Quantum Leap - Vol. 6 Kingdom Building Garnering Wealth

C012 Collecting Resins Next

Hiko-sama looked at his pocket watch that was hanging like a necklace and soon noticed its close to dinner time and our guests would be arriving soon.

"I'm amazed, kid. Do you always mix around with people and read their thoughts? At first, you wanted to buy for a few gold coins per wagon, now you got it for free and getting paid 1 silver per load even. Haa haaa haaaa... I can't beat you at this, kid. Your mind really is a super genius at making money. This corporation would soon be a giant in a few months time based on your efforts alone."

"No, Sensei. You also made valuable contributions to the corporation as well. I'm just merely producing so that at least we do not have to depend on other people for work. We ourselves can make money out from nothing."

As soon as I heard that, the 6 girls came by our courtyard and greeted us." Kumbawa" the entered and bowed to us in one line and was awed at the sight before them. Even if the house was merely made of its foundation, all 6 of them were milling around it and was awed by its size and design.

"Senior and Young Master, is this our new home? I can't believe it because yesterday there was nothing in this piece of land! Look at the size of the layout. It's as big as your house, right?" asked Hanna as she flitted like a butterfly from one pillar to the other.

Fei, Gina and Riko were delighted that they were playing around the skeletal structure of the house as if it was some kind of playground. To them, their joys were simply beyond words, the moment they saw the barren land had sprung up a house overnight, as this land was part of a magical Realm.

"Senior and young master, we can truly see how sincere you both are when you mentioned that you would be building a house and a workplace here for us. I know it costs a lot of gold coins and even through our deaths, we would not be able to repay you back."

"We are truly indebted to you," Hanna spoke up and bowed deeply. As being the more matured one, she became the spokesperson for the group. I then noticed that she had a slight tinge on her complexion that accentuates her beauty and yes its the first time I saw that she looked rather smashing.

Too bad in this series I ended up a kid if not there'd be a lot of woo woo time in between. Hahahaha.

"Hey, you girls hungry? What do you want to eat for dinner?" hollered Hiko-sama at those girls who were playing around the foundation of the house.

"Yes, of course, we are hungry. If not we won't come here for dinner and supper. Whatever you eat, we also eat together, Hiko-Dono!" replied Riko without a hint of shyness with her choice of blunt words again amidst her giggling.

I looked at them and realised that their youth was taken away at such tender age that they may have forgotten how to play, laugh and joke around.

"Fei, Gin and Riko... Come and sit at the garden, we won't want to see you get hurt. Dinner would swing by pretty soon later. Do you still have money with you?"

"We never spend any today. We were full since yesterday and decided to keep the silver as our lucky coin. See, we all are wearing the silver coin you gave us!" replied Riko as the three I called out finally calmed down and sat in the garden, and they were soon joined by Izumi, Hanna and Eko after they had gone to check the foundation of the house.

Riko showed us the threaded silver coin around their necks as Fei and Gin showed theirs too. "Oneesama also hang theirs around their necks too! Oneesama, show to Senpai your necklace!" Riko laughed gleefully as Izumi slowly pulled out hers and then slipped back inside her kimono.

How I wish I could be that coin right now, safely nestled in between their cleavages the whole day... Mmmmmmm

A yatai seller soon called out the first meal for the day and it was yakisoba! Everyone was excited and Hiko-sama helped to call out to the seller and asked for 8 servings while I stood up intending to proceed to the kitchen when Izumi ran to me and said, "Let me help you with the bowls, Senpai!"

"Eh... How can you enter a man's house? But anyway, what can a minute or two happens, right?" Hiko-sama mentioned to Izumi and she was taken aback as she had forgotten about the rules of not entering our space but seeing Hiko-sama waved Izumi in, she proceeded.

As I placed the bowls, plates and chopsticks on a tray, I mentioned that these should be placed on the table outside and handed the tray to Izumi. The moment she took it and turned around I heard a barely audible sentence that made me rooted to the ground.

"I like you, Senpai....." she said as she quickened her pace and left me standing there and staring at her back. I shook myself and tried not to be distracted as I made a kettle of water for green tea afterwards. I arranged 6 drinking cups on a tray and set it aside.

Realising that Hiko-sama had changed the soap on the small dish plate I brought it out with a half bucket of water and a scoop. This would be for them to wash their hands and face since they had just left their work and had no time for a shower and such.

Izumi returned back in and took the bucket and stuff that I was holding and brought it outside. "Did you

say something earlier?" I asked and she turned around and faced me, just a few inches from my face and she said, "That's what my heart is saying, Senpai." and smiled, turned her back and walk with the group.

"Ha... Harune remembers. So girls, please form a line and wash your hands and face first before dinner." commanded Hiko-sama as he handed out the towels while I went to fetch the dried laundry that was hung by the hangers.

After they had washed their face and hands the girls looked radiated and their complexion seemed to glow and they can't help but keep smelling their hands. With the help of the induced psi energy spheres, the girls' tiredness slowly faded away.

I went inside and sorted out which was mine and which was Hiko-sama's and hang them accordingly at their location.

Soon we were having yakisoba for dinner and even though it was quite normal to us, the girls find it extremely enjoyable. I thought of the coin and decided to buy some snacks for them to bring back for their breakfast tomorrow.

Soon after dinner the rest of the yatai came and we ordered supper and some extras for them to eat on the way back and for breakfast. We bought the following for them:

8 sticks of chicken Yakitori

4 portions of squid Yakiniku

4 packets of seafood flavoured Senbei

6 servings of red beans paste Taiyaki

18 pieces of chicken Kare pan

18 pieces of seafood Gyoza

18 pieces of potatoes and mixed vegetables Korokke

12 pieces of Kushikatsu

The girls made up their minds which one to eat and which one they would bring back and they slowly sorted out their share of joys.

=*=

"Sensei, how about you call Izumi and Eko? They both deal with flowers and herbs, right? How about you ask them which flowers or herbs that would be great to add to the collection of our scents? In that way, we could visit them in order to purchase these herbs and to see how was the working conditions of Eko and Fei.

"Good idea. Let me call them over," he replied and called out to Izumi and Eko.

"Yes, Senior and Young Master. What can we be of service?" they said and if anyone hears them saying those words, they could be easily be misunderstood.

"Ah... From now I would call you both and the rest without honorific because you would call me Senpai, and then young master plus you would call my Sensei as Hiko-Dono and the rest called him Senior Master. Its rather confusing so from now on just call me as Senpai and Hiko-sama sama here as Sensei... Phew!"

I said as I have to keep changing the honorific based on these side characters of this novel and it will turn out extremely very troublesome at times.

"Yes, Senpai," they answered. "By the way, we already knew Izumi works in the flower shop and you, Eko worked as a herbalist. Alright, can we start with Izumi, what types of flowers are best suited for this type Karada Soap?"

"Oh, you had used lavender, jasmine, lilac and rose. There are also Wisteria, Frangipani, Sweet alyssum, Sweet pea, Four o'clock, Chocolate cosmos, Lily of the valley and Gardenia."

"You could order and Riko and I would send it to you after lunchtime. At least you do not need to leave the house and monitor the workers." Izumi replied as she introduced another 8 more versions of scents, which means a total of 8 more new fragrances.

Hiko-sama looked at me and I replied, "OK, Izumi, we order 8 more baskets of flowers each tomorrow."

"Considered it as done, Senpai. Thank you for your orders. Hehe." Izumi replied with a giggle on her voice.

"Alright, Eko. It's your turn now. Tell me which is the best herbs that you would suggest to make a new scent for the Karada Soap?"

"Senpai, if you are considering a huge basket of flowers, you cannot expect the same size of the basket for the herbs as well. The basket would be the size of the steamer you had served us supper."

"However, for my own point of view, you could use herbs like Amyris, Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, Narcissus, Beebalm, Lemon balm, Catmint, Peppermint and Thyme. Total of 9 herbs that can be used for Karada Soap."

"We would like to order 9 of those herbs on a basket, could you and Fei deliver them tomorrow the same time as Izumi? Please prepare a receipt and payment would be done upon delivery."

"Yes, Senpai. Considered it done. We will send it here tomorrow. Thank you for your orders, Senpai."

"OK, you both may return and enjoy your supper now." With that, they both bowed and return to their seats and continued their supper.

"Sensei, could you call Hanna and Gin? Even if they are dealing with forestry I am sure they would have chanced on some roots or grasses." I suggested and Hiko-sama nodded.

"Hanna, could you come here a moment?" Hiko-sama summoned Hanna and as soon as she heard her name, she quickly went over.

"Yes Senpai, I heard what you needed and there are types of gums of trees that gave off certain sweet smell and they are Myrrh, Frankincense, Pine, Fir, Olbinam, Agarwood and Balsam. A total of 7 resin fragrances but I'm not sure how you are going to extract because they are solids."

"Ah... For your information, anything that is solid would be from a liquid first and liquid is a mixture of several forms of gases. So in order to melt these solids, it needs to be crushed and then slowly boiled and stirred until they dissolve."

"Alright, do you as a forester collects these resin?" Hanna and Gin shook their heads. "Hmm, then do you know anyone who collects them?" Hanna replied that their head forester collects for the monks from the monastery.

"OK, inform your head forester that we need a basketful like a steamer basket yesterday, filled with resins. Tomorrow after lunch you and Gin will deliver them here. Inform the head forester to carefully label them and bring the receipt and we will pay upon delivery. Would that be OK?"

"Yes, Senpai. Considered it as done. The contents normally collected would be like our bowl of yakisoba. Would that be sufficient, Senpai?" Hanna asked hoping that at least they would be in their head forester good books after this.

"Alright, go join the others." I dispersed both of them and they went to continue their suppers.