"So, the head butler isn't here?"
After lunch, we held our customary tea party to share information with the mountain survey team.
"That’s right. Actually, I have a question for you, Jeff-san. Are there any people among the slum dwellers who know how to weave rope? If there are, I’d like to personally hire them—and the children as well—to make some for me. I could just buy more like I did this time, but considering I might need a massive amount in the future, it would be more convenient to have my own production line. It would also avoid impacting the local supply for everyone else."
"If you look for the ones who drifted in from the farming villages, you'll probably find a decent number of hands," Jeff-san replied. "Just don't expect much from the brats. They could probably do it if you taught them, but it'll take a while before they’re actually useful."
According to Jeff-san, most rope was made by villagers during the winter or in the gaps between agricultural work. It wasn't that city folk didn't do it at all, but materials like straw were harder to come by in the city than in the countryside. Furthermore, with the advanced specialization of labor in the city, the average person simply had fewer opportunities to learn the craft.
"Ryoma, wouldn't it be faster just to let the Goblins do it?"
"I could have them make it. For material, I could use the stems left over after threshing the Kotsubuyarikusa. However, I need the Goblins to take care of the slimes, and I want the ones with free time to prioritize helping with my research... mainly to prevent information leaks."
"It’s true that I can't imagine a Goblin stealing information to sell to a competitor," Eleanora-san added. "And even if one did, they wouldn't know where to find a buyer. In terms of maintaining confidentiality, they really are excellent. For something like rope, which is already commonplace, there’s no point in keeping the process secret. But depending on the volume required, it could become a massive undertaking. Given Sebas-sama's reaction... I also believe it would be wise to secure a human workforce."
Since Eleanora-san agreed, I decided I would hire some workers for the rope. However, Jeff-san’s warning about the children’s skill level weighed on me.
With that in mind, I took an item out of my Item Box.
"What about this, then?"
"What’s this? These thin sticks and pointed lumps?"
"These are also something I’m planning to use as Curse Magic Tools. They’re called incense."
"Ah, the stuff you said you were going to make with wood from the Kareppashi Tree," Yudum-san said. "You've already finished some?"
Just as he noted, I had made these prototypes the previous night using branches I collected during breaks in the civil engineering work.
"To make it, you take finely ground wood powder and add similarly fine powdered fragrance. You knead that together with water into a shape and let it dry. I used a bit of magic for the drying process this time, but it should be possible to manufacture it without any magic at all."
"Looks easier to make than rope," Jeff-san remarked. "Even the little runts who can't pick up trash could probably do this. I don't mean to call it 'playing with mud,' but the work seems pretty similar."
"When you’re doing it all by hand, it does feel a bit like that," I admitted.
During the prototyping, I had spent a lot of time experimenting with the water content, so the comparison was apt. This was likely the difference between professional craftsmanship and a novice's imitation, but I could refine the process later. I suspected that if I made specialized molds and tools, I could stabilize production and improve quality.
"We’ll need to be careful not to let them inhale the dust while they work, so I’d like to hire someone capable of managing safety as well."
"You'll need someone with muscle to crush the wood, too," Jeff-san suggested. "Just hire a few adults and tell them to look after the brats while they work. If it's not a difficult task, you'll get plenty of volunteers just by putting out the word. So, how do you use this thing?"
"You just light it. Shall we try? I've only just finished making them, so I haven't tested them yet."
Since everyone seemed interested, I placed a piece of incense—which I had shaped into a cone like moxa—onto a small dish and lit it with magic. I fanned the small flame with my hand to extinguish it; the smoke billowed for a moment before turning into a thin, white wisp that drifted toward the ceiling. A unique fragrance began to permeate the room.
The smoke looked good. For a first attempt, it was a success.
"This scent... I've smelled it somewhere before..."
"I'm not used to it, but it's strangely calming, isn't it?"
"It smells like the deep forest... Is it a spice?"
"I’ve got it! It’s the smell of that alcohol Ryoma gave us the other day, nya!"
The four beast-kin were voicing their impressions. Their senses of smell were remarkably sharp; I wouldn't have been confident in identifying it so quickly.
"I used bark from the Heat-Radiating Tree as the fragrance for this incense."
"Heh... Does that mean the Sea of Trees smells like this?"
"Well, there are also the scents of rain and other plants there, so this fragrance is usually mixed in with everything else. As Miya-san said, it’s much closer to the scent of the alcohol made in the Sea of Trees."
That alcohol was stored in barrels made from Heat-Radiating Trees, which allowed the scent to soak in. The fragrance came from one of the chemical substances the Heat-Radiating Tree stored within itself to protect against the insects and pathogens of the Sea of Trees. While some people might have allergies, it was generally harmless to anything that wasn't an insect.
I had used insect repellent made from Everdark Grass before entering the Sea of Trees, but I knew that those who stayed at the outposts for long periods used repellent refined from the Heat-Radiating Trees themselves. Even the local monsters—like the Raptors I saw so frequently—would intentionally wound the trees to utilize the seeping sap. In fact, fresh wounds on a Heat-Radiating Tree were a known sign that a Raptor breeding ground was nearby, serving as a warning for experienced adventurers.
"The bark mainly provides an insect-repelling effect. If bugs still try to approach, the tree fights back with insecticidal and antibacterial components found in the wood beneath the bark. These components are more concentrated in older trees. I used a branch I took from my home forest for this, and since the tree was about forty to fifty years old, the incense should have a functional insecticidal effect in addition to the fragrance."
As I explained this, I noticed a shift in the atmosphere. While the five adventurers were enjoying the rare scent and listening with interest, the three nobles had gone quite stiff.
"Takebayashi-sama... that is generally considered a very precious item," Eleanora-san said.
"You can't even find fifty-year-old Heat-Radiating Trees unless you go deep into the Sea of Trees," Yudum-san added. "Considering the labor and danger involved in bringing it back... well, I wouldn't even know how to price something like this."
"Using materials from a familiar place and selecting them carefully is ideal for Curse Magic," Rosenberg-sama noted. "However, this is a tool that is only possible because it’s you, Ryoma-kun. You're the only one who can collect and transport it yourself."
I had been wondering if these would sell well as mosquito repellent, but it seemed they might end up as luxury goods. To me, it was an easy material to get—I didn't have to pay for it, and because the trees were massive, a single branch provided as much wood as dozens of ordinary trees.
"That only applies to you, Takebayashi-sama," Eleanora-san cautioned. "It’s fine for personal use, but if you intend to put these on the market, we will need to consider the price very carefully."
"I understand. I'll consult with you again if it comes to that. I could also try changing the fragrance to something else. For now, let’s just call this an experiment."
Speaking of prices...
"Rosenberg-sama, regarding the rope I enchanted. If I were to sell it, what kind of price should I set? I’d like a general idea of the market rate before we dive into the details."
"The price, hmm... It fluctuates based on the skill of the practitioner and the strength of the effect. But for the rope you made, Ryoma-kun, you could easily charge ten times the material cost as a starting point."
I blinked. Had I misheard him?
"Some practitioners require expensive tools and rare materials, or spend months creating a single Cursed Object," he explained. "To protect the livelihoods of curse specialists, items made to order are traditionally expensive. Ten times the price of the base rope is actually quite cheap for a Cursed Object."
"Requesters also don't want to look stingy, since it affects their reputation," Jeff-san added. "They tend to pay generously. Most people who hire curse specialists are nobles or the wealthy, anyway."
I understood the logic, but ten times the price... Considering I could cast the enchantment just by saying a single word, the fact that it increased the rope’s value tenfold was staggering. It felt more like alchemy than actual Alchemy.
"If that’s the case, I understand. I’ll use ten times the purchase price as a baseline. I'm sure there are other customs to consider, so I’ll leave the finer adjustments to Eleanora-san."
"Certainly," she replied.
I decided to leave the financial side to her and changed the subject.
"How is the survey on the west side coming along?"
"We're almost there," Jeff-san said. "The slope is steep and the footing is terrible, so it’s slow going, but we’ll wrap it up this afternoon."
"As for our findings, there are definitely fewer signs of wildlife there than on the east side, likely due to the Miasma," the adventurer team reported. "There aren't any dangerous animals, so it’s safe enough in that regard."
"There were also a lot of creepy trees, nya," Miya-san added.
I wondered how the lack of animals would affect the mountain's ecosystem in the long run, but we weren't planning on destroying anything at this stage.
As a side note, the "creepy" trees Miya-san mentioned were a species Yudum-san called "Pugipogi." Their bark was covered in tiny, dense patterns that looked like eyes—a nightmare for anyone with trypophobia.
"They just look gross; they aren't actually poisonous," Yudum-san clarified. "Though, don't use them for firewood. They burn well, but they produce a massive amount of soot. If you use them for cooking, especially indoors, you'll regret it."
"That makes finding a use for the thinned wood difficult... well, let's think about that later. For now, please continue with the rest of the survey."
With the information exchange complete, we all returned to our tasks. The adventurer team and Yudum-san went back to the mountain survey, Eleanora-san and the Goblins joined me in continuing the road construction, and Rosenberg-sama returned to his work on the Lost Magic.
A few hours later, I reached the base of the mountain. I had finished the earth retention for one side of the road. I was planning to rest for a bit before starting the other side on the way back, but then I spotted Sebas-san walking down from above.
"Sebas-san! Welcome back!"
"I have returned. I see you've made even more progress here."
"Yes. Once I finish the other half of the earth retention, I’ll fell the trees in the path and clear out the wood. The Goblins are already working on that, and once the road is paved, I can transport the materials efficiently with Space Magic. I expect to have a basic road ready in about another day. How did things go on your end?"
"I secured three hundred bundles of fifty meters each. I found a mix of new stock and items that had been sitting for a while, so the quality varies, but that’s about fifteen kilometers in total length."
Fifteen kilometers... that was a lot of rope. Sebas-san then produced a letter from his Item Box. It was addressed to me from Reinhardt-san.
Apparently, Sebas-san had used the Ducal House's funds under the authority granted to him to make the purchase. Since he had stopped by Gaunago, where the Jamil mansion was located, he had taken the opportunity to report the situation in person to ensure it wouldn't cause any administrative issues later.
"This is an after-the-fact report, but the Master is extremely interested in your enchanted rope, Ryoma-sama."
I opened the letter. The wording was incredibly formal; the seasonal greetings and the expressions of gratitude for my help were woven with poetic flair, radiating a heavy noble sentiment. It felt different from our usual correspondence. As I read on, the core message became clear.
"Sebas-san, to put it simply, it looks like he’s asking to buy the enchanted rope. Specifically, once we finish our confirmation here, he wants to introduce it experimentally at the construction site of the new city near Gimul."
"You are not mistaken. That is exactly what he intends."
I had expected things to move fast, but this was beyond my expectations.
"Takebayashi-sama, His Majesty the King has officially declared the start of a Period of Increased Mana this year," Eleanora-san explained. "I believe that is why the Duke is so eager for your rope. Even if the effect is limited, the rope is overwhelmingly cheaper than magic barrier tools, which means he can protect far more locations."
"Precisely as Eleanora-sama says," Sebas-san added. "While there haven't been sightings of monsters requiring high-rank adventurers yet, there are increasing reports of monsters that breed quickly and in large numbers, like Goblins and small beast-types. Even a few Goblins can be a threat to civilians. If they appear, construction grinds to a halt. Even the mere rumor that they might be nearby makes the workers anxious and kills productivity. The Master expects your rope to alleviate these fears."
I see... No wonder Sebas-san had been so interested and had bought the rope so aggressively. He knew the situation and Reinhardt-san’s worries. I’d been hearing about the Period of Increased Mana lately, but was the situation really that bad?
"I understand. I wasn't going to refuse anyway, and if people are counting on me, I’ll give it everything I’ve got. The construction has reached a good stopping point for today... Let's leave the rest for tomorrow and focus on enchanting the rope now."
Since the adventurer team was supposed to finish their survey today, I planned to have them and Rosenberg-sama start laying the rope around the mountain tomorrow morning. I could continue the construction with just the Goblins in the meantime.
With that plan in place, I hurried back to the lodging and began mass-producing the rope enchanted with Human-warding and Beast-warding.