Another World Metal Factory

Chapter 20

Channing placed the cauldron by the sink and opened the lid, splashing water inside.

Honestly, he felt a bit uneasy using it as a cooking pot right away, considering it was welded together from old metal plates that had been stored for a long time.

“That’s a huge cauldron. I could fit inside.”

Illia said, bringing rubber gloves, a sponge, and dish soap. Channing tilted the cauldron to empty the water and replied,

“You’d fit perfectly, wouldn’t you? Want to try getting in? I’ll close the lid for you.”

“Don’t be silly.”

Illia generously applied dish soap to the sponge and approached the cauldron. Channing turned off the water and stepped aside.

Illia squeezed herself halfway into the cauldron and started scrubbing the inside.

“It’s really huge. Wow. How many servings do you think we can make with this?”

“I don’t know, but probably at least 100? But do that many people come to the Red Rooster?”

“Richel said she was busy, so I guess a lot of people come. Can you turn this around a bit? It’s hard to scrub the top.”

Channing approached and rotated the cauldron. Illia squeezed back inside and continued scrubbing.

Watching Illia scrubbing away, half-buried in the cauldron, Channing stealthily turned on the faucet.

Water from the hose shot out and hit Illia’s back.

“Ah! Cold! Eek!”

Startled, Illia flinched and slipped into the cauldron. The cauldron, which had been placed on the bricks next to the sink, rolled over and stood upright.

Illia was trapped upside down, kicking her legs.

“Eeeeek! Help me! Kyaa!”

As her skirt threatened to slide down, Illia kicked her legs even more frantically.

“Hahahahahahahahaha!”

Channing burst into laughter at the sight.

Illia’s screams grew louder with his laughter. Hearing the commotion, the Factory Manager peeked his head out the back door.

Seeing Illia struggling upside down in the cauldron and Channing laughing, the Factory Manager grasped the situation.

He quickly approached Channing and smacked him hard on the back of the head before rushing to tilt the cauldron.

Illia carefully crawled out.

“Sob… Sniff…”

Illia emerged, soaking wet, and sobbing. The Factory Manager quickly took the towel from around his neck and draped it over her shoulders, drying her off.

“Go wash up and change your clothes. This bad Channing, I’ll teach him a lesson.”

“Sniff… Okay.”

Sobbing, Illia walked towards the factory. Seeing Channing, she kicked him hard in the shin.

“Oof!”

Illia glared at Channing, who was hopping around clutching his shin, and went inside. The Factory Manager smacked Channing on the back of the head again.

Channing rubbed the back of his head and grumbled.

“Ow!”

“You! A grown man bullying a girl 10 years younger than you and making her cry! Good job. Go wash up and come back inside!”

Scolded by the Factory Manager, Channing scratched the back of his head and splashed water into the cauldron. The soapy water Illia had scrubbed with washed away.

******

While Channing was washing the cauldron, the Factory Manager started to work on the item he was making again.

He cut a long, rectangular bar of 10T angle iron, rolled it into a circle, and made three rings. Then, he welded pieces of angle iron in an X shape and attached them on top. Since the three rings were of different sizes, they formed concentric circles.

Finally, the Factory Manager slightly bent a piece of angle iron to make legs and started welding the three legs onto the pre-marked spots.

“I finished washing it. I left it upside down in the backyard, so it should dry soon.”

Channing said as he came into the workshop, and the Factory Manager, still wearing his protective mask, replied and continued welding.

“Are you making the cauldron legs?”

“Yeah. To be precise, it’s a cauldron stand. It would be inconvenient to attach legs directly to the cauldron.”

“Is that so? Other cauldrons have legs attached.”

“Well, it’s my preference.”

The Factory Manager finished welding the last leg. He attached the legs so they angled slightly upwards, making small protrusions above the round rings. This was intentional, so the cauldron would fit perfectly on top.

Channing carefully observed the Factory Manager’s work and asked a question. He had noticed something peculiar.

“There are only three legs. Wouldn’t it be more stable with four?”

“I put only three on purpose. There’s a reason for it.”

The Factory Manager replied as he checked the stand from various angles after removing his protective mask, and Channing looked at him with a curious expression.

“Why?”

“If there are four legs, one of them might lift off the ground when placed on an uneven surface. That would make it wobble. But with three legs, that doesn’t happen. It becomes stable. That’s why.”

“Ah… so there was a reason for that too.”

Channing nodded, with an expression that showed he had learned something new, and the Factory Manager handed him the finished stand.

“Keep this too. We’ll deliver it with the cauldron later. And hey, you, apologize properly to Illia later.”

Channing nodded and burst into laughter at the Factory Manager’s scolding.

4.

A few days later, during dinner time.

The Factory Manager entered the Red Rooster, a restaurant bustling with people. It had been about a week since he had delivered the cauldron.

The Factory Manager hadn’t been able to properly visit the restaurant due to his busy schedule. He had suddenly received a large order from Popper’s blacksmith shop and had been busy fulfilling it.

He had no choice but to have dinner with whatever bread and rice Illia had prepared and work late into the night.

Finally, having completed the order, the Factory Manager was able to visit the restaurant. As he entered with Illia and Channing, Richel, who was serving, waved with a bright smile.

“You’re here?”

“It’s crowded. I wonder if there’s even a place to sit.”

“Sit over there. It’s a reserved table.”

Richel quickly pointed to a round table at the Factory Manager’s words. It was the only empty table in the crowded restaurant.

Seeing that, the Factory Manager smiled.

“Wow. A reserved table. It’s worth becoming a regular.”

“It’s not because of you!”

Richel retorted to Channing’s comment and led the Factory Manager, Illia, and Channing to the round table.

After that, Richel walked to another table without taking their order, and the Factory Manager helped Illia sit down before settling into a wooden chair himself.

Richel shouted something towards the kitchen, and someone walked out. It was Oscar.

“Hey! Welcome! It’s been a while.”

Oscar approached the table, greeting them with a hearty laugh, and the Factory Manager responded with a smile.

“I’ve been a bit busy lately. But more importantly, your restaurant is incredibly busy, isn’t it? It doesn’t seem like it was this crowded before.”

“Hahaha! It’s all thanks to the cauldron you made! The stew has become incredibly tender and delicious. Word has spread, and people are flocking here!”

“Move aside! I can’t see!”

Chelline shouted at Oscar and shoved him with her elbow, making him stumble.

Seeing the stout Oscar, who looked like a proper restaurant owner, stumble, the Factory Manager realized Chelline’s strength.

Ignoring the staggering Oscar, Chelline said with a bright smile.

“Here! Try it yourself!”

Chelline placed wooden plates on the table, one in front of each of them. The large plates were filled with reddish stew, overflowing with ingredients.

The plates, which were more like giant bowls, were filled to the brim with stew, and Channing’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Wow… Isn’t this too much? Ma’am?”

“Eat a lot! Thanks to the cauldron you made, business is booming. This goulash takes a long time to make, but with that cauldron, the cooking time has been drastically reduced. We’ve been able to serve everyone who used to be turned away because we ran out of food. And the taste is much better too. It’s truly a magic cauldron!”

Seeing Chelline’s bright smile, Channing and Illia smiled as well. They were happy to hear praise for the item they had made at the workshop.

The Factory Manager said, scooping up the stew with a wooden ladle.

“What’s the point of talking? Let’s eat.”

“You’re right. It looks delicious. Ma’am’s goulash was always delicious, but I’m looking forward to it being even better.”

Channing said, holding out his plate, and the Factory Manager filled Illia’s plate first with a ladle full of stew. Then he filled his own plate and finally Channing’s.

“Hey, why am I last?”

“Oh, come on! I gave you some!”

The Factory Manager shouted at Channing’s complaint, and Chelline, watching them, smiled and shouted at Oscar.

“Hey! Go get that! It’s a service!”

Oscar looked at Chelline in surprise.

“Really?!”

“Yeah! Bring the whole thing!”

“What’s gotten into you… Alright.”

Oscar replied with a slightly surprised expression and went into the kitchen, and Chelline went to the counter and picked up a tin cup. Then she shouted towards the Factory Manager’s table.

“I’ll give you beer too! Illia, I’ll get you juice. Wait a minute.”

“Wow! Ma’am, you’re being too generous with the service today!”

“There have to be days like this!”

While Chelline was pouring beer into the tin cups, Oscar came out of the kitchen with a large wooden plate and placed it on the table.

A perfectly cooked whole chicken was placed on the plate. It had been roasted in the oven, and the crispy brown skin looked incredibly appetizing.

And it was enormous. Seeing the whole chicken, which was almost the size of a duck, the Factory Manager’s jaw dropped, and he said to Oscar.

“Hey, Oscar. This is too big… How are we supposed to finish this?”

“Eat it! When that stingy wife of mine tells you to take it, take it! I’ll pack the rest for you.”

“Who’s stingy! You’re the one who’s wasteful!”

Chelline shouted, kicking Oscar’s butt, and the Factory Manager and Channing burst into laughter.

“This is also marinated chicken, steamed in the cauldron and then roasted in the oven. It’s a very popular dish right now, so try it.”

“Then we’ll gratefully enjoy it.”

The Factory Manager said, reaching out and tearing off a chicken leg and placing it in Illia’s hand.

Illia smiled brightly, holding the large chicken leg, and the Factory Manager smiled and tore off the remaining leg. As he took it to his plate, Channing asked the Factory Manager.

“Hey, what about me? I like chicken legs too.”

“You eat on your own. Do I have to take care of you too?”

Channing burst into laughter at the Factory Manager’s scolding and raised his beer glass.

“Owner! Is there a seat available?”

“Here’s the bill!”

“Yes! Welcome! Enjoy your meal.”

As customers started to arrive, Chelline and Oscar excused themselves and left, and the workshop crew began their meal in earnest.

Channing raised his beer glass to his mouth and took a refreshing sip.

“Ah!”

After taking a sip of beer, Channing reached out and tore off a piece of chicken and took a bite.

“Wow! This is incredibly delicious. So tender.”

Hearing Channing’s admiration, the Factory Manager and Illia also tore off their chicken legs and scooped up the stew.

“It’s delicious. The stew meat is also very tender.”

“Right? It’s really good, isn’t it? Illia, eat a lot!”

The Factory Manager smiled as he watched Illia and Channing enjoy the stew and chicken, and he took a sip of his slightly lukewarm beer.

“Ah! This is nice!”

“Richel! Another beer here!”

Channing shouted to Richel, who was passing by, and the Factory Manager also raised his glass and shouted.

“Richel! Another one for me too!”

“Yes! Just a moment!”

Richel shouted in response to the Factory Manager and Channing’s calls.