4 — Bread

“Thanks for today. We had tons of customers, so here’s a reward.”

The yeast bread was a big hit, so we had to bake batch after batch. I’d started it myself, but it still turned into a brutally busy day. Since I worked from morning through the whole day, I would normally have received 500G, but with the reward included I got 700G. That brought my total money to 860G. Of course, I also took home bread as precious food.

I spent 700G to buy a large cardboard box and cloth tape. That left me with 160G. Using those, I built a simple bed.

“At least now I can lie down and sleep.”

After two nights wrapped in a thermal blanket, my back and legs were starting to ache. I ate the bread I’d been given and went to sleep to prepare for tomorrow.

The next day, school was still off. I threw myself into work at the bakery from morning. Yesterday, customers had increased from midday onward, but today they were already heavy in the morning. Marie and I took turns making dough and baking bread, pushing a full production setup.

When work ended and the three of us finally took a breather, Catherine spoke up.

“Onii-chan, you might smell a little… Are you washing yourself?”

That snapped me to attention. Come to think of it, I didn’t remember taking a bath. How did bathing even work in this world…?

“Sorry. I guess I forgot because I was so busy.”

“Geez, Onii-chan, you’re such a forgetful person.”

“Since we handle food here, please be careful not to make customers uncomfortable.”

Marie emphasized it too.

“Alright, here’s today’s pay. You worked even harder than yesterday, so I’ll make it a bit more.”

“Thank you.”

I took my pay and bread and went home.

“Okay… I need to figure out bathing while it’s still light out.”

Today’s pay was 1000G.

I looked around the house for a bath. In one corner was a room that looked like it. It was shaped like a traditional tub heated from below with firewood. The well was a little distance away, so I bought a bucket for 200G and went back and forth between the well and the bath until it was filled. There was firewood stocked, so I decided to use it, but I didn’t have a flame, so I bought a long lighter for 100G. Then, to wash, I bought travel-size shampoo and body soap for 400G. After that I bought a toothbrush, toothpaste, a cup, and a comb, and another 400G vanished. I was left with 60G.

I’d felt like I’d gotten a little rich, but once I bought the basics, I was broke again.

I ate bread, soaked in the bath, washed my body and hair, felt completely refreshed, and went to sleep.

The next morning, I went to the bakery as usual.

“Good morning. I look forward to working with you today.”

“Morning, Onii-chan. Sniff sniff. You smell nice today.”

“Really. What is that smell, I wonder?”

Catherine and Marie started saying I smelled good.

“You said I smelled yesterday, so I took a bath. Maybe it’s the body soap?”

“Body soap?”

“That’s a new word for me.”

“It’s like… soap specifically for washing your body.”

“Huh. So something like that exists.”

We put that conversation aside and got to baking. Since there was school today, once the morning rush ended, I had to head in. I worked briskly.

“I’m off to school now.”

“Have a good day.”

“Do your best.”

I wrapped up and headed to school.

After first and second period, it was lunch break. Today, I’d brought yeast bread for lunch. Since I was embarrassed to be eating only bread, I decided to eat alone behind the school building.

…But I felt someone watching. When I looked closer, Josette was peeking at me from behind a tree.

“Josette-san, is something wrong?”

I spoke first.

“A commoner addressing me—what business could you possibly have?”

She said that as she walked right up to me.

“It’s not really business… I just noticed you were looking this way…”

“T-that isn’t true. You’re mistaken. Anyway, what are you doing?”

Josette changed the subject.

“I was about to eat lunch, but I only brought bread today, and… eating in front of everyone is kind of embarrassing…”

“As expected of a commoner. How pitiful, only being able to eat bread.”

She puffed out her chest with a condescending air. At that moment, it felt like her chest bounced slightly… maybe.

“Um… if you stay here, I can’t really eat…”

I said so, but Josette didn’t move, as if she was interested.

“Pay no attention to me and eat.”

“If you say so. Then, excuse me…”

I sat on a nearby bench and took the bread out of the bag.

Josette sat beside me and stared fixedly at the bread.

“What a strange-shaped bread.”

“It’s yeast bread—have you never had it before, Josette-san?”

“It’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“I’ve got two. Want to try one?”

“W-what… Receiving charity from a commoner is absolutely impossible for a noble.”

She said that while already taking the bread in her hand.

“T-this is… yes, a tribute offering.”

She said that and took a bite.

“A new texture. The taste isn’t bad either… Do commoners eat this?”

“I don’t know if everyone eats it, but the bakery where I work started selling it recently.”

When I said that, Josette began muttering to herself.

“In other words… that bakery on the outskirts of town… I see.”

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing. Thank you for the meal. I’ll be going now.”

With that, Josette seemed to return to the classroom.

Afternoon class was about to start, so I quickly finished my bread and headed back.

After classes ended, I went home once to put down my things, then went to the bakery across the street.

“I’m back. I’m coming in now.”

“Welcome back, Onii-chan. It was super busy today—so exhausting.”

Catherine said it with a tired expression.

“Sorry. It looks like I increased your workload…”

“That’s not true at all, Kent-san. Thanks to you, our sales are rising steadily.”

Marie came out after putting dough into the oven and said that.

“Instant dry yeast, was it? Could you place another order for us?”

“Yes, no problem. How much do you need this time?”

“Um… about this much, I think.”

She handed me the required amount and money. It was a pretty large order.

“If you don’t open the bag, it should last about a year, so I don’t think it’ll go bad… but isn’t this a lot?”

“Well… I don’t know how they heard, but we got a huge order from a certain duke’s house. When you include that, we need this much.”

“Wow… an order from nobles is amazing.”

“It is. I’ve run this bakery for years, and it’s the first time we’ve ever gotten an order from nobles.”

Marie looked puzzled.

“Alright, I’ll go get the supplies, so please wait a bit.”

“Please.”

I returned home, used the device to produce bulk instant dry yeast, and went back to the bakery.

“I’m back. Here you go.”

“Thank you. That helps.”

With ingredients secured, Marie and I started baking bread to deliver to the duke’s house.

Just as the bread finished baking, a messenger from the duke’s house arrived, received the bread, paid, and left.

The day’s business ended safely, and we began calculating sales.

“I’ve never earned this much in my life.”

Marie was stunned by the amount. Yesterday had been high too, but today’s sales were even higher. The delivery to the duke’s house was probably the big factor.

“Alright, good work today. Here are your wages and bread. You worked hard, so I made it a little extra.”

“Thank you.”

Catherine looked so exhausted she had fallen asleep right there.

“I’ll carry Catherine to her room.”

“Oh—sorry. Could you do that?”

The space above the bakery was their living area. Since we’d been neighbors for a long time, I knew the place well. I carried Catherine to her room and laid her on the bed.

“Good night, Catherine.”

With that, I went downstairs, said good-bye to Marie, and returned home.

Today’s wages were 500G. My total money became 560G. On school days, wages were usually 200G, but it had been 2.5 times that.

Tonight, nothing in particular came to mind to buy, so I ate bread, took a bath, and went to sleep.