Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Demi Drake Leather
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Chapter 72
"The world..."
"Demi Drake leather? What in the..."
Doil and Yujeong were at a loss for words at the mountain of hides piled up before their eyes.
Of course, it wasn't their first time seeing Demi Drake leather.
Doil had handled far rarer and more premium materials than this.
Yujeong had also seen her grandfather's work from the sidelines since childhood, so she didn't think it was all that special.
But the story changed when they learned a low-rank hunter—who had barely bought a single Orc leather armor not long ago—had brought it in.
Jeong-hyeon scratched his cheek awkwardly and said,
"Ah, I didn't originally plan to bring this much. But the workshop said they don't handle stuff like this well, so it'd be better to take it to a forge..."
Originally, per Jeong-hyeon's plan, he intended to sell everything except enough for five sets of armor through the workshop.
But the workshop foreman who saw the leather said Demi Drake hides fetch a better price if sold directly to a forge rather than at auction.
Of course, if he didn't know any forges personally, he could dispose of them, but the price difference would be significant.
What choice did he have?
The only forge Jeong-hyeon knew was Doil's Supreme Forge, so he had no option but to bring it here.
Doil made a troubled face for a moment before chuckling and nodding.
"Well, it's a bit unexpected, but we can certainly buy Demi Drake leather."
"You're really going to buy it all? What are you planning to do with this much?"
Yujeong asked worriedly, stroking Doil's beard.
After all, Doil was an artisan who had largely stepped back from the front lines.
He wasn't as actively crafting as before, so she worried if he could process this much leather all at once.
But Doil smiled softly and said to her,
"Yujeong, don't you think it's about time you got your hands on materials like this?"
"Pardon?"
"Huh?"
It wasn't just Yujeong who reacted with surprise.
Jeong-hyeon, listening in, also blurted out a reflexive question.
Of course, Yujeong immediately glared at him and snapped,
"Got a problem?"
"Ah, no. Nothing like that."
Was she saying it was fine to criticize her skills, but not her grandfather?
Jeong-hyeon quickly smiled and shook his head.
"Yujeong's gotten pretty good at making gear lately. She's still a bit lacking, though."
Doil's follow-up explanation.
But even without it, Jeong-hyeon could guess well enough.
Ever since entering the forge, he'd been paying close attention to the equipment around him.
Yujeong's skills had improved considerably—no more of the flaws from before—and the lineup she'd been entrusted with had expanded, so many products now seemed to be her work.
Of course, he had no idea it was thanks to her grinding her teeth and training after his harsh critique on his first visit.
Low-rank products at Doil's shop were essentially just practice for Yujeong anyway, with little real value.
After getting an earful when he tried to buy one, she had no choice but to put in the effort.
'Still, it's not just because she's his granddaughter that Doil's raising her.'
She looked about the same age as him, yet she was already standing out in crafting.
She'd probably be making high-rank gear before long.
Doil wouldn't have suggested handling the Demi Drake leather otherwise.
"Anyway, you wanted five sets of armor made from this?"
"Yes, sir."
"After deducting labor fees, how about 100 million for the rest?"
"Pardon?"
Jeong-hyeon asked in shock.
100 million?
Sure, there was a lot of leather.
But it was raw, untanned hides, and since they came from undead, the material quality wasn't great.
It was just raw material—the forge would have to apply Doil's full craftsmanship afterward.
The labor cost alone would be enormous.
And even after that, 100 million?
'How much does Demi Drake leather normally go for?'
But of course, Doil wasn't making this offer out of pure generosity.
"In exchange, Yujeong and I will craft them together. No quality issues, and we'll show you a prototype first. Sound good?"
"Ah, I see."
No wonder the price seemed too generous.
Buying the leather was probably for training Yujeong in the first place.
She'd get plenty of experience from the excess hides, but completing a product for a reserved customer was a special process.
Plus, with Doil's quality guarantee and a prototype upfront, it was more than acceptable.
"That works fine. I'm grateful for the good price."
"Hahaha, then I'll contact you once the prototype's done. Oh, and I'll transfer the payment right away, of course."
The deal wrapped up smoothly.
An artisan of Doil's caliber wouldn't toy with a green hunter like Jeong-hyeon, and even the thrifty Jeong-hyeon had no desire to haggle for an extra penny from Doil.
After the deal, as Jeong-hyeon left the forge, Yujeong watched his back and said to Doil,
"Grandpa, we have to make these into absolute masterpieces."
"Oh?"
Doil already saw his granddaughter as diligent in everything, but this time her eyes burned especially fierce.
And he could guess why.
'Maybe I should've paid more.'
Supplying materials was easy.
Motivating someone, though—that was harder.
The drive to make a perfect product could sometimes spark a fire, but hers seemed appropriately intense.
Of course,
"You can't fill up on the first drink. First, learn how to process Drake-class leather."
Yujeong's goal of showing up Jeong-hyeon—who had critiqued her harshly from their first meeting—would prove far harder than she thought.
"I'm not confident with tanning the hides. Can't you do that part, Grandpa?"
"Nope, no can do."
"Come on, please!"
***
Meanwhile, leaving the workshop, Jeong-hyeon felt an oddly unsettled mood.
"Why's that?"
The deal had gone great—on excellent terms.
Especially the thrill of 100 million soon hitting his account!
Yet his shoulders felt heavy, and his nape tingled unpleasantly.
As an expert in bad luck, Jeong-hyeon could vouch for it.
This was definitely the precursor to some terrifying crisis.
'A gate break nearby?'
Maybe a break from a gate near the Association right now.
But that wouldn't cause this level of dread.
Truth be told, in Korea, few places were safer than the Association during a gate break.
It had solid defenses and response teams on constant standby.
Maybe a major guild HQ could compare.
So what could be making Jeong-hyeon so uneasy?
The mystery solved the instant he stepped out of the workshop building.
"Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon?"
A gate break posed no threat to the ultra-secure Association HQ.
But something far more terrifying was there?
He was almost ashamed he hadn't guessed it.
Jeong-hyeon turned with a smile that screamed awkwardness.
"Ah, Team Leader Cha. How have you been?"
Cha Ye-rin was leaning against the workshop's outer wall.
It was a bit surprising.
Until now, their meetings had mostly been "coincidental"—or at least pretending to be, though who knew.
But this looked exactly like she'd been waiting for him.
"Well, not so great, it seems."
'Why so scary?'
She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes at all.
"Could you come to the office with me first?"
"Y-Yes. Of course, let's go."
Practically dragged along, Jeong-hyeon hoped the reason she wasn't doing well wasn't him.
'If it weren't me, she wouldn't drag me like this, though...'
He knew that guess was pessimistic.
They arrived at Investigation Division 3.
The office scenery was now familiar.
"Have a seat."
"Yeah, sure."
Ye-rin sat across from him as always.
With a dry expression, she got to the point.
"I heard you went into a Level 5 gate. A Mission Gate, with Sea Guild no less."
"!"
How'd she know?
But really, she'd known every time new info came up so far.
Denying it here would gain him nothing.
"I did... but isn't tailing me like this a bit much?"
He wouldn't deny it, but protesting was different.
Having his gate entries reported every time felt bad.
He wasn't a villain, after all.
Ye-rin stared blankly at his face for a moment before responding with something seemingly unrelated.
"How do you think Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon's movements look to others?"
"My movements? What about..."
He couldn't say "normal?" even on his deathbed.
Light-speed was an understatement; he was in overdrive.
"Not just the Association—major guilds everywhere have their eyes on you."
"That much?"
"Well, the source seems to be from the Association."
Ye-rin glanced sideways briefly.
Many guilds knew too much about Jeong-hyeon, so investigation revealed Dan Jong-woo had blabbed.
No need to dwell on that here, so she changed the subject.
"How long do you think it took me, from awakening to entering a Level 5 gate?"
"Hmm... a year?"
"Two and a half years."
'She really went all out.'
At this point, Jeong-hyeon had to drop any denials.
Ye-rin was an A-Rank Level 6 powerhouse.
From a general view, she'd skyrocketed—both in Association position and gate levels.
And it took her two and a half years for a Level 5 gate.
'I did it in two months?'
"Plus, you're unregistered. Some guilds even informally protested to the Association. Said you're being deliberately kept off the books."
It used to happen occasionally.
Since the Association handled registrations, they'd hide high-rank talents from guilds.
But after backlash, with calls to transfer registrations to guilds or at least let them proxy, it stopped.
"So that's how you knew which gates I entered."
"The Association does more than just recruit talent like guilds."
"Like what?"
"Managing high-rank hunters—national assets—as a state institution."
Silence fell between them after that.
High-rank hunter management.
With those words, it was safe to say Ye-rin's reason for bringing him here was clear.