Chapter 150: Uses for Coloured Earth
Ren picked up one of the Coloured Earth Stones arranged on the workshop table.
“A Coloured Earth Stone…”
He held the reddish-brown stone to the light, placed it on a board, and shaved it with a knife. It crumbled into fine powder.
He scooped up a little with the tip of a quill and rubbed it onto the board, leaving a reddish-brown trace. Ren smiled. It was lighter than charcoal, but it could produce coloured writing.
“I wonder if I can make a core like the charcoal ones…”
Following the same method he’d used for charcoal cores, he mixed the powder with glue. While that dried, he made another batch with resin added. He also dissolved some in water to use like ink and tested it for writing.
A knock came at the door, and Eugene entered.
“Ren-kun, I heard you hunted an Amber Crow.”
“Oh, yes… but I probably didn’t go as far as the middle layer.”
Ren hunched his shoulders, expecting another warning about entering a dangerous area.
Eugene looked troubled. “The deputy guild master has already cautioned you, but you must be careful. I know you can fight because you hunt the magical beasts used for your feather pens. Even veteran adventurers, however, struggle against certain beasts. Being safe this time doesn’t guarantee you’ll be safe next time.”
“Okay.”
Ren nodded. He hadn’t realised he might be near the middle layer and still didn’t have a clear standard for how far was safe. Even so, he firmly resolved to turn back as soon as something seemed dangerous.
Eugene glanced at the reddish-brown stones and narrow cores on the table.
“Are you making something with the Coloured Earth Stones?”
“Yes. I thought it would be nice if the Charcoal-Core Feather Pen could also write in a reddish colour.”
“That is…”
Eugene approached and examined the lines Ren had drawn.
“And look!”
Ren’s eyes shone as he held up an amber feather he’d removed from the Amber Crow before submitting it to the purchasing counter.
“Wouldn’t this feather look great on a pen with a red core? What do you think? Isn’t it cool?”
“…Yes. I think it looks good.”
“Right? It’s definitely cool! How about calling it the Red-Core Feather Pen?”
Ren happily waved the amber feather. Looking at his innocent smile, Eugene quietly exhaled.
“We’ll need another contract once it’s finished. I also came to discuss the future of the Acorn Feather Drop.”
“What about it?”
“I showed the one I borrowed to the guild master, and he seems to like it. He wants to begin by using it among the guild staff, so we need to decide on a price. The cost will depend on the quality of the cloth. What if we use different grades for everyday sets and gift sets?”
“Yes! Cloth in beautiful colours would be nice!”
The ones handed out at the celebration had been prototypes made with readily available cloth. Ren would be happy to use more beautiful material.
“It might look cool if the numbers were embroidered onto cloth like the fabric used for dresses.”
“That would be a version for nobles. We can consider that too.”
“Oh! But I’m not good at embroidery.”
“So you’ve tried it before?”
“Yes. I did a little when Yona was practising.”
“I see. You don’t need to make every part yourself, Ren-kun. We can order the work from a tailor contracted with the guild.”
“Wow…”
Ren imagined an Acorn Feather Drop made from beautiful cloth with embroidered numbers and felt excited.
“Oh, I can increase the kinds of feathers on the acorns. Amber Crow feathers, and the Sun Poppo’s…”
Saying the name reminded him of the Sun Poppo meat.