Chapter 272

The next day, the morning was spent enjoying sightseeing, and at noon, they returned to the inn to have a meal and relax.

After confirming that the card’s color hadn’t changed, they left the inn to arrive at their destination, Rudolf Thiele’s shop and workshop, by four in the afternoon.

As the sun began to set, Tatsuro and his group reached the place without getting lost.

“Here it is,” Tatsuro said.

“Wow! I was a bit worried about what kind of shop it’d be since the old man in Obsul called this guy his master, but the storefront looks pretty cool!” Ai exclaimed.

The blacksmith’s shop they’d visited in Obsul was neglected, with dirty walls and a disappointing exterior. In contrast, Rudolf Thiele’s shop was spotless.

Despite being made of common stone, the building was adorned with bold, powerful, yet refined carvings. The left half featured carvings of various weapons, while the right half depicted the twelve basic magical attributes.

On either side of the shop’s entrance stood stone statues of a man wielding a great sword and a woman holding a staff, crafted with such dynamism that they seemed ready to step out from the building itself, almost like a three-dimensional painting.

“It feels like an adventure is about to begin!” Tatsuro remarked.

“Yeah, just looking at it gets me excited!” Ai agreed.

With those impressions, they passed between the statues of the sword-wielding man and the staff-holding woman and stepped into the shop.

Inside, various equipment of all sizes was displayed. Though made from low-quality materials, each piece was so finely crafted that even an amateur could tell they were of exceptional quality, rivaling renowned swords, spears, or staves. For Leah, with her [All-Seeing Eye], the high level of craftsmanship was even more apparent.

“These are incredible… They’ve drawn out every bit of potential from the materials and transformed them into perfect equipment,” Leah said.

“That impressive, huh? But if their skill is that good, why don’t they use higher-grade materials?” Tatsuro asked, puzzled.

If their technique was this advanced, it seemed logical that using higher-grade materials would result in even more impressive items on display. Everyone shared this question when a figure approached from the back of the shop.

He appeared to be around fifty years old, with tanned skin, pointed ears, and a short, sturdy build despite being shorter than Ai. His thick limbs and peculiar hairstyle - silver hair mixed with white, tied up in a topknot resembling an onion - gave him an eccentric appearance.

“I heard you’d be bringing a letter of introduction. Is that you lot?” the man asked.

“Yes. So, you’re Rudolf Thiele?” Tatsuro replied.

“That’s me. Now, can you hand over the letter and the card you were given?”

“Here you go.”

Tatsuro handed over the letter of introduction and the green card. Rudolf immediately checked the letter’s contents, his brow furrowing slightly.

“Yameito, huh… Is that guy still doing alright?” Rudolf asked.

“When he gave us this, he was more than lively. I don’t know how he’s doing now, though,” Tatsuro said, adding cautiously, “Honestly, even after we resolved the dragon issue, I wouldn’t be surprised if he squandered the money we gave him and ruined himself.”

“I see. Well, never mind him. The letter says you’re looking for a tight-lipped, skilled craftsman. Is that right?”

“Well, actually, things have changed a bit,” Tatsuro began.

“Oh? How so?”

“We’ve found a blacksmith, but they’re concerned about their technical skills being lacking.”

“So, they want to apprentice somewhere?” Rudolf asked.

“Not exactly an apprenticeship. To be blunt, they just want to observe and learn your techniques. Is that possible?”

“That’s not something you can just pick up easily. Even so, asking to see my techniques without passing them down as an inheritance or to a direct apprentice is a tall order. Skilled craftsmen usually pass their techniques down through family or to close disciples,” Rudolf explained.

“Could money solve it?” Tatsuro asked.

“A skilled craftsman isn’t likely to be short on cash.”

“Yeah, I figured.”

Money seemed like the easiest solution, so Tatsuro had to ask, but as expected, it was futile. He moved on to his second proposal.

“What about rare materials?”

“That might interest someone, but unless they’re exceptionally rare, it’s probably pointless. What exactly can you offer?”

“Materials from level 10 dungeon monsters.”

“Level 10 dungeon materials… Level 10!? How the hell did you get those!?” Rudolf exclaimed.

“We gathered them on-site, of course,” Tatsuro replied casually.

“On-site, you say…”

Rudolf had been told that high-ranking adventurers would visit, so he knew they were capable, but their prowess exceeded his expectations.

A level 10 dungeon was a place where even skilled adventurers could be wiped out quickly. The fact that they could obtain materials from such a place was beyond Rudolf’s imagination.

“Well, if that’s true, depending on the terms, I know some people who’d be eager to show their techniques for materials like that. I can think of a few who’d jump at the chance,” Rudolf said.

“Really? Then—” Tatsuro began, but Leah interrupted.

“Wait!” she called out.

“What’s wrong, Leah?” Nana asked on behalf of the group, surprised by the sudden outburst.

Leah raised her eyebrows with determination and spoke firmly.

“I want Rudolf Thiele to teach me!”

“What!?” Rudolf exclaimed.

Even though they were both dwarves, the idea of a young girl, who seemed to have lived only a fraction of his years, asking to learn from him - someone limited to working with low-grade materials - shocked Rudolf. Tatsuro, who had heard from the Artisan Cooperative that Rudolf couldn’t handle mid-grade or higher materials, was equally puzzled by Leah’s request.

But Leah had a clear reason.

“Even just looking at a single sword here, the craftsmanship is top-notch. I’ve seen many things, but I’ve never seen anything that so perfectly utilizes its materials like this. Please, teach me your techniques!” she pleaded.

“Teach you, huh…” Rudolf muttered, scratching his cheek, overwhelmed by the young girl’s fervor, as if she might prostrate herself.

For Tatsuro and the others, if Leah was set on this, they had no choice but to support her.

“Um, since she’s asking, could you please teach her? We have various rare materials, and if there’s something you want, we can get it as long as it’s not from an impossible location,” Tatsuro added.

“Look, I make my living this way. Because of my skill, I can only work with low-grade materials. That’s why I’ve honed my techniques to get this far. If I taught you, it’d ruin my business,” Rudolf explained.

“Your skill?” Tatsuro asked.

“Yeah. I was born with the [Low-Grade Material Complete Understanding] skill. At first, I thought it was useful, but when I looked into it, I was stunned.”

The [Low-Grade Material Complete Understanding] skill allowed Rudolf to understand low-grade materials as thoroughly as Leah’s [All-Seeing Eye]. However, the drawback was severe: he couldn’t comprehend mid-grade or higher materials at all, no matter how hard he tried.

Initially, he was mocked for it, but through effort and determination, he mastered low-grade materials to a level unmatched by anyone, earning his reputation.

By the way, Tatsuro learned that this skill had no level, so even he couldn’t do anything about it.

“So, I’m not short on money, and the materials I can work with are easily found. I only taught Yameito because I owed his father. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to give up on me,” Rudolf said firmly, his eyes showing absolute refusal.

Still, Leah persisted.

“I’m not trying to become your rival or spread your techniques to others. I’ll even sign a contract to ensure that,” she insisted.

“But, little lady, what do I get out of it? What can you offer that’s worth showing you the skills I’ve spent my life perfecting?” Rudolf challenged.

“That’s…” Leah faltered, unable to come up with an answer.

Seeing her struggle, Tatsuro racked his brain for a solution. Then, his gaze fell on Rudolf’s peculiar hairstyle.

(Wait… Could it be?)

Tatsuro discreetly pulled out his Far-Seeing Glasses from the [Infinite Item Field] and examined Rudolf closely.

(Aha. That explains the weird hairstyle…)

“Um, if we could provide something you find valuable,” Tatsuro began.

“Hm? What’s that?” Rudolf asked.

“If we swear not to do business in Lyusiten or the neighboring territories and promise not to share or teach your techniques to others, would you consider teaching us?”

“Huh? Well, if you could provide something valuable enough to make me consider teaching, then maybe,” Rudolf conceded.

“Then, can I have a word in private?” Tatsuro asked.

“Uh, sure, I guess…” Rudolf replied, eyeing Tatsuro warily.

Ignoring Rudolf’s suspicious look, Tatsuro leaned in close and whispered.

“—So, here’s the thing—how about—?”

“How do you know about that!?” Rudolf exclaimed.

“I thought so. And if we—then—how’s that?”

“W-What… You’re saying you can provide something like that!?”

“Yeah. The research is on hold for now, but the chances are pretty high.”

“Y-You… Are you a god…?” Rudolf muttered in awe.

Ai and Cardina, left out of the conversation, wondered what the two men were discussing but stayed quiet since it seemed to be going well. After a few more whispered exchanges, Tatsuro and Rudolf exchanged grins and thumbs-ups.

“I’m in, my friend! If you can provide that, I’ll teach you anything you want!” Rudolf declared.

“Deal!” Tatsuro replied.

With the deal sealed, Tatsuro and Rudolf shook hands firmly. Ai and Cardina remained out of the loop, but Leah, who was close enough to catch snippets of Tatsuro’s whispers, wore a complicated expression, wondering if that was really enough to seal the deal.