The next day, Michael started to work on his hot springs idea. It didn’t need to be extremely complicated. He just needed a big pool and a compartment on the bottom for the wood and fire that would heat the water to a comfortable temperature.
It was unfortunate that they weren’t anywhere near a volcano, which would have been an easy way to get water for the hot springs. But, they could still make do with a man-made one.
He asked ChatJK1 for an appropriate space near the house to install the hot springs and his AI assistant gave him a flat place near the river.
He decided to follow the Romans for the design of his hot springs. They used hot air and smoke to heat the flooring and water of their caldaria, or their bathhouses.
He started by creating a foundation at the bottom, filled with tiny pillars where the smoke and fire would spread. Over those pillars would be the actual flooring of the bathhouse.
He used the 2-star spell [Boulder Carve] to turn large chunks of rock on the ground into the needed pillars and flooring for the actual bathhouse.
[Boulder Carve]
— ★★
— Earth element
— This magic allows the user to chip and carve out pieces of stone from a large boulder.
He used that with the combination of the very useful 1-star spell [Stone Mend], which allowed the stones to seamlessly connect without the use of cement.
[Stone Mend]
— ★
— Earth element
— This magic allows the user to combine similar earth materials into one piece as if they were connected from the start.
Since it was such a large undertaking, Michael couldn’t hide his magic powers anymore.
The maids witnessed as reality started to shift and bend beginning from Michael’s hands and slowly manifested into a glowing green aura around his body.
They gasped, unable to believe that a five-year-old boy was able to lift a boulder larger than a bear with only his magic.
“The young master…he’s casting magic!”
“I shouldn’t be surprised, but he’s really using Earth magic! That’s no easy spell, either! That’s a 2-star difficulty magic!”
Some of the clueless maids tilted their heads. “Is it really surprising for the young master to be good at magic? Most geniuses learn magic at the age of five as well…”
The more knowledgeable butlers looked at the young maid. “Yes, in terms of geniuses, then it isn’t that surprising…but the young master’s different.”
“How?” she asked.
“Have you ever seen a magic tutor come to this mansion? Have you ever seen the Madame teach the young master about Earth magic?”
Once the elderly butler pointed it out, a lot of the younger maids finally realized how much of a monstrous genius Michael was.
All the spells he was casting right now were self-learned! Nobody taught him anything. This meant that Michael picked up those spells either through observation or intuition, both of which were a feat only the talented and monstrous geniuses in history were capable of.
“Also…how long have we been watching him cast those spells? Almost an hour? Yet, he’s barely broken a sweat! How big is his mana capacity?!”
“Sir and Madam got really lucky with their only son. Not only is he a genius craftsman in the making, but he also has the potential to be a wizard as well!”
“Madam will be ecstatic once she learns about this. Her son is a genius at Earth Magic!”
It wouldn’t be for a while later when they finally learn that Michael was not only proficient with Earth magic, but also with the other three main elemental mana as well. But, that’s a story for another time.
…
…
…
After a couple more days, the open bathhouse was finally completed.
It was quite a big pool if Michael compared it to the bathhouses of his previous life. But in terms of his current mansion, it was just like a small puddle.
He separated the pool into two sections: one for men and one for women.
At the end of the work day, Michael gathered all the maids and butlers at the entrance of his hot springs.
Even when they were outside, they could feel the heat coming off the entrance.
“Young master, what did you create this time?” Beretta asked.
Michael took a bundle of firewood and chucked it towards the opening to the ‘basement’ of the bathhouse, letting the fire get hotter.
“This is a hot spring. After working hard all day, you can spend the rest of the day relaxing and immersing yourself in hot water. Trust me, it’s invigorating.”
The prospect of bathing in hot water after working all day long seemed like the perfect idea to relax.
“This looks amazing! I can’t wait!”
“You’ve truly outdone yourself this time, young master!”
“My face is getting younger from the steam alone!”
Everyone walked into the bathhouse with curious and excited looks on their faces. Michael directed the butlers to the right side, while the maids were led to the left side.
“You take off your clothes here, and then you can take a towel and rinse yourselves…”
Once he told them what to do, the maids and butlers immediately rushed toward the hot springs.
And just as Michael was about to go to the men’s bath, some of the maids pulled him back.
“Young master, where are you going?”
“Uhh…going to take a bath?”
The young maid shook her head. “With those burly men? No, young master. You’ll come with us.”
Michael looked at the smiling young maids and felt his cheeks redden.
He forgot. He was five years old, which meant that people were treating him as nothing more than a precious, innocent child.
“Come bath with us! We’ll wash your back!”
Michael started to back away. “Uhh…no thanks…”
Most of the maids were young, and only about twenty years old. Compared to his age when he died in his previous world, they were the ones to be considered as babies.
“Oh please, young master. We’ve bathed you when you were a wee little child before. Don’t be shy!”
The group of clueless maids dragged Michael to the women’s bath.
It’s fine…this is fine, right? I’m only five years old…I just won’t look so it’s okay, right ChatJK1?
[….]