Someday Will I Be The Greatest Alchemist?

There are 3 properties in Thomas-san’s list. The first property is close to the Papeck Company in the central part of the town. It is in the vicinity bordering between the area with noble estates and the middle-class area.

「This is the first property.」

「………………N, no, Thomas-san, I think this is too big.」

「This was formerly a baron’s estate, but it was put up on the market due to an economic distress and the Papeck Company purchased it.」

Baron is low ranking among nobility, however, from the perspective of us average citizens, that palatial estate is impressive enough to hesitate entering its gates.

Just in case, I was guided inside but……… impossible. It was impossible for the price, size, and my mental health.

Boohoo, I feel sad for my lower-middle class self.

「The purchase price will be 100 platinum. Rent will be 5 gold per month.」

It is 1 billion yen if I buy it, renting is 500,000 yen per month. Impossible, just impossible. And it’s too excessive for me.

「I believe that Takumi-sama is more than capable of living here, but an estate of this level certainly is no good as it would require at least 3 servants. Then, let us go to the next property.」

As if nothing happened, Thomas-san led me to the next property.

The second one is formerly the mansion of a merchant, located in the middle-class area of Volton.

Yes, a mansion. I wonder what the criteria for Thomas-san’s list is.

「For me, this is the place I personally recommend. The other house has a narrow garden, is located in a place far from the Adventurers Guild and market, and its neighborhood is not pleasant. I made an extensive list, but I recommend this place if you want a house and workshop. There is a workshop-only property, however, I excluded it from the list because it is fairy expensive.」

Thomas-san showed me the house plan of the 3rd property on the list, and the 2nd one is looking much better. I’ll have to see about the price later.

「Please come in.」

Thomas-san opened the gate with the key and went in.

In the middle of the plot enclosed by walls over 2 meters high stands a two-storey concave building[1]. In the rear garden of the wide plot is a storehouse-type building.

「How about remodelling that storehouse into a workshop?」

Like Thomas-san says, the storehouse is more than big enough for a workshop. I worked in my house in Bohd Village, after all.

「Now then, I will show you the rooms inside.」

In the central part of the concavity was an elegant door, Thomas-san opened it with a key and went inside.

Past the door was an atrium hall and staircase. On the right side of the first floor are the dining room, kitchen, and one servant’s room. On the left side of the first floor are a spacious parlor room, and a restroom.

On the second floor, there is one large bedroom and 3 small bedrooms, and on opposite side of the large bedroom are a restroom and a really spacious bathroom.

「A bath…………」

「Yes, there is a derisory of houses that have bathrooms in the town of Volton. The previous owner was very particular about bathrooms and seemed to have spent quite a bit of money on this bathroom.」

As Thomas-san says, the bathroom in this house is spacious enough to accommodate 5-6 adults. The bathtub is made of marble-like stone, and the walls and floor were tiled.

「This is terribly attractive but just like this residence, the price is also quite high, isn’t it.」

Frankly, this house is too big for just Kaede and I, but it having a bath is enticing. In reality, I clean my body and my clothes with purifying magic, but this and that are different. Maybe it’s because the Japanese love baths.

「The price of this property is 20 platinum if purchasing, and 1 gold 50 silver per month if renting.」

「Isn’t that cheap?」

I think this house is incredibly cheap at 200 million in Japanese Yen. I could never afford this if I were still in Japan, though. And isn’t the 150,000 yen monthly rent equivalent to a normal condominium in a metropolitan city?

「Yes, it is quite cheap considering the market price. The truth is that although there are water and fire magic devices installed in the bathroom and kitchen in the first floor, their magic stones were removed, therefore it would be necessary to purchase magic stones for those as well as for the light magic devices. Furthermore, regarding the maintenance of this residence, cleaning and tending to the garden are done periodically, however, there are still some touch ups that need to be done here and there.」

「If I can do the repairs myself, would it be cheaper?」

「Frankly speaking, it is as you say. Once Takumi-sama has touched up the residence, its value would become higher too.」

I don’t know why his evaluation of me is this high even though we just met the other day, but if the monthly rent is 1 gold 50 silver then the current me can pay for it.

「Thomas-san, this one please.」

「Certainly.」

「Also, I have a request, I would like some wood and clay. Could you please see to it?」

「We will bring it in two days.」

「Then I will hand over 20 gold for 1 year’s worth of rent and for the wood and clay.」

I paid Thomas-san 20 gold.

「Yes, I have received it. When will you be moving in?」

「Let’s see, I need to prepare the furniture and interior as maintenance for the mansion. There are some parts I’d like to renovate so including a number of days to secure raw materials, I think I will move in 7 days from now.」

「Understood. Then let us return to the company and draft a contract.」

Returning to the Papeck Company, a residential lease was made and I received the key.

I came back to the Golden Wheat Pavilion and talked to Maura-san about the the house with a workshop that I had rented.

「I’ll be returning the remainder of the money you entrusted to me then.」

「No, Maura-san. Could you please make a variety of lunchboxes with the money?」

「That will be quite a lot, you know.」

「I have a magic bag, so it’s okay.」

Since the leftover 50 silver is around 50,000 yen, that’s like having 50,000 yen worth of lunch boxes, so I understand Maura-san’s concern over the large amount.

「I see, Takumi-sama has a high class magic bag. I understand. Then I will give 50 silver’s worth of lunch boxes with a different menu for each day in 7 days.」

「Please do.」

I received the key from Maura-san, returned to my room, then had Kaede leave the Subspace and fed it.

「Alright, so the first thing I need to repair in that mansion is the restroom.」

Now then, the first thing I absolutely have to work on in that mansion. The toilet reform.

I pondered over the structure in order to make a purifying magic device that will clean up the toilet after use.

Although Golden Wheat Pavilion is a clean inn, their restroom is no different from a squat toilet. It’s thanks to Maura-san and her husband’s hard work that the inn is kept clean.

As I am a city kid, I am not accustomed to squat toilets. In Bohd Village, ever since I could use purifying magic, I could clean up each time after going to the toilet so I wasn’t bothered by it.

As Kaede ate dinner in silence, I thought seriously about toilets.

***

Footnotes:

1. Just like its kanji 凹, the sides are taller than the center of the house.