Chapter 92
Remodeling the kitchen.
What I need is a stove that can cook in several large pots at once.
For now, the fuel is charcoal rock.
Maybe a hearth-style stove would be better?
For now, I'd like to expand the kitchen, but...
There's already a dining room and living room next to it, so maybe expanding it is impossible?
...Oh, I do have some rock.
I teleport a huge rock from my bag to the spot opposite the dining room, right up against the kitchen.
I channel magic through the rock, joining it to the kitchen.
I imagine pushing the walls outward and expanding the space; the kitchen becomes three times as large.
The added rock section is fine, too. Perfect!
I incorporate the existing glass-like material into the new wall to make a window.
Beneath it, I build the hearth's base a little below waist height.
I consider the most convenient position for placing pots... It should be fine.
There should be five hearths—no, eight.
Each hearth needs a place underneath for the fire, but...
If the space beneath all eight hearths is one large area, keeping it heated would be difficult.
Using only one hearth would be inconvenient—or rather, wasteful.
Maybe I should build walls so that each hearth is independent.
This way, using only one won't waste anything... hopefully.
The hearth I saw on TV had a door for adding charcoal, so I put covers over everything except the air holes.
The burner openings are sized for giant pots.
When using small pots, I can place an iron plate over the openings so they won't fall through.
To prevent burns and deal with the heat, I flatten silver ore and attach it over the entire hearth assembly, completing eight huge independent hearths.
Beside the hearths, I put three barbecue grills and three pizza ovens.
The whole wall is filled.
Don't think about it!
Behind the hearths, I make a washing area.
Since I wash vegetables in large quantities, I make three fairly large sinks. That's quite something.
I haven't thought about countermeasures for smoke and odors. Is that a problem?
I've confirmed that charcoal rock doesn't produce smoke, so the barbecue grills should be the only things producing it, and only when I'm grilling meat.
The pizza ovens... can wait until they're needed.
The kitchen remodeling is complete.
Firing them up for the first time is nerve-racking, but everything works fine.
Core and Chai, along with their companions, wander around while I make the barbecue grills.
Ai and the squirrels wander around while I make the pizza ovens.
As I celebrate the completed kitchen, everyone gathers in the dining room and living room.
Shuri's family and Boss-san's family are there, too.
Don't stick to the ceiling in the kitchen!
Hanging from threads is dangerous!
My thoughts after cooking with all the hearths.
With so many sources of fire, the whole room is far too hot.
I've found a problem that needs fixing.
For now, lowering the room's temperature with magic also lowers the hearths' temperature, so that's a no-go.
I make a small window for ventilation, letting the room's air out.
That seems to solve the problem.
I bake bread, grill skewers, and make huge amounts of stewed vegetables and meat.
It was the right call to make three barbecue grills.
I won't worry about one burner being absurdly huge.
Since I can cook everything at once, the scramble for food settles down.
At last, I can put an end to the scramble. Thank goodness.
It was frightening, so I'm really glad.
Boss-san's family and Shuri's family return to their beds, looking satisfied.
They look more satisfied than usual... Is hibernation all right?
...
One of the one-eyed creatures comes to get me, so I follow it to the wine cellar.
Wondering if it might be ready, I draw a little wine from one barrel and taste it.
...Mmm, delicious.
Wine ferments quickly, too.
Maybe I'll have everyone taste it tonight.
I check how many barrels of wine there are.
There are 150 barrels. Somehow, they've multiplied to well over 100.
I made them as the one-eyed creature told me, but... I wonder how they turned out.
There are three kinds of wine, each made from a different kind of grape.
They're all delicious... Making them was definitely the right choice.