<div>
As the last customer of the day departed, Robert made his way upstairs to his office, a sense of anticipation building within him. He settled at his desk and began meticulously reviewing the week''s receipts, a soft whistle escaping his lips as the numbers came into focus. "Twenty-two gold, forty-seven silver, and ninety-one copper," he murmured, a broad smile spreading across his face. "Not bad at all for our first week." After carefully deducting the cost of materials, rent, and taxes, a handsome profit of nine gold remained. "If this were Earth," Robert mused with a chuckle, "that would be a cool twenty grand in the bank. Not quite enough to make me a millionaire, but certainly a comfortable living."
His thoughts turned to his two employees, their eager faces and industrious spirits flashing before his eyes. "Five days of dedicated labor has certainly earned them their wages," he thought. With a practiced hand, he calculated their share of the profits. "Nine gold is ninety thousand copper... two-and-a-half percent of that is two thousand two hundred and fifty copper each. Add in their base pay of one hundred copper for the week, and that comes to..." He paused, tapping his quill against the parchment. "Two thousand three hundred and fifty copper each. Tell you what, I''ll round it up to an even twenty-four silver." A surge of warmth filled his chest as he carefully prepared their pay slips, tucking them into small pouches along with the gleaming silver coins. He then headed downstairs, eager to share the fruits of their collective labor with the girls.
<div>
The girls'' effusive thanks and beaming smiles warmed Robert''s heart as he handed them their earnings. Their gratitude was a constant reminder of how much this opportunity meant to them. Bidding them farewell, he headed home, his mind already turning to the custom orders that awaited his attention. He spent the next few hours meticulously crafting each piece, losing himself in the rhythmic flow of his work. The following morning, an idea sparked within him. He sought out Elara, his eldest apprentice, her eyes always alight with a thirst for knowledge and adventure. "Elara," he began, "would you and Anya be interested in another dungeon delve this afternoon? I believe Clara and Willow are more than capable of managing the shop for a few hours while I escort you."
Elara''s face lit up with excitement. "A dungeon run? That would be amazing, Master Robert!" She eagerly agreed to consult with Anya and relay her answer at the shop. Later that day, a buzz of anticipation filled the air as Robert gathered his apprentices. Clara and Willow, his young employees, readily agreed that they were ready to take on the responsibility of minding the shop alone for a few hours each day, allowing him to focus on his other apprentices'' training. And when Elara arrived, beaming, with Anya''s enthusiastic confirmation, the plan was set in motion. This first excursion would be a trial run. If all went well, Robert envisioned two dungeon runs per week, providing invaluable practical experience and accelerating the girls'' progress on their path to becoming skilled adventurers.
<div>
The following day, Anya and Elara conquered another run of the Twin Falls dungeon, their performance nothing short of impressive. They moved with a newfound grace, anticipating their adversaries'' movements with increasing accuracy, and emerged from the trial unscathed. Though neither gained a level, Anya was tantalizingly close to reaching level 16. Robert projected that approximately nine more runs would see them both reach level 20, a milestone achievable within the next four weeks, leaving them a month shy of guild eligibility. Upon their return, he made a point of updating the Guild Master, Lysandra, on the girls'' progress and inquiring about her search for a suitable junior team. "Lysandra, good afternoon," he began, "I wanted to brief you on Anya and Elara''s development and see how the recruitment is proceeding." He relayed their recent achievements and the estimated timeline for their training. Lysandra beamed, "Robert, you''ve truly excelled as a mentor. You''re challenging them appropriately, ensuring their growth without overwhelming them. They''re going to be exceptional guild members. As for the new teams, I''ve identified two promising candidates who are keen on relocating. They''re expected to arrive in six weeks, a perfectly timed arrival, I''d say. I''ll arrange interviews with you upon their arrival, as I''m certain you''ll want to assess them yourself."
Two days later, another successful dungeon run concluded with Anya achieving a well-deserved level up. Upon their return, Robert reminded Anya and Elara that he and Willow would be departing the following day for Sir Alaric''s keep to begin the enchanting process. After assisting the girls with closing up the shop for the day, he reiterated his upcoming absence, noting the opportune timing as the shop would be closed for the weekend anyway. Back at home, Robert meticulously gathered the necessary materials for the first round of enchanting. The next morning saw Robert rendezvous with Willow at her home. They rented horses, and a subsequent journey marked by four hours of determined riding brought them to the imposing gates of Sir Alaric''s stronghold.
Sir Alaric''s keep stood as a formidable sentinel on the northwest border, a bulwark against the encroaching shadows of the Dark Wood. Constructed of weathered, grey stone, the keep was a study in sturdy practicality. Four imposing walls, each a staggering three hundred feet in length and a full three feet thick, formed a near-perfect square. They rose twenty-five feet high, their surfaces unbroken save for narrow arrow slits that hinted at the vigilance maintained within. The stone, etched with the passage of time and the scars of past conflicts, spoke of the keep''s enduring strength. A single, reinforced gate, likely made of oak and iron, served as the primary entrance, set within the south-facing wall, a silent promise of resistance against any who would threaten the borderlands. This was no mere fortress, but a steadfast guardian, a symbol of unwavering defense against the encroaching wilderness.
Stolen novel; please report.
<div>
As they neared the imposing gate, two heavily armored guards, their forms radiating vigilance, stepped forward to challenge their approach. "State your business," one of them commanded, his voice echoing slightly from within his helmet. Without hesitation, Robert produced his Guild identification, along with the official order, signed by Sir Alaric himself, commissioning the enchantment work. The guard examined the documents meticulously before finally nodding and gesturing them forward. They were then escorted through the gate and into the keep''s outer bailey, where one of Sir Alaric''s squires, young but bearing an air of practiced formality, awaited them. The squire promptly led them into the heart of the keep, the keep proper, to an audience with Sir Alaric.
Robert and Willow were ushered into a brightly lit sitting room and instructed to take a seat, with the assurance that Sir Alaric would join them presently. Their wait was brief; within minutes, Sir Alaric entered, an elegant woman at his side. Robert rose to his feet. "Good day, sir. As you requested, I''m here to begin work on the walls. Allow me to introduce my apprentice, Willow. She''ll be assisting me and learning the craft as we go." Alaric returned the greeting warmly, then gestured to his companion. "Mr. Williams, it''s good to see you. May I introduce my wife, Lady Isolde Ironheart? She was eager to make your acquaintance." Robert turned to the lady, offering a respectful bow. "Lady Isolde, it''s a genuine pleasure." Isolde smiled, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Williams. Finding an Enchanter who isn''t intent on fleecing my husband is a rare treat indeed."
<div>
"After careful consideration, here''s my proposed plan for the walls," Robert explained, his tone professional. "Integrating a self-repair function into the enchantment will require approximately three hours per wall. However," he added with a touch of candor, "I must be forthright; the walls exhibit considerable wear. Activating the enchantment is likely to deplete roughly a quarter of your power reserves initially, though I assure you, I''ll fully replenish them before my departure." A knowing smile touched Sir Alaric''s lips. "Indeed, the walls are due for some maintenance," he conceded. "Typically, we engage an Earth mage every few years to reinforce them, and truth be told, their services are needed now. If your enchantment proves successful, it will save me a considerable two gold pieces on the mage''s fee."
<div>
"Then I shall begin without delay," Robert declared, "if you''ll excuse us, Sir Alaric. Come, Willow, let''s proceed to the first wall." With Sir Alaric''s nod of approval, Robert and Willow made their way to the exterior of the keep. He began by meticulously explaining to Willow how they would integrate the self-repair function into the existing durability enchantment. He candidly pointed out the subpar quality of the current enchantment, confessing a sense of professional obligation to rectify its more glaring flaws while they worked. Willow diligently recorded each step in her notes, her attention unwavering whenever Robert paused to highlight a specific technique or principle. Due to Robert''s meticulous corrections to the underlying durability enchantment, the first wall required an additional hour of work. When Sir Alaric came to check on their progress, Robert explained the reason for the slight delay, emphasizing the improvements he was making. Impressed by Robert''s dedication to quality, Sir Alaric offered additional compensation, but Robert steadfastly refused, asserting that he was simply upholding his standards of craftsmanship.
<div>
Transitioning to the second wall, they continued their meticulous work, completing it just as twilight began to settle over the keep. They called it a day, joining the Ironhearts for a hearty dinner before retiring for the night. The following day dawned, and they commenced work on the third wall, breaking only for a midday meal before tackling the final wall in the afternoon. This last wall proved the most time-consuming, as Robert, with an eye towards mentorship, entrusted Willow with actively participating in the enchantment process. Her skill proved remarkable, requiring Robert to correct only a single minor error. He was genuinely impressed by her aptitude. Once the final enchantment was laid, Robert activated the full array, and as anticipated, the self-repair function immediately began mending the age-worn stones. After patiently waiting an additional hour for the repairs to reach a satisfactory state, Robert recharged the power crystals to their maximum capacity. He then sought out Sir Alaric, informing him of the successful completion of the project.
Aware of the late hour and the long journey ahead, they bid farewell to the Ironhearts and promptly departed for Oakhaven, knowing they would just barely make it back before nightfall. The next day, after the shop opened, one of Sir Alaric''s squires arrived bearing the lord''s gratitude and the agreed-upon payment of ten gold pieces. Robert added this to the previous week''s earnings of thirty-eight gold, bringing the second week''s total to an impressive forty-eight gold. He then distributed 121 silver coins each to Elara and Anya, patiently waiting for their excitement to subside, after which he sent word to Elara and Anya informing them that their dungeon runs would resume in two days, with a final run for the week scheduled three days later. Leaving the girls to manage the shop, he ascended to his workshop above and dedicated the remainder of the day to managing inventory and fulfilling orders, which now included three water heaters, two desk lamps, and three ceiling lights, all commissioned by a clearly satisfied Sir Alaric.