The next day.
Today, I was scheduled to visit the woodworking workshop run by Kiara-san’s husband. We hadn't set a specific time, and since I didn't want to be a nuisance by barging in during the morning rush, I spent the early hours working up a sweat. I ran a circuit around the abandoned mine and practiced my forms, then took a quick bath before finally leaving the house.
"Thanks for the hard work!" I called out.
I used Space Magic to teleport to the gate and passed through as usual. My destination was the Craftsman District on the west side of town. As I strolled down the main street, the traffic of carriages became increasingly dense, and the rhythmic sounds of industry—the din of processing and the boisterous shouts of craftsmen—filled the air.
Now then... the location was supposed to be near the heart of the district. I had been told it was Mosh Woodworking Workshop, situated just off the main road down a side street. Ah, there it is.
"Excuse me," I said, stepping inside after confirming the sign.
The first thing that caught my eye was the sheer number of products—or perhaps they were works of art. While wooden furniture made up the bulk of the inventory, sculptures and ornaments of all sizes were packed tightly together, filling every available inch of the space.
The styles were a mix of European and Asian influences. While one could call it "exotic," the sheer volume gave it a cluttered impression. However, the quality of each piece was undeniably high. Surrounded by the warmth of the wood and the cozy atmosphere, the place felt like a charming hidden gem.
"Oh, welcome, Ryoma-kun. I’ve been waiting for you~"
"Ah, thank you for having me today."
As I stood there, lost in thought, Kiara-san called out to me. She had been so still that she had blended naturally into the room.
"Was it really all right for me to come so soon after yesterday? I hope everyone isn't too busy—oh, I brought some baked sweets. Please, share them with the staff."
"Oh my, thank you for being so thoughtful. As for the busyness... I suppose we're busy enough to keep ourselves fed? We had an appointment, so it’s perfectly fine. In fact, I’d be happier if we were a bit busier. Tony! Come here for a second!"
She raised her voice toward the back of the shop, and a moment later, a boy emerged.
"Mom, what is—oh, Ryoma-kun! It’s been a while!"
"Tony-kun, it has. Have you been doing well?"
This was Tony-kun, Kiara-san’s son and an apprentice craftsman. Since he had started his training, I didn't see him often, but he was a level-headed boy I’d occasionally run into alongside Leni and Rick from the Flower Shop.
"I heard from Mom, but I’m glad you actually came."
"I’ll be in your care today."
"Likewise. Everyone’s waiting expectantly; the other apprentices are hoping we might actually get some work out of this."
"That’s right. Now then, Tony, guide Ryoma-kun to that man. I’ll go put these sweets away."
"Got it. Ryoma-kun, the workspace is this way."
Following Tony-kun’s lead to the back, I found a large room beyond a partition made of wooden beads. Inside were nine men in total: eight young men in their late teens to early twenties, and one man about a decade older with a thick layer of stubble. With workbenches and materials scattered about, the room felt a bit cramped despite its size.
I hesitated to step further in, fearing I’d be in the way if I moved carelessly, but—
"Dad! Ryoma-kun is here!"
"Come over here and wait! I’ll be done in a second!"
"Let’s go."
"Understood. Excuse me, passing through."
I wove through the gaps between people and workbenches to stay close to Tony-kun. As I approached the man with the prominent stubble, I noticed a small chair prepared by his side. It was too small and positioned too specifically to be for a guest; it looked like it was meant for a disciple to sit and observe the work.
Sitting as invited, I watched the hands of Tony-kun’s father. He appeared to be working on a component for a table. Delicate patterns were being carved into a thick, sturdy leg.
One slip of the hand would have ruined hours of effort. I found myself holding my breath so as not to disturb him, but the man himself finished carving the intricate design of intertwining vines and leaves with a practiced ease, as if it were no trouble at all.
"Right! Sorry to keep you waiting. I’m Yomoru, Tony’s father."
"Nice to meet you. I am Ryoma Takebayashi."
"I know. I’ve heard plenty from Tony and Kiara, and even if I hadn't, you’re quite the celebrity. Straight to the point, then—I hear you want a large quantity of wooden boxes?"
"Yes. I’ve taken over the management of a mountain, which results in a large amount of thinned wood. I also believe there will be many opportunities to use standardized boxes in my other businesses. I’ve brought drawings and samples with detailed specifications for several patterns depending on their use. Would you mind taking a look?"
"Well, you’re certainly well-prepared. Let’s see 'em."
I pulled the samples out of my Item Box one after another.
"Oh... that’s quite a variety. Wait, what is this material? It’s incredibly thin and light, yet it seems sturdy."
"Some of the structures are a bit complex, so I made the parts by hardening the fluid produced by Sticky Slimes. It might be easiest to think of it like casting metal."
"So you poured it into a mold and let it set? I see. This 'folding container' thing is helpful because the structure of the folding parts is so detailed. Then there are wooden pallets, decorative boxes, and these bottle crates... The two different sizes are for medicine and alcohol? I get the medicine, but are you buying up that much alcohol?"
"I’m not buying it; my Goblins are making it. By the mountain-load."
"Now that you mention it, I think Kiara was talking about a rumor like that... So it was actually true!?"
"It is. If you’d like, would you care for a bottle later? I have the divine protection of the God of Wine, so I’ve been doing the tasting myself. Lately, they’ve been making some quite delicious batches."
"Ooh, really?"
It seemed Boss Yomoru liked his drink. He showed no aversion to the fact that Goblins had brewed it; if anything, he looked intensely curious. However—
"Heh heh, well, I’ll take you up on—"
"Stop right there."
"—Ack, what is it, Tony?"
"Dad, if you just take alcohol and drink it whenever you want, Mom’s going to get mad at you again. Ryoma-kun, please give the alcohol to Mom. My dad loves alcohol way too much and drinks without limit, so Mom keeps him under strict management."
"Not just the alcohol; she manages everything about him except his work."
"True. The Boss has great skills, but everything else about him is useless."
"If Kiara-san weren't around, he’d definitely have died in a ditch somewhere by now."
"Hey, you lot! I can hear you! If you’re my disciples, show your Boss some respect!"
"As a craftsman, I respect you from the bottom of my heart!"
"I only want to learn your techniques!"
"As a human being, I think you’re the perfect bad example to learn from!"
"You shitty apprentices...!"
"Geez, Dad, calm down already. Sorry about that, Ryoma-kun."
"No, no, not at all. It seems like a very friendly and positive relationship."
The exchange of banter between the disciples and Yomoru continued. At first glance, it might have looked like the disciples were looking down on him, but their expressions were bright, and I could feel the trust they had in him. While such an exchange in front of a customer might be questionable elsewhere, personally, I thought a workplace where a master and his disciples could talk like this was wonderful.
"Good grief... Sorry about the racket. Now, about the business. I can make everything in these drawings. However, I have a suggestion regarding these folding containers. If you make these out of wood with this same thinness and lightness, they’ll be too thin and lose their strength. Depending on the condition of the thinned wood, it’ll be even worse if the quality is lower than regular lumber. The sample probably gets its strength from those grid-like indentations on the surface, but it’d be safer to give the boards more thickness. I understand the structure from the sample, and I’ll make sure it folds properly on our end. Can you leave the details to me?"
"Understood. I’ll leave it to you, but please show me a prototype before we go into mass production."
"That’s a given. Since I have the drawings and the sample, it won’t take long. Let’s start with the prototype, but how many do you need? I can’t set the deadline or the payment without knowing that."
"For the quantity, let's start with about a hundred of each type. After that, I’ll take as many as I need based on the situation; I haven't set a hard upper limit. Since these are things I’ll use in large quantities anyway, if you can make good products, I intend to buy as many as you can produce. Also, I’m not in a great hurry for the delivery. Since I’m the one asking the favor of using thinned wood, I don't want to push too hard. Of course, it would be a problem if the products were never finished, so I’d like to include a contract that a certain number be delivered over a set period. Based on those premises, I was hoping to discuss the details."
"O-Oh... a hundred to start, with the possibility of more..."
I wanted him to take a reasonable amount of time, but was that difficult? When I asked, he shook his head.
"Thinking about this job on its own, it wouldn't be hard. But we also take work from other places we’ve had relationships with for a long time. It’d be a bit tough to do this job while making sure we don't treat them unfairly. ...Just a thought, but would you mind if we collaborated with other workshops? We do that occasionally for big jobs."
"The items I’m requesting this time are just containers, so it’s not as if there are any secrets involved. As long as you, Boss Yomoru, act as the intermediary for everything from gathering people to handling the payments, I have no problem with it."
"Right! Then hang on a second. Hey, everyone, listen up! I’m sure you were eavesdropping, but it sounds like this is going to be a bigger job than I thought! Are there any people available at your places?"
"Eh?"
"Boss! My place just finished a big job, so I think we can send some people over."
"If apprentices are okay, my place can send some too. We just had a bunch join to replace the seniors who went independent."
"Since we’re processing thinned wood, we’ll be turning logs into boards and then trimming them to product dimensions, right? That sounds like perfect practice for handling basic tools. I think my boss would be on board if I tell him."
Yomoru called out, and the disciples replied one after another. Based on the conversation, it seemed the disciples were actually from different workshops. They called him "Boss" and seemed to have a teacher-student relationship, but I didn't quite understand the arrangement.
When I asked Tony-kun, who wasn't involved in the shouting match, he explained that Mosh Woodworking Workshop accepts people from other workshops and provides technical guidance.
"When you entered the workshop, you saw the things being made here, right? Didn't you think they were different from other places?"
"It’s true, there were many furniture pieces and decorations with unusual designs. I thought it felt very exotic."
"Exactly. My Yomoru's Great-grandfather was the one who opened this workshop, and apparently, before that, he was a wandering craftsman. He traveled around and worked in various places to hone his skills. Supposedly, this city was the place where he finally settled down."
"So that’s why there are so many unique items."
"That’s right. As for why people from other workshops come here... my great-grandfather’s policy was: 'I was only able to become a full-fledged craftsman because I learned techniques from many people. So, if you’re serious about learning, I’ll teach you.' That tradition continues even today."
"So it’s the workshop’s legacy."
"Hmm... maybe it’s not quite that noble? My grandfather often said, 'Even if you try to act cool, a wandering craftsman is still a drifter at heart. When you try to settle down, it’s not easy for an outsider to join the craftsmen who have been rooted here for generations. To get along with the people around him, he had to do it that way.' I don't really understand even after hearing that such things happened, and since I think everyone gets along well now, I don't think it’s a bad thing."
I see... It seemed the custom of accepting those who wish to learn from outside developed out of social necessity as much as altruism.
"Alright! It’s not set in stone yet, but it looks like about thirty people will be participating. It’ll cost that much more, but is that okay?"
"No problem. Unless you’re going to charge me an exorbitant price, I have plenty of funds. Please bill me enough so that even the apprentices can receive a sufficient reward."
At my response, a small cheer rose from around the room.
"I see. But deciding immediately without even negotiating a discount—that’s quite bold."
"I have no intention of trying to buy them for cheap, and I think it’s already common knowledge that I have money."
Normally, one should hide having money as much as possible, but in my case, it was too late for that. I was already wealthy for a child when I opened the Laundry Shop, it flourished after that, and then there was the high-profile incident at the end of last year. I had no intention of negotiating by claiming my pockets were empty, and even if I did, it wouldn't be believable. Besides, if a Business Owner said such things, the employees working under them would probably feel anxious.
"You’ve got a point there. For us, a customer who pays well is a big help."
"Please contact me when the specific amount is decided. I’ll show my face to confirm, but even if I can't come for some reason, I’ll set things up so that my representative can confirm and receive the money."
I gave Yomoru Eleanora-san’s name and address. If I contacted her as well, she should be able to handle it smoothly. I doubted it would happen, but she’d notice if the bill was strange, so it was reassuring.
"Got it. I’ll formally talk to the other workshops then... Oh, right, what about the finished products? We don't have space to keep them here, even just the first hundred of each. Will you come to pick them up frequently, or should we send them to a specified location?"
"In that case, do you know the Rental Warehouse in the South District? It’s the place that was in the news because of the kidnapping incident at the end of last year."
"The warehouse incident in the south... oh, that place."
"Come to think of it, Ryoma-kun was there too, wasn't he? I heard you blew up an entire warehouse with magic."
"It wasn't so much blowing it up as it was grinding it down until I punched through... Anyway, please send them there. I’ll contact them so they can receive and store them."
"Wait? I’ve been there for work a few times, but I think that place only rented out space; they didn't handle incoming shipments or storage services."
"It’s fine. This relates to what Tony-kun said earlier... but actually, I’m the Rental Warehouse Owner now, so I can make it work."
When I said that, the two of them clearly hadn't known. Both father and son stared at me with wide eyes, so I gave them a brief explanation.
As Tony-kun had said, I had blasted the warehouse being used as the kidnappers' hideout with Slime Magic during that rescue. And regardless of the reason, I had been considering paying compensation for the destruction. However, subsequent investigations revealed that the owner of the rental warehouse had been bribed by the kidnappers. He had rented out the warehouse knowing they were not legitimate people and had looked the other way while they used it as a hideout. Moreover, the group was the core of the Gimul attack incident at the end of last year. The owner was naturally arrested, and the rental warehouse was on the verge of having its license revoked... but the story didn't end there.
"The people who had been renting the warehouses until then would have been in trouble, and the employees who had been working there without knowing anything were in danger of losing their jobs. I also wouldn't have been able to proceed with the compensation talk for the damage."
"Well, you wouldn't have had anyone to talk to."
"The people caught up in it were pitiable too... Oh! So you, Ryoma-kun...?"
"It was a bit of a power play, but the person who contributed to solving the case became the owner, and with the influence of the Ducal House, we avoided the business suspension. Through that, the customers, the employees, and I all had our various problems solved. It was a result of circumstances, but since I still hold the management rights to the rental warehouse, I can fulfill a request like keeping the ordered items in an empty space."
Actually, I had already arranged for the ropes finished at the rope factory to be sent here. Conversely, by leaving the materials I’d prepared at the warehouse, the staff could also handle the shipping to the factory for me. Now, it was a very convenient logistics hub.
"With the loss of credibility for the rental warehouse following the previous owner’s arrest, quite a few cancellations are continuing. There’s plenty of space to store the finished products."
"...Is this where I’m supposed to laugh?"
"I didn't intend to tell a joke, but you’re welcome to laugh if you want. It’s true the previous owner committed a crime, but I was on the side that caught the kidnappers, so I don't feel any guilt. I’m not particularly troubled because there are many ways to use the warehouses, like with this request."
"As a Business Owner, I think the demand for warehouses will increase once the South Town is completed. However, credibility once lost isn't easily recovered, so I’ll just have to focus on steady management and have the remaining employees do their best."
"I guess so... If there are no problems with the specifications, money, or location, I can accept this job with peace of mind. The formal contract and advance payment will have to wait until I’ve talked to the other workshops, but I look forward to working with you."
"Thank you! I look forward to working with you as well!"
"Oh? Is the talk over already?"
Just as he had accepted the work—albeit tentatively—Kiara-san’s voice drifted in. Looking toward the entrance, I saw her standing there with steaming teacups on a tray.
"I might be a bit late, but please, have some tea. Also, I’m going to make lunch now; Ryoma-kun, won't you join us? I make a large amount for everyone here every day anyway, so don't be shy."
"Then I’ll gladly take you up on that offer."
I gratefully accepted the invitation, and at the same time, my chance arrived. I took the opportunity to pull a box filled with Ogalite out of my Item Box and showed it to her.
"Kiara-san, this isn't much of a repayment for the meal, but if you like, please try using this instead of firewood."
"What is this? A block of wood scraps?"
"It’s called Ogalite, a firewood substitute made by turning waste wood into powder and then compressing it. It was used in my hometown. Remember how we talked about the price of firewood rising? After that, I realized it wasn't being used outside the Sea of Trees, so I made some."
"Oh, you went through all that trouble because of that conversation?"
"The rising price of firewood is an issue, and since our talk was the catalyst that made me remember it, I wanted you to try it out. In my experiments, it worked very similarly to regular firewood, but I’d like to get candid opinions from others as well."
"Then I’ll try making lunch with this today. I’ll make something delicious, so just wait a bit."
Without any suspicion, Kiara-san carried the box of Ogalite out of the room. If she experienced the utility of Ogalite, the information would naturally spread through Gimul’s Housewife Network. It wasn't my primary goal, but the timing was perfect.
After that, I talked with Tony-kun and watched Yomoru and the disciples at work. Furthermore, when I mentioned that I had started making a magic staff, they even gave me advice on processing from their perspective as woodworkers.
I spent a time that was not only enjoyable but also productive. When lunch was finally served, the mountain of bread and the various home-style stews and stir-fries were as warm and welcoming as the people in the workshop.