Different World Business Symbol Chapter 3

第３話　買い物
Chapter 3 – Shopping

MTL: uniquegasuki
Editor/ Proofreader: (not proofread)

The following morning, Haruto was awoken by the morning sunlight. He opens the window and then checked outside.
「It seems I’ve woken up early today.」 (Haruto)
He felt relieved that he didn’t oversleep. Afterward, Haruto washed his face at the water well and then had breakfast at Undine. While he ate his sandwich, which he had bought for 500 Doraria, Haruto thought about what he was going to do today.

(For the time being, I should definitely buy a change of clothes as I’m still wearing the same underwear from yesterday. Not to mention, the hard coins don’t quite fit in a j.a.panese wallet. It is too dangerous for me to simply carry money in my bare pockets. Oh, I must not forget the soap.)

Having finished his meal, Haruto left for the shopping district. While walking there, he catches sight of a familiar red-head. It was Lora. Lora also saw him so she showed a friendly smile and rushed over to him.

「Oh, if it is not, Haruto. It has been awhile. What are you up to?」 (Lora)
「Nothing much, I’m just here to buy some daily necessities.」 (Haruto)
Hearing his response, Lora’s eyes sparkled.
「I know of an inexpensive shop; I don’t mind guiding you there for 500 Doraria.」 (Lora)
「No thanks. I will look around on my own.」 (Haruto)
While Haruto’s does have 390,000 Doraria, that amount will only last him about 9 months. If possible, he wanted to save money.

「You should know that the prices in the shops will vary. If you are careless, you could end up with inferior goods……, with just 500 Doraria you could avoid the risk. If you are low on money, that is all the more reason to hire me as I am well informed about this town.」 (Lora)
Of course, there was some truth to what she said as paying 500 Doraria here could possibly save him money later.
「Fine. But, I ask that you properly do your job.」 (Haruto)
「Fufufu, thank you for your patronageー」 (Lora)
Lora looked happy when she received the copper coins.

「First off, clothes. Now follow me please.」 (Lora)
Haruto accompanied Lora. She advances through a crowd of people. When Haruto had caught up with Lora, they arrived in a back alley.

「This is a shortcut. It is like a maze, so please follow me closely.」 (Lora)
For a moment, Haruto felt anxious but judged that it would be alright to accompany her. Before he knew it, at some point Haruto had come to trust Lora.

After a short walk, they arrived on the main street. As soon as they reach the main street, Lora stopped.
「This is the place. They sell men’s clothing in the center. I will be scolded if I enter, so please go do your shopping.」 (Haruto)
Haruto entered the store. The stock they have was quite good. Although he didn’t know if the price was cheap or expensive, it was probably cheap. Haruto got 3 inexpensive underwear, 3 sets of casual clothes that are similar to the ones he saw being worn in town, and while he was there; he bought 3 towels. Haruto had purchased 12 items that added up to 16,000 Doraria. (T/N: either Author-san made a mistake or the clothes set includes pants and s.h.i.+rts)

「A-are you finished? Next will be a wallet, correct.」 (Lora)
Once again, Lora swiftly made her way through while Haruto could barely keep up with her.
「Lora, you’re walking too fast. Do you mind slowing down?」 (Haruto)
「Eh! Sorry. This is my usual walking pace when I’m alone.」 (Lora)
She slows down and walks side by side with Haruto. While walking along, they talked about the world around them.
「That remains me, the library here sure is big. The library in my hometown wasn’t nearly as s.p.a.cious.」 (Haruto)

「Yes, it is out of the ordinary. For 1,000 years; Clarice has been trading with the eastern countries and the kingdom. In the process, they have obtained about 700,000 books. By the way, Haruto how big was the collection of books in your hometown’s library?」 (Lora)
「Maybe it was around 9 million.」 (Haruto)
「There is no need to exaggerate. You know, Clarice has the biggest library in the world.」 (Lora)
Lora showed a triumphant expression on her face. Although, in reality, Haruto was speaking the truth.

A short while later, they arrive at a shop that sold leather goods.
「You can buy a belt or a wallet here. I recommend that you purchase a wallet with a chain attached to it. It would help in dealing with pickpocketers.」 (Lora)
Heeding her words, Haruto entered the store. He looked around the shop for a wallet and chain set.
The price was reasonable enough and after finding one he liked, the purchase was made.

Haruto exited the store and once again, he walked alongside Lora.
「By the way, Haruto-san, you’re quite proficient with the Claris (キリス語) language despite being a foreigner.」 (Lora)
The city-states official language is Claris.
「Well, now that have I bought a wallet and clothes, all that is left is soap.」 (Haruto)
For Haruto, who has a love for cleanliness, not having soap is a big problem.
「Eh? 『Soap』? What is that?」 (Lora)
The moment he heard that, Haruto froze. “No soap….. I never considered that possibility”, Haruto thought. It was said that until Europeans introduced soap to the warring states of j.a.pan, there was none.

(How troublesome…… there is no soap. Huh? But wait, I remember seeing something similar to soap at Undine……)

「You know, that thing that is used to wash off dirt. That bubbly stuff.」 (Haruto)
「Oh, are you talking about bubble-berry? You should have said so from the start.」 (Lora)

Bubble-berry…… is an item he has never heard of. Haruto tilted his head as he heard of lye but never of the former. In the olden days, lye was something that was used to wash laundry. “But, what is bubble-berry…… is it a soapberry?”, he thought.

「What is bubble-berry?」 (Haruto)
「Eh! You don’t know? Is it not grown in the east…..? Look, it is that berry they are selling over there. Bubble-berry is commonly used by the rich because they regularly was.h.i.+ng their body to kept their skin from being ruined.」 (Lora)
In the direction where Lora was pointing, they were selling a big black soapberry. “Did they not invent soap because there was already a soap subst.i.tute?”, while Haruto thought this, he went to check the price.

(Awhh, expensive! Seriously, 30,000 Doraria……)

One bottle cost 30,000 Doraria, that it equal to the cost of staying at Sylph’s pavilion for 3 weeks.
(It can’t be helped; I have to make my own……)
Haruto decided on making his own soap.

Haruto’s hobby was making soap. He got into making soap when his mother had tried it out. She eventually gave up but Haruto continued to make soap. Since then, making soap has become his past-time. Soap itself isn’t difficult to make. It is easily made by blending fats/ oil with sodium hydroxide and then heating it up.

(Before I can make it, I need the necessary ingredients and tools……)

「Lora, would you happen to know where I can get a hot pot, olive oil, salt, and firewood?」 (Haruto)
「Eh? I do but…… what are you planning to use it for?」 (Lora)
「Well, you’ll see.」 (Haruto)
Haruto directs a broad smile towards Lora. She merely tilts her head in puzzlement.

Haruto parted ways with Lora. He left the clothes he had bought at the inn before leaving for the mountains to heat the firewood that was necessary for making soap.

「I would never have guessed that my hobby would end up being useful.」 (Haruto)

One never knows what life will throw their way. Now all Haruto has to do is acquire the necessary ingredients oil and sodium hydroxide. The oil he will be using is olive oil that he had purchased for 1,000 Doraria. While he could have used fat from meat, it would have caused the soap to be smelly. The sodium hydroxide could simply be subst.i.tuted with common ash from firewood.

While making the ash, he had to be careful not to start a forest fire. Haruto lit the firewood using a lighter. Afterward, he mixed in water and lye. A short while later, he heated it up and then added salt. The stuff that floated to the top is the soap. Haruto then collects that stuff with a jar that he had prepared.
Haruto stares at the finished soap. While the proper ingredients and tools were not available in this world, he was somehow able to improvise. At any rate, the results were better than nothing.

By the time he was done, it was already getting dark out. Haruto hurried and returned to the inn.

「A sandwich, please.」 (Haruto)
He made a request to Marceau. Haruto was so engrossed with making soap that he had skipped lunch. After quickly eating his sandwich, Haruto started a conversation with Marceau.

「Excuse me, do you have a moment?」 (Haruto)
「What is, okyaku-san.」 (Marceau)
Haruto shows the soap that he had made to Marceau, who still has the same evil-looking eyes.
「This is soap. Will you be willing to try and use this to wash your dirty dishes instead of lye? I believe it will give a better clean than lye.」 (Haruto)
Haruto was interested in seeing the response of someone who has never heard of soap after they have tried using it. At any rate, he also wanted to boast about his feeling towards soap.

「Eh? This thing! Sure, but……」 (Marceau)
While half doubting it, Marceau tries was.h.i.+ng the dirty dishes with the soap. His doubt quickly changed to astonishment.

「This thing is amazing! Lye can’t even compare to this. How much is this?」 (Marceau)
The amount of soap Haruto had pa.s.sed to Marceau was about 1/3 of the portion made. Except for the olive oil, everything else was free. It cost Haruto 300 Doraria to make the soap.

「Well, how about 300 Doraria?」 (Haruto)
「This is only 300 Doraria!!」 (Marceau)
His reaction is no surprise. If one thinks about it, a single bottle of bubble-berry is 30,000 Doraria. This soap here is 300 Doraria. For Marceau, the soap is far cheaper than bubble-berry.

(Hey? Is this not profitable?)

Haruto realized it. If he were to market the soap; he could make a fortune, the town would become cleaner and women’s hair would also become cleaner.

(While being transported to another world is troublesome, living an ordinary life would be boring.)

Haruto smiled.

After returning to the inn, Haruto requested hot water from Hannah. One bucket cost him 300 Doraria. Haruto whisks the soap that he had made and washed his body. But as he had thought, the soap was greatly different from what he knew of.

Haruto wipes himself dry with the towel that he had recently bought and then returns to his room. While laying on his bed, he pondered about what to do after today.

(I need permission before starting a business…… as I thought, I should get my citizens.h.i.+p. Shall I go check town hall, tomorrow? Oh yeah, I promised to show Lora the soap. She sure does stink, though.)

While thinking about Lora, Haruto fell asleep.

Food Expenses: 1,200
Hot Water: 300
Clothes: 16,000
Wallet: 5,000
Hot Pot: 12,000
Olive Oil: 1,000
Firewood: 200

Remaining Balance: 352,300