower mechanisms and related devices while the craftsmen connected the plumbing.

At last, the shower facility was complete. Beside each shower room was a separate bathing room containing a large communal bath.

“We need a full trial,” I said. “First, I’ll check whether the soap is ready. If it’s, everyone can test both at once.”

I hurried to the storage area where the soap was curing. A knight stood guard with extraordinary vigilance.

Was soap truly valuable enough to require this level of security?

“Is it ready?”

“Lord Julius. We believe so…”

I examined the bars.

“Yes, it has hardened and dried sufficiently. Since the shower room is complete, may I take some for the trial?”

“Of course. Shall I cut it into pieces?”

“Yes, please.”

The soap had hardened into long blocks. We cut several pieces roughly three centimetres thick.

When I returned, both female and male knights had already gathered, evidently drawn by rumours of the opening.

“Lord Julius, is the shower room truly complete?”

“Yes. The soap is ready as well. You may use it during the test.”

I handed a bar to one of the female knights. She inspected it with wide eyes.

“This is the soap we made ourselves?”

“Yes. I would have liked to add fragrance, but concentrated perfume would have raised the cost. I hope the plain version is acceptable.”

“Acceptable? We’re grateful to have it at all. We’ll test it immediately.”

The women entered their shower room with excited voices. They emerged not long afterwards with clean skin and delighted expressions. The waiting men stared.

“Lord Julius, both the shower and soap are wonderful. I had no idea the soap could remove so much grime.”

“And the shower lets us wash thoroughly in very little time.”

The male knights tested their facility next and came out equally refreshed. The mud and sweat covering them earlier had vanished.

“I never objected to washing with well water before, but I couldn’t return to it now.”

“Nor could I. We need this soap.”

“Absolutely.”

The soap proved just as popular among the men.

I invited the master builder and craftsmen to test the facility as well. They emerged looking so refreshed and handsome that the transformation seemed absurd.

They gave the project their full approval and predicted that nobles and wealthy merchants would pay well for similar installations.

At this rate, word would spread without my help. I could sell the shower-system blueprints and leave production to professional craftsmen.

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