Ch 67 -- Lambert-san's shop
Wen we finally got to Lambert-san's shop it was a bigger and more up-market store than I had expected. When I plucked up my courage and entered Lambert-san was the only one there.
"Ah, Mukouda-san, welcome. I've been looking forward to you coming here."
"Ah, thanks. Uh, Fer's with me, is that okay? "
"Oh, definitely. Please come in." Lambert's shop was big and there was plenty of room to accomodate Fer who immediately curled up in a corner out of the way.
"Well, actually I was thinking of replacing my bag..."
"Well, what kind of bag are you looking for?" Lamber-san inquired.
"Well, I'm looking for something like this shoulder bag and about this size." I showed him the bag Sui was currently sleeping in.
"How about these?" He showed me some shoulder bags. They all looked like messenger bags. The mouth could be opened pretty wide with large flaps so they looked like it wouldn't be a problem for Sui to get in and out. The belt slung on the shoulder was also nice and wide so it wouldn't dig in. I asked Lambert-san what kind of leather they were made from.
"That one is Red Boar leather." he answered. It's a soft leather unlike cowhide, quite dark-coloured. It feels quite comfortable to me but would Sui like it?
Lambert-san showed me another bag. "This is b.l.o.o.d.y Horn Bull's leather." Oh, that's a coincidence, they're one of the subjugation requests we just accepted. It felt just as soft as the Red Boar bag but it's made from thicker material. It was a deep black colour.
"And here's one made of Giant Deer leather -" This is a light brown leather, almost beige. It was hard and firm, a bit like tanned cowhide. It looked quite stylish.
Lamber-san went on to show me some other bags, telling me about the materials used for each one. "This bag is made from Sand Snake leather." Sand Snake-skin has beautiful scales peculiar to snakes. I'd like something small like a wallet or something made from this sort of skin, I thought to myself.
He showed me one final bag. "And here's my personal favourite, Black Serpent skin. Black Serpent is a high-ranking demon so it takes a lot of time and effort to tan the skin and finish it properly. Even though the price is high it's very popular. See how it s.h.i.+nes. Splendid, isn't it?" Oh, so that's Black Serpent? A scale pattern unique to snakes s.h.i.+mmered over the black leather. Unlike Sand Snake's leather, it was glossy. It was very much luxury goods. I wanted something made of it but maybe not a shoulder bag.
"Lambert-san, everything you've shown me is wonderful. "
"Thank you. I'm proud of the products our craftsmen make. We like to think we're the best. "
"So, what about the price for the bags?"
"The Red Boar bag is 2 gold coins, the b.l.o.o.d.y Horn Bull bag is 5 gold coins, the Giant Deer bag - 4 gold coins and 5 silver coins, the bag made from Sand Snake skin would be 8 gold coins and the Black Serpent bag I showed you is 17 gold coins."
I told Lambert that the prices seemed reasonable, well with the exception of the Black Serpent bag. The Sand Snake-skin bag is also expensive, but it seems it costs more here since transportation to this city from the south of the country where Sand Snakes can be found increases the price substantially. Still, it's clearly popular since the scales of this snake are beautiful. The Black Serpent and Sand Snake leather have a sense of luxury, and I feel that it seemed a bit too fancy for a bag I'm going to use all the time to carry Sui around in. Still, for an accessory like a wallet or a purse, maybe...
"Red Boar's leather is low in price and recommended for everyday use. b.l.o.o.d.y Horn Bull's leather has a fine black finish and the leather is soft and comfortable to the touch. I'd recommend this if it's a gift for someone special." Lambert-san pointed to the bag made from Giant Deer skin. "I should add, although Giant Deer leather is stiff to begin with, it will become more flexible as it ages and the color will darken naturally so if you're going to own it for a long time it would be my choice."
