The next day, following breakfast, we headed to a clothing shop in the heart of Quratar.
Roxanne and I were both essentially down to our last decent outfits. Even though I had my tracksuit and she had her maid uniform, we couldn't keep going like this forever. To make matters worse, yesterday’s gardening had left our clothes stained with dirt.
I really should have realized that before we started digging in the yard.
"We need some spare clothes," I told her. "If there's anything else you need, just let me know."
"Yes. I believe it would be beneficial for you to have more options as well, Master."
"...I’ll buy two outfits for each of us, then."
It seemed I couldn't rely on Roxanne to make these kinds of decisions herself. I had to take the lead. Even if my modern sensibilities differed from the standards of this world, making things a bit tricky, I had to step up.
"I believe this shop sells brand-new clothing; are you certain this is alright?" Roxanne asked as we reached the entrance.
I didn't quite grasp the social norms here. Most of the clothes I’d seen at the Vale market appeared to be secondhand. As a modern Japanese person, the idea of "used goods" didn't sit right with me. Unless they were high-end vintage items, they weren't exactly a preference.
"Is there a problem with that?"
"Usually, brand-new clothes are for the nobility. It is standard for slaves to wear the lowest grade of used clothing."
I see. The social hierarchy dictated the flow: Noble to Commoner, and Commoner to Slave. The wealthy bought new, wore them a few times, and sold them off. Commoners bought those, wore them until they were threadbare, and then sold them again. Finally, the tattered remains ended up on the backs of slaves.
That was the cycle of this world's economy.
"I don't care about that," I said. "Choose whatever you like."
"Y-Yes. Thank you very much."
I gave Roxanne a light nudge and led her into the shop. As someone from modern Japan, I felt no obligation to follow the local trends. I would do things my way.
I surveyed the interior. There wasn't much variety in terms of style. Most of the tops were either loose tunics or front-opening shirts, while the bottoms were almost exclusively baggy trousers. I personally categorized the ones you pulled over your head as "tunics" and the ones with buttons or ties in the front as "shirts."
While village women often wore long skirts, every woman I’d seen entering the Labyrinth wore trousers.
Roxanne was incredibly meticulous with her selections. She didn't just look for herself; she examined every single garment for me with an expert eye. Occasionally, she’d hold a piece up against me, critiquing it with comments like, "How about this?" or "The color on this one is a bit..."
"How about this one?" I offered, trying to help.
"Hmm. The stitching on those sleeves is a bit lacking."
"Oh. Right."
After a few more attempts at helping were shot down with technical terms I didn't even understand, I gave up and left it entirely to her. Roxanne looked happy, so I figured it was fine. She enjoyed picking the clothes, and I enjoyed watching her enjoy it. Everybody won.
By the time we finally made our purchases and stepped back outside, the sun had already passed its zenith.
Our rented house was on the east side of town. The sun had been at our backs when we headed to the shop, and it was behind us again as we walked home. I’d prepared myself for the shopping trip to take half a day, and it really had.
"Thank you, Master."
"No, thank you for picking out my clothes too."
Seeing Roxanne's radiant smile made the whole ordeal worth it. The total bill came to 1,050 Nahl. All things considered, it didn't feel particularly expensive.
"Since we have new clothes, I would like to purchase a large tub for laundry. Would that be acceptable?" Roxanne pointed to a shop specializing in wooden goods as we walked.
It seemed that as we acquired more possessions, the list of necessary maintenance items grew alongside them.
"Sure."
I’d told her she could have whatever she needed, so I had no reason to refuse.
Inside the shop, washbasins and tubs were packed tightly right up to the entrance in every imaginable size. There were even tiny tubs that functioned as cups. I hadn't noticed those back when I bought the kitchen tubs. I had picked up some small wooden cups at a general store, but seeing the variety here, I probably should have come to this place first.
"Yo. Welcome," a middle-aged man with the air of a craftsman called out. His Job was Villager.
The back of the shop appeared to be a workshop for processing wood. This man was likely the artisan himself. Roxanne ignored the man and went straight to scrutinizing the tubs. Even here, her selection process was intense.
The artisan and I were left standing awkwardly together, like two dogs waiting for their owner to return. The silence was becoming heavy.
"Is that the largest washbasin you have?" I asked, hoping to break the ice. I pointed to the biggest basin in the shop, which was just under a meter in diameter.
Even though this was a storefront, it was also a workshop. Maybe I could get that here.
"I can do a custom order for something bigger if you need it," he replied.
"Do people actually order those?"
"Sure do. They're usually for when a group of people needs to wash large sheets of fabric together."
"Could you make one for me?"
What I really wanted was a bathtub. Now that I’d secured a house, the bathroom was my next priority. In this world, with the exception of the ultra-wealthy, bathing wasn't a common habit. Transporting water and heating it with fire cost a fortune. It was spring now, so it wasn't a pressing issue, and since the climate wasn't particularly humid, people didn't feel a desperate need for it.
Back in Japan, I’d mostly just taken showers. It wasn't that I needed a deep soak every day; it was just something I wanted occasionally.
However, my circumstances had changed.
If I were to take a bath now, Roxanne would come with me. And if I was in the bath, Roxanne would be in it with me. Because Roxanne would be there, I absolutely wanted to take a bath. More specifically, I wanted to get into a tub with Roxanne.
Soaking in hot water with Roxanne and having her wash my back...
The thought made me salivate.
I had to make this bath a reality.
A bath. I needed a bath.
Baths were the peak of civilization.
The mere concept made my heart race with anticipation. I felt a profound sense of purpose. No matter what, I had to build a bath. It was non-negotiable.
Are you suggesting we don't need one?
Very well, then it is war. We march, my friends.
But how was I going to pull it off? That was the hurdle.
I hadn't seen a single bathtub in any furniture store or shop in Quratar. The caretaker lady had given me permission to modify the house as I saw fit, so I could hire a contractor, but I didn't want to draw unnecessary attention. Bringing water from a well and heating it with firewood would normally be a massive expense. I wondered if people would just write it off as the eccentricity of a bath-obsessed weirdo.
In my case, I could provide water and fire through magic, but I couldn't reveal that. Even if I hired a professional, I wouldn't need a boiler. I’d already proven I could heat water with Fireball. There was no point paying for something I didn't need, but how would I explain refusing a boiler if I were having a bath installed?
And if I didn't hire a professional, could an amateur really DIY a functional tub?
I had been agonizing over these questions, but it turned out a tub artisan could just build one. It was simpler than I’d feared.
"I’ve got the experience," the man said. "I can make you a solid one."
"Is that so?"
"How big are we talking?"
"I want something larger than a person is tall. Can you do it?"
I was thinking of the ones depicted in old woodblock prints.
"No problem. You want the standard depth?"
"Yeah. This much is fine." I pointed to the deepest washbasin in his shop.
Since there was apparently an existing demand for large tubs, ordering one wouldn't look too suspicious as long as I kept it to a standard depth. It was a little under fifty centimeters deep. With the thickness of the base, the interior would be slightly shallower.
The goal wasn't just to soak; it was to fit both Roxanne and myself. It needed a decent diameter, but it could afford to be shallow. They say deep baths are bad for the heart, anyway.
"Mmhmm... Let's see. It'll cost you two thousand Nahl. Sound fair?"
The artisan named his price after a moment of calculation. It was much cheaper than I’d expected.
I suppose it made sense. The other basins were only twenty to a hundred Nahl, so compared to those, this was a premium item.
"I'll take it."
"It's made to order, so give me five days. When it's ready, I'll send word. We can deliver it whenever you're ready."
The shipping was included. Convenient. For the record, the cities in this world did have addresses. The house I was renting was No. 123, 7th Block, 6th District, Quratar.
"Understood."
Now I had something real to look forward to.
"I believe this one is suitable," Roxanne said, finishing her own selection just as my business concluded. She handed me a large washbasin.
"Got it. Can we take this one too?"
"Sure thing. Much obliged."
"I'll take this one with me now."
"Thanks. That'll be fifty Nahl."
The craftsman’s job was Villager, so my Merchant discount didn't apply. I paid the man and we left.
"What are you going to use that massive tub for, Master?"
"You'll see. Just look forward to it."
I had Roxanne carry the new clothes while I took the laundry tub back to the house.
Once we were home, I immediately changed into my new gear.
"I should wash these clothes as soon as possible, but are you planning to head to the Labyrinth right away?" Roxanne asked.
"Actually, we've used up quite a bit of time today. Let's take the rest of the day off from the Labyrinth."
I called it a day off, but I’d already been in there before breakfast. I fought in the Labyrinth every single day; taking a break once in a while was only fair.
"Understood. In that case, I will see to the laundry and spend my spare time cleaning."
Naturally, I didn't let her have much "spare time." Laundry aside, since we’d bought new clothes, it was only right that I test how they felt to remove. Every day in the Labyrinth was hard work, so a little indulgence was allowed.
Of course, because I summoned a massive amount of water and heat for the laundry, dinner, and our sponge baths, I ended up having to dive into the Labyrinth twice more anyway just to recover my MP. If a laundry tub took this much out of me, I was slightly concerned about filling a whole bathtub.
"I’ll handle the main dish for dinner," I announced. "We're having White Stew."
"White Stew?"
"You've never had it?"
"I haven't."
It seemed White Stew wasn't a thing here. Maybe the recipe didn't exist in this world. It had been translated into Brahim, but she probably just understood it as "white boiled soup."
"Well, you're in for a treat."
I was confident I could make White Stew with the local ingredients.
First, I put meat into a stockpot and simmered it with wine and water. I let it cook for thirty minutes to extract a rich stock. For the record, if you brought an empty jar to a shop, they’d fill it with wine or milk for you. It was a strict deposit system—no paper cartons or plastic bottles here.
Next, I added vegetables similar to those Roxanne used for pot-au-feu and let it simmer further on low heat. Green onions are usually good for removing the gaminess of meat, but onions are toxic to dogs. When I checked with Roxanne, she said there were no vegetables she couldn't eat, but I stuck to the ones she usually used herself to be safe.
While that simmered, I prepared the white roux. I melted butter in a wok and sautéed flour before adding milk and whisking it over a low flame. Once it thickened properly, it was done.
The roux turned out perfectly. With this, I could eventually make Cream Croquettes or Clam Chowder. Gratin would be harder since it required an oven.
I added the roux and some leafy greens for color to the stockpot. Finally, I gave it a taste and adjusted the seasoning with salt and pepper.
It was a total success. Roxanne ate with obvious delight.
"Master, this is absolutely delicious," she said.
I was tempted to tell her not to talk with white sauce on her lips, but she looked too cute to interrupt.
While waiting for the bathtub to be finished, I focused all my energy on exploring the Labyrinth.
I maintained a rigorous schedule: early morning, post-breakfast, and afternoon. I dove several times a day with short rests in between. Soon, I reached the Boss Room of the Vale Labyrinth’s third floor.
I prepared Durandal in the Waiting Room and stepped inside. Having done this numerous times now, I was well-acquainted with the flow of boss battles.
Roxanne took her position directly in front of the boss. She slashed with her Scimitar, expertly drawing its aggression. My role was to strike from behind whenever an opening appeared.
It might have looked like I was taking the easy way out, but I was the primary damage dealer. It was more efficient for me to focus entirely on attacking rather than splitting my attention between offense and defense. At least, that's how I justified it to myself. Besides, no matter what the enemy threw at her, Roxanne never got hit.
The Kobold Kämpfer's attacks missed so pathetically it was almost sad. I almost felt pity for the monster.
We cleared the boss and moved on to the Fourth Floor.
I kept Durandal drawn as we proceeded. The first monster we encountered was a Mino Lv 4. So this was the threat of the Vale Fourth Floor.
A Mino was essentially just a cow—a brown buffalo. However, its body was strangely compressed, making it look stubby and powerful. Two sharp horns protruded from its head. There wasn't a hint of cuteness about it.
The beast glared at us ferociously before breaking into a trot. It charged with savage intent. It was quite a sight.
Still, as long as it was just a mindless beast charging in a straight line, it shouldn't be a problem. Pure, reckless momentum. Since it was a cow rather than a boar, I wondered if it had any other tricks, but it seemed focused on the gore.
The Mino continued its charge, lowering its head to strike. With a graceful twist, Roxanne dodged it effortlessly. I swung Durandal down from the side.
The cow collapsed before it could even think about a second strike. It seemed that even on the Fourth Floor, Durandal could still put monsters down in a single blow. The Mino dissolved into smoke, leaving behind a piece of Mino Hide.
"So this is a Fourth Floor monster. Those horns look nasty."
"Yes. You must watch their movements carefully and dodge."
That was easy for her to say, but her assumption that anyone could just "watch and dodge" was a bit much. Only she could pull that off so consistently.
I put Durandal away, switched back to my wand, and continued the search.
Now that we were on the Fourth Floor, monsters other than Kobolds required more than three spells to defeat. It meant I couldn't wipe them out before they reached our position, but that was just the reality of the higher floors.
For a while, Minos only appeared solo. If they were in a group, they were accompanied by Kobolds, Green Caterpillars, or Needle Woods. Even the First Floor Needle Woods still appeared here occasionally, though in smaller numbers.
Against a single Mino, I could just let Roxanne handle it. I could take out the Kobolds before they closed the distance, and I had plenty of experience with the caterpillars and wooden monsters.
I was starting to think the Fourth Floor would be a breeze.
And then, a group of three Minos appeared.
Damn. I’d forgotten that the Fourth Floor was where you started seeing groups of three monsters. The frequency was still low, but they were definitely there.
I unleashed Fire Storm to intercept the three charging beasts. Undeterred by the hellfire, the Minos rushed forward. I caught a pair of horns with my wand. The momentum was incredible, and the raw strength behind it nearly knocked me off my feet, but I managed to hold my ground.
If I got gored from below with that kind of force, I’d be finished. Skewered like a kebab. Nothing but gruesome scenarios filled my head. The sheer terror of a monster slamming into you with clear murderous intent was overwhelming.
Those were real horns. They could pierce human skin like paper. Even with my leather armor, it didn't cover everything. I wondered if I needed better gear—maybe full plate armor? I’d seen some adventurers wearing it.
But there was no point obsessing over that now. The higher floors would undoubtedly have even more horrific monsters. Looking back, the Green Caterpillars were manageable. Their body slams hurt, but they were just slams. The Needle Woods were practically a joke; they just swung branches at you.
Branches. Seriously.
The Kobold knives had been a bit intimidating at first, but Kobolds were weak and died to a single spell. Maybe I was just scared because it was my first time facing horns. Maybe I just needed to get used to it.
Regardless, Roxanne had it much harder than me, since she was currently taking on two of them at once. She kept the middle Mino at bay with her Scimitar, drawing its focus, while parrying the right Mino's attack with her shield. Her movements were flawless, even against two opponents.
I focused and visualized Fire Storm.
Sparks rained down on the beasts. The three Minos finally collapsed.
"They're down. Fighting three of them at once is definitely a chore."
"Yes. But because your magic ends the battle so quickly, Master, it is a great help."
"Are you really okay handling two by yourself?"
"For now, the battles end after only one or two attacks, so it is manageable. If the combat were to drag on, I might eventually take a hit."
That first hit was exactly what terrified me. It looked like it would go right through you.
But since this was Roxanne, I chose to take her at her word. If she said it was okay for now, I’d trust her. If I tried to face two Minos at once, I’d be pulverized in seconds.
We continued our exploration of Vale's Fourth Floor.
It turned out that groups of three Minos were relatively rare. Groups of three in general weren't that common, and even when they appeared, they were usually a mix of different types. As long as it wasn't a triple Mino threat, the floor felt manageable.
Against two monsters, I could take one and Roxanne could take the other, allowing us to fight one-on-one. I couldn't let her do everything, after all. I had to stop being so spineless.
We steadily cleared the monsters as we went. It was only after a fair bit of progress that the next group of three appeared: two Minos and a Kobold. I turned the Kobold into smoke with magic before it even got close, which reduced the fight to a standard encounter with two Minos.
The remaining two closed in. I caught the first charge with my wand, angling the wood to deflect the momentum of the horns. As long as I watched their movements, I could handle this.
Next, I visualized Fire Storm. If this hit, it was over.
But in the split second my concentration shifted to the spell, the Mino jerked its head up. I twisted my body frantically to dodge, but my left arm was a fraction too slow. A horn grazed me.
It... it... it grazed me. It actually grazed me!
Holy crap!
That was too close.
The Fire Magic finally triggered, and sparks engulfed the Minos. The beasts burned and fell, the spell acting as the finishing blow.
Dangerous.
That was way too dangerous.
Minos were definitely a higher level of threat. I’d taken plenty of hits from Needle Woods and Green Caterpillars before, so I knew I couldn't expect to dodge every single attack from a Mino. Eventually, I was going to get hit. I was going to get gored.
No, wait. If I looked at it logically, it wasn't that bad. I’d survived many attacks. Taking a hit from a Mino shouldn't be a death sentence. Their attacks weren't inherently fatal compared to others.
Even if they were horns, the damage probably wasn't that different from a heavy blow.
Still, I had to stay alert. Even though I could skip chants, my magic still required a moment of intense focus to activate. That created a tiny opening, and the Mino had just exploited it.
I wondered how other mages managed. If they had to focus and chant, they’d have no room to defend themselves at all. I guess they just stayed in the rear and let a full front line of warriors protect them.
Maybe I needed more front-line fighters. I could get a cheap male slave or something. But the idea of treating people as disposable didn't sit right with me. Even if I didn't let them die, swapping them out for better slaves later felt wrong. It would be better to save up and find members I could trust for the long haul.
Until then, what were my options? Upgrade my gear? But the monsters only got stronger with every floor. If I upgraded now, I’d just have to do it again for the next floor. It was better to get used to these kinds of enemies now while the numbers were still low.
"Alright. Which way next?"
"That way."
I steeled my resolve. I followed Roxanne deeper into the Labyrinth. When it was just one Mino, I let her handle it. She dodged their attacks like it was nothing, making the Minos look almost trivial. Watching her made me feel like I was overreacting—until two of them showed up and I had to face one myself. Then the fear came rushing back.
Still, if I stayed calm, I could fight them. I just had to get used to it.
Having cleared the third floor of Vale, the next morning we tackled the third floor of Quratar.
"Is it just me, or is the third floor more crowded than the second?"
"It is. There are fewer Kobolds on the third floor, so it attracts more people."
"Ah, that makes sense."
Kobolds apparently weren't worth much to experienced adventurers.
"Aside from the first floor, the third or fourth floors are usually the most crowded. The numbers tend to drop as you go higher."
We did run into other parties several times. I didn't like people seeing me use Durandal, but there wasn't much I could do about it.
The monster here was the Spice Spider—a giant arachnid the size of a large dog. Honestly, it was disgusting. Since they died in one hit from Durandal, we cleared them out quickly. Even Minos weren't scary if they died in one hit, let alone a bug. I was definitely acclimating to this world.
Roxanne fought the spiders without a hint of hesitation. If anything, she seemed to be enjoying herself.
The boss of Quratar’s third floor was a Spice Spider Lv 3. It was a size larger than the rest, but Roxanne immediately took point. I just stepped in behind and finished it with Durandal. It was a very simple job. At this level, the bosses weren't a real threat.
When it dissolved into smoke, it left behind a black, oval item. I appraised it: Pepper. Fitting for a Spice Spider.
"Oh! It’s pepper. I heard this stuff used to be traded for its weight in gold."
"Surely not. It is not nearly that expensive."
Well, so much for that fantasy. Now that I thought about it, the meat dishes here were seasoned pretty well. It wasn't some legendary rare item; you could probably get it anytime by hunting spiders. My excitement had been premature.
We moved to the Fourth Floor.
"How's the traffic?"
"It seems even more crowded than the third floor. We would have to go quite deep to find monsters to fight."
"Let's call it for today, then."
I wanted to see the monsters on this floor, but fighting in a crowd was a pain. There was no need to push our luck. We headed back to the Vale Labyrinth to continue our progress on the Fourth Floor.
I was slowly getting used to the Minos. As long as I stayed calm, they weren't so bad. I even took a direct hit once. It wasn't the gruesome skewering I’d feared—just a nasty bruise. It hurt like hell, but it was manageable. With Durandal and my Monk job, I could heal myself instantly anyway.
The real problem was when three appeared at once. Roxanne could avoid groups of three if I asked, but her sense of smell wasn't perfect, so she couldn't guarantee a clean avoid every time. Since I needed to be ready for emergencies, I didn't tell her to run. I’d rather face the challenge and learn.
Actually, we started hunting them more aggressively. More kills meant more money. Of course, once we started looking for them, they became harder to find. We mostly ran into pairs or groups of three that included a weak Kobold.
We even faced a trio of two Minos and a Green Caterpillar. Roxanne handled her two opponents with terrifying grace. Neither the horns nor the caterpillar’s attacks could even touch her. She moved effortlessly, dodging everything by a hair’s breadth.
"Roxanne, your movements are so incredible I can't even tell if I should be trying to learn from you or if it’s just impossible for me to copy."
"I believe you could move like this as well, Master."
Yeah, her perspective was definitely skewed.
The next group of three was another mix: two Minos and a Green Caterpillar. I opened with three Fire Storms.
"Roxanne, go!"
Right after the third spell, the monsters lunged. Roxanne struck the middle Mino to draw its aggro, easily dodging its horns. While moving, she landed a hit on the right Mino and pulled her leg back just in time to avoid the middle one’s charge.
I intercepted the caterpillar on the left with my wand. As I focused on my fourth Fire Storm, an orange magic circle appeared beneath the caterpillar.
"Incoming!" Roxanne warned. It was going to spit thread.
I didn't blink. I visualized the fourth Fire Storm. If the caterpillar died, the thread would vanish.
Roxanne’s leap back, the caterpillar’s silk spray, and the activation of my fourth spell all happened in the same heartbeat. Amidst the sparks, a wide web of white thread expanded into the air. A bit of it landed on me, but at that exact moment, the monsters died. They turned into smoke, and the thread dissolved into nothingness.
"Phew. Those caterpillars are a pain once they start using that." I lowered my wand and let out a sigh of relief.
"I apologize. When I stepped back to dodge the Mino, the caterpillar was able to target both of us."
Roxanne had jumped back a full meter. She’d actually dodged the silk spray entirely.
"It’s fine. I can kill them quickly enough that it isn't an issue."
"Thank you, Master."
"Besides, you could probably dodge the thread even if it did finish the spray."
"I am not sure. This time it vanished halfway. If it hadn't, I would have simply moved further."
She’d already jumped a meter and could still move more? Her stats were insane.
"Impressive. Well, as long as I can fire a fourth spell as they attack, we’ll be fine on this floor."
"Yes. And as long as you take one of them, Master, I can fight with ease."
Facing two of those beasts at once was anything but "easy," but I kept that to myself.
I’d tried equipping Merchant and Herbalist to boost my Intelligence and see if it reduced the number of spells needed, but it still took four. It was a futile effort. It definitely made the spells stronger, but not enough to change the kill threshold. Maybe their job levels were just too low.
I decided not to worry about it. Leveling those side jobs was a chore anyway. It was better to put my bonus points into experience skills or crystallization boosts. For now, my four-job setup—Explorer, Hero, Mage, and Monk—was the way to go.
On the day the bathtub was supposed to arrive, we reached the Boss Room of Vale's Fourth Floor.
The boss was a Hachinosu Lv 4—a bovine monster similar to a Mino, but a size larger and far more powerful. The horns were even more intimidating. As expected of a boss.
However, since there was only one enemy, I let Roxanne take point. I just had to hit it from behind with Durandal.
...Or so I thought until it nearly took my head off with a back-kick. I kept my yelp of surprise to myself. I retaliated by hacking away at it with a flurry of strikes—right, left, and a reverse diagonal slash.
After taking down the monster that apparently had rear-facing attacks, we moved to the Fifth Floor. Roxanne, of course, had parried every attack like she was out for a stroll.
The first thing we encountered on the Fifth Floor was a Mino Lv 5. I swung Durandal, but it didn't die. It seemed my one-hit-kill streak ended at the Fourth Floor. Monsters were definitely getting tougher. It took two swings to put it down.
I put Durandal away, and our next encounter was a Cheap Sheep. Despite the name, it looked ferocious and had a defiant glare. It had horns, but they were spiraled and curled rather than pointed. They looked menacing, but they didn't have the "I'm going to skewer you" vibe of the Mino's horns.
I opened with a Fireball. While Roxanne handled it effortlessly, I finished it off from the side.
"The Fifth Floor doesn't seem as scary as the Fourth so far. This sheep is a lot less intimidating than a Mino."
"Yes. Its movements are not particularly noteworthy."
I wondered if anything would ever "noteworthy" to her. I supposed we’d find out as we went higher. If possible, I didn't want to meet an enemy that actually made her sweat.
"Let's fight a few more and then head home. The tub should be arriving today."
"Understood."
We spent some time clearing Cheap Sheeps before returning to the house.
We didn't have to wait long; the messenger from the tub shop arrived exactly on schedule. When I told him we were ready, he left for a moment and returned with a large horse-drawn wagon.
"Holy..."
I was waiting outside, and I couldn't help but gape as the wagon approached.
It was massive. A giant circular tub was mounted vertically on the back of the wagon. With the height of the wagon bed and the diameter of the tub, the whole thing must have been three meters tall. The tub towered over the driver's head.