Gather Divine Coins and Gacha! - Chapter 185

 "Got it, snake. The fee is two gold coins."

"... That's quite a price."

"Well, even in my previous life, handcrafted leather goods were expensive. Brand items could easily cost ten times as much. The quality is good, so it’s not a bad deal if you think about it that way."

"By the way, what kind of leather is this made from?"

While taking out the gold coins from my wallet, I casually asked about the material. In my previous life, cow and horse leather were common, but it might be different here.

"It's from a monster deer. Dungeon-bred monsters are soft, but this one is wild. It won't easily tear even if handled roughly."

A deer, huh... I remember the gloves I used in my previous life were made of deer leather.

"I see..."

The strength of the monster aside, the materials from dungeons and the outside world do seem to differ.

Although there is the hassle of transporting them to the surface, I've heard that you can secure a certain amount of materials from dungeons, which is why dungeon materials are often used for equipment. However, based on what I just heard, equipment made from wild monsters might be of higher quality.

"So... I'll need two days to finish. How do you want to receive it? Will you come to pick it up, or should I deliver it? You folks are from the lady's place, right?"

"That's right. Please deliver it. I'll make sure they let you in if you mention Sera's name."

"I see. Then I'll get started. If you're done, please leave."

With that, he retreated to the back without waiting for a reply, indicating he had no more business with us. Perhaps he's going to fetch some tools?

"...Shall we go?"

"Yeah."

Although it was a bit abrupt, well... craftsmen are often like that. In a way, it didn't disappoint my expectations.

There were a few more things I wanted to ask about the materials, but I'll look into those myself later.

◇

"That's Rob, right? The things he makes all seem good, but he said there were no customers. What’s his deal?"

On the way back, I asked Alex what had been on my mind. It didn't seem like business was booming, but he didn't seem to be struggling for money either. And he didn’t seem to be doing anything shady.

"I don't know the details, but he used to work at the adventurer's guild dealing with monsters from a young age. Back then, there were fewer craftsmen in this town, so he handled everything from dismembering to tanning hides. As the town settled down, he began training young people while still working at the guild."

"I see."

"He also picked up leatherworking skills along the way, making and repairing equipment. A few years ago, he quit the guild and opened that shop. He still occasionally teaches at the guild, like an instructor. Through those connections, he gets materials at a low cost."

...That's quite detailed. Where does he pick up such information?

"That old man is better at craftsmanship, but he's also skilled as an armorer. He still gets called in when there are a lot of orders, especially since the number of adventurers has increased recently."

"Got it..."

It's more efficient for a clan or party to do equipment maintenance all at once. The same was true for the "Fangs of Raguora." It's like subcontracting.

Skilled craftsmen get well-paid guild work. In a town with little entertainment, there's not much to spend money on. With the income from teaching and subcontracting, he can maintain his shop.

...It's a hobby.

"I heard about such freelance craftsmen from the adventurers' and merchants' guilds, so I wanted to check them out if I had the chance. We might need their services in the future."

There are a few large workshops in this town, but individuals are more flexible. Not now, but when I become a lord in the future, I might need to handle things discreetly. This was a good opportunity to scout for that.

I feel like I was used as a pretext...

"Want to grab something to eat? If I'm with you, we can go anywhere."

"Damn it..."

He made the offer just as I was about to kick him... I guess I have to give in this time.

"Let's try that tavern over there!"

"!"

Well, I guess I'll trouble him a bit.