After leaving
Mark led us to a warehouse with a well nearby. It wasn't very large—roughly the size of a six-tatami room at first glance. It had apparently been used by artisans to store materials, with some boards still fixed to the walls as shelves.
The inside had been roughly cleaned—it was a bit dusty but didn't seem to need a thorough scrubbing. Looking around, I could see a pot and some bags already placed in a corner.
"The items we ordered arrive at the shop first, then employees bring them here. Yesterday we brought the pot and ash over—those are over there. Today we're supposed to bring over a large basin and a Weight Stone. Please stay here until the delivery arrives."
Looking at the black pot in the direction Mark was pointing, I felt genuinely grateful for Benno's cooperation. This was a pot that Lutz and I could never have obtained on our own.
"Wow, a pot! Lutz, think you can carry this one?"
"Yeah, something this size should be fine. I can tie it to my carrying frame."
"Then let's measure right away. We need to decide on the Steamer's dimensions."
The tote bag contained the order form set borrowed from Benno's shop. I quickly pulled out a measuring tape, but Lutz snatched it away with a flick of his wrist.
"...We can measure, but settle down first. You'll get a fever again if you get too excited."
"Ugh..."
Mark, who had been watching our exchange, gave a wry smile.
"If there are no problems with this warehouse, I'll head back to the shop. We're planning to visit the lumber shop tomorrow morning, so please have your measurements and orders ready. ...I'll leave the shop around the third bell, so I should arrive at Central Plaza a little after that."
"Understood. Thank you for everything."
Then Mark produced a key attached to a chain meant to be worn around the neck.
"I'll be leaving this key with you two. It's the key to this warehouse. Don't forget to lock up. After that, one of you—Lutz will do—must bring the key back to the shop. Understood?"
"Yes."
Lutz took the heavy, jangling key, and Mark spun on his heel and left.
"What should we start with, Lutz?"
The unused warehouse had neither chairs nor boxes to sit on. It was no place for a rest.
"Should we bring in the stuff? The frames we made, the bamboo, nails..."
"Right. What we need to do today is decide the Steamer's size and write down the wood dimensions, right? Let's check the order forms to make sure we haven't forgotten any lumber... and then maybe make the bamboo strip samples?"
"Cutting and shaving bamboo will need tools too."
I wrote today's tasks on the Slate and propped it against the warehouse wall. That way, I wouldn't forget.
Lutz and I went home together and brought the supplies to the warehouse. With no sense of direction, I had no idea where we were, but Lutz seemed to know the way, nimbly turning through narrow alleys.
Apparently the warehouse was between the South Gate and our homes. Before I could even wonder "Where are we?", we'd arrived. For someone with no stamina like me, the good news was that it was quite close.
"Put the stuff in the basket, then come down."
"Got it."
The only thing stored at our house was nails. Since Lutz's family worked in construction and woodworking, bringing nails into their house would risk them being mistaken for someone else's or taken.
Conversely, frames and bamboo that might be mistaken for firewood would likely get burned if left at our house, so they were stored at Lutz's.
I put the bag of nails and a knife in the basket, and on a whim also threw in a cleaning rag and broom. Since there was nothing that could serve as a chair, I wanted to at least clean up and spread out the rag to have somewhere to sit.
When I went down, Lutz was already waiting. All sorts of wooden items that looked like crafts were poking out of his basket.
"What did you bring, Lutz?"
"
"Hehe, I brought cleaning supplies so we'd have somewhere to sit too."
Back at the warehouse, we put the nails on a shelf, lined the bamboo in a corner, and then I pulled out the measuring tape. Together we measured the pot and settled on the Steamer's dimensions, then started writing the required wood lengths on the Slate.
"This should work, right?"
"Yeah."
There were many types of wood to order from the lumber shop.
Wood for the Steamer, square lumber for beating fibers, a large Flat Board and stand for the Paper Bed, a relatively thin flat board for drying paper by pressing it on, bamboo for making strips, and then wood as raw material for paper.
Going through each order form, I considered what was needed for each—whether hard or soft wood was better, well-dried or young, thinking through the characteristics of each type.
"Next is the bamboo strips, right?"
"Right. Can you whittle them?"
"I cut them pretty big last time. How about the smaller ones?"
Under Lutz's direction, we started making bamboo strips.
He could split them cleanly with a satisfying, forceful crack, but the finer shaving work was clearly difficult—he was visibly struggling.
"Let me try. I might be able to handle the detailed work."
I pulled out my knife and tried to shave a slightly thinner piece of bamboo, but most of my attempts snapped partway through with a crack. The few that kept their length were jagged and completely unusable.
"This is really hard."
"Yeah."
We cut the least jagged bamboo strips to match the frame dimensions and settled on the lengths.
This was work best left to someone skilled. We had neither the time nor the skill.
"I've brought the supplies!"
While we were working, one of Benno's shop employees came with a large basin and Weight Stones that Lutz could carry. We had them placed alongside the pot.
"
As soon as the employee left, Lutz started packing up the tools. It was almost lunchtime, and while I was probably still fine physically...
"I'm still okay, you know?"
"...Tomorrow's going to be tough, so you should rest today. Weren't you supposed to be on cooking duty?"
"That's right."
I'd been sick in bed while my cooking rotation came up, and Turi had covered for me, so today was actually my day.
"Besides, I need to prepare so I can go to the lumber shop tomorrow."
"Prepare?"
"I need to finish my work for tomorrow so I'm free. So go home, Myne. I'll walk you back, then return the key."
"Got it."
Acutely aware that I was dead weight, I nodded and quickly gathered the things.
The next day, I met Mark at Central Plaza a little after the third bell and headed to the lumber shop. Apparently Benno's shop was busiest from just before the second bell—when the gates opened—until the third bell, when things quieted down.
Since Lutz was with me this time, I didn't collapse along the way, and we made it to the lumber shop safely.
The sight of logs piled up and propped against walls was somewhat similar to lumber shops I'd seen in
However, since every task done by machine in Japan was done entirely by hand here, a huge number of muscular men milled about, shouting loudly as groups of them moved and cut wood.
It was extremely lively—almost frighteningly so.
"Ah, Master Craftsman! It's been a while."
"Oh, it's you. That kid from Benno's—is he doing well?"
"Yes, quite well. Now, about today's business—these two are looking for some wood..."
Mark greeted the Master Craftsman, who had a bushy beard with streaks of white but a shiny bald head, and explained that we were looking for wood.
"A young lady and a lad? What kind of wood do they need?"
The muscular Master Craftsman, who didn't look his age, looked down at me with piercing eyes, and I let out a small gasp.
"Um, I need wood for building a Steamer..."
"Hmm? What kind of wood for a what?"
When he asked again with a suspicious look, I was at a loss for words. I'd managed to get the point across to Lutz and Mark before, but the Master Craftsman didn't understand "Steamer"? Or did I need to specify the type of wood?
"Er, steam... no, I need wood that won't change shape even when exposed to steam. Something hard and well-dried. Can you tell me what kind works?"
"Oh? Hard and dried wood, you say? Sounds like you've got a rough idea of what you need."
Nodding with a hum, the Master Craftsman rattled off three types of wood.
"Zwon, Turaka, or Pedisree—something in that range. Which will it be?"
"When you put it that way... Lutz, do you know?"
Even with the candidates listed, I had no clue. I turned around and looked up at Lutz.
"Hmm? I think Zwon would be the easiest to work with."
"Then let's go with Zwon. You've got the sizes figured out?"
"Yes."
Nodding at Mark's words, I pulled the order form from my tote bag. I had Mark look it over first to make sure there were no mistakes.
"Looks good to me. Then, Master Craftsman, could you cut the Zwon to these specifications and deliver it to the shop?"
"Right!"
The Master Craftsman glanced over the order form and handed it to a young muscular worker nearby.
"Oh, and also—I need one thick board that won't lose its shape when wet, plus a stand to put it on."
"I can sell you the materials, but for the stand, either order from a furniture maker or build one yourself. Is Zwon fine for this too?"
"Yes."
I nodded firmly and handed over the order form for the thick board. The Master Craftsman snorted and looked it over, so I handed him yet another order form.
"That's quite a lot."
"There's more. These are two thin boards that can handle water exposure..."
"How thick? If they're too thin, they'll warp even if they're hard."
He said this with a slight smirk, and I searched my memory with a hum. I pictured the board I'd been pressing paper onto and clapped my hands. I pulled the Slate from my tote bag and started sketching.
"Um, something like this, with a reinforcing frame on the back to prevent warping. The thickness should be enough for that. At the very least, Lutz needs to be able to carry it..."
"A man who can't carry something this size is no man."
There was no way I could compare this muscular Master Craftsman with Lutz.
A little worried, I looked back at Lutz, but before I could open my mouth, Lutz scowled.
"I'm a guy. I can handle it."
He'd only end up suffering later by insisting on this, but this seemed like a matter of masculine pride, so I kept quiet.
"Also, I need a hard, square piece of wood—like a club or a laundry bat. Lutz will be the one swinging it, so keep the size and weight manageable for him."
"A club and a laundry bat are completely different things! What are you going to be hitting?"
The word "hitting" had brought those two images to mind, but obviously a weapon-grade club and a mother's laundry bat would be made from entirely different materials.
"Wood fibers. Boiled until soft, then beaten until they become cotton-like."
"What for?"
"I can't tell you that."
I crossed my fingers in front of my mouth to make an X, and the Master Craftsman snorted again.
"The balance between hardness and weight matters. More importantly—what surface will you be beating on? Stone? Wood? That changes things too."
My blood ran cold.
I had completely forgotten that I needed a surface to beat on.
"...I, I hadn't thought about that. O-of course—I need something to beat on too! Can you make the beating surface and the bat as a set? I'll write up the order form right now!"
"If you want them as a set, you can just add it here... But you're the one writing the forms?"
"Yes...?"
My head was spinning from the unexpected mistake, and scrambling to cover it, I immediately pulled out the measuring tape, ink, and pen from the order form set in my tote bag and scribbled the beating surface dimensions on the back of the form.
"Master Craftsman, is this okay?"
"Yeah. Is that the last of the order?"
"No, there's one more... Do you have wood with long, strong fibers? Ideally something with pliable fibers that tangle together easily and yield a lot of fiber. I've heard first-year trees are best. After the second year, the fibers harden and knots form, making them difficult to use. I need soft, young wood."
I listed the characteristics of wood suitable for paper, but the Master Craftsman's reaction wasn't great. He stroked his beard and furrowed his brow.
"Young stuff like that doesn't have many uses, so I don't carry it."
Lumber shops apparently didn't handle young, first-year trees unless they were special orders.
"Then, if any of the characteristics I described ring a bell, could you at least tell me the species? I don't know which ones are suitable, so I'll gather a small sample and figure it out myself. Once I've decided, will you sell them to me?"
"Depends on the quantity. A small amount wouldn't be worth our while."
"Understood. ...Lutz, remember the names of the woods and where they can be found. I don't trust myself to identify them."
It seemed we'd have to gather samples ourselves at first. Once we had a prototype, figured out which wood worked best, and needed to mass-produce paper, we could place an order.
While Lutz was having the young worker teach him about wood species and how to identify them, I showed the Master Craftsman the bamboo strips and asked: "Oh, right. I need bamboo strips like these—do you have bamboo here?"
"Not a lot, but we have some."
The Master Craftsman pointed toward the back of the stacked lumber. I could see familiar-looking bamboo peeking out.
"Can you make bamboo strips here?"
"That level of fine work is for a craftsman. Go ask a craftsman."
"A craftsman—got it. Thank you. Oh, and that completes our order."
"Right. When you're ready, just have it delivered to Benno's shop?"
The Master Craftsman said this while looking over the order forms. The client on all the forms I'd given him was listed as Benno.
Apparently, as part of the Contract Magic, in exchange for the recipe for Simple-chan Rinshan, the initial investment was to be made by Benno. Everything was to be delivered to Benno's shop first, then handed over to us—I'd been told this format was important for Contract Magic.
"Yes. Please take care of it."
I watched the Master Craftsman return to his work, and while waiting for Lutz to come back, I checked my tote bag to see if there were any remaining order forms.
There was the stand that the furniture maker had been recommended to make, and the form for bamboo strips that the craftsman had been recommended for.
Hmm, what about the stand for the Paper Bed?
Honestly, while I could see ordering a custom beating surface, I didn't think the stand for the Paper Bed was something worth commissioning from a furniture maker.
"...Mark, does the shop happen to have any spare wooden boxes that could work as stands? It feels like a waste to order from the furniture maker."
"Understood. We'll provide wooden boxes here. How many do you need?"
"I want two of the same size for putting boards on as stands. It would also be nice to have two or three more of different sizes, if possible."
Mark took care of it, saying it would be cheaper than ordering from the furniture maker, so no problem.
When Lutz returned, Mark and I parted ways at the warehouse.
"We should visit the craftsman another day as well. Since I haven't made contact yet, is it alright to break up for today?"
"Yes. Thank you for everything."
The next day, I went to the forest to gather firewood.
Along the way, I searched for wood that could be used for papermaking, but since Lutz knew more about trees, I basically left it to him.
Because to me, they all looked the same. I could tell the difference in bark and texture, but there were too many types to memorize.
Then, when I went to borrow the warehouse key to store the collected materials, Mark told me he'd gotten in touch with the craftsman.
Mark was seriously capable. Lightning-fast worker.
Thanks to Mark, five days after visiting the lumber shop, we were able to go to the craftsman.
As usual, we met at Central Plaza at the third bell and headed to the craftsman. His workshop was on Artisan Way, so apparently near the South Gate.
Unlike the Master Craftsman at the lumber shop, the craftsman was a relatively slender man. He had the muscle needed for his work and nothing more—his build embodied that principle. His gray hair, which reached his back, was tied back carelessly, as if to say it was fine as long as it didn't get in the way.
"What kind of job?"
Being looked up and down by his sharp, nervous artisan's eyes, I instinctively grabbed Mark's sleeve.
"I need bamboo strips like this. I went to the lumber shop and they told me to come to a craftsman..."
When I pulled the bamboo strips from my tote bag, the craftsman's mouth twitched at their jaggedness.
"Is this wavy pattern necessary?"
"I'd have preferred them straight, ideally..."
"With how clumsy these are, ordering from a pro is definitely the way to go. Understood. Is that the raw material?"
The craftsman pointed at the bamboo visible in Lutz's basket. Lutz pulled out the bamboo that had been delivered to the warehouse yesterday and laid it out.
"Is that all?"
"Actually! If possible, I'd also like you to make a 'sieve.' Can you do that?"
I drew a diagram on the Slate and used a single bamboo hairpin to gesture and explain how the sieve was made. Even with my clumsy explanation, the craftsman seemed to get the general idea.
"It's quite a troublesome request, but it's not impossible."
"Really? That's amazing!"
"But you'll need strong thread. Bring me strong thread before I place the order."
Saying that, the craftsman waved his hand dismissively, trying to shoo us away.
But I couldn't be sent away here—I had no idea what kind of strong thread the craftsman was referring to.
"Um, excuse me. I'm not sure what counts as strong thread. Could you come with me to take a look?"
"If you can go to the thread shop now, go ahead."
"I'll go!"
I was happy that the seemingly grumpy craftsman had unexpectedly offered to cooperate, and immediately raised my hand.
"Hey, Myne."
Lutz smacked me on the back of the head from behind.
I pouted and held my head, turning around. Lutz's green eyes were narrowed in irritation as he glared at me.
"Don't promise things so readily. You're always the first one to collapse."
"It seems Myne wants to be carried again today?"
"Wha—!?"
The last time I'd been carried home, I'd protested—I was sure they remembered, because Mark approached with a smile that brooked no argument.
As I backed away step by step, the craftsman's irritated voice cut in.
"Going or not? Which is it?"
"Of course we're going. Myne said so, right?"
Captured by Mark, hoisted up, and dragged to the thread shop.
Since they didn't need to consider my walking speed, the pace was incomparably faster. I was secretly amazed at how little jostling there was despite being carried, and let out a soft sigh near Mark's shoulder.
I'm trying my best, but I'm just causing trouble.
The thread shop was on Artisan Way, so it wasn't far. Even so, being carried by Mark was excruciatingly embarrassing as an adult at heart.
At the thread shop, I was finally set down and stepped inside.
"Wow, so much thread!"
"It's a thread shop," the craftsman replied in a quiet voice.
But the sight of so many threads gathered in one place was breathtaking.
Here at the Market, the shops were just stalls displaying only what a single person could handle. And the shops lining Artisan Way kept most of their stock in shelves and warehouses rather than on display, to reduce the risk of robbery and theft.
It was rare to see this much merchandise packed so tightly into one space.
"What kind of thread is the strongest?"
In Japan, the tough raw silk used to make sieves was the go-to. I didn't even know if silk or silkworms existed here, let alone how to choose strong thread.
"Spinne thread is the strongest. Especially the kind gathered during the autumn breeding season. But it's expensive."
When he looked to me with a "Well?" gaze, I turned to Mark. The money wasn't coming from me—the one with final say was Mark, who held Benno's purse.
"Spinne thread is fine, but there's no need to insist on the autumn variety, right?"
"...Well, that's true, but are you really sure about Spinne?"
"It's fine."
Apparently Spinne thread was extremely expensive. The craftsman had probably intended to start with the best and most expensive option and work his way down, and he looked back and forth between Mark and me in surprise.
"However, no failures and no complaints. It must be completed."
After I pulled the bamboo strips and sieve order forms from my tote bag, Mark checked them, smiled at the craftsman, and handed them over.
"Please take care of it."
"...Right."
Two sieves, cut postcard-sized to match the frame.
That was the last of the tool orders. It was finally all done, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
From the next day on, I kept watch at the warehouse, watching supplies get delivered. Then, together with Lutz, I built tools from the delivered materials.
In between, I gathered materials from the forest, helped around the house to avoid criticism from my family, and continued stocking up.
I needed Edil fruit for Tororo or Slarmo bug body fluid, but this time I decided to use Edil fruit.
The stickiness of Edil fruit was typically used later, when autumn deepened into the Winter Preparations season—it was applied to window frames with cloth stuffed in to block drafts. Because of that, once the season approached, the amount on the Market decreased and the price went up.
We agreed that if Edil fruit became unavailable, we'd switch to Slarmo bugs.
And the Edil fruit purchase had been handled by Mark, who took only Lutz while I was sick in bed with a fever.
Mark said he wanted to give Lutz some experience since the opportunity had come up, and I had a small moment of self-reflection, wondering if I'd been showing off a bit too much.
By the time all the materials were gathered, my health had recovered, and papermaking finally seemed possible, a month and a half had passed since I'd first met Benno and declared I would make paper.