Chapter 304: Mukouda Buys a House

 

Translated by Zzonkedd

Edited by Gumihou and Onionpi

Please read this at kitchennovel dot com

 

Lambert-san introduced me to Nestri-san, [4] “This is Supervisor Nestri, he’s in charge of the real estate department for the Carelina Merchant’s Guild. Hello Nestri, this is Mukouda-san. He would like to check out that mansion…”

[6] Nestri-san smiled and led the way to the property indicated by Lambert-san.

The place was only about a 20-minute walk from the Merchant’s Guild.

Nestri-san stopped before a high stone wall about 2 meters tall and gates just as high…

“… wait, you mean here? This?!”

[9] Nestri-san smiled and unlocked the gate. “Please, feel free to check out the property.”

Past the gate was a cobblestone pathway lined by trees that allow viewers a peek at the gorgeous greenery just beyond. We had to walk for quite a bit before we came across the main building.

“Well, what do you think [5]?” Nestri-san’s voice was very calm and modulated.

I, on the other hand, had dropped open my mouth in shock. It’s not just gorgeous and beautiful, it’s also grand, showy, ostentatious and magnificent.

[9] Hey… is this really a house meant for one person?!

Suddenly, a special feature article from a travel magazine flashed through my mind.

 

[Luxury space I’d love to experience once in my life!]

Below this eye-catching phrase was the picture of an ultra-luxurious hotel from a foreign country overlooking a gorgeous forest background. It was no exaggeration to call that hotel a fairy tale castle seated in the middle of a mysterious glen. One night at this gorgeous palace will set you back 100,000 Japanese yen!

 

“… …” I was speechless.

“Fufu, no matter how many times I look at it, it’s still a wonderful sight,”

“… …” Lambert-san, the way you praise it is so light-hearted. [6] You should use adjectives like ‘Grand!’, ‘Palatial!’, ‘Ridiculous!’.

“… why did you introduce a property like this to me?” [3] I’m an Adventurer you know? This looks nothing like the places I’ve rented before. This is a castle!

[9] A castle!

[9] The windows were made of clear flat glass that looked really expensive. Plus, it’s not like all the windows were the same size, the windows alone must have cost a fortune!

[9] “Would you like to have a look at the garden? It’s fairly spacious with plenty of greenery.”

[9] I stared at the huge, well-maintained garden with its dark green lawn and all types of trees…

““Umu, a decent space,””

““Lots of trees too, looks fine to me!””

““Yaayy~~!!””

“Wait, don’t run off you guys!!”

[9] Too late.

Fer was bounding about in the huge garden, Dora-chan zipping between the trees and Sui was bouncing around like an energetic rubber ball.

Also, Fer left a trail of overturned turf wherever he went. [5]

“… …” I guess I’ll have to buy this place now [5].

“Hahaha, looks like Mukouda-san’s familiars like this place.”

“Indeed~ It certainly looks like it~”

Nestri-san and Lambert-san looked at me expectantly.

““Oi, Fer, Dora-chan, Sui, I haven’t decided whether to get this house just yet so don’t make a mess,””

““Mu, why not? I like it.””

““Me too!””

““Sui likes it here too~””

Gununu…

You guys are unexpectedly drawn to high-end goods?

“Shall we have a look inside?” [3] Nestri-san suggested with a smile.

We followed him to the front door of the white castle-like building.

Nestri-san pushed open the large double doors and we stepped into a wide lobby that was so large that it could have easily swallowed another house. The spiral staircase leading to the upper floors was large enough for Fer to climb up easily.

“It’s wide isn’t it?” continued Nestri-san pleasantly. “Please look up.”

I looked up and blinked at the huge and shiny chandelier.

“The chandelier is made with Crystal Beetles. It’s quite rare to get beetles of this size and clarity. The light is powered by magic stones, all you have to do is enter some magic here…”

Nestri-san touched a palm-sized board on the wall next to the door and the chandelier shone with a faint light.

“The magic stones used are all high-quality items, estimated to last for about 10 years,”

“… …” I’m already overwhelmed by the sheer luxury of the entrance…

“Please come this way next,”

……….

……

…

[9] I’m tired.

Nestri-san had only guided us through the first floor but I’m already exhausted from the shock of the sheer luxury of this place. It wasn’t [9] just the size of the rooms or the furniture. When Lambert-san told me this place was fully furnished, I imagined it to have chairs and tables, beds maybe a couple of sofas and a properly working stove but this- this-

[9] They have paintings! Expensive vases that serve no purpose other than to look pretty! Luxurious fluffy carpets in every room!

And the kitchen!

Aside from being massively large, it has two four-burner magic stoves similar to the one I have. The drawers were filled with expensive tableware. [9] If someone were to walk in and made off with the silver, so to speak, they’d make a small fortune.

And the bath!

Here I thought the bath at the last mansion I rented was large and luxurious but this one trumps them all! [2] The bathtub has flower patterns on the outside. An unnecessary yet very expensive addition that serves no purpose aside from being pretty! Ah, but the faucets that let out hot water at the appropriate temperature (powered by magic stones, of course) was a very nice addition.

Then, there’s the toilet!

Until now all the [10] toilets I’ve seen were varying types of squat toilets, which led me to believe that this is the only toilet design in this world. This was the first western-style sit-on toilet that I’ve seen. The flush system on the toilet is powered by magic stones, just like everything else in this world.

“This state-of-the-art toilet design has become popular at the Royal Capital. Such advanced design is rare even in Carelina!”

[10] Nestri-san sounded very proud, I guess I should keep the fact that as a modern-day Japanese man, I’m actually more familiar with sit-on toilets like these…

To be honest, I’m seriously tempted by the huge bath and flush toilets. However, on the whole, this castle was just way too luxurious. To the point that it made me uncomfortable.

“Shall we have a look at the second floor?”

“This is the first time I’m seeing the interior, haah… It certainly is luxurious~~”

…Lambert-san, is that why you came with me? Just to see the inside?

[5] “This is the master bedroom,” [8] Nestri-san opened a door and spread his hand. “The focal point of this room is the large bed.”

‘Large bed’ is kind of an understatement for the monstrosity that dominated the room. Just how many people could fit in that thing?

““Hey, that looks really comfortable!”” Dora-chan dove into the middle of the bed.

“Ah, Dora-chan? What are you doing?!”

““Wahoo! It’s sooffft~~!””

““Sui wants to go up too~!””

“Wait, Sui!” [6] it was too late. My two smaller familiars were already bouncing on the bed. [5]

““Goodness, just what are those two doing? Hmm, but this house is not bad. I like this thing.””

[9] ‘This thing’ being the very fluffy carpet next to the bed.

You guys…

“… please excuse my familiars,”

“No, no, I can see that Mukouda-san’s familiars like the interior of the house very much.”

There’s that professional smile again.

I haven’t decided to buy this yet, you know?

So why are you all treating it as though I’ve already made up my mind?!

 

Please read this at kitchennovel dot com ~

 

“The total cost of the mansion is 12,000 gold. I have received 120 platinum coins from Mukouda-san. I shall hand over the keys now.”

There were quite a lot of keys on the keyring.

[4] “This one is the key to the gate, this one is for the main house and these are keys to the servant’s quarters…”

That’s right, I ended up buying that ridiculously luxurious mansion.

Initially, I just wanted to get something nice since I have the money but I ended up with a palace…

Haahh….

Those guys!!

They kept saying how nice it was and how much they like it. 

I intended to look at other houses but ended up getting this one instead. I can’t even blame Lambert-san or Nestri-san for hard selling me, since one was just genuinely admiring the place while the other was being perfectly professional.

My familiars were the ones to be blamed.

In fact, they like the house so much that none of them joined me to [8] sign the necessary documents of ownership at the Merchant’s Guild. [5]

“Oh my, as expected of an S Ranker. To hand over 12,000 gold coins right away for an entire house. I say, I’m very proud to claim Mukouda-san as my acquaintance.”

…Lambert-san, I really had no intention of getting that palace…

Hahhh… I guess there’s no helping it. That ostentatious palace-like house is my home now.

That said, 14 rooms are certainly too many for the three of us…

 

[Gumihou: Uggh, who’s going to clean the place? Just dusting it would take days…]

Eguchi-san: Total gold left – 76,600. The purchase of a mansion had taken a good chunk out, but that’s still a lot of money… (sweats)

       

[1] Structural Change: Combine 2 paragraphs

[2] Structural Change: Combine 3 paragraphs

[3] Structural Change: Combine paragraph & dialogue

[4] Structural Change: Change passive sentence to dialogue 

[5] Delete Repetitive or Pointless Information

[6] Additional Information for Aesthetic Purpose

[7] Add Dialogue Tag

[8] Creative Licence Taken

[9] Mukouda’s reaction to the ridiculous property as well as descriptions of said property. Also adjusted Nestri’s way of speaking into something more appropriate for a high-end real estate agent.

[10] Japanese style squat toilets vs Western style sit-on toilets: Basically toilets where you squat over a hole to do your business vs the sit over a hole type. I can understand why Eguchi-san would design the world this way because the Asian world uses squat toilets first before moving to western-style sit on toilets.

However, even back in the Roman times, the toilets were the sit-on type rather than the squat type. Also, flush toilets had already been invented way back in 1596 without the aid of magic stones or water magic.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/turrets-toilets-partial-history-throne-room-180951788/

In short, this is a world-building error, especially since it’s supposed to depict fantasy magic Medieval English style world.

 

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