Chapter 17 - Knowledge from the villainess previous life
Translation & Editing: Thrax
The two of us are now eleven, and we are starting our official duties in earnest.
“Serea, let’s start using your previous life’s knowledge for real too, we can’t lose to the heroine.”
“I haven’t really gone to school all that much......”
“You were in the hospital the whole time right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then you must know a lot about hospitals right?”
“That’s right!”
My sister studied in Halfa, a developed country, and after returning she established hospitals and orphanages in the country. She made use of old pre-existing buildings to establish them, and it looks like it will by my first official duty to take over overseeing them. Of course, the minister of health is in charge of the hospitals and the minister of education is in charge of the orphanages, so I don’t have to work on the front lines, but if there are any problems, it’s my job to point them out and find a way to make improvements. I wonder if this job, that I inherited from my elder sister, will be my life’s work. Serea has spent almost her entire life in a hospital, so I’m sure her knowledge will be useful.
Let’s start with the orphanage.
Starting with a field where people’s lives are actually at stake like a hospital is a huge responsibility, so I think its better to start with welfare facilities like orphanages.
Since we are still children, we should be able to see the improvements from a children’s perspective.
Instead of visiting as a prince and princess(to be), Serea and I will be wearing commoner’s clothes and hiding our identities as children of the people involved in the operation of the orphanage.
“I’m going to take a look around the orphanage, what are you going to do?”
“I’ll be playing with the kids.”
Yeah, that’s a good Idea. We still need to hear directly from the children.
The director led me around the orphanage. It seamed a little dirty and gloomy.
“Like this, the children live together orderly, while doing the duties given to them.”
That’s what the director says, but I can still see a mountain of problems here.
Orphanages are still a brand new institution, and people are still fumbling around with themanagement.
When I went back to the children, I found Serea sitting on the floor playing cards with everyone.
The children burst out laughing. They look like they are having fun.
“Serea, it’s time to go to the meeting.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Eeeeeeeeeh?!”
The kids started booing, so the director clapped his hands, and the children dispersed.
“Break time is over. Everyone back to your duties!”
“Come again big sis!!”
“Yeah, I will!”
That’s so cute.
The director and a few senior staff members start a meeting in the staff room.
“First off, the building is very dark. Let’s brighten it up by changing the wallpaper. While we are at it, let’s change the curtains too.”
“I guess we should.”
“Next please open all the curtains during the day to let light in. I don’t think it’s good to keep the closed.”
“Yes.”
“Also, open the windows and vent the rooms frequently.”
For starters, I told them the things I noticed, that can be done immediately.
“Oh yeah. The children stink.”
Wha, Serea? Even if it’s true that’s a bit......
“I a-apologise lady Serea, we will make sure it never happens again......”
The director is pretty panicked.
“That’s not what I meant. If they smell, that means that the hygiene here isn’t that good. Children have a low resistance to diseases, so they can easily get sick, that’s the reason why infant and child mortality rates are high, so children must be kept clean.”
“I am aware of that but......”
The director wipes his sweat.
“First of all, make sure that the children have change to different clothes for when they sleep.”
“You mean bed clothes?”
“Yes, wearing the same clothes all the time can lead to skin diseases. Make sure they don’t sleep in the same clothes they were wearing during the day. Also make sure that they have a change of clothes so that while one can be washed while the other is being worn.”
“Well, I’d love to do that, but we are on a budget......”
“We have them wash themselves in a tub once a week.”
Bathing every day? That’s what royals do. It’s not a luxury ordinary commoners can afford!
Serea’s forward thinking is kind of amazing! [TN-3]
“You have to make sure to wash their heads too. It’s very important that the children’s heads are clean.”
“But it would be a huge amount of work to wash them all one by one......”
“Right, I’d like to have a large bathhouse built. That way a lot of people can go in at the same time.” [TN-4]
“A bathhouse? We would have to use a lot of fuel, like firewood.”
A big bath huh. Long ago I heard that there was a large country that had such a culture.
I don’t think its impossible to do. As for the fuel, I have an idea.
“I’ll talk to his Majesty about it. Now that we have started mining coal in our country, I’ll see if we can get some from there.”
The minister of industry has been putting a lot of effort into mining coal lately, so it’s becoming more and more available in the city.
“I’ll talk to the minister about building a bathhouse Serea.”
“Even so, bathing......”
“Bathing, and teeth brushing.”
“Even that!?”
“I want them to brush their teeth after every meal.”
Serea insists.
“There are a lot of people who think that it doesn’t matter if their baby teeth get cavities because they will get replaced anyway, but that’s not true. It’s bad for the new teeth. It’s easier to get crooked teeth later on, and that’s a shame since you will be using them for the rest of your life.”
“I see......”
“I want you to be thorough in keeping their hygiene. Have them wash their hands before having a meal and brush their teeth afterwards.”
“If we want to make sure all of the children do it, then we will need more manpower......”
Hmmm, what to do, manpower...manpower. If you ask me the church is the only option.
“Why don’t we get some from the church?”
“The church?”
“Yes, how about we have the monks and nuns from the church come as volunteers.”
“Hmmm......I don’t know......”
“I’ll talk to the bishop about it.”
Everyone is surprised!
It’s the privilege of being a prince to be able to skip over the underlings and speak directly with the person in charge, so let’s use that privilege.
“Also make sure that the children don’t work all the time and have some time to play.”
“Let them play?”
The staff members were surprised by what Serea said.
Well, I think it’s normal for children to play.
“Yes, if you just discipline them and make them do what you tell them, they will become adults who can’t think for themselves. A vagrant child will grow up to be a vagrant. When children play with other children, they learn to play by the rules, and if they don’t they will be disliked. They will learn to be competitive but also that they should be considerate of others, and that winning is not everything. To play is to make everyone happy. You understand that it’s not just about having fun.”
That's true. People who don't have such experience will become criminals in the future.
“Hmm, that’s true, but do you think that the citizens will understand if we let the orphans play with the taxpayers’ money?”
Don’t be such a scrooge.
“You think like that because of your biased mentality. The orphans are children, same as us. Please change your mindset.”
......The adults all look uncomfortable.
It’s not right for the staff who look after the orphanage to have a discriminatory view towards the orphans.
Additionally, I would like to tell them wat Serea told me.
“Please make sure they at least learn to read, write and do arithmetic.”
“Have them study?”
“Yes, if they can’t do that, they will be conned out of their money, and become penniless, and be forced to work under horrible conditions. When parents become destitute, children end up orphaned. The first step to improving the working conditions of citizens is educations. I’ll ask the church for that.”
“...Educating the orphans... I hope it won’t be in vain.”
We can’t do everything at once, so this much should be enough.
“But to be honest, I was surprised...... Your highness and lady Serea have a great deal of insight. I’m sure that lady Saran, the founder of this orphanage, would be amazed.”
“I'm going to take over that job. From now on, I'd like you not to think of us as eleven-year-old children.”
“I will do just that.”
I got the church to agree.
I explained my view to the minster of education and asked him to accompany me to the church.
He told the bishop ‘Isn’t the church a non-profit charitable organization?’ ‘The church always proclaims equality in the dame of the Goddess. The orphans are the Goddesses children as well. If we don’t love the orphans equally, doesn’t that go against the teachings of the church?’ pushing him to the point where the bishop couldn’t say no.
If you use the position of prince well you can push things through pretty effectively.
We even went directly to the King’s office to appeal to him.
I’m a prince, so why should I hesitate?
I’m visiting him alone with Serea. It’s a bit unfair, right? His Majesty can’t just openly express his disapproval in front of the lovely Serea.
I gave him a proper document showing all of the improvements we want to make.
“......This is going to cost quite a bit of money, are you sure you want to go through with this?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ve talked to the minister and the church?”
“I have, but because we are still children no one will take it seriously. It always ends with ‘Go get the King’s approval’.”
This isn’t a nice way to put it but, I’m going to be using you father.
“What kind of results can we expect?”
“Street urchins and vagrants will be gone from the city streets. It will also be a solution for poverty and decrease criminal activity. Not all of it though.”
“Isn’t there something more important we should be doing, as opposed to educating orphans?”
“No, it’s actually the opposite. People will think ‘Even orphans are learning this much’, and it will result in an increased awareness of education in the citizens. Also, it’s easier to start with orphans, and will set a good precedent.”
“So, you are thinking a decade or so in the future then, aren’t you?”
“Yes. I think the ultimate goal should be for all of the citizens to be able to read and write.”
His Majesty seems impressed.
“Very well. I’ll give instructions to the ministers based on this and get them to come up with a budget.”
“Thank you, your Majesty!”
Serea and I both bowed our heads.
“I am grateful for the work of those who have broadened their horizons beyond the royal castle. I want you to continue to be my eyes and help my subjects. I’m expecting much from you.”
“I will take your words to heart.”
A month later, the orphanage had a new bathhouse!
We are visiting with a wagon full of coal.
“Se-Serea! What’s with that getup!?”
“I thought I’d wash the children.”
“You plan to go in too?”
“Yes.”
The staff and I put coal in the bath furnace, and when I went to the bathroom to check on the water temperature, I found Serea in the changing room, naked and wearing only an apron. With the children!
“Shin-sama, please come in as well.”
“No, I’m fine!”
“You are black from the coal, and you smell.”
I do? Really?
The water temperature is nice. It might be a bit lukewarm. Should I add more coal to the furnace?
I have to keep track of how much coal is needed for one bath, so I weigh it properly on a scale before throwing it in.
“We will take care of the rest your Highness. Feel free to go back to the bathhouse.”
“I’ll leave it to you then!”
I ask the staff to take care of the rest and go to the bathhouse myself.
Serea is covered in soap and scrubbing the children.
Her important places are hidden by the apron, but for some reason it conversely makes it seem lewder, I wonder why?
I start washing the children with Serea. She washes the girls, and I help by washing the boys.
So much grime...... The soap isn’t even bubbling. I have to soak them in warm water first.
Now I understand now how important it is to bathe children every day.
Splash, I rinse off the soap with warm water. One done.
“Big brother, you are a guy right! Take off your towel!”
“Why are you hiding it?”
Just let it be. I have my own problems.
I mean Serea is there naked......I can’t help but take glances at her butt.
“Lolicon!!!”
“He’s dangerous!”
Wait wait wait. Why are you calling me a lolicon when I’m eleven? That’s a ridiculous accusation. Dealing with kids is tough.
I’m sorry staff members. You will end up doing this every day.
After all of the kids finished with the bath, they left with flushed faces. [TN-5]
“Now, Shin-sama, you are the last one.”
“No, I’m fine! I’ll wash myself!”
“Your face is still black you know?”
“Eh, really?”
Serea starts washing my body.
I can’t help but catch glimpses at the pink things on her white skin through the gap in her apron.
Ah, I’m done for. The towel stood up.
“......”
“M-My bad.”
Serea’s face is bright red.
“......Hey, Serea, do you know how babies are made?”
She angrily washes the soap of herself with warm water and leaves the bathroom.
I wash my body by myself.
......Anyway, what should I do with this thing?
I guess I’ll ask Shreegan about it next time.
TN: Well, this one was fast paced to say the least, had multiple time skips, and I wish that the author went a bit more into detail with the conversations with the important people, but I guess that this isn’t that kind of novel,It was fun though, and Serea was adorable, so that’s enough for me. This was the 2nd chapter for this week, 2 more to go.
[TN-1]: Honestly have no idea what they are supposed to be playing, if anyone has any idea please enlighten us. This is what it says in the raw (「ページワン！」「ストップ！」)
[TN-2]: You do get that there are people in your original world who can’t have a bath every day, let alone orphan children in the medieval times...
[TN-3]: Amazing sure, but kinda weird having orphans have daily baths when the rest of the citizenry can’t afford it.
[TN-4]: Orphanage #1 – first spa resort in the country.
