Published: August 3, 2025
And so, life in the Noble District began, but it was completely different from living in downtown. Until I got used to it a little, I was constantly amazed at how different things could be just with a single wall separating us.
The biggest difference was the toilet. It wasn’t a chamber pot to be thrown outside. Remarkably, there was a toilet inside the room.
However, it wasn’t a flush toilet. It was a drop toilet with a deep hole. At the bottom, some slimy substance wriggled about, and the first time I saw it, I screamed. I was told the slime breaks down the waste, but I couldn’t get used to it right away. It was disgusting.
Honestly, I’m still scared to go to the toilet at night, fearing that the slime might come back up. But since I’m a little girl, it’s not strange for me to ask someone to accompany me. I’m glad I’m a young lady who always has an attendant around.
And there was finally a bath. Since I still can’t reach my back properly, I usually washed with Tulli, so having a woman help me bathe wasn’t an issue.
They used an expensive, strongly scented soap without hesitation, which made me a bit embarrassed, but with the massage included, it felt heavenly.
However, when they washed my hair with soap, it felt rough and brittle after drying. My comb wouldn’t go through smoothly, and my hair lost its shine.
“Mother, I have a request.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“I’d like you to call the Gilberta Trading Company. Without Rinshan, my hair is getting damaged...”
At first, Mother didn’t look pleased with the idea of calling merchants that lower-ranked nobles use. But when I complained about my hair losing its luster, she agreed to summon the Gilberta Trading Company.
I wondered if Lutz would come too? Excitedly waiting for the day, Benno and Mark arrived carrying a wooden box full of goods. Both looked sharp and professional as they entered the room.
Unfortunately, Lutz wasn’t with them. It seemed they couldn’t bring him to an upper noble’s house for the first time.
… I really wanted to meet him.
After the long greetings, Mother prompted them to show the products.
“Benno from Gilberta Trading Company, wasn’t it? Please show us the products your daughter used and loved.”
“Here they are, madam.”
Benno and Mark took out from the wooden box the Rinshan I wanted, a slightly luxurious but everyday-appropriate hair ornament for this household, and plant paper cheaper than parchment and easier to purchase.
“Lady Rosemine used this Rinshan. We also have new seasonal scents. Please feel free to try them.”
Benno, ever the shrewd businessman, had the workshop change the scrub to make four types of Rinshan. Having used the handmade Rinshan by Tulli until now, I felt like seeing something rare and sniffed them.
There were four types: almost scentless, herbal scent, sweet scent, and refreshing scent. I liked the Rinshan made with powdered scrub of the peel of Kove and feijoa, which have a sweet scent harvested this season.
“Mother, I would like to have this Rinshan.”
“Oh my, it’s a lovely scent. Maybe I should try it too?”
After deciding to buy Rinshan and plant paper for study, I recommended paper with pressed flower watermarks to Mother.
“Mother, don’t you think this paper would be wonderful for invitations? It has flowers and is very beautiful.”
“Oh, it really is. It’s rare to have flowers in the paper.”
Curious about how it was made, Mother held the paper with interest.
“This is a new product just made. The spring flowers are gorgeous, and the invitations will surely leave a lasting impression on recipients.”
“But I suppose someone has already bought some? I wouldn’t want to follow after others.”
Gilberta Trading Company mainly served lower nobles. Mother, as an upper noble, apparently shouldn’t imitate lower nobles. She must be a trendsetter, not a follower. How troublesome.
“No, this is the first batch sent out today for Lady Rosemine, and no other customers have seen it yet.”
“I see. Then we shall have it.”