'So, big brother. What do you want to do?'

Raising her eyebrows, Loretta leans in closer to me.

'What do you mean, what?
'Of course, against the nasty union bigwigs!

Loretta clenches her fists and barks, and Magda nods in agreement.
Despite their cool faces, Norma and Imelda don't seem to disagree. They fixed their curious eyes on us and didn't look away for even a moment.

'Our precious Umaro has been treated badly!I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot of people who'll be able to help you out.
'...... Magda will spare no effort to help.

I'm not sure what to do.
I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.
But...

'It would be counterproductive for you to make a move.

Let's face it.

'As I said before, everything I've just said is circumstantial evidence. If there is no conclusive evidence, they can get away with anything they want. Unless you have the guts to go around the carpenters' union and apply the 'judgment of the spirits' to every single one of them in a good position.

For example--
'You're planning to do something bad, aren't you?
'I don't know.
'Judgment of the Spirits'!
--If we could do that, we might be able to figure out who's behind it.
But it's not practical.

'If the main culprit is the royal family, do you guys want to go to the royal family to cast the 'judgment of the spirits'?
'That's not realistic, is it?'

In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.
It's not realistic.
If we start doing that, they'll start to seriously resist.
The most likely scenario is assassination. ...... We can't put these guys in that kind of danger.

'Besides, too much prominence would jeopardize Torbeck Engineering's standing in the union.

Even now, we're being labeled as 'the ones who make it difficult for others to do well. If we rebel against the union, we don't know what they'll say.

'The union of the Public Works Guild is a big organization that almost all carpenters in the district are members of.

It's true that some carpenters aren't members, but they are in a unique position, such as working for the royal family. It is safe to say that all carpenters are members, except for those exceptional carpenters who can get by without a union.

'It is dangerous to leave the union unless you are a carpenter who can keep getting work in his own name and with his connections even without the union. If you leave the union in a bad way, they will try to crush you by forming a clique. It's impossible to stand alone against that unless you have a lot of power.

Besides, maybe that's what the third party behind it is trying to do.
Umaro's outbursts, the problems he causes, the further he is pushed, the more he begs for help from someone smarter.
It's also possible that ...... is deliberately trying to get people to see that the unions are behind this, and to get them to turn on them.

'They may be waiting with their hands tied for a counterattack by Torbeck Engineering.They may try to expel us from the union and prevent other companies in the same industry from working with us, and then they may try to take away our strength.

Expel them from the union, and repeatedly obstruct their work in every way possible, until they can no longer stand.
The goal may be to make them bow to us and say, 'I'm sorry, let me join again.

If that happens, they will probably say, 'Give us all the technology you have for free. They will take away all the know-how and rights to the sewage and filtration systems, and treat Torbeck Engineering as a subcontractor to the other carpenters. --Maybe that's what they want to happen.

What I just said is a possibility.
You can't necessarily say that this is the case, but if the head of the enemy is even a little bit pissed off, it's not surprising that he's prepared to do something like this.

They all fell silent.
I want to crush the bastard who tortured Umaro. I want to make him pay. I want him to apologize. And that's, you know, understandable.
But when you attack someone, you have to be prepared to get hit back.
If you're not careful, you run the risk of being hit back twice or even ten times as hard.
If you forget this and are careless, thinking, 'I can win! If you're not careful, you'll end up on the wrong side of .......

'So, Mr. Umaro, are you going to cry yourself to sleep?

Loretta bites her teeth in frustration, tears welling up in her eyes.
Magda, next to her, is also unhappy.

'Oh, um... I didn't expect you guys to be so angry, so I'm a little surprised right now.
'You're angry!Umaro is one of us!
'...... Umaro, and many others.'
'Yes, and so are many others!

If he's one of us, why don't you at least call him by his name?
It's a bit crude, the way they treat you. Well, they're carpenters, so it's okay.

'Hahaha ......, that's kind of embarrassing. I'm glad to hear you say that. I'll tell all my carpenters what Loretta-san and Magda-tan just said. I'm sure they'll all be rewarded with just those words.

There's nothing I can do.
Such an atmosphere spread.

'Sure, it's frustrating, and to be honest, it was pretty tough, but ...... I'm going to think of this as an expensive learning experience. More importantly, now that I know I don't have to worry about it anymore, I can start working hard again tomorrow!



Umaro declares that no matter how bad the reputation of the people around them gets, they will continue to work with faith in themselves.
Although they don't agree with the union's methods, they will still do what they can.

'Yashiro-san has a good point, so I'll try not to make a scene.
'Hmm?What do you mean by what I'm saying?
'No, that's why. The union is a huge organization, so you said, 'It's dangerous to leave the union unless you're a carpenter who can always get work in your own name and with your own connections, even without the union,' and 'It's impossible to stand on your own against the union unless you have a lot of power,' didn't you?
'Yes, you did.
'That's why Torbeck Engineering should be quiet and listen to the union .......'
'We don't need to listen to them.

d*mn you, Umaro.
It appears he doesn't know how to use the word 'so'.

'It's dangerous to leave the union unless you're a carpenter who can keep getting work in your own name and with your own connections, even without the union. If you leave the union in a bad way, they will try to crush you by forming a clique. It's impossible to stand alone against that unless you have a lot of power.

Once again, I say the same line as before.

'So'.

And I'll teach you the proper use of 'because'.

'You should leave the union. You already have the skills, knowledge, and connections to take on a bunch of union carpenters.

At any rate, the lords of the 42nd district rely on Torbek's contractors at every turn and take it for granted, and the lords of the 40th and 41st districts also put their trust in Torbek's contractors.
In addition, Mael, the heavyweight of the 29th district, is so fond of you that he has nominated you by name, and Donis, the lord of the 24th district, who is crazy about Mael, and Tracy, the lord of the 27th district, who is crazy about Estella, will use Torbeck's contractors because they like to 'match' with their loved ones.

'There aren't many carpenters who are so favored by the aristocracy and are directly appointed by them, right?Is there any reason why you guys are in the union?
'It's to fill in when there's a manpower shortage. ......'
'You've got Hamko.'
'...... Indeed.'

I've absorbed all the carpenters in the 42nd district, and some carpenters in the 40th and 41st districts, and on top of that, I have an inexhaustible supply of Hamko in my family. There is no need to worry about manpower. It would be more constructive to worry about allocating work to those who are available.

'Let them know how much damage they'll be doing if Torbeck's out.
'Ke, but, big brother!

Loretta stopped me from speaking passionately, letting the anger welling up in me from the bottom of my stomach.

'Just now, my brother said that it would be counterproductive to make a move on him.
'Oh. That's why you have to play your cards right.
'But he said that the union might be trying to get Umaro and the others to fight back!
'They're probably trying to. That's why I told you guys. I've shown you guys how stupid and reckless and unthinking they are. I thought I'd point and laugh with you.'
'But, something, I was listening to my brother and he said that if you attack, be careful because you'll get hit back. ............ What, no way?'
'Oh, yeah.'

The union guys foolishly attacked us.
Well, then--



You'll have to be prepared to fight back.



'Umaro. Let them know. Let them know who they're messing with, you ignorant a**h*les.'

I said with a smile, and Loretta shook her head.


She shivered and muttered, 'My brother was really angry. ......



If you don't like the union, you can leave.
They were all stunned by my words.

I mean, what good has the union ever done us?
The Engineering Guild isn't just for carpenters. It's not just carpenters. It's also the guys who dig the dirt and repair the cliffs.
But until they were absorbed by Torbeck Engineering, they didn't have any skills, didn't know how to work efficiently, and were too busy dealing with the problems at hand.

When the river was about to overflow, who took action to dam it up?
Delia and the rest of the river fishing guild.
How were the roads in District 42?Bumpy and rough.
The path leading to Yaplock's house was a monster.
Dilapidated houses were scattered here and there, and the slums were abandoned and deserted.

It was the same in both District 41 and District 40.

In other words, the civil engineering guild unions were not passing on their skills, and the civil engineering guilds of the other districts that were members had no intention of giving away their skills.
Not once did they offer to lend us a hand if we were in trouble. They're not going to tell you even if they could.

That's why I didn't even know there was such a thing as a union for a while.
They don't work at all.
It's useless.

It's all ......

'Useless' and 'titless tube tops' are similar, aren't they?
'What's the matter, Yashiro?Are you tired of looking so serious?'

No, it just occurred to me and I felt I had to say it. I'm a straightforward person.

'So, are you seriously trying to get Torbeck Engineering out of the union?
'It's just an idea.

If Umaro is fine with the current situation, there's no need to make things worse, and if there's a better way than my idea, you can adopt it.

'But isn't it unnatural to suddenly declare that you are quitting the union ......?

I guess Estella is of the opinion that we should avoid being perceived as picking a fight with the union.


I don't think it's a bad idea to break up a fight.

'There are two ways. The first, which Estella seems to dislike, is to dare them to come out and say, 'We won't go back to the union unless the person who picked a fight with us bows down. If this works well, the union will search for the culprit on its own.

The hole left by Trubek's exit will be large.
I don't think the effect will be immediate, but in a year or two, the hole will widen greatly.

Only the wards of certain lords will be able to reform the city with the latest technology possessed by Torbeck Engineering.
The union will be in trouble if some lord sees this and says, 'My ward has it too!
At any rate, there is no Torbek construction company that possesses the technology.
It is very difficult to reproduce a flush toilet just by observing the outside of it, isn't it?

Neighboring districts are introducing new technology, but your district cannot. What would the lord do then?
He'll go directly to Torbek's engineering store.

If that keeps happening, no one will ask the union for work.
Well, since Umaro and the others are busy, it might be a good idea to at least advertise, 'If it's a trivial job that anyone can do, go to the union.

'That's why.
'...... If you get serious, the city will be overflowing with unemployed people. ......'

Estella looks pale as she soaks in the hot water.
Is the water getting cold?Fill her up, hot water.

'There is a more gentle way.
'Can you tell me about that one?By all means.

I'll listen to Estella's request as she soaks in the water.
Wow, I'm so kind~.

'Umaro will go to the union's headquarters first.
I'm not sure what to do....... I already have a bad feeling about this.'
'Don't worry. And then he bows down to us. 'We've caused you a lot of trouble due to our incompetence.'
'I see, that's ...... well, that's conciliatory.'
'And then he said, "I'll take responsibility and leave the union."'
'That's ...... going to make them nervous, isn't it?
'One or the other, I guess.

If they're thinking of hurting Trubec Engineering a little to reduce their power, they might get impatient.
If he's trying to induce Trubek's outburst and stop it, he'll be gloating.

'What are you going to do if they stop you?Negotiate terms?'
'No way. 'I'll stop taking responsibility for the inconvenience caused by my incompetence.If it's not Trubecco's fault, then they have to take responsibility for the trouble they caused.

And Umaro even bowed his head.
He made the man bow. You can't just go along with it.

'You can't sit down for a dialogue until you've made your point, bowed your head, and made a sincere apology that it was all our fault, and made full compensation for the damage caused to Torbeck.

The settlement money to Norton Construction Company, which was not necessary, must also be properly compensated.
Also, the amount of money that Trubecq should have received.

'After they realize the size of the hole that Torbeck's firm left, they'll try to cajole us in any way they can. Of course, on terms that are convenient to you. The good thing about this method is that you can reject them outright.

Since we have made our point at the beginning, we don't have to sit down to talk as long as you don't make the same point as us.

'If you say, "I forgive you," I'll say, "It's my responsibility. If he says, "Let's rebuild our relationship," you say, "We haven't settled what happened last time. If they threaten to help you, you say, 'I can't help you until we resolve this. If he snaps at you and asks if you don't care what happens to the union, you tell him, 'Isn't that what the union is for?
'Big brother is poking and prodding!
'So in short, you're saying you won't deal with it until the mastermind comes forward and bows his head.'
''That's right. It's the other side that started the fight. There's no reason for us to concede.

You don't have to deal with scum who act arrogantly when they have the upper hand, and then use words like 'union' and 'mutual aid' to force you to help them the moment you are in a tight spot.
It's like insurance.
It is too late to panic after something has happened.

'I've been trapped and expelled from the union because I don't like something, and the union bosses are pestering me to come back, but it's too late now!It's a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web and also the internet.
'...... What's with that joke of a mission name?
'Isn't it full of charm that could be made into a book?
'No, ...... if it's a book, you don't need to read the contents to understand the story.

It's a good idea.
That's a good thing.
Modern people hate waste.
It's bad enough to read a book and find that it doesn't fit you.
It is a kind design to sift the reader from the beginning, yes.

'Well, it's up to Umaro to decide.

That's all we're going to say about it.
The rest is for you to think about and decide.

'I can understand why you're upset with us for hurting Oumalo. But it's not good to get excited and ignore their intentions.'

That's why I relieved you of the risk of attacking.
If something goes wrong this time, Umaro will be the one in charge.



Not me, not Estella.
It's Umaro.

'You watch over Umaro.

I tell those present.

'And when Umaro calls for help, do your best to help him.
'Of course, sir!
'...... Magda's help is a hundred men.'
'Torbeck Engineering is a client of ours. To take away their work would be like fighting with the Woodcutter's Guild. We will not spare your help.
'Well, I'll let you know if I need anything. I'll even listen to you.'
'I'll help you too, Umaro!

Umaro listened to the words of his trusty companion without turning his head away.
Um, Umaro...
He looked the girls straight in the face and bowed his head.

'Thank you.

He bowed his head so that his face was soaked in hot water, then looked up and said.

'For now, I'm going to consult with our people. We'll decide what to do after that. So...'

He puckers his cheeks in embarrassment, bends his eyebrows and smiles.

'If anything happens, I need your help.

Umaro looked the girls straight in the face and said.
Immediately afterwards, he turned his back to them and said, 'I'm still nervous!

...... You're growing up.

'Is that what you want?

Estella says, looking at me.

'That's what I'm talking about, my lord.
'Then I'm going to assume you agree with me.

Cut the crap.

Umaro will make the rest of the decisions.
We'll just have to wait and see.

'Hahaha ...... is a nice city after all, isn't the 42nd district?

When I heard Umaro's words, I let out a sigh of relief.
I'm not going to let anyone notice.



'I have to thank Lucia for that, don't I?

When the conversation had died down and the heavy atmosphere had lightened, Bertina quietly mentioned the name of an unexpected person.
Lucia?
Where did that name come from?

'During the heat wave, you said you'd come back at the beginning of the year, but you heard a rumor about Torbeck's construction company and came to warn me, didn't you?
'No, he just came to see Milly, didn't he?
'Hmm. I guess that's one of the main reasons.

But that's not the only reason, Bertina seems to think.
Human rights for perverts. That's Bertina. She's the epitome of a sister.

'Lucia, you also came to greet the church. She said she's sorry if she affected the mochi pounding contest.'

Lucia said to invite us to District 35 and teach us how to make rice cakes.
She thought it might have a negative impact on the mochi pounding in District 42. So she went to the church to greet the kids who were looking forward to the mochi pounding.
He is very disciplined in a strange way.
If that's the case, why don't we just cancel the mochi pounding event in the 35th district so that we don't have to go there?
...... Now that Jeannette and the others are looking forward to it, I'm sure they'll be annoyed if it's suddenly cancelled.

But I see.
Was Lucia's guy really that considerate?

'Lucia, every time she comes over, she says stupid things, makes a lot of noise, and causes a lot of trouble... even if she's doing something good behind the scenes, it's going to cancel out the excitement.
'What, why?In that line of thought, you're supposed to be impressed by the fact that they're usually so noisy that you don't notice them, but they're doing a good job behind the scenes.
'Eh, what, Estella?You can't forgive all of Lucia's normal behavior just because she cared for you a little bit?
'No,......, that might be a bit unreasonable.

I'm not sure what to make of that.
It's more like zero.

'It's not worth it if you don't get a big reception.
I'm not sure what to do.

Ginette and Bertina are listening to our conversation, chuckling.
What's so funny?

'Both Yashiro-san and Estella-san are looking forward to their business trip to the 35th district, aren't they?

Huh?
Why are you doing that, Jeannette?
It's not like you're going to be able to do anything about it.To make up for the negative plasticity.

'Estella, you're starting to look a bit like Yashiro lately.'
'What?You can't joke about this, Sister!I'm seriously dented.
'What, there's still room for a dent, you?
'...... Shut up, Yashiro.'



This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with us.
You ...... know that there is a rule against soaking body wash towels in the bathtub, so you would think that knives would be even worse. You know what I mean.

'What did you think you'd find when you brought a knife into the bathhouse? ......'
It's not like you're going to be in a bathing suit, but you're going to be bathing with you, so you need to be prepared.

You're the one who started this, mixed bathing in a bathing suit!
The host started it!We're the guests!
If you're a host, make your guests feel welcome!
I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.



I'm not sure what to say.

I've seen it, Mistress!
This lord put his hand on a man's head and dunked him in a bathtub!
It's unbelievable!You're barbaric!
You're barbarians!

'Don't get too excited in the bath, you two.'
'You're just like Loretta.
'Wait, Imelda!I'm not involved, but you're getting hit!
'Ah, Loretta always gets into trouble in the bath.
'Delia-san was pretty good too!
'...... When Delia and Loretta are together, the hot water runs out fast.'

Ah, yes.
I can imagine what that's like.

I wonder, the bathing scene of these guys is not the s*xy muffled image that adolescent boys fantasize about, it's more like a survival scene.

'Yashiro-san, are you alright?
'Keho......, I'm not okay, go scold that guy.'
'It's because you say strange things, Yashiro-san.'

He poked me in the forehead.
You know, Jeannette has a soft spot for ...... Estella.

'I think the lords of the districts should be nicer to me.
'Then you should treat the lords of the districts with respect first. For starters, you should show me some respect.'
'There's no such thing as respect when you're in the same bathtub.
'U......, don't say that again. I'm a little embarrassed.'

Don't be shy, you're the one who started it.
With that look on her face, Natalia made fun of her again: ......

'Speaking of which, Natalia's been quiet.
'That's true, if you ask me.

Normally, the head waiter keeps to the side of the lord and is not a presence.
The head waiter of this district has a strong presence, to the point of interrupting in front of the lord,......, but today he is quite quiet.
I'm sure you're not having a heart attack, are you?

It's a good idea to take a look around and see if you can spot Natalia in the hot tub.
A beautiful woman in a s*xy black bikini was squatting in the shallow, warm bath, staring at the surface of the water.

I approached her and asked what she was doing.

'Wah~, go away~, it's a boat~' ......

He was playing with a toy in the bath.

'What are you doing, man?
'Huh!Master Yashiro!I'm sorry, I was thinking of a s*xy shot when I welcomed you.'
'Yes, I'll just take your feelings, can you explain this situation to me?
'Oh, nothing at all. We're opening tomorrow, so I was just making sure there was no danger to the children's playground.

Come to think of it, the purpose of this bath was also to make sure that there were no flaws in the operation of the bathhouse.
At any rate, I can take a bath without any problem.
There is little risk of burns.
The only thing to be concerned about is that some people might get hot water poisoning.

There may be a number of people who get too excited and take a long bath.
Like, for example, Omero over there, who thought it was quiet all the way from the middle of the bath, but got completely overheated in the sauna and is lying on the floor stretching.
Oh, Becko staggered up to me and lay down next to me.
Ah, that's the water bath. Must be cool to be so close.

I'm sure they'll be fine if we leave them alone.

'So, how about some toys?
'I've decided to spend all my savings and buy all kinds.'
'No, no, no. I don't care if you like it or not, is there a safety issue?'

She seemed to like it a lot.
Come to think of it, Natalia likes pretty things, doesn't she?

'Generally, no problems. ...... Oh, I'm sorry. I can't believe I called you 'oomune' in front of Estella-sama. ......'
'Just keep going.'

Estella is making a face like that.
Give her a little more attention or Natalia will sulk. She loves you, you know.

'Only this pompom steamer needs to be handled with care. I think you should only use it with children of a certain age.



Pompom steamers use fire.
If you touch it in the wrong place, you'll get burned.

'Then we can rent out the pompom steamer at the counter.
'I think that's a good idea.

The other toys will be left floating in the bathtub.
Their names will be engraved on them as proof that they belong to the West Bath. You can't take them out.

'It's cute, isn't it, duck?
'The goldfish is also cute, like a taiyaki!
'...... Magda, I'll wash this girl's hair.'

While Jeannette and Loretta were interested in the tin toys, Magda took a liking to the baby doll.
She is gently pouring hot water on the doll as a mother would do to a baby.

Seeing this, Norma let out a gasp, 'Wow ......'.
He was impressed by the fact that Magda did not pay attention to any of the other toys and took to it first.
I guess he didn't fully believe that Magda would really play with such a toy, even though he had made it.
Magda is a little older than me, but I'm sure kids around Rebeka's age would love to play with her.

'By the way, there's a combined golem in the men's bath.

I couldn't get the word 'robot' across, so I called it a 'golem', but in short, it's a merging robot.
Two robots merge and transform into one big robot.
Even though it's called ......, it can be attached and removed without any elaborate gimmicks.
The robot before merging also has a distorted form that is obviously designed for merging, but I guess it's cheap enough for kids.
It's not for display, but for play.

'Yashiro-san, Yashiro-san!Look, it's a snowman!

Ginette scoops up the snowman floating in the hot water and looks at it happily.

'And there's another one over there, too!

She points to the ceiling and looks up at the large stone statue of a snowman rising there.
These stone statues, based on the motif of Becko's The Great Adventure of the Snowman, have an overwhelming presence in the bathhouse.
Dotted with angels and phantasms, they have a very fantastical finish.

...... I made them change course.
The first idea was too much of a snowman.

'It's amazing.
'Well, you'd be surprised.

There are large stone statues scattered about, and the high ceilings and wide bathtub give a sense of freedom.
This is a place where you can easily experience the extraordinary.

'I was lucky.

Ginette smiles up at the stone statue of a snowman.

'I'm sure this is the only chance you'll get to see Yashiro-san.

I don't think I'll ever be in a women's bath again.
Unless this place goes out of business.

'If you're fine with the baths at the Sunlit Pavilion, I'll take a mixed bath any time.
'Ummm!

Ginette said, bringing the snowman doll in front of her face to cover her reddened cheeks.

'Please repent.

That's what a snowman would say. Well then.


After that, we tried all the baths, checked them, and finished our inspection of the bathhouse.