Regarding the matter of turning the Marquis of Bozes into a tourist destination….
Iris-sama was getting more and more urging me to go to the super bathhouse.
The marquis was also strongly urging to buy rum, but that was only after we had succeeded in cultivating sugarcane.
We had already started trial planting in our territory and Bozes territory, and we were excited to see if we could successfully harvest it despite the climate and pests.
Since there was a possibility of failure due to some conditions, I was cultivating in both territories. The Bozes territory where I normally did a trial cultivation, and the Yamano territory where I kept a close eye on it and took care of it to the point of being overprotective.
Unlike the Bozes family, whose territory was large and extends into the land, our territory was small, so all of our land was close to the sea and was under the influence of the sea breeze.
However, the two biggest sugarcane producing areas in Japan are Okinawa and Kagoshima, and sugarcane is also grown in the southwestern islands such as Amami and Tanegashima.
…that meant, sugarcane was resistant to sea breezes.
Yeah, somehow it will work out!
Well, I'm looking forward to seeing what's to come from there, but the problem is Iris-sama...that is, the super bathhouse.
Technically speaking, there should be no major problems.
After all, in Japan, public bathhouses were already being built in the Heian period, and in other countries, there were even ones in ancient Greece and ancient Rome, so there was no way that they could not be built at this level of civilization.
…it would be even better if I were to provide materials and useful tools.
Therefore, there was no problem with making it itself.
But why am I not very keen on it?
It's that I'll be busy with various things! There's just too much to do, and I don't have time to get involved in such a big undertaking. No, do you understand?
Iris-sama was very interested in beauty, and if we build a super public bath, it would be a great weapon to promote Bozes territory as a tourist destination…
With only a shipyard, a military port, and four warships floating on the sea (including Erus, which was under repair), it's a little weak to come all the way from far away, and if you just "look at it," you wouldn't spend much money.
If you just took a tour, you'd be done sightseeing in one day…
That's why it's a super public bath. Long Stay. Eating and drinking. And a spa, which is a special service for an additional fee. Yes. Our goal was to be a super public bath, and a spa public bath…! If we couldn't get repeat customers, it would just be a temporary thing…
Ah, maybe it's time to do something… It's already 3 days before the end of summer vacation. Maybe it's time to do my homework…
I researched it on Earth.
About super public bath and spa facilities that could be built in this world.
Using wood as fuel and human power.
If we tried hard enough, we would prepare things on Earth that could be manufactured and repaired in this world.
…it would take too much time to make it from scratch.
Not only in manufacturing, also in the design stage, material, and strength calculations, but suddenly having to make new equipment that handles liquids and gases was too scary.
Since defenseless naked nobles and commoners could not be placed together, they naturally had to be separated by gender and status.
It also takes time to train masseuses and estheticians. ...Do I have to be the one to provide education and stuff? Uaagh….
…but there were other good things about this business besides making money for the Bozes family.
First, the people of the territory would be clean, which could be expected to improve health and prevent disease.
Furthermore, at super public baths and related facilities such as restaurants, rest areas, and shops, there were many light and simple jobs that did not require much physical strength or skill.
Yes, it meant that there would be more jobs for widows and orphans.
In the Yamano territory, there were no unclaimed orphans or homeless children, but in the densely populated and rapidly developing Bozes territory, there were many people who had moved in from other territories in addition to the original residents.
Children who heard the rumors and thought, "If I go to Bozes territory, I can survive as an orphan" continued to walk long distances, risking their lives, and a percentage of them would make it safely.
The children who left behind their friends who had exhausted their strength along the way, held back tears, resisted the desire to look back, and simply kept walking forward…
Jobs could be provided to those people.
Also, in this kind of world, there were widows whose husbands had passed away, or who had gone out to work and were still waiting for their husbands to return.
We could also give them jobs.
…Yes, I know that.
This would not just be a business that would make money for the Bozes territory, but would also be of great use as a public work project to support the lives of the territory's residents.
...I guess I have no choice but to do it... And I'm serious about it. Failure is not allowed.
First, I prepared a blueprint.
We took inspiration from Japanese super battles[1], no, public super baths[2], to decide which facilities to use and which buildings to imitate.
I drew up a rough structural drawing and sent it to a local architect.
…well, of course, there was also the option of having a Japanese designer draw it.
However, there was no point in having such precise blueprints drawn.
Local engineers and workers would not be able to build it to the specifications, and the strength of the building materials would be different, as would the metal reinforcements and joining techniques. Therefore, the strength calculations done by Japanese architects would be meaningless.
Rebar? What's that, is it delicious? That's the world right now.
So, rather than a blueprint, it's more like a simple layout plan, a floor plan, scribbled down... a rough sketch. I gave it to them and asked them to design it by local people, for local people.
Next, preparing the construction tools.
No, I wouldn't bring a power shovel or a backhoe.
I provided a small number of civil engineering tools that people here could see and understand, such as shovels, hoes, wheelbarrows, and other tools that were "Products of advanced technology, but not strange at all."
Improving work efficiency through high-quality iron products would lead to shorter construction times.
And while the construction of the building was progressing, arrangements for equipment would be made.
Everything that used electricity in Japan, was now done by hand.
Whirlpool bubble baths…Equipped with holes in the bottom or side of the bathtub from which bubbles and hot water gush out…all were done manually by hiring orphans and widows.
Of course, I'd design it so that it didn't require much force.
Would it be okay to assign the role of body scrubbing assistant to small children or physically weak people who didn't have much strength?
Maybe people who worked directly with customers should be able to receive tips. Of course, tokens would be used as a substitute currency within the facility, so tips would also be received in tokens.
Because it's made of metal, there's no problem with it being exposed to hot water or steam. So, you can hang a small leather bag with a token inside around your neck so you can give tips in the bath... but is it bad to bring a metal product into the sauna? Will you get burned? Hmm, maybe I should reconsider…
Well, the building was still a long way from being completed.
As for the equipment, I think I'll ask a small factory in a downtown area of Japan. Will they thought it's a tedious job, or would they think it's interesting? Looks like I would have to visit a lot of factories…
Author's Note
"Noukin" Reboot Comics Volume 4 (Square Enix version) was released on August 10th!
Thank you very much for your support! (^^)/
Translation Note
[1] 戦闘 (Sentou) = battle
[2] 銭湯 (Sentou) = public bath