Chapter 31

The Waterproof Puzzle

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The moment the shower room was installed, Usinomics realized something important.

The toilet space had disappeared.

Not entirely.

The toilet paper holder was still there.

Standing alone.

Mounted neatly on the wall as if it were waiting for a toilet that had never arrived.

Usinomics stared at it for several seconds.

Then sighed.

“Well… that’s a problem.”

The black tiled floor reflected the warm bathroom lighting.

The room looked beautiful.

Far more luxurious than it had any right to be.

Yet beauty alone could not solve plumbing.

Nor could it replace a toilet.

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Usinomics folded both arms and examined the room like an architect reviewing blueprints.

A shower booth occupied one corner.

The large bathtub dominated the center.

A linen cabinet stood nearby.

Shelves stored towels and toiletries.

Decorative flowers softened the atmosphere.

Yet something was missing.

Something very important.

“Adding a toilet later will probably require drainage work.”

Usinomics looked down at the floor.

“Which means the tiles might have to come up.”

The thought was painful.

The walls could require repairs.

The floor might need reconstruction.

Pipes would need to be rerouted.

And construction projects always became larger than expected.

Always.

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The bathroom itself was surprisingly spacious.

Roughly ten tatami mats in size.

Large enough to become an entire personal spa.

Small enough that every decision mattered.

Usinomics slowly walked around the room.

“A bathtub.”

Check.

“A shower room.”

Check.

“A sink.”

Check.

“Storage.”

Check.

“Toilet.”

…

“No toilet.”

Not check.

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The bathroom had gradually transformed into something far beyond its original purpose.

Every completed quest seemed to reward another puzzle.

Every shopping trip somehow ended with another puzzle.

And every finished puzzle eventually found its way onto the bathroom walls.

At first, the decorations had seemed temporary.

But now they had become part of the room’s identity.

Large landscapes.

Tropical islands.

Lighthouses.

Ocean sunsets.

Rolling green hills.

Tiny worlds frozen forever behind protective waterproof frames.

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The special waterproof puzzles were among Usinomics’ favorite discoveries.

Unlike ordinary wall art, these puzzles were designed to withstand humidity.

Moisture-resistant.

Mold-resistant.

Antibacterial.

Easy to clean.

Perfect for a room constantly filled with warm steam.

The bathroom no longer felt like a bathroom.

It felt like a private gallery.

A place where adventures could continue even while taking a bath.

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Above the room, another unusual addition quietly performed its duty.

A kitchen ventilation fan.

Technically speaking, it belonged in a kitchen.

Practically speaking, it worked perfectly.

Fresh air circulated through the room.

Steam vanished quickly.

Condensation rarely formed.

The air remained clean and comfortable.

Usinomics considered it one of the smartest budget decisions ever made.

“Not exactly what it was designed for.”

A satisfied smile appeared.

“But it works.”

⸻

The newest addition was impossible to miss.

A gigantic puzzle.

Far larger than any previous one.

Completing it had taken patience.

Several evenings.

And more than one moment of frustration.

But now it covered a major section of the wall behind the bathtub.

The image depicted a tropical shoreline.

White sand.

Blue water.

Palm trees leaning over the ocean breeze.

A hidden paradise beneath a brilliant sky.

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The smaller puzzles had been relocated.

The giant masterpiece now served as the room’s centerpiece.

The effect was immediate.

Remarkable.

Almost magical.

Whenever Usinomics entered the bathtub, it no longer felt like being inside a building.

It felt like soaking in a seaside hot spring resort.

A private villa.

A luxury retreat hidden somewhere along a distant coastline.

The sound of water echoed softly.

Warm steam drifted through the room.

The tropical image stretched across the wall like a window into another world.

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Near the sink stood a ladder.

A perfectly ordinary ladder.

Except it wasn’t being used as a ladder.

It was being used as a towel rack.

Several towels hung neatly from its wooden steps.

More towels filled nearby shelves.

More waited in storage.

An unreasonable number of towels.

Yet there was logic behind it.

A washing machine had not been purchased yet.

Without one, spare towels became essential.

Preparation was survival.

At least that was Usinomics’ official explanation.

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The water in the bathtub remained pleasantly warm.

Usinomics lowered deeper into it.

The room glowed softly beneath the lights.

There were no utility bills in Moo66.

No electric bills.

No water bills.

No gas bills.

The lights remained on.

Always.

The temperature remained comfortable.

Always.

It was one of the many mysteries of Moo66.

And one of the reasons life there felt slightly unreal.

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Leaning back against the edge of the tub, Usinomics began reviewing future plans.

“A toilet.”

Top priority.

“Definitely a toilet.”

A pause.

“A washing machine.”

Also necessary.

Another pause.

“The refrigerators were a good decision.”

Two refrigerators stood elsewhere inside Moo66.

One for current supplies.

One for storage.

For once, advance planning had actually worked.

That felt rare.

And satisfying.

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The warm water wrapped around Usinomics like a blanket.

The tropical shoreline shimmered across the wall.

The ventilation fan hummed quietly overhead.

Everything felt peaceful.

Calm.

Safe.

For a little while, construction plans could wait.

Future purchases could wait.

Plumbing problems could wait.

Even the missing toilet could wait.

Just for tonight.

⸻

The steam drifted lazily through the room.

The lights glowed softly.

The waves inside the giant puzzle seemed almost alive.

And before realizing it—

Usinomics had fallen asleep.

Floating peacefully between unfinished construction plans…

and dreams of the perfect Moo66 bathroom.

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To Be Continued…