“Next is the bath.”
As we walk through the streets of the royal capital, I utter this. In other words, it’s about the slaves.
In this world, slaves are treated as tools, with even slave merchants not treating their slave merchandise well.
However, since slaves are still living creatures in how they’re handled, the bare minimum of meals is necessary – they’re guaranteed three small meals a day.
But they aren’t permitted minor luxuries needed for living like baths, and being women, their body odor is quite strong. It makes me want to ask just how many days it’s been since they bathed – the smell coming from them is powerful, making me unconsciously erect a wind barrier.
While I did clean off the filth with [Clean Wash] before going to the restaurant, considering their clothes and bodies will get dirty again, I need to figure out how to deal with that.
Therefore, I wanted to prioritize the bath if possible, but Carifa complained of hunger first, so we went to eat first.
With their bellies full, and them less wary of me than when we first met, I take them along to head to the Commercio Trading Company grounds for now.
Entering the company grounds, there was vacant space next to the Villa where the senior slave employees lived, so we headed there.
“Rolando-sama, what is this place?”
“Machad, this space isn’t being used for anything, right?”
“Yes, as you can see, there’s nothing here.”
“Then there’s no issue with making a bathing area here, right?”
“A bathing area? I don’t see why not. No problems that I can think of.”
With permission from Machad, the company representative, I immediately start on the bathing area. The method is simple – use magic to dig out a hole of a certain size and fill it with water.
For the size, about 15 meters long, 5 meters wide, and 70-80 cm deep, enough to reach the women’s waists, should be fine on a slightly smaller scale than a school pool. If it seems cramped, I can expand it anytime.
But as is, it would take effort to drain the used water after each use, so I make a thin waterway and connect it to the wastewater drainage channel that flows outside the Commercio Trading Company grounds, allowing easy water replacement.
For the replacement water, I locate an underground water vein a short distance from the bathing area, run a channel to the bathing area, and install a stopper, enabling easy replacement with fresh water.
“Let’s make it gender-separated just in case. We may buy male slaves in the future after all.”
Saying that, I erect a wall to divide the bathing area into a 3:1 ratio, with the smaller side as the men’s bath and the larger side as the women’s bath. And I install magic-made earthen walls around the bathing area so they can bathe without worrying about others seeing.
In less than an hour, the bathing area is completed. Rather than a hot spring open-air bath, I made it as a bathing area to wash away sweat and clean clothes.
I decided this way judging it’d be easy to pipe in a hot spring like at the orphanage when a proper bath is needed, and that judgment turned out right as I learned later.
“Alright you people, bathe here.”
“R-really? Can we?”
“I don’t mind. Wait here when you’re done.”
With my permission, the slaves excitedly used the just-completed bathing area. Loose lips sink ships, and with twenty women gathered, it’s incredibly noisy.
“…(glance)“
“Machad, don’t peep.”
“I haven’t peeped yet!”
Yet? The way you said that makes it sound like you’ll peep if you get the chance, aren’t you Machad?
While exasperated at Machad’s ulterior motives, I stopped by the Commercio Trading Company to discuss future business expansion. We’ll start with a small food stall, and depending on customer traffic, consider transitioning to a storefront.
Increasing stalls gradually to expand locations and total sales is another decent option.
“Either way, it hinges on cookie sales first and foremost…”
“That shouldn’t be an issue. The taste is guaranteed, I can’t think of any reason they wouldn’t sell. By the way, what will the pricing be?”
“That’s the thing, I’m debating between weight-based, per-cookie, or bag sales.”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
I explain it to Machad in an easy-to-understand manner. When selling cookies and such, there are several sales formats depending on the situation. Those are the three mentioned.
Weight-based is exactly what it sounds like – pricing differs based on weight. Per-cookie is priced by number or count regardless of weight or size. Bag sales is putting a certain number of goods into prepared bags which are priced by the bag.
While similar, pricing, and ease of handling for seller and buyer all differ. Weight means count and number vary by size even at the same weight. Bag sales can also vary in weight and count depending on who fills them, creating inconsistencies in contents.
In that case, per-cookie pricing visible to both seller and buyer is best. I explain this to Machad, who makes a Eureka-like exclamation, as if scales falling from his eyes.
“All that business knowledge at your young age. Just where did you learn such things?”
“This is common sense for anyone getting into business.”
“Yet I didn’t comprehend such ‘common’ things…”
Unsure how to respond to my words, Machad makes a difficult face. But I don’t know what he’s talking about. This knowledge is likely an ingrained sense remaining from the completely ordinary sales formats used on Earth in my previous life.
“Anyway, let’s go with per-cookie pricing for the cookies. Next is preparing the stall. One with a stove is better so we can cook there. Think you can get one?”
“It’ll cost a bit more, but should be within tolerance. With cookie sales anticipated, we can quickly recoup the amount.”
“Then that works for the stall. Since we’re starting as a test, let’s run just one stall. With twenty people, we can do shifts of seven, seven, and six for morning, afternoon, and evening, so it won’t be too labor intensive.”
“…”
Machad stares at me silently in response to my proposal. His face blatantly says “Just where did you gain such knowledge?”
In any case, considering cookies are currently only enjoyed by influential people like royalty and nobility in this world, we first need to establish cookies as an everyday food familiar to the general populace here, not just the wealthy. For that, spreading among the non-elite commoners is essential.
“Alright, for now, let’s go clothes shopping for the slaves and look at stoves stalls for the cookie sales while we’re at it.”
“Rolando-sama, it sounds like you’re saying the stall is an afterthought to buy the slaves’ clothes.”
“Well, you have a point. But either way, we need both so order doesn’t matter.”
After discussing plans with Machad for about thirty minutes and getting a general shape, I figured the slaves should be about done with their bath and head to the bathing area.
However, I misjudged how long women took to get ready – they were still leisurely enjoying their baths.
Seeing Machad and I, Shifan runs over looking apologetic and bowing as she apologizes.
“S-sorry, not everyone has finished yet.”
“No problem. It’s not like we’re in a hurry.”
After another thirty minutes or so, everyone finished bathing, so I told them we were going clothes shopping for them and to look at stalls for selling the cookies.
They didn’t expect to receive new clothes besides what they were wearing, and look sincerely happy.
“Alright, let’s go to the clothes store now.”
『Yes!』
They reply loudly in unison, and I head into town again with the excited girls in tow.
“Next is the bath.”
As we walk through the streets of the royal capital, I utter this. In other words, it’s about the slaves.
In this world, slaves are treated as tools, with even slave merchants not treating their slave merchandise well.
However, since slaves are still living creatures in how they’re handled, the bare minimum of meals is necessary – they’re guaranteed three small meals a day.
But they aren’t permitted minor luxuries needed for living like baths, and being women, their body odor is quite strong. It makes me want to ask just how many days it’s been since they bathed – the smell coming from them is powerful, making me unconsciously erect a wind barrier.
While I did clean off the filth with [Clean Wash] before going to the restaurant, considering their clothes and bodies will get dirty again, I need to figure out how to deal with that.
Therefore, I wanted to prioritize the bath if possible, but Carifa complained of hunger first, so we went to eat first.
With their bellies full, and them less wary of me than when we first met, I take them along to head to the Commercio Trading Company grounds for now.
Entering the company grounds, there was vacant space next to the Villa where the senior slave employees lived, so we headed there.
“Rolando-sama, what is this place?”
“Machad, this space isn’t being used for anything, right?”
“Yes, as you can see, there’s nothing here.”
“Then there’s no issue with making a bathing area here, right?”
“A bathing area? I don’t see why not. No problems that I can think of.”
With permission from Machad, the company representative, I immediately start on the bathing area. The method is simple – use magic to dig out a hole of a certain size and fill it with water.
For the size, about 15 meters long, 5 meters wide, and 70-80 cm deep, enough to reach the women’s waists, should be fine on a slightly smaller scale than a school pool. If it seems cramped, I can expand it anytime.
But as is, it would take effort to drain the used water after each use, so I make a thin waterway and connect it to the wastewater drainage channel that flows outside the Commercio Trading Company grounds, allowing easy water replacement.
For the replacement water, I locate an underground water vein a short distance from the bathing area, run a channel to the bathing area, and install a stopper, enabling easy replacement with fresh water.
“Let’s make it gender-separated just in case. We may buy male slaves in the future after all.”
Saying that, I erect a wall to divide the bathing area into a 3:1 ratio, with the smaller side as the men’s bath and the larger side as the women’s bath. And I install magic-made earthen walls around the bathing area so they can bathe without worrying about others seeing.
In less than an hour, the bathing area is completed. Rather than a hot spring open-air bath, I made it as a bathing area to wash away sweat and clean clothes.
I decided this way judging it’d be easy to pipe in a hot spring like at the orphanage when a proper bath is needed, and that judgment turned out right as I learned later.
“Alright you people, bathe here.”
“R-really? Can we?”
“I don’t mind. Wait here when you’re done.”
With my permission, the slaves excitedly used the just-completed bathing area. Loose lips sink ships, and with twenty women gathered, it’s incredibly noisy.
“…(glance)“
“Machad, don’t peep.”
“I haven’t peeped yet!”
Yet? The way you said that makes it sound like you’ll peep if you get the chance, aren’t you Machad?
While exasperated at Machad’s ulterior motives, I stopped by the Commercio Trading Company to discuss future business expansion. We’ll start with a small food stall, and depending on customer traffic, consider transitioning to a storefront.
Increasing stalls gradually to expand locations and total sales is another decent option.
“Either way, it hinges on cookie sales first and foremost…”
“That shouldn’t be an issue. The taste is guaranteed, I can’t think of any reason they wouldn’t sell. By the way, what will the pricing be?”
“That’s the thing, I’m debating between weight-based, per-cookie, or bag sales.”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
I explain it to Machad in an easy-to-understand manner. When selling cookies and such, there are several sales formats depending on the situation. Those are the three mentioned.
Weight-based is exactly what it sounds like – pricing differs based on weight. Per-cookie is priced by number or count regardless of weight or size. Bag sales is putting a certain number of goods into prepared bags which are priced by the bag.
While similar, pricing, and ease of handling for seller and buyer all differ. Weight means count and number vary by size even at the same weight. Bag sales can also vary in weight and count depending on who fills them, creating inconsistencies in contents.
In that case, per-cookie pricing visible to both seller and buyer is best. I explain this to Machad, who makes a Eureka-like exclamation, as if scales falling from his eyes.
“All that business knowledge at your young age. Just where did you learn such things?”
“This is common sense for anyone getting into business.”
“Yet I didn’t comprehend such ‘common’ things…”
Unsure how to respond to my words, Machad makes a difficult face. But I don’t know what he’s talking about. This knowledge is likely an ingrained sense remaining from the completely ordinary sales formats used on Earth in my previous life.
“Anyway, let’s go with per-cookie pricing for the cookies. Next is preparing the stall. One with a stove is better so we can cook there. Think you can get one?”
“It’ll cost a bit more, but should be within tolerance. With cookie sales anticipated, we can quickly recoup the amount.”
“Then that works for the stall. Since we’re starting as a test, let’s run just one stall. With twenty people, we can do shifts of seven, seven, and six for morning, afternoon, and evening, so it won’t be too labor intensive.”
“…”
Machad stares at me silently in response to my proposal. His face blatantly says “Just where did you gain such knowledge?”
In any case, considering cookies are currently only enjoyed by influential people like royalty and nobility in this world, we first need to establish cookies as an everyday food familiar to the general populace here, not just the wealthy. For that, spreading among the non-elite commoners is essential.
“Alright, for now, let’s go clothes shopping for the slaves and look at stoves stalls for the cookie sales while we’re at it.”
“Rolando-sama, it sounds like you’re saying the stall is an afterthought to buy the slaves’ clothes.”
“Well, you have a point. But either way, we need both so order doesn’t matter.”
After discussing plans with Machad for about thirty minutes and getting a general shape, I figured the slaves should be about done with their bath and head to the bathing area.
However, I misjudged how long women took to get ready – they were still leisurely enjoying their baths.
Seeing Machad and I, Shifan runs over looking apologetic and bowing as she apologizes.
“S-sorry, not everyone has finished yet.”
“No problem. It’s not like we’re in a hurry.”
After another thirty minutes or so, everyone finished bathing, so I told them we were going clothes shopping for them and to look at stalls for selling the cookies.
They didn’t expect to receive new clothes besides what they were wearing, and look sincerely happy.
“Alright, let’s go to the clothes store now.”
『Yes!』
They reply loudly in unison, and I head into town again with the excited girls in tow.
