Chapter 17 – Laojin’s Activities and the Washing Machine
09-17 Laojin’s Activities and the Washing Machine
Reiko was talking with Laojin through her internal ManaCom.
“Father seems to be enjoying himself very much. I haven’t seen him look this happy in a while.”
“Is that so? Taking breaks is important after all, isn’t that right?”
“Yes. I think that rather than taking breaks Father would be essentially more fit for a lifestyle like this.”
“Certainly. A violent life isn’t suitable for My Lord, is it?”
“And that’s why I was thinking that a system that can deal with the Unifilers even without Father is necessary.”
“I see, that is indeed necessary, isn’t it. I also think that it would be good to have My Lord rest there for a while.”
“I’ll leave it to you. Because I’ll have to protect Father over her, so please.”
＊ ＊ ＊
And so, it was decided that Jin’s burden would be reduced by making Hourai Island’s capabilities work fully even without him, and putting in place a system that could implement Jin’s ideas as fast as possible.
“For that, the 500 Smiths aren’t enough.”
Laojin decided to prepare 500 more Smith golems.
As there was a template the work was simple, more precisely a kind of an assembly-line work.
Laojin put the already-existing Smith golems to full use, and as a result that increased the total lineup of Smith golems to a total of 1000 in the blink of an eye.
The Control Cores were copied and they could be made even without Jin.
“Smiths 101, 201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, 801, 901, you are all squad leaders commanding the 99 next golems.”
“Smiths from 11 to 100 are to work as master mechanics, mainly taking part in producing special Magi Tools.”
“Smiths from 1 to 10 are to work as mentors for retraining.”
Using the authority allowed to him in full, Laojin reorganized and moved the Smith golems in order to have Jin’s ideas implemented in the shortest time possible.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Ya~y, Gon and Gen, long time no see~”
In the afternoon, after they had returned from the picnic which was called herb-picking.
Hannah was simply jumping with joy when she saw Gon and Gen who openly showed up.
She was in high spirits, dangling from Gon’s arms and getting shoulder rides from Gen.
Jin was still silent about Hannah’s dedicated SP members.
Speaking of Jin, he was building a washing machine with Elsa as the assistant.
He had noticed it last year, that after passing through winter Kaina Village’s female villagers’ hands, including Martha’s, became rough.
One of the causes of that was laundry.
There was not even a washboard in Kaina Village, and most of the laundry was done by rubbing it with hands in a large tub. Sheets and other large articles were also tread on with feet to clean them.
Although they could also use the hot spring’s hot water, it was still undoubtedly a large problem.
“Whaat, that happens every year. Once it gets warmer they’ll get better.”
Martha said and laughed, but Jin couldn’t accept it.
And so, a washing machine.
He was picturing a washing machine cranked by hand. The laundry, detergent, and water would be inserted in an egg-shaped container and the handle turned, so when the container goes around the laundry inside is stirred.
Powering a normal automatic washing machine would be difficult and, while it may be just his own opinion, Jin felt like it wouldn’t suit Kaina Village.
He ordered the lacking materials from Hourai Island. Although in the first place because of the bronze and copper left in Martha’s house there was enough metal.
Elsa was still learning by example and so she watched.
She had her eyes earnestly fixed on Jin as he processed the metal with [Forming].
“The mental image is important for [Forming]. You must picture from head to toe how you want the shape to be. That’s the most important part.”
While talking, Jin slowly used [Forming] to show it to her, as he continued building the washing machine.
“Mental image…That’s hard. You mean, properly imagining what I want to make inside my head?”
“That’s right. Try starting from simple shapes at first.”
Elsa didn’t realize that Jin chantlessly moulding the metal while talking was out of the ordinary. She exerted herself, wanting to be able to do the same thing.
The goal of her efforts was too high, but it probably wasn’t a waste of effort in the least.
Meanwhile, the hand-cranked washing machine had been finished. Reiko had fetched a magical beast’s leather to use as material for the seals. Because without it when rotating it the water would leak and scatter all around the place.
Natural rubber would also work, but as expected its durability was on a different level.
“Interesting shape.”
Seeing the finished washing machine Elsa gave her honest impressions. Hannah also came along and looked at it with great interest.
“Onii-chan, what’s thi~is?”
“This is a washing machine. Do you have anything you want washed?”
Jin asked Hannah if she had something for a test. Hannah then replied,
“Yeah, I do! The panties I wore yesterday.”
Hannah then went to fetch them from the washing place. Jin and Elsa watched her with awkward smiles.
They went to the side of the well while Reiko carried the prototype hand-cranked washing machine. As the weather was fine several married women were there having a chat.
“Oh my, if it isn’t Jin. Have you made something again?”
“You must be Jin’s younger sister, right? You don’t look much alike, huh. But you’re a beauty.”
Et cetera, the women greeted them. As expected, after being called a beauty, and so forth, to her face Elsa was taken aback and blushed.
“This is something called a washing machine.”
Jin opened the lid of the washing machine, put the panties inside, then pumped water from the well into it. Finally as substitute for the detergent he put in a small amount of ritha seed powder. He then shut the lid.
The housewives by the well looked at the situation with keen interest.
“Then we turn this handle.”
Because it was a trial product, the washing machine was the size for a single person to use. Jin thought that the village doesn’t have that much laundry so this size should be enough.
If it was made bigger then the strength required to turn it would also increase, which in itself would become a problem. Although Gon and Gen could also lend a helping hand.
After turning it round and round for about three minutes Jin stopped. And slowly the rotation speed dropped, eventually stopping so that the lid was facing up because the washing machine’s weight had been balanced just right.
“Open the cork on the bottom and the water will flow out.”
Dirty water poured out. (For the sake of Hannah’s reputation, let it be said that it wasn’t ‘dirty’ in a literal sense. Dirty as in the water had been used to wash laundry.)
“Put in the water for rinsing.”
He closed the cork on the bottom and this time poured water in from the top.
“Turn it again.”
While turning the handle, Jin said,
“Ah, that’s right. If the stains aren’t bad then they’ll come clean with just water.”
This time he kept on turning it for about a minute.
Jin changed the water once more and then was finished, although he did still turn the handle afterwards with the cork on the bottom opened. Some drops of water flew around.
“This way the laundry will be wringed. But of course you can also wring it by hand.”
After a broad explanation, he opened the lid of the washing machine and took out Hannah’s panties.
“And then, open the lid and take out the laundry.”
After taking them out Jin shook the panties to drain the water and straighten the wrinkles.
“Finally just let it dry.”
How’s that, Jin looked questioningly at the housewives.
“…”
“……”
Just when Jin was about to think that the reaction was small,
“Jin! This can wash other things too, right?”
“Please make one for me!”
“How interesting!”
Convenient or interesting, there were various reasons for it but for now Kaina Village seemed to accept the hand-cranked washing machine.
“Onii-chan, thanks for washing them!”
But Hannah’s smiling face brought the most joy to Jin.
And so through Reiko, Jin had Hourai Island mass produce washing machines and arranged them to be carried here.
＊ ＊ ＊
Naturally as Jin decided to do so, Elsa also stayed overnight once more.
Elsa and Mine also spoke through the ManaComs and apparently she said ‘Thanks for having Elsa use this chance to see and hear about new things.’
“Jin-nii, today you looked really happy.”
After dinner, Elsa said suddenly.
“Eh?”
Jin didn’t quite understand the significance.
“These few days, you’ve at times had a bitter look on your face, Jin-nii. But today you seemed to have enjoyed the day a whole lot.”
“I-is that so…”
When told so by Elsa, Jin began thinking. Suddenly something came to his mind.
(I really have been worn out by the matters with the Unifilers and such, huh.)
He really wasn’t fit for fighting scenes, Jin thought with a bitter smile.
“Hey, hey, can Elsa onee-chan also use magic?”
Hannah who had been helping with the dishwashing asked Elsa once she came back.
“Mm. But I’m not as good as Jin-nii.”
But Hannah stared at Elsa with eyes sparkling with anticipation and said,
“Show me somethi~ng!”
When so asked, Elsa thought for a while, then realized that it had become a little dim in Martha’s kitchen and,
“[Light Ball].”
She chanted and lit up the room. The kitchen became bright at once. Martha was surprised.
“Oh! That scared me …Ah, Elsa-chan? Is this also magic? What a convenient thing, huh.”
Seeing her like that, Elsa muttered a few words,
“Improving lives with magic is worth doing, isn’t it?”
Jin heard her and smiled, then turned to Elsa,
“You’ve realized an important thing, huh. I’m sure Elsa will become a good Magi Craftsman.”
He said.
“Really? Jin-nii, thanks.”
Because of that, Elsa smiled looking truly happy. That smile was something Jin was also seeing for the first time.