第６０１堀：掃除の時はバケツの水が一番メンドイ (Part2)
"Now then, Master, Taizo-sama."
" "Whoa!?" "
Before we knew it, Kirue was standing behind us holding a bucket.
"My apologies for startling you. If you would be so kind, could you provide some water in this bucket? Most of the cargo has been moved out, so I would like to begin the wipe-down cleaning soon."
"Ah, understood. Leave it to me. Yuki-kun, could you handle the rags?"
"Yes."
"Master and Taizo-sama, please clean that area. I shall handle the far side."
Kirue, our maid, issued her instructions with brisk efficiency. One could truly call her a maid; she was the supreme commander of this warehouse cleanup. I doubt there is anyone in our army more skilled at cleaning than her. Well, she had scowled when I offered to help, but since we couldn't exactly bring in other teachers or students, we had no choice but to use our current available manpower, and she eventually allowed me to join.
"Heave, ho. Is this right, Kirue-kaka-sama?"
"Yes, truly magnificent, Shuten-sama. But please, do not overexert yourself."
"As expected of my daughter."
"Cleena-sama, please wipe the corners properly. There is still dust remaining."
"Ugh."
"Kaka-sama, I'll do my best."
Shuten and Cleena were joining in the cleaning as well. Taizo-san and I used magic to fill the buckets with water, then repeatedly carried the dirty water outside to dispose of it. Naturally, Taiki-kun, Ruth, and Eoid joined in along the way, and the men took on the heavy labor.
There had been talk of using an Item Box to transport it, but we decided against putting filthy, dust-laden water into a space that also held food supplies. I suppose it was more of a psychological issue; I didn't think a bucket would tip over inside an Item Box, but it just didn't feel right. I suppose I shouldn't mention that the Item Boxes we use for monster corpses are already filled with blood and waste. I really should prepare some specialized Item Box bracelets for transporting filth in the future.
While I was lost in such thoughts, we didn't need to change the water that often, so we eventually joined in the wiping, and in about three hours, the place was spotless.
Finally, we used wind magic to blast the remaining dust out of the room all at once. Some suggested we should have done that first, but with all the cargo inside, we would have been engulfed in a massive cloud of dust, and the hallways would have been a mess, so we had to clean at least once. It just goes to show that there are no shortcuts in life.
In that regard, the automatic cleaning system in our home in Weed is truly magnificent. Perhaps that is the one thing I should thank that useless goddess for. It must have been a system conceived only by a goddess as degenerate as her. However, no matter how dust-free the room stays, it’s meaningless if she leaves manga books and empty snack bags scattered everywhere; Luna’s room remains a disaster area. Well, since we have the housekeeper goddesses Lilishe and Hifie, it isn't much of a problem, but am I the only one who thinks it’s a problem in more ways than one?
"Is something the matter? Did you forget to clean something?"
As I was pondering this, Taiki-kun called out to me, looking puzzled.
"Oh, no. I was just thinking about something trivial. Like how a useless goddess can't clean."
"Ah."
Taiki-kun said nothing more. He understood that there was no point in dwelling on it. Besides, useless as she may be, she is our vital supplier of goods. If I said something careless, she might cut off our supplies.
"Now then, Yuki-kun. I would like to meet Souta-dono soon, if that's alright?"
"Ah, well... we're a bit dirty from the cleaning, is that okay?"
"I don't mind, but..."
When Taizo-san turned around, the women shook their heads, clearly not wanting to meet anyone while covered in dust.
"...It seems my consideration is lacking as well."
"Well, for now, let's just test if the connection is open. We can save the formal greetings for another day."
"That is true."
And so, we decided that only the men, who weren't particularly worried about the dirt, would go to meet Souta-san.
"Let's see, using this charm..."
Just as Souta-san had instructed, I held it up to the spot where the door had been, and a door shimmered into existence. It seemed to have connected successfully. Just as I thought that, the door opened.
『Hey there. You were faster than I expected.』
It seems Souta-san had noticed us and opened the door from the inside, but...
『Achoo!? Achoo!! Huh? Is it dusty in here? Achoo!!』
Souta-san appeared to be sensitive, and he couldn't stop sneezing because of the dust, so we had to retreat for the time being. I suppose that’s a lesson in making sure one is properly groomed, isn't it? Or rather, do ghosts even sneeze?
Filling buckets with water is a chore, but I remember a time when I hated wiping floors in the middle of winter the most. When you're cleaning happily with friends, your adrenaline is up, so you don't really notice, but if you have a cut or scrape, the cold water stings and it’s twice as miserable. That reminds me, there was always that one kid in every grade who wore short sleeves and shorts in the dead of winter, wasn't there?