Raine picked up a nicely toasted flatbread, rolled a slice of bacon and a small piece of cheese inside, and stuffed it all into his mouth.
As he bit down, the wheat aroma of the flatbread, the unique salty and fatty scent of the bacon, and the rich, mellow flavor of the cheese instantly intertwined on his tongue. The fullness in his stomach and the excellent taste brought joy to both his body and mind.
Having enjoyed this hearty breakfast, Raine already had a clear plan in mind.
Today was the day he had agreed to pick up his Leather Armor from Old Henry. The Composite Cotton Armor he currently wore had sustained considerable damage in the previous battle, severely compromising its defensive capabilities. Replacing his Armor was a top priority.
Furthermore, he had recently acquired two Golden Kings. Combined with his savings of nearly forty Silver Lions, he might be able to visit the Alchemy Workshop to check out those miraculous Alchemy Potions—treasures he wouldn’t have even dared to dream of before. He could also ask if Master Mary had returned.
Having made up his mind, Raine greeted Sodden, who was still gulping down his ale with a GLUG GLUG GLUG, and got up to leave the inn.
Walking through the streets of Mottled Town, the blue sky, white clouds, and bright sunshine painted a picturesque scene. However, careful observation still revealed traces left by the chaos from a week ago.
Several destroyed buildings were being rebuilt by busy craftsmen. Scaffolding stood tall, the sound of hammering echoed endlessly, and some walls and roads damaged by immense brute force were also being repaired.
Overall, however, order was well-maintained, and the restoration work proceeded systematically. The town was clearly striving to return to its former peace.
According to what Jason had revealed earlier, the timely intervention and proper command of the Ring of Steel squad had kept the damage at the three chaotic locations to an absolute minimum.
Aside from the inevitable casualties, the most "tragic" incident involved the owner of the public bathhouse, Water Bag Fizz.
That night, Fizz had fearlessly acted alone, successfully using the Water Creation Technique to stop the spread of several Fire Demons and... accidentally dumping water right on the head of Maurice, who had come to direct the situation.
But Fizz had indeed tried his absolute best, up until he suffered a backlash from overdrawing his Magic Power. He had fainted, frothing at the mouth, and was still bedridden even now.
In addition, Jason had mentioned that of the three Bear Goblins that caused the chaos that night, the Ring of Steel had killed two.
The remaining one was slain with the help of a mysterious, unnamed Caster who had assisted the guards. This gave Raine a new understanding of the hidden Power within the town.
Amidst his racing thoughts, he arrived at the Guardian Leather Shop in the eastern part of town.
Pushing open the old wooden door, he saw Old Henry still sitting by his small stove, intently prodding a few roasted potatoes with a wooden stick.
Hearing the door open, Old Henry looked up and saw Raine. Uncharacteristically, he initiated a greeting. "Boy, you’re just in time. Your Leather Armor was finished this morning."
His gray eyes lingered on Raine for several seconds before he slowly got up and headed to the back room to fetch the Leather Armor.
Soon, he emerged carrying a brand-new set of Leather Armor and said with seeming nonchalance, "You’re pretty tough, kid, managing to survive under the hands of so many Bear Goblins."
"Master, how did you know?" Raine asked, a little surprised. After all, the Town Council had locked down the information, and the public notices hadn’t mentioned a single word about it.
"Hmph, I can smell the fishy stench of those hairy beasts from streets away." Old Henry snorted, a hint of disdain appearing on his face. "That old fox Maurice might be able to fool those who don’t know the truth, but trying to make this old man believe it? Not that easy!"
He paused, then shrugged. "That brat Jason came by a couple of days ago and gleefully whispered a few things to me. He said you took down two? For someone with such skinny arms and legs, you actually have some skill."
"It wasn’t my achievement alone. It was the result of everyone in the inn working together," Raine replied with a smile, waving his hand slightly.
"But you did do it, didn’t you? I took down one myself back in the day—with this mouth." Old Henry grinned, then laid the pieces of Leather Armor out on the table one by one, his movements as solemn as if he were conducting a ritual.
"Try it on." Old Henry’s eyes gleamed with a craftsman’s unique pride as he first handed the Chest Armor to Raine.
Raine eagerly took it with both hands, his gaze instantly captivated.
The Leather Armor was an understated brownish-black, exuding a warm luster. It felt tough and thick, yet entirely lacked the bulky stiffness of ordinary Hardened Leather Armor.
This was a leather chest vest. The front Chest Armor and the backpiece naturally connected at the shoulders, resembling a sleeveless, hard tunic. Under the left ribs ran a tight row of leather lace-up ties, allowing for minor adjustments depending on the thickness of his inner clothing.
"This is the Main Armor," Old Henry instructed from the side. "Just slip it right on."
Raine followed his instructions, slipping the Main Armor on through the side opening and tightening the leather strings.
The cool leather instantly wrapped around his torso, its weight evenly distributed. He tried rolling his shoulders; the armor fit perfectly, allowing him to move without the slightest hindrance.
"And this, an essential part of the Main Armor." As he spoke, Old Henry handed over a pair of perfectly curved Shoulder Guards.
Raine took them and found leather straps on the inside of the Shoulder Guards that could be cross-fastened to the shoulders of the Main Armor.
No sooner had he buckled the Shoulder Guards than Old Henry handed him a pair of Arm Armors.
"Arms are the most prone to bumps and bruises in combat." The old craftsman pointed to the soft lining inside the Arm Armor. "This part rests against you, while this outer layer of hard leather will block the claws and fangs of Magical Beasts."
Next came the Waist Guard and Skirt Armor, which were sequentially fastened to the waist of the Main Armor with copper buttons to protect his waist and thighs.
Finally, there was a pair of Tibia Armors to protect his lower legs entirely.
Old Henry crouched down and showed Raine how to securely fasten them using the side leather buckles.
When Raine was finally fully equipped, he felt as if he were enveloped by a tamed beast.
The Shoulder Guards rotated slightly with his every movement; the Arm Armors posed no obstruction when he swung his arms; the Skirt Armor fit snugly as he walked, not impeding his stride in the slightest; and the Tibia Armors were solid yet lightweight, still allowing for nimble footwork.
Every component of the Leather Armor performed its duty, working together flawlessly through belts and buckles to form a complete defensive system.
He eagerly performed several full combat motions: drawing his sword, blocking, thrusting, and dodging.
The entire set of Leather Armor seemed to come alive, its various parts cooperating seamlessly with his every intent.
The hardened leather emitted barely audible friction sounds during the intense movement, like the low breathing of a beast.
Old Henry circled around him, pulling here and pressing there, before finally nodding in satisfaction.
Raine looked down at the seamless set of equipment on his body. As he stroked the solid, flexible leather on his chest, a profound sense of security welled up from the bottom of his heart.
"It’s as if it was originally a part of my body." After a long while, Raine finally found the most fitting description.
He had finally donned the Leather Armor of his dreams! With its enhancement, his defensive capabilities would undoubtedly skyrocket!
"Oh, right, there’s one more thing." As if suddenly recalling something, Old Henry turned and walked back into the back room.