Appraiser's Job Chapter 10: The Leatherworking Guild's Recommendation

"Hehe… This feeling...This warmth...Mmm! I think I'm falling in love!"

The scene of an ap.r.o.ned man tanning some leather greeted me as I headed toward the leatherworking guild. This was definitely the guild master Mr. Rowan. Although this was his usual appearance, taking a second look it still seems a bit strange….

"Good evening…," I greeted softly so that I could stealthily creep through the guild's entrance.

The smell of tallow wrapped around me the moment I stepped through the doorway. It was the characteristic fragrance of a leatherworking guild.

Noticing my presence, Mr. Rowan lowered the leather, that he had been lovingly rubbing to his cheeks, from his face and turned toward me.

"Oh...Mr. Io. Welcome to my leatherworking guild. Are you here on business for Mr. Hansel?" The gla.s.ses hanging around his neck momentarily flashed from the light of a lamp.

This man, despite being so handsome, had such deplorable behavior. How wasteful.

"As a matter of fact, a boar pelt arrived today...it just now finished tanning. It feels wonderful."

A boar was a gigantic wild pig. Since their temperament lead them to rain mischief down upon human villages, the monsters were frequently requested to be suppressed. Dissection requests were not few, and the fangs and pelts were often sold to adventurers guilds. It wasn't just once or twice that we at the adventurer's guild delivered such items to the leatherworking guild.

"So...what's your business then?" Mr. Rowan asked with a stiff incline to his neck.

Pushed by the strange atmosphere, I corrected my collapsed posture and held out the sword I'd lowered in my left hand. "Actually...I'm looking for a sheath to fit this."

"Oh!...Let me have a look." Mr. Rowan said as he received the sword from me. He rectified the position of his gla.s.ses and gazed fixedly at the blade.

The blade. The hilt. He surveyed every nook and cranny before saying, "This is a very light blade…"

"It's something I received from the blacksmith's guild."

I spoke to him about how I would be running through a dungeon in three days time; he muttered something in understanding and returned the sword to me.

"For a dungeon survey...you'll be walking a considerable distance...If that's the case...it would be best to choose a scabbard that's as light as possible, yet also durable."

Mr. Rowan slowly stood and left the counter. I thought I heard something rustling from behind the counter, then he returned carrying an armful of various types of sheaths. He placed them one by one onto the counter as he began his explanation. "Hard leather, buffalo, serpent, boar...I recommend buffalo leather, but...if you're looking for durability, I would strongly consider serpent leather instead." He held out a deep brown sheath and a glossy black sheath to me.  "The brown scabbard is made from buffalo leather, and the black scabbard is made serpent."

I took them both into my hands. The buffalo leather felt the best. The serpent leather felt less like leather and more like scales. It had a similar feeling to that of a somewhat high-cla.s.s purse.

"How much do they cost?"

"Ah, right. The buffalo is 850 galleons, and the serpent is 1,200 galleons..."  As to be expected. The price swells when you only use excellent quality materials. I don't think I need such a genuine article, however. But it would be troublesome if it were to break during the investigation, so I should choose something st.u.r.dy while I'm here.

While I was pondering my decision, Mr. Rowan suddenly smiled. "I'll lend it to you for free this time...so please choose the one you like."

"Wha-? Are you sure?"

"After all, I'm always receiving the adventurer's guild's favor."

I unhesitantly took advantage of Mr. Rowan's kindness and said, "Well then." And so I chose the buffalo leather scabbard. I stored the sword into its new sheath at once. Since the scabbard was originally made for a longsword, there was a little s.p.a.ce left over. It flawlessly rested on my waist belt.

"Thank you. I'll borrow it."  

"Among all our products, this was the most helpful...it received a lot of love from its creator " Mr. Rowan giggled, smiling from the corner of his mouth like a woman.

"It would be good if you were able to harvest some things from the dungeon exploration…"

I left the leatherworking guild and look up at the moon which had already risen to a high point in the sky. "It's gotten quite late since I had some things to do."

It's already time for dinner.

Since I went to the ryotei, I wonder how long it's been since I last had a meal. But thanks to that time spent, I obtained a good weapon and sheath. With this I felt a small sense of security toward facing the dungeon exploration.

"Right, dinner, dinner. What should I eat."

As if it was waiting on those words, my stomach rumbled. I headed for the main road, filled with people walking up and down the evening street.

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Footnotes: 

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T/N: Someone potato'd over the long weekend. Only one chapter today. Perhaps a second one will pop up tomorrow. Then a good 'ol regular chapter on Friday. Much love. Go hug your friendly neighborhood cat.

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Traditional j.a.panese Restaurant

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Credits:

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Special thanks to Steve Granger, Ichitsuzen, and LaRue Martin!!

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