Chapter 46
Volume 2 Chapter 46 part1
3rd day of the store’s construction.
After thinking things through last night, I realized that one story for the basement and two stories for the store itself is the limit for my Construction skill.
But using the whole lot for the store would be too big, so I decided to use just half for the building, and then turn one half of the remaining land for the servants’ use and the other for the backyard.
I used Create Block at the construction site and started digging out the basement while making the stone blocks at the same time. The slimes transported the completed stone blocks.
I used my own earth spell ‘Pavement’ on the resulting giant hole to fortify and transform the hole into a durable foundation.
After fortifying the ground, it was perfectly flat without any cracks or holes. Like that I was able to complete the part of Japan’s so-called leveling concrete and base concrete in one go.
If I recall correctly, in Japan the workers would add further reinforcement during the process between the leveling concrete and the base concrete, but this world doesn’t have that sort of technology. Hmm… I wonder if it’s okay like this? I’m worried it may not hold in case of earthquakes.
But considering how little knowledge I have regarding constructions – after all, I did just work in construction part time – and the fact that this world doesn’t know anything about the reinforcement process, I guess I’ll just have to end the construction of the foundation here. It would be bad if I experimented and ended up making things worse, after all.
Putting together the building stones I made using the sticky slimes’ sticky liquid in place of the cement, I hardened the structure, and then further fortified it. Magic isn’t necessary during this process, so I had the slimes help out. Later on I added more pillars with magic. And like that I was able to complete the basement, the basement’s walls, the floor of the first story, and the outer wall of the store.
Magic is really convenient. I didn’t even need to use a single piece of wood or spend a single suit. Although the pillars were made simply – with the pillars just being placed into a box of stone – they should be plenty durable.
Everything proceeded so smoothly that for a moment I felt like messing around and turning the pillars into like those of the old temples I saw in the textbooks back when I was still a student, but in the end, I decided not to. There’s no point in making the basement so extravagant.
I’ve used a lot of mana and we’ve already made plenty of progress, so… I think I’ll end things here.
4th day of the store’s construction.
I built the walls and partitioned the rooms of the first floor using the sticky slime’s building stones. After that I built the 2nd story too. The day ended like that.
5th day of the store’s construction.
I built the ceiling and prepared the interior. I cut down the trees near the abandoned mine to try out my Woodworking skill with my magic.
I dried the trees gradually using alchemy, then I created a new spell by applying the wind spell, Wind Cutter, like the circular saw that was used in woodworking back in my previous life, which I called the Circle Saw, then I used that to create a board.
I created another spell by combining earth magic with wind magic, and used the resulting spell, Polish Wheel, to make the surface of the board shiny.
Polish Wheel works by using Break Rock to create sand, and then move it at high speeds with Circle Saw, causing the sand particles to grind against the surface of the plank, thereby polishing it.
Also, while using alchemy to dry wood is convenient, the water content is removed so quickly that the resulting wood is prone to cracks. Fortunately, I’m not planning to use it as a pillar, so it should be fine.
I managed to create some boards and lumber, but I ended up using the whole day.
Volume 2 Chapter 46 part2
6th day of construction.
I built shelves and counters out of the lumber I gathered yesterday, then I used the sticky liquid in place of varnish to coat them. After drying I plastered them over the walls and floors of the store.
I did that because I felt a stony interior gives off a solemn atmosphere.
Fortunately, with the help of earth magic, I was able to change the interior into that of wood, but then it suddenly occurred to me that a cleaner slime was acting strange.
Huh? Is it eating the sawdust and trash? It’s never done that on its own before… Well, the scavenger do, but… Hmm? Wait, it’s not eating, it’s gathering them, then throwing them in one place… It’s sweeping the floor!?
Immediately, I used monster identify. On the skill column could be seen a new skill added: Garbage Collection Lv1. There was a skill like this? Or rather, slimes can actually learn skills on their own? …Ah, but I guess that’s nothing new. After all, there are those eccentrics who even learned how to use a staff.
Curious, I checked the other slimes, and it seems the acid slimes learned Woodworking Lv 1. It’s true that they helped out, but they only did simple stuff like dissolving the lumber of the demolished structures, used tools to shave some lumber, and dissolved some lumber (just normal ones, not from demolished structures)… Can you really learn the skills of this world just like that?
Well, regardless, with this the construction will go smoother.
After that when there weren’t enough boards to go around, I had the acid slimes deal with the size and the shape of the new boards. The resulting product was a lot better than I’d expect from an acid slime.
7th day of construction.
The interior was all done, so all that was left was the outside. Technically, there was nothing wrong with leaving the store unpainted, but I think a laundromat should give off the image of being ‘clean’, so I decided to paint the walls white. If that’s not possible, then at the very least something cleaner than mud-colored.
Earth magic wasn’t enough by itself, so I decided to drop by Serge-san’s place and ask him for advice.
“You want to make your walls… white?” [Serge]
“Is that not possible?” [Ryouma]
“It is, but most stores generally don’t. Usually, it’s only the aristocrats who make their walls white since it’s expensive and dirties easily.” [Serge]
“That’s true, but I’d really like to do something about my laundromat’s walls. White walls look a lot cleaner than mud-colored walls, no?” [Ryouma]
“You are most certainly correct. Unfortunately, there’s just not a lot in stock.” [Serge]
“I see…” [Ryouma]
But then again, I guess you would normally go to a contractor for constructions like this. Though I guess it’s a bit too late to be saying that now.
Still, I wonder why he even has some in stock.
“My Morgan Company’s strength lies in variety. Even if we don’t have stock, given time, we will generally be able to acquire most items.” [Serge]
So I guess that means he can procure them. But the thing is I’ve already spent quite a bit of sum purchasing that lot…
Hmm… Oh, isn’t this a mining town with an iron mine?
“Serge-san, does this town have a shop that works with iron?” [Ryouma]
“There is, but… what about it?” [Serge]
“Do they use lime?” [Ryouma]
“You’re well informed. That they use indeed.” [Serge]
“Would it be possible to acquire those limes? Cheaply, if possible.” [Ryouma]
“Yes, my store can make it happen. Although it is originally cheap in the first place, so…” [Serge]
“That’s good to hear. With that I might be able to make some white stone blocks.” [Ryouma]
Lime is used as an ingredient in stucco back in Japan, so it should be safe to use in construction. It’s a pity I don’t know enough to actually make stucco, but I can definitely turn them into blocks through magic. And if I treat them with a sticky slime’s sticky liquid, it should be possible to make them easier to clean.
Serge-san also didn’t think anything would go wrong as he hastily procured me some quick lime, which I then transformed into slaked lime through the application of water and alchemy, and then blockified via compression.
Unfortunately, Serge-san’s eyes started to twinkle upon seeing the prospect of cheap white building blocks, so I filled a big bag with lime and promptly excused myself. He’s a good person, but I’d really like to focus on my store for the time being.
I went back to my store and quietly produced a large number of blocks, which I then quietly plastered on the outer walls. Before the sun started setting, the whole walls were already painted in white, and even the crevices were filled with lime and hardened with magic. When everything was done, I mobilized the sticky slimes and covered all of the outer walls in their sticky liguid coating.
I had a lot of spare quicklime, so I stored them into my Dimension Home for the time being.
“It’s finally starting to take shape.” [Ryouma]
We’re progressing at breathtaking speed here, but if the store is white, the surrounding area around the store will look pale in comparison.
I’d like to prepare a lawn instead of the dirt currently in place, but… Oh! Wasn’t my neighbor a florist? I might be able to buy a couple of seeds from her.
I immediately dropped by her store. As soon as I stood in front of her store, a voice called out to me.
“Welcome! Oh! Aren’t you Ryouma-kun?” [Leni]
“Good afternoon… Leni-san.” [Ryouma]
I forgot her name there for a moment.
“You don’t need to affix ‘San’. I’m younger, so Leni is fine. So, how may I help you?” [Leni]
“I’d like to buy some flowers and some seeds to make a lawn.” [Ryouma]
“Seeds? We have a couple. Wait a moment. Mom!” [Leni]
Leni yelled and Paulin, who was talking to two other women, replied.
“What are you yelling so loudly for? That’s rude, you know?” [Pauline]
“I can’t help it! You were completely caught up in chatting with your friends! We have a customer!” [Leni]
“Oh, if it isn’t Ryouma-kun. Did you come to buy something?” [Pauline]
“Oh, my. Is this child Ryouma-kun?” [Woman 1]
“So small, and yet so amazing.” [Woman 2]
Oh, the two friends Pauline-san was chatting with also approached me.
Anyhow, I should greet them first.
“It’s a pleasure to meet the two of you. I am Ryouma Takebayashi.”
“Oh, dear. You really are well-mannered. It would be wonderful if my children could learn a thing or two from you. My name is Kiara. It’s nice to meet you too.” [Kiara]
“And I’m Mary. A pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard the rumors.” [Mary]
“Rumors?”
What are they talking about?
Volume 2 Chapter 46 part3
Rumors? What rumors?
“You’ve been building a store in the neighborhood for a while now, right? It stands out quite a bit, so word of you being a great magician has already spread.” [Mary]
“I’m not that amazing. At most, I can just cast a spell or two that can be used in day-to-day life. It just so happens that I specialize at construction.” [Ryouma]
“If you can build something that sturdy, you’re plenty amazing. Rumor says you’re also raising a lot of slimes.” [Mary]
“That part is true.” [Ryouma]
“We know… We saw them with my own eyes, after all.” [Mary]
“We saw a great ooze of slimes carrying Ryouma’s stones.” [Kiara]
“You saw that?” [Ryouma]
“It’s a first seeing slimes act like that, so we ended up watching.” [Mary]
“Monster tamers aren’t rare in Gimuru, but they all prefer scary-looking monsters. Oh, yeah. You came here to buy something, yeah? What do you want?” [Pauline]
“I’m looking for some flower seeds and lawn grass seeds. Do you have them?” [Ryouma]
“We do. The price of the flower seeds will depend on the variety, but the lawn grass seeds go for 130 suits a bag. How many do you need?” [Pauline]
While I was wondering how much I would be needing, Pauline-san offered to help out.
“How about showing me the store? I could advise you then.” [Pauline]
“Thank you.” [Ryouma]
After saying that I led Pauline-san to the store. Leni, Kiara-san, and Mary-san followed us from behind.
Is everyone coming?
But as soon as they saw my store, they all froze.
“Is something the matter?” [Ryouma]
“Just a little surprised. This store wasn’t this color this morning, was it?” [Pauline]
“I painted it just a while ago. The color of dirt doesn’t exactly give the impression of cleanliness, so I thought it ill-matched for a laundromat. As such, I bought some lime and cooked something up with my slimes and a little magic.” [Ryouma]
“Haa~ You really work fast, don’t you?” [Pauline]
“It certainly looks cleaner like this, though.” [Kiara]
“So this is a laundromat. Maybe I should try getting my laundries washed too. It would be a load off my back if I could cut down some time doing laundry.” [Mary]
“By all means, please do. And since we’ve already been acquainted with each other, I’d like to offer you a free trial good for one bag worth of laundry.” [Ryouma]
I took out two bags of from my Item Box and distributed it to Mary and Pauline. You gotta get customers at times like this!
After that I let Pauline-san pick the seeds. In the end, I ended up purchasing 15 bags of lawn grass seeds and 2 bags each of 4 different flower seeds.
Speaking of which, didn’t someone mention that you can advertise on the guild’s bulletin board?
I need to the scavengers to make some fertilizers too, so I guess I’ll drop by the guild tomorrow.
Upon deciding that, I went back home and thought of what to write in the advertisement.