Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys

Chapter 1292: Chapter 436: Rocket-Like Boost for the New Profession (Part 2)

Although he still found it hard to believe that a powerhouse at the Legendary Peak would want to learn the stinking art of leather crafting, Rein seemed serious, so naturally, Luther would do his best to accommodate.

“Well, I’ve already done some research before coming. Can we head out now?” Rein nodded and smiled.

“Of course! By the way, congratulations to Lord Rein for making it to the final selection. Becoming a Dragon Knight is just around the corner! I’m really envious.” Luther couldn’t help but exclaim.

“Thank you, Lord Luther. I believe you will also become a Dragon Knight in the near future.”

Soon, Rein and Luther traveled by carriage to a leather workshop located in the sixth ring of the Imperial City.

Due to the strong and pungent odors produced during the leather crafting process, whether tanning or varnishing, leather workshops are usually built on the outskirts of cities.

Of course, the stores selling leather armor are located in bustling trade zones, and this distinction should not be confused.

When Rein stepped out of the carriage, he immediately caught a whiff of a clearly unpleasant smell—far more intense than he had anticipated.

“It stinks!” Luther, who followed, wrinkled his nose and remarked.

The leather workshop in front of Rein was quite expansive, covering an area of several thousand square feet. According to Luther’s introduction in the carriage, it was the Snyder family’s largest leather workshop in the Imperial City.

Various furs sent from the Northland were tanned, colored, processed, and eventually embellished or engraved here.

At this moment, a stocky old man with half-rolled sleeves and two other figures in linen robes quickly approached and bowed slightly, saying, “Lord Luther, what brings you here personally?”

“Lord Rein, this is Master Henry, the head of the workshop. He has spent his whole life in leather crafting and is highly experienced,” Luther introduced.

“Old Henry, this is Lord Rein, who wishes to learn about the leather crafting processes. Your task is to assist him with this. Answer all of Lord Rein’s questions comprehensively, with nothing held back.”

“What? It’s Lord Rein who wants to learn leather crafting?” Henry looked at Rein, then at Luther, with a face full of disbelief.

What kind of joke is this?

This lord clearly holds a significant status, likely a powerhouse like Lord Luther.

Wanting to learn the stinking craft of leather crafting?

He must be out of his mind!

“Is there a problem?” Luther’s face turned serious, and he turned to Henry.

“Lord Luther, it’s not that I don’t want to teach, but this leather work is genuinely dirty. I’m afraid Lord Rein…” Henry, being an honest man, immediately found himself in a dilemma.

“Master Henry, if I can’t handle it, I’ll call it off myself. Would that be alright?” At this moment, Rein stepped forward, smiling to reassure.

Seeing Rein’s determination, Henry realized he had no way to refuse any longer.

“Alright then, Lord Rein, shall we start tomorrow?” Henry reluctantly nodded, saying.

However, he internally resolved to have the entire workshop cleaned and spray some perfume later, preparing to welcome Lord Rein for learning the next day.

“No, Master Henry, let’s start now,” Rein gestured, declining.

“Now?” Henry was shocked; this lord was in quite a hurry, wasn’t he?

Are you really planning to learn this?

“Yes, you see such a large leather workshop, it must operate 24 hours a day, with materials being processed at every stage,” Rein pointed at dozens of apprentices bustling about soaking, rubbing, and scraping furs, a lively scene.

“Old Henry, let’s proceed as Lord Rein wishes. Please take us there now,” Luther frowned slightly and said.

“Alright, Lord Luther. Well… Lord Rein, please follow me,” Henry, feeling helpless, said.

Though Rein hadn’t mentioned having Luther leave first, Luther was quite curious about his leather learning endeavor, so the group soon arrived at ‘Soaking,’ the first step of the leather crafting process.

In a warehouse storing a large amount of raw furs, apprentices were moving furs out, shaking them out, and placing them into large round tubs for clean water soaking.

“Lord Rein, these furs, sourced from the tundra, need a day of soaking in clean water to remove the salt used during transport…” Henry narrated familiarly from the side.

Rein observed and nodded. This step was not technically demanding, relatively straightforward.

Next, Henry began introducing the following stage:

“Here is the dehairing pool made primarily of a cow urine mixture.”

Though this was also a soaking stage, this time it involved tanning liquid, primarily cow urine, aiming to remove fats and blood. Simultaneously, apprentices needed to rapidly wash furs multiple times in the tanning liquid.

This step was beginning to show technical content.

Because the tanning liquid used to remove fats and blood from the raw furs had a strong corrosive property, it tested the apprentices’ hand speed.

They needed to be quick, or else their hand skin would suffer corrosion.

“Over here is the softening pool, primarily composed of pigeon dung mixture,” Henry pointed to another row of large pools.

“In the softening pool, they soak for two days, further softening and dehairing.”

Beside them, Luther was already feeling nauseated by the fumes.

He vowed, if not for accompanying Rein, he’d never come this close to these dung-filled pools!