Construction Mage - Chapter 61: Tour

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As humble as Sylphira had tried to sound, in reality, it was impossible for any home within the first ring to be shabby. The entire place was the center of power for the entirety of Ravenhold. Only nobles and the most influential merchants lived there, alongside a few select Delvers.

In the new landscape of the world, power became more important than ever. Not just the authority to order around large armies, but the strength that a high-level Delver brought. That didn’t stop the nobles from maintaining their spot at the top of the food chain, though. It was just that they directed their focus to cultivating or recruiting powerful Delvers. These champions were then integrated into society as peers of the knight caste. 

As a result, Sylphira’s estate was located on the outskirts of the first ring, just alongside the wall. A dark-gray steel fence of elegant design enclosed the property. Unlike the prince’s estate, it didn’t have a grand fountain before the mansion, but it didn’t make the three-story building any less impressive.

As someone who had worked at the worksite for months, he could tell that the cornice was delicately carved by master artisans, and even the graceful, curving lines on the architraves around the doors and windows were equally breathtaking. 

However, what was most eye-catching was the statue that decorated the entrance to the mansion. It was finely sculpted in the figure of a slender woman with a frail frame. She had the expression of a loving mother that captivated her viewers.

“Who’s this? Someone in your family?” Clay asked, causing the group to halt in their tracks.

“You participated in the construction of a church but can’t recognize the figure of Myrilune, the Goddess of Water?” Sylphira skeptically shot back. “Don’t tell me you don’t recognize Lestionora, your patron goddess of Earth, as well.”

She had hit the nail on the head. Clay was never a religious person. Even though he might have second thoughts after being transported to another world, he never had the chance to really familiarize any local gods and goddesses. His three-month stint at the church was filled with the hardship of labor, and with his mind exhausted from learning the written language. It was no surprise that he never made it to theology studies.

Not wanting to group to dwell on his ignorance, Clay cleared his throat and ushered the group to continue.

“I’m new to delving, remember? I’ve only started paying attention to the teachings of the Goddess of Life recently. You’ll have to excuse me for that. Anyway, let’s keep going, shall we? Where do you plan on installing the toilet?”

Just as Sylphira was about to respond, she suddenly felt a cold stare from behind. She swallowed her words and nodded to the head attendant behind her before she tried again.

“As you are my dear guests, I must show you the minimal hospitality expected of a proper host before we get straight down to business. Surely, a few of us find our appetites stirring by now, yes?” she said with a meaningful gaze.

Malik and Clay didn’t dare rock the boat with the stern servants around them, so they simply nodded along. Only Dorgan snickered at the scene without a care.

The group soon arrived at a large dining hall, where a long table that could easily fit a dozen people lay. A fireplace was to its left, while the right side had three grand doors that were all open, revealing the mesmerizing view of the garden outside.

As the two first-time visitors marveled at the extravagance of the room, Sylphira and Dorgan swiftly got seated with the help of the attendants. Immediately after, the same attendants locked onto the remaining two guests, urging them forward so they could help them get seated as well.

What happened next passed by in a blur. Dish after dish was presented to the Delvers. Neither Malik nor Clay could eat in peace, as they weren’t used to eating with people hovering over their shoulders, tending to their needs. Every crumb they spilt was instantly cleaned up, causing them to feel judged for their every action. Even Sylphira ate in silence under this atmosphere, and only Dorgan was the same as usual.

It didn’t mean he ate with proper etiquette, but just that he didn’t care how much of a mess he made.

Once they were finished with their food, tea was brought in, allowing the atmosphere to relax somewhat. At the same time, an aged man with balding white hair and a crooked back discreetly walked over to Sylphira and whispered into her ear. The noblewoman then turned to Clay.

“Allow me to introduce my head scholar, Simeon,” she said, gesturing with both hands to the old man. “He says he has finished inspecting the toilet and is ready for installation, but wanted to consult with you on a few things first before finalizing the location.”

“Hmm? Of course. That’s what I’m here for.”

With the owner of the house assenting to his request with a nod, Simeon swiftly moved over to Clay.

“Please come with me, sir. It’s better if we show you what we wanted to ask you about.”

The old man then briskly walked with light steps, expecting Clay to be following him. When he got to the door, his eyes widened in surprise upon glancing back. It was only then that he realized everyone would be tagging along.

“Ahem, Mistress, this matter is beneath you. There is no need for you to come as well,” he said.

“Nonsense. It is my duty to oversee any work I have personally commissioned. Please go ahead without minding our presence, Simeon.”

With no way to rebut his lady, the old man relented, and they were off. The old scholar guided the group to one of the side rooms near the central part of the mansion.

“This is the room below where our mistress would like the toilet to go. However, my peers and I couldn’t come to an agreement on the drainage installation. From your notes, you indicated it is best for the drainage to go somewhere secluded, correct? You would agree that it would be unacceptable to have the waste remain within the confines of the home of a noble, right?”

“Umm, wait a moment,” Clay said with a frown as he glanced around the empty room. “Are you planning on making a hole in the ceiling for the drainage? In the first place, you plan on installing it on the second floor?”

“That’s right,” Sylphira replied. “Right next to my room, of course.”

Thank whatever entity that brought me to this world that this woman had the foresight to bring me along. How strange would it look if they went ahead and busted a hole between floors just for a toilet?

Brushing his hair back, Clay sighed as he dredged up the faint memories he had of how plumbing worked in apartment buildings. For his current home, there had been no need to rack his brain over it, as he simply had the drainage connect to a semi-buried container.

From what he recalled, the drainage system in these apartment buildings drained horizontally until it reached the vertical stacks instead of directly downward. The toilet itself had an internal S-trap built into it, but should they add the water heater near it as well, the drainage for that system should use a P-trap instead. It was something he debated installing himself in the future, for when he would set up a proper sink.

For now, he would have to figure out where the drainage from the second floor would go. He knew modern buildings had pipes that ran horizontally on the same floor until they reached the main vertical shaft. However, the requirements of this vertical stack were unknown to Clay; he had never had to deal with it. That was a job for professional plumbers, not some retail worker. It wasn’t something he could do without demolishing parts of the mansion, either. He needed a simpler solution.

With the requirements clearly defined, he brainstormed alternatives.

“Do you think you can change the location of the toilet to somewhere near the edge of the building instead? Perhaps the drainage does not have to go through the floor, but instead horizontally to the exterior of the building. That way, the waste can go somewhere far away from this building without needing to involve a room below it. It’ll require some proper piping to be made, though—not the most economical, as it will require some delicate metalworking.”

“That—is up to my lady,” Simeon said as he turned to the lady of the house. “However, if that is the case, my recommendation is to keep it simple and connect the drainage to a chamber pot instead. We have enough servants to empty them whenever our mistress desires.”

“Go summon Odrik. I’ll hear what he has to say first. In the meantime, bring our guest to inspect the rooms on the second floor. After all, Clay here will know best which one would be the most suitable location.”

“I’ll take a look,” he replied. “If all else fails, you still have the option of placing it on the first floor, too.”

In response, Sylphira smirked and leaned in next to Clay’s shoulder.

“But that wouldn’t be very discreet, would it? The lady of the house, running up and down around the house in the middle of the night. I must still uphold some of my dignity before my people.”

A tour of the house then began, as Clay was taken to inspect various rooms where the toilet could go. At his request, he was even taken outside to examine the exterior of the house. If he were to run a pipe out of the building, the least he could do was find a spot that wouldn’t spoil the aesthetics of the manor.

As the inspection came to a close, a young man was then brought before them. He had dull brown hair and a face stained with soot. The moment he drew close, Dorgan went over to him and smacked him on the back.

“Lad, seems like you’ve been busy. Is Roylan changing up the specifications he wants every few hours again?”

“Um, it’s fine. Our shop isn’t that busy right now, anyway. At least not until it gets closer to the autumn.”

Before the two could continue conversing, Sylphira clapped her hands together, drawing the young man’s attention.

“Odrik, my friend here, has a possible design I may want to realize, but it will require your workshop’s help. Can you evaluate whether what he needs is something viable?”

“Of course. Leave it to me,” he said, nodding several times before turning to Clay. “Foreman, what would you have me forge?”

“Um, pipes long enough to run from the second floor down to the first.” Seeing the newcomer’s blank look, Clay quickly chose his words more carefully. “Basically, hollow metal shafts that can carry liquids without spilling. Perhaps it will be clearer if I draw it out for you.”

As if prepared for such a scenario, Odrik took out a piece of parchment from a pouch and handed it over.

Clay got to work, carefully sketching a pipe, paying particular attention to the bends.

While he did so, he couldn’t help but be skeptical. Did a blacksmith from this era have the ability to create properly watertight pipes? He doubted it was something they commonly made. The only assurance he got was that this man was likely one of the exclusive craftsmen that Dorgan and Sylphira cultivated. The skills offered from a profession class ought to be exceptional.

Wait, if he is their Weaponsmith, wouldn’t he be able to help with forging a shovel head for me? What he can craft is surely better than what I’d get from any common blacksmith shop!

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