All-rounder Healer Chapter 240: Procuring Fishing Equipment

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　The next day, I leave the inn in the morning.

　As I was walking toward the exit of the village, I saw a man drying skins at the end of the path between houses.

“…Is that an Acid Frog?” (Rook)

　Is he making tanned leather? Perhaps that is one of the industries of this village.

　It is interesting to see the various things, and in this way, there are still new discoveries to be made.

　Then I left the village and entered the fourth floor, stayed overnight at the Third Floor Camp, returned to Aluppo, cashed in the magic stones at the Adventurer’s Guild, and decided to sleep quietly that day.

　The next day, I went shopping in the morning.

　Today, I plan to go around more than usual.

　As usual, I went to the blacksmith shop on the south side of town while buying more preserved food.

“Excuse me. Can you work on something?” (Rook)

“Oh, is it you? Adjusting Mithril Alloy Cudgel? I don’t think it would be distorted by anything.” (Blacksmith)

　It is true that it is a mithril alloy, and it is also simply a metal rod, so this weapon does not require any adjustment work or resharpening like when I was using a spear. I feel again that the price of a weapon is not only the initial cost but also the running cost.

“I have something I want you to make this time.” (Rook)

“Hmm? A crafting request? But that thing I made based on your opinion is already ready!” (Blacksmith)

“Huh? No, that’s–” (Rook)

　Before I could finish, the shopkeeper took it out from the shelf beside him and put it on the counter with a thud.

“It’s a Mithril Alloy Ogre Mace. I made it based on your suggestion that you wanted a weapon that ‘works well with magic’!” (Blacksmith)

“Rejected.” (Rook)

　It looks like a baseball bat with spikes on it and is pale silver in color. I’ve seen it before in this store. It looked like Momotaro would massacre anyone who possessed it on the Demon Island. Though, this one was made from a mithril alloy.

　How could this be made from my opinion? At what point did they think there would be demand for this? In the first place, I didn’t give my opinion on the store’s product creation.

“What, you’re not going to buy it? I thought I had made the best weapon with the adventurers’ opinions this time?!” (Blacksmith)

　Somehow, I think I understand why the Mithril Alloy Cudgel was born in this store…

　Well, never mind.

“I was actually hoping you could make something like this for me.” (Rook)

“What is this? It’s a structure that looks like it’s designed to hook something…” (Blacksmith)

　I showed him the picture of a fish hook I had drawn at the inn and explained it to him.

“This is a tool for catching fish. This is how it looks like—” (Rook)

“I see. This part is—” (Blacksmith)

　After explaining the shape in detail, I specified the size and material.

“The size can be anything from the tip of a finger to the size of a finger. Please make multiple pieces of different sizes. Also, please use mithril alloy to prevent it from rusting.” (Rook)

“Fine. But this will be expensive. …Well, prepare about 10 gold coins.” (Blacksmith)

　Hmmm… A material is just not just any material, and it’s all handmade by a craftsman, so I guess it can’t be helped.

“I understand. So, when can you finish it? I’d like one of the smaller ones tomorrow morning if possible.” (Rook)

“I see… well, it’s doable.” (Blacksmith)

“Okay, then.” (Rook)

“The advance payment is three gold coins.” (Blacksmith)

　I paid the specified advance to the shopkeeper and left the store.

　I walked around town looking for the next store.

　I ordered the hooks, and now I want to buy the fishing line. But this might be a little difficult. The image I had was that modern fishing line was almost entirely made of synthetic fibers. The durability of a thread made of the kind of fiber normally used for clothes is questionable, and I don’t think it would be very good to wet it in water. Thread exists, of course, but I am not sure if there is a thread that fits the requirements.

　As for rods, floats, and weights, I’ll hold off on those for now. Making these things would take a lot of time and effort, and the rod would be so long that it would be like giving away the existence of the magic bag when I put it in and out of the bag. And of course, it would be impossible to make something as complicated as a reel.

　Thinking about all this, I went into a clothing store I found.

　It was a relatively popular store, with practical clothes on hangers and not so many flashy ones.

　In the back of the store, there was a woman who looked like a store clerk and a man wearing a black robe over his head, talking across the counter about something. As I waited, looking at the items in the store, the man in the black robe said, “Make it by the due date,” and walked out of the store.

　The female clerk’s face looks a little nervous.

　Is that person in a black robe an alchemist?

　The alchemist I saw at the gate when I first came to this town, the alchemist who is always helping me with magic potions. And this alchemist. I think there are various kinds of alchemists, but overall, many of them are eccentric and a little distant from the townspeople.

“Excuse me, do you have a minute?” (Rook)

“Yes?” (Clerk)

　The alchemist left the store and I spoke to the female clerk.

“Actually, I wanted to get some thread. Preferably water-resistant, strong, and thin thread.” (Rook)

“Hmm… we don’t sell materials wholesale, but…” (Clerk)

　Oh, for a clothing store, thread is a material, isn’t it? It is true that even on Earth, clothing stores do not sell thread or cloth…

“Please, somehow! I really need some thread…” (Rook)

“*Sigh*… it’s only this time, got it? I can sell to you the leftover Horned Spider thread, but it’s a monster material, so it’s going to be expensive, okay?” (Clerk)

“I understand.” (Rook)

　Then the female clerk brought a translucent white thread wrapped around a wooden board from the back of the store.

　The thread was thin and white in color. It seemed to be long enough.

“So, I’m willing to sell this for a gold coin.” (Clerk)

“…that’s something.” (Rook)

“The threads are made by twisting together the materials collected by specialized adventurers, and they need to be processed to remove the sticky substance. It’s thin and sturdy, so it’s usually only used for sewing luxury items.” (Clerk)

　It may seem expensive, but if adventurers collect them one by one by hand, they must be priced accordingly or adventurers will not bring them back, which may be reasonable. In other words, I’d be willing to pay that price for them, and I think I can trust their quality.

“How about durability? Is it water-resistant?” (Rook)

“It’s flexible and durable. It remains strong even after being washed in water, so I think it is water-resistant.” (Clerk)

“Can I pull it a little?” (Rook)

“I don’t mind.” (Clerk)

　I took the thread from her, took out a little bit of thread, grabbed it tightly with both hands, and pulled it from both ends.

　Unlike ordinary threads such as cotton, it felt like it stretched a little but did not pull apart even if I put a little more force into it.

　This will hold up to fishing. It seems impossible to catch monsters like swordfish, but I’m not going to go fishing somewhere beside the lake, and I’m not going to become a fisherman and make a living by fishing. It’s not like I’m going to live a normal life as something else, so there shouldn’t be a problem.

　The search for a stronger thread should be done because of this.

“Okay, I’ll buy it.” (Rook)

　I handed a gold coin to the female clerk and received a wooden board with thread wrapped around it.

“We have a deal. And we don’t accept returns or refunds.” (Clerk)

“I understand.” (Rook)

　I replied and left the store.

　With this, I had a line and a hook in hand. At least I should be able to do some fishing. As for the fish bait, I don’t think there is any “fish bait” in this town, so I will just have to get it locally.