Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons novel Chapter 74

"Third floor," Ren murmured, adjusting his bag filled with precious skins. "Time to process some hides."

The workshop was a spacious area filled with work tables and shelves of tools. The air was thick with the smell of tanned leather and fixative products, each scent telling a story of materials transformed.

A short man with a thick grey beard worked at one of the tables. He was barely 10 centimeters taller than Ren, but his hands moved with the certainty of years of experience, each motion precise and purposeful.

"Excuse me," Ren approached, "Mr. Isaac?"

"That's me," he responded without looking up from his work, his focus absolute. "What do you need, boy?"

"I'd like to use the workshop to process some skins."

This caught Isaac's attention. He turned, his shrewd eyes studying Ren... until they noticed the mushrooms in his hair. His expression softened with a hint of pity that Ren was all too familiar with.

"What kind of skins?"

"Shadow Stalker."

Isaac whistled softly. "How many?"

"Almost a hundred."

"Look, boy," Isaac set down his tools, his expression turning serious, "Shadow Stalker skins are delicate. One mistake and..."

"I know," Ren interrupted, determination in his voice, "but I'd like to learn."

Isaac sighed, scratching his beard thoughtfully. "I'll show you the facilities, but I insist you should let someone with experience..."

"Could I pay you to process the first ten?" Ren brought out some skins carefully. "I'll pay for the service and materials. I just want to see how it's done."

Isaac studied the skins with a critical eye, his expertise evident in every glance. "Good quality... would be a shame to ruin them." He considered the proposal for a moment, weighing options. "Fine, but it'll cost you 100 crystals per skin, 50 for labor plus 50 for materials."

Ren nodded and watched attentively while Isaac prepared his workspace. Knowledge flowed while the artisan explained each step, every detail adding to Ren's understanding.

"First, the base solution," Isaac mixed several liquids with practiced ease. "Three parts fixative, one stabilizer... This works for any skin you want to treat."

Ren began noticing details. The Shadow Stalker skin fibers had a peculiar pattern, unlike others which meant they may needed different proportions for optimal treatment.

"Why use standard fixative?" Ren asked, his curiosity genuine.

"It's what I always use," Isaac responded without pausing. "Works well enough."

"Wouldn't powdered crystal fixative be better?"

Isaac paused briefly. "Would be slightly better, yes. Also three times more expensive... not worth it."

'The skin doesn't have its own mana,' Ren reflected while the mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly. 'It would need much less crystal powder than normal...'

He observed how the standard fixative saturated the fibers. It was too much. The fibers didn't need that amount because...

"Why use so much fixative?" Ren asked, his mind connecting patterns.

"Better ensures preservation," Isaac answered without stopping. "Especially with delicate skins."

Based on the responses, knowledge whispered that the proportion could be better. Four to one would give the skin more flexibility without compromising durability. Your next read is at empire

"Then, we immerse for exactly ten minutes," Isaac continued, his movements precise. "Not one more, not one less."

'Maybe eight and a half minutes would be ideal for Shadow Stalker skins,' Ren thought, but limited himself to nodding.

Isaac's expert hands worked with mechanical precision, stretching and treating each skin. His movements were perfect, but the materials...