Chapter 14

Chapter 14

14. First Request (1)

“Now it’s a bit refreshing.”

Hodge said while swinging his arms. Seeing the glossy shine on the face it did look very refreshing.

It was while wearing a smile similar to when he heard the story that Jenkinson ran away, and the scary thing was that that smile had been hanging throughout the exercise of over three hours.

Benrik walked without a particular answer.

─Tremble tremble···.

Rather than because he didn’t want to do it there was no capacity to reply.

‘This···. This is no joke.’

If he let his guard down even a little it seemed his strength would loosen and he would sit down as is. It was the side effect of spending nearly a year like a loafer.

It was only that he wasn’t being chased by magical beasts, but he thought the activity amount itself had no big difference, but it seems it wasn’t.

“It is a place the previous leader made but the fact that the person using it is actually only me was regrettable.”

He laughs saying it is good that a person to exercise every morning has appeared, and seeing that appearance it seemed he got something firmly wrong.

The other leader and members are all crazy about dopamine, how that one alone is so loftily sane was always puzzling, but now understanding came.

‘It was not dopamine but endorphin.’

Throughout the journey in the morning he would suddenly run out with the excuse of reconnaissance and return, he should have noticed seeing that appearance.

‘I just thought he was a damn sincere person···.’

Well still the problem is that the arms and legs don’t move as he wants, but as he said it was refreshing.

‘I have to work hard.’

In the mountain range he had no choice but to move to live, but now it is not. Everything depended entirely on Benrik’s will.

‘Let’s just remember that if you rest as much as you rest tomorrow will be hard.’

Exercise is inertia.

While Benrik was engraving the realization in his heart, Hodge informed that they had arrived at the destination.

“We have arrived.”

Above the door, the appearance of rolled leather and a curved knife drawn on a small wooden board, it was a leather workshop.

Approaching closer an unfamiliar stench pierced the nose. Benrik realized the reason why the shop was on the outskirts.

‘They do the tanning themselves too.’

Because of the stench that occurs during the process of dissolving the flesh and fat attached to the raw hide with lime powder water and organizing the surface etc.

Entering inside, the tanner who was trimming the leather with a knife with a round blade approached.

“Hodge!”

Seeing the wrinkled face and whitened hair the age seemed quite old, but the physique was good so at a glance it also looked like middle age.

“Long time! When did you return?” “Yesterday. Have you been well, Paulo.”

They exchange greetings with Hodge as if knowing each other well.

“I am always the same. Seeing the expression, this time too there is no one who got greatly hurt?”

“Do you want to hear the words that it is thanks to the armor Paulo made?”

When Hodge asked while narrowing his eyes the old man giggled.

“Haha! Of course, if Jenkinson’s mercenary group promotes it the effect will be amazing.” “Unfortunately, this time this guy’s merit was greater.”

Saying so what he pulled was Benrik. The tanner who saw the child standing awkwardly tilted his head.

“This child?” “He newly entered this time.”

Benrik who was suddenly put forward while forcing himself to tidy his body bowed his head deeply.

“Isn’t he too young to do mercenary work? It will be dangerous.” “Isn’t that why we came, please show some skill Paulo.” “Ah it was that.”

The tanner who laughed pleasantly called Benrik and carefully measured the size.

“What will you do for the leather?”

The old man who presumed Benrik wouldn’t know well asked Hodge.

“If there is leeway in the pocket situation, I recommend red water buffalo leather. I purchased it at a good price this time, I will do it cheaply for you.”

At the tanner’s words Hodge held a meaningful smile. Benrik who received Hodge’s gaze pointed to one corner of the shop as if waiting.

“How much is that?”

It was leather spread carelessly on the drying rack. Whether it had been in that place for a long time, dust had settled whitely on the dark gray leather.

“Hmm.”

At that the old man made a troubled expression.

“That is unusable leather.” “Yes? Why? It looks fine.”

At Benrik’s innocent question the tanner, Paulo let out a troubled groan. Because the leather the child was speaking of was a nuisance that he himself was having difficulty disposing of.

An item he purchased giving a not small number of gold coins completely falling for the peddler’s words that strong flame resistance is attached and that he is disposing cheaply because he needs urgent money.

For some reason, whenever it received sunlight it emitted cold to the extent that one could not even touch it so he could not actually use it.

There was no one nearby who knew the solution method, so even if he saw some loss he tried to hand it over at a cheap price, but because the rumor had already spread widely there was no one who said they would buy it.

‘If that dog-like bastard comes again just try···.’

Paulo swallowed such inner circumstances along with a sigh and forced a smile.

“···It is something obtained by chance, there is a bit of a problem with the quality.” “A problem?”

At the child overflowing with curiosity Paulo gradually got irritated.

“Hmm, don’t be like that and how much is the budget? I will recommend something suitable.”

At the tanner’s words Benrik slowly shook his head.

“I roughly seem to know what difficulty you are experiencing.”

At the child’s words Paulo’s eyebrows that were white scorched twitched.

“It also seems like a problem I can solve for you.”

At Benrik speaking confidently, the tanner looked at Hodge with an absurd expression. The young mercenary whether finding this situation fun, just laughed.

“···You seem to know what the problem is?”

That is the leather of a grade 3 Frost Silk Snake.

It meant leather of a magical beast that even Paulo who had made tanning his lifelong work was seeing for the first time.

But just roughly looking with eye measurement from a distance what does he know?

“Isn’t it Frost Silk Snake leather?”

Flinch, the old veteran’s shoulders shook.

It is a feeling as if facing a gypsy who guesses the path lived just by looking at a person’s face.

Guessing the identity of the leather just by looking briefly was also an amazing thing, but what truly surprised him was the words that continued next.

“When it receives sunlight it becomes cold to the point one can’t even touch right? And because of that the leather will contract.” “Uh, how do you···?” “I can solve it for you.”

Paulo who was hesitating soon nodded his head.

He doesn’t completely believe the child’s words, but isn’t it at worst the original capital?

“Is there charcoal?”

On the face asking so the same confident smile as when he once proposed a bet to Jenkinson was hanging.

***

Benrik finely ground the charcoal received from Paulo, then mixed it with pig fat and spread it widely on the leather.

“─This is coating by applying it overall on the surface. The cold dwelling in the scales reacts to strong light.”

The child’s hand movements demonstrating directly were skilled like a craftsman who had done tanning for several years.

“Want to shine it?”

Paulo received a small cut leather piece and took it to the window.

“······.”

It was as the child said. What is felt now is just a coolness of a pleasant degree.

“Right? After applying overall like this then dry and wash.” “This, how on earth do you know such a thing?”

Something that even the numerous tanners in Bromwood don’t know!

What answered that was Hodge.

“He is from Logon Village.” “Logon···! Yes, that was it. It was a child from there.”

The village of magical beast hunters, Logon.

Whether magical beast corpses, or magical beast leather there would be few people who know as well as them.

“······Don’t do dangerous things like mercenary and work at our shop?”

Hodge rarely hardened his complexion and called his name.

“···Paulo.” “Oh my, it’s a joke, a joke. Haha.”

He said so, but lingering attachment dripped from the eyes.

“Even otherwise it was a nuisance. Really thank you. I will make the armor as quickly as possible. Of course it is free.” “Uh, no. You don’t have to do that much, I should pay the material cost.” “No, anyway if it weren’t for you I would have discarded it, so you don’t have to feel burdened.” “Hmm, then I will gratefully receive it.” “Yes, yes.” “By the way after drying you have to apply ash-fire butterfly oil to make it tough. I will bring it later.”

“Yes, please.” “Then please take care.” “We will go, Paulo.”

The two people left the leather workshop like that.

Benrik felt good.

Honestly when he got caught skimming byproducts behind Gerik’s back and got beaten, he thought is it right to do this much while collecting things he doesn’t know if he will use or not.

‘It was good that I collected this and that.’

As expected one should prepare anything and see.

“I should absolutely not bet with you.”

Hodge suddenly said.

“Suddenly what are you saying?” “Thinking about it the first one to propose a bet to the leader was also you.” “Was it?” “What you bet on the bet then was the sword your father gave.” “Uh··· was it···?” “Unless you were certain you would win, you wouldn’t have bet something so precious like that?”

······He bet it because it wasn’t that precious.

“I don’t do bets I am not confident I will win.”

There is no law that the truth must be revealed.

***

A while later the leader’s room on the 2nd floor of Jenkinson mercenary group office.

“Take it.”

Jenkinson who called Benrik held out one sheet of paper.

─Requester: Southern forest keeper Pete ─Request content: Tracking and elimination of the unqualified grade magical beast ‘Shouting Old Tree’ witnessed in the center of the southern forest

─Deadline: Within one week ─Reward: 50 silver coins, reduction if deadline exceeded

It was a request form.

“The long-awaited first request. Tomorrow go with Matthew and Bram the three of you.”

The Shouting Old Tree is a weak magical beast that even ordinary people can handle if they prepare. It was a guy not that difficult to eliminate even at Benrik’s level.

“With this guy it seems I can go alone.”

At Benrik’s words Jenkinson grinned.

“Here is a problem.”

With an arrogant expression he raised his chin and asks.

“What is written in the request content?” “Tracking and elimination of the Shouting Old Tree?” “Yes, the Shouting Old Tree is a magical beast as common as rabbit cubs. But why did the forest keeper entrust the request spending as many as 50 silver coins?”

Hearing it that is so. If a forest keeper he would have seen guys like this countless times.

“Hmm, did he take office not long ago?” “No.” “···Was it annoying?”

“No.” “······Don’t act annoying and just boast.” “Ah- is that so, you don’t know.”

The proud Jenkinson rolled up the corners of his mouth.

“It is that the dangerous thing is highly likely not just one Shouting Old Tree.”

© Burrito#1y0o9