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Chapter 43

 

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TRANSLATOR: Pink Tea

EDITOR: Ryunakama

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I’m Dran. Dran of Bern Village. Dran, student of the magic academy. And also…

「『Bathhouse』Dran.」

「Fufu, Dran-san, it’s unfair, suddenly saying something like that. 」

Selina burst out in laughter after I muttered such words.

Building another bath after the one meant for Selina, this time for the magic academy employees, I could agree that this indeed was a fitting nickname for me.

My nickname was ridiculous in comparison to the nicknames of other students. That was because the name was attached to me out of envy and spite for my results during lessons and the fact that I managed to establish good relations with students famed for their beauty or skills.

A nickname isn’t something that one gets to pick for themselves. They are given by the people around for the conduct and accomplishments.

It is only my guess, but I think the person that initially came up with that Bathhouse Dran, didn’t have any malice.

But those who didn’t think well of me kept slandering me behind my back, and by the time I noticed, the name already stuck to me.

「Is it really that funny?」

「Just compare it with Christina-san or Nell-san’s names? While you indeed created a few bathhouses at the academy, the name is still silly. Fufu, in a way it really fits you.」

「In that case, you will have to call yourself Selina, familiar of Bathhouse Dran.」

「Hmmm. I have nothing against calling myself your familiar, but this makes me hesitate a bit. Although I’m a big fan of your baths, so I guess it’s fine. Dran-san, could it be that you actually like this nickname?」

「Fumu, If it’s uttered with obvious scorn or disdain then it is one thing, but simply as a name, it’s not that bad. With the influence of Romal Empire’s bath culture bathhouses began popping up here and there on the territory of the kingdom. If I make myself known for creating bathhouses, then I might get jobs related to that. I might also create a grand bathhouse in Bern village and make it into a local specialty, developing the village as a hot spring resort.」

There are plenty of springs nearby so I won’t have problems with a water source. If I use alchemy to transmute soil and stones I will be able to create as many baths as I want.

Sadly there are no volcanoes nearby, so we can’t hope for a natural hot spring, but if we gather enough fire spirit stones or if I managed to persuade Vaje, then we should have enough for heating.

Using the nearby Ente forest for fuel would’ve been the easiest solution, but considering the long term effects and the possible effects for the elves and various other tribes of that forest and the relations with them, it would be better to refrain from that.

「Dran-san, you always keep Bern village in mind.」

「That’s where I was born after all. For that place, I have nothing but fond memories. For me, it was the most fortunate that I was born into that village and was raised by my mother and father. 」

That’s why I’m living my current life after all.

「Fufu, it’s lovely that you think about your family and homeland like that. Then, let’s do our best today.」

「Fumun.」

With a deep sigh, I let out the line I often utter when I go into deep thought. The place where we kept having this conversation was a waiting room of the bathhouse with my mark on it.

Obviously, no man could enter the bath or changing room, but keeping that in mind I created a waiting room that still could be accessed.

The waiting room had benches and chairs knit out of flexible sorts of wood, while the round table in the middle of the room had a vessel with cold water and fresh fruits arranged on top of it.

Having no desire to touch any of that, I was looking at the paper spread on the table, pondering what to do.

Currently, I was considering how Bern Village could be developed into a hot spring resort with my current financial and technical capabilities.

Fumu, thinking that this is for the sake of my homeland gives me even more motivation. The problem is that I tend to go overboard if I’m overly motivated.

「The first thing that comes to mind is adding bathing additives like it is done in women bath here? And also setting aromatic wax. Though changing bathing powder every day will cost a lot of money, but changing it weekly sounds quite realistic.」

Selina’s idea was quite realistic. Suppose I can prepare bathing additives, but it would be better if I go with something that can be mixed even by an ordinary pharmacist.

The same goes for aromatic wax. Using the staff available on the market will cost money. That can be made by me as well.

Where it comes to bathing in Galois town, which has no natural hot spring, there are hardly any ideas other than drawing water from a well or a river, heating it, and then dumping bathing additives there.

That is hardly fit for common people, and is mostly oriented for the wealthy.

This means that Selina’s idea will be probably very successful with the masses.

As I kept going over the list of required ingredients in my head, Fatima and Nell, still hot after the bath, called out to me, leaning back on their chairs.

They were freely using this bath despite not being dirty from training or working.

Clad in silk gowns they were relaxing after the bath.

It’s pretty bold of them to act that way in front of a boy of the same age, but that’s probably because they don’t see me as a man.

Christina-san was out, exterminating a dangerous beast that appeared nearby.

She seems to enjoy picking quests that require brute strength, like monster or wild animal extermination.

Apparently, swinging a sword helps her forget the unpleasant memories of the time she was growing up in her father’s home.

Although Sierra usually followed Fatima like a shadow, she wasn’t in the waiting room at the moment.

While running water was one of the weaknesses of vampires, simple warm water shouldn’t be a problem for her. Even so, she remained on stand-by outside the bathhouse.

「Dran, you are really turning into a bath artisan.」

「Are you going to become a magic artisan? To be honest, I thought that you are more suited to be an enchanter or an alchemist.」

「I’m just going to do anything within my abilities. It just turned out that I’m stuck at making baths at the moment. As for the nickname, I’ll just consider it some sort of a sign.」

I shrugged. Fatima brought the right hand with a glass of cold water to her mouth and after taking a sip, frowned with an dejected expression, like that of an abandoned puppy.

「Dran, actually, I was the one who came up with that nickname.」

「Fumu?」

Fumu which meant 『Oh?』.

「Even though you are simply making a bath, you were using very high-level techniques, employing multiple elements at the same time, yet managed to weave them together in such a way that instead of interfering they worked together. I thought that if others learned about this then even the students that didn’t like you would’ve changed their mind… That’s why I began saying that.」

Judging by her dispirited appearance, she didn’t even imagine that it would be used as an insulting nickname for me.

But even if she doesn’t look at me like that, I still wouldn’t be angry at her.

「I see, so that’s what happened. Fatima, don’t mind it. There indeed seem to be those who attached this nickname to me out of malice, but I unexpectedly like this nickname. I’m even considering making a name for myself as a bathhouse artisan. So don’t blame yourself. It’s nothing to worry about. If you still can’t get it off your mind, then give me some good ideas. As they say – two heads are better than one.」

「Hmm, I understand. But I’ll apologize anyway. I’m sorry, Dran. Because of me, you had to go through such an unpleasant episode.」

「Fumu. Apology accepted. Now forget about it. So, do you have any ideas?」

When I asked daughters of great nobles families for opinions, they both tilted their heads to the right at the same time.

The gestures surely weren’t calculated, but even so, for Fatima, it matched her cute appearance, looking very cute, while for Nell, who had more mature features and even some coldness to her, the gesture was the exact opposite of what you’d expect to see, which also appeared very cute for a different reason.

It reminded me that Nell is still a girl who is yet to even turn twenty years old.

「Hmm, let’s see. Selli already mentioned scented wax and bath additives, so hmm… How about making a skylight window? So one can enjoy the sun during the day and the moon during the night?」

「I see, that also wouldn’t greatly change the design. As for the glass, well, I can just prepare it myself. Nell, what about you? Do you have any thoughts?」

「If we are talking about already existing public baths, then it’s not rare for families to go there together. So it might be good to devise something to keep little kids entertained. If they start causing a commotion it will ruin a tranquil atmosphere, and if they run around, they might slip and fall.」

The baths that I created at the magic academy were all meant to be used by adults.

Indeed, just as Nell said, considering the possible use by the children, I have to come up with some way to keep them busy.

「Thank you. I didn’t think that far.」

「No problem. It’s not like I suggested how to actually do that.」

Fumu, keeping kids busy, huh. Kids, kids, kids, huh. The first thing that comes to mind is the childhood that I spent in Bern village.

What were the water-related games I played with children of the same age?

On hot summer days we gathered at the river going through the village and played in the water, but splashing at each other in a public bath is out of the question.

And as I was pondering, suddenly, an idea popped up in my mind.

「A river, huh. A bit narrow, but could work.」

I guess my face showed that I came up with a great idea, because Nell and Fatima both immediately reacted. Fumu, being watched so intently by beautiful girls isn’t bad.

It isn’t bad, but their stares were a bit too intent, almost making me gulp for breath.

A man not used to dealing with women might even forget how to breathe.

「You got an idea?」

Selina asked clearly full of curiosity, to which I replied with a smile.

「Though the method can be called a bit forceful. Well, it’s worth trying. I will test it as soon as we return to the village during the summer vacation.」

Once again going over the materials required to make my idea a reality, I was smiling, letting out the occasional 「Fumu, fumu」.

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