“Grandpa! How could this person underestimate my equipment so much?”
Perhaps she had a hunch that he wouldn’t take her side, so she started getting angry with her grandfather.
But her grandfather just chuckled.
Only when his granddaughter’s anger seemed genuine did he finally speak.
“Yoojeong, you didn’t let the guest finish what he had to say. He might not have finished speaking yet.”
“Whether I listen or not…”
“You seem to be around the same age as my granddaughter, but you’re quite remarkable.”
“Huh?”
Yoojeong turned to look at Jeonghyun, wondering if she had misheard something.
Though he pointed out flaws, it was Jeonghyun’s honest feelings.
Dealing with monster leather is not easy.
It’s on a different level from simple butchering, which can be considered the first stage.
And what about being a blacksmith, crafting weapons and armor?
Moreover, the flaws mentioned were because of the excess enthusiasm of the creator, and with more experience, things would undoubtedly improve.
Of course,
“Still, I do want to buy something from you, old man.”
Possibility and reality were fundamentally different.
He had no intention of buying items that were blatantly flawed as a customer.
“Hahaha!”
For some reason, the grandfather burst into laughter at Jeonghyun’s words.
Then he extended his hand for a handshake.
“I like you. I’m Doyle.”
“I’m Han Jeonghyun.”
Naturally, the goodwill did not end with a handshake.
“It’s low-rank equipment. Everything displayed here was made by my granddaughter. I feel sorry for making her upset, so for you, Jeonghyun, I’ll offer my creations at the same price she would. How about that?”
“Grandpa, you can’t sell to someone like that under those conditions!”
Ironically, the one causing a fuss was Yoojeong, the granddaughter.
Even though Jeonghyun mentioned it casually, it could have been a hasty change of topic in front of her grandfather.
And even if it were sincere, pointing out flaws in front of the creator didn’t sit well with her, especially at such a young age.
However, Doyle continued to laugh heartily and teased Yoojeong.
“A customer who looks at goods with such discernment is rare. As a craftsman, you should provide what the customer wants. If you only try to sell what you have, you’re just a peddler, isn’t that right?”
This passage might sound like criticism even within the same workshop, but there was nothing contrary to principles.
Therefore, Jeonghyun nodded in agreement.
“Come in this way. What rank are you looking for?”
“I’m considering E-rank equipment.”
Now that two out of the three attribute were E-rank, it would be awkward to use an F-rank equipment.
As long as the hunter has money, they can buy A-rank or S-rank equipment.
It’s just a convenient classification for hunters of a particular rank to match the level of monsters they usually hunt. There are no officially defined criteria.
Jeonghyun followed Doyle into the workshop, with the faint smell of oil and the unavoidable scent of monster leather.
They didn’t go deep inside. It was natural, the more valuable items would be further inside.
“The items you’re looking for should be here.”
Saying so, Doyle stopped, and Jeonghyun immediately picked up a piece of armor.
‘I don’t know how skilled Doyle is as a craftsman, but at least at this level, the materials are from Tandan Orcs or Red Goblins.’
What Jeonghyun held was also the leather of a Tandan Orc.
But the moment he felt the texture in his hands, he couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Wow…”
“Do you like it?”
“It’s impressive.”
Just that was enough; he didn’t need to say more.
Properly treated leather slid smoothly without a hitch, leaving no rough spots.
There were no signs of the shabby workmanship that could be found in Yoojeong’s products.
Even the internal parts, like the chest or back, were uniform and appropriately avoided.
The cross-section was also meticulous.
“How much is a set like this?”
“I’ll give it to you at Yoojeong’s price – 7,000,000 won (around 5300 USD).”
“And at the price you’d offer?”
“Haha, well, it’ll be over 15,000,000 won. (around 11,000 USD)”
The price difference was enormous.
But it was reasonable.
All the products Jeonghyun had seen in the workshop were of a certain quality, but Doyle’s surpassed that level.
‘I just criticized his granddaughter’s work,and already got a significant discount.’
Of course, even without Doyle’s consideration, 15,000,000 won wouldn’t be too much to pay for such quality.
Doyle nodded in agreement, and Jeonghyun asked Yoojeong to pack the armor he had chosen.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“I’m thinking of buying a dagger set as well.”
“Hmm…”
He already had a mace, but he needed a secondary weapon.
Now that he had acquired D-rank dagger technique, there was nothing to hesitate about.
If he didn’t care about appearances, it could even overpower the mace he was already using.
Weapons were hung beside the armor.
Even in the dim interior, they emitted their own light.
This time, Doyle opened a drawer beside them and took out a case.
“There’s not much demand for daggers, so there’s only one set available.”
The blade was approximately 10cm long.
The blades were small, but a dozen sharp daggers were neatly arranged in the case.
Jeonghyun examined them closely and picked one up.
“Is this Marium?”
“Ah, your insight is truly impressive.”
Though Doyle tried to boast, the fact was that recognizing Marium, a unique metal from the “Mari Mine,” wasn’t that difficult with a bit of knowledge.
As you went to higher-level mines, the color of the ore gradually fades.
That was because they contained more magic.
Marium, located near the starting point of the mine where the ore with a violet hue was rich in magic, was considered the best for crafting low-rank weapons.
Thus, its performance was incomparable to ordinary gate minerals.
However, something else caught Jeonghyun’s attention.
“The pattern is peculiar.”
“It’s just a crafting technique. Mixing metals of a similar grade to Marium.”
“Doesn’t that weaken the strength?”
“Not at all. In fact, it becomes stronger.”
It seemed impossible by common knowledge, but the materials for this dagger came from metals within the gate.
Jeonghyun didn’t fully understand the harmony that might exist.
After examining the others, there seemed to be no minerals similar to Marium.
“How much is this?”
“7,000,000 won. (around 5300 USD)”
Even though it was a set made with Marium, it was strange that the dagger cost the same as an armor set.
Jeonghyun, feeling a bit suspicious, looked at Doyle, who chuckled in response.
“I haven’t taught my daughter how to make weapons yet. She can’t make them yet.”
It sounded like a lie, but for some reason, Jeonghyun had to accept it.
Although it exceeded his budget, considering he planned to go through the gate soon, it seemed fine.
Meanwhile, Jeonghyun couldn’t shake the feeling that he had witnessed a similar scene at the rental center.
***
“Well, goodbye.”
“Thank you.”
After settling the payment, Jeonghyun received the purchased equipment from Yoojeong.
It was a tight financial decision, but since he planned to go through the gate soon, he felt it would be alright.
On the other hand, Yoojeong’s expression remained somewhat rude to him.
It seemed like her anger from earlier hadn’t completely dissipated.
‘I hope she’ll be okay the next time I come.’
Jeonghyun felt a bit uneasy.
—
“What, are you leaving?”
After finishing the transaction and receiving the purchased equipment from Yoojeong, Jeonghyun was about to leave the store.
Unexpectedly, he ran into a new person who had just entered.
“Huh?”
“Are you… Hunter Han Jeonghyun?”
A middle-aged man with a bald head – it was Park Cheolyong from the rental center.
Recognizing each other, Cheolyong greeted Jeonghyun warmly.
‘Well, meeting someone like this here is surprising. But, could it be…’
Cheolyong hesitated for a moment and then asked in a low voice, alternating his gaze between Jeonghyun and Yoojeong.
“I’m not sure if you were seduced by her appearance, but did you buy something from this young lady?”
Although he said it quietly, Yoojeong heard it and exclaimed.
“Uncle Cheolyong! What do you mean by that!”
“No, I mean… Haha.”
Now that he realized his tone, Cheolyong coughed awkwardly and quickly adjusted his expression.
Jeonghyun smiled and replied, “No, I bought items from Mr. Doyle.”
“······What?”
Cheolyong’s eyes widened in shock.
“Mace is working well. The armor got damaged a lot due to some incidents, but I’ll return it on time.”
“Well, take care.”
“Thank you.”
Cheolyong received Jeonghyun’s farewell with a somewhat uneasy expression.
Once Jeonghyun completely disappeared from the store, Doyle came out from inside.
“Did he come?”
“Did that young man really buy something from you?”
Doyle chuckled as he watched Jeonghyun leave.
“I had a feeling, but it seems like that young man will come back.”
“Huh? Why would he…?”
Cheolyong scratched his head.
“Ahaha, well, I have a feeling that he’ll come back to buy better equipment next time. Well, it sounds absurd, though.”
“Huh? What’s that…?”
Cheolyong seemed confused.
Doyle, chuckled and added, “It’s just a hunch, but I feel like he will comeback. Selling them is just practical.”
While it might sound absurd to Cheolyong, who was not familiar with Hunter’s world, Doyle’s words made sense in their context.
As someone who had encountered many legends since the early days of the gates, Doyle’s insight was exceptional.
And Yoojeong, watching the two, couldn’t help but think, ‘What’s so great about that person?’
It seemed that Yoojeong still had a grudge against Jeonghyun.
