After the meal, we have looked around the stalls in the morning market.
Anyhow, there are many marine products displayed. From the familiar fish and shellfish to colorful tropical fish. Sometimes, we would see poisonous fish, but all that was also edible seafood.
I was troubled about what to buy because there were so many different kinds, but I have asked the people in charge for a recommendation and decided to buy that. Thereupon, before I realized, I have purchased a massive amount of marine products.
Honestly, have I bought too much? Is that I thought at first, but on Aetherdia, fish can be only obtained on the seaside, so I won't be able to get more when we move inland. I have decided to buy as much as I can.
After finished shopping, we went through the morning market square and strolled along the shopping street. There, a Blacksmith caught my eye, so I decided to take a look.
"Excuse me~"
"Ou. Customer?"
When entering the store and calling out, an Oyaji-san showed his face from inside.
"Would you be able to refine this?"
What I show him is Leviathan's―――Kaiser's scale.
I have split them in suitable sizes.
When resting in the dungeon, I tried to break it with a tool and it unexpectedly easily broke just as Kaiser said.
It's just that because it really broke, the fragments were sharp and could inflict an injury if carelessly touched.
"Let me take a look. ... Not a stone. A scale? Nevertheless, it's quite thick and heavy. Besides, this magical power...… No way!!!?"
As expected, handing him a scale just as I received would be bad. I split it thinking such, but it seems it can't escape a trained eye.
The blacksmith uncle stares at me in surprise.
"This is not something that you can find on the ground."
"Ah~ Is that so~"
Dragon scales don't fall off easily.
No, I said it wrong. When it's time for a dragon to replace its scales, the old scales will come off in its nest, you can hardly find dragon scales away from the dragon's nest.
Another thing is that it can't be obtained by hurting a dragon, it has to be defeated. However, aside from sub-dragons, superior dragons are something that humans seldom challenge.
Because of that, Leviathan's scales are something to revere.
Uncle asks me where did I find something that's almost impossible to obtain at the market.
"W, where did you get it?"
"... It was a present."
"Something so precious, who would just give it to you!"
"That's strictly confidential."
"...…"
Even if I say that I got it from Leviathan himself (dragon at roots)? he wouldn't believe... Rather, he would doubt my sanity.
He seems to be interested as a craftsman, but don't inquire about it too deeply, please.
"It's natural that something like this has to be secret, huh... so, you want me to polish this?"
"Yes. I don't want to get hurt while carrying it. And then, I would like to make a hole big enough for a strap, but."
"Certainly, it would be dangerous if left as is. To scrap and polish to the degree that you won't get injured... Well, I think I could manage somehow, but... A hole would be impossible. If I'm to make a hole forcibly, it will break without a doubt."
"Eh, is that so?"
... Hey, Kaiser, I'm going to have a hard time making it into an ornament, though.
What should I do? I think it will be easy to lose by just putting it into a pocket~
"Ou, Rudi! Rudius! Come here for a bit!"
"What's the matter, Boss?"
The Rudius that came from inside after being called by Oyaji-san is a slender man in his late twenties.
That would be the case~ As expected, this Oyaji-san is the boss here.
"Huh, a customer? Oy, why is Boss tending the store?"
"Rather than that, are you able to make an ornament out of this?"
"N? What is this? A stone? Although beautiful, it doesn't seem to be a gem. ... So, Master. This is?"
"A fragment of Water Dragon's scale."
"Wwha!!? Seriously?"
"I have no doubts. He says he wants to make this into an ornament. You are good at that, aren't you?"
He's a worker here, and it seems his specialty is craftsmanship rather than smithing.
"I would like a pendant if possible, but."
"Please, wait a moment. Umm, polishing would be best. This is weaker than silver... Then, maybe a holy silver...―――"
Rudius-san smoothly draws a design on the paper at the counter.
It's a pendant of a blue fragment of the scale enclosed in a metal fringe. A fine design is carved on the metal parts.
Although simple, it's quite delicate design. I like it.
"How about this?"
"Looks wonderful. Allen, Elena, what do you think?"
"Cool~"
"Pretty~"
Allen and Elena seem to like it too.
"Can I request you to make that?"
"Because steel and silver would be defeated by this scale, I have to make it from materials that won't lose out. Doing that will increase the price by a lot, but..."
"What kind of material would you use for example?"
"As expected, Mithril would be the best..."
Oh, Mithril! As expected, it's this mineral when it comes to fantasy!
"Is the supply of the materials a problem?"
"Umm... Boss! Is it okay to use the Mithril in the stock?"
"Yeah, there's not enough left to make a weapon, but there should be enough for a pendant."
The materials seem to be all right. I would like you to make it, but there's one modification I would like to make in the design.
"I would like something other than a metal chain if possible."
I am not fond of the jingling feeling around my neck. Therefore, something like a leather strap would be ideal if possible.
"Other than metal, huh~ If not a monster leather... Mithril Spider's thread would be nice~ Boss~ Can't we somehow get our hands on it~"
"Don't be silly! How could we obtain something so precious that easily! Even if it appears on the market, it will get immediately bought!"
Mithril Spider... Isn't that a rare monster than mutates after consuming Mithril?
The Mithril's special characteristics appear on the web of the spider. Rather, it matches one of the items I have received from Syl...
"Is this enough?"
"Eh!? Eeeeehーー!! I, isn't that!! Mithril Spider's threaaad~!! Why do you have it!?"
When I retrieve Mithril Spider's thread from"Infinite Storage"and show it to Rudius-san, he freaks out.
"Water Dragon's scale is one thing, but you even have Mithril Spider's thread..."
Boss sighs deeply.
I understood that it's a rare material, but... I see, so this is the normal reaction...
I have surprised a lot of people recently, so I feel that I'm getting immune to surprises.
"Then, three of those, please."
"Haaaaa!?"
When I take another two scale fragments, he freaks out again.
Un. I knew he would have such a reaction.
"Three you say… perhaps!?"
"It's for these children, you know?"
If Kaiser is able to sense us because of that, I would definitely like for Allen and Elena to carry them too.
"How extravagant!"
"When it comes to Water Dragon's scales, there are some water-related benefits, after all."
"... That's certainly the case, but... However, I really appreciate that I would be able to make goods out of these rare materials. Then, since I will be making three, can I change the design, so they are not all the same?"
"Yes, I don't mind. Especially Elena's… I would like this child's design to be more girlish. Isn't that so, Elena?"
"Yea!"
I don't mind a simple one, but Elena's should be more cute, right?
When confirming with her, she returned a positive reply. It seems a cute one would be better as expected.
"What about Allen? Do you have a request?"
"N~?"
It seems Allen doesn't have any special request. He tilted his head for a bit, then shook left and right.
The two are always in sync, but they display their individual personalities at times like these.
"Then, what do you want to do about the scales' powder that comes out during the polishing? Do you want to take it?"
"Powder? Are you not disposing of it?"
"You, that's Water Dragon's Scale, you know! Its powder is a wonderful material! Just by mixing it with molten metal while making armor will increase its hardness dramatically, you know!!"
... I got scolded.
I see, even the powder can be used... It seems that Kaiser's scale is just that precious.
In the end, I decided to let the shop keep the powder, and they deducted it from the fee. Kaiser wouldn't probably mind just this much powder.
Or rather, it would only collect dust in"Infinite Storage"if I kept it.
Once the order was complete, Rudius-san immediately returned to the back of the workshop with the materials.
With this, Kaiser's scale will be safely turned into ornaments. I can't wait for the completed goods~