Vol. 11 Ch. 3: Descendant of the ○○○ Witch

The gardener walked through the flower beds with the cat held against his chest, speaking in a cheerful tone.

"My ancestor was quite something. Apparently, he was such a terrifying man that even the king of the time was afraid to cross him. He was the one who made the king have this garden built, too."

It would have been a grave matter if the king had truly been unable to stand up to a gardener.

Thinking this was probably an exaggeration on the gardener's part, Cyril listened silently to the rest of his story.

"Did you know? The nobles of that time didn't have the habit of using toilets. Whenever they needed to go, they would relieve themselves in the shadows of the flower beds. You know how women often say, 'I'm going to pick some flowers,' when they go to the bathroom? Some people even say that expression originated because they used to relieve themselves behind the flower beds."

Why had the conversation suddenly turned to toilets?

Even as Cyril grimaced at the man's lack of decorum, the gardener continued without a care.

"As a result, the gardens were covered in excrement! My ancestor flew into a rage when his beloved garden was defiled, so he had the castle build a truly magnificent toilet. Then he declared that anyone who dirtied the garden would be crushed, mixed into fertilizer, and buried. After that, everyone developed the habit of using the toilet properly."

"..."

"Eventually, having a splendid toilet in one's home became a status symbol for the nobles, and they all began improving the toilets in their own estates. From there, the custom gradually spread from servants to commoners, and toilet culture took root in ordinary households as well."...