HC: Pacifist | Ch. 239 - Smells like Prison (Patreon)

“What can I do?” Roth mused aloud as he scratched his beard. “If only the leather were a little thicker…”

The limitations of his ecotailor profession were halting his dream of simultaneously leveling up his crafting professions. To be fair, his conscience wouldn’t allow him to use regular leather even if there weren't such a profession. Although he could probably circumvent the curvature of the greaves by placing the mirrors at the right angles, he couldn’t do anything if the material was this thin. Traps needed depth.

Unfortunately, all leather made from shed skin was thin. Should he visit the rock lizards? Maybe they had a leader with thicker skin who would volunteer its leather? But even if he went to them, how often would the creature need to molt to provide him with enough raw materials to start a leather armor assembly line?

He picked up the greaves and studied the burnt hole that cut cleanly through the double layer of leather. Roth paused and turned the holed greave over in his hand. He put it down and started looking at the different supplies available in his workshop. Keith said that he could use anything he wanted.

He guessed that any consumables or materials spent this way would go down in his invoice at the end of the rental. He spotted a cabinet with vials and jars of different colors. “Dye. Ink. No. Oil. Here it is! Glue!”

Rabbit Glue (Common)

Description: Rabbit fat has been boiled and mixed with other chemicals to produce this rudimentary adhesive.

Effects: Can be used while crafting. Glues two surfaces together. Dries faster on fabric.

Dry time: 15 minutes.

“Yuk!” Roth gagged while throwing the jar away as if it were radioactive. It was even worse than skinning the animal. Did they have to boil its fat into glue, too? Shuddering, Roth searched the cabins and finally found what he was looking for.

Pine Glue (Common)

Description: adhesive made from the resin extracted from pine trees, valued for its strong bonding properties in crafting.

Effects: Can be used while crafting. Glues two surfaces together. Dries faster on wood.

Dry time: 15 minutes.

Even though he would have to wait 15 minutes for it to dry, at least this was made of pine resin. He didn’t mind using it. As he opened the jar, the industrial smell of glue filled the workshop. Lin was at his leg in a heartbeat, meowing and asking to sniff this new, exciting scent. Roth kneeled and brought the jar to Lin. His little nose twitched as he took in the new scent, and he opened his mouth and squinted, looking away. Roth laughed at Lin’s funny face.

“Meow, meow, sticky tree.”

Progress in learning Felinian: 48%

“That’s right, Lin. It’s made of pine resin.”

Lin lost interest and raced back to his spot by the hearth, afraid that Roth would take it while he wasn’t looking. Even though he missed his friends, with Lin around, he didn’t feel as lonely. He turned his attention toward the glue again.

The smell of glue reminded him of prison. He was no stranger to using glue in his carpentry workshop classes. The prison kept social programs where prisoners contributed to society and produced some basic furniture. They made tables and chairs to donate to charity. It was part of the rehabilitation of prisoners and a way for them to vent their energy. He and Drake had made quite a team in the carpentry workshop. He remembered the first time he saw the one-armed man operate the tools and machinery with incredible skill and smiled at the memory.

The smell of pine resin in the glue also reminded him of the Green Woods. Had it been over two months since he had been trapped in this game? He chuckled as he remembered meeting the sergeant and the rest of the crew while they were hunting foxes. He had never imagined so many memories could fit into such a tiny, unassuming jar.

After reminiscing, he moved to the tool cabinet, where needles of all shapes, materials, and sizes were tidily arranged. He located a cup with small wooden trowels and picked one up.

He brought all the supplies to the table and grabbed two lizard hides from his inventory. He placed them one over the other. Some of the edges didn't match, but that didn’t matter. He grabbed the glue jar and then inserted the trowel in it, scooping a generous amount of glue. With the help of the tiny spatula, he smeared it all over the hide. By the time he had covered the whole thing, he had used more than half of the jar. He had to check with Keith whether he kept more in storage and whether there was a restocking fee, but he would do that later. Hopefully, it wasn’t too expensive.

Roth grabbed the second hide and carefully placed it over the glue. He patted and rubbed one hide against the other to even out the glue between the layers of leather, and once he was satisfied, he looked around and, finding the stack of wood meant for the fireplace, grabbed several logs and placed them over the hides. The weight would keep them in close contact while the glue dried.

“Let’s hope that this works.” He sat in the armchair and waited, looking at Lin sleeping by the hearth.

*

The wind howled outside—just another typical day in the Sky Islands. Zin sat in his private chambers, deep within Duke Dandelion's castle. This was one of the few places where he could relax. It was impossibly difficult to build a reputation with the duke. Zin was confident he was the only player close to the lofty NPC. This is where he got his unique class, and Duke Dandelion kept a room and part of the compound available to him and his guests.

Of course, the accommodations came at a price. He had to perform the occasional errand in return for the duke’s hospitality, but it was well worth it. In exchange, he got a base of operations, a place he knew was safe from everyone’s prying eyes, especially Loki’s.

After his betrayal, despite his many moles, agents, bugs, and attempts, he lost eyes on Loki’s activities. He could already discern Anak’s hand in this. Zin had always felt weary of that sociopath. The girl had no conscience, just like him, which scared him. His agents were already reporting signs of counter-surveillance as the new head of Pegasus crept in, searching for information.

That was to be expected. Zin's move brought him into direct conflict with several high-ranking guilds in the game and made him an irreconcilable enemy of his former boss. Zin glanced over his shoulder at the only other player here today.

His associate was tall, with a big nose and a long forehead. He wore a purple velvet jacket, all buttoned up with an embroidered collar and an official-looking hat. He had well-polished boots and a sizable backpack on the floor beside him. Zin suspected that the backpack was at least an epic piece of equipment.

In real life, Eron was a salesman, a really good one, and his skills translated incredibly well into the game. As far as Zin knew, he was one of the few players with the broker profession and one of the first assassination targets Loki had him execute. The only other broker he’d met in person was that Roth fellow.

From the little that Eron had revealed, brokers had unique access to special factions in the game, which granted him access to exceptional, valuable items. He brought so much wealth into his new guild that it amounted to half of their income. This was his golden goose and one of the few people he allowed into his hideout.

The man was putting away his inkpot and book and putting it into his backpack. Sensing Zin’s gaze, Eron turned to him.

“Mr. Zin? Is everything alright?”

“I was wondering why I didn’t hear you writing. Going out?”

“Yes, sir. The cooldowns on my trade agreements are mostly refreshed.”

“How did your story turn out?”

“Not bad. It has quite a few plot twists. The readers will never guess who the mole is,” he grinned.

Eron had the particularity of traveling around for three weeks and then sitting for a week in his hideout writing and reading. Zin didn't belittle him for it, however. He knew he wasn’t wasting his time by any means, and he suspected it was part of the secret to his success as a broker.

“Where are you heading?”

“It's my usual route. I’ll visit some Sky Islands as I’m headed toward the Water Caves. Then I go to the Thunder Mountains, and I’ll end my route at the border of Rock Canyon with Green Country.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” Zin admonished. “Keep a low profile. I’d hate it if that evil psychopath found out I saved your life, my friend.”

“I will. I'll return with plenty of goodies I'm sure you'll enjoy,” he said gratefully.

“Thank you, Eron. You’re the best.”

Zin watched Eron leave. He had managed to harness everyone's fears and hatred of Loki and transform them into thankfulness and gratitude. From his experience, the latter two were much more powerful motivators.

He had worked for warlords and cult leaders, and he’d seen that the most dangerous people seduced their followers with unwavering loyalty and gratitude rather than terrifying them into submission. That's why he had chosen Loki as a stepping stone. Building a group of loyal followers by saving them from Loki’s jaws was the foundation of his new team.

Zin stood up from his chair and cracked his neck. He should get going, too. He had a clue about Jaw-Long's whereabouts. After observing the fight with Loki, he knew he was way beyond his level. He still had no chance against the old man.

He wouldn’t give up, though. To become the best, he had to know he was the best. And he would keep going after his teacher until he finally surpassed him. He left the living room and prepared to leave for the capital.

*

The fifteen minutes were finally up. A notification rang, letting Roth know that his plan had succeeded.

Congratulations. You've discovered a new skill: [Double Layering].

+3000 ecotailor xp.

Double Layering (Uncommon)

Description: You can create thicker material by gluing the fabric together. This will slightly boost the strength of the equipment you craft at the expense of extra materials.

“Yes!” Roth celebrated. When he saw how much stronger the greaves were where the leather pieces overlapped, he reasoned that he could obtain thicker leather simply by gluing it together. Thankfully, it had worked!

Even though this would increase crafting costs, if he could get the leather thick enough to craft a trap into it, it would be worth it! He hurriedly picked the patterns for the greaves and drew them on the leather. He remembered to make two of each piece this time.

He then grabbed the chisel and started punching the holes through the marks. He immediately felt the difference when he hit the soft hammer against the stitching chisel. The material offered much more resistance. It wasn’t just the two pieces of leather; the glue in between made the material sturdier. He took it as a good sign and kept punching holes all around and through the pieces.

Once he grabbed the scissors to cut the pieces off the hide, he again realized how much stronger the material had become. It was much more challenging to cut double-layered leather! He had to strain his hands' muscles and only cut a little at a time. When he finished, his hands burned with the effort. Unfortunately, the edges of the leather pieces didn’t turn out as perfect as last time, but they were still serviceable.

He got the pieces in position, grabbed a needle with waxed thread, and joined them with the saddle stitch. The results spoke for themselves.

Congratulations! You've successfully crafted [Rock Lizard Layered-Leather Greaves].

Crafting Grade: C

+200 ecotailor xp.

Rock Lizard Layered-Leather Greaves (Common)

Item description: A piece of light armor that offers a modicum of protection.

Item effects:

+4% damage reduction;

+3% movement speed;

+4 endurance.

Requirements: Rogue, level 10.

It was another C grade. Comparing it to the previous pair of greaves he’d made, it offered a little more damage reduction and endurance, but not much. At the expense of using twice as much leather and adding glue, he only got a 30% increase in stats. It wasn’t kind math.

The most important part was how much sturdier and thicker the greaves were. He picked up the laser again and called out the systems’ assistance. As he marked the red triangle onto the front of one of the greaves, where there were two pieces of layered leather overlapping. He grabbed his laser and took a deep breath. If two layers of shed leather didn’t work, he would try with four. It was time to find out what a light trap looked like!

Ch. 238 - Saddle Stitch

INDEX

Ch. 240 - Contact!