kscans

Chapter 108 - The Great? Inheritance - 4. Gathering Alchemical Materials

The next morning, after spending the night in Chippo Village, Yuri timidly made a request to Kudol and the others as they were eating breakfast in the inn’s dining hall.

"Um, Kudol-san. Do you have time to make a detour on the way back? Of course, I will pay an additional fee."

"Hmm? I don’t intend to take any extra money… but where are we stopping?"

"Ah, yes. I was reading Bunza-san’s posthumous manuscripts last night, and it seems he used to gather materials in a forest a little ways off."

"I see, alchemical materials…"

The late Bunza had apparently been a record-keeping fiend just like Yuri, and had left behind a mountain of writings. He had categorized and written down everything from daily events and work-related innovations to various alchemical materials. At this point, Yuri felt a strong sense of empathy and gratitude towards the deceased, but that aside, while looking through the work logs the previous night, Yuri had noticed a description he could not ignore. It was the fact that the deceased, Bunza, had accepted a job from a general store to produce Glass Bottles, and that he had collected the raw material, Silica Sand, at the foot of a mountain a short distance from the village. Since that collection point was on the way back to Laurenzen, Yuri had requested to make a stop on the way back.

"...Ah, that’s right, it wouldn’t be much of a detour. We should be able to get back within the day, so I think it’s fine."

The other members, to whom Kudol directed his gaze, all nodded in agreement.

"Then, I’m sorry to trouble you, but please do."

And so it was that Yuri and his party decided to stop by the small forest in question on their way back…



The carriage ran along the country road towards its destination. Running briskly alongside it, and collecting materials with considerable frequency, was Yuri. Just keeping up with the carriage without getting out of breath was impressive enough, but he also keenly spotted materials while running and quickly collected them. This was beyond being merely skilled. Did he have some kind of special skill?

"No, I just sort of learned how. You can’t make a living in the countryside if you can’t do at least this much."

I’m no match for the professionals, Yuri said humbly, but…

("...Is that so?")

("No… that’s not the level of an amateur’s dabbling…")

("But I can understand the need to collect things quickly. Considering the location.")

("Salt-Sour Mountain, huh…")

("Indeed, that might be it….")

This gathering performance that had impressed Kudol and the others was, to reveal the secret, the result of his 【Investigation】 skill. He had it display usable materials in his field of view and was collecting them one after another, but Yuri had added an extra step. Namely, he had it cross-reference his past collection records so that only things that could not be found around Salt-Sour Mountain were displayed. Well, whatever the trick to the magic, his gathering skills had surprised Kudol and the others, but thinking it would be bad to take too much time, he gradually began to hold back. Eventually, they stopped the carriage in a small clearing they came across, and Yuri calmly entered a small footpath, with Kudol hastily following behind. A short walk down the footpath led to a small landslide site. After confirming the quality of the exposed earth and sand, Yuri took out a hemp sack, one of the many he had bought in Laurenzen, and began to fill it with soil.

"Hey Yuri, is this soil the material?"

"Yes. It’s Silica Sand. It’s the raw material for making glass."

"Glass?"

"Yes. It seems the deceased used to make and deliver bottles."

Even as he spoke, Yuri was using Earth Magic to bag the Silica Sand… or more accurately, the mountain sand rich in quartz, and storing it in his Magic Bag. In no time at all, he had filled about thirty bags and, deciding that was enough for now, stood up.

"Well then, let’s head back now."



Having finished collecting all the materials, Yuri was now quietly riding in the carriage on the way back. As they were enjoying some lighthearted conversation, Kudol suddenly thought of something and asked Yuri.

"Hey… can you make glass, Yuri?"

"Of course not. I plan to try and learn by myself based on the documents the deceased left behind, so I just want to secure the materials written in them."

"But… there was sand that looked like that in the hut, wasn’t there?"

"I don’t know how many times I’ll fail, so the more raw materials the better. Besides, the soil I collected today can’t be used as a raw material as it is."

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Yes. You have to sort out the usable parts first. What was left in the hut was the Silica Sand after it had been sorted."

To Kudol and the others who said that sounded like a lot of work,

"I’ve found a job for the winter."

He answered calmly. Having said that, it seemed to give him an idea.

"By the way, Kudol-san, what do you all do in the winter?"

Once winter comes and the snow piles up, won’t hunting and travel become difficult? Yuri asked, concerned.

"Ah, other folks often head south to warmer towns."

"But we can’t really do that."

"?"

To the uncomprehending Yuri, Kudol and the others explained. C-class and higher adventurers cannot leave town without permission. It seems they are counted as a defense force in case of an emergency. For that, they receive a small allowance from the guild.

"Well, Laurenzen is a merchant city, so there are plenty of escort requests even in winter. We’ll make a living doing that."