Chapter 270

Once all the food was delivered, Tatsuro sealed the room, had Cardina assume her [True Form], and brought Jeanne back out. While the humans ate, the magical creatures relaxed, and they began discussing their next steps.

“For now, tomorrow we’ll take the letter of introduction to find that blacksmith—” Tatsuro started.

“Wait a sec, big brother. Can I see that letter?” Leah interrupted.

“Sure, here it is.”

“Thanks.”

The “big brother” and “big sister” nicknames had felt too embarrassing, so Leah settled on calling Tatsuro and Ai “big brother” and “big sister” in a more subdued way. Tatsuro handed over the letter without hesitation.

Leah quickly checked both sides and returned it.

“It looks like a proper letter of introduction. If you take it to the Artisan Cooperative, they should set you up right away.”

“Artisan Cooperative? What’s that place like?” Ai asked.

“Well, this town is full of all kinds of artisans, right?” Leah said.

“Yeah, not just blacksmiths but sculptors, painters, and stuff too, right?” Athena added, recalling what Leah had mentioned earlier.

Leah nodded and continued.

“Exactly. So, for outsiders, finding an artisan who can make something that fits your budget and needs on your own is tough.”

“So, the cooperative helps by recommending the right person?” Nana asked.

“Yes. They also mediate things like contract terms and delivery dates, which can be hard for amateurs to figure out, ensuring a good outcome for both the client and the artisan. Plus, if you show a letter of introduction from someone connected to a specific artisan, they’ll smoothly arrange an appointment through the cooperative.”

“That’s super helpful. Maybe we could ask about furniture there too—they could probably make some for us,” Tatsuro said.

“If you don’t have specific connections, that’s a good option. You can also visit shops directly to buy ready-made items or ask the cooperative for shop recommendations,” Leah added.

“Nice! That’s a beginner-friendly system!” Ai said.

“This town is a major revenue source for Lyusiten’s territory. It earns a lot of foreign currency from orders both domestic and international, so the country invests heavily in it,” Leah explained.

“Yeah, sounds like some serious business,” Athena remarked.

Every world seemed to pour resources into profitable ventures. With that understanding, they decided their first stop tomorrow would be the Artisan Cooperative.

“So, we’ll take the letter to the cooperative first, get an appointment, and have them introduce us to a skilled artisan who can help Leah improve her skills,” Tatsuro said.

“Yup. It’s all about whether we can negotiate well,” Ai added.

“We’ve got plenty of money, and we have tons of high-grade materials from the level 10 dungeon. That should give us some leverage, right?” Nana said.

“On the flip side, that’s pretty much our only leverage,” Athena noted.

“But that simplicity makes negotiation easier. The person we’re meeting is supposed to have wide connections, so there’s bound to be someone suitable,” Tatsuro said.

With their plan roughly set, they enjoyed their meal, storing the excess in Tatsuro’s [Infinite Item Field] for preservation.

After playing with Cardina and the others while recharging their magic and relaxing, they disbanded. Nana and Athena went to Leah’s room for safety, ready to act if needed, while Cardina and Jeanne returned to Tatsuro’s storage.

Then, Tatsuro and Ai took a luxurious bath together and were now enjoying intimate time in the same bed.

“Tatsuro, kiss!” Ai said playfully.

“Mmm.”

Clinging to him like a koala, Ai demanded a kiss. Tatsuro hugged her gently, as if holding a precious treasure, and touched his lips to hers. But his hands didn’t stop there, wandering over her body.

“Hey! It’s kiss time now. We already did plenty in the bath!” Ai said, pulling away with a pout.

“Sorry. I’ve been keeping it a secret, but the bed’s a different beast,” Tatsuro teased.

“Am I a snack or something?!”

“Way more than a snack—I love you,” he said, kissing her again.

“Mmm—ugh. Ever since you got that Endeniente title, you’ve been… recovering faster, haven’t you?”

“Hmm, maybe? If that’s the case, I’ll hold back. I’m not just some perv—my goal isn’t your body, it’s you. Just having you here with me makes me happier than anything.”

“…Ugh, that’s not fair, saying stuff like that. And don’t admit to being a perv!” Ai said, blushing deeply. His words, though a bit crude, always carried more love than desire, and she felt it deeply. But hearing it out loud still got to her. She pouted again, and Tatsuro gave her his usual gentle smile.

“…Fine, go ahead. Do it.”

“You sure? If you don’t want to, it’s okay.”

“No, I want to. I mean, it feels good for me too…”

“So, Ai’s finally embraced the path of eros!”

“The path of what?! There’s no such thing!”

“I’m thrilled, Ai. Let’s master the path of eros together!!”

“What’s with the ‘together’?! Listen to me!”

And so, the two welcomed the morning without a wink of sleep.

“Didn’t sleep at all, huh? Man, the bed’s a mess…” Ai said.

“We can fix that with the [Infinite Item Field]. Let’s shower before Leah and the others get here,” Tatsuro replied.

“And ventilate the room.”

It wasn’t a big deal if they got caught, but it was a bit embarrassing, so they hurriedly tidied up. An hour later, after getting distracted in the shower, they barely finished preparing in time, airing out the room and welcoming Leah and the others in perfect condition.

Thanks to the title’s effects, they felt no fatigue despite not sleeping, learning they could sleep but didn’t need to. With that tidbit noted, they ordered a massive breakfast.

Chatting leisurely over delicious food, they stored the untouched leftovers and headed to the Artisan Cooperative—or “ArtCo” for short—as discussed.

“If the location hasn’t changed, ArtCo should be… that way,” Leah said.

From the elevated inn, the town’s layout was easy to grasp. Even though Leah had rarely ventured out before, she quickly got her bearings and offered to guide them. She seemed thrilled to walk the town freely on her own feet, her mood noticeably upbeat. The group warmly watched her while admiring the town’s many artworks.

“Here it is. Good, it’s exactly where it used to be,” Leah said.

“Alright, let’s go in,” Tatsuro replied.

The building wasn’t overly ornate but had a refined, elegant design that showcased the maker’s skill, standing out as a large, dome-shaped structure. They opened double doors made of thick, transparent material etched with beautiful patterns, and a large signboard immediately caught their eye.

“This should tell us where to go. Let’s find the blacksmith section,” Tatsuro said.

“There, Tatsuro!” Ai pointed.

“Blacksmith Letter of Introduction Desk—yup, that’s it. It’s right there.”

After squinting at the signboard, they noticed a large placard for the “Letter of Introduction Desk” in plain sight. A tall, refined man at the counter smiled at them, and Tatsuro gave an awkward chuckle before pulling the letter from his [Infinite Item Field] and approaching.

“I’ve got a letter of introduction,” Tatsuro said.

“May I take a look?” the man asked.

“Sure, go ahead.”

The man, with a polished professional smile, took the letter, checked the recipient, and retrieved documents from a row of drawers behind him. He returned to Tatsuro.

“It’s for Rudolf Thiele, correct? Before we proceed, could you show your identification? It’s standard to take a copy.”

“No problem.”

To avoid introducing artisans to shady individuals, the process was thorough, as Leah had explained. Tatsuro presented his ID without hesitation. The man pulled out a small blackboard-like device, about 30 centimeters square and 2 centimeters thick.

“I’ll make a copy now,” he said.

Tatsuro’s Spirit Eye caught the man channeling faint magic into the device. A flash like a camera went off, and a sheet of paper slid out from the bottom, perfectly transcribing Tatsuro’s ID details. As Tatsuro marveled at the handy tool, the man noticed his adventurer rank and widened his eyes.

“Oh—um, you’re a high-ranking adventurer?” he stammered.

“Yeah, that’s right. Is something wrong?”

“No, no, not at all! It’s an honor to have someone of your caliber request work in our town! But, well…”

“But what? I won’t get mad, so just say it.”

The man was mumbling, as if something was stuck in his throat. Tatsuro, hiding his irritation, urged him calmly. The man then spoke clearly.

“I hope this isn’t presumptuous, but for an adventurer of your rank, Rudolf Thiele might not be able to craft items to your satisfaction.”

“Huh?”

Tatsuro’s surprised reaction made the man panic, thinking he’d insulted the town’s reputation. He hurriedly explained.

“No, it’s not that his skills are lacking! He gets great reviews from beginner adventurers. But he can only work with mid-grade materials or lower, not the high-grade materials someone of your rank might need.”

“Oh, I see.”

It seemed the blacksmith they met in Obsul, whose master this Rudolf Thiele was, wasn’t a top-tier artisan, as expected. The man had assumed Tatsuro’s young appearance and the presence of two young girls meant Beginner Adventurer, but learning Tatsuro was high-ranking threw him off, explaining his earlier hesitation.

“Yes. If you’d like, we can select another artisan and introduce you instead. What would you like to do?”

Tatsuro and Ai, unfazed, appreciated the man’s diligence, but they didn’t realize how much influence a high-ranking adventurer’s words carried. A bad review could spread, growing exaggerated and potentially harming the town’s reputation—and this man’s job. So, while he was naturally diligent, he was also desperate to avoid trouble. However, Tatsuro’s goal wasn’t to commission equipment.

“Sorry to dampen your enthusiasm, but we’re actually counting on Rudolf Thiele’s connections, not his crafting. The letter is for him to introduce us to someone else,” Tatsuro explained.

“Oh! I see! In that case, he’s perfect. When it comes to connections, he’s probably the best in town!”

Relieved he wasn’t at fault, the man checked his documents.

“For the earliest slot, tomorrow at 4 p.m. should work. Any preferred time?”

“No, the sooner the better.”

“Understood. Please take the letter and this card.”

He handed back the letter along with a green card.

“If this card turns red by noon tomorrow, it means the meeting’s off. You’d need to return here for rescheduling. If it stays green, you can go directly to the location.”

“So, if it’s green, we don’t need to come back?” Tatsuro asked.

“Correct. Just head to the location listed.”

Tatsuro received a map with Rudolf Thiele’s shop location.

“Anything else we should bring?”

“No, just the letter and the card should be enough to meet him.”

“Got it. We’ll go tomorrow. Thanks.”

“No, thank you for coming today.”

With a polite bow from the man, Tatsuro returned a slight nod and headed back to the signboard.