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Volume 2 Chapter 3-2: My Home is a Hot Springs

「This property was originally owned by the Lord of Fresberg and used as a holiday residence. It was built here at the foot of Mt. Pakrit to the East and on the other side it has a river running past so it was used as a summer resort. However, one day a gardener was working in the backyard and trying to plant a new tree when boiling hot water suddenly erupted and burnt his entire body.

Thankfully they were able to treat him in time to save his life, however the boiling water continued to erupt and spread a foul smell throughout the area. After considering things, the Lord finally decided to abandon this residence.」

This is the explanation I received from Will-san on the way to the mansion, which is about a 10-minute walk from the city.

I won’t know until I actually see it, but when I heard this information, Hotaru-san and I thought…

『Isn’t that just a hot springs?』

This world doesn’t have the custom of bathing in hot water. It was obvious they wouldn’t understand what a hot spring is. Without understanding they would simply consider it a dangerous place that spews boiling water. Even more so, the bad smell may convince them that it was poisonous.

If this was truly a hot spring then I would be able to fulfill my ambition to take a bath with Hotaru-san in the ultimate form.

「Then it’ll be over here.」

「Huge!」

The mansion Will-san pointed out was so splendidly large that I couldn’t help but comment.

The plot was surrounded by a 2-meter-tall wall with a double sided latticed metal gate in the middle. The garden seemed to be as large as an elementary school playground. The vegetation had been neglected and looked unpleasant, but once things were fixed up I could imagine how pretty it would be.

There were some concerns about the interior as well, but it wasn’t an issue since the size made up for it. Even if it was run down a bit we would just have to remodel.

The only remaining issue was…the rear garden.

We entered through the gate, went through the lounge, and passed through the kitchen to the backdoor. As we went through the kitchen, I heard Sistina exclaim with delight, so it appears that there was no issue with the size or facilities.

Sakura had disappeared as soon as we entered with a joyful cry. I was sure she was off exploring every corner.

「Woah…this is….」

「Soujirou-sama! It’s dangerous! You shouldn’t breathe it…」

When I opened the back door and went outside, the backyard rear wall was hazy with steam. My feet were getting soaked and muddy as I smelled the stench of sulfur.

Certainly if it was someone who didn’t know anything about it they would escape.

「This clinches it.」

「Umu, there is no mistaking it ja. Since we’re here we should get a look at the source Soujirou.」

「Got it」

Hotaru-san and I stepped forward into the garden as Will-san and Sistina tried to stop us. However, we knew it wasn’t dangerous so we simply told them to wait near the door.

We splashed through lukewarm puddles as we approached where we thought the source would be.

「Looks like it’s no longer spouting out.」

「Un, we could surround the source with a stone wall to make a bath and use a taller wall to keep the smell from reaching the house?」

「Well, if we’re going that far then it might be better to just make a bath house around it. We could use chimneys and such to funnel the smell away from the mansion.」

「I see…then we could also make a waterway to the back area and make an open air bath!」

「Ohh! That sounds nice ja. You really get it Soujirou.」

「I’d also want an indoor bath so we can remodel one room on the first floor and make it a bathroom. We just need to make 2 holes in the wall, one for intake, and one for output. For the drainage we…what should we do?」

「Nice! Good! Certainly only using outdoor baths would get wearisome ja. A proper hot spring has to have indoor and outdoor baths ja. For drainage there is a river nearby, so if we extend the waterway til there it should be alright.」

「Well that’s up to the actual work necessary…what’s left is this ground…what do you think of paving it with cobblestones?」

「Hmmm, well I think the walkway from the indoor bath to the outdoor bath should be paved like that ja.」

「Alright! I think we’ve got a good idea of what we should do. We’ll have to ask Will-san and the carpenter if this is possible. If we’re going to ask anyways we might as well do it along with the request for furniture.

After all…this is a house where all of us will live together so it’s not a good idea to be too stingy. With such a large area we might need to hire maids…」

「I believe I am enough to take care of such tasks. It will be a bit difficult at first, but once the first floor is in order I think I can handle it.」

「Uwa! You surprised me…so you came over Sistina?」

I was sure she was still waiting at the doorway, but Sistina suddenly jumped into the conversation. Actually since when was she here?

「I was here from the start. As an Acolyte I cannot remain behind if my Master is going somewhere potentially dangerous. Well…you were so absorbed in talking with Hotaru-san that you didn’t notice me…」

Ooops….from the start huh. I was so excited by the idea of a hot springs that I spaced out.

「Sorry about that. Well then Sistina, I think we’ll be buying this mansion. I’d like it if you could write down everything that we need to buy and everything that needs fixing. I was thinking to put it all together and request it from the Base Company.」

「Certainly aside from this back garden I have no complaints about the mansion. But, I believe that this garden was the main reason you and Hotaru-san decided on buying it immediately right?」

「That’s the case. Well just look forward to it. Let’s head back and talk to Will-san.」

I triumphantly headed back to the door and informed Will-san of our intent to buy the mansion.

「Is this really alright?」

「Un, it has to be this one.」

「I understand…then I will complete our contract by the end of today.」

I stopped Will-san as he was tidying up the documents and getting ready to leave.

「Would it be possible to hire carpenters from the Base Company to fix up the house and remodel the back yard? We’ll go through the house and make a list of things that we need by the end of today, so can we give the list to you tomorrow?」

「I believe in this situation we could lend some people so I look forward to your requests tomorrow.」

「Ah sorry, there’s more as well. I’m looking to entrust all of this to the Base Company.」

「Well! Thank you very much, please request to your heart’s content.」

「Oh, that helps. I’ll pay of course. First I’ll list what we need in this mansion and deliver the list to the Base Company tomorrow.」

「That’s easy enough, the second request?」

「I need you to introduce me to someone.」

「A person? Ummm…who?」

「No, it’s not someone in particular…uhh I don’t mind if they’re popular, but I’d like you to introduce me to a skilled 『Magic Craftsman』 and a 『Magic Tool Artisan』.」

They were people who could make equipment using the magic materials and magic stones that we would need in our future Tower Exploration.