Someday Will I Be The Greatest Alchemist?

Chapter 23: Takumi Becomes A Rich Man

As I repair the mansion and make the things I’m still missing, the place slowly started to become easier to live in.

The clay and stone from the Papeck Company arrived during that time. Extracting what’s needed from the stones, mixing it with the clay, I kept working on and on.

「I’m so glad I’m not working on this manually.」

From the bottom of my heart, I am so glad that this world has magic.

「AH! I could have asked the Papeck Company to make the toilets!」

〈The 「Alchemy」 Skill has leveled up〉

〈The 「Alchemist」 Job has leveled up〉

〈The 「Light Attribute Magic」 Skill has leveled up〉

〈The 「Light Attribute Magic」 Skill has leveled up〉

It was only after I’ve finished 100 toilets that I realized. I completely forgot to do the same as with the hand pump.

There, the crestfallen me was comforted by Kaede.

To be comforted by a spider…………

The magic device that invokes purifying magic at set intervals that Papeck-san had requested was surprisingly easy to make.

Using Time-Space attribute magic, I could easy set a specific time interval for invocation.

Having made 100 toilets and 5 timed purifying magic devices, I headed for the Papeck Company to deliver them to Papeck-san.

I arrived at the company and Thomas-san immediately showed me to the parlor. It’s like I’m being treated even more courteously or maybe it’s just my imagination.

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Papeck-san arrived immediately.

「Takumi-sama, are you delivering the goods already?」

「Yes, because it was only making the same things.」

「Then, I will first hand over the money for the hand pump. The hand pumps are in such great demand in towns and villages, supply is currently not enough of it even with help of Bobon-dono in Bohd Village. I’m crying for joy.」

As Papeck-san said that, he received a bag from Thomas-san, and held it out in front of me.

「20 gold. This sum is only from the advanced orders these past few days. We will pay you at fixed intervals after this.」

I accepted the bag of 20 gold coins. It hasn’t even been a month since I came to Volton, and yet I’ve already earned such a large amount of money that it’s like I’m losing touch of reality.

「For the toilet magic device, I’m still considering its price, therefore please allow for your remuneration to be paid at a later date, Takumi-sama. And for the timed purifying magic devices, it will be sold to the feudal lord, therefore, please allow for payment to be deferred to a later date as well.」

Given that I have enough funds in hand right now to be fine without working for a while, I told Papeck-san that there would be no problem with that. And then, I requested that if they wanted a large quantity of toilets with a purifying feature, then I’ll teach them the whole recipe, from the materials needed for the toilet and glaze to the finished product, and that anything besides the parts with the magic device will be manufactured by the Papeck Company.

No matter how much of an artisan I am, I don’t want to keep doing the same thing over and over. This is what the work entails, but it hasn’t even been a year since I came to this world. There still many things I want to try and a variety of things I want to make.

Moving out of the Golden Wheat Pavilion, Maura-san gave me the lunch boxes and I moved into my new home.

A few days after I had moved in, Papeck-san visited my house.

「Really~ The toilet magic device we had Takumi-sama make are flying off the shelves and since preparing the toilet manufacturing facilities is taking the Papeck Company some time, could we please ask you to make 200 more toilets and 10 timed purifying magic devices?」

Well, I was expecting this though.

「But will that be fine? To be selling purifying magic devices so extensively, Papeck-san, you’re being vigilant around the church, right?」

Papeck-san was popularizing the purifying magic device cautiously at first. The circumstances behind this is because the Divine Empire of Sydnia exists.

Purifying magic is a Light attribute magic. Rather than the Divine Empire of Sydnia, it is the Light God Church that claims that the people who use Light attribute magic are the God’s chosen ones.

The Light God Church enclose the ones who have the aptitude for Light attribute magic, perform medical treatments with recovery magic and drive curses away with 【Dispel Curse】 in exchange for a large donation, which then becomes the Church’s operating funds. As a Church that uses purifying magic on filth, they would not overlook a method of cleaning up filth, and for that reason, Papeck-san should have been cautious in selling the purifying magic device.

「I believe it will be alright because I have secured backers. However, it would be a disaster if something were to happen to Takumi-sama, therefore, if you find it acceptable to buy a slave that can be both your guard and your aid for everyday necessities, then I will make use my connections for the search.」

Regarding the slaves that Papeck-san often recommends, like he had previously stated, a slave is forced to protect secrets with Contract magic so it is perfect for someone like me.

「The village Takumi-sama was born in is a wealthy village even if it is in a rural area, isn’t it? It’s a common story in any country, those who can’t pay taxes sell their children or fall to slavery themselves.」

There are several types of slaves.

・Debt slaves

Literally, someone who fell into slavery due to debt. Once that debt has been repaid, they are released.

・Criminal Slave

A criminal that didn’t receive the death penalty is made to do forced labor.

Felons fundamentally wouldn’t be liberated, however, there were a few slaves that worked exemplary that have been granted amnesty by a feudal lord. Petty criminals that fell into slavery are released after a fixed period of manual labor.

・War Slave

Someone who became a prisoner in times of war, but wasn’t returned as part of the prisoner exchange or as reparation, and fell into slavery.

They are fundamentally not released, however, release is not impossible with a feudal lord’s permission.

・Illegal Slave

People that were attacked and caught by bandits and thieves, and have been enslaved illegally.

There is no regulation for their release.

It seems Papeck-san is searching for war slaves or illegal slaves.

「Is it due to the issue of nondisclosure once a debt slave is released?」

「That is correct. Criminal slaves are out of the question, well, even the slaves charged for petty crimes would have issues with disclosure upon their release.」

「Huh? But illegal slaves are people forcefully taken, aren’t they? Couldn’t they buy themselves back?」

People forcefully taken can be released to how they were before they were sold to slave traders. Even after being sold to slave traders, they should be able to buy back their freedom.

「Yes, that’s certainly true but, …………when they became illegal slaves, their parents and siblings…………」[1]

Ah, I see. When thieves attack villages and merchant parties, people aside from the ones to be sold as merchandise are killed.

「It is not uncommon for slaves to refuse their own release due to these circumstances. The reason for this is because the master of a slave is obligated to provide food, clothing, and shelter for the slave. There are many of those who had been freed with nowhere to return to that want to be protected as slaves rather than live on their own.」

Hearing that, it made me think “Uwaaa~ I was sent to a horrible world”. But there’s nothing I can do about it.

「I understand. I will leave the matter regarding slaves to you, Papeck-san.

Please have the materials for the 200 toilets delivered in 3 days.」

「Oooh, thank you. Now then, I will pay for the previous toilets and magic device.

Since each individual toilet was sold for 10 gold, that will be 10 platinum, and each purifying magic device was sold for 100 gold, therefore the total amount is 15 white gold coins. Please confirm.」

「……………………」

My jaw dropped at the excessive amount of money.

「Isn’t 10 gold for one toilet too expensive?」

「What are you saying? Purification magic is that valuable. And I believe Takumi-sama has noticed it as well, but, the town of Volton reeks. I am currently marketing towards the nobles and wealthy merchants, but once the Papeck Company starts manufacturing toilets, we plan on doing our best to stabilize the price so that even an average household can buy one.」

「I see.」

According to Papeck-san, the toilets that Papeck Company made are a bit lower in quality. Therefore, their plan is to market the ones I made as high class items, and the ones which I only made the magic device for will be marketed as the generic version. But still, a 1 million yen toilet; I wouldn’t buy that.

The purifying magic device was sold to Volton’s feudal lord, and it was said that there are plans for it to be installed in the sections where the sewers connect. It seems that with this, the smell in Volton would improve and that the feudal lord is more than happy enough to become the backer of Papeck Company. And that leads to protecting me.

「Haa, I understand. I will make the delivery as soon as I am finished.」

「We look forward to it.」

Papeck-san returned smilingly.

15 platinum, that’s 150 million yen. Isn’t it fine if I don’t work anymore?

As I say that, the lower-middle class me will probably work.

***

Footnotes:

1. I believe that the author made a typo here, said criminal slave (犯罪奴隷) instead of illegal slave (違法奴隷).