There Were Times I Thought It Impossible

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/43/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

The afternoon of the day after I had secured the cooperation of the forest giants and Nora.
This time I was to meet Lady Dominas and talk.

Incidentally the Demon King had wanted to sit in as well, but as one would expect she seemed busy and the times did not match.
So today I had Gerda come.

“Knowing that one, the arrival will likely be at the last moment.
So there is no need to be so tense from now. And I am with you.”
“Yes. I am counting on you.”

I nodded, kokuri, at Gerda.
Yes, to be honest I cannot imagine what sort of person it is.
Blunt with Kira, from what I heard, and yet it is not that there is no feeling.
A person who will draw a map, but does not arrive at the idea of guiding you. Well, demonfolk, though.

At any rate, if Gerda associates with that one as a childhood friend, it is surely not a bad person. Continue reading →

In Search of the Forest’s Blessing

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/42/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

And then.

“Uhyaaaaaaaaa!?”

My scream rang through the sky over the royal capital.

After that I withdrew from the castle and explained the situation to Kira and Gerda.
By evening that same day, Gerda had made an appointment with the woodcutters.

Incidentally, though I say woodcutters, most of them are forest giants. Giant-kin who make the forest their home.
Gentle of temperament, deft, and with arm strength to match their bodies, they are a perfect fit for woodcutting, I would think.
That work needs fairly fine calculation, and it seems you get better timber if you are careful about pruning and clearing the undergrowth as well.

And we were to go the next afternoon, but of course a forest used for processing timber is quite far from town.

“Then I shall carry you.” Continue reading →

A Way Out, and Negotiation

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/40/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

“At present, Lady Grace is doing most of the teaching by herself, is that right?
If there is a way to reduce that burden, I thought the efficiency would improve.”

At my words, the Demon King’s gaze and Lady Grace’s stabbed into me.
…Dorothea’s gentle gaze was a balm, truly.

“That is certainly so, but what do you mean to do?
Will you devise some ingenuity in the manner of teaching?”
“As for the manner of teaching itself, I have hardly enough to speak of, so that is a little difficult…
But in a sense, it is the manner of teaching, yes.”

I answered the Demon King’s question with a small laugh.
The only teaching I have done is cram-school tutoring as a side job, after all.
But this sort of place, too, I think is as one would expect of them.

“What is this, making such a show of it. You tease.”
“Is it not because Your Majesty is meddling?”

Dorothea put in a tsukkomi, smiling and without mercy, at the Demon King, who was a little sulky.
No, I did make a bit of a show of it, so I am somewhat sorry. Continue reading →

Education and History and Society

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/40/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

“First, to learn that much content, there would never be enough time.
In other words, in the world you were in, children applied themselves to study and hardly worked. Is that wrong?”
“It is as you say.
To be precise, having children work was restricted by law.”
“I see. I could not imagine going that far… but I also accept it.”

Lady Grace nodded at my answer, looking convinced.
That’s how it is. In Japan, children did not need to work.

“In other words, there was no need to have children work.
That much surplus could be held in production and the like.”

I can only say, as expected.
Lady Grace probably understands that as well.
Yes. That world could turn society on adults’ labor alone.
That there happened to be an industrial revolution, and mechanical civilization developed after that, had something to do with it, I suppose.
I am not so much a romantic as to think the ideal of not having children work came first.
But when surplus arose, that they did not take children as labor is something I wish to pay respect to.

…Well, around the industrial revolution there is also a history of working children hard in coalfields and factories, because they could be put into narrow places. Continue reading →

Education, Its Shape

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/39/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

While I wet my throat with the tea Dorothea had brewed, we waited a while for Lady Grace to write down what I had said so far.
…In that time, the Demon King grumbled a while at the tea Dorothea had brewed.

“Now then, that is rest enough.
Please continue.”

Lady Grace announced it again.
So I nodded as well.

“Yes. As you will.
As for the contents of education at each stage… from elementary through higher education, the headings themselves do not change greatly.”
“Is that so? …I see. For continuity, to build up, I take it.”
“As expected of your insight.”

Well, to be precise I did not study education as a specialty, so I do not know if that is truly so.
But as a person who received education, I think so.

“That said, it is only of the era I received.
The education given to commoners still earlier was so-called reading, writing, and calculation.”

There is no abacus in this world, so I adapted it a little.
I might introduce the abacus to this world.
…Huh? Come to think of it…?? Continue reading →

Questions and Answers with Lady Grace

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/38/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

“Now then, once more, Asha.
I had you come today for no other reason.
I wish to hear about the education you received.”

After some time of this and that in a bustle, Lady Grace said it in a settled voice, as if nothing had happened.
The content itself was as I had expected, so I nodded.
…That my neck moved quite jerkily and not well was surely because I had been made to wait too long. That was it.

“Yes. I presented myself thinking it might be so.
I would be glad if it is of even a little reference.”

I bowed my head again.
Yes. To be honest, I thought it a true honor.
That she is an incredible beauty is there, but that is almost extra.
This presence that can stand even with the Demon King, this charisma. And more than anything that firm attitude.
And yet a soft atmosphere that does not give a sense of pressure.
Ah, I found myself thinking, surely one would be happy ruled by a king like this.

…Ah, the Demon King is a fine king too, that is also certain!
Just a slightly different type, really, really!
I followed up toward somewhere.
…Auh, that Dorothea laughed, kusu, was it because she had read my feelings? Continue reading →

A Summons One Day

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/37/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

Some time after the public bathing facilities were installed.
I was spending busy days again, turning through examinations and dodging Nasti’s spiteful teasing, when a messenger came from the Demon King.

“That I am to present myself.”
“Yes. Lady Grace has at last found time, and she wishes it most particularly.”

The messenger explained so.
Incidentally, this person was a winged demonfolk called a featherfolk.
A form like a human with wings grown, and honestly one could not say they did not look like an angel.
In fact they are a being close to the monsters called harpies, or Harpyiai.

They look slender, and their arm strength is not that great, as they look. Magic varies by individual, but it is said to be far stronger than a human’s.
And they can actually fly with the wings on their backs, so they would be a perfect fit for messengers like this.

Now then. That aside, the reason for the summons was a so it has finally come.
I, too, had wanted to meet her once, and there were various things I wanted to ask.

“As you will. I shall present myself in accordance with the summons.”

I bowed my head, respectfully.

Continue reading →

On This Island, I

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/36/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

“Kuu~~, this lemon water is good again!”

Nora raised her voice, looking thoroughly pleased.
After that we had dried our hair thoroughly, and we were each sitting in chairs in the rest room, drinking lemon water.

“You sweat quite a bit in the bath. It’s better for the body to drink lemon water properly.
Ah, when you drink, drink slowly, a little at a time.”

As I said it I put my mouth to the lemon water as well.
Yes. Moisture soaked into a just-bathed body; it was truly delicious.
When it went into full operation, Elma’s shop and the eateries around here were scheduled to put out drinks and simple food, but for today’s pre-opening nothing was prepared.
But honestly, this lemon water alone was delicious enough.
Well, if I had to say… Continue reading →

This Is Treatment by Means of Bathing, Continued

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/35/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

“Hafuu~… I’m coming back to life~…”

I let it slip as I soaked in the tub, stretching my arms and legs freely.
No, really, I had completely forgotten, but stretching out and soaking in hot water feels good.
It feels as if the blood flow through the whole body improves and various things are washed along.

After that I had washed everyone’s backs as asked.
At the end, then what about my back somehow became a problem, and a scramble was held among Kira and Gerda and Nora.
In the end Dorothea washed it… I do not remember why it came to that.

At any rate, I had safely, peacefully obtained the peace of soaking in the tub.

“Yes. Soaking in a spacious tub like this is a good thing as well.”

Of course the Demon King was soaking in the same tub.
…She really does float in the water, I see. No, I don’t know what I mean. Continue reading →

This Is Treatment by Means of Bathing

Author: Iwashi-zukushi
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3388fm/33/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

And so we went into the changing room at once.
…The Demon King as well.

“Or rather, why is the Demon King with us!?”
“Of course. I am the largest investor and the highest person responsible for this undertaking.
I have a duty to confirm the completeness and the feel of use.”

As she said it she threw out her chest.
A lie. Absolutely a lie.
She just wanted to enjoy this bathing facility, this!

I glanced at Dorothea, who had been following with a look of resignation since a while ago, and sent her a look of sympathy.
…A smile of inexpressible melancholy came back. I understand…

“No, I can understand that, somewhat.
But public order, or rather Your Majesty’s safety…”
“What a strange thing to say. There is no insolent wretch here who could wound me.
Still less with Gerda and Dorothea here.”
“…Th-that is, indeed, so, but…”

That was right. She was different from a VIP of the human world.
The Demon King herself was a being humans could not begin to match.
On top of that, Gerda, who was clearly off the scale. Dorothea probably was as well.

Even with nothing on at all, harm would not reach her. Continue reading →