《Is it wrong to fleece adventurers at the item shop?》


 Chapter 1 - Treading new paths

    The sun is shining. It''s warm and a pleasant breeze is blowing in from the sea. It''s a pretty nice day by just about any standard. Well, maybe unless you''re a dark elf or another creature of darkness.


    I''m not able to enjoy it though. My mind is on the letter in my backpack, the future ahead of me and all the possibilities I leave behind, by accepting grandma Iwona''s inheritance.


    I wanted to become an adventurer and see the world. Just a few days ago I would have told as much to anyone asking without a moment''s hesitation. Now though? Now things are different. Very much so.


    The letter is from elder Jaromir, the mayor of Clear Brook, the small village where grandma had been living. She ran a shop there. One catering to adventurers. Apparently she left it to me in her will.


    Well, at least I don''t have to walk all the way from Barter Town to Clear Brook. I''m reminded of the fact, as the ox cart I''m riding on hits another pot hole in the dirt road.


    Agnieszka, the woman holding the reins of the two oxen pulling the wagon, turns around with an apologetic smile and a straw tucked into the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°Sorry about that. That road really is bad this year. Much worse than usual.¡±


    She obviously isn''t fazed by the bumpy ride, despite being quite a bit older than me. I on the other hand am left with a growing bruise on my battered backside. Of course she notices as I rub my aching ass. She laughs out loud and pats the seat at her side.


    ¡°Why don''t you join me up front? That way you can see Clear Brook when we get there. It won''t be long now.¡±


    I nod and climb from the mostly empty bed of the cart to sit next to her. Just as I sit down we hit another pot hole. It is bad enough to almost lift me off my seat. I just barely manage to hold on. I don''t manage to hold onto my sparse lunch though, as my stomach does a somersault. At the last moment I turn sideways to spread what little I had in me across the flowers growing at the wayside.


    As a result the first glimpse of my now home is the one I catch as I straighten back up, wiping my mouth on the short sleeve of my blouse in the process.


    Agnieszka chuckles again and hands me a wicker wrapped bottle.


    ¡°Motion sickness, huh? Have a drink. It''ll numb that stomach of yours a little. It''s some of the last your grandma distilled.¡±


    I take a careful sip and look over at her, one eyebrow raised.


    ¡°She distilled spirits as well?¡±


    The woman brushed some of her graying hair back behind her ear and accepted the bottle back from me to take a sip herself.


    ¡°That she did, among other things. Better to leave the distilling to someone who really knows what they are doing. Better than half the village going blind from bad moonshine for sure.¡±


    I cant argue against that. It is sound logic after all. Thus I take the chance to properly take in the view instead.


    Clear Brook is a pretty idyllic hamlet. Only a few buildings are clustered up around a big tree at the village square. More are spread out along the hills all around. Low dry stone walls and hedges divide up the landscape. There are fields and pastures. Various animals, mostly sheep though, dot the latter. There are plenty of small groves as well. In the distance I can see the edge of the Twilight Forest.


    There are plenty of people of all ages up and about. Most are farmers but there are some adventurers as well. The latter is no big surprise. There are some dungeons nearby in the Twilight Forest after all.


    It is, overall, a pretty pleasant and lively place.


    I stare down at the sandals on my feet for a moment before speaking up.


    ¡°It almost sounds like I will have to fill some pretty big boots.¡±


    Agnieszka takes another swig from her bottle and waves me off.


    ¡°Oh, don''t worry sweety. A little alchemy and a little witchery. Running a shop and distilling some sweet booze. I''m sure you''ll manage.¡±


    I blanch as she lists all the things grandma had been doing. I had no idea. I still have no idea to be honest.


    The woman passes me the bottle again and I take another sip. It actually doesn''t taste half bad and my stomach isn''t acting up anymore either.


    As I raise the bottle, to take another quick sip before handing it back to Agnieszka, she pats me on the back. Well, no, her pats are veritable slaps and I almost do a spit take.


    She breaks into roaring laughter.


    ¡°Like I said, sweety, don''t worry too much. Everyone starts small and everyone knows that. No one expects you to replace your grandma, gods and goddesses bless her soul. Not right away anyway.¡±


    It takes me a moment to stop coughing and get my breathing back under control. By the time I can speak again we are about to reach the village square.


    ¡°Agnieszka, you wouldn''t happen to know where I can find Elder Jaromir. I still need to take care of some formalities.¡±


    She looks up to check on the position of the sun.


    ¡°This time of the day, or rather the afternoon, you''ll probably find him at the inn.¡±


    She points at the building in question. It is the second largest here at the village square, after the temple. The sign above the door suggests that it might be named The Prancing Pony, or something like that. A surprisingly common name for inns.


    Agnieszka''s hand on my shoulder pulls me out of my thoughts.


    ¡°Maybe you shouldn''t disturb him with official business right now though. I''d bet, he will already have had a few mugs by now. Better do it tomorrow morning, when he officiates under the old oak. Parchment is patient anyway. Your grandma''s will and the deed for the house won''t run away over night.¡±


    I nod meekly, as she steers the cart past the inn and onto one of the smaller paths leading away towards some of the outlying homes.


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    We ride in silence for a little while as the oxen pull the cart up the gentle slope of the hill along the curving path of the dirt road.


    Finally Agnieszka pulls on the reigns, prompting the beasts to stop near one of the nearby homes. She nods in the direction of the house.


    ¡°This is it. Your grandma''s home, shop and workshop. There is a little garden out back as well.¡±


    She pauses for a moment, shifting the straw in her mouth from one corner to the other.


    ¡°You can stay here if you want or you can come over and stay at my place. I wouldn''t mind some company. House has been too quiet ever since my husband passed and the children left.¡±


    As she says that, she points in the direction of the last house at the end of the road.


    I have to admit, I''m a little tempted by the offer. In the end I shake my head though.


    ¡°Thanks, but no thanks. I think I should take the chance to get a good look at what I''m getting myself into.¡±


    I grab my backpack, the only luggage I brought, and get off the cart.


    ¡°Thank you for the ride and I guess we will see each other.¡±


    She in turn nods and flicks the reigns to get the oxen going again. Before she disappears down the dirt road she addresses me once more though.


    ¡°Suit yourself. And if you happen to change your mind, my door is always open.¡±


    I just stand there at the roadside for a moment and wave as she leaves me behind. Then I turn to properly take in grandma''s house. The house that will be my new home.


    It is a half timbered house with rock foundations and a slate roof. Wild roses and ivy are growing up the walls. There are flower boxes under the windows as well. Overall it looks pretty charming and well taken care off.


    The only hint that not all is well is the sign, showing some herbs as well as a mortar and pestle combination, which has been taken down. It leans against the wall besides the door instead of swinging in the breeze. It''s a sad sight.


    A wooden board has been affixed to the door as well. It''s short and crisp message lets anyone who knows their letters, which is by far not everyone, know that the shop is closed until further notice.


    I try the handle of the front door and it opens without problem, allowing me a glimpse at a cluttered, mostly dark room. I don''t enter though, closing it again instead.


    Instead of entering right away I turn left to make my way around the house once. Bees, bumblebees and various other insects buzz all around me as I walk past the plants clinging to the walls. I slow my steps a little not to agitate any of them. I really don''t feel like getting stung right now.


    As expected I find another door in the back. It leads out to the garden. I grimace a little at the sight that greets me. It is a little overgrown. I''m sure that most of the plants are still various herbs but they haven''t been properly tended for some while at least. Fixing this mess will take some work and time.


    I stop at the fresh grave under one of the trees at the garden''s edge, kneel and brush my fingers over the headstone. An actual stone with neatly engraved letters! In the city only rich people are able to afford something like this.


    ¡°I''m sorry Grandma. Gods and goddesses bless your soul. I wish I had come a little earlier.¡±


    I kiss the stone and brush away a tear as I rise again.


    After I discover the stairs leading down to the creek to which the village owes its name I turn around and head back to the house. The back door opens as easily as the front door.


    Are the people here really not in the habit of locking their doors? No, that isn''t it. The door has no lock, the same as the front door. There is only a bar on the inside. It is actually pretty solid. It can only be used to block the door from the inside though.


    Well, that is one little mystery solved. I look around the backroom. It is too dark to see much though. I open the shutters on one of the windows to let in a little more light.


    The room is far more orderly than the front room. Most of it serves as a workshop. I can see most of the basic tools an alchemist needs as well as some gear used for enchanting. Cauldrons, pestles, mortars, various bottles and jars as well as an enchanting table and a mana mill.


    There is none of the much more extensive and fancy equipment I''m used to from the academy in Barter Town but what I see will certainly be good enough to get me started. More importantly everything is well taken care off despite the obvious age of some of the pieces. Especially the biggest of the cauldrons seems to be truly be ancient.


    Agnieszka''s words come back to me as I brush my fingers over its rim. Some witchery indeed. It wouldn''t surprise me if this particular cauldron were old enough to have been standing here back then when witches and druids still practiced a much more ancient, intuitive kind of magic so very different from what we work today.


    It is enough to put a smile on my face even as more tears trickle down my cheeks.


    I leave the workshop behind, to peek behind a wall that partitions off part of the greater room. It quickly becomes obvious that this is where grandma lived. Or rather this is where she spent what little time she didn''t spend working or minding the store.


    There is a well made bed with a solid wooden chest at the foot end. Together these two pieces of furniture take up most of the available space, leaving just enough room to move about and get changed.


    I take a peek inside the chest. The smell of soap scented with herbs hits me hard. A simple measure to keep moths away from the clothes stored inside. The clothes in turn aren''t anything fancy and from what I can see have been patched up in places but they are still serviceable. I''m not sure if any will fit me though. Well, never mind, I''ll find out eventually. For now I have what I brought with me.


    I check the bed as well. It smells of the same soap. Grandma probably made it herself. The linens are clean and the straw of the mattress is fresh. It is at least as good as my bed in the dorms at the academy.


    As I head in the direction of the door separating the back room from the front room I stop as something brushes up against my legs.


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    I stop and stare for the briefest of moments. Then I crouch down to pet the black cat that has somehow found its way inside.


    ¡°Oh my! Hello there. Didn''t see you coming in. Are you grandma''s? Or are you just at home in the neighborhood and decided to drop by to check on the new face?¡±


    The cat, of course, doesn''t answer. It starts purring though as I scratch it behind the ears. It certainly isn''t feral. Did grandma have a familiar? The letters we exchanged never mentioned one. I might have to ask around. Just in case.


    ¡°Well, either way, its nice getting to know you. I''ll be taking over grandma''s shop. Please take good care of me.¡±


    I brush my hand across the little creature''s glossy black fur once more, all the way from the head to the tip of the tail and rise again. Curiously enough it doesn''t follow me as I open the door to the front room, heading back outside instead. Well, cats will be cats.


    It is much darker in the front room. Only a little light falls in through the closed shutters of the windows and the door I''m standing in. It is just barely enough to move around without bumping into anything and there certainly are plenty of things I could bump into. The room is pretty cluttered.


    I frown and turn back. I don''t really feel like stumbling around in the dark. It takes me a little while to find what I''m looking for. A simple, cheap candle lantern. Well, cheap is a relative term. Good candles are anything but cheap. Bees only produce so much wax after all.


    Instead of lighting it right away I decide on another course of action. I head to the enchanting table and take the already half used up candle out of the lantern to place it in the middle of the table.


    After a little search I find a piece of enchanter''s chalk that will still serve its purpose. It it not actually a chalk at all. It consists of a mixture of wax, chalk and enchanting dust. I''ll eventually have to make new ones but that shouldn''t be a problem since the workshop has a mana mill to generate enchanting dust. Chalk and wax should be easy enough to get around here.


    Never mind that though. With practiced ease I start drawing runes in a circle around the candle. The enchantment I''m going for is one I have used often before. It''s one of the first that students are taught at the academy.


    I''m having a little more trouble with it than I''m used to this time though. The enchanting table isn''t like the ones at the academy after all. Those have a section that can be rotated so you can just keep writing a full enchanting circle without having any trouble. This table has no such thing. Thus I have to adjust to writing part of the circle upside down as I can''t even go around the table since it is up against a wall.


    In the end I prevail though. As I finish the last line the circle is drawn into the candle, the enchantment taking hold.


    [Success! Great job creating an enchantment in an unfamiliar workshop! The Dawn Maiden gifts you 3 points for the Magician Arcana as a reward.]


    I bask in the divine message for a moment. Many people go years without hearing one. The gods and goddesses don''t hand out rewards for mundane or repetitive tasks after all.


    I pick up the candle and look at it from all sides, activating one of the few divine gifts I have acquired so far: the appraisal skill.


    [Everlasting Candle, Quality: Uncommon, A candle that will burn for about half a year once lit.]


    A small smile finds its way onto my lips. Very good. Of course the candle would last a whole year if it hadn''t already been burnt down halfway. Well, it is good enough for now.


    I put the candle back into the lantern and light it. With the lit lantern in hand I return to the front room which obviously serves as a shop. One thing that quickly becomes obvious is that grandma was dealing in more than just potions and enchantments.


    Among other things I stumble across bins, or rather barrels, with various used gear. Swords, daggers, maces and axes are only some of the things I find. There are some rough cut stands with used armor as well.


    None of the things on display are new but they are pretty well taken care off as far as I can tell. Nothing looks like it would break anytime soon. Well, adventurers need new gear every so often and just as often it would be wasteful to just throw the old onto a trash pile.


    Then my gaze comes to rest upon a wooden sign put up next to the door. On it I can read three lines written in big, bold letters. Each one ending with an exclamation mark. Coin only! You break it, you buy it! No refunds!


    I''m still giggling like a madwoman when I return to the backroom to get ready for bed.

 Chapter 2 - To whom the bell tolls

    I wake up surprisingly early the next morning and not to the sound of temple bells either as I''m used to. Instead it is the village''s roosters making a racket that has me wake with a start.


    Well, it doesn''t matter all that much what woke me up. Since I''m awake I might as well get up. Not that I have a habit of sleeping in or anything. Not usually at least. At least not when I haven''t been out drinking the evening before.


    I swing my feet out of bed, yawn and stretch thoroughly. Then I grab my clothes and essentials and head out back and down the stairs to the creek to get ready for the day.


    Not having an indoor bath with running water is something that will take some getting used to again. The academy might have pampered me a little with the facilities provided there.


    By the time I''m done the temple bells ring. Their clear and bright sound carrying pretty well. Of course. In a small village like Clear Brook the temple probably can''t afford big bells like the ones in bigger towns or cities. Just as well. I like the lighter and brighter sound of these much better anyway.


    Once I''m done washing and getting ready for the day I head back up to the house. As I cross the garden I see the cat from yesterday. It is sitting on the chopping block, intended for chopping firewood, behind the house. It doesn''t even spare me a glance as it is entirely focused on the overgrown garden.


    The rustling of leaves is the first hint as to why. A moment later, as I come closer, a little rodent bursts forth from neglected shrubs and the cat pounces.


    The mouse has no chance. It squeaks in terror as the feline predator sends it flying with a swipe of its paw. It is dazed as it lands and that is all the opportunity the mouser needs.


    The cat pounces again. This time it bites down hard and the rodent falls silent, hanging limply from the cat''s mouth.


    I blink in surprise. It all happened so fast. The cat looks up at me as if only taking notice of me now. I blink again.


    ¡°Nice knowing I have a professional on pest control around here. Feel free to help yourself to any mice you find.¡±


    Now it is the cat''s turn to blink. Does it actually understand me? Well, whatever. It doesn''t stick around. It just slinks off in the direction of Agnieszka''s farmhouse, mouse and all, with its tail lazily waving left and right.


    I take this opportunity to head back inside. Although it looks like the cat is doing a pretty good job keeping the mice at bay, I decide to take another look around the house. This time I keep my eyes open for any signs that might hint at rodents that have made it inside. Thankfully I find none.


    In theory I could head down to the village square to meet with the elder now. I might still be a little early though. If the elder has the habit to drink late in the evening he might have a habit of sleeping in in the morning as well after all. No need to be a bother.


    Thus I decide to take my time. I don''t want to just sit around though. I could get started with the garden, but that seems to be a task that might just take more than just a little time. In the end I decide to properly take stock of the shop instead.


    The first thing I do is to open the windows of the front room. My newly enchanted lantern is nice, but some daylight still goes a long way to help. For the first time I get a really good look at everything, not counting the cursory glance from last evening.


    I pull a light sword from one of the bins. Or is it a heavy dagger? I''m really not sure. It certainly is bigger and heavier than I blade I have ever held. I weigh it in my hand and look at it from various angles to trigger the appraisal skill.


    [Rusty short sword, Quality: Common, A mass produced, short, straight sword. A little rusty but still good to use.]


    Well, it is a short sword after all and it certainly is a little rusty. It is only a thin layer of rust though and only along the blades back. The edge is good and apparently well oiled.


    I''m about to put it back when something catches my attention. Tied to the hilt is a small wooden plaque. As It turn it over I can see that a number has been burned into the other side. No, it is not just a number. It is a price, which would make the wooden plaque a price tag.


    The sword isn''t the only item with one either. As I look around I can see similar plaques tied to everything in the bins and on the shelves.


    I breath a sigh of relief. Good. Those will be a great help. If I want to keep selling used gear, like grandma apparently did, I need to figure out how to price these things properly. Maybe I should ask the local smith for some pointers on the price of used weapons and armor later? Hopefully they were on good terms with grandma.


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    Finally I put the slightly rusty sword back into the bin. I wipe my hands on my overalls and head for one of the shelves with potion bottles. Some are small glass vials. Others are made of copper or brass. Most are glazed ceramics though.


    I stop dead in my tracks. Damn, I''ll need to look into finding out who supplied grandma. Can''t really brew any potions without bottles after all. My gaze drift back to the used gear. Maybe I could buy back empty bottles? Or could I offer a discount to customers returning their empty bottles? Hmm, I''ll have to think about it some more.


    For now I take one of the small bottles off the shelf. The red color of the liquid and the symbol of the Sun Mother worked into the glass already tell me that it is a healing potion of some sort.


    I use appraisal on it anyway. The skill usually gives me some more details after all. It doesn''t fail me this time either.


    [Lesser Healing Potion, Quality: Common, A healing potion that will heal a minor injury. Still good to use for another 14 days.]


    I nod to myself. It is pretty much what I expected. Potions like these are a staple for adventurers. Do you have a minor cut, a bruise or some light rope burn? Drink one of those and all is good! Is it anything more serious like a sword stuck in your guts? You better hope you have something more potent with you!


    These are pretty easy to make as well. The most common recipe I know calls for Wild Rose petals, Bitterleaf, a little honey and some clean water. Those are pretty common and readily available ingredients.


    If the adventurers here are anything like those back in Barter Town grandma must have sold plenty of those. I look at the price tag and my left eye starts twitching a little. Unless she gathered all the ingredients herself and drove a mean bargain for the bottles she wouldn''t have made much of a profit with them.


    I put the potion back and pick up one from a little further back in the shelf. This one too is a healing potion. I use appraisal on it as well, just to make sure.


    [Lesser Healing Potion, Quality: Common, A healing potion that will heal a minor injury. Still good to use for another 28 days.]


    I nod again as realization dawns upon me. Of course! Grandma must have put the freshly made potions in the back to make sure the older ones were out front and would get bought first. That way none would go bad. Well, at least in theory.


    I blush a little. It is so glaring obvious in hindsight, I feel stupid only realizing it now. It seems I still have a lot to learn and it is better to learn these lessons now and like this, rather than later when a customer complains about a potion gone bad.


    I put that one back as well and look at the rest of the potions on display. Mana Potions are the second most common followed by Stamina Potions.


    Some of the teachers at the academy tended to quaff the former like water. I shake my head. That probably isn''t healthy but who am I to tell them, or anyone else for that matter. To everyone their own.


    The latter on the other hand are popular with all adventurers. They can get you out of a tight spot after all. When your muscles are tired and ache a few gulps of a Stamina Potion will grant you a second wind.


    I know recipes for both of those as well. That means I can produce most of the items kept in stock, which, as far as I''m concerned, is a good thing.


    Now I have dallied long enough though. Time to go and see the elder.

 Chapter 3 - Chance meetings

    I check to make sure none of my clothes are dirty and that my hair isn''t a complete mess. Then I grab my pack and leave the house. I close the door behind me but I leave the shutters of the windows open.


    Agnieszka''s comment from yesterday suggests that I don''t have to worry about burglars. Hopefully I''m not jumping to conclusions in that regard. I doubt it though and a little fresh air certainly won''t hurt either.


    The house is generally well taken care off but for some reason I doubt anyone actually opened the windows ever since grandma''s passing and the smell of alchemicals and herbs isn''t for everyone. I don''t mind, I''m used to it after all. Others might not feel the same way though.


    It is still a little chilly, but that doesn''t stop anyone from going about their day as far as I can tell. Farmers are heading out to tend the fields, children herd animals onto the pastures or into the small groves and a number of adventurers already head in the direction of the Twilight Forest, some alone, others in small groups.


    Only the bees from yesterday don''t seem to be in a hurry. They aren''t missing much though as the blossoms of the various plants growing around the house and up its walls are only just opening. The place might just be abuzz with activity once I return from my errands.


    I leave the house behind and turn to follow the path back down to the village square. Thankfully Clear Brook is actually small enough that I don''t have to worry about getting lost. That had been different in Barter Town. The first days after my arrival there had been hell.


    I don''t get very far before someone calls out, presumably to me.


    ¡°Hey! Hey you!¡±


    Well, its more of a bellow than anything else. Its almost enough to make me jump.


    The voice is male, loud and, to be honest, it sounds more than a little brash and uncouth.


    As I turn, I quickly spot the man to whom the voice belongs. He is tall, has wide shoulders and is heavily muscled. There is no way to miss the latter as the only things he wears are boots, a loincloth and a wide, fur brimmed belt, with a big, ornate belt buckle, from which various metal bottles and a pouch dangle.


    I blink and can''t help but stare.


    Well, his state of dress or rather the lack thereof would explain his tan. Is he one of those barbarians from the north? No, those supposedly wear a lot of fur brimmed clothes, don''t they? Or could it be that our moderately warm late spring mornings are already too warm for his liking? Or does he run around like that just to look tough?


    He isn''t alone either, although I have to admit that I only really take notice of his companion, as she slaps the back of his head.


    ¡°We have talked about that, old man! Mind your manners! You can''t just go around hollering on the street as you please!¡±


    She is quite a bit younger than her companion, and appears to be a spellcaster of some sort. I can''t quite tell which tradition she follows though. She could be a wizard or a witch.


    It can be hard to tell at times. They both tend to wear the same wide brimmed, pointy hats and a wizard''s robe and a witch''s dress can look very much alike.


    And what a dress that is she is wearing! I blush at the sight. She obviously isn''t afraid to show of her very generous charms. All thoughts about that flee my mind though, as she flashes me a smile.


    ¡°Sorry about my old man. I have been trying to teach him to mind his manners, but he can be a bit daft at times. Probably has been hit in the head a few times too many.¡±


    The old man in question, now that they are a little closer I can actually see the gray spreading in his curly shoulder length hair, grumbles but bows his head to apologize in the end anyway.


    ¡°Sorry about that.¡±


    After his rather sheepish apology the magician takes over again.


    ¡°This is my father, Bogomil, he is a barbarian from the north, as you can probably tell, and I''m Danuta. I''m a witch. And anyway, we couldn''t help but notice that you came from Iwona''s shop. You wouldn''t happen to be the granddaughter she kept talking about? Any chance that the shop will reopen any time soon?¡±


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    I nod along with her introduction. At the same time though I can''t take my eyes off her. The way she is rocking on her tiptoes as she talks excitedly sets her ample bosoms in motion in the most mesmerizing way.


    It takes considerable effort to order my thoughts so I won''t stutter as I introduce myself in turn and answer her question the best I can.


    ¡°I''m Valeria and yes, Iwona was my grandma ¡­¡±


    Only then do I properly realize that Danuta mentioned another little fact.


    ¡°... she talked about me? Ah, never mind! Well, I''ll do my best to get the shop running again. As a matter of fact I''m about to see elder Jaromir about the paperwork.¡±


    The graying barbarian groans.


    ¡°Paperwork. I''ll never understand why you people burden yourself with madness like that. Couldn''t you just shake hands in front of witnesses to seal a deal, like most sane people?¡±


    He sounds grumpy but at the same time not seriously mad. His witch daughter elbows him in the side as well, but in the end we all share a laugh. It seems all three of us have made our experiences with the necessary evil that is bureaucracy. It is just something you can''t avoid in this day and age. Not unless you are willing to live well beyond any civilized place, like in the far north.


    I wipe away a tear, as I finally can bring myself to stop laughing and regain some measure of composure.


    ¡°So, I guess I''ll see you around?¡±


    Bogomil nods with a wide smile in place.


    ¡°You sure will. At the shop or around the village. Once we are back from our most recent adventure at least. My little girl wants a new staff and we''ll need to head a little deeper into the Twilight Forest to get the wood for it.¡±


    Danuta rolls her eyes, as he calls her his little girl, but decides to provide a little more detail anyway.


    ¡°A weeping willow''s heartwood from a dryad''s grove. The nearest we know is about two days in. We''ll probably be back in four or maybe five days. A week at worst. At least that is my guess.¡±


    I nod. The implements used by the various magicians, staffs, scepters or brooms, or whatever else, have to be made from special woods. Even I as an alchemist knew that much despite not using any such tools myself.


    ¡°Well, good luck with your search for the right wood! I probably shouldn''t keep you any longer. Godspeed!¡±


    We shake hands and are each on our own way again. Well, at least these two are on their way once more.


    I, not so much. I stand there and follow them with my gaze absentmindedly for a moment or maybe two, while my thoughts are heading in another direction.


    What a pair! But supposedly many adventurers have some quirks. Those two might be the most harmless ones in the long run as far as I could tell. Still, it seems they looked forward to the shop reopening. Hopefully the same is true for other adventurers as well. It would be good for business!


    Finally I manage to tear my gaze away from the duo, as they slowly gain some distance. As I resume my trip to the village square my steps are a little lighter. So is my heart. There might even be a little smile on my lips. That chance encounter really put me in a good mood.


    Things get even more lively as I get closer to the village square, if you want to call the few buildings arranged around the old oak at its center that. It is naturally the inn that is bustling with activity the most. It is where most adventurers, and traveling merchants as well, spend their night. It is where they get their breakfast too. The temple and the smithy are pretty busy as well.


    Another small center of activity marks my destination. That much is not hard to guess. An old man with a long white, except for some ink stains, beard, has set up his office there under the ancient tree.


    He sits on a wooden stool and has a simple writing desk set up in front of him with various writing supplies and what looks like documents in a reinforced wooden chest to his side. The setup is so simple, it immediately puts my mind at ease. This isn''t at all like the clerks'' offices in the city where they rule supreme like little tyrants in their own right.


    Right now the elder is penning a letter for another man, probably a farmer, with a few others standing around them providing commentary that might or might not be helpful. Despite this he almost immediately notices me as I approach.


    ¡°Ah, a new face, and what a beautiful one at that! You have to be Iwona''s granddaughter, Valeria, right?¡±


    I raise an eyebrow.


    ¡°I am, but how could you tell?¡±


    That prompts him to laugh a good natured laugh and a few of the others around us join in. He taps his left ear with his free hand.


    ¡°The ears, dear. Its the ears. We don''t get too many elves or half elves around here. Especially if they aren''t adventurers. Now, why don''t you sit down with us. Just give me a little time to get this letter finished and I''ll be all there for you.¡±

 Chapter 4 - Sit a while

    I don''t sit down with the elder right away. First I make a quick trip to the inn, which is indeed called The Prancing Pony. The place is quite busy, but despite that fact I don''t have to wait long until it is my turn to get something to eat.


    For two bronze Crowns I get a piece of buttered, toasted bread with some bacon, pickled vegetables and cheese on it. For another bronze coin I could have gotten a sunny side up egg on top of it all, but since I''m eating on the go I don''t want to risk making a mess of myself by accident.


    I''m pleasantly surprised by the price. I initially expected that I would have to pay more. Well, maybe I won''t have to raise the prices at the shop after all. I''m pleasantly surprised by the flavors of the ingredients blending together as well, as I take my first bite. Oh! What a treat!


    When I return to the elder under the old oak, he is still busy with that letter. By the sounds of it, it might just take a little while to sort everything out. I don''t mind though. After all I have something tasty to keep me occupied and pass a little time.


    It is, strictly speaking, none of my business, but I decide to listen in a little anyway. It doesn''t take me long to get the gist of it. Apparently the farmer''s son is getting married some time soon and the men were discussing whom of the extended family from Hollow Oaks to invite and what presents to suggest they bring.


    Getting married. Well that was a thought that hasn''t really crossed my mind in ages. Not since I was a little girl. Hearing the men discuss some of the particularities doesn''t exactly endear me to the idea again either. Well, whatever. It isn''t my wedding, thus these aren''t really my problems.


    Except, it seems even just thinking that particular thought jinxed me, as the groom''s father moves a away from the others, while the rest keep discussing matters, to address me.


    ¡°Ah, excuse me Miss. Please forgive me for disturbing your morning meal, but you wouldn''t happen to be Iwona''s granddaughter?¡±


    I look up at him with wide eyes, shove the rest of the bread, bacon and pickles and all, into my mouth and swallow hard. It is almost too much, but in the end I manage not to choke on anything. As I get up to shake his hand I nod.


    ¡°Uh yes, I am. The name is Valeria.¡±


    He smiles and shakes my hand. His hand is rough, as is to be expected from a hard working man, and his grip is strong.


    ¡°Good! Good! You wouldn''t mind talking business once you have all the formalities taken care of, would you?¡±


    Talking about business sounds good. I just hope I''m not putting the cart in front of the horse.


    ¡°Sure! What were you thinking of?¡±


    His smile brightens up even further.


    ¡°Well, you see, we are still missing the most important gifts for the bride and the groom.¡±


    I blink in confusion. The most important gifts? I run through the things that come to my mind but before I can actually come up with something he continues.


    ¡°Two girdles of fertility.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    I''m speechless, even if just for a moment. Those are indeed a central part of most wedding ceremonies. Not all but still most. In the end I feel that I need to ask for clarification though.


    ¡°I assume you do not mean a simple, symbolic length of rope groom and bride tie around each other much like a belt would be worn?¡±


    He shakes his head.


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    ¡°No, no. I know that is how many of the city folks do it because they can''t afford actual enchanted girdles. We will have none of that around here though. We are all free men and women. We own the land we work.¡±


    He gets worked up more and more with each word. Thankfully he realizes it though and finishes only after taking a deep breath and calming down a little.


    ¡°Its a matter of pride for us.¡±


    I, in turn, nod along with his words. They do not come entirely unexpected, even if I''m a little surprised. It is like he said after all. Most city folk, mostly those who are unskilled labor, wouldn''t be able to afford an actual enchanted artifact, never mind two. Those usually were reserved for nobles and patricians or in rare cases successful adventurers.


    ¡°Very well. I know the enchantment. I''ll just have to make sure I have everything I need first. Why don''t you drop by the shop in the evening or sometime tomorrow when you are free?¡±


    He smiles and shakes my hand.


    ¡°I''ll drop by tomorrow. Should be able to make a little time once the cows have been milked and are out on the pastures.¡±


    Well, apparently adventurers would not be the only ones bringing business my way. Good for me!


    After that it doesn''t take them long to finalize the letter they have been arguing about. A few coins change possession, then it is finally my turn, as the farmer and his small entourage leave to go about the rest of their day.


    The elder motioned me over to sit a little closer.


    ¡°Welcome to Clear Brook, dear! Don''t worry, this won''t take long!¡±


    ¡°It won''t?¡±


    I am both relieved as well as a little confused and wary.


    He just nods though, pats a leather bound book he pulls out of the chest at his side and continues.


    ¡°I already closed your grandmother''s ledger and prepared a new one for you. Essentially you only have to put your seal on the document that you accept the inheritance and you are good to go.¡±


    I blink. Could it really be this easy? Despite his reassurance I''m not quite ready to believe it.


    ¡°But what about inheritance tax?¡±


    He listens politely but shakes his head in the end. His smile suggests that he doesn''t mind the question though. I''m probably not the first one to ask.


    ¡°Lord Antek exempt us from the usual inheritance tax since we are a frontier settlement. He is about as fond of bureaucracy as anyone else except career bureaucrats.¡±


    He pats the thick, leather bound book again.


    ¡°You will only be taxed on any sales you make. One tenth for the lord and another tenth for the temple. Just make sure your ledger is well kept and in order. You can pay your tithes either at midsummer or at midwinter. What would you prefer?¡±


    I sigh a big sigh of relief. Of course, bureaucracy is kept to a minimum in frontier settlements. That explains it. There probably is some kind of flat tax for adventurers operating from here as well, but that isn''t something I need to concern myself with.


    I rummage through my pack in search of my seal.


    ¡°Are there any other things I need to be aware of?¡±


    He ponders my question for a moment and nods.


    ¡°Since you will own land, even if its just a little, you will be required to be able to defend yourself and the rest of the village, or aid the defense in some other way, should we ever be attacked. We had an agreement with your grandmother that she would supply us, within reason, with healing potions to fulfill that requirement. Would you like to do the same?¡±


    The search for my seal takes me a little longer than initially anticipated as I listen to his explanation as well. That sounds reasonable enough. It certainly sounds better than wasting time learning to wield a weapon I would hopefully never have to use. In the end I find the little block of jade with my seal carved into it and nod.


    ¡°That sounds good.¡±


    As he sees me producing my seal he pulls a neatly folded piece of parchment from his chest.


    ¡°Take your time and read it. We aren''t in a hurry after all. Once you are done just place your seal at the bottom next to mine.¡±


    I do just that. Once I''m satisfied that there will be no unpleasant surprises I prick myself in the finger and wet the seal with a few drops of my blood before placing it on the parchment next to the old mans''.


    [You sealed a deal that has the potential to change your life! The Sun Mother is your witness and gifts you 4 points for the Wheel of Fortune Arcana as a reward.]


    I perk up at the divine message whispered into my ear. The second in two days!


    The old man must have guessed it as well. He chuckles.


    ¡°A divine message, yes? We tend to receive them more often when embarking on a new path. Anyway, congratulations!¡±


    He offers me his hand and I shake it.


    ¡°I''m mighty glad we have an alchemist and enchanter in the village again! I''d wish you the best of luck with the shop, but by the sounds of what I overheard you won''t be relying on luck much.¡±


    He chuckles once more.


    ¡°Don''t hesitate to ask if you need help with anything though and take some time to get to know the rest of the village!¡±

 Chapter 5 - Putting up that sign

    I clutch the new ledger the elder gifted me close to my chest as I follow the path back up to grandma''s house. No, that isn''t right. It is officially my house now. My home. My shop. My responsibility.


    I step to the side to make room for another group of adventurers heading out into the cursed Twilight Forest. They are in high spirits, chatting happily as if they weren''t about to risk their lives.


    They barely take any note of me as they walk by. Only the priestess of the Dusk Maiden bringing up the rear nods and flashes me a smile.


    I return both the nod and the smile before resuming my own march. Well, maybe it is for the better that I''m not one of them after all. Yes, it probably is for the better, despite the childish fantasies of years that are long gone. It isn''t just the monsters and the traps either. I can''t even begin to imagine spending days in the forest or one of its dungeons without a proper bed, a warm hearth, fresh food and the whole rest of civilization anymore.


    I shrug and look down at the book I hold closely. It isn''t much of a book, at least not when compared to real books. It isn''t one of those though. No, it is a ledger. In it I will have to record the sales and purchases of my little shop. It is scary in a way, as this ledger is the merciless measure of my success.


    The numbers in this book will not lie. Well, they could, but that way lies a path that ends with a noose around my broken neck. It is a path I will not contemplate any further. I''ll just have to make sure to make the shop a success! There is no way around it!


    Finally I''m back home. I stop to contemplate the thought. Yes, this is home now. The smell of the flowering wild roses and the buzzing of the bees put a smile on my face. Yes, I really like that sound. The smell too. It has been a while since I last felt at home like this anywhere.


    I shake my head to drive away these errant thoughts. I have work to do!


    I walk around the house and head to the rear entrance. I stop before reaching it though. I''m once again greeted by a cat. It isn''t the same one as before though. This one is a ginger. It seems my garden is a popular spot among the felines of the village.


    Unlike the other cat this one doesn''t seem to be very busy though. Not unless you count napping as being busy. It just lies there, curled up on the wooden bench next to the door, and barely deigns to take note of me.


    ¡°My! Hello there. Don''t let me disturb you.¡±


    I scratch it behind the ears and it yawns once before going right back to sleep.


    Well, never mind. As long as the cats don''t start a brawl in my backyard everything should be fine. For now there are things that need to be taken care of.


    Before I get started on anything else I drop the ledger off at the counter in the shop. This is where I''ll probably be needing it after all. I drop my bag off on the bed along the way as well.


    Leaving the windows open has the desired effect as well. The air is already a lot better. I''m slightly reluctant but I close at least those in the back, or at least most of them, once more.


    A slight draft might be desirable while brewing potions, but it certainly would be less than helpful while working on an enchantment. And anyway, I have the lantern I enchanted just yesterday now to provide the needed light.


    Its not like I will start work on those girdles of fertility mentioned by the farmer right away, but I might as well make sure that I have everything needed to create them.


    That piece of enchanter''s chalk I used yesterday won''t last me long enough to enchant one, never mind two of those things. I need to make some more. Even if the worst should happen and the farmer and I could not reach an agreement I would eventually need more enchanter''s chalk.


    With renewed vigor I start rummaging through the various drawers of the workshop in search of the ingredients I need. The first thing I find is a chunk of wax that should serve my purpose. Actually, I probably won''t even need a quarter of it. It takes me slightly longer to find the chalk I need. What I don''t find is a cache of enchanting dust.


    I sigh as my gaze shifts towards the small mana mill sitting on the other end of the workbench. Damn. This is the part of enchanting I really am not fond of in the least.


    At a glance it might just look like any other hand mill, a tool one can find in army camps or among traveling folk. In truth it is so much more though. It is an enchanted tool itself and any student aspiring to become an enchanter can testify that it is a nefarious torture device.


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    It draws a little trickle of mana from the world''s dragon veins and crystallizes it, only to grind it down into a fine dust similar in consistency to flour. And while that might sound easy enough it takes hours to produce enough enchanting dust to fill even a small paper bag or a little locket. Hours you have to spend cranking the mill''s handle.


    A shiver runs down my spine as the mere thought prompts memories of my first weeks at the academy to resurface. Gods and goddesses, I wish I could just forget all about that and never ever remember!


    The teachers had us work those mills for hours day in and day out for weeks until they were satisfied with the consistency of the enchanter''s dust we produced.


    I rub my right arm, as I remember the cramps and the pain and sigh. Well, there is no helping it. I can''t make enchanter''s chalk without finely ground, crystallized mana after all.


    Before I can get started I hear a knock from the front door and an unfamiliar voice calls out to me.


    ¡°Hello? Anyone home? I heard the shop is going to reopen.¡±


    Glad for the distraction I leave the hand mill where it is and head through the shop to the front door. I call out to my visitors in turn just to make sure they don''t leave before I get to them.


    ¡°Coming!¡±


    As I open the door a trio of adventurers, all young men who can''t be any older than me, is waiting. Their gear suggests that they are still pretty new. They aren''t necessarily inexperienced though. Everything seems rather utilitarian and they don''t seem to carry anything that doesn''t serve a purpose.


    If they have a little luck on top of everything else, they probably will be able to make a name for themselves eventually.


    The one standing in front, probably the one who knocked as well, seems to be a warrior. He can''t quite hide his surprise upon seeing me but flashes me a smile anyway. The other two, probably a bard and a monk of some sort, seem a little surprised as well but not in a bad way either.


    It is the one I take to be a bard who speaks up first and it becomes obvious that while the warrior might have knocked, he was the one who called out to me.


    ¡°I''m sorry about our sudden visit, but we need a backup weapon for Lotar, our warrior. And since we are in a hurry and I heard that your shop was about to reopen I thought we might as well drop by instead of visiting the blacksmith.¡±


    He doesn''t mention that the second hand weapons are considerably cheaper than anything you can get directly from the blacksmith, but that probably factors in as well. Never mind though. A sale is a sale after all.


    ¡°Well, I just got here yesterday and sealed the paperwork with the elder a little earlier today, but never mind that. Come on in and have a look at what is in store.¡±


    I glance at the sheepishly smiling warrior once more and nod in the direction at the far end of the counter.


    ¡°Bladed weapons, yes? Swords are in the second to last bin and daggers in the one beyond it.¡±


    Lotar nods and heads in the mentioned direction as the trio files in. The other two have a look at the potions while their comrade checks out the blades on sale.


    It looks like they are pretty familiar with the shop. They might have been regulars with grandma. Sadly it doesn''t look like the bard or the monk will buy anything. They are just window shopping while their comrade gets the backup weapon he needs.


    I don''t mind though. Just having them here, looking at the potions in the shelves, while I retreat behind the counter, makes the place feel much more alive already.


    Lotar doesn''t take long to pick the one weapon he wants. It is a sword only a little shorter than the one he already wears at his hip. He looks at the price tag as he walks over to me.


    ¡°A silver Crown? Say, you wouldn''t be able to give me a little discount? Let''s say eleven bronze Crowns instead?¡±


    I cringe a little. Not because he is haggling in general, although the price is pretty low to begin with. A glance at the signs besides the door reminds me that grandma had no policy against haggling either. I cringe because he is only trying to haggle me down a single bronze coin. That doesn''t exactly leave me any wiggle room. I can either say yes or no, but I can''t haggle any further.


    A quick glance at the bard and the monk reassures me that I''m not the only one feeling that way. The bard sighs and even the monk rolls his eyes. Their comrade really isn''t very good at this.


    I smile anyway.


    ¡°Fine. You have to do me a little favor though. You noticed the sign outside, yes? You have to help me put it back up. I think it might be a little too heavy for me. Deal?¡±


    His face brightens immediately, almost as if he expected me to turn him down.


    ¡°Deal!¡±


    We shake hands and he counts the coins from his purse onto the counter while I enter my first sale into the ledger.


    On their way out the trio puts the shop''s sign back up as promised and I wave them goodbye as they leave in the direction of the Twilight Forest.

 Chapter 6 - Cranking that handle

    Once the trio is gone things become quiet again. Well, at least I have the sign up on its hinges again. That way anyone should be able to see from afar, that the shop is back in business. That is one small worry off my mind. Maybe I should still do some advertising though. It probably wouldn''t hurt.


    How do you advertise in a small village like Clear Brook though? I''m not quite sure. Most news are passed along by village''s gossips and the rumor mill already seems to be hard at work. Nothing else I can do there. Well, I can still make sure to be seen. That never hurts.


    I shake my head and push away these thoughts. I''ll worry about those things later. One thing after the other. First I return to the ledger to make sure I have my first sale properly recorded. My first sale! That thought puts a smile on my face. Sadly it is apparently not worth a whispered divine message.


    Oh well, can''t have it all.


    I close the ledger and put it under the counter. It is an important book after all. I can''t leave that lying around in the open. There isn''t much room under the counter. It is just enough for the book, a strong box and some cleaning supplies.


    Although I''ll probably need the latter eventually I focus on the strong box first. It is made of solid wood, not just thin boards, and reinforced with equally sturdy iron bands. It even has a padlock!


    I grab one of the handles and try to lift the chest only to give up right away again. It is really heavy! Probably even a man like Bogomil the barbarian would have trouble making off with it, never mind the average thief or bandit. That is a reassuring though. Not that I''m expecting there to be many thieves or bandits, but the weight of the strong chest is reassuring nonetheless.


    I open it and look inside. As expected it is empty. Well, it is empty except for a big piece of slate fitted to completely fill the chest''s bottom. That certainly explains why it is so heavy.


    Without further delay I drop the eleven bronze coins I earned with my first sale into it. They look a little lonely all by themselves in the big sturdy chest. Ha! What a silly thought! I guess I''ll have to make plenty more sales so they will have some company.


    After closing the lid I put the lock back in place. What am I supposed to do with the key though? I can''t just leave it in the lock. Might as well not have a strong chest at all if I were to do that.


    It probably is for the best if I have it on me instead. How though? I clutch the key tightly and look around. In the end my gaze settles on the price tag of the sword I just sold. With quick movements I remove the actual tag and slip the key on the thin leather strip instead. One quick knot later I slip it over my head. Yes, this will do for now.


    What to do now though? I don''t want to spend the rest of the day just standing around behind the counter. I make a quick round of the shop once more just to make sure I don''t need to put the cleaning supplies from below the counter to good use yet. I''m still good. Maybe tomorrow or the day after though. Can''t let too much dust gather after all.


    Well, there are no more excuses I can make. It is time to face the truth. I sigh. I have to deal with that accursed mana mill. I need that enchanting dust after all. There is no helping it.


    I head back to the workshop, leaving the door connecting it with the shop open though in case any more customers were to show up.


    As I face the nefarious torture device a belated realization dawns upon me. Damn! Maybe I could have made Lotar or one of his friends work the mill for an hour or two in exchange for a discount. Nah, probably not. They were adventurers after all and those usually had better things to do with their time. Better and most importantly better paying.


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    I reposition the hand mill on the workbench so I''ll be able to work it while standing right next to the open door. That way I am visible from the shop and more importantly I''m able to keep an eye on the shop just in case.


    I hum to myself as I start turning the handle. Just because I have hours of tedious, monotonous work ahead of me doesn''t mean that I can''t have at least a little fun after all.


    It takes me a little while to adjust the speed with which I turn the mill''s handle just right, until small specks of softly glowing dust of just the right size and intensity start to gather in the drawer at the bottom of the mill. Each mill is a little different in that regard.


    Once I''m satisfied I just keep working and humming. The tune I hum is from The Miller''s Wife, one of the raunchy folk songs currently popular with the bards performing at inns. It somehow seems appropriate. I don''t actually sing the songs though. On one hand I don''t actually know the complete lyrics and on the other hand I wouldn''t want to be caught singing them even if I did.


    Besides, I''m neither a bard nor any other kind of performer. I need at least a few mugs of beer to sing aloud. And even then only if there are plenty of other people doing it already.


    Anyway, I''m so focused on the task at hand, carefully keeping the drizzle of enchanting dust consistent, that I almost don''t notice it when another visitor drops by.


    ¡°Hello there, dear! I see you already put up the sign. I take it everything went swimmingly with Jaromir, yes?¡±


    I jump a little at the sudden address but don''t stop what I''m doing.


    It is Agnieszka, my neighbor. She is leaning against the counter, grinning at me, once again with a straw tucked into the corner of her mouth.


    I nod both in greeting and as an answer, but keep humming and working.


    Her grin widens.


    ¡°Iwona preferred humming the melody from The Runaway Princess when working with that thing. Not that she did work with that mill all too often. Not herself anyway.¡±


    Now I stop and look at her with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°How else would she have gotten the enchanting dust she needed?¡±


    She could, in theory, have bought it. There are some places where the stuff is produced using wind or water mills after all. Somehow I doubt it though and not just because Clear Brook is probably not on the regular routes of any merchant carrying enchanting dust.


    Agnieszka''s grin just grows wider and wider.


    ¡°She used to post quests regarding it down at the inn. Most adventurers wouldn''t even consider it and those who do hardly ever do it more than once, as it is tedious, boring work, but there never is a shortage of new adventurers who need the handful of coins offered as compensation.¡±


    I nod but she just keeps going.


    ¡°It is a good way to help out those who have fallen on hard times as well. Better than them sitting around the village square begging for handouts.¡±


    She isn''t wrong. It almost always better to give someone in need work rather than just a few coins.


    I nod again as she winds down. My attention is on the drawer with the enchanting dust though. I get a small, carefully worked, wooden casket ready before removing the drawer from the mill to carefully shake the glittering and glowing dust into it.


    I''m a little surprised at the amount. I must have spent more time working the mill than I thought. By my estimation it should be enough for one piece of enchanter''s chalk. Too bad that the recipes I know aren''t for creating just a single one. I''ll need to make more. A twinge of pain flares up in my arm at that thought and I finally turn to properly address my guest.


    ¡°How would I go about posting a quest like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that''s easy. Just head down to the inn and talk with Krystina. She is the daughter of the couple running it, as well as the branch manager and only employee of the local office of the Adventurer''s Guild. She can help you figure things out. I bet she still has some of the quests posted by your grandma on file as well. If you need someone to gather herbs or other ingredients for you she is the one to ask as well.¡±


    She moves the straw from one corner of her mouth to the other.


    ¡°Anyway, I just dropped by to see how you''re doing since the sun is already setting and you have your front door still open. People around here usually close up their shops when the sun sets, you know?¡±

 Chapter 7 - The early worm

    I wake up bright and early again the next morning. Once more it is the village''s roosters making a racket that has me wake with a start after sleeping like a log. Making enchanting dust with a mana mill has that effect on me. At least my wrist and arm aren''t aching any more. I really need to look into posting a quest for that at the inn.


    The thought alone is enough to kill my good mood. I still need to make some more of that enchanting dust after all and even if I post that quest right away it might be days before someone picks it up. For now I have to deal with that issue on my own.


    I shake my head to drive away those thoughts and head down to the creek to take care of my morning routine. The cold water certainly wakes me up properly. During summer time it will sure be a blessing. I''m not quite sure what I''ll do once winter comes around though. Washing out here when everything is buried under a blanket of snow while its freezing doesn''t sound very appealing.


    I''m just about to upend another bucket of cold water over my head when someone nearby clears their throat. It''s startling enough that I almost end up falling into the water. The slippery stones don''t exactly help either.


    Embarrassed I try to cover myself, at least until I realize that it is only Agnieszka, my neighbor.


    She in turn chuckles.


    ¡°Don''t worry. I don''t think anyone around here minds seeing a little skin. Doubly so, if it is a pretty thing like you. But, you know, you don''t have to wash at the creek. We have a small bathhouse here in the village.¡±


    I blink in surprise and groan.


    ¡°A bathhouse?¡±


    I probably sound about as stupid as I feel right now.


    My new neighbor nods and points upstream as she grins sheepishly at the same time.


    ¡°Yes. Its situated a little ways up the creek in that grove there. Say, why don''t you drop by my place tomorrow morning and I take you there? How does that sound to you?¡±


    That doesn''t sound bad. I nod in agreement and her face brightens.


    ¡°Right, see you tomorrow then!¡±


    After drying myself off hurriedly I get dressed again. There still is something nagging on my mind though, something I need to ask before the older woman is gone again. Despite the slippery slope I hurry to catch up with her.


    ¡°Agnieszka! Say, has anyone actually seen me? Anyone else but you that is.¡±


    She just shrugs.


    ¡°I don''t know for sure, but I don''t think so. I only dropped by since I haven''t seen you at the bathhouse either yesterday or today. You shouldn''t worry too much anyway. The people around here aren''t shy about things like that. Even if someone saw you, they wouldn''t think anything about it. Don''t fret about something silly like that.¡±


    She flashes me another grin as my worries, or at least some of them, get swept away by her casual words of reassurance. She isn''t quite done yet though.


    ¡°Anyway, I need to get back to my animals. They don''t take care of themselves. Not entirely anyway. And I shouldn''t keep you from work either.¡±


    As she slinks back in the direction of her farmhouse, without too much of a hurry, the black cat I have gotten to know joins her. It seems to have caught something again although I''m pretty sure that it is no mouse this time but some other small animal.


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    Well, at least it isn''t a rat, of that I''m pretty sure. Not one of the kind I''m familiar with from life in the city at least. Thank the gods. I can really do without those nasty critters.


    I wave one last time and return my attention to the things I need to do. She is right, I need to get back to work. First though, I get some more water from the creek to water the overgrown garden and the flowers on grandma''s grave. After brushing my fingers across the headstone I head back inside.


    I''m in a bit of a hurry now. Early morning is the time when adventurers head out as well after all. It is the best time for them to stock up on consumables, like potions, and it is the best time of the day for me to sell them whatever they need and maybe even a little more.


    As I approach the front door I can already hear voices from the other side. I quickly remove the bars and swing the door open before they can either knock, or worse, leave again. I flash them a beaming smile as I invite them in.


    ¡°Come on in! Sorry about the delay. I got held up a little. Anyway, what can I help you with?¡±


    It is another trio of adventurers. Not the same one as yesterday though. Two young women and a man who probably wasn''t any older either.


    The woman up front looks like a priestess of some sort, or maybe a paladin. I''m not quite sure. She wears scale mail and is equipped with a shield and a mace, which she has both slung over her shoulder. Both her helmet and the holy symbol she wears around her neck sport the sigil of the Earth Mother. She waves my apologies off.


    ¡°Don''t worry. We aren''t in that much of a hurry.¡±


    At that point the other woman chimes in.


    ¡°I''m just glad you reopened the shop. We were running a little low on potions already.¡±


    As I make room the three come inside. The young man, a warrior who wears even heavier armor and seems to wield two curved swords, has an arm around the hip of the other woman. This one wears only light armor, if you can call it that. Cloth died in earthen colors and soft leathers. Bow and quiver suggest that she is some kind of archer or maybe a ranger. Once again I''m not quite sure. What I am sure of though is the fact that she is pregnant. Not pregnant enough to not go adventuring apparently, but certainly pregnant enough to show.


    Neither of them need my help to find what they are looking for. They too are obviously familiar with the shop and its layout.


    The priestess immediately heads to the shelf with the Mana Potions. The way she eyes them suggests that she has an appraisal skill or something similar, just like me. In the end she picks two potions from the front and one from the back.


    The other two make a beeline towards the Stamina Potions instead. They just pick up those from the front, probably not worrying about them going bad at all.


    My brows furrow a little. The pregnant archer probably drinks them like water to keep up with the other two. I''m not quite sure that is healthy. I''m not quite sure if it is my place to say anything though, thus I just retreat behind the counter instead.


    ¡°Four Mana Potions and ten Stamina Potions. Do you want to pay them all at once or each their own?¡±


    It is the priestess who answers.


    ¡°Add it all up, please.¡±


    I do just that and flash them another smile.


    ¡°That will be thirteen silver and ten bronze Crowns.¡±


    At that point the archer pipes up again.


    ¡°Aw. Couldn''t you give us a little discount? How about we call it an even thirteen silver?¡±


    The face of the priestess darkens a little. Before she can say anything though I speak up instead.


    ¡°Deal. Just this once though, since I need to get rid of some of grandma''s old potions. Can''t have them go bad on me on the shelves.¡±


    The bubbly archer nods enthusiastically and the priestess calms down again as well. It is the latter who starts counting the coins onto the counter from her purse. The other two probably trust her with anything related to money since she seems to be the most responsible one of the trio.


    Once she is done she ties her purse closed again and lets it disappear under her armor once more. She doesn''t wear it at her belt but on a string around her neck instead. She bows her head as well.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, I thank you. Please take care out there and come again!¡±


    As I drop the coins into the strong chest and note the sale down in the ledger they pick up their potions. Some go into their backpacks while others go into pouches on their belts. Once they are done they leave. The cheerful archer is the last one out and she leaves with a wave which I return.


    Once the usual quiet settles in again, I properly open up the shop. I only opened the door so far after all. Now I open the shutters of the windows as well to let in a little more light and some fresh air.


    As I return to the counter I pat the ledger. Thirteen silver Crowns. That was some good business. If that group drops by more often I''ll have to brew up more Stamina Potions before long though.


    I''ll have to look into the ingredients I''ll need. And of course I need to inquire about potion bottles. Neither of those points worry me anymore though. Quite the opposite is true. The prospects are exciting!

 Chapter 8 - Two girdles to bind them

    I don''t have much time to think about the trio of adventurers and their extraordinary circumstances. That doesn''t mean I don''t worry about them, and especially the pregnant archer, though.


    Maybe I should write a letter to one of my teachers from the academy in Barter Town? One of them could know about the side effects of consuming this many Stamina Potions, especially during pregnancy. If there are any, that is.


    Yes that is what I will do. Even if my worries should be proven unfounded I will at least have some peace of mind. Later. Right now I can hear more people approaching.


    One of them is the farmer from yesterday. The one who inquired about girdles of fertility for his son''s wedding. His voice gives him away even before he steps in through the door.


    He isn''t alone though. Entering right after him is a woman only slightly younger than him. Their light hearted banter suggests that she is his wife.


    He knocks on the wood of the door frame to get my attention, just in case, while his wife waves as she sees that I already noticed them.


    ¡°Hello dear! It is so good to see you taking care of Iwona''s shop. Thank the gods and goddesses. I was getting a little worried.¡±


    The man doesn''t get in a word sideways as his wife starts talking. He just smiles apologetically, shrugs and lets her keep going.


    ¡°Anyway, I take it my husband hasn''t properly introduced us yet, yes? He can be a bit daft like that sometimes.¡±


    She pats the shoulder of the man at her side as they come over to join me at the counter.


    ¡°This is my husband Eryk and I''m Gisela.¡±


    She offers me her hand and I shake it before repeating the gesture of greeting with her husband.


    He takes this chance to get a few words in.


    ¡°Well, I already mentioned that our son is getting married soon and that we need two Girdles of fertility for the occasion. I hope you understand that I can''t just make a big purchase like that without consulting my wife.¡±


    I nod, and so does his wife, as he is right. One enchanted item can be costly. Two most certainly are. Before I can add anything to the conversation the woman speaks up again.


    ¡°Yes, yes. These girdles are probably the most costly things most farmers will ever own, well maybe with the exception of the land they work, but any proper wedding simply needs them!¡±


    She pauses only long enough to take a deep breath before she continues. She is really working up some steam there. She is getting a little louder with every word as well.


    ¡°I have heard that some of the city folk use simple unenchanted girdles these days, but that just isn''t proper! You can''t exchange vows under the gaze of the gods and then tie a fake girdle around the hips of your respective other! That isn''t proper! Not at all!¡±


    She obviously has a very firm opinion regarding that matter. Her husband seems to agree with her, but he doesn''t get worked up the same way his wife does. He simply nods along with her words and reaffirms her with much quieter words that are nonetheless spoken with no less conviction.


    ¡°Yes, no child of ours will tie the knot without some proper girdles.¡±


    As far as I know most people in the city simply can''t afford an enchanted item. They probably couldn''t even if they were to save up all their lives. Unskilled laborers usually barely earned to enough to get by. And even journeymen that were members of one guild or another don''t fare much better. It is sad but true.


    I don''t want to argue the point anyway and just nod as well in the end. They aren''t wrong after all. I inquire about other things important to me instead.


    ¡°How soon will you need the girdles? I''ll need to make some new enchanter''s chalks before I can enchant those girdles. And do you have some girdles ready to enchant? I can give you a little discount in that case. Or do I need to get them?¡±


    The woman perks up at my questions.


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    ¡°No worries, dear. I understand. We have the wedding scheduled in twelve days from today. I hope that is plenty enough time for you. Yes? And as a matter of fact I have the girdles I want you to use with me!¡±


    I breath a little sigh of relief. I might be able to make the enchanter''s chalks I need over night and I probably could get the girdles finished tomorrow, but I don''t like hurrying things like that. I felt much better knowing I could take some time and prepare properly.


    Gisela in the meantime opens the cloth bag she brought and pulls two lengths of fine rope from it.


    No, calling them lengths of rope wasn''t doing them justice, even if that is what they essentially are. The girdles are thin and light, yet sturdy and flexible. The ends have been seared and tied off to make sure they won''t unravel anytime soon either. They even feel soft to the touch despite being made from hemp. On top of everything else they have been died a bright orange. That isn''t a cheap color!


    I pick one up and look at it from all sides, activating my appraisal skill.


    [Ceremonial Girdle, Quality: Uncommon, A flawless masterwork piece created by a mother for her son''s wedding.]


    I nod and check the other as well. The result is the same. I can''t quite hold back my excitement. Even master enchanters with decades of experience don''t get to work with fine raw materials like these every day.


    ¡°Those are mighty fine!¡±


    The woman nods enthusiastically at my words.


    ¡°Right! I started over more than once to make sure they would be as good as I could possibly make them! Oh, if only my eyes were still a little better!¡±


    Her husband, Eryk, in turn chuckles and squeezes her shoulder.


    ¡°They are perfect, dear!¡±


    He turns to me and stage whispers.


    ¡°She is the best. She has plenty experience making them after all. Our Godzimir is the eighth we see off to start a family of their own after all.¡±


    That little tidbit of information evokes new appreciation for the two in me. Families with a lot of children aren''t uncommon. Quite often many of these children never reach adulthood though. It is another sad fact of life. Seeing that many off with weddings instead of funerals is quite an achievement, even when living in a village with an alchemist and healing potions readily available.


    Gisela blushes as her husband compliments her and elbows him into his side lightly.


    ¡°Oh, hush, you!¡±


    I can''t help but smile at the little displays of affection in between the two. There is still one issue of no little importance we need to resolve though. I''m not quite sure how to go about it but in the end I settle on a rather straightforward approach.


    ¡°Well, I think I can have both girdles finished in two days. Three at most. Which leaves only the question of the price.¡±


    I clear my throat in embarrassment.


    ¡°I don''t want to insult you by quoting a big city price to you. I don''t really know how much grandma used to take either though. She must have enchanted girdles like that pretty regularly, right?¡±


    The two look at each other for a moment lost in thought before they answer. The husband taking the lead for once instead.


    ¡°Well, the last wedding ¡­ wasn''t that Sabina''s daughter?¡±


    His wife nods and continues.


    ¡°Indeed. Iwona charged her thirty silver Crowns. The same she charged us when our Loda got married.¡±


    She looks at me apologetically.


    ¡°I don''t think she has adjusted that price in a while.¡±


    I tap a finger against my chin and think about it for a moment. Thirty silver Crowns is considerably less than what I could have taken in the city. It still is more than enough to make up for the materials I need to make the enchanter''s chalks and for two or maybe three days of work though. Especially if I don''t hire anyone else to work the mana mill. I loathe that thought but I need to make some more money before I can allow myself to splurge.


    I take a deep breath and offer them my hand to seal the deal.


    ¡°Alright, thirty silver Crowns to be paid when you come to get the girdles. I''ll try to have them finished the day after tomorrow. How about you drop by in the evening? Deal?¡±


    They shake my hand and the woman pulls me into a quick hug across the counter.


    ¡°Deal!¡±


    ¡°Oh my dear, I''m so glad you took over your grandma''s shop. You are a real life saver!¡±


    They leave soon after, work doesn''t wait for anyone after all, and I take the two girdles of exceptional craftsmanship to the backroom.

 Chapter 9 - Out of touch

    I spend the rest of the day, or at least most of it, busying myself with the mana mill once more to make sure I have enough of the glittering magical dust it produces for the enchanter''s chalk I will need.


    The good thing is, that I don''t have to leave the shop unattended in the meantime. I simply move the accursed torture instrument in the guise of a hand mill to the counter in the front room. That way I can produce more enchanting dust while still minding the shop.


    The day is pretty quiet though. I only get one other customer before noon. This one is a little more special than any of the others who have dropped by so far, even considering that most of them are adventurers.


    An elf. An actual elf! Unlike half elves like grandma or me, those are a pretty rare sight. Well, at least they are in most places, as they tend to keep to themselves a lot. Very few of them leave their communities to go on an adventure and explore the rest of the world.


    The elf''s gear doesn''t seem to be anything special. Not at a first glance at least. Light but sturdy leathers and furs, two hand axes, which probably double as throwing weapons, worn at his belt and a larger axe he carries over one shoulder. It all is very practical and by the looks of it well maintained.


    They might just be one of the fabled berserkers or maybe a shaman. Is he a man? I''m not sure. For all I know that elf could be a woman as well. It is extraordinarily hard for non elves to tell their men and women apart as they look alike so much. Their women tend to be as flat as their men and neither sport any body hair worth mentioning. Their facial features, which are almost always described as beautiful or at least pretty, are very similar as well.


    The one thing I''m moderately certain of is that they probably are a forest elf, hailing from one of the communities that actually live in the Twilight Forest. None of the self proclaimed, civilized high elves would ever be caught wearing leathers and furs like that.


    Belatedly I realize that I''m staring. I blush and lower my gaze.


    They don''t seem to mind although they seem a little distraught.


    As they clear their throat I get my first real hint at the visitor''s gender. By the sound of his voice I''m now pretty sure that he is a man.


    ¡°I''m sorry, but is Iwona not in?¡±


    My face falls a little at the mention of my grandmother.


    ¡°Grandma is dead. It happened a little more than a week ago.¡±


    Now his face falls as well.


    ¡°Oh, I''m sorry ¡­¡±


    His words trail off as he isn''t quite sure what to say. The news of grandma''s death doesn''t leave him unfazed though. That much is obvious as he apparently has never learned to hide his emotions. Finally he finds his voice again.


    ¡°... how?¡±


    He either isn''t very good with emotions in general or just dealing with humans. It supposedly is something many elves struggle with after all.


    I sigh, wipe my hands on the pants of my overall and motion for him to move over to the counter. I don''t feel like talking with him while he is still standing in the doorway.


    ¡°I''m Valeria. Iwona was my grandmother. She was out collecting ingredients, mistletoe to be precise. It seems, a branch on one of the trees she climbed to collect them gave out under her. Supposedly she wasn''t even that high up, but she landed badly.¡°


    I sigh and for a moment there is another uncomfortable silence hanging in the room in between us. The elf looks crestfallen now. I point over my shoulder as I speak up again.


    ¡°Her grave is out in the back, just beyond the thicket she had for a garden¡­ just, you know, in case you want to say your goodbyes.¡±


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    His face brightens up again, at least a little, at the suggestion and he nods.


    ¡°I''ll do that. Thank you.¡±


    He is about to turn around, when he abruptly stops to address me once more.


    ¡°Could you prepare some Stamina Potions for me, while I say my goodbyes? Two should do for now.¡±


    He pauses briefly, his hand already halfway to the pouch that probably serves as his purse. Her sounds a little embarrassed as he continues.


    ¡°Is the price still eleven bronze Crowns each?¡±


    That is one of the things about elves. Their perception of the passage of time can be very different from that of the shorter lived people. Supposedly it only matches ours, when they throw themselves into battle. Then only the moment mattered and not if you could possibly live for decades or millennia.


    I resist the urge to shake my head to drive away those thoughts at the last moment. Instead I nod.


    ¡°Yes, the price is still the same. Two Stamina Potions make twenty two bronze Crowns in total.¡±


    He nods, opens his purse and counts the coins onto the counter.


    The idea that he could have bartered for a discount apparently never even crossed his mind. Just as well.


    Before he can actually step back out to head around to the backyard I stop him once more.


    ¡°Take your time. I''ll bring you the potions out back after closing up here.¡±


    He has no objections and nods. The next moment he is already gone from the shop.


    I follow him with my eyes for a moment as he walks past the windows on his way to the backyard before getting back to work myself.


    I get the two potions he requested from the shelf, remove the wooden price tags and deposit them on the counter before heading to the door. I take a peek outside to make sure no one else is heading my way before closing it just as the sun is touching the horizon in the distance. The shutters of the windows are up next.


    In the end I''m left with only the light provided by my recently enchanted candle lantern. That still is more than enough to enter this most recent sale into the ledger though. I take a moment to deposit the coins in the strong box below the counter as well. Then I leave the shop behind, carrying the lantern in on hand and clutching the potion bottles close to my chest with the other.


    My elven customer is sitting in the grass besides grandma''s grave. One of his hands is resting on the gravestone as he is quietly talking.


    I keep my distance and sit down on the bench besides the back door for the time being. This seems to be a very emotional moment for him and I don''t want to cut it short or disturb him in any other way.


    Instead I wait, sitting there silently, listening although I can''t really understand him. My grasp of the native language of the elves does not extend beyond some very simple formal greetings. It never seemed to be all that important after all.


    By the time he finishes darkness has truly fallen and there are a few moths fluttering around the lantern I brought.


    His eyes glow in the darkness, almost like a cat''s, as he turns towards me. Grandma''s eyes supposedly were like that as well. Mine not so much, especially now as I''m facing away from the light source causing the effect.


    I pat the spot besides me on the rough, wooden bench, where I deposited the potions.


    ¡°Your potions.¡±


    He nods, comes over and picks them up. He picks up the heavy two handed axe as well, which he dropped off here before actually visiting grandma''s grave.


    ¡°Thank you, Valeria, granddaughter of Iwona.¡±


    He could leave now, he has said his goodbyes to grandma after all and we have finished conducting our business as well. He doesn''t though. Instead he extends his hand.


    After some hesitation I take it and he shakes my hand. His grip is pretty firm but not in a painful way. It seems he is well aware of his own strength.


    ¡°I''m Nuutti of the Iivari family. I hope we will meet again, so we can get to know each other better.¡±


    I''m a little dumbfounded but return the handshake anyway.


    ¡°I''d be glad to see you again, Nuutti of the Iivari family.¡±


    He flashes me a beaming smile as we separate again.


    ¡°Now I shouldn''t keep you though. I''m afraid I''m already running late myself.¡±


    With these words he sketches a quick bow and disappears into the night.


    I follow him with my eyes for a moment but quickly lose sight of him. In the end I get up as well and head back inside. My stomach rumbles as I close the door behind me and I groan. Of course, I was so busy with that accursed mana mill that I completely forgot to get anything to eat today.


    Not hesitating in the slightest I grab my purse, open the door again and head back outside and down to the village square. The inn is catering to adventurers after all. It should still be open.

 Chapter 10 - Pulling an all nighter

    Despite getting a bowl of hearty stew to soothe my stomach I find no sleep that night. I have a suspicion as to why as well. There are two things that can cause me to suffer from insomnia. The first one is the moon. I tend to be restless if it is full and shines too bright. This reason I can rule out. The moon is waxing but it is nowhere close to being full right now.


    The other possible reason for my insomnia is one I''m all too familiar with from my time at the academy in Barter Town. It is an unfinished project with a deadline looming over my head. Back then it usually had been a homework assignment of one kind or another. Now it is about the girdles I promised to enchant. In theory I don''t have to worry or fret. In theory I have more than enough time. Some part of my mind doesn''t care though.


    I throw back the blanket and with a long, drawn out sigh, swing my legs out of bed. For a precious moment I just sit there with my head in my hands. There is no helping it though. Once I''m in this state of mind only finishing whatever is on my mind, or at least making reasonable progress, will provide any kind of relief.


    After rubbing the last vestiges of sleep from my eyes and slapping my cheeks for good measure I get up for good. I don''t bother with getting dressed. At this time of the day, or rather the night, my nightshirt will suffice. It isn''t like anyone will see anyway and it isn''t exactly cold either. A little chill maybe but not actually cold.


    At first I get the enchanted lantern from the shop, where I keep it during the night, and hang it above the workbench with all the tools.


    The next order of business is preparing the ingredients I''ll need for the enchanter''s chalks I''m about to make. This means wax, oil, chalk and enchanting dust. I place them all within easy reach and get the tools I''ll be using ready as well. I find an aged and well used wooden cast. By the looks of it, it should suffice my needs. Next I get a spoon and a whisk as well as the mortar and pestle. The big cauldron is already hanging in the fireplace and I have another smaller one ready as well.


    I check everything once more, just to make sure that nothing is wrong or out of place. Finding everything to my liking I nod. That was the easy part. Now I have to do some actual work.


    First thing first. I grab a bucket and head out the backdoor down to the creek. The overgrown garden is a little spooky at night. Thankfully it isn''t entirely dark though, as the stars and the waxing moon provide some light. Despite that I still almost slip on my way back up from the creek as the full bucket throws me off balance.


    I take a moment to regain my balance before I resume my climb. I splash a little water in my face as well to make sure I''m properly awake. After pouring the water from the bucket into the big cauldron I realize that I''ll have to make that trip at least one more time. Better yet I head down to the creek twice and only fill the bucket about halfway each time. That way the return trip should be a little easier. I really don''t want to slip and fall in after all.


    Thankfully nothing happens as I make the trip down to the creek twice more. A little smile finds its way onto my lips though as I think about how I might have looked. A tall woman in a fluttering white night shirt at the creek. It almost sounds like the beginning of a ghost story.


    I can''t dwell on it though as I have no time to waste and still plenty of work to do. Among other things I need to get some wood from the stack along the back wall to light a fire under the now filled cauldron.


    People often have quite silly ideas about the work of alchemists. They imagine us stirring blubbering cauldrons in smoke filled huts as we throw in various ingredients. Hardly anything could be further from the truth.


    We use cauldrons for sure but everything else is silly superstition for the better part. The smoke filled room for an example would in truth hint at a chimney in serious need of cleaning. Smoke, or any kind of miasma gathering in a room, was a sure sign that something was not as it should be and that you better open doors and windows and get out of there.


    For that reason I take a moment to check on the chimney as I stack some firewood under the cauldron. There is no obstruction as far as I can tell. I leave the door open as I light the wood just in case anyway.


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    I needn''t have worried though. A thin column of smoke rises around the cauldron and disappears up the chimney without issue as I get the fire started. I nod satisfied and turn to face the workbench instead.


    The water will take some time to heat up. I can take care of everything else in the meantime.


    I grab the piece of chalk that will serve as the pigment in my enchanter''s chalks first and crumble it into the mortar. It takes me some time to grind it into a fine dust with the pestle. After carrying wood and water this is the most strenuous step. By the time I''m done I''m all sweaty and I can feel a slight ache in my arms.


    I don''t mind though. Instead of lamenting I see it as a sign that I''m already halfway done. A quick glance over the shoulder tells me that the water is heating up nicely as well. Thin wisps of steam are rising from the bubbling surface. The fire under the cauldron is already burning out but that is no issue either.


    The water is hot. That is all that matters. As a matter of fact I''m even a little proud that I used just the right amount of wood, not wasting any.


    I grab another, much smaller cauldron and hang it in such a way that it is mostly submerged in the hot water of the bigger one.


    Now I have to be quick! I crumble the wax into the smaller cauldron and watch it melt due to the heat of the hot water. It doesn''t take long. Working with indirect heat like that might seem a little wasteful at first but it greatly reduces the risk of ruining your work by burning anything.


    I add the oil, olive judging by the faint smell, next. It will soften the chalks a little so they won''t crumble in my fingers. I stir the mixture before finally adding the actual chalk dust. I keep stirring as I add it bit by bit. Without pause I add the enchanting dust as well, stirring the mixture all the while to make sure nothing clumps together. Thankfully the water is still plenty hot enough to make sure the wax doesn''t harden too soon.


    Once I''m satisfied with the consistency I grab a piece of cloth and lift the smaller cauldron from its hot bath. Now I have to be real quick. I can''t afford any mistakes either though.


    Without delay I pour the liquid mixture into the cast, cleaning out the cauldron with the spoon so nothing will go to waste. Within moments the cast is filled and I put away the cauldron with a sigh of relief.


    I''m done. Now I just have to wait for the chalks to harden so I can remove them from the cast. For a moment I enjoy the fragrance of the hot wax. I''ll probably never get tired of the smell of beeswax.


    I stretch and wipe away some sweat before heading back outside. Since I have to wait anyway, I might as well enjoy the night a little. I sit down on the wooden bench next to the door, stretch my legs and bury my toes in the grass, as the cool night air washes over my skin.


    Just like that the tension that has kept me awake so far dissipates. I allow myself a small smile. I still have to enchant those girdles but at least I now have the tools to do so.


    I can''t allow myself to fall asleep out here though, otherwise I''m sure to catch a cold. Thus I head back inside again eventually. I don''t climb back into bed right away though. Instead I first check on the fruit of my labor.


    I put a cutting board atop the wooden cast and turn it over. To my great relief the chalks fall free easily. I don''t have to use force. They didn''t break either and they sparkle just right. All seems well. I pick one up and look at it from all sides, activating my appraisal skill.


    [Enchanter''s chalk, Quality: Uncommon, A solid piece of basic, white Enchanter''s Chalk used in enchanting. Smells like beeswax as it is the main ingredient.]


    I repeat the process with the other as well and get the same result. All is in fact well. With that I''m all set for tomorrows work.


    As I finally climb back into bed, my thoughts drift off to the bathhouse Agnieszka mentioned instead though.

 Chapter 11 - In a new light

    It is not much later that I wake again. That couldn''t have been more than a little nap. I feel refreshed, at least a little, anyway. I''m familiar with the effect of these little naps. They can keep me going for quite a while. Eventually I will need to get some proper sleep though. And the longer I stay in bed, the greater the risk that my body will demand its due.


    I have no choice, essentially. I need to get up. With a long, suffering sigh I throw back the blanket and swing my legs out of bed. It is not quite morning yet, but the stars are already fading as the night sky is already lightening a little by little.


    There is one thing that makes me perk up despite the lack of proper sleep. The bathhouse Agnieszka had mentioned! I''m really looking forward to a real bath. I have no illusions about the nature of the bathhouse. It probably isn''t anything like the big thermal bath in the city after all. Despite that it still is so much better than washing down at the creek. Of that I''m sure.


    With renewed vigor I go about getting ready for my first visit to the local bathhouse. I get everything I need. A towel, some soap, a washcloth, a comb for my hair and, of course, a change of clothes. I might not need most of it, but I don''t actually know yet if anything is supplied at the bath, thus I decide to err on the side of caution.


    My brows furrow, as I get my change of clothes ready. I really need to get some more, as I only brought so many. I''ll have to ask around. I doubt there is dedicated tailor in a small village like this one, but someone might make a coin or two on the side making the clothes everyone needs.


    I''ll ask Agnieszka. She has been pretty helpful so far after all. This thought leads my directly to the next question on my mind. She mentioned taking me to the bathhouse. Should I wait for her to get me? Or should I head over and get her?


    I look out the window to get a better idea of how long it will still be until sunrise. On one hand it should still be a while. On the other hand I shouldn''t dawdle either, so I can open the shop in time.


    I ponder the decision to be made for a few moments more. In the end though, I grab the bundle I prepared and head outside. I might as well head over to Agnieszka''s farmhouse. If I''m too early I can still apologize.


    There is a familiar face waiting for me in the backyard. It is the black cat. Well, she isn''t actually waiting for me. She is sitting on the chopping block once more and her attention is focused on the overgrown section of the garden again. Only one of her ears twitches slightly as I step outside.


    I decide not to disturb her. Instead I head in the direction of my neighbors farmhouse, clutching the bundle with my things close to my chest.


    Taking the path around back I have seen Agnieszka take before, instead of the road out front, I take a moment to enjoy the feeling of the grass, wet with the morning dew, in between my toes. I might not have all the time in the world, but I''m not in too much of a hurry either after all.


    It is a pretty nice sensation, one I never got to enjoy in the city. Too much plaster, if you are lucky, or dirt and not nearly enough grass. It is a small but welcome reminder of just how lucky I am.


    Humming a happy little tune I continue on my way. It probably is the reason why I only notice the sounds coming from Agnieszka''s house as I''m almost all the way to it. Only a few more steps separate me from the house''s backdoor, yet I stop dead in my tracks.


    It isn''t like I have a lot of experience, but the sounds are unmistakable. Especially Agnieszka''s moaning leaves little doubt, if any, about what is going on. I blush all the way from my toes to the tips of my ears.


    I''m about to turn around and head back home when curiosity gets the better of me. I really should head back home, yet my next step carries me closer to the source of these almost mesmerizing sounds. It is almost as if I''m not in control of my own body.


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    The house is pretty similar to grandma''s, or rather mine. The tantalizing sounds are emanating from the open window just beyond the backdoor.


    My heart is beating hard and fast and my limbs are shaking. It is almost too much for me and I have to brace myself against the wall with one hand as I creep forward, ever closer to the open window.


    By now I''m close enough to make out more details.


    ¡°Oh! Oh, yes! Ha! Keep going! Ha! Don''t you dare stop!¡±


    It is Agnieszka voicing those demands while gasping for breath at the same time.


    Whoever is with her doesn''t answer. Not with words anyway. He just grunts and the sloppy wet sounds accompanying their activity pick up speed.


    By now I''m feeling a little faint. Only belatedly do I realize that I have been holding my breath. With some effort I force myself to breath again.


    I should leave. Gods and goddesses, I really should. Yet I can''t bring myself to actually turn around. Instead I inch forward towards the window, to take a peek.


    I only want to take a quick peek, but as I look inside my heart misses a beat, my breath catches in my throat and I freeze like a deer mesmerized by the gaze of a dragon.


    Agnieszka and her paramour aren''t doing it in the bed. No, not at all. Agnieszka, in all her naked glory, is bracing herself against the very window frame and she is looking right at me. So is the elf I met just yesterday, as he thrusts into her from behind.


    Although they both are looking at me neither seems to really take notice. Not yet anyway. They seem too caught up in the moment, lost in pleasure.


    The elf, Nuutti of the Iivari family, if my memory serves me right, just keeps thrusting, a look of intense concentration on his face while his hands are firmly grasping her by the hips.


    Agnieszka in turn is rocked by each and every one of the long, hard thrusts, as she stands there on her tiptoes, bracing herself against the window frame.


    With every thrust her ginormous breast swing like temple bells. I just can''t bring myself to look away.


    Finally, as I raise a hand to my mouth to stifle a gasp, she notices me.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Her eyes widen, although I can not tell why exactly. Is it shock or surprise? Or is it, that the sudden realization just pushed her over the edge?


    It might be the latter, as the man comes to stop as well after one last thrust.


    ¡°Damn! Wench, I don''t think you ever clenched down on me like that before!¡±


    Only then does he notice me.


    ¡°Oh ¡­¡±


    That is all he says. Maybe that is for the better, considering the way he is eyeing me. All the while he doesn''t let go of Agnieszka either. He isn''t even blushing!


    At the same time Agnieszka matches my own blush as she fights to regain her breath. She grins and chuckles weakly. It isn''t like the confident grin of the man still buried in her. No, it is an embarrassed grin.


    ¡°Oh, Valeria! Sorry about that. I promised to take you to the bathhouse, didn''t I? It ¡­ it seems we got a little carried away there.¡±


    Her smile wavers a little as she finishes yet my attention is already elsewhere. A divine whisper draws my attention away from the sights in front of me.


    [You let desire and instinct guide you, gave in to temptation and beheld something you shouldn''t have! The Dawn Maiden is your witness and gifts you 3 points for the Dragon Arcana as a reward.]


    This is too much! This is the last straw! As Agnieszka''s smile waivers and a look of concern replaces it, my legs give out under me and I hit the ground.

 Chapter 12 - Soothing frayed nerves

    I go down like a sack of potatoes. That isn''t the worst way to go down. Keeling over is potentially way worse. Thankfully I don''t hit any stones either. Instead I land in the soft grass, or rather the moss which grows in thick pads this close to the house. Still, all conscious thought flees my mind for a moment or maybe even a little longer.


    I''m not sure how long I''m in that dazed state, but by the time I manage to regain some focus Agnieszka has put on a nightshirt of her own. Her elf paramour seems to be gone as well. Just as well.


    She slaps my cheeks lightly as she helps me get back up.


    ¡°Oh my! I''m so sorry about that, dear.¡±


    She guides me over to the wooden bench next to the backdoor where she sits me back down. She gets the bundle I dropped as well and puts it into my lap, as she seats herself next to me.


    I''m still at a loss for words, thus she keeps doing all the talking.


    ¡°I''m so sorry. I completely forgot ¡­ I just didn''t expect you to come around this early ¡­ I''m ¡­¡±


    She seems to be at a loss for words as well and just shrugs in the end.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    I finally manage a response.


    ¡°Don''t be.¡±


    I shake my head, wring my hands and smile sheepishly.


    ¡°I really should have turned around and come back a little later.¡±


    I blush like crazy once again. I really should have turned around. It isn''t like I was completely clueless.


    ¡°Still, that wasn''t something I was expecting.¡±


    She laughs and slaps me on the back.


    ¡°Dear, I may not be as young as you anymore, but I''m widowed, not dead. It''s not like it is all that uncommon around here either. Never mind though. Come on, lets head to the bathhouse instead!¡±


    Before I can protest, or say anything at all for that matter, she gets up and pulls me to my feet as well. I quickly grab my things, only realizing now that she has hers with her as well already, before she pulls me away, towards a little dirt path along the creek.


    We follow that path for a little while. It leads past a few other houses towards one of the small groves along the creek''s shore. Even from afar I can spot the barely hidden building within it.


    It really isn''t like the thermal baths in the city at all. Half timbered walls that are only about shoulder height with ample open space above and a steep, thatched roof on top. It really is nothing like in the city. It matches the rest of the village though.


    As we approach it another woman catches up with us. I know her in passing. She is a little shorter than me and has flaxen hair. She is from the inn. We haven''t had a chance to properly introduce ourselves yet though.


    She seems intent to change that as she greets us with a jaunty wave.


    ¡°Morning Agnieszka! And a good morning to you as well! You are our new alchemist, Iwona''s granddaughter, am I right? I''m Krystina! I run the local branch office of the Adventurer''s Guild and help my parents around the inn in general!¡±


    She offers me her hand and I shake it, taken by surprise.


    ¡°Right, I''m Valeria, Iwona''s granddaughter.¡±


    As we talk we enter the bathhouse. Its interior is about as rustic as the exterior suggests. There is a small basin with running water, possibly fed from the creek, and two much larger basins. The iconography adorning them, as well as the steam rising from one, suggest that one contains cold and the other warm water. Beyond that there are only some wooden stools and buckets as well as some shelves where we can deposit our things.


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    Well, whatever, it certainly is still better than washing down by the creek.


    Neither Agnieszka nor Krystine slow down at all. They deposit their bundles on the shelf, slip out of their things and start to wash up with water they scoop from the small basin with running water.


    I follow swiftly. I focus on washing. At the same time my gaze drifts to my discarded nightshirt though. It sports some green stains now. I''ll have to wash it. At the same time it serves to remind me of my general lack of clothes.


    Once I''m done washing myself I slip into the warm water together with the other two woman. Oh, what bliss! I slap my cheeks though. I can''t let the pleasant feeling of warm water distract me.


    ¡°Say, would either of you know where I could get some more clothes around here? I didn''t bring all that much when I came here.¡±


    It is the cheerful Krystina who answers first.


    ¡°If you don''t mind hand-me-downs I could spread the word at the inn. I''m sure someone will have something that will fit.¡±


    At that point Agnieszka chimes in.


    ¡°If you aren''t in a hurry and have either the fabric or some coin, I can sew you something new as well. You just have to tell me what you need and I''ll take some measurements and get going.¡±


    It takes me some serious effort not to stare, considering how the water provides her generous assets with additional lift. Her offer sounds pretty good though.


    ¡°Could ¡­ could you?¡±


    She nods enthusiastically in reply.


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    I sink a little deeper into the water and sigh as some tension leaves my body as at least one of my small problems is solved.


    ¡°Mind if I drop by in the evening for those measurements?¡±


    Before she can answer though I recall something else she said earlier.


    ¡°And what did you mean earlier? It isn''t that uncommon around here?¡±


    One of Krystina''s eyebrows rises a little, but she doesn''t but in. Her eyes dart from me to the older woman and back though, as she listens in closely.


    ¡°Oh, that. Well, plenty of the unmarried woman and some men around here earn a little coin on the side, welcoming strangers to their beds at night.¡±


    Now Krystina laughs out loud.


    ¡°Don''t tell ¡­ oh, don''t tell me ¡­ bwahaha!¡±


    The older woman promptly grabs her and pulls her under water to shut her up.


    As Krystina surfaces again she is still fighting the laughter wracking her body while gasping for breath at the same time. Finally she manages to calm down though.


    ¡°Well, never mind. Agnieszka is right though. It isn''t uncommon. Plenty of those adventurers aren''t exactly hard on the eyes after all and they tend to have money as well. And as long as you aren''t married, no one will even bat an eye. The best thing though is, that you don''t have to tax this kind of income! You just wear a yellow bandanna with red embroidery to signal that you are available. And if you want to know the appropriate rates to charge your guests you can ask at the temple.¡±


    I''m starting to feel a little faint again. The yellow bandanna with the red embroidery is familiar. I''m pretty sure I have seen something similar in the city. I still have trouble wrapping my mind around the idea, and especially how the two talk about it, though. How can they talk about casual sex with strangers as if it was nothing special at all. Then my eyes widen and I swivel around to face Krystina directly.


    ¡°I can''t believe it. You too?¡±


    She just shrugs.


    ¡°Every once in a while? Whenever I feel like it?¡±


    I''m blushing furiously once more and sink deeper into the water once again while the two share a laugh.


    Finally it is time to get out though. We don''t want to get wrinkly after all and we don''t have time to waste either.


    Krystina is the first to leave, just as the sun rises for good and the roosters start waking up the rest of the village.


    ¡°If you ever want to post a quest or need help with anything else, drop by the inn!¡±


    With one last cheerful wave she is gone.


    Agnieszka pats me on the back and flashes me a smile.


    ¡°Come on, let''s head home. You have to open your shop as well.¡±


    I nod and return the smile. She is right after all. I still have to take care of those enchantments as well. There is a busy day ahead of me!

 Chapter 12+1 - Getting things done

    As we parts ways Agnieszka reminds me one more time to drop by in the evening to get me measured for some new clothes. I in turn hurry back home to open the shop. I can''t dawdle in the morning after all, since many adventurers do their shopping early in the day before they head out. The only reason why I''m not in even more of a hurry is that none of them are likely to head out without checking in with Krystina first.


    The busy bees greet me, as I finally opened up the shop. As there were no customers waiting for me yet I take a moment to watch the bees buzz about the flowers growing along and up the walls. Not for too long though. I have an enchantment to take care of. Or rather two of them.


    Of course I know the enchantment and the runes needed for it. It is a rather common one after all, as far as enchantments go anyway. I still want to prepare properly. Better than messing up because of some silly reason.


    Grandma had a design board for that very purpose. It is a cheap wooden board of the same size as the actual enchanting table. On it I can draft up the enchantment with charcoal or something similar without risk. Afterwards I can scrub it clean again with fine sand. I even have some charcoal ready to use!


    I take the board with me to the counter in the front room. That way I can keep busy while having an eye on the shop at the same time. Happily humming to myself I get to work.


    I write the runes of the enchantment in a straight line at the bottom of the board at first. That way I can easily count the exact number of letters. Using that count I can then calculate the appropriate diameter to use for the actual enchantment.


    A little huff escapes me, as I stare up at the rafters while I crunch the numbers. It isn''t terribly advanced mathematics but it still is a little more complicated than adding up purchases or calculating a discount. Maybe I should take some time to draft up a table with the right numbers for the most common enchantments to save myself the trouble?


    Just as I come up with the right solution to my little problem, someone clears their throat and knocks on the door frame.


    It is the warrior and the pregnant ranger. Apparently the priestess is not with them today.


    I quickly note down the diameter of the circle I''ll use before it can slip my mind before flashing them a smile and greeting them.


    ¡°Welcome! Please come in!¡±


    The pregnant woman needs no further prompting. She immediately scampers over to the shelf with the Stamina Potions.


    The warrior hesitates for a moment though.


    ¡°We aren''t disturbing you, right? You had a rather intense and focused look on your face for a moment.¡±


    I laugh and shake my head.


    ¡°No, I was just doing some calculations for an enchantment. Nothing extraordinary. Its just that doing these calculations doesn''t come quite as easy to me as brewing potions or doing the actual enchantments. I need to focus a little to make sure I get them right.¡±


    He chuckles at my admission. His female companion on the other hand perks up as she hears me mention enchantments.


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    ¡°Oh! You are doing enchantments as well? Like Iwona? Fabulous!¡±


    Her male companion chuckles once again as he joins her at the counter as she comes over with a few more stamina potions.


    ¡°Indeed! That is good news. Very good news even! I was wondering, if we would have to go all the way to Barter town in the future, to get anything enchanted. It is good to know that we won''t have to waste time for trips like that.¡±


    Now I''m chuckling as well.


    ¡°That almost sounds, as if I should make sure to have some more enchanting supplies in stock in the future.¡±


    I spoke half in jest, but the woman nods eagerly anyway.


    ¡°I already have something in mind, but I need to save up a little more. Enchantments are incredibly convenient, but they don''t exactly come cheap either.¡±


    I nod. She isn''t wrong after all. At the same time my brows furrow a little though. I know adventuring can pay pretty well, but how exactly can she save up at all if she drinks this many Stamina Potions. She bought some just the other day and she is already back for more! And I''m still not quite sure if that is healthy!


    She tilts her head slightly, almost as if she can read my mind. Maybe she can? Whether she knows what is on my mind or not, she doesn''t let it disturb her. In the end she just flashes me a smile as she points at the potions she brought.


    ¡°Can we have them at the same discount as last time?¡±


    The warrior and I both groan at the same time. Probably for the same reason as well.


    In the end I sigh and give in though.


    ¡°Four Stamina Potions. Ten Bronze Crowns each. Listen though, I can''t keep giving them away like that. Once I''m through grandma''s stock and I have to brew new ones myself I won''t be able to keep giving you discounts like that.¡±


    I try to sound stern but I''m not quite sure if it is having any effect on her. She just nods and keeps smiling.


    She doesn''t pay herself today either. Since the priestess isn''t with them today, it is her male companion who pays though. He hands me three Silver Crowns and four Bronze Crowns.


    As the two leave with their purchase I note it down in the ledger and deposit the coins in the strongbox. Once that is take care off I return my attention to the enchantment I''m drafting.


    I do the calculations for the circle''s diameter once more, just in case. The result remained the same. A piece of string together with the piece of charcoal makes for a simple tool to draw a circle that will serve as a guiding line. I''ll do the same later for the actual enchantment as well.


    Once I''m done with that I get a new piece of charcoal to do the actual writing. I keep the board in a fixed position in front of me as I won''t be able to turn the enchanter''s table later on either.


    Writing the runes for this enchantment actually takes me some time. I need to concentrate on the task pretty hard as well, especially for the runes I have to write sideways and upside down. This enchantment is quite a bit more complex than the one for the Everlasting Candle.


    Finally I''m done though and I let out the breath I have been holding, as I finished the last few runes. As far as I can tell everything looks fine.


    Before I can check everything in even greater detail my stomach rumbles though. I blush a little and look around to make sure no one heard that. Maybe I should get a proper lunch for a change.


    I nod to myself. I can ask Krystina about posting quests as well if I head down to the inn now. If I have to do more enchanting in the future I will need more chalks after all. And to make these chalks I will need more enchanting dust and I most certainly don''t want to develop what we called Mill Arm at the academy. Thank you, but no thank you!


    With that it is decided. I will head to the inn and get a meal. My purse feels a little light though. Thus I get a few Bronze coins from the strong chest. As I pick them up I notice something else.


    My fingers are stained black from the coal I have been using to write. I''ll need to wash up before going out.


    With another nod I lock up the chest again. Before I close up the shop for my lunch break I write a short message on the back side of the board I used to test the enchantment.


    I place it outside, next to the front door. That way any customer who decides to drop by will know I''m out eating. Well, any who can actually read at least. Maybe I should make a more permanent sign? One with a picture in addition to the text? Later. Now I''m hungry.


    After a quick stop by the creek to wash my hands I''m heading down to the village square and the inn. Maybe they have some steamed vegetables? I haven''t had something like that in a while.

 Chapter 14 - Skills and quests

    My lunch consists of a big bowl of hot and spicy broth with both vegetables and some finely cut meat atop some fresh made noodles. Not exactly what I was looking for, but I enjoy it anyway. It certainly is quite tasty and filling after all.


    It is the dish of the day at The Prancing Pony. Apparently they always offer one of those. Anyone willing to settle for it can get an affordable, filling meal that way. Anyone who wants something else will have to dig deeper into their purse though.


    I don''t mind. Another two bronze coins for a delicious meal, even if it isn''t exactly what I want? There is no way I would say no! Maybe I should try to figure out if they have a fixed rotation of dishes they make? That way I will be able to avoid anything that really isn''t to my liking.


    Finally I''m done and I push the empty bowl away. Barely a moment later the inn keeper, Krystina''s father, comes over. He isn''t in a hurry and has time to spare as the place isn''t terribly packed around noon as most adventurers are out and about at this time.


    ¡°Can I get you anything else, darling?¡±


    I blush a little at the familiar address and glance in the direction of the counter where the man''s wife is pouring drinks for a pair of farmers, but either the woman hasn''t heard or she doesn''t mind.


    I''m about to shake my head when I remember the other reason for coming here.


    ¡°I need to talk with Krystina about Quests. Is she around?¡±


    He lets out a laugh and nods. There is some mirth in his voice as he answers.


    ¡°She is. She usually eats her lunch out back, so people don''t bother her with guild business on her lunch break. How about I get you something to drink while you wait for her? Shouldn''t be too long. A beer? Some wine? A cup of tea?¡±


    A drink sounds good! There is something else bothering me though. A tingling sensation I can''t quite place.


    It isn''t the first time I have felt this feeling either. As a matter of fact, I think I felt it just a little earlier as well, when those adventurers dropped by the shop. Finally realization hits me like a brick wall. He just used a skill on me! And one of those adventurers, probably the pregnant ranger, had as well!


    Gods I feel so dumb right now! I almost want to scream. Instead I just groan and bury my head in my hands for a moment.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    Krystina''s father looks a little worried, as he inquires about my well being.


    I raise my head again and sigh. I sigh once more, as I notice that some of the other patrons are looking my way as well now.


    ¡°I''m alright. Just feeling a little dumb.¡±


    I dig another coin from my purse.


    ¡°I''ll have some wine if its not too much of a bother.¡±


    The inn keeper just smiles and nods as he accepts the coin.


    ¡°I''ll be right back with your drink.¡±


    True to his word he returns with a jug and a simple mug only moments later. Instead of heading off again after placing them on the table, he sits down opposite of me. He even pours me my first drink.


    ¡°You felt me use my skill? Didn''t you?¡±


    I take a sip to cover my insecurity. It is surprisingly sweet. This isn''t like the wine I had in the past in Barter Town when going out with the others. It isn''t sour and it isn''t watered down either. My gaze shifts to the jug and widen slightly, as I realize that there is enough in there for two or three more mugs. I not quite sure I should drink this much. Especially not since I still have work to do later. Well, first things first.


    I take another sip to wet my lips and clear my throat before answering.


    ¡°Yes. Its not that I never felt it before. I just never spent much thought on it at all.¡±


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    Now he laughs out loud and pats my shoulder. It takes him a moment to calm back down. His wife at the counter just rolls her eyes.


    ¡°Sorry about that outburst. I just never expected Iwona''s granddaughter to be such an innocent sweety. Hah!¡±


    He shakes his head in disbelief and wipes a tear from his eye.


    ¡°I guess I shouldn''t be surprised though. It is pretty common for young people who just started their own shop to be a little surprised when they realize that it takes more than just crafting skills of one sort or another to run a proper business.¡±


    He refills my mug I haven''t even realized I emptied, as he finishes. Then he takes a sip directly from the jug himself.


    ¡°My skill is called [Incite appetite]. I picked it up when I quit adventuring and settled down here with my dear Maryla. It does just about what the name suggests.¡±


    He pauses briefly to let the revelation sink in. Then he goes on.


    ¡°You probably have been on the receiving end of some skills in the last few days already without giving it much though, right? Something like [Haggling] maybe?¡±


    I nod meekly.


    He in turn just pats me on the shoulder.


    ¡°Don''t worry and don''t feel ashamed. It happens to just about everyone at least once. Anyway, if you have some Karma to spend you probably should visit the temple sometime soon and pick up a skill yourself. You could get [Haggling] yourself. Plenty of merchants do. Or you could pick up something like [Iron Will]. My dear Maryla and Krystina both have that one. Keeps people from talking them into anything! Very useful!¡±


    I nod along with his quick lecture, taking little sips of wine in between nods. Thus my mug is empty again before long. The inn keeper doesn''t get a chance to refill it again though.


    Somehow Krystina snuck up behind him. I almost jump of my seat as she clears her throat to make her presence know.


    ¡°What are you doing dad? Trying to get her drunk? In the middle of the day and right in front of mum?¡±


    The big man blanches a little at the accusation. Before he can say anything that would upset his daughter even more though I speak up instead.


    ¡°He just gave me an invaluable lesson on skills. Its good that you are back from your lunch break though. I wanted to talk about quests with you.¡±


    She deflates visibly.


    ¡°Oh. Sorry to keep you waiting. Come on over!¡±


    She nods to another, currently unmanned counter next to a big board with lots of papers pinned to it.


    Her father takes his leave with a nod and as I get up Krystina immediately pulls me over to her domain. She flashes me a bright smile as she slips behind the counter.


    ¡°I have to admit, I have been looking forward to this! So ¡­ what quest did you want to talk about? Anything special? Or did you just want a run down on how the system works?¡±


    I was a little stumped by her enthusiasm at first. I nodded though.


    ¡°I''d appreciate a quick explanation. And I''d like to post a quest about creating enchanting dust.¡±


    She nods in understanding.


    ¡°Ah! The mana mill quest! One of our basics! Your grandma posted it pretty regularly. Lets use this as an example!¡±


    She pulls a stack of papers from below the counter and starts rummaging through it. After a moment she finds what she is looking for and slaps it on the counter in between us.


    It is a quest notice, like the ones pinned to the big board. It is a quest for creating enchanting dust which grandma posted only a little more than a month ago.


    A moment later Krystina slams down a similar but empty form next to it. She has pulled an ink well and a quill from below the counter as well.


    ¡°Here we go! As you can see these forms are standardized. A short description of the task goes up here. Then I grade the difficulty of the quest and note it down over here and the reward down there. Don''t worry I have a book for determining both.¡±


    As she talks, she fills in the details she mentioned on the empty form. Essentially she copies the details from the quest grandma posted. It is a [Trivial] quest to produce two ounces of enchanting dust. And the reward is three Bronze Crowns.


    ¡°Does this look about right? You can offer a higher reward, but this is the standard according to the book. It is a pretty simple task after all. Just about three hours of cranking the handle of that mill, right?¡±


    I look the details over and nod. This looks just like what I wanted. My brows furrow slightly.


    ¡°You aren''t using a mind reading skill on me? Right?¡±


    She almost bursts out laughing aloud.


    ¡°No, nothing like that. Just experience. Anyway, if you are satisfied you sign the quest with your name over there. Then you deposit the reward plus one additional Bronze Crown to cover the fees with me and I can put it up on the board.¡±


    I nod, sign my name on the paper where she indicates and hand over the coins.


    ¡°You really only charge a single Bronze Crown?¡±


    She pauses briefly as she pins the paper in place on the board.


    ¡°For the trivial ones. Harder or more dangerous quests come with higher rewards as well as higher fees. Anyway, if an adventurer drops by your place to do the quest they should have this paper with them. Once they are done you stamp it with your seal and when they return it afterwards I can pay out the reward. Pretty simple, isn''t it?¡±


    I breath a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Yeah, I was worried it would be more complicated.¡±


    We shake hands as I get up again and she pulls me into a quick hug before I can depart.


    ¡°Just drop by again if you have any more questions.¡±

 Chapter 15 - Topsy turfy alchemy

    I''m really starting to feel the wine as I return home after finalizing the quest with Krystina. I really shouldn''t be drinking like that during daytime. Probably not in the evening either. Not regularly at least. I probably shouldn''t work on an enchantment like this either. Maybe it would be better to take a little break?


    As I return home I take the sign indicating I was out, eating lunch back in and reopen the shop. I don''t expect any customers right now but it is better to be prepared anyway, just in case.


    I want to study the enchantment I sketched out some more, but as I start I quickly feel a headache setting in. No, I really need to take a break. I sigh, putting the sketch board away, and rest my head in my hands for a moment to think. Damn! Thinking should be neither this hard nor this painful! I''ll definitely ask for tea instead of wine the next time! Why is it that other people don''t seem to have this problem?


    Tea. Yes, I need some tea! Or even better, a hangover cure! I''m pretty sure that the supply of ingredients grandma left me should still contain everything I need. Maybe I shouldn''t do any alchemy in this state either though. Or should I? I rub my temples with the balls of my hands. I''ll do it! The hangover cure is a simple enough recipe after all.


    After putting away the board with the design for the enchantment safely, I prepare everything for the hangover cure. The process is nothing special. Essentially it is just like brewing tea. The ingredients used are different though.


    Bitterleaf is common enough. It grows just about everywhere. Dried Slime Jelly is nothing special either. Adventurers who are just starting out tend to hunt plenty of slimes before moving on to more challenging foes.


    Dryad Blossoms on the other hand are not quite so common. Dryads grow them in their hair and in theory they could grow plenty of them. They do not part with them lightly though, only giving them away as tokens of affection every once in a while. I''m quite lucky to have one.


    Before I do anything else I get a fire started under the cauldron in the fireplace. Thankfully it still contains the water I got in the night. I really don''t feel like going down to the creek right now after all. Getting the firewood is already enough of a chore.


    Once the fire burns and the water starts heating up I get started with the actual preparations. I roughly grind the Bitterleaf and the dried Dryad Blossom in the mortar. I don''t grind them too fine though. A consistency similar to regular tea is what I''m aiming for. The result I fill into a small silk sachet. That way I can let them steep in the hot water later on without having any leaves in the resulting brew.


    At the academy we had learned that we could use thin paper instead of the silk, at least in theory, but as far as I''m concerned the paper makes for a bad taste. Thus I''m quite glad that grandma apparently stuck to silk bags as well.


    Then things get a little more complicated. I set up grandma''s precision scales and measure the exact amount of dried Slime Jelly I will need. My headache flares up again at this point, but I grit my teeth together. I had to get this exactly right!


    Once I''m done with that I take a moment to clean the mortar before grinding the dried Jelly into a fine powder. Thankfully that does take neither a lot of concentration nor effort. The repetitive motion even helps ease the headache a little.


    By the time I''m done with the jelly the water is hot enough as well. Hot but not quite boiling. I scoop some out with a jug that is just the right size and put the little silk bag with the herbs in to let them steep.


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    Now I have to wait. Or rather I have time for the last preparations. I grab a mold that, judging by the smell, has been used to make candies in the past. I clean it, just like I cleaned the mortar before and set it down on the workbench. I get a sharp knife as well. After all I will need it shortly.


    I still have a little time once I''m done with that. You can''t hurry herbal teas like this one after all. They need to steep for some time. There is no way around that. Not as far as I know anyway.


    The temperature of the jug and the smell emanating from it allowed me to judge when the brew is done. Now I have to work fast. I can''t let it cool too much after all for the next step to work.


    With practiced ease I remove the silk pouch. Next I pour the finely ground, dried Slime Jelly into the jug while stirring it with a spoon. The latter is what I keep doing for some time afterwards.


    The resistance increases slightly over time. It seems I got the mix just right. What a relief! Before the mixture can harden any further though I pour it out into the mold. I scrape out every bit I can get at to make sure as little as possible goes to waste.


    The solidifying mixture has taken on a bluish color with a slight gleam. I smooth the surface with the back of the knife, but it still needs to settle a little more before I can cut it though.


    Just as well. I clean the tools I used in the meantime since I already have some warm water at hand. It would be a shame to let it go to waste after all. Especially the jug. It has to be cleaned right away. If I were to let the residue within it settle it would be a real pain to clean later. Thus I get scrubbing.


    Once I''m done with the cleaning it is finally time to finish my hangover cure for good. I take the mold, cover it with a clean cloth and turn it over on the workbench. As I raise it away, the mold''s contents slip free nice and easy. Nothing gets stuck. Marvelous!


    I look at the big blue Jelly from various angles to properly judge its size, as I pick up the knife. Nodding to myself I cut it into equally sized, smaller pieces. Each one a single dosage of medicine.


    As I finish I stand there, knife in hand, with bated breath for a moment, but the divine whisper I was hoping for never comes. Well, that would have been too easy. Its not like I just made this alchemical hangover cure for the first time after all. It isn''t even the first thing I made in this workshop. The gods don''t hand out Karma for trivial tasks after all.


    I sigh and decide to analyze the finished product instead of wallowing in self pity. I squint a little and look at the jellies from various angles to trigger the appraisal skill.


    [Cure Poison Jellies, Quality: Common, Jellies that will cure a mild poisoning, including all side effects, when eaten. Still good to use for another 31 days.]


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Success! Well it is almost a waste to use them to cure my alcohol poisoning, but that is why I made them. One should be enough.


    I grab one of the jellies and pop it into my mouth. My eyes start to water right away at the taste. Oh gods! They are awfully bitter. I guess they have to be since they are medicine. Or maybe I should try to find a recipe that includes some honey or sugar? I don''t get to ponder this idea any further though as a divine whisper in my ear demands my attention.


    [You selfishly and wastefully made use of your alchemical skills! The Dusk Maiden is your witness and gifts you 1 point for the Riven Tower Arcana as a reward.]


    I groan at the notification. That is the kind of reward I could do without. I really don''t need the reminder that I acted selfishly. Well, at least the headache is quickly fading! It isn''t all for naught at least.


    I sigh and look at the remaining jellies. There are still fifteen of them. And each and every one of them can cure a hangover, or any other kind of mild poisoning. I might as well put them up for sale.


    With that decided I put them in a clean bowl. I get an unused price tag as well and scorch a price into it with a hot poker from the fire place. I can''t exactly tie it to the individual jellies thus I put it in the bowl next to them. With that out of the way I return to the shop to find my newest creation a spot on the shelves.

 Chapter 16 - Finishing touches

    I try to ignore and forget the last message the divine whispered in my mind. I try very hard. I can''t quite forget it though. Supposedly everyone receives a few of those. One every once in a while. Mortals aren''t perfect after all. It still stings a little though.


    At the same time the advice Krystina''s father gave me keeps coming to my mind. I should get myself a skill to either fortify my mind or to actively improve my sales by influencing others. Maybe I can use that Karma on such a skill? That way I might be able to put it to good use at least. Or maybe not, since I probably would need more Karma in this particular Arcana first.


    I''ll need to visit the temple and talk with the local priest or priestess about it. Maybe they can give me some solid advice in that regard? And I should get to know them anyway, as is only proper. Maybe I can take an hour or two off tomorrow. An extended lunch break perhaps? Business is slow around that time anyway.


    Yes that is what I will do. Tomorrow. Now I slap my cheeks though, before heading out front to sit in the sun for a little while. I soak up some sunlight while the bees buzz around me, to properly ground myself for the task that still lies ahead of me.


    Since I sit out in front of the house I can see an adventurer approaching from the direction of the village center. That is a surprise, a small one at least, since most are out in the Twilight Forest or its dungeons this time of day.


    He isn''t just passing by either. That much becomes obvious as he comes closer. He waves as he reaches the short path that leads away from the actual dirt road to my front door.


    ¡°Hello! Are you Valeria? The alchemist?¡±


    He sounded a little uncertain. He probably was new around here. No, he definitely was new around here or rather to adventuring in general.


    Of that I''m certain beyond a doubt as I get a better look at his face.


    He is a warrior of some sort, although his equipment is too generic and cheap to give me a hint at what kind of warrior exactly. More importantly though, he is young. Quite probably younger than me. At least that is the impression his face gives me and his voice only reinforces that impression. More importantly though, he is clutching a piece of paper. It is a very familiar piece of paper.


    I get up and extend a hand in greeting.


    ¡°I am. Let me guess, you want to see me because of a quest?¡±


    He shakes my hand and nods enthusiastically.


    ¡°Exactly! I just got here and it is a little late to pick up any of the other quests. And for most I would need to find a group first anyway. I can''t afford not to work either though ¡­ and I''m rambling, aren''t I? P ¡­ please forgive me.¡±


    His handshake is pleasantly firm, at least until he starts stuttering. At that point he quickly withdraws his hand to scratch the back of his head in embarrassment instead.


    I pat his shoulder to reassure him.


    ¡°Don''t worry. I''m sure there are worse habits. Anyway, this is about creating enchanting dust with the mana mill, right?¡±


    He calms back down at my words and nods as he shows me the piece of paper. It is indeed the very quest I posted only a little while ago.


    ¡°It is. I ¡­ uh ¡­ I don''t need any specialized knowledge for this, or do I?¡±


    I shake my head and put a hand on his shoulder to lead him in through the shop and to the backroom where I keep the mana mill.


    ¡°No need to worry. All you need to do is to crank the mill. Slow and steady until the little drawer at the bottom is full. It takes a while but it shouldn''t be too hard. Just don''t crank that handle too fast or you''ll get cramps before you are even halfway done. Anyway, pay attention. I''ll show you.¡±


    He nods and watches me with wide eyes, as I proceed to demonstrate the proper use of the mana mill. My demonstration doesn''t take too long as it really is a pretty simple task. It gets boring pretty fast as well, which is the chief reason why I''m outsourcing this part of my job.


    ¡°It is important that you crank the handle at an even speed. The less you slow down or speed up the better. It helps if you know a song with the right rhythm. You can sing it or even just tap the rhythm with a foot. Think you are up to it?¡±


    He bites his lip, but quickly nods as he notices that I''m looking at him.


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    ¡°I''ll manage. Should I do it here? Or can I take it elsewhere and sit down with it?¡±


    I grin. That is some good thinking. He really doesn''t have to stand around until his feet fall asleep for this job after all. I nod in the direction of the back door.


    ¡°There is a bench outside, right next to the door. I''ll be busy with an enchantment. Just call out to me when you are finished or if something comes up. Not that anything should come up.¡±


    He grabs the mill and lifts it with some effort. It isn''t exactly light after all.


    Still, I get the impression that he could do with a little more exercise. I open the door for him, since he has his hands full and watch him sit down. Once he gets started and I''m satisfied with his efforts I return inside.


    I take a deep breath and look around. These enchantments will take a while. I open the windows and get my enchanted lantern as well to make sure I will have enough light. Then I get the practice board and study the design I drafted up one last time.


    Then it is time to get serious. I draw some circles with coal on the enchanting table to help me with the actual enchantment. The measurements for those I take from the practice board. I put the first girdle down at the center of these circles as well.


    After taking one last deep breath I pick up one of my new enchanter''s chalks and get started.


    I have the enchantment memorized and the rhythm my recent guest is tapping out back is actually helping as well, as I draw rune after rune with the sparkling and lightly glowing chalk.


    Time passes in a blink as I finish the enchantment, placing the last rune exactly where I want it at the very end of the circle. As I lift the chalk away from the table the enchantment is drawn into the girdle resting at its center.


    [Success! Great job creating a masterful enchantment! The Sun Mother gifts you 3 points for the Magician Arcana as a reward.]


    I almost jump as I hear the divine whisper in my mind. That is a surprise. A pleasant one at that! Before I can to think too much about it I get started with the enchantment of the second girdle.


    A smile finds its way onto my lips as I draw the exact same circle of runes around this second girdle. Having someone provide a rhythm to which I can draw the runes really helps. As I place the last rune of this second enchantment some time later I''m rewarded with another divine whisper.


    [Success! Great job creating a pair of useful objects! The Dusk Maiden gifts you 1 point for the Magician Arcana as a reward.]


    Being rewarded twice in such quick succession is quite rare, even if the second reward is substantially lower than the first. Never mind the other rewards, if you want to call them that, I already received earlier today. Today is good day indeed!


    Just as I take a step back to take a deep breath I hear someone calling out to me.


    ¡°Miss? Valeria?¡±


    It is the young warrior, who is leaning against the door frame and looking in.


    I turn to face him and nod.


    ¡°I think I''m just about done. Would you please have a look at the result?¡±


    I nod again and head outside with him, where he put the mill down on the bench. I pull the little drawer with the gathered enchanting dust open ever so slightly. I don''t want any of it to be caught by the wind after all.


    The dust seems to have just the right color and it shimmers with just the right brightness as well.


    Once more I nod, as I push the drawer closed again.


    ¡°It looks good. Would you be a dear and put the mill back inside while I get my seal for the quest notice.¡±


    He does as I ask of him without hesitation and I stamp the quest notice in the place Krystina indicated earlier today.


    ¡°Now you can go and get your reward from Krystina at the inn.¡±


    A bright smile spreads across the boy''s face at my words. He bows his head.


    ¡°Thank you for having me! I''ll look forward to working with you again.¡±


    I laugh out loud.


    ¡°I''m glad you picked up the quest, and there is no need to be so formal. This is a small village after all.¡±


    I wave as he turns to leave with the quest note in hand.


    ¡°I wish you the best of luck, finding a party and some better paying work!¡±


    He bows his head again at my parting words and heads back towards the inn.


    Once he disappears from view I head back inside to take a second, better look at the girdles I enchanted. I trigger my appraisal skill as well, for good measure. The result is the same for both girdles.


    [Enchanted Ceremonial Girdle of fertility, Quality: Rare, A flawless masterwork piece created with love and care. A woman wearing this girdle, even if just briefly, is certain to conceive if she lies with a man within the next 24 hours. The same is true for any woman lying with a man who has worn this girdle sometime in the last 24 hours.]

 Chapter 17 - Ones measure

    The rest of the day passes blessedly quiet and quick. Eryk and Gisela will drop by some time tomorrow evening to pick up the enchanted girdles. I hope they will be satisfied with the result. I certainly am. I''m not quite done with the day yet though as I still have an appointment with Agnieszka.


    I close up the shop and make a quick trip down to the creek to freshen up a little before I head over to my neighbor''s place. I wonder what kind of clothes she will suggest. Another overall would be nice. Its a sturdy and practical garment after all. Maybe another blouse to go with it as well?


    I''m already halfway over when this morning''s encounter forces its way to the fore of my mind once more and I come to an abrupt stop. She wouldn''t? Wouldn''t she? Not this early in the evening, not when she made an appointment of sorts with me. Right? I turn my head slightly to listen for any telltale sounds. There is nothing out of the ordinary to be heard. I approach the backdoor of Agnieszka''s house with a little more care anyway, keeping my ears perked, just in case.


    Try as I might, I could not pick up anything that would make me reconsider. Just as well. One surprise a day was plenty enough. After taking one last deep breath to calm my nerves I knock and call out to her.


    ¡°Agnieszka? Are you in?¡±


    Her boisterous reply follows promptly.


    ¡°Valeria, dear! Come on in! I''m just about ready for you!¡±


    I do as she says and enter her home. It is in many ways pretty similar to mine. There are even plenty of plants hanging from the rafters for drying. They aren''t alchemical ingredients though. At least not strictly speaking although I could probably use some of them. No, they are, for the better part, various vegetables with a few kitchen herbs mixed in.


    Agnieszka is awaiting me at a big table with a few bales of fabric laid out one side and a basket with needles, scissors and tape measures on the other. She lights a second lantern and greets me with a cheerful wave and a smile on her lips.


    I wave in return and close the door behind me, before walking over to join her at the table. I run my hand over the fabrics as she puts up the lit lantern. One is soft sheep wool while another is linen. The third is hemp as far as I can tell and it is much thicker and heaver than the other two. I raise an eyebrow as I turn to face Agnieszka.


    She just smiles though.


    ¡°I expected that you might want an additional overall. It is a very practical garment after all. Plenty of people, both men and women, wear it to work around here. We use the same fabric the fishermen from the coast use for their sails to make the garments last.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I nod as I answer. That does indeed sound sensible. It might feel a little strange at first though. I''ll get used to it though, no doubt. There still is something else bothering me though.


    ¡°What about the other fabrics?¡±


    The voluptuous woman pushes the heavy bale of hemp cloth aside with some effort.


    ¡°I though we might use one of these two for an additional blouse to go with the overall. I can get my hands on some cotton as well, if you want, that will take a while and cost a little extra though.¡±


    Cotton sounds lovely. She is right though, she probably will have to get it shipped from Barter Town. Cotton doesn''t grow around here after all and Barter Town is the closest city where a trader might be able to get their hands on some.


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    Before I can say anything she waves me off though.


    ¡°Let''s take your measurements first. We can talk about everything else as we go. You should strip down to your underwear though, so I can be sure all the measurements are accurate.¡±


    Even as she speaks she grabs a tape measure from the basket with the sewing supplies.


    I blush fiercely but do as she asked anyway. I''m familiar, at least vaguely, as it has been some time, with the procedure that is to follow after all. I slip out of my overall and the blouse I'' wearing with it and throw both over the back of one of the chairs at the table.


    Agnieszka motions me a little closer to the light and gets to work with an ease that speaks of practice and not just a little either. She takes just about every measure I can imagine and then some. She notes everything down in a little book and not just with a piece of charcoal either.


    ¡°You are doing this pretty regularly, aren''t you?¡±


    She nods and makes some more notes.


    ¡°Most women do their own tailoring around here. At least for everyday wear. I have always done a little more than that though. And nowadays they quite often come to see me if they need anything a little more special, like wedding dresses and the likes, since I have the experience.¡±


    She puts the tape measure away and closes the little book.


    ¡°I have the time as well, since I don''t do as much farming as I used to anymore. And I can pick up fabric we don''t usually have around here as well, since I go to the city pretty regularly. We are pretty much done by the way.¡±


    I nod and get dressed again.


    Agnieszka in the meantime pulls some thin boards off a shelf. Some she puts on the table, while others go back on the shelf.


    It takes me a moment to realize that they are cut in the shape of patterns for various articles of clothing. My eyes widen a little as I take in the shelf for real. There have to enough of those to make most professional tailors from the city go green with envy.


    ¡°You do a little more tailoring than most around here, huh?¡±


    She just laughs in turn, thus I continue as she keeps pulling pattern boards from the shelf.


    ¡°So, a sturdy overall and a blouse? What else do you have in mind?¡±


    She starts sorting the boards into a number of piles before answering. She pats each pile in turn as she finally speaks up.


    ¡°The overall and the blouse. A light dress for our festivals as well as some stockings and a few sets of underwear.¡±


    I get a little lightheaded as she keeps talking. My mouth grows a little dry as well. I don''t want to argue with her either as she isn''t wrong about any of the things she suggested. I actually need more than just another overall. I''m a little hesitant, as I ask the question now prominent on my mind I dread the answer, but I have to ask anyway.


    ¡°What is this going to cost me?¡±


    Agnieszka closes her eyes for a moment and adds everything together, making liberal use of her fingers as a calculation aid, as she does so.


    ¡°It should be seven silver Crowns and six bronze Crowns all together. No haggling. No discounts.¡±


    I groan but nod in agreement anyway. In all honesty, she is already offering me a pretty good deal. Still, the expense stings a little. I rub my temples before answering.


    ¡°I should have the money tomorrow evening, or the day after at the latest, when Gisela and Eryk get the girdles for their son''s wedding.¡±


    Agnieszka pats my shoulder.


    ¡°Don''t worry about it too much. You pay for the clothes when I have them ready and you come to get them. It might take me a few days to get everything finished anyway.¡±


    Again that sly smile finds its way onto her face.


    ¡°And I might just drop some of the coin at your place again in turn. I couldn''t help but notice that lantern of yours. I could use something like that myself as well.¡±


    Now she is talking!


    ¡°It is a pretty simple enchantment. Much more basic than the girdles I made for Gisela and Eryk. If you bring the lantern and a fresh candle I could enchant it for you for as little as a silver Crown. With a fresh candle it should provide light for a year.¡±

 Chapter 18 - Grandmas trunk

    As I return home I fall on my bed without much care. Somehow getting measured for clothes is more exhausting and time consuming than I remembered. I''m tempted to just close my eyes, but I manage to not give in. I need to get changed first at the very least. I should check on the garden and grandma''s grave as well. With a groan I get back up.


    It is already dark outside. The bees are all gone and stars are twinkling in the sky. I head down to the creek and get some water for the plants, both the ones on the grave and the ones in the overgrown herb garden, anyway.


    I have to carefully watch my step, especially on my way back up with a full bucket. I spread the water with a ladle, before heading back inside. I really need take care of that overgrown garden one of these days. Or maybe I could post a quest with Krystina? That certainly would be easier. It would cost me some of my hard earned money as well though.


    I groan, close the door behind me and rub my temples. I will think some more on that issue tomorrow. I''ll certainly have the time to do while minding the shop. Instead of worrying about things I can''t change right now anyway I head back to bed.


    I don''t get changed for the night though. Not right away anyway. Instead the big, sturdy chest at the foot end of the bed draws my attention once again. I only gave it and its contents a cursory look when I arrived so far. Maybe I should change that?


    I nod to myself and open the lid. Once again the scent of herbal soap hits me. I take a deep breath as it is actually pretty pleasant. Soap. I really should see about making some. I just will have to see about getting the right ingredients though. After thinking about it for a moment, or maybe even two, I slap my cheeks though. I need to focus!


    With great care I lift grandma''s things, mostly her clothes, from the chest, to arrange them on the bed.


    There is an outfit similar to the one I''m still wearing, a sturdy overall, patched with leather in several places despite the thick fabric, and some blouses to go with it. There are two dresses as well. Both are pretty plain though. Understandable, since it is custom to bury the respected dead in their best clothes.


    Next up are two nightshirts. One is similar to the one I''m using while the other is longer. It is longer, yet the fabric is so thin it is almost completely see through, except for the pattern of the enchantment cleverly hidden in the embroidery of the hem.


    I blush a little. This is pretty extravagant. Its the kind of garment I''d expect to find in the wardrobe of a noblewoman. And its not just extravagant either. Its ¡­ I quickly put it down before my mind can begin to wander again.


    The chest is half empty by now. I quickly scoop several changes of underwear from its depths and place them next to the rest. I''m not sure about those. I probably shouldn''t be wearing another woman''s underwear.


    The next piece I pull fro the chest leaves me speechless for a moment. Even more so than the nightshirt. It is a fur brimmed greatcoat. It isn''t extravagant. No it is very much utilitarian. Still it can''t have been cheap. It is a garment for the winter or at least late autumn though and will be of little use to me for the next few months. Still, it is good to have.


    By now the trunk is almost empty. There are a few colorful ribbons for tying up long hair and a few towels, of which one can almost never have too many, as well as some belts. There is one other thing as well though and that thing stops me dead in my tracks.


    It is a bandanna. A bandanna of a yellow so bright it almost shimmers like gold. Even more so thanks to the red embroidery, just as real gold looks best when mixed with just a little copper. Its the kind of bandanna Krystina and Agnieszka told me about just earlier this day.


    My blush is so bad by now that my face feels as if it were on fire. For a moment I''m tempted to just pretend I didn''t see the thing, but in the end I pick it up and place it next to everything else.


    Then I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths to calm down. It''s no reason to be upset or embarrassed after all. Not really. Grandma was a woman too and if her mixed heritage worked for her as it does for me, even if just a little, she probably could still have passed as an older sister of mine.


    I shake my head to clear my mind. Before I can get started putting things back my brow furrows though. I look at the chest once more. Something seems off. Then realization strikes me. Of course! It is not nearly deep enough! Could it be a secret compartment?


    With renewed vigor I start searching the interior for any hidden mechanisms. In the end though it is much more mundane. As I put weight on the false bottom on one side it tilts a little, allowing me to lift it free.


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    After placing it down next to the chest I move my lantern a little closer to get a better look. I''m not quite sure what I expected in hindsight, but what greets my eyes certainly is a surprise.


    There is no hidden treasure. Or rather there are not piles of coins or jewelry. There is a big book though, as well as piles of letters.


    The book is old. That much becomes obvious as I pick it up. The leather of its cover is worn in some places, probably where grandma used to hold it. And as I open it I have to strain my eyes as the ink is pretty faded as well. Still, it quickly becomes clear that I''m holding a treasure of another kind, a treasure of knowledge.


    I only skim a few pages but those contain a veritable font of knowledge, regarding the local herbs, the places to find them and the perils one might encounter when looking for them. I hug the book to my chest for a moment and close my eyes.


    ¡°Thanks, grandma.¡±


    I put the book back for now. I might have to copy it in the years to come, to make sure the knowledge contained within its pages isn''t lost to wear and tear. For now though I take a closer look at the letters.


    There are a lot of them. Much more than I initially estimated. Many of them are tied together into neat bundles to safe space as well. Reading them all might take a while.


    They aren''t all from the same person either. I recognize the handwriting on several of them though. Of course I recognize my own handwriting. I recognize that of mother as well. There are plenty more though which I can''t immediately place. One looks vaguely familiar at least. Maybe a teacher from the academy? I''m not quite sure.


    With a long sigh I replace first the letters and then the false bottom of the chest. I can''t really afford to spend the whole night reading after all, no matter how much I want to. Maybe I can read some of those letters during the day when business is slow before or after lunch. I nod to myself. That sounds more sensible.


    With that decision made I start putting the clothes away again as well. Not without trying on at least some first though.


    Of course I try on the great coat. It fits well enough, which is a great relief. If I can wear it in winter that is one big expense avoided.


    Next I try the patched up overall. This time I''m not as lucky. I can squeeze in but its fit is not comfortable. No, it is actually uncomfortable to wear. Especially around the hips it is entirely too tight for comfort. The thick, sturdy fabric doesn''t have a lot of give either.


    Maybe I can get Agnieszka to make adjustments though? It would be a waste if she can''t, as the garment is still good to wear otherwise. Well, I can still put it up for sale if all else fails.


    The blouses are better fits at least. For a moment I eye the bandanna. In the end I put it back in the chest without trying it on though. I really don''t want to tempt fate like that.


    The last thing that remains is the extravagant nightshirt. I blush again as I take a closer look. Then I bite my lip and activate my appraisal skill, just in case, since it seems to be enchanted.


    [A Summer night''s night dress, Quality: Epic, An enchanted silk dress as light and sheer as a dream. Anyone who beholds the wearer is affected as if the wearer had the Charm skill. It might even charm the notoriously elusive fey. In addition it keeps the wearer warm even during the coldest of nights.]


    My eyes almost bug out of their sockets. A double enchantment! This thing is probably worth more than anything else in the chest, or the house for that matter. It might just be worth more than the actual house and the land it is built on!


    My eyes are still widened in shock as I carefully place it back in the chest. Only once I close the lid am I able to relax again. Still my heart beats fast as I slip into my own plain nightshirt and under the covers of the bed and my mind races. Did grandma enchant that herself? Why would she make a garment like that for herself? Once again I end up blushing as some of the possible answers come to me. I shut my eyes tightly, as if that could ward off some of the images that come to mind, in a vain attempt to quickly fall asleep.


    Apparently there are some things about my grandma that I''m still painfully unaware of. How many more secrets am I going to uncover? The thought is scary, yet at the same time exciting!

 Chapter 19 - Herding cats

    As I wake the next morning after getting not quite enough sleep, I feel a heavy weight on my legs. No, that isn''t quite right. It isn''t all that heavy, but still heavy enough that my legs feel a little numb. I open one bleary eye to peek at the feline interloper that must have noticed that I''m awake now, since it promptly starts purring up a storm. It doesn''t move though.


    It isn''t one of the cats I have seen before. No, this one has short cream colored fur which darkens to a deep brown around her head, her paws and the tip of her tail. It is quite the charming look.


    I close my eye again, even if just briefly. After rubbing the sleep out them I open my eyes again to take a better look at my visitor.


    One of her ears swivels my way as I speak up.


    ¡°Well, hello there. I don''t think we have met before.¡±


    I look towards the window which I left open.


    Well, that at least would explain how the cat got in. More importantly though, I can tell that it still is early. Early enough to visit the bathhouse again before opening the shop. Only if I get up now though.


    I sigh and sit up, although carefully. I elict a sound of protest from the little interloper anyway.


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    I reach down and scratch her behind the ears. Surprisingly enough I don''t get scratched or bitten in return. The little one is a lot more friendly and used to people than most cats it seems. Sure, there are treasured pets and even familiars, but most live alongside humans rather than actually with them. Well, whatever.


    ¡°Sorry, little one, but I have to get up.¡±


    I keep scratching her behind the ear as I slowly and carefully extract my legs from under her.


    Again the cat meows in protest, but in the end it just curls up again on the blanket once I''m free.


    With a smile on my lips and a little extra spring in my steps I gather up my essentials and head out towards the bathhouse. I give Agnieszka''s house a wide berth, just in case.


    Along the way I come across the black cat that seems to be living with my neighbor. It barely pays me any attention at all. Its mind is probably on the rodent it is carrying in its mouth instead.


    This reminds me once again, that I really need to do something about that overgrown garden of mine. The cats might appreciate the rodents and possibly other small animals that like to hide in there, but the same isn''t true to the same degree for me. I''ll ask Krystina about setting up a quest for that. I know a thing or two about growing plants in a garden, but mice or worse are something that is beyond my expertise.


    Sadly I don''t meet her at the bath today. I don''t loiter around either to see if she still might come. I will just see her after lunch.


    I run into my neighbor on the way back though.


    She greets me with a cheerful wave.


    ¡°Valeria! You are up and about especially early today!¡±


    I return the wave and stop to briefly chat with her.


    ¡°I am. Say, you wouldn''t happen to know a cream colored cat with dark head and paws?¡±


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    She laughs.


    ¡°Had a surprise visitor, eh?¡±


    I nod and she grins even wider.


    ¡°Good to know she is back. I was getting a little worried. Your grandma raised her. After she passed ¡­ well, I think the little cutie, I think her name is Sour Cream as she really likes that stuff for some reason, hung out at the inn instead. I think Krystina always had some cream for her as well. They have a cat of their own though ¡­¡±


    I nod in understanding, as she trails off without elaborating in detail.


    ¡°Sour cream you say? Any idea where I could get some?¡±


    ¡°You''ll need to ask some of the other farmers, or maybe Krystina or her parents. I don''t keep any cows anymore myself. They are a tad too much work for me, when I''m all by myself.¡±


    I nod once more.


    ¡°Thank you! I''ll ask around then.¡±


    We share a quick hug, then we are both on our way again.


    When I return home the cat is still, or once again, I''m not quite sure, fast asleep on my bed. I don''t disturb her either. I''ll just have to make my bed a little later once she is back up and about again. Instead I open up the shop bright and early. I even have a little time to sit out front and watch the sun rise above the horizon.


    Soon after my first customers arrive though.


    One is the young man from yesterday who fulfilled my first quest. Today he is geared up to face greater tasks. Well, he wears gear as might be expected from a youngster still new to the whole adventuring thing. Except for his sword. That seems to be of exceptional quality. He raises a hand in greeting as he and his companion approach.


    His companion is another new face. And she is a rare sight in general, rarer even than the elves, of whom I have seen a few over the years. She is a dwarf and thus a rare sight outside their ancestral halls and beyond the few dwarven communities in human towns.


    I have to admit that I''m a little envious of her thick, full hair, especially considering the way she has done it up in elaborate braids held in place by hair needles.


    The rest of her outfit though has me wondering if I might still be dreaming though. Her armor, if I were to call it that, seems rather ragtag. And that heavy club she is carrying looks suspiciously like a heavy duty rolling pin with one handle broken off.


    She waves as well as she greets me.


    ¡°Hello and good morning! You are the owner of this shop, right? I''m Tamara and you already met Odolan, my companion. He mentioned that you sell used gear in additional to potions and enchantments. I hope he is right as I really need a shield.¡±


    I nod a little perplexed and motion towards the door.


    ¡°Come on in. Most of the used gear I have on sale are weapons, but I think there are a few shields as well. I just hope you don''t expect anything fancy.¡±


    She laughs and heads inside, followed first by her companion and then me.


    ¡°No, no. My purse, or rather its contents, don''t cover anything fancy. I just hope it is enough for some serviceable second hand gear.¡±


    I don''t need to direct her anywhere as she spots the few wooden shields I have in stock right away. They all have some nicks, but they should still be good for another few fights.


    She tries them on without hesitation and settles on a sturdy round shield with an iron reinforced edge that is a little rusty. She even does some practice swings with her makeshift weapon. Thankfully she stops again before I have to point out the sign next to the door.


    ¡°This should do nicely!¡±


    I grab the price tag after she has a look. Before I can even say anything she starts counting coins onto the counter.


    ¡°Fourteen bronze crowns. There you go.¡±


    I blink in surprise, as she doesn''t even try to haggle me down. Just as well. Before the duo can get going again though, I speak up, since I''m a little worried for the two.


    ¡°Say, where are you two headed anyway? I guess you must have picked up a quest at the inn, right?¡±


    It is the young man, Odolan, who answers.


    ¡°Yes. It seems there is some trouble with Twig Wights along the Twilight Forest''s edge. I think we should be able to deal with those as they aren''t particularly smart or strong. We don''t have to head too deep into the forest either.¡±


    At this point his dwarven companion speaks up.


    ¡°Yes, I''ll draw their attention and with this shield I should be able to weather their attacks just fine. In the meantime Odolan can cut them down to size.¡±


    I breath a little sigh of relief. For a moment I was afraid that they might try to go after something more dangerous, like a goblin burrow. The way she spoke though it sounds like they have a pretty decent plan. I wave once more as they leave the shop, before noting the sale down in the ledger and depositing the coins in the strong chest below the counter.


    ¡°Take care and drop by again some time!¡±

 Chapter 20 - A divine touch

    After the duo leaves it becomes quiet at the shop once more. I decided to get grandma''s book to pass the time until noon. I read up on some of her recipes and the areas where the best ingredients can be found. There is even more useful knowledge hidden in there though. Among other things where to get items like potion bottles and ingredients that can not be gathered in the wilds.


    Apparently she used to get those things from a merchant in Barter Town and Agnieszka was the one to get them on her regular trips to the city. It really isn''t much of a surprise though. I''ll have to talk with her about the arrangement she had with grandma.


    I have another idea as well though, at least regarding potion bottles. They usually are pretty sturdy little things, either made of thick glass or in some cases brass or copper. You don''t want them to break accidentally while delving deep into a dungeon in the Twilight forest after all.


    I can''t help but think that the bottles themselves should still be good to use after the potions they contain are drunk. Maybe I could offer a little reward, maybe a single bronze crown, for any intact bottle returned? That should be enough of an incentive, right?


    Then I''ll just have to wash them properly before reusing them. Add a fresh cork just in case and I should be golden.


    I nod to myself and close grandma''s big book of accumulated wisdom. That is what I''ll do. I''ll start spreading the word tomorrow. Maybe I should put up a sign as well? Yes. I''ll get one painted.


    My little feline house guest is still napping on the bed as I return the book to the chest.


    I get a few coins from the strong chest and close up the shop but leave the window by the bed open to make sure she can get out if she should want to. Then I''m off to the inn to have lunch.


    Lunch turns out to be potato wedges with molten cheese and gravy all over them today. That is quite a bit more hearty than what I''m used to, but it certainly is tasty. It takes considerable effort to withstand the temptation to order a second helping.


    Instead I head over to talk with Krystina once she returns from her lunch break.


    She greets me with a smile and little wave.


    ¡°Hello again! I take it the quest you posted yesterday turned out as you wanted it?¡±


    I return the smile and nod.


    ¡°It certainly did. I think we can do that again every once in a while. There is something else on my mind today though. Actually it is several things. First I wanted to inquire about getting some sour cream, since it seems I acquired a little house guest. I''m not sure if I should talk with you or rather your parents though.¡±


    Her face brightens up considerably at these news.


    ¡°Oh, so the little cutie decided to move back to your place? Good, good! And technically that would be an inquiry best directed at my parents, but I can drop a little bottle off at your place every other day for a bronze crown if you want. That''s not all though, right? What is the other thing?¡±


    I nod and we shake hands, sealing that little deal.


    ¡°Good. That is one thing taken care of. The other one would be about the herb garden behind the house. It needs to be cleaned up a little. Could that job be put up on the quest board? Do we have a druid or something like that operating from here?¡±


    She ponders my request for a moment before she answers.


    ¡°That should be possible. I''m not quite sure about the details though. This is an unusual request after all. I''ll have to look up some things in the guild''s handbook first. Could you drop by again a little later? I''ll try to draft up something for you.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    I breath a little sigh of relief and nod.


    ¡°I wanted to head over to the temple anyway. Would it be alright if I drop by again afterwards?¡±


    We shake hands once more and with a cheerful little wave I''m off.


    Clear Brook''s temple is just across the village square. It is a surprisingly large structure for such a small village. Most villages, even larger ones, usually only have a wayside shrine where traveling priests and priestesses can perform their rites. Not here though. Apparently Clear Brook is wealthy enough to afford itself a proper temple. The close proximity of the Twilight forest and its dungeons as well as the presence of numerous adventurers might be the reason.


    Whatever. I''m just glad that I can visit a real temple instead of just praying at a little shrine somewhere at the wayside. It just isn''t the same. That much becomes obvious as I enter. The presence of the divine is almost tangible here.


    I take of my sandals and wash my feet at the small basin in the entrance hall before moving on to the actual temple hall. Just as I stop to drop some coins in the offering bowl a hand is placed on mine.


    My eyes widen in surprise, as I look up at the priestess suddenly standing at my side. I hadn''t noticed her approach at all. She is a middle aged woman, maybe the age of my mother. Her skin is dark, tanned from many hours spent in the sun. Her blonde hair on the other hand is hiding any gray hair that might be present.


    She just smiles and guides my hands away from the offering bowl.


    ¡°It is always nice to see a new face and the gods and goddesses appreciate the gesture, but if you really want to contribute beyond the regular tithe, there is something else you could do for us.¡±


    With these words she guides me inside.


    The actual hall of worship is built around a big circular basin, or rather pool. The walls are painted to present the sky both during day and night time. On one side there is the sun. On the other the moon. In between, among many other stars, I can make out the much brighter morning and evening stars. Numerous candles, placed around the edge of the pool, provide surprisingly bright light.


    It takes me a moment to realize that the candles aren''t flickering. They are enchanted, much like the one I use in my lantern at home! That much on its own shouldn''t be a surprise, but there are a lot of these candles. A real lot!


    The priestess smiles, as she sees understanding dawn upon my face.


    ¡°We would really appreciate it, if you could enchant one of our candles every once in a while.¡±


    I can only nod in return. How could I turn her down? After all I come here to ask for a divine favor. Denying her such a small thing in return wouldn''t be fair. Finally, after wetting my lips, I find words again.


    ¡°I would like to ask for a divine boon, if its not too much of a bother.¡±


    ¡°No, no bother at all. Come.¡±


    She guides me towards the pool at the center of the room and I start to take off my clothes, depositing them at the edge, just beyond the water. The smell of salt hits me as I slip into the barely knee deep water.


    The priestess steps into the water as well. Unlike me she hasn''t taken off her clothes though. She lowers herself into the pool until she is kneeling at the edge.


    I in turn lie down, only to drift on my back in the extremely salty water.


    The priestess grabs my shoulders and places my head in her lap. Without wasting any time she starts singing the praises of the gods and goddesses.


    I barely hear any of it though as the world blurs around me. One moment my head is resting in the lap of the priestess. The next I''m drifting in the pool alone. Alone except for the figure standing over me.


    The figure is my mirror image, except it is radiating a kind and warm calm that is hard to describe in any more detail. It makes my heart feel light though and my worries seem to melt away. Apparently I have caught the attention of the Sun Mother. Of course. It is still pretty close to noon after all.


    ¡°Welcome Valeria. It has been a while. You would like to ask a boon of us?¡±


    Before I can answer, the divine presence that has taken my shape in this little dreamscape continues though.


    ¡°In our opinion you should take both a gift like Iron Will and one like Silver Tongue or a skill to some similar effect. All the best merchants need both an unshakable will and a means to influence others after all. Right now your accumulated points in the Magician Arcana allow you to acquire the Silver Tongue gift while your points in the Wheel of Fortune Arcana would allow you to acquire the Persuasion skill. To acquire a gift like Iron Will you will need to earn points in the Hermit Arcana.¡±


    Gifts are almost always better than skills. Of course unlike a skill you can''t pick when to use a gift and when not to. There is another downside as well. Gifts are much more expensive than skills.


    Still, my heart almost misses a beat as I''m offered one of the rare gifts. I swallow hard before I answer.


    ¡°Would you please bestow the Silver Tongue gift upon me?¡±


    The divine avatar nods and bends down and kisses me on the forehead.


    Then my eyes snap open and I''m back in the temple with the priestess.


    [The Sun Mother grants your wish! You acquired the Silver Tongue gift in exchange for 5 points of the Magician Arcana! This gift is always active and makes you a little more persuasive. You can spend more points of the Magician Arcana to upgrade this gift.]


    The priestess smiles down at me.


    ¡°Judging by the look on your face something good happened.¡±

 Chapter 21 - Familiar faces

    I need to wash up after my time in the temple''s pool, otherwise the salt of the water will form a crust before long. For now a quick sponge bath will have to do though. Especially my hair will need some more attention later.


    Right now though I''m returning to the inn with a little extra spring in my steps. Acquiring the Silver Tongue gift is after all a big step in the right direction for me. The best thing is that I don''t even have to actively practice using it, unlike skills that have a similar effect. I might still get a skill as well some time though, to double down. Just in case.


    Krystina greets me with a smile and a wave as I return.


    ¡°You seem to be in a good mood. The visit to the temple worked out as you planned then?¡±


    Now I''m grinning from one ear to the other.


    ¡°Better than I had hoped! I earned a gift instead of just getting a new skill!¡±


    Her smile brightens even more at these news. My good mood seems to be contagious. Or is this already the gift at work? Well, one way or another, I don''t mind. There is nothing wrong with spreading a little cheer after all.


    She nudges my shoulder.


    ¡°Good for you! Anyway, I have consulted the book and drafted up a proposal for a quest regarding cleaning up your garden. Here, have a look at it.¡±


    She pushes a quest notice across the counter towards me.


    I read the task description, noting that it mentions that experience in gardening or magic to the same effect are required. Next up I check the reward. Four bronze crowns. That is considerably more than the other quest I posted. Yet it still is not terribly much. I look up at Krystina.


    ¡°Are you sure about the reward?¡±


    She waves off my concerns, her smile never wavering.


    ¡°This should be about right for half a day''s work for a skilled laborer and a little magic. The fee for posting it will be two instead of one bronze Crown as well. I hope that is no problem.¡±


    I shake my head. Sure, this is more expensive than the other quest, but it is still quite affordable. It will take another worry off my mind as well.


    ¡°No, no problem.¡±


    ¡°Very well. If everything is to your liking you can sign it and I can put it up on the notice board. Just so you know, it might be a while before anyone takes it though. We have some adventurers with the necessary skills, but they are out in the Twilight forest right now and it could be a few days before they are back.¡±


    I just nod as I sign and count the coins for the reward and the fee onto the counter into two small, separate piles.


    ¡°I''m not in a hurry. It is just a worry I want to have off my mind.¡±


    We shake hands and Krystina swipes the coins into a drawer after noting the payment down in her own, or rather the guild''s ledger. Once she puts the quest notice up on the board we hug and I''m on my way again.


    As I return home I take a moment to quickly wash the rest of the salt out of my hair with a bucket of cold water from the creek. That has the additional benefit of waking me properly back up after my lunch break and the dream vision it included.


    My new little house guest seems to be done with her nap as well. Or at least that is what I think at first only to be disabused in short order, as she curls up next to me on the counter as I reopen the shop.


    Well, at least I''m not alone as I wait for my next customers. I even have some time to draft up a first design for the new sign I want to put up about buying back used potion bottles. Progress is slow though as I have to pet the cat pretty regularly. Not that I mind. It is pretty relaxing after all.


    ¡°Have you kept grandma company like that as well? Hm?¡±


    I scratch her under the chin, as she stretches briefly only to curl right back up. Before I can go back to the task at hand though a familiar voice interrupts me.


    ¡°Hello again, Valeria! I take it there were no problems with the paperwork?¡±


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    It is Danuta, the voluptuous witch I met only a few days ago. A few paces behind her, her father, Bogomil the aging barbarian, approaches, with a thick length of wood slung over one shoulder.


    Their search for the wood Danuta wants to use for her new staff seems to have been successful. The duo seems to be back a little early. Not that I mind though.


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    My feline companion has sat up to greet the duo as well.


    It puts a smile on my face and the same is true for Danuta.


    ¡°Oh my! Cream moved back in with you! What a nice surprise!¡±


    The witch takes a moment to pet the feline cutie who promptly starts purring up a storm.


    ¡°I take your journey into the Twilight Forest went pretty well? Since you are back a little earlier than I expected. Right?¡±


    She nods and waves the old man in to join us.


    As he approaches to lean the heartwood he is carrying against the counter I can''t help but notice that he seems to be walking a little funny.


    ¡°Indeed!¡±


    He sounds a little funny as well. As if he is in pain and trying very hard not to let anyone notice.


    I raise an eyebrow and look over at Danuta.


    She immediately bursts into laughter. After a moment she manages to calm down enough to provide an explanation though.


    ¡°We ran into a young dryad that set up a new grove a little earlier than we expected. What a lucky coincidence!¡±


    The old man groans.


    ¡°Lucky! As if! You weren''t the one who had to pay her price after all! I''m not a young grasshopper anymore!¡±


    Again the young witch laughs as the old man complains.


    ¡°Yes, yes. The young ones tend to be a little energetic. Or is it enthusiastic? Maybe both? Ah, never mind. Could we get a healing potion? The old man is a little sore.¡±


    ¡°Sore?¡±


    It takes a moment, or rather two, until I make the connection and understanding dawns upon me.


    Yes, dryads are known for their appetites. Or rather, there are rather infamous for them. Even if you don''t want anything from them they will try to talk you into spending a good time with them. They don''t know any restraint either and their stamina is well beyond what most mortals can muster.


    The old man just grimaces while I blush. I point over at the shelf with the healing potions.


    ¡°Lesser healing potions are over there. I''m raising the prices a little right now though, so please don''t pay the tags any mind.¡±


    Danuta gets one of the bottles and hands it to her father while fishing her coin purse from a cleverly hidden pocket in her dress.


    ¡°Oh? How much ¡­ and why? You aren''t just taking advantage of my poor father? Or are you?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Now your old man is your poor father?¡±


    We both laugh briefly. Then I let her have a look at the design for the new sign I have been working on.


    ¡°I''m considering paying customers for every intact potion bottle they return. Of course the coin for that has to come from somewhere.¡±


    She looks at the design and nods.


    ¡°Call it a deposit. Very sensible actually. How much should it be?¡±


    ¡°A single bronze crown? Quick and easy?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°I like it. So, fifteen bronze crowns instead of fourteen if you buy one of these?¡±


    I nod and she counts the coins onto the counter without any further protests.


    The old barbarian has downed the potion in the meantime and lets out a long sigh that speaks of the relief it provides him.


    I can''t help but blush.


    Before he can offer to return the bottle right away though, his daughter taps the wood they brought from the forest.


    ¡°Hold on to the bottle for now. We can return them later in bulk. We can, right?¡±


    She looks at me for confirmation.


    I nod.


    ¡°Of course. And maybe you could mention this idea at the inn? Spread the word a little?¡±


    The old man nods in time with his daughter.


    ¡°We will.¡±

 Chapter 22 - Bitter medicine

    I can only shake my head as the adventuring father and daughter duo leaves once again, the latter obviously greatly relieved. Well, it is not any of my business. Or rather, antics like that make for good business for me. I nod to myself, smile and pet Sour Cream until she curls back up on the counter.


    The cat''s enthusiastic greeting of the young witch gives me pause though.


    ¡°You like Danuta, huh? Or do you greet all our customers with such enthusiasm?¡±


    The cat of course doesn''t answer. Instead it just purrs contently, watching me through half lidded eyes.


    Well, either is fine as far as I''m concerned. As I pet her some more I notice something though.


    ¡°Oh my! You have a tick!¡±


    It isn''t just that one either. As I start searching for them, properly dedicating my attention to the task, I find two more. Nasty little, or even not quite so little, bloodsucking bugs. As far as I''m concerned they are about as bad as actual vampires, if not actually worse.


    Sour Cream seems to realize what I''m looking for at well and she comments each tick I find with a pitiful meow. She seems about as fond as me of these little pests.


    Once I''m done I scratch her behind her ears to calm her back down.


    ¡°Well, cutie, you are lucky. I just happen to know the recipe for a cure to your problem. Just two drops of it applied to the nape of your neck every once in a while will kill these nasty little buggers. It will keep new ones from biting you as well! What do you say? Should we make some of it?¡±


    She is looking at me wide eyed now. Does she actually knows what I''m talking about? Maybe grandma actually bound her as a familiar? Should I do the same? Either way, I keep petting her as I continue.


    ¡°Some of our adventurous customers might have a use for it as well. They are out in the wilds and especially the Twilight Forest a lot after all. I can only imagine that they are not very fond of these bugs either.¡±


    The cat is still watching me with big eyes, almost as if she understands what I''m talking about. It looks like she isn''t terribly enthusiastic about it either. Well, the application of the medicine is not terribly pleasant after all. That is even more true for anyone with fur.


    I''m excited about the prospect of brewing something, especially something other than the potions still on the shelves. After one last pet I leave Sour Cream alone for the moment to check on the ingredients I still have in store. For the tick cure I''ll need some Tobacco leaves, Twilight Gleam blossoms and a little Twig Wight sap.


    I find all three things easy enough. Both the Tobacco leaves and the Twilight Gleam blossoms are dried though. They keep better like that after all. At the same time this makes extracting their essential oils a little more troublesome though. After all I cant just cold press them like this.


    A frown creases my brows as I look around at the tools available. In the end my gaze settles on the parts of a simple still that sit on a shelf and I nod to myself. This will do.


    After checking up on the shop one last time I start assembling the still in the backyard. I get some water and kindling and a little later the process of distilling the essential oils and aromatic compounds of the two ingredients is well underway. It will take a while, but at least I don''t have to supervise the process the whole time.


    I might have spent the time sitting in the backyard though, as no other customers dropped by the shop that afternoon. Maybe I should do some advertising? Or would posting more quests, especially ones to gather ingredients, help? I''d need more money to post those though. There was no way around that. Krystina would not post quests unless you paid up after all.


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    By the time I close the shop for the evening, the still is done as well. The small brass bottle which gathers the condensed distillate now contains the strong smelling liquid I need. By the looks of it, it should be enough for two, or maybe three small potion bottles.


    Well, I still have to finish making the tick cure though.


    Sour Cream apparently is done napping as well. She doesn''t stay in the backyard though. Probably because the black cat which seems to live with Agnieszka is already perched atop the chopping block. There is no growling or hissing, but the two give each other a wide berth. Instead she disappears into the brushwork along the creek.


    I''ll probably see her again soon enough. Maybe later tonight, if I leave the window open again, which I probably will.


    After taking the still apart again and burying the ash at the edge of the garden, I take everything back inside. The essential oils have to wait a little. First I have to clean the still. I scrub off the soot stains and rinse the interior. I scrub it with soap as well before rinsing it with clear water once more for good measure. I don''t want any spirits I distill with it later in the year to taste like either tobacco or gleam blossoms after all.


    I doubt people would appreciate a taste like that and especially the essential oils of the tobacco weren''t exactly healthy when ingested in greater quantities either. There is a good reason why they are used in a tincture that is supposed to get you rid of ticks and other similar small pests. It is better to make sure none of it remains in the still. If I could afford it I would use a separate still for distilling essential oils, but I only have the one, thus I have no choice.


    Once I have everything set out to dry I continue to work on the tick cure. I need to start another fire, this time in the fireplace, for that. I wait for it to heat up the water in big cauldron before I perform the last steps.


    When steam starts rising from the big cauldron I use a smaller one partially submerged in it to mix the essential oils I distilled with the Twig Wight sap. I have to add some strong spirits as a solvent as well to make sure the latter isn''t too thick and all components mix properly.


    Once I''m satisfied with the consistency and the smell I get some of my last empty potion bottles. There is enough of the tincture to fill three of them after all, which means I can use one for Sour Cream, and me, while putting the other two up for sale.


    Sadly there is no divine whisper this time around. Well, that would be too easy. I''ll manage to earn myself some more Karma another day for sure anyway. I just need to be patient and diligent.


    After sealing the potion bottles with a cork and wax I take a moment to attach one of the wooden price tags to each of the bottles I''ll put up for sale. I even adorn them with a drawing of a little skull with some crossed bones just in case. Better safe than sorry.


    Hopefully that will be enough to prompt anyone interested into asking for instructions on how to use the stuff. It is not for drinking after all. As that thought crosses my mind I decide to bundle a little wooden stick, kindling which I trimmed down some more, with each of the potion bottles.


    With those anyone who isn''t cursed with extraordinarily clumsy fingers should be able to apply two drops to the nape of their neck. That dosage should kill any ticks, as well as fleas and lice, already present. It should keep new ones away for about two weeks as well. And a single bottle should contain enough tincture for about four treatments.


    I put the two extra bottles out onto a shelf in the shop. I pick a spot close to the counter just in case. The stuff is mostly poisonous to small insects. It isn''t exactly healthy for people either, especially if the dosage is too large or applied orally instead of externally.


    With a happy little sigh I return to the backroom. Today was a pretty good day. Now I only have to apply the tincture to Sour Cream to help her with her ticks.


    Hopefully she won''t hold it against me. Or at least not too much and for too long. She probably won''t like it though.


    Maybe I can encourage her by applying it to myself first? I should do that anyway. With her sleeping in my bed last night I might have already caught a tick after all. The little pests are pretty damn sneaky after all.


    I grimace at the thought and decide to carefully check every inch of my body as I change into my nightshirt. Or at least every inch I can easily see. I have no eyes in the back of my head after all. Oh, never mind, when I apply the tincture tomorrow all should be well anyway.


    With that last though and after making sure the window is open, I slip into bed and under the covers of my bed. I don''t have to wait long for sleep to claim me either.

 Chapter 23 - Cat scratch

    Surprisingly enough, my prediction was spot on. This time around I actually notice as the little sneak jumps in from the window to make herself comfortable on the bed. I''m not awake enough to do anything other than mumble an incomprehensible greeting though.


    We both get in a little more sleep before it is time to get up. Well, in the end it is time for me to get up. Sour Cream just meows softly in protest, as I extract myself from under her, and then goes right back to sleep. Maybe that is for the better. Applying the tincture should be much easier when she is napping.


    After extracting myself from the sheets and the cat that didn''t quite want to let me go I took a moment to stretch. There was no sense dallying. It would be better to get this over with quickly.


    I grab the bottle and activate my appraisal skill to check it out, just in case.


    [Pest Bane Tincture, Quality: Common, A tincture that will keep a multitude of common pests, like ticks, fleas or lice away for the duration of two weeks. Any such pests that are already bothering you will either flee or die in short order. Still good to use for another 28 days.]


    Good. Nothing has gone wrong during the medicine''s creation. This should work just fine.


    I put the bottle down at the chest at the foot end of the bed and sit down at the edge of the bed myself. Taking great care not to jostle my feline house guest too much. Then I take a deep breath to calm myself. I''ll have to act fast now. Fast and decisive.


    The cat''s purring almost makes me falter. It takes all the resolve I can muster to keep going. I grab the potion bottle, break it open and dip the thin piece of wood into it.


    As I turn around to drip the tincture into sour Cream''s neck, I realize that she is not nearly as fast asleep as I had hoped. Not at all in fact. She is staring at me with wide eyes, almost as if she is very much aware of what I''m about to do.


    I can see her muscles tense. Before she can bolt though, I grab her. I move my free hand under her and quickly lift her up just enough, so that she can''t simply take off running.


    ¡°Mrow!¡±


    Oh my, that is no happy sound. Not in the slightest. The deep growl that follows is not better either. Still, I don''t let it discourage me and position the piece of wood above her neck before I can make a mess of my bed.


    It takes only a moment for the two drops of the medicine to land in the short creamy fur in the nape of her neck. That is enough time to transform the adorable cat into an incarnation of righteous fury though. Before I can let her go she starts kicking with her hind legs, with her claws out.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    I finally let go of the angry cat as her claws bite deep into the unprotected flesh of my arm. As I pull away there are several deep rents running down the length of it. Some blood is dripping down onto the bed as well. So much for not making a mess.


    Curiously enough Sour Cream is not running away though. She turned almost immediately. Now she is arching her back and growling at me.


    I try to reach out to her, but she immediately swipes at my outstretched hand. Before I can earn myself some more scratches I withdraw my hand again with a sigh. Instead I blink at her slowly and try to calm her back down with a soothing voice, despite the deep, painful scratches.


    ¡°Calm down, dear. I''m sorry, but you really needed something to help with those nasty little ticks.¡±


    Even as I talk, the one sitting in between her whiskers falls off. It twitches a few times. Then it lies still.


    ¡°See? It is already helping. You won''t have to worry about new ones for a while either.¡±


    She still doesn''t look convinced. Not entirely at least. At least she isn''t growling at me any more though. She shakes and a few more of the nasty little things fall off. More than I initially knew about.


    I wince a little as the dead pests land on my bed sheet. Yuck! I''ll have to get rid of them later. The medicine is working though. Thus I decide to count this as a victory, even if it is a costly one.


    ¡°Look I''m doing it too.¡±


    Sour Cream tenses back up a little, as I grab the potion bottle with the medicine once more. The tension is replaced with confusion, at least partially, as I push my hair aside to drop some of the tincture on my own neck. She really only calms back down though, when I put the stopper back into the bottle.


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    ¡°Meow?¡±


    I grin ruefully at the tentative sound.


    ¡°It really isn''t very pleasant. Say, maybe I could enchant a ribbon for you. Or maybe a choker? Something to match that creamy fur of yours? I think I should be able to draft up an enchantment that can keep ticks and other nasty, creepy crawlies off our back. Then we wouldn''t have to bother with that icky stuff any more.¡±


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    That sounds almost accusatory, as if she wants to know why I didn''t do that to begin with.


    ¡°Well, I''ll have to study an example to make sure I get it right. We wouldn''t want to antagonize the bees around the house after all. Anyway, I think I''ll grab a healing potion for myself now. You go back to sleep in the meantime. How does that sound?¡±


    She seems to agree with that suggestion as she makes herself comfortable again, giving both the dead ticks as well as the bloodstains a wide berth in the process.


    I quickly gather up the former and throw them out. A shiver runs down my spine as I do so. The bugs are dead, yet they still make me deeply uncomfortable. I''ll have to see about washing the sheets later though. Right now I can''t do anything about the blood stains.


    At least the scratches aren''t bleeding anymore. That doesn''t mean that they don''t hurt though. It is a deeply distracting dull ache.


    I head out into the still closed shop and grab a healing potion of the shelves. It is one from the very front. According to grandma''s system this should be one of those with the shortest remaining shelf life.


    I uncork and drink it. Within moments the pain ebbs away and I can watch the scratches close. They don''t heal completely though. It seems that will take a little longer. Apparently my little feline house guest has some pretty good claws.


    Well, at least I won''t have to make another potion to cure any diseases for myself. The healing potion should be good for that much at least. Neither the grinning death nor cat scratch fever are a laughing matter after all.


    Just as I return to the backroom to get my things for a quick trip to the bathhouse a knock at the door interrupts me. A moment later Krystina''s voice reaches my ears.


    ¡°Good morning! I have some delicious sour cream for you!¡±


    I''m not the only one who takes notices. All thoughts about napping are quickly forgotten as the cat jumps onto the window board to greet our guest.


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    Krystina laughs in return and comes over to pat the cat.


    ¡°Obviously, it''s for you and you know that. Huh?¡±


    Well, these two obviously know each other.


    I open the door to let Krystina in.


    She has to be careful not to trip over the cat, as it brushes up against her legs, tail swishing about excitedly.


    Without further ado I get a clean bowl for Sour Cream''s treat and Krystina pours a little from the jug she brought into it.


    ¡°This should last you for today and tomorrow. Don''t pour too much at once. Wouldn''t want it to draw too many flies or worse. The little cutie can always let you know when she wants seconds.¡±


    Then she notices my arm. Or maybe the bloodstains on my night shirt.


    ¡°Oh my! What happened with you?¡±


    I gesture at the blissfully ignorant cat which is now entirely occupied with her treat.


    ¡°We had a little argument about ticks and how to get rid of them. Say, are the beds at your parent''s inn enchanted? You know, against bedbugs and similar pests?¡±


    She nods as understanding dawns upon her.


    ¡°I think so. Why?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking about enchanting a choker or a ribbon for Sour Cream. That way she doesn''t have to bother with unpleasant medicine any more and I won''t get scratched again. I''ll need to study a similar enchantment first though, as I don''t know a working one off the top of my head.¡±


    As I talk I gather up my bathing supplies and the clothes for the day as well.


    Krystina in turn nods in understanding.


    ¡°Sure. I''ll talk with my parents about it. Some adventurers might be interested in something like that as well. If you think the ticks around here are bad, you should see some of the nasties from the Twilight Forest.¡±


    I close the door behind us and we start heading in the direction of the bath.


    ¡°Marvelous! Say, can you prepare a quest for gathering Twig Wight Sap for me? I''ll drop by after lunch with the money.¡±


    That puts a smile on her face.


    ¡°Sure thing!¡±

 Chapter 24 - Potion bottles and other issues

    What an auspicious start into a new day. Well, I could have done without the scratches, but by now I hardly notice them anymore. Grandma''s potion is working pretty well after all. By the time I return from the bathhouse Sour Cream seems to have all but forgotten about that episode as well. The bowl I prepared for her is licked clean and she is curled back up on the bed.


    I guess I''ll see in the days to come if she is really forgiving me or if she just sticks around for her favorite treat.


    Never mind right now though. I quietly open the shop, as not to disturb her nap. My first customers are the two youngsters, Odolan and Tamara. They are not here to buy anything though. That much quickly becomes obvious.


    Once again it is Tamara who greets me cheerfully as the duo enters, while the young man stays quiet and in the background, apparently comfortable to let his dwarven companion do the talking.


    ¡°A good morning to you!¡±


    I smile and return the greeting.


    ¡°A good morning to you two as well. What can I do for you today?¡±


    The dwarven woman, who still carries her makeshift weapon, now together with the used shield, comes up to the counter while the young man looks around the shop.


    ¡°We heard that you intend to set up a new policy about returning empty potion bottles. Is it true? We could earn a bronze Crown for each empty bottle we bring?¡±


    Well, it seems either Bogomil or Danuta must have mentioned it at the inn. I nod.


    ¡°In general, that is the gist of it. It is not free money though, as I''m raising the prices for the potions by the same amount. Oh, and I only take bottles that aren''t damaged.¡±


    As a matter of fact I''m speculating that not all potion bottles will be returned, despite the monetary incentive. Some simply won''t care and every once in a while a bottle will break. By all rights I should be able to turn a little additional profit that way in the long run.


    The young dwarven adventurer nods. None of what I say seems to surprise her. She still seems to have questions, although she looks a little torn about asking them.


    Odolan must have noticed the latter as well. Before he can intervene in any way she continues though.


    ¡°Ah, well, you know there is a trash pit a little uphill, to the east and well away from the creek, closer to the edge of the Twilight Forest? People dump broken gear, tools and furniture there. Those kinds of things. And we have been thinking that we might have a look at it. It isn''t like we intend to dig the whole place up, but we might salvage some easily accessible bottles if you don''t mind.¡±


    As she talks realization dawns upon me. Of course! I hadn''t thought of that possibility at all. That might cost me a few coins early on. It shouldn''t be a problem in the long run though. It is like she mentioned. People are unlikely to dig up the whole trash pit after all. Not for a few bronze coins anyway. There are easier ways to make better money after all. Finally I nod.


    ¡°You probably should talk with Elder Jaromir as well before you dig up the village''s trash pit. Just in case. It shouldn''t be a problem as far as I''m concerned though. Just don''t forget that I''ll only take intact bottles though. And if you get them from the pit I wouldn''t mind if you wash them before dropping them off with me. There should be only dry refuse in that pit, like you mentioned mostly broken things, but it would be better if you rinse them off at the very least anyway.¡±


    I pause for a moment as another thought strikes me.


    ¡°I probably should add that condition to the sign I intend to put up. Right?¡±


    Both Tamara and Odolan nod, as the former answers.


    ¡°Probably wouldn''t hurt. Sounds reasonable anyway. I think we can do that.¡±


    At that point the young human warrior decides to speak up.


    ¡°If clear Brook is anything like other villages there might be an agreement with the local smith that allows them to salvage metal which they can melt back into raw material from the pit. I doubt there is anything about potion bottles though. We''ll talk with the elder anyway.¡±


    The female dwarf nods enthusiastically, which sends her thick braids bobbing.


    ¡°Right! We will do that. Wouldn''t want to cause any trouble after all! Anyway, thanks for the clarification!¡±


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    I wave as the duo leaves once more. At the same time I''m a bit worried. Just how many old potion bottles are they, or others for that matter, going to bring in? Not to many hopefully. Otherwise I might be in trouble.


    Well, there is nothing I can do about that now. Not unless I were to go back on the whole thing and I don''t want to. And not just because it would damage my credibility. Giving those old bottles a second lease on life instead of just dumping them somewhere sounds just right to me after all.


    Well, first things first. For one I adjust the design for the sign I''m working on to include the fact that the bottles should be reasonably clean. Then I set out to adjust the price tags of those potions still on the shelves. I take this chance to check them all with my appraisal skill to make sure none of them have gone bad.


    At least in regard to the latter issue there is no real problem. There are still a few days of shelf life left even in the worst of cases. I don''t have to do much reordering either, to make sure that the ones with the least time remaining are up and front. Very good!


    As the trio of Feliks, Lotar and Rafal drop by to stock up on all kinds of potions, the issue quickly becomes even less pressing. Quite the opposite is true actually. I really need to get brewing, so I can restock the shelves with a fresh batch before anything runs out.


    I will need those bottles before long after all. I will have to check up on the ingredients I still have in store as well. I''ll probably need to go and collect some more. Or I''ll have to post more quest. That costs money though and I''m a little worried right now in that regard. No, I''ll see about collecting some herbs by myself first. After consulting grandma''s book.


    First I note the latest sale down in the ledger though and I take a moment to deposit most of the coin I earned through it in the strong chest as well. Once that is done I retreat to the backroom. I leave the door to the shop open though, in case anyone else should drop by.


    First I check on the herbs and other ingredients I still have. The result is sobering. I will really need to stock up one way or another. Especially if I want to put some stronger potions on the shelves, something beyond what grandma apparently produced in greater quantity.


    Then I dig grandma''s book out of the chest which promptly draws Sour Cream''s attention. I''m not sure what it is that draws her like a moth to the flame. Is it the chest itself? Or is it the clean laundry inside? No matter what the reason, I have my work cut out for me, keeping her out of the chest. Silly cat.


    In the end I have to spread out one of grandma''s blouses in her sleeping spot on the bed to placate her. Maybe she is just missing grandma? Can cats get attached like that? I''m not sure, but considering the way the little cutie purrs up a storm after curling up on the garment I won''t just dismiss the idea either.


    In the meantime I take the book with me as I return to the counter in the shop. I have an easier time reading there. Thankfully no one interrupts me as I read up on the closest spots where I might find some of the herbs needed for healing, mana and stamina potions without the need for a bodyguard. There still is a risk, as sometimes dangerous monsters roam beyond the border of the Twilight Forest, but this close to the village it shouldn''t be a problem.


    I get my own, much smaller and lighter notebook and copy a few details. Maybe I can still get to some of those spots today if I close the shop early? Well, first I should get myself some lunch and maybe a little snack for underway? Oh, and I need to find someone to make my new sign as well. That has priority!


    Satisfied with the order of things I have decided on I close the shop for my lunch break. I pour Sour Cream another bowl of her favorite snack as well, before I leave. I can''t help but grin as I realize that the lure of a treat seems to be greater than the need for sleep, at least as far as cats are concerned.


    I make sure the window by the bed is open before closing the door and heading towards the inn. Today''s lunch is a hefty meat pie. I wash it down with some watered down beer. I get myself another piece, tidily wrapped up in a piece of cloth, for later.


    Afterwards I take a moment to sign and seal the quest I asked Krystina to prepare. I have no doubt that someone will deliver some Twig Wight sap to me before long. The reward and the fees together cost me another seven bronze Crowns. Oh, woe is me! Hopefully I can earn some more coin with stronger potions soon.


    Last but not least I ask Elder Jaromir for directions to someone who can do some carpentry for me. Curiously enough he directs me to the smithy across the village square. Apparently most people take care of their own carpentry needs around here and Nawoja and Olgierd, the couple running the smithy, take care of anything else besides working the forge.


    I have to wait a little as the duo works a brightly glowing chunk of iron, or rather steel. By the time one of them has time for me I''m sweating profusely. I show Olgierd the design I have drawn up and he just nods.


    ¡°The day after tomorrow soon enough? Five bronze Crowns?¡±


    He sounds like he is gargling with stones regularly. Despite this he doesn''t seem unfriendly though.


    Now it is my turn to nod.


    ¡°Payment upon delivery?¡±


    Once again he nods and we shake hands to seal the deal. Then he promptly returns to work with his wife as piece of steel they are working on apparently has heated back up enough to continue.


    I don''t stick around any longer than necessary either. The heat in the smithy really isn''t for me. And besides, I''m busy myself.

 Chapter 25 - Out gathering

    As planned I close the shop earlier today, to go out and gather some herbs. Not without leaving a note scribbled on the board I use for enchantment practice though. I clean Sour Cream''s bowl as well before pouring her another small helping of her favorite treat, should she wake before I get home. I leave the window by the bed open for her as well, so she can come and go as she pleases.


    I check myself over one last time before I leave. I wear the same sturdy clothes I usually wear. Today I wear a dagger on the belt in addition though. I don''t think that I''ll run into trouble and I''m not much of a fighter anyway, but its weight alone already reassures me greatly.


    I''m bringing a nice, wide brimmed, low woven reed basket as well. I''m pretty sure that grandma already used this one for gathering her ingredients. Right now it only holds my small notebook with the notes I made earlier, the piece of meat pie I got myself for this occasion and grandma''s trusty sickle.


    Before I head out I make a quick stop at the grandma''s grave, where I brush a hand over the headstone.


    ¡°I''m heading out to gather some ingredients. Wish me luck.¡±


    With those words I''m off. Today I''m going to look for ingredients I can use for healing potions. I already have abundant access to Wild rose petals, as those grow all around the house, clinging to the walls. There still is some Bitterleaf left as well, as that is one of the most abundant ingredients that can be found in this area. In theory these two are enough to brew some very basic health potions, like the ones still on the shelves.


    To brew something stronger though, I will need at least one more ingredient with similar properties though. And even if I don''t aim for stronger potions I can still use it to substitute one of the other ingredients. At least in theory. I''m not a great fan of substituting ingredients. The potions tend to work just fine, but their taste tends to be off which can be confusing or even disconcerting to anyone drinking them. It is better to come up with an all new recipe in a case like that, at least in my opinion, even if it is more work.


    Anyway, the ingredients I''m aiming for today are Pixie Stools and Blister Caps, mushrooms that should grow in abundance in lightly forested areas around here. Especially the small groves along the water should provide perfect conditions for those almost all year, except in winter of course, according to grandma''s notes.


    Many alchemists, especially those from the city, prefer other ingredients over these mushrooms as it is too easy to mix them up with similar looking ones that are not usable as alchemical ingredients or which are, in some cases, outright deadly poisonous.


    I''m not too worried though, as I have the appraisal skill. As a matter of fact I got it primarily for occasions like this. Being able to appraise finished potions and other objects is a nice bonus, but making sure you don''t get the wrong ingredients is where the skill really shines.


    Of course a gift with a similar effect would be even better, but beggars can''t be choosers. I don''t mind anyway. The appraisal skill is plenty useful after all!


    Even ignoring all that my little excursion makes for a pretty nice field trip. It allows me to see a little more of the immediate environs. Maybe I''ll be even lucky enough to find a few scenic spots. Not that that is a top priority, but I certainly wouldn''t mind.


    At first I follow the well trodden path all the way upstream to the bathhouse. Afterwards I follow other, less well trodden paths along the creek. They aren''t exactly game trails, but it is obvious that they don''t see a lot of regular traffic.


    I don''t think that I''ll be able to find any of the mushrooms I''m looking for this close to civilization and just off the path, but I keep my eyes open anyway. I have to climb over rickety old fences twice before I reach the point where the small groves along the creek turn a little more wild and I start looking in earnest.


    I leave the path now as well. I''m not in any danger of getting lost though as the creek is almost always in view and even if it is not I can still hear it. Even when I get turned around, and that happens occasionally, I can easily orientate myself again thanks to the gurgling water. I have more trouble keeping track of the flow of time to be honest. Especially as I can''t see the sun most of the time.


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    If I''m not careful I might not return before nightfall. That of itself wouldn''t be a problem, but supposedly there are more monsters roaming the land in the dark.


    Never mind though. Not right now anyway! Any worries are quickly forgotten as I spot the first promising stand of mushrooms nestles in between ferns at the foot of an old tree. At a first glance it seems to be a stand of Blister Caps. Their reddish, blistered caps are pretty distinctive after all.


    I set the basket down nearby and get the sickle to harvest the first one. Once I have it in my hands I hold it up to inspect it more closely, activating my appraisal skill as well for good measure.


    [Blister Cap, Quality: Common, A pretty common mushroom. Like many other it prefers warm and moist environs. It can be used as an alchemical ingredient. Know properties: [Health], [Rage] Still good to use for another 36 hours.]


    I nod to myself with a relieved sigh. That is just about what I expected. And like most mushrooms it doesn''t keep very long without further processing. That is another reason why many alchemists prefer herbs to mushrooms.


    Quickly I harvest most of the other mushrooms as well, leaving only the ones still too small and the ones already rotting. I still make time to inspect every single one before putting it into the basket. The result of each appraisal is pretty similar to the first one. Only the duration of how long they will still be good is always a little different.


    Once I''m done here I wipe the sickle on a piece of cloth and pick the basket back up. It is already much heavier as the mushrooms I picked aren''t exactly small. By themselves these would already be a good haul, but I really want to find some more to really make this trip worthwhile. Thus I continue onward.


    Finally I reach a spot grandma described in her book. The creek widens here and the water''s flow slows down a little. A number of stepping stones allow anyone daring enough to cross the small stream without getting their feet wet. Well, as long as you don''t fall in anyway.


    Numerous ferns grow along the banks on both sides, except where a well trodden path leads to the stepping stones. According to grandma''s notes I should be able to find some more useful mushrooms around here. Not directly at the creek or under the ferns, as they grow too dense, but along the treeline a little further back.


    Here I''m finally able to properly see the sun once more as well. It isn''t about to set just yet, but it won''t be long until it does either. I better get ready to turn back after looking around a little, thus I do just that.


    Before I find any more mushrooms though I find a nice flat rock that provides a nice vantage point. Even better, it is situated just right to catch the light of the evening sun.


    I decide to take this chance to have a little break and eat the meat pie I brought. That way I''ll have a little more room in the basket as well just in case I actually find some more mushrooms. And carrying it back home after bringing it for this trip really wouldn''t make any sense at all. I nod to myself as I set my load down besides me on the big, flat stone. Right, that would not make any sense at all.


    I take a deep breath as I unwrap the tasty treat. It would be better fresh and warm, but it will still be good anyway. I close my eyes to savor the first bite. As I open them again I look around a little and almost choke as I realize that I''m not the first to find this spot.


    It takes me a moment to swallow and get my breathing back under control, but when I finally manage it I laugh as I get a better look at the trees surrounding this particular spot.


    Their bark has been carved in many spots. Some of these carvings are old and barely recognizable. Others are much more recent. They all are love declarations though. Most are pretty simple. A few are downright poetic though. I certainly get the impression that this spot must be pretty popular.


    I finish my snack and shake my head. Well, I probably shouldn''t hog this spot to myself. And it is getting a little late anyway. Just as I''m about to head home I spot some more mushrooms though.


    I hurry over and take a closer look. At a first glance these seem to Pixie Stools. Those are notorious for matching other much less pleasant mushrooms though. I cut one and inspect it with my appraisal skill.


    [False Pixie Stool, Quality: Common, A pretty common mushroom. Like many other it prefers warm and moist environs. It is pretty close in looks to the regular Pixie Stool and can be used as an alchemical ingredient. Unlike the regular Pixie Stool it is only useful if you intend to brew deadly poisons. Know properties: [Poison], [Paralysis] Still good to use for another 48 hours.]


    I quickly drop it and wipe my hands at a nearby fern. I hurry over to the creek and wash the blade of the sickle as well before wiping it on some moss. This is a nasty one. Ah well, you can''t be lucky all the time. Maybe some other day.

 Chapter 26 - Another sleepless night

    Getting back home takes a little longer than I initially expected, as the sun sets and darkness descends. Probably because I''m not really familiar with the area yet. I''ll probably need to take more walks like this one to change that. I don''t mind the idea though. Getting to see more of the neighborhood and what lies beyond it doesn''t sound too bad.


    Right now I''m busy though. I need to take care of the mushrooms I found before they go bad. Which in turn means that I might be able to see about brewing some more potent healing potions some time tomorrow.


    My feline house guest is gone by the time I take the sign with the hastily scribbled notice of absence back inside. She cleaned out the bowl of sour cream as well once more. I wash it and put it away for the night before getting started on the work I have to do.


    I might have underestimated the amount of work and especially the kind of work I have to do though. It all starts with the fact that I have to remove the big cauldron from the fireplace. The big cauldron that is still mostly filled with water. I quietly curse myself as I realize my folly.


    With a groan I start to empty the big cauldron one bucket at a time. I use its contents to water the plants in the overgrown garden and the flowers growing on grandma''s grave. It takes a while but finally I''m able to lift the heavy cauldron out of the fireplace.


    Once that is done I build and light a fire inside it, which in turn means that I''m carrying firewood once again. A little more than in the last few days as well as I need plenty of hot coals for what I''m planning to do. By the time I''m done and the fire is burning I''m all sweaty.


    I have no time to rest though. I just wipe my brow and get a cutting board. The mushrooms themselves are next. I wash them to remove any dirt that might remain. Then I cut them into thin slices. The real busy work is only about to begin though.


    Sewing is not one of my strengths. Agnieszka is making my new clothes for a reason after all. I still have to do some needlework though. I have to put all those thin mushroom slices on a piece of string to be exact.


    This of course is nothing like actual sewing, but it still demands all of my attention. On one hand I don''t want to prick my fingers with the needle. On the other hand I have to make sure that the slices are evenly spaced out so they will dry properly.


    By the time I''m done with that the fire has burned down far enough as well. I grab the piece of sturdy string with the mushroom slices dangling off of it and hang it in the fireplace above the glowing embers. There are several hooks spaced all around the fireplace at various heights for exactly this purpose. I still have to get a little creative to make sure the mushrooms will dry evenly.


    Now I have to wait. This will take a while. There simply is no way around it. I''m tempted to just drop on my bed, but I manage to resist the urge. I''m all sweaty after all. After working at the fireplace, with the heat the emitted both by the fresh coals and the stones themselves, even more so than before. The bed sheets already need washing after this mornings little incident with Sour Cream, but that doesn''t mean that I should mess them up even more.


    I could, in theory, head up to the bathhouse, but I don''t feel like making that trip in the dead of night. Instead I just get a bucket of fresh water from the creek and wipe away the sweat with a wet rag. This will have to do for now. Especially as I suspect that I might get sweaty again before long. I''m not entirely done after all.


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    There is one more important step to processing the mushrooms and although I might be able to to take a quick nap before I get to it, I still need to make preparations.


    Instead of lying down I decide to sit on the bench in the backyard for a little bit. I''m a little worried about the rodents, which seem to be quite active now at night. I''m worried right until the black cat I met first out here pounces, swiftly ending the life of one of the pests.


    I didn''t even realize that the cat is around until it struck. Now it looks at me briefly, moon and starlight reflecting in its eyes, before it slinks off with its prize.


    Only moments later something brushes against my legs and I almost jump. My heart might have missed a beat as well. Then I realize that it is Sour Cream who now takes up position on old the chopping block, her attention fully focused on the thicket of the overgrown herb garden. It seems the cats have come to some kind of agreement.


    I simply keep watching her for a little while without disturbing her. I have no clue if she will have any luck so soon after the other cat killed one of the rodents, they are bound to be more careful, at least for a while, now after all, but I certainly wish her the best of luck.


    Then I shift my attention to take in the night sky. I like watching the stars. I always have. If my parents hadn''t sent me to the academy to learn alchemy I might have become a priestess instead. Well, they still calm me down whenever my mind is restless. Following their trek across the night sky has that kind of effect on me.


    Before I can actually doze off, and probably catch a cold, I get back up and stretch quietly, still trying hard not to disturb the feline predator during her hunt. This time around I close the door as I get back inside. The window remains open though, should Sour Cream desire to come in for her daily nap some time later.


    Now it is time for those last preparations. First I get mortar and pestle so I can grind the dried mushrooms into a fine powder. The last things I get are two bowls, one slightly larger than the other. The resulting mushroom powder will, eventually, go in the larger one while the smaller one will serve as a lid of sorts.


    Finding everything I need with only the light of the last glowing embers in the fireplace and more importantly a single lantern takes a while. This is especially true as I''m still not completely familiar with the workshop, small as it may be. Getting that sense of familiarity simply takes a while. Brewing more potions and other alchemical products should help though.


    Once everything is set up I check on the mushrooms. They seem just about ready. It is a good thing that I sliced them thinly. Otherwise drying them could take much longer. I check a few more just to be sure but the result is the same. They are just about ready.


    The close proximity to the mushrooms has another, unintended effect though. The smell gets my stomach rumbling. These aren''t really for eating, but they smell delicious anyway. I groan and mumble to myself.


    ¡°Maybe I can find some that are actually edible another day. I could make myself a mushroom soup. Or I could fry them with some meat and vegetables.¡±


    Especially the latter sounds incredible tempting. Never mind that you have to be really careful when gathering mushrooms for eating. I really don''t want to poison myself by accident after all and even those mushrooms not outright poisonous are often not exactly fit for eating even if I can use them as alchemical ingredients.


    ¡°Tomorrow. Or maybe the day after. Or I could just wait for the inn to serve some.¡±


    I keep mumbling like that while I lift the string with the dried mushrooms from the fireplace.


    I slip the first few thin slices off the string and into the mortar. It is the time of truth. If they aren''t properly dried to the core this will quickly become a disgusting mess. After tying a cloth over nose and mouth I grab the pestle and get going.


    I needn''t have worried though. The mushroom pieces easily break as I apply force via the pestle and the resulting mass is bone dry. Very good! I keep grinding until the mortars content is a uniform, fine powder which I then empty into the waiting bowl.


    Every movement is slow and deliberate, so I won''t kick up a cloud of dust. The stuff can be pretty nasty if you get it into mouth or nose. Getting it into your eyes is worse. I really can do without an incident like that.


    I look at the small pile of dried mushroom powder. Then I shift my gaze to all the pieces still waiting to be ground up, before finally focusing on the mortar again. This will take a while.

 Chapter 27 - Too little sleep

    By the time I finish grinding up the mushrooms it is almost, but not quite, morning. How do I know? Sour Cream''s meowed protest as she comes in through the window and finds me working instead of sleeping, and thus providing her with a comfy spot, are a pretty decent hint.


    I take a step back to peek behind the partitioning wall to look over at her as she circles the spot where I should be sleeping, her tail swishing about in agitation.


    ¡°That bad, huh?¡±


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    Well, there is no arguing with that. I put the lid on the bowl after dumping the last of the ground up mushrooms into it. It almost slips my numb fingers. It isn''t just my fingers that are numb either. My arms ache as well. Grinding up stuff in a mortar for hours is no fun. I couldn''t help it though. Those mushrooms needed to be processed before they could go bad.


    With a sigh I leave the workbench behind. I wipe my hands on a rag and head over to the bed. I''m not quite sure if slipping in, under the covers is a good idea. Sure, an hour or maybe two of sleep sound tempting right about now, but I might just accidentally sleep in if I do. Maybe it would be better if I just kept going?


    In the end Sour Cream''s pleading look does me in. Yep, it is definitely that and not my aching arms and hands. I don''t even bother with a nightshirt. I just slip of my sweaty things and slip under the sheets. They already need washing anyway.


    The cat in turn doesn''t need a second invitation. Almost right away she curls up all happy purrs once more.


    My own eyes grow heavy pretty soon as well and I don''t even fight it. If I want to get in some actually restful sleep it is for the better that way.


    I have no clue how long I actually got to sleep by the time the village''s roosters wake me again, but it can''t possibly have been nearly enough. With a long suffering sigh I extract myself from the sheets, once again doing my best not to disturb my feline house guest. I''m getting surprisingly good at that. She barely even stirs this time around.


    I''m still groggy as I stumble about to collect my clothes for the day as well as my washing supplies. Considering the roosters already are waking up the rest of the village, I might already be a little late but I hurry to get to the bathhouse anyway. After last night I really need to clean up a little.


    Once I''m done I actually feel better again. At least a little. No amount of warm or cold water can substitute actual sleep after all. Still I return to my home with a little more spring to my steps. Even better, I''m not even late for opening the shop.


    My first visitors this morning is the trio with the pregnant ranger. They buy a mixed assortment of potions again. Some mana potions and plenty stamina potions but some healing potions as well today. It seems they have plans.


    Well, I certainly don''t mind.


    Like the first time I met them it is the female paladin of the Earth Mother who is in charge of finances. She doesn''t even comment on the slight change to the prices. Instead she just motions her male companion forward who has a number of empty bottles with him. He looks a little uneasy.


    ¡°You, uh ¡­ can we already return the empty bottles?¡±


    I nod, check to make sure none of them are cracked and mentally detract six bronze Crowns from their purchases total. Juggling these numbers is getting easier as well!


    ¡°Sure. I''ll only get the sign tomorrow, but I''m already open for any returns of intact and at least moderately clean bottles you have. I don''t need the stoppers though since I need to replace them anyway. If you want you can keep those. They might make for decent kindling, with the wax and all, in case you need to light a fire.¡±


    It is the archer or, possibly ranger who perks up at those words.


    ¡°Oh my! I never thought about it like that!¡±


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    She takes one of the cork stoppers and turns it around in her hands before flashing me a dazzling smile.


    ¡°If we warm them and spread the wax around a bit they should stay dry no matter what. Thanks for the idea!¡±


    At least she doesn''t try to haggle me down this time around. Is she always this easily distracted though? Well, whatever, not my problem. I turn to the paladin and let her know the total of their purchase instead.


    ¡°Two mana potions, fifteen bronze crowns each. Four stamina potions, twelve bronze crowns each. And two lesser healing potions, sixteen bronze crowns each. You return six potions bottles for six bronze crowns. This will be one hundred and eight bronze crowns or eight silver crowns and eight bronze crowns in total.¡±


    The eyes of the paladin get a faraway look for a moment as I talk. She might just be adding up those numbers in her head as well to double check the total. In the end she simply nods though and counts the coins onto the counter.


    I bow my head slightly.


    ¡°Thank you for your patronage! Please be careful out there and come again!¡±


    The trio nods and the archer and the warrior head out, his arm around her waist once again. The paladin apparently isn''t in a hurry though.


    ¡°Do you have any plans to sell some more potent potions? Healing and mana potions especially?¡±


    The question puts a smile on my face. It even makes me forget how tired I am and how much my arms ache for a moment.


    ¡°As a matter of fact! I''m currently in the process of gathering the ingredients!¡±


    I can''t quite suppress a yawn at this point.


    ¡°Sorry. I spent most of last night processing some of them. Had to do it before any could go bad.¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°I see. I''m looking forward to seeing the results.¡±


    With these words she bows her head and heads out to join her companions.


    I in turn note the sale down in the ledger and count the coins from the counter into the strong box below it. Very nice! I need more sales like these! I hope these three keep making enough to afford more big purchases like this one! I glance over at the shelves. I''ll need to get serious about restocking soon though! It isn''t just stronger potions which I need to make. I need to make sure I don''t run out of the ones already on sale as well.


    Once I''m done taking care of my financial responsibilities I grab the returned potion bottles and deposit them on the workbench in the backroom. They look clean enough but I wash them later anyway, just to be sure. Not right now though. After my lunch break maybe? Yes, that sounds good.


    In the meantime I study grandma''s book some more. Especially regarding plants that can be used for mana potions. I''m pretty sure the paladin buys those for herself and if she inquires about stronger potions she probably means stronger mana potions more than anything else. My brows furrow a little as I keep reading, searching for hints where I might find some appropriate ingredients.


    Somehow I had doubts that I would be able to acquire any ectoplasm or vampire dust on my own. No, I wouldn''t face any vampires or ghosts any time soon if I could help it. No thank you.


    Dwarven stone oil was not something I could produce on my own either. I know that you need to boil some kind of stone to extract it, but that is already all I know. The exact procedure is a well kept dwarven secret. I can purchase some though. I''ll inquire with Agnieszka the next time she heads to Barter Town.


    Pearls are not something I can easily acquire here either. Although I could ask around. Some river clams supposedly produce pearls as well after all.


    I groan as I read the next entry. Twig Wight hearts are something I could use as well. I can''t acquire those on my own either though and Odolan and Tamara already cleaned out the most recent incursion of these. It might be a while before more pop up. Damn it!


    It is almost time for lunch when I stumble across an entry in grandma''s book that gives me fresh hope. Night candles are a kind of flower which fits my requirement and even better, they can be found around here!


    I make a note in my own notebook before putting away grandma''s book once more. I grumble as I close the shop for my lunch break.


    ¡°One ingredient. One isn''t enough to make a proper potion. Of course I can use enchanting dust as a second but that still is barely enough for potions like the ones already on the shelves. I''ll need to spend some coin to either order other ingredients from the city or to have them gathered by adventurers.¡±


    I sigh.


    ¡°No way around it. I guess.¡±

 Chapter 28 - Evening stroll

    The rest of the day passes entirely too slow. Or at least it seems that way for some reason. I can''t even bring myself to enjoy lunch. The reason for that might be that I don''t like cabbage, steamed or prepared otherwise. Not even if it comes with bacon. Sorry. I think it is the smell. I just can''t stand it.


    I''m even tempted to just sit down out front and take a little nap. I decide against it though and dedicate my time waiting for customers to the further study of grandma''s notes instead, although sleep threatens to overwhelm me more than once. I make a round around the shop then, straighten out the potions on the shelves and wipe away some dust.


    The day has one more bright spot though. Or rather, it ends on a brighter note. Shortly before closing time Tamara and Odolan return with a surprising bounty of potion bottles.


    Tamara, especially, immediately puts a smile on my face with her cheerful greeting.


    ¡°Valeria! We are back and we have something for you!¡±


    With these words she motions her companion forward, who in turn, sets a small wooden crate with numerous potion bottles tightly packed inside it, down on the counter.


    I whistle appreciatively. These two really went all out. At a glance the bottles all seem to be in good condition. Even better, they are all sparkly clean! I almost can''t believe that they are from the village''s trash pit. I pull a few of them free of their confines to look them over more closely.


    ¡°I can''t believe that you found so many and all in pretty much perfect condition. And you even cleaned them all prim and proper! Wonderful!¡±


    They both blush a little at the praise. It is Tamara who speaks up first.


    ¡°As it turns out the two of us know some cantrips that are incredibly useful for this kind of endeavor.¡±


    She points over her shoulder at her companion.


    ¡°Odolan happens to know the Mending cantrip which can fix at least small cracks and a little chipping in these bottles, while I know the Cleanse cantrip which was really helpful as well.¡±


    I nod along as she tells me how they did it. It is actually quite reassuring to know they used a little magic to make their lives easier in this case. The combination of these two basic spells is downright perfect for a task like this.


    I don''t even bother to check the rest of the potion bottles. I just count them instead.


    ¡°Twenty four potion bottles in perfect condition. That will be twenty four bronze Crowns or two silver Crowns if you don''t mind.¡±


    Tamara looks over her shoulder at Odolan, who in turn just nods.


    ¡°Two silver Crowns will be fine. Thank you.¡±


    I note the purchase down in the ledger and grab the coins from the strongbox.


    ¡°Here you are. Say, do you need the crate back? Or can I keep it?¡±


    This time it is the human warrior who answers.


    ¡°Keep it, please. It is another little thing from the pit I fixed with a little magic.¡±


    I nod and quickly speak up once more before the duo can actually leave, as something from the study of grandma''s notes comes to my mind.


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    ¡°Ah! Another moment of your time please! Say Tamara, you wouldn''t happen to know someone who can get me some Stone Oil?¡±


    The young dwarven woman laughs and shakes her head.


    ¡°Sorry, no. Can''t help you with that. I''m from a proud line of millers and bakers. Maybe you can find some on the markets in the city though.¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°I''ll try. And thanks again for getting me those bottles!¡±


    I close the shop as the two leave in the direction of the inn. Afterwards I grab the crate with the bottles and move it to the backroom, just in time to catch a glance of Sour Cream stretching. Well, apparently at least one of us got enough sleep today.


    ¡°Oh my! Look who is up. Do you want some more sour cream before you head out?¡±


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    Well, somehow that very much sounds like a yes.


    I put the crate away and grab the jug with the promised treat, as well as a fresh bowl. By the time I have it filled, the little cutie is already rubbing up against my legs and I have to be careful not to trip over her.


    ¡°Here you go. I''ll be heading out tonight as well. I''ll be looking for Night Candles. The flowers with the long deep blue blossoms. The ones that glow at night.¡±


    The latter is an important detail as it is the one thing that reliable sets them apart from Troll Candles which are deadly poisonous but otherwise look the same.


    Sour Cream tilts her head slightly, as I tell her about my plans, but resumes licking her bowl clean shortly.


    In the meantime I get ready for my nocturnal excursion. Once again I gird myself by strapping on my sheathed dagger. I grab the basket I took yesterday as well. I don''t bring my notebook this time though, as I know the general direction and I won''t be able to read anything in the dark anyway.


    Hmm, could these flowers be used to make an ink that glows in the dark? The elves of the forest supposedly have something like that. Ink that shines in star or moon light but is invisible when the sun shines. Maybe I should do some experiments. Well, once I have some mana potions on the shelves anyway.


    As I open the backdoor, Sour Cream slips out in between my legs. I wave as she disappears into the thicket along the creek once again.


    ¡°Good luck with your hunt!¡±


    I in turn head upstream once again. This time I keep out of the groves and thickets though. Night Candles don''t grow there after all. They prefer the edges of forests.


    I happen to come across my neighbor Agnieszka before I get far. I greet her with a cheerful wave, which she returns.


    She grins.


    ¡°Heading out at night?¡±


    ¡°I am. I''m looking for some Night Candles for mana potions. Its best to collect them at night. I don''t want to mix them up with any Troll Candles after all. By the way, can I place an order with you when you happen to go to Barter Town the next time?¡±


    She nods as she listens to my explanation and nods again as I inquire about placing an order with her.


    ¡°Sure. The day after tomorrow. I''ll even try my best to get you good deals on anything you want, but I''ll need the money up front.¡±


    That sounds reasonable enough. I''m obviously not the first one to approach her with a request like that. Grandma probably did as well.


    ¡°Sounds good. I''ll write a list to make sure I don''t forget anything, but don''t let me keep you now. Lets talk about it more some time tomorrow. Maybe after lunch?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow after lunch it is then.¡±


    She pulls me into a heartfelt hug, which I return, then we are both on our way again. She heads back home while I''m going out.


    I''m not in a hurry though as I have to wait for the sun to go down completely anyway. That will be another half hour by my estimation. Enough time to reach the first spot grandma suggests in her notes.


    As I reach it I''m a little disappointed though. I can see some of the flowers glowing in an unearthly, almost ghostly soft blue light, but by far not enough. I decide not to bother with those. If I leave them now there is a good chance that there will be more later in a few weeks or at worst in autumn. Instead I head towards the next destination on my list.


    I almost walk into the next stand of flowers as I round a big old oak at the edge of the next grove. I don''t even try to fight the smile spreading across my face as I take the sight in. There are more than enough Night candles growing here. Just as well. I don''t want to harvest any one spot completely after all.


    I set my basket down and get the sickle so I can harvest what I need. I grab the first few Night Candles below the blossoms and stop dead in my tracks as movement from only a few paces away catches my attention.


    My eyes grow wide and as I try to take a step back I stumble and land on my ass. Still I scramble backwards to get a little more distance in between me and the ferocious and fearsome creature that has appeared at the edge of the grove. At least I don''t scream like a little girl. I''m pretty certain of that.

 Chapter 29 - In the dead of night

    I don''t scream, although no one would have blamed me. The thing that startled me is a Pixie. A small humanoid figure, maybe a little more than a foot tall, wearing patchwork armor made of chitinous plates and bones. Under that armor its body is painted with something that emits a glow similar to flowers I''m here to collect. Maybe that is why I only took notice of it now.


    Now, most Pixies wouldn''t be reason for concern. Quite to the contrary. They are one of the few fey creatures that can be easy to get along. Well, usually. We even had some living in the gardens of the academy. This one wasn''t like those cheer- and playful little things at all though. No, this one was a feral, a warped caricature of a Pixie that has developed a taste for blood and meat. The kind that are usually only talked about in hushed tones, if at all.


    One of them isn''t that much trouble either. Not right away anyway. The problem is that there never is just one Pixie. Even two or three I probably can deal with, of that I''m pretty confident. I''m not dealing with just two or three though. That much becomes quickly obvious as I begin to spot more movement at the forest''s edge.


    I have trouble taking a proper headcount as they keep flitting about, their glittering, bee like wings buzzing angrily. It has to be a dozen of them though. Maybe a few more.


    That many suggests that they must have a hive somewhere nearby. And a hive of feral Pixies is trouble. The kind of trouble that usually results in an emergency quest sponsored by the local lord.


    It isn''t quite that bad yet though. Hopefully. I don''t recall talk about any recent disappearances after all. I swallow hard as I realize that I might just end up as the first mysterious disappearance if I''m really unlucky.


    I scramble away a little more and silently curse myself for dropping the basket somewhere along the way. It would make for a decent shield when dealing with these nasty little buggers.


    My dagger isn''t the best weapon for dealing with them either. It is still better than nothing but right now I wish I had a club instead. Oh, and some armor wouldn''t be bad either. Sturdy clothes can stand up to only so much after all. Damn it! I''m not even wearing a scarf that would protect my throat. My feet, and especially my heels, are dangerously exposed in the sandals I wear as well!


    Tentative hope replaces fear though, as I realize that they aren''t advancing on me any further. They seem content to keep their distance as well. Maybe they are as afraid of me as I''m of them? Eh, not likely. They are probably just careful. Yes, that sounds more like it.


    At least that gives me a chance to get back on my feet. I draw my dagger as well, no matter how inadequate I feel wielding it.


    It is then that one of them flutters forward, its glittering wings still buzzing angrily. It raises something that looks almost like a horn to its lips. What it produces as it blows into the instrument though is a weird, painfully high pitched sound.


    I wince. At the same time I''m tempted to laugh. The mismatch between expectation and result was just too big. I manage to restrain myself though. I''m already in enough trouble. I don''t need to antagonize the little monsters on top of anything else. It would have been a terrible, panicked laugh anyway.


    What happens next kills even the last vestiges of humor, even gallows humor, for good. Something else approaches from within the stand of trees. At first I take it for another, possibly higher ranking, Pixie, but it quickly becomes obvious that it is something else. Or rather, it is more than just another deranged Pixie.


    My yaw drops as I realize what it is. It is another Pixie. The fattest, most disgusting one I have ever seen, and it is riding atop the most revolting mount I can imagine. It is gods and goddesses damned giant tick painted in the same luminous paint the Pixies themselves use.


    The fat Pixie pulls on the reins of her disgusting mount and it rears up, eliciting a cheer from the other fluttering monstrosities that have gathered in between us.


    I on the other hand feel like puking as I can see the giant insects sucker like this. Or is it a stinger? No, probably a sucker. It doesn''t matter anyway. No way am I letting it stick me with that thing! Nuhu!


    I grab my dagger a little tighter as if to ready myself for a fight.


    This prompts another squeaky cheer from the little monsters.


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    Then I bolt and run, as fast as my feet can carry me, in the general direction of the village. I can barely see where I place my feet, but that is no reason to slow down at all. The painfully high pitched horn sounding behind me once more is all the reaffirmation I need in that regard. If anything I try to run even faster as the buzzing of wings picks up behind me.


    Damn it! This is a hunt and I''m not the hunter! I just want to pick some flowers! I want to scream, but I save my breath. At least for now. Screaming is an option I might fall back on later, once I''m closer to the village.


    Considering the circumstance things don''t look too bad. I even manage to gain some distance. Pixies aren''t terribly fast fliers after all, especially when they load themselves down with weird insect armor. The tick is probably not that fast either. Or is it? I honestly have no clue. Never mind. I just have to focus on running, then I might just make it.


    Of course, that is when disaster strikes. My ankle twists as I hit a small depression in the ground hidden by the high grass. Before I know it and more importantly, before I can slow down, I go tumbling head over heels.


    It is a wonder I don''t break anything. Another wonder is how I don''t accidentally stab or cut myself with my dagger. I can almost hear my mother reprimand me not to run with a knife. Yeah, as if that is my biggest problem.


    The sound of buzzing wings is getting louder again.


    I try to get up and somehow I even manage to get back on my feet. I won''t be running anywhere anytime soon though. Not with an ankle hurting like this. What else can I do? I''m not nearly close enough to the village to call for help.


    Even if someone hears me, it would take them a while to get here. If they can even find me in the dark.


    I''ll have to fight. Like it or not, I don''t see any other options. I bit my lips and narrow my eyes.


    Well, at least the little bastards have covered themselves in glow in the dark paint. Very convenient. I might even hit some of them thanks to that. Otherwise I probably would never even see them coming.


    Then I have no more time to waste thinking.


    The first of my pursuers swoops down towards me with a disturbingly cute war cry, brandishing what seems to be a spear with a razor sharp stone tip. It completely overextends itself. That these little monsters aren''t exactly good or fast fliers isn''t to its advantage either.


    I don''t bother with the dagger. Instead I slap the pest out of the air with my free hand.


    The Pixie''s war cry breaks off abruptly.


    I''m kind of disgusted. This felt a little like slapping the biggest, fattest fly ever. I''m also glad that I don''t see where it lands. I can''t ignore the divine whisper in my ears though. Not entirely at least.


    [Success! You killed a living being in mortal combat for the first time! The Moon Father is your witness and gifts you 3 points for the Death Arcana as a reward.]


    Great. Just what I need. Well, at least I can be certain that this particular Pixie won''t be getting back up. Not unless they have a necromancer among their number.


    Ugh! No! Don''t even think about things like that.


    Then the next opponents are upon me and all worries about jinxing myself fly out the window as I need to dodge since I can''t strike all of them at once.


    The next one gets entirely too close for comfort before I can swat it out of the air with a clumsy backhand blow. The view of its shark like teeth up this close will probably haunt my sleep for some time. Well, if I''m lucky enough to survive this mess anyway.


    Two down. Maybe a dozen or more to go. It is hard to tell, as they are buzzing all around me by now.


    I do my best to make myself a hard target, but I''m no trained warrior. It is only a matter of time before one of them gets lucky.


    I only realize that the ones diving at me from the front and the sides are only distractions, as one lands in my hair at the nape of my back. I whirl around but can''t shake it, as it holds on tight. Instead I have to grab it, to fling it away. Before I can reorient myself I feel a sharp pain in between the thumb and the index finger of that hand, where another of the buggers is biting down hard.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Damn! This is turning bad fast!

 Chapter 30 - Ferocious feline furies

    I''m tempted to grab the little Fey biting my hand. I''d have to let got of my only weapon for that though, thus that isn''t really an option. Not that tearing it off while it has its nasty teeth still sunk in my flesh would be wise. I try to shake it off instead and that seems to work. It tumbles through the air dizzily, its wings still buzzing angry, as it finally let''s go.


    I don''t have time to make sure it won''t be back later sadly as I already have to ward off and dodge more of the little buggers. They just won''t let up! At least I get in another decisive hit, as one of the attackers gets a little too cocky.


    One more deranged little figure lies unmoving in the grass, swatted right out of the air. Still too many hound me from every direction.


    Worse, I''m already tiring and I can''t put too much weight on my injured ankle without provoking lances of searing pain in that foot sending me reeling. I''m still holding on, but things aren''t looking too good for me.


    This all changes in the blink of an eye though. One moment the monstrous pests are buzzing around me, egging each other on in their screechy, angry little voices. The next a ferocious mix of a hiss and a growl pierces the night. A noise only a cat can make.


    I''m stumped for a moment. The same is true for the fey hounding me. Then, the next moment all hell breaks loose. A lithe little shape darts about, jumping and pouncing. It is like death incarnate reaping a terrible toll with teeth and claws.


    The cat doesn''t stand still for even a single moment. It doesn''t bother to make sure of its kills either, leaving plenty of its victims moaning and limping on the ground. By the looks none of them would stand a chance should it return to finish them anyway.


    Not even the ones up in the air are spared its wrath, as it demonstrates by jumping almost impossibly high, twisting in mid air to swat its elusive target, claws flashing.


    Slowly the remaining Pixies rally though. There are just too many of them to take them out in a surprise attack like that. And as they do they begin to focus on this new terrible foe, ignoring me for the time being as the lesser threat.


    Even their concentrated attacks can''t slow down Sour Cream though. She keeps tearing into them. The only difference is that she now the poor dear suffers some wounds in return. They aren''t slowing her down, at least not yet, but every dark blemish in her cream colored fur breaks my heart.


    It is this development that prompts me to go on the attack as well. I don''t interfere with the cats fight. Or at least I try very hard not to get into her way. Instead I aim for some of the little fairies at the edge of the formation surrounding her. This has the additional advantage that I don''t have to be wary of their weapons as they are still focused on my furious feline savior.


    I swat one out of the air and then another.


    By now their wounded and dead are littering the ground in a wide circle around us and their resolves starts to break. Or at least that is what I would like to think. They are nasty little critters, but I still feel bad about having to kill them all. Or is it that I just don''t want all the blood on my own hands and Sour Creams paws?


    The fight takes another turn as the giant tick suddenly rears up over the feline fury.


    Now it is Sour Creams turn to retreat. She doesn''t retreat far though. Just one jump to get a little distance in between herself and the disgusting insect. Then she arches her back and hisses.


    I''m not quite sure if the overgrown bloodsucker can even understand the gesture. The Pixies know it for sure, but the tick? Not so much. Probably. I might be wrong though.


    The fat Pixie, possibly their war leader or queen, makes the insect rear again. That is not all though. This time something else happens as well. The glowing paintings on the beast''s shell seem to flicker for a moment and there is a weird, slowly building sound. Magic! That bug can use magic?


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    I''m not sure what kind of spell this is supposed to be, but whatever it is, it can''t be good. The flickering glow seems to concentrate along its back before flowing towards its head and especially its stinger.


    I throw myself in between the damned tick and Sour Cream without another thought. The next moment lightning bathes our surroundings in bright light. Then it hits me and my body convulses. Muscles cramp up and I can''t help it as too much weight gets put on my already injured ankle. I can''t even scream as I finally collapse. Bright afterimages dance across my vision. The pain doesn''t exactly help either. It just blurs everything even worse.


    A deranged cheer goes upon among the feral Pixies as I go down, at least for a moment.


    Then Sour Cream hisses and growls like she has never before, not even when I put the tick tincture on her. And she goes on the attack again. Her next target is the enemy leader atop her disgusting mount. She crosses the distance in a double jump and tackles the fat Pixie out of her primitive saddle, its head caught in her mouth.


    I really wish I didn''t have to see what happens next. At least the darkness and my blurry vision make sure I don''t catch too many details as the cat twists the fey creature''s head off. I would be sick, but I can''t even consciously control that.


    Thankfully something else catches my attention. It is the tick. It flinched away from the cat as it grabbed its rider. Almost as if it were afraid of the cat which it easily out masses twice over.


    The beast seems reluctant to attack me as well, although that lightning attack is most likely meant to disable prey. It seems torn. One moment it moves towards me a step or two. The next it scuttles back again.


    Is it the tick cure? Maybe. Well it probably will shrivel and die if it were to actually drink my blood as far as I know. Could it be aware? Well, I certainly don''t intend to wait and find out.


    The tick''s hesitation gives me enough time to regain control of my body. I don''t bother looking for the dagger I dropped. Instead I just grab a rock from the ground and fling it at the nasty creature, aiming for its center, which happens to currently coincide with its head. I''m rewarded with a sickening, crunching sound. Once again I''m glad that I don''t have to see all the details.


    That apparently is the last straw. The remaining Pixies flee. Some go back the direction they came from. Others simply head for the nearest copse of trees. Most just try to gain some distance, apparently panicked, without any actual goal in mind.


    Not all make it.


    Sour Cream snatches another out of the air with an impossible jump. Then I notice more flying, glowing dots vanish in the distance, accompanied by hissing and growling. Is seems as if Sour Cream is not the only hunter on the prowl.


    My little companion seems a little miffed at first, as if she doesn''t want to share the kills. Then she just turns around as if she couldn''t care less, her head held high and her tail swishing left and right, to head my way.


    I barely have managed to sit up by the time she jumps into my lap only to stand up on her hind legs and lick my cheek. Afterwards she curls up in my lap and starts purring up a storm.


    I take a moment to simply pet her. Then I urge her to get off so I can get up. With an injured ankle that is a little more tricky than I initially anticipate but in the end I manage. I even pick up my dropped weapon.


    ¡°Come on. I think we should head home. I''d rather sleep in a bed than here. Maybe we should drink a healing potion as well.¡±


    She cocks her head at the latter suggestion although she apparently doesn''t mind the former.


    ¡°Mew?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you too. You got a few scrapes. And those spears they had looked nasty. You can even have the rest of the sour cream afterwards to wash it down, if the taste bothers you.¡±


    That seems to sell her on the suggestion. With that said we limp home. Or rather, I''m the one to limp, while Sour Cream prowls in circles around me. My basket is still somewhere back there. But I don''t feel like getting it right now. Maybe tomorrow or the day after. After I tell Krystina and elder Jaromir of what transpired. After I have had a good night''s sleep. Better to let some adventurers deal with the rest of this mess first.

 Chapter 31 - Limping along

    Limping back home in the dark takes some time, but at least nothing else happens. I ponder if I should head directly to the inn. In the end I decide against it though. Instead I stop at my house first to get two healing potions. I pour one into a bowl for my feline savior and she actually starts to lap it all up without complaint. The other I drink myself.


    It helps with the scrapes and bruises. It even takes care of that nasty bite. It can''t quite fix my ankle though. Apparently that is beyond its capabilities.


    I really need to brew some stronger potions for emergencies. That isn''t something I can fix right now though. I don''t have access to actual healing magic either. Thus I have to fall back on some remedies commonly used in situations like this. I sit down and rest the injured leg on another stool while wrapping a cold, wet cloth around that ankle.


    For the briefest of moments I think about going down to the creek to put that foot in the cold water, but I''m really not sure if I would be able to make my way back up the bank, thus I don''t. I got lucky once today already after all and don''t feel like tempting fate like this.


    In the meantime I lean back and watch Sour Cream finish her potion. The way she does so without protest makes me wonder if she had some in the past already. Very curious.


    She actually relaxes a bit as she finishes the last drops of the potion, licking the bowl clean as usual. Once she is done she moves straight to the spot where the jug with her namesake treat sits atop the workbench. She looks first up at it and then over in my direction.


    ¡°Mew?¡±


    Well, of course, I promised she could have it. She really seems to understand me pretty well. It has to be the gift I acquired. Well, at least that is the best explanation I can come up with. Anyway, I can''t turn her down, considering how she heroically saved me.


    With a long sigh I get back up, taking care not to put any weight on the injured ankle. Moving about like that takes a surprising amount of effort. The same is true for the simple task of pouring the last of the sour cream from the jug into the bowl without making a mess. Seeing Sour Cream dig in enthusiastically once I''m done and out of the way makes it all worth it though.


    I really just want to lie down by now, but I can''t. I don''t think I can limp all the way to the inn like this either though. Not without making that ankle worse than it already is anyway. Thankfully I already have an idea.


    I hobble and limp into the store instead and grab one of the few used staves I have for sale. Judging by the ornamentation it probably is supposed to be some kind of wizard''s staff. Right now it will serve well enough as a makeshift crutch. It certainly is better than nothing.


    I leave my feline companion to her treat. She deserves it. I take care to not make too much sound as I close the door behind myself as well, as I head off towards the inn. It takes me longer than I like. The staff is a great help, but I''m not really used to walking with an aid like that. It takes some getting used to and it takes even longer to figure out the best way to use it, since it is not an actual cane fashioned for the purpose of supporting someone with a leg injury.


    I just hope that there is still someone up and about at the inn. It is getting a little late after all. A glance up at the stars tells me as much. My worries are quickly put to rest as I can still hear noise emanating from the common room as I draw close. Even better, I almost bump into the first person I''m looking for, as I''m about to enter.


    ¡°Elder Jaromir! If you could spare a moment!¡±


    He looks a little flushed, but he quickly sobers up as he sees me limping towards him, leaning heavily on the makeshift crutch.


    ¡°Valeria? Oh my! What happened to you?¡±


    That little outburst seems to be enough to draw some more attention from the other guests as well as Krystina''s mother who is serving drinks.


    ¡°Oh dear! You don''t look too good! Quick, come in and sit down. I''ll get you a drink.¡±


    I''m not quite sure about the drink, but in the end I don''t say no and accept the elder''s help as well, as he guides me to a free place at one of the nearby tables. I sit down with a sigh of relief and a moment later my fingers are clasping a small mug of warm wine. I take a sip as the elder sits down opposite of me. I look up at the innkeeper''s wife.


    ¡°Is Krystina still up and about?¡±


    The woman nods.


    ¡°I''ll get her. Just a moment. She is helping my husband with the dishes.¡±


    She is true to her word. A moment later Krystina appears from the direction of the kitchen, her brows furrowed in worry. As she spots me she hurries over to join me and the elder, wiping her hands with the dishrag she has been using.


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    ¡°Oh! Valeria! What happened?¡±


    I wait until she sits as well before I answer.


    ¡°I was out looking for some herbs. Night Candles. Best to pick them at night to make sure you don''t mix them up with Troll Candles. I didn''t get to gather any though, as I ran into a spot of trouble instead.¡±


    Her brows furrow a little more as she nods along with my explanation. It is the elder who asks the obvious question.


    ¡°What kind of trouble, dear? Some wild animal? A monster from the Twilight Forest?¡±


    I take another sip of the warm and sweet spiced wine, careful not to drink it too fast this time around.


    ¡°Feral Pixies. I happened across a hunting party just as I was about to fill my basket with the herbs I have been looking for. Deranged little monsters. Covered in paint that glows in the dark and wearing armor made of bug shells as well as weapons with stone blades.¡±


    His brows wander up a little more with every word I tell.


    ¡°Feral Pixies? Are you sure, dear?¡±


    As if on cue a cat hops up on the table next to me. I haven''t even noticed it coming in. And apparently the same is true for the others judging by the surprise on their faces. It isn''t Sour Cream though. No, this is the black cat that makes her home at Agnieszka''s place and it isn''t here just to beg for treats either.


    It looks at us, one after the other to make sure it has our undivided attention. Then it drops the thing it is carrying in its maw onto the table in between us. It is one of the very monsters that attacked me, still wearing primitive armor made of chitin and bone. Its mouth stands open, revealing its shark like teeth. Thankfully it is very dead though.


    I nod and point at it.


    ¡°Yes, I''m damn sure.¡±


    Both Krystina and the elder recoil a little as they see the present the cat brought.


    I just turn towards the feline and run a hand along its back.


    ¡°You were out there as well, huh? Thanks for helping me and Sour Cream out.¡±


    By now one of the adventurers from the other tables has joined us as well, looking over the elder''s shoulder at the cat''s gift. It is Rafal, the bard adventuring with Feliks and Lotar. The other two aren''t far behind either. He too winces a little at the sight.


    ¡°I have heard about those. There are stories that they can kill a human within moments if they get caught in a big swarm, leaving nothing but a pile of bloody bones.¡±


    I nod. I know these stories as well. They are a little embellished, of course, but not by much. I bite my lips as I pick up the conversation.


    ¡°They probably weren''t out to get one of us or me especially. They probably were aiming for a sheep or some chicken when they stumbled across me instead. That is how it usually starts, I guess I was just unlucky. If you don''t do something about them early on though, it can soon be children and then lone wanderers instead of sheep or other small animals.¡±


    With trembling hands I take another sip of the wine warming my hands. It is Krystina who asks the next question.


    ¡°You got away though?¡±


    Once again I nod.


    ¡°Sour Cream ¡­¡±


    I pause and look over at the black cat who seems to enjoy all the attention it is getting.


    ¡°... and apparently some of the other cats saved me. It seems. I guess to someone who is only a foot tall a cat is a truly fearsome foe.¡±


    Rafal the bard, pats me on the back.


    ¡°True. Very true. That probably isn''t the end of it though. Otherwise you probably would be resting up after this scare instead of telling us right away. Right?¡±


    It is Jaromir who answers instead of me.


    ¡°Even with one hunting party taken care off we still need to find their hive. We can''t let any get away. Krystina, could you get me something to write? I think I need to pen a letter. Lord Antek needs to know as well. He will either take care of this personally, together with some of his knights, or he will at least provide the funds for a proper emergency quest.¡±

 Chapter 32 - Necessary expenses

    Once the formalities are taken care off Krystina helps me to get back home. I''m quite grateful as even with my makeshift crutch every step is pure torture otherwise.


    Sour Cream is already waiting for us, or probably rather me. I can''t be quite sure though, as she knows Krystina as well. She certainly doesn''t mind getting petted by her. Apparently she doesn''t intend to head back out tonight though.


    I can''t fault her for that. I certainly have had enough excitement tonight to last me many years. It probably is the same for her.


    Kyristina leans against the door frame as I clumsily change out of my clothes and into a nightshirt.


    Can I help you with anything else?¡±


    I''m about to decline when something comes to mind.


    Could you get me a bucket of fresh water from the creek before you go? So I can make a cold compress for my ankle?¡±


    She nods and grabs the bucket in question.


    Be right back.¡±


    As she disappears into the night I frown at my clothes. They are full of grass stains. Well, it could be worse. Not by much though. Those stains are notoriously hard to get out of fabric. That is a worry for another day though. Tomorrow, probably.


    What am I going to do tomorrow anyway? I''m not sure standing around behind the counter in the shop will be good for my ankle. Should I sit down instead? Or should I open only for the morning hours as the adventurers head out?


    Worse, I''m not sure that ankle will be better any time soon. It might take a little longer to heal for all I know. I don''t like that thought. Especially as it means that I won''t be able to gather any ingredients by myself at all, even after this Pixie mess is taken care of.


    I sigh in resignation. I''ll have to post more quests to get those ingredients. I should prepare a list for Agnieszka as well. So I can get some things from the city. Not everything can be harvested locally after all. Both will drain my available funds. And while I have some coin in the chest under the counter I still don''t particularly like the idea of spending it with both hands, left and right like that.


    Before my thoughts can run wild any more than they already do Krystina returns. Instead of just dropping the bucket off with me she grabs a clean cloth to make that cold compress I mentioned. It immediately eases the pain, at least a little. Time will do the rest. Hopefully.


    She sits with me another moment as I finally slip into bed.


    How do you feel? Think you can work tomorrow? Or should I let people know that you are taking a day off?¡±


    I shrug before my head can hit the pillow.


    I''m not quite sure. I''ll try to open the shop at least for an hour or two in the morning. That should be enough for most adventurers, right?¡±


    She nods and gets up.


    Before she can leave though another thought strikes me.


    Could you drop by with another jug of sour cream in the morning?¡±


    I run my hand through the fur of my feline bed warmer as she curls up at my side.


    I think my little hero deserves her treat.¡±


    The cat acknowledges that with a barely audible meow, not even opening an eye. Only the way her ears move lets me know that she is not actually asleep yet.


    Krystina nods and grabs the empty jug from the workbench.


    Alright. See you in the morning then. Night!¡±


    Night!¡±


    I barely manage to keep my eyes open until the door closes. Then the recent excitement takes its toll and I drift off into a fitful sleep.


    At least I don''t remember any of the dreams, when I wake up much too early for my liking the next morning. Thank the gods and goddesses for small mercies.


    Despite being awake I''m confined to my bed for the time being though, as Sour Cream shows no intent to move any time soon. That only changes when I knock sounds from the door and Krystina''s voice calls out to us.


    Morning!¡±


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    Now Sour Cream can''t get up fast enough, almost as if lightning had tickled her. Silly cat!


    I swing my feet out of bed as well, remembering at the last second not to put any weight on my injured foot. In the end I only sit up before calling out in return.


    Good morning to you as well! Come on in, but be careful so you don''t stumble over the cat.¡±


    The young woman laughs as she pushes the door open.


    Well, it seems as if at least one of you two is as good as new and ready to start the day.¡±


    I let out a dry chuckle.


    If only a bowl of sour cream were all it took to soothe my aches.¡±


    The cat doesn''t let my words distract her though, as she brushes up against Krystina''s legs until a bowl with her favorite treat is set down in front of her. Well, the adorable fur ball certainly has her priorities straight.


    The young woman in turn stops me as I''m about to get dressed.


    Come on, I''ll help you to the bath house. A nice bath should help reawaken your spirits. And we can try to get some of those stains out of your clothes. Do you have a change of clothes you can wear if we wash those?¡±


    I frown as I''m actually a little short on clothes.


    Help me with the chest please. I think one of grandma''s overalls should fit me well enough.¡±


    We grab a change of clothes and the ones that need cleaning. Then we make our way to the bath and it turns out that Krystina is right. A nice bath certainly helps my body to forget some of the hardships that were imposed upon it yesterday.


    Agnieszka joins us as well before long and so do some of the other women from the nearby farms as well as Nawoja from the smithy. Together we manage to take care of the worst of the stains in my worn clothes as well. Now they only will take some time to dry.


    I''m not proven wrong about grandma''s overall either. It fits me just fine with one exception. The legs are a little short. For today, and maybe a few more days, it will do though. It is summer after all. Early summer but summer nonetheless. And I don''t plan on going out anyway.


    Krystina has to leave earlier than any of the others though. Thus it is Agnieszka who helps me return home in the end.


    Have you thought about things you want me to get from the market in Barter Town, Valeria?¡±


    I almost miss a step at the sudden question and only the older woman''s support keeps me from stumbling.


    I could give you a list. I can right?¡±


    She nods patiently, as she waits for me to match her pace again.


    Sure, dear. I''d appreciate it very much in fact, but tell me anyway.¡±


    Well, if she insists. It certainly will help pass the time as we slowly make our way back from the bath house.


    I have been thinking about brewing some stronger potions. Both healing and mana potions. Wish I already had one of the former, but never mind. I could use some dried Mountain Flower for the healing potions. I already gathered some Blister Caps which can be used for healing potions but none of the recipes I know mix up mushrooms and flowers and I don''t feel like finding out why right now.¡±


    The older woman laughs briefly at the last bit, then I continue.


    I''ll need more things for the mana potions since I didn''t manage to actually harvest any Night Candles yesterday. If you could get some Dwarven Stone oil and some ectoplasm I could supplement these with enchanting dust from the mana mill. Together they will make for a really prickly, disgusting potion, but it will be pretty potent as well.¡±


    Agnieszka shakes her head in disbelief.


    Stone oil and ectoplasm. Well, now I know why spell caster always make a face when drinking those potions.¡±


    She mimics the face in question as well for good measure.


    I snort.


    Yeah it probably goes down like glue.¡±


    As we reach my house she helps me open the shop and I carefully cut a page from my notebook, upon which I write down the list of ingredients I need. Then, almost as an after thought, I add some cork and wax to the list. I need to properly stopper those potions after all.


    Agnieszka looks the list, including the estimated prices, over and nods.


    Anything else?¡±


    I''m already about to say no, when inspiration strikes me.


    Oh yes! Some coffee! Whole beans! Unroasted!¡±


    I add that item to the bottom of the list and dig the coins needed to cover the purchase out of the strong chest.


    Agnieszka accepts the money and I note the expenses down in the ledger with a long suffering sigh.


    The older woman laughs before she leaves.


    Don''t worry, dear. I''ll try to get you a good deal on everything. Expect to get some change in return.¡±

 Chapter 33 - No rest for the wicked

    The day starts slow and I don''t mind at all for a change. I decide not to wait for any customers inside today. Instead I make myself comfortable on the bench next to the entrance out front, where I can enjoy the morning sun. I have to admit that I''m mighty glad that grandma equipped her place with a number of comfy spots like this one.


    For a moment I ponder if I should take the opportunity to do some more reading, but in the end I decide against it. Since I still have to use my makeshift crutch I don''t want to carry the heavy book anywhere. I really don''t want to tempt fate like that.


    Sour Cream seems to agree with my choice as well, as she soon comes to curl up first in my lap and after a little while next to me, where I can pet her more easily.


    Just as well, since I don''t have to disturb her rest like this when I have to get up. And eventually I do have to get up.


    Curiously enough it isn''t one of the adventurers I have come to know who is approaching my shop. It is Olgierd from the smithy with a long cloth wrapped bundle which he cradles in his arms. No, actually, it is two bundles. One is slightly more bulky than the other.


    I greet him with a wave and a smile.


    ¡°Good morning! I take it one of those bundles might be the sign I ordered. But what is the other?¡±


    He returns the smile and nods.


    ¡°A good morning to you as well. I''m glad to see you are doing well, considering the trouble you ran into. And yes, I have the sign you wanted. Just show me where you want it put up and I''ll take care of the rest.¡±


    He pats the slightly more bulky bundle as he says that.


    ¡°We can talk about the other bundle once that is taken care of.¡±


    I get up, scritching Sour Cream behind an ear one last time for good measure, and show him the spot I intended for the new sign.


    He doesn''t need any further prompting. He is as good as his word.


    It doesn''t take long and the sign is dangling from one of the rafters, just above the counter. It isn''t in the way there and anyone making a purchase will be able to read it without trouble.


    A few small adjustments later, to make sure it doesn''t list to one side or the other Olgierd is done and I pay him the five bronze Crowns we agreed upon. I note down the expense in the ledger as well.


    It is only a small achievement, but given the circumstances it feels all the better. I nod in the direction of the other bundle, which is leaning against the counter right now.


    ¡°Now, will you tell me what this mysterious bundle is all about?¡±


    He grins and unwraps it.


    ¡°You know Danuta, yes?¡±


    As I nod he places the revealed staff reverently atop the counter in between us.


    The rare piece of exceptionally sturdy wood has been worked with great care. Its bottom sports a sturdy metal cap and the smooth surface changes into feathered pattern as it approaches the top which has been carved to resemble a raven''s head with a clear crystal orb held in its beak. It certainly is a piece of art.


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    For a moment silence reigns as we both can''t tear our eyes away from this wonderful piece. Finally I manage to speak up in a hushed, breathless tone.


    ¡°You want me to enchant it, right? What do you have in mind?¡±


    He nods and my mind starts racing.


    ¡°I ¡­ I''ll need a nice, flat and unbroken surface to enchant a staff like this. Stone preferably or burnt clay. Something suited for writing with chalk. My enchanting table simply isn''t big enough. Did grandma do enchantments like this? Do you know if she had a place prepared for work like this?¡±


    He laughs a good natured laugh.


    ¡°Yes. Yes to just about all of that. We have a suitable spot behind the smithy where she used to weave enchantments for weapons and armor that wouldn''t fit her table. Furniture too, just in case that ever comes up.¡±


    I nod happily. That is good to know. He still hasn''t provided the most crucial bit of information, thus I ask.


    ¡°What kind of enchantment do you have in mind? I hope its not too complex, since I have more experience with utility enchantments than with weapon enchantments.¡±


    He pats the staff as he answers.


    ¡°No need to worry then. What I have in mind is pretty utilitarian. Do you think you can fashion an enchantment of illumination that lights up the crystal when a command word is spoken?¡±


    I breath a sigh of relief.


    He is right that is both utilitarian and still one of the more basic enchantments. Crystals embedded in weapons that light up when a command word is spoken are pretty common, just like blades that glow subtly when a certain foe is nearby.


    I nod.


    ¡°Fine. I should be able to adapt a set of runes I know for this purpose. Are you in a hurry? I''d really prefer to take my time with this one. It would probably for the better if my ankle weren''t such a distraction anymore either.¡±


    Now it his turn to nod.


    ¡°That is quite alright. Danuta hasn''t set a deadline anyway. She wants this done properly, not fast. Just drop by the smithy when you feel that you are ready.¡±


    That leaves just one important detail unmentioned. The price. Apparently he has come to the same conclusion, as he mentions it before I can inquire.


    ¡°Can you do it for four silver Crowns?¡±


    That has to be an attempt at haggling me down, as the price he asks is well below the usual asking price for work like this.


    I take a deep breath and try to do some estimates. I''ll probably need additional enchanter''s chalk since I''ll have to draw a big circle. Which in turn means that I''ll have to post an additional mana mill quest. I don''t mind, but it is one more expense, in addition to the other ingredients I''ll need. Never mind the time I''ll have to invest into the project.


    ¡°I''d rather ask for six, since I''ll have expenses as well.¡±


    That is about as much above the usual price as his was below. It is a clumsy attempt at haggling, but my gift seems to be working. It is either that or he is already happy that I make the attempt at all. He doesn''t just accept but he certainly doesn''t look displeased either.


    ¡°How about five then?¡±


    I think about it for a moment. In the end this is the usual price. I''m not entirely sure about this though. If I make a practice piece to try the new enchantment so I won''t accidentally ruin this gorgeous staff, the calculation might still be a little tight. In the end I nod in agreement anyway.


    ¡°I should be able to do it for that much. Five silver Crowns then.¡±


    He flashes me a beaming smile and we shake hands.


    ¡°Its a pleasure doing business with you! And like I said, just drop by when you are ready. I''ll keep this beauty at the smithy until then.¡±


    I put a hand on his arm to stop him before he can wrap it back up.


    ¡°Just a moment. I should measure it just in case, so I don''t accidentally create a circle that is too small.¡±


    He laughs and rubs the back of his neck.


    ¡°Right. Right. You do that. We wouldn''t want a mistake like that to happen after all.¡±


    I get a piece of string from the backroom and measure the staff''s length. I add a little safety margin for good measure as well. Then I''m done.


    He wraps the beautiful weapon back up in the protective cloth and turns to leave.


    ¡°See you soon! And get well!¡±


    I wave as he leaves. Then I hobble to the backroom once more to get the practice board and some charcoal. On one hand this may take a while. On the other hand I have all the time in the world right now, thus I might as well get started.


    I return to the bench where Sour Cream is still napping and start with the preparations for this newest project.


    The cat in turn only cracks open one eye for the briefest of moments, to look at the things I brought, before going right back to sleep.

 Chapter 34 - Slow day

    The rest of the day passes quietly. Well, either that or I''m to busy and too lost in thought to take notice of much. I calculate the size of the circle for Danuta''s staff and the number of runes I will be able to fit depending on how big I write them.


    Sure, the illumination enchantment for weapons is a pretty basic one, but that doesn''t mean that it is simple. This is all the more true if you plan to customize it, as I''m about to do. The results tend to be better after all if the enchantment is optimized for the weapon in question.


    I only look up as I hear Agnieszka''s oxen cart rumble past on the dirt road. I wave as she passes and she returns the gesture. I follow her with my gaze for a moment as her cart rumbles down towards the village square, before returning my attention to the task at hand.


    She will be back some time tomorrow in the afternoon. Hopefully with some of my purchases. The elder is probably having her deliver the letter to lord Antek as well. Or at least she will hand that letter of to a professional courier in the city.


    I have to admit that I''m a little curious. Will the lord take care of our recent problem in person? Or will he just send some of his knights? Or will we only receive a letter with some coin attached as an answer? Well, I guess we will find out soon enough.


    I, for the time being, focus on the task of enchanting Danuta''s staff. In addition to everything else this serves well as a distraction from my recent misfortune in general and my aching ankle specifically. It is almost too good a distraction, as I just barely don''t miss lunch.


    Well, to be honest, I would have missed lunch, if it weren''t for my feline companion. Thankfully she very vehemently insisted that I pour some more sour cream into her bowl.


    Once that was taken care of, I put away my design board and close up the shop for my lunch break. Once more I grab some coin from the strong chest as well before heading out, since I''m about to provide Krystina with some more guild or rather quest related business.


    Then I hobble down to the inn. Moving with my makeshift crutch is still a little bothersome, but the prospect of a delicious meal kept me going. The smell is already pretty promising anyway.


    Whatever is for lunch today, it almost certainly isn''t cabbage, which is a very good thing as far as I''m concerned. I stop for a moment and take another sniff. Meat. Almost certainly meat. I''d wager it is chicken. Probably roasted. The smell alone is enough to prompt my stomach to rumble in a less than dignified manner. Thankfully there is no one around who could hear it.


    The inn''s common room is pretty packed when I reach it. It seems as if I''m not the only one drawn in by the smell of roasted chicken. For a moment I feel a little lost, then I spot someone waving me over to join them.


    It is Bogomil, the barbarian. Curiously enough his daughter is nowhere to be seen today. Is she out adventuring on her own or with another group? Or does she simply not like roasted chicken? Nah, it has to be the former. The latter just sounds too outrageous.


    I clumsily make my way over to the table he is sitting at, waving to catch Maryla''s attention as I go.


    Krystina''s mother is making the rounds of the common room with plates and mugs. As she takes note of my arrival she acknowledges me with a brief smile.


    With a sigh I drop on the bench across from the graying barbarian.


    A moment later Maryla places a bowl with half a roasted chicken, plenty of gravy, a gracious helping of mashed potatoes and a slice of very fresh bread in front of me.


    I hand her two bronze Crowns, the usual price for any meals here at the inn, in return.


    She accepts them. Before she can leave though, she has an important question to ask.


    Sour beer? Or sweet wine?¡±


    The last time I had their sweet wine is still fresh in my mind, thus I decide on the other option this time around.


    Sour beer. Thank you.¡±


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    With a nod she disappears in the direction of the kitchen and the bar, grabbing a few empty bowls along the way.


    I take another deep breath to savor the smell. Then I dig in, barely taking note of my drink as it arrives. The meat and gravy, together with the mashed potatoes are really filling. They are really good too! And the slightly sour but light beer goes surprisingly well with it. In the end I only find time for some small talk as my bowl is empty except for the bones.


    Your daughter isn''t with you today?¡±


    Thankfully Bogomil doesn''t seem to mind, probably because he is just finishing off a second helping himself. He shakes his head in response to my question.


    No, she is out adventuring with these two youngsters, the dwarven gal and that young warrior, today.¡±


    He chuckles.


    When she hears that she missed these deliciously roasted birds today though, she might be a little cranky. She really likes those. But never mind, I see that you are recovering nicely. Want a second helping? You should have some extra gravy. Its good for the joints!¡±


    That sounds a little dubious. One of my brows wanders up a little.


    It is?¡±


    He just laughs.


    Honestly? I have no clue. It is what my mother always told me when I was little. I would never dream of doubting her word though.¡±


    Now we are both laughing, but he isn''t quite finished yet.


    Just eat a little more. And if you have some leftovers in the end, take them home. Your little savior might appreciate an offering like that.¡±


    She might?¡±


    He nods and continues.


    For sure. And if not her, then one of the other cats. Anyway, back home our shamans would advise us to share some of our food with our savior after an experience like yours. It is important to show the animal spirits that you appreciate them and their efforts.¡±


    I still have some doubts, but let him go on anyway.


    When a boar saves you, you let them have some sweet fruit. If it is the wolf, you gift them a goat. If it was an otter, you let them have some of the fish you caught. And when the bear saves your life, offer them a bucket of honey.¡±


    He once again laughs his boisterous laugh.


    In a way you are lucky it was just cats. A bowl with some juicy meat plucked off the bones and plenty of gravy poured over it should work just fine in your case.¡±


    Now I join in with his laughter. He is right. I''m quite lucky in more than one way. And a little offering like that on top of everything else really isn''t too much. Well, it isn''t like I believe in the animal spirits of the barbarians, but I certainly won''t offend them for no good reason either if I can help it.


    Before I can place another order though, I feel a hand on my shoulder. It is Krystina who seems to be helping out her parents today.


    Don''t worry, I got the gist of it. I''ll prepare a bowl.¡±


    As she speaks she grabs my empty bowl.


    Now, Valeria, the real question is, do you want a second helping?¡±


    With some reluctance I shake my head. I''m a little tempted, but I''m really full as well.


    No, better to stop now. I don''t want to overeat and regret it later. There is something else though. Could you prepare another mana mill quest for me before I head back home?¡±


    Just like the other day?¡±


    I nod.


    Yes, please.¡±


    She nods as well.


    I''ll have it ready in a moment. Just let me return those empty bowls to the kitchen first.¡±


    By now Bogomil is done with his second helping as well. He pushes the empty bowl away from himself, closes his eyes and sighs, before picking up on the exchange between me and Krystina.


    Oh? Doing more enchanting?¡±


    Yes. Danuta''s staff in fact. I''ll need some more enchanter''s chalk for that. Especially as I want to test the enchantment beforehand, just to make sure.¡±


    He nods along with my words.


    Is that so? Well, do your best then!¡±

 Chapter 35 - Straightening out the garden

    The rest of the day passes quickly. Mostly I''m absorbed by the preparations for the enchantment of Danuta''s new staff. Only Sour Creams demands for treats and petting manage to break my concentration. I don''t mind though.


    The little cutie is doing her best to make sure I don''t overwork myself. Either that, or she has discovered that she actually likes all the attention she can get from me. The bowl with bits of gravy covered chicken meat is already licked clean as well. And apparently the feline judges me to be well enough to be left alone for the night as well.


    As she leaves through the open window I slip into bed after making a last cold compress for my ankle. The ankle is getting better, but it still is far from good. This just might take a while.


    The night at least passes without interruption and I actually manage to get up bright and early the next morning. Well, at least I get up plenty early. I''m not entirely sure about the bright part since I can''t stifle the occasional yawn. Waking up to the sight of my feline guardian peacefully sleeping alongside me certainly helps though, to brighten up my day.


    I still use my makeshift crutch, but today I manage to open up the shop on my own. It seems I have to learn to appreciate the small victories. I once again decide to greet the rising sun from the bench out front. It certainly beats standing around inside.


    Sour Cream doesn''t join me today though. Since she was out all night again she probably prefers the softer bed.


    I can''t fault her for that. If I had the choice I would stay tucked in under the covers as well. I can''t afford such a luxury though, thus I make do with the second best thing as I work on the enchantment.


    I''m making pretty good progress as well. There are things worrying me though. If I will be able to fit all the runes in a single circle for example. The basic enchantment is simple enough, but as I customize it for a staff, especially a staff with an embedded crystal, it quickly grows in complexity.


    Even just generating the light above the staff instead of anchoring it to the crystal would already be much easier. I can''t argue with the customer''s requests though. At least not just because they are inconvenient for me.


    I might just have to start a second circle, which is only marginally less complex than a double enchantment. And if that isn''t bad enough, I will need more enchanter''s chalk as well.


    I sigh and put the board down as someone approaches. It is an adventurer. It isn''t one I already know though.


    For one it is a halfling and I don''t think I have met or even beheld more than two in all my life so far. These offspring of a human and a dwarf are considerably more rare than half elves.


    And then, there is the garb, the short and slight figure is wearing. The hooded robe in general is simple enough. A basic cut and plain brown cloth. The overabundance of floral decorations stitched onto it though, they are almost colorful enough to make me weep.


    The staff to which some orchids are clinging is a nice and calming touch by comparison. Even better, the orchids aren''t just clinging to the staff, they are flourishing and prospering! They have to be a tree climbing kind. I can''t even begin to determine the exact kind though.


    I have a suspicion what the cheerful young man might want with me, but I ask anyway, to clarify.


    ¡°Hello and welcome! Are you here for some potions or an enchantment? Or is it other business that brings you here?¡±


    He smiles cheerfully as he stops a step, or maybe two, especially for him, from me.


    ¡°I''m here to see about fulfilling a quest, or maybe even two. The one about setting your garden straight and the other one about grinding some enchantment dust with a mana mill.¡±


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    These news bring a smile to my lips as well. Two birds with one stone! Of course I really shouldn''t be surprised. In hindsight it is only natural for adventurers to try and stack up quests like that. Especially if it is low level quests with minimal rewards. I get up, shake hands with him and gesture towards the corner of the house.


    ¡°I guess I''ll show you to the garden then, so you can get started.¡±


    We make our way around the house, me leaning on the staff I''m using as a makeshift crutch, him humming and admiring the flowers growing up the walls and the bees buzzing all around them. Finally we reach the garden behind the house.


    The young adventurer looks at the mess and whistles.


    ¡°My, my! I know that growing these together is meant to keep various pests away, but these plants are really all over the place. No need to worry though! I think I can straighten them out so you can harvest them again. I''m not so sure about the rodents though. They shouldn''t inhibit the growth of any of these plants, quite to the contrary even, but if they bother you I could try to persuade them to move.¡±


    I listen carefully and shake my head towards the end.


    ¡°If they don''t kill any of the plants the rodents can stay. The cats have them well in hand anyway. Do you want me to show you the mana mill already as well? Or do you want to wait until after lunch?¡±


    He taps his chin thoughtfully, eyeing up the overgrown garden once more.


    ¡°Let''s wait until after lunch. This will take some time.¡±


    ¡°Very well, I''ll be back out front, working on the next enchantment I have to complete. Just let me know when you need me to stamp your quest papers.¡±


    He just nods and gets to work.


    Before I leave I can see green motes gather around him, as he places his staff in the ground in front of the overgrown mess. Even as I turn to leave I can see some of the plants begin to wiggle and grow, while the rodents hurry to hide in their holes.


    Some time later I''m just about done with the first draft of the enchantment. I decided to go with the two circle design in the end, as it allows me to add a little more functionality. Among other things Danuta will be able to adjust the brightness of the light emitted by the crystal, from a candlelight you might use for reading to a blinding bright burst to stun your enemies.


    I have to admit I''m quite proud of my work so far. Now it only has to actually work as planned. And to make sure of that I will enchant the staff I''m currently misappropriating. If it works, I can put it back on sale later with a considerable markup. If not? Well, it at least won''t be too big a loss.


    I hear soft steps approaching me and look up. It is the halfling and he is all grins and good cheer.


    ¡°I thought you might want to have a look at your garden now, so we can figure out if it needs any more alterations.¡±


    I look up and check the sun. My, where has the time gone? I glance back down at the design board. Into this marvelous enchantment of course! I nod and get up to follow the young druid back around the house, although I have little doubt that his work is anything less than extraordinary.


    A moment later my expectations are met and exceeded. The two junipers now stand a little taller, their branches now well off the ground. Below them there is now room for two Prickleberry bushes on one side and a nice patch of Bitterleaf on the other. All around the arrangement grow now distinct again patches of kitchen herbs as well as a few rows of onions and garlic separating everything else.


    I nod with a bright smile on my face. This might just be how this garden looked before it went out of control.


    ¡°Marvelous! Let me stamp your quest papers. Then we can see about the other quest. Do you want to get started right away or would you prefer to wait until after lunch?¡±


    He hands me the paper for the garden quest and ponders my question as I stamp it.


    ¡°Hmm, it is still a little early for lunch. I could do with a little Elevenses though?¡±


    I''m a little confused and decide to inquire.


    ¡°Elevenses?¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°The meal after the second breakfast and before lunch.¡±


    Before I can say anything he goes on though.


    ¡°Say, why don''t you join me? The way will be easier on you with someone to offer a little support and you in turn can tell me how you injured your foot!¡±


    I can''t really argue with that. Well, I could, but it wouldn''t make a whole lot of sense, thus I give in.


    ¡°Just let me close up the shop real quick.¡±

 Chapter 36 - Lunch and laughs

    After yesterday''s rich meal, today''s can''t quite compare. Of course it still is more than adequate, but it isn''t half a roasted chicken with side dishes. It makes for a healthy change of pace though, of that I''m certain. Or rather, the bowl of steamed vegetables, could be a healthy addition to my diet, if not for the generous amount of melted butter with herbs poured over it. Well, I don''t mind. It certainly is tasty after all.


    Dario, the halfling druid, seems to agree with me in that regard. In fact he likes it enough to wolf it down, as if there was no tomorrow, only to get himself a second helping right away once his bowl is empty. He gets himself a refill for his mug of wine as well.


    He notices me looking, but he doesn''t even slow down his pace as he decimates his second bowl. He doesn''t seem to mind either and just shrugs in between two bites.


    ¡°We halflings are people of simple tastes. If we have clean clothes without holes, good food and a roof above our head nothing else matters much. I have a room here at the inn. I''m quite happy with my robe. And now I have enough coin to stuff myself full of good food like I haven''t in a while. As far as I''m concerned just about everything is right with the world.¡±


    I just nod. He certainly has his priorities and arguing with him about those would do neither of us any good. And I don''t feel like arguing anyway. His worldview isn''t exactly unique and limited to halflings either. Many adventurers seem to think about life in similar terms.


    And anyway, he does enough talking for the both of us. Somehow he manages to carry the conversation despite shoveling vegetables into his mouth as if this were his last meal ever.


    ¡°So, how did you injure your foot?¡±


    Well, it is an obvious topic. I swallow and start to explain.


    ¡°I was out collecting herbs at night when I ran into some Pixies that had gone feral. Bug shell and bone armor, stone weapons and war paint. And as if that weren''t enough their chief was riding a giant tick that could shoot lightning.¡±


    That shuts the short man up, at least for a moment. Even his fork stops moving. The moment passes quickly though.


    ¡°My! That sounds like a story! Those buggers can get pretty nasty once they develop a taste for meat! Obviously they didn''t get you though?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°I ran. Or at least I tried to. That is when I sprained my ankle. In the end it was Sour Cream, the cat who adopted me, that came to my rescue. She and possibly some of the others, although I only ever got a good look at her.¡±


    He shovels some more of the sliced vegetables into his mouth, nodding at the same time.


    How he doesn''t make a mess of himself eating like that is beyond me. Before I can speak up again he is done eating and speaks up himself.


    ¡°That would explain why our dear guild official wants some of us adventurers to stick around instead of heading of into the depths of the Twilight Forest.¡±


    He wipes his mouth and takes a big gulp from his wine, before he continues.


    ¡°Getting rid of those nasty buggers can be quite the chore. We''ll have to find their nest and smoke them out. We might even have to burn that particular spot down to the roots. It''ll take some serious effort and probably plenty of oil. And while we are at it we''ll have to make sure the fire doesn''t spread too far.¡±


    My left eyebrow rises as he keeps talking.


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    ¡°It sounds like you have experience. Did you have to deal with feral Pixies in the past?¡±


    He nods as he gets up, pausing to help me to my feet as well, so we can leave together, since he still has business with me.


    ¡°That was back home, before I became an adventurer. We were at a serious disadvantage though, as the small hamlet where I''m from had no local guild office or any number of adventurers worth mentioning. It took some days before some got there. We lost quite a few sheep, but thankfully no people, before we finally dealt with them.¡±


    As we reach the house we head to the back entrance and Dario pats the bench next to the backdoor.


    ¡°Can I work that mill here?¡±


    I have no objections. I have a problem though. Since I have to use a crutch I can''t exactly carry the small but surprisingly heavy mana mill outside.


    Thankfully he realizes what the problem is before I can somehow make a fool of myself.


    ¡°Ah, let me get that for you!¡±


    He doesn''t exactly have an easy time getting the mill either, since the furniture in my house is not built with halflings in mind. Using a stool as an aid he is able to get the mill though without any further trouble.


    And while he starts cranking the handle of the mill at a steady pace I resume work on the enchantment. My progress is slow though, as I keep getting distracted by the songs the halfling sings to pass the time and to to keep the pace at which he turns the mill''s handle steady.


    He is similar to Odolan in that regard. Instead of tapping the rhythm with his feet, he just swings them back and forth though, as they don''t quite reach the ground while he sits on the bench out back. The songs he sings are different ones as well.


    I take a little break to listen more closely. It seems the songs all revolve around the misadventures of a catfolk adventurer named Ksavery who was famous for his exceptionally bushy tail or something like that. I smile and shake my head. The songs don''t even try to construct moral lessons out of the poor adventurer''s many mishaps. No, they are just lighthearted anecdotes meant to bring a smile to people''s faces.


    It takes some effort to return my attention to the enchantment I''m still working on, although by now I''m mostly done with the design. By now I''m looking for unintended interactions of the two circles I use. That can happen and it is the reason why multiple circles, especially more than two, are only very rarely used.


    I make a few more minor adjustments, then I''m satisfied. Well, I''m satisfied for now. I''ll look this over once more later, or maybe tomorrow. And then I can try it on my makeshift crutch.


    I''m actually looking forward to that experiment. I might even be a little giddy. It will have to wait a little longer though and I need to do other things first anyway. I need more enchanter''s chalk, which in turn means I need to make it.


    Making those is fairly easy, except, I need to get water for the big cauldron. And first I need to lift the cauldron back into the fireplace. Oh, and of course I need to get firewood as well. All those are trivial tasks ¡­ for people who don''t have to use a crutch to move around. I, on the other hand, am having a little trouble. Not so much that I can''t overcome it though. I just need a little more time for everything.


    Thus time flies by. Eventually Dario finishes with the mill and I add the faintly glowing, sparkling enchanting dust to the rest I already have in store. He even helps me put the mill back where it belongs. Then I stamp his second quest note for the day and see him off towards the inn again where he will get his reward from Krystina.


    In the meantime Sour Cream has finished her daily nap as well. She is sitting out back where Dario was working now, eyeing the changed garden. She seems a little agitated. Of course, part of her hunting ground has changed all of a sudden.


    I run my hand down her back, all the way to the tip of her swishing tail.


    ¡°Don''t worry, dear. I''m sure you''ll still be able to catch plenty of mice here. Why don''t you go and get a closer look?¡±


    The latter I add as an afterthought, as I remember that cats supposedly like to explore with their whiskers.


    Sour cream looks up at me for a moment, then she apparently takes me up on that suggestion.


    I watch her for a moment, before I head back inside to pour some more sour cream into her bowl. Then I get busy making more enchanter''s chalks. Before long the molds are all filled again. I don''t break the chalks out of them yet though. That can wait until tomorrow morning. Right now I need some more sleep.

 Chapter 37 - Rainy day

    The next day starts with a cat snuggled up to me and the smell of rain heavy in the air. Back at the academy in Barter Town I would have been tempted to just sleep in on days like this, even if just briefly, as the teacher had very dim views of behavior like that. Right now though there are no teachers breathing down my neck, thus I just lie there for a few more moments, listening to the sound of heavy rain drops hitting the roof, the walls or maybe even just the ground outside the window.


    Oh, who am I kidding. Of course bad weather is no excuse for not opening the shop. Not unless I want to go out of business before long. I sure won''t be spending my morning sitting out front though, which is too bad, as I''ve come to like that spot and the morning sun. Well, there is no sun to be had this morning and I can''t do anything about it.


    What I can do, is to check up on the chalks I made before crawling into bed yesterday evening. Oh, and I can take a moment to pour some more sour cream into my feline bed warmer''s bowl.


    Sour cream''s ears perk up a little as she hears the tell tale sounds of me refilling her bowl. She doesn''t get up yet though. Of course. The little lady has to keep up appearances after all.


    Once that is taken care off, I check on the chalks, carefully removing them from the casts. One breaks as I get it out, but that isn''t too bad. It might be in two pieces, but those are still big enough to write with. I''m quite satisfied.


    There is no divine whisper this time either, but I didn''t expect it anyway. Now, when I place this customized, complex enchantment on a staff for the first time it might just be worth a few points of karma.


    Well, at least I have hopes in that regard. I''ll probably find out if I''m right soon enough. Not while it is raining like this though. I can''t draw my circles outside if it doesn''t let up. A little drizzle might be manageable, if I hurry drawing the circles which I really don''t want to do. With a heavy rain like this though, the first lines would be washed away before I''m halfway done. It would just be a waste of valuable resources.


    I don''t feel like heading to the bathhouse in a downpour like that either. That too would be a waste of time. I''d just return drenched to the bone. Maybe I would even catch a cold, as if my ankle wasn''t already bad enough. No thank you. I can do without any further hardships. Instead I take a quick sponge bath with some of the water from the cauldron. That will have to do for today.


    Then I get dressed. The second hand overall from grandma is still a little too short. Today I take more notice of the fact though, as it is a little drafty. This is especially true once I open up the windows and the door of the shop. Brrr! Gods and goddesses, it is early summer and not late spring for crying out loud!


    Well, nothing I can do about that now either. My own, freshly cleaned overall will take a little longer to dry in weather like that. Maybe I should enchant my shoes or my stockings? I''m pretty sure there is an enchantment to keep your feet warm. I have heard stories about noble ladies, and some lords, who ordered enchantments just like that, back at the academy.


    That would be downright frivolously wasteful though. Creating an enchantment like that for myself might just earn me some more karma I would rather do without. Still, the thought is tempting. Maybe later. For winter, when it gets really cold. Yes, that sounds much more reasonable!


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    For now I retreat behind the counter. As I take a peek, I notice that Sour Creams bowl is empty again. The cat herself though is already sleeping on my bed once more, as if she hadn''t moved at all. Do cats have skills like us? For some reason it sounds quite plausible. Maybe I''ll pray for some insight the next time I visit the temple.


    The next few hours are a fight against boredom and sleep, as no one shows up. Apparently even adventurers don''t go out in weather like this. At least not if they can help it. My eyes are about to fall shut again more than once.


    In the end I decide that I have to busy myself somehow to avoid falling asleep at the counter. First I check on the potions, but there isn''t much to be done there. I even dust the shelves.


    The used gear is a little more interesting at least, although I don''t have to do anything there either.


    Should I use some of the used weapons to practice various enchantments? Could I do that? In theory that would greatly improve the resale value. Would beginner adventurers even be able to afford them then though? And it is mostly them who will buy second hand gear. More seasoned adventurers will usually buy new and possibly even custom made gear.


    Could I rent out enchanted second hand gear? That would make it more affordable, right? Somehow I doubt though that many adventurers would go for it. There has to be a way though. I only need to figure it out.


    My thoughts still circle around the topic of making enchanted gear more affordable as I get the broom to sweep the floor. This is busy work, as there really isn''t all that much dust or dirt. As I start sweeping a realization dawns upon me.


    The floor in the shop is a pretty nice wooden floor. The seams in between the individual floor boards are hardly noticeable at all.


    I put the broom away and move a few steps back to get a better look. Yes, if I were to move the bins with the second hand gear to the side a little I might just have enough room to draw bigger enchantment circles right here under my own roof.


    I can''t really do that while the shop is open though. I''d risk people walking in and all over the chalk runes making up the circle and even just a little scuff would be enough to ruin all my work.


    I could do it in the evening though. Or maybe during my lunch break, if I were to extend it a little. Not only would I have to finish the circles after all, I would have to move the bins beforehand and afterwards as well.


    I like the options this idea opens up for me. I don''t like the extra work coming with it quite as much. Especially as the bins look like they are heavy. Especially with all the gear in them. Still ¡­


    I sigh. It is no use just thinking about it. I''ll give it a try after lunch. If it works out I might do it again. If not? Well, then I won''t.


    First though, lunch!


    I put the broom away again and close up the shop. It is still raining though. For a moment I stand there in the frame of the backdoor, looking out. It isn''t raining as bad as earlier anymore, but it doesn''t look like it will stop completely anytime soon either. Then my stomach grumbles and I sigh. I grab my makeshift crutch and get going.


    I move as fast as my walking aid allows, which is not terribly fast at all, but maybe that is for the better, as water is collecting in some spots along the dirt road, turning it into a mud track instead. I don''t feel like washing another set of clothes so soon.


    As a result I''m pretty wet as I reach the inn. Once again the common room is packed to capacity. Apparently most of the adventurers did in fact stay in, as I assumed earlier. Either due to the weather, or because there is fish on the menu today.


    I catch a look at a plate with a decent sized fish on it. There is butter dripping off it and the potatoes at its side are steaming. And anything steaming hot sounds pretty good just about now!

 Chapter 38 - Experimental results

    I take my time with lunch this time around. On one hand because the fish deserves to be enjoyed. On the other hand I''m not in a hurry to get back outside. I''m probably not the only one thinking like that either.


    Krystina''s parents don''t seem to mind either, as those sticking around drink plenty of beer, and in some cases wine. As far as they are concerned, this rainy weather is probably good weather.


    Eventually I have to go though. I can''t spend all day at the inn drinking after all. No, I still have work to do. And it even is work I''m actually looking forward to. Well, the enchanting is. Moving the furniture to make room? Not so much. Sadly I can''t have one without the other.


    I rush through the rain, that is more of a drizzle by now. Well, I rush the best I can while still using a crutch.


    The look Sour Cream shoots me, as I return home, seems to be asking if I have gone completely crazy. She in turn seems to have no intention to go back out while the rain is still coming down. In the end she simply goes back to grooming herself as I close the door behind me.


    Actually, she seems to have the right idea! I grab a towel and dry off, at least superficially. My hair not being plastered to my head and my face already makes it worth it.


    Then I head to the front room. Not to open the shop this time though. Instead I start moving the bins for the used gear out of the way to clear as much space as possible at the center of the room.


    That takes some time, as I''m still conscious of my ankle. It is getting better, but it still isn''t all good. In the end I prevail though. I open the windows again, to let in some more light. I''ll need it.


    Once the work space is cleared I get the broom once more. In the end I even get a rag and some water, not from the river but the cauldron, to thoroughly clean the floorboards. Once I''m satisfied I put the cleaning supplies away again.


    Instead I get the tools I''ll need to draw the rune circles for the enchantment. The enchanter''s chalk stays on the counter for the time being though. Instead I start by drawing some guiding circles with a piece of charcoal and some string. Even these are already quite complex, as I mark some spots along the circles for the individual segments of the enchantment as well.


    In the end I finish without problems. There is something nagging at the back of my mind though. Right, I''ll have to clean all of these lines away again afterwards. The staff will soak up all the actual runes drawn with enchanter''s chalk, but the coal lines will remain. I groan as I realize that this might turn out to be a little more work in the end than I initially anticipated.


    Still that intangible worry doesn''t ease. It isn''t the cleaning I''m worried about. Not even unconsciously. Not, it has to be something else. I go over the design one again, but I can''t find anything wrong with it.


    Then, as I reach for the staff I have been using as a crutch realization hits me.


    ¡°Duh!¡±


    Of course! The enchantment is optimized for a staff with a crystal! My makeshift crutch doesn''t have one! It is, in hindsight, quite obvious, which probably is the reason why I feel really stupid now.


    For a moment I''m at a loss as for what to do. The enchantment won''t work on a staff that doesn''t meet the requirements. At best. At worst it could work in unpredictable ways. And as I have been taught at the academy, these unpredictable reactions may include the violent and sudden release of arcane energies. And I really don''t feel like watching my hard work blow up in my face. That is something I can do without.


    Should I head down to the smithy and ask if they can somehow add an inexpensive crystal to this staff? Well, I could do that. It would mean going back out into the rain though. Are there any other options? Can I somehow add a crystal to the staff? Do I even have something at hand that counts as a crystal?


    Well, to be honest, even if I were to find a suitable crystal, I don''t have neither the tools nor the skills to embed it into the staff. Thankfully I don''t need to. It only needs to be part of the staff in some way. The runes for the enchantment would be even more complicated otherwise.


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    I sigh and start looking through the assorted gear I have at hand. Most is obviously pretty useless. To me right now anyway. After a while I do come across something that might work though.


    At first I mistake it for an amulet of some kind. As I dig it out of the bin to get a better look, I realize that this isn''t true. It actually is a polished focusing lens with a string attached through a hole at the edge. It is a tool for starting fires and it should serve me well enough right now.


    I open the knot at the end of the string and start tying it around the knobby head of the staff. In the end the string is just barely long enough to keep the polished crystal lens firmly in place. It isn''t exactly pretty, but it should suffice.


    I nod to myself as I swing the staff about a few times, taking great care not to put too much weight on my injured foot in the process. Nothing comes loose. And nothing breaks either. Good enough for me.


    I place the newly modified staff at the center of the circles I already sketched with coal. It fits easy enough as it is actually a little shorter than Danuta''s new weapon. That shouldn''t be an issue though.


    For a long moment I stare at the staff, but waiting won''t do me any good. I slap my cheeks and get the first new chalk while placing one of the pieces of the one that broke on the ground next to the circles, where I''ll be able to reach it easily. As far as I can tell, one and a half pieces should be enough to get the job done.


    Not wasting any more time I get to work, drawing the first runes in the carefully designated spot. Then I just keep writing, adding one rune after the other. The order in which I do this is not quite trivial this time around either, as I don''t want to close one of the two circles early by accident.


    Sweat starts to gather at my brows as I keep going, pushing myself as I write rune after rune like a woman possessed. I have to. I can''t make a break now. This has to be finished in one fell swoop.


    Eventually though, I''m done. I add the last rune and watch as the assembly starts to glow, before the runes of both circles are drawn into the staff, leaving the floor blank again, well except for the coal lines. The enchantment doesn''t blow up either, which I take to be a good sign. Of course I still don''t know if it works as intended. Not quite anyway. As I expected I''m rewarded by a divine voice whispering in my ear though, which is another good sign for sure.


    [Success! Great job creating a new enchantment, more complex than any you have ever before by leaps and bounds! The Dusk Maiden gifts you 3 points for the Magician Arcana as a reward.]


    A smile spreads over my face. Yes, this is a good sign indeed. If I earn a few more points for this particular arcana, I might be able to acquire skills or gifts to further enhance my enchantments soon!


    Now I only need to check if it works as intended. The first step is to scrutinize the staff using my appraisal skill. I focus on it and activate the skill.


    [Used Staff of Illumination, Quality: Uncommon, An old, well used but still reliable staff enchanted to provide light of an adjustable strength after a command word is spoken.]


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I hug the staff close and spin in place, on my good foot, once. Then I speak the command word for the lowest level of illumination.


    ¡°Lucerna minima!¡±


    And as intended the lens starts glowing in a soft light. I didn''t account for the magnifying effect of the lens itself though, which happens to, at this very moment, shine the light right into my eyes.


    I quickly turn the staff around, so the light shines the other way. I''m quite happy with the result. I pat the staff once as I lean onto it again.


    ¡°You know, I think I won''t put you back on sale. I''ll keep you for myself instead!¡±

 Chapter 39 - A bright idea

    Once I''m done admiring my newest achievement, I quickly set out to clean the floor and return the various bins to the places where they should be. By the time I''m done I have worked up a sweat once more.


    Sour Cream stops by briefly to watch, what in her eyes probably are silly antics and to get me to refill her bowl with the last of the delicious cream from the jug Krystina brought by yesterday. Once the bowl is licked clean again she heads out.


    It is only then that I realize that the rain has stopped. Well, good for her. I don''t plan to go out anyway. Not today anyway. I plan to visit the bathhouse and get a proper bath again for a change tomorrow morning though.


    First I open the shop again, since I still have an hour, or maybe two of daylight. Maybe someone will drop by now, since it isn''t raining anymore. I check the floor one last time, before I retreat behind the counter, and wince. It will take a little more effort to properly clean up after all. Since I know what I''m looking for I can still see where the coal lines were.


    In the end I just sigh and shake my head though. That is something I can take care off tomorrow or another day. Maybe the remnants will be easier to remove if I let them dry first so I can sweep them away with the broom? Probably. I''ll give it a try tomorrow. That is, if the floor dries until then. With the current humidity I''m not quite sure about that.


    In the end I head outside as I don''t want to stay cooped up inside until nightfall. With some relief I realize that the bench out front is actually mostly dry. With a little effort I''m able to position myself in such a way that I don''t sit in a wet spot. Now if only there were a little more sunlight to warm me, but that just isn''t possible. This spot gets its light in the morning, not the evening.


    I decide to fret not and enjoy a little peace and quiet anyway. Now that the sky is clearing up some of the wild bees that have been in hiding all day come out to gather some nectar from the flowers growing all around me before it actually gets dark as well and I decide to watch them. Watching the little insects hard at work is actually rather calming.


    The peace and quiet doesn''t last though. Not for long anyway.


    Just as I try to work up the motivation to get up and close the shop for the night I spot a disturbance in the distance along the road to Barter Town. I squint hard, but it still takes me a moment to realize that it is Agnieszka on her oxen cart. She isn''t alone though.


    Someone is riding alongside her cart. Someone wearing armor that glitters and shines in the evening sun. And there is another rider following the cart, leading a third horse, a pack horse probably, along by some long reigns.


    Could this already be lord Antek''s reply to the recent trouble? Or is it just a wandering knight who decided to provide aid? Those do exist after all, even if the local lords tend not to like them all that much. Well, the former is more likely overall.


    They are still a little too far out to make out any details and as they are moving at the rather sedate pace of the oxen cart, they will take a little longer to reach the village as well. Should I head down there to meet them? Or should I wait here?


    Agnieszka should have some things for me on that cart after all. Will she stop by my place? Or will I need to hire some help to carry things since I''m not really in any shape to do the carrying myself.


    I quietly curse myself for not inquiring about little details like that beforehand. Berating myself now is not useful either though, thus I decide to head down towards the inn after closing the shop. In all likelihood that is where she will stop to see her two companions off. It is where I''m most likely to find some help for hire as well.


    I just hope I don''t have to file a quest for work like this. Oh, who am I kidding. Krystina probably knows all about turning work like this into a quest. And if she doesn''t, she can look it up in her guidebook for sure.


    I snigger to myself, thinking about that, as I make my way towards the inn. I take my time. I''m not in a hurry after all.


    It is a little quieter at the inn around this time. I expect that to change soon enough though and not just because of the incoming new arrivals either. Evening is the time for both adventurers and farmers to have a drink and maybe some fun after all.


    As a matter of fact, I spy Rafal tuning his instrument by the fireplace in the common room as I enter. I wave in his direction before heading over to Krystina''s little realm by the quest board. Elder Jaromir is sitting that way as well, discussing something or other over a beer with some farmers.


    He looks up as I approach, as do some of the others, and I greet them with a polite nod.


    ¡°I just spotted Agnieszka''s cart along the road. I think she should be here before long and she isn''t alone either.¡±


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    Now that makes the old mayor perk up.


    ¡°Oh? Well, that was fast. I honestly expected another day or maybe two before we would hear from lord Antek. Maybe she ran into him at the city? Never mind though. I guess we''ll find out soon enough."


    Some of the others mutter their agreement. None of them seem displeased with this development though.


    I turn towards Krystina next.


    ¡°Agnieszka should have some things I ordered from Barter Town. Hopefully. I might need some help carrying them though.¡±


    The young woman chuckles and pulls a sheet of paper from under her counter. It is a quest notice with most of the details already filled in. I only need to add my name, deposit the reward and pay the fee.


    ¡°I always keep some of those at hand, whenever Agnieszka heads to the city. Someone always needs help carrying things and all the adventurers likely to take a request like that on short notice know when to roughly expect her back.¡±


    I fill in the last details and pay up.


    Then she puts the notice on the board next to a few other, similar quests. It seems as if I''m not the only one who placed orders with my neighbor.


    I in turn take a seat to wait for Agnieszka''s arrival. I order a beer to pass the time as well. I don''t sit by myself for long though. As Odolan and Tamara, accompanied by Danuta enter the inn, the two youngsters head almost directly towards me, with the more experienced witch in tow. Each of the two youngsters has a large jug peeking out of the top of their backpacks and they smell of smoke and sap.


    It is the witch though who produces a familiar piece of paper, a quest note. Of course, the Twig Wight sap. I placed a quest for that.


    I grin and shake my head before nodding in the direction of the quest board.


    ¡°Hold onto that for a little longer, and get that last quest note in the line at the bottom of the board as well while you are at it. It''s about carrying some stuff back up to my place once Agnieszka arrives.¡±


    At first their faces fall a little, but they perk right back up as I mention the other quest. Adventurers like to stack those whenever possible after all. It isn''t much, but especially the youngsters jump at the chance to earn another coin.


    Danuta sits down across from me and orders herself a beer as well.


    ¡°Made some purchases?¡±


    ¡°I did. With my ankle I can''t carry them back home myself though.¡±


    She nods and eyes the staff I''m using for a crutch.


    Before she can say anything I speak up.


    ¡°I have been busy optimizing the enchantment for your new staff. I enchanted this one first to make sure I got nothing wrong.¡±


    Without waiting for a reply I demonstrate. This time I make sure though to angle the lens tied to the staff away from everyone.


    ¡°Lucerna minima!¡±


    As before the crystal lens lights up, and as before it focuses the light it emits in a most curious way as well.


    One of Danuta''s eyebrows rises a little.


    ¡°Most curious how the crystal both emits and focuses the light.¡±


    I nod enthusiastically.


    ¡°Maybe there are other applications for that effect? Maybe a lens like that could be incorporated into a lantern?¡±


    We don''t get to discuss the topic in greater detail though, as the two youngsters return just as Agnieszka''s wagon comes to a stop out on the village square. Still, I suspect that a lantern like that would have great potential.

 Chapter 40 - Knights, squires and traveling merchants

    Before I have a chance to think more on the potential of the lens on my staff Agnieszka and her travel companions enter the inn''s common room. The duo accompanying her are a knight and his squire.


    The knight is old enough he could be my father. And while his hairline might be receding already, his gaze is still sharp. The way he carries himself speaks of years of exercise and the iron will necessary to keep such a regime up despite the small aches that inevitably come with age.


    Agnieszka directs him in our direction, or to be more precise in the direction of elder Jaromir, as he is the village''s mayor.


    The squire on the other hand is a young girl, although it is a little hard to tell her gender at a glance. Her page cut is not exactly pretty but practical and her lean build speaks of rigorous exercise as well. She might not be related to the old man, but she certainly comes after him. Even her intense gaze is similar, as she takes in the room and its occupants.


    She in turn gets directed in the direction of Maryla, probably to get rooms for her and her knight and a place in the stable for their horses. It probably is the girl''s job to take care of accommodations while her knight talks business with the mayor.


    I eye the knight briefly as he walks by. He is wearing full plate and I''m left wondering if he actually was wearing it for the whole trip or if he only put it on for the last leg.


    The armor isn''t of a fancy design, emphasizing practicality instead. It doesn''t have to look fancy though as any suit of full plate is a custom made marvel of craftsmanship anyway. And of course a suit of armor like that is expensive.


    As I get a closer look I realize that the armor probably has seen a quite few years already as well as some fights. It has been expertly mended and maintained though. In the end it only adds to the air of competence surrounding the man.


    Then my attention shifts to my neighbor, as she approaches me and the adventurers sitting with me.


    ¡°I see you are up and about! Very good! The ankle still giving you trouble?¡±


    I return the smile she flashes me and nod.


    ¡°It is getting better but only slowly. Your trip seems to have been a great success as well. Did you get the things on the list I gave you?¡±


    Her smile grows even wider.


    ¡°Of course! Everything on your list as well as the fabrics I''ll need for your new clothes! And I even managed to drive a hard bargain and save you some money!¡±


    With those words she hands me a small pouch with coin. I''m a little surprised, but accept it without questioning my good luck. Before I can ask any question speaks up again, cutting me off.


    ¡°And you already organized yourself some help to carry everything? Very good! If you''ll excuse me, I need to talk with a few other people who placed orders with me. See you outside by the cart in a moment. Yes?¡±


    Before I can even acknowledge any of her statements she is off like a whirlwind, to see to the other villagers who made purchases in Barter Town through her.


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    Tamara and Odolan look a little lost while Danuta in turn just shrugs.


    In the end I empty my mug and get up, once again using the freshly enchanted staff as a makeshift crutch and the others follow me.


    Even without Agnieszka I can already make a good guess just which of the purchases in the back of her cart are mine, but I wait for her anyway. I don''t have to wait long either.


    She jumps up onto the cart and starts handing out things. Tamara and Odolan both get another big, sealed jug in addition to the ones they are already carrying in their backpacks. The young dwarven woman gets the one with the stone oil, while her compatriot gets the one with the ectoplasm.


    Danuta receives the big bag with the coffee beans I ordered and at long last I grab two nice sheets of cork as my neighbor hands them to me. The cork is pretty lightweight, thus I have no trouble carrying it despite having only one hand free.


    Without breaking her stride Agnieszka starts handing out purchases to other people afterwards, as I lead the trio of adventurers away in the direction of my house.


    None of us are in a particular hurry, but we reach the place soon enough. I lead the others around to the back entrance and inside, where they can finally put down the things they are carrying. I quickly stamp their quest papers as well.


    They could be off like that, but Danuta seems curious about the bag she carried.


    ¡°What is this? Seeds of some sort? You aren''t giving up on the alchemy to become a farmer, are you?¡±


    I snort out a half choked laugh.


    ¡°No, nothing of the sort. Although, you could call them seeds, except they aren''t fertile anymore. These are coffee beans. And I don''t think you can get fertile coffee beans anywhere on this side of the continent. They are a closely guarded secret where they come from.¡±


    The young witch looks thoughtful.


    ¡°Coffee beans? I think I have heard of coffee. A new fashioned drink of some sort? I had no clue it is made from beans though.¡±


    I nod. I''m familiar with it as it quickly became popular at the academy when the first bags of beans were brought in for experimentation.


    ¡°The beans have to be roasted and ground first. Then you can prepare it with hot water, quite similar to tea actually.¡±


    She taps a finger against her cheek as she ponders the information provided by me.


    ¡°I see. Well, I''m certainly looking forward to trying some sometime.¡±


    Then she is off together with the other two and I''m alone once more. It is getting a little late, but I don''t want to go to sleep yet. I really want to get started brewing a proper mana potion, now that I have all the ingredients I need, except, I suddenly realize, I used up all my enchanting dust to make enchanter''s chalk the other night.


    ¡°Oh, damn it!¡±


    I groan as I realize that I could have posted a new quest regarding that particular ingredient earlier, when I was down at the inn. Now I don''t want to limp back down there though. It''ll have to wait until tomorrow. I''ll need more of that stuff anyway, lots of it, as I have some other ideas for which I''ll need it as well.


    For now though, I have to work that mill myself. It looks like I won''t get brewing tonight after all. Well, there is always tomorrow.


    I lock the door and change into my night clothes. I avoid moving the heavy mill for the better part by hopping up onto the workbench. It isn''t intended as a seat, but it certainly is sturdy enough to serve as one in an emergency.


    Without wasting anymore time I start cranking the handle. The position is a little awkward though, as I sit next to the mill instead of having it in my lap. I keep pushing onward anyway.


    I try to recall the songs about Ksawery the catfolk adventurer with the bushy tail to the best of my ability. Not only to keep cranking the handling steadily, but to keep my eyes from falling closed as well, as I''m getting a little tired.


    In the end it is no use though. I''m getting too sleepy to continue. I check the drawer of the mill, but it is not even half full. I''ll have to continue tomorrow morning. Otherwise I won''t have enough for the mana potion recipe I have in mind.


    For now I limp over to my bed and slip under the sheets. It doesn''t take long for sleep to claim me. Tonight I twist and turn though, as nightmares haunt my sleep. Nightmares of mana mills chasing me. I should be able to get away easily, except my limp keeps slowing me down.

 Chapter 41 - Building tension

    My first visitor the next morning, other than Sour Cream of course, is for a change not Krystina but her mother. She brings a fresh jug with my feline companions favorite treat but doesn''t stay to talk. Apparently they are quite busy down at the inn. Krystina as the local guild official even more so than her parents.


    Thus I don''t see her at the bath either. Agnieszka accompanies me there though. It seems she looks forward towards a good soak as much as I, after her rushed trip to the city. It is only when we both relax in the warm water that we at last have some time to talk.


    ¡°So, coffee. Had a cup when I got the beans for you. I''m surprised. Are you going to be serving hot drinks soon? Or are there other uses for them? It probably won''t be to everyone''s taste though. A little too bitter maybe.¡±


    ¡°I take it, you had yours black without anything then? That is one way to drink it. I have seen it served with generous amounts of sugar as well, to take off the bitter edge. And supposedly some people even add milk. But no, I''m not going to be serving it fresh. I have other plans.¡±


    Agnieszka laughs out loud.


    ¡°A good thing too. I''m not sure our dear innkeepers would take kindly to the competition offered by a coffee house.¡±


    Now I''m laughing as well.


    ¡°That is the last thing I would want. Maybe they could serve coffee though. If you have seen a coffee house in the city you probably are aware that it goes pretty well with all kinds of sweet foods.¡±


    ¡°Mhm. Maybe you should tell Krystina? She is the one you should approach with any new ideas since she is more open to those than her parents. Not that I''m saying that they are stuck in their ways, but they need a little more convincing and the convincing is a lot easier if you already have their daughter on your side.¡±


    I nod and briefly submerge myself all the way up to my nose before getting out and drying off. As much as I would like to linger, I can''t.


    ¡°First I want to try my hand at something a little different though. Something for which I''ll need to do a lot more enchanting. And of course I still need to figure out how to best roast the beans.¡±


    Agnieszka gets out of the water as well.


    ¡°Oh? You just need to figure out the roasting part? So you already know how to brew the coffee afterwards?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°We experimented with it at the academy. We tended to get our beans already roasted though. That isn''t an option here, as you have to use them quickly after roasting or they will loose most of their aroma and the resulting brew will just be tasteless, dirty water.¡±


    Once we are dried off and dressed we part ways and head back home.


    I for my part am wearing my own clothes again and not those from grandma''s trunk anymore. They aren''t bad, but they don''t quite fit like my own either. It is simple as that and that alone is enough to boost my mood considerably. That I barely feel my ankle anymore helps as well.


    Happily humming to myself I open the shop. I just can''t get those silly tunes about Ksawery the catfolk adventurer out of my head. Surprisingly enough I don''t get a chance to enjoy the morning sun today.


    A rather meek knock sounds out from the open door just as I''m about to open the last of the windows. It is the squire from yesterday.


    I smile and motion for her to come in.


    ¡°Welcome! What can I do for you?¡±


    She follows my invitation and looks around the shop. She appears a little lost, on her own without her knight present. Finally she finds the courage to speak up though.


    ¡°You were the one attacked by these crazy Pixies, right? I was wondering if you could provide any insights on how to deal with them.¡±


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    Before I can answer she perks up as something else hits her. She pulls a folded piece of paper from her belt as she speaks up once more.


    ¡°Oh, and Ser Tadeusz wanted to know if you could brew up some of this mixture on short notice. Preferably today so he can set out with the adventurers tomorrow.¡±


    I accept the piece of paper and look at the hastily scribbled notes. My eyebrows rise a little at what is written there. Oil, strong spirits, sugar, soap and rusty iron grindings as well as some other more esoteric but optional ingredients.


    ¡°Oh my! That can make for a rather nasty mix that burns long and hot. It is rather sticky as well. Is Ser Tadeusz certain he wants to use this mixture? Wouldn''t normal oil be good enough? I''m sure that, as a man familiar with the tools of war, he knows what he is asking for, but I''m a little worried that it might do more harm than good in the hands of someone not familiar with the mixture. But to answer you question. The necessary ingredients could certainly be found around the village with some effort. And if they are provided I could mix this mixture. I just rather wouldn''t.¡±


    She nods, not bothered by my answer in the slightest.


    ¡°I will let him know about your concerns. About the other thing?¡±


    Of course. This alchemical fire oil isn''t the only thing she inquired about. I take a deep breath.


    ¡°There really isn''t much I can say. It is for the better part thanks to Sour Cream and some of the other cats that I got away alive.¡±


    As if the mention of her name is enough to summon her, the cat jumps on the counter next to me and promptly proceeds to rub up to me, until I finally start scratching her under the chin.


    The squire nods, but inquires once more anyway.


    ¡°Nothing? Anything, even the smallest details could be helpful.¡±


    I shrug, but give it a try anyway.


    ¡°Well, I''m not much of a fighter and my dagger didn''t do me much good. In the end I had an easier time swatting the buggers out of the air with my bare hands. You might fare better with a sword or any other weapon though, since you actually know how to use them.¡±


    I bit my lip and try to recall the nightly fight in question.


    ¡°What else. Hmm. Well, they have a nasty bite and use primitive stone weapons. Neither will pose much of a threat unless they can get at a vulnerable spot. You need to protect your neck among other things. They will try to go for the arteries. And if they can''t get at those they might go for the face, and especially the eyes, instead.¡±


    As she nods I point at the shelf with the healing potions.


    ¡°I only have lesser healing potions in stock right now. They are good for most minor injuries. If the buggers manage to open an artery though, they won''t do you any good. You need to be careful and protect yourself.¡±


    I tap my chin, trying to think of anything else. In the end only one more thing comes to mind.


    ¡°There is a halfling adventurer somewhere around. His name is Dario and I think he is a druid. He mentioned that he has some prior experience, minor as it may be, in dealing with feral Pixies. Maybe he can provide some more insights.¡±


    Once again she nods and before she leaves again she gets two of the lesser healing potions.


    I accept her coin and note the sale down in the ledger. Before she can turn to leave I point up at the sign above the counter.


    ¡°If you return the bottles intact and preferably at least rinsed out you can get some of your money back.¡±


    She nods one last time and is gone again as quickly and quietly as she appeared. I don''t hold it against her. She probably is pretty busy and doesn''t have time to waste after all.


    This is only the start of the day though. Several other adventurers drop by afterwards to get themselves some of the dwindling supply of potions.


    I don''t mind the sales, but the empty spaces in the shelves worry me a little. I really need to get brewing. For that I need some more ingredients though. Especially for the healing potions. Some I might be able to buy off the farmers. Others will need to be gathered, either by me or by adventurers who know what they are doing.


    With a quiet little sigh I resign myself to spending more of my coin. Hopefully Krystina can make some time for me.

 Chapter 42 - Ting a ling

    Krystine is, as a matter of fact, able to make some time for me despite everything else that is going on. A little surprising considering the various groups of adventurers that have gathered at different tables to check their gear and talk about the procedures of dealing with feral Pixies. Well, hopefully this will be a one time thing. None of us, adventurers and residents alike, needs disaster to strike every day or even just every other day.


    Either way, Krystina makes some time and room for me at her counter without delay. It might, at least to a degree, have to do with the rather sizable bag of coin I have with me. It certainly draws the gazes of several of those assembled here. No wonder. After all most of the coin I leave with our resident guild official will eventually end up in their hands.


    I hug her briefly, before we sit down to talk business.


    ¡°I''d like to place a few more collection quests before everyone heads out. Maybe they can take care of them on the side while dealing with the feral Pixies.¡±


    She nods, opens her book to a page that seems to contain the essentials on collection quests and gets a few empty quest papers ready.


    ¡°Alright, what were you thinking about?¡±


    I lick my lips and start counting off the ingredients that are on my mind.


    ¡°First up are purple mountain flowers for health potions. They bloom in waves from late spring to early autumn, thus I''m pretty certain that there should be some.¡±


    Krystina starts out the form.


    ¡°The usual amount your grandma usually asked for?¡±


    I simply nod and she finishes filling out the rest of the details.


    ¡°That will be ten bronze Crowns. Seven for the reward and three for the fee. It''s a little more since whoever takes it will have to head a little further inland. They are called mountain flowers for a reason after all.¡±


    I nod and pay up after signing the paper.


    ¡°Next up would be juniper berries. They are for health potions as well. I have some growing in my backyard and I''m even able to get at them now that it is cleaned up, but I might still need more.¡±


    She nods and gets started on the next quest note.


    ¡°The amount? Same as before? I mean, the same your grandma used to request? This one should be easier anyway, as we have a lot of juniper grow wild around here.¡±


    As I nod in agreement, she finishes this next quest paper within moments as well only to inform me of the cost right away.


    ¡°This one will be six bronze Crowns. Four for the reward and two for the fee. I''m pretty sure you''ll get those berries by the time the first adventurers return from this emergency quest.¡±


    I laugh and move on the next request.


    ¡°Next I''ll need some twilight lichen for mana potions. That one is a little more tricky as it only grows in the Twilight Forest and usually not exactly at the edge either.¡±


    Krystina laughs out loud as she gets the next sheet of paper. This time she actually has to consult the book. Maybe grandma didn''t use it for her potions?


    ¡°You''re right. This will be the first time we talk real money. Thankfully that lichen seems to grow in pretty dense swathes though, so you should get plenty enough with a single quest.¡±


    I bite my lip again, as I watch her fill in the details. Real money? That worries me a little. My heart misses a beat as she tells me just how much it will cost me.


    ¡°That will be eighteen bronze Crowns. Thirteen for the reward and five for the fee. Are you sure you want to place this quest? That is step up from the others after all.¡±


    I take a deep breath to calm my nerves.


    ¡°I''m sure.¡±


    I pay up and sign this quest note as well.


    Krystina takes this chance to put these three quests up on the board.


    I''m not done yet. Not entirely anyway.


    ¡°One last thing. I want to post a mana mill request again as well, since I''ll be needing a lot more enchanting dust soon.¡±


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    She raises an eyebrow, as she gets another empty form and starts to fill it out.


    ¡°You already know the details for that one. It''ll be two bronze Crowns. But, if you don''t mind me asking, what will you be needing all that enchanting dust for?¡±


    I don''t mind answering, but I don''t want to share too many details either. Not yet anyway.


    ¡°First I''ll need some to enchant some potion bottles. And I''ll need even more to enchant a second mana mill. And, of course, some will go into any mana potions I make as well.¡±


    As she finishes I sign the paper and pay up once more. My heart grows a little heavy as I listen to the tingling sound the coins make as Krystina deposits them in the guild strong chest.


    My feelings must be plainly visible on my face, as she flashes me a grin to cheer me back up.


    ¡°It sounds like you have plans. You probably will be pretty busy.¡±


    Her smile sure is contagious. Is that another skill at work? No, not quite. Maybe it is a gift instead. Those tend to work in more subtle ways after all. Either way, I don''t mind.


    ¡°I''ll sure be. That reminds me, I need to head over the smithy. Danuta''s new staff needs to be enchanted and she might appreciate it if it gets done before everyone heads out for the emergency quest.¡±


    Laughter from one of the busy tables in the common room suggests that the witch in question might have heard me.


    Krystina and I shake hands and then I''m off. I''m not off to the smithy right away though. Since enchanting that staff will take a while I get myself a quick meal first. Thankfully the meal on the menu today is something that can be eaten on the go. A delightful mix of finely chopped, fried meat and equally fried vegetables with some fresh salad, all wrapped in some thin piece of flat bread.


    It certainly serves as a good distraction. With this tasty treats in hand I barely think about how my heart is heavy while my coin purse is too light.


    Nawoja and Olgierd are quite busy in the smithy as well. It seems there are plenty of weapons and some armor to be maintained before everyone heads out.


    I wait patiently until one of them has time for me. Once again it is Olgierd who approaches me while Nawoja minds the irons in the forge.


    ¡°Welcome! Are you here to see about enchanting Danuta''s staff?¡±


    I shake the calloused hand he offers me.


    ¡°Indeed! I already tested the enchantment on my trusty little crutch here.¡±


    I pat the staff I''m still using as a walking aid, before I continue.


    ¡°Could you show me to the spot you mentioned? I want to get this done while the weather is as fine as it is now.¡±


    He flashes me a big grin and grabs a familiar cloth wrapped bundle.


    ¡°Right! Follow me, please!¡±


    He leads me out the backdoor of the smithy to the fenced in yard behind it.


    Very good. This way I won''t have to worry about anyone or their pigs trampling my work halfway through. As he unwraps the bundle my breath catches. Apparently he wasn''t quite done when he showed me the staff earlier. The staff was a piece of art before. Now it is a true masterpiece.


    It still looks mostly the same, as far as the general shape is concerned. Now though the wood has been dyed, or possibly lacquered. I''m not quite sure, but it doesn''t really matter anyway. What matters is that the top end of the staff now looks like the raven with the crystal in its beak is about to come alive any moment.


    ¡°Oh my!¡±


    That is all that comes over my lips and the craftsman in turn just grins even wider. I take this chance to activate my appraisal skill.


    [Staff of the Raven Witch, Quality: Rare, A masterwork staff fashioned from the heartwood of a weeping willow from a dryad''s grove. Its head end has been shaped to resemble a great raven which holds a carefully cut crystal in its beak.]


    I swallow hard, as I open the pouch at my belt to get out the enchanting supplies. I have two whole pieces of chalk with me today, as well as my notebook with all the essential details noted down in it. I have brought a piece of string and a piece of coal as well, just in case.


    Olgierd hands me the staff and pats me on the back.


    ¡°You''ll take care of things here, right? I''ll need to get back inside. The forge doesn''t wait on anyone. Got to work those irons while they are hot.¡±


    I just nod, still a little dumbfounded, and get to work while he heads back inside to rejoin his wife.


    I start with the coal circles and the markers, the same as I did for my own staff. Then I lose myself in the process of writing the runes, filling the circles one ancient letter after the other.


    I''m so focused on the work at hand that I don''t take any note of the passage of time. And I only notice Danuta sitting on an old crate by the door when she enthusiastically claps her hands as I finish and the staff draws in the slightly glowing runes, as well.


    For a moment we just grin at each other, then she hops off her perch.


    ¡°Come on! Let''s give it a try!¡±


    I pick it up and activate the appraisal skill once more.


    [The Raven Witch''s staff of Illumination, Quality: Epic, a masterwork staff fashioned from the heartwood of a weeping willow from a dryad''s grove. Its head end has been shaped to resemble a great raven which holds a carefully cut crystal in its beak. It has been enchanted to provide various forms of illumination upon command.]


    It is then, that another divine whisper reaches my ear.


    [Great Success! Great job creating your first epic piece! Keep at it! For you not even the sky has to be the limit! The Dusk Maiden gifts you 1 point for the World Arcana as a reward.]


    Oh my! That is a little unexpected. I''d didn''t expect a second reward after the one I already received after finishing my prototype. And points for the World Arcana are pretty rare as well!

 Chapter 43 - I dont want to set the world on fire

    Danuta starts playing around with her new staff right away. Well, right after paying Olgierd, who in turn pays me. There just is no stopping her. In a way she is like a little girl that just got the best birthday present ever. And somehow that thought fills me with pride.


    She tries the various keywords, spreading light of varying intensity all around. It ranges from a light glow at its lowest to a bright light of almost blinding intensity at full power. Where the lens on my staff produces a curiously focused light, the crystal of her staff emits a nicely uniform radiance.


    Her playfulness prompts me to try the higher settings on my staff as well. After my first experience I make sure to carefully aim it away from me and especially my face and eyes though.


    Even Olgierd and his wife look on as I experiment. The latter emitting a thoughtful hum, right until I try the highest setting.


    Where Danuta''s staff produces an uniform bright light you can''t directly look at, mine produces a tightly focused beam. As a matter of fact due to the shape of the lens the focal point is about a dozen paces away, right around where the fence is.


    Nawoja''s hum turns into a choked cough and Olgierd bites back a curse as well.


    I in turn quickly utter the key phrase to deactivate the light. My gaze, like that of everyone else present, is riveted on the fence board with the small blackened circle, with smoke still rising from it.


    ¡°Awesome!¡±


    That comes from Danuta.


    ¡°I better get some water.¡±


    That is muttered by Nawoja.


    ¡°You do that.¡±


    The latter is the response of Olgierd before he turns to address me.


    ¡°I take it that was not an intended result.¡±


    I shake my head, still staring in disbelief.


    Once his wife is done splashing some water on the smoking spot she pats me on the back.


    ¡°It sure has some potential though. Still needs more work though. You might want to experiment with different lenses and something besides a staff to make it easier to handle.¡±


    I''m still at a loss for words and just nod along as she speaks, barely noticing Danuta patting me on the back as well.


    Finally, as the witch is already leaving, still sniggering, I manage to pull myself together.


    ¡°Something else entirely. Could you two make a mill for me? I want to make another mana mill. A simple handheld mill will do.¡±


    I stop to ponder the last point.


    ¡°Actually, it if you could make it a little smaller and easier to handle than the one I already have, that would be best.¡±


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    The two smiths ponder my request. Olgierd nods and Nawoja speaks up.


    ¡°We should be able to do it. It''s just a regular mill until you enchant it, right?¡±


    I nod with a smile on my lips.


    ¡°It is. It should be able to grind roasted coffee beans to the same consistency as the crystallized mana.¡±


    The two look at each other and shrug. Olgierd lets his wife do the rest of the talking since she already started.


    ¡°That is the first time I hear about mana mills grinding anything but actual crystallized mana, but if you think its alright ¡­ you want a new mill because you don''t want to mess up your other one with this coffee stuff, right?¡±


    She catches on fast.


    ¡°Exactly! I want enchanting dust to be mixed in with the coffee when I grind it. We found out that it makes for an exceptional mix at the academy. But I don''t want any coffee mixed in with my regular enchanting dust. And the stuff is notoriously hard to clean. Thus a new mill.¡±


    The duo nods again. Apparently my explanation makes sense in their eyes. Now it is Olgierd who takes over the conversation.


    ¡°I''ll drop by tomorrow to have a look at your mill and take some measurements. I can''t exactly make any promises about the size of your new mill though since we don''t make the mill stones ourselves. We have to use what we can get unless you are willing to wait and pay for custom made mill stones.¡±


    I wince at the last part, since I already spent plenty of money today. I shake my head.


    ¡°No. If you can get slightly smaller stones I''d appreciate it. If not I''ll take something the same size as my current mill. It really shouldn''t be any bigger though. That would be too hard to handle and probably too heavy to move. I''m not in too much of a hurry either. I''ll grind the coffee using one of my mortars for now and add the enchanting dust afterwards for the time being. In the long run it would be nice to get a proper mill though. That would make things just so much easier.¡±


    With that just about everything that needs to be said is said. We shake hands and I take my trusty old staff and limp back home. Although, by now there isn''t much of a limp left to notice. I''m still careful not to put too much weight on that foot though. Just in case.


    Sour Cream is already waiting for me, sitting in the open window. Her tail swishes left and right, showing some kind of agitation.


    At first I''m worried that something might be wrong.


    She quickly, and to my great relief, proceeds to show me just what the issue is.


    Her bowl is empty. In fact is licked as clean as it can be. Oh my, what a bad servant I am, running off all afternoon on my own, leaving her to go hungry.


    I refill her bowl posthaste before she can get any more upset.


    ¡°Sorry, sweety, but you know, if it is really bad you can come and look for me. I''m pretty sure you know your way around the village.¡±


    The look she shoots me seems to suggest that she shouldn''t have to go and look for me. Before I can read any more into it she refocuses her attention on the contents of her bowl though.


    I run my hand along her back to the very tip of her tail and bend down to kiss her atop her head.


    As I straighten back up I can''t stifle a yawn. No wonder, the sun is already setting outside and I have been pretty busy today. Maybe it is time to hop into bed. I lock the door and get changed. Before I can actually slip under the covers another thought strikes me though.


    My gaze wanders to the mana mill. The mana mill with the drawer only half filled with enchanting dust. With a sigh I jump back onto the workbench and start cranking the handle once more, all the while quietly humming to myself.


    After a little while Sour Cream jumps up on the workbench as well, to brush up against me.


    I take a moment to scritch her under the chin.


    ¡°Don''t let me keep you, sweety. Go ahead and catch yourself a nice mouse. Or maybe even two or three. I''ll see you in the morning.¡±


    That seems to be all the encouragement she needs. With only a few graceful jumps, one down from the workbench, one up onto the bed and the third up onto the windowsill and lastly out into the night, she is gone.


    My gaze lingers on the window a little longer, then I resume turning the handle of the mill. I keep going for a little while longer. In the end sleep once again proves stronger than me. Ha! What else should I expect?


    I jump down from the workbench and check the drawer of the mill, which still isn''t quite full. It is full enough for me though. I empty its contents into the same container I used last time. Even with the glittering dust from the mill emptied into it, it still looks woefully empty. I will need so much more of the stuff.


    In the end I shake my head though. It is no use worrying about it. It is what it is. Either I work that mill harder myself or I post quests for it more regularly.


    I put the bowl back on the shelf, with a second bowl turned upside down on it to secure its contents.


    A water or wind powered mill would be so convenient! Never mind. It would be terribly expensive as well. There is no way I''ll be able to afford something like that anytime soon. It still would be nice though. Maybe, eventually ¡­


    I shake my head again and slip into bed and sleep claims almost as soon as my head hits the pillow. In my dreams I stand triumphant above my nemesis, the mana mill, this time around, thanks to the power of wind! How silly!

 Chapter 44 - Grinding and crushing

    The next day starts with quite a bit of excitement in the morning. On one hand there is Sour Cream and her by now familiar morning routine. That isn''t the exciting part. On the other hand though, there are the adventurers heading out to get rid of these feral Pixies. That isn''t something that happens every morning and, to be honest, I''m quite glad it doesn''t. This once is enough as far as I''m concerned.


    There are four groups in total, taking part in this mission in addition to Ser Tadeusz and his squire.


    The first to drop by are Tamara, Odolan and Danuta, who still is giddy about her new staff. They get some of my last lesser healing potions. I''m glad they take precautions. And I''m glad they have managed to earn enough money to afford the potions.


    Odolan carries a big amphora in his backpack. It is surrounded by lots of padding to make sure it doesn''t break. The smell alone is enough to give me a good idea about the contents. Oil. Plant oil, most likely.


    He isn''t the last one I see carrying such a container either. Next up are Lotar, Feliks and Rafal. Among this trio it is Rafal, the bard, of all people who carries this heavy load. Probably to keep the other two unburdened, so they can take care of any attacking feral Pixies. It is Rafal who gets some stamina potions for himself as well. Understandable, considering his heavy backpack.


    The third group consists of the female paladin and the male warrior who usually are accompanied by the pregnant archer. There is nothing to be seen of the latter today though. Instead Dario, the halfling druid, accompanies them today. He is the one carrying the amphora with the oil in this group. In a way I''m glad the archer isn''t with them today. An archer wouldn''t be a good match against the little, nimble fliers anyway. They get two mana potions. One for Dario and the other for the paladin, who I learn is called Zofia.


    The last group is made up of the knight, his squire, wearing chainmail including a chain hauberk today, and two of the most seasoned adventurers to be found around here. One is Bogomil, Danuta''s father. The other is Nuutti, the pointy eared, elf berserker. Between these two and the knight this group probably has more combat experience than all the others together. Everyone in this group gets a stamina potion for good measure. The squire will need hers more likely than any of the others as she is burdened down not with one but two amphorae of oil.


    On any other day I would be elated about all these sales. Not today though. The knight and elder Jaromir apparently came to an agreement regarding my potions. These will count as my yearly militia contribution. On one hand it is good to have that taken care of. On the other hand I cry a little tear for every coin that walks back out instead of landing in my strong box.


    Well, at least I don''t have to worry about anything going bad on the shelves anymore. I have to see the silver lining! Not all is bad! And of course, I''ll be able to gather herbs by myself more safely afterwards as well!


    I wish them all the best luck and a safe return as they set off.


    Once they are all gone it gets pretty quiet though. Sure, there are still the farmers and other villagers about, but somehow, even if I can''t say how exactly, it still seems terribly quiet.


    Well ,it is quiet right until a certain pregnant archer shows up at my shop not long after. She waves cheerfully, a quest note in hand, as she enters the shop.


    ¡°Hello again! I''m here because of the mana mill quest!¡±


    I chuckle, even as I motion for her to follow me to the backroom. Her cheerfulness is almost contagious.


    ¡°Here it is. Since it is still early I suggest you take it out front though. That way you can enjoy some sun while you work the mill. And remember, crank that handle slow and steady. Everyone who has come by so far to do this quest sang some fun songs to keep the rhythm. I guess it helps against the boredom as well. It really isn''t a very exciting quest after all.¡±


    She tilts her head slightly as I mention the songs.


    ¡°Oh? What songs?¡±


    ¡°The misadventures of Ksawery the catfolk adventurer would be an option. Or maybe some tunes from the miller''s wife.¡±


    She laughs out loud as I mention these two examples.


    ¡°I see. I see. I don''t know much from either, but I think I can hit a tune that should match.¡±


    I nod and turn to leave.


    ¡°I''ll be inside, in the backroom. Just let me know when you are done or if anything comes up.¡±


    She in turn makes herself comfortable on the bench and gets to work as well.


    Before I reach my destination in the backroom I can already hear the characteristic sound of the mill and the first tunes of the song she picked. It is another I''m vaguely familiar with, the capricious trout. It certainly is a song that matches the rhythm of the others and it is quite cheerful as well. Or rather most versions I know are cheerful, as the fishermen never catch the trout in those.


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    Once I reach the workbench I get busy as well. First I measure some coffee beans out from the bag into a bowl. Not too many though, as I only want to experiment today.


    Then I get a pan with a lid and start a fire in the fireplace. I snap my fingers as I remember the effect the crystal on my staff can have at higher settings. It is too late now though. The fire is already crackling. I''ll have to try and light it with the staff another time.


    I make sure none of the beans are moldy. Once I''m satisfied I put them in the pan and the lid on top. They need some heat from all sides after all. I have to make sure they don''t burn either though. Thus I spend the next little while at the fire, swirling the pan about to move the beans inside.


    I check on the beans occasionally and, once their smell and color seem right, I quickly pour them from the hot pan back into the cool bowl. I don''t extinguish the fire yet though. Instead I put a kettle with water on to boil.


    I take a deep breath as I return my attention to the beans. The aroma! The smell alone is already enough to invigorate me.


    Now I have no time to waste. The beans land in one of my mortars and I start smashing and grinding them with the pestle until the resulting mass has the right consistency. Not too fine but no big pieces either. The amount is a little too much for a single cup, even if I were to intend to make it extra strong, thus I get two cups instead.


    By now the water is ready as well. I put the ground coffee into the cups and start pouring the water over it at a slow, measured pace. Not too much at once.


    At this point a voice from behind startles me. It is the pregnant archer.


    ¡°Ooooh! What is this? This isn''t a stamina potion, right? But it invigorates me just the same!¡±


    I chuckle as I keep pouring the water.


    ¡°Are you done already?¡±


    She nods and puts the mill on the workbench besides me.


    I take a moment to check on the drawer with the ground up, crystallized mana. It is almost full. Good enough for me today.


    ¡°Just a moment. I''ll stamp your paperwork right away. I need to finish this first.¡±


    She nods, puts the quest papers on the workbench next to the mill and keeps watching me brew coffee in silence. Well, she is silent for a little while at least. That doesn''t last though.


    ¡°I''m Elzbieta by the way. You know, since I think we never properly introduced ourselves.¡±


    I smile and grab a cup marked as sugar from the shelve above. It actually contains sugar. It is brown sugar and it is mostly big crystals.


    ¡°I''m Valeria. This used to be my grandma''s shop until¡­ you know.¡±


    She nods silently and resumes watching me, as I crush some of the sugar in the same mortar until it is fine enough. At this point she pipes up again.


    ¡°Say, would you mind if I try a little from this concoction of yours?¡±


    I snort in amusement.


    ¡°It isn''t a concoction. At least not yet. It is coffee. I''m not quite done preparing it yet though. I''m not entirely sure it is the right kind of drink for a pregnant woman either. We never got to test that at the academy.¡±


    She shrugs.


    ¡°No day like today? To do the testing. Right?¡±


    I scrunch up my face at that suggestion, but don''t stop my preparations either. I add the sugar to the cups and stir a little. Then comes the finishing touch. The enchanting dust. I add just a little, a tiny knife tip, to each cup.


    Elzbieta''s eyebrow''s rise a little at that, but she doesn''t comment.


    I just grin.


    ¡°That adds a little extra kick. It makes the drink a little prickly as well.¡±


    As I talk I stir the contents of both cups a little more. As I stop, she reaches for one of the cups and I stop her.


    ¡°Careful. It is still hot. Give the ground coffee some time to sink to the bottom as well. It doesn''t taste that great. I wish I knew a way to prepare it without the grindings in the cup. Oh, and drink it in small sips. Stop if it provokes any adverse reactions.¡±


    She nods and I''m almost afraid that she tuned me out halfway through, when she suddenly provides an actual insightful comment.


    ¡°A sieve. A metal one maybe if the coffee isn''t ground too fine. Or maybe a silk bag? Like for tea?¡±


    Hmm, the latter might actually work. I nod my thanks to her and grab one of the cups. I carefully blow across the surface and Elzbieta takes a deep breath as some more of the tantalizing aroma is blown her way. Then I take a small first sip and wide smile spreads across my face. It could do with a little more sugar, but otherwise it is just right! The taste, the prickly sensation, the way my pulse quickens a little, it is all exactly right.


    My guest picks up the other cup and takes a little sip as well. Unlike me she has no clue what to expect. Her eyes grow wide like saucers. She sounds a little shaky, but the look on her face suggests that the surprise is a pleasant one.


    ¡°Oh! Oh my! That certainly is something else!¡±

 Chapter 45 - Runaway thoughts

    We take our time drinking the coffee, even if that sounds easier than one might expect due to the beverage''s invigorating effect. Eventually we leave for the inn together though. Elzbieta to hand in her quest papers and I to get something to eat.


    Today''s meal is a sweet porridge. It is prepared with plenty of milk, raisins and some honey and melted butter on top. It isn''t exactly something I would expect to be served as lunch, but I won''t complain. It is sweet and thus good. The wine served with it is pretty sweet as well. And, although I take care not to drink too much or too fast, I can feel its effect.


    Once I''m done eating I post the mana mill quest right away again, only for Elzbieta to snatch it right up, before Krystina can even pin it to the board. She looks at us, grins and shrugs.


    ¡°What? It isn''t like there is anyone else around right now to take care of it and feel kind of fired up after drinking that coffee beverage you made.¡±


    Well, she does look a little giddy. Almost as if she has trouble standing still. In that regard she isn''t entirely unlike me, as I still feel pretty energized as well. I just nod and we end up heading back to the shop together. I certainly don''t mind the company. It beats being home alone.


    Elzbieta gets the mill, once we reach the shop, without any further prompting. She decides to sit out back this time around though, as this side of the house gets more sun in the afternoon.


    Before long I can hear her singing mingling with the sound of the mill once more. I in turn slap my cheeks to focus on the next task I have set for myself. I''m not in a hurry this time around as I''m not brewing anything. Not right away again anyway.


    No, next I want to work on some special potion bottles. Potion bottles that will keep their contents cold and fresh as well as refreshing, to be exact. Given Elzbieta''s reaction, coffee might just get really popular once I start brewing in earnest. With summer ahead of us, as well as the heatwaves that it is sure to contain, I dare say that iced coffee might end up even more popular though.


    For this project I''ll repurpose an icebox enchantment we learned at the academy. I stop dead in my tracks at that thought. For that matter, I probably could use an icebox myself. Or something similar to an icebox anyway. A container that isn''t quite freezing cold maybe?


    What if I were to enchant the shelves in the shop like that? Hmm, no, the enchantment I know doesn''t really work with open shelves. It has to be a closed container of some sort. My potions would probably keep considerably longer if I were to figure something out though.


    I shake my head to break that train of thought. Right now I need to focus on the self cooling potion bottles. Everything else can come later. Except for the ice box. I''ll ask Olgierd about getting a box I can enchant when he drops by. He should drop by sometime today after all, to have a look at the mill. I just have no idea when exactly.


    Well, I guess I''ll just have to wait and see. And since I don''t have anywhere else to be it isn''t an issue anyway. In the meantime I can get started with the potion bottle enchantment.


    This one isn''t too hard. There are only some minor changes to be made to the icebox enchantment, as that one isn''t terribly optimized either. I just have to replace the runes for the container in question and, almost as an afterthought, I modify the desired temperature as well.


    I don''t want the contents of the potion bottles to actually freeze solid after all. I want the coffee that is supposed to go into them to only almost freeze. Otherwise people wouldn''t be able to have a refreshing, energizing drink after all. No, a solid block of coffee flavored ice is not what I''m aiming for here.


    Before long I''m done with my preparations. All that is left to do now is the creation of the prototype.


    I grab one of the magically cleaned potion bottles the youngsters brought in and check it once more, just in case. It is, obviously, still in perfect condition thanks to their efforts. Next I grab some of the cork Agnieszka brought from Barter Town. I measure the bottle''s opening against it and cut off a piece that is just a little too large. After some careful trimming it is just the right size though.


    Next I melt some wax in a small cauldron that I hang inside the larger, water filled cauldron. That way I won''t run the risk of heating it too much or actually burning it.


    This time I do use the lens on my staff to light the fire. It isn''t exactly faster than lighting it conventionally, but it certainly is more convenient, almost effortless. I''m not sure if it can be used as a weapon, but it certainly is a neat trick.


    And then, as the fire is burning, I decide to actually experiment with coffee instead of just plain water. I get the pan I used to roast the first batch of coffee beans and roast some more. Actually it is only a few beans this time around as I only intend to make enough coffee to fill a single potion bottle.


    As the smell of the roasting beans spreads Elzbieta speaks up from just outside the door.


    ¡°You are making more of that coffee?¡±


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    Of course she would notice. I snort in amusement.


    ¡°I am. This is for an experiment with a new potion bottle though and not for drinking. Not right away anyway.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    She sounds a little disappointed, but she will just have to live with it.


    The roasted beans are quickly ground up and put in a clean cup together with hot water and crushed sugar.


    Then I set out to enchant the potion bottle. I set it down at the center of the enchanting table and start drawing the circle of runes I have devised around it. I have to hurry since the coffee will be done within a few moments. That isn''t an issue though, as the enchantment is simple enough.


    As I finish the glimmering runes are drawn into the potion bottle. Success! Well, most likely anyway. It is not a critical fumble at least. I''ll still have to see if it works as intended though.


    I put the enchanted potion bottle into a bottle stand and get a funnel to pour the coffee without spilling anything. I try not to pour too much of the coffee grindings into the bottle as I do so and I''m mostly, but not completely, successful.


    Next the cork goes in and I seal the bottle with wax. That triggers the enchantment. I can feel it as I touch the bottle as it does. For a moment or two the bottle gets hot, as it draws the heat from within and dumps it outside. Then, the bottle grows progressively colder, up to the point where water starts to condense on the outside.


    ¡°Cold coffee? Are you sure?¡±


    Elzbieta stands behind me with the mill. How can the pregnant woman be so sneaky? Skills. It has to be skills.


    Never mind. I make some room for her to put the mill down.


    ¡°Done?¡±


    She nods and rolls her shoulders.


    ¡°It was a little more tricky this time around. With the effects of this beverage I had a little trouble keeping the rhythm steady. It was hard to resist the temptation to just speed up.¡±


    I laugh. I''m familiar with the effect. I felt pretty much the same way the first time I got to try this brew. I check the drawer with the enchanting dust. Despite the issue she mentioned the quality seems fine. After dumping the glittering dust into the container with the rest I stamp her papers.


    We hug and then she is off to get her reward from Krystina.


    She hasn''t been gone long when a knock at the door draws my attention. It is Olgierd from the smithy. He takes a careful sniff as he enters.


    ¡°My! It seems you have been brewing something exciting. I haven''t seen that girl, Elzbieta, this energetic in a while either. Not even when she had one of your grandma''s stamina potions.¡±


    I grin and nod happily.


    ¡°Coffee. Still experimenting with it. Sadly I don''t have any left for you to try. Sorry.¡±


    He waves me off.


    ¡°Never mind. I''m here to see about that mill of yours.¡±


    He points at the aperture in question.


    ¡°Can I?¡±


    I make room for him to get to work and he does so right away. He has a good look at everything and takes some measurements with a wooden ruler as well, marking them down on the very same piece of well worn wood. He hums and nods along with every measurement he takes. Before long he is done.


    ¡°Good, good. I think this is one still made by Nawoja''s father back then. Its nice to see it is still working. Anyway, I should be able to make one this size for sure. I''ll inquire about smaller millstones but I can''t make any promises. If I get them, I''ll use them. If not, this is what you''ll get. Either way it should be one silver and six bronze Crowns. Payment upon delivery. Alright? ¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    We shake hands, sealing the deal.


    Before he can go, I stop him though.


    ¡°There is another thing that came to my mind today. Could you make an ice box for me as well?¡±


    His brows furrow for a moment. Then he points at a nearby bucket.


    ¡°Wooden box with long, fixed handles to carry it around more easily? About the same size as the bucket? With a lid?¡±


    I nod eagerly as he talks.


    ¡°Just about. Actually, If you could make it just like that bucket, except with a lid that fits tight, it would be fine.¡±


    His face brightens and he nods.


    ¡°Sure! I can do that. Something like that should be another silver Crown. That alright with you as well?¡±


    I nod and we shake hands once more. Then he is off for good.

 Chapter 46 - I smell fire

    That night sleep won''t come easy and that isn''t just the coffee''s fault. No, my mind races about as much as my pulse does, my thoughts jumping from one topic to the next before I can properly finish any individual line of thought.


    Most of those thoughts revolve around adapting the ice box enchantment to different containers or purposes though. Cooled displays in the shop? Cooled bags as portable potion containers for adventurers? Bigger ice boxes for transporting fish from the seashore further inland?


    Most of these lines of thought run into the same problem sooner rather than later though. I can''t afford experiments like that. Not yet anyway. I''m already risking a lot with the enchanted potion bottle idea as is.


    Is that why I have never encountered the other applications of the enchantment that come to my mind now anywhere out there? Probably. I doubt that I''m the first or only one who ever came up with these ideas after all. Enchantments are mostly a thing for the wealthy, adventurers and those who can make them for themselves after all. Most regular craftsmen and women would not be able to afford most of those things.


    I force my eyes shut and turn this way and that way in bed for a little while longer before sleep finally claims me.


    Although I can''t possibly have slept enough I feel refreshed the next morning anyway. My little feline bed warmer gets her morning treat. Then I''m off to the bath house. My ankle is finally good enough that I dare make the trip without leaning on my makeshift crutch with every step. I bring the trusty staff along anyway. After all it is better to be safe rather than sorry.


    The place is a little quieter today than it is usually. That doesn''t mean that I''m alone though. Quite to the contrary. Today both Krystina and her mother Maryla are relaxing in the warm water and neither appears to be in a hurry to get back out.


    The older of the two woman chuckles as she notices my look.


    ¡°It is rather quiet at the inn with most of the adventurers out. My husband can take care of things on his own today. We have to make the best of opportunities like that.¡±


    That makes sense. Sadly I can''t afford to spend more time here than necessary though. Neither any alchemy nor any enchanting will get done if I don''t do it. It is simple as that.


    I stop on my way back, after washing up and soaking in the warm water briefly, as a smell, both strange and familiar at the same time tickles my nose. No, that isn''t right. It isn''t strange. It is out of place! It is the smell of smoke on the wind and not just a little of it either.


    I stop on the dirt road an look around. It is thankfully none of the nearby houses or even the slightly further off farmhouses that is on fire. No, there is a smoke column, thick and black, rising from a little further upstream, possibly already inside the Twilight Forest.


    This has to be the adventurers at work. It would seem that they found the nest of those deranged pixies. My heart aches a little. It is a little sad that this is necessary. Normal pixies are some of the most hard working and kind creatures one can encounter, especially by fey standards. When a community starts to develop a taste for blood and meat though, there is no helping it. Thankfully that doesn''t happen too often though.


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    If the adventurers are thorough with exterminating this bunch I''ll probably not encounter another case like this anytime soon. Maybe even never at all if I''m lucky.


    I''m not the only one who noticed the unpleasant smell of smoke either. Sour Cream seems a little agitated. I open the shop, but instead of manning the counter I retreat to the backroom to pet her a little. I make her a little wreath of aromatic kitchen herbs as well, using some of the dried plants hanging from the rafters.


    Thanks to those it is already much more bearable here inside but having them a little closer probably won''t hurt either. As far as I know none of the herbs I use can cause cats any problems. Some are even recommended as treatments for any digestive problems a feline companion might suffer.


    Considering the latter it probably shouldn''t have surprised me that Sour Cream starts chewing the wreath almost right away, after smelling it briefly. The way she purrs suggests that it is helping her calm down, thus I won''t complain, even if it means that she is slobbering on the foot end of my bed.


    Once I''m reassured that she will manage I head out in the garden with a small wicker basket. The junipers carry some berries, probably thanks to Dario''s efforts. I collect those.


    Then I turn to the plants growing clinging to the walls of the house. From them I gather some wild rose petals. I have to be careful not to upset any of the bees buzzing about. They already seem a little agitated due to the smoke after all.


    In the end I manage to get a nice little handful of the petals without getting stung. It wouldn''t be a big deal, but I really can do without the pain. Especially as my ankle is just getting better again.


    The last ingredient I''m looking for is Bitterleaf. Thanks to Dario''s work it grows in a nice thick patch under the junipers. I cut some of it with a sickle. With that I''m set for now.


    Well, I''m set to get started preparing the ingredients needed for a basic healing potion anyway, as I can''t exactly use them fresh. At least I can process all three ingredients together though, thus it isn''t too much of a hassle.


    The worst part is moving the heavy cauldron from the fireplace once again. Even after I scoop out most of the water, to water the plants in the garden and around grandma''s grave, it still is heavy. I manage though.


    Then I have to get firewood, which includes chopping some up into kindling. The only easy part is lighting the fire, thanks to my staff''s lens and the enchantment. It isn''t a big fire but it is big enough. I place a grate pretty high over the flames. On it I put a pan in which I drop the various ingredients. The juniper berries and the rose petals can go in as they are. The Bitterleaf I have to chop into smaller pieces first.


    Then I have to pay close attention to make sure nothing burns. It takes only about half an hour, or maybe a little more, until all three ingredients have dried and shriveled to the desired degree and I can move the pan away from the fire.


    I don''t extinguish the fire though. Instead I put the same kettle on to boil which I already used for my first batch of coffee.


    While the water heats up I grind the dried ingredients. I have some time to prepare the potion bottles and the stoppers as well as some wax.


    Once the water is hot I brew this most basic of healing potions very much like any tea. This, among other things, means that the ingredients go into a small silk bag for the brewing. That way I won''t have to filter the brew afterwards.


    Instead of just waiting for the brew to get done I get the potion stand. I remove the bottle with the iced coffee, noting that the bottle is still cold to the touch, as intended. This does bode well. I remove it from the stand for now though, to make room for the empty bottle. I get the funnel again as well.


    Then everything has to happen quickly. I pour the finished brew into the bottles, filling five of them in total. Next I stopper and seal them with wax. Only than can I allow myself to take a deep breath. I''m done.


    Well, I''m done with these five potions. It isn''t much, but at least the shelf with the healing potions won''t look so terribly empty anymore. I take a moment to check the potions with the appraisal skill. The result is, as expected and hoped for, the same for all five bottles.


    [Lesser Healing Potion, Quality: Common, A healing potion that will heal a minor injury. Still good to use for another 35 days.]


    I tie price tags to the bottles, taking a moment to make sure they show the correct price. Then I put them on the shelf out front. Now it is time to get something to eat though. And maybe I can post the mana mill quest with Krystina again.

 Chapter 47 - Bugged enchantment

    After having some hot and rather spicy soup with plenty of noodles and meat in it for lunch I post the mana mill quest once more. Curiously enough it doesn''t get picked off the board right away by Elzbieta today, although she sits right there, eating her own lunch, which is considerably larger than mine.


    She just shakes her head as she notices me looking.


    ¡°Not today. Sorry. I already have other obligations. It seems there is a feisty fox about which has been nabbing chickens from some of the farms that are located a little further towards the coast. That is just about my thing.¡±


    I can only nod. She is some kind of ranger after all and she can be pretty sneaky if she wants to be. At least that is the impression she gave me yesterday.


    ¡°Take care and bring back a nice pelt.¡±


    She sniggers in between one spoon full of soup and the next.


    ¡°Sure. Will do. The ladies in the city really like those pelts for some reason. Has no one ever told them that there are much more fluffy pelts to be had out here rather than some shaggy fox?¡±


    I shrug as I really have no clue about pelts.


    ¡°Given it''s ladies with more money than common sense that we are talking about, it probably is some prestige thing. Or maybe it is about the colors? Never mind though. You just go and get that chicken thief.¡±


    ¡°Count on it!¡±


    With a last wave I''m off again. As I return home I stop along the road to take a look at the smoke column in the distance once more. It hasn''t grown, which I take to be a good sign. An out of control wildfire is the last thing we need right now. At the same time it doesn''t look like it will die down on its own anytime soon either. The adventurers probably will stay out there to make sure it doesn''t spread just as they will make sure none of the feral pixies get away. Which in turn means that I''m unlikely to see any of them in my shop anytime soon.


    At least Sour Cream is still napping. The wreath I made for her is barely still recognizable at all. Even as I watch she starts kicking at it in her sleep again, spreading its sorry aromatic remnants further across the bed sheets.


    I''ll have to clean up that mess before going to bed tonight.


    The sight of the peacefully, for a certain value of peaceful anyway, napping cat reminds me of something I still have to do. I have to come up with an enchanted cat collar or something like that to keep the ticks off her in the future without resorting to that nasty tincture.


    Damn it! It would be best to study the enchantments on the inn''s beds for that. Except I just came from there and don''t want to head back down right away again. I sigh and resolve to do that tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow for sure! In the meantime I consult my trusty notebook.


    As I read up on runes I can practically feel some of my former teachers breathing down my neck. They would always nag us to develop enchantments on our own, instead of looking at already existing, possibly centuries old enchantments first. They aren''t exactly wrong either. If everyone only ever copied old works nothing new would ever get invented.


    At the same time adapting already existing enchantments is, of course, much easier and less time consuming.


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    Well, whatever. They aren''t here now. I am and I have to make do somehow. I''ll try to build the enchantment from scratch for now and compare my notes to the enchantments on the inn''s beds tomorrow. That will be for the best.


    Thus I spend the next few hours scribbling notes, revising them time and again, as I stumble over details or find a mistake. As the sun is about to set I have finished a first draft of something that should work.


    I close my notebook as my feline companion brushes up against my legs. It doesn''t take much imagination to figure out what she wants, given the way she immediately leads me to her empty bowl.


    I pour some sour cream into it for her, then I set out to close down the shop for the evening. As I catch Sour Cream disappearing out the window I wave.


    ¡°Good luck on your hunt, sweety!¡±


    Then I''m alone. I''m not bored though. I still have work to do after all. The first order of business, with Sour Cream out of the house, is putting on some fresh bed sheets.


    I know there are some in grandma''s chest. I leave them there for now though. First I need to pull off the old ones. I do just that and shake it out just beyond the garden, as not to disturb any feline that might be on the prowl there. That takes care of the sad remains of the wreath I made for Sour Cream. It doesn''t help with the blood stains from when she scratched me though. I''ll have to properly clean them tomorrow. More laundry. Yay!


    I fold the dirty sheets neatly and put them on the workbench, where they will be out of the way for the night. Only then do I get the fresh sheets from the chest. Years of practice making my own bed at the academy pay off now. I run my hands over the freshly made bed and take in its scent as well. It still smells of dried herbs, much like the rest of the house, except these tempt me to place my head on the pillow and just fall asleep. Lavender and valerian, as well as some others that aren''t quite as dominant, if I''m not mistaken.


    It takes considerable effort to resist the lure of the bed. I still have something I want to take care off. Something I noticed just now, as I changed the sheets.


    I might not have to study the beds at the inn at all, as grandma''s, now mine, might just hold the very same enchantment. I activate the appraisal skill just to make sure.


    [Bug bane bed, Quality: Uncommon, A bed enchanted to ward off unwelcome bugs like flea, lice or bed bugs among others. The effect only extends to bugs not yet within the extended aura of another creature.]


    I huff and frown. On one hand this is good to know. On the other hand it isn''t quite what I''m looking for either. And of course it explains why Sour Cream still had ticks. The bed keeps away wandering bugs, but it doesn''t affect bugs you bring in yourself, as long as they stay pretty close to you.


    I''ll need to make some more adaptions to the enchantment I want for Sour Cream''s collar. For that matter I might just enchant a choker for myself in a similar way.


    A choker or maybe a ribbon for my hair? I could use the latter as my hair is getting a little long. It would keep the bugs away and my hair out of my face. Two birds with one stone!


    I get my notebook and the enchanted lantern and work on the enchantment for a little longer until I can''t find any more adjustments to make. Should I give it a try?


    I lick my lips and nod to myself. I won''t be able to fall asleep unless I do give it a try. If it works as intended, good. If not? I might end up working until morning. I really hope that won''t happen.


    I dig through the chest for one of grandma''s hair ribbons, taking great care not to pick a yellow one. In the end I settle for one that is a deep red, as it is the best match for my own hair.


    I straighten it out and roll it back up, before I place it at the center of the enchanting table. Then I run the numbers for the circle through my mind once more. Satisfied with the result I light another candle to provide a little more light and grab the half piece of chalk I still have at hand. I don''t want to use a fresh one for this.


    Then I get going, placing rune after rune in a circle around the rolled up ribbon until the enchantment is complete. The glow of the runes intensifies for a moment, then they are drawn in towards the cloth ribbon at the heart of the assembly.


    I let out the breath I have been holding and squint at the ribbon, activating the appraisal skill once more.


    [Ribbon of the Queen Bee, Quality: Rare, A ribbon enchanted to attract bugs, especially useful, state building ones like bees. They are naturally drawn towards anyone wearing this ribbon and calm down in the person''s presence.]


    I blink. Well, damn. That isn''t what I want. Not at all. It still sounds useful, but I''m weary. This is the opposite of what I wanted to achieve in so many ways, that it sends alarm bells ringing in my mind. This thing might just be cursed and if I were to put it on, I wouldn''t be able to take it off on my own anymore. If it is cursed, I can''t exactly trust the description provided by appraisal either.


    I''ll have to take it to the temple for a more thorough analysis tomorrow. And if it turns out to be cursed I''ll have to burn it. It would be a real pity as well, as I really like this ribbon.

 Chapter 48 - Accursed anticipation

    The next morning I leave the house, after preparing Sour Cream her morning treat, filled with a little anticipation and dread and the source of said feelings in hand. I have the ribbon rolled up and clutch it tightly to make sure no accidents happen. Cursed items are said to have a mind of their own after all. And supposedly all kinds of unlikely events can occur around them, more often than not leading to some kind of disaster.


    The adventurers are not back yet either, thus I''m not too worried about not opening the shop in the morning. Not today anyway. It probably won''t be long now though. While I can still smell smoke in the air, it isn''t as thick as yesterday. There is no more thick, black smoke column in the distance anymore either. In all likelihood they are still busy extinguishing any embers and once that is taken care of, they will head back home.


    And in all likelihood they are going to spend the rest of the day celebrating a job well done. I doubt anyone will need any potions. Except maybe for my hangover cure gums. I''ll have to make sure that no one uses them to cheat at drinking games.


    First things first though. I cross the village square and enter the temple''s antechamber. As is custom I take off my sandals once again and wash my feet at the small basin intended for just this purpose. Unlike the last time no one stops me from dropping a few coins into the offering bowl today.


    Like last time Wislawa, the priestess, seems to have already expected me. She greets me with a smile as I enter the actual hall of worship with the large, salty pool framed by countless enchanted candles.


    ¡°Welcome back Valeria! What can I do for you today?¡±


    I bow my head slightly and raise the hand holding the enchanted ribbon that is bothering me.


    ¡°I enchanted this ribbon last night and it didn''t turn out at all like I intended. I might have just made a silly mistake, but I can''t help but worry that I might have created a cursed item by accident.¡±


    She nods and guides me towards the pool.


    ¡°Come and join me as we ask the divine to pierce the veil of uncertainty. One way or another we will reveal the true nature of this little thing.¡±


    We get undressed and climb into the briny pool together. The priestess puts the ribbon into a ornately carved wooden bowl which she lets float in between us as we kneel opposite of each other.


    This isn''t quite like my last visit here, when I asked for a divine boon. There will be no visions today. No, this is much simpler by comparison. Yet, I have a part to play, even it is to only to kneel with the priestess who does the actual work.


    As the ripples in the pool die down the priestess starts to intone a prayer.


    ¡°Sun mother, provide the light. Dawn maiden, guide our eyes. Mother and maiden, pierce the veil and revel the truth. Tell us about the true nature of this item.¡±


    The light seems to flicker for a moment, then a divine whisper reaches my ears. Almost like when I use a skill, except it seems to come from further away, probably because it is primarily intended for the priestess.


    [The item is what it seems to be. It is not what it was intended to be, but this is not the result of a dire curse or anything else of that nature. While it isn''t what it was supposed to be, there still might be good use for it.]


    We let out the breath we have been holding, almost in unison. While this means that I must have screwed up somehow, it still is good news, everything considered. The alternative certainly would be worse.


    The priestess flashes me a smile while we get back out of the pool with its salty water.


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    ¡°Well, it looks as if things aren''t as dire as you feared. If you don''t mind me asking, what were you trying to create?¡±


    I answer as we dry off and get dressed again.


    ¡°I''m trying to enchant a collar or something like that for Sour Cream, the cat living with me, so that ticks and fleas and the likes won''t bother her anymore. And I wouldn''t mind having something similar. That is why I used one of grandma''s old ribbons for the first experiment.¡±


    The priestess nods as she accompanies me to the antechamber.


    ¡°An enchantment similar to the ones we have on our beds? Very practical. Except it didn''t turn out as intended. I had a look at it with a skill myself. I hope you don''t mind. It might still be useful to one of our local beekeepers. You don''t keep any yourself, or do you?¡±


    I ponder that idea for a moment. She isn''t wrong. It could be quite useful for beekeepers. To bad I''m not one though.


    ¡°I have plenty of bees buzzing around my place whenever the weather is good, but they are either wild bees or someone else''s.¡±


    She nods, smiles and gives me a brief hug.


    ¡°Well, I could spread the word around our local beekeepers, if you don''t mind. Maybe one of them will buy it?¡±


    I return both the hug and the smile.


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    She doesn''t let go of me right away though, as there is still something else she wants to talk about.


    ¡°You remember my request from last time?¡±


    Of course. She wants me to enchant some blessed candles for her every once in a while. I nod and she continues.


    ¡°Some of the candles inside are burning pretty low. Could you enchant a new batch for me, so I can replace them when they go out?¡±


    As I nod once more she outright beams at me.


    ¡°Wonderful. Please wait a moment. I already prepared some candles for you. I''ll be right back.¡±


    She is true to her word. Almost within the blink of an eye she returns with a small cloth wrapped bundle.


    ¡°Here you go. Three blessed candles. Please enchant them for me. I''m not in a hurry yet, but I''d really like to have them ready for when I need them.¡±


    I accept the bundle with the candles and shift it to my off hand, together with the apparently not cursed ribbon, so I can shake hands with Wislawa properly. Then I''m off.


    My first way is back home, where I deposit both the candles and the ribbon on my workbench. I write a quick note, that I will open the shop a little later today, on the design board as well and place it out front. Then I head upstream to the bathhouse. I really need to wash up after the dip in the salty pool of the temple. Else I''ll get all crusty from the salt before long.


    As I return, there is a familiar face waiting for me. It is Elzbieta. She is sitting on the bench next to the front door, oblivious to the bees and other bugs buzzing around her, as she snores some cute little snores.


    I decide to let her enjoy her nap in the morning sun for a little while longer, as I quietly open up the shop. She looks like she needs the sleep. I start a fire in the fireplace as well and set some water to boil. Next up pluck some of the dried herbs hanging from the rafters, to make a tea mix recommended for pregnant women.


    When the water is hot I make two cups of hot tea, adding a little honey for good measure. I, of course, don''t need any tea like that but drinking some won''t hurt me either. And I don''t want it to look like I made a cup of tea just for her.


    I wait for the tea to cool a little, then I head out to the still snoring Elzbieta. After setting the tea down well out of reach, I poke her shoulder lightly to wake her up.


    I was afraid she would wake with a start, but she actually takes a moment to come around and when she does she blushes and gets up to stretch herself.


    ¡°Sorry about that. Last night was a little longer than I initially anticipated. That fox was a really sly one, but I got it in the end!¡±


    I nod and hand her a cup while taking a sip from my own. Bleh. Herbal tea. Even the honey can barely save it.


    ¡°That explains why you were fast asleep. It doesn''t explain why you were sleeping here instead of in a bed at the inn though.¡±


    She blushes a little more and pulls a crumpled paper from a pocket.


    ¡°I wanted to do your mana mill quest again. Got to take advantage of the fact that there is no competition for the easy money right now.¡±


    I grin and sit down on the bench, patting the place next to me, inviting her to sit back down.


    ¡°Well, lets finish our tea first. The mill doesn''t run away after all. This isn''t one of my nightmares after all.¡±

 Chapter 49 - Return of the heroes

    The rest of the morning passes quietly. Elzbieta is busy cranking the handle of the mill and I''m brooding over my design notes for the enchanted ribbon. The way it turned out was not due to chance of fate. It isn''t cursed. It isn''t what I want it to be though. Which means that I must have made a mistake somewhere.


    Usually mistakes would result in the enchantment not taking to the item at all, fizzling out instead. It is already pretty unusual that it still turned out to work, even if not as intended. That can happen if you place a negation rune in the wrong place. At least that is the only explanation I can come up with. Except, my notes look good. Everything is where it is supposed to be.


    I run my hands through my hair and groan. That probably means that I messed up when I wrote the runes on the table. That''s what I get for being in such a hurry. I should have taken more time.


    My gaze wanders to the trunk at the foot of the bed. I''ll have to try again and be more careful this time around. Too bad that I used the ribbon that matches my hair best for the first experiment. I''ll have to settle for another one for the second test run.


    Without much enthusiasm I start digging through the clothes and various odds and ends in the trunk until I find another suitable ribbon. This one is plain white. It probably is only intended to complement another, colored ribbon, but for my purpose it will serve well enough.


    I put everything else away again and clean up the trunk a little in the process as well. Rummaging around in it really doesn''t do its contents justice after all.


    Once I''m done I turn towards the enchanting table. I don''t get started right away though. No, I want to be a little more careful this time around. Well, I already have more and better light today, since I''m not working during the night. No, noon is approaching and I''ll make the best of the light provided. I get the lantern anyway as my body will shield some of the light when I''m working at the enchanting table.


    I have a decent sized piece of enchanter''s chalk ready as well. It is more than large enough to finish this job.


    The table though. That has me worried a little. Sure, it is good enough. It will serve for now, but in the long run I want to replace it with one that has an integrated turntable. No more writing upside down for me, if I can help it!


    For now though I can''t help it. I''ll have to use the table I have. I could move it though. Maybe I could even move it outside. The light doesn''t get much better than what the sun can provide around noon.


    I nod to myself and start to drag the table to the door and out into the backyard. That does cause a little more sound than I would like. It is more noisy than Sour Cream likes as well. The look she shoots me as she covers her head, and more importantly her ears, with one paw, says it all.


    The commotion draws the attention of Elzbieta as well. She doesn''t have the mill with her, which means that she probably isn''t done yet, but she comes to check what all the ruckus is about anyway.


    ¡°Do you need some help with that? Together we should be able to lift and carry it instead of dragging it along the ground, you know?¡±


    That makes sense, but I''m not quite sure I can impose on her like that.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    She rolls her eyes and moves in to help me.


    ¡°Yes, I''m sure. I''m pregnant, not a cripple. If we both lift it in unison, it shouldn''t be too heavy either. It isn''t that big anyway.¡±


    She isn''t wrong. It isn''t that big and if I wasn''t still favoring that one ankle, I could probably carry it on my own. As things are though, I''m quite grateful for her help. Together we move the table out the rest of the way into the backyard without any trouble and without disturbing Sour Cream''s nap any further.


    I wipe away some sweat and Elzbieta takes a moment to stretch before returning to the bench out front where the mill is still waiting for her.


    I in turn get my notes and the piece of chalk, after making sure that the table doesn''t wobble on the not completely even ground. Once that is taken care of there is no more reason to stall though.


    I do the math to calculate the circle''s diameter once more. I don''t just do it in my head this time though. Instead I write the calculations down to make it easier to spot any mistakes. That isn''t what went wrong with the first ribbon, but I want to be really thorough this time.


    The calculations match my expectations and that doesn''t change either when I do the calculations one more time. Very well.


    I draw the circle on the table with a piece of string of the appropriate length and some coal. Then I get started for good. This time I don''t rush writing the runes this time. Quite the opposite is true. I take as much time as I can without disrupting the enchanting process, deliberately checking everything twice.


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    By the time I finish it is already slightly past noon and Elzbieta has returned to watch me silently. She sits on the bench besides the backdoor, next to the mana mill. It seems she is done.


    She grins as she realizes that I''m looking her way.


    ¡°You seemed pretty focused. Didn''t want to disturb you.¡±


    I nod in appreciation.


    ¡°Thanks. Now that I''m done I shouldn''t keep you waiting any longer though. You got your quest papers?¡±


    She waves me off.


    ¡°Lets get the table and the mill inside first. Did your enchantment work out as you wanted? If you don''t mind me asking?¡±


    We move the table inside again together. It really is much easier this way. And while she heads back outside to get the hand mill I squint at the white ribbon, activating my appraisal skill.


    [Pest bane ribbon, Quality: Uncommon, A ribbon enchanted to ward off ticks, lice, flea and a few other, similar pests. They will usually avoid the wearer of this ribbon without ever realizing they are doing it. The effect only works against bugs that are not yet within the extended aura of the wearer.]


    I breath a sigh of relief. This is more like it. This is what I wanted to achieve the first time around. And then, while I still look at the ribbon I realize where I messed up. I really must have misplaced a negation rune in the circle. Thus the other ribbon affects beneficial bugs while this one affects pests. And the other ribbon attracts them instead of repelling them. Well, that is one little mystery solved.


    As Elzbieta returns with the mill, I take a peek at the contents of the mill''s drawer. Then I stamp her quest papers and we head down to the inn to have a slightly late lunch together.


    Today''s meal is steamed vegetables. There is no meat today, but the vegetables are steamed just right which makes up for it. I place another mana mill quest with Krystina as well, before heading home.


    Curiously enough the pregnant ranger doesn''t snatch it up right away. She smiles apologetically.


    ¡°Maybe a little later. I need to see about getting the fur of that fox treated first though. Can''t let it go bad. It is worth some good money after all.¡±


    I nod. Of course, even two mana mill quests each day will barely cover her living expenses. She probably needs to earn a little more in other ways to make ends meet, and a well preserved fox fur, bushy tail and all, is probably of considerable worth.


    We part ways after exchanging one last, brief hug.


    Well, I''m plenty busy anyway. I have plenty of enchanting dust which needs to be turned into chalks to be useful. That takes up the early afternoon hours. And even then I still have to wait a little longer for the chalks to cool in their casts.


    In the meantime I prepare the table again, cleaning its surface of any residue. Next I''ll take care of the blessed candles the priestess wants enchanted. Before I can get started a commotion from the direction of the dirt road draws my attention though.


    I put everything away again for now and head out to have a look.


    The source of the commotion is pretty obvious in hindsight. It is the returning adventurers.


    I do a quick headcount, just in case. There is no one missing. They all look a little tired and dirty, especially sooty, but no one seems have suffered any serious injuries.


    Some of the village youngsters have spotted the returning heroes well before me and are already pestering them with questions.


    Danuta''s father spots me, as I look on. He waves and calls out.


    ¡°Hey lass! Join us at the inn for a drink or two?¡±


    The graying barbarian sounds like he might have already started on the drinking.


    Danuta in turn slaps the back of his head, as he calls out to me like that out of the blue. She too turns to address me as they walk by though.


    ¡°Please don''t mind the old man and his lack of manners. If you happen to find some time, we would appreciate it though if you were to join us.¡±


    I roll my eyes, but nod anyway.


    ¡°I have to finish some candles for the temple first. I take it, you won''t turn in for the night early anyway, right?¡±


    She nods and waves.


    ¡°See you!¡±

 Chapter 50 - Preparations

    An evening at the tavern, spent with celebrating adventurers? It is something that most people either dread or look forward to. I''m a little torn in that regard. I don''t mind a little celebration every once in a while and there even is a good reason this time around. At the same time I know that I''m not good with any alcoholic beverages of any strength worth mentioning. They tend to go straight to my head. Sure, that might be fun at first, but that fun can turn bad quickly once my head and my stomach start protesting.


    I should know, I have experienced it all before after all. And more importantly, I should know better. Yet, I don''t even consider not going. Not even for one moment. At the same time I''m stalling for time.


    Well, I already said that I would finish the candles for the temple, thus I might as well get to it. I wouldn''t want to be called a liar after all. And having another project off my plate always feels good. That too is something I know from past experience.


    Thus I see about finishing the candles for the temple first. I can worry about everything else later. I unwrap the candles in question. They are slightly bigger and longer than any I use. They are made of exceptionally fine and pure wax as well. I look at them while activating the appraisal skill.


    [Blessed Candle: Uncommon. A fine candle infused with a little divine power. In this candle''s light everything will be revealed as it really is. No mirage and especially no fey gossamer can prevail where this candle sheds light. This candle will burn for eight hours once lit.]


    I''m left speechless for a moment. I never even suspected that the candles in temples have this effect. Or is it just the ones out here at the frontier? Well, never mind. I certainly have to do my best when enchanting these though.


    Blessings in a way are a little like enchantments, except they are provided by the divine and supposedly paid for in Karma. I wouldn''t know for sure though, how exactly that works. Karma is notoriously hard to earn after all. I can''t imagine that any priest or priestess would spend it willfully.


    On the other hand, this might explain why Wislawa wants these enchanted to last longer. It might make all the difference, when a candle like this lasts a year instead of just a few hours.


    As I proceed to enchant the first candle, I take great care to get everything just right. Although the enchantment is deeply familiar I take my time, placing each rune with care and deliberation. It wouldn''t do to forget the lesson I have so very recently learned.


    As the last rune is finished, the candle draws in the completed circle, the enchantment taking hold.


    I in turn activate my appraisal skill again to study the now enchanted candle.


    [Everlasting Blessed Candle: Uncommon, A fine candle infused with a little divine power and enchanted with magic to last longer. In this candle''s light everything will be revealed as it really is. No mirage and especially no fey gossamer can prevail where this candle sheds light. This candle will burn for a year once lit.]


    I let out a deep breath and wipe away a drop of sweat. The anxiety that had my heart beating faster subsides. Good! Very good even! Everything is as it should be.


    I put the enchanted candle away. I don''t put it back on the cloth the candles came with though, as I don''t want to mix it up with the others. Instead I put it up on the shelf above the table for now.


    Then I proceed to enchant the other two candles as well. I force myself to work with the same deliberate care as the first time. First one and then the other is enchanted before long anyway. I check these with appraisal as well, getting the same result as with the other candle.


    No irregularities. No problems. Only now do I allow myself to relax for good. Sadly there is no divine whisper. It isn''t that much of a surprise, but I''m a little disappointed anyway. There are rumors that the divine are a little less frugal when handing out Karma for tasks performed in their service after all. I guess those are just rumors after all.


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    Now that all the enchanting I have planned to do is done I wrap the candles back up in the cloth. I''ll return them when I head down to village square to join the celebration.


    Before I leave the house I have to do something about my clothes first though. I have no doubt that even the weary and tired adventurers will clean up before celebrating their victory.


    The first step is the easy one. I take a moment to freshen up at the creek behind the house.


    The second step is a little more tricky. I can''t just show up in my well worn everyday clothes on such an occasion. Sadly I don''t exactly have many options. Agnieszka isn''t done with the ordered clothes yet and I haven''t exactly brought anything fancy. This leaves only the things from grandma''s trunk.


    I eye the big chest at the foot end of the bed. I know that it contains at least one very fancy dress, by some standards at least, but I''m not quite ready to wear something like that. Never mind the kind of trouble it could cause when worn to a busy place like the inn where plenty of beer and wine are sure to be consumed. No, no thank you. I''m not ready for anything like that.


    I swallow hard and begin to sort through the clothes in the trunk once more. By now I''m actually getting pretty familiar with everything. There are two dresses. I spread both of them on the bed, taking care not to disturb Sour Cream too much. She carefully watches what I''m doing anyway.


    Both dresses are pretty plain, made of simple fabric, mostly just one color and only sparingly used decorative stitching. They still are a change from what I''m usually wearing. They are both in good condition as well. They probably have not been worn all that often. At least that is my best guess.


    In the end the decision I have to make isn''t one. One of the dresses is designed for winter weather. I carefully fold it back up and put it back in the trunk with the other things.


    This leaves just one dress spread out on the bed and I''m a bit torn about it. At a first glance it looks harmless enough and the dark brown fabric is simple and innocent enough as well.


    It''s sleeves are pretty short though and it shows a little more cleavage than I''m used to. Nothing scandalous, but still unlike anything I have worn before. What really worries me though is the length of the dress.


    Judging by the way grandma''s overall fit, my build is pretty similar to hers, except for the legs. Mine are longer. Noticeably so.


    On grandma this dress probably would have been a little more than knee length. Just right.


    On me? I''m not quite sure. Well, only one way to find out. I slip out of my working clothes and put on the dress instead. Thankfully the built in bodice is to be tied at the front and it fits well enough. It is as I expected though. The dress is a little short on my frame. It doesn''t even reach the knees. It isn''t too short entirely, but it is a bit short.


    I can wear it to have a good time at the tavern, but I probably shouldn''t consider wearing it on any other occasion. I can''t wear this if I just go out shopping, and most certainly not for a wedding or, gods and goddesses forbid, a funeral.


    Well, there is nothing I can do about it right now. This will have to do. I twist and turn in a clumsy attempt to make sure everything sits right. Then I grab my newly enchanted white ribbon and tie up my hair in braid that incorporates it. I can''t really do anything more fancy with my hair on my own. Well, it isn''t like anyone will care.


    With that my preparations are almost, but not quite, finished. I grab some dried lavender from the rafters under the ceiling and crush it in a mortar, only taking a moment to make sure it isn''t the same mortar I used for the coffee. I use the aromatic plant instead of perfume, since I don''t have any. Now I''m done.


    I close the shop, pour Sour Cream, who has been watching me all the while, the last from the jug of her favorite treat. Then, at good last, I grab the bundle with the candles and leave.


    My first destination is the temple, although I can already hear music and the sound of animated talking spill from the inn. The priestess meets me in the antechamber, almost as if she is expecting me. Just how does she do that? Well, never mind. She accepts the bundle with a big smile and sees me off again with a cheerful wave.


    I take one last deep breath before I enter the inn''s common room. Then the cheerful atmosphere swallows me up. It isn''t just the adventurers either. The common room is almost bursting at the seams. Pretty much everyone old enough to drink has to be here. And pretty much everyone seems to be drinking.


    For a moment I think that no one noticed my entry. Then Danuta waves and proves me wrong. I head over in her direction. She is sitting with the youngsters, Tamara and Odolan, instead of her father, who seems to sit with Ser Tadeusz.


    Before I know it I have a mug of beer in my hands.


    The witch grins at me.


    ¡°Seems Lord Antek provided enough coin not just for the emergency quest itself but for free beer for everyone afterwards as well.¡±

 Chapter 51 - Wine and song

    I try to hold back, but in the end it is to no avail. The excitement and general good mood are contagious. Still, I try not to drink too much too fast. I even order some food for everyone, well everyone at our table anyway, to keep us from slipping under the table all too soon.


    Tamara might hail from a proud family of bakers, but she isn''t a lightweight either, as far as her alcohol tolerance is concerned. It seems that the stories claiming that dwarves are heavy drinkers with an astonishing alcohol tolerance aren''t entirely untrue at the very least.


    Odolan, the young warrior, on the other hand can''t keep up with her. He shouldn''t have tried to begin with. I blame the foolhardiness of youth, although I''m not that much older. Neither is Danuta, but she shows some restraint as well.


    Thus it is young Odolan who passes out first. It isn''t all bad though, as he ends up peacefully snoring with his head in Tamara''s lap.


    She doesn''t seem to mind though. No, quite the opposite might be true.


    Anyway, it certainly could be worse. I had the misfortune to meet some much more obnoxious drunks during my time at the academy. The ones who pass out early and only mumble in their sleep are much preferable when compared to the ones who just can''t shut up with their drunk ramblings.


    I chuckle, and so does Danuta, as the female dwarven adventurer runs a hand through the young man''s hair, prompting some more unintelligible mutterings.


    I wouldn''t be surprised if these two were to become more than just comrades in arms before long. Just give it a little more time. I''m still left wondering what dwarven women see in human men though. With elven men and human women it is the more abundant curves of the latter, when compared to elven women. That is no mystery. What dwarven women see in human men though ¡­ I have no clue. I could ask, but I''m not sure I should.


    I rub my cheeks and even pinch them for good measure, to ward off these thoughts. I even stuff my face with some of the fatty and heavily salted, fried potato slices to make sure I don''t say anything I might end up regretting.


    This in turn prompts another chuckle from Danuta, who busies herself with the elegant, long stemmed pipe she is smoking. From the four of us, she is the only one who is still mostly sober. Or at least it appears that way. Well, she is more sober than any of the rest of us at least, even if her cheeks are coloring a little as well.


    Instinctively I grab my mug after swallowing the potato slices I have been munching on, emptying it in one big gulp. Curse those tasty, salty treats! They make you even more thirsty! What a nefarious plot by the innkeeper!


    Well, that is what I think at least, even if just for a moment. Then I grab another fried potato slice and nibble on it while I rest my head on the table for a moment. Yes, just for a moment. My eyes are growing just entirely too heavy. What pulls me back from the edge of oblivion is the smell of Danuta''s pipe.


    She must have lit it while I rested my eyes. I take another sniff. I can''t quite place the aroma. It certainly isn''t plain tobacco though. Weirdly enough, it seems to lessen my building headache to some degree. I take one more sniff, but my mind is too murky to figure out what it is. It is no use. I''ll have to ask the witch some other time. Maybe tomorrow or the day after.


    It is Danuta who speaks up first though, before I can actually drift off to sleep.


    ¡°Well, that was something else for sure. The fey of the Twilight forest are never to be trifled with, but I never expected to have to fight pixies out of all of them.¡±


    I barely manage to lift my head as I respond. I barely manage to open my eyes as well. What I say makes perfect sense to me, although I''m not quite sure if the others can make sense of it, as it comes out in a bit of a slur.


    ¡°They are usually harmless. As long as they don''t get a taste for blood. Then they turn vicious and bloodthirsty. Just takes one to corrupt them all. It happens. Not too often, but it does.¡±


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    Tamara perks up at that. She even stops messing with Odolan''s hair for a moment.


    ¡°Oh? Is that why we had to make sure? Make sure none got away I mean?¡±


    I just nod and so does the witch as she blows out a pretty little smoke ring. Nifty! I wish I could do that. Except, I would have to pick up smoking to do it. Maybe it is not so nifty after all.


    I grab some more potato slices. Once I''m done with them I lick my fingers clean and take a sip from the fresh mug someone placed in front of me.


    For a little while the four of us just sit there and listen to the events, as Rafal the Bard retells them in song. Well three of us do. Odolan is still snoring happily. Damn, how can he still sing and play his instrument? I''m pretty sure he has been drinking just as much as anyone else!


    Someone pulls the mug I''m clutching away from me. Before I can protest Tamara empties it with a big gulp.


    ¡°I think we should get you and our sleeping swordsman into your beds as long as at least one of us can still walk without any help.¡±


    I sputter.


    ¡°Hey! I can still walk just fine!¡±


    Danuta breaks into a laughing fit at my words and almost chokes on the smoke of her pipe. It takes her a moment to get her breathing back under control.


    ¡°That''s what they all say! Come on Tamara, you grab the boy and drag him up to your room. I''ll help our dear alchemist get home.¡±


    Before I can protest she hushes me, going as far as to wag her pipe at me.


    ¡°Hush! It isn''t far, but we wouldn''t want you to have an accident. People have fallen into that creek in a drunk stupor before. That hasn''t always ended well!¡±


    Well, that does make sense. I give up any attempts at protesting. Instead I grab the last of the potato slices, as I accept my fate.


    ¡°Fine, fine ¡­ have it your way.¡±


    We get up and Danuta helps Tamara with Odolan for a moment. Then the dwarven woman is off, carrying the larger human on her back. I wince a little as I notice that he is drooling. Well, it probably won''t be a problem. The two get along pretty well after all.


    Then the witch slings one of my arms over her shoulder and we leave the tavern. She even makes sure to support me on the side, where my injured ankle is, although that is pretty much all better by now.


    Walking in a straight line turns out to be harder than I initially anticipated. Without the other woman I might not have managed at all. How did she know? Oh, right she is an adventurer. She is probably familiar with evenings like this one.


    We barely manage to get a few steps in, once we are out the tavern''s door, before the fresh air hits me like a sledgehammer.


    ¡°Danuta ¡­ I think ¡­ urp!¡±


    Thankfully the witch doesn''t need any more warning than I''m able to provide. She turns me sideways, so I throw up to the side of the road. Or well, at least I heave a little. I don''t actually end up throwing up and I''m quite thankful for this small mercy. I don''t want to end up making a mess like this and the poor, tasty potato wedges don''t deserve to end up splattered across the roadside like this either.


    Danuta pats me on the back.


    ¡°Better? Just let it out if it gets too bad.¡±


    I shake my head vehemently, something I regret doing almost immediatly.


    ¡°No, I''m good. Just get me home. I have a special little something on the shelves there.¡±


    The witch chuckles as we get going again.


    ¡°Oh? You going to cheat with some alchemy?¡±


    I snort in response.


    ¡°Damn straight, I''ll cheat! I won''t wake up with a hangover tomorrow. And I won''t have to worry about throwing up in my bed either! I just regret not bringing one of the hangover cure jellies with me.¡±


    Now it is the witch''s turn to snort in amusement.


    ¡°Hangover cure jellies? Not really?¡±


    We stop for a moment as we are both to busy laughing to keep walking.


    ¡°Well actually, they are cure poison jellies. Turns out alcohol is just another poison as far as they are concerned though.¡±

 Chapter 52 - Speak softly

    The jelly still works as expected and advertised. I even make a quick sale as Danuta sees the effect firsthand. She is much better at holding her liquor, but she still doesn''t want to suffer the aftereffects that are sure to come anyway. I might have to make more of those soon.


    There is only one other thing I need to take care off before I slip into bed. I wash my mouth and gargle with some peppermint water, as booze breath is something the jellies can''t help with. And I have to think of my feline roommate in that regard. I somehow doubt that she would appreciate me smelling of booze, when she returns early in the morning.


    As a result I have a pleasant night with plenty of good sleep despite coming home at such a late hour. I wake up a little late though and have to rush through my morning routine. That isn''t much of a problem though. It isn''t like I never got up late at the academy after all. This is the kind of rush I have experience with.


    Despite being a little late I have the bathhouse to myself today, which suggests that everyone else is probably just as tardy as I am, which in turn might explain the one real problem. Neither Krystina nor her mother has shown up so far to deliver a fresh jug for Sour Cream.


    For this reason I head down to the inn, after finishing with my bath, instead of back home.


    Indeed people are up and about there. They look pretty much as you would expect after a long night though with plenty to drink. There are bleary eyes and slumped shoulders aplenty and more than a few people talk in hushed tones while holding their heads.


    I''m mighty glad that I''m not suffering any of these aftereffects. Well, after seeing the others suffer I''m even more glad than before.


    Krystina is already at the guild counter. She doesn''t even make an attempt to be her usual impeccable self though. Instead she is resting her head on her arms. I''m pretty certain that the guild has regulations against that but no one seems to mind and I won''t complain either.


    I wave and flash her a smile as she looks up briefly and her eyes widen a little as I walk by, obviously unaffected by the drinking from last night. In the end she just lets her head drop back onto her folded arms.


    I don''t want to pester her anyway. The one I''m looking for is her mother, Maryla. I find her in the kitchen, together with her husband. The place isn''t as busy as usual. There is only a single pot bubbling on the fire, next to kettle with herbal tea.


    At least these two don''t look like they are hungover. Quite the opposite seems to be true. They are cheerful and sober. Well, they have good reason to be cheerful. They probably made a killing last night. Everyone drinking plenty of the beer paid for by lord Antek''s coin? More than a few people, like me, ordering food to go with it? Yep, these two have to be swimming in it right now.


    Krystina''s father looks a little surprised to see me up and about, or at least he is surprised to see me up and about not nursing a headache.


    Maryla welcomes me with a smile though.


    ¡°Good morning, dear. Can we get you something?¡±


    I chuckle and shake my head.


    ¡°Not for me. I was wondering though if I could get a jug of cream for the cat.¡±


    Maryla laughs out loud as she hears my request and even her husband is chuckling now, although he prompts his wife to tone it down as people start groaning out in the common room.


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    Maryla in turn gets the jug while I get out the agreed upon coin. After a quick exchange I''m off again. Or rather, I''m out of the kitchen again. In the common room I run into Tamara and Odolan.


    Tamara looks, well, not exactly unfazed, but at least not as bad as most of the others. Odolan on the other hand looks just about as bad, as I felt last night before taking that cure poison jelly.


    ¡°Morning you two!¡±


    The dwarven women waves as I greet them, but her companion flinches noticeably and winces. He doesn''t complain though. No, he doesn''t even groan.


    Obviously my greeting was a little too cheerful though. Oops.


    Finally the young man manages a response.


    ¡°Morning.¡±


    That doesn''t exactly sound enthusiastic. He keeps going though, although every word seems to take a toll on him.


    ¡°How can you be so bright and cheerful already?¡±


    At this point Tamara pipes in.


    ¡°If my memory doesn''t betray me, you were in at least as bad a shape as Odolan here, when you left. You aren''t a doppelganger that replaced Valeria sometime during the night, right?¡±


    The way she says that makes it sound as if that were actually possible.


    I snort in amusement.


    ¡°A doppelganger? Don''t be silly! Those are just stories to scare little children.¡±


    She frowns.


    ¡°If you say so ¡­¡±


    I''m not quite sure what I''m supposed to make of that statement. In the end I just shake my head to drive away any thoughts about body stealing monsters.


    ¡°No, I just happen to have some cure poison jellies back home. They work just fine when you have a hangover as well. As a matter of fact I ate one the moment I got home.¡±


    Odolan groans.


    ¡°Trickery! Vile trickery!¡±


    Tamara rolls her eyes and accepts cups of herbal tea from Maryla for both her and her companion, as the innkeeper walks by.


    ¡°You wouldn''t still have some of those in stock?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°Sure. I ate one and Danuta got one for herself as well, but there still should be a few. I''m not quite sure. Maybe four or five?¡±


    I blink as the common room suddenly falls silent at that statement. The silence only lasts for the blink of an eye though. Then people start eating their plain gruel with renewed vigor. It is almost as if everyone were trying to finish before the rest. I suppress a smirk.


    ¡°Well, you two. Take it slow. I better get back home and open the shop. Shouldn''t keep Sour Cream waiting too long either.¡±


    I lift the jug of cream as I say the latter and then I''m off for good. I hurry as I''m not quite sure how much longer I can keep from grinning, as the sound of eating behind me intensifies.


    Sure I only have a few jellies left, but I''m pretty sure I still have enough ingredients to whip up a few more. I don''t have to tell anyone though. Not yet anyway.


    The first thing I do as I return home, is to pour Sour Cream some of her treat.


    She is off the bed as soon as I enter with the full jug and rubs up against me, running figure eight circles around my legs until I''m done. Then she digs right in, her tail moving lazily.


    ¡°Well, I''m glad you like it.¡±


    I run my hand along her back once. Then I start preparing for the adventurers that are sure to arrive soon. I don''t open the shop right away though. No, first I have another order of business to take care off.


    I use my staff''s lens to heat the poker from the fireplace until it glows a nice dull orange, then get an empty price tag. I bite my lip. Then I write a price of eight bronze Crowns onto the tag.


    After putting the poker away again, I replace the original price tag, which reads only five bronze Crowns, in the bowl with the jellies. They should still be affordable enough like that, yet I''ll make a bigger profit.


    Very good. I nod to myself. Now I''m ready for the day. I open the windows first, and as I do that I can already see the first adventurers approaching. As I open the door as well, they even pick up their pace.


    Well, I don''t actually want to turn any of them away just because I have run out of stock. That would be pretty wasteful after all. Thus I don''t wait around for them to arrive. Instead I return to the backroom to get the ingredients for a new batch of jellies ready. Making them will take a little while, but I''m sure most of those who are terribly overhung will still appreciate the effort anyway, even if they have to wait a little.

 Chapter 53 - All the coin

    As expected the last of the jellies are sold out within short order. No one even comments on the price, if they even notice. Everyone who comes afterwards has to wait as I make a new batch. It is only a few adventurers that wait out front but there are still enough of them to make the effort worth my while.


    I''m running low on one especially critical ingredient though. I have to use the very last of my dryad blossom and that is ingredient I can''t replace myself. I''ll have to place a quest with the guild again, and I suspect that this one won''t come cheap.


    Dryads can be tricky to deal with after all, as Danuta''s father Bogomil found out recently. They can be quite demanding and if they feel slighted for some reason they tend to turn downright venge- and spiteful. And they really don''t share their blossoms with just about everyone.


    I''ll need some more slime jelly as well, but that shouldn''t be that much of a problem. Slimes are pretty common in the nearby dungeons after all and for any adventurer knowing what they do, they aren''t a threat either.


    In the end I can only hope that I raised the price on the jellies far enough. It should be alright, but I''m still a little worried. A little while later I have fresh batch of jellies, of which only two remain in the bowl by the time the last customer leaves.


    Everything considered, I''m in a good mood though. I might have to spend some of my hard earned coin on quests soon enough, but right now my strong chest is filled nicely and I enter all sales into the ledger as well, happily humming to myself. This certainly is a good start into a new day!


    Even with the morning rush taken care off I don''t remain undisturbed for long though.


    It is the trio of Feliks, Lotar and Rafal, the monk, the warrior and the bard, who stop by again a little later. They are not here to buy anything this time around though. No, they come bearing quest papers and collected herbs.


    It seems the trio was quite busy. They bring both the juniper berries and the purple mountain flowers I want. I take a moment to check both. I sort out some of the berries, which are in a bad state, but there still remain enough to fulfill the quest. It seems they anticipated as much and collected a little more than necessary.


    With the mountain flowers there are no problems. There aren''t any other flowers mixed in and while they look a little wilted by now that isn''t an issue. Quite to the contrary actually, as I need to dry them anyway.


    I stamp their papers and thank them.


    ¡°Thanks for taking care of these quests!¡±


    The trio nods and Feliks replies with a cheerful little smile. It is hard to believe that he was still terribly hungover just a little while ago.


    ¡°Any time!¡±


    With these words the trio is off again, probably to collect their reward from Krystina. Well, they certainly earned it.


    I''m left with a nice load of fresh ingredients though and those need some initial processing. I just wish someone had taken care of the twilight lichen request as well already. Then I could process everything together. Well, I can''t help it. It probably will be a while until someone drops of the requested lichen.


    Anyway, the initial processing in question is drying, to make sure everything will keep a while. Among other things, this means I have to get a fire started in the fireplace. And of course I need to move the big cauldron out of the way again. After all I don''t want to steam the herbs. I want to dry them.


    My brow furrows a little as I get fresh firewood from outside. There still is more than enough in the stack to get me through another few months, but I will probably need to replenish it before next winter. That still is a few months off, but I can''t exactly ignore it either.


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    I''ll probably have to post another request. Either that or I''ll have to buy firewood from one of the local farmers. And then I''ll have to post a request for some strong adventurers to move it to my place.


    I groan at the thought.


    One way or another, I''ll end up spending money. There is no way around it. Either way, it is not something I should worry about now.


    I grab some of the wood, making sure it is dry, so it won''t smoke too much. Thankfully the recent rain didn''t get to the wood stacked up under the overhanging roof.


    With it I light a nice little, slow burning fire in the fireplace. I use the first log to dry the rest further as well.


    I put the berries on first to dry, just like the last time, in a pan which I put on the grate well above the fire. I want heat but not too much of it after all.


    The purple mountain flowers I tie into bundles which I hang into the fireplace even higher.


    Afterwards all I have to do is place a new log in the fire every once in a while, to keep it burning nice and slow. I move the berries every once in a while as well, to make sure they don''t burn, but I needn''t worry. With the fire this low the risk is pretty much nonexistent.


    After putting on a fresh log I head back outside to gather some more wild rose petals and a little Bitterleaf as well. Since I already have all the ingredients I might as well give brewing a slightly more potent health potion a try after all.


    The Bitterleaf is easy enough. I just get a little more from the newly cleaned up garden. That really is coin well spent! The rose petals take a while though, as I take care not to disturb the bees too much.


    When I return inside, it is just in time to put on the next log. Afterwards I put both the Bitterleaf and the rose petals on to dry as well.


    While the ingredients dry at a slow pace I get a kettle ready. I fill it with some of the water from the big cauldron, but I don''t put it on to boil yet. That will have to wait.


    Next a I prepare a mortar and a pestle, cleaning both thoroughly. I prepare a little silk bag as well.


    The last things I prepare are potion bottles and fresh stoppers, as well as the wax to seal them.


    Judging by the volume of the kettle and the potion bottles respectively, I should be able to fill ten of the latter with the brew from the former.


    I''m entirely too quick with those preparations though. I still have to wait a little longer for everything to dry properly. And while I keep the fire burning I can''t exactly leave for lunch either, although it already is lunch time. Both my stomach and Sour Cream who rises from her sleeping spot, stretching majestically, to brush up against my legs until I fill her bowl, are very certain of that.


    I watch the cat eat and am allowed to pet her a little in return afterwards. I run my fingers through her fur and kiss her atop her head.


    ¡°You know, I''m a little jealous. I wish I had something to eat right now.¡±


    Hmm, maybe I should stock up on somethings beyond alchemical ingredients? I should get at least some things for a quick snack when I''m stuck like now. Some hard cheese maybe? Maybe some pickles vegetables? Smoked meat or dried or salted fish? Things like that.


    Damn, thinking about those things just makes me even more hungry.


    I sigh and pet Sour Cream once more as she returns to her spot on the bed. Then I take care of the fire again.


    ¡°I guess I''ll be having dinner today, instead of lunch.¡±


    Once everything is nicely dried I put the water on to boil and get the precision scales and weigh the ingredients, to make sure I get the right amount for ten potions. The rest of the dried ingredients either goes into bowls serving as storage containers, or it gets hung from the rafters, in the case of the dried purple mountain flowers.


    I smash and grind the measured ingredients in the mortar and fill them into the silk bag which in turn goes into the almost boiling water.


    I let the mixture steep and cool a little afterwards, before filling the potion bottles which in turn get stoppered and sealed.


    After wiping some sweat from my brow I inspect the potions with the appraisal skill.


    [Healing Potion, Quality: Uncommon, A healing potion that will heal any injury that is not immediately life threatening and even those will get better, even if only a little. Still good to use for another 35 days.]


    Good. Very good even! I put the poker into the fire, while it still is burning and prepare some of the wooden price tags and the pieces of string needed to tie them to the potion bottles.


    Two silver and six bronze Crowns should be alright. That is technically a big city price, but those more potent potions are rare enough for me to get away with it.

 Chapter 54 - New threads

    Pride fills me as I put the new healing potions on the shelf next to the few remaining lesser healing potions. It isn''t a big achievement worth any Karma, but I feel good about it anyway. Now I only need to see about replenishing the other potions. I''ll need to study my recipes and collect ingredients. Or in some cases I need to let others do the collecting. Most of that is a problem for another day though.


    There is something entirely different on my agenda first anyway. Dinner. Even more so since I missed lunch. My stomach grumbles in agreement.


    I close the shop, although it is still a little early. I doubt anyone else will drop by today, considering the rush in the morning. Then I''m off to the inn.


    Today''s meal are baked potatoes, filled with sour cream and with plenty of fresh kitchen herbs and a little salt on top. They are still steaming hot, thus I take my time eating. I have more time to enjoy the taste that way as well. I get a mug of light sour beer to go with it as well. Nothing too strong. I don''t need to indulge in alcoholic beverages two nights in a row after all.


    The atmosphere isn''t as lively as last night, but that isn''t really a surprise. There are still plenty of people though. The knight and his squire are still around as well, but they probably won''t be staying for much longer. I wouldn''t be surprised, if they were to leave tomorrow.


    While I''m still eating someone else comes to sit with me. It isn''t one of the adventurers though. No, it is Agnieszka. I greet her with a smile.


    ¡°Good evening!¡±


    She returns the smile and takes a moment to savor the smell of the steaming hot meal.


    ¡°Evening Valeria! It seems I just missed you back home.¡±


    One of my eyebrows rises a little, but my reply stays brief as I have a bite of hot potato in my mouth right now.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    She nods enthusiastically.


    ¡°Yes, I wanted to see you about the new clothes. Or, to be a little more precise, I wanted you to try them on, so I could see if I still need to make any adjustments.¡±


    Again my reply is brief. It isn''t due to me eating this time around though. No, this actually is a pretty nice surprise.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Again she nods enthusiastically.


    ¡°I don''t expect everything to fit perfectly right away, but I doubt there will be many alterations I''ll have to make either. Would you drop by my place afterwards? So we can get the fitting done?¡±


    I swallow another bite while she speaks. Then I have a sip of my beer before I answer.


    ¡°Sure, I don''t have any urgent business to take care of right now.¡±


    I pause briefly, as something comes to my mind, before I continue.


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    ¡°I might head out some time later tonight though. I still need to collect those Night Candles. Hopefully I won''t run into any trouble this time around. I really need them to stock back up on mana potions.¡±


    My explanations give Agnieszka a chance to catch up with eating, at least a little. Neither of us can eat too fast after all, as these potatoes really are still quite hot. In the end she nods though, while swallowing.


    ¡°Good, good. I wish you the best of luck with the herb gathering. The fitting shouldn''t take too long either, so I won''t be keeping you from it.¡±


    In the end I finish first but wait for my neighbor to finish as well, so we can head home together. I come along with her right away instead of heading home first. That way we can take care of my new clothes right away.


    She is, of course, right. This really doesn''t take very long although I end up trying everything, from the new underwear to the overall and the summer dress, on to make sure everything fits. In the end she only needs to make a few minor adjustments, as she already tailored the clothes to my measurements.


    It hasn''t even become properly dark by the time we part ways again. We hug, but Agnieszka doesn''t let go of me right away.


    ¡°I think I can finish the rest tonight. Would you mind if I drop by in the morning?¡±


    I snort but nod anyway.


    ¡°I don''t mind, but don''t ruin your eyes doing delicate needlework at night. I''m not that much in a hurry to get these new clothes. You know?¡±


    She laughs out loud.


    ¡°Never mind that. It''s just that sometimes sleep eludes me and then I need to keep my mind busy. If I were to just lie awake in my bed I would go mad.¡±


    I finally pull away.


    ¡°Fine, fine. Just don''t overdo it.¡±


    ¡°You too. Take care when you go out at night like that. Post a request for an escort if you intend to range further away from the village. Yes?¡±


    ¡°I will. Don''t worry.¡±


    Then, with a final wave I''m off.


    I''m a little giddy. I said that I''m not in a hurry to get those new clothes, but actually I''m really looking forward to wearing them. Now more than ever. Agnieszka really knows what she is doing. She turned those plain fabrics into some pretty nice things. Nothing too exciting, but still.


    Sour Cream is already waiting for me as I return home, staring accusingly at her empty bowl.


    I pet her briefly and pour her some of her namesake treat. Then I get ready for the night. I get a wicker basket and a sickle which I put inside it. I even put the sheathed dagger back on my belt, although it hasn''t done me much good last time I ran into trouble.


    Tonight I don''t stop at that though. Instead I bring my enchanted staff as well. At worst I can still use it as a crutch but it is a pretty decent weapon as well. And the enchantment might proof useful one way or another as well. The feeling of its well worn wood is enough to reassure me greatly already.


    Sour Cream leaves the house as well, as I head out for the night. Curiously enough she jumps out the window though, despite the door being wide open. Silly thing!


    I stop dead in my tracks after closing the door, entirely unlike the cat which disappears into the underbrush. Where should I go? I bite my lips. Should I head in the same direction as during my last nightly excursion?


    I''m not quite sure. In all honesty, various predators and carrion eaters probably already have taken care of any remains of my desperate fight by now, but I still don''t want to take the risk. The thought alone, that I might end up stepping into something gruesome is enough to send shivers running down my back. No, I don''t need that.


    Thus I end up heading in another direction. For the first leg of this trip I end up following the dirt road past Agnieszka''s house and several more farmsteads beyond it. This way takes me further away from the creek than I have been so far and this worries me a little. Especially I''m worried that without this easy to find and follow landmark I might end up getting lost.


    I stop and turn to look back for a moment. I can still see some of the village''s lights and more importantly, the thin smoke columns rising into the clear night sky. As long as I use those for a landmark I shouldn''t get lost.


    I sigh and nod to myself before I continue in the direction of the next gathering spot grandma mentioned in her book. There is no helping it anyway. I need to get to know the lay of the land and there is no better way to do that than with your own feet.


    I push away those worries and start to look for the telltale glow of the flowers I''m looking for and it doesn''t take me long to find the first patch either. I cut some and start in the direction of the next patch, which by now is easily visible. After several more stops my wicker basket is starting to fill up nicely.


    Instead of heading right back I stop at a small rock formation. Well, it isn''t much of a rock formation. Just one big rock with a few other smaller ones littered around it, and it is even easily climbable from one side. That is what I do. I climb the rock and sit down for a little while to marvel at the night sky and the not so distant village that is laid out beneath it.

 Chapter 55 - A basket of flowers

    I enjoy the nighttime vista for a little longer. Eventually I get up though, as it gets a little chilly despite it being early summer. Trying to retrace the way I took to get here I still end up on the dirt road at a slightly different spot than the one where I left it. It isn''t an issue though. As long as I don''t get actually lost a little detour is fine.


    It is my best guess that it is still well before midnight when I at least return home. Just as well. That way I can still get some restful sleep in. I can''t crawl into bed just yet though. Well, in theory I could, but it is best to start the processing of fresh herbs right away to make sure none go bad. And I have brought home quite the haul.


    I clean the Night Candles and tie them in small bundles which I once again hang above the fire place. They still glow in a pale light, when I darken the room, reassuring me that I didn''t pick any Troll Candles.


    Once again I start a fire in the fireplace and once again I make sure it burns low and long, to provide heat without too much smoke rising above.


    I don''t want to stay up all night to put on fresh wood though, thus I have to get a little creative. Thankfully I learned a technique of stacking the wood in such a way that one log will burn after the other instead of them all burning at once. Well, that should work in theory at least. I have to admit that I never got it quite right before, but even if the fire just burns for a few hours it should be enough.


    I light the fire with the help of the lens of my enchanted staff once again. Very practical, as I don''t have the patience necessary to light a fire the usual way right now. I just want to go to sleep and once the fire burns I do just that.


    I change into a nightshirt and skip into bed after making sure the window Sour Creams likes to use is open, falling asleep before long.


    Surprisingly enough the fire is still burning when I wake up next morning, although it won''t last for much longer by the looks of it. Just as well, it has served its purpose and, even better, it still provides me some warmth while I get dressed.


    Once I''m ready to tackle the day, I rearrange the remaining firewood a little, to stoke the fire a little higher, even if just for a while. Then I pour the cat curled up at the foot end of my bed some cream.


    I could head out to visit the bath now, but I don''t. Instead I wait by the backdoor with my things, as Agnieszka is supposed to drop by. Thankfully I don''t have to wait long.


    Agnieszka looks tired but at the same time happy. I can relate.


    She is carrying a thick bundle of clothes.


    I get up from the bench to help her, relieving her of some of that load.


    ¡°Thank you, dear. Should we conclude our business before we head off to the bath?¡±


    I nod and guide her inside.


    ¡°Let''s do that.¡±


    Agnieszka arranges my new clothes on the bed under Sour Cream''s watchful gaze.


    I head to the front room in the meantime, to get the coin I owe her. My heart aches a little as I retrieve a small fortune. Sure, the strong chest still contains plenty of clinking coins, but now most of them are bronze Crowns, as I have to part with much of my silver.


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    Agnieszka on the other hand beams.


    Ha! I would too in her place.


    The small fortune changes owners and we shake hands to finalize our transaction.


    Well, I''ll just have to see it as an investment. Those clothes probably will last me quite some time. Years or maybe even a decade or two if I''m lucky. Maybe even longer if I make an effort and put a self repair enchantment on them.


    That, of course, will be an expense on its own, but it probably will be worth it as well. Sure, the enchantment won''t keep the clothes from tearing and any big damage will have to be mended, but it will help minimize the damage that is the result of the usual wear as time passes.


    After putting away the clothes, except for the new overall, we leave for the bathhouse. Sadly we don''t have time to linger though, as our exchange took up some of our precious early morning time.


    I don''t mind though, as I get to start into a new day wearing a new overall. It might be a pretty simple piece of clothing, but I like it. Even more so, as new clothes have that fresh fabric feeling you only get to experience for a short while. It is enough to reaffirm my decision to enchant these new clothes. Yes, I want these to last.


    Eventually we have to return home and get to work though. I part ways with Agnieszka near her house and head to mine to open the shop.


    Sour Cream has already licked her bowl clean, while I was out, and has gone beck to napping already.


    I make sure not to disturb her too much while I take the dried Night Candles down from their place over the fire that has gone out by now. They are nicely dried as far as I can tell. Most go right back up over one of the rafters. Some I keep on the workbench though, as I plan to make some mana potions later today.


    I have no customers out front this morning. Usually this would bother me, but today I''m glad for the chance to work undisturbed.


    The first order of business is to get some potion bottles ready. Like with the healing potions I decide to make ten mana potions. I cut cork for the stoppers and prepare the wax to seal them as well.


    There is something else I have to do today as well though. I need to carefully measure the volume of the bottles. I use water and the precision scales for this purpose.


    Today''s potion won''t be a brew like the healing potions after all. No, the main ingredients today will be dwarven stone oil and ectoplasm and I''m loathe to waste any of either.


    Thus I measure the potion bottles and make some calculations. Then I measure out a carefully calculated amount of these two ingredients into separate cups. Then I get some enchanting dust. I don''t get any from my dwindling reserves though. Instead I work the mill for a little while, as I don''t need that much today. The resulting, glittering dust goes into a separate cup, on which I put a lid to make sure the wind doesn''t blow it away.


    Then I grind some of the dried Night Candles into a fine powder. Only afterwards do I measure the correct amount of this ingredient into another bowl. It simply is easier to weigh the powder than the whole plants.


    This is it. These are the four ingredients I need to make a pretty potent mana potion.


    I put a small cauldron over the fireplace and get more firewood yet again to light another small fire. Then I begin the process of actually creating these mana potions by pouring the stone oil in.


    Fumes start to rise as it begins to heat up. I can''t shy away though, as I have to keep stirring it. On one hand I have to make sure it doesn''t burn. On the other hand the consistency of the oil tells me when to add the other ingredients. Thus I keep stirring although my nose itches terribly.


    Eventually the oil becomes thin enough as it heats up for me to add the ectoplasm while I keep stirring. The change is much more spectacular than anything I have cooked up here before. As I stir in the ghostly substance, the oil becomes almost completely transparent as well.


    When no more splotches of darkness remain I add the powdered ingredients. First the enchanting dust, then the powdered Night Candles. And as I do so, still stirring the mixture all the while, it starts to sparkle and glow ever so slightly. Very good!


    Now I have to be quick though! I get the potion bottles and scoop out the right amount for each one while the contents of the cauldron are still warm and not too thick and syrupy.


    Each filled vial goes into the stand for potion bottles and once all ten are filled I quickly stopper and seal them.


    Only a thin film remains in the cauldron. Very good! Nothing will go to waste.


    For the briefest of moments I close my eyes and take a deep breath. The latter I regret almost immediately. There still are some of the fumes in the air. While I scramble to open all the doors and windows as far and wide as possible I realize that Sour Cream has disappeared while I was busy. Of course. She has an even more sensible nose than me after all. I find her napping on the bench out front in the end.


    I take a moment to get some fresh air as well. The potions are done after all. I might as well relax a little now. Oh, and judging by the position of the sun, I might go and get lunch as well. I don''t want to miss it two days in a row.

 Chapter 56 - Potion galore

    I close the shop before heading down to the inn to have lunch, but I leave the backdoor and the windows open to let some more fresh air in, after brewing those mana potions. Those aren''t just nasty to drink. The fumes the stone oil emits aren''t exactly pleasant either. Yuck!


    Well the smell that hits my nose as I enter the inn''s common room makes me forget all about that. Roast pork with plenty of onions and garlic. What an aroma! Well, it isn''t necessarily pleasant either, but it certainly beats stone oil fumes. More importantly though, the smell presages a hearty and tasty meal. To be precise, it presages a tasty and hearty meal after which I might need to freshen up a little, but I don''t mind.


    I have my usual beer with the meal as well and once I''m done I''m very tempted to stay and have another. I''m just so full and content. I can''t give in to this temptation though. No, I still have work to do, thus I leave the inn with great reluctance.


    Not everyone will be able to afford my more potent potions in all likelihood. I need to offer something slightly less expensive as an alternative. Something pretty much like the potions grandma put on the shelves. Something good but not too good.


    As far as mana potions are concerned I already know the right recipe. It is pretty much the same as the one I used earlier, except I can leave out either the Night Candles or the enchanting dust. The result should still be a decent mana potion even if it won''t be as potent as the others I brewed.


    I''ll not use the crushed Night Candles this time around. The enchanting dust is easier to replace, even if creating it is a rather bothersome chore.


    Humming to myself I start preparing for this second batch of potions the moment I return home, after freshening up briefly at the creek. This includes, among other things, opening all windows and doors far and wide once again.


    Sour Cream is about to come back inside, until she sees me opening the big jug with the stone oil. At the sight of that she turns on the spot and struts right back out.


    I grimace a little. I really don''t want to alienate her like that, but I can''t exactly help it. The dwarven stone oil is an essential ingredient in just about all mana potion recipes I know. Except for the ones that use dragon blood instead and I don''t even want to think about what getting some would cost me.


    Never mind that dragons don''t tend to think well of anyone who has dragon blood based potions, or potions that use any other body part of any dragon. The only thing that doesn''t get them riled up all that much are dragon tears. Trying to get a dragon to cry is an adventure all of its own though. The most reliable way involves big bags of very expensive pepper as far as I know.


    My brows furrow for a moment as I think about that little tidbit while I prepare the next batch of potion bottles, once again measuring them carefully, so as not to waste any ingredients afterwards. Why pepper? Shouldn''t fresh cut onions work just as well? They would be cheaper for sure.


    I shake my head to drive away these errant thoughts. The longer I don''t have to deal with any dragons, the better. It isn''t that they are all bad, but they tend to be eccentric to the extreme and so usually more trouble than they are worth.


    I''m about to essentially repeat the procedure from before noon when a knock at the front door demands my attention.


    Standing there in the frame of the door is an adventurer I have not met yet. It is a catfolk adventurer, with fur as dark as midnight, probably male, although I''m not entirely sure about that part. Judging by the gear they wear, light weapons and light armor, they probably are some kind of scout.


    I resist the urge to flash him, or maybe rather them, a smile at the last second, as I remember that they do not react favorably to any display of teeth. Instead I just nod.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡±


    They look to the side for a moment, before clearing their throat with a pleasant purring sound.


    ¡°Yurrr companion? She seems a little upset? But ¡­ ah, I''m here for the mana mill quest.¡±


    I nod and wince at the same time. He is definitely male though. Now that I have heard his voice I''m certain.


    ¡°I''m making mana potions today. They are made using dwarven stone oil. She really doesn''t like the smell. If you want I can get you the mill and you can join her on the bench out front. The smell probably would be as hard on your nose as it is on hers.¡±


    His ears perk up a little and he nods, while blinking slowly at the same time. Once again he emits that pleasant purring sound.


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    ¡°Thank mew! I''d appreciate it very much.¡±


    I smile, taking care not to show any teeth as I do so. I can''t help it. His way of speaking is just so adorable. I better not let him know. Most adventurers don''t like being called adorable.


    I get the mill and walk out front with him, where I set it down on the bench next to Sour Cream, who keeps watching us with half lidded eyes. As he sits down next to it, my curiosity gets the better of me.


    ¡°Say, are you new around here?¡±


    He flickers his ears and nods belatedly.


    ¡°I am!¡±


    He pulls the tag proclaiming him a member of the Adventurers'' Guild from the collar of his vest.


    ¡°I signed up down at the inn just befurrr coming here! My name is Szmuel by the way.¡±


    I smile a careful toothless smile once again.


    ¡°I''m Valeria. I''m the local alchemist and enchanter. I only came here a little while ago as well, to take over the shop after my grandmother''s death. Have you operated a mana mill before?¡±


    He shakes his head in answer to that question.


    ¡°No. But if it is like other mills it can''t be too hard. Rrright?¡±


    This time around I can''t help but chuckle.


    ¡°It is pretty similar, yes.¡±


    I decide to demonstrate the correct operations of the mill for him, showing him the drawer where the ground up, crystallized mana gathers and how fast he should turn the handle.


    ¡°Turn the handle at a steady pace. It actually doesn''t help if you turn it too fast. Quite the opposite is true. Ready to give it a try? If you have any more questions, I''ll be in the back, working on those mana potions I mentioned.¡±


    I watch for a moment, as he starts cranking the handle at a nice and steady pace, with his eyes fixed on it as if he were trying to hypnotize prey.


    Sour Cream in turn is watching him, still through half lidded eyes. Maybe she isn''t comfortable with the considerably larger catfolk male around? No, that probably isn''t it. She would have either gone on the offensive or run off to hide in that case. Maybe he is as much of a novel sight to her as he is to me?


    Anyway, I''m satisfied with the way he works the mill, yet I have one more thing to say.


    ¡°Most people find it easier to keep the rhythm when they sing a song. It might help pass the time as well. You don''t have to sing, but if you do, I won''t mind.¡±


    He just nods, after flickering his ears, keeping his attention narrowly focused on the mill.


    As I don''t get a reply beyond that, I leave to brew that second batch of mana potions. Since I don''t have access to the mill right now, I use some of the stored up enchanting dust to finish these.


    Once I''m done I head out into the garden to take a deep breath of fresh air. This gives the light breeze a little time to disperse the worst of the alchemical stench of the stone oil as well.


    As I return inside the air is considerably better. I can still hear the sound of the mill from the direction of the front door. Nice and steady. Szmuel seems incredibly focused on the task. Most curious. This isn''t the kind of focus I expected from a catfolk adventurer. It seems the funny songs about Ksawery don''t really do them justice.


    Anyway, he probably will still be busy for a little while longer. This gives me a chance to properly check the results of my work with the appraisal skill. I check the batch from before noon first.


    [Greater Mana Potion, Quality: Rare, A potion that will completely restore the reserves of magical energy of the person drinking it within the blink of an eye. Still good to use for another 35 days.]


    Very good! These were highly sought after by the full time spell casters in the city. I can only hope that the demand for them will be similar around here.


    Then I check out the other batch I just finished.


    [Mana Potion, Quality: Uncommon, A potion that will restore half of the reserves of magical energy of the person drinking it within the blink of an eye. Still good to use for another 35 days.]


    Almost as good. These are pretty much like grandma''s mana potions, thus I apply the same price tags. They will be sixteen bronze Crowns each. The greater mana potions receive the same tag as the regular healing potions. These will sell for two silver and six bronze crowns.


    I could, maybe, raise those prices a little further, but I''m not quite sure about that. We don''t have an academy full of wizards, witches and warlocks around here after all. No, these prices should do for now.


    As I put these fresh potions on the shelves, Szmuel pads in. I only notice as he knocks on the door frame once again.


    ¡°Could you have a look at the glittery dust for me? Tell me if it is enough?¡±


    I do as he asks of me and what I see is quite satisfying. To be honest, this might just be the best quality enchanting dust I have seen in years.


    ¡°Very good! Do you have your quest papers with you, so I can stamp them? Krystina explained that to you, right?¡±


    He nods and pulls the neatly folded paper from one of the many pouches of his outfit. I put my stamp on it and he looks at it reverently as he folds it back up.


    ¡°Thank mew!¡±


    I smile and just barely resist the urge to pat his head. Instead I decide to inquire a little about his situation.


    ¡°Say, have you met any of the other adventurers yet? You should join a party if you can. That way you can take on more dangerous but also more profitable work. You could ask Odolan and Tamara. He is a human and she is a dwarf. They have been adventuring with Danuta the witch recently, but they might still have use for a scout.¡±


    He nods, flicking his ears again.


    ¡°I''ll give it a try. Thank mew again.¡±


    With these words he bows and is off.

 Chapter 57 - Midnight owls

    I''m busy with cleaning for pretty much the rest of the evening. Especially the cauldron used to mix the mana potions is a chore. Now that it has had time to cool, the thin film of stone oil and ectoplasm with a few sprinkles of enchanting dust mixed in has become extra sticky. Even with the aid of soap and a rough brush it takes me forever to get rid of this residue. The whisk I used to stir the mixture is even worse, if that is even possible.


    Maybe I should invest a little Karma into acquiring a spell for cleaning? I might be able to get the Cleanse cantrip, like Tamara. It shouldn''t be too hard to acquire and it probably would be a great help in situations like this one.


    Right now I have to cleanse myself though, as I have worked up quite a sweat while scrubbing that cauldron. It seems like I''ll visit the bath twice today. Not right away though. Right now, in the evening hours, it still is the men''s turn to use the bath.


    Just as well. I''m not in a hurry after all. I might even have a chance to enjoy the warm water of the bath for a while later. Right now I make sure the shop is properly closed up. And, of course, Sour Cream gets some more of her namesake treat.


    A little after my feline companion leaves the house, I leave as well, to head to the bath. I can still hear some noise from the direction of the inn, but otherwise it is pretty quiet.


    The stars are out as well, and although it is a clear night, it isn''t as chilly as the other night. This could very well be the first real summer night we have this year. What a pleasant surprise.


    It is enough to make me wish I had brought some wine. Not much. Just a little. I look back in the direction of the inn briefly, but shake my head in the end. No, I don''t need wine to enjoy a pleasant bath. It wouldn''t hurt, but it isn''t exactly a necessity either.


    The bath is empty as I reach it, as I had hoped. Only a single enchanted lantern inside providing some light. I groan as I realize that I''m quite lucky that there is an enchanted lantern as I haven''t brought any light of my own. I could, of course, wash in the dark just fine, but it wouldn''t be a relaxing experience. No, it really isn''t relaxing if you have to be wary of stumbling or knocking something over all the time.


    A single candle lantern still doesn''t exactly provide a lot of light though. It could be almost romantic though, if I were in a romantic mood. I''m not though. Not really anyway.


    Thus I set aside the basket with the things I brought and get undressed to start soaping up and scrubbing down all the sweat from today. That on its own is already quite relaxing. It gets even better when I wash off the soap and the sweat with a bucket of water so I can slip into the basin with the warm water.


    I let out a sigh and for a moment or two I just lean back and enjoy how the warm water envelops me. This is so good! Slowly my aching muscles relax and my eyes close. At the last moment they snap open again and I sit back up upright. I can''t fall asleep in the bath! Accidents happen like that and I have had more than enough of those recently.


    I lean back once more, at least for a little while, but in the end I get out of the water before sleep can overcome me again. Oh well. Maybe I can relax a little more another day.


    And I probably should look into making more soap. No! Well, yes, I should do that, but I don''t want to think about work right now. I shake my head and reach for the towel, only to stop dead in my tracks as a strange sound reaches my ears.


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    At first I think that it might be some animal sound. Some of the animals out and about at night make pretty unusual sounds after all, but that isn''t it. No, I come to realize, this is an animalistic sound of a different kind.


    For a moment I stand there like a deer that has, by accident, stumbled across a mountain lion. Then I shake my head and roll my eyes.


    For the briefest of moments I''m tempted to go and look who is having fun out there, but I quickly drive these thoughts from my mind. The last time I did something like that is still too fresh in my mind and these sounds are not coming from the direction of the village or the nearby farms either.


    No, whoever is having fun is somewhere out there in the woods along the creek. For a moment I wonder where exactly they might be as I dry off, when the lover''s spot I happened across while picking mushrooms comes to mind. Yes, that might be it. It wouldn''t be too unusual this time of the year either, for some young lovers to sneak off to a place like that.


    This brings back some more, less pleasant memories as well. It is the time of the year my parents would usually nag me about getting married. And usually they would always have some suitable young men in mind as well. I would just have to go and meet them and so on and so forth.


    The worst about this is that I know that they do not in fact just mean well. Plenty of the suitors they have in mind are sons or other close relatives of various business or other associates of theirs.


    So far none of the prospects had been really enciting. And of course they wouldn''t stop it either. The only good thing about this so far has been that they never insisted.


    Once again I shake my head to drive away these less than pleasant thoughts. I shouldn''t let things like that ruin an otherwise pleasant day.


    Finally I''m done and I get dressed again. Or rather, I get mostly dressed. Of course, I don''t put my sweaty clothes back on. Instead I slip into the barely knee length nightdress I brought.


    The rest of my things goes back into the wicker basket. I hesitate as I turn to leave the bath. After a moment''s consideration I slip my sandals off again, to put them in the basket as well.


    As I walk back home, leaving the sloppy sounds of carnal pleasure coming from the woods behind, I enjoy the feeling of the grass in between my toes and the slight breeze on my arms and legs.


    While I can''t hear the enthusiastic lovebirds anymore as I reach my house, I can''t help but think of what I heard. At the same time what I saw of Agnieszka not too long ago comes back to mind.


    I blush and my heartbeat quickens a little. I stop as I reach the back entrance of my house and lick my suddenly dry lips as I look around. There is no one around. The place is secluded enough. Maybe I could ¡­


    Instead of heading back inside, I set the basket with my clothes down next to the door and sit down on the wooden bench there. I bite my lips and look around once more to make sure I''m alone.


    Satisfied that I can neither see nor hear anyone I slip one hand under the hem of my nightshirt. Or rather I try to. The way I''m sitting this isn''t working though.


    With a frustrated little moan I lift myself up just enough to hike the nightshirt up further until my lower half is pretty much completely exposed. I don''t mind though. There is no one else to see it after all and I have easy access like this.


    As I lower myself back onto the bench, sitting at the very edge of it, I run the fingers of my hand down through my fine but curly pubic hair to pleasure myself and another quiet little moan escapes my lips. Unconsciously I spread my legs further as I play with myself and the pleasure builds. I''m so close! So very close!


    Just as I achieve climax a divine whisper startles me.


    [You let desire and instinct guide you, gave in to temptation and exposed yourself to the world! For sating your own carnal desires and those of someone else for the first time the Moon Father gifts you 10 points for the Dragon Arcana as a reward.]


    My eyes fly open at that proclamation. Oh gods and goddesses, someone saw!


    Quickly I get up and straighten out my dress and hurry inside. I almost stumble over the basket with my things as I do. Once inside I close the door and lean against it, breathing heavy.


    My eyes are still wide as I drop onto my bed and my heart is beating like crazy. Some saw. Someone saw and they enjoyed it? Enough so, to earn me ten points of Karma! Still, someone saw me and I have no clue who. For some reason that thought is doubly exciting and I rub my thighs together while burying my face in my pillow at the same time.

 Chapter 58 - Things best served ice cold

    I still can''t quite believe what transpired last night. I can''t believe I did that and I have a hard time believing someone saw either, but apparently someone did. And for worse or better, I have no clue who. I blush as I swing my feet out of bed. I don''t get up yet though. Instead I pause to pet Sour Cream for a little bit.


    She only opens one eye, as I run my fingers through her fur, but doesn''t stir otherwise. She starts to purr though, which is quite calming. I linger a little longer to enjoy the soothing sound as well as the soothing feeling of her fur under my fingers.


    In the end I have to get up though. It is no use to make up excuses. I still have a shop to run after all. And it is no use to worry about spilled milk either. Speaking of spilled milk, I pour my feline companion some of her favorite treat as well before getting dressed for the day.


    I don''t head to the bath today, as I just visited it last night. Instead I just freshen up a little at the creek behind the house. There is one more difference in my daily routine in addition to that. I get a fire started before opening the shop, to brew myself some nice, calming tea.


    Nothing like a potion, just some herbal tea, although some people would argue that herbal teas are some of the most basic potions. That is mostly nonsense though, unless you make a herbal mix with various alchemically active herbs with matching properties.


    For this very reason laypeople should never just mix and match herbs for their tea. The result can be perfectly harmless tea, but it can just as easily be a dangerous poison or a potion with downright unpredictable properties. We had a whole class at the academy dedicated to the most common accidents that can happen that way. It is a little troubling how often those still happen although people should really know better. Well, it is a good thing that I know what I''m doing.


    Once I have a nice big cup of steaming hot tea that is about as soothing as it tastes terrible, I see about opening the shop. I''m still a little early, thus I have time to sip some of it while enjoying the morning sun out front.


    The first group that heads out for the day is the one with Tamara and Odolan, now together with Danuta and as of today, apparently, with Szmuel, the catfolk adventurer as well.


    They stop by my place briefly for Danuta to stock up on mana potions. She is the only one who heads inside together with me, while the other three wait outside, talking animatedly about some ruin they want to explore. Especially Szmuel seems really excited.


    It is enough to put a smile on my face as I slip behind the counter while the witch examines the new potions.


    ¡°Exploring a ruin, huh?¡±


    She nods as she puts one of the potions that match grandma''s back on the shelf.


    ¡°It''s where the real money is. Most quests are a nice bonus, but, if you want to make it big, you have to do some dungeon delving or explore the old ruins. If you happen to find any old relics the guild will buy them for a pretty good price.¡±


    She stops abruptly as she examines one of the better potions, only to let out an excited squee.


    ¡°Eeeee! You did it! You really did it! You made better mana potions! Oh gods and goddesses, thank you!¡±


    I laugh out loud in response to her excited exclamations.


    ¡°Is it really that much of a difference? I mean you could just drink two regular mana potions instead of one greater potion, right?¡±


    She clears her throat and takes a moment to compose herself, as Tamara and Szmuel peek inside to see what the commotion is about.


    She takes two of the potions after checking the price tags and brings them to the counter.


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    ¡°Please, don''t be offended, but have you ever drunk any of those? It is kind of like cough syrup, a cold rub and a sparkly, fizzy drink rolled all into one. It really isn''t a pleasant experience. It makes a world of a difference, if I can drink just one instead of two!¡±


    I snort as I try to hold in my laughter. Never mind that I know no cold rub that should be ingested in any way. Those are rubs for a reason!


    ¡°That bad?¡±


    She nods earnestly as she pays up.


    ¡°That bad!¡±


    ¡°Oh my! I''m sorry, but I don''t think I know of any mana potions that are better in that regard. Not by much at least. All the recipes I know use stone oil as the basic ingredient and I suspect that is responsible for much of the taste, except possibly for the sparkly, fizzy part. That is probably due to the enchanting dust.¡±


    She nods at my explanation.


    ¡°Well, I don''t mind the fizzy part as much as the rest. It actually can be kind of nice once you get used to it. The rest though¡­¡±


    She shakes her head as she trails off.


    I understand. I doubt I can help her though. Mana potions aren''t exactly a new invention after all. If it were easy to come up with an affordable recipe that avoids these issues, someone would have done so by now. I shrug apologetically.


    ¡°I''d promise to look into the issue, but unless you have a steady supply of dragon blood I doubt I could do anything. And I''m not quite sure if drinking dragon blood based potions is any more pleasant than drinking stone oil based ones.¡±


    She grimaces a little at the mention of dragon blood.


    ¡°Yuck! I doubt anyone but vampires would go for that alternative.¡±


    We both laugh and shake our heads.


    Then she waves and turns to leave.


    I wave as she heads back out to join her companions.


    ¡°Take care while dungeon delving!¡±


    Szmuel returns my wave, the tip of his tail mirroring the movement. Then they are off.


    A little later Elzbieta and her paladin companion Zofia drop by as well. Their male companion waits outside. They get the last of the stamina potions I still have in stock. Or rather, Elzbieta gets those. Zofia has a different inquiry.


    ¡°My friend Elzbieta has told me about something new you experimented with recently. Something called Coffee. I was wondering if I could try it some time.¡±


    I have to fight the urge to grin. Nice! The word is spreading already. I''m not quite ready to serve any coffee yet though. There is still some more experimenting to be done. Although ¡­


    ¡°What I shared with Elzbieta was a hot drink. Freshly brewed. I don''t have any of that right now. I have another little coffee based experiment going right now though. If you could help me with it, you could give it a try.¡±


    She raises an eyebrow and tilts her head slightly.


    ¡°An experiment? Nothing dangerous I presume?¡±


    I shake my head as I get the single enchanted potion bottle with iced coffee I have right now.


    ¡°No. No danger.¡±


    I hand it to Zofia.


    ¡°The bottle is enchanted to keep the contents cold without freezing them. I was wondering if coffee is palatable like that as well and if it retains its properties. If it is and if it does, I might make more iced coffee during summer. I might still have to experiment with the recipe though. More or less sugar. Maybe some milk or whipped cream. Things like that. Maybe I''ll offer the recipe to Krystina''s parents instead so they can sell it at the inn as a dessert of sorts?¡±


    She nods along and taps her chin thoughtfully.


    ¡°And you want me to give it a try? I wonder about the enchanted potion bottle though. Won''t that be a little too costly?¡±


    I bite my lip but nod anyway. She isn''t exactly wrong after all.


    ¡°It is. That is why I''m pondering selling the recipe instead so it can be served at the inn. Do you want to give it a try? You can have this one vial. Just promise you will return it. Drink it while you are out adventuring when you need a refreshment. And tell me about the experience afterwards. Yes?¡±


    At this point Elzibieta pipes in.


    ¡°Oh? Iced coffee at the inn? If you do go that way, you might want to include something like waffles! Maybe even with some maple syrup!¡±


    Zofia and I both look at her and than at each other as our stomachs grumble in unison as if on cue. We both break into laughter after that. Finally she nods.


    ¡°Fine. I''ll give it a try.¡±


    We shake hands to seal the deal and she pays for Elzbieta''s purchase. Then they too are off.


    I note my sales down in the ledger and dump most of the coin into the strong chest, keeping only enough to have a nice lunch and place some more quests with our local guild official.

 Chapter 59 - One step at a time

    Today''s meal is porridge with dried fruits. Not exactly exciting, but certainly good enough. Good enough to enjoy it even, with a little wine, a light and refreshing slightly sour one, on the side.


    The wine serves as a decent excuse for the blush coloring my cheeks every once in a while as well, as my mind keeps wandering to the events of last night and especially the question of who might have seen me.


    I''m lost in thought again, after finishing with the porridge, while I cling to my still half full cup of wine, as someone sits down across from me.


    It is Nawoja from the smithy, Olgierd''s wife. She has a bowl of porridge herself. Instead of the wine she opted to get a beer for herself though. She flashes me a smile, but doesn''t start t eat right away. Instead she strikes up a conversation.


    Say, Valeria, you wanted a hand mill and an ice box or rather an ice bucket, made, right? Well, the mill will take a while, as we have to wait for the mill stones, but the other thing is done. Do you want to take it home yourself or would you prefer us to deliver it?¡±


    I think on that for a moment, biting my lip lightly in the process. It isn''t just about the question if I want to take it home myself either. I would have to pay right away as well. If I were to opt for delivery I can pay at home. In the end I opt to have it delivered, as most of the coin I have on me right now is supposed to go into additional quests. In the end I nod to myself.


    Could you drop it off at my place? Some time after lunch? I still have to talk with Krystina about quests first though.¡±


    The answer apparently neither surprises nor disturbs her. She nods as well, while shoveling the porridge into her mouth.


    Will do.¡±


    I empty my cup and get up to talk with Krystina who just returns from her own lunch break.


    Got some time? I want to post some more quests. And maybe you can help me with some shopping in general as well.¡±


    She slips behind the counter and gets some empty forms and her guidebook.


    Sure, what do you have in mind?¡±


    Well, first I want to put the mana mill quest up again. And the second quest I want to post is for birch sap.¡±


    She fills the parchment for the mana mill quest first and I sign it just as quick. Then she consults her book. After reading for a moment she nods and starts filling out the second form.


    Birch sap is usually best collected in spring. You might still get lucky though. Especially with the Twilight Forest nearby. This one will be ten bronze Crowns in total, seven for the reward and three for the fees. And the mana mill quest is two bronze Crowns as always. In total this will be twelve bronze Crowns or one silver Crown.¡±


    I sign the second quest paper as well and pay up.


    Krystina writes the transaction down in her ledger and puts the two quests up on the board. Then she returns.


    Well, that is that. What was this about shopping though? You know already that you can place orders for things with Agnieszka. Or did you have something produced locally in mind?¡±


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    I nod and smile.


    Exactly that. I was wondering where best to get some honey and milk. Cow milk to be precise.¡±


    She bites her lip and ponders the question for a moment.


    Well, you probably can get honey from just about every farmer around here. They all keep at least one or two hives. Cow milk might be a little more tricky. You probably already noticed that there are more sheep than cows out on the pastures around here.¡±


    That is true. Keeping cows takes more effort than keeping sheep after all. Cows don''t provide wool either. Finally she continues though.


    You could try the place of Krysztof and Urszula. If you follow the road to your place further, that is the third farm beyond Agnieszka''s house. You should be able to get both there.¡±


    I nod. That is, thankfully, not hard to remember. I might have even already walked past that particular farm during my second trip to collect Night Candles.


    Krystina is not quite done yet though.


    Krystof is Urszula''s father. They run the farm together. Just so you don''t get any wrong ideas. And if you can''t get what you want there, you can still ask Agnieszka. She can get just about anything for you. Either from the city or around here. I doubt there is anyone she doesn''t know.¡±


    That too is solid advice. I nod once more and smile although I''m not quite enthusiastic about the hike, however short, that apparently lies ahead of me. Well, there is no way around it.


    Thanks! I''ll pay them a visit.¡±


    I wave and am off. I don''t head to their farm right away though. First I stop by my own place. After all I''m expecting Nawoja to drop by. It would be bad form to ask her to deliver the ice bucket I ordered only to not be home to receive it.


    And I probably should enchant it before getting the ingredients for my next experiment. Well, I plan to use some of these things for an experiment. I need to brew some stamina potions as well. That comes first. Once I have all the ingredients. After Krystina''s comment I''m a little worried that it might be a while before I get the birch sap I need.


    Well, I know recipes that make do without it, but those use expensive spices like cinnamon and clove. I could make a stamina potion with those, I even have some still in stock, but it would be like giving away money given the regular price of the stamina potions.


    Maybe I should continue some of the coffee related experiments from the academy? Early results suggest that coffee probably can be used to make stamina potions after all.


    I''m still pondering that question as Nawoja knocks on my door.


    I hurry to open and ask her to come in. Cradled in her arms is a bucket with high handles and a lid, just like I imagined it. It isn''t too big either. I don''t intend to use it as a storage device after all. No, this will become an essential tool necessary to create frozen treats.


    She puts is down at the work bench and I get the money I owe her and her husband. She accepts the silver coin and we shake hands to finalize our business transaction, then she is off again. Work at the smithy doesn''t wait after all.


    Well, I don''t exactly have time to waste either.


    I decide to enchant my new ice box or rather ice bucket first. I can try to create an experimental coffee based stamina potion later.


    I check my supply of enchanter''s chalk, noticing that I''m running a little low already again. My brow furrows. I''ll need more oil and bee''s wax to make more. Maybe I can get some together with the honey and the milk I want to get. Well, I''ll ask anyway.


    For this project I still have more than enough enchanter''s chalk though, thus I get started. I know the enchantment in question well enough after all, as it is one of the most common utility enchantments we learned at the academy.


    I grab the wooden bucket, without the lid, and place it at the center of the enchanting table. Then I start drawing the familiar circle of runes around it with practiced ease.


    It doesn''t take long. As I finish drawing the last rune the circle is drawn into the bucket, as the enchantment takes hold. Success! After my recent mishap with the hair ribbon I decide to check with the appraisal skill right away though, just to make sure.


    [Ice Bucket, Quality: Uncommon, An ice box of unusual shape. It cools anything placed inside well below the temperature necessary to freeze water. The effect is not instantaneous and takes some time.]


    I let out the breath I have been holding in a sigh of relief. Just as intended. I briefly reach inside the opening at the top and a shiver runs down my spine as I feel the chill. It is working already.


    With a satisfied little smile I put the lid on it and put it away. I have an ice bucket now, as well as a whisk and a scraper, which are pretty much essential tools in any alchemist''s workshop. Now I just need some more ingredients to make some tasty ice cream. After I take care of the stamina potions. First things first.

 Chapter 60 - Coffee, people, purchases

    Brewing the basic stamina potions is easy, even without the ingredients I only just placed quests for. It would be easier with some birch sap, but I can manage anyway. At least for a few potion bottles to make sure the shelves in the store don''t empty completely. Or it would be easy, if I hadn''t decided to give in to the temptation to experiment.


    Right now I''m grinding freshly roasted coffee once again, while the water is on to boil. Once I''m done with the coffee, I put it in big cup and pour the water to let it brew. I should get about five small potion bottles worth like this.


    Then I return my attention to the mortars I prepared and grind some cinnamon as well. Last but not least I crush some sugar as well. I don''t know if it is made from sugar cane or from sugar beet, but that doesn''t matter anyway. Both have the same properties as far as alchemy is concerned. It isn''t birch sugar or sugar made from any other tree sap though, of that I''m certain. Those would make a difference!


    I hum to myself as I crush the last of the sugar. I''m in a good mood and the smell of the brewing coffee only lightens it further. Experimenting like this always was one of my favorite lessons and pastimes at the academy. Being almost certain that the result will turn out good only makes it even better.


    Finally the coffee has steeped long enough. I don''t pour it into the potion bottles yet though. With just one ingredient it wouldn''t be an alchemical potion after all. No, first I add the powdered cinnamon and the crushed sugar, stirring the still quite hot mixture properly, to make sure it mixes well.


    Only once that is done do I pour the resulting, black as midnight mixture into the potion bottles. The smell is incredibly tempting and I decide to give the residue, if there is any, a little try afterwards.


    I don''t even try to keep the ground coffee out of the potion bottles this time. Quite the opposite is true. I make sure every bottle has some. Once the bottles are filled I quickly stopper and seal them.


    This uses up the last of my wax. This makes getting some my new top priority. Without I can neither properly stopper potions nor make new enchanter''s chalks after all.


    I eye the residue in the big cup for a moment, activating the appraisal skill in the process.


    [Stamina Potion, Quality: Common, A spiced coffee based potion that will grant the person drinking it a second wind, as if their accumulated exhaustion were blown away by an energizing breeze. Still good to use for another 28 days.]


    Not a lesser stamina potion, but the real deal. Nice! I decide to give it a try right away. It is just the right mix of bitter and sweet with the cinnamon kicking in as I swallow.


    It works as advertised. My heartbeat quickens a little and my thoughts sharpen. I haven''t been terribly exhausted, but I feel refreshed anyway. Very good! Except maybe for the slightly too bitter aftertaste of the ground coffee beans. But that is something people can get used to.


    I nod to myself. This will do for now. I can see about brewing some with a more traditional recipe later. For now I carefully note down the recipe and the process in my notebook, before putting price tags on the potion bottles and putting onto a shelf in the shop.


    As I''m in the shop I take a moment to look outside, down the road, to make sure no one is coming right now. Then I close the shop down for the moment, placing a note scribbled on my design board out front to let anyone, who should happen to drop by, know that I''m out but should be back soon.


    I straighten out my clothes a little as well and freshen up at the creek a little as well. Then, after getting some more coin to cover for any purchases I might make, I''m off.


    I follow the dirt road in the other direction, uphill, with a little extra spring to my step. It doesn''t take me too long to reach the farm Krystina mentioned. The last time I passed it was at night, when everything had been quiet. Now though, the place was quite lively. The difference couldn''t have been greater to be honest.


    An older man was sitting on a bench out front, doing some wood working. He was the sole island of peace and quiet. Well, him and the two young children watching him with admiration as he turned small pieces of wood into little figures with nothing but a carving knife.


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    Another child, a slightly older boy, was chopping wood while two more, slightly younger again, were herding a small flock of geese, while at the same time making up silly rhymes. From somewhere inside the farmhouse I could hear the crying of an infant, even if only for a moment, as well.


    This place certainly was lively enough. The children all shared some likeness, but no two were quite like the other as far as I could tell. One of the two sitting at the old man''s feet for example had much darker skin than the rest, while the other had pointy ears not entirely unlike me.


    The old man looks up as I approach. He has to be Krystof. Probably.


    ¡°Welcome, young lady, what brings you here?¡±


    I bow, at least a little, and smile in response.


    ¡°I''m Valeria, Iwona''s granddaughter. I recently took over her shop down the road. I was wondering if I could make some purchases with you since Krystina recommended your farm?¡±


    The smile on his face is a little crooked, almost as if there was a joke I was not privy to. Then he puts down the last figure he carved, a midst a small host of others, pigs, cows, sheep and shepherds and the likes. He pats the two young children on the head as well, as he gets up.


    ¡°Play nice, you two.¡±


    Then he motions for me to follow him.


    ¡°Lets see what we can do for you. Come on in.¡±


    The insides of the house aren''t entirely dissimilar to my own home. Except there are of course differences. The back room here probably serves as a stable, while the front room is the family''s home.


    A young, rather well endowed woman in a simple dress, Urszula as far as I can tell, is currently nursing an infant. Despite looking rather tired, she flashes me a smile. She doesn''t wave or rise though, as she has her hands full right now.


    The old man introduces us.


    ¡°Urszula, this is Valeria, Iwona''s granddaughter. Valeria, this is my daughter Urszula.¡±


    Then without pause he moves on to talking business.


    ¡°Well, Valeria, you mentioned purchases. Let''s hear it. What do you need? I hope its not anything exotic. We don''t have anything of that sort since this is a simple farm.¡±


    I nod in response.


    ¡°It is simple things I''m looking for. For one I''m looking for some milk. Preferably cow milk, but I''d take sheep milk in a pinch. I need some honey as well and bees wax if you can spare some.¡±


    Urszula nods, careful not to disturb the infant greedily suckling at her breast, with each item I name.


    ¡°I think we have a little of everything in stock right now. If you want the milk fresh you need to drop by in the morning though.¡±


    I smile a little smile myself, as I watch her shift the infant from one breast to the other under whimpered protests. Are the children all hers? Judging by her looks she can''t be that much older than me. A few years at most!


    ¡°I think it still is plenty fresh enough for me. Most certainly fresher than any milk I have ever had in the city.¡±


    She smiles and gets up, still nursing the baby.


    ¡°Father, why don''t you get the things she wants? I''ll get Ryszard to help her carry them home.¡±


    I wait while she heads outside and he disappears through the door leading to the back.


    The old man is the first to return. He brings a jar of honey and a cloth wrapped block of wax on his first trip before making a second to bring a jug of milk as well.


    A moment later Urszula returns as well, with the boy who was chopping wood earlier in tow. She eyes the things on the counter and adds up the prices judging by the faraway look in her eyes.


    ¡°This should be eleven bronze Crowns. One for the milk, and five each for the honey and the wax.¡±


    I nod and count the coins out of my purse. Then we shake hands to finalize the deal.


    The boy in the meantime grabs the jug of milk, the biggest and heaviest of the three items.


    I flash him a beaming smile.


    ¡°Thank you! I think I can take care of the other things.¡±


    I bow once more to Urszula and Krystof and am off again, with the youngster in tow.

 Chapter 61 - A short walk and some small talk

    The way back home isn''t long, although it might seem so as I have to carry my purchases, or at least part of them, this time around. In the end I''m mighty glad that I have some help in the person of Urszula''s eldest, Ryszard. At first we walk in silence. That doesn''t last though, as is to expected.


    It isn''t the boy who breaks the silence, although he seems to be close, as he shoots me glances every once in a while. No, in the end it is my own curiosity that leads to me speaking up first.


    ¡°So, you are the eldest? I couldn''t help but wonder ¡­¡±


    I don''t get any further, as he is quick to answer the implied question.


    ¡°I am, and yes, we all have different fathers. Well, as far as I know anyway. It is easier to tell with some of us than others.¡±


    He is right, of course. Dark skin or pointy ears are a little more distinguishing than some other, slightly more subtle features. Before I can say anything though he speaks up again.


    ¡°Grandpa used to be a little sore about the topic, way back then, when I was younger. I think he still had hopes that mom would get married. She made it pretty clear that she had no such intentions though and by now he seems to be happy enough to have plenty of grandchildren. The way he sees it one of us will eventually take over the farm and that is just about all that matters in his eyes.¡±


    For a moment we fall silent again.


    What he said makes sense. I don''t know the details, but his mother probably wears the yellow bandanna with the red embroidery pretty regularly and she seems to be pretty popular with at least some adventurers. I wouldn''t be surprised if one or another has hopes to eventually settle down with her. Not everyone keeps adventuring until a monster eats them after all.


    I take this chance to get in a word as well.


    ¡°Your grandfather probably hopes that you will take over the farm eventually.¡±


    That comment seems to somehow trouble the youth. He sounds uncertain as he answers.


    ¡°Probably? I''m not so sure about it though. Maybe I can become an adventurer myself? I''ll be an adult soon enough. I might just set out and raid some dungeons or maybe slay a dragon!¡±


    Well, whatever uncertainty there might have been, by the time he finishes there is no trace of it left. I chuckle and decide to add a comment of my own at this point.


    ¡°And of course adventurers get all the pretty girls?¡±


    He blushes brightly and stutters a little as he answers, pointedly not looking my way.


    ¡°W ¡­ well, they do. Don''t they?¡±


    I chuckle at this display.


    ¡°Some of them do anyway. You shouldn''t be in a hurry though. You still have another year, or maybe two, right? Chop more wood, carry more water. Save up some money so you can afford yourself some decent gear, if you decide to become an adventurer. Make some friends you can group up with. And above all else, don''t rush things. Maybe fight something a little smaller than a dragon first.¡±


    I pause briefly to look over at him. He seems to be in deep thought now, thus I decide to add some more words he can think over.


    ¡°You have a big family. I''m certain it would break all their hearts if you go on your first adventure and never come back.¡±


    He sighs and nods. His voice is small as he speaks up again after I fall silent.


    ¡°I know. Its just¡­ I don''t think I want to herd pigs and sheep or cows for the rest of my life. And it is actually about a little more than half a year until I''m coming of age.¡±


    I roll my eyes, hoping that he can''t see it, as he insists on making that last point. I would pat his shoulder at this point, but I have my hands full right now. We are almost back at my place by now anyway.


    ¡°Let''s head around to the back so we can put the things away.¡±


    He nods and follows me as I lead the way. Once back inside I put the honey and the wax down on the workbench. I motion for Ryszard to put the jug with milk down there as well.


    ¡°Is there anything else you need help with?¡±


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    He sounds a little uncertain, but it certainly is the question a prospective adventurer should ask.


    I can''t help but grin as I shake my head.


    ¡°No, I''m good for now.¡±


    I eye my recent purchases for a moment, pondering what I want to do with them, and speak up again before he can actually leave.


    ¡°Say, maybe you and your siblings could drop by in the evening, after dinner, if you don''t have any more chores. I could use an opinion or two about the taste of an experiment I intend to run.¡±


    For some reason that question sets him on edge. He sounds a little nervous and wary, as he inquires about the nature of the mentioned experiment.


    ¡°An experiment? Not some crazy potion though, right? Not something that will dye our tongues blue or make us talk backwards or anything like that, right?¡±


    For a moment I''m at a loss for words. Where would he get an idea like that? Did my grandmother prank people like that? I might have to make inquiries. For now I just shake my head though and pat my new icebox. It is cold to the touch.


    ¡°No, nothing like that. I want to try and make a frozen treat. The milk and the honey are part of the recipe. Some sugar and possibly some eggs will go into it as well. There is nothing alchemical to it. I''m not entirely sure about the exact recipe though, thus I''d appreciate some more opinions.¡±


    It isn''t even a lie. I don''t have the ingredients that would turn the frozen treat into an alchemical, frozen treat right now. I plan to get them though. Agnieszka managed to get me coffee beans after all, thus I''m pretty sure that she will be able to get me some vanilla pods and possible some cacao beans as well.


    It might be a little costly though. Possibly too costly for free giveaways. Thus I better get the general process right before I use any of those precious ingredients.


    He bites his lip, still a little uncertain, but in the end he nods.


    ¡°I''ll ask if any of the others want to come, if mom doesn''t mind. No promises though. If you need eggs you could have gotten them from us as well though, both chicken and quail eggs as a matter of fact.¡±


    Well, that is good to know. I shake my head though.


    ¡°We already had our hands full. I''ll keep it in mind though.¡±


    He nods and bows.


    ¡°Thanks for your patronage!¡±


    Then he is off again.


    I leave my home again in short order as well. This time I head over to Agnieszka''s place though. I knock at the backdoor and call out to my neighbor.


    ¡°Hello! Agnieszka? Are you home?¡±


    Before I can say anything else, the door opens and the woman in question looks at me with one eyebrow quirked.


    ¡°Valeria? What can I do for you?¡±


    I grin, but almost choke on my next words as I realize what kind of head wear she is wearing. It seems she has plans for the night. Well, good to know. That way there won''t be any surprises like the first time I dropped by in the morning.


    ¡°Well, I was wondering if I could buy some eggs. And I have been wondering about another order for the next time you head to Barter Town.¡±


    She nods and motions for me to come in.


    ¡°I can help you with the eggs. How many do you need? And what is this about another order?¡±


    I follow her as she heads to the cupboard where she keeps the eggs.


    ¡°Four eggs should do for now. And I was thinking about getting some vanilla pods and possibly some cocoa beans.¡±


    She whistles as she puts the eggs in a cloth, tying it closed, so none will roll out.


    ¡°One bronze Crown should do for the eggs. That order though, that sounds costly, even if I only get a little. Are you sure?¡±


    I hand her the coin and nod.


    She doesn''t inquire any further either.


    ¡°Well, you are the alchemist. If you are sure I won''t keep you. Just make sure you keep enough coin to pay your taxes. It isn''t that much longer until midsummer after all.¡±


    I nod, now solemn. Taxes. I haven''t thought about those in a while. After shaking hands I leave again, my mind now wandering, distracted by this new topic. Gods and goddesses! I better make sure I have enough coin to pay my taxes as is!

 Chapter 62 - Cold shivers

    As I return from Agnieszka''s place it is time to get busy again. The first order of business though is something I hadn''t planned on. Before I can get started on the cold, sweet treat I take a good look at my ledger and the contents of my strongbox. It takes some time to actually count the coin, but in the end it is a somewhat rewarding experience. Especially as the result is that I have enough coin to pay my taxes.


    I really might have to rethink ordering vanilla and chocolate though. At least for now. What a pity. Either that or I need to make sure to work more profitably. Well, how should I go about that? I can''t just raise the prices of my potions even more without good reason. Or can I?


    No, I better not. I don''t want to alienate my customers after all. The most profitable potions won''t do me any good after all if they go bad on the shelves. I''ll have to find another way. Overall it probably would be best if I were to sell more enchantments. They are easily the most profitable products or rather services in my portfolio after all.


    As for the potions, I''ll have to go and collect more ingredients on my own. There just isn''t a way around it. Even if I might be a little short on coin I still have plenty of time after all. Well, that is a plan for another day though. Right now I have something else to do. Delicious ice cream, even the mundane, non alchemical kind, doesn''t make itself after all.


    Curiously enough the first thing I have to do is get more wood for a fire. I have to refill the big cauldron with water as well. I have to pasteurize both the milk and the eggs after all before making my frozen treat, since I don''t want to risk any unpleasant surprises.


    Not only do I fill the big cauldron over the fire, I fill another, smaller one as well which I will later use to quickly cool the heat treated ingredients. For a moment I consider using my ice box for that, but it isn''t quite big enough to fit any of my smaller cauldrons.


    I prepare the ingredients as well. The milk doesn''t require much preparation. The eggs do though as I only need the yolk for my frozen treat. I''ll just scramble the egg white afterwards for a quick snack since I don''t want them to go to waste. Some sugar gets crushed as well in preparation of the steps that are to follow.


    Sour Cream watches me with one eye open as I fly about the workshop from one task to the next. Once I''m done with the initial preparations though, I take a moment to pour her some cream as well and she promptly licks her bowl clean again before going back to sleep.


    I in turn take a deep breath to calm my nerves, as the next steps require some concentration. I mustn''t heat either the milk or the yolks too much after all. At the same time I have to heat them enough and especially long enough though. The milk is a little more forgiving in that regard, but the yolks are a little more sensitive.


    After clapping in my hands, softly as to not disturb my feline companion too much, I get to work. The water in the big cauldron is already close to boiling after all.


    The milk comes first. I pour it into one of the smaller cauldrons partially submerged in the larger one and stir it relentlessly. Every once in a while I carefully check the temperature by dripping some on the very tip of my small finger.


    I can''t even count the number of times I burnt my fingers like that at the academy, but unless you are willing to create some rather complex enchanted instruments to measure the temperature, there is no way around it.


    Finally the milk reaches the temperature deemed necessary to render it safe to consume. It will last longer like this as well, or rather it would. I somehow doubt there will be any leftovers I have to consider though.


    I keep the heated milk in the cauldron a while longer, still stirring it continually, just to make sure there will be no nasty surprises. Then I lift the small cauldron from the big one and submerge it, partially anyway, in the cold water I prepared beforehand instead.


    Very well. That is one thing taken care of. Time to deal with the egg yolks. I pretty much repeat the process with the yolks, except I heat them even longer and with even greater care. Then I quickly cool them as well.


    Afterwards I quickly turn the egg whites into an impromptu scrambled snack. The other ingredients can wait now, at least for a little while. After all they are heat treated now. After this quick snack of scrambled egg whites with just a little salt, the real work awaits me.


    It starts innocent enough. I add the egg yolks as well as the sugar and some honey to the milk and stir it all until it has turned into a nice homogeneous liquid. That was the easy part. What follows is almost as bad as working the mana mill, except the result is much tastier.


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    I pause before I get started pouring the prepared mixture into the ice bucket. Would prickly enchanting dust ice cream be tasty? I know that the dust can be consumed safely. After all it is an essential part in various mana potion recipes, but would it be tasty? I might just have to give it a try one of these days.


    After shaking off these thoughts I make one last preparation. I pour a little water into the ice bucket and swirl it around until it forms a nice layer of water ice all around the bucket''s interior. That way I won''t get any wood chips into the ice cream later on while repeatedly freezing and scraping the milk mixture.


    Then I pour the first batch of the milk mixture into the freezing bucket. Quickly I begin to stir it to make sure it doesn''t just turn into a frozen block. I stir and stir and scrape it off the walls repeatedly until I''m satisfied with the texture. I''m so absorbed by the task that I don''t even take note of the passage of time. Only when I scoop out the first batch into a bowl does a voice tinged with curiosity pull me back into the here and now.


    ¡°Oh, so this is what you wanted us to taste?¡±


    It is one of the girls, the one with the dark skin, who was watching her grandfather carve wooden figures earlier. The other one is clinging to her older brother''s, Ryszard''s, leg, waiting in the doorframe. The boy grins apologetically.


    ¡°I''m sorry, these are my sisters Krystina and Luiza. They agreed to give this concoction of yours a try, if you don''t mind.¡±


    I nod and motion for them to come in and hand the first bowl of ice cream to the boy.


    ¡°Go ahead. I just finished the first batch. Spoons are over there.¡±


    A look of surprise spreads across the youngster''s face as he realizes how cold the treat I prepared is. The surprise turns into astonishment, which is mirrored by the looks on his sisters'' faces, as he gets a first careful taste.


    Luiza is about to dig in with fresh vigor as I stop her.


    ¡°Careful! You better eat it slow or you might catch a cold. Besides, you can enjoy it better like this.¡±


    I get started with the next batch, as I add another question, the most important one.


    ¡°What do you think? How is the taste?¡±


    This time it is the more timid Krystina who speaks up, downright beaming at me.


    ¡°Sweet! This isn''t just milk, right?¡±


    I grin in reply.


    ¡°No, it isn''t just milk, although milk makes up the bulk. There is some egg yolk in it as well as sugar and honey. I was wondering if I should try adding some other seasonings or spices. Maybe cinnamon or things like that? Those are expensive though.¡±


    That remark shuts them up for a moment, as I stir and scrape the mixture in the ice bucket. Then Ryszard speaks up tentatively.


    ¡°You could try using some of the berries that grow around here instead. I mean, maybe? Raspberries or blackberries maybe? They should be easier to get, no?¡±


    I scrape the next batch of ice cream from the bucket and into the bowl, which is empty by now, as I nod.


    ¡°You are right. I could give it a try.¡±


    Then I quickly grab a spoon to get a taste myself before the frozen treat is all gone again. A cold shiver runs down my back. Oh yes! This is the good stuff!

 Chapter 63 - Ice cold business

    I wave goodbye as the kids leave again a little later. Despite the fact that it is getting a little late, I''m not quite done with my experiments yet. I close the shop and return to the workshop to get started on the next batch of my frozen treat. I need to prepare another essential ingredient first though.


    After all you can''t make iced coffee without coffee. Well, I''m sure some alchemists would try to substitute the actual coffee with other, cheaper ingredients of similar taste, but not me. This isn''t about mana potions or something like them after all. No, this is first and foremost supposed to be a nice and tasty treat.


    There simply is no substituting the main ingredient in a case like this. Curiously enough people tend to be a lot more sensitive, or even downright picky, about what goes into their food than they are with just about any potion. If I want to call it iced coffee I have to use coffee. I have seen people thrown into the harbor for false advertising during my time in Barter Town after all and I somehow doubt people here at the frontier would be any more forgiving.


    Thankfully the fire is still burning and as a result the water in the big cauldron is still hot. This means I only have to roast and grind the coffee beans. Well, I have to crush some more sugar as well, but that is almost negligible by comparison. Before long I have a nice kettle of freshly brewed coffee again. And although I can''t enjoy it just yet, I take a deep breath, sucking in the heavenly aroma.


    I''m not the only one either as I find out then and there. Standing in the doorway is Maryla, the mother of our local adventurers'' guild employee. Belatedly she knocks on the frame of the open backdoor while taking another deep breath at the same time.


    ¡°So this is this coffee I have been hearing about? I have to say, the smell alone is already quite invigorating.¡±


    I nod and motion for her to come in.


    ¡°It certainly is, but that probably isn''t why you are here, right? I doubt even the allure of the strongest coffee would draw you in all the way from the inn. Is it about business or something else?¡±


    She comes inside and moves a little closer, taking in my workbench and the ingredients, tools and implements spread out on it, before answering.


    ¡°Well, it is about business in a way. I heard gossip about this coffee of yours and decided to investigate a little, while business is slow and my husband and Krystina take care of things at the inn.¡±


    I blink once, then realization strikes me.


    ¡°Oh! You are worried that I might compete with the inn?¡±


    The thought isn''t entirely out of the world. After all the inn, so far, is the only place in the village to sell food or rather ready to eat meals.


    She scratches the back of her head and grins apologetically.


    ¡°Well, yes. It is a small village after all and we all have to look out for our businesses. So I thought it would be for the best if we were to talk about this early on, before there is even the slightest chance for any bad blood to develop.¡±


    Now it is my turn to grin sheepishly as I rub the back of my head. It is of course not like this is entirely unexpected. I motion for Maryla to get a chair and sit down as I get back to work. I get started with the milk based icy treat.


    ¡°I''m still experimenting, but in general it can be said that I''m working on a frozen treat using, among other things, coffee. This mixture has milk, egg yolks, sugar and honey in it. I''ll stir and scrape it in the ice bucket until I have a nice even texture of small ice crystals that feels nice on the tongue.¡±


    When I''m done I scrape out two helpings of the frozen treat. This time I don''t dump them in bowls though. Instead I use two cups this time around. Then I repeat the process with about half of the coffee I made, adding a nice dollop of frozen coffee to either cup.


    As I finish this step, I point to what little leftover milk I have.


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    ¡°Could you whip up some cream?¡±


    Maryla just nods and gets to work, still watching me with hawk''s eyes all the while.


    While she is busy I pour the rest of the coffee over the frozen treats in the cups. Both the milk based mixture and the frozen coffee start melting, but only a little. Good. I''m just in time too, to top the cups off with the cream my visitor whipped up in the meantime. I even sprinkle some more crushed sugar over it all and decorate with a little more honey for good measure.


    The innkeeper eyes the cup I hand her carefully for a moment, before she takes a first tentative taste.


    ¡°Nice. I can''t believe that this is actually just food and not an alchemical concoction.¡±


    I just nod and take a sip from my cup as well, before I grab a spoon to get to the two kinds of ice and the whipped cream.


    ¡°The sympathetic properties of the ingredients have to match up for a mixture to become an alchemical concoction. Milk, coffee, Sugar, Honey, I could use all those to make potions, but in this mixture they don''t match, thus it just becomes a tasty treat.¡±


    Maryla laughs out loud.


    ¡°Just? I''m pretty sure I can''t put something like that on the regular menu. I think it takes a little too much work to make. I might be able to offer it as a special treat every once in a while though.¡±


    She pauses briefly as another thought occurs to her.


    ¡°You know, it might be even better if you whip the mixtures for the frozen treat creamy before actually freezing it. Well, at least the milk based mixture.¡±


    My eyes open wide at this revelation.


    ¡°Oh my! You are right. We should give that a try.¡±


    My eyes wander to the pretty much used up ingredients.


    ¡°Well, maybe not right now but some other day?¡±


    She nods and for a little while we just enjoy the iced coffee in silence. Then I speak up again.


    ¡°So, would you like to buy the recipe and the tools? I wouldn''t mind if I have to get my frozen treats at your place.¡±


    She looks thoughtful for a moment, before she answers.


    ¡°I would like to, but I have to talk this over with my husband first. Maybe I can bring him over one of these days? I think he will like this idea, but I have to make sure first.¡±


    I just nod enthusiastically.


    ¡°There is no hurry. There are still more experiments I would like to run anyway. The improvement you suggest for one and then there are some berry or juice based mixtures the kids suggested earlier. I would like to give those a try too.¡±


    Maryla''s eyes light up at the mention of the latter.


    ¡°Fruit based mixtures? That sounds tempting! Sweet and sour! It certainly will help to convince my husband, if we could offer a variety of flavors.¡±


    A little while later we are both finished with our iced coffee. Maryla seems a little anxious or maybe excited though. I raise an eyebrow.


    ¡°Anything else on your mind?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°No, no ¡­ it''s just. I''m not sure. Its hard to believe that this isn''t an alchemical concoction. All the weariness of the day. It''s just gone. I don''t feel tired anymore at all.¡±


    Now it is my turn again to sheepishly rub the back of my head.


    ¡°Yeah. Maybe I shouldn''t have saved this particular experiment for last. I might actually have trouble sleeping at all tonight.¡±


    She looks at me for a moment, blinking once then twice, before she breaks into laughter.


    ¡°Why don''t you come down to the inn with me then? Have a drink or two and maybe a little fun?¡±


    That proposition catches me a little off guard. I look around my workshop, looking for an excuse. To be honest though I''m not quite sure if I want to find one. Having a little fun for a change probably would be nice. Finally I sigh and nod.


    ¡°I have to clean up a little here first. I''ll drop by afterwards.¡±


    She hugs me, even if just briefly, and pats my back.


    ¡°You do that! See you later!¡±


    And with these words she is out the door, with a little extra spring to her steps.

 Chapter 64 - Wine, music and dance

    Cleaning up the workshop actually doesn''t take nearly as long as I originally anticipated. I take the chance to turn even what little leftovers I have into shaved ice first though to enjoy a little more of the frozen treat. If I''m to enjoy myself for the night I might as well do it right after all. By comparison I''m done with everything else, from the cauldron to the cups, bowls and spoons, pretty quickly.


    I''m not quite ready to go out yet though. I don''t hit the bath, as that would take a little longer than I would like, but I freshen up down at the creek. Some cold water to the face and a quick wipe down with a wet cloth will have to do right now. It certainly is refreshing. There is no doubt about that.


    It is time for a change of clothes as well. I probably could visit the inn for a drink after work in my work clothes, but for anything more it would be more appropriate to wear something else. I decide to wear the new summer dress Agnieszka made for me. This is why I spent good coin on it after all. I certainly didn''t get it, just to have it gather dust. I might as well wear it any chance I have.


    Refreshed and changed I''m about to close the trunk at the foot end of my bed again as my eyes come across something else in it. The bandanna. The yellow one with the red embroidery. I swallow hard and close the lid of the trunk, only to open it again a moment later.


    My lips are dry and my fingers tremble slightly as I reach out for the not so innocent piece of cloth. I almost flinch back as I touch it but in the end I take it out of the big chest.


    With practiced ease I gather up my hair with the bandanna, bundling it up a little as I tie it back. I haven''t ever worn this kind of bandanna, but I certainly have worn bandannas before after all, especially when working on some of the more volatile concoctions we learned to produce at the academy. By all rights it shouldn''t have felt any different, but for some reason wearing this bandanna still felt a little strange.


    It is too bad that I don''t have a proper mirror. I doubt I will get one anytime soon either. Well, it isn''t like I really need one. Mirrors are mostly vanity products after all. Unless you are a spellcaster specialized in divination. For them mirrors, especially decent sized ones, were essential. Ah well, I''ll manage. After all I have so far already.


    Still, I felt self conscious all of a sudden. With trembling fingers I checked to make sure the bandanna was on straight. Of course I could just take it off again, but I don''t. Not even as my trembling fingers brush against it as I straighten it out a little.


    I hesitate one last time, my heart fluttering, as I reach the door. Then I''m through and out. Before I can think any more on it and possibly get cold feet, I head down to the inn.


    Apparently things are pretty lively down there. The sounds of music and laughter reach my ears well before I reach the inn. By the sound of it, it isn''t Rafal, the only local bard I know so far, who is playing though. It has to be someone else.


    As I stop at the door briefly, I can finally see that it is one of the local farmers as far as I can tell, not someone I have met before for sure though. I take the chance to survey the rest of the common room as well.


    Apparently most of the adventurers I know are still out. The place is still lively enough though. Some of the tables have been moved to make a little more room at the room''s center for those brave enough to dance.


    Well, that isn''t something I will do. Probably. Especially as I''m not really familiar with the local folk dances. Watching other people dance still could be fun though.


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    Before I can linger any longer someone waves me over towards the tables that have been moved out of the way. It is Agnieszka and I almost miss a step, as I realize, that she has tied her graying hair back with a bandanna very similar to the one I''m wearing.


    She flashed me a mischievous grin, as I sit down across from her.


    ¡°Your grandmother''s?¡±


    It takes me a moment to realize what she means and I blush furiously, but in the end I nod.


    ¡°Yes. And the new dress you tailored for me.¡±


    Now it is her turn to nod.


    ¡°It suits you. The dress I mean. Although I have to admit you looked pretty good in your grandma''s old dress as well.¡±


    For a moment she is silent and I take this chance to order a cup of wine from Krystina who apparently is helping out her parents. Then Agnieszka speaks up again.


    ¡°The bandanna really matches your hair nicely as well though.¡±


    I blush a little more and almost down half of my cup of watered down wine right away, as Krystina drops it off at our table. Both she and my neighbor break into a giggling fit at the sight. The innkeepers'' daughter has to leave again before she even has a chance to comment though. Thus Agnieszka and I are left alone, at least for the moment. Judging by the way some of the other patrons are looking our way this might change before long though.


    Finally as I calm down again and my blush recedes a little the older woman speaks up again.


    ¡°Are you sure? We told you about the bandanna and the implications, right? Are you really sure about this?¡±


    I take a deep breath and nod.


    She takes a sip from her own drink and nods as well.


    ¡°Good, good. This really shouldn''t be something you regret afterwards, you know.¡±


    She breaks into another mischievous grin.


    ¡°And now we should do some dancing!¡±


    Before I can protest she is already standing and worse, she pulls me to my feet as well. We are already halfway to the dance floor as I finally manage to squeak out a protest.


    ¡°But I don''t know how! I mean I have never even had a chance to really watch people dance around here.¡±


    She waves off my concerns though.


    ¡°It is pretty simple really. We don''t dance any fancy dances after all. The only tricky part is, that you have to listen to the music for the right clues so you know which step comes next.¡±


    I stare at her bewildered and she breaks into laughter.


    ¡°Don''t worry too much. Just look at my left hand. I''ll provide the necessary clues. You just have to move with purpose. Just don''t hesitate or worry. No one will mind, even if you bump into the others in the beginning. And if they laugh it is in good humor. Most likely they started out just as clueless after all.¡±


    And thus I receive my first dancing lessons as the musician starts playing the next piece. It is a little slower than what he played before. Maybe he knows I''m new at this?


    Agnieszka is true to her word. She gestures with her left hand, as she holds mine with her right, to provide me with the necessary clues. I stumble a little in the beginning but I figure it out quickly enough and before long we are moving in unison with the other dancers. I don''t even mind when the tune finally picks up a little speed again.


    As we return to our table I''m sweating a little. So is Agnieszka, but she doesn''t seem to mind. She just grins at me.


    ¡°Now, that wasn''t too hard, or was it?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing like that. It actually was fun.¡±


    We order another drink. By now it takes a little while until we get it though, as the room has filled a little more. Even some of the adventurers who have been out all day have returned.


    Out of the corner of my eye I spot a familiar trio. Zofia, Elzbieta and their male companion are talking guild business with Krystina at the guild counter. Well, it is mostly Zofia who is talking business. Elzbieta''s eye''s are curiously enough on me instead. Well, probably. It is either me or Agnieszka. Although, no, probably not the latter, as someone just whisked her away to dance.

 Chapter 65 - Another kind of dance

    The evening, or rather the early night, is surprisingly fun although it doesn''t turn out quite the way I expected and even dreaded a little. I get to dance and drink a little more and I have plenty of fun with both my neighbor Agnieszka and Krystina. Eventually though both women are spirited away by others and decide to call it a night as well.


    The next surprise is already waiting for me, or at least it seems that way, as I leave the inn. Once I''m out the door I stop briefly to take a deep breath of fresh air, only to be startled, as someone slips their arm under mine. I just barely manage not to jump. I can''t keep from twitching ever so slightly though.


    Elzbieta doesn''t seem to mind though. Quite to the contrary actually. There is a mischievous little smile on her lips, as she leans in a little closer.


    Say, would you keep me company tonight?¡±


    I look at her perplexed, at least for a moment. Of course it is not entirely unexpected that someone would approach me. That it is the pregnant ranger of all people on the other hand is a surprise. Before the silence can stretch on any longer and become even more awkward, I swallow and nod as I answer.


    Sure?¡±


    Her face brightens. She must have picked up on the implied question as well though.


    Sure! That is, if you don''t mind. Just because you are offering doesn''t mean that you have to put up with someone if you don''t want to, you know.¡±


    I nod again, as I start walking towards my home, arm in arm with Elzbieta.


    I don''t mind. I''m just a little surprised. I rather would have expected you to spend the nights with ¡­¡±


    She snorts and runs her free hand over her bulging belly.


    You mean Czeslaw? He hasn''t touched me like that for months now.¡±


    She sighs and her shoulders slump a little.


    He says it is because he doesn''t want to harm the child, but I''m afraid it might as well be that I''m not exactly appealing to him like this right now.¡±


    She falls silent for a moment. Before I can think of anything I might say to reassure her though, she speaks up again.


    He spends most nights with Zofia these days.¡±


    Oh.¡±


    Well, I really don''t know what else to say. Especially considering my own lack of experience in just about every regard.


    Elzbieta casually waves my worries away though, as we reach my abode.


    I don''t mind. Not really. I actually like Zofia as well after all. I don''t even mind if he sees other women. Its just that no one seems to want to take care of my urges and needs. That''s a little frustrating.¡±


    I can only nod, as I close the door behind us. As I turn around again, I almost bump into Elzbieta and my heart almost misses a beat.


    The room is bathed in a flickering twilight, with only my one enchanted lantern providing a little illumination. Neither of us minds though. Our minds are focused on other things anyway.


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    Conscious thought pretty much flees me anyway, when the smaller ranger goes up on her tiptoes and kisses me.


    I have to bend down slightly to meet her halfway, not just because I''m taller but because her belly is a little in the way as well. My heart starts beating faster as her lips brush mine. This is about as far as my previous experience goes. Well, my actual experience anyway. Wishful thinking and daydreaming doesn''t really count after all. I try to mirror Elzbieta''s moves anyway to the best of my abilities.


    After a brief duel of our tongues we part again, even if just briefly to shrug off our clothes in a feverish rush. Once we are done we meet to kiss again while we stumble in the direction of my bed at the same time.


    Navigating the cramped confines of my home isn''t easy in the bad light and it doesn''t get any easier as we are both rather preoccupied with each other. In the end I hit my shin against the frame of the bed and as I stumble I turn Elzbieta around and pull her into my lap.


    She gasps as we land on the bed with a little thump. She doesn''t protest though. Possibly because I start kissing her again. First I kiss her ears. Then I brush her hair aside to kiss her neck and shoulders instead. At the same time my hands start to roam. I run them over her belly and further up to cup her full breast, before I run them down her sides again.


    I can''t help myself and run my fingers over the full roundness of her belly again.


    How far along are you anyway?¡±


    She turns around in my lap before she answers in between the kisses we share.


    Oh! It''ll be ¡­ another six or seven weeks ¡­ for me. Probably.¡±


    For a brief moment I''m at a loss for words. Thankfully our duel of tongues covers this brief lapse. I have to press the issue though.


    And you are still going out adventuring?¡±


    Well, it is not entirely uncommon for women to work pretty much up until contractions set in. They usually don''t do hard physical labor though. They most certainly don''t risk their lives adventuring in the Twilight Forest!


    She just shrugs though.


    It is what it is. Adventurers don''t get paid if they don''t work and I don''t exactly want to life off some charity either. Doing the easy quests around the village and a little hunt for small game every once in a while is the best I can hope for.¡±


    This sounds more than a little troublesome, but I decide not to press the issue any further. She doesn''t seem too fond of the topic after all. Instead I shift my attention back to her pregnant belly, as I lower her back down onto the bed.


    I start showering it with kisses and she giggles, as the baby moves in response, stubbing me into the nose with a foot or an elbow. I don''t let that stop me though. No, quite the opposite. I renew my efforts, following the line of slightly darker skin downwards from her belly button.


    Mhm! Oh!¡±


    Before long the pregnant woman''s moans are the only things to be heard as I use my fingers to pleasure her until a heavy shudder runs through her body, which is followed by a heavy sigh.


    Hah!¡±


    We snuggle up against each other afterwards. We have to as the bed is pretty small for two people. I don''t mind though. Feeling her back press into me, as I wrap an arm around her actually feels kind of nice.


    Elzbieta''s voice is barely more than a whisper.


    Thank you Valeria, I really needed this.¡±


    I blush a little. What I did can hardly count as anything special after all. I only did what I know to feel pleasant for myself after all. Instead of answering I just pull her a little closer and kiss the nape of her neck once more. I''m starting to feel a little drowsy after this little exciting adventure.


    Elzbieta isn''t quite ready to fall asleep yet though.


    Say, would you be available as a wet nurse? Or would you like to become the little one''s godmother?¡±


    Her voice trails off towards the end, as she finally falls asleep.


    I on the other hand am wide awake again, as she starts snoring lightly. Me? A what? She can''t be serious? Or not?

 Chapter 66 - Food for thought

    Despite the surprise Elzbieta sprung I sleep pretty well in the end. Thus I''m surprisingly well rested when I wake early the next morning. The stars are just beginning to fade, but that, of course, isn''t what wakes me. I wake because Elzbieta is in the process of getting dressed again.


    She flashes me an apologetic grin as she notices that I''m awake as well, while struggling to get back into her soft leather pants.


    ¡°Sorry. I thought I''d sneak out while you were still asleep. Can''t stay too long after all.¡±


    My brows furrow for a moment as I take notice of the small stack of coins she has deposited on my workbench. I relax again quickly though, as it is only customary after all. She isn''t wrong about leaving early either. Guests you invite to spend the night with you are supposed to be gone before sunrise. Staying any longer would usually be taken to indicate a more serious interest.


    In the end I nod as I watch her getting dressed. At the same time I can''t help but wonder about what she said.


    ¡°Were you serious? Do you really want me to be the child''s godmother?¡±


    I pause briefly as I recall her other suggestion.


    ¡°If you want a wet nurse you probably should ask Urszula instead of me though. She is nursing a child of her own right now after all, you know?¡±


    Elzbieta pauses briefly.


    ¡°Urszula?¡±


    I blush. I assumed that she would know Urszula. Apparently she doesn''t. Well, never mind.


    ¡°The woman running one of the farms a little further up the road together with her father. If you want I could introduce you some time.¡±


    Elzbieta nods as she finishes dressing.


    ¡°Thanks! I''d appreciate it! And the other thing? Would you do it?¡±


    For a moment I''m at a loss for words. She really meant it. Am I really suitable to be the child''s godmother? The role comes with some responsibilities after all. Naming the child when it is born among other things. Later I would be expected to arrange for the child''s education as well, at least to a degree.


    I''m still quite grateful that my own godmother provided the letter of recommendation that secured my place at the academy in Barter Town. Hmm, I probably can do that as well. Never mind though. That is still years in the future anyway.


    Elzbieta looks at me expectantly.


    I lick my suddenly dry lips and swallow hard. Oh, gods and goddesses, please don''t let me regret this!


    ¡°I could do that. If you really want me to, that is.¡±


    The mother to be bounces in place once. Then she pulls me up and into a hug. At that very moment a divine whisper reaches my ear.


    [You have agreed to become an unborn child''s godmother! This is considered a binding vow! The Dawn Maiden is your witness and gifts you 4 points for the Wheel of Fortune Arcana as a reward.]


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    ¡°Wonderful!¡±


    Judging by the look of joy on her face, Elzbieta must have received a similar message. She hugs me once more, before distancing her self again. She looks a little embarrassed all of a sudden.


    ¡°I really shouldn''t keep you any longer. You probably have to get ready for the day as well after all.¡±


    With these words she heads out the door.


    I watch her go and wave briefly. Then I gather up my own clothes which still lie scattered all over the floor. I get dressed in my everyday clothes in the process as well. Elzbieta is right after all. I have to get ready myself.


    First I head to the public bathhouse. I need to freshen up after last night and maybe a nice warm soak will allow me to collect my thoughts a little as well.


    Apparently I''m the first to visit the bath today. Just as well. Less distractions that way.


    I can''t help but wonder if the mother to be just suckered me into another agreement that is beneficial to her. I''m still pondering that question when I lower myself into the warm water.


    Well, me being the child''s godmother is, strictly speaking, to the advantage of the child. There is nothing wrong with that. If the mooching Ranger hopes that this agreement means that she can ask for better deals and higher discounts though, I''ll have to disappoint her.


    I nod to myself. Right! This is for the benefit of the child, not the mother!


    At this point my neighbor Agnieszka arrives at the bath. She looks like she hasn''t had much sleep.


    I blush fiercely as I can imagine all to well why. I greet her with a cheerful smile and a wave anyway.


    Once she is done washing she joins me in the warm water and I decide to ask her for some advice.


    ¡°Say, Agnieszka, have you ever been asked to be a child''s godmother?¡±


    She raises an eyebrow at the question. Then realization seems to dawn upon her.


    ¡°Elzbieta''s child? You already agreed to do it, didn''t you?¡±


    I rub the back of my head in embarrassment.


    ¡°Am I that predictable?¡±


    She laughs out loud.


    ¡°You are just like your grandmother in that regard. I have to wonder, is it a family thing? Or is it related to your elven heritage?¡±


    I can only shrug. I have no clue after all.


    She doesn''t really expect me to answer that question anyway. Instead she continues.


    ¡°Well, to answer your question, yes I have been asked several times and I have agreed to become a godmother more than once as well. You shouldn''t worry too much. Right now you only need to consider the naming ceremony. Everything else, well pretty much everything else, is still years off. Go and talk with Wislawa about the ceremony. She is our priestess after all and can answer any questions you might have better then me.¡±


    She falls silent for a moment, thinking. Then something else seems to occur to her.


    ¡°And of course you are expected to host a little celebration in honor of the newly baptized child. Some food. Some drink. Some music. Nothing too much.¡±


    It is then, that I laugh out loud.


    ¡°Of course! Elzbieta, that mooch!¡±


    The older woman joins my laughter. When we calm back down she pats my shoulder though.


    ¡°Don''t worry too much. What goes around, comes around. Someone else will host these little parties for your own children eventually. We all watch out for each other!¡±


    I blush furiously at that suggestion. My reply comes out as a stutter.


    ¡°I ¡­ I''m not quite sure ¡­ it probably will be a while ¡­ before ¡­ you know.¡±


    She pats my back again and helps me out of the water.


    ¡°Like I said. Don''t worry. Its not like you have to hurry anyway. If you age even just half as gracefully as your grandmother you still have all the time of the world. Well, by human standards at least.¡±


    We dry off, as other women arrive, and get dressed for the day. Agnieszka accompanies me as we walk home. Thus I have a chance to ask some more questions.


    ¡°The godmother is supposed to provide the child with some gifts though. That is the same here as anywhere else. Right?¡±


    The older woman nods.


    ¡°Right. Its usually small things though. Like diapers. Or maybe a crib or a baby wrap. Nothing too much. You could enchant whatever you get if you want it to be fancy. A self cleaning diaper maybe? Gods and goddesses! How I wish I had had something like that!¡±


    We both laugh out loud once more. The idea has some merit though. I know the proper enchantment after all, since self cleaning armor and weapons are pretty popular. I''m pretty sure I could adapt it to a diaper. That can''t be too hard, right?

 Chapter 67 - Another busy day

    The day starts slow. I sell a few potions to groups heading out. Hearing the coins tingle as I drop them into the strong chest, after marking the sales down in the ledger, sure is nice, but my heart isn''t quite into it today. I''m still a little distracted by the developments from this morning.


    There is only one cure for this kind of absentmindedness. I have to busy myself! Don''t spend all day thinking about your problems, do something about them! It is something one of my roommates at the academy used to say and I decide to take it to heart.


    Curiously enough Agnieszka''s suggestions are what determines the direction my actions take. I''ll need more enchanter''s chalk. I should try to sell more enchantments anyway, as they are where the real money is. Both quality of life enchantments and armor or weapon enchantments can bring in a decent amount of coin.


    Thus I leave my shop again after the morning hours, to visit Urszula and her family once more. Thankfully it isn''t a long trip. This time around I get some more bee''s wax as well as some linseed oil.


    It is the price of the wax that makes me shed a little tear. It doesn''t exactly come cheap as they can''t remove too much from their bee hives as the bees need it themselves as well. Maybe I should raise the prices for my enchantments a little as well?


    I need to find an alternative light source too. Candles will be too expensive in the long run, even if I enchant them. The temple buying candles in bulk pretty regularly doesn''t exactly help either. Maybe an enchanted oil lamp instead of an enchanted candle lantern? Yes, that sounds good.


    There is another problem though. I''m running a little low on chalk. Either I have to get some more or I need to use a substitute. I could in theory use soot to make black chalks. If I clean my fireplace and the chimney I should have enough for one batch. I don''t like those black chalks though and not just because they stain your fingers when you work with them.


    I would really prefer to use something else. I eye my enchanting table for a moment. A light pigment would really be best. I bite my lips as I think about my options. Well, I don''t really have much of a choice. Ochre is the only suitable material that can be found around here as far as I can recall.


    Still, I have to find some first. Or maybe not? I grab grandma''s book and start searching it for any relevant entries. It takes a little while, but I find a promising spot. I''ll have to head downstream for a change and it will be a little trip. As my stomach rumbles I decide to try my luck after getting lunch at the inn.


    First I get ready for my little trip though. I''ll need to carry some rock back home after all. More importantly though, I''ll need to break that rock free first. It shouldn''t be very hard, but I need tools anyway. I decide to borrow a light pick from the second hand gear I have on sale for this purpose, as well, as one of the more worn out bandannas from the trunk at the foot end of my bed. I take my enchanted staff staff as well.


    Then I close the shop once more and head to the inn. Before I get my lunch I talk with Krystina to put up the mana mill quest once again. I''ll need more enchanting dust as well after all. I let her know that I''ll be out for the afternoon as well though.


    Afterwards it is time to eat. For a change I''m one of the first to get their meal as I''m a little early. Today''s lunch is a tasty mix of stir fried vegetables. It is quite tasty. Sadly I can''t bring any as a little snack for later. I get myself a slice of fresh bread though, thus I won''t have to go hungry.


    I follow the creek downstream for a little while until I reach the spot mentioned in grandma''s notes. I probably couldn''t have missed it even without them. The creek has cut through the flank of a small hill in this place, leaving the rock I''m looking for exposed.


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    Getting there could prove a little troublesome though. I''ll have to wade through the water to reach the other bank. First though I sit down in the grass on this bank and watch the scenery a little.


    The creek is very different here from further upstream. Its bed is wider and the water flows slower. At least now. In spring or after a downpour it might be a different matter though.


    There is more to watch than just the scenery though. A colony of bee-eaters has made its home atop the low cliff, where the soft rock has eroded into sand, on the other side as well.


    The colorful little birds are a sight to behold. Well, hopefully they wouldn''t mind my presence too much. I grimace. Being attacked by a larger number of birds is not something I want to experience. Not today, not any day. No thank you.


    So far they don''t seem to mind me. I''m not on the side where they have dug their homes into the riverbank yet though. Well, I have to at least try to get some ochre. Otherwise this whole little expedition would be for naught and my afternoon would be wasted.


    I start dressing down a little. Well, I take off my sandals and stockings. I hike up the legs of my overall as well. That will have to do.


    Then I grab the old bandanna and the little pick I brought and wade out into the water.


    ¡°Co ¡­ co ¡­ cold!¡±


    I manage to get all of two steps out into the water before I realize just how cold the water of the creek is. A shiver runs down my back. There is no turning back now though. I make my way to the other side, taking great care with every step not to slip on the slick rocks hidden under the water''s surface.


    Well, at least the birds don''t seem to mind as long as I don''t try to climb up to their nesting ground. Still, I can feel my feet slowly going numb. I better hurry.


    I bring the pick down on the soft rock. I''m pretty lucky. This is a very light shade of ochre, which in turn means that it is almost chalk with only very little iron in it. Among other things this means that it is pretty soft. No wonder the creek is slowly cutting its way through the hill.


    I break some chunks loose and gather them in the bandanna. Then I hurry back to the other river bank where I drop every thing next to my discarded sandals. I drop into the grass as well and start to massage my ice cold toes.


    It takes a while until they get nice and warm again. I take this chance to inspect my bounty in the meantime. The rock looks pretty decent. It really is almost chalk. Very good! If I were to burn it, it probably would turn a very light shade of red. Maybe I should give it a try? Well, I have brought enough to make a small experiment.


    I don''t slip back into my stockings and sandals. Instead I head back home barefoot, with the bulging bandanna tied to the end of my staff which I carry over my shoulder.


    A mischievous smile makes its way onto my lips and I start humming the tunes of the songs about the miller''s wife. My trip, short as it may be, almost feels like a little adventure like that.


    I wave in the direction of Krystina as I pass the inn. Before I can get much further someone else walks up besides me. It is Elzbieta. I raise an eyebrow.


    She just grins and waves a quest note in return.


    ¡°Have to grab the easy ones before I head out to set up some traps later in the evening.¡±


    I can already imagine which one it is and grin as well.


    ¡°Good, good! Just in time! I need a lot more enchanting dust!¡±

 Chapter 68 - Give and take

    As we get back to my place Elzbieta gets right to work with the mana mill. I in turn get started with the preparations for my new batch of enchanting chalk. Specifically, I start grinding the pieces of ochre rock I collected down into a fine powder, which is just about as strenuous and mind numbingly boring as the job I have outsourced to Elzbieta via the adventurers'' guild.


    No, it quite possibly is worse than working the mana mill, as I have to make do with pestle and mortar to grind down the rock. It is a good thing that it is a pretty soft rock. By the time I''m close to finishing my arms ache anyway.


    Elzbieta has been done for a little while by the time I drape a cloth over the bowl with all the finely ground ochre. She hasn''t disturbed me though, waiting patiently for me to finish instead. It seems she isn''t in a hurry. Something seems to be on her mind though.


    I decide to inquire.


    ¡°Is something bothering you? No second thoughts about asking me to be the child''s godmother though, I hope.¡±


    She quickly shakes her head and hands me the quest paperwork.


    ¡°No, nothing of the sort. Its about the quest. You know you probably could post a quest asking for twice the amount of enchanting dust, right? Twice the reward for twice the work with the same fees. Its not much, but it could save you a little coin anyway.¡±


    I blink in surprise, first once, then twice. Then I groan as I stamp the paperwork.


    ¡°And of course Krystina wouldn''t tell me.¡±


    Elzbieta shrugs as she accepts her stamped paperwork back.


    ¡°Or course not. The guild isn''t a charity after all. She has to turn a profit as well, otherwise the higher ups of the guild would probably close the local branch or at least replace her as the local representative.¡±


    I groan in reply. I can''t argue with the logic though. Of course everyone else has to make ends meet as well. There is something else bothering me with Elzbieta''s suggestion though.


    ¡°Well, I could post quests for double the amount of enchanting dust, but are you sure about that? Just making one batch is already pretty tedious. Would you put up with twice the work? Would you work that mill all day?¡±


    She shrugs as she ponders my questions.


    ¡°Usually I probably wouldn''t. Due to my circumstances though I don''t have much of a choice. Or rather, I won''t have much of a choice before long. If you want you can still go back to the way you have been running these quests up until now later.¡±


    That sounds reasonable enough. And she doesn''t even try to hide that this would benefit her just as much as me. I can live with that.


    ¡°Fine by me. I''ll bring it up the next time I talk with Krystina.¡±


    She nods and I help her up and see her off. Then I go back to work. My chalks don''t make themselves after all. At least I''m already done with the worst part. The rest will be easy by comparison.


    I don''t get much time to work all by myself though. It isn''t long before another visitor shows up at my door and once again it is about business. This time it is Nawoja from the smithy and it isn''t hard to guess why she is here. No, the new mill she carries is really hard to miss. I perk up and wave her in.


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    ¡°Welcome! Is this it? The mill I ordered?¡±


    She nods and puts it down next to the old mill I inherited from grandma.


    ¡°It is. I hope it is to your liking.¡±


    I check it over quickly. I take a brief look at the mill stones and at the drawer which will collect the milled goods. I give the handle a few turns as well. I can''t find anything wrong. Just as well, not that I did expect anything to be wrong to begin with.


    Judging by the look of it, it is pretty much a newer copy of my old mill anyway. To be honest, I wouldn''t be surprised if all hand mills around here looked pretty much the same. They probably were all made according to the same plans after all.


    ¡°Marvelous! Now I just need to enchant it. Its a good thing that I''m just about to finish a new batch of enchanter''s chalks.¡±


    The timing really is quite wonderful. Of course there is another matter to settle before I can enchant the mill. I still have to pay for it. I go and fetch the coins from my strong box and add the purchase into the ledger as well, while I''m there.


    ¡°One silver and six bronze crowns, as agreed.¡±


    Nawoja accepts the coins and shakes my hand.


    ¡°Its a pleasure to do business with you, as always. If you need anything else, don''t hesitate to drop by our place.¡±


    I nod and wave as she leaves. Then I turn towards my new mill. It looks like a newer copy of the old mill, but eventually the difference will fade. Thus I decide to tie one of grandma''s old ribbons around the handle to make sure I never mix them up.


    It won''t be a problem right away, but I don''t want to mix them up later once I have started grinding coffee with the new mill. I really don''t want any in my regular enchanting dust after all.


    Satisfied with my handiwork I check on the cooling chalks. They should be ready before long. Until then I still have a little time to kill though.


    I know the enchantment for a new mill by heart. I probably could do it in my sleep. I don''t want to take any risks anyway. Thus I do some calculations and put the mill on the enchanting table to make sure it will fit in the circle I have calculated. I draft some lines with coal as well to help me later on. Preparation is key after all!


    In the end I still have to wait a little while for the chalks to properly settle before I can get started. I check the chalk I pick up with my appraisal skill as well, for good measure, just to make sure.


    [Enchanter''s chalk, Quality: Uncommon, A solid piece of basic, slightly off white Enchanter''s Chalk used in enchanting. Smells like beeswax as it is the main ingredient.]


    The skill reveals nothing unexpected. It mentions that it isn''t the usual white chalk, but that''s it. I let out my breath in a long sigh of relief, then I get started on the mill''s enchantment.


    I''m a little tense as I get started, but that tension quickly fades as I place rune after rune on the prepared circle. This isn''t the first mill I''ve enchanted after all. Not by a long shot. No, the first was back at the academy during my second year. Enchanting your first mana mill is the final exam for the second year after all. And it wasn''t my last either. I have enchanted several more since then. There is, surprisingly, always a demand for more mana mills.


    As a result is no big surprise that there is no divine whisper, as I finish this one and the runes are drawn into the mill as the enchantment takes hold. Still, it feels good to have created a mill of my own for my own workshop.


    I pick it up and move it over to the workbench before I activate the appraisal skill once more.


    [Mana Mill, Quality: Uncommon, One of the most essential tools in any enchanter''s workshop. This hand operated tool draws in ambient mana, crystallizes and grinds it into a fine dust, so it can be used to enchant other objects.]


    I let out another relieved sigh. Very good! Still, I decide to give it a quick try. Humming to myself I start to crank the handle at a steady pace. A little while later I stop again and open the drawer. There is only a little of the glittering dust, but that is as expected. I only worked it for a little while after all.


    With that I''m done for the day. Well, I''m finally done. It has become pretty late after all and it already is dark outside. I make sure the doors and the windows, except the one by the bed, are closed, then I get changed for the night. In the end I pretty much drop into bed.


    A stray thought forces its way to the fore of my mind as I lie there, before I can fall asleep. Last night the bed felt more comfortable, with someone else sleeping besides me.

 Chapter 69 - Trying something new

    It is, of course, Sour Cream who wakes me early next morning, so she can have a treat before curling up on my bed for a nice long nap. I take this chance to get started a little early as well.


    I don''t head to the bath today though. No, a quick wash at the creek will have to do today. Afterwards I make sure my little garden is doing well enough. I clean up around grandma''s grave a little as well.


    In the process I collect some of the ingredients I''ll need first too. I get some Bitterleaf from the garden and some rose petals from the wild roses growing all over my home.


    With those I get started on a new batch of lesser healing potions. It is good to have some more potent potions on the shelves, but the majority of my sales are still the cheaper, less potent potions after all.


    Well, in a way it is good if the adventurers don''t need any more potent potions. At least as far as healing potions are concerned. Sure, I want to make sales and earn some coin, but I don''t actually want them to get hurt either. Still, it is best to be prepared.


    I get done with this new batch of potions just in time as well. I put them on the shelves right after opening the shop and some of them change into the hands of my customers almost right away. Today seems to be a busy day. At least for adventurers.


    Well, that''s the morning rush taken care off. I close the shop briefly afterwards, although it is not yet time for lunch. I head down to the inn to see Krystina anyway.


    She looks up from some letters she is reading and greets me with a wave as I enter the quiet inn.


    ¡°Welcome Valeria! Got some new quests for me?¡±


    She is right of course, thus I nod.


    ¡°Yes. The mana milling quest. I want to try something a little different this time around though, since I got and enchanted my new mill yesterday.¡±


    She raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°A second mana mill? Will you be doing more enchanting?¡±


    ¡°Probably. At least for a while. In the long run I''ll probably be using the second mill for a special mana infused coffee instead. First I''ll just use it to stock up on enchanting dust though.¡±


    At this point Krystina''s father, who until now was busy cleaning tables, pipes in. He must have heard me talking about coffee.


    ¡°This isn''t related to the ice project though? Right?¡±


    I shake my head in response.


    ¡°No. This is something else. I couldn''t really sell you that recipe since it actually combines alchemically active components. Coffee with enchanting dust and sugar create a potion that is both a stamina potion and a mana potion of sorts. Instead of recovering some mana right away, it increases the natural mana regeneration instead.¡±


    It seems I lost him halfway through the explanation. He seems satisfied though that I''m not competing with the inn.


    Krystina on the other hand seems to be thinking about it a little more. Finally she speaks up again.


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    ¡°Wouldn''t most spellcasters prefer the regular mana potions though? The ones that recover all or half of your mana in the blink of an eye?¡±


    I nod once more.


    ¡°Usually. That really isn''t an issue, as you can combine the two. First you increase your regeneration to make your mana reserves last longer. And if you run out anyway, you can still drink a regular mana potion. It is popular combination for especially challenging fights, or so I''m told.¡±


    Now the local guild official nods as well.


    ¡°Sounds sensible enough. Maybe our local adventurers can start bringing in some of the more valuable loot if they use combinations like that. Never mind though, what did you want to change regarding the quest?¡±


    Right back to business. I can appreciate that.


    ¡°Well, I''d like to post the quest like we did so far once. And then I''d like to post a version for double the amount of enchanting dust as well.¡±


    She nods, grabs some papers and starts filling them out.


    ¡°Trying something new? Well, this should be easy enough. The fees are the same for the doubled quest. It is just the reward that is doubled. This will be five bronze crowns in total.¡±


    She shows me the filled forms for the two mana milling quests to confirm the details.


    I in turn sign them and hand over the money. Elzbieta is right, I could really save some coin in the long run by going for the new quest. Still, I''m a little worried that most adventurers won''t take it in the long run. It essentially requires them to spend a whole day working the mill after all, instead of just a few hours spent on the mindnumbingly boring task. Well, I guess I''ll see how it turns out sooner rather than later.


    We shake hands and Krystina puts the new quests up on the board.


    With that taken care off I leave again, with a cheerful wave to both the young woman and her parents. I''ll be back later, probably not for lunch though. I''ll go for dinner today in all likelihood, to get in some work in between now and then.


    Once I get back home I reopen the shop, just in case although I don''t really expect anyone else to drop by right now. I on the other hand get the board I use for drafting enchantments. I need to get in some more practice after all.


    The enchantment I''m working on is a simple variation of the self cleaning armor enchantment. This one will go on a weapon instead though. I pick one of the daggers I still have on sale out front in one of the second hand gear bins.


    The changes to the enchantment are pretty simple, as the enchantment is one of the more basic ones. I double check everything anyway. It is a good thing I did as well. I roll my eyes as I remove the price tag before I get started. It probably wouldn''t have had any effect, but I can''t be entirely sure about that either. In the end it is better to be safe rather than sorry.


    I place the rugged and well used weapon at the center of the enchanting table. Then I get started with the runes. It doesn''t take me long either and I let out a breath as the runes get drawn into the blade. I probably should really stop holding my breath in situations like that.


    Never mind though. So far, so good. I activate my appraisal skill to check the result.


    [Well worn Dagger, Quality: Common, A common dagger that has seen plenty of use already. It''s blade is still sharp though and it is enchanted to clean itself. No matter how much blood or grime gets stuck to the weapon, it will shed such filth within the hour and be sparkling clean once more.]


    Yes, good enough. As expected it takes a little while to clean itself. That is something to keep in mind. Maybe I should enchant more than one diaper for Elzbieta so she always has a change ready while the other magically cleans itself? That sounds reasonable enough. Or should I make more than two? Well, maybe I should ask Agnieszka how many my soon to be goddaughter will need. Unlike me she has some experience after all.


    First I need to fix the price tag for this dagger though. I look at the price. Ten bronze crowns? Well, there is no easy way to change this tag. I get a new one instead and use the lens on my staff to carefully heat the tip of one of the pokers from the fireplace. Once it glows nicely I burn a price that seems more appropriate into the new tag.


    Two silver crowns should be reasonable enough. I reheat the poker once more to write a little note on the backside of the tag for good measure. When I''m done anyone familiar with their letters can read that the weapon is enchanted.


    I nod to myself and return the now enchanted weapon to its bin. Maybe I should enchant more weapons? Or should I at least put up a sign with possible weapon enchantments I could offer? Maybe the latter would be more appropriate. Most magic weapons are custom made after all. I guess I''ll have to talk with Olgierd about getting another sign.

 Chapter 70 - Going out at night

    Later, after preparing Sour Cream her evening snack, which for her probably is more like breakfast, I sit on the bench out back. The shop is closed for today, but I can''t quite go to sleep yet, as I''m feeling a little restless. There simply are too many things my mind insists I should consider or resolve.


    It might be my own fault, considering the various avenues I try to explore. Or is it like that for all new shop owners? To be honest, I''m not quite sure. Maybe it is a little of both? And of course I just moved here as well. Everyone has been very welcoming so far, but I''m still not feeling quite like I''m at home. Or am I? Well, some things just take a little time and I certainly get to meet plenty of interesting people.


    The black cat, which in likelihood is Agnieszka''s, hops on the bench next to me and I pet him a little until he decides that he has received enough attention and is off once more.


    I get up and brush of my hands before heading towards my neighbor''s home. I don''t have to go all the way though, as she is coming down the road already, probably to head to the inn.


    She stops at my side as I greet her with a wave and a smile. She looks me over briefly, smiling herself.


    ¡°Not going to join us at the inn tonight?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°No, not tonight. I wanted to inquire about getting some diapers though. Could you make some for me? Two? Or better three?¡±


    She nods without hesitation. Apparently a request like this doesn''t require much thought, probably because she receives similar ones regular enough.


    ¡°I presume its for Elzbieta''s little one? So you aren''t in too much of a hurry? Three diapers? Does fifteen bronze Crowns sound alright to you?¡±


    I consider it for a moment. I don''t have any experience, but compared to the clothes I ordered it doesn''t sound too bad. In the end I nod.


    ¡°Alright, three diapers for fifteen bronze Crowns.¡±


    We shake hands to seal the deal. We don''t part ways right away again though.


    Apparently Agnieszka still has questions. She doesn''t hesitate to ask them either.


    ¡°If you don''t mind me asking, why three diapers? You mentioned enchanting them? Wouldn''t one already be enough? Or maybe two at worst?¡±


    I shrug and motion for her to continue on her way towards the inn. I can explain just as well while walking alongside her. There is no need to hold her up.


    ¡°The self cleaning enchantment takes a little time to do its work. And you are right, usually two would be enough, but you know, its diapers. For a newborn. Accidents do happen.¡±


    At that point she laughs out loud. She even has to stop for a moment to catch her breath.


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    ¡°Oh, gods and goddesses, you are right. It has been a while since I had to deal with those accidents, but there is no doubt, they do happen. Anyway, I''ll get you those diapers in the next few days. I still should have some suitable cloth at home.¡±


    We hug and part ways just as we reach the inn, She heads inside, while I head back home.


    My steps are a little lighter though, as at least one thing is taken care of. At least for now. I still need to pay for those diapers when Agnieszka delivers them after all. And they don''t enchant themselves either. For now though I''m feeling pretty good about this little project of mine.


    Should I get busy adapting the enchantment to its new purpose right away? No, better not. Work like that needs better light. I''ll save it for tomorrow. Still, I don''t feel like going to bed yet.


    I''ll need to come up with something else to distract me. It doesn''t take me long to figure out what to do either. I could head out to gather some more Night Candles. I have to get them while the bloom after all and I most certainly will need more, if not now, then later. Mana potions are always in demand after all.


    As I reach my house I stop just long enough to grab my staff, a basket and a sickle. Then I''m back on my way. I have no eye for the sunset this time around either, as I want to reach the most promising spots where the Night Candles grow before it gets dark for good.


    Although I hurry I keep my eyes open. I don''t feel like another nasty surprise. I''m following the trail of my first excursion to collect these flowers after all, heading in the direction where I came across the corrupted, feral pixies. The adventurers should have gotten them all, as far as I know anyway, but I decide to be careful nonetheless.


    As I reach the area where my frantic flight from the little monsters started I slow down. I watch my step even more carefully now, as I don''t want to step into any gruesome remains either. The adventurers burned the ones they got, but I''m not entirely sure what happened to those that fell prey to Sour Cream.


    I don''t feel like finding out by stepping on them. Gods and goddesses, I''m already mighty glad that the cat hadn''t brought home any trophies or presents. They supposedly do that at times after all.


    Until darkness falls I retreat under a willow at the forest''s edge well away from the burned spot where the feral pixie''s hive must have been. From there I watch as the Night Candles'' glow becomes more and more prominent as the flowers open their blossoms as night falls. It truly is, in a slightly eerie way, a sight to behold.


    Once I''m certain that I won''t risk mistaking them for any other flowers I start harvesting the glowing blossoms. And thankfully I remain undisturbed. Thus it doesn''t take me too long to fill the basket. Not even the fact that I don''t harvest too much in any one spot slows me down all that much.


    I let out a long sigh as I start on my way back home, much slower this time around.


    My mind wanders as I retrace my steps on the way back. The pixies used the flowers to make some kind of paint that glows in the dark. How did they do that? Could I replicate the process somehow? Would the result have alchemical properties different from the dried flowers? Would I be able to enhance my enchanter''s chalks with it?


    Better chalk is one of the keys to producing better enchantments after all. Another is the complexity if the enchantment itself and the number of circles it uses. And the last is the quality of the base item. Custom crafted masterwork items are better than mass produced second hand gear obviously.


    I could not affect the latter to the same degree though as I could the former. Creating better chalks was thus a priority. I would have to experiment a little.


    At this point I stop and groan. Damn! Did I just add another item to my ever growing list of things that need doing?


    I shake my head and resume walking. Well, I will have to get to it one of these days. I''m not in a hurry though. Which means I can focus on other things first. I nod to myself as I come to this conclusion.


    Yes, I''m really not in a hurry. That thought alone is enough to provide some relief.


    It doesn''t take me much longer to return home and once I do, I start to dry the fresh flowers right away.


    Even as the fire in the fireplace crackles and the flowers begin to dry I don''t feel sleepy at all. It is not that late anyway.


    Thus I decide to do a little stargazing before turning in for the night. I get changed for the first though. That way I really only have to crawl into bed when I get sleepy.


    The night sky is especially beautiful tonight. Probably due to the waxing moon. Usually it is easier to observe the stars when there is as little moonlight as possible. I''m not trying to do any astronomical calculations though. I just want to enjoy the view. And the view simply wouldn''t be the same without the almost full moon. Something would be missing without it.


    I stifle a yawn and get up to head back inside when I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. Or at least I think I did. As I turn to look I can''t see anything. For a little while I stand still. I don''t just look either. I turn my head ever so slightly to listen as well but all I hear are the sounds of nocturnal animals. Well, it probably was one of those I glimpsed anyway. In the end I just shrug and lock the door behind me before I turn in for the night.

 Chapter 71 - Summer rain

    The next morning I wake once again, when my feline housemate jumps onto the bed. Things are not entirely as they should be though. Not quite.


    Sour Cream is sopping wet and the constant patter of raindrops leaves no doubt about the reason as to why either.


    Before the cat can curl up on my sheets I jump out of bed, startling her a little, to grab a spare towel. I rub her down with it, eliciting a few meows of protest in the process. In the end she lets me dry her off though. That I prepare a bowl of sour cream for her right after probably helps sooth her wrath as well.


    I give her a little kiss atop her head, before moving on to the next order of business. Raising my enchanted lantern high I check to make sure the roof isn''t leaking anywhere. I doubt it is the case, as the house is in a pretty good state overall, but I decide to make sure anyway.


    Despite not expecting to find any leaks I still feel relief after actually not finding any. By the time I put the lantern away again to get dressed for the day the cat is already fast asleep in her usual place. I envy her a little. With weather like this I wouldn''t mind curling up and sleeping in either. It really would be nice. I can''t do that though. Curse those responsibilities!


    I open the windows and both the front as well as the back door though, as the fresh, clean air is pretty nice. It is a little chilly as well though. Well, can''t have everything.


    For a little while I just stand there in the doorway, pondering if I should go to the bath today. In the end I decide against it. The rain isn''t too cold, but it is coming down heavy enough to discourage me. In the end I just get some water from the creek and wash real quick.


    The short trip across the backyard and down to the gurgling creek already is enough to leave me a little drenched. That state earns me a half lidded stare from Sour Cream as well, as if she were wondering what I expected to happen.


    Do adventurers even head out during weather like this? The answer to that question does come knocking before long. Obviously they do. If you want to eat good food and sleep in a clean bed you need to earn the necessary coin after all.


    My first two customers arrive just as I get ready to brew some more mana potions and they are not any of the adventurers I''m already familiar with.


    No, these two look a little out of place. They are elves, but they are most certainly not from around here. They are tall of course, like all elves I know. Probably even a little taller than most. Considering their dark, tanned skin and the rather colorful clothing they wear, they probably are from the islands to the south. And of course they are both tracking water into the shop. Well, at least they don''t seem to mind being wet.


    I catch myself staring and quickly bow in greeting.


    ¡°Welcome to my shop. What can I do for you?¡±


    Thankfully they don''t seem to mind. Maybe they even stared a little themselves. Could it be that half elves are not quite as common on the islands? Finally the younger of the two bows in return and speaks up, after receiving an elbow to the side from his companion.


    ¡°Ah, we are new around here. Yes. We just arrived late the other day. In fact. You sell some second hand gear? Yes? We need to supplement our equipment a little before heading out into the Twilight Forest. Yes?¡±


    I nod along. What a curious way of speaking. Not unpleasant though. In the end I direct them towards the bins with the second hand gear.


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    The older of the two elves in the meantime studies the signs at the counter.


    ¡°I have some second hand weapons and some other gear. Have a look.¡±


    Then I point towards a shelf with some more second hand gear on it.


    ¡°There are some other things as well. Ropes, lamps, a climbing kit and camp supplies as well as some second hand clothes. You might consider getting two raincoats.¡±


    I show them the rugged cloaks made of oil cloth.


    ¡°You might not mind the summer rain right now, but it can still get a little chilly at night.¡±


    The younger of the two pays rapt attention while the other has already wandered over to the shelves with the potions. I give them some time to browse the wares on display and the duo gathers a small pile of gear at the counter, including the raincoats and an assortment of potions. They are surprisingly quick about it.


    I ring up their purchases and they pay without even making an attempt to haggle me down. Could it be that my Silver Tongue gift finally pays off? Either way, this is a pretty good sale!


    Before the duo can leave I speak up once more though.


    ¡°If you are still unfamiliar with the area or the forest in general, you probably should team up with some of the adventurers from around here. Just in case.¡±


    The two look at each other for a moment. Then they nod.


    ¡°Thank you. We will.¡±


    I flash them a smile in return.


    ¡°Good, good. Take care out there! And please drop by again!¡±


    They bow again and as they leave I see them off with a cheerful wave.


    Just as they disappear after putting on their new rain cloaks my next visitor arrives. This one I''m quite familiar with. There is no mistaking Elzbieta''s figure after all, despite the rain cloak she wears. Before I can even ask she waves a quest paper in my direction.


    ¡°I picked up the new one today. Lets give this a try. But, uh, could we do this indoors today? I don''t like the rain all that much.¡±


    I laugh out loud. It is all too understandable after all.


    ¡°Sure. Come around to the back. You can hang your coat by the door. Just give me a moment to get a fire started.¡±


    She nods and walks around the house to the backdoor.


    I''m quite glad that she doesn''t track any mud through the shop although the way would have been much shorter and, of course, out of the rain.


    While she slips out of the coat and her shoes, I get the fire started. I''ll need it to brew a new batch of mana potions anyway. I move a chair to the fireside as well, placing it in such a way that I''ll be able to work there, without tripping over her, as well.


    She stretches a little after sitting down and I hand her one of the mana mills. While she gets busy right away, I get her shoes and place them by the fireside as well. Not too close though, or the leather might suffer.


    Only then do I return to the potion ingredients I have been preparing. I pause once more though as Elzbieta starts singing. The songs she picked for today are not any I''m familiar with. Something about the misadventures of drunken sailors?


    She catches me staring and pauses briefly to laugh.


    ¡°Something I picked up from the duo you met earlier. They are islanders as you might have already guessed. And sailors. Probably. Could be that they are a lovey, dovey couple on the run from their families as well. I''m not entirely sure about that one though.¡±


    Now it is my turn to laugh. Before I can inquire about what might have led her to that conclusion, she speaks up again though.


    ¡°Say, do you have any plans for the midsummer night dance?¡±


    The sudden change in subject leaves me speechless for a moment. The dance? I honestly haven''t even thought about it.


    I never get a chance to voice my thoughts though. Apparently it doesn''t matter. Might be that they were plainly visible on my face after all. Elzbieta laughs out loud once more, never stopping with the mill, before she continues.


    ¡°You might want to give it some thought. It is the biggest event around here after all. Well, maybe with the exception of the midwinter dance. That one is pretty big as well. Wear fancy clothes! Have a drink or two or three as well as some fun. And of course there is the dance with the bull. Ever thought about jumping the bull? Or you could dance with some fey! They tend to show up on occasion! I''d attend myself, but the timing, you know.¡±


    She pats her bulging belly, as she makes that last point, and I can only nod dumbly, still busy processing all the things she casually mentioned.

 Chapter 72 - Plentiful bounty

    Elzbieta spends much of the rest of the day at my place, working on the extended enchanting dust quest. It simply is something you can''t really hurry. That she is able to spend some time by the fireside probably doesn''t hurt either.


    I don''t mind anyway. I even got to learn some new songs over the course of the day. I''m, overall, rather fond of her company. It''s something I have come to realize only recently. There always were other students busy in the academy''s laboratories and workshops after all. Working all on your own in your own workshop can get rather lonely by comparison.


    By the time I put the newest batch of mana potions on the shelves she is done with the quest as well. We share a cup of tea and finally I see her off after stamping her papers as the rain slows down to a light drizzle.


    Before I can close the shop for the day some more visitors drop by in the evening though. It is a quartet I''m quite familiar with, although I have a hard time recognizing them at first, as they too are wearing coats to ward off the rain.


    It is Odolan, Tamara, Szmuel and Danuta. And by the looks of it, they are just arriving back from their most recent adventure. None of them look hurt, which is a relief, but they appear to be exhausted and quite tired.


    Their backpacks appear to be well filled and quite heavy as well. That certainly would explain the exhaustion. At least it seems to be due to a good reason at least. Well filled backpacks translate into plenty of loot under these circumstances in all likelihood after all.


    I greet them with a smile as they stop by the entrance to clean the worst of the dirt they have accumulated off their shoes.


    ¡°Welcome back! It seems your trip was successful. It turned out to be a good ruin you picked to explore, yes?¡±


    It is the busty witch who answers, although the others nod as well, despite their obvious exhaustion.


    ¡°Yes, yes! Nothing too exciting, but we managed to pick up a lot of interesting odds and ends. We managed to pick up some decent gear from the Bogling bandits who made the ruin their base of operations as well. Could you have a look at it for us?¡±


    I tilt my head a little but nod anyway. The request has my mind racing though. I probably shouldn''t provide item identification as a service entirely free of charge. Maybe I could offer an incentive though?


    ¡°Boglings, huh? I hope they didn''t give you too much trouble. Hm ¡­ how about one bronze Crown for each item you want appraised? And the first one is free of charge?¡±


    The three novice adventurers turn to the more experienced witch, as if to ask for her opinion without actually asking. Apparently words aren''t really needed anyway. It seems like the four of them became a little closer on this little adventure of theirs.


    Anyway, Danuta hardly needs to think about the offer. What I ask for should pretty much be the going rate anyway. She takes a moment to think on it anyway, probably for the benefit of her companions, before she finally nods in agreement.


    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±


    The others let out a little sigh of relief and I can''t help but grin. They still have a lot to learn. My smile broadens a little at that thought. Not like I''m that much better. Yes, they aren''t entirely unlike me in that regard.


    Danuta prompts the others to step forward and place some items from their backpacks on my counter. Apparently her own pack isn''t quite as overstuffed. That sly witch!


    Anyway, I shift my attention towards the things spread out in front of me.


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    Like already mentioned the things were nothing too special. Everything was properly cleaned and recently well maintained though. Odolan and Tamara are probably to be thanked for that. They must have used their magic tricks once again, like they did with the potion bottles they dug up from the trash heap.


    That actually is quite a relief. For a moment I was a little worried I might be confronted with blood stains or the glibbery body excretions the toad like Boglings are known for. There is nothing to be seen of either though.


    The first piece of gear I pick up is a sturdy bracer of some sort. It is made of leather with metal plates that have to be brass as far as I can tell. It is surprisingly well made.


    Despite these facts, I still see a problem with it. From the quartet of adventurers Szmuel, the catfolk scout, is probably the only one who will be able to use it. It simply is to small for any of the others. I don''t want to discourage them though.


    I focus on it and activate my appraisal skill.


    [Bogling Brass Bracer, Quality: Common, A simple enough bracer made of treated snake leather and brass. It may not be a masterwork item but it still is a fine example of Bogling craftsmanship.]


    ¡°Bogling brass bracer. Not a masterwork item but still pretty decent. The leather has been treated. Together with the brass it probably will withstand water damage pretty well. It probably won''t get moldy either.¡±


    After sharing my findings I put it back down and pick up a curved dagger. Or rather, a curved knife. It only has one edge after all. In the hands of a Bogling it might even be a decent sword or saber for all I know. The toad like humanoids are rather short people after all.


    Once again I focus on the item to activate my skill.


    [Bogling Iron Knife, Quality: Common, They may call it a knife, and it is pretty utilitarian, but in the hands of a Bogling it tends to be used like a saber of sorts. It is made of crude swamp iron and not steel and needs to be sharpened pretty often. It needs to be kept oiled as well or will start rusting right away.]


    Once again I share my findings.


    ¡°Bogling iron knife. More of a tool than a weapon in our hands and not a very good one either. Its iron and not steel, so it won''t hold an edge well and will rust easily too.¡±


    They look a little disappointed, but they don''t protest. They are no fools and probably already expected something like that after all.


    I repeat the process with another knife. My findings match what I already learn from the first one, except, this one is made of bronze.


    ¡°This one is pretty much the same, except it is made from bronze instead of crude swamp iron.¡±


    I shift my attention to the next item only to stop to admire it for a moment. This one is a bow and it looks much better made than any of the other things so far. The difference in quality is pretty obvious even at the first glance. It seems the quartet kept the best things for last.


    I hope I''m not mistaken. I really want to share some good news with them after all. I take a deep breath and focus once again.


    [Short bow of the Bogrunner, Quality: Rare, A masterwork composite short bow made from Swamp Dragon horns, sinews and hide. It is enchanted to allow its user to run on water, mud and quicksand as if it were solid ground.]


    I let out a whistle.


    ¡°Short bow of the Bogrunner. A masterwork composite short bow made from various Swamp Dragon body parts. It is enchanted to allow its user to run on water, mud and quicksand alike as if it were solid ground. I''d say this one is pretty good.¡±


    The four adventurers'' eyes light up in excitement. Even Danuta looks impressed.


    I decide to press on before they can get too excited though.


    ¡°Well, if this is it, this will be three bronze crowns.¡±


    The witch chuckles and hands me the coins.


    I in turn deposit them in the strong chest below the counter and make a note in the ledger.


    ¡°You might want to see the Nawoja and Olgierd about the knives. Maybe they will buy them at their material value. I''m honestly not sure. If you want to sell the bow though you probably have to do it through the guild. They have access to bigger markets after all and can probably fetch you a much higher price.¡±


    I pause and watch them pack back up. They seem pretty happy and they have reason to be so. That bow alone can earn them some major coin if they have a little patience and let the guild handle the sale. The other things they showed me aren''t anything special but they still might earn them some money.


    And of course that wasn''t everything, judging by the state of their backpacks. Whatever else they brought probably isn''t adventuring gear though. Maybe I''ll ask Krystina about it tomorrow. A little gossiping won''t hurt anyone after all.


    With cheerful smiles the youngsters file back out of my shop, with Danuta bringing up the rear.


    I see them off with a smile and a wave. Then I finally close up the shop for the night.

 Chapter 73 - The simple things

    I sleep pretty well for a change and yet I wake up rather early as well. That isn''t a bad thing though, as it means that I get to pamper and cuddle Sour Cream a little before she curls up for her nap.


    Afterwards I grab my things and head to the bath. Thankfully it isn''t raining anymore, although it looks a little like it could start again any time. Well, I''ll just have to take a little risk in that regard, as I really want a nice warm bath today. And it wouldn''t hurt either, if I were to take a little more time and soak a little in the warm water either.


    As I slide into the warm water after washing it is clear that the decision to thoroughly enjoy the bath for a change is the right one. Especially as I''m rather early today and have the bath to myself. I even close my eyes once more, at least for a little bit, until the first others arrive.


    The first one to arrive are Urszula and her daughters, curiously enough. I greet them with a nod and a little wave, without getting up from the water just yet. With their arrival the place turns quite lively, not that I mind, especially as the young mother seems to have her children well in hand.


    The older help the younger ones for the better part. Of course they play around a little, they are children after all, but Urszula never has to step in. Thus after washing up herself, she slides into the water across from me before long, flashing me a grin the process.


    ¡°Thinking about having some yourself?¡±


    The question comes out of the blue and leaves me stumped for a moment.


    ¡°Well ¡­ maybe? One of these days? Its not like I''m in a hurry or anything.¡±


    She breaks into laughter at my reply.


    ¡°Take your time. Maybe get some hands on experience with Elzbieta''s little one before you make up your mind. Having a big family certainly isn''t for everyone.¡±


    I nod, as I ponder that suggestion. She certainly has a point. Then my mind stumbles over her second comment.


    ¡°You certainly seem to be flourishing in your role, though.¡±


    She shrugs before she answers.


    ¡°It is like with many things. Everything is a little easier if you have the right combination of skills and divine gifts. But never mind that. Would you mind talking business for a moment though?¡±


    As a matter of fact I don''t mind.


    ¡°Oh? Business? What is on your mind?¡±


    She nods in confirmation, as she helps one of the younger girls climb into the water and onto her lap.


    ¡°Yes, you know Elzbieta asked me if I could be her little one''s wet nurse eventually, when she resumes adventuring? Well, I don''t mind, but her request had me wondering if I''ll have enough milk both for my own child and hers. Thus I started to wonder if you might know an enchantment that might help in that regard.¡±


    Now it is my turn to nod. Her request is quite understandable after all. I can relate with her. Still, it troubles me.


    ¡°I know that there are enchantments like that, but I never inquired about them specifically at the academy. And I''m not quite sure I know all the runes to draft an enchantment like that myself.¡±


    Before my words can truly trouble her, I keep going though.


    ¡°I''ll have a look at grandma''s notes. Those have been incredibly helpful so far. Maybe I can find something in them. And even if not, I could still contact someone at the academy. Acquiring an enchantment like that certainly would be a good long term investment after all. There still is a little time after all, right?¡±


    She laughs out loud and nods, all worries forgotten again already.


    ¡°Yes, yes. There certainly still should be some time. Elzbieta''s child certainly doesn''t seem to be in a hurry. Lets hope it stays that way!¡±


    Now we both laugh out loud. Some of the others who have arrived by now look our way, but no one is actually bothered by the two of us having some fun.


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    Finally I hug her and get out of the water, so I won''t turn into a wrinkled prune.


    Krystina flashes me a smile as she washes up while I dry off.


    ¡°Would you mind dropping by the inn before opening the shop? I think my parents want to talk with you about that iced coffee of yours.¡±


    I brighten up a little. That sounds promising. I nod.


    ¡°Sure. Might as well post some more quests as well while I''m at it. Might drop by the smithy as well.¡±


    Apparently Krystina likes what she hears. She brightens up as well.


    ¡°Good, good. See you later!¡±


    Then she slips into the warm water herself while I leave the bathhouse. On the way back home I pass Agnieszka who is headed in the direction of the bath herself. She stops me briefly.


    ¡°I have the diapers ready. Mind if I swing by your place before noon to deliver them?¡±


    Well, obviously, I don''t mind. I nod.


    ¡°I''ll head down to the inn and drop by the smithy as well first, but any time afterwards would be fine.¡±


    The answer seems to please her.


    ¡°Marvelous! See you later then!¡±


    Although the day has just begun it already feels like a good and productive day. Only the cloudy sky worries me a little. Despite my fears there is no sudden downpour though and I manage to get home without getting wet.


    The first thing I do is to set aside some coin to pay Agnieszka when she drops by later. Then I get some more coin so I can place another quest with Krystina. That is it for now.


    A new sign from Olgierd will cost me as well, but I''m pretty certain that it will have to be paid upon delivery as before with the other orders I placed with him and his wife so far.


    Still the constant trickle of coins leaving my strong chest worries me a little. I really hope the iced coffee deal with Krystina''s parents works out. I could certainly use the money.


    Well, I''ll find out soon enough.


    I drop the coins I retrieved into my purse and head out again, after eyeing the overcast sky for a moment.


    I stop at the smithy first. The sound of metal hitting metal suggests that Olgierd and Nawoja are already quite busy. Just as well. I head inside, greet them with a wave and wait until one of them has time for me. In a smithy the hot iron always comes first after all.


    Finally Olgierd comes over to shake my hand while Nawoja minds the length of iron she put back into the fire.


    ¡°Welcome to our workshop! Do you have another job for us?¡±


    I shake his hand and nod.


    ¡°Yes. Yes, I do! Another sign. A plain, double sided sign I can lean against the counter. Smooth and painted black, or at least as dark, as you can manage. Like one of the blackboards at school. So I can write on it with chalks. And I should be able to clean it with either a wet rag or a sponge.¡±


    He looks a little doubtful at first, but as I mention writing with chalks understanding dawns upon him. Finally he nods and so does his wife.


    ¡°I see. I think we can do that. Double sided you said? So you can write on it on either side? And you want to clean it with a wet rag? So it has to be waterproof. And if it is supposed to be properly black and stay that way we will need several layers of paint, just to make sure. Hmm. Mhm!¡±


    He gets a far away look, probably already pondering the construction of the sign I''m ordering, as I nod along. Finally he gestures with his hands.


    ¡°Something to lean against the counter? Sooo ¡­ about this size?¡±


    I ponder the dimensions he demonstrated and nod in agreement.


    ¡°Sounds good to me. What price do you have in mind?¡±


    He gets that far away look again. Finally he nods to himself, before he answers me.


    ¡°I think we can do it for eleven bronze Crowns. What do you say?¡±


    One of my eyebrows rises a little.


    ¡°That''s more than twice what the carved and painted sign cost me. I know I''m asking you to make something new, but can''t you give me a little discount? How about nine bronze Crowns instead?¡±


    His brows furrow as well, but there is a broad smile gracing his lips.


    ¡°Nine? How about we meet in the middle and say ten instead? Like you said, we are taking a risk with this, as it is unknown territory for us. Otherwise I''d gladly offer you a better deal.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Ten bronze Crowns. Payment upon delivery?¡±


    ¡°Payment upon delivery.¡±


    Finally we shake hands to seal the deal.

 Chapter 74 - One cup at a time

    With the order for my new sign, or rather blackboard, placed with Nawoja and Olgierd I head over to the inn to tackle the next points on my agenda for this day. I wonder if Krystina is already back from the bathhouse, as I cross the village square. It doesn''t really matter though. One way or another, I''ll get things done today.


    Krystina is, in fact, not back yet and her parents are pretty busy serving breakfast as well. It seems I will have to wait. Or rather, I can take this chance to have a morning meal myself for a change. Yes, that is what I will do. A little later I sit with Danuta and her father, enjoying a bowl of sweet porridge. It is simple but filling and there is plenty of honey. There certainly are worse ways to pass some time.


    Breakfast aside, I''m a little curious why Danuta isn''t with the other youngsters today. Before I can ask the witch just shrugs, as she eats her own meal.


    Tamara and Odolan want to take it a little easier for a few days after our dungeon delve. And Szmuel wants to do some local hunting quests while we wait for the guild to get back to us about that bow and some of the other things we brought back.¡±


    It''s a little unsettling, almost as if she is able to read my mind. Although, no, I''m probably just not the first to ask in all likelihood. In the end I just nod before inquiring about her plans.


    And you? Do you have plans as well?¡±


    She eats another spoon of the sweet porridge, before she finally answers.


    I want to get some fairy gossamer cloth for a new midsummer night dress. Something fancy, you know.¡±


    At the mention my thoughts drift to grandma''s special dress in the trunk back home. Fairy gossamer cloth sounds like it might be something like that. It certainly sounds fancy as well, there is no doubt about that.


    So you are going back into the forest with your father to get some? Just the cloth or a complete dress?¡±


    It is the aging barbarian who answers in turn.


    Just the cloth, probably. It is one thing to get raw materials from the fair folk, fancy as those might already be. Some might ask for an arm and a leg in exchange for a dress though. Well, not a real arm or a leg, but you get the idea, yes? They never give anything away for for free, you know?¡±


    I nod as I think about it. He is right. The fair folk has a reputation and for a good reason too. If you aren''t careful you could end up owing them more favors than is in any way reasonable.


    So you get the fabric in the Twilight Forest and have the dress tailored elsewhere? Or is there someone in Clear Brook, who actually works with fancy fairy fabrics like that?¡±


    Danuta laughs out loud at my question.


    Your neighbor, Agnieszka. I doubt there is anything she can''t work with. I mean, most people around here can do some tailoring. Simply things they wear everyday. But Agnieszka, well, she is the one everybody in Clear Brook turns to if they need something special. Sometimes even people from the other nearby villages drop by to see her.¡±


    My mouth stands open, at least for a moment until I manage to regain some of my composure, at this revelation. Still, I blush a little. She is that good? And she hasn''t charged me any more for the things I ordered from her? On one hand I''m glad. On the other I feel a little bad now. I''ll have to find a way to repay her eventually!


    The old barbarian seems to have noticed my plight. He waves my worries away and flashes me a smile.


    Don''t worry about it. I''m sure you''ll eventually have a chance to repay her in kind. That is just how things are in the villages out here on the frontier. People look out for each other.¡±


    He is right. Worrying won''t benefit anyone. I just have to keep an open mind and be ready to help in turn when something comes up. Thus I can only nod as I finish my meal.


    It is then that Krystina returns to the inn. She heads directly to the counter next to the quest board, to take care of guild business.


    The adventurers enjoying their own morning meals don''t seem to be in a hurry. At least not yet. I decided to take advantage of that lull, before any can change their mind.


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    I part with Danuta and Bogomil, and head over to greet Krystina at the guild counter, while her mother collects my empty bowl.


    Morning again! Ready for business?¡±


    She smiles and nods.


    You have another quest for me, I take it?¡±


    Yes, yes. I would like to post the extended enchanting dust quest again, if you don''t mind.¡±


    Of course she doesn''t mind. She gets a new quest form out from below the counter and gets started filling it out. Once she is done she places it in front of me, so I can double check the details.


    That is exactly what I do. As I find no fault I produce the coin for the reward and the guild fee from my purse, counting the three bronze Crowns onto the counter from where Krystina collects them.


    Once she has entered the transaction into her ledger and put up the quest on the board I make room for the next customer.


    It seems the first ones to drop by in the early morning are other locals who have various requests they want to see taken care of by adventurers. Most seem trivial, just like that mana milling quest of mine, a few hint at things going in or around the village as well though.


    I listen in a little, just out of curiosity, before I head over to the inn''s counter where Krystina''s father is still busy handing out bowls with sweet breakfast porridge.


    The most exciting news I hear are about some raccoons that seem to be causing trouble with the farmers living nearest to the creek. Apparently chicken coops are not necessarily raccoon proof. Not too surprising, really. Still, Szmuel might just get his wish to do some hunting. Or maybe Elzbieta will take care of this issue? I guess I''ll see.


    Some dry walls separating fields and pastures apparently need fixing as well. I''m not sure who would be best suited for a task like that though. Well, it probably isn''t too complex a task, otherwise the farmers would look for an expert after all instead of adventurers.


    Krystina''s father greets me with a cheerful wave.


    Want a second helping?¡±


    He nods indicating the fresh bowl of porridge he just put into the still sleepy Elzbieta''s hands for emphasis.


    For a moment I''m tempted, but as I exchange hugs with Elzbieta, before she heads off to sit with her comrades, I shake my head.


    Thank you, but no thank you. Krystina mentioned that you would like to talk about the iced coffee idea.¡±


    Oh yes! Maryla, dear, do you have a moment?¡±


    His wife passes us by with some more dirty dishes, as she heads to the kitchen.


    Give me a moment. I''ll be with you right away.¡±


    True to her word, she is back a moment later, minus the dirty dishes, wiping her hands with a dish towel.


    The iced coffee thing? Right?¡±


    I nod and so does her husband. She speaks up again after joining her husband behind the counter, turning to face me, as she receives our confirmation.


    Good! We talked about it and we came to the conclusion that we would like to give it a try.¡±


    Would you rent out that icebox to us for the summer? Say, for a quarter of the purchase price with another quarter as a deposit we would get if we return it in working condition?¡±


    I think about it for a moment. The bucket shaped ice box cost me a silver Crown. A quarter would be three bronze Crowns. The deposit doesn''t sound unreasonable either. It really should last more than a few years in theory, unless something unfortunate were to happen. In the long run I should be able to get a decent return on this investment. At least in theory. In the end I nod.


    Just make sure you always keep the interior coated in a thin layer of clear ice, so you don''t scrape the wood, and getting back the deposit shouldn''t be an issue.¡±


    The two nod in unison. Then Maryla speaks up once more.


    In addition we would pay you a bronze Crown for each serving of shaved, iced coffee we serve. To be paid out on midwinter, just before we do our taxes. Does that sound good to you?¡±


    Actually, that sounds pretty good. Sure, it might not sound like much at first, but if people take a liking to this iced coffee treat, this could quickly add up to a small fortune. Of course it would be a while before I would see the coin. In the end I nod one more.


    Sounds good. Do you need me to roast the beans for you? Or do you want to take care of that yourself?¡±


    This time it is Maryla''s husband who answers.


    It probably would be best if you were to teach me how to do it. In the long run we probably will be able to get better prices on the raw beans since we might be able to buy them in bulk.¡±


    That too sounds reasonable enough. In a way I''m quite glad that I won''t spend hours roasting and grinding beans for someone else. I probably would end up outsourcing the task to adventurers anyway.


    Before I can answer Maryla pipes up once more though.


    Should we put this in writing? It is a little more long term than deals we usually seal with a handshake after all. And if everything works out, it might involve a lot more money as well.¡±

 Chapter 75 - Miracle cure

    Of course Maryla is correct. It is best to put this contract in writing. If it works out as she seems to hope it will provide us security. If not, it is a rather negligible expense that won''t hurt either of us. Thus I don''t disagree when she calls elder Jaromir over.


    The old man listens to us as we repeat what we have come up with so far, stroking his beard in the process. Finally he nods.


    ¡°I''ll put it into writing. I should have it ready sometime tomorrow. I wish I could get it done sooner, but a good contract deserves to be well written and it should look that way as well. I hope you don''t mind.¡±


    He turns to face me before he continues.


    ¡°The fee for a written business contract like this is four copper Crowns, to be paid in equal parts by both parties. Is that alright with you?¡±


    Maryla and her husband nod and so do I, which earns us a beaming smile from the elder.


    ¡°Very well! Marvelous even! I''ll let you know when I''m done so you can all put your seals under the contract.¡±


    Finally we all shake hands and the elder gets himself another bowl of sweet porridge.


    As the inn keepers get back to their work, I in turn leave to head back home. I''m quite glad that this deal is pretty much wrapped up. I''m pretty sure the contract the elder will write up will be satisfactory to both them and me after all. It feels, in a way, as if a great burden is lifted off my shoulders


    .


    Sour Cream is still curled up on my bed as I return. I decide not to bother her. Instead I open up the shop. That isn''t all though. To celebrate the day I make myself a nice cup of coffee as well. I still have plenty of coffee beans after all. Fresh, hot, black and strong with a little sugar. What a way to start the day!


    I won''t say that all is well, but it sure is shaping up to be a good day! There is no doubt about that. Not in my eyes at least.


    I note the coin I spent on the new quest into the ledger, while I''m not busy. Then, while enjoying my brew in small sips, I let my mind wander a little, as I wait for any customers that might drop by.


    Should I brew some more potions today? Well, maybe. It depends on how much I sell this morning. I don''t want anything to go bad on the shelves after all. If I don''t have to brew new healing, mana or stamina potions I might experiment a little. I''m still intrigued by that glowing paint the feral pixies apparently extracted from the night candles. Or I could work on the enchantment for the cloth diapers. That should neither be too hard nor take too long after all. Maybe I can even do both?


    In the end the decision is made for me when Agnieszka arrives. She stops in the door, knocking on the frame to catch my attention. Of course. She mentioned that she would drop by after all and she has the promised package with her. Apparently she doesn''t intend to stay though, as she doesn''t come in.


    I quickly grab the coin I readied and head around the counter to meet her at the front door.


    ¡°Are you in a hurry?¡±


    She smiles apologetically and nods.


    ¡°A little. Sorry about that. Anyway, here are the cloth diapers. Nothing fancy, but then, diapers usually don''t need to be.¡±


    Well, I can only hope that she is busy in a good way. Plenty of business can mean plenty of coin to spend as well after all.


    I decide not to keep her for too long. Thus I end up counting the coin for the agreed upon price into her open hand right away. I can''t help but chuckle at her last comment though.


    ¡°They don''t need to be fancy, but I intend to add a fancy little enchantment to them anyway. I just hope it works out.¡±


    She chuckles as she hands me the three neatly folded cloth diapers in turn.


    ¡°That sounds like something your grandmother would have done. Let me know how it works out! Now I have to head down to the inn though. Krystina mentioned that her parents want to talk business.¡±


    Oh! It seems the two are quite serious about making the coffee deal work! I nod and see her off with a wave after shaking hands to finalize our own business.


    ¡°Best of luck with that!¡±


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    Then I head back inside. I take the diapers to the back, where I deposit them in the trunk by the bed for now. I still need to customize the enchantment after all. At least I now know what I''ll be working on first though.


    A little later Danuta and her father drop by the shop. Both are already all geared up for their next trip into the Twilight Forest. The only thing they still need are some potions, just in case.


    They don''t head into the forest looking for a fight, but one can never tell which monsters might cross one''s path by chance after all. Thus it is better to be safe rather than sorry. They get a few healing potions as well as the last of the more powerful mana potions.


    Hoping that they won''t actually need them I see them off with a cheerful wave and a smile, before noting the sale into the ledger. Just as I drop the coins into the strongbox the next familiar adventurer shows up.


    It is, as I pretty much expected, Elzbieta. By now she is actually properly awake and of course she is waving the quest papers for the mana milling quest I posted just earlier today.


    ¡°Can I do the milling indoors again? I think we might be having some more rain soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    I look out the window. It is, of course, still overcast, but I wouldn''t be able to say if rain is imminent or not. In the end I just shrug.


    ¡°Sure. Make yourself comfortable. I don''t have a fire going today though.¡±


    She flashes me a beaming smile in return.


    ¡°That''s quite alright. I just want to make sure the rain doesn''t catch me by surprise.¡±


    Before she even finished talking, she drops herself on the chair she used yesterday and lets out a long, big sigh.


    I in turn grab the mill and hand it to her, once she makes herself properly comfortable, or at least as comfortable as she can get.


    As she starts working the mill she starts humming a familiar melody as well.


    I frown a little.


    ¡°Oh, not actually singing today?¡±


    She winces and shakes her head without pausing though.


    ¡°My throat is a little sore today. Might have caught a bit of a cold yesterday.¡±


    Well, that doesn''t sound good. I really shouldn''t be surprised though, considering how the rain came down yesterday. The words of Bogomil from earlier this morning come to mind at this moment.


    ¡°I''ll make us some tea.¡±


    The adventurer smiles apologetically.


    ¡°I''m sorry to be such a bother ¡­¡±


    Before she can go on I shake my head and roll my eyes.


    ¡°Don''t be. Besides, making some tea is hardly a bother at all anyway. I mean, what kind of alchemist would I be, if I couldn''t whip up a soothing cup of herbal tea for a sore throat.¡±


    Without any further delay I get some wood and start a fire with my enchanted staff. I put one of the smaller cauldrons over it and get some water from the creek. Although it is one of the smaller cauldrons I expect that it will be enough for more than one cup of tea for both of us for sure. Just as well, as far as I''m concerned.


    The next step takes a little more effort and concentration. I can''t just grab any herbs after all. Especially as I don''t want to stop at making just a cup of plain herbal tea. I''m a proper alchemist after all, thus I might as well make some proper cure disease potion while I''m at it.


    I don''t have any of the more exotic ingredients, like vampire dust, with the right properties though. I have to make do with some more down to earth things, but that shouldn''t be a problem.


    I take a deep breath as I look over the things I have in stock and come to a daring decision. I''ll make a potion that combines two effects. Something that both cures minor diseases and recovers some stamina. Exhaustion is a common side effect of many diseases, both serious and minor, after all.


    The first ingredient I grab is dried King''s Candle, a flower that looks quite similar to Night Candle, except for the color. King''s Candle blossoms are nice, deep red. I grind them up in a mortar.


    Then I have to get a little creative. I need another ingredient with matching properties. An onion will do just fine! As I slice and dice it, Elzbieta''s eyes widen.


    ¡°You are making a tea, right? Right?¡±


    I giggle.


    ¡°What is a tea but a simple potion! Don''t worry though, I think you''ll like this one!¡±


    She starts sweating a little, but doesn''t offer any protest.


    The crushed flower and the sliced and diced onions go into the hot water. I have to admit the aroma reminds me more of soup than tea, but never mind that!


    I let these ingredients simmer a little. In the meantime I crush some sugar. Well, alright, I crush quite a bit of sugar. Some alchemists argue that medicine shouldn''t taste sweet or good for that matter. I don''t really agree with that nonsense though. Especially when the sugar is one of the essential ingredients!


    The sugar isn''t the only thing I crush though. A little cinnamon receives the same treatment.


    In the end both the sugar and the cinnamon get added to the broth under constant stirring. I let the mixture simmer a little longer before I take it off the fire.


    I pour some of it into a cup, quite satisfied with smell, color and consistency. I check with my appraisal skill just in case anyway.


    [Lesser Recovery Potion, Quality: Uncommon, A healing potion that will cure minor diseases, like colds. The potion will restore the user''s stamina as well, making for a speedy recovery. Still good to use for another 28 days.]


    Yes! As intended. I hand the cup to Elzbieta, before I start filling the rest of the broth into potion bottles.


    ¡°There you go. If your throat doesn''t get better after that you better visit the temple and ask for a miracle.¡±

 Chapter 76 - Not so bitter medicine

    Elzbieta eyes the cup for a moment, before she takes the first tentative sip. She grimaces a little, but takes another sip soon after anyway and, as she empties the cup, one small sip at a time, her face brightens considerably.


    I simply continue filling the rest of the broth into potion bottles, corking and sealing them as well. Once I''m done with that I put the poker into the still burning fire and get some fresh price tags. I''ll need some more of those as well some time soon.


    As I ponder what I should charge for these little miracle cures Elzbieta speaks up again.


    ¡°Just a cup of tea, huh?¡±


    She already sounds much better and I feel a little proud as a result.


    ¡°Well, it is a hot brew served in a cup. So, yes, its a tea.¡±


    ¡°Uhu. And if you had served it in a bowl you could have called it soup?¡±


    I know that it is just supposed to be silly banter between friends, but the comment gives me pause anyway.


    ¡°Hm, maybe? I could have used chicken broth instead of plain water. Then it would be soup for sure. It would be more potent as well. Something to keep in mind for the future!¡±


    Despite obviously feeling better Elzbieta still looks a little troubled. The look on her face becomes almost comical when I use the hot poker to scorch the potions'' price onto the price tags.


    ¡°Two silver Crowns? Valeria, I cant afford that kind of medicine. Not just like that. Not for something like a little cold!¡±


    I roll my eyes as I reply while tying the tags to the potion bottles.


    ¡°Did I tie a price tag to you cup? No? See, its free! And besides, while I would usually agree with you that people should just toughen it out when they have a little cold, you really shouldn''t. Not right now at least.¡±


    That calms her down, at least a little. She still eyes the medicine bottles.


    ¡°So this cures diseases? But isn''t two silver Crowns a little much just so you don''t have to suffer a few days of misery and indignity, while you harbor a cold?¡±


    I shrug, but the question doesn''t exactly come unexpected.


    ¡°These potions wont just cure common colds. They can cure just about any minor ailment. They come in especially handy if you have a bad tooth. Its almost impossible to treat those with any other means, except for outright pulling them. The potions won''t actually fix the tooth itself, but it will take care of any inflammation and bleeding.¡±


    I wince at the mention of pulling teeth and so does Elzbieta. Just the thought alone is bad enough after all.


    Elzbieta resumes work with the mana mill, as I take the new potions into the shop, so I can put them on a shelf. By the time I return she is actually singing again instead of just humming. Yes, she does really sound much better!


    I in turn decide to continue my little explanation.


    ¡°These potions can even save you a lot of trouble if you drink them early enough, when you contract a more serious illness. Something like the Blue Cough for example. Drink one of those while you still think that it is just a common cold and you won''t ever have to find out that it in fact isn''t just a little cold.¡±


    She pauses in mid song, without pausing her work, looking at me with wide eyes.


    ¡°That actually works? You can treat serious illness with a lesser potion like that?¡±


    ¡°Well, it works for some diseases and ailments. Especially ones that take a while to fully break out. Drink a lesser potion while you only feel the first minor symptoms and you can avoid worse. Of course there are diseases that don''t give you warning or time like that. Diseases like the Black Death or any other really where you can be fine one moment and near death an hour later.¡±


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    I snort as I recall an anecdote from my time at the academy, from not too long ago.


    ¡°There are wealthy merchants in the cities, especially the port cities like Barter Town, who are in the habit of drinking a potion like that every evening before they go to bed, just in case.¡±


    Now Elzbieta actually pauses her work to stare at me.


    ¡°Just in case? Every day?¡±


    I shrug, as I grab my design board, so I can get started on customizing the self cleaning enchantment for the cloth diapers.


    ¡°Like I said, they are rich merchants. They can afford a quirk like that. And the academy certainly appreciated their patronage.¡±


    She looks like she still isn''t quite believing it, but resumes her work anyway, with a shake of her head.


    ¡°Must be nice to be rich like that.¡±


    I can only snort at that comment.


    ¡°It''s not about having money, Elzbieta. It''s all about what you do with it. Money won''t do you any good just lying around or stuffed under a mattress. And while they might be overly cautious, there is good reason for them to take some precautions.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Those rich traders are often the first to deal with ships fresh into the harbor, from all across the world. And those ships can carry diseases from all across the world as well.¡±


    That leaves her speechless for a moment. In the end I speak up again, to ease her mind a little.


    ¡°Don''t worry about it. Those are the concerns of the rich and powerful. And anyway, that cup of Valeria''s miracle cure was provided free of charge.¡±


    ¡°Valeria''s miracle ¡­¡±


    Before she can finish the sentence I quickly interrupt her once more.


    ¡°For the love of all the gods and goddesses. Please don''t call it that!¡±


    ¡°Oh? Going to save the name for something more impressive?¡±


    I nod vigorously. At the same time I flash her a silly grin.


    ¡°Of course! If I use chicken broth instead of water and add a little thousand year old ginseng on top of everything else, I''m sure I could brew up something that will even cure death itself!¡±


    She makes a face and sticks out her tongue, as she resumes her work with the mana mill.


    ¡°You can test that one on someone else then. If there is a thousand year old anything in it, I won''t drink it!¡±


    I snort and giggle.


    ¡°Right. Ingredients that have been gathering dust for a thousand years tend to have a very special taste. Wouldn''t really recommend using anything like that. Some ginseng in general would make the potion more potent though. Some ginger might work as well.¡±


    She nods and resumes singing.


    I in turn get started on actually drafting up the enchantment for the diapers, although I have to admit that the playful rhymes of her bawdy song are a little distracting. Well, I don''t mind. And I''m not in a hurry anyway.


    The enchantment is not terribly complex. Not in general at least. I''m trying to optimize it though by custom tailoring it to cloth diapers instead of cloth or clothing in general. That way it should work better and faster.


    Even with two spares the diapers really probably shouldn''t take too long to clean themselves, just in case. I don''t have any first hand experience, obviously, but I have heard stories.


    After a while we take a break and have lunch at the inn. We work together, or at least alongside each other, and we eat together.


    In a way this routine reminds me of my time at the academy. Even just half a year ago I couldn''t have imagined that I would ever miss this state of things. Working alone in your own workshop really isn''t the same as working in one of the laboratories at the academy with plenty of other students and the teachers around.


    We have to extend our lunch break a little, as a sudden downpour forces us to stay at the inn a little longer. Well, we could have run back to the shop, but neither me nor Elzbieta see any reason to get drenched. Instead we have another cup of sweet mead.


    Once the rain is done and we get back to the shop we resume our work and by the time Elzbieta is done with the mill I''m just about ready to give the enchantment a try as well.


    I stamp her quest papers and see her off with a hug. Then I close up the shop for the night.


    After taking a deep breath I get one of the diapers and a piece of enchanter''s chalk.


    I have checked and double checked the enchantment. I''m pretty sure that everything is as it should be and yet I still feel a little nervous. I feel nervous although this really isn''t the most challenging enchantment I have ever made in any way. Not by a long shot.


    No this is far worse. This is something personal! This will be a present for my as of yet unborn godchild. I couldn''t afford to mess this up! I have to give this my all!


    I take another deep breath, place the neatly folded diaper at the center of the enchanting table and grab the chalk. Time to get started!

 Chapter 77 - Another night shift

    One after the other I place the runes of the enchantment in a neat glowing circle around the diaper I''m looking to enchant. Forgotten are my fluttering nerves. All that counts now, is to complete this circle, thus that is what I do.


    At long last I finish the last rune and, as expected the circle of the enchantment gets drawn into the folded diaper resting at its center. Nothing has gone wrong. All is as is intended. At least as far as I can tell at a glance.


    So far, so good.


    Time to check with my appraisal skill! I close my eyes for a moment to center myself, then, as I open them again, I focus on the enchanted diaper.


    [Self cleaning Diaper, Quality: Uncommon, A cloth diaper made from soft cloth. It is enchanted to perpetually clean itself. Even the worst of stains will disappear over the course of an hour.]


    Not bad. Not bad at all! It might just be a simple utility enchantment, but I feel that I put it to real good use in this case.


    There is just one thing worrying me a little. While the diaper will magically clean itself, it might still suffer wear and tear, as all clothes eventually do. It simply is the nature of such things. Well, it is the nature of just about all things, but cloth suffers wear and tear much faster than steel plates for example.


    With some effort I drive that thought from my mind. I need to focus on enchanting the other two diapers first. Anything else I can worry about afterwards.


    I fold the diaper back up, enjoying the feel of the fabric in the process. This feels nice. Really nice. Is this really just some leftover cloth? I shake my head and drive away this thought as well. First things first!


    Before I get started on the next enchantment I put a little more wood into the fire. The fireplace might not provide the best light, but I don''t want to light a second candle right now. Besides, the fireplace provides some warmth in addition to a light and it is getting a little chilly.


    Then I get back to work. I put away the enchanted piece of cloth and get the next one to repeat the process. Once again I take a deep breath and once again I take my time to properly draw the circle of runes around the target of the enchantment.


    As before the enchantment takes hold without issue. I don''t check it in detail right away though. Instead I get the last diaper, while I''m at it, to enchant it right away as well.


    Only once I''m done with that one as well, do I take a moment to study the two new enchanted, soft cloth diapers with my appraisal skill. To my great relief the results match the first one.


    There are no surprises and, more importantly, no problems. Very good. Very, very good indeed!


    Now I can relax at long last. Or rather, I could relax, if there weren''t that thought about wear and tear nagging at the back of my mind. I just can''t shake it. Not for long anyway. There is no helping it.


    With a sigh I put the newly enchanted diapers away and head out back, to catch some fresh air in the garden.


    What can I do about the wear and tear problem?


    Well, it already should be less of an issue, as the diapers don''t need washing, which would be responsible for most of the wear. Most, but not all. Some of it is due to being worn after all. There is no helping that either. It simply is how things are.


    What else can I do?


    The only thing that comes to mind is a second enchantment. A self repair enchantment similar in effect to the basic mending spell young Odolan seems to know.


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    I know the runes to make that enchantment work. In theory at last. I can''t say that I have a lot of experience with it though. The teachers at the academy discouraged its use after all. Supposedly because craftsmen are not very fond of things that don''t break.


    It''s easy enough to understand. The carpenter can''t sell you new furniture after all, if the old one never breaks, and so on and so forth.


    Still, I think it is a waste. Why would I want to buy the same things, not counting consumables like food, over and over again instead of spending my coin on new things? Maybe I just fail to understand the argument though, since I make my living selling consumables?


    Ah, never mind. I''ll place that second enchantment on these diapers! They are supposed to be something special after all. And I won''t let anyone dissuade me!


    Good. I have the resolve. Now I just need make sure I have the necessary tools as well. Otherwise no amount of resolve will do me any good. Double enchantments, and even more so triple enchantments, are rare for good reason after all.


    I''ll need better chalks. A better enchanting table as well, probably. Or I could try to acquire a divine gift that helps in that regard. I doubt the latter is an option though. Not considering that I don''t have all the time in the world for this particular enchantment.


    After all it could take quite some time to earn the necessary karma. Even worse, the only way I can be sure to earn the right kind of karma is by pushing the boundaries with my enchantments. In the long run I should aim for this goal. Right now though, it is out of reach.


    That leaves the better chalks and the better table as options. A better table is costly at best, as it will need to be fashioned from rare components. Something like a dryad''s heartwood or a dragon''s scale. Maybe a slab of finely polished rock from an elder elemental. This too is out of the question right now.


    Still, it seems grandma was able to fashion at least one double enchantment with the tools available to her here. Thus it is not impossible.


    This leaves the last option. Better chalks. Ones I''ll have to make myself. Ones I can make myself! Too bad that all recipes for better enchanter''s chalks are well kept secrets, which, for some reason, experienced enchanters are loathe to share.


    I roll my eyes at the thought. I''ll figure something out anyway! For sure!


    One thing of which I''m certain is, that better chalks don''t actually use chalk in their recipes at all. I''ll have to replace it with something else. What though?


    I lean back on the bench and look up at the sky. There are no stars to be seen today though, as it still is overcast. With a sigh I slip off my sandals and bury my toes in a patch of moss instead, as I close my eyes to recall if I have ever seen more extravagant chalks.


    And sure I have. Some of the teachers at the academy have egos after all. Egos that need to be stroked! Now what might they have used in their chalks instead of actual chalk?


    Marble maybe? Possible, but marble probably wouldn''t be all that much better than plain chalk. No, it has to be something else.


    How about alabaster? In truth it isn''t exactly an uncommon mineral either. It has interesting alchemical properties though. Finely crushed pearl might work as well for similar reasons.


    Lapis lazuli might be an option as well. The resulting chalks would be blue though. And of course getting some might prove to be tricky.


    I nod to myself. Short of using actual crushed precious stones, more precious than lapis lazuli anyway, which I can''t really afford, these probably are my best options.


    A mix of the three might be an option as well. Maybe lapis lazuli for the color and pearl for that special sheen? I could give it a try. It would be a pretty expensive experiment though.


    And while crushed pearl and lapis lazuli probably make for impressive looking chalks that in all likelihood isn''t all there is to making more potent enchanter''s chalks. No, if that was all, everyone and their grandmother would have them.


    I snort at that thought, as my grandmother probably actually did. I shake my head to keep the silly thought from distracting me any further.


    No, that can''t be all. I have to improve the rest of the mixture as well.


    The wax has to be beeswax. I don''t know anything better.


    I can replace the oil though. I nod to myself. I should try to extract some oil from Night Candles. Maybe it will even glow in the dark. That certainly would look impressive! And Night Candles most certainly would be suitable! They are used as ingredients for mana potions as well after all.


    I sigh and look up at the overcast night sky again. Time for another little field trip in the dark of night! Hopefully people aren''t getting strange ideas due to my nocturnal activities!


    There is that scary story about that wannabe vampire hunter staking innocent people for silly reasons like that after all. It is just a scary story, right? Ah, maybe I don''t really want to know.


    I giggle to myself, while I shudder at the same time, as I head down to the creek to splash my face with some cold water.


    Brrr! Cold!


    Now I''m wide awake for sure. I head back to the house, slip into my sandals once again, and get ready for this nightly trip.


    I get my staff, a sickle and a basket. For a moment I contemplate taking the lantern as well, as it is really dark tonight. Much more so than on my previous trips. In the end I decide against it though. By now I''m somewhat familiar with the lay of the land after all. I should be fine. And it is easier to spot the glowing blossoms when your eyes are used to the dark.


    Properly geared up I close the door and head out into the night, hopefully for a bountiful harvest. Who needs sleep anyway!

 Chapter 78 - things that go bump in the night

    I follow the path I''m most familiar with to reach the spots where the Night Candles should be growing most abundant. It takes me a little while to get there, as I''m moving more slowly than an my previous trips. In all likelihood, I''ll be out here a little longer tonight, but I don''t mind. Not right now at least. I might end up regretting my lack of sleep later tomorrow though.


    Never mind! I''ll worry about the worries and regrets of another day on another day! Right now I need to focus on every single step anyway. Only when the moon peeks out from the clouds every once in a while do I speed up a little, to make the best use of what little light it provides.


    Eventually I reach the meadows that are my destination and I start harvesting the faintly glowing flowers. As before I take care not to over harvest in any one spot, although I probably don''t have to worry. If anything they are growing even more abundant now than on my previous trips.


    I gather more this time around as well, as I don''t intend to dry them. No, this time I will try to extract an oil, and possibly the glowing substance from the flowers. I need more for that. Thus I pack the basket tightly until it is almost overflowing with the harvested, faintly glowing flowers.


    Absorbed in the task as I am, I almost miss the changes on the meadows and the nearby groves. In my defense, they are pretty subtle, at least at first.


    The grass gets a little greener and the glow of the Night Candles a little brighter. The smell of the meadow changes subtly as well. It is, as if it suddenly became somehow more alive. Well, at least that is the best description I can come up with then and there.


    That isn''t all though. No, not by far.


    My breath catches, as I look around in alarm and my gaze lands upon the burned down glade where the corrupted pixies made their home not too long ago.


    There is a figure, a young man, walking through the sad remains of the glade. Tall and beautiful. Glorious and captivating. It isn''t just a young man though, of that I''m certain, despite my eyes'' and brain''s attempts to convince me otherwise.


    His skin is just too smooth. His chiseled muscles are too perfect. The smile on his lips is simply too inviting!


    And all the while a little voice at the back of my mind whispers sweet soothing nothings in an attempt to make me ignore the things that don''t match the image of a perfectly harmless young man, as I would expect it.


    The faint glow of the skin, not entirely like the flowers I''m collecting. The fact that he is too tall to be human although he seems to look human.


    And of course there are the glorious antlers sprouting from his head. Antlers that I can only see out of the corner of my eyes when I don''t look directly at him. Antlers that are branching out more and more, again and again, when I try to follow their curves, without ever reaching a tip.


    It is a fractal pattern, I realize as I recall a lesson from one of the teachers at the academy. Except, unlike the ferns she used as an example, there truly seems to be no end to the ever branching antlers of this figure.


    What is possibly worse is, that the young man seems to have taken notice of me as well.


    Fresh grass and even new trees seem to be sprouting, impossibly fast, wherever his feet touch the ashes of the burnt ground.


    My feet give out under me and I drop down into the grass.


    Fey! And not just any fey either. This one is not a pixie or even just a dryad or something like that. No, this is one of the fair folk. This one is fairy nobility of sorts.


    I screw my eyes shut tight, as they can''t quite show me what is real right now anyway. As I do, the insistent little voice at the back of my mind quietens a little as well and the sudden headache that has started to build abates as well.


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    ¡°Most curious.¡±


    His voice is like the rest of him. Full, both throaty and sweet at the same time and overall impossible. Yet, I have no trouble hearing, and more importantly understanding him, as reality bends to his will.


    ¡°You are not Iwona. Yet you are blood of her blood.¡±


    ¡°You ¡­ you knew my grandmother?¡±


    It takes just about all the strength I can muster to ask even just this one question.


    For a moment there is silence. Then the fey prince speaks again.


    ¡°Yes. Yes, I knew her. I knew her better than most mortals. We would dance every once in a while during the midsummer night. She was fun. It is too bad that she is beyond spring''s reach now.¡±


    My breath catches in my throat. Try as I might I can''t utter another word. It takes tremendous effort just to steady my breathing.


    After a moment the fey speaks up again.


    ¡°There were pixies living here. Do you know what happened to them? This used to be a place full of life. Now it is ashes and all I can feel are echoes of hunger, anger and pain.¡±


    It takes tremendous effort to form the words, but it is like I''m under a compulsion to answer the question posed to me.


    ¡°Corruption. They began to hunger for flesh and blood.¡±


    By now there are tears in my eyes, and although I keep my eyes shut tightly, I don''t even try to hold back the tears.


    Maybe I''m not the only one crying either. I feel a warm drop of something land upon my skin, but I don''t dare look.


    Finally he speaks up again.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The words are free of judgment but not entirely free of pain.


    ¡°Others will take their place. Eventually.¡±


    He pulls me back onto my feet and twirls me around once. From one moment to the other he seems to have all but forgotten about the pixies and their sad fate.


    ¡°Maybe I can dance with you like I used to dance with Iwona. Shall we find out? Shall we meet to dance during the midsummer night?¡±


    My breath catches in my throat. What am I supposed to say? Can I accept an invitation like that? Should I for that matter? Is it even possible to safely turn an invitation like that down? I''m not quite sure.


    Supposedly the fey, especially the powerful ones, do not take well to being told no. And given the very nature of this unexpected visitor I might even get drawn into fey politics. I''m not quite sure I''m up to an adventure like that. On the other hand, if I agree to a dance I might be able to avoid worse. I''m really torn about this.


    Finally I manage to find my voice again.


    ¡°Are you sure? It is the midsummer night, not the spring equinox. The summer queen might take exception.¡±


    He laughs a laugh that sounds like a hundred delicate silver bells.


    ¡°Never mind the summer queen. Just let me worry about her instead. Now what do you say? Will you accept my last dance for this year?¡±


    Oh, damn! Not just any dance, but his last dance for this year. Meaning, that once we danced this dance it would be summer for good. And if I don''t agree, we might end up having a year without a proper summer. My mind is a whirl. Gods and goddesses! Why would he want to dance that dance with me?


    Despite the heavy burden, I try not to let it discourage me. Finally I nod.


    ¡°Fine. The last dance during the midsummer night. Just that one though!¡±


    He clasps my hands tightly within his own.


    [You have agreed to a dance during the midsummer night festivities! You have made a deal with the Fey! This is considered a binding vow! The Spring Prince is your witness and gifts you 4 points for the Wheel of Fortune Arcana and 3 points for the Fool Arcana as a reward.]


    ¡°Very well! We have an agreement! I look forward to it!¡±


    And with these words his presence fades. The regrown glade where only ash was just a little while ago remains though. There are no full grown trees or the like, but saplings that would have otherwise taken a year, or maybe two, to grow this tall.


    And of course the divine whisper is still echoing around my mind. Seven points of karma in one go? That is downright unheard of. Outside of epics and fairy tales at least. Although, the reward is spread out across two Arcana. Despite that it still is quite grand.


    It is the other implications that worry me more though.


    My knees give out again. I don''t even make an attempt to catch myself. Instead I just lie there in the grass for a little while. Oh, gods and goddesses! What have I gotten myself into?


    I lie still for a little longer, staring up into the cloudy night sky, but there is no answer. Of course there is no answer. I have gotten myself into trouble. Now I have to get out of it myself as well. Maybe I''ll be rewarded with another divine whisper if I manage to do it though. That is well within the realm of the possible. The thought is tempting, but I really shouldn''t count my chicken before they are hatched.


    Eventually I get back onto my feet, shaky as they might still be. I grab the full basket and head back home, still in a daze. I probably have to make preparations. You can''t just go to a dance just like that after all. Right?

 Chapter 79 - In a daze

    It is, of course, still dark when I return home. In all likelihood it will still be a few hours before the sun comes up, but I can''t even think about sleeping. I try anyway, but I only end up turning from one side to the other, thus I get back up. Since I won''t be able to get any sleep I might as well get some work done. Maybe it will even distract me enough to regain at least a semblance of calm.


    Before long I''m back on my feet, preparing the still out in the backyard. I clean it thoroughly before I assemble it and turn some wood into kindling as well. Both takes some time and the rather monotonous tasks actually help me calm down a little, with emphasis on a little. My hands are still shaking as I cut up some of the flowers I harvested earlier.


    Most teachers would advise against working with any sharp and or pointy tools in such a state of mind. I decide to ignore all lessons we received in that regard though.


    If anything I''m getting a little more excited again, as the smell of fresh cut greenery enters my nose. These night candles certainly are aromatic! Even if my initial plan doesn''t work out, I might still be able to use them, or rather the oil I intend to extract, for a perfume. Or maybe a nicely scented soap? Soap! Definitely soap! Around here the market for soap is a lot bigger than the one for perfume as far as I can tell.


    Well, that is good fallback plan. First I need to focus on my actual goal though. I want to extract the glowing pigment and not just the aromatic oil. Hopefully this will work out.


    I cut up part of the harvest and fill it into the still together with some water. Then I light the fire. Now I have to wait. There is no hurrying up this process.


    In the end it is the bubbling, hissing and dripping of the still together with the aromatic smell that calms my nerves enough for me to actually fall asleep while I sit on the bench out back.


    On one hand that is good, as it means that I get some sleep after all. On the other hand it means that my neck is terribly stiff when I wake again, as Sour Cream kneads my lap, while purring up a storm, to get my attention.


    I scratch her behind the ears.


    ¡°Sorry, dear. Is it already time for your treat?¡±


    It certainly is. The sun is already creeping above the horizon.


    After stretching a little, which is not enough to actually help with my stiff neck, I head inside with Sour Cream to pour her some of her treat. Then I return to the still to check on the results.


    I certainly extracted the flowers aromatic oils as intended. There is no doubt about that. I have a little trouble checking the property I''m looking for though, as it is already getting a little too bright outside. Thus I take the brass bottle with the oil back inside, much to Sour Creams displeasure. She really isn''t fond of strong smelling concoctions like this one.


    I have to do it though. In here it still is dark enough to see the slight glow of the oil.


    Marvelous! Except, it already seems to be fading, little by little. I have to stabilize it somehow.


    I could add some dwarven stone oil, except that stuff is thick and black and probably would eliminate the glow completely. Instead I grab some of my leftover ectoplasm. After pouring some of it into the bottle with the oil, I cork it back up and shake it vigorously.


    By the time I stop, my arm actually hurts a little and my back is flaring up again as well. Sleeping outside, sitting on the wooden bench really wasn''t the smart thing to do. Especially considering the current weather.


    Maybe a nice, warm soak at the bathhouse will help? I''ll give it a try later. First I need to check on the concoction I produced though.


    I take a deep breath and uncork the bottle once more. As I try to pour out some of its contents I realize that their consistence has changed considerably.


    The oil is a lot more viscous now and it has become somewhat milky and cloudy as well. Maybe I shook it too hard or too much? No, never mind. It is quite alright. All that matters right now is, that it glows nicely and it doesn''t seem to dim either.


    It seems, this is a great success! I ought to make a note!


    I put the stopper back into the bottle, while leaving the few drops I poured out on a dish. I want to check it again a little later.


    For now though, I want a nice warm bath. No, I don''t just want a pleasant soak, I need it! It is getting a little late though. Late enough that I should think about opening the shop instead. I grimace.


    No, I will have my relaxing bath! I will drop by the inn first though to talk with Krystina about guild business.


    Thus I head down to the inn first. Thankfully my business there is quickly taken care off. Krystina knows me and my requests pretty well by now after all. On my way back out I pat Elzbieta, who looks quite eager to pick up the quest that has only just been pinned to the big board, on the back.


    ¡°Take your time. I pulled another all nighter and need a nice soak at the bathhouse first.¡±


    She just nods and gets herself a second helping of breakfast instead.


    After a quick stop by my house to get a change of clothes I finally head to the bathhouse and after a quick wash I sink into the warm water so I can relax, even if just a little.


    Curiously enough I remain undisturbed today. Although, no, it really isn''t all that surprising. I''m a little late today after all. I might, in fact, be the last one to make use of the facilities today.


    Although I''m sorely tempted to linger, I eventually get back out of the water and get ready for the day. I can''t leave Elzbieta, or any other customers, waiting all morning after all. Well, I can''t keep my favorite moocher waiting. I suspect any other adventurers wouldn''t wait around unless they really need new potions. Most would just try again another day.


    I chuckle and shake my head, before I finally head back home. I make one more quick stop along the way though. I let Agnieszka know of my presence with a knock.


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    A moment later the older woman opens the door.


    ¡°Oh my, dear! You don''t look too good!¡±


    I groan.


    ¡°I do? Ah, well, probably because I didn''t get any decent sleep last night. I was out collecting more herbs and had a rather exciting chance encounter, but could we talk business first?¡±


    She nods and motions for me to come in. She pours me a cup of tea as well.


    ¡°So, business? Another order from the city?¡±


    I take a careful sip from the hot beverage and nod.


    ¡°Yes. Something a little pricey. Could you get me some lapis lazuli. A piece about the size of my thumb or a little larger. Whole or already ground up into pigment. And about the same amount of white pearls, again whole or already ground up.¡±


    She thinks about it for a moment and we both sip some more tea from our respective cups. Finally she nods.


    ¡°I can do that. I''m not sure about the price though. Those aren''t things I usually get for anyone. I''m not even sure your grandmother ever ordered something like that. Not in the recent past anyway.¡±


    She pauses again, taking another sip from her tea.


    ¡°I''ll pay for these things using my own funds for now, since I can''t tell how much it will be, but you better have some coin ready. It might be as much as four or five silver Crowns. I''ll probably head to Barter Town some time next week. That soon enough for you.¡±


    I swallow hard, but nod in the end anyway.


    ¡°Fine. I''ll leave the haggling to you.¡±


    We share a laugh and shake hands to seal the deal.


    Finally Agnieszka speaks up again.


    ¡°So, dear, what has you spooked so badly you couldn''t get any sleep? It isn''t more pixies, right?¡±


    Once more I swallow hard.


    ¡°No. No pixies. This is worse. Much worse!¡±


    Her brows furrow and I drink another sip of tea to calm my nerves.


    ¡°I ran into one of the fair folk last night. Around the same spot where the hive of the pixies used to be.¡±


    ¡°One of the fair ¡­¡±


    ¡°The Spring Prince!¡±


    I blurt that last part out, before she can even really begin to formulate the question and I keep going the same way, almost tripping over the words in the process.


    ¡°He made me promise him a dance on midsummer night.¡±


    ¡°A dance?¡±


    Her brows have risen even further by now. She keeps her question brief though and lets me do some more explaining instead.


    ¡°Not just any dance. The last dance for this year.¡±


    She lets out a long breath at this point.


    ¡°Oh! Oh my, dear!¡±


    She pulls me into a hug, before she pushes me away at arm''s length again.


    ¡°Just one dance though, right? These details are important with the fey, especially the powerful ones!¡±


    ¡°Yes, just one dance.¡±


    She nods, lost in thought.


    ¡°Good, good. You should be able to do that. It is the shortest night of the year after all. You do know how to dance, right?¡±


    Now the last color drains from my face. Could this really be a dance that would last all night?


    ¡°Do I know how to ¡­ uh ¡­ a little?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°A little won''t do! But don''t you worry! I''ll ask around some. I''ll find you some teachers and training partners! We still have some time as well. I''m sure we can make a decent dancer out of you until midsummer!¡±

 Chapter 80 - Business as usual

    Agnieszka accompanies me back home after our little talk and I''m quite grateful for it. After all I''m still a bit shaken. Talking about last nights chance encounter and its consequences certainly helped though. Even more so the help Agnieszka promised to organize.


    Just as I see her off again with a relieved smile Elzbieta arrives. Her presence too helps ease my mind a little. I might just be getting used to her presence a little. The days just seem to pass a little faster when I''m not home alone.


    Together we head inside and while she gets busy with the mana mill I check on my most recent creation.


    By now the glow has faded a little, but when I stir the foamy substance up, it gains new strength as well. Very curious. I''m not quite done experimenting yet though. I still need to figure out if I can use it for my chalks before I use any of the expensive new ingredients I ordered just a little earlier. Thus I get ready to make new chalks.


    Elzbieta doesn''t mind either. Quite the opposite is true in fact, as she is rather appreciative of the fire I start to melt the wax.


    I have to suppress a grin. Another few weeks and she''ll probably be wishing for an enchanted tool of some kind to cool off instead.


    The thought gives me pause. There might just be interest for something like that. Something like that might just come in handy at the inn during the worst of summer''s heat. Maybe Nawoja and Olgierd would like something like that for the smithy as well? Well, I can ask one of them when my new blackboard gets delivered.


    I think about the idea a little more while I stir the mixture, using my most recent creation instead of regular oil, for the new chalks. So far it looks promising. The glow even intensifies a little more as I stir the mixture before pouring it into the molds.


    Afterwards I can only wait while the chalks cool. Well, at least Elzbieta can see the result of her work put to good use. I in the meantime listen to her singing while she keeps cranking the mill''s handle.


    When it is finally time to remove the chalks from their casts I''m getting a little giddy. I pick up one of the new chalks right away and use my appraisal skill on it.


    [Ghosttouched enchanter''s chalk, Quality: Rare, A piece of advanced, surprisingly light and eerily glowing Enchanter''s Chalk used for more potent enchantments. Smells like beeswax as it is the main ingredient. Ghosts can touch and manipulate this item!]


    Oh! I almost drop it, at the surprising revelation. I might not even need the precious stones I ordered. Although, no, I might be able to do even better with those!


    The surprising result leaves me wondering though. Could I use the Night Candle oil mixed with ectoplasm to create some other interesting potions as well? Maybe I could brew something that lets the user interact with ghosts? The thought is both scary and exciting at the same time.


    Maybe I shouldn''t follow up on that idea though. The stories about the restless spirits of the departed I know almost always end badly after all and I don''t really feel like finding out just how much truth there is to that.


    Also, considering the intense smell of the Night Candle oil it might not exactly be suited for any internal applications. Just thinking about it, is enough to elicit a silly giggle from me. Well, maybe more than just one.


    Elzbieta shoots me a questioning look.


    ¡°Sorry. Just had a silly thought.¡±


    I grab the bottle with the rest of the night candle oil based mixture and open it, so she can catch the smell.


    ¡°I was wondering if I could use it for any potions. But, well, the smell ¡­¡±


    She goes a little white and pushed my hand with the bottle far away.


    ¡°Ugh! Yes, the smell. Please don''t! Any potions using this probably would leave your breath smelling like you just had a bottle of perfume. I ¡­ uh ¡­ I need some fresh air!¡±


    With those words she hurries outside. Apparently her sense of smell is a little more sensitive than mine.


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    Anyway, I nod vigorously, as I cork the bottle again before putting it away. Then I join her outside for a quick break and to catch some fresh air as well. A quick glance at the sun suggests that we might as well have lunch. I nod in the direction of the inn.


    ¡°Want to have an early lunch?¡±


    She looks at me with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Do you want to have an early lunch?¡±


    Is that so out of the ordinary for me? In the end I just shrug.


    ¡°I wouldn''t mind since I was up pretty much all night.¡±


    That seems to be good enough for her.


    Today''s menu comes in a bowl and with a spoon, as it is stir fried rice with equally stir fried vegetables and chicken meat. It comes with plenty of delicious sauce on top as well, thus it goes down both easily and pleasantly.


    While Elzbieta gets a cup of tea to go with it, I get myself a mug of beer. As my companion shoots me a questioning look I wink at her.


    ¡°I can make us some coffee a little later.¡±


    I sigh at the thought.


    ¡°I just wish I had some cake to go with it.¡±


    The pregnant woman ponders that idea for a moment. Finally she nods as she apparently comes to a conclusion.


    ¡°Yes, some cake or another soft any juicy sweet treat would probably go pretty well with that coffee of yours.¡±


    I nod in agreement, as those are pretty much my thoughts as well. That is when another thought strikes me.


    ¡°We could try some mana spiked coffee today for a change. I have been meaning to make some for a while now, but I never got around to it.¡±


    Just as we finish, elder Jaromir approaches us, or rather me.


    ¡°Do you have a moment?¡±


    I simply nod and he sits down with us.


    ¡°Yes? Marvelous! I have that contract finished. Would it be alright if I dropped by your place with Maryla and Patryk once the lunch rush is over? In an hour maybe?¡±


    I perk up at that and nod again.


    ¡°Sure! I have no objections. I should be home whenever you drop by.¡±


    ¡°Very good. Very good! Now, if you would excuse me, I need to share the news with these two as well.¡±


    He nods in the direction of the couple running the inn, currently busy serving meals and collecting the dishes afterwards.


    I help him back up and once he is on his way I leave together with Elzbieta. Once we are out of earshot she speaks up.


    ¡°A written contract? Doing some big business already?¡±


    A can''t help but grin as I answer.


    ¡°Well, it could get big. I''m selling them the ice bucket and the recipe to make iced coffee.¡±


    I pause briefly as realization dawns upon her.


    ¡°You''ll have to get it at the inn in the future.¡±


    She perks up.


    ¡°Right! You are right, this iced coffee could become wildly popular! So you get a share on the sales?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    I don''t want to discuss the details right now though. Thus I take the conversation in a slightly different direction.


    ¡°Lets hold off with the coffee until they drop by. That way I can show Krystina''s father how to properly roast the beans while we are at it.¡±


    She pats her bulging belly.


    ¡°That''s good with me. I''m feeling a little full right now anyway.¡±


    I''m tempted to groan at the pun, but hold back at the last moment. Well, at least I assume it is a pun. Or maybe not? Her portion did look a little bigger than mine after all. In the end I just grin, as we get back to work.


    Elzbieta resumes work with the mill by the fireside and I put on a new log just in case. I want the fire to be nice and ready for when the innkeepers and the elder drop by.


    Until then I plan to busy myself with something slightly more exciting. First I get the now self cleaning dagger from the shop which I enchanted not too long ago. I put down on the enchanting table.


    I really want to give these new chalks a try. If I can do double enchantments with them, I really want to know. No, I need to know! Otherwise I have to wait until Agnieszka can get me the things I ordered.


    I can''t hurry this though. As the second enchantment I pick a pretty common one. One we learned at the academy. One I have used before and more than once at that. The second enchantment should make the dagger self sharpening.


    Curiously enough the enchantment does not reduce the blades durability, like a regular sharpening would. You can only sharpen any edge so often with a whetstone until not enough metal is left after all. This makes the enchantment pretty popular as blades with it tend to last longer.


    Still, although I''m familiar with it, I don''t rush the process. Instead I grab the design board first to make the necessary adaptions and calculations. I really don''t want to mess this up through some careless mistake after all, since this is an important test.


    Even Elzbieta seems to feel the change in the mood, as she stops singing. Instead she resorts to humming. Good. The bawdy rhymes of the songs she tends to pick can be a little distracting after all. I flash her a grateful smile, then I grab one of the new chalks and get going.

 Chapter 81 - Sealing the deal

    With the calculations done and a charcoal circle drawn to help me properly place the runes of the enchantment I take one last deep breath. Then I get started. With practiced ease I draw rune after rune, without ever slipping into thoughtless routine though. Thoughtless routine is what makes you slip up after all. No, I properly consider every rune as I complete the enchantment''s circle.


    I don''t let the effect of the new chalk distract me either, although the way the runes glitter and glow, more so than usual, is both pretty and exciting.


    In the end I''m rewarded for my diligence. The circle of runes is absorbed into the already enchanted dagger.


    It doesn''t work quite the same as usually though. It is almost as if there is some kind of resistance. For a moment the runes wobble and I''m already afraid that I might have failed, but in the end the new enchantment takes hold, even if just barely.


    I let out a long, drawn out sigh. Only then do I realize that Elzbieta has stopped singing, or rather humming.


    She stares at me wide eyed, her mouth opening and closing first once, then twice, before she finally finds the words she must have been looking for.


    ¡°Oh! That ¡­ that was something else. I''m not quite sure what just happened, but it is almost as if there was tension in the air, thick enough to cut it with a knife.¡±


    Before I can answer a divine whisper startles me.


    [Success! Great job transcending your limits with this enchantment! The Sun Mother gifts you 6 points for the Magician Arcana as a reward.]


    I laugh out loud and relax a little. Then I pick up the dagger for a closer inspection. It is almost as if I can watch the dagger''s edges regain a sharpness they haven''t held in years. Most curious!


    The divine whisper already let me know that I must have succeeded in some way. That on its own is too vague for me though. I want to know the details! Thus I focus on the dagger and activate my appraisal skill.


    [Keen Dagger, Quality: Rare, A common enough dagger that has seen plenty of use already. It is enchanted to both clean and sharpen itself. No matter how much blood or grime gets stuck to the weapon, it will shed such filth within the hour and be sparkling clean once more. In the same amount of time the dagger''s edges can regain their sharpness without any loss of durability. As a matter of fact it can and will hold an edge sharp beyond what one would usually expect from a weapon like this.]


    Oh my! That is a lot of information. More than usual for sure. It is a little dizzying.


    I stumble backwards, dagger still in hand. Thankfully someone catches me before I can fall and injure myself with the incredibly sharp weapon.


    It isn''t Elzbieta though. She has barely begun to react by the time I manage to steady myself again. I can''t really blame her though. She isn''t in any condition to jump across half the room at a moment''s notice after all. In the end she drops back down on her chair with a sigh of relief, as she realized that disaster has been averted.


    The one who caught me is Maryla. With her husband Patryk and elder Jaromir behind her in the door. The looks of relief on their faces match the one of Elzbieta.


    I chuckle weakly as I straighten myself out with the help of the innkeeper, while the others file in.


    ¡°Sorry about the scare. Just used my appraisal skill and got a little more information in return than usual.¡±


    She raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°Something unexpected?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all.¡±


    I carefully place the dagger back down, as excitement bubbles up within me.


    ¡°Actually things went extraordinarily well! I just managed my first double enchantment!¡±


    It takes all the effort I can muster not to hug her or any of the others, or to jump in place excitedly like a student that just managed to brew her first potion.


    It is the elder Jaromir who whistles at my comment.


    ¡°A double enchantment? Those are quite rare, aren''t they? Congratulations!¡±


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    I scratch the back of my head sheepishly as I finally manage to calm down again.


    ¡°Thank you! But, please, don''t let me keep you waiting! Please, come in!¡±


    They do and the elder doesn''t waste any time either. He places the contract he wrote up on the workbench and starts to go over it with us in detail. Well, he goes over it with the innkeepers and me.


    Elzbieta in turn resumes her work with the mana mill, although I''m pretty certain that she does listen in. Well, why wouldn''t she. None of us have asked her to leave after all. It''s not like any of this is a big secret either, so I don''t mind.


    The contract mirrors exactly what we agreed upon in simple and concise language that leaves little, if any, room for interpretation. The actual writing is very pretty though. There is no doubt about that. It is definitely worth the little fee we end up paying the elder.


    Once we pay and stamp the contract with our seals he leaves one copy with the innkeepers and another with me. And while the elder leaves the innkeepers and I are not quite done yet. There is something else though. Just as I put my seal on the contract another divine whisper reaches me.


    [You sealed a deal that has the potential to change your life! The Sun Mother is your witness and gifts you 4 points for the Wheel of Fortune Arcana as a reward.]


    Oh my! Today seems to be a pretty good day. You certainly don''t earn that many rewards on most days.


    I''m obviously not the only one who receives this message, judging by the looks on the faces of Patryk and Maryla. Their faces brighten considerably. It is Patryk who comments on the obvious.


    ¡°Well, the divine certainly seem to see great potential in this deal. I think we can see that as a good omen!¡±


    The rest of us nod in agreement.


    I quickly note the expense for the contract down in my ledger. Then I show the duo from the inn how to best roast and grind coffee beans. They both pay close attention. And although they don''t seem to have any questions right now, they can drop by any time in the future should any arise.


    Once that is taken care off we all share a cup of coffee. With the leftover I demonstrate the use of the ice bucket as well before handing it off the Patryk in exchange for a silver Crown, as we agreed.


    ¡°Always make sure there is a thin layer of clear water ice all around the inside of the ice bucket. It will reduce wear and tear and you won''t have any wood shavings in your iced coffee that way either. I doubt anyone would appreciate those.¡±


    The two innkeepers nod and after one last handshake they are off again. I in turn note the silver Crown I just earned down into the ledger as well. I''ll really need every coin all too soon after all.


    Once that is taken care off I relax a little.


    Elzbieta finishes her chores for the day just in time as well.


    Together we enjoy the last of the coffee, with a little extra sugar.


    My house guest nods in the direction of the knife that kept me busy earlier today.


    ¡°What will you do with that? Do you think it will sell?¡±


    I shrug and bite my lip lightly.


    ¡°I''m not quite sure. Double enchantments and any even more powerful are usually rare and more often than not, they are custom commissions. I''m really not sure if there is a market for random double enchantments in a small village like Clear Brook. I might have to sell it through the guild.¡±


    She nods and sips some more of her beverage.


    ¡°So, how much do you think you can get for it?¡±


    I scratch the back of my head as I think about it. Usually enchantments like these are pretty damn expensive. Even a combination of two of the most common low level enchantments I know should earn me quite a bit.


    It takes considerable effort not to grab the design board and a piece of coal as I juggle the numbers. The calculations aren''t terribly complicated, but I still loathe doing them without writing them down.


    Lets see. The price for the dagger itself, then the up mark for each enchantment. And the suggestion at the academy was to ask for at least ten times the result for even the most basic double enchantment. Finally I nod to myself.


    ¡°I probably shouldn''t sell it for less than forty silver Crowns. If I auction it off through the guild I can probably make quite a bit more than that.¡±


    At this point Elzbieta almost chokes on her coffee.


    ¡°Forty! Silver Crowns?¡±


    She stares at the dagger in disbelief.


    ¡°It would take me years to save up that kind of money!¡±


    I nod and pat her back.


    ¡°And that is why enchanters usually only make those as custom commissions. The commissioners in turn often treat them as family heirlooms afterwards. I guess you can see why.¡±


    ¡°I still have a hard time believing it.¡±


    I nod. The reaction is quite understandable.


    ¡°The individual enchantments are really quite basic. With either one the dagger would go over the counter for maybe two or three silver Crowns. Together though ¡­ say, are you familiar with keen weapons?¡±


    It is now, that understanding dawns upon her.


    ¡°Oh! Oh my! No doubt plenty of people would want an ace like that up their sleeve!¡±


    I flash her a grin.


    ¡°Yes. This things should cut throats, even the ones of damn tough monsters, like butter. And of course, besides the synergy effect there is still the normal effect of the two enchantments.¡±

 Chapter 82 - Guild services

    Today Elzbieta doesn''t head back to the inn on her own. Instead I accompany her after putting my seal on her quest papers. I bring the newly enchanted dagger along as well, properly sheathed and secured now, since the well worn second hand weapon has become something quite dangerous due to my efforts.


    The inn is rather busy this time of the day, as Elzbieta isn''t the only adventurer who is done with their chores or quests for the day.


    The first I recognize is Szmuel, the short catfolk adventurer. He has his quest papers tucked under one arm, while carrying a long stick, with the sorry remains of several raccoons, well just their recently acquired hides really, tied to it, over his shoulder. It seems his hunt was quite successful.


    I greet him with a smile and a nod.


    The gesture isn''t lost on the pregnant adventurer at my side. She in turn throws me a questioning look.


    ¡°Just this morning, when I heard about it, I was wondering if you would take the raccoon quest.¡±


    Elzbieta is quick to shake her head, quite vehemently too.


    ¡°No way! I draw the line at foxes. Those can be quite cunning, but if you can get the drop on them, they are pretty easy prey. Raccoons on the other hand ¡­ gods and goddesses, I wouldn''t mess with them even if I weren''t in my current state.¡±


    At this point the young catfolk adventurer speaks up as well.


    ¡°Yes, yes! They have a mean strrreak! Very ferrrocious! You have to be quick and nimble to deal with them!¡±


    I nod and so does Elzbieta. Before he can go inside I stop him again.


    ¡°I''m not entirely sure Krystina''s parents will appreciate you bringing in your prey like this. The stamped papers should be enough to collect your reward. Unless you want to sell them through the guild? So, unless that is the case we could watch over your catch until you are done with the paperwork.¡±


    He tilts his head and blinks at us, while he apparently thinks about my suggestion.


    At least Elzbieta doesn''t seem to mind that I volunteered us and thus her like that.


    Finally he speaks up again.


    ¡°Oh. Is see! Don''t brrring the frrresh kill where everrryone eats? You tall people don''t like that. Is that it?¡±


    This time Elzbieta is the first to nod and I quickly join in.


    ¡°Ah, well, if mew could? Please? I''ll be rrright back!¡±


    We nod again and the catfolk adventurer perks up. True to his word he is off right away and not much later he is back without the papers. In exchange the purse at his belt seems a little heavier though.


    ¡°Thank mew! Krrrystina even suggest someone who will buy the pelts.¡±


    He grabs the stick with the pelts and is off with a wave, his tail swishing about excitedly.


    ¡°See mew!¡±


    I wave as well, as he bounds off. He really seems to be in a good mood.


    ¡°See you!¡±


    Elzbieta just giggles as she watches our antics.


    Eventually we head inside.


    I let her take care of her business first as she only is about to collect a quest reward. That shouldn''t take too long. Just as expected she only has to hand in her quest papers.


    Krystina checks my seal with an inquisitive gaze, probably using a skill of some sort, then she pays out the reward. Then, as Elzbieta is off with a wave to rejoin her usual comrades, Krystina turns towards me.


    ¡°How unusual for you to drop by in the evening. What can I help you with?¡±


    I put the sheathed dagger on the counter in between us.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Something a little different this time around. I succeeded with my first double enchantment a little earlier today. I doubt there is a market for this around here though, thus I was wondering about selling it through the guild instead.¡±


    Her eyes light up as I explain and as I finish she claps her hand.


    ¡°Congratulations on your first double enchantment! That is a serious accomplishment! Will you be doing more of those in the future? If you are open for commissions I could pass a note to other guild offices to advertise your services!¡±


    I snort once in amusement.


    ¡°The advertisement wouldn''t be free though? Or am I mistaken?¡±


    Krystina shrugs apologetically, but she does in general not look sorry at all.


    ¡°Well, yes. It would require a small fee. It would be worth it though. The note would be passed around far and wide. Eventually just about every branch office on the continent would know about your enchanting services.¡±


    That does, indeed, not sound too bad. It isn''t what I''m here for today though, thus I shake my head.


    ¡°Maybe another day. I only just barely managed to pull off this double enchantment. I really want to be able to reproduce the feature reliably before I do any advertising.¡±


    Krystina''s doesn''t seem bothered by my rejection of her offer though.


    ¡°Understandable. Still, this is exciting news! Good enchantments are viable to draw in some new adventurers. And of course, there still is this thing you want to sell though the guild. There was the bow the youngsters brought in recently and now this dagger. This, on its own, is good news as well!¡±


    I can imagine why she would see it like that. In all likelihood there will be a guild fee involved. Maybe she will even receive a commission herself, based on the sales value of any items she gets auctioned off. I don''t mind though. Of course the guild''s services don''t come free. It''s only natural.


    Anyway, without her and the services she offers in the name of the guild I would have a lot more things to worry about myself. I really prefer it the way it is. As far as I''m concerned someone else can worry about finding a buyer for my dagger half a continent away.


    I get startled out of my thoughts as Krystina drops her thick guide book on the counter. She immediately starts leafing through it as well. The section where she stops appears not quite as well used as much of the rest.


    ¡°Which enchantments did you put on the dagger?¡±


    I have a little trouble reading everything upside down but even so I can tell that she is looking at tables of enchantments and their combinations. Most curious. The teachers had something similar at the academy, but these ones look a whole lot more comprehensive.


    ¡°The first one was a self cleaning enchantment. The second one is a self sharpening enchantment.¡±


    The young guild official nods. At the same time her fingers dance across the tables until she finds the entry she is looking for.


    ¡°A keen weapon then? Well, that is quite something!¡±


    With that information she immediately moves on to the next section of the book.


    This one is a little easier to read. Well, in theory at least. It seems to be a list of entries for each possible combination with suggested prices and the likes.


    ¡°Hm! Very good! The guild guidelines suggest a starting bid of thirty silver Crowns and a buyout option of sixty should a buyer not want to wait until the auction is done. Would that be alright with you?¡±


    As I nod she disappears under the counter for a moment, only to reappear with an unfamiliar empty form. She starts filling it immediately. At the same time she fills me in on some more details as well.


    ¡°For a valuable item like this the guild insists on doing its own appraisal as well. There is a two bronze Crown fee for that. It will come out of the sales price. In addition there is a fee of one tenth of the sales price which will go to the guild.¡±


    Death and taxes. They are both inevitable. Although, no wait, I will still have to pay taxes for the rest that will come my way. I manage not to groan, even if just barely. I just roll my eyes instead, before I speak up to let her know that I have no objections.


    ¡°Not an issue either.¡±


    Krystina hasn''t even looked up from the form she is filling.


    ¡°Very good. Just stamp your seal down here and here and I''ll take care of the rest. You should receive your compensation in seven days from tomorrow.¡±


    I do as she asks and quite literally seal the deal. Still, I''m a astonished. Only seven days? I would have expected for the necessary proceedings to take longer.


    Krystina must have recognized the look on my face. Or maybe it is a thought anyone using this particular service for the first time has. She winks at me.


    ¡°Guild secrets.¡±


    Her voice is a stage whisper. So it probably is not actually a secret. She doesn''t elaborate either though. Instead she grabs both a copy of the contract and the sheathed dagger to deposit both in an ornate chest under the counter. The other copy of the contract is, of course, for me.


    Just a moment later a sound like a little silver bell emanates from below the counter.


    Krystina disappears below the counter again, only to reappear with something that looks like a receipt the next moment.


    Then understanding dawns upon me.


    ¡°Oh! That is how you do it!¡±


    Of course. Matched teleportation artifacts!


    Our local guild representative flashes me a beaming smile.


    ¡°We offer a premium message service as well, including any packages that can fit into the chest. Its not cheap though. Like, really not cheap.¡±


    Now I really have to laugh. I can see why they would charge a hefty fee for a service like that though. It isn''t because there is a limitation on these artifacts, well, none beyond the size of the chests anyway, but people would bother them all day and night if they didn''t.


    ¡°Of course it isn''t.¡±

 Chapter 83 - Soul searching

    I''m already about to leave when a thought strikes me and I turn back to Krystina instead.


    ¡°Say, could we put up the mana mill quest again since I''m already here?¡±


    She grins at my request.


    ¡°So you can sleep in a little tomorrow?¡±


    I haven''t actually thought about that option at all, thus it comes as a surprise. I tap my lip thoughtfully before nodding at long last.


    ¡°Can''t work all night every night after all. Even busy bees need some rest every once in a while.¡±


    Together we laugh for a moment, then she gets out one of the quest papers and we quickly go through the by now familiar steps of the process of posting the quest. Once we are done I quickly make room for the next customer and leave with a cheerful wave.


    I could head home now and get some decent sleep for a change. I have had a rather productive day after all. I don''t though. Instead my gaze is drawn to the temple.


    Maybe I should visit the temple. The gods and goddesses have been heaping plentiful rewards upon me recently after all. They wouldn''t go bad, but if don''t put them to use they wouldn''t benefit me either.


    After a moment of hesitation I nod to myself and walk over to the temple. The simple truth is, that I should, at the very least, check out my options.


    Maybe I can get a gift to help me with enchantments? It would be good if I were to be able to produce more potent enchantments more consistently after all.


    Or I could look into acquiring a skill that will benefit me during the upcoming midsummer night? Something like that probably wouldn''t hurt either.


    And I have time to spare right now. There really is no reason not to at least pay my respects to the divine.


    A sense of calm overcomes me when I enter the temple and I take off my sandals and wash my feet at the basin in the entrance hall as is expected of me.


    I drop a few coins into the offering bowl as well. After all I''m hoping to earn a hefty sum soon. Considering these prospects it wouldn''t do to be stingy with my offerings.


    As I look up again, Wislawa stands there, smiling at me. I didn''t hear her approach. Not at all.


    ¡°Welcome once more, Valeria.¡±


    She gestures for me to join her in the actual hall of worship and I follow her invitation.


    As before I get ready to enter the pool at the heart of the candlelit hall under the artistic representation of the night sky.


    Wislawa follows me, and as before, she moves to let my head rest in her lap as I float in the salty water.


    I only close my eyes for the briefest of moments, but when I open them again I''m in the familiar dreamscape. My own likeness smiles down at me, from where the priestess should be, as I keep floating in the water.


    ¡°Welcome back, Valeria. You have been quite busy. Would you like to ask us for another boon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please. Could you provide some advice as well?¡±


    ¡°Very well. The two most potent gifts you could acquire right now, are both Aura gifts. One is the Auspicious Aura. Your presence alone will be an auspicious omen. It will be, as if any friends or allies within close proximity of you, as well as you yourself, were under the effect of a blessing. This is one of the, if not the most potent gifts of the Wheel of Fortune Arcana.¡±


    I swallow hard. That is indeed a powerful gift. It is more common among high ranking priests and daring adventurers though. I want to speak up, but my divine guide hushes me gently, so she can continue.


    ¡°The other is the Enchanted Aura. This aura temporarily empowers any enchantment within range. This effect only lasts while you are within range of course. As you can imagine this is a gift of the Magician Arcana. You could, of course use your amassed points in the Magician Arcana as well, to upgrade your enchanting skill to master level, allowing you to create more complex and powerful enchantments more easily. Sadly you do not yet have enough Karma saved up to acquire both.¡±


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Once again I swallow hard. Those are all very good offers. Finally I manage to muster the courage to speak up.


    ¡°What about the Dragon Arcana?¡±


    ¡°With the Karma of the Dragon Arcana you could acquire either the persuasion or the seduction skill at apprentice level. On the other hand you could use it to improve your dexterity in general instead. It might help with the dance, you know.¡±


    ¡°But no dance skill?¡±


    The divine guide wearing my face laughs and shakes her head.


    ¡°You would need to acquire points in the Stars Arcana. Curiously enough, the easiest way to do so would be dedicating yourself to dance. Giving extraordinary, magical gifts could do the trick as well though.¡±


    She winks at me as she drops that last hint.


    I sigh in turn.


    ¡°Good to know. It probably will be another little while until I''ll get around to that. Still, I have a choice to make, don''t I?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°Yes, and the choice is all yours.¡±


    My mind is racing. All her suggestions sound intriguing. At long last I take a deep breath and make up my mind.


    ¡°Would you please improve my enchanting skill to master level and bestow the Auspicious Aura gift upon me?¡±


    The divine avatar nods, bends down and kisses me on the forehead.


    Then my eyes snap open and I''m back in the temple with the priestess.


    [The Dawn Maiden grants your wish! Your enchanting skill has been upgraded to master level in exchange for 8 points of the Magician Arcana. This is a passive effect and improves all your enchantments. You acquired the Auspicious Aura gift in exchange for 5 points of the Wheel of Fortune Arcana! This gift is always active and acts like a blessing upon you and nearby friends and allies. You can spend more points of the Wheel of Fortune Arcana to upgrade this gift.]


    The priestess smiles down at me.


    ¡°Am I right to assume that something good just happened?¡±


    I blush a little as she helps me up. I need the help this time around as well, as I''m a little dizzy. After spending so much Karma at once I feel a little empty. At the same time my mind is swimming though. I received something in exchange after all.


    ¡°You wouldn''t be wrong. The divine have been quite generous with their rewards recently. And now I received both an aura gift and a skill upgrade in exchange.¡±


    The priestess nods, as we get ready to leave the inner sanctum again.


    ¡°Let me guess. What I''m feeling right now is the effect of an Auspicious Aura. Am I right?¡±


    I stifle a giggle, at least until we have left the inner sanctum with the pool.


    ¡°Yes. That''s it.¡±


    She nods and smiles.


    ¡°I thought as much. And the skill?¡±


    I decide to answer her question without beating around the bush.


    ¡°I upgraded my enchanting skill to master level.¡±


    Once again she nods, a smile still gracing her lips.


    ¡°Very good. A master at your age. Very good indeed! I suspect that we will see a lot more interesting enchantments coming out of your workshop in the years to come.¡±


    I cant help but grin.


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    With those words we part ways and I head back home. I stop at the door to my house though and only head inside to get a fresh towel. Then I head further upstream to the bathhouse. I really need a nice bath right about now. Not just to wash off the last of the salt from the temple pool, but to calm my thoughts and order my mind as well. This has been a rather exciting day after all.


    It is only quite a bit later, after a nice soak, that I at long last return home, where I drop into bed as soon as I''m done changing into my nightdress. Sleep claims me right after and it is a nice, deep and dreamless slumber too!

 Chapter 84 - Young grasshopper

    It is a small miracle that I don''t sleep in the next morning. I do not owe the miracle of waking up on time to the roosters though, despite them certainly doing their best to make sure everyone is awake. No, it is Sour Cream who gets me to actually blink open an eye in the end.


    She stands atop of me and is kneading with all four paws as if the fate of the world depended on me waking up. And just as I blink she leans in close and gives my nose a quick lick with her rough raspy tongue. Well, now I''m awake for sure!


    ¡°Mew.¡±


    I run my hand along her back first before touching my forehead to hers.


    ¡°You want a treat before your nap?¡±


    ¡°Mew!¡±


    Before I can even really think about getting moving she boops my nose and, as she turns around to head in the direction of her bowl, I get tail slapped across the face as well for good measure.


    It takes all the resolve I can muster not to laugh out loud. Oh, you silly kitty!


    Sour Cream is already waiting impatiently by the time I reach her spot to pour her the last of her namesake treat. I''ll have to get some more later.


    I drop heavily on bed again and watch her eat for a moment, until she jumps up onto my sheets as well. She circles twice until she finds the most promising spot, then she starts grooming herself, purring all the time.


    At this point I grab my things and head out to the bathhouse, as I''m actually running a little late by now. It isn''t an issue yet though, as I don''t intend to soak today. A quick wash will have to do. Ah, what a pity. Well, I''ll survive.


    By the time I get back my feline housemate is fast asleep, curled up on my bed and I decide not to disturb her.


    Not much later the other semi housemate I''m pretty much already expecting shows up as well.


    Elzbieta looks terribly tired, as she knocks on the backdoor.


    I simply usher her inside and get her the trusty old mana mill so she can get started with her quest.


    She perks up soon though, throwing me a slightly confused look.


    ¡°Something feels different. I''m not sure ¡­ somehow ¡­¡±


    Her words trail off as she shrugs, unable to clarify exactly what she means.


    I have a decent idea though. With a grin I point at myself.


    ¡°A new gift. Auspicious aura.¡±


    ¡°Oh! That is a good one! Most adventurers can only ever wish they had a crew mate with that gift.¡±


    She sighs dramatically.


    ¡°Too bad that you aren''t an adventurer.¡±


    I snort in amusement.


    ¡°Ha! Yes. I''m not going to go adventuring out there anytime soon. Well, probably anyway. I might have to venture forth into the forest eventually to get my hands on some of the more exotic ingredients there are.¡±


    She nods and shifts her focus to the mana mill.


    ¡°With an aura gift like that you certainly will have an easier time finding escorts for gathering quests like that. Especially if you improve it once or twice or get another aura to go with it.¡±


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    I nod. This is a solid suggestion after all.


    Before I can say anything else though someone knocks out front and I peek through the door to the shop to greet my most recent customer.


    The adventurer looking back at me from the front door is a familiar elf.


    ¡°Nuutti of the Iivari, welcome once more! What can I do for you?¡±


    His face brightens immediately at the warm greeting.


    ¡°Valeria, it is good to see you again! I heard that you have some potions to cure diseases in stock now. Can I have a look at them?¡±


    Well, I have no clue what he might need these potions for, but I don''t hesitate to show him the most recent additions to my shelves.


    ¡°Here they are. They can only deal with minor illnesses. If you need something more potent I can brew something up for you though. In addition to curing a minor illness these will restore your stamina as well though, to make for a speedy recovery.¡±


    He patiently listens to me and picks up one of the potions to give it a closer look, probably using a skill himself to inspect it and it''s properties. He, of course, has a look at the price tag as well.


    ¡°These should do for now. Probably. If I need something more potent I will take you up on your offer though.¡±


    Without even trying to haggle he counts the required coin onto the counter. Twenty four bronze Crowns, the equivalent of two silver Crowns.


    I don''t mind him paying in the smaller denomination though. I can always do with a few more bronze Crowns for various expenditures myself after all.


    I brush the coins off the counter and into the strong box below it after shaking hands with him.


    ¡°Thank you for your patronage! And don''t hesitate to ask if you need something more potent!¡±


    ¡°I will. Thank you and congratulations!¡±


    He winks at me knowingly. Of course, an experienced adventurer like him, probably is pretty familiar with all kinds of auras after all.


    With a cheerful wave he is off and I take a moment to note this most recent sale down in the ledger.


    Afterwards I retreat to the workshop, where Elzbieta is humming a happy little tune by now. It doesn''t take much effort to recognize the song. Its the one about the misadventures of Ksawery the catfolk adventurer.


    Elzbieta nods in the direction of Sour Cream on the bed, without breaking her stride, either with the humming or with the mana mill.


    It seems a little weird, but the cat seems to be really enjoying the tune. Considering the way her tail flicks every once in a while, while her paws move just a little at times, I''d say that she seems to be having a really good dream. She is even making those weird little, most adorable chirping sounds in her sleep!


    I watch Sour Cream''s antics for a moment, then I get to work myself. I try not to make too much of a racket though. My little guardian deserves her sleep after all. Especially if she is having a good dream.


    I don''t get started on a new potion or the enchantments for the diapers right away though. First I want to try something else. I really want to give the mana spiked coffee a try!


    For this purpose I roast up some beans as usual. That is where I deviate from the usual procedure though. I don''t crush them with pestle and mortar this time around. No, instead I grab the other mill. The new one.


    With it I grind the beans. The result is both finer and a lot more even. More importantly though, there is crystallized mana mixed in with the ground coffee and that is the difference that matters right now.


    That isn''t all though. I add some crushed sugar to the mix as well. Once everything is properly mixed up, I get two cups and brew both me and Elzbieta a nice cup of mana spiked coffee.


    The smell wafting from the cups alone is already energizing. Even the cute little movements of the still sleeping Sour Creams get a little more energetic.


    Elzbieta sniffs the air as well. The smell of coffee isn''t entirely new to her, but this recipe is. Thus she raises an eyebrow, as I motion for her to take a break so I can hand her one of the cups.


    ¡°What is this? You never made your coffee like that before.¡±


    I grin and take a first sip from my own cup.


    ¡°Technically, this isn''t just a beverage. This counts as a potion. A rather potent one at that, combining the effects of a stamina potions with a potion of mana regeneration.¡±


    ¡°A mana potion? You know that I''m not a spell caster. Not like some of the others anyway. I know a little everyday magic, but ¡­¡±


    I wave her off before she can continue.


    ¡°Not a mana potion. A potion of mana regeneration. It improves your natural mana regeneration instead of recovering a flat amount of mana. It doesn''t contain any of the ingredients that make regular mana potions taste awful either. Just coffee, sugar and some enchanting dust.¡±


    At this point she takes a small sip as well.


    ¡°Oh! Prickly! And sweet! You definitely didn''t skimp on the sugar for this one!¡±


    I grin and nod. I sure didn''t. Then I take another sip.


    ¡°Want to take a little break? Maybe we could catch a little sun out front.¡±


    She nods and I help her up after putting the mill she has been using away.


    ¡°Go ahead, I''ll be right with you. I just need to do something first. Don''t want to mix up these mills now that I used one for coffee.¡±


    She leaves through the backdoor to head around the house.


    I in the meantime grab a price tag and put it onto the mill I used. I don''t brand it with a price though. Instead I write coffee on it with a hot poker. Once that is taken care of, I follow my house guest to sit down at her side on the wooden bench out front.


    It is just about the right time to catch a little sun as well. It''s not noon yet, but the sun has already driven away the chill of morning. Thus we can comfortably sit there, surrounded by buzzing bees and flowers while sipping our special coffee.


    Oh yes, as far as I''m concerned more days could be like this. Then another thought strikes me.


    ¡°Say, do you think the bees can benefit from my aura as well?¡±


    Elzbieta just bursts out laughing in response.

 Chapter 85 - Going in circles

    After our coffee break we get back to work. Elzbieta with the mana mill and I with brewing up more of this mana spiked coffee. This time not for us though. No, the next batch gets bottled up to go on the shelves out front. Except for one bottle. I let Elzbieta pass it along to her comrade Zofia to get the paladin''s opinion.


    Maybe I''ll let Danuta have a free sample as well, when I next see her. This concoction is primarily aimed at spellcasters after all. It should do well enough, of that I have little doubt. I still want to do a little advertisement though and two of the local adventurers speaking well of the new potion would be an important first step in that regard.


    That is neither here nor now though. Things get a little more exciting after our lunch break though. Well, they do so for me anyway.


    Elzbieta is still busy with the mana mill. No changes there.


    I on the other hand want to put my improved enchanting skill to the test. I really want to know if it will allow me to reliably create double enchantments with the means currently available to me.


    I really want to double enchant the diapers for my godchild after all. First I have to make sure I won''t fail or screw up though.


    Thus I decide on one last test. Well, it will be the last test if it succeeds anyway.


    With butterflies in my stomach I get the light summer dress Agnieszka made for me from the trunk. I place it at the center of the enchanting table after carefully folding it.


    Before I can change my mind I grab one of my regular chalks and get started. The first enchantment is simple after all.


    As with the diapers it is a self cleaning enchantment. Something simple and utilitarian. Honestly, I should eventually place it on all my clothes! Eventually, when I can make the time for it. My wardrobe might not be terribly expansive, but that will still take some time anyway.


    Well, first things first.


    With the dress in place I start drawing the rune circle. The difference is quite astonishing. I wouldn''t go as far as to say that it is like night and day, but it still more than just noticeable.


    The necessary runes come to my mind much quicker and I finish drawing them much faster as well. My precision doesn''t suffer any either, which is a great relief.


    In the end I''m done much quicker than before during previous enchantments. I could really get used to this! Ha! No, I have to get used to this! That isn''t a bad thing though. Quite the opposite is true.


    The enchantment takes hold and the runes are drawn into the dress. So far, so good.


    I activate my appraisal skill almost without thinking about it as I pick up the dress to study the results in a little more detail.


    [Self cleaning Summer Dress, Quality: Uncommon, A simple but comfortable and light dress for warm summer days. It is enchanted to perpetually clean itself. Even the worst of stains will disappear over the course of an hour.]


    I let out a sigh. As expected. Well, of course. I have yet to get started on tricky part after all.


    With a little reluctance I fold the dress back up and place it back on the enchanting table. If something will go wrong, it will do so now. I really hope nothing will go wrong though.


    Anyway, it is no use to tarry now. I slap my cheeks and grab one of my new improved enchanter''s chalks. They may only be half the way to the chalks I envision, but, together with the improved skill, they hopefully will still be good enough anyway.


    I created one double enchantment with them already after all and I have gotten better since then. Still I''m nervous.


    At last I get started on the second enchantment anyway. I have been pondering this second enchantment for a while now. It is a little more complex than the first one.


    As a result the circle is a little larger as well. I still fill the circle quickly, one rune after the other, until the neatly glowing and glittering circle is complete.


    As I finish the circle of runes is absorbed into the dress. As with my first double enchantment, there is a little resistance. The runes don''t wobble this time though. No, it just takes a little until the second enchantment takes hold this time around.


    That is an improvement. Right? I let out the breath I have been holding. My hands are shaking a little this time around as I pick up the dress again and I close my eyes tightly for a moment. No, it is no use. I have to check the results! I have to make sure. I have to know!


    As I finally open my eyes again there are no obvious differences at first. Obviously I shouldn''t really expect any either. This is a new dress after all and not one that has already seen a few summers.


    There simply is no wear and tear for the second enchantment to repair, just like there were no dirt stains for the first one to remove.


    Things become a little more interesting as I activate my appraisal skill again though.


    [Pristine Summer Dress, Quality: Rare, A simple but comfortable and light dress for warm summer days. It is enchanted to perpetually clean and repair itself. Even the worst of stains will disappear in short order and any minor damage, just like wear and tear, will be mended just as quick.]


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I hug the dress tightly as I let out that joyous shout.


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    Elzbieta just snorts, while Sour Cream shoots me a devastating look for interrupting her nap. Finally the adventurer speaks up while the cat turns around and curls up again.


    ¡°That felt like the last one. Another successful double enchantment?¡±


    I nod, still clutching the dress tightly.


    ¡°Yes. And this one took much quicker as well. With the first one I was afraid it wouldn''t take at first. Not so much with this one.¡±


    My excitement gets the better of me and the words just keep flowing.


    ¡°That skill upgrade really made a difference! I think I might really be able to reliably do them now. I''ll have to talk with Krystina again! Right?¡±


    Elzbieta puts the mana mill away for a moment and gets up to put her hands on my shoulders.


    ¡°First you need to calm down again. And yes, you probably should advertise something like the ability to reliably create double enchantments with the guild. Are you really sure you are ready for this step though? I mean, this is only the second one, right?¡±


    Her words actually help me calm down. At least a little. I''m rather excited about this after all. I tilt my head slightly at her last comment.


    ¡°You think I should make some more first?¡±


    That actually doesn''t sound unreasonable. But how many would I have to make until I could be sure I would succeed more often than not?


    Elzbieta ponders the issue a little more as well, before she answers.


    ¡°Maybe at least a third one?¡±


    ¡°Hm. I think I can do that.¡±


    I start folding my new, newly enchanted dress back up, as I think about it some more. It really is not unreasonable. It will certainly ease my mind at least. Right now I certainly feel capable of tackling the second enchantment on the diapers at least though.


    Finally, as I put the dress away in the trunk I speak up again.


    ¡°Maybe I''ll get around to it a little later, or tomorrow.¡±


    Elzbieta gets back to the mill and resumes her work, although she should be just about done as well.


    I take a quick peek at the enchanting dust already collected in the mill''s drawer and nod.


    ¡°Just about enough. I''ll close up the shop. Then I''ll take care of your papers. And afterwards we can maybe have dinner at the inn. Maybe even with a little wine. I feel like celebrating today.¡±


    She snorts in response and shoos me away, before she resumes work with the mill.


    I do as I said. I take my time though. We are not in hurry and I don''t want to rush her after all.


    By the time I return she is done and I stamp the quest papers. Then we leave and head down to the inn together.


    There still is another little thing on my mind though, something regarding the upcoming dance on mid summer night.


    ¡°Say, Elzbieta? You wouldn''t happen to know how to earn some Stars Arcana rewards?¡±


    She looks at me, blinks and snorts.


    ¡°You have grown up pretty sheltered, haven''t you? I mean, if you have to ask, you obviously haven''t ever been to a dance. Or am I mistaken?¡±


    I blush a little and fiddle with my fingers.


    ¡°Well, you aren''t exactly wrong. But anyway, are there any other ways?¡±


    She snorts again.


    ¡°You have never had to rough it out in the wilds either. Right?¡±


    I''m a little confused.


    ¡°Uh? Right? But what does that have to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°Well, the easiest way to earn at least a small reward, is to spend a night out in the wilds, without shelter or anything. Just you and the stars above.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    I''m surprised although I probably shouldn''t be. Her answer probably is the most obvious after all. Still, I decide to inquire a little further.


    ¡°If you say out in the wilds, the meadows or glens near the village probably don''t count. Or do they?¡±


    She shakes her head and ponders the issue a little more before she answers.


    ¡°You should head out a fair distance. Maybe two or three hours on foot if you go upstream. You probably shouldn''t go alone though, as that would put you pretty close to the actual edge of the Twilight Forest.¡±


    I snort.


    ¡°Easy, huh?¡±

 Chapter 86 - Ancient stones

    In the end I do have some wine with Elzbieta and her comrades. Only a little though and that is for the best, as someone is waiting for me as I return home afterwards.


    The presence of Agnieszka is not that big of a surprise. She mentioned that she would look into getting me some training for the midsummer night''s dance after all.


    That Rafal, the young bard usually adventuring with Feliks and Lotar is sitting there as well on the bench out back is a surprise.


    He even has that round bellied lute with the long neck and the four double strings of his with him. The instrument probably has a special name, but I barely know enough to place it in the family of lutes. That isn''t too important though anyway. Probably.


    The bard rises and bows while my neighbor greets me with a cheerful little wave and a mischievous grin.


    ¡°Good! You are back. For a moment I was afraid we would have to go and find you at the inn.¡±


    I roll my eyes while the bard just chuckles.


    ¡°Well, I have had a rather good day so far. Celebrating it with a little wine should be fine. Right?¡±


    Instead of Agnieszka it is Rafal who answers.


    ¡°Actually, a little wine can be quite helpful for beginners about to practice some dancing. It can help limber you up a little, at least in my experience.¡±


    I blush a little and rub the back of my neck self consciously.


    ¡°Well, it isn''t like I have never danced before, but I have neither skills nor gifts that help with it and not much experience either.¡±


    Agnieszka laughs out loud as she winks at me.


    ¡°Oh, I could tell. I was there at the inn, you know. But what we are going to practice is a little more elaborate than some lighthearted drunk folk dance where missing a step every once in a while is half the fun.¡±


    Before she can continue the bard interferes.


    ¡°Well, it is a folk dance. And in all likelihood you probably will be a little drunk on midsummer night. Pretty much everyone is. The stakes are much higher though. Especially with a dance partner like the one Agnieszka here hinted at.¡±


    At this point the older woman chimes in again.


    ¡°He is right of course. The dances of the midsummer night, as well as those of similar festivals, are less folk dances and more of a ritual nature. It will be more than one dance we have to teach you as well. There is one very important lesson we can teach you even now before we get actually started though.¡±


    She pauses briefly to let that sink in a little, before she continues.


    ¡°Whatever you do, don''t bore your dance partner! Among all the divines, especially the Spring Prince doesn''t take kindly to that. Try not to step on the Summer Queens toes either while you are at it, since this is actually her festival and not his.¡±


    I swallow hard.


    ¡°Great, divine politics. I''m feeling a lot better about this already.¡±


    Agnieszka snorts in response while Rafal brushes away my worries with a gesture.


    ¡°Nah, don''t think of it like that. Its more like a sibling rivalry. Well, as far as any mortal can tell anyway. But why don''t you get changed, then we can get going.¡±


    ¡°I need to get changed? We need to get going? Why? Where?¡±


    Agnieszka gets up at this point to pat me on the back.


    ¡°We picked a location a little more remote than your backyard garden. Most beginners tend to be a little shy about onlookers and the likes. Besides, we will have a little more room there as well. And you should wear a dress to get used to the feeling. Believe me or not, it does make a difference.¡±


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    She probably is right. It isn''t like I never wear dresses but I do in fact wear my overalls on most days. I''m very much used to comfortable pants like those. There is a reason why a lot of people use them as their everyday clothes.


    In the end I signal my agreement with a nod. Not one to keep the others waiting any longer than necessary I head inside and get changed. Besides, Sour Cream is already waiting for me, staring at her empty bowl accusingly. Its a good thing I didn''t forget to bring a fresh jug of her favorite treat. All her misgivings are quickly forgotten when I pour some into her bowl.


    The dress I put on is the one Agnieszka made for me. The one responsible for my good mood. The one I double enchanted just earlier. This is a pretty good chance to show off my newest achievement after all. Besides, a few grass or dirt stains, in case I should miss a step and fall, shouldn''t be an issue thanks to the enchantment. Neither do I have to worry about getting caught on any twigs or the likes.


    It is the best option. Right now at least. I could, in theory, wear grandma''s special dress for the actual dance. I''m not entirely convinced though.


    I giggle to myself as I think that thought. I might just have to be a little more drunk to work up the courage necessary to wear that dress. And to not make a fool of myself when dancing in a state like that I need to get better first. No, I don''t just need to get better, I need to get a lot better!


    As I''m about to head back outside, Agnieszka peeks inside.


    ¡°Bring a Stamina potion or two as well. Just in case. Dancing can be pretty strenuous if you are serious about it after all.¡±


    I blink once at that comment. Is she serious? A look at her face tells me that she is. Not even her playful smile can obscure the fact. I decide not to question her.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ sure.¡±


    I get the potion bottles from the shop. One regular stamina potion and of my new mana spiked coffee potions. These should be plenty enough for a night of training.


    Although, I doubt that we will be training all night. These two have lives of their own as well after all. They can''t just waste all night on teaching me to dance. Right? Well, probably not every night at least.


    I grab a basket for the potion bottles and put two towels into it as well, almost as an afterthought. We might need those as well. Should we bring a snack as well? Or something to drink? Will we even have time for breaks?


    As I step outside to rejoin my mentors my worries in that regard are eased. Agnieszka has already thought about these things it seems. She is bringing a basket as well. Hers contains two big clay bottles and some cups as well as some cloth wrapped sandwiches instead of potions and towels though.


    I swallow hard.


    ¡°It looks like we are just about ready to go. Yes?¡±


    Rafal just nods and picks up his lute, while Agnieszka leads the way.


    We follow a path I''m vaguely familiar with. As we follow the path, for a little while realization dawns upon me. This is the path I took on my first short excursion!


    We don''t stop where I stopped back then though. Instead we cross the creek at the shallow spot and follow the trail on the other side for a little longer until we reach a big open clearing.


    It''s not any clearing though. This place obviously sees regular use. The grass doesn''t grow too tall here and nothing at all grows at the clearing''s center, where the ground is charred from fires that have to burn here both big, hot and pretty regular.


    Finally Agnieszka turns around to address me.


    ¡°Welcome to our fairground.¡±


    The village''s fairground? Isn''t it a bit big for Clear Brook? That isn''t all though. Hidden in the bushes all around the edge of the clearing I can spy big stones. They might be overgrown, but none of them are damaged or overturned.


    ¡°This isn''t just Clear Brook''s fairground is it?¡±


    The older woman shrugs while the bard makes himself comfortable a little off to the side.


    ¡°It is used by the people of Hollow Oaks as well. And if any of the elven communities of the forest are nearby they often join the festivals too. And of course sometimes some of the fair folk visit also. It might look big now with only the three of us here. During a big night it can get pretty crowded though.¡±


    I nod at her explanation. I can''t help but take a closer look at one of the overgrown stones though. I move a few branches out of the way to study the moss covered surface of the stone block that has to be about as ancient as it is massive.


    Much of it is buried in the ground, but I can still see some of the ancient runes, not an alphabet I''m familiar with, carved into it.


    ¡°This isn''t just a fairground. It''s ancient. Possibly older than any of the people making this land their home today. Possibly old enough that only some of the fair folk could tell us how old it is exactly.¡±


    Now it is Agnieszka''s turn to nod along with my words.


    ¡°Just about. I have heard stories from people who claim that you can get in touch with the divine here as easily as in any temple. Never mind for now though. Or better, take it as a reason to take your dance lessons seriously.¡±


    I swallow hard once more, as she leads me few steps further from the edge, while Rafal starts tuning his instrument.

 Chapter 87 - Late night lessons

    It doesn''t take me long to realize that Agnieszka brought snacks and drinks for good reasons. And it is a good thing as well, that I have some towels as well. Dancing, as I find out, is a strenuous physical activity. At least if practiced like this.


    Agnieszka starts me off with the basic everyday bar room dances I''m already familiar with, at least in passing, from evenings spent at the inn in the village. This time she doesn''t let mistakes slide though. Instead she has me go through each step, each twist and turn again and again until I have them memorized well enough. And then she has me do it all over again.


    Oh, gods and goddesses! Elder Jaromir mentioned that the village has a militia. Is she the militia''s drill sergeant? It seems very likely to me right now.


    By the time she calls for a first break I''m pretty much drenched in sweat and the fine new dress sticks to my skin in an uncomfortable way. At least for a little while. The enchantments kick in soon enough though and by the time I have wiped my face with one of the towels I brought it is already getting much better.


    The older woman, who by some miracle, is not sweating nearly as much as me, raises an eyebrow, as she notices.


    ¡°You enchanted the dress?¡±


    I nod and explain, while she pours us and Rafal a drink.


    ¡°I did. Twice. Self cleaning and self repair. A family heirloom in the making.¡±


    Rafal nods in appreciation, as he takes a sip of wine while patting the lute in his lap.


    ¡°I always wanted to get an enchantment like that for trusty little companion here. Maybe self repair combined with something that makes it neigh unbreakable to begin with? I''m always a little worried when we head out into the wilds.¡±


    I almost choke on my wine at the casual mention of one of the most potent combinations of enchantments.


    ¡°That is a potent combination. Something you might find on a king''s coronation sword and the likes. You might have to save up some to afford something like that even considering any favors owed.¡±


    He nods, with a dreamy look on his face.


    ¡°Rafal, king of bards, that would be something.¡±


    He shakes his head.


    ¡°I''m not in a hurry. I still have plenty of growing to do before I can seriously consider an enchantment like that anyway. And who knows, the mates and I might just come across a real treasure cache somewhere out there before then. I certainly know worse things I could spend my share on than an enchantment like that.¡±


    Agnieszka and I listen carefully as he elaborates. In the end I empty my cup maybe a little too quickly. Thankfully it isn''t a strong wine though.


    ¡°I can''t wait to hear the stories of Rafal, king of bards. Preferably told in rhyme to some catchy tune.¡±


    I nod as I think about it some more.


    ¡°Definitely told in rhyme to a catchy tune!¡±


    Agnieszka laughs out loud and Rafal snorts into his cup. It takes him a moment to regain his composure.


    ¡°Can''t compose that tune myself though. Can''t make up the rhymes myself either. That wouldn''t be a good look.¡±


    Agnieszka empties her own cup as well and puts the cups and the now half empty bottle away again.


    ¡°Yes, songs like that have to come from someone else. If people sing songs about you in inns, taverns or dance halls or during festivals, while you are still alive, you certainly have made it big. Anyway, are you ready to get going again?¡±


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    I just nod and straighten out my dress as I get back up.


    ¡°Good! Lets try something different then! What we did so far was a nice warm up, but we really should focus more on the dances for the festivals.¡±


    She leads me a little closer to the scorched ground at the heart of the fairground, without giving much of a chance to protest, while Rafal starts playing again.


    Apparently the bard knows which piece to play. Have they talked about this beforehand? Is there some obvious order to things I''m not aware of? Or can he tell just from our position on the fairground?


    It might just be the latter, as the distance to the spot where the fire would burn, or rather the center of the fairground in general, seems to be important.


    I don''t have to ask either, as the older woman is quick to explain.


    ¡°We will start with the dance for the midwinter night. It is, the easiest. No fancy steps, no jumps and exciting figures either. At least at first.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It''s midwinter night after all. The longest and usually one of the coldest nights of the year. Snow and ice aplenty. Hot food and strong spirits as well. And, of course, thick clothes. Not exactly the best combination for exciting acrobatics. It still is fun though. And towards the end couples who intend to get married the next year usually jump over the fire together. That really is the only exciting and slightly dangerous part. The rest is a lot calmer. Its still pretty fun though.¡±


    I nod as old memories rear their head. Memories of a fairground not entirely unlike this one. These memories are fuzzy though. Childhood memories? Have I been to midwinter night dance before?


    I scrunch up my face as I try to recall more details. Finally other things than the taste of candied apples, gingerbread and sweet tea come to me.


    ¡°The dance with the ribbons? Before the fire is lit?¡±


    My mentor flashes me a beaming smile.


    ¡°Exactly! The dancers will be divided into two groups and form two circles. Everyone gets a long, colorful ribbon which is affixed to a tall pole in the center of the stacked firewood. Then they make their rounds around it in different directions. And whenever the tune of the music changes the inner circle moves to the outside and the other way around and they switch directions as well.¡±


    As if to demonstrate the tune Rafal is playing changes and I nod. The pattern she has described keeps going until everyone comes together at the center and the ribbons are all tangled up, or better woven into a tight pattern. Supposedly the pattern can be used to tell fortunes and the likes. I''m not too sure about that though.


    Agnieszka in turn proceeds to show me how I need to move. It is, at first not to complicated. It starts as a rather sedate dance after all.


    It quickly gets more complex though, as I need not only mind my feet. I need to think of my hands and arms as well because of the ribbon, which I have to imagine right now.


    When my counterpart on the other circle goes low as we pass I need to raise my arms high and the other way around. And then we practice the switch from one circle to the other and the first time I actually manage to bump into Agnieszka. I quickly get the hang of it afterwards though.


    The only thing still worrying me is, that the tunes Rafal is playing pick up in pace whenever he moves from one to the other. By the end I''m out of breath again.


    I pretty much drop to the ground without much ceremony as we have another break and another cup of wine. Finally I get my breathing back under control.


    ¡°What is up next?¡±


    My question doesn''t get answered right away, as Rafal is drinking right now and Agnieszka still needs to catch her own breath. She isn''t a young thing like me anymore after all.


    In the end I grab the coffee based stamina potion from my basket and hand it to her, before she can pour herself any of the wine.


    ¡°Give this one a try. It improves mana regeneration in addition to being a stamina potion. It uses coffee as one of its ingredients and should grant you a pretty decent second wind. And, to be honest, I''m a little curious how people will like it.¡±


    Without much of a second thought or any worries she uncorks the potion bottle and empties it with one big gulp. Almost immediately her eyes widen. So does her grin.


    ¡°Oh my! Sweet! And it prickles!¡±


    Rafal raises an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°I might just give it a try tomorrow as well, if you don''t mind. I''m still good right now though.¡±


    At this point Agnieszka pipes in again. Her face is flushing a little.


    ¡°I''m not sure second wind is a strong enough word for the effect of this potion. Oh my, oh my! Don''t let any of the kids have any of this! The gods and goddesses only know to what kind of mischief they could get up to after having some.¡±


    She sighs.


    ¡°It could be a big hit with them though. Sweet and prickly might just be something they would go for. Never mind though. You wanted to know what else we had planned for your lessons?¡±


    I simply nod and she goes on.


    ¡°Well, I thought we could practice the jump over the fire, but unless you are in a hurry to get married that really isn''t much of a priority. It isn''t any fun without an actual fire anyway. So, for a change of pace we could practice some polkas. They are similar in nature to what we just practiced after all and we have to make sure you don''t focus too much on any one dance.¡±


    Rafal chuckles and speaks up, cheerfully plucking at the strings of his lute as he does so.


    ¡°Yes, we don''t want to teach you only a single dance after all. There is so much more fun to be had! So many rhythms! So many tunes! And afterwards we can give the midwinter night dance another try. Besides, for one of the next lessons I would like to invite my friends along, especially Feliks. He can teach you a lot more about acrobatics in general and that is knowledge and practice you might need for the more complex jumps and lifting figures.¡±

 Chapter 88 - Under the stars

    The night and thus my training is far from over yet. That is a realization that dawns upon me pretty soon. If anything the polka dancing Agnieszka suggested is even worse than the rest. Not only do I have to mind my own steps and my own posture. No, I have to pay close attention to Agnieszka as well.


    Polkas and the dances that go with them are supposed to be fun. Right now I feel like I''m being put through the wringer by a drill sergeant again though. She seems to miss nothing. Even the smallest mistake catches her eye. Oh, gods and goddesses, if this keeps going much longer it will be the death of me!


    Muscles I didn''t know I had just the other day ache now, as she corrects my general posture as well. Oh, gods and goddesses, how they ache!


    Still, I can''t just give up. I promised I would give it my all. I can''t go back on that now. And hopefully it will help make sure I don''t make a fool of myself at the actual dance. Thus it isn''t all good, but I''m willing to bear with it.


    Maybe it will even get better after a while? Supposedly hard training is like that some times. I have some doubts in that regard, but I can hope, or can''t I? There is the distinct possibility that my trainers will just increase the difficulty after all. Well, I guess I''ll find out soon enough.


    Well past midnight, after a second break during which I actually have to drink the other stamina potion, the training regime changes once more. Curiously enough, it is almost like a game.


    Rafal throws colorful lights at me which I have to dodge, while Agnieszka takes a longer break. She is quite resolute, but she really isn''t as young as me anymore. She needs a little more time to catch her breath. A stamina potion, even a pretty damn good one, can only do so much in the end.


    Dodging those colorful, glowing, dancing lights is actually pretty hard, as the bard can control their movement somehow with his lute. Some he sends circling while others come rushing at me.


    And while it might look like a fun game at a first glance, it really isn''t, as I quickly find out when I fail to dodge for the first time. As the light makes contact it dissolves into bright flash accompanied by a dissonant cacophony of notes that send me to the ground with my hands clutching my ears.


    ¡°Oh gods and goddesses! What is that for?¡±


    Rafal stops playing for a moment to explain.


    ¡°It is one of my spells. It is called Dissonant Distraction, although if more power is put into it, it can become a dissonant destruction as well. I won''t do that to you though, so don''t worry.¡±


    By this point Agnieszka has recovered enough to add her own explanation as well.


    ¡°The midsummer night dance is by far the most exciting. There is a lot more than just dancing to it.¡±


    She points out towards the center of the fairground.


    ¡°There actually won''t be a big fire. Instead we will have many smaller around the edge of the clearing. Instead there will be a big bull enclosure at the center, where those daring enough can play tag with an Auroch bull caught for the occasion.¡±


    I pale a little at the suggestion. It isn''t the first time I hear about it though. Someone has already mentioned jumping the bull sometime recently after all. Oh my!


    Although Agnieszka seems to notice my reaction she continues unabated.


    ¡°Some dance around it, while others distract it with sweet wine.¡±


    She chuckles briefly.


    ¡°Curiously enough, the beasts usually quickly learn to appreciate the wine. Seems like there are things we all have in common. Anyway, most dancers just play tag with it. Some actually jump it though.¡±


    ¡°They ¡­ jump it?¡±


    It sounds impossible. Aurochs supposedly are big, much bigger than the domesticated cows we have around here and some of them can already get scary big. How would one jump over a beast a like that? I can''t help it. It really does sound impossible.


    Before I can inquire any further Rafal speaks up again, accompanied by a curious melody he plays on his instrument. Again colorful lights form. This time around they don''t take the shape of simple spheres though. Instead one morphs into a massive bull. While the other takes a humanoid shape.


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    The difference in size does not exactly inspire much confidence in me. Thankfully the bard''s voice has a soothing effect.


    ¡°We call it jumping the bull, but it is in fact a little more complicated than that. It takes both courage, some acrobatics and fine timing to get right. Overall, it isn''t an easy feature.¡±


    As he explains the two illusionary figures move along in a matching, dangerous dance of sorts.


    ¡°First, contrary to what your instincts might tell you, you have to charge straight at the bull for a successful jump. You really need to build as much momentum as possible. The faster you run at the bull while it charges at you in turn, the better.¡±


    I swallow hard, but let him continue without interrupting him, mesmerized by the illusory display guided by the tune he is playing.


    ¡°Then, when it lowers its head, just when you are about to be trampled, you need to jump as hard as you can while grabbing its horns.¡±


    I''m getting a little faint at this point, but I can''t look away from the display.


    ¡°The bull will do the rest. When you grab the horns it will usually throw back its head, adding even more momentum. It will send you flying higher and further than you could manage on your own.¡±


    Then Agnieszka decided to pipe in again while the bard focuses on the tune her is playing and the illusion it creates.


    ¡°By this point you should already focus on your landing. If you were fast enough and if the bull threw you properly, you should land well behind it, out of the reach of its hind legs just in case it should decide to buck and kick.¡±


    I can only nod as the illusion displays what she describes.


    ¡°If you can, you should try to stand the landing. If you break into a run right away again, that is alright as well. If you can''t keep your balance, try to roll forward. You really have to get up pretty much right away again. You don''t want to lie on the ground with an angry bull around. Getting trampled is no fun in the best of cases, and well, I think I don''t have to describe the worst case. Right?¡±


    By this point my throat has gone a little dry, so I drink a sip of wine, before I finally speak up.


    ¡°Do I ¡­ do I really have to do that?¡±


    My companions shrug and the older woman answers.


    ¡°You don''t have to. You probably should though. Remember, you really don''t want to bore the Spring Prince. Even worse, since he is your date, of sorts, for this dance, you don''t want to annoy the Summer Queen either since it is supposed to be her great day. She will already be irked as is when he shows up. You really should try to appease her, since he most certainly will not waste any thoughts on things like that.¡±


    Rafal nods in agreement.


    ¡°Yes, the fair folk can be selfish brats like that. Only ever interested in their own fun, not caring for the consequences their fun has for others.¡±


    He shakes his head, as his current tune comes to an end and the two illusions dissipate.


    ¡°So, you don''t have to, but it might be for the better. Especially since you might have to compete with some others for the prince''s attention.¡±


    I groan.


    ¡°He makes me promise him a dance and then I have to compete for his attention?¡±


    Agnieszka sighs and nods.


    ¡°Yes, sadly. It might not be easy either. You heard that Danuta is looking to get a new dress, right?¡±


    I groan again. At the same time I pale.


    ¡°How am I supposed to compete with Danuta? Especially if she really gets a fairy gossamer dress! One made by the best seamstress to be found in this part of the world! One she might just ask me to enchant for her!¡±


    Rafal pats my back while Agnieszka laughs out loud.


    After emptying my cup I drop back into the grass to seek some solace among the stars above. They are really extraordinarily pretty this late at night.


    Rafal is the first to speak up again.


    ¡°That is why we would like to prepare you for the jump. We are pretty certain that Danuta won''t do something like that. Her ¡­ uh ¡­ build, it is a little too unbalanced for acrobatics like that. Probably.¡±


    Then Agnieszka decided to add another little tidbit.


    ¡°You might have another ace up your sleeve. You looked through the clothes your grandmother left you, didn''t you?¡±


    I nod and she continues.


    ¡°Then you probably found that special dress as well, didn''t you? No one said that Danuta has to be the only witch wearing an enchanted fairy gossamer dress after all.¡±


    Gods and goddesses! Of course she has to bring up that dress. I turn to face her without getting up.


    ¡°You know, wearing that dress might take more courage than running straight at a wild charging bull with murder on its mind.¡±


    My two mentors burst out laughing again.


    ¡°Don''t you worry. We will build that courage of yours, among other things. No, how about we get back to training? We haven''t come out here to nap under the stars after all.¡±


    With a groan I get back up and we resume my training regime. It doesn''t take long for my dress to be soaked in sweat and covered in grass stains again, at least briefly.

 Chapter 89 - Till dawn

    Eventually the training has to come to end. Just like the night as I notice to my great surprise. Have we really been at it all night, from dusk till dawn? It seems hard to believe. Yet, as I lie there in the grass once more, I can see the sky lighten in the east as morning inevitably approaches.


    This isn''t the only surprise either. At least not in my book. In the confines of my mind I quietly admit to myself that this actually was a pretty fun experience. Sure, it was grueling and exhausting as well. My whole body aches. But nonetheless it was fun as well.


    It almost makes me wish I had done this before. Except, I doubt my parents would have been able to arrange an experience like this. It simply wouldn''t have been in their nature. They wouldn''t have been fond of the idea that I could go out and have fun on my own either. Ah, never mind, I''m my own woman now!


    Thanks grandma!


    I don''t say it out aloud, but I think of her anyway, as I gaze up at the slowly fading stars. Then, just as I turn to face the direction of the rising sun, it actually peeks above the horizon and a divine whisper tickles my mind and my breath catches for a moment.


    [From dusk till dawn you dedicated yourself to learning something exciting and new! Under our watchful eyes you gave your all until exhaustion claimed its toll. The Dusk Maiden, The Moon Father and The Dawn Maiden are your witnesses and gift you 5 points for The Stars Arcana and 1 point for the Strength Arcana as a reward.]


    The whispered message is almost immediately followed by another and as it hits me I slump back onto the ground overwhelmed.


    [Under the tutelage of others you have acquired the Dance skill at apprentice level. The Dawn Maiden is your witnesses and gifts you 3 points for The Sword Arcana as a reward.]


    Those are a lot of rewards all at once and it is already the second time within just a few days. In the end I decide to just lie there and enjoy the sunrise for a moment.


    ¡°Congratulations!¡±


    It is Rafal who addresses me soon after. He extends a hand to help me back up as well.


    ¡°Oh? You too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Me too. Agnieszka as well if I''m not mistaken. Being a teacher can be quite rewarding. Especially if you have a student willing to thoroughly dedicate themselves to the task of learning.¡±


    I let him help me back onto my feet, as I''m still feeling a little dizzy.


    ¡°That almost sounds like the future king of bards might become the headmaster of a bardic college first.¡±


    He doesn''t seem to mind the teasing.


    ¡°I have to admit, the thought crossed my mind. Becoming a teacher, and possibly later the headmaster of such an institution of learning wouldn''t be the worst thing a retired adventurer could aim for.¡±


    He pauses and snorts in amusement before he finally continues.


    ¡°That is in the future though. Hopefully many exciting and rewarding years from now.¡±


    While we talk Agnieszka gathers up our few belongings. Then we head back to the village, following the same path we used to get here.


    We walk in silence, except, no, we actually don''t. We don''t talk. Rafal keeps playing a happy little tune on his lute though.


    As we reach the outskirts of the village we finally part ways.


    Rafal heads back to the inn to get himself some breakfast.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Agnieszka in turn accompanies me a little further. She stifles a mighty yawn as we walk back home along the creek instead of using the dirt road.


    ¡°Do you have any plans for today? Or rather do you have any immediate plans?¡±


    I shake my head after thinking about it for a moment.


    ¡°No, no immediate plans.¡±


    ¡°Good! Lets grab a change of clothes and some fresh towels and have a nice long bath.¡±


    I look in the direction of the rising sun. The time would be about right for a bath, thus I don''t protest. Maybe it will help soothe my aching muscles. And even if not, my dress may be self cleaning, but I''m not. After this night I most certainly need to wash off some sweat.


    We stop by her place first.


    ¡°Fine. Be with you in a moment.¡±


    I hurry to get home myself. Not just to get that towel and the mentioned change of clothes though. I have one more responsibility after all.


    And, as I reach home, she is already sitting in the window, fixing me with a stern glare.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    I wince a little at this plain meowing sound. Together with the look it cuts right to my heart. I bend down and kiss Sour Cream on the forehead.


    ¡°Sorry Sweety. It seems I was out all night as well for a change. Now, why don''t you come in so I can fix you a snack. How about it?¡±


    As I slip in through the backdoor, she takes the window.


    And while she might still have some misgivings about me not being there to welcome her in the morning, they seem quickly forgotten once I pour her some sour cream. Cats!


    I watch her eat while getting my things. Only when she is curled up on my bed, and after petting her a little, do I dare to leave.


    As I return, my neighbor is already waiting for me. She seems to have an idea why I''m late though.


    ¡°Had to take care of some other responsibilities first, eh?¡±


    I nod and sigh.


    ¡°Not being home to welcome her back seems to be an issue for her.¡±


    Agnieszka pats my back.


    ¡°It might be due to your grandma''s passing. It could be that returning to an empty home is a little upsetting to her as a result.¡±


    I nod again, as we walk along.


    ¡°Maybe. She was sitting there in the window, waiting for me.¡±


    I receive another pat on the back, then we are at the bathhouse. The place is already pretty busy, but after taking our time washing up we can properly soak in the warm water afterwards.


    Oh, what a relief! What a great relief!


    We both let out a long sigh at the same time and break into silly giggles right afterwards.


    After enjoying the relaxing warmth for a little while I speak up again.


    ¡°I might just visit the temple again later today to upgrade the dancing skill. I should have just enough Karma for it, thanks to today''s rewards.¡±


    The older woman doesn''t even open her eyes as she nods.


    ¡°I''ll be leaving for Barter Town and should be back some time tomorrow. Say, could I get another vial or two of that potion you gave me? I might just need it. Wouldn''t want to drop off the cart because I fell asleep.¡±


    ¡°I still have some. I could brew a fresh batch as well though. That way you can have a cup before you get going. Believe me, it might be effective when bottled up, but it is much better when fresh.¡±


    She nods and gets up and out of the water.


    ¡°I''ll take your word for it. I''ll stop by your place before I get going. Is that alright with you?¡±


    I nod and she gets dried off and dressed. Soon after she is gone. Finally I get out of the water as well. I would have really liked to stay a little longer, but I fear I would turn all wrinkly if I did.


    Thus I return home, now back in my comfortable overall.


    Elzbieta is already waiting for me, when I reach my house. She has a quest paper with her, but I wince anyway. It isn''t the same quest as yesterday after all. No it is the leftover single dosage mana mill quest I initially posted.


    I bow my head to her.


    ¡°Sorry! I forgot to post the new quest yesterday and I kind of just came back after receiving some dance lessons by Agnieszka and Rafal.¡±


    She waves me off with a smile on her lips.


    ¡°So you were out dancing all night?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And I can feel it in just about every muscle and bone. Say, I''m about to make some fresh coffee of the mana spiked variety. Would you like a cup as well?¡±


    She gets up from the bench under the window and we go inside together.


    ¡°Sure, please!¡±


    As she starts working one mill, I grind some freshly roasted coffee beans with the other. And by the time Agniszka stops her oxen cart out front the smell of fresh coffee is already filling the workshop.


    I''m pleasantly surprised to find out that she brought a few small cup sized sweet cakes to go with the fresh coffee. As far as I''m concerned this day is started to shape up nicely!

 Chapter 90 - A dozy of a day

    Despite having some of the enhanced coffee I start the day slow while Elzbieta is busy with the quest. As I fill the rest of the coffee into potion bottles I resolve to post her quest a second time during our lunch break, so she can make another coin in the afternoon. I might post the new regular quest later in the evening for the next day.


    While the coffee grants me a second wind I can still feel the exhaustion all too keenly. I simply can''t remember the last time I worked out like that. Have I ever for that matter? I''m not quite sure. Not since I was a very young child anyway, and even back then it probably wasn''t a real workout anyway.


    I snort in amusement as I think about that a little more. The ones who had the real workout back then probably were the maids who had to watch me. I wasn''t easy on them as far as I can recall. If I ever meet them again, however unlikely that is, I probably should apologize as well as thank them for all their hard work. Yes, that is what I should do.


    More importantly though, these memories serve as a reminder of what may lie in my own future as well. I might just end up watching Elzbieta''s little one after all. It certainly wouldn''t be out of the ordinary to ask a godmother for a favor like that.


    Ah well, it is no use worrying about things like that now. I''ll find out eventually.


    A little later Rafal drops by as promised. He looks tired, despite having actually gotten some sleep, unlike me. As he is on his own instead of being with his two friends, it probably doesn''t matter though. He probably won''t be heading out today as far as I can tell.


    He arrives exactly at the right moment as well, as I''m just about to put some more of the new potions on the shelves out front.


    I hand him one of the bottles.


    ¡°Here, this is it. A stamina boost like the regular potions and increased mana regeneration. I still have a little left in the back if you want to give it a try first.¡±


    He looks at the price tag briefly, before nodding.


    ¡°If I could? Its not too much trouble, right?¡±


    I wave his worries away.


    ¡°No, no trouble at all. Come along.¡±


    With these words I lead him around the counter after putting away the last of the new potions.


    Rafal in turn leaves the one bottle I handed him sitting on the counter. It seems he doesn''t mind the price.


    That is in itself already a little relief. Sure, I''m pretty sure I didn''t overprice it, but seeing the first reaction of a customer is still important. My own perception of the matter might be flawed after all.


    Sixteen bronze crowns should still be quite affordable though. In fact I even have a little wriggle room should someone decide to haggle without having to worry about covering my costs. Except for the actual coffee the ingredients are pretty affordable after all.


    I wash a cup and pour the bard the rest of the coffee.


    Elzbieta greets him with a smile and a nod, without stopping her work.


    The bard in turn gives the contents of the cup a quick sniff. Then he downs them in one big gulp, much like he would an actual potion. His eyes widen almost immediately.


    ¡°Oh! Oh my! This has quite the kick! And it really tastes much better than the regular mana potions! A little bitter, but also wonderfully sweet!¡±


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Elzbieta laughs out loud behind me.


    ¡°Yes, right? We had sweet cup sized cakes to go with it this morning! I think I''ll have to look into having some every morning!¡±


    No it is my turn to snort in amusement.


    ¡°Careful there, Elzbieta. There is plenty of sugar in this brew and these cakes of Agnieszka were plenty sweet as well. If you make a habit of those, the combination might go straight to your hips!¡±


    She pouts, but not for long, before she returns to her cheerful self.


    ¡°I don''t think adventurers have to worry about stuff like that. Adventuring is hard work, you know!¡±


    Rafal looks like he wants to chime in, but he refrains at the last moment, which probably is for the better.


    I decide not to mention that Elzbieta is not doing a whole lot of hard adventuring right now either. I might still have to watch out for her a little though. Sure, she needs to eat plenty right now, but that simply makes it all the harder to make sure it isn''t too much.


    Instead of following this line of thought any further, I decide to focus on Rafal''s reaction to the potion.


    ¡°So, what do you say? Is it worth it?¡±


    He doesn''t need to think about it. Not for long anyway.


    ¡°Sixteen bronze Crowns sounds about right. This is including the one bronze Crown deposit for the bottle, right?¡±


    I nod as we return to the shop.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Marvelous! With these potions I might just be able to make do without the regular mana potions. I''m sorry, I really mean no offense, but the taste of mana potions, it really is a little revolting.¡±


    ¡°No offense taken. It is the sad truth. I simply don''t know any recipes for mana potions that are any less revolting. I doubt anyone does, otherwise we wouldn''t bother with the ones we have right now.¡±


    He nods and gets two more of the bottles, before paying without haggling. Then, with another smile and a cheerful wave he is gone again.


    Or at least, he is almost. At the last moment he stops once more, to address me.


    ¡°Don''t forget, you have another appointment tonight!¡±


    Then he is gone for good, although I can still hear him cheerfully whistling a happy little tune as he heads back down to the inn.


    I in turn put away the coins and enter the sale into the ledger as well.


    Of course I have another appointment tonight. More training. With his comrades this time around since Agnieszka is out of town.


    A shiver runs down my back and my muscles seem to ache a little more. At the same time I''m a little curious what training with these two will look like. Acrobatics were mentioned if I recall right. That sounds a little exciting.


    For now though I decide to work in the garden instead of worrying about the future. I water the not so thick anymore thicket that is turning into a proper herb garden and I tend grandma''s grave as well, although it really doesn''t need all that much attention, silently thanking her once more.


    The simple tasks of watering some plants while carefully pulling or pruning others is almost like meditation. Enough so that I loose track of the time.


    Eventually my attention is returned to the here and now though, when Elzbieta clears her throat. The pregnant archer stands in the door, watching me.


    ¡°Done with the quest?¡±


    She nods and I get up and head inside with her to take care of the paperwork.


    ¡°Time for lunch?¡±


    She holds up the stamped quest paper like it is some grand treasure.


    ¡°Yes! Time for lunch!¡±


    My stomach rumbles at this point. Of course it rumbles! A sandwich and some wine are not nearly enough to make up for the all night training session after all. Not by far.


    ¡°Great! Be with you in a moment. I just need to get some coin, so I can put up new quests as well.¡±


    As promised I rejoin her out back after closing the shop for my lunch break and getting some coin from the strong chest. I got a little more than usual as I might just get myself a second helping of whatever is on the menu today. I don''t even care much what it is. I need to regain my strength!


    At long last we head down to the inn together. The smell greeting us, as we approach is promising. Whatever is on the menu, it seems to include meat! It seems I''m not the only one who seems to think this is a good thing. The place is packed to its very limits today!


    Sadly this means that I have to wait in line for an eternity. In the end the wait is worth it though, as I receive a big bowl of rice topped with three kinds of finely cut meat and lots of hearty sauce poured all over it.


    Oh delicious goodness! It is both good and filling!


    Even better, there is dessert as well. Maryla and Patryk might not have any coffee yet, but that doesn''t mean that they can''t put the custom ice box they got from me to good use yet.


    It is not iced coffee, but finely shaved, sweetened milk ice is pretty tasty too. As a matter of fact the treat is so tasty that I almost forget about seeing Krystina about the quests. Only almost though.

 Chapter 91 - Becoming a regular

    Lunch really was something else. And with the new mana mill quests posted as well I can feel the exhaustion creeping up on me, as we, Elzbieta with the new quest papers and I, return to the shop. I barely have the presence of mind to note the expenses for the new quests down in the ledger.


    Afterwards I can''t help it anymore. While my adventurer friend takes the mana mill outside to work in the sun I simply have to lie down for a quick nap. Even the best potions can only keep you going for so long after all. And with more training looming ahead I really have to catch up some on sleep.


    And, as Sour Cream snuggles up to me the moment I lie down, the quick nap turns into a slightly longer one.


    In the end it is Elzbieta who wakes me a few hours later when she is done with the mill.


    Due to my sleep addled state it takes me a moment to come back around and stamp her papers with my seal, while she distracts Sour Cream, who seems to be of the opinion that her treat is more important than Elzbieta''s papers.


    Once the adventurer is on her way, I take care of my feline companion''s needs as well.


    A quick glance out the window lets me know that it is not yet time to close the shop. I take a moment to head down to the creek to splash some cold water into my face though. That wakes me up the rest of the way.


    Time to get some more work done before my workout!


    I don''t get any new brews started though. Instead I settle on something else that needs doing. The diapers. They still need their second enchantment! I just hope that I''m not mistaken about my ability to reliably add a second enchantment.


    No, I can''t start second guessing myself and my abilities now. I just need to get this done!


    Before I can find any more excuses I get the diapers, depositing them on the workbench for now, except for the one I''ll get started with. That one goes straight onto the enchanting table.


    A moment later one of my new chalks is in my hand I get started. The enchantment isn''t exactly the same as the one for the dress, but it is pretty close. For this reason I pay even closer attention than I usually would. I don''t want any embarrassing mix ups after all.


    One glowing and sparkling rune after the other I draw the circle. Each rune is a picture of perfection, as the enchantment comes together. Finally, as I finish the last rune the circle is drawn into the diaper. If anything it takes hold easier than during my last two double enchantments.


    For a moment I just stand there, blinking surprised. There was almost no resistance this time around. I could get used to this, if this is how it is going to be in the future. Still, I''m a little worried too.


    No, it is no use worrying! I just need to check the result, thus this is exactly what I do.


    [Pristine Cloth Diaper, Quality: Rare, A comfortable cloth diaper made from soft cloth. It is enchanted to perpetually clean and repair itself. Even the worst of stains will disappear in short order and any minor damage, just like wear and tear, will be mended just as quick.]


    Marvelous! It worked!


    I need to take a deep breath to ease my nerves and calm my fluttering heart. I allow myself a silly, big grin though. This is a good reason to be joyous after all. Although, I''m not quite done yet. I still need to enchant two more diapers after all.


    Without hesitation I fold up this newly enchanted treasure so I can put it right back into the trunk. Then I grab the next diaper and repeat the process I just finished.


    It takes considerable effort to not slip into routine and stay watchful, but I manage to prevail. I check the result with my appraisal skill this time as well. To my great relief it is exactly what I expect to see.


    Instead of getting started with the last one right away I take a little break though. It is only now when I sit on the wooden bench out back that I realize that it is almost time to close the shop already.


    I would have really liked to get the last diaper done as well, but I better prepare for my late night dance lessons instead. Especially as I''m not quite sure, when Feliks, Lotar and Rafal will drop by. Even more so, as I need to do more than just get changed today! After all there will be no snacks provided by Agnieszka tonight. Instead I''ll need to get some elsewhere.


    Thus it is decided. I need to get going!


    I close the shop and grab some of my new coffee based stamina potions. They go into the basket I had along last night. I grab some coins from the chest under the counter as well. A little more than usual in fact. Then I get changed into my enchanted dress.


    Afterwards I head down to the inn. I ask Maryla for two bottles of wine and some sandwiches. Instead of waiting for the goods I head over to the temple after paying though.


    Wislawa is already waiting for me, with an enigmatic smile on her lips, as I enter the antechamber.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Welcome back, Valeria!¡±


    I bow my head in response and take of my sandals to wash my feet.


    ¡°The divine have been very generous with their rewards recently.¡±


    She nods and motions for me to come inside once I''m done and we get ready to enter the divine pool together.


    The motions have become much more familiar ever since I have come here to Clear Brook. The same is true for the sensation of floating in the extremely salty water and the more subtle change of my surroundings as I slip into the divine dreamscape.


    One moment I''m looking up at the middle aged priestess, as my head comes to rest in her lap. The next I''m looking up at my own likeness.


    ¡°Welcome once again, Valeria, dear. It is good to see you back.¡±


    I blush a little as I reply.


    ¡°The divine have been quite generous with their rewards lately. I hope I''m not a bother.¡±


    The divine avatar shakes her head.


    ¡°Don''t worry. We wouldn''t reward you the way we do, if we didn''t want you to make good use of those rewards. And besides, I have a feeling that this will be a very quick visit. You don''t seem to be in need of advice this time around. Am I right? Or am I mistaken?¡±


    I swallow hard and nod.


    ¡°Yes, I just wanted to upgrade my dance skill to journeyman rank with the Karma from the Stars Arcana.¡±


    My mirror image nods and smiles.


    ¡°Quick and to the point. Very well.¡±


    [The Dusk Maiden grants your wish! Your dancing skill has been upgraded to journeyman level in exchange for 4 points of the Stars Arcana. This is a passive effect. You can spend more points of the Stars Arcana to upgrade this skill further. Each further upgrade will be more expensive.]


    As she bends down to place a gentle kiss on my forehead the dream vision fades to be replaced by the temple''s interior once more.


    The priestess smiles, as she gets up and helps me up in turn as well.


    ¡°My, my, This was quick.¡±


    I nod, as we dry off and get dressed again.


    ¡°Yes, I asked for a rather straightforward skill upgrade this time around.¡±


    She nods and pulls me into a quick hug, before she sees me back out.


    ¡°I see you are preparing for the big dance quite diligently.¡±


    She pauses quickly, tilting her head slightly, before she continues.


    ¡°And it seems your mentors for the next lesson are already waiting for you. Godspeed, my dear!¡±


    It is as she said. The trio is in fact already waiting for me outside the temple on the village square. Rafal has his lute with him, as expected. Feliks is carrying my basket, which is now a little heavier, due to the snacks and the wine. I''m a little more surprised that Lotar is carrying a music instrument, a small drum, as well.


    It is Rafal who offers an explanation as we exchange greetings.


    ¡°Rhythm and timing is essential for today''s lesson. A drum is, at times like this, the better choice.¡±


    Well, I can''t exactly argue with that reasoning. Especially, as the others seem to agree with him too. In the end I just nod.


    ¡°Where are we going tonight? The fairground again?¡±


    ¡°Indeed! Why don''t you lead the way?¡±


    That is all the encouragement I need. Time for another night of grueling dance lessons!

 Chapter 92 - Leap of faith

    By now the trip to the fairground is getting familiar, despite it being only the third time that I make the whole trip. A lesson from one of the teachers from the academy comes to mind in that regard. They used to say, that if you really want to get to know a place, you have to get to know it with your feet. I''m starting to see what they meant.


    The trio of adventurers accompanying me today seems familiar with the path as well. In hindsight I really shouldn''t be surprised. They probably have attended one or another festival on this very ground during their time in Clear Brook already after all. No, it really would be more of a surprise if they hadn''t.


    The three don''t dally around either as we reach our destination. Rafal and Lotar take up position where we drop off our luggage, what little there is anyway. There the bard starts tuning his lute right away while the warrior starts playing a simple rhythm on the drum. Finally, Rafal joins in with the lute.


    I listen to them for a moment.


    Eventually Feliks speaks up, pulling my attention away from the musicians.


    ¡°It would be even better if we had someone playing a fiddle or possible some pipes to join in, but I guess we can make do like this. Anyway, Rafal got you started on dodging last night, didn''t he? With those dancing lights of his, right?¡±


    Indeed he did. That was only getting me started though? Should I be worried? Pushing away these thoughts I nod anyway.


    ¡°He did. Are we going to pick up there? Will we be doing more dodging?¡±


    It seems my guess is not wrong, as the young monk is quick to confirm it with a wide grin.


    ¡°It is a good warm up. In addition I want to make sure that you will be able to take a fall. During the actual dance, in the heat of the moment, you might stumble as well after all. It is no use worrying about not stumbling either. It is always better to go with the flow and stay in motion, even if it means a tumble in the grass.¡±


    I walk away a fair distance, before he continues.


    ¡°Today you will be dodging something a little more substantial than some phantasmal lights though. Just remember to always keep moving. Never stop. Never look back. Always keep your eyes pointed where you want to go.¡±


    As he finishes his talk, he closes his eyes for a moment, while clasping his hands together. After taking a deep breath he stomps the ground once.


    My eyes go wide then and there as I can actually feel the ground shake while he seems to grow taller and more massive. Then he starts moving and as the ground shakes a little with every one of his steps, he really looks a little like a charging bull.


    I''m not sure what exactly he is doing, but it certainly is impressive. In all likelihood it is some class related skill. What it is for sure though, is intimidating.


    I in turn take his advice to heart and get moving as well. Always look where I''m going! Never stop moving! It is easier said than done, when you heart beats crazy fast. Somehow this is a lot more exciting than last night''s training.


    I run at the monk as he charges at me, although my knees feel a little shaky. At the last moment I take a step to the side and we pass each other. Well, it was at the last moment for me. The young monk probably could still have reacted and adjusted his course without too much trouble. He didn''t though.


    Probably because he is mimicking a charging bull right now. It is the only explanation I can come up with. And anyway, I don''t have any time to waste on thoughts like those.


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    My instincts initially tell me to stop and turn. I decide not to listen to them though. Instead I follow my dance partners advice. Instead of stopping to turn I go into a circle, not quite as tight as I could make it, to retain my momentum.


    As I come around I can tell that Feliks must have done something similar, as he is only now coming to face me again.


    In the end I don''t get any time to catch my breath, as he stomps once more and initiates his next charge. Again I match his movement best I can.


    And this is how it goes for a little while, until I eventually but inevitably miss a step and stumble. As the adventurer suggested I don''t fight to try and keep my balance. Instead I go for a low roll in the hopes of getting back on my feet at the end.


    So much for my intentions. Of course I end up with a mouth full of grass instead. At least Feliks aborts his latest charge, as I struggle to get back on my feet.


    He comes over and helps me up.


    ¡°Good instincts. We might still have to work on the execution a little though. How about we have a little break?¡±


    I have no objections since I''m rather out of breath due to this little warm up. Gods and goddesses, if this is just the warm up, what will the rest of the night be like? I probably should be worried by the implications. Instead I''m a little excited for some reason.


    We start by having some wine, and while Feliks and I drop into the grass to rest a little the two others get up to move their legs instead. Understandably, as they have been sitting, playing their respective instruments up until now.


    Afterwards Feliks trades places with Lotar. The bard takes over the drum while the warrior apparently is my next training partner.


    He seems to be able to guess the question most prominent on my mind.


    ¡°We will get started with something easy. Have you ever done any leapfrogging as a child?¡±


    I can''t really say I have and somehow I start to feel like I might have missed out in my childhood. In the end I simply shake my head.


    He just grins and pats my back as he leads me away from the others who resume playing a catchy little tune that somehow matches my heartbeat.


    No, it is the other way around! For some reason my heartbeat readily matches the tune! This has to be some magic! I don''t get to think any more on it though.


    ¡°Alright. This is far enough. We will start you off simple. I''ll stand here, bent over, and you run straight at me from the rear. Then you place your hands on my back and push off to jump over me. Then you do the same from the front.¡±


    It doesn''t sound too hard. No, it does in fact sound like a children''s game. And somehow I manage not to fumble and eat any more grass. A good thing too, as I somehow doubt grass would go well with the wine Maryla provided for us.


    After a few repetitions he decides to spice things up a little though. Instead of standing still he is moving now as well. Like Feliks before he is coming straight at me and he only assumes the position for the jump at the last moment.


    The first time we crash spectacularly and we all have a good laugh. We quickly resume the workout though. And eventually, guided by the rhythm of the music, I manage to time the jump perfectly.


    It is a good thing too, as I''m not sure how many more crashes I could have taken. Running into the warrior felt like running into a boulder. Which is not a pleasant experience overall.


    This isn''t where we stop though. Not by a long shot. After the leapfrogging the trio has me do cartwheels as well as rolls and eventually more challenging handsprings.


    I end up in the grass plenty more times as the night proceeds. The enchantments of my dress get a real workout tonight. Without them it might even have been a total loss by the time we take a second break to have a little more wine and the sandwiches.


    After the snacks we all have one of my potions as well, to renew our vigor.


    It seems it is time for another change of dance partners. It is once more Feliks who accompanies me this time.


    ¡°Very well, you have worked your way up through the basic exercises. Now it is time to get creative once more! We will do a variation of the handspring now. Instead of doing it on the ground you will place your hands on my shoulders instead though and I will straighten up as you do, to give you a little additional push.¡±


    He gives me a moment to process the instructions before assuming a position similar to the leapfrogging one.


    ¡°I''ll stay stationary at first. Later on I''ll be moving though. That probably is the closest we can get to practicing the jump without an actual bull.¡±


    He flashes me a mischievous grin.


    ¡°And for the grand finale I''ll invigorate myself like I did in the beginning. Now come on, this will be fun!¡±


    I in turn can''t help but swallow hard.

 Chapter 93 - Learning to fly

    The jump proves harder than anything my mentors had me go through all night so far. Well, of course it is harder. It is, in a way, the culmination of all our efforts so far after all. Everything else was just preparation for this moment.


    In the end it is no big surprise that it takes me several attempts to get even the most basic variation right. Thankfully the trio of adventurers is quite patient with me. Whenever I fall, and I stumble and fall quite often at first, they help me back up, until I at long last manage to stand the landing after the jump for the first time.


    Figuring out when to tense up or relax does not come quite as natural to me as it probably does to any of the adventurers. My recently upgraded dancing skill helps a little though.


    I still feel a little out of my depth anyway. I am after all not an adventurer. Gods and goddesses, I must be crazy to just think about doing this for real! I''m just an alchemist, enchanter and shopkeeper after all, not an adventurer!


    Still, I can''t deny that I like how my heart beats faster, when our combined efforts send me soaring through the air. And that feeling of accomplishment when I don''t go tumbling through the grass for the first time afterwards is pretty nice too!


    I could get used to this feeling. Well, maybe.


    We are far from done though. After that first successful jump follow many more until I can stick the landing more often than not. And then, as promised, we move on to the more challenging variations.


    As we finally move on to the final variation, where Feliks empowers himself with the spirit of the bull, I come to realize something important.


    It isn''t that I could come to like this. I''m actually liking this! I''m even beginning to truly and genuinely look forward to the actual dance and the actual jump over the wild Auroch. It sounds crazy, even in my own ears, but it''s the truth.


    Of course I don''t manage to stick the landing of this most difficult yet jump on my first try. I don''t sprain or break anything either though, although I''m a little afraid of the possibility as Feliks sends me soaring over himself, as I push off.


    Instead of actually ending up in an undignified heap in the grass, I manage to roll properly and come back up on my feet. It is a feat of acrobatics I would have thought impossible just the other day. By now it comes quite natural though. Who knows, maybe I''ll even unlock the acrobatics skill in addition to the dancing skill? It certainly would be nice!


    Aynway, I come right back to my feet after the roll and with just a few more steps I''m facing the young monk again.


    He seems pleased by this result, despite the fact that I missed the landing. The very next moment, without missing a beat, he charges my way again and I respond in kind.


    Again and again we repeat the charge and the jump until I finally manage to pull it off without a hitch. And then, for good measure, we do it again until my legs ache and my feet can barely carry me anymore.


    At long last Rafal calls a stop and we have another break. Together we catch our breath again and have the last of the wine.


    I''m exhausted. There is no doubt about that. Not even a short break will change that. At the same time I''m quite happy though.


    As my head hits the grass, after I sip the last of my wine, the divine whisper I have been hoping for tickles my mind.


    [Under the tutelage of others you have acquired the Acrobatics skill at apprentice level. The Moon Father is your witness and gifts you 3 points for The Sword Arcana as a reward.]


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I weakly pump my fist before closing my eyes, just for a moment.


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    ¡°Congratulations once again!¡±


    I crack my eyes open again and look over at the monk and the warrior who are congratulating each other as well as me.


    Of course. Rewards like this often go both ways. It is only fair. Probably? After all, Rafal received a similar reward just the other night.


    The divine reward gets me thinking. This is the second time I received Karma for The Sword Arcana. Including this reward I should have enough points saved up for a meaningful investment. I''m not quite sure what that might be though, as I''m not terribly familiar with this specific Arcana.


    I could of course ask at the temple or inquire directly with the divine. Instead I decide to ask the trio with me first though.


    ¡°The Sword Arcana? What kind of gifts and skills are associated with it?¡±


    The three look at each other briefly and give the question some thought before answering in turn, starting with Feliks and ending with Rafal.


    ¡°You can improve your acrobatics skill using Karma from this particular Arcana. It might be the best use right now, considering your short term goals.¡±


    ¡°Another skill associated with it is the athletics skill. The various combat related skills are governed by this Arcana as well, but I''d say that they are probably of lesser interest to you.¡±


    ¡°One of the gifts it can grant you is the Resolute Aura. It improves your willpower, as well as that of any allies or friends nearby. It is pretty good for adventurers. For shopkeepers it can be a double edged sword though. While it would improve your resistance to haggling it would in all likelihood do the same for most customers. Unless, of course, it is someone you really dislike.¡±


    I let that sink in for a while.


    ¡°So it probably would be best to improve my acrobatics first?¡±


    The three answer in unison this time, without hesitation, which sounds a little weird.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Rafal follows up with a little more detail.


    ¡°You shouldn''t be in too much of a hurry though. Take a little time to think about it. Wait and see if you''ll earn any more Karma in the days to come. It still is a while until midsummer night after all.¡±


    At this point Lotar takes over.


    ¡°We only hurried this initial training to make sure you were on a good path.¡±


    And Feliks finishes for the trio.


    ¡°This on the other hand means that you should keep working on these skills. If you want we can have another training session, or two, before the dance to make sure you don''t get rusty or complacent.¡±


    I groan at the suggestion, but grin and nod in the end anyway.


    ¡°Fine, lets have another training session or two. Not right now though and not right before the dance either. I think I need some sleep and some time for my poor aching muscles to recover.¡±


    The three laugh out loud.


    Feliks explains before I have a chance to ask what''s so funny about my statement.


    ¡°Spoken like a true scholar from a institution of higher learning. You aren''t exactly wrong though. Make sure you are rested up before the dance. If you happen to know a recipe for a potion that can boost your stamina throughout the night, don''t hesitate to use it either. With at least one of the fair folk in attendance you should make good use of every edge you can get.¡±


    Lotar the warrior snorts in amusement.


    ¡°Yes, there is no such thing as a fair competition if the fair folk gets involved. That is doubly true if it is their nobility.¡±


    My brows furrow as a thought strikes me.


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    Rafal is the one to ask the inevitable question while the other two just shoot each other looks I can''t quite interpret.


    ¡°What?¡±


    I sigh long and hard before I answer.


    ¡°I should have asked Agnieszka to get me a nice pair of sandals for the festival in Barter Town. I could have double enchanted those too, to make myself a nice pair of dancing shoes!¡±


    The trio laughs out loud again, before they start talking almost at the same time.


    ¡°That''s the spirit!¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry you still have some time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I''m pretty sure your neighbor will make at least one more trip to the city before midsummer. Two or three more likely.¡±


    At long last we get back on our feet and gather up our belongings, to head back to the village.


    On one hand I''m glad that I''ll actually still get some sleep tonight. On the other hand I''m a little disappointed that I will not have a chance to earn another reward tonight.


    I might just be getting a little spoiled in that regard.


    At least I won''t have to worry about upsetting Sour Cream again. Somehow that is quite important. The thought alone is enough to add a little additional spring to my steps, despite my aching muscles and the general exhaustion.

 Chapter 94 - Food for thought

    I would like to claim, that I still managed to get a good night''s sleep after our return from the fairground, but that would be a lie. In truth I only got to sleep a few hours at most. In a way this is worse than getting no sleep at all, or just a quick nap.


    When Sour Cream wakes me mercilessly, licking my nose with her rough little tongue, it takes me a little while to properly wake up. I''m probably straining her patience a little as I shuffle over to her bowl, what little attention I can muster focused to make sure I don''t trip over her.


    At least I don''t accidentally pour her any of my leftover Ectoplasm instead of her namesake treat. That probably wouldn''t go over well. It wouldn''t be harmful, not on its own anyway, but it is far from tasty. That much is sure.


    Yep, living with an alchemist that doesn''t get quite enough sleep can be a little dangerous.


    Once my feline companion is busy licking her bowl clean I gather a change of clothes and shuffle off in the direction of the bathhouse.


    I did wash up last night as I got home. After all I didn''t feel like slipping into bed all sweaty, but I still feel like I need another bath and a warm soak if I can make the time.


    Practicing that crazy jump was fun, no doubt about it, but it was tiring and exhausting as well. Thankfully there is no practice scheduled for tonight. Gods and goddesses, two days, or rather nights in a row is enough to do me in. Right now I need a break.


    Considering the way I shuffle around I just hope no one mistakes me for a zombie or anything like that.


    For a change Elzbieta is not waiting for me yet, when I return home after my bath. She arrives not much later though and she looks about as exhausted as I feel. It seems I''m not the only one who didn''t get all the sleep they need.


    I show her in and make her comfortable by the fireside with the mana mill. Only once that is taken care off do I proceed to think about my own workload.


    Well, first things first. That last diaper still needs its second enchantment applied. Except, I don''t exactly feel my best right now. I still want to get it done before our lunch break, but I want to do something else first, to properly wake up.


    For a moment I ponder working on another enchantment. Something utilitarian for myself. A self heating rock for the fireplace maybe? I could cut down on expenses for firewood like that.


    Enchantments like that aren''t exactly unheard of among alchemists. Heat without smoke is quite desirable after all. Unless you explicitly need the smoke. The real problem is a different one though. It is incredibly tricky to create an enchantment that allows for the heat to be regulated unlike with a fire where you can use more or less or different wood.


    No, while an enchantment like that would be nice to have, it isn''t the right task for my sleep deprived mind right now. I''ll save it for another day. Yes, I''ll keep it in mind. Right now I need something a little easier though.


    I think about it a little more. Then a thought strikes me, or rather a memory from last night resurfaces. Dancing shoes!


    Yes, a nice and simple basic enchantment that increases my agility a little. That should be well within the realm of the possible, even considering my less than stellar state.


    Even if I don''t do the actual enchantment I can still give it some thought. Actually. especially considering the possibility of another double enchantment it would be prudent to think about it in depth! Yes, that is what I will do!


    What kind of enchantments could I use? A general one improving the wearer''s agility? Possible. It is overall probably the easiest enchantment although it would in all likelihood not be very powerful.


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    If I''m more specific its power would increase. If it only improves my agility while dancing or doing acrobatics for example. It would be more potent but at the same time it would become more complex as well.


    I give that option a little more thought. How complex will it become? It would approach the complexity of the enchantment I put on Danuta''s staff. Two circles in one enchantment. Entirely within my possibilities, especially if it is the first enchantment.


    What are the other options?


    An enchantment that speeds up my steps? Seven league dancing shoes? No, actually that probably would be counterproductive. There is a good reason seven league shoes or boots are rare. Even most couriers and runners are not terribly fond of them. Only a scarce few bother to get used to the difference in their pace.


    No, I''ll have to go a different route. Which one though?


    The more I think about it, the more I tend to prefer an enchantment to reinforce my mind in addition to the enhancement of my body. This dance, and especially the bull jump is about more than just agility after all. Willpower is essential too.


    A willpower enchantment has another effect as well. It would reduce the risk of being charmed by any of the fair folk. The effect might me negligible when faced with their nobility though. Still, every little bit might help.


    I nod to myself. Yes, that actually sounds good.


    Now it is time though, to do some actual enchanting. The little thought exercise certainly helped clear my mind of the cobwebs that had been bothering me.


    I head out and down to the creek to splash some more cold water in my face just for good measure. I slap my cheeks as well, as I return. Then I get started.


    The last diaper, the only one I did not return to the trunk yesterday, ends up at the center of the enchanting table and I grab one of my new chalks.


    I can still recall the enchantment I used twice yesterday, as if it was only a few moments ago. Carefully I write the circle of runes around the diaper once more and when I finish, it gets drawn into the diaper almost right away.


    One successful check with appraisal later I let out a long sigh. Its alright. Nothing has gone wrong. With that all three diapers are double enchanted. My first present for the soon to be godchild is ready.


    Even better, this makes another successful double enchantment with no failures so far. I really should be relieved. At the same time I''m a little worried as well though. With delicate tasks like this eventual failure really is inevitable. The question is just when it''ll happen. I just hope it won''t be anything important. Or rather nothing too important. Everything worth a double enchantment is by default of importance to someone after all.


    Elzbieta can probably tell what the diaper is for, but she doesn''t comment as I put it back into the trunk with the others. She doesn''t remain silent either though.


    ¡°You look like you could use a break. How about an early lunch?¡±


    I don''t need to think about it much. Lunch does sound absolutely lovely right about now. I just hope they have something sweet today. Maybe I should get into the habit of baking every once in a while? Baking, like cooking in general can produce some extraordinary results when an alchemist puts their mind to it after all.


    Yes, I might just do that. I''ll need to stock up on ingredients first though. And maybe I should get a few lessons as well first. I might know the basics, but if its about sweet treats I''d rather do better than just good enough.


    Maybe I should aim for better than good enough with my potions as well, even if the local market for extraordinary potions probably is rather limited. Maybe I could sell them in Barter Town through Agnieszka for a commission?


    I drive those thoughts from my mind, as we approach the inn and take a careful sniff in hopes of gaining a hint at today''s menu. No such luck. I can only tell that it has to be some kind of roasted meat. At least that much is obvious. No sweet treats for me.


    Oh dear! How sad. Never mind!


    Beggars can''t be choosers after all. If I want to eat food of my choosing I''ll have to cook myself. There is no way around that.


    My disappointment doesn''t last long anyway, as the roasted turkey comes with plenty of sweet stuffing and lots of tasty sauce. I doubt anyone still within their right mind would actually complain about delicious food like this.


    Just as we start eating Olgierd from the smithy joins us at our table.


    ¡°Say Valeria, are you available after lunch? I''d like to drop that new sign off at your place. Would that be alright with you?¡±


    I perk up at his words. This day is getting better and better!


    ¡°The blackboard? Marvelous! Of course, please drop by whenever you want!¡±

 Chapter 95 - One sign to guide them

    After lunch I return home, accompanied by Elzbieta. While she busies herself with the mana mill once more, I prepare the shop for Olgierd''s arrival. I re position some of the bins with used equipment to make room for the new sign by the counter. I get the broom and sweep the floor as well.


    I might have to dust off the shelves as well, but that is something that will have to wait a little, as it isn''t long until the craftsman arrives, carrying a large, cloth wrapped bundle.


    Just seeing it like that is enough to get me all giddy. Who doesn''t like to unwrap a present after all. Never mind that it is a rather costly present I make myself in this case. Silly little details!


    I greet the fellow craftsman with a cheerful wave and a smile on my lips.


    He comes over, eyeing the space I cleared in preparation for this delivery.


    ¡°Right here?¡±


    I nod, as I grab the coins I''ll need from the reinforced chest under the counter.


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    As he sets the big bundle down and pulls off the cloth wrapping I can''t contain myself any longer. I clap my hands excitedly. It really came out very much like I imagined it, except, it is even better!


    I imagined a pretty plain and simple wooden blackboard. This one goes well beyond that though, as It comes with a finely carved, and painted decorative frame. Olgierd has really gone all out on this! I just can''t keep to myself anymore.


    ¡°This! Is! Perfect!¡±


    Its a good thing that the counter separates us, otherwise I might have hugged him. Not that that would be a bad thing, but it would be a little childish and embarrassing.


    Olgierd chuckles and scratches the back of his head.


    ¡°Glad you like it.¡±


    The rest of our exchange is rather anticlimactic by comparison. There can be only so much emotion involved when coins change hands and said hands get shaken afterwards to finalize the deal afterwards.


    The man leaves my shop humming happily anyway. He takes pride in his work after all and apparently my reaction pleased him quite a bit.


    I certainly can relate. More importantly though, I have a new sign that needs to be put to good use. Lost in thought I run my fingers over the smooth, dark surface. It is smooth, but at the same time not too smooth. And the carved and painted ornamental frame keeps it from looking plain or severe.


    It really is perfect. As far as I''m concerned I couldn''t ask for anything better to do some advertising.


    Humming to myself as well, matching Elzbieta''s tune in the process, I head back into the workshop to get some chalks. Using enchanter''s chalks for this might be a little wasteful, but I don''t mind right now. I have enough anyway, thus I can splurge every once in a while.


    Elzbieta pauses in her work as I return to the workshop, shooting me an inquiring glance.


    ¡°You seem to be in an exceptional mood. Did something good happen?¡±


    ¡°Sure did! Sure did. That sign, or rather that blackboard, Olgierd mentioned at lunch turned out even better than I could have hoped. Now I just need to put it to good use!¡±


    She nods and resumes her work, as well as her low key singing.


    I in turn grab one of my new, gently glowing chalks. It is one of the pieces, more of a stump by now, I used before. I maybe could still use it for another enchantment, if it is a simple one with a rather small circle. I''m not quite sure though, thus I put it to a different use.


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    Once I return to the shop, chalk in hand, I bit my tongue as I stare at the empty blackboard. I could advertise double enchantments, but somehow I don''t feel quite ready for that yet.


    Instead, after thinking about it some more, I decide on some simple, quality of life enchantments instead.


    The self cleaning enchantment is the first. I price it at fourteen bronze Crowns. It is immediately followed by the self sharpening blade enchantment for the same price. The last one I add to the board, at least for now, is a classic as well. It is the everlasting candle for one silver crown per candle.


    For a moment I ponder adding the more general self repair enchantment as well, but in the end I decide against it. People who really want it, can still ask for it in private anyway.


    The self sharpening blade enchantment is already toeing the line after all, since it might cost the smithy some business. Not sure how many adventurers would go for the enchantment though, instead of paying much less every once in a while to get their blades sharpened the old fashioned way.


    I shrug and take a step back to a long hard look at my work. In the end I nod in satisfaction. My handwriting is as neat as it can be and the slight glow of the chalk is eye catching.


    Overall it looks pretty neat. Just like an advertisement for enchanting services should be. The only way it could be even better where if I had some more glowing chalks of different colors.


    I tap my chin as I think about it a little more. Then I nod to myself.


    Yes, more color would be nice. Red for the price would look neat.


    Too bad that I don''t have any red pigment. Except, maybe I could make some? The slightly off white ocher I collected recently could serve as a base. If I were to burn it, it might just turn red.


    I certainly could give it a try. At worst I would have to look for a different more yellow ocher to try again. But I''m getting ahead of myself again. First things first.


    Time for a little experiment! I still have a little of the off white ocher left after all. It might be just enough for what I have in mind. Time to get creative!


    As I head back into the workshop I instinctively start humming again, once more matching Elzbieta''s tune. It''s just natural.


    I start by getting everything I''ll need to make more chalks lined up on the workbench. Starting with the molds, all the way to the night candle oil and ectoplasm mixture in its jar.


    First I need to take care of the ocher though.


    I can''t burn it in any of my iron cauldrons. It could react with the metal at the temperature I need to achieve. That would be less than ideal. Instead I get a simple, nondescript ceramic bowl.


    First I crush the leftover ocher. Then I get some more wood and stoke the fire a little higher, while the pregnant archer watches me with a raised eyebrow.


    The crushed ocher goes into the bowl and the bowl is then placed right into the fire, where it burns hottest. It''s a good thing I have a good set of tongs. I really don''t feel like burning my fingers.


    Then all that is left is to wait. Except, that is of course not what I''m doing. I have other preparations to make for my newest chalks. Thankfully there is more than enough room in the fireplace for a little cauldron over the fire without it getting in the way of my experiment.


    Eventually I retrieve the ceramic bowl with its now much darker contents. I let them cool a little and then I start mixing things together. Before long I have a new set of softly glowing, red chalks cooling in their molds.


    ¡°That color looks a little ominous.¡±


    I turn to face Elzbieta who appears to be done with the mill and shrug.


    ¡°A little. Maybe? I''m not quite sure how this will turn out yet. I have never made red chalks before. Well, not any containing enchanting dust anyway. I really just wanted red chalks to add a little color to my new blackboard.¡±


    ¡°Uhu. Those will take a while to cool, won''t they? And I doubt they will run away on their own, despite the color and the glow. Feel like having some dinner in the meantime?¡±


    She puts the mana mill on the workbench and I check the drawer with the gathered enchanting dust before putting my seal on her quest papers. In the end I agree with her suggestion.


    ¡°Sure. Lets go and have something to eat. Do you think there might be any leftover turkey? Maybe with a nice dollop of gravy?¡±


    She snorts out loud.


    ¡°And here I thought that I''m supposed to be the one with the weird cravings!¡±


    I nudge her in the side gently as we head out after closing the shop.


    ¡°There is nothing weird about craving delicious, juicy meat and some hearty gravy! Mhm! Maybe together with some soft bread as a nice sandwich!¡±


    She doesn''t even try to hold her laughter in.


    ¡°Well, I won''t argue with that. Lets go and find out!¡±

 Chapter 96 - And in debt bind them

    My musings about sandwiches are in short order proven to be pretty close to the truth. They contain a little more gravy than leftover turkey from lunch though. Overall it still is a delicious and filling meal. Very much so even. The light wine that comes with it helps as well.


    In the end we soon part ways. Elzbieta joins her comrades for another drink, while I head back home.


    It is almost as if my bed were already calling out to me, singing a siren''s song full of sweet promises about restful sleep. The notion is silly of course, but I do feel pretty tired.


    I giggle once more, thinking about a bed singing sweet lullabies. Although, maybe I could come up with an enchantment with a similar effect? It shouldn''t be impossible. I have read about music instruments that can play a tune by themselves at the academy after all.


    Would there be a market for beds like that? Maybe a baby bed? Nah, better to stick to the basics like the insect bane enchantment.


    I blink in surprise as the thought strikes me. I still need to add that one to the blackboard! It is a pretty useful, utilitarian quality of life enchantment! One of the most popular even as far as I can tell. Oh, and I could give the red chalks a try as well. By now they should be ready!


    And indeed they are!


    I carefully remove the red chalks from their molds and scrutinize them with my appraisal skill while I''m at it.


    [Ghosttouched warding chalk, Quality: Rare, A piece of advanced, surprisingly light and eerily glowing, red chalk commonly used to draw warding circles. Smells like beeswax as it is the main ingredient. Ghosts can touch and manipulate this item! Warding circles drawn with this chalk are especially well suited to ward off ghosts.]


    That is a bit of a surprise. I expected another, slight variation of the usual enchanter''s chalk, but this turned out to be something else entirely. It still sounds quite useful though. Just not in the way I initially intended.


    And, of course, I should be able to use it for the blackboard just fine anyway.


    In the end I wrap all but one of the chalks up in oiled paper as a bundle. I use the string I tie it up with to attach a price tag too, labeling it at twenty five bronze Crowns for five pieces of chalk.


    That sounds reasonably affordable. Ghosts might not be the most common foes adventurers face around here, but I''m sure someone will eventually find a use for these anyway. And its not like these chalks go bad or anything. They''ll keep just fine.


    I take that bundle out front and place it on one of the shelves. I bring the last piece of red chalk, one plain white piece of softly glowing chalk and a wet cloth as well.


    With the latter I make some adjustments to my blackboard. I rewrite the prices of the enchantments on offer in red. The effect is quite striking. Especially right now in the mostly dark shop, but even during daylight hours the effect isn''t entirely lost. I have to admit I''m a little proud of it.


    I add the insect bane enchantment to the list too, pricing it at one silver Crown.


    Then, almost as an afterthought I add two more lines to the bottom of the blackboard.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    The first informs customers about the general availability of double enchantments. The exact enchantments and their price are subject to negotiations. The results and terms of which are to be put in writing by the village elder.


    The very last line is something else entirely, although it is not exactly unrelated to the offered double enchantments. Double enchantments tend to be pricey after all.


    Thus I decide to offer payment in rates for adventurers in good standing registered at the local guild office. The first rate is to be paid upon delivery. The second and third at the next midsummer and midwinter days respectively.


    A deal like that should make the expensive enchantments a little more affordable.


    This kind of payment plan is a bit of a risk for me though. Sure, I''m minimizing the risk by not offering the deal to just about everyone and by insisting on a written contract, but a little risk remains. There is no telling if the adventurer in question will still be alive to make the second and third payment after all.


    Sure, I have not yet seen any of them fail to return from their quests in the Twilight Forest, and hopefully I won''t for a long time yet, but the possibility exists. There is no denying it.


    I''m tempted to erase that last line again, but I slap my cheeks, shake my head and reaffirm my resolve. No, this should be fine. I have seen similar deals offered in some of the big shops in the city after all. Not even just for enchantments either, but for other expensive gear as well. Things like full plate armor or war horses. Or plate barding for war horses for that matter.


    If the risk were too great people would have stopped offering terms like this long ago. It''ll work out for sure!


    Still I''m feeling a little uneasy. This is a big step ahead for me after all. Oh, I know! I''ll talk to elder Jaromir tomorrow morning, before I open the shop! This potentially concerns him too after all, as it might mean more work for him.


    Yes, that sounds good.


    Satisfied with my work so far I wipe my hands with the wet rag. This turns out to be a mistake. If anything I now have more chalk smeared across my hands than before since I already used this rag to wipe parts of the board.


    I groan and return to the workshop. I should have thought of that! Well, never mind. I simply head out back and down to the creek to wash up a little. I wash the rag as well since I''m already at it, so I won''t leave smears on the chalkboard the next time I need to wipe something.


    By the time I return from the creek Sour Cream seems to be about ready to go out for the night as well. Except, of course, she still needs her snack. That much becomes obvious as she starts to circle around and weave in between my legs, tail held high, meowing softly.


    That is more than enough prompting. In fact, it is almost too much, as I have a little trouble not tripping over her, as I get the jug and pour some of her namesake treat into her bowl.


    I pet her briefly, not too disturb her too much during her meal, and see her off for the night. Then I''m alone once more.


    As I get changed for the night my mind begins to wander again. Of course it does! And of course it does now, when I''m finally about to get some decent sleep! I probably should have expected something like that.


    I slip into bed, under the covers and try to abandon all the stray thoughts that come to me now of all times, but it doesn''t really work. Of course it doesn''t work. It never has and probably never will.


    The only thing that helps in a situation like that, is to busy myself with one of the things that won''t let my mind come to rest until I actually fall asleep.


    Should I try to make another kind of magical chalk? I burned the ocher until it turned red earlier. If I were to burn it longer it would eventually turn a dark blue, if I recall my lessons right. Maybe chalks like that would have another unexpected effect?


    Well, while that sounds intriguing, it would involve actual work and I don''t want to actually get back up. I''ll look into it another time. Maybe tomorrow or some other day. Probably after experimenting with the precious stones I ordered through Agnieszka.


    I could give the enchantment for those dancing shoes some more thought! Yes, that sounds better. Except the use of multiple circles would make it complex enough, that I''d rather write my thoughts and designs down instead of just arranging everything in my mind.


    This means I have to get up again, even if just briefly. I get my enchanted candle lantern and place it on the windowsill next to the bed. And, I get my notebook and a coal pencil as well.


    I snort. This takes me back to when I was much younger, well before my years at the academy, when I still used to write a secret diary every night. Until I eventually figured out that the secret diary was not so secret at all.


    I roll my eyes at the unbidden memory and get busy working on the enchantment after slipping back into bed.


    This is much better than some silly diary anyway and it works like a charm too! With every calculation and every rune I draw my eyes grow a little heavier. In the end I barely still have the presence of mind to take the candle lantern down from the windowsill to make sure Sour Cream doesn''t knock it over or off the sill upon her return in the morning.

 Chapter 97 - Second opinions

    My trusty little feline companion wakes me the next morning well before any of the village''s roosters get a chance. I pet her a little until she gets impatient about her treat. Once she has her bowl of delicious cream I grab my things for a quick trip to the bathhouse.


    There is no time for a long luxurious soak today, as I need to see the village elder about my new business plans before it is time to actually open the shop. Well, at least ideally I would like to get that out of the way before it is time to open. I''ll find out soon enough if it''ll work out that way. I''m not the only one with plans after all.


    After a quick bath and another stop at my home to drop off my things and get some coin, I head down to the inn.


    Since the elder apparently is not in yet, my first order of business is with Krystina instead. She is already behind the guild counter although adventurers are only beginning to trickle in.


    There is no big rush of quest givers today either, thus I don''t have to wait for long until it is my turn. My business with her is quickly taken care of as well, as I''m only posting the new mana mill quest once more.


    I sign the papers and pay her, then I get myself some sweet gruel, apparently sweetened with sugar instead of honey this time around, for breakfast, while I wait for the elder.


    Thankfully he arrives not much later and I greet him with a wave. After getting a bowl of sweet gruel for himself he joins me at my table.


    ¡°Valeria, dear! Good morning! To what do I owe this pleasure?¡±


    I wait for him to actually get started with his meal before I answer.


    ¡°I was pondering some plans to expand business last night and I have come up with something. I would like a second opinion on it first though. And it would involve your services regarding written contracts too, thus your opinion on the matter is doubly important. Could you drop by my place after breakfast, so we could discuss matters in private?¡±


    He chews his next spoonful of gruel more carefully than strictly necessary, it is gruel after all, before he replies.


    ¡°Certainly. It won''t take too long? Or am I mistaken? I have to be available to others here at the village square for consultations as well, as you probably know.¡±


    I nod. Of course I can''t monopolize his time.


    ¡°It shouldn''t take too much time. Not right away at least. If you need more time to think on matters, I''m not in a hurry.¡±


    He matches my nod with one of his own.


    ¡°Very good, Valeria. Don''t let me keep you. I''ll visit you right away, once I''m done with my morning meal.¡±


    I get up and we shake hands. Then I''m off and on my way back home.


    By the time I arrive there, Sour Cream is already gone, her bowl neatly cleaned out once again. I take it down to creek to wash it anyway since I''m not exactly in a hurry today.


    Afterwards I enter the expenses for today''s mana mill quest into the ledger, to make sure it is properly up to date.


    I doubt the elder will waste time to check on it, but I feel a little more comfortable with that taken care of anyway. Especially now that midsummer isn''t that far off anymore.


    Just as I close the ledger again, after letting the ink dry for a moment, a knock at the back entrance pulls me out of my thoughts.


    ¡°Please come in!¡±


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    There is only two people I expect today, and this knock does not match Elzbieta''s. Thus I assume that it is the elder. Thankfully I''m not wrong either.


    With careful movements he makes his way from the back entrance through the workshop and around the counter into the actual shop, where I take a moment to open the windows to let in a little more light and some fresh air.


    I don''t even need to say anything, as his gaze is drawn to the blackboard with its faintly glowing white and red lettering right away. After a moment he nods in comprehension.


    ¡°Payment in rates for double enchantments? But not just for anyone who might show up out of the blue? And with a written contract to back it up since enchantments like that usually involve a great deal of money? Does that sound about right?¡±


    I simply nod, as his words sum up my intentions pretty well.


    He nods as well.


    ¡°You certainly can do that. You probably should expect people to be a bit skeptical, at least at first, though. Around here, out on the frontier, people aren''t really used to doing business like that. This isn''t a big city after all. I see no harm in trying though.¡±


    He taps a finger against his lips, as he thinks about it some more.


    ¡°You should be aware though, that you bear a considerable financial risk like this. I don''t expect people to make a run for it after only paying the first rate, especially as your terms restrict this offer to registered adventurers. Adventurers live a dangerous life though. Especially the ones who would have a need for advanced enchantments like this. Sometimes they stay in the forest or one of its dungeons, to put it mildly.¡±


    He pauses again, tapping a finger against his lips once more.


    ¡°Maybe you should add interest to the second and third rate?¡±


    I give it some thought but end up shaking my head in the end.


    ¡°Lets not call it that. Words like that scare customers away.¡±


    We share a chuckle, before I continue.


    ¡°I''d rather just add a moderate markup to the price up front before calculating the rates, since the enchantments and their price are already subject to negotiations.¡±


    He nods in understanding.


    ¡°Sounds reasonable enough. About the contracts, how do you want to handle that?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Could you prepare a contract similar to the quest papers of the guild? A form where we only need to add the names of the involved parties, the enchantments to be performed as well as the price, the rates and the payment dates before we sign and seal it?¡±


    Again he nods.


    ¡°I can give it a try. Short and straightforward? It doesn''t really need to look fancy, right? In duplicate, one copy for you and one for the customer?¡±


    Now it is my turn to nod, before he keeps going.


    ¡°Very well. I''ll create a draft for you. It won''t be for free though. I hope you understand. How do three bronze Crowns for the draft sound? And afterwards four bronze Crowns for two copies of the contract for each sale?¡±


    It sounds reasonable enough as far as I''m concerned. And, its not like I have much of a choice. He is the only one around here offering this kind of service after all. In the end I don''t have to think either long or hard before I shake his offered hand.


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    He smiles pleasantly and I grab the three bronze Crowns for the draft of the contract from the strongbox after entering the expense into the ledger.


    ¡°Pleasure doing business with you, Valeria dear.¡±


    I open the front door for him, since I''m about to open the shop anyway, so he won''t have to go around back on his way out.


    I''m just in time to welcome Elzbieta too, who has of course, grabbed the mana mill quest once more.


    She whistles softly as she sees the new blackboard, and more importantly what is written upon it.


    ¡°That is what you wanted to see the elder about, isn''t it? Well, damn, you certainly are dreaming big! And it even looks damn tempting, with those glowing chalks!¡±


    I grin sheepishly as I show her to the back.


    ¡°I guess we''ll see how it works out eventually. Just don''t expect me to go easy on the negotiations for deals like that. And I''ll ask Danuta to put a curse on anyone who decides to dash without paying up in the end. I''ll ask her for sure!¡±


    The pregnant archer laughs out loud as she makes her self comfortable with the mana mill.


    ¡°No doubt about it!¡±


    As she starts working the mill I busy myself as well, preparing to make another batch of chalks.


    I''ll be able to make more exquisite enchanters'' chalks soon enough, with the ingredients I ordered through Agnieszka. For now I decide to experiment some more with burned ocher, as I pondered just last night. I wonder how this will turn out. Ah well, it is no use wondering! I better hurry so I can find out!

 Chapter 98 - Soup day

    The experiment actually isn''t much of one. I only have to figure out how long it takes for the crushed ocher to turn from its usual color first to red and then to a dark blue. It really isn''t very exciting, except there always is a little excitement at the end when things turn out as expected. Yes, it is always nice when a plan works out.


    If only making chalks wouldn''t involve so much waiting. Ah, who am I kidding. I like the waiting. Especially as it provides a chance to properly appreciate Elzbieta''s singing. She really has a nice singing voice.


    Eventually it is time to remove the new chalks from their molds though and I take the opportunity to properly inspect them right away as well. I take a deep breath, focus my attention on them and activate my appraisal skill.


    [Ghosttouched summoning chalk, Quality: Rare, A piece of advanced, surprisingly light and eerily glowing, deep blue, almost black, chalk commonly used to draw summoning circles. Smells like beeswax as it is the main ingredient. Ghosts can touch and manipulate this item! Summoning circles drawn with this chalk are especially well suited for the summoning of ghosts.]


    Most curious! Of course summonings in general are not entirely foreign to me. They never were part of my curriculum at the academy though. I only ever did some light reading about the topic, when I was still pretty new at the academy, and wanted to explore the possibility of summoned familiars.


    Since I have no summoned familiar it should be pretty obvious that this initial interest never amounted to much. Just as well. I''m quite happy with my current feline companion and I''m not ashamed to admit it.


    Well, maybe someone will have a use for these new chalks. I bundle them up and price them similarly to the warding chalks from yesterday, except for one chalk I keep for purely artistic reasons.


    To put it in simpler words, I use that one chalk to draw some decorative stars and moons and the likes on my blackboard, after putting the wrapped up rest on the shelf next to the warding chalks. Obviously, there is good reason I don''t make my living as a wandering artist. I''m still quite happy with my newly enhanced blackboard though. It isn''t high art after all. No it is supposed to simply draw some attention to itself.


    Satisfied I return to the workshop to clean up after myself. Bowls, pots, mortars and molds all need to be properly cleaned after being put to good use. Only once I''m done with that do I address the adventurer busy with the mana mill.


    ¡°Want to go and have lunch with me?¡±


    I half expect her to say yes, as she usually does, except, this time around she shakes her head.


    ¡°No, not today.¡±


    She nods in the direction of a small cloth wrapped bundle resting on the mantle of the fireplace next to a small wine bottle.


    ¡°I got myself a tasty little sandwich and something to drink in the morning. Today is soup day. And while Maryla and especially Patryk are pretty good cooks I simply don''t care for soup. Not unless it is a hearty stew thick enough that you have to cut it with a knife.¡±


    I roll my eyes. It isn''t like I don''t understand her feelings on the matter, but I actually have had some pretty tasty soup in the past. I''m willing to give it a try. Considering that Patryk and Maryla are in fact pretty damn good at what they do, I expect to be pleasantly surprised.


    ¡°Well, I''ll close the shop for a lunch break. Take care and enjoy your sandwich. I''ll give the soup a try.¡±


    I do as I said. I close the shop and am off with one last cheerful wave.


    The inn''s common room is indeed much quieter than usual. Despite this, it still is far from empty. It is mostly the local farmers though, who are having their lunch here today. And by the looks of it, they enjoy their soup plenty enough. That is good enough to disperse what little worries I might have had.


    I head to the counter and place a coin down on it.


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    ¡°One bowl of whatever that is, please!¡±


    Patryk snorts in amusement as he fills a bowl with steaming soup. It is green soup. Once the bowl is filled he sprinkles some roasted bread crusts and a little grated cheese on top.


    ¡°This is spinach, Valeria. Fresh spinach, fresh summer spinach in fact.¡±


    I take a deep sniff and eye the soup.


    ¡°I''ll take your word for it, but there is no way that this is just spinach.¡±


    He snorts again and hands me my bowl, while swiping the coin at the same time.


    ¡°Of course it isn''t. I won''t tell though.¡±


    He winks at me.


    ¡°Trade secret!¡±


    Now it is my turn to snort and giggle. I graciously accept the bowl though and make my way to a free table as I don''t see anyone around I''m familiar with.


    Time to enjoy a hot meal! Carefully blowing on my first spoon full I take a taste and my face brightens up immediately.


    Of course it isn''t just spinach! Judging by the consistency and the taste there has to be plenty of cream in the soup as well.


    My little feline companion would approve! Well, she would approve of the cream. I''m not entirely sure what she would make of the spinach.


    As far as I''m concerned though, spinach, cream, bread crusts and cheese come together in a symphony that is not only warm and filling but satisfying too!


    Elzbieta is missing out! Although, maybe she just doesn''t like spinach? Or could it be due to her pregnancy? Supposedly it does weird things to a woman''s taste buds after all.


    Ah, never mind. I''ll just take my time and enjoy this treat!


    In the end this lunch break turns out to take longer than usual despite the fact that I''m only eating soup. I don''t regret a moment spent eating this delicious treat either. Business and work can wait a little longer for all I care.


    In the end I have to get back to the shop though. I can''t keep Elzbieta waiting forever either. Ah well, I''m certainly looking forward to the next soup day, whenever that might happen to be. If today''s treat is anything to go by, I''ll be in for another tasty surprise! I wouldn''t want to miss it for anything in the world!


    Before I can actually leave though, Maryla stops me, with one hand on my arm, while balancing a stack of empty bowls with the other.


    ¡°Elzbieta is at your place, isn''t she?¡±


    I nod, not quite sure what she is on about. I''m about to find out though, as the inn keeper quickly continues.


    ¡°Come with me, to the kitchen, will you please?¡±


    I just nod and follow her.


    Once we are there she hands me first some mittens and then a small clay pot, including a lid. It is very much still very warm.


    ¡°That is for her. I know she got herself a sandwich, but that won''t do! Make sure the stubborn girl eats it all! No excuses!¡±


    ¡°Alright?¡±


    Maryla nods with renewed vigor.


    ¡°This is a meal she really shouldn''t skip! Anyway, you can return the pot later. Now, off you go! Don''t let it go cold!¡±


    I do as she orders, not daring to refuse. I make sure to watch where I''m going though, as I really don''t want to end up spilling hot soup all over myself. Never mind that I would have to explain such a mishap to the resolute innkeeper and that is not a prospect I'' m looking forward to. No, thank you!


    Thankfully I reach my home without any such mishap happening.


    Elzbieta is still singing, or rather she is singing again, when I arrive. The empty bundle and the half empty bottle on the fireplace''s mantle suggest that she must have had her lunch break as well. When she sees me, or rather the pot I''m carrying she blanches.


    I shake my head before she can say anything and speak up myself.


    ¡°You''ll eat it and you''ll like it. Gods and goddesses, there is no way I''m going to argue with Maryla regarding any of that. Besides, it really is good.¡±


    She blanches a little more at those words. For a moment it looks like she wants to argue. In the end her shoulders slump though and she gives in.


    I just roll my eyes at that response. It makes her look like a little kid.


    ¡°you can''t make me like it though!¡±


    Gods and goddesses, she even sounds like a stubborn kid right now.


    I snort in response.


    ¡°No. that would be Patryk''s job. And I have a suspicion he went all out on this. Damn, I''m pretty certain that even Sour Cream would enjoy it!¡±


    She is still a little reluctant, as I motion her to join me on the bench outside in the backyard, but she does give it a honest try, tasting just a little of the creamy , green soup on her spoon.


    And that apparently is enough to win her over. To be honest, I would have been surprised if it were different.


    All of a sudden she doesn''t seem to mind her extended lunch break anymore at all. Well, of course. She is getting a free lunch after all, as far as I can tell.

 Chapter 99 - Guild business

    Considering how reluctant she was at first, Elzbieta is done surprisingly fast with her soup. I would laugh, or possibly giggle, except, I don''t want to discourage her, thus I keep my thoughts on the matter to myself.


    I don''t urge her to get back to work right away either. She has to feel pretty full right now after all. I get the mana mill so she can work outside in the backyard though, once she feels ready for it. Besides, she can soak up some more sun that way.


    I''d join her and just sit there for a little while as well, except, I decide to return the empty soup pot and the mittens right away. After washing the former down at the creek. I have no doubt that Maryla will give it another wash at the inn, but somehow it would feel wrong to return the dishes dirty.


    At least Maryla seems to be satisfied with the outcome.


    That is good enough for me as well. I certainly won''t protest, although I''m not quite sure how I should feel about being roped into this. Ah, never mind. It seems the issue is resolved for the time being and at the very least I now know what to expect in the future.


    Although my business down at the inn is essentially concluded, I don''t get to return back home right away afterwards.


    There seems to be some kind of commotion at the guild counter.


    A trio of adventurers is gathered at the counter and I know all of them. It is Tamara, Odolan and Szmuel, the trio of youngsters.


    They seem to be discussing something, mostly among themselves. Every once in a while they direct questions or comments at Krystina though, who seems busy consulting her guidebook on whatever is the matter.


    The local guild official''s brows are furrowed, thus I decide to head over and inquire about what is going on, although it is, in all likelihood, none of my business.


    Krystina is the first to see me coming. Of course. She is the only one really facing my way after all. Curiously enough, she motions for me to come over and join her and the others.


    ¡°Valeria! You wouldn''t happen to know a thing or two about ghosts?¡±


    Ghosts? I almost miss a step at the direction this suddenly takes.


    ¡°A little? Maybe? I''m not sure it''ll be enough to be helpful though. What''s the matter?¡±


    The guild official points to a quest paper on the counter. Curiously enough the first thing I notice is that it isn''t filled in her handwriting. Before I can inquire any further she starts to explain.


    ¡°I received this request just a little earlier. Its from another branch office. It''s asking for three barrels of ectoplasm. And well, the only helpful information my guidebook can offer, beyond the reward obviously, which has already been determined by the other branch official, is that it comes from ghosts Which, in hindsight, is kind of obvious too.¡±


    I nod along with her words when something odd strikes me.


    ¡°Barrels? You can''t keep ectoplasm in barrels! Wood is entirely unsuited for this purpose! It needs to be stored in burned earthen containers. Earthwares or ceramics. Glass works too. Usually amphora of some ¡­ oh. You mean three barrels, as in the measure for the amount? Not three actual barrels? That ¡­ that is a lot of ectoplasm.¡±


    I feel a little silly now, as Krystina nods. Apparently none of the three adventurers have thought about that little detail yet though. They look about as sheepish as I feel.


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    And that is indeed a lot of ectoplasm. I''m not even quite sure if I want to know who would order that much and for what purpose. What I ordered from the city recently pales by comparison.


    It is Tamara who speaks up first, after I fall silent.


    ¡°Is it really that much?¡±


    I nod and focus for a moment to recall some of my lessons, before I answer her question.


    ¡°You''ll need to deal with dozens of ghosts to collect that much. Maybe as many as hundred or a little more.¡±


    Szmuels fur puffs up at that bit of information. It seems he is not terribly comfortable with this. He looks terribly adorable like this though.


    Without thinking about it I pat his head and scratch behind his ears to calm him down a little. It seems to work well enough too, considering how he soon leans into my hand.


    Odolan is the next to speak up and keep the conversation going.


    ¡°Deal with ghosts? How do you even do that? I doubt you can just waltz into a haunted place and clobber them with clubs or swords. Or am I wrong?¡±


    I nod and do my best to recall more of my lessons.


    ¡°Unless you have ghosttouch enchantments for your weapons that wouldn''t achieve much. And even with those, the only thing you would achieve would be a temporary banishment of the ghost until it can reform its manifestation. And of course you won''t be able to harvest any ectoplasm like that.¡±


    I tap my chin as I think about it some more.


    ¡°Your best bet might be to ask Danuta or another full time spell caster for help. Someone who is familiar with the Soul Drain spell. And no, before you ask, that spell does not actually drain the soul. It just is spectacularly badly named. It just drains the ghost''s essence and transforms it into stabilized ectoplasm, so it won''t evaporate again right away. This banishes the ghost too, until it can gather enough essence to manifest once more.¡±


    Finally Szmuel manages to pull himself, reluctantly, away from my hand.


    ¡°So we need to wait for Danmeowta to get back from herrr own adventurrre?¡±


    At this point Tamara chimes in again.


    ¡°Not that I would mind, but is there no other way?¡±


    Somehow I get the impression that she actually does mind. Is that a hint of jealousy I detect in her voice? Ah, never mind. None of my business! Her asking for an alternative could lead to business for me though!


    ¡°Well, yes, there is another way. You would need a ghost tap. It is a little like a tap for beer barrels, except it is enchanted to draw the ghosts essence in and turn it into stabilized ectoplasm. Of course ghosts usually won''t let you put that thing into them. You''d need to immobilize them first. And even once you get the tap set up you still need to catch the produced ectoplasm in a suitable container.¡±


    I shrug once.


    ¡°So, yes, there is another way. It isn''t the easy way though. The spell and a spellcaster who knows what they are doing are usually the better option.¡±


    Odolan decides to ask the next questions.


    ¡°Could you make something like that for us? Or would we need to get it in Barter Town?¡±


    He pauses briefly before he asks the question that might just be the most important one.


    ¡°And how exactly do you immobilize a ghost?¡±


    Good questions, all of them. I tap my chin once again, as I ponder the answers. Can I make a ghost tap for them? Probably. I''ll have to look into it first to make sure though. As for immobilizing ghosts, I might just already have something in stock for that purpose.


    ¡°Maybe. I''ll have to think about it first and do some research. I''d need a tap as well. Maybe Krystina''s parents would part with one. I won''t be the one to ask though. That is all up to you. And don''t even ask me about the price. I simply can''t tell without doing my research first. It won''t be cheap though.¡±


    I tap my chin again and bite my lip lightly, as my thoughts are already wandering. It takes a little effort to refocus on the other issue.


    ¡°I just happen to have chalk for warding circles in stock. One of you would need to bait the ghost into an unfinished circle and another would have to close it, while the one playing bait moves out and away from the ghost. That could work. I really wouldn''t advise it though. A net or a lasso with a ghost touch enchantment would be better options. Those I can make for sure. But don''t get me wrong. They won''t be free either.¡±


    Well, this is it. I have provided them some options. They have to think on it on their own now.


    Before Krystina or I can say anything else, Tamara bursts out with a request.


    ¡°Could you look into making that tap? I mean, just figure out if you can make it and what it would cost? And maybe you could give us an estimate for a net as you suggested?¡±


    Neither of the other two adventurers protests.


    I look over at Krystina, but she just shrugs. In the end I sigh and give in.


    ¡°Fine. I''ll do my research and make some calculations. See me in the evening. I hope I''ll have more than a rough guess for you by then.¡±

 Chapter 100 - Crunching numbers

    The last notions of a quiet day go out the window as I return home to do the research and calculations as I promised. I run my hands through my hair and let out a long sigh.


    Elzbieta shoots me a glance with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°That isn''t because of me, or is it?¡±


    I shake my head as I try to compose myself again.


    ¡°No, no. Nothing of the sort. It is just that something came up when I was down at the inn. Apparently a big quest came in from elsewhere and it seems the youngsters have set their mind on taking it. Except, they need either a spellcaster or some pricey enchanted equipment.¡±


    Elzbieta''s brow furrows a little more.


    ¡°Youngsters? Oh! You mean the dwarf gal and her friend Odolan and that catfolk adventurer? What is his name again?¡±


    ¡°Szmuel. His name is Szmuel. And yes, that is them. It seems Tamara doesn''t want to wait for Danuta to return from her own adventure.¡±


    Ezbieta snorts as I mention that last little tidbit.


    ¡°It probably is more likely that the dwarf gal doesn''t want Danuta anywhere around the boy.¡±


    She shakes her head, before she continues.


    ¡°That is some drama just waiting to happen. Too bad too. All together they would make for a really well rounded team. So, anyway, what is this quest about? Why would they need a spellcaster or special equipment?¡±


    I can only nod along. Is that really it? Jealousy rearing its head at such an inopportune time? That really would be too bad. Well, that isn''t anything I can do something about. They need to work that out themselves somehow.


    Should I really share the information I''m privy to with her? My own brows furrow now as I think about it. Well, it isn''t like I''m under any obligation not to. I haven''t been sworn to secrecy or anything like that. In the end I nod to myself, as I decide to share at least the basics.


    ¡°A big order for ectoplasm came in from elsewhere. Don''t ask me for details. I don''t know them. It would mean that they would have to hunt for ghosts. And you need either a spellcaster with the right spell or an enchanted tap to harvest the ghosts'' essence as ectoplasm. And of course you need to be able to immobilize the ghost as well.¡±


    The pregnant woman nods, as she keeps steadily working the mana mill''s crank while soaking up some sun at the same time.


    ¡°Oh! Ghosts! Yeah, those can be tricky! Zofia knows a spell that temporarily stuns them. Keeps them materialized as well. Can''t say much about the ectoplasm though. We never bothered with that. Usually we would just get rid of them as quick as possible, since they can be pretty damn nasty. Brrr! Just thinking about these spectral things gives me goosebumps. The only things worse are zombies. Yuck!¡±


    I nod. And she really is having goosebumps, despite sitting in the pleasant summer sun.


    The brief exchange was quite informative. I can''t keep wasting time though, thus I get my notebook and the design board. Time to get to work!


    As I scour my memories as well as my notebook for the necessary runes and their arrangement, Elzbieta resumes singing. After the slightly less than pleasant topic of our conversation the cheerful little ditties she sings truly are balm for the soul. Work is so much easier with a pleasant ambient like that!


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    It takes me a while, but eventually I come up with an array of rune circles that should work. It probably isn''t the most elegant and streamlined solution, but that is secondary as long as it performs well enough.


    I nod to myself as I study it some more. I make a few more adjustments as well. Not any streamlining though. No, I''m playing it safe in this case.


    After another hour, or maybe a little less, I''m really not sure, I have a robust enchantment that is a little more complex than the mana mill enchantment. It is not quite as bad as the one for Danuta''s staff though. I should be able to perform it without trouble.


    How much should I charge for it? Three silver Crowns? That sounds good enough for me. I wonder if the young trio will be able to afford that. Well, I''ll find out soon enough.


    That is half the work I need to do done. I still need to figure out a ghost touch enchantment for either a rope or a net. This one should be easier, at least in principle, as it is a rather straightforward adaption of a not too exotic weapon enchantment.


    After making some more notes in my notebook, I start working anew, cheerfully humming along to Elzbieta''s tune.


    This one really is much easier. Or maybe it only seems that way thanks to my recent skill upgrade? Never mind! All that matters is that I get it done in time. I even have enough time to make some more notes, before the trio of young adventurers, led by Tamara, comes knocking.


    I greet them with a smile and a wave as they file into the shop.


    ¡°You are still determined to do that ectoplasm quest, are you?¡±


    The trio nods almost in unison, although the female dwarf leading them is a little more vigorous about it than the others. This somehow seems to be important to her. Well, I can relate. After all I saw the quest papers down at the inn and the reward is more than just handsome. This one quest could get them set up for other big endeavors in the future.


    The news I''m about to share with them would cut into their profits though. I hope they don''t mind. There really is no way around that. Either they buy the gear they need, or they get additional help that will insist on a fair share of the reward.


    There is no such thing as a free lunch after all. My brows furrow at the thought. Unless you happen to be Elzbieta? Never mind! First things first!


    ¡°Well, the good news is, I can provide the enchantments you need for this quest. The not so good news is, that it will cost you. The ghost tap will be three silver Crowns. A rope or a net with the ghosttouch enchantment will be thirteen bronze Crowns.¡±


    Tamara and Odolan wince at the numbers. Szmuel not so much. I wonder why. Could it be, that he still is a little oblivious about money? I honestly expect them to try and haggle this time around. We are talking about a hefty sum after all.


    I''m not quite done yet anyway.


    ¡°There is another thing you should consider. You will, in all likelihood, spend several days out there. You will need camping supplies and food as well.¡±


    At this point the catfolk adventurer speaks up.


    ¡°Food not so meowch. I''m prrretty confident that I can catch us something frrresh anywherrre in the forrrest.¡±


    I nod in appreciation and so do the other two. I just hope that the trio keeps in mind that getting their hands on fresh food is only half the rent. It still will need cooking more often than not.


    There is more to be considered of course. Something from grandma''s book comes to mind.


    ¡°Very well. Are you aware of locations where you can reliably encounter ghosts? As far as I know the Forlorn Boneyard might be one of the closest places.¡±


    Odolan nods and speaks up before any of the others can.


    ¡°Krystina mentioned the place and I think we should be able to get there without too much trouble.¡±


    At this point Elzbieta waddles in from the back and puts the mill down on the counter next to me.


    ¡°The Forlorn Boneyard? Try to get a quest for bone meal in addition to the ectoplasm quest. If you go there you probably will smash two or three skeletons for every ghost that pops up. And for the love of all the gods and goddesses, make your camp far enough away from the place! And if you intend to hunt and forage out there in the Twilight Forest, get a quest or two for furs as well, if any are available, while you are at it.¡±


    I nod while I check on the contents of the mill''s drawer, before sealing Elzbieta''s quest papers.


    ¡°You have to stack these quests to really make it worth your while. Also, keep your eyes open for any gear the skeletons might still be carrying. Maybe there will be something that will be worth bringing back.¡±


    The trio perks up considerably at our words. Ha! Of course the prospects of greater earnings would excite them!


    I hug Elzbieta and then she is off towards the tavern. I''m still not quite done with the trio though.


    I point at the shelf with the chalks and get the two, one glowing red and one deep blue respectively, which I have kept for myself.


    ¡°Those chalks might be useful as well. Especially the warding chalk, that is the red one. Anyway, give it some more thought. Look into stacking up some more quests. And if you really want to get the enchanted gear, bring me a tap, any will do as long as it is in working order, and a net or a rope. Alright?¡±

 Chapter 101 - Preparations

    I close the shop once the trio leaves and do a little cleaning. The shelves and bins, as well as the wares on display need a little dusting. This isn''t the kind of work I''m fond of, but it needs to get done anyway. There is no way around it. Not unless I decide to enchant the whole house.


    I shudder at the thought. It is, in theory, possible, but the scale is still mind boggling. I would need to draw a circle around the whole house. The amount of chalk necessary for an endeavor like this alone is mind boggling. And of course I would need to prepare a suitable surface beforehand.


    That isn''t all though. I would have to make sure there is nothing else within the circle to which the enchantment could attach itself. Sure, things inside the house would be fine, but there can''t be anything else in between the circle and the house. Nothing like benches or even just a broom.


    There is a good reason why house enchantments, even the most basic ones, are beyond rare. There are songs about haughty lords going mad due to the many mishaps that can come to pass during such a foolish undertaking.


    Foolishness. Pure foolishness. Plain and simple. It''s much better to do your cleaning by hand or at worst, to hire someone to do your cleaning for you. It''s much less of a hassle and headache that way.


    I pause at that thought. Is it possible? Could I outsource work like that through the guild? Is house cleaning a viable quest? Dusting? Floor sweeping? Could it be that simple? I quickly shake my head to terminate that line of thought. Maybe another day, when I can actually afford to hire someone to do that kind of work without any worries, but not right now.


    I do some more cleaning in the workshop afterwards, in preparation for tomorrow, since I very much expect the trio of adventurers to return. Especially Tamara seems really determined about this quest.


    Well, I wish her, or rather them, the best of luck. If they pull it off this could be a serious boost both to their capabilities as well as their self esteem. And, while I''m worried, I don''t want to stand in their way. If anything, I should provide them with the best enchantments possible to soothe these worries of mine, thus this is what I will do.


    I carefully clean the enchanting table to make sure it is in the best possible condition. There are, of course, no traces of enchanting dust. There are a few faint coal lines though. Those need to go, so I can focus on the new lines and circles tomorrow. I set aside the chalks I will use already too. As far as I''m concerned, I could get started.


    Now it is only Tamara and her group that need to make up their mind. I have no doubt how that will go though. The outcome of that discussion is pretty much set in stone. If there will be any discussion at all that is.


    I''m just about to get ready for bed, as a good night of sleep will help with tomorrows enchantments as well, as a knock from the door interrupts my thoughts.


    I''m a little perplexed at first, but I manage to catch my self soon enough. Without any further delay, and most importantly, before my visitor has to knock again, I head over and open the door to welcome them.


    The visitor of course is quite familiar. It is Agnieszka, who is back from the city and she is carrying a small cloth wrapped bundle.


    Immediately I perk up.


    ¡°Agnieszka! Welcome back!¡±


    I pull her into a quick hug, which she returns, before I motion for her to come in, so we can talk business.


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    ¡°You got what I asked for?¡±


    She chuckles as she unwraps a small wooden box.


    It is a pretty simple thing, but it isn''t the box that matters anyway. No, what really matters is inside this box. It contains a number of pearls and several pieces of lapis lazuli.


    The pearls aren''t best quality, which would be used for jewelry. I don''t mind that they look a little misshapen though. I''ll grind them down anyway. No, all that matters to me is the color and the sheen and those are fine enough.


    I initially asked her for one piece of lapis lazuli, but several smaller pieces are fine too. Those will get crushed in the mortar as well after all.


    Agnieszka sounds a little pleased with herself as she speaks up, after giving me a little more time to get a better look.


    ¡°As you can see I had to get a little creative to get you a good deal, but I hope the goods meet your expectations.¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°It looks fine. How much do I owe you?¡±


    ¡°Five silver Crowns.¡±


    Short and to the point.


    I don''t feel like arguing or haggling either. I''m just glad that she managed to get these things on such short notice.


    ¡°Right. Just a moment. I''ll get the coin right away.¡±


    Not only do I get the coin from the strongbox, I enter the purchase into the ledger right away too, since I''m already there.


    This is my biggest purchase so far. Especially considering that the goods I purchased fit into such a small wooden box. I hope it will pay off in the long run.


    As I return I count the coins into my neighbor''s hand. Afterwards we shake hands to finalize our business.


    ¡°Pleasure doing business with you!¡±


    ¡°Thanks for getting these on such short notice!¡±


    Agnieszka doesn''t leave right away though. It seems she has at least one more question.


    ¡°Say, do you know? Is Danuta already back? And how did you fare during your second dance lesson?¡±


    I groan a little as the reminder seems enough to rekindle all the numerous small aches I''m suffering after those dance lessons with Lotar, Rafal and Feliks.


    ¡°The lessons went well enough. They worked me tirelessly until I managed to perform that crazy jump. It seems for now I have a little time off to recover, before I''ll receive a little refresher.¡±


    I sigh, but at the same time I grin. It was pretty fun after all.


    ¡°I don''t know about Danuta. I haven''t seen her today and the youngsters, Odolan, Tamara and Szmuel seem set on heading out on a big quest without her soon. So she is really getting a new dress made? By you?¡±


    Agnieszka laughs out loud, as she nods.


    ¡°Only if she gets back with the fabric in time though. Not even I can make a dress like that overnight. That takes a little more work and consideration. Anyway, if you haven''t seen her, she probably is still not back yet, as I haven''t seen her at the inn either.¡±


    We exchange another hug. Then she is off.


    I still accompany her back around the house to her oxen cart and see her off with a wave. Then I return inside.


    For a moment I consider getting started on the newest iteration of my enchanters'' chalks with these new ingredients, but in the end I decide against it.


    I already have the chalks I need for tomorrow and I really need my sleep. The contents of the small wooden box won''t run away either.


    Thus the small box goes into the trunk at the foot end of the bed for the time being. I''ll deal with it tomorrow or maybe some other day after taking care of more urgent things.


    In the end this means that I wash up and get changed for bed, but only after seeing Sour Cream off for the night. With one last mighty yawn I slip under the covers. This time around it doesn''t take long for sleep to claim me. It is not a dreamless sleep though.


    No this night dreams haunt me. Or maybe that isn''t the right word? They aren''t exactly unpleasant dreams after all. They are dreams of dangerous and daring dances, probably based on what I experienced in the past few nights.


    Or at least that is the best explanation I can come up with whenever I wake up, my heart racing, when the dreams become a little too exciting. I don''t get to actually think about it much, as I always fall back asleep quickly. And as soon as sleep claims me again, I slip into the next dream to send my heart racing once more. No, it really isn''t unpleasant. It isn''t exactly restful either though.

 Chapter 102 - In the flow

    The next morning comes almost too soon. Due to the strange dreams I might not be as well rested as I had hoped, but at the same time I feel strangely energized. It is a little weird. Not in a bad way though. And of course Sour Creams wake up call, a combination of soft meows and gentle kneading, helps to get me going too. Everything considered, this certainly isn''t the worst way to start the day.


    After taking care of my feline companion and a quick visit to the bathhouse I feel ready for the day.


    The first order of business is the mana mill quest. In theory I have enough enchanting dust right now, but that could change in the blink of an eye. And anyway, it doesn''t go bad. Thus having some more in stock wont hurt. And it isn''t like this quest is a crippling expense.


    And besides, I have new chalks to make some time soon!


    Not to forget, the quest gets me more than just some enchanting dust. There is the company too, as well as some light entertainment. I rather like not being home alone. That has to count for something! Right? Well, it is good enough for me. I don''t even have to think about it twice.


    Setting up the quest doesn''t take long either. Both Krystina and I are pretty used to it by now after all.


    While I''m down at the inn I take the chance to look out for the trio of adventurers I expect to visit my shop a little later. Curiously enough I can only spot Tamara, who seems to be in the process of negotiating over a tap, probably a used one for beer or wine barrels, with Maryla.


    Neither Odolan nor Szmuel are to be seen anywhere.


    The dwarven adventurer waves as she notices me looking her way and I decide to make my way over. I lead with the obvious question after exchanging nods with both her and Maryla.


    ¡°All alone today? Where are the others?¡±


    Tamara answers after she finishes negotiations with the innkeeper, exchanging some coin for the tap.


    ¡°Odolan is off to Barter Town to look up quests there in addition to the ones we acquired here. After talking with some of the others we expect to be able to take several bone meal quests since we will probably run into a lot more skeletons than ghosts. He should be back later today, so we can head out tomorrow. Hopefully.¡±


    I nod and ask the next question.


    ¡°And Szmuel?¡±


    ¡°He is heading downstream to the coast, to get us an affordable, used net. I expect him to be back in the afternoon.¡±


    I nod again. That sounds pretty good. I''m not sure if its on purpose or just due to happenstance, but it spreads out the workload I expect nicely.


    ¡°So, I guess I''ll see you at the shop after you have had something to eat?¡±


    Her stomach grumbles at the mention of breakfast.


    ¡°Yes, I''ll drop by!¡±


    With that out of the way I take my leave and head back home to open the shop.


    I don''t want to just spend my time waiting though, thus I get started on the preparations for my ultimate, for now at least, chalks.


    I measure out the ingredients I''ll need and start grinding up some of the pearls. I won''t need all of them for this first experiment. In fact I probably have enough for another experiment where I can mix the ground up pearls with some crushed lapis lazuli.


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    Turning the pearls into a fine powder of just the right consistency is tiring and time consuming. It is almost as bad as working the mana mill. No, actually, it might even be worse! Since this is an experiment though, I can''t exactly leave the work to anyone else.


    The first one to arrive a little later is Elzbieta. Of course she is. After showing me her quest papers she gets right to work too. And with her singing to soothe my mind and ease my boredom my own work gets much more bearable as well. Yes, posting that quest really was the right call. This is money well spent!


    Well, I don''t have to put up with the drudgery of grinding pearls into a fine powder for long, as Tamara doesn''t take too long to arrive either.


    Unlike Elzbieta she comes in through the shop, calling out to me from the counter, to get my attention.


    ¡°Hello! Valeria?¡±


    I put away the results of my partially done work, making sure not lose or waste anything, before I move from the backroom to the shop.


    ¡°Welcome Tamara. You have the tap?¡±


    She nods and deposits the item in question on the counter.


    I doubt she would bother to bring something not in working condition. I doubt Maryla would sell her something like that in the first place as well. I decide to have a look anyway.


    As far as I can tell it seems to be working just fine. It faintly smells of wine, but that isn''t an issue.


    I place the tap back on the counter and nod, satisfied.


    ¡°I already prepared everything. Unless something unexpected happens I should be done in a few hours. Most likely well before lunch. Three silver Crowns, as mentioned before. Sound good to you?¡±


    I offer my hand and she shakes it without hesitation, sealing the deal.


    ¡°I''ll drop by around lunch time again. That way I can pick up one of the easy quests in the meantime.¡±


    I nod and she is off again, with a little more spring to her steps. It seems this whole quest is weighing on her and every little problem resolved is removing a little of the burden on her shoulders. This might just be the fate of a party leader. I don''t envy her. She seems to be doing well enough though.


    Well, the only way I can relieve her of another little burden is by getting this enchantment right. So, I better get to work!


    I don''t dally around I return to the workshop, placing the tap at the center of the enchanting table.


    I visualize the enchantment I''ll need to draw one last time, from the first to the last rune, then I grab the prepared chalk and get started, letting the rhythm of Elzbieta''s song guide me as I go.


    I have to admit, this works surprisingly well. One rune after the other I transfer the image I created in my mind to the surface of the enchanting table, filling the circles of the enchantment bit by bit.


    It seems I worried for nothing. Or rather, it is a good thing I worried so much. All the preparation is paying off now!


    I hardly even notice Elzbieta switching to a different song after a while, since it uses the same melody and rhythm. All of Ksawery''s silly little adventures use the same tune after all. Just as well. I have to admit though, I have never heard the ones where he teams up with Maryla the magpie before. Are those new? I''ll have to ask her. Later.


    Despite the slight distraction I finish without a hitch and as I place the last rune and close the second circle of the enchantment it is drawn into the tap as expected.


    I take a deep breath and wipe away some sweat. At the same time I can''t help but notice that my throat feels a little dry.


    Something else is prickling at the back of my mind too. Something that isn''t quite as it should be. It takes me a moment to realize what it is. I can still hear Elzbieta singing, but I don''t hear the grinding of the mill anymore.


    My brows furrow slightly as I head out into the backyard where she is sitting on the bench, soaking up some noon sun, as she sings with closed eyes.


    After a moment she cracks one of her eyes open and her lips curl into a smile.


    ¡°Oh! It seems someone is done! I was wondering if I should head to have lunch on my own today. It seemed like a bad idea to shake you out of your trance since you were so intently focused on your work, so I didn''t. I decided to wait a little longer instead. You good to go now?¡±


    My answer comes out as a hoarse croak.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Elzbieta winces as she hears it.


    ¡°Lunch and something to drink then. You sound like you really need it.¡±


    Together we get ready. She returns the mana mill to the workshop and I close up the shop for our lunch break. Then we head down to the inn.


    This is where we meet Tamara as well. She is just turning in quest papers with Krystina as we arrive and she seems to be in a pretty good mood. Especially when compared to earlier. Every little success counts, it seems.


    She joins us at out table a little later. Today''s meal is white meat pie. It is weird. It is a meat pie, sure. The meat is chicken as far as I can tell. At the same time it is sweet though. Very sweet even! Lots of sugar, honey and possibly birch syrup.


    It is tasty, no doubt, but I''m not quite sure what to make of it. Neither Tamara nor Elzbieta seem to mind though, thus I refrain from commenting. Thankfully we have big mugs of a light beer to go with it.

 Chapter 103 - Catching them all

    Well, that meal was something else. I''m not quite sure I can get used to something like that. It was filling though. There is that much at the very least. Afterwards we head to my place together.


    Elzbieta to resume work with the mana mill. Tamara and I to check on the enchantment.


    So far I can only tell that the enchantment took hold, since I haven''t used my appraisal skill on the tap yet. Thus I''m still a little nervous. Just because the enchantment took, doesn''t mean it works as intended. There still is room for mistakes and surprises.


    I really hope there won''t be any of that, but simply can''t tell with any certainty yet.


    As Elzbieta resumes her work out back in the sun, I reopen the shop and meet the dwarven adventurer at the counter, the enchanted tap in hand. Tamara doesn''t seem worried in the slightest. I wish I had her confidence.


    After taking one last deep breath to calm my nerves, I scrutinize it thoroughly to activate the appraisal skill.


    [Ghost Tap, Quality: Uncommon, It might look like simple tap, but it really isn''t. Jab it into a manifested ghost and open it to drain its essence as stabilized ectoplasm! The amount of ectoplasm depends on the ghost''s essence reserves. A word of warning, just carrying something like this can get ghosts who notice mighty mad. You really should properly immobilize the ghost first, before using this tool!]


    I close my eyes and nod, as I place the enchanted tap down on the counter and let out a relieved sigh.


    ¡°Immobilize a manifested ghost and jab this into it. The tap should be closed for this! Then, once you have a container ready, open it to drain the essence and convert it into stabilized ectoplasm. Once the ghost is completely drained, it should simply vanish. And apparently ghosts really dislike people who carry tools like this, so you better be careful and watch your back.¡±


    Apparently she is satisfied with this explanation. This is a good thing too, as I doubt I could formulate it any more straightforward.


    She hands me the agreed upon three silver Crowns and picks up the enchanted tap, after shaking hands with me to finalize our transaction.


    Again it is, as if a burden is lifted off her shoulders.


    I in turn take a moment to enter this newest transaction into the ledger after depositing the coins in the strongbox.


    Before either of us can say or do anything else a new arrival enters the shop.


    It is Szmuel and he is struggling a little with the folded up net he is carrying. To be honest I wouldn''t be too surprised if the net were to weigh at least half as much as the short catfolk adventurer. It is a little impressive that he managed to get it here all on his own.


    He takes a moment to catch his breath after dumping the net on the counter.


    ¡°Sorrry furrr the intrrrusion. I brrrought the net.¡±


    I nod and start looking over the item in question together with Tamara.


    It isn''t a new net, but I wasn''t really expecting one anyway. It is maintained well enough though. Sure, it has been patched in some places, but these patches are all of decent workmanship. I don''t see it coming undone or sporting any more holes anytime soon.


    It is sturdy enough as well and the size should just about suffice for most ghosts. I n fact it might be a little too large for my enchanting table though.


    ¡°I think I''ll have to enchant this down at the smithy. They have a spot prepared for bigger items. That isn''t anything you need to worry about though. I''ll talk with Olgierd and Nawoja. It should be done in the evening. Is that alright with you?¡±


    After a series of nods and another handshake the duo is off. Maybe they will do another simple quest. Or maybe not. Szmuel certainly could use a little break first.


    Well, I have other things to worry about anyway.


    I grab the net, and I have to struggle a little as well. Not as much as Szmuel though. After all the net was made for someone my size.


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    It is just that I''m no fisherwoman. My arms simply aren''t strong enough to properly wield it. Or rather, I''m not strong enough to throw it as intended. I can carry it around just fine though.


    That is a good thing too, as I need to head down to the smithy. I take a few bronze Crowns from my strongbox too. Just in case. It wouldn''t be unreasonable of Olgierd and Nawoja to ask for compensation after all, since I intend to ask to use a part of their workshop.


    After grabbing one of my chalks and my notebook for good measure I close the front door and head out back to let Elzbieta know where I''m going.


    ¡°I''ll be down at the smithy for a bit. I should be back in time to take care of your papers in the evening though. This enchantment should be a little easier than the last one.¡±


    The pregnant archer raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°It should be easier, but you need to use the spot at the smithy?¡±


    I simply shrug, putting some emphasis on the net I have slung over one shoulder.


    ¡°This thing is simply too large and cumbersome for my poor little table.¡±


    I snort before I continue.


    ¡°I really hope they don''t make Szmuel carry the thing around on their quest.¡±


    Now she laughs out loud.


    ¡°Yeah, Odolan would be much better suited for the task. He is the tallest of the trio. If anything Szmuel should probably use the tap since he is pretty quick on his feet.¡±


    She has a point. Her words get me thinking.


    ¡°And Tamara in turn handles the containers? Bottles or amphorae or whatever they use? Or maybe Szmuel will have to handle those too since they need someone to take care of any skeletons that show up. Damn, I still wish they would wait for Danuta, or get another adventurer to tag along. I''m a little worried.¡±


    Elzbieta nods in agreement.


    ¡°Too true. It''s always better to have a little extra help along.¡±


    In the end she shrugs though.


    ¡°Well, it''s not like we can make them do it. We will just have to hope for the best. And don''t let me keep you. See you later!¡±


    She winks at me at the end and after a quick, cheerful wave I''m off to the smithy at the village square.


    Thankfully the way isn''t too long. The heat from the smithy hits me hard as I enter though. Olgierd and Nawoja are hard at work after all. I wait until one of them has time for me and my request.


    As usual it is Olgierd who approaches me while his partner minds the hot metal in the forge.


    ¡°Valeria? Welcome! What can we do for you today?¡±


    I pat the net slung over my shoulder.


    ¡°I have to enchant something a little unwieldy and was wondering if I could use the spot out back.¡±


    He rubs his chin briefly, before nodding.


    ¡°How does a bronze Crown to use the place sound? You have to clean up after yourself though.¡±


    That actually sounds about as good as anything I can expect, thus I don''t argue.


    ¡°Deal!¡±


    I grab the coin from my purse, hand it to him and shake hands to seal our deal.


    While he returns to work with his wife at the forge, I head out into their backyard since I know the way already and have everything I need with me.


    Once there I get started right away. First I grab a broom and sweep the ground. Only then do I place the net down at the center of the spot intended for enchantments.


    I calculate the circle''s diameter once more, just the make sure, although I really hate doing these calculations in my head. Thankfully I arrive at the same result as before. I really don''t want to start hunting for mistakes in those calculations right now.


    Then I draw some guiding lines with coal, both to make sure the circle has the right diameter and to make sure the spacing of the runes is even.


    Only once I''m done with that, do I grab my actual enchanters'' chalk and get started on the real work.


    There is no singing to guide me this time. That isn''t really an issue though. Thankfully the smithy has a rhythm all of its own. Hammers, anvil and bellows come together in a curious symphony all of their own.


    As a result it doesn''t take me too long to finish and as I have hoped the circle of neat glowing and sparkling runes gets drawn into the net as intended.


    This will be another little burden off Tamara''s shoulders and to be honest, I feel a little relieved too. I''m not ashamed to admit it.


    Before I get started on cleaning up, I quickly check on the result of my work with the appraisal skill.


    [Ghost Trap: Uncommon, It might look like simple net, but it really isn''t. Ghosts can interact with this net and, more importantly, the net interacts with manifested ghosts! A ghost in contact with this net can not change its state. If it is manifested, it has to stay manifested, until either the net is removed or it runs out of essence to maintain its manifestation. Ghosts can interact with this piece of equipment as any mortal could. They can''t bring any of their supernatural powers to bear though.]


    I nod to myself. Hopefully this will be good enough.

 Chapter 104 - Wrapping things up

    Done with enchanting for the day, I clean up after myself, leaving the place behind not only as I found it but as I would like to find it in the future. With a cheerful wave and a smile I leave the smithy behind, not disturbing the two crafters hard at work there any more than necessary.


    With the enchanted net slung over my shoulder and a little spring to my step I return home. A quick glance up, to check on the general position of the sun, lets me know that it is not terribly late yet either. Who knows, I might even still get my further improved chalks done before nightfall.


    As I approach the backyard, Elzbieta''s singing once again reaches my ears and I start humming quietly myself. I greet her with a cheerful wave and a smile as I round the corner and she nods in return, pausing neither her song nor her work.


    I deposit the net at the counter and reopen the shop, before I get back to my preparations for the newest chalks. Those pearls don''t grind themselves down into a fine powder after all. And the lapis lazuli similarly doesn''t crush itself either.


    I''m not in a hurry though. I already did some good business today after all and I have another sale just waiting to happen waiting on the counter. Yes, today is a rather good day so far, everything considered.


    Once more I unconsciously match my work rhythm to the singing of the adventurer out back and as a result time seems to fly. That too is a good thing.


    By the time I''m done preparing the ingredients Tamara and Szmuel drop by the shop again to inquire about the net.


    I show them the fruit of my work and provide some basic information.


    ¡°Throw it on a manifested ghost and it has to stay manifested. It probably will be best if Odolan takes care of that. He is the tallest among your group. He has the longest arms as well. He should have an easier time handling the net.¡±


    The duo nods. The catfolk adventurer in obvious relief, while the dwarven woman seems thoughtful.


    I keep going on.


    ¡°Once that is done, one of you can use the tap. Don''t just leave the net draped over the ghost though. It might be best to keep it restrained otherwise as well. You could tackle it to the ground, just as an example.¡±


    Now Szmuel speaks up.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, the net keeps the ghost from abandoning its manifestation to escape. It doesn''t make it completely helpless though. While it can''t use any supernatural powers on the net it could still try to wiggle its way out.¡±


    Understanding visibly dawns upon the duo at these words and they are quick to nod in agreement.


    ¡°You need someone to handle the containers for the ectoplasm as well. Maybe the one who takes care of the tap can do that. Give it some thought beforehand.¡±


    The duo nods again. Then Tamara retrieves the coins necessary to cover the agreed upon price from her purse and we shake hands to finalize the deal.


    I have a little more advice to give, before they leave again though.


    ¡°If you gather skeleton bones for bone meal on the side, make sure not to grab any moldy ones. The guild might refuse to accept the bones if there are any moldy ones mixed in. And alchemists tend not to like a nasty surprise like that either.¡±


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    The two nod once more and bow before they leave.


    ¡°Thank you for helping us out on such short notice!¡±


    I flash them a smile in return.


    ¡°Thank you for your patronage! And be careful!¡±


    A moment later the two are gone. I deposit the additional coin in the strongbox and update the ledger, not just with this most recent sale but the fee for using the smithy''s enchanting facilities too.


    I really hope the three will be careful. I hope they will succeed as well. A lot hinges on this for them. I''d miss the business they bring my way. Mostly I would miss them though. These three are pretty likable.


    Eventually Elzbieta finishes with her chore as well. I check the enchanting dust and put my seal on her papers and close the shop for the night, although it is a little early, then we are off to the inn together.


    She hands in her papers to collect her reward. I get us some watered down wine.


    I don''t head back to the shop right away this time around. Thankfully we are not too deep into the jug of wine yet, when the elder comes over to join us.


    ¡°I have drafted up a contract to use for the new payment option you want to offer. Would you like to have a look at it? If you don''t want to do it today, I can drop by tomorrow morning too. If that is alright with you?¡±


    I think about it for a moment and take another sip of my wine. In the end I motion for him to get on with it.


    ¡°Lets have a look right away. It shouldn''t be too complex, or am I mistaken?¡±


    He shakes his head as he places the parchment in question in front of me.


    ¡°No, no. Nothing complex. I kept it simple and straightforward, as you wanted.¡±


    And he is right of course. Even a laywoman like me can figure out the content of the contract easy enough. It isn''t hard to figure out which information has to go where in the sections left blank on purpose either. As far as I can tell, it is perfect. Perfect for the purpose it is to serve anyway.


    Elzbieta, leaning in close to me, has a look as well. After a moment she nods appreciatively.


    ¡°I''m awed time and again when I see your handiwork, elder. Even a simpleton like me can understand a contract like this.¡±


    I snort and give her a quick hug.


    ¡°It looks good to me.¡±


    I pay up, it is thankfully not a big transaction and I have the coin for it on me, and the elder and I shake hands to finalize this business transaction as well. I have been doing that a lot today and that puts a smile on my face. I can''t help it. This simply feels incredibly satisfying.


    Afterwards we finish our wine together and when Elzbieta leaves to join her adventuring comrades I leave as well, since I still have a little work waiting for me at home.


    Once I''m back home I get the fire started and I get some water for the big cauldron, so I can mix the ingredients in the smaller one without fear of burning anything. I take my time, mixing everything together. The crushed pearl, the lapis lazuli, the night candle oil with the ectoplasm and so forth.


    By the time the mixture is nice and even and I''m ready to pour it into the molds it already is dark outside. That of course doesn''t stop me, although the enchanted candle lantern and the fire place only provide so much light in the workshop too.


    If anything it makes my work all the more eerie, as I pour the faintly glowing mixture into the molds. I have to admit I might look a little witchy working like this. Would grandma approve? Well, I''m not sure, but probably yes.


    Eventually I''m done. I don''t exactly feel like waiting up until the new chalks have hardened though. I''m actually feeling pretty tired today.


    I just take a moment to clean up a little and extinguish the fire in the fireplace. The rest will have to wait until tomorrow.


    I snort in amusement as I get changed for the night. Of course the rest will wait until tomorrow. Work pretty much never does itself after all. Well, there are helpful house spirits and a few other phenomena to a similar effect, but I don''t exactly want to offload my work on some poor house spirit either.


    Never mind.


    I don''t go to bed right away despite my tiredness. Instead I head back outside one more to do a little stargazing before I finally slip into bed. And apparently I''m too tired even for the craziest dreams tonight. Just as well. I don''t mind that part one bit. Sure, crazy dreams can be fun every once in a while, but I really don''t need them every night.

 Chapter 105 - Grand revelations

    The next morning comes soon enough and for a change Sour Cream actually has a tough time getting me out of bed. For some reason I''m way more tired after a night of uninterrupted dreamless sleep than the opposite. Eventually the purring cutie gets her will though and I stumble about to fill her bowl.


    I sit down and watch her eat for a little while, taking the chance to properly wake up at a slightly more sedate pace. By the time Sour Cream curls up for her nap I''m ready to visit the bathhouse.


    I take my time today, since I have no immediate plans. Well, I take a little time anyway. I don''t dare to take a really long soak though in fear of falling back asleep. A short one will have to do. It is pleasant and relaxing enough anyway.


    There is another realization as I return home afterwards. I will have to make myself some fresh soap sometime soon. I could of course just order it from the city instead, but what kind of alchemist would I be, if I were to do that? No, I''ll make my own!


    Besides, some of those soaps the big alchemy shops sell in bulk are pretty low quality. They tend to use too much aromatic oil, or possibly even a mix of aromatic oils, in the mix.


    There is nothing wrong with adding a little pleasant smell, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.


    I shudder slightly at the thought. Eventually I manage to shake it off though.


    I only stop at my place to drop off the bathing supplies and my night clothes. Then, after grabbing a few coins, I head down to the inn. Posting the mana mill quest is quickly becoming second nature or possibly even something like a reflex.


    I''m done with that particular order of business almost in the blink of an eye. The only thing exceptional is that Elzbieta is quick to snatch it up, almost before Krystina has a chance to pin the paper to the big board. As a result I already have company on my way back home.


    Instead of getting to work right away though, I brew a cup of mana infused coffee with extra sugar and a dip of cream for the both of us first.


    This one is sure to count as an alchemical potion too considering its effect. It seems the addition of that little bit of cream makes it even more potent than my usual brew.


    Too bad that I haven''t made enough to have any leftovers I could analyze. I don''t want to brew another batch right away either, especially as I''m not too sure about the shelf life of this particular variation. Anything with milk or a milk product in it tends to go bad rather quickly after all.


    Ah well, I''ll check it tomorrow. Or maybe later today? Either way, it is an issue for another time.


    Afterwards Elzbieta gets to work with renewed vigor. I''m a little at a loss though. What am I supposed to do today? Should I make some potions? Or should I get started on enchanting my sandals? Or should I look into drafting up the enchantment Urszula asked me about? The one that is supposed to help her with her duties as a wet nurse. Both will require me to do some planning and possibly some research as well.


    I almost groan out loud as the answer comes to me. I, of course, will do neither! Not right away at least. First I need to check my newest chalks!


    I pick up the casts still in their molds and give them a once over.


    At a glance they certainly look good. They cooled evenly and none broke either. A complete success. At a first glance at least.


    Of course a quick glance won''t do. I need to perform a more throughout examination! Thus I carefully remove the softly glowing and glittering chalks of creamy blue color from their molds. Placing the others on the workbench I pick the first one up to scrutinize it more closely and activate my appraisal skill.


    [Pearly ghosttouched multipurpose chalk, Quality: Legendary, A piece of very advanced, surprisingly light and eerily glowing Enchanter''s Chalk used for some of the most potent enchantments. It can be used to draw summoning circles for ghosts as well. Smells like beeswax as it is the main ingredient. Ghosts can touch and manipulate this item!]


    I blink, first once, then twice. I barely have the presence of mind to sit down, as realization dawns upon me, what exactly I created.


    The secondary property might not be terribly useful to me, but it still is something extraordinary. And the quality, well that is something else entirely.


    Then the divine whisper I both expect and dread fills my mind.


    [Extraordinary Success! Great job creating your first legendary piece! Keep at it! For you not even the stars in sky have to be the limit! The Sun Mother gifts you 4 point for the World Arcana as a reward.]


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    My hands are shaking. This is big. Lots of craftsmen and women go their entire life without ever making something of this quality. Yet I did it, still pretty much fresh out of the academy.


    There is only one more step above legendary quality. At least as far as I know. Should I even dare to dream of achieving something like that? Could I possibly actually create something mythic?


    With shaking fingers I put the piece of chalk back down. I don''t trust myself to maintain a firm grip right now.


    I barely manage to hold on until the precious piece of chalk is sitting next to its siblings once more. Then I slip of the chair with a sigh, as all strength leaves my body. The last thing I feel, before all thought conscious thought flees me is the cold, hard floor, as I hit it.


    When I come to again, I can''t even begin to guess how much time has passed. I feel glass against my lips and liquid slowly trickling into my mouth though. At the same time I can feel the atrocious headache I woke up with fade. I let out a groan as soon as the now empty vial is withdrawn from my lips.


    ¡°Do you need another one, Valeria?¡±


    Oh my! What an unexpected voice to hear. Wislawa. Usually I visit her at the temple. I''m not at the temple though. Of that I''m moderately certain. No I''m lying down in my own bed. Still a little groggy I finally open my eyes, to take in my surroundings before I answer.


    ¡°No. No, thank you. If one was enough to bring me back around, one is all I need. Any more would just be wasted.¡±


    The priestess is sitting at my bedside. Behind her I spy Elzbieta and Agnieszka. My neighbor is rubbing the adventurer''s back and talking to her softly.


    Damn! I might have given her a real bad scare. I hope she is alright.


    I give up on propping myself up on my elbows for now. At least until the potion has finished working its magic.


    The priestess withdraws her hand from my head, together with the cold wet cloth she has been pressing against the aching spot.


    I can see a little blood and wince.


    The priestess nods, but puts the cloth away for now instead of reapplying it.


    ¡°It looks better already. Good. Care to tell me why you gave us such a scare?¡±


    After taking a deep breath to calm myself, lying down in my own bed helps as well in that regard, I nod in the direction of the workbench.


    ¡°The chalks.¡±


    Before the priestess can even get up to take a look Agnieszka laughs out loud.


    ¡°Oh yes! That would do it! Congratulations, dear! Not everyone manages to achieve something like that. Not by far. Even less so at such a young age.¡±


    Despite my neighbor''s little outburst the priestess takes a look herself. After a moment she nods.


    ¡°Quite extraordinary. With that you probably have walked half the path to ascension. Its a good thing though, that you are still with us, as you still lack the other important part for it to succeed.¡±


    Elzbieta looks around between us, blinking confused.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    That sums up my own thoughts too, thus I refrain from repeating her exclamation. The confused look on my face probably says it all anyway.


    The priestess snorts.


    ¡°Earning the necessary Karma in the World Arcana to acquire the Ascension gift is only half easy part. You would still need to build a hero cult first, even if it is unwittingly, for the ascension to succeed.¡±


    The thought alone is enough to make my head hurt again. That I shake my head to drive the thought out of it, doesn''t exactly help either.


    ¡°I couldn''t ¡­ where would I even ¡­¡±


    I trail off, as I don''t even know where to start.


    The priestess in turn sits down at my bedside again and pats my shoulder.


    ¡°Don''t worry about it too much. Better yet, don''t waste time thinking about it at all. If ascension is to be the right path for you, and I honestly have no way to tell if it is, letting it happen naturally without actively working towards it, is the best way to go. People who actually work towards tend to fail more often than not. And even those who succeed often lose too much of themselves in the process. So. Please, just don''t.¡±


    She pauses briefly, before she continues.


    ¡°Anyway, if you are feeling better, I''ll return to the temple. I''ll leave the rest to you two.¡±


    The last words are obviously addressed to Elzbieta and Agnieszka, who nod in turn.


    It is the adventurer who pulls up a chair besides my bed.


    ¡°you just rest up a little longer. I''ll keep you company for now. I still need to finish that quest anyway. Agnieszka can stop by a little later in the evening to check on you. Right?¡±


    I just nod weakly. Protesting wouldn''t be any use anyway. Not judging by the looks on the faces of the three women with me.

 Chapter 106 - Words of wisdom

    Once Agnieszka and Wislawa are gone, Elzbieta''s singing quickly puts me back to sleep. I''m not ashamed to admit it. And by the time she wakes me again, gently shaking my shoulder, I''m actually feeling much better. The shock has worn off and my head doesn''t hurt anymore either.


    I put my seal on her quest papers and see her off with a heartfelt hug. I don''t accompany her right away though, despite being quite hungry. I need a moment to myself first. Both to compose myself a little and to straighten out my clothes a little, after essentially sleeping away the day in them.


    I don''t get to join the others at the inn either. I''m just washing up a little, using the still warm water from the cauldron instead of getting fresh water from the creek, when my neighbor arrives to check on me. She doesn''t come empty handed either. No, she comes bearing a small clay pot. Judging by the mittens she uses to carry it, it and its contents are still hot.


    She frowns a little as she sees me up and about, but in the end she doesn''t protest. Instead she motions me over to the workbench where she moves the things I have not had time to put back where they belong a little out of the way. She grabs one of the chairs and moves it over there as well.


    All I have to do is to grab a spoon and start eating. And that is exactly what I do, when she finally urges me to come over and sit down.


    The pot contains a hearty stew, probably home cooked, as it doesn''t use the same spices and flavorings that Maryla and Patryk usually use.


    For a little while the older woman just stands there, leaning against the workbench, to watch over me as I eat. After a while she gets a wistful, faraway look. I don''t get to ask what is going through her mind though. Instead she starts explaining on her own.


    ¡°You know, that reminds me, your grandma gave us a similar scare way back then.¡±


    She chuckles.


    ¡°Most people won''t even remember. It has been a while. I was still a little kid back then, about this tall.¡±


    She gestures around her mid thighs at the last comment to illustrate her point.


    Most curious.


    ¡°She did?¡±


    Agnieszka nods.


    ¡°Sure did. Scared me right out of my mind back then. Possibly even more so than you did poor Elzbieta today. I mean, Elzbieta is an adventurer after all. She is used to a little blood and things like that. I was a little kid who didn''t know a whole lot about the world back then.¡±


    She gets thoughtful at that point, falling silent for a little while, as I continue to eat. At long last she speaks up again.


    ¡°I''m not sure if it was for a similar reason as the one you experienced today. You could ask Wislawa. Maybe her mother, who was our priestess back then, told her. It wasn''t the only time something like that happened though.¡±


    I can only nod, as this isn''t exactly the first time something like this has happened to me either. It never was quite this dramatic though. Not as far as I can recall anyway.


    I''m about halfway done with the stew by now and I''m starting to feel a little full. Maybe this is just the right moment to add my own perspective to the conversation and have a little break.


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    ¡°It might by a halfelf thing. Or maybe it is just something running in the family. I''m not quite sure. We tend to be a little faint of heart though. Not all of us, of course and not all the time. If something puts a good scare into us though ¡­¡±


    I trail off towards the end and the older woman nods in understanding. After a moment she chuckles.


    ¡°Do try to keep the fainting to situations where you''ll land softly, or you have someone ready to catch you.¡±


    We share a good laugh after that and I resume eating in short order.


    It seems Agnieszka is not quite done with the topic though. She has a little actual advice to share.


    ¡°Do try to eat a little more. Putting on just a little more weight won''t hurt you. In my experience it helps if you don''t want to scare quite as easily. And, of course, you could aim to acquire some specific gifts and the likes that improve your willpower. That is something you will have to figure out mostly on your own. Probably. Don''t hesitate to ask the divine for advice though. Even if they can''t always provide the answers you seek they will still try to be helpful.¡±


    I can''t really argue with any of that. Not without sounding incredibly ungrateful at least. And I really don''t want to be ungrateful. In the end I simply nod, as I finish with the stew.


    Holding my belly I let out a long sigh. Oh, gods and goddesses, this might have been a little much for one sitting. I''m really stuffed now.


    Agnieszka chuckles at my antics, while she in turn makes to return home with the now empty pot.


    I grab her arm to stop her before she can actually leave.


    ¡°Speaking of willpower. I was thinking about making myself some very special dancing shoes. Or rather sandals since they are for the midsummer night dance. I was planning on highly customized enchantments for both agility and willpower. And while I don''t mind experimenting with the shoes I have, I was wondering if you might be able to get me a pair that is a little more splendid for the actual dance.¡±


    She stops, puts the pot back down and thoughtfully taps her chin as she ponders my request.


    ¡°A very curious idea. I can see the merit. And yes, I could get you something from the city. Shoes really aren''t something you should just buy like that though. Not even if its just sandals. At the very least you should come along to try them on. In general it would be better to have something custom made to fit exactly right.¡±


    I frown, at least a little, as she elaborates. She isn''t wrong though. Especially if I intend to enchant it, any footwear I get should be made to fit perfectly. I''m not sure though, if I have the time for a trip to the city.


    Agnieszka must have noticed the frown. Either that or she can read my thoughts. Well, maybe both.


    ¡°You are in luck! You don''t actually have to make a trip to the city to get yourself some nice shoes, sandals or otherwise. You already met Urszula''s father, right? He is pretty decent cobbler. He still makes most of the shoes and boots people around here need. Just go and ask him and you should be able to get whatever you want in a few days. Unless of course you want some really fancy leather, then you would have to get that first.¡±


    I have to admit, the idea of using some kind of fancy leather is tempting. Using leather of a Twilight Forest creature associated with agility could greatly enhance any enchantment. She is right though. That would take time. I''d have to place a request with the guild first and the gods and goddess probably only know how long it would take to receive the goods. Still, it is something I should keep in mind.


    I chuckle softly.


    ¡°Alright. I''ll pay him a visit and see if he can make some time for my request.¡±


    Agnieszka nods and picks up the empty stew pot again.


    ¡°Good. And now try to get some more sleep. Being well rested might help with that fainting issue too. And even if not, it still won''t hurt.¡±


    I can''t argue with that either. I''m just not entirely sure I will be able to easily fall asleep again after essentially resting almost all day.


    ¡°I''ll try. And thanks for the stew.¡±


    With these words I see her off at the door.


    Afterwards I check on the shop, but someone already locked it up while I was resting. I only do a little cleaning in the workshop, before I get changed into my nightclothes. The rest will just have to wait. Well, its not like anything will go bad.


    Eventually I slip back under the covers of my bed. I miss Sour Cream a little, but she must have left earlier while I was still recovering. We probably made too much of a fuss for her. Or maybe she got someone else to pour her some of her treat?


    Well, either way, now I''m lying here on my own, staring up at the herbs dangling from the ceiling, unable to fall back asleep. Curses! This certainly is not how I want to spend the night.

 Chapter 107 - The early bird

    Sleep really doesn''t come easy this night. Eventually though, it does claim me. The next morning I wake up early as well as a result. I just can''t stay in bed any longer. I can''t help it. I have to get up. Thus I swing my legs out of bed quite a bit before the night sky lightens up outside and well before the roosters start their wake up call.


    Sour Cream is not yet home either. I really hope we didn''t disturb her routine too much yesterday. She has become such an integral part of my life, I honestly don''t even want to contemplate spending my days here without her. Thus I end up waiting for her return, before I head out myself, after preparing her snack and cuddling her a little.


    After a quick bath I''m essentially ready for the day. My first stop, after returning home, is once more the inn. Quests still don''t post themselves, although that would be incredibly convenient.


    Never mind. The trips to the inn are actually pretty nice. Its good to see everyone. I don''t have company on my way back home right away this time around, as I''m more than just a little early today. I''m pretty certain that Elzbieta will visit before long anyway.


    I have more than enough work to keep me busy in the meantime. First enter the money spent on the new quest into the ledger. I open up the shop early too. Then I finish cleaning up. afterwards I get started on brewing a new batch of healing potions.


    Wislawa only used one on me yesterday, but I want more on the shelves anyway. I aim for more potent potions with the brew I prepare from wild rose petals, purple mountain flowers, some bitterleaf and juniper berries. In fact this will be the most potent brew I make here yet.


    Before I can get started for good a knock from the shop distracts me though. It is Tamara and her group, which today includes Ryszard, Urszula''s eldest, for some reason. He looks a little nervous.


    My brows crease into a frown briefly, before I get my facial features back under control.


    Tamara must have noticed anyway.


    ¡°He accompanies us as a porter, not an adventurer. We will watch out for him. And with him doing the heavy lifting we can properly focus on the adventuring. Anyway, I wanted to get some more healing potions before we head out.¡±


    I nod and point her in the direction of the shelf with the healing potions and she gets a few after looking at them for a moment.


    A porter? Well, that doesn''t sound too bad. Hopefully they will really be able to properly watch out for him. This way he might even be able to get a first taste for adventuring before he makes up his mind about his future in that regard.


    As the dwarven adventurer returns to the counter she is not only bringing over three healing potions. No, she has pulled several empty potion bottles from her pack as well.


    I perk up a little at that. I''m glad to see some more returns even if it means that my profits will suffer a little. I check the empty bottles. Even at a glance it is obvious that they have once again been cleaned and mended with magic. Very good! There is no reason to complain, thus I add up the purchase and deduct the coins they get for the returned bottles.


    ¡°Three lesser healing potions make forty eight bronze crowns and you get six bronze crowns for the returned bottles. This makes forty two bronze Crowns in total.¡±


    Before she can start to haggle I put the one piece of red chalk I have already used on the counter next to her purchase.


    ¡°I''ll add this chalk as a little bonus. As you can see it is used a little already, but it should still be good for a warding circle or two. Use it when you make camp. Or if one of you should end up possessed, you can draw a line and tackle them across that line. The one being possessed should pass through just fine, but the ghost should remain behind and be stunned for a moment, like one of us would be after running into a wall.¡±


    Tamara closes her mouth again and nods. Then she counts some coin onto the counter. Three silver Crowns and six bronze Crowns.


    While I gather up the coins to deposit them in the strongbox, she distributes the potions among her companions and wraps the chalk into a handkerchief. Then the group is off on their newest adventure.


    I wave as they leave and call out after them.


    ¡°Take care and come back safely!¡±


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    By the time I return to the workshop, Elzbieta is already waiting for me, leaning against the door frame of the backdoor. She greets me with a cheerful smile and a wave.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡±


    I snort in amusement.


    ¡°If anything I might be a little too well rested. But never mind. Come on in and sit down by the fireplace until the sun comes around. I''ll get a fire started in a moment for a nice brew.¡±


    Even as I speak I move a chair in position for her, before I get the second and the mana mill as well. Only once she is comfortable do I get the mentioned fire started. I use my staff again. It is simply so much easier that way, compared to using flint and steel.


    Once the fire burns and the water in the cauldron starts heating up I take care of the ingredients I need for these healing potions. I grind everything, the dried petals, the equally dry grassy leaves as well as the berries down in the mortar. Then I add the mixture to the water in one of grandma''s silk pouches.


    Now the brew has to steep for a while. This gives me the time I need to prepare the potion bottles and especially the stoppers. I reuse the ones returned earlier by Tamara right away, since I already have those at hand. I prepare a few more just in case though, so none of the brew will go to waste.


    Curiously enough it is Elzbieta who alerts me that the brew is ready.


    ¡°Oh! Healing potions! I really love this flowery smell!¡±


    I can relate. The smell is quite pleasant. I have no time to dawdle now though. With practiced ease I fill the fresh brew into the potion bottles, stoppering and sealing them all in short order. In the end I have a total of eight of these potent healing potions.


    There is one more thing that remains to be done, before I can put them on the shelves out front with shiny new price tags. I need to check if they turned out alright. Thus, while Elzbieta keeps working and singing, without batting an eye, I focus my attention on the first potion bottle to activate my appraisal skill.


    [Greater Healing Potion, Quality: Rare, A rare and potent healing potion that will heal any injury, including life threatening ones, almost within the blink of an eye. Still good to use for another 35 days.]


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Marvelous! I check the other potion bottles too, just in case, but the result is always the same. This qualifies as a great success. I allow myself a big smile.


    This draws Elzbieta''s attention.


    ¡°Something good?¡±


    I nod excitedly.


    ¡°Yes, greater healing potions! These ones can be real life savers. They can heal just about anything that doesn''t kill you right away.¡±


    She whistles in appreciation.


    ¡°That is indeed good news! Those tend to be pricey though. Or am I wrong?¡±


    No, she isn''t wrong. I think about it for a moment. I sell the regular healing potions for two silver and six bronze Crowns. The lesser healing potions go for sixteen bronze Crowns. If I extrapolate that I could possibly sell these for four silver Crowns and one bronze Crown?


    Yes, that sounds about right. Expensive, but not too expensive and it certainly covers my expenses and then some. I nod to myself.


    ¡°Four silver and one bronze. Probably.¡±


    Elzbieta whistles again.


    ¡°Not bad. Certainly good for the rare emergency. Don''t expect people to buy those in bulk though.¡±


    I nod. She is right. Most days the regular healing potions are good enough.


    ¡°I''ll keep one or two on the shelves anyway. Better to have one ready if someone actually is in need of it. I might donate one or two to the village as well, as part of my militia contribution. The rest I could sell in the city through Agnieszka.¡±


    Elzbieta takes a moment to think about it, before she answers.


    ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡±


    Then she looks out the window.


    ¡°How about you take care of the price tags and we go and have an early lunch afterwards?¡±


    That sounds good to me. I burn the price in eight new price tags and take the now priced potions out front. Then I take care of the first batch of enchanting dust Elzbieta produced afterwards, as I return from the shop.


    ¡°What''s on the menu today? You sounded eager.¡±


    The pregnant woman blushes a little and scratches the back of her head as I help her up.


    ¡°Noodles with meatballs and lots of tasty sauce! You''ll love it! Believe me!¡±

 Chapter 108 - A little extra

    Elzbieta didn''t promise too much. The noodles with meatballs and sauce are delicious. And apparently they are much more to her taste than spinach soup. I can''t help but notice either, that her portion is larger than mine once again. Not by much, but still. Well, I still have plenty enough on my plate to feel pleasantly stuffed afterwards, so I really have no reason to complain.


    I have good reason to extend our lunch break a little after returning home though. Instead of getting right back to work, we sit down in the sun for a little while, to rest our feet and our eyes.


    Eventually we have to get back to work though, there simply is no way around it. We aren''t dryads who can live off sunshine and the occasional drizzle after all. Although, to be honest, I''m not entirely sure even dryads can make do like that. At least none I have heard off want to make do like that. Probably because it would be pretty boring.


    Elzbieta resumes work with the mill, except this time around she takes it out back to get some more sun. I on the other hand plan to get started with something new entirely, except, I need to clean up first after making those potent healing potions. The workshop still doesn''t clean itself. No surprising changes in that regard.


    Thus the next order of business is cleaning. Thankfully it isn''t all that much equipment that needs cleaning. I take my time anyway.


    Once I''m done I take a deep breath as I look around my now nice and orderly once more workshop. Curious how even tedious work like this can feel rewarding. Well, rewarding by my standards anyway, very few people, mostly maids and similar servants probably, probably ever are rewarded by the divine for work like this. And even for those few the divine rewards are in all likelihood rather scarce.


    Maybe I''m a little spoiled in that regard though. Especially lately the divine have been more than just generous after all.


    I shake my head and drive those thoughts away. It is no use thinking like that. Instead I should get started on my next enchantment. That is a much better use of my time!


    I grab my notebook and a chair and head out in the backyard to keep Elzbieta company and get a little more sun myself. While she keeps singing, today she has opted for the romantic misadventures of the miller''s wife instead of more of Ksawery''s adventures, I start work on the enchantment for my dancing shoes.


    I''m a little torn about which direction I should take.


    I have been thinking about a highly specialized enchantment that only applies to dancing so far. This approach would make for a more complex but also more powerful enchantment by sacrificing flexibility. There is a risk, small as it may be, that this kind of enchantment might not work under some specific circumstances where I really would like it to work though.


    I could go for a more generalist approach instead, making a simpler enchantment that is always active but is, at the same time, not quite as potent.


    This isn''t all that is to it either. If I were to go for a triple enchantment, the second approach would be the one most likely to work. With the former the individual enchantments might just turn out too complex.


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    Should I even dare to try my hand at a triple enchantment? It hasn''t been that long that I performed my first successful double enchantment after all. This could go oh so very wrong.


    On the other hand this might be the perfect occasion to make the attempt. I have improved my abilities and I have even better chalks available now. It might just work!


    Even if it doesn''t work out, it would most likely only cost me my favorite pair of sandals. Regrettable and a little costly but not a crippling loss.


    In the end I decide to draft up the designs for both options. I have some time after all, thus I might as well put it to good use. Bit by bit I fill the pages in my notebook with runes, circles and calculations, first for the one option, then for the other.


    I make some plain tea for Elzbieta and myself some time during the afternoon. Nothing alchemical about it, just some fruity and refreshing aroma.


    I''m not exactly done with either by the time evening comes around, but I have made good progress. Good enough to be satisfied even though I''m not exactly done yet.


    After closing the shop and checking the enchanting dust I stamp Elzbieta''s quest papers and we are off to the inn together once more. I don''t intend to stay for a drink this time though. Instead I just get a fresh jug for Sour Cream before I''m off again.


    As night falls I retreat inside to continue my work by lantern light. Eventually I copy my work on the more basic, generalist double enchantment for agility and willpower onto a new page and start to add a third enchantment, this one for awareness.


    It seems to be the logical choice. After all I don''t just have to be swift of foot and sure of my own capabilities, I have to be aware of my surroundings as well. Yes, this seems the perfect combination as far as I can tell.


    Eventually Sour Cream rubs up against my leg, demanding my undivided attention. I can''t even begin to guess where she has come from. Has she been hiding somewhere in the workshop or maybe out front in the shop instead of sleeping on my bed?


    She probably knows a few hiding spots I wouldn''t even think about. Never mind though. I pour her some of her treat and cuddle her a little once she is finished until she eventually heads out into the night.


    I hope this is good enough to make up for the disturbance of her routine the other day.


    I decide to sit in the backyard for a little while afterwards to relax. The night is quite pleasant and I don''t exactly feel like going to bed yet. Instead I get back to work once more when I return inside, locking the door behind me.


    I leave the two not quite finished double enchantments be for the time being. Instead I focus on the design for the triple enchantment. It certainly needs my undivided attention, if I want to make it work.


    The enchantments each need to be streamlined. They need to be as close to perfect as I can make them. For a double enchantment I would have some leeway, but for a triple I can''t afford any mistakes. Thus I keep working for a little longer.


    As the hours fly my eyes grow heavy eventually and I have to quit for the night. Well, I don''t have to quit. I could make myself some mana enhanced coffee to keep going a little longer. I''m not sure that would actually be beneficial though.


    No, it is better to stop now and get some decent sleep, so I can get back to work tomorrow morning well rested. I''m already looking forward to it, but right now I''m just too tired to keep going.


    In the solitude of my home I yawn as I nod to myself and get changed for the night. And this time around sleep claims me almost as soon as I slip into bed.

 Chapter 109 - New shoes

    Well rested like I haven''t been in a while, I breeze through my morning routine the next day. I take care of Sour Cream, I visit the bath and I post the mana mill quest once again. That is the most urgent business taken care of.


    The two new elves from the islands drop by my shop almost as soon as I open to get some potions for themselves. Especially the coffee based combined stamina and mana regeneration potions seem to interest them. They buy two of my new, more potent healing potions as well though.


    I see them off with a smile and a wave after entering their purchase into the ledger and before swiping the coin they left into the strong box.


    This is a most welcome influx of coin. I suspect I''ll need it before long. Either to pay for those new dancing shoes or to cover my tithes. Probably both.


    Both the priestess and the elder, as well as the lord by extension, are probably glad that someone took over grandma''s shop and this quick at that. Otherwise they probably would have a meager year.


    It is better they put the money to good use anyway. Better than the coin just lying around in my strongbox anyway. As long as I can cover my expenses first at least.


    Before I can waste any more time thinking about money belonging to other people, Elzbieta arrives, as usual, waving with her quest papers in hand.


    I return the wave and invite her in.


    ¡°Come on in and make yourself comfortable. I''ll close the shop again in a bit and head over to Urszula''s place. I want to see her father about some new shoes for the midsummer night dance.¡±


    The pregnant adventurer sighs and nods as she lets herself sink down on the chair by the fireplace.


    ¡°Krystof, right? I got myself a pair of very comfortable boots for long hunting trips, or expeditions into the Twilight Forest, from him. Worth every coin.¡±


    I nod as well as I move a stool in position beside her and place the mana mill on top. Good shoes that fit well are one of the essential comforts that make everything else much easier or at least more bearable.


    Once Elzbieta is set up and starts working the mana mill I return to the shop. I work on the enchantment for the shoes a little more, scribbling notes into my notebook as I go.


    After a while without any more visitors I head to the front door and look outside to make sure I don''t close the shop in the face of a potential customer. No one seems to be on their way here though, thus I quickly close up before that can change.


    Despite that, I don''t leave right away. I prepare some tea for Elzbieta and freshen up a little myself. Only afterwards do I head out to follow the dirt road up the hill to the farmhouse that is my destination.


    The place is as lively as the last time I was around, maybe even more so. The only difference is, that Ryszard isn''t around this time. Come to think of it, maybe that is the reason why everyone else seems more busy?


    Yes, that sounds entirely plausible. His part of the workload doesn''t just disappear just because he accompanies some adventurers for a change.


    Luiza, one of Ryszard''s younger sisters that dropped by my place to give my shaved ice treat a try, is the first to take note of my approach. She is watching over some chicken. That doesn''t stop her from waving though. Thankfully the chicken seem used to it. It is either that or they don''t scare easily in general.


    I wave in return, but decide not to disturb her and the fowl she is minding any further. After all I can already see the man I want to talk to sitting on the bench in front of the house.


    He is not carving wooden figures today, although a basket with wood and some carving knives is resting on the ground beside the bench. So far he seems content just basking in the morning sun. He has his eyes closed but notices my approach anyway.


    ¡°Good morning to you Valeria! To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?¡±


    I can''t help but smile.


    ¡°I was thinking about getting some new shoes for the midsummer night dance and Agnieszka told me that you are the man to ask about quality footwear around here.¡±


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    He chuckles and finally opens his eyes.


    ¡°Probably not the exact words she used, but close enough. Well, lets come around to the back to my workshop. I''ll need to take some measurements. Best to get started on a proper last for you right away.¡±


    He lets me help him up. Then he leads the way to his workshop in a small wooden shack a little ways away from the farmhouse. He keeps talking as we go.


    ¡°If its for the midsummer night dance, what you want probably is a nice comfortable, yet sturdy set of sandals and not actual shoes or boots. Those are a little easier to make. Not exactly cheaper though. Especially if they are to be tied high up your calves to provide support and sure footing.¡±


    He chuckles again, as he holds the door open for me.


    ¡°And of course they can''t look shabby either. Or am I wrong?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°No, a nice set of sandals would be best. Actually, the best you can manage would be for the best. It helps with enchanting.¡±


    Now he laughs out loud.


    ¡°You don''t do things in half measures! Very well. If you have the coin, I''ll provide the best sandals I can make. You are in luck. I might even have enough fancy leather for a fancy pair of sandals.¡±


    He laughs again and I can''t help but smile as well, as he points me to a stool.


    ¡°Take a seat, dear. This may take a while.¡±


    I do as he asks and watch on as he gets two fresh pieces of wood and a notebook of his own.


    Without further delay he starts shaping both pieces of wood. One for my left and the other for my right foot. Another man might have made do with just one, mirroring it simply for the other foot. Not him though. He really is rather thorough.


    The first few cuts are simple, as he is only shaping the wood roughly. Then he gets to work in earnest.


    To my surprise he doesn''t take his measurements with a tape measure or anything similar. Well, he uses that too, but only for a few simple measurements he then notes down on a fresh page in his notebook.


    For the better part he uses his hands though to feel any relevant measurements as he begins to add fine detail to the lasts.


    I can''t help but blush a little, as he gets to know my bare feet a lot closer than just about anyone else, probably including me. I decide not to mention it though. I just can''t. The embarrassment would kill me.


    And of course he is right. This takes a while.


    In fact it takes long enough for Urszula to check on us a little while later, as apparently it is time for lunch. The old man is reluctant to take a break, despite his daughter''s urging.


    He insists on continuing for a little longer. Urszula doesn''t argue either.


    At long last he seems satisfied, at least for now. With a nod he puts the mostly finished lasts away.


    ¡°Good enough for now. This leaves, of course, the question of the price. I think I still have some twilight hare leather. Its both soft and comfortable as well as reasonably sturdy. I can make you your sandals for three silver Crowns. If you want more than just plain sandals I''ll have to ask Olgierd and Nawoja. I think I can get some silver ornaments from them. In that case I''ll have to charge more though. Five silver Crowns? How about that?¡±


    I swallow hard. That is quite the price. If he is as good as everyone seems to think he is, he probably is worth it though. And of course I want to get something special. If I splurge, I might as well splurge for real. In the end I nod.


    ¡°Make them something special, please. Five silver crowns? Upon delivery?¡±


    He shakes my hand as I offer it.


    ¡°Five silver crowns upon delivery! Very well! I''ll send one of the youngsters to get you once I''m done, or If I need additional measurements.¡±


    At this point his stomach rumbles and after a moment mine does too. We both laugh and go to have lunch. I head down to the inn though, while he joins the rest of his family.

 Chapter 110 - Tying up loose ends

    Elzbieta already is at the inn, eating lunch, when I arrive there. After getting myself a bowl of mashed potatoes with butter and some crispy bacon as well as a little juicy ham, I join her at her table.


    She flashes me a grin and pats the place on the bench besides her.


    ¡°Valeria! Glad to see you back! I was getting a little worried.¡±


    I return the grin, as I sit down besides her.


    ¡°It seems Krystof is pretty serious about making shoes. He probably would have insisted I stay even longer, so he can get the lasts exactly right, if Urszula hadn''t come to tell us that lunch is ready.¡±


    The pregnant adventurer shoves another spoon full of tasty goodness into her mouth and nods.


    ¡°He is! He sure is! It totally is worth it though! I think you''ll be in for a pleasant surprise.¡±


    Considering the price I hope so too. I don''t mention that though, and only grin instead. Some things simply don''t need to be mentioned or discussed in public after all. And if it will turn out to be a pleasant surprise, I won''t mind the money spent anyway. Money well spent and so on.


    Right now I enjoy the nice, warm meal. A much better use for my time than worrying about things I can''t influence any further right now anyway. Oh, so much better! I had no idea that mashed potatoes could be this good!


    Compared to this treat the servings at the academy now seem a little lackluster in hindsight. I have to admit, I wouldn''t even want to begin thinking about what I would do if we didn''t have such a fabulous inn.


    We finish eating in silence. Well, we finish in relative silence since we don''t talk. It isn''t truly silent though, as the inn is quite busy again today.


    Afterwards we return to my shop together. We don''t get back to work right away though. Instead we sit in the sun for a little, soaking up its pleasant rays.


    Agnieszka''s black cat joins us for a little, as we sit there, to bask in the sun as well. It is off again soon enough though. Considering the deep black fur the little feline probably can only take so much sun before it gets too hot and bothersome.


    Eventually we get back to work as well.


    Elzbieta resumes work with the mana mill and, as she starts singing again, I open up the shop once more as well.


    Instead of resuming work on the enchantment for my shoes as before, I take a little time to review my notes.


    Ideally I would busy myself with something completely unrelated for a while first, to clear my head and return with a fresh perspective. I have no clue though, what I should do to achieve the effect. Not right now anyway. Thus I start reviewing my design as I am right away. I''ll manage somehow. Probably.


    I can''t find any fault with it. I have streamlined and simplified the design as much as I can. There is nothing left to prune and I most certainly shouldn''t even think about adding anything else. That would be inviting disaster. This is as good as it is going to get.


    I sigh and look everything over once more. I don''t find anything wrong this time either. Not that I expected to find anything wrong to begin with. It is better to make sure anyway.


    Now it is time to give this a try before I put any more thought into it. I nod to myself and head back into the workshop.


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    Elzbieta looks at me as I move to the enchanting table, one eyebrow raised.


    I flash her a confident grin in return, although I don''t exactly feel confident.


    ¡°I''ll give the enchantment for the sandals a try.¡±


    She chuckles and resumes work.


    ¡°Go for it! Just don''t put them on right away. Check them first. Just in case you somehow manage to produce some cursed shoes that make you dance uncontrollable the moment you slip your feet into them.¡±


    As she resumes humming her song, abandoning the lyrics for now, I blink first once, then twice, before I break into laughter. After a moment Elzbieta joins in too. It takes us a moment, or a few, to calm back down. Laughter can be pretty contagious after all. Persistent too.


    In the end I''m still grinning, as I try hard not to break into laughter again.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I''ll be careful.¡±


    I doubt the result she described would be possible anyway, as my enchantment doesn''t touch upon the dancing skill at all. If I were to produce a pair of cursed sandals they would be more likely to turn me into a clumsy, indecisive, bumbling fool instead. Which, to be honest, would possibly be worse and not nearly as entertaining. Let''s hope this won''t be what happens.


    Despite all my preparation I''m still a little reluctant to go ahead. Eventually I slip out of my sandals though. I tie up the laces and place them neatly one next to the other at the center of the enchanting table. Nervously I shift my weight from one foot to the other and back, before I manage to reaffirm my resolve.


    Elzbieta chuckles again.


    ¡°Not used to going barefoot?¡±


    I blush a little. She might be right. It does feel a little weird or rather unusual. It doesn''t feel bad though. No, not at all actually. Maybe I could get used to this? Maybe just a little?


    The pregnant adventurer doesn''t have any thing else to add. Instead she just flashes me another smile and I decide to refocus on the task ahead of me.


    The sandals are ready. Next are the circles and other charcoal lines that are supposed to help with the rest. I draw them with practiced ease.


    Next I grab two pieces of enchanter''s chalk. One is one of the few pieces of basic chalk I still have. It will do for the first enchantment. The other is a piece of the slightly more fancy chalk I made while waiting for the ingredients from the city. It should serve well enough for the second enchantment.


    This is all I will go for right now. Maybe I''ll try my hand on a third enchantment another day. For now I leave the fanciest new chalk with the crushed pearl and lapis lazuli on the shelf though.


    I grab the first piece of chalk, take one last deep breath and start drawing the runes for the first enchantment.


    Those are relatively easy and straightforward. An enchantment for sandals that will improve the wearers agility in general. Not by much, since I''m not adding any runes that limit the scope of the effect, but every little bit counts.


    I blink, as I add the last rune to this relatively simple circle and the enchantment gets drawn into my sandals.


    I blink once more as I put the chalk away. This was surprisingly quick. Just as well. Before I continue with the second enchantment, I focus on the sandals first, to activate my appraisal skill. I seriously doubt that I messed up, but it doesn''t hurt to be careful.


    [Nimble step sandals, Quality: Uncommon, These sandals have been enchanted to enhance the wearer''s agility under all circumstances. Their steps will be just that little bit more sure when they wear these. Curiously enough, the effect is not limited to the wearers steps though, despite the name. These make the wearer a little more agile and lithe overall.]


    Huh? I blink again. I''d say, this counts as a success, despite the unexpected note at the end there.


    I shake my head, as I can''t help but grin at the same time. I really should have seen this coming. Of course! I removed just about all limitations on the enchantment. Of course it would apply not just to the wearers steps.


    I grab my notebook and jot down a quick note about this. I might just add the restriction to the wearers steps back in. Or maybe not. I''ll have to give this a try first. Maybe I''ll get to like this unexpected side effect.


    That will have to wait though, since I really want to add the second enchantment first.


    I grab my shoes and deposit them on the workbench to clean the table first. Then I draw the circles and secondary coal lines for the second enchantment. Only once I''m done wit those do I place them back at the center of the enchanting table.


    Last but not least I switch chalks. Then I get started with the second enchantment before I can second guess myself any further.

 Chapter 111 - A little mischief

    Once more I draw line after line, one rune after the other until the gently glowing circle around my sandals is complete. And once again the runes get drawn into the footwear as I finish.


    This is a great relief. At the same time I''m weary though. So far I haven''t failed at a double enchantment once. While this is a good thing it makes me worry too. After all no one succeeds every time. Everyone fails at something at some point.


    So far careful preparation, training and the right divine gifts and skills have worked out in my favor. That won''t be enough every time though. Especially if routine sets in and I end up getting careless.


    Maybe I shouldn''t worry about that right now though. I have just created another successful enchantment after all. I should check it out! And, if there is nothing wrong with it, I should try the sandals back on to experience the effect first hand, since this is an enchantment I''m not yet familiar with.


    I pick up the sandals and focus my attention on them to activate my appraisal skill for another check.


    [Sure step sandals, Quality: Rare, These sandals have been enchanted to enhance the wearer''s agility and willpower under all circumstances. The wearer''s movements will be more decisive and sure as a result. Curiously enough, the effect is not limited to the wearers steps, despite the name. These make the wearer move more agile, lithe as well as decisive and sure overall.]


    I take a deep breath and let it back out. This is pretty much what I expect. By now not even the addendum about it effecting all movements and not just your steps is a surprise anymore. It looks like I succeeded.


    Elzbieta stops too, raising an eyebrow, as if to ask if everything is alright.


    I grin sheepishly and scratch the back of my head.


    ¡°It looks good. Not entirely as intended, but good. In fact this enchantment might be a good fit for any agility based fighters and possibly scouts.¡±


    She nods and resumes her work with the mana mill, apparently satisfied by this explanation.


    I in turn head out and down to the creek where I wash my feet before I slip my sandals back on. I have been going barefoot for a while now after all and maybe I should grab the broom and clean the workshop as well every once in a while, not just the shop out front.


    The effect is subtle but noticeable. Especially as I make my way back up the incline from the creek to the backyard I can tell that I have an easier time. Curiously enough the most noticeable part is the lack of doubt and insecurities about where I should place my feet. This is most curious! It certainly isn''t unwelcome though. No, quite the opposite is true. I really like this turn of events.


    As I reach the garden a thought strikes me and immediately my lips curl in a mischievous smile.


    I stop for a moment to recall some of the dance steps I learned so far, mostly thanks due to Agnieszka''s hard work. At the same time I try to banish that smile. The latter is proving much harder than the former. In the end I succeed though.


    Once I finish composing myself I dance the last few steps towards the back door of my home and in through it.


    Elzbieta stops what she is doing and stares at me wide eyed, as my dancing steps take me in her direction.


    Then I loose the fight against the grin that is threatening to split my face. The look on her face just is too much for me.


    As I break into laughter she soon joins me. Not without reprimanding me first though.


    ¡°Oh you!¡±


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    I giggle, and as she sets the mana mill aside, I pull her to her feet, to twirl her around once.


    ¡°Got you there for a moment, huh?¡±


    As we come to a stop, she elbows me lightly.


    ¡°Don''t tempt fate like that!¡±


    In the end I nod to appease her. I don''t really regret anything though.


    ¡°Don''t worry. The only way these would have turned into cursed dancing shoes would have been if the enchantment were to affect a dance skill directly. At worst these would have turned me into an indecisive, bumbling, clumsy fool if the enchantment would have gone wrong.¡±


    She nods. She still looks a little miffed though.


    For a brief moment I''m tempted to kiss that little pout right off her lips. Just for a moment though. She isn''t here for anything like that, thus it would be terribly inappropriate. In the end my improved willpower squashes the thought, the very tempting thought, before I can even think about it for real.


    Curious. Very curious. Is this a side effect of the enchantment as well? Will it allow me to withstand temptations I might otherwise give in to?


    Never mind right now. I will think about it some more later. I flash her a grin as I let her sit back down.


    ¡°I''ll make us some coffee to celebrate another successful double enchantment. You don''t mind? Right?¡±


    She blinks an nods.


    ¡°One of those cups of special mana spiked coffee?¡±


    She sounds downright hopeful and I can relate. That stuff is seriously good!


    Anyway, now it is my turn to nod.


    ¡°Sure. Think they have something sweet to go with it at the inn?¡±


    She tilts her head and taps her lips, deep in thought.


    ¡°Maybe? To be honest, I''m not sure. They usually have sweet treats like those little cup cakes when ever Krystina or Maryla fancy something sweet themselves.¡±


    I guess I''ll just have to ask. I''ll have some time anyway, while I wait for the water for the brew to boil.


    First I need to roast some beans though. Thus I start a fire and do just that. Then I put the water on while I grind them up with the other mill.


    I leave the ground coffee in the mill''s drawer for now though, as I head down to the inn real quick.


    It is not yet time for dinner, thus the place is rather quiet for a change. Only Krystina looks up from her spot at the guild counter where she seems to be doing some reading.


    ¡°Valeria! Welcome! Is something up?¡±


    I''m quick to shake my head.


    ¡°No, no. I just wanted to inquire with your parents if you have any sweet treats today. Something like those little cup cakes?¡±


    She blinks once. She doesn''t seem to be too surprised though.


    ¡°No cakes. Neither cup cakes nor regular ones. We have fried mice though.¡±


    That stops me dead in my tracks. Without the enchantment on my sandals I might even have tripped. My voice might just be a little squeaky as I inquire if I heard right.


    ¡°Fried what?¡±


    Krystina laughs out loud.


    ¡°Fried mice. And don''t worry, they do not actually contain mice of any sort in any way. It is a fried, sweet treat. They are called that, because the dough usually forms long thin appendages when you drop it into the hot oil. These look a Little like mouse tails, you know.¡±


    Maryla must have head us talking, because she appears with a wooden bowl with half a dozen of the mentioned treats in it. They are in fact roughly mouse sized pieces of fried dough and they do the mentioned appendages that look a little like tails. More importantly though, they are covered generously in sugar and look delicious. They smell delicious as well.


    ¡°Two bronze Crowns for half a dozen. Better get them now. They are best when they are fresh!¡±


    My slightly improved willpower crumbles almost right away, accompanied by a rumbling noise emitted by my stomach. My coins and Maryla''s bowl of fried treats change hands before I can even begin to formulate a second thought. I don''t mind though.


    ¡°Thanks! I''ll return the bowl later!¡±


    I have delicious baked goods now and that is all that matters! With a little extra spring to my steps I return home. I still need to finish the coffee after all. Fresh mana spiked coffee and fresh baked goods in good company! I doubt it can get much better.

 Chapter 112 - Third times the charm

    Elzbieta and I have a nice break, enjoying the baked goods together with my special coffee out back in the sun. Eventually we have to return to our work though. For her this means a return to the mana mill, or rather, it means that I get her the mana mill so she can enjoy the sun for a little while longer. I on the other hand am busy doing some cleaning.


    The enchanting table is the first order of business. I return it to a pristine state, or at least as close to it as I can manage. It certainly is ready for another enchantment once I''m done.


    I don''t stop there though. As I noticed earlier while barefoot, the workshop can do with some cleaning in general. Thus I get the broom and get busy.


    Cleaning isn''t exactly my most favorite chore. It never has been. Sure, I understand the necessity of it, but there are a thousand things I''d rather do instead. I''m thorough anyway, as I don''t want to have to do it again all too soon.


    As I work, sweep and wipe, I''m pleasantly surprised by the ease of it all. Is this the enchantment of my sandals at work? I''m not entirely sure, but I suspect it is. It certainly wouldn''t be much of a surprise. I just don''t feel like experimenting right now though.


    In the end I''m done more quickly than I initially expected, which is a pleasant surprise. I''m a little grimy and quite sweaty anyway. Thus my next stop is the creek out back, so I can wash up a little. I''d prefer a real bath, but that will have to wait until tomorrow morning.


    By the time I feel presentable again, Elzbieta is just about done with her day''s work as well. I put my seal on her papers after taking care of the enchanting dust she produced and close the shop for today.


    Afterwards we head down to the inn together. She to hand in her papers and collect her reward, I to return the bowl as promised. Our paths diverge at this point and I have to admit, I loathe it a little as I return back home alone. I''m really getting used to having her around and miss her a little now that she is not with me.


    Is it just her? Or is it the lack of company in general? I''m not quite sure. I''m not quite sure I want to find out either. Or should I? Well, not today anyway. Maybe some other day.


    My eyes wander a little as I enter the workshop. Sour Cream stretches and gets up, as she notices me. She moves straight to her bowl and I prepare her a little snack. I watch her eat and pet her afterwards before she heads out for the night.


    Now I''m truly alone. On one hand, the thought is a little disturbing. On the other hand, it means that I will be undisturbed and can get some more work done.


    I nod to myself. I like that second view better for sure.


    My eyes settle on the enchanting table and I crack my fingers as my resolve firms. I''ll do it. I''ll add a third enchantment to my sandals tonight!


    My heartbeat quickens a little as I undo the ties of my sandals, to place them at the center of the enchanting table once more. Gods and goddesses, I have to be crazy just to think about making this attempt. If so, I''m crazy in a productive kind of way though.


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    What is the worst that could happen? If the sandals end up cursed I will have to go barefoot for a while, until Krysztof finishes my new pair.


    In the city that might be reason enough to wait. Going barefoot on city streets really was not something anyone would want to do. The thought alone was enough to send a shiver down my spine. I wasn''t in the city though. Even if I had to go barefoot for a while, around here I would manage.


    Who knows, it might even turn out to be a fun experience. Maybe I should give it a try anyway, even if that third enchantment on my sandals turns out alright? Tomorrow. Maybe.


    I slap my cheeks to clear my mind and get the lantern. With practiced ease I start my preparations. I start with the coal lines that will provide guidance for the rest. I check them twice to make sure nothing will be out of place.


    I check my notes more than once too. On the one hand what I have planned is only a slight variation on the two enchantments I already put on these shoes, since I plan to enhance my endurance in addition to my agility and willpower. On the other hand there are some subtle changes, since it is the third enchantment to be put upon these sandals.


    Subtle differences can be the most tricky ones, since the human brain, and that of half elves for that matter, tends to make you see things it expects to see in cases like this. Routine and experience can work against you under these circumstances. I''ll have to be even more careful than usually.


    My heart is beating faster again and I take one more deep breath to calm myself as I grab the best chalk I have available.


    Then, before I can second guess myself and my decision, well anymore than I already have anyway, I get started.


    With extraordinary care I draw rune after rune, slowly filling the circle. Time flies as I do so, but I only notice because my lips become dry. My throat feels a little parched as well. I can''t make a break right now though. I have to keep going.


    I''ll have to keep this in mind for the next time though. I certainly could prepare a cup of tea beforehand so I can take a sip without breaking my concentration or the workflow.


    By the time I place the last rune I''m feeling a little feverish. Not exactly a pleasant feeling. I''m willing to bear with it though. Even more so as the runes are drawn into the sandals at the center of the circle at long last.


    It felt a little wobbly towards the end and I have to admit I was a little worried the enchantment might fail after all. Apparently it didn''t though.


    I almost collapse in relief. Or maybe it is due to exhaustion? I''m not sure, but in the end it doesn''t exactly matter anyway. I grab a mug and pour myself the leftover coffee from earlier.


    Cold coffee, not iced,just cold, isn''t exactly the most enjoyable drink, but right now I couldn''t care less. It certainly helps with my dry lips and my parched throat. It doesn''t exactly help me steady myself though. If anything my hands are shaking even more now and I still feel a little feverish.


    Tea. I need a nice, warm cup of calming tea.


    I leave the sandals where they are for now, to make myself some of that tea. After all they won''t run away on their own. I stop dead in my tracks and turn around at that thought. I don''t activate my appraisal skill, but I scrutinize the sandals pretty hard anyway. No, I think I''m safe. They really haven''t moved on their own. Good.


    Making that tea takes a little while. The water doesn''t boil any faster after all just because I''m glaring at it. And the tea doesn''t brew any faster either. By the time I have finished the first cup it has to be well past midnight already and it takes a little while longer for the shakes to subside.


    The slight headache and the feverish feeling are gone as well at the very least. I was beginning to fear that I might be coming down with something that would require a potion to cure. Just as well, that I was mistaken.


    At long last I finally return to the enchanting table. The sandals still sit there at its center.


    My hands begin to shake a gain a little. I just can''t help it. Before I can activate my appraisal skill I turn away again and gulp hard. Should I really check now? What if its another shocking result? If I faint now, no one will find out for hours. Probably.


    I swallow hard once more, turning halfway to glance at the innocent sandals just sitting there. I screw my eyes shut tightly. Tomorrow! I''ll check them tomorrow morning! Yes, that is what I''ll do!

 Chapter 113 - Double punch

    Morning comes around much quicker than I expected. On one hand because I might have worked on the sandals longer than I thought. On the other hand because my sleep is light and fitful.


    At least my final wake up call is not unpleasant. It is delivered in the form of a pleasantly soft meow accompanied by a purr that is both relaxed and relaxing. Yes, there really are worse ways to start a day.


    I take a moment to play with Sour Cream as she seems to enjoy the attention. Eventually she decides that it is enough and time for her treat.


    The little distraction certainly helps take my mind off the enchanted sandals still waiting for me where I left them, at least for a little while. Eventually I have to check on them though. There is no way around it. Yet I decide not to do it right away, for the same reasons I didn''t do it then and there last night.


    I don''t want to risk another shocking revelation while on my own.


    Thus I leave the sandals be for another little while, heading out barefoot instead.


    It really isn''t that bad. Especially as I stick to the little used path behind the houses along the creek, to get to the bathhouse. I might have to be a little more careful on my way down to the inn, since I''ll have to use the dirt road, but I''ll manage.


    Since I''m a little early today I take a little more time washing and soaking. After last night, even without knowing the exact nature of the fruit of my hard work, I feel I deserve it.


    Despite taking my time I''m still done and gone again, before the bathhouse can get really busy. Except for the fact that I go about it barefoot, my morning quickly returns to its usual routine afterwards.


    I visit the inn and get a quick meal. Today''s offer is a pretty straightforward one, oatmeal with dried fruits, warm milk and little dip of honey. It isn''t exactly something that will get you through a whole day, but it certainly will get that day started.


    Then I post the mana mill quest once again, only for Elzbieta to snatch it the moment Krystina puts it on the board.


    She accompanies me back home right after as well. My lack of shoes of course, does not go unnoticed.


    ¡°No shoes? What is up with that? You aren''t going halfling on us all of a sudden, right?¡±


    I snort at the comment and shake my head.


    ¡°No, no I''m not. I''m just a little too tall to convincingly pretend that I''m one anyway.¡±


    We share a quick laugh before I continue my explanation.


    ¡°I put another enchantment on my sandals last night.¡±


    One of Elzbieta''s eyebrows goes up a little bit?


    ¡°Did it turn out bad?¡±


    I want to shake my head again, but I refrain at the last second.


    ¡°To be honest, I have no clue. I didn''t dare check, in case there would be another shocking revelation. You know what happened the last time.¡±


    She nods, chuckles and moves in a little closer, so she can wrap an arm around me for a quick hug.


    ¡°Yeah, I haven''t forgotten.¡±


    I have to admit, I''m pleasantly surprised by the gesture. Enough so, that a little blush spreads across my cheeks.


    ¡°Want me to keep an eye on you while you check out your work?¡±


    I blush a little more and nod, just as we reach the backdoor of my house.


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    ¡°Please?¡±


    ¡°Sure, lets get this out of the way before I get started with that mill though, alright?¡±


    Even as she says that, she drops down onto my bed, wiggling about for a moment until she gets comfortable, sitting on the edge, before she pats the spot besides her.


    I don''t need any further prompting. Without delay I grab the sandals and sit down besides her.


    She wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close.


    I can''t even begin to describe, how exhilarating this little gesture feels. After taking one more deep breath, I focus my attention solely on the sandals in my hands, to activate the appraisal skill.


    [A Summer night''s sandals, Quality: Epic, An enchanted pair of sandals that grant the wearer''s every movement a dreamlike grace. Agility, Willpower and Endurance all are increased considerably while wearing these sandals, much more so than one might initially expect. When worn in combination with A Summer night''s dress or other matching items additional effects might be achieved.]


    Just this is already enough to get my heart beating faster, and not just a little either. A moment later the dreaded and desired divine whisper reaches my ears.


    [Extraordinary success! Good job creating your first set item! Keep at it! Maybe you will even complete the Midsummer Night''s Dream set one of these days! The Dawn Maiden gifts you 4 points of the World Arcana as a reward.]


    A moment later, before I can even completely comprehend the first one, another divine whisper hits me.


    [Success! Great job transcending your limits with this enchantment! Not many achieve heights like this. Is this enough for you? Or will you go even further? The Moon Father gifts you 6 points for the Magician Arcana as a reward.]


    The combined impact is enough to make me feel lightheaded once again.


    It is a good thing that Elzbieta is there, to steady me. She isn''t just keeping me upright though. She is whispering in my ear as well, while gently patting my back.


    ¡°Breathe, Valeria. Don''t forget to breathe.¡±


    Breathe? Right, I really shouldn''t forget about that. It''s important. I do take a deep breath only to let it out as a long sigh right away again, which, even without words, speaks of tremendous relief. Finally the dam bursts and the words flow from my lips like water.


    ¡°I did it! My first triple enchantment! And somehow it''s even better! It seems the sandals are part of a set! A set!¡±


    She blinks in surprise, but then she gives me another hug.


    ¡°Good for you! But wait, a set? Wouldn''t that mean that you already know at least one other item of the set? The divine are surprisingly tight lipped about these otherwise.¡±


    I blush again, not just a little this time around either. Before she can inquire any further I get up and step to the trunk at the foot end of the bed. I don''t need to look for long to find what I''m looking for either. Grandma''s special dress is rather distinctive after all.


    As I pull it from the trunk, I let it unfold, so I can hold it up against myself.


    Elzbieta''s jaw drops. At the same time she develops a blush that easily matches mine.


    ¡°Oh ¡­¡±


    I snort.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    She blushes even more, and as she speaks up again, it comes out as barely more than a hoarse whisper.


    ¡°Is it bad that I want to see you wear that?¡±


    My heart misses a beat and my fingers tremble ever so slightly, as my lips turn dry all of a sudden. For a moment I try to come up with a reply. Then another idea strikes me.


    I let the dress flutter back down into the trunk and grab something else instead. My fingers are still trembling as I tie my hair up with the yellow bandanna with the deep red, suggestive embroidery.


    ¡°You want to see ¡­ what?¡±


    Elzbieta''s eyes go wide and she needs a moment to regain her composure, or at least a little bit of composure anyway.


    ¡°I want ¡­ I want to see you wear that dress ¡­ and nothing else ¡­¡±


    Again she trails off in a hoarse whisper.


    I on the other hand feel emboldened now.


    ¡°Maybe I would. Would you like to sneak out into the woods tonight? Just the two of us? For a little dance?¡±


    It seems, she is at a complete loss for words now. As I finish asking these questions of mine, she simply nods.


    I in turn grin like the fox that just got the farmer''s best hen.


    ¡°In that case ¡­ in that case it''s not bad at all.¡±

 Chapter 114 - Slow dancing

    Eventually we have to get to work though. There is no way around it.


    Elzbieta works the mana mill, and she does so a little more vigorously than usual, almost as if she wants to make sure she is done early. The songs she picks to entertain both of us today, songs about the amorous adventures of the miller''s wife, reflect her state of mind.


    Or at least it seems like this is the case to me. I certainly have a little trouble focusing. At least at first. Until I put on my trusty old sandals with the fancy new enchantment.


    Once I tie the last knot my mind clears a little. It has to be the increased willpower at work. It, of course, isn''t like going from dead drunk to stone cold sober in an instant, but the difference is still startling. The enchantment certainly is more powerful than I anticipated.


    It helps to keep me from blushing, or rather blushing too much at least, as I go through the day. It helps me focus on the work at hand too, despite the distraction at hand and Elzbieta certainly is quite the distraction. Even more so since she doesn''t even consciously try. Well, at least I think she isn''t actively doing anything. It just is the way she is.


    The day is pretty slow anyway, after a short rush in the morning with various adventurers all stocking up on healing potions for some reason. I probably shouldn''t complain, as noting the sales down in the ledger feels pretty satisfying. The same is true for the sound the coins make as I drop them into the strongbox.


    After this little episode I keep myself busy brewing a new batch of healing potions. I decide to use a recipe for the least potent version, as those are the ones most sought after. Maybe I''ll make another batch of more potent potions tomorrow, since it is always better to have a little more diverse selection on the shelves.


    Evening, and thus the time to close the shop again, is fast approaching when a surprising sight greets my eyes.


    It is a familiar trio of adventurers, Odolan, Tamara and Szmuel, accompanied by Ryszard, Urszula''s son. All are heavily burdened, but the young Ryszard even more so than the others.


    By the looks of it, their trip so far is quite successful. I can see the containers for the ectoplasm, but that is far from all. They carry bundles of bones as well and of course they collected some gear they probably looted from the undead they put back to rest. Quite the haul overall.


    I greet them with a wave as they walk by on the dirt road out front.


    ¡°You are back earlier than I expected. Done already with your quest?¡±


    It is Tamara who stops briefly to answer.


    ¡°No, not even close. But we gathered so much stuff beyond the ectoplasm we need, that we decided to take a break and return with what we have got so far. We''ll sell most at the smithy, and the bulk of the bones goes straight to Barter Town, but maybe you want to get some things as well? Some of that gear the skeletons used is in surprisingly good state.¡±


    I simply nod.


    ¡°Would it be alright if I took a look tomorrow?¡±


    The young dwarven woman smiles in return.


    ¡°Sure! Just drop by the inn. We''ll take a day off tomorrow anyway, before we head back out to get the rest of that ectoplasm.¡±


    And with that said she hurries to catch back up with her companions.


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    I, on the other hand, hurry and finish closing the shop. I still have to get ready for my evening with Elzbieta after all.


    My preparations include a visit of the bathhouse. I don''t soak in the warm water for a change. Instead I wash with very cold water to clear my mind a little. That is the intention anyway. I''m not sure it works though. As I return back home, I''m already thinking of Elzbieta again.


    With trembling fingers I close the door behind me and as I head to the trunk at the foot end of my bed I slip out of my clothes to get changed. This is the first time that I actually will wear that special dress and my heart is racing at the thought alone.


    Elzbieta said that she wants to see me wear it, and nothing else. For the better part I do as she wishes, with one exception. I wear my sandals. They and the dress are part of a set after all. Damn, if only I knew which other parts I''m still missing.


    I shake my head and slap my cheeks, to drive away those thoughts. Then I slip on the sheer dress. It feels amazing on my skin. I can''t even begin to describe how exactly though, as I have never ever experienced anything quite like it.


    I blush heavily as I look down myself. I wish I had a mirror, but I really don''t need one to realize that the sheer fabric really isn''t hiding anything. Will Elzbieta really like it?


    I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. I''ll find out soon enough anyway.


    Afterwards I tie my hair into two neat braids, for good measure. It isn''t exactly an extravagant hair style, but I like it. A little home made perfume completes my preparations. I''m ready. Or at least, I''m as ready as I will be anytime soon.


    As I turn to the open window, to peek outside and check the time, the grinning face of my date greets me and I blush anew.


    Her grin just gets a little wider.


    ¡°I already like what I see. Very much so in fact. But you said you wanted to take me on a stroll into the woods? Should we get going?¡±


    As I leave the house, she is quick to sling an arm around my waist. She isn''t wearing her usual clothes either. Instead she opted for a nice dress too. It isn''t as fancy as the one I inherited from grandma, but it suits her anyway.


    I''m quick to return the gesture and sling an arm around her in turn.


    ¡°Sure, lets get going. I found a nice little place during my first little excursion along the creek. Nothing fancy, but I liked it.¡±


    As darkness falls and the first stars come out we follow the path I took back then, to get to the shallow spot along the creek.


    The gurgling of the water provides a nice backdrop and the smell of the forest helps easy my mind at least a little.


    As we reach the spot, Elzbieta takes a moment to trace some of the declarations of love carved into the bark of the trees all around. She giggles.


    ¡°It seems the place is pretty popular.¡±


    I grin and point up a little further the trunk of a particularly old tree, where more carvings, faded and weathered, can be seen.


    ¡°It has been for some time.¡±


    She nods, but before she can sit down on the large flat rock where I rested back then, I pull her close and out towards the sandy bank of the creek.


    The dance lessons are paying off. The karma spent on skills and gifts probably helps too and so do my enchanted shoes. I barely have to think about what I''m doing, as I pull her into a slow dance.


    It isn''t any formal dance and it doesn''t last long either, as we get a little closer to each other with each step, as we twirl across the soft sand of the riverbank.


    Finally we meet and with my hands on the prominent curve of her belly , I bend down just as she rises onto her tiptoes until our lips touch.


    By the time we part again, we are both breathing hard and I''m not the only one blushing this time either.


    Elzbieta motions for me to come closer again, so she can whisper in my ear.


    ¡°I said that I want to see you wear this dress. I might have lied. I''d much rather see you not wear it.¡±


    I swallow hard as I undo the strings holding it in place under her watchful gaze and as I slip the dress off my shoulders she licks her suddenly dry lips.


    Now it is her turn to lead and she leads us right back to the big flat rock, where she is quick to discard her own dress as well.


    Alone, illuminated only by the faint starlight we give in to our desires. I shower her body with kisses as my hands roam all over her curves and she returns the favor. Oh, gods and goddesses, how she returns it!


    The things she does with her tongue! The things she soon makes me do with my tongue!


    It doesn''t take either of us long to achieve climax. Not for the first time at least. We don''t stop there though, not until much later anyway. Not until we are both utterly exhausted and covered in sweat.


    As we lie there, side by side, on the not terribly comfortable rock, I let my hand wander once more. I wish we could stay like this forever. Well, maybe not exactly like this. Not here on this rock.


    It seems Elzbieta''s thoughts follow a path similar to mine. She flashes me a mischievous grin.


    ¡°We should have brought a blanket, eh?¡±

 Chapter 115 - Taking it slow

    In the end Elzbieta and I don''t spend the rest of the night out in the woods. She is right, we really should have brought a blanket at the very least. We are in a pretty good mood as we head back to my place, each with an arm wrapped around the other, anyway.


    Thankfully no one is around at this late hour. No one I notice anyway. Not because I don''t want to be seen with Elzbieta. No, that really isn''t an issue as far as I''m concerned. I just don''t want anyone else to see me wearing that special dress right now.


    I might wear it for the midsummer night dance, but that is a special night, so it would be alright. Right now though I don''t want to accidentally give anyone else ideas or worse charm them by accident, due to the nature of the dress.


    In the end we make it unnoticed and get some actual and restful sleep in my bed. Being woken up by Elzbieta''s light snores, instead of Sour Cream''s nuzzling, in the morning is not a bother either.


    No, it actually is a rather pleasant change. For me at least. Sour Cream might beg to differ, judging by the look she is giving me, from her perch on the window sill. I pet her to soothe her mind and judging by the way she leans into my hand it works well enough.


    Taking great care not to wake Elzbieta, I extract myself from the bed to appease the cat by pouring her some cream.


    In the end it turns out, that my feline companion doesn''t seem to mind my other guest too much. Not in a bad way at least. After a few quick licks of her namesake treat she even curls up next to the still sleeping Elzbieta.


    For a little while I watch the two sleep. I really wish I could do so for a little longer, but I have to wake Elzbieta up eventually. There just is no way around it, much as I wish it wasn''t so.


    At the same time my gaze wanders to the small stack of coins sitting on my workbench. Another thing I wish that wasn''t so. Is this really the way we have to take? Or could we just see each other without following this particular custom? I certainly wouldn''t mind, but how does Elzbieta think about it?


    I''m ashamed that I''m too afraid to ask. She still is very much attached to her adventuring companions after all. I''m worried that she might turn me down in the end.


    Would she quit adventuring for me? Would she even need to quit? Or could I come to terms with her being gone for days on end, possibly to never return one of these days?


    I sigh and shake my head. It''s no use thinking about it like that. If I really want some certainty I''ll have to talk with her. There is no way around it. Either she will turn me down or she won''t. And if I don''t ask her I''ll never know. Not today though.


    Before my thoughts can spiral out of control once more I move to wake my guest with a light shake and a quick kiss. Or maybe it is a not so quick kiss. As Elzbieta''s eyes flutter open it certainly drags on longer than I initially intended. It isn''t an unpleasant surprise, thus I go along with it.


    Sadly I have to put an end to things before they can escalate. Sour Cream probably wouldn''t appreciate the disturbance and we have to get ready for the day anyway. Thus I gently flick Elzbieta''s nose as I break off the lingering kiss to catch my breath.


    Hush you! We probably should head to the bathhouse and get ready for the day.¡±


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    She sighs and gives Sour Cream a few belly rubs, as she notices the cat snuggled up to her, which in turn elicits a happy purr from the feline.


    Fine, fine, I''m coming. I didn''t bring a change of clothes though.¡±


    I roll my eyes, as I help her up. She is surprisingly heavy, considering I stand quite a bit taller than her. And it isn''t just the baby belly either, I''m sure of that. I decide not to comment though. She probably wouldn''t appreciate it. I focus on the other issue she mentioned instead.


    You should be fine with the dress you wore and you can borrow a towel from me.¡±


    She nods and stretches for a moment, while I slip on my usual night dress and grab the mentioned towels as well as a change of clothes for myself.


    On the way to the bath we are joined by Agnieszka, as we pass her house. She flashes us a knowing smile. Elzbieta doesn''t seem to mind, but it certainly makes me blush.


    She isn''t the only one we meet either. Most just pass through, washing up quickly, before heading out for the day, while we enjoy our soak. There are exceptions though. One of them is Tamara. She enjoys the long warm soak at least as much as we do.


    To be honest, she looks like she needs it too. She looks a little worse for wear. Several bruises adorn her body quite visibly. She notices me glancing her way and is quick to wave me off.


    I know. A potion would fix those right away, but I''d rather save the potion for something worse. These will fade soon enough anyway.¡±


    I simply nod at first, but then curiosity gets the better of me.


    How comes that you are bruised like that anyway?¡±


    The question earns me a sheepish laugh, as she rubs the back of her neck in embarrassment.


    Ah well, you know, we were busy draining the first ghost we captured when all of a sudden a trio of skeletons attacked us and everything got quite chaotic all of a sudden. Odolan slipped with the tap and that disgusting ectoplasm went spraying everywhere. And of course I stepped right into it as I was charging the bone men before they could reach us.¡±


    My eyebrow rises a little, as she stops at this point. I suspect this is where the story would actually get good. She has the undivided attention of the other women by now too, thus she continues in the end, despite the blush of embarrassment now clearly visibly on her cheeks.


    Well, I slipped, and my charge turned into painful tumble. In the end I crashed into the skeletons like a big fat boulder from a rolling boulder trap. It''s a good thing they aren''t exactly sturdy and the impact was enough to send their bones flying everywhere. I would have been done for if any of them had remained standing.¡±


    The rest of us share a grin, while Elzbieta pats the fellow adventurer on the back, before getting out. She dries off and gets dressed.


    Well, I''ll be off to the inn to grab a bite to eat. See you later!¡±


    I wave as she leaves, my eyes glued to her retreating form. I just can''t tear my attention away. Is it the little extra sway of her hips? Is she doing that on purpose? Ah, never mind. I have other things I can focus on. With that thought I manage to shift my attention back to the dwarven woman still in the bath with us.


    Did you finish your business at the smithy yesterday? Do you still have any used gear you would like to sell to me?¡±


    That is enough to make her forget about any embarrassment and to reawaken her spirits.


    Sure. A lot of the things we salvaged from the skeletons is only good for melting down, but we still have a few pieces that might be of interest for you. Some of their metal shields are still in pretty decent shape and we''ll fix some of the axes or rather hatchets they used too. Odolan and I will fix them up before we drop by your place, if that is alright?¡±


    I nod excitedly, before getting out of the water. The water might be quite pleasant, but I don''t want to turn all wrinkly after all.


    Take your time and drop by whenever you are ready. You aren''t in a hurry and neither am I. This is your day off, after all. Right?¡±

 Chapter 116 - Used goods

    Even after I''m done at the bathhouse I''m not exactly in a hurry. I take my time on the way back home and then to the inn. I post the mana mill quest first. Then I get myself a nice treat for my morning meal to get the day properly started.


    Today''s meal comes as a little surprise though. Red beet soup. Cold red beet soup. I have to admit that I''m a little skeptical at first. A glance in the direction of Elzbieta who is eating it suggests that it can''t possibly be bad though. Well, nothing served here at the inn has been bad so far. Yet, a cold vegetable soup?


    I''m a little hesitant at first, but that hesitation quickly goes out the window when I get my first taste. It isn''t just red beet! It is incredibly creamy too. My feline companion certainly would approve! It is rather spicy as well though. That probably wouldn''t be to the cat''s taste. But never mind. It sits well with me! This is awesome!


    The temptation to get a second helping is big and hard to resist. I manage to stay strong in the end though. I probably still can get more later. Maybe for lunch or for dinner at worst. It certainly is something to look forward to. Now I have to open the shop. Thus I leave the inn with a cheerful wave and a smile on my lips after returning my bowl.


    After opening the shop, I take a moment to update my ledger before I get my notebook and start work on the next enchantment. The one Urszula asked of me. This one is a little tricky. Not because I expect it to be terribly complex, but because it veers into territory unfamiliar to me. I give it a try anyway.


    The first adventurer to drop by is not one I expect. It isn''t Tamara, no, it is Danuta the witch. I wasn''t aware that she is back already. She looks a little tired too.


    ¡°Morning. Mind if I have a look at the potions? I need to stock back up.¡±


    I nod and gesture in the direction of the shelves.


    ¡°Go ahead. I take your search for fairy gossamer was successful?¡±


    She nods as she plucks some potion bottles from the shelves to give them all a good long look, probably using an appraisal skill much like mine.


    ¡°Already dropped it off with Agnieszka.¡±


    She pauses briefly to wink at me, before nodding in the direction of the colorful blackboard advertising my enchanting services.


    ¡°Might visit you with the fruit of her hard work in a bit to get an enchantment or two. Or would you possibly dare and go for three?¡±


    How does she know? Is word already making the rounds? Or did she just guess? Ah, never mind. If she can pay for a triple enchantment, why should I turn her down? Except for the obvious reason of course. I scratch the back of my head and chuckle.


    ¡°I could give a triple enchantment a try. I won''t make any promises about it though. If you want to play it safe for the festival I''d suggest a double enchantment instead. I have managed to pull those off pretty consistently so far.¡±


    She grins like the cat that just got her bowl of cream.


    ¡°So you really managed to pull off a triple enchantment!¡±


    She was guessing! Ah well, never mind. I nod as I blush a little.


    ¡°An enchantment for the shoes I ordered for the festival from Urszula''s father. I gave it a try with my good old sandals. Worked out just fine.¡±


    She taps her lips as she brings over a number of potion bottles.


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    ¡°Let me guess. Agility?¡±


    I nod and she continues.


    ¡°Endurance?¡±


    I nod again. This time she takes a little longer, before she hazards her last guess.


    ¡°And willpower?¡±


    I nod one last time, already adding up the potions she picked in my mind in the meantime. One greater mana potion, one mana spiked coffee and one healing potion.


    ¡°Once again right. How did you know? Six silver and four bronze Crowns.¡±


    She chuckles as she grabs the coins from her purse without any haggling.


    ¡°Its what I would have gone for. Except maybe for the last one. That one was a close call. I might have gone for strength instead. Anyway, thanks for the potions.¡±


    I count the coins briefly as I swipe them from the counter into the strong box.


    ¡°Thank you for the business. Let me know about the enchantment for your dress when you have made up your mind.¡±


    She flashes me another smile as she puts away the potion bottles.


    ¡°Will do. See you!¡±


    And with one last wave she is gone again.


    After that interaction and after noting the sale into the ledger, I take a moment to tend the garden out back. I harvest some ingredients for a new batch of healing potions too, while I''m at it. The actual brewing will have to wait a little longer though, as my next customers arrive just as I get back inside.


    One of them is, of course, Elzbieta with the papers for the usual quest. I welcome her in with a quick hug and she gets busy right away.


    The other one is Tamara. The young dwarven woman is carrying a small pack containing the gear she intends to sell.


    I''m not quite sure if it is alright to call is second hand gear. My hands are after all at the very least the third ones to get a hold of these things, as they are from skeletons Tamara and her comrades smashed. Never mind though. As long as the gear is in decent shape it doesn''t really matter.


    Without any need for further prompting she starts to unpack the gear she brought, placing everything neatly on the counter.


    Even knowing that she and Odolan treated the gear with their repair and cleaning skills I''m a little surprised. The old fashioned iron shields and the various axes she brought are really in surprisingly good shape.


    She must have noticed my raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Don''t ask me how it works exactly, but everything seems to keep surprisingly well in the place we hit. Well, most things keep well there anyway. Anything that contained leather though was a total loss from the very start so we didn''t bother with those things.¡±


    I nod and pick up one of the shields. It isn''t very big, but made entirely of iron by the looks of it. I focus my attention on it and activate my appraisal skill.


    [Ancient iron shield, Quality: Uncommon, In times long past these shields were mass produced by some long gone civilization. As they are made entirely of iron they kept surprisingly well. Keep it well oiled and it might still be serviceable in another thousand years.]


    I blink at the information provided by the skill. That was surprisingly lengthy for a rather mundane piece of equipment. Could this thing be considered antique or maybe even a collectors'' piece? The axes seem to match the design of the shields too. Most curious. Right now another question is more prominent on my mind though.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°Olgierd and Nawoja suggested twelve bronze crowns for each of the shields and six for each axe, so with four shields and three axes that would be five silver and six bronze Crowns?¡±


    She sounds hopeful and considering the suggested price came from the two professionals at the smithy I don''t really have much room to haggle. I probably can turn a decent profit even at that price anyway. Even more if I were to enchant one or two of these. I nod and we shake hands.


    Without delay I get the coins from the strong box. Not without a little sigh though. This isn''t exactly a small purchase. I count the coins into Tamara''s hand and enter the purchase into the ledger.


    ¡°Just leave everything on the counter I still need to put price tags on everything anyway.¡±


    By now a cheerful smile graces Tamara''s lips. Does she even notice herself? I can''t begrudge her the tidy little profit she just turned anyway. Together with whatever they probably made at the smithy and with what they still expect to make when they turn in their quests this will be the first big hit of their small party. And besides, they will probably end up spending at least some of that coin at my place anyway.


    With one last wave she is off with a little extra spring to her steps.


    I in turn get busy with the price tags I mentioned. The shields I price at two silver Crowns and the axes at one.


    I don''t put all the gear into the bins out front though. Only one axe and one shield go there right away. The rest will have to wait in the back for now, to, in a way, give the impression of scarcity.

 Chapter 117 - Side projects

    Elzbieta takes a moment off from work to have a look at the things I brought to the back as well. She weighs the axes briefly and checks out the shields too. In the end she nods before putting everything away again.


    ¡°Not something I would use, but it seems like they brought back a pretty nice haul, especially considering that they are still beginners.¡±


    I nod too, as I make sure everything is stored neatly out of the way. I don''t want to stumble over any of this stuff after all.


    ¡°It is sure to give them a nice boost, both in morale and in regard to their finances. Add whatever they sold for scrap at the smithy and what they will get for the quests and they will have some serious spending money.¡±


    Elzbieta sniggers, as she returns to her work with the mana mill.


    ¡°They still need to pay the young Ryszard for his help though. He might want to become an adventurer himself, but he certainly won''t venture into the twilight forest and haul around the heavy stuff for free.¡±


    I can''t disagree with that and laugh out loud too.


    ¡°Ha, true. I certainly wouldn''t.¡±


    Yes, hauling a giant, heavy load of whatever through a dark and dangerous forest really isn''t my idea of a good day. Going out to adventure is one thing. Lugging around the adventurers'' loot while something with bloody murder on its mind could jump you any moment is something else entirely.


    As I head back to the counter I bring my notebook and the design board to work a little on the enchantment for Urszula. I have no hopes of finishing it quickly, but I might as well try to make some progress. If I need help to get it done it will be for the better to figure this out sooner rather than later.


    I''m a little surprised myself, as the time for our lunch break comes around. I might have missed lunch completely if it wasn''t for Elzbieta. She pulls me out of the trance I have fallen into while working on the enchantment with a gentle shake. She flashes me a smile as well, as I finally come around, blinking rapidly to shift my focus from the page of my notebook to her.


    ¡°Well, I''ll be. That is some focus!¡±


    I grin sheepishly in return while I scratch the back of my head.


    ¡°I guess I was a little lost in thought.¡±


    She laughs out loud and nods.


    ¡°Come on, lets close your shop and get something to eat. I have to admit that whatever you are working on there looks quite complex.¡±


    My shoulders slump a little as I close the front door, before heading out the back together with her.


    ¡°That is what is troubling me. It should, in theory, be a rather straightforward single enchantment. What I have so far contains too many workarounds and too much roundabout wording. It should still work, but it certainly won''t be elegant. It''ll need too much chalk considering the effect I hope to achieve and what I probably can ask for it too.¡±


    I run my hands through my hair as we head down to the inn together. Elzbieta in turn doesn''t interfere with my explanation. She only hooks her arm under mine and leans in a little, pulling me a little closer too, in the process. I don''t mind though. No, more than that, this actually feels nice. Very nice in fact. Certainly nice enough to put a silly little smile on my face.


    As we reach the inn Krystina is busy helping her parents instead of taking care of guild business. It isn''t an issue though, as people are queuing up to get something to eat anyway, while the counter for guild business is pretty much abandoned right now.


    Thankfully we don''t have to wait long to get our meals despite the queue as Krystina and her mother are an experienced team.


    ¡°Soup for two? Want a dessert afterwards as well?¡±


    The soup in question is the same cold red beet soup we already had in the morning. It certainly still looks and smells quite tasty, thus I nod. What really grabs my attention though is the mention of desserts.


    Apparently the same is true for the pregnant woman at my side. She visibly perks up, as she decides to inquire about it.


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    ¡°Desserts?¡±


    Krystina nods, and her mother Maryla laughs out loud, before explaining in more detail.


    ¡°Some of that iced coffee. Instead of serving it in a cup we decided to serve it on fresh pancakes with cream and some maple syrup.¡±


    Now my stomach grumbles in unison with Elzbieta''s and I''m quick to nod.


    ¡°Thanks! We will have some of that!¡±


    Again the two women behind the counter laugh and while Maryla hands us our soup bowls, Krystina shoos us away once I have paid, both for my meal and Elzbieta''s, without even thinking about it.


    ¡°Go and find yourself a seat. We will bring you your desserts in a little while. Alright?¡±


    We do just that and enjoy our meal, all the while looking forward to our desserts. Since I''m not in a hurry I take the chance to look around a little. The place is packed. To a degree that certainly can be explained with the food.


    That isn''t all though. The other reason is pretty obvious too. There is a new group of adventurers. Or at least it is a group I''m not yet familiar with. They don''t exactly look like fresh adventurers though. I lightly nudge Elzbieta in the side, nodding in the direction of the group.


    ¡°Should I know them? Or are they new here in Clear Brook?¡±


    She takes a moment o look over at the group I indicated and shakes her head.


    ¡°No. Can''t say that I have seen them around here. Might be from Barter Town or even further away. By the looks of their gear they might even be from the capital.¡±


    She might be right about the latter. They certainly look like they already have done some serious dungeon crawling. Their gear, or at least what they are showing off right now anyway, doesn''t look flashy. No quite the opposite is true. It certainly looks functional and well cared for though. And quite a bit of what I see seems to be enchanted too, thus I can add expensive to the list of adjectives best used to describe their gear.


    Before I can draw too much attention due to my curiosity though, Krystina stops by with two plates. The smell already has my mouth watering before I can see them. She places them in front of me and Elzbieta while collecting our empty soup bowls in turn.


    ¡°Enjoy!¡±


    That is all the encouragement we need. There is no stopping us, now that we have these plates full of delicious goodness in front of us. Still hot, fluffy pancakes topped with a very generous amount of cream and maple syrup as well as some iced coffee and a similar helping of iced milk. Oh, gods and goddesses, this is so good!


    ¡°Mhm! Oooooh!¡±


    It seems Elzbieta is agreeing with me too, judging by the faraway look in her eyes and the long drawn out moan that makes her lips tremble.


    I''m not ashamed to admit that the sight excites me a little. Quickly I focus on my own sweet treat to make sure I don''t do do anything inappropriate. Not even the cold treat can keep me from blushing though. Gods and goddesses, I can feel the heat spreading all the way to the very tips of my ears.


    I can''t fault her for enjoying something that is, no argument and without a doubt, just so good. And I won''t fault myself for enjoying her sheer joy either. No, there is absolutely nothing wrong with either.


    Agnieszka''s arrival pulls my mind back into the here and now. She smiles at us, as she sits down at our table with a bowl of soup of her own.


    ¡°Judging by your reaction, I can look forward to an exceptional treat.¡±


    Elzbieta is quick to nod and I join her without delay. There is something else that comes to my mind though, as I see my neighbor.


    ¡°Say, Agnieszka, could you deliver a letter for me the next time you go to Barter Town?¡±


    She blinks once, before she nods in the end.


    ¡°Sure. As along as I can find the recipient easy enough. I can''t waste days hunting someone down though.¡±


    That is quite understandable, thus I nod in agreement.


    ¡°That shouldn''t be a problem. It is for the librarian at the academy. You might have to haggle with them a bit though, if they agree to my request to provide some excerpts with additional runes I need.¡±


    She eats a little more of her soup, before she answers.


    ¡°That is quite alright. You''ll need to provide me with the funds beforehand, though.¡±

 Chapter 118 - Gone with the wind

    Once we return to the shop I make another coffee for Elzbieta and me. Only a small one this time though, as we already had some with our frozen dessert. It''s better not to overdo it after all. It''s just right like that and we take another little while to slowly sip it while sitting out back in the garden.


    Eventually we have to return to our chores. There just is no way around it. Elzbieta resumes work with the mana mill. I on the other hand put away the enchantment for the time being. Instead I begin to draft the letter for the library at the academy in Barter Town.


    Writing a letter like that is quite possibly more troubling than working on an enchantment that is eluding me in one way or another. I have to hit just the right tone and of course I have to consider what exactly I''m asking for. I have to be short, concise and at the same time polite and respectful.


    It will be Agnieszka who will do any talking that needs to be done for me, but I don''t want to give her a hard time either just because I thoughtlessly upset the librarian who ends up dealing with my request.


    In the end I decide to ask for a few runes more than I''ll probably need for my current project, while keeping to the basics at the same time. The runes I end up requesting are basic runes for nursery and midwifery in general. I''m moderately certain that the library should have some books on the topic and at least one of them will be for complete beginners. You need to establish a solid foundation first before you can expand your knowledge after all.


    After rewording my request half a dozen times I''m still not quite satisfied, but I realize that it isn''t going to get any better than this. Well, it certainly should be good enough. I''m not trying to win some bardic poetry competition after all. Valeria, queen of bards? No, not going to happen. Not in this lifetime anyway.


    I transcribe my draft on a clean piece of parchment, let the ink dry for a bit, fold it up before wrapping a nice enough piece of string around it both ways. The finishing touch I apply with a bit of wax, colored red with burned ocher and my personal seal.


    There, all done. I let out a long sigh, prompting a chuckle from Elzbieta in turn.


    You really don''t like writing letters like that, don''t you?¡±


    I grimace.


    No ¡­ it reminds me of home.¡±


    Her face drops a little at my reply.


    Oh?¡±


    I''m quick to elaborate. I can''t quite banish the pained grimace though.


    My parents were rather strict in regard to my education. Some of the home tutors they hired were worse. Especially what they called social studies, or social skills, was hell for me. You know, neat calligraphy, pleasant lies and fake smiles. I hated it. When I got to leave for the academy it was a true blessing for me. Like a second chance at life.¡±


    By now Elzbieta''s mouth stands open. It takes her visible effort to find her next words.


    That bad?¡±


    I simply nod. At least at first. Then I let out another long sigh.


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    That bad.¡±


    She takes a moment off from her chores to get up and hug me, a little awkwardly.


    I don''t mind, neither the awkward nor the hug in general. Not in a bad way anyway. After a moment or maybe two we part again and get back to work.


    By now the wax sealing the letter has properly cooled. I''m left with one more conundrum though. Just how much am I willing to spend on this? No, the question should be, how much will I have to pay for what I ask? In the end I grab three silver Crowns and twelve bronze Crowns from my strongbox.


    This way Agnieszka should have some leeway to negotiate. The coins go into a little pouch. And once I tie the string on it I grab the letter too. Before I leave I stop at Elzbieta''s side once more.


    I''ll head over to Agnieszka''s place. I shouldn''t be long.¡±


    Elzbieta briefly checks on the contents of the mill''s drawer.


    I''ll need some more time here too. See you in a little while?¡±


    I nod.


    See you. I''ll be back right away.¡±


    With those words I''m off. The walk over to Agnieszka''s place is short and uneventful. It isn''t far after all. As I knock to announce my presence a call stops me from actually opening the door.


    Stop! Don''t open the door. Give me a moment.¡±


    My left eyebrow arches a little. Am I interrupting something? At this time of the day? No, that can''t be it. Right? Except ¡­ maybe ¡­


    A moment later I''m enlightened as to what is actually going on, as the older woman opens the door.


    It seems she is busy with Danuta''s dress. Patterns and pieces of cloth so fine that even weighed down as they are now, thanks to Agnieszka''s frantic efforts, the slight breeze from the open door is almost enough to send them flying.


    I ask anyway, to make sure, although the answer seems rather obvious.


    Danuta''s dress?¡±


    She nods at my question and motions for me to come in. She is quick to close the door too, once I''m actually inside.


    Exactly. And I''m starting to remember why I really don''t like working with fairy gossamer.¡±


    We share a quick laugh, before I pick up the conversation.


    I''m sure it''ll be worth it though. A few noble ladies might even drop dead from envy once word of that dress gets out. But anyway ¡­ I have the letter we talked about earlier. The money too.¡±


    She takes the letter and the little purse, weighing it briefly before putting it and the sealed letter away.


    I''ll do my best to get you a little discount. It will be a few days before I head to Barter Town again though. I hope that isn''t an issue.¡±


    No, no issue. I''m not in too much of a hurry with this project. I could even make do without the academy''s help but ¡­ well, my current solution is rather cumbersome and wasteful. I''d rather try to come up with a better enchantment. Anyway, this is it. I probably shouldn''t keep you any longer. This looks like it will take some serious effort.¡±


    She chuckles again.


    Very much so. Very much so. I''ll let you know when I have your things.¡±


    After a quick hug I quickly slip out the door again, without opening it completely. I very much don''t want to upset my neighbor after all.


    Eventually Elzbieta finishes with her work too and I see her off after stamping her quest papers.


    I don''t head down to the inn with her today though, as I''m still feeling a little full. Instead I close the shop and spend a little time doing some cleaning. I take care of the garden and grandma''s grave too, while I''m at it.


    Eventually, after taking care of Sour Cream as well, I end up sitting on the bench out back, doing a little star gazing. I really don''t feel like going to bed yet. And of course I can''t help but think some more about my current project.


    I really should just wait to hear back from the academy. I really should. It will be days though. And I can''t help but wonder how well my current solution will compare in the end. And the only way to ever know is for me to actually put it to the test.


    A sound that is a curious mix of a groan and a sigh escapes me as I run my fingers through my hair.


    Curse me and my curiosity!

 Chapter 119 - Heat of the moment

    After enjoying the last rays of the sun, as it sets, and doing a little stargazing on top, I return inside. I don''t get ready for bed though. No, I start to prepare to do some more work instead.


    To be precise, I prepare my enchanting table. I make a little more light too. I should enchant a second lantern, but I can''t really focus on that, as my mind keeps drifting to the less than stellar enchantment I have been working on for the better part of the day.


    There is no way around it. If I want to get this off my mind I''ll have to actually create the enchantment. For better or worse, I need to know if it would work, even if I''ll go for something better in the long run. I already wrote the letter and spent the money, but yet, I still have to know.


    I get my notebook and check everything once more. Then I do the calculations for the circles and prepare the enchanting table with the supporting coal circles and lines.


    Before long I''m good to go. There is just one little problem left. The enchantment is not terribly specific in regards to the object it has to be anchored to, but it has to be something you wear. Clothing or possibly jewelry. Armor would work too, but I''m not going to put an enchantment supposed to help a wet nurse on any piece of armor.


    A breast wrap would be good. According to theory its sympathetic properties would match the best after all. The problem is, I don''t have any. I don''t use them, as I don''t want to tie my breast down, and apparently grandma didn''t believe in them either.


    A blouse would be a pretty good match too. I don''t feel like risking one of mine though, in case the enchantment turns out bad.


    I could, in theory, make a cheap necklace. A piece of leather string and a pretty pebble would be enough. We practiced on makeshift jewelry like that more than once at the academy after all. I don''t feel like looking for a pretty pebble at the creek right now though.


    Maybe I should go and get a few just in case some other time? Yes, some other time. Not right now though. I nod to myself as I make that decision. Then a thought strikes me.


    I could use another hair ribbon! Like that time I accidentally made the one attracting bees. Damn! I still need to find a way to get rid of that. Maybe I should sell it through the guild? Krystina could probably get it properly appraised and auctioned off in the city. I nod to myself again, as I make another decision. Yes, that is what I''ll do. Tomorrow. First thing in the morning!


    I''m not exactly any closer to solving my current problem though. I could use a hair ribbon. Or should I use a bandanna? Not the yellow one with the red embroidery. No. I wouldn''t want to have to ask Agnieszka for a new one if the enchantment goes badly.


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    The general idea isn''t bad though and I have another, more plain one anyway. I''ll use that one. If it works out I can either sell it to Urszula. Or I can make a better one for her and sell this one off through the guild too. Plain bandannas are easy enough to replace after all.


    It doesn''t take me long to find the item in question in the big trunk at the foot end of my bed. It is a plain bandanna made of undyed and unbleached cloth. The cloth itself feels good though. I unfold it and tie my hair up with it once to make sure it will fit. Satisfied with the result I fold it up again to place it in the very center of the enchanting table.


    Now I''m really ready to get started. I take a deep breath and slap my cheeks once more for good measure. Then I grab the chalk and get going.


    This particular enchantment strains my ability more than any other single enchantment I have ever created. I have to fill no less than four circles with the proper runes to make this work, which is, to be honest, a rather silly amount for such a basic enchantment. It really isn''t my best work, but it certainly is my most challenging piece so far.


    Sweat is dripping from my brow as I keep going. I have to force myself to keep breathing in a slow and steady rhythm, as I draw line after line, rune after rune. Even with my notebook as a reference right there I''m struggling a little.


    I can feel the power of the enchantment wobble and fluctuate too. Usually this is not a good sign. More often than not it is an indicator for immanent failure. I push onward anyway. I''m not this easily discouraged!


    Finally I finish the last rune in the outermost circle. It takes agonizingly long for the enchantment to be drawn into the bandanna, but it does take hold, despite me already fearing the worst.


    At long last I relax, take a deep breath and wipe away the sweat collecting at my brow. As I do, I resolve to not do something like this again anytime soon. This was entirely too close for comfort after all.


    I wait for a moment, but there is no divine whisper this time around. Never mind. I certainly learned a little lesson from this anyway. It is a little too early to relax though. I still need to check the results of my hard work after all. After taking another deep breath to calm my fluttering nerves, I focus my attention on the enchanted bandanna to activate my appraisal skill.


    [Wet nurse''s bandanna, Quality: Uncommon, A plain but comfortable bandanna for wet nurses and other women who find themselves in a position with a need to suddenly breastfeed an infant. Wearing this bandanna will stimulate the flow of milk even in women that have not given birth or even been pregnant. The effect will last for 7 days after wearing the bandanna for at least four hours.]


    I blink once, as I take this all in. It seems to have worked. Of course I don''t receive a divine reward for something that is not too rare. Doubly so as I probably could have created it much easier with a little more patience.


    My brows furrow a little as curiosity rears it''s head again. My fingers tremble a little as I touch the piece of cloth. How would it feel?


    Four hours and seven days? That''s not too long. Other women deal with this all the time, for much longer periods than just seven days too. I haven''t heard Urszula complain once. It can''t be that bad. Right? Besides, I can''t give this to another woman without properly testing it first!


    My fingers tremble once again, as I tie the bandanna in place. Four hours? I might as well go to bed in that case. And tomorrow morning I''ll be a little wiser. Either that or I''ll know better.


    I shake my head and chuckle as I get ready for bed. As I slip into bed at long last a mighty yawn escapes me and I''m fast asleep not much later.

 Chapter 120 - The worst that could happen

    The sleep I get is not exactly restful. No, quite the opposite is true. I sleep fitfully and wake early. This isn''t even the worst though. I feel like I''m coming down with a fever when I wake well before sunrise. And of course I''m feeling sore in ways I have never known before.


    It takes my still sleep addled mind a moment to connect the dots. When it all comes together I groan and sit up. I rub my eyes and take a moment to pet Sour Cream as she hops in from the window sill. I pour her some of her treat too and am rewarded with a happy purr in turn.


    That on its own is already enough to brighten my day despite its less than optimal start. Still I take a moment to check my temperature. As far as I can tell I''m not actually running a fever. It is just my chest that feels uncomfortably hot. It feels hot and the nightdress feels a little too tight too.


    Ah well, maybe a nice soak at the bath will help a little. Well with the general soreness at least. Of course it wont do anything about the slightly too tight nightdress. I decide not to fret about that though, as it probably means that the bandanna works as intended.


    On one hand I''m questioning my decision to test it like this, as I''m rather uncomfortable right now. On the other hand I''m glad I didn''t have anyone else test it. I can deal with a little discomfort. At least for a few days. At worst I can see it as an early warning about what life will have in store for me should I ever have children of my own.


    After petting Sour Cream a little more, after she finishes with her treat and curls up on the foot end of my bed, I grab a change of clothes and head out to the bath.


    The sky is only just brightening in the east and the village is still mostly asleep as far as I can tell. Thus I should have some time to myself before anyone else drops by. The cool morning air eased my discomfort a little as well. Really just a little though.


    As expected the bath is still empty. It won''t be for long though, thus I hurry so I''ll be able to soak undisturbed. Or rather, I intend to hurry. That is all but forgotten though, the moment I get a proper look at myself when I pull my night dress over my head.


    My breasts are swollen. That much isn''t really a surprise. What I didn''t expect though, is that they would swell this much. My left eyebrow starts to twitch a little. I have been well enough endowed before, but this is a little ridiculous. Painful too. They feel tender and hot. Maybe because the change happened on such a short term, pretty much over night?


    I let out a sigh. Maybe I should have thought about this a little more beforehand. Getting some advice from Urszula or Agnieszka first probably wouldn''t have been wrong either. Now I''ll have to live with the consequences of my actions. At least for a few days anyway.


    I shake my head and move to get some water to wash up before my soak, only to stop dead in my tracks before upending the bucket over my head. With a sheepish grin I but the bucket back down. I''m still wearing the enchanted bandanna. Silly me. I really should take it off first.


    All the color drains from my face, as I think that thought. Try as I might, my hands won''t obey me, as I think about taking the bandanna off. I try again, but once again my hands won''t obey me. As I try harder my fingers start to shake, but that is all. Eventually I give up and slump to the ground in defeat.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    That just about sums it up. I know these symptoms. I know them all too well, despite never having experienced them first hand. Its cursed. The damned bandanna is cursed.


    Never mind that I checked the damned thing with my appraisal skill before putting it on. To evade detection like that means that the curse has to be at least moderately powerful.


    I let out a bitter laugh only to stop right away and look over my shoulder. I really don''t want anyone to see or hear me lose it like that. This is inconvenient, inconvenient beyond the immediate effect, but it certainly isn''t the end of the world.


    As I think these thoughts a divine whisper distracts me.


    [You put a curse on yourself! The Dawn Maiden is your witness and gifts you 6 points for the Dragon Arcana as a reward.]


    I let out a long sigh. Of course the divine would take notice. That I didn''t curse myself on purpose apparently doesn''t make a difference. At least I didn''t curse anyone else. I''m already feeling bad enough as it is. I really don''t want to make the life of anyone else miserable.


    Thanks to the Dawn Maiden at least some good might come off this. Who knows, maybe Wislawa might earn a reward too for breaking the curse? I''m tempted to laugh out loud again, but I manage to reign in that urge just in time and let out just another sigh instead.


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    This time around my sigh, or rather my state in general, does not go unnoticed.


    ¡°Valeria? What''s up with you?¡±


    Agnieszka''s exclamation almost makes me jump. Not an easy feat, considering I''m still on the ground on my knees.


    Wide eyed, like a child that has just been caught with its hand in the cookie jar, I look over my shoulder as she comes in.


    My neighbor looks tired. Dark circles frame her eyes and her shoulders are slightly slumped. It looks like she hasn''t gotten a whole lot of sleep herself. The way she eyes me it still is pretty obvious that I have her undivided attention, as she gets ready for a quick bath herself.


    Finally I can muster the resolve to utter a reply.


    ¡°Cursed. I''m cursed.¡±


    It takes a moment for her to make sense of my muttered words. As she realizes that I''m not speaking in figures she stops dead in her tracks.


    ¡°For real? The bandanna? Gods and goddesses, girl, what did you do?¡±


    ¡°You remember the letter I asked you to deliver? The transcript I asked you to get for me at the academy in Barter Town? They are for an enchantment I''m working on for Urszula. An enchantment to make sure there will be enough milk both for her child and Elzbieta''s, eventually.¡±


    She nods, but does not interrupt me while washing up herself.


    ¡°I pretty much had a not very elegant version of the enchantment ready already and decided to give it a try so I could compare it to the one I would come up with, with the material I asked you to get.¡±


    She nods again, but before I can keep going in my awkward way she decides to intercede.


    ¡°And you made it and decided to put it to the test just like that?¡±


    I blush a deep red and just nod instead of providing a detailed answer. I feel like I have to say something in my defense anyway though.


    ¡°I checked it with my appraisal skill first. There was no mention of it being cursed. I only found out just now when I couldn''t bring myself to take it off.¡±


    She nods and comes over to give the bandanna a good look. I can only guess that she is using a skill of her own on it. She hums to herself and nods in the end.


    ¡°It certainly is cursed. The cursed wetnurse''s overflowing fountains? Gods and goddesses, that name alone. And if it got past your appraisal it''s not exactly a weak curse either.¡±


    She pauses and laughs out loud. At the same time she seems to take notice of my general state as well, which seems to sober her up a little.


    ¡°The enchantment seems to have worked though. In a way at least.¡±


    I would blush even more if I could, but my face already feels like it''s burning up.


    ¡°Do they ache?¡±


    That question has me sputtering, but I can''t exactly object. She isn''t wrong after all. They do ache. Thus I only nod meekly.


    ¡°Ah well, maybe Urszula''s youngest still has a little appetite. That should provide some relief. And afterwards we take you to the temple to see Wislawa right away. She should be able to take care of it. Now turn around and relax while I''ll wash your back. It''s not all bad. See it as a learning experience! Maybe you''ll even earn a divine reward or two!¡±


    I do as she tells me and relax a little. My voice comes out as an embarrassed, hoarse croak as I decide to address the last point she made in her statement.


    ¡°I already received one ¡­ for cursing myself.¡±


    Now there is no more holding back and the older woman laughs out loud while rinsing off the soap from my back.

 Chapter 121 - A little hot headed

    All the plans I had for this day are pretty much forgotten by this point. I guess I have to be thankful that everyone is quite helpful with my recent dilemma. Well, anyone we have to tell anyway. I don''t feel a need to make it well known that I managed to curse myself and Agnieszka apparently concurs. Just as well.


    Agnieszka and I leave the bath before anyone else can ask any questions I don''t feel like answering. We head straight to the temple to see Wislawa about my problem.


    Pretty much like always the priestess seems to be already waiting for us. By now I''m mostly convinced that she has to have some kind of divine gift that lets her know when her presence will be required.


    Although we are fresh from the bath both my neighbor and I wash our feet again at the basin in the temple''s anteroom. I drop a few coins into the offering bowl as well. After all I''m the one looking for some divine assistance. Even worse, it''s due to my own carelessness too. To make a small offering like this is the least I can do.


    Thankfully Agnieszka decides to do most of the talking since I''m not quite sure I could do it myself. She pulls the priestess into a heartfelt hug as she approaches to greet us too. After a moment the priestess returns the hug.


    ¡°What brings you two here this early?¡±


    Agnieszka lets go of the priestess and gestures in my direction, as she answers.


    ¡°Valeria managed to get herself cursed. The bandanna. Could we trouble you to take care of it?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Wislawa turns towards me. Judging by the look on her face she is using a skill, either on me or the bandanna. Probably the latter, although I can''t be quite sure. Her brows furrow a little and, after shooting my companion a questioning look, she moves a little closer, puts her hands on my cheeks to focus on the bandanna more closely.


    I start to get a little fidgety, as she keeps staring at me with great focus like that for a while.


    Finally she lets go only to let out a long sigh.


    ¡°I see. This is a tricky one. Of course Valeria wouldn''t be able to see through it with her appraisal skill. Come on in you two. Valeria, kneel over there by the pool and lean forward a little. Agnieszka, hold her in gently. Gently. I''m not sure, but the curse might just make her try to wriggle her way out of this.¡±


    The way she says that makes me a little nervous. I have only ever seen a curse being lifted once during my time at the academy and that was a very basic curse. The weakest of the weak. No one had to hold the victim in place back then.


    I start to fidget a little as I kneel down. Is it because I''m nervous? Or is this really the curse acting up? Maybe it is the former, as I actually manage to calm down again, once I can feel Agnieszka''s hands on my shoulders.


    ¡°Just relax, dear. Wislawa will have you all fixed in not time at all.¡±


    Her words are probably supposed to reassure me, and in a way they do. They raise another question though.


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    ¡°She will? Does this happen often?¡±


    The priestess doesn''t let my question distract her, but Agnieszka snorts in amusement.


    ¡°Every once in a while. I have seen a few in my years. It mostly happens to adventurers though. There are always some who just can''t wait to get whatever neat thing they found checked back here. I guess we have to be thankful that none of the curses were the really bad kind mentioned in the old bardic epics.¡±


    I shudder at the thought. The bardic epics usually are about realms rising and falling. Lots of unrequited love, bloodshed and worse. For some reason love stories or comedies with a happy ending never end up as bardic epics. Shanties or bawdy songs you''d sing while drinking or dancing at the inn? Sure! Bardic epics? Not so much.


    Ah well, never mind. That might just be a mystery beyond me. I probably should focus on more immediate concerns anyway. Or maybe I shouldn''t? Could I keep the curse distracted? I''m not sure.


    While I''m lost in my meandering thoughts like that Wislawa finishes her preparations. She scoops some water from the sacred pool with a ladle.


    ¡°Father, Mother, Maidens! Hear my call! Moon, sun, stars. Bless this water. Imbue it with power and intent. May it lift curses and break shackles of mind and body!¡±


    I already know the words. I have heard them before after all, even if just once. And it seems that is enough to rouse the curse. Before Wislawa finishes her incantation I start to fidget. Not because I want to either. My eyes widen as I realize that the curse wants to take control, to some degree, to evade what is coming.


    Apparently I''m not the only one who is aware of this little fact. Agnieszka''s light touch upon my shoulders turns into a veritable vice grip. Gods and goddesses, the woman is strong!


    The water in the ladle starts to glow in a weird way, as if it can''t quite make up its mind if it wants to emit moon-, sun- or starlight. It is a little eerie. It is incredibly pretty too though.


    I don''t want to actually look away, but the curse makes me turn my head, as if to twist out of the way of what is to come.


    Agnieszka''s grip remains firm though and thus I remain locked in place too and the fact that I turn my head away doesn''t make much of a difference at all.


    I can''t exactly see what happens next, especially as some of the salty water gets into my eyes, as Wislawa pours the ladle''s contents upon my head or rather the bandanna. I can feel the bandanna heat up though in a way that is a little beyond just uncomfortable.


    Before it gets too bad though, Agnieszka grabs the offending item with one hand to pull it off. The other hand remains on my shoulder, still holding me in place just in case. The moment the wet cloth hits the ground she puts a foot on it too for good measure. Only then does she let go of me.


    We all let out a sigh.


    At the same time I raise an eyebrow though, as I nod in the direction of the wet bandanna, trapped under Agnieszka''s foot. It just lies there like, well, a wet rag.


    ¡°Is that really necessary?¡±


    It is Wislawa who answers my question.


    ¡°Can''t be too careful. Anyway, let me get a piece of string to tie it up. I''ll dispose of it properly later. I hope you don''t mind.¡±


    Actually disposing of cursed items does take some effort. Destroying a cursed item can be dangerous too. At worst all the magic power bound to the enchanted item can discharge all at once in a rather violent fashion. Thus this is usually done in some out of the way place where the chance of collateral damage is minimal at best.


    I certainly won''t complain if the priestess knows how to go about it. One less thing to worry about. That is fine with me.


    ¡°If you could? By all means, please do.¡±


    The priestess nods while she wraps up the bandanna before tying it up tightly with a sturdy piece of string.


    ¡°Don''t worry. This isn''t the first time I have to get rid of a cursed item. This one should be easy since it is just cloth.¡±


    Agnieszka pats my back and helps me back up while I rub my eyes. They still sting a little.


    ¡°Well, dear, that is one thing taken care off. Lets go and see if we can find Urszula and her little one to help you out with the other issue.¡±


    I blanch a little at the reminder. At the same time I can''t help but ask an important question raised by the way Agnieszka phrased that.


    ¡°What if she can''t help me? What if the little one isn''t hungry anymore?¡±


    My neighbor just shrugs, as she leads me out of the village temple.


    ¡°There are other ways, but we''ll cross that bridge when we reach it. If we even have to. Maybe we can get something to eat too. I''m a little hungry. How about you?¡±

 Chapter 122 - A novel experience

    Our next stop is Urszula''s place. It is lively as usual. Well, for the better part anyway. The older kids are busy minding the animals. We arrive just in time to watch them herd geese and pigs out and away. The younger ones are clustered up around the workshop of Krysztof.


    The old man waves as he notices us.


    ¡°Sorry, dear. I''m not quite done with those sandals you ordered yet.¡±


    I nod, but it is Agnieszka who answers in my stead.


    ¡°Actually we are here to see Urszula. Is she in?¡±


    The old man takes a little break from his work and bites his lower lips lightly as he thinks about Agnieszka''s question.


    ¡°Depends. It''s still pretty early. She might still be busy with the sheep. If not you''ll likely find her in the kitchen.¡±


    My neighbor nods and pulls me along, away from the workshop and around the farmhouse, as the old man resumes his work, the children crowding in close to get a good look. It seems Agnieszka knows her way around the house, as she heads directly to the backdoor, leading to the kitchen.


    I''m a little confused at first.


    ¡°Shouldn''t we try the barn first? If she could still be busy with the sheep?¡±


    The older woman promptly shakes her head.


    ¡°No need. If she were still busy milking the sheep we would hear it.¡±


    She is right, as it turns out. Urszula is indeed sitting in the kitchen, by the fireplace. She isn''t cooking though. It would be a little early for that anyway. No, she is nursing her youngest one right now. She greets us with a careful wave, as not to disturb the child.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    Our visit must come as a surprise to her and she doesn''t even try to hide her curiosity. At the same time she keeps her voice low and calm though, again not to disturb the infant greedily suckling on her left breast.


    I blush a little at the sight. At the same time though my own breasts ache. I let out a sigh.


    ¡°I have been working on the enchantment you asked about ¡­¡±


    The young mother perks up considerably as I mention this particular piece of information.


    ¡°Oh! Are you done already?¡±


    I blush and stutter for a moment.


    ¡°I ¡­ uh ¡­ yes, well ¡­¡±


    Eventually Agnieszka can''t hold back anymore. She slaps my back and starts snickering, fighting hard not to break into full blown laughter.


    ¡°She put the enchantment on a bandanna and decided to try it on herself. A good thing too, since it turned out to be cursed.¡±


    Urszula looks from Agnieszka to me, mouth agape, but the older woman quickly waves her concerns away and continues with her explanation.


    ¡°Don''t worry we visited Wislawa at the temple right away. She took care of the curse.¡±


    I sigh once more and let my head hang.


    ¡°I''m sorry, it will be another while before I''ll be able to deliver the enchantment you asked of me.¡±


    I bow my head for emphasis.


    Then Agnieszka pats my back again.


    ¡°She already asked me to get her some more reading material and runes on the topic the next time I make the trip to Barter Town. But never mind. That isn''t the reason for our visit. Well, not exactly anyway.¡±


    The child finally lets go of her mother''s breast. She obviously isn''t done with her meal yet though, as she soon starts to reach for her mother''s other breast. Urszula switches her over, without taking her eyes off us.


    ¡°If that isn''t it, then why?¡±


    Agnieszka snickers again.


    ¡°Well you see, the enchanted bandanna might have been cursed, but it still worked.¡±


    The older woman looks over at me.


    ¡°In fact it might even have worked a little too well.¡±


    Urszula tilts her head slightly and eyes me a little more closely.


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    ¡°You are right. It certainly worked.¡±


    She points at another stool.


    ¡°Come and sit down with us. Let me show you how its done while little Milena still has an appetite.¡±


    I do as she bid me. At the same time I''m curious how she can tell that the enchantment worked.


    ¡°How ¡­¡±


    That is as far as I get, as I sit down, before Agnieszka starts to snicker again. Urszula joins her too, but in the end she takes mercy on me and elaborates.


    ¡°How can we tell? Easy. For one you are noticeable larger than the last time we met. More importantly though, you have started leaking while you watched me feed Milena.¡±


    For a moment I''m left speechless. There really are wet spots showing on my blouse. Eventually I manage to regain at least a little of my composure.


    ¡°That really happens?¡±


    The two eventually give up and break into laughter, which startles the little girl still nursing at her mother''s bosom a little.


    I in turn blush fiercely as Agnieszka loosens the strings of my blouse enough for it to slip down from my shoulder. Urszula in turn doesn''t miss a beat either. Before her daughter can resume drinking she shifts her over to me.


    The little girl emits a cry of protest at first, but as soon as she is faced with a new source of milk she latches back on.


    A shiver goes down my spine and my eyes widen. I barely manage to preserve enough presence of mind to follow the instructions of Urszula and Agnieszka.


    ¡°Right, hold her like that. Like Urszula did it.¡±


    ¡°Good. Don''t forget to support her head. Yes, just like that.¡±


    This isn''t an unpleasant feeling, despite the fact that the little girl is suckling quite aggressively. I can certainly feel the pressure ease a little. At least in that breast. At the same time I can feel another kind of pressure build deep within my body. This one feels a little ominous. And it gets even worse when Urszula helps me shift the infant to my other breast. It is unlike anything I have ever felt before.


    Eventually the tension become too much. My body releases it all at once and my abdomen cramps up in ways that are well beyond just uncomfortable.


    It is a good thing that Urszula and Agnieszka spent the time to make sure I have a grip on the little Melina that is both good and gentle. I shudder. At least a divine whisper provides a little distraction.


    [You nurtured a child not your own! The Sun Mother is your witness and gifts you 4 points for the Temperance Arcana as a reward.]


    Even the little girl looks up at me at this point with big eyes. Did she receive a divine message as well? Well, there is no way of telling. Urszula takes her off my hands at this point, so that the child can finish its meal at her mother''s breast.


    Agnieszka in turn pats my back.


    ¡°Birthing pains. That can happen, especially early on, even if you haven''t given birth yourself. It doesn''t happen to every wet nurse, but it can. Anyway, do you feel better now?¡±


    Even as she talks she runs a finger along the curve of my breast, scooping up a drop of milk, only to lick it off her finger herself before I can answer.


    ¡°Not too bad. Virgin milk usually tends to be thinner and less nourishing. I almost expected Melina to make a fuss and want back to her mother. Curious. No wonder though, that the little one drank without protest if it is like this.¡±


    Her casual approach makes me blush even more now. I can feel my ears burning up as I readjust my clothes. There is an important question I have to ask though.


    ¡°The effect of the enchantment should last several days. Will I have to do this every day?¡±


    At my naive question both women break into laughter again. This time Urszula answers instead of Agnieszka.


    ¡°More like three or four times a day.¡±


    I blanch, but she isn''t quite done yet.


    ¡°And there is always the possibility that you will keep producing milk even if the effect of the enchantment wears off. Your body might just get used to it, you know? And you might have to look into other ways of relieving the pressure too. Melina certainly didn''t mind the extra helping this time around, but it might get a little too much for just her in the long run.¡±


    Agnieska waves good bye, as she leads me out. I''m still too numb to do more than wave myself.


    ¡°I''m sure she''ll figure something out! See you!¡±


    We are already halfway back to my place by the time I find words again.


    ¡°What do you mean I''ll figure something out? And why did you call it virgin milk? I''m not exactly a virgin, you know? Not in the strictest sense at least.¡±


    She snorts in amusement.


    ¡°It just means the milk of a woman who hasn''t given birth herself yet. It usually is a lot thinner. And as to figuring something out ¡­ you could ask Elzbieta? By the way you still need to take care of guild business don''t you? Or you could use it as an alchemical ingredient? I''m not sure. I''m not the alchemist after all. Anyway, I have to get back to work too. Danuta''s dress won''t tailor itself, you know.¡±


    And with these words she leaves me standing at the front door of my house, my thoughts whirling out of control. She is long gone by the time I manage to order them again.


    ¡°What do you mean, I could ask Elzbieta?¡±


    Of course there is no one around to provide an answer.

 Chapter 123 - Back to business

    Agnieszka has left me wondering with her last bit of advice. Why exactly should I ask Elzbieta? Of course I could rush after her and inquire, but I really need to get back to business.


    Among other things that means grabbing some coin and heading down to the inn to post the mana mill quest once more. Which in turn probably means that I will get a chance to actually ask the pregnant archer sooner rather than later.


    Am I forgetting something? With everything going on I can''t help feeling that way. I grimace. Either it''ll come to me, or someone will remind me, of that I''m sure. For now I better focus on the next point on my daily agenda. And that next point is guild business at the inn.


    I grab some coin. I make sure that my clothes are in order too, just in case. There is no real reason for it, as everything is tied securely, even if the fit is not quite right right now. Then I head down to the inn. There is no use wasting time. After all I''m already running late despite getting up early.


    In fact the first adventurers are already heading out as I hurry down to the inn. Odolan, Tamara and Szmuel, once again accompanied by Ryszard for example are coming my way.


    They are probably on their way to gather more ectoplasm. They still need to fulfill that quest after all. This time though, Danuta is accompanying them as well. Tamara, the young dwarven adventurer seems a little upset, possibly because the buxom witch is along.


    I''m tempted to roll my eyes but refrain in the end. I really don''t want to upset her any more and to be honest I''m quite glad that they have the more experienced witch along this time.


    They are already all geared up, as far as I can tell. In the end we just exchange a quick wave as a greeting as we pass each other.


    The inn is still quite busy as I arrive and the same is true for Krystina''s counter where she conducts guild business. In the end I decide to get some breakfast instead of just standing in line. It isn''t anything special, just a bowl of porridge and a cup of sweetened tea to go with it.


    As I eat I watch the adventurers, and quest givers too, come and go. Eventually Elzbieta joins me at my table, with a bowl of porridge of her own, after seeing off Czeslaw and Zofia, her companions.


    Their open displays of affection make me blush a little. The way Czeslaw kisses Elzbieta before he is off. The way he has an arm around Zofia''s waist as they head out. I still can''t quite wrap my mind around it. And at the same time Elzbieta has no qualms about spending time with me.


    Is it an adventurer thing? Stories and songs as bards would tell and sing would like to make me believe that adventurers are a pretty open minded bunch after all. Plenty of these stories end in tragedy eventually though.


    Or is this specific to this particular group? Before I can spend much more time thinking on it, Elzbieta interrupts my thoughts.


    ¡°You are a little late. You didn''t work until the sun rose again, did you?¡±


    I snort and almost choke on my porridge in return.


    ¡°No. Nothing of the sort, although I didn''t sleep too well. And ¡­ things happened.¡±


    She raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°Things happened?¡±


    I nod and continue to eat for a moment.


    ¡°Lets talk about it later. In private?¡±


    In the end she nods, although I can tell that she can barely rein in her curiosity.


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    Eventually I finish my morning meal and head over to Krystina''s counter, as the line shortens ever more. What follows is business as usual by now. I tell her my request and Krystina puts it up on the board once I pay the fees, only for Elzbieta to snatch it away before anyone else can even think about it.


    Before long Elzbieta and I are back at my shop, which I finally open. The pregnant adventurer works the mana mill inside, sitting by the fireplace today, as a slight drizzle is coming down right now. Or rather, she should be working the mill, instead she is shooting me a questioning glance though. Apparently this is the limit of her patience.


    ¡°Spill it, what happened?¡±


    I let out a sigh, as I leave the counter in the shop out front to join her in the backroom. It isn''t an issue, as I probably won''t be getting much business today anyway. I already missed the rush of adventurers heading out for the day after all. I look over my shoulders to make sure we are alone and keep my voice down anyway.


    ¡°I managed to accidentally curse myself.¡±


    Her eyebrow raises further.


    ¡°Yes? Keep going.¡±


    Of course she wants more details. Well, there is no helping it now that I already started.


    ¡°I was working on that wet nurse enchantment for Urszula and I finished a first version and decided to try it. Turns out it was cursed and I couldn''t take it back off when I tried this morning at the bath.¡±


    She nods and starts working the mill at long last. She isn''t ready to drop the topic yet though.


    ¡°But you are not wearing it anymore, so I guess this issue is taken care of?¡±


    I sigh again, as I lean against my workbench while I talk with her.


    ¡°Agnieszka took me to see Wislawa at the temple after having a look at the enchanted bandanna. Turns out that the curse was potent enough to fool my appraisal skill. And afterwards she took me to see Urszula and her little Melina to take care of the other lingering effects of the enchantment. By the way, she mentioned that I will probably need some more help regarding that, and that I should ask you.¡±


    She stops working the mana mill and her eyebrow starts twitching a little as I speak those last few words. She doesn''t seem upset though. No, considering the way she is blushing I''m willing to assume that she is rather flustered instead.


    She opens her mouth as if to speak, but closes it again without uttering a word. This repeats several times before she finally regains enough composure to speak up. Her voice is hoarse and it takes a little longer for her to move from uttering individual words to forming whole sentences again.


    ¡°Milk ¡­ you ¡­ and Agnieszka said to ask me for help?¡±


    She is blushing real hard now, but I can''t really fault her for it. The same is true for me as well after all. I nod.


    ¡°Uhu.¡±


    Elzbieta swallows hard before she finally continues.


    ¡°Do you want me to help with that?¡±


    I in turn bite my lips as I nod again.


    ¡°Would you? I''d rather not turn this into a quest with the guild though. And you might have to help me several times a day, for a few days at least.¡±


    I fall silent for a moment, before I add another little tidbit of information.


    ¡°And Agnieszka mentioned that there might be a possibility that this condition won''t go away right away despite the effect of the enchantment wearing off.¡±


    Elzbieta licks her lips, as she nods along with my explanation.


    ¡°Several times a day?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. In the morning? Probably some time around noon and probably in the evening. I''m not quite sure yet ¡­ this is all still pretty new to me after all. Maybe I''ll need some relief during the night too?¡±


    She swallows hard as she thinks about this some more, absentmindedly resuming work with the mill.


    ¡°If it is like that, should I move in with you? Just for a few days? Uh ¡­ until this issue is settled?¡±


    My heart almost misses a beat at the suggestion. And the way she is quick to elaborate makes it ache a little. I really wish she would move in with me for good. I doubt she will though, considering the display of affection between her and her comrades I witnessed earlier in the morning. I decide to keep that particular thought to myself though. And besides, the prospect that I might not be sleeping alone, even if just for a few nights, is enough to make my heart beat faster.


    ¡°Would you?¡±


    She nods right away, as if she doesn''t have a care.


    ¡°Sure? When do you want me to start? Hmm, I will have to get my things from the inn. Doesn''t really make sense to pay for a room there while I spend my nights here, right?¡±


    Of course she is right. She won''t exactly save a lot, but every little bit counts. I decide to focus on the question she posed though.


    ¡°Maybe some time after lunch? If that is alright with you?¡±

 Chapter 124 - Sweet treat

    The next few hours are slow to pass and it gets ever so slightly worse, as the pressure in my chest starts to build again. I''m not the only one effected by the strange mood either.


    Elzbieta is humming a cheerful tune, but she isn''t singing as she usually does. And every once in a while I catch her glancing my way, lost in thought. Right until she notices that I noticed. Then she will blush fiercely and avoid eye contact.


    It is a weird mood. Not exactly bad. Most certainly a little exciting. And, of course, very, very weird.


    I try to distract myself with the failed enchantment, but give up before long. There is no easy fix for it. I''ll have to start over with additional runes once Agnieszka gets to the city. And besides, working on it doesn''t exactly steer my thoughts in a different direction.


    In the end I distract myself by doing some cleaning. Not the house or the shop, but my alchemical apertures, like the distillery. I prepare some more potion bottles too, as well as the stoppers for them. It isn''t exactly exciting work, but that is quite alright right now. And it is work that needs doing anyway, thus I might just as well do it now.


    Eventually it is time for our lunch break and we head down to the inn after closing down the shop. The place is rather quiet today. Or maybe we just are a little early? Never mind though. In the end it just means that we don''t have to wait in line for our meals, which is especially important as I feel rather hungry. Certainly more so than usual.


    As a result I decide to splurge a little today, much to the surprise of everyone, even Elzbieta. I get myself a bowl of the thick stew that is on the menu today. And before I get myself some of the sweet, fruit filled dumplings that happen to be today''s dessert I get a second helping of the stew.


    It is just as well. This way Elzbieta has some time to talk and negotiate with the inn keepers before she gets her things and we head back to my place. Her baggage is surprisingly light. Just a sturdy backpack and a small, lockable chest. I help her carry it anyway.


    There is another thing I bring. A bowl with some of the sweet dumplings. They are delicious when eaten warm, but they should be almost as good eaten cold too. This way we have something to go with a nice, fresh cup of coffee.


    And that coffee is the very next thing on my agenda. While I get the water boiling, roast and grind the beans with the special mana mill reserved for my special mana spiked coffee my house guest starts looking through my tools. I raise an eyebrow.


    ¡°Looking for something?¡±


    She just nods and keeps rummaging through my assorted bowls. She checks the smaller cauldron too but settles for one of the bigger bowls in the end. At long last she turns to address me, just as I get the coffee brewing.


    ¡°You wanted my help with you little problem.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    She starts to grin like the mouse that just made off with a whole wheel of cheese.


    ¡°Oh indeed! Now, lets sit down on the bed while the coffee brews, so we can get started. I''m not entirely sure, but this may take a while.¡±


    I swallow hard and do as she says.


    Elzbieta places the bowl she selected into my lap while she slips into position behind me. This position is a little awkward, as her belly is in the way, but somehow she manages anyway.


    Before I can say anything or adjust my position she slips my overall and my blouse off my shoulders, to liberate my aching breasts. She cups them from behind and lifts them a little.


    ¡°Oh my! Gods and goddesses! They really have grown. And not just a little either.¡±


    She gives them a slight squeeze and a first trickle of milk starts to leak out. I in turn blush hard. She moves in a little closer. I can feel her press into my back. Then she brushes my hair aside and kisses first the nape of my neck only to follow up with another kiss to the tip of my left ear.


    ¡°You know, Valeria, you are absolutely adorable when you blush like that.¡±


    That alone is enough to make me blush again.


    ¡°I am?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are. Now, hold up that bowl.¡±


    I do as instructed.


    ¡°Yes, just like that. Tilt it a little. Just a little though.¡±


    Once again I follow her instructions.


    Once she is satisfied she starts in earnest. She isn''t tugging or squeezing my swollen breasts at random either. No, it seems like she actually knows what she is doing.


    Within moments the first stream of milk hits the bowl. She adjusts her grip and aim a little. Then she starts to work in earnest and more importantly with a steady rhythm. She even resumes humming, which is surprisingly reassuring, especially up close.


    I''m quite thankful. At the same time this rouses my curiosity. I just have to ask.


    ¡°You ¡­ uh ¡­ you seem to have some experience?¡±


    She snorts out in half suppressed laughter.


    ¡°I haven''t always been an adventurer, you know. I grew up on a small farm. We had a cow. Sheep and goats too. So, yes, I have a little experience.¡±


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    She snorts in amusement again, never stopping or slowing down while milking me though.


    ¡°So, yes, I have some experience. Just not like this. Not with another woman.¡±


    For a moment we fall silent, while the bowls starts to fill as she keeps working with a steady rhythm.


    Eventually I speak up again.


    ¡°This isn''t too weird for you? Right? I really don''t want to be a bother.¡±


    She gives my question some thought, before she finally answers.


    ¡°Maybe a little? Not in a bad way though. It is ¡­ a little exciting?¡±


    I blush once more. She isn''t the only one getting a little excited. I can feel the excitement build with every little squeeze, tug and squirt. My breathing is getting a little ragged.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ ah ¡­ maybe we should take a little break? The coffee should be just about ready too?¡±


    She doesn''t let go though. Not right away anyway.


    ¡°Elzbieta?¡±


    ¡°Just a moment. We are just about done anyway.¡±


    I look down and the flow of milk has indeed ebbed considerably. The swelling has gone down too.


    Just as she gives may breast one last squeeze a shudder goes through my body. Considering the way she is pressed against my back Elzbieta has to have felt it too.


    I get up quickly, not bothering to put my things back on properly and just barely not spilling the bowl of milk, to get us our coffee and the sweet buns too.


    Elzbieta in the meantime follows me with her hungry gaze, as I add sugar and some cinnamon to the coffee.


    The way she is staring at me sets off another blush. A full body blush this time.


    ¡°What?¡±


    She tilts her head slightly and flashes me an not innocent at all smile.


    ¡°Could I have a little milk with my coffee?¡±


    ¡°You want what ¡­?¡±


    She just nods and eventually I relent. I stir some of my milk into her cup. Before I can think any better of it she snatches the cup from my hands to take a first sip. Her eyes widen.


    ¡°Ooooh! Nectar of the gods!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    She breaks into a giggle fit and takes a little while to calm back down.


    ¡°This might be a little more potent than your usual potions.¡±


    Her grin widens as she moves in close.


    ¡°We might not be getting a whole lot of sleep tonight.¡±


    I stir some milk into my own coffee as well to give it a taste test myself. It really isn''t too bad. And she wasn''t joking either. This brew is a lot more potent than any stamina potion I have ever made. It is a lot more potent than my usual, mana spiked coffee too.


    Before I can say anything she pops one of the little sweet buns into my mouth.


    ¡°Now, Valeria, I would like to ask for a little reward for my hard work. I hope you don''t mind.¡±


    Of course, with my mouth full, my reply is not terribly eloquent.


    ¡°Mhm? Huh?¡±


    Even as this mumbled reply leaves my mouth she already helps herself to the mentioned reward.


    My eyes widen, as she grabs my right breast, latches on with her lips and begins to suckle. There is only a little trickle of milk left right now, but there is another reaction that is just as strong as before. Within moments another shudder spreads through my body and it takes all the strength I can muster just to keep standing. And, of course, Elzbieta is far from done yet.


    Oh, gods and goddesses, if she keeps this up, I won''t get any more work done today.

 Chapter 125 - Opportunity comes knocking

    The rest of the day I''m in a daze. I''m feeling incredibly energized as well though, due to my newest accidental coffee creation. Every last hint of fatigue is washed away. It isn''t exactly a good combination. Not for me anyway. Not right now at least.


    Elzbieta on the other hand is enjoying the invigorating effect of her coffee greatly. She is working the mana mill again, with renewed energy. She is back to actually singing too. At least that is a welcome change. It eases my troubled mind at little. At the same time the glances she is shooting my way every once in a while still have me blushing.


    I try not to dwell on what transpired between us just now, but I''m having a hard time taking my mind off it. The bowl of milk sitting on the workbench now doesn''t exactly help either.


    The amount alone is a little surprising, even if it doesn''t look like all that much at a first glace, considering that the bowl is rather big and only filled to a small degree. It probably still is enough to fill two of the small potion bottles. And it''ll be like that for days? Possibly several times a day?


    What am I even supposed to do with the milk? Before I can properly finish the thought an idea strikes me. I take a deep breath, focus my attention on the bowl, or rather the liquid it contains, and activate my appraisal skill.


    [Virgin Milk, Quality: Rare, Not necessarily the milk of an actual virgin, but the milk of a woman that has not yet given birth herself. Known properties: [Fortify: Appearance], [Calm: Frenzy/Rage], [Health], [Stamina] Still good to use for another 48 hours.]


    I blink several times as I take in the information revealed to me. The fact that it can be used for health and stamina potions isn''t a surprise. The rest is. Ingredients, and thus potions, fortifying any attribute are exceedingly rare. And while I know some ingredients that could be used for a potion that would cause the user to enter a berserk frenzy, this is the first time I actually see something that could reverse the effect. And of course the general rarity is a little surprise too.


    ¡°Gods and goddesses!¡±


    Elzbieta stops both her singing and her work at my outburst.


    ¡°Is something up? Nothing bad I hope?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°No. Nothing bad. Its just ¡­ sorry! I need to get to work! I''m kind of in a hurry!¡±


    It isn''t a lie either. I have to hurry up to preserve the milk.


    First and foremost I prepare to heat treat it. I get some fresh firewood and I get the cauldrons ready as well. A big one with water and a smaller one for the milk which I hang in the former. The milk mustn''t get too hot. I''m not trying to make cheese after all. Using Elzbieta''s singing to keep time I stir the milk continuously until it is time to take it off the heat again.


    This task has a surprisingly calming effect. This effect isn''t unwelcome. I can really use some calm and peace of mind right about now. Especially as I''m not yet done with my efforts to preserve this rare ingredient.


    I check up on it again with appraisal before I continue with the next step.


    [Heat treated Virgin Milk, Quality: Rare, Not necessarily the milk of an actual virgin, but the milk of a woman that has not yet given birth herself. It has been heat treated to make sure it will keep longer. Known properties: [Fortify: Appearance], [Calm: Frenzy/Rage], [Health], [Stamina] Still good to use for another 3 days.]


    The effect is only marginal as it is, but it is essential for what is to follow.


    I grab two potion bottles and put them into the hot water, stoking the flames a little more for good measure, before fishing them out again with a ladle a little later. Or rather, I fish out one of the bottles right away. The other can stay in the hot water a little longer.


    I place the one bottle at the center of the enchanting table and grab a piece of enchanter''s chalk. The enchantment I have in mind isn''t too complex and my skills have improved ever since I made the first one, thus I''m done with this potion bottle almost in the blink of an eye, as I jot down rune after rune in quick succession.


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    The effect becomes obvious almost immediately, as the moisture in the air begins to condense on the cold metal of the potion bottle.


    I don''t waste any time. I fill it with about half of my heat treated milk. Then I stopper and seal it with wax. I allow myself only a single deep breath, before I repeat the procedure with the other potion bottle.


    All the while Elzbieta watches me, curiosity clear in her eyes.


    I can''t exactly fault her either, as I''m curious too. Eyeing the two sealed, enchanted potion bottles, I activate the appraisal skill once again.


    [Conserved Virgin Milk, Quality: Epic, Not necessarily the milk of an actual virgin, but the milk of a woman that has not yet given birth herself. It has been heat treated and stored at low temperature to make sure it will last considerably longer. Known properties: [Fortify: Appearance], [Calm: Frenzy/Rage], [Health], [Stamina] Still good to use for another 14 days.]


    I nod to myself, satisfied, before handing one of the potion bottles to Elzbieta, who scrutinizes it using a skill of her own too. She too nods, before she asks the question on her mind out loud.


    ¡°You plan to sell it? Not here though? Right? I mean, I doubt anyone else in Clear Brook would have a use for it. Or am I wrong?¡±


    She isn''t wrong and she sums up my thoughts on the matter pretty well. I nod in agreement.


    ¡°I was thinking of asking Agnieszka to sell it at the academy in Barter Town, since I already asked her to head there anyway.¡±


    At this point I almost jump, as someone speaks up from the direction of the door to the backyard.


    ¡°Sell what?¡±


    Standing there in the doorway, one eyebrow arched, is my neighbor. Before I can say anything Elzbieta passes her the potion bottle. Agnieszka too analyses it with a skill.


    ¡°You heat treated it before filling the bottles? Good, good! I think I can get a decent price for those. Anyway, I just dropped by to let you know that I''ll leave for Barter Town tomorrow morning since I''m pretty much finished with Danuta''s dress.¡±


    Now it is my turn to raise an eyebrow?


    ¡°You are done with the dress already?¡±


    She shrugs as she hands the potion bottle back to me.


    ¡°I might still need to make some minor adjustments. I need her to properly fit everything though and she is out adventuring at the moment. I''ll take care of that once I''m back. Anyway, if you get any more of these vials of virgin milk until tomorrow morning, I''ll take them along. My usual conditions. You get your share once I return.¡±


    I think about that for a moment. Then I nod and we shake hands.


    ¡°Alright. Will you stop out front before you get going?¡±


    She nods once again.


    ¡°I will, but I can come around to the back just in case. I won''t be in a hurry after all.¡±


    We shake hands once more and she leaves again. Elzbieta, who has been watching our exchange stops working the mana mill.


    ¡°You are really doing it?¡±


    I blush, but I won''t let that stop me.


    ¡°It''s good coin. I still need to prepare a few more of these enchanted potion bottles though. Actually, maybe I should prepare more than just a few?¡±


    She shrugs in reply. She is blushing a little too though.


    ¡°Either that or you can try to come up with a potion recipe using it.¡±


    Her brows furrow.


    ¡°Actually, you''ll need these potion bottles either way. Won''t you?¡±


    She has a point. I probably should use enchanted potion bottles for all potions and beverages using milk or other similar perishable ingredients.

 Chapter 126 - Morning rush

    I spend most of the rest of the day enchanting more potion bottles. I''ll probably need them before long after all. Unless I can come up with a potion recipe that uses my current surplus of alchemical milk. Well, no actually I already know at least one potion that can profit from it, but it needs enchanted potion bottles too.


    Maybe I should switch to enchanted bottles in general? I might have to increase the deposit included in the price in that case though, to make sure most will be returned in the long run. Either that or I will have to just raise the prices for those potions in general.


    Never mind though, I''ll cross that bridge when I reach it. For now I just need a few more enchanted potion bottles. In fact I need two more in the evening before we head to bed, not too long after we return from our evening meal at the inn.


    Sleep doesn''t come easy to me tonight. Not for a lack of comfort either. In fact I''m surprisingly comfortable, snuggled up against Elzbieta. Not even the fact that the bed is not necessarily made for two detracts from the experience. No, actually the opposite is true. At least as far as I''m concerned and Elzbieta isn''t complaining either.


    Actually, she is fast asleep. I''m a little envious. It might be an adventurer thing. She is probably used to sleeping under much worse conditions. Eventually though, I close my eyes and sleep claims me too.


    Once morning comes around I''m woken by Sour Cream licking my nose. I''m not the only one either. Elzbieta receives a similar wake up call only moments later while I''m still busy blinking the world back into focus.


    We take our turns cuddling the cat and she starts to purr up a storm, wholeheartedly approving of this change to her morning routine. Eventually we get up while Sour Cream curls up atop the now vacated bed after stretching one last time. That doesn''t last long though. The moment I pour her some of her namesake treat she is up and about again, at least for a little while.


    It is still early and the sun is not yet up above the horizon. I can already see the sky turning blue in the east though, thus it probably won''t be long.


    I don''t have time to waste anyway. No, if anything I''m more busy today than usual. I prepare the fireplace and two of the potion bottles I enchanted yesterday. At the same time Elzbieta gets ready to work her magic and provide me with some relief.


    Not much later I''m busy filling the potion bottles with the heat treated milk, still blushing like a virgin all the while. Maybe the milk is aptly named after all. I finish just in time too. Just as I seal the last potion bottle I can hear Agnieszka pull up with her oxen cart in front of the house. I gather the enchanted bottles with my milk, six in total, and head out to meet her halfway.


    She looks a little sleepy but greets me with a smile and a wave anyway.


    ¡°Morning, dear. Is this it? Six bottles? Do you have any suggestions regarding the price? I''ll try to make you some decent coin anyway, but it will be easier if I have a rough idea of the price I should ask for.¡±


    I give that some thought before I answer.


    ¡°Two silver Crowns per bottle at the very least. I don''t think epic rarity ingredients should go for any less.¡±


    I stop and bite my lip lightly as another thought strikes me.


    ¡°Actually, make it three or more per bottle. After all the bottles themselves are enchanted too.¡±


    She lets out a whistle as she nods, while I hand the bottles over.


    ¡°I''ll try to hike the price up a little. Either way, this should earn you a small fortune. Do you have any plans for the rest of the milk yet?¡±


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    I snort in amusement. I won''t be the only one earning a little fortune with those. After all she will receive a fair share too.


    ¡°No, no plans yet. I have a recipe for a rather potent stamina and mana regeneration potion for which I can use it. Or maybe I''ll come up with another idea. If not I could ask you to make another trip to the city, right?¡±


    She nods and I accompany her back to the waiting oxen and the cart. As she climbs back up she winks at me.


    ¡°Take care and don''t do anything I wouldn''t do.¡±


    I wave as the cart starts moving again.


    ¡°Take care and see you soon!¡±


    Afterwards I return to the backyard. Elzbieta is already waiting there for me, sitting on the bench with her bath supplies next to her.


    ¡°Got any plans for the day?¡±


    I shrug and hurry to get my own things.


    ¡°I''m not quite sure yet, but I might head down to the temple after taking care of guild business and any adventurers dropping by as they head out.¡±


    She raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°Oh? What for?¡±


    ¡°Well, I have amassed a decent amount of Karma in various Arcana, especially in the Dragon and the Wheel of Fortune Arcana. Maybe now is a good time to spend some of it?¡±


    She nods enthusiastically, as we head to the bathhouse following the dirt path along the creek.


    ¡°Do that! Think of it as an investment into your future if you have trouble justifying an expenditure like that to yourself. All the divine rewards of the world won''t do you any good if you don''t put them to good use!¡±


    We finish our walk in silence after that. I can''t find fault with her logic though. She really isn''t wrong. Hoarding Karma won''t do me any good. Not unless I have concrete plans to acquire a very expensive gift or skill.


    The next little while we spend washing at first washing up and then soaking and relaxing in the warm water. Eventually the arrival of Urszula with her little horde disturbs the quiet though.


    We greet her with a wave and she flashes us a smile in return, as we get out to make room for her and the children. As we dress and get ready to leave she stops me, before we can actually leave.


    ¡°Do you still need some help with that issue of yours? Want me to drop by with little Milena later today?¡±


    Before I can even think about the question, Elzbieta answers in my place.


    ¡°Sure, why don''t you drop by a little after noon?¡±


    In the end I only nod to confirm her suggestion.


    Urszula in turn flashes me a beaming smile.


    ¡°Alright! See you later!¡±


    We are almost back to the shop by the time I speak up again.


    ¡°Are you really sure about that? I mean, Urszula dropping by with little Milena?¡±


    She just waves away any concerns I might have. She winks at me too.


    ¡°Sure I''m sure. I can''t hog you all to myself after all. Anyway, next stop, the inn?¡±


    We stop at my place just long enough to drop off our bath supplies and, in my case, grab some coin. Then we head out again, down to the inn this time around.


    Our stop at the inn is almost as brief. I post the usual quest and Elzbieta grabs it right away once more. The only reason why we spend a little more time there is, that we grab something to eat too. Today''s morning meal is a sweet porridge with candied slices of apples and pears.


    Once we are back at the shop I bring my ledger up to date before I actually open the shop. Elzbieta in turn gets started with the work for her quest.


    The first customers today are Zofia and Czeslaw, Elzbieta''s comrades, who stock up both on healing and mana potions. After talking with my live in adventurer they grab some of my new stamina potions as well. A tidy little sale. Before long they are off again and I take the time to add another entry to the ledger.


    I wait a little longer, but in the end I close the shop again well before noon. If no one else shows up I might as well take care of my temple visit after all.

 Chapter 127 - Adrift in a sea of stars

    I close up the shop, but I don''t head out right away. Instead I stop in the back to address Elzbieta and pet Sour Cream a little, as she sleeps curled up on the bed.


    ¡°I''ll be down at the temple for a bit. Should I come back and pick you up for lunch?¡±


    The cat barely cracks one of her eyes open and just purrs softly. Elzbieta in turn pauses briefly and nods.


    ¡°Or I''ll drop by the temple to get you once you are done. Just in case your consultation with the divine takes a little more time.¡±


    I grin sheepishly. It is unlikely that I''ll take this long, but I can''t exactly rule out the possibility either.


    ¡°Alright. See you later!¡±


    With one last wave I''m off to the village temple. I''m not in a hurry though. Quite the opposite is true. I slow my steps a little and take some time to enjoy the rays of the summer sun. Maybe I should do this more often?


    I reach the temple before I can make up my mind regarding that question though. I''ll have to think about it some more later. Right now I need to focus on a different, much more serious, issue.


    I take off my shoes as I enter the temple and wash at the basin in the anteroom, before I drop a few coins into the offering bowl. As during all my previous visits Wislawa is already waiting for me, as I approach the entrance of the sanctum with its blessed pool.


    She greets me with a pleasant smile.


    ¡°Welcome, Valeria. What can I do for you today?¡±


    I bow in response and flash her a smile as well. Has it really only been the other day that I have been here? Ah, never mind. I need to focus on the present.


    ¡°Wislawa, thank you for your help the other day. Today I would like to ask our divine patrons to grant me a boon or maybe even two. I would very much appreciate their guidance and advice regarding this matter too. Yours too for that matter.¡±


    She motions for me to join her at the side of the divine pool.


    ¡°I''ll gladly help you with any advice I can offer. I take it you amassed some Karma in one or maybe even several Arcana since you would ask for more than one boon?¡±


    I nod, as I get comfortable at her side, gazing up at the elaborate artistic rendition of the night sky above us.


    ¡°I earned quite a few divine rewards recently and have amassed some Karma in several Arcana.¡±


    I pause briefly to organize my thoughts before I continue. The priestess doesn''t interrupt me either, as she seems aware.


    ¡°I most certainly have enough points in the Wheel of Fortune Arcana and the ¡­ uh ¡­ Dragon Arcana. Actually I might have enough Karma in the latter alone to acquire more than one divine. I have been gifted some Karma in the World and the Sword Arcana too. I might be able to acquire a low level divine gift with those as well.¡±


    The priestess chuckles and pats my back.


    ¡°No need to be embarrassed. It certainly seems like you have been busy. Let me think about your options for a moment. I take it that your priorities still lie with your business?¡±


    I only nod at first, but after thinking about it for a moment I feel the urge to amend this particular point.


    ¡°Maybe something that will help regarding the upcoming dance wouldn''t be wrong either.¡±


    The priestess raises an eyebrow but nods without objecting.


    ¡°Very well. The first thing that comes to mind would be to upgrade your Auspicious Aura with the Karma of the Wheel of Fortune Arcana. That is always helpful, both to yourself and others. You could use it to improve your Dexterity in general too. The Karma from the Dragon Arcana can be used to the same effect.¡±


    She taps her chin and thinks for a little while, softly humming to herself in the meantime. Then she speaks up again.


    ¡°Both the Karma of the Wheel of Fortune and the Dragon Arcana can be used to acquire or improve the Persuasion skill too. The Karma of the Sword Arcana on the other hand you could use to improve the acrobatics skill or possibly your courage in general.¡±


    I nod along with her suggestions. There is one point she hasn''t addressed yet though, thus I ask.


    ¡°What about the Karma of the World Arcana?¡±


    She looks a little torn at first, but in the end she shares her opinion anyway.


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    ¡°The World Arcana is the most versatile of them all. In my opinion you shouldn''t spend any Karma you earn for it yet. Keep it, and if possible, earn some more. It might be the best bet to get you out of serious trouble if you ever end up in it well over your head.¡±


    I bite my lip lightly, as I think on this suggestion for a moment. She probably is right. It sounds like I really shouldn''t spend that Karma frivolously. I slap my thigh and take a deep breath as I get ready to get up.


    ¡°Any more insights you would like to share? Or should we get to it?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing else comes to mind. Maybe the divine can provide some more guidance. That is, if you haven''t made up your mind already anyway?¡±


    I shake my head and we get up and ready to enter the pool. The smell of salt hits me as I slip into the barely knee deep water.


    The priestess steps into the water as well. Unlike me she hasn''t taken off her clothes though. She lowers herself into the pool until she is kneeling at the edge.


    I in turn lie down, only to drift on my back in the extremely salty water.


    Wislawa grabs my shoulders and places my head in her lap. Without wasting any time she starts singing the praises of the gods and goddesses.


    I barely hear any of it though as the world blurs around me. One moment my head is resting in the lap of the priestess. The next I''m drifting amidst a sea of stars alone. Alone except for the figure standing over me.


    The figure is my mirror image, except it is radiating a kind and warm calm that is hard to describe in any more detail. It makes my heart feel light and my worries seem to melt away. Apparently I have caught the attention of the Sun Mother. Of course. It is pretty close to noon after all.


    She greets me with a warm and welcoming smile.


    ¡°Welcome once more, Valeria. It has been a while. You would like to ask a boon of us? Or possibly even more than one? Either way, Wislawa already provided you with the guidance you need. It wouldn''t benefit either of us, if I were to repeat any of it. Have you made up your mind?¡±


    I nod and swallow hard.


    ¡°Yes. Yes, I have made up my mind. I would like to improve my Courage and my Dexterity using the Karma from the Sword and the Dragon Arcana respectively.¡±


    My divine guide nods.


    ¡°That isn''t all though, or is it?¡±


    Of course it isn''t. My cheeks redden in embarrassment.


    ¡°Right. I would like to improve my Auspicious Aura gift too. And, if possible, my acrobatics skill as well.¡±


    The avatar of the Sun Mother flashes me a dazzling smile.


    ¡°With your Karma from the Wheel of Fortune and the Dragon Arcana? Very well.¡±


    The divine avatar bends down and kisses me on the forehead.


    Then my eyes snap open and I''m back in the temple with the priestess.


    [The Sun Mother grants your wish! Your acrobatics skill has been upgraded to journeyman level in exchange for 5 points of the Dragon Arcana. This is a passive effect and improves all your performance whenever you perform acrobatic feats. You improved the Auspicious Aura gift in exchange for 6 points of the Wheel of Fortune Arcana! The strength and the range of this Aura have been improved. You can spend more points of the Wheel of Fortune Arcana to upgrade this gift further. Your Courage has been improved in exchange for 4 points of the Sword Arcana. Your Dexterity has been improved in exchange for 4 points of the Dragon Arcana.]


    The divine whisper isn''t really a whisper this time around. No, it is more like a dazzling song with a cheerful melody. It is almost too much.


    I close my eyes and let out a groan.


    Wislawa reaffirms her grip on my shoulders to keep me in place.


    ¡°Take your time. It can be a little overwhelming whenever you ask for several gifts at once. It is one of the reasons why I usually suggest that people drop by more often to ask for individual boons.¡±


    I nod ever so slowly while still adrift in the temple''s blessed pool.


    ¡°I''ll try to keep it in mind for the future.¡±

 Chapter 128 - Not so quick snack

    I take a moment to wash up again at the bathhouse, before I head back home. I stop just outside the door and listen to Elzbieta softly singing, while she works, for a moment, or two, a smile slowly blossoming on my face. It is actually pretty nice to return to a house that is not empty for a change. It is something I could get used to.


    Eventually I head back inside though and she greets me with a grin. I wave in return as I stop just inside the door.


    ¡°Ready to head for lunch?¡±


    Her grin widens a little.


    ¡°I sure am.¡±


    I help her put away the mana mill. I check up on the shop once more out of habit too, making sure that it is closed up properly. At last I put the sign out back to let Urszula, or anyone else who happens to drop by for that matter, know that I''m out for lunch and will be back shortly. Then we head down to the inn together.


    Today''s meal has my mouth watering and my stomach rumbling before we reach the inn. The smells wafting on the slight breeze are just that captivating. I''m not sure what the meal will encompass in detail, but some kind of roast has to be part of it. The tempting smell leaves no doubt in that regard.


    I pull Elzbieta a little closer as we squeeze through the inn''s front door. She doesn''t offer any protest. Quite the opposite is true in fact.


    It''s a good thing that we are a little early. If a roast is to be had I''m pretty sure the place will be packed later on. I doubt anyone will risk missing out on that.


    Maryla greets us from the counter, where she is filling mugs for some of the other guests already here.


    ¡°Welcome, you two! Meals for two and some beer to go with it? We have wild pig today. Maybe some desserts as well?¡±


    I nod with enthusiasm, and so does Elzbieta at my side.


    We pay and get seats for ourselves. And we don''t have to wait long afterwards.


    Maryla delivers the mugs she has been busy with, then she takes care of our order without any further delay.


    Before long we have our meals. Thin slices of steaming, roasted pig that smell outright divine. There are plenty of various steamed vegetables too. What really catches my attention though are the potatoes. They are sliced, diced and deep fried. A sprinkling of fine salt and some other spice tops them. They are almost as mouth watering as the roast itself.


    And of course Elzbieta''s helping seems a little bigger than those of anyone else once more. Curiously enough though, my potatoes seem to come with more of the finely ground spice.


    I bow my head before Maryla can leave again.


    ¡°Thank you for the meal!¡±


    She winks at me.


    ¡°Be careful with those fried potatoes, dear. They are quite hot.¡±


    A moment later I realize what she means with those words. Of course they are hot. They are deep fried after all. That isn''t all though. No, they are spicy too. More than just a little.


    I can feel my cheeks and ears heat up as my mouth burns. Not so much as to make it painful, but still enough to be quite noticeable.


    ¡°Oh! Oh my!¡±


    A moment later, Krystina comes to my rescue, as she drops off our mugs of beer. She just winks at me, very much like her mother. Then she is off again, to leave us to enjoy our meals.


    And that is exactly what we do, Elzbieta and I both.


    It takes us a while, but eventually we both sit there in front of empty bowls. I let out a content sigh.


    A moment later Elzbieta matches me, after drinking the last of her beer. Then she speaks up.


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    ¡°You know that we aren''t quite done yet.¡±


    I blink in surprise. It takes me a moment to get the meaning of her words.


    ¡°Dessert?¡±


    ¡°Yes, dessert.¡±


    I let out a little groan, before I speak up again, just as Maryla arrives with two small cups. Most curious.


    ¡°It might be a little too much right now. Can we take these home? I''ll drop the empty dishes off with you later?¡±


    She nods and puts the cups down in between us before she grabs our empty dishes.


    ¡°Sure. Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Thanks! See you later!¡±


    We don''t dawdle, grab our desserts, puddings as I realize now, and are off. They need the seats after all since the inn is filling up nicely by now.


    We are not in a hurry on our way back, yet we arrive just in time. As we reach the shop, Urszula is just coming down the road, carrying her youngest. I greet her with a friendly wave, as we wait for her at the roadside.


    ¡°Welcome you two. We only have pudding for two, but I was planning on making some coffee to go with it. Do you want a cup as well? That is, unless you are in a hurry?¡±


    She tilts her head slightly, pondering my question. Finally she nods.


    ¡°I have a little time. The rest of my rascals are having some story time with their grandfather right now. By the way, he should drop by a little later with your shoes.¡±


    Together we head around to the back. First I get the mana spiked coffee brewing. Then Urszula helps me set Milena up for her meal. The little one doesn''t need any additional prompting and starts to suckle with great vigor, as I hold her gently, while I sit out back together with her mother and Elzbieta, eating pudding.


    Well, Elzbieta is eating her pudding, while Urszula feeds me, one spoon after the other, since I''m focused on her nursing daughter.


    The experience is a little different compared to last time, but not in a bad way. Or maybe I''m just getting used to it? I''m not sure, but I sure won''t complain.


    By the time I''m done with the pudding the little one is done as well. Or at least that is what I assume at first. It turns out I''m wrong.


    Urszula chuckles, and after a moment Elzbieta joins in too, as Milena starts starts to try and get at my other breast.


    ¡°It seems she likes you. We might have to drop by more often.¡±


    I shake my head in disbelief, but in the end I accommodate the little girl and before long she is quietly drinking again.


    ¡°Well, I don''t mind. Could you get the coffee though? It can get bitter if we let it brew for too long. Just add a little sugar to the cups, yes?¡±


    The young mother gets up and does as I asked. After a moment she returns with the cups and we fall silent again, as we sip slowly, enjoying the hot drink.


    Eventually Urszula and Milena leave again, once the little one is satisfied. I see them off after straightening out my clothes.


    ¡°Tomorrow around noon again? Like today? That is, if Milena has an appetite.¡±


    Urszula nods.


    ¡°I''ll stop by, or I''ll send Luisza to let you know if we can''t make it.¡±


    As I return to the back Elzbieta is just about to get ready to resume her work with the mana mill. She flashes me a wide smile.


    ¡°Looking forward to it?¡±


    I blink in confusion for a moment. What does she mean? Milena''s next visit? Having children myself? Can I be blamed for coming to conclusion like these?


    ¡°Uh ¡­ maybe? I''m not in too much of a hurry though.¡±


    Elzbieta stops her preparations, tilts her head and blinks at me in faux confusion and grinning a grin that very much doesn''t strike me as very innocent.


    ¡°Whatever do you mean? I was talking about your dancing shoes, you know?¡±

 Chapter 129 - Dancing shoes

    I spend the next little while glaring, well at least a little, and blushing hard. In the end I don''t really mind though. I set myself up for that little trap anyway. And a little teasing is fun anyway.


    Besides I have preparations to make. I want to be ready when Urszula''s father Krysztof drops by with my new dancing shoes. Yes, I want to get started on the enchantment right away, so I''ll be done well before nightfall.


    Working late isn''t really a problem, as far as I''m concerned. I have done so quite often as of late to be honest. I''m not on my own right now though and I don''t want to keep Elzbieta from getting the sleep she needs.


    Humming along quietly, as Elzbieta sings while working the mana mill, I spread out everything I''ll need on the workbench next to the enchanting table. My notebook with the prepared enchantments. The best chalks I have available right now. The design board with the necessary calculations.


    I check everything and when I''m done I do so again. I even take a moment to thoroughly clean the enchanting table before drawing the circles and other supporting lines for the first enchantment with coal. I''m really just about ready to get started. Yet, I have to wait.


    Elzbieta stops singing to laugh out loud instead, as she notices me pacing from the workbench in the backroom to the counter in the shop out front and then back. She winks at me and blows me a little kiss.


    ¡°Want me to take your mind off it?¡±


    She doesn''t say it out loud, but the suggestion is there and impossible to miss, for me at least. My blush deepens in response.


    A chuckle and a knock from the direction of the door interrupt me, before I can form a response. It is, of course, Urszula''s father. He holds up the sandals in question as he addresses me.


    ¡°I''m sorry to interrupt you lovebirds, but I have the shoes you ordered.¡±


    They may only be sandals, but they are anything but ordinary. Even just at a glance they look comfortable. They look well made and expensive too. Truly, they are one of a kind even without any enchantments.


    Elzbieta seems to share my sentiment, as she lets out a whistle. She follows up with a chuckle of her own.


    ¡°Damn Valeria, just seeing those I wish I could go to the dance with you.¡±


    The old man replies with a laugh.


    ¡°Don''t worry. I dare to guarantee that these won''t go bad or break anytime soon. I''m sure our young alchemist and enchanter will be able to take you to a dance soon enough. For midwinter maybe? Or possibly for the harvest fair?¡±


    My blush doesn''t get any better, as the two talk about these things without a care. In the end I can''t help but smile though. I really don''t dislike the idea after all. No, to be honest, the opposite is true.


    ¡°Should I try them on?¡±


    The old man nods and gestures towards one of my stools.


    ¡°Yes. I have little doubt that they''ll fit, but lets make sure anyway. Why don''t you sit down and I''ll help you. Pay attention and look closely. The long straps can be a little tricky at first.¡±


    I do as he says and sit down on one the indicated stool, after moving it in position to make sure he has enough room. As I sit down I slip out of my old sandals too.


    I certainly can see why some people might have trouble with the long straps. At a cursory glance they could be mistaken for a tangle of leather strings that makes no sense.


    Nothing could be further from the truth though. Krysztof quickly demonstrates how to put on the sandals and more importantly how to tie the straps so they don''t actually become a tangled mess. When he is finished they reach almost all the way up to my knees and I have to say, the sandals not only feel marvelous, they look marvelous too!


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    The old man smiles as he gets back up, satisfaction clearly visible on his face.


    ¡°Why don''t you give them a twirl?¡±


    He pauses and looks around the rather cramped workshop, before he continues.


    ¡°Out back maybe?¡±


    I in turn am keenly aware not only of the comfortable leather, but also of the lack of the enchantment which I put on my old sandals. I agree with the old man anyway and get up as well. I don''t head out to the backyard right away though. Instead I head over to Elzbieta. I extend a hand to help her up.


    ¡°How about it? Want to give my new shoes a little twirl?¡±


    Now it is Elzbieta''s turn to blush. Of course her blush never reaches the level of my own. It looks cute anyway. And without much hesitation she puts away the mana mill to accept my hand instead, so I can help her up.


    Together we head out into the garden behind the house, where Urszula''s father is already waiting for us. I don''t waste any time and quickly change my pace to slip into one of the dances I have learned without missing a step.


    It''s nothing fancy. Elzbieta is in no shape to participate in some of the more exciting and acrobatic dances I have practiced with the trio of Rafal, Feliks and Lotar after all. She greatly enjoys the moment anyway and so do I.


    And these new shoes really are a joy to wear. My old ones were well worn in, but these ones fit just as well right from the start. It seems like a little miracle to me.


    The old man certainly seems pleased as well, as he watches us move, from his spot on the bench next to the door.


    As neither he nor Elzbieta stops me I carry on for a little longer until I eventually end up with my arms wrapped around her, well mostly at least, from the back. I lean in close to whisper in her ear.


    ¡°I like the new shoes. How do you feel about them?¡±


    A shiver runs through her body as my breath brushes past her ears.


    ¡°I''m not sure if it''s the shoes, but maybe we can do this again some time? We probably should get back to work though, right?¡±


    Both I and the old man laugh out loud and I let the pregnant adventurer go, although I''m reluctant to do so. She is right though. We need to get back to work. There is another little matter I need to take care off too.


    ¡°I''ll be right back.¡±


    I don''t wait for a reply and head inside to make my way directly to the strong chest below the counter. Humming a happy little tune I get the coin I''ll need. Then, after locking the chest again I head back outside, where Elzbieta has joined Urszula''s father on the bench.


    I drop the coins in the old man''s hand without any further delay. He in turn lets them disappear in his purse with a nod. Then we shake hands one more time to finalize our business.


    ¡°Thank you for your patronage, Valeria, dear. Just drop by our place should you need anything else.¡±


    ¡°I''ll keep it in mind. Thank you for making those on such short notice.¡±


    He flashes me one last smile as he gets up again.


    ¡°Now, if you''ll excuse me, I need to get back home. Have a nice day, you two.¡±


    As I answer I do so in unison with Elzbieta.


    ¡°Have a nice day.¡±


    I sit down next to the pregnant woman instead, while Urszula''s father disappears around the corner to head back home.


    ¡°Want to get some new shoes for yourself too?¡±


    She tilts her head and thinks about it for a little.


    ¡°Maybe? Some fancy new thigh high boots? Not right now though. Perhaps once I''m back in shape?¡±


    We both chuckle for a moment. Then I help her up. We still have work to do after all. The mana mill awaits and so does the enchanting table.

 Chapter 130 - Better with sparkles

    As it turns out, we are both quite busy for the rest of the day. I a little more so than my live in adventurer. I don''t want to take any chances with the enchantments for my new shoes after all. The first enchantment, the one to enhance my agility is easy enough. The second one, the one enhancing my willpower, isn''t too hard either. But in combination they are mentally draining.


    I decide to take a little break after that one and head down to the inn together with Elzbieta, after stamping her quest papers. She wants to turn those in, and I decide to get a little something to eat and maybe something to drink too while I''m at it.


    I certainly can do with a little distraction right about now. I just have to be careful not to overdo it. In the end I get a slice of slightly toasted bread and some fried vegetables, the same we had for lunch, and a mug of light beer for both of us. That should do for dinner.


    As we eat Rafal starts to tune his instrument and we end up staying a little longer after all, getting a second mug of beer each. It is a rather pleasant evening. It is pleasant with one exception. The building pressure in my chest.


    Thankfully I don''t even have to say anything. It seems Elzbieta is well aware of my distress. As we finish our second mug she gets up and pulls me along with surprising strength. She really is still full of surprises.


    I don''t put up any resistance either though. Why would I anyway? Thus I''m processing some more virgin milk once again a little later. I''m not quite sure what I''ll use it for, but I certainly won''t let it go to waste.


    Maybe I''ll make some of my special coffee tomorrow morning to get us going? That sounds reasonable enough. There certainly would be worse uses for it. Still the thought has me blushing a little. Or is that due to the way Elzbieta kept eyeing me while relieving my swollen breasts? I can''t really rule that out. I don''t want to dwell on it right now either though.


    Once I''m done I put away the potion bottles with the preserved milk and take a moment to clean everything I used in the process. Then it is time to return my attention to my fancy new footwear.


    Before I shift towards the next enchantment I take a moment to study the sandals in greater detail, activating my appraisal skill in the process.


    [Masterwork sure step sandals, Quality: Epic, These masterwork sandals made from the finest leather have been enchanted to enhance the wearer''s agility and willpower under all circumstances. The wearer''s movements will be more decisive and sure as a result. Curiously enough, the effect is not limited to the wearer''s steps, despite the name. These make the wearer move more agile, lithe as well as decisive and sure overall.]


    I blink in surprise. That isn''t quite the same information I remember from my old sandals. It seems these ones might just turn out even better, if I don''t mess up. I swallow hard. No pressure. No pressure at all.


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    Next up is the enchantment for endurance. I take great care, as I make my preparations.


    Before I can actually get started though, Elzbieta slides up next to me. She puts an arm around my waist and slides up close.


    ¡°Are you sure about this? Do you really want to do this tonight? You could wait until tomorrow, you know. Right?¡±


    I chuckle weakly. Instead of answering right away I slide an arm around her waist in turn. I hold her close and just enjoy the moment before I let her go again.


    ¡°I could. I doubt I would get much sleep though. I''d probably twist and turn restlessly all night instead.¡±


    She doesn''t argue. Instead she gets on her tip toes to place a light kiss on my cheek only to wink at me right after, as she steps back.


    ¡°For good luck.¡±


    That puts a smile on my face. A smile as genuine as it can be.


    While she feeds Sour Cream and gets ready for bed I light two more candles so I''ll have better lighting. Afterwards I check all my preparations once more. Everything seems to be in order.


    Surprisingly enough I''m not quite as nervous as I expected I''d be. Most curious. Is it due to experience? Or is my improved Auspicious Aura to blame? Well, either way it doesn''t really matter. All that matters is, that I''m not getting any last moment jitters.


    After taking one last deep breath, I grab my chalk and get started. Faster than ever before, but no less careful, I place faintly glowing rune after rune until the circle is done.


    There is no wobbling this time, no uncertainty. The runes get sucked into the sandals and the enchantment takes without a hitch. Even with my enhanced willpower it takes all the resolve I can muster to not jump and shout gleefully. My hands shake ever so slightly, as I reach out to grab the sandals and inspect them thoroughly using my appraisal skill.


    [Masterwork Summer night''s sandals, Quality: Mythic, An enchanted pair of sandals, fashioned from the finest leather, that grant the wearer''s every movement a truly unreal dreamlike grace. Agility, Willpower and Endurance all are increased considerably while wearing these sandals, much more so than one might initially expect. When worn in combination with A Summer night''s dress or other matching items additional effects might be achieved.]


    Eyes wide I place the sandals back down. I start to shake ever so slightly as I walk over to the bed almost as if in a daze. I just barely manage to sit down before the next divine whisper reaches my ears.


    [Extraordinary Success! Great job creating your first mythic piece! Keep at it! For you not even the stars in sky have to be the limit! The Moon Father is your witness and gifts you 8 point for the World Arcana as a reward.]


    Thankfully my weird behavior already prepared Elzbieta for what follows now. She must have been close to falling asleep already, but as tip over now she manages to grab me, so I land in bed with her instead of on the floor next to it. She is saying something, but I can''t quite make out her words, as consciousness finally flees me.


    I''m beyond caring right now though. I achieved something most mortals can never hope to achieve. And even better, someone I deeply care for is holding me close right now. It hardly can get any better. Thus I let go for now and let the dreams claim me. Dreams of dancing among the stars. Weird dreams, but also pleasant ones.

 Chapter 131 - Midnight snack

    I''m not out for very long this time around and I almost regret it when I come back around. The dreams are already fading from my memory, but I have a feeling that at least some of them must have been quite fun. Why wouldn''t they be, after an achievement like that. Most people never even dream of fashioning something of a mythical quality level. To be honest, the thought is still making my head spin. But going into denial is no use.


    As I finally crack my eyes open, Elzbieta is sitting, or rather kneeling, at my side in her nightdress. We are still on my bed and there is no one else around. I''m still wearing my work clothes too. Too bad. I wouldn''t have minded staying right here. I''ll have to get up to get changed though. In a bit at least. I''m not in a hurry after all.


    Of course Elzbieta doesn''t miss that I''m awake again. She runs a hand through my hair.


    ¡°Oh, good. You didn''t stay out of it too long this time around. I was getting a little worried though. You know I would have had to go down to the village to get help, either at the temple or at the inn. In my night dress.¡±


    I nod along with her words and eventually open my eyes again, as I sit up slowly.


    ¡°Sorry about that. It''s just that sometimes I scare myself.¡±


    ¡°Uhu.¡±


    She doesn''t exactly sound impressed with my apology. I place a hand against her belly and a light kiss on her cheek and that seems to mollify her. Well, it does for the better part. Still she reprimands me.


    ¡°Don''t scare me like that, silly.¡±


    I nod, sigh and get up to get changed for the night. I take a moment to extinguish the candles, which are still burning, too. Darkness engulfs us, except for the starlight coming in through the open window by the bed.


    ¡°I''ll try. No promises though. Sometimes I simply scare myself.¡±


    She snorts in amusement and gets a little more comfortable, without ever taking her eyes off me.


    ¡°That bad? Or that good?¡±


    I finish changing first, before I answer. And I slide up close to her in bed to whisper in her ear too, for good measure.


    ¡°Good might not be a strong enough word in this case.¡±


    She raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°But you aren''t trying them on right away?¡±


    An icy shiver runs down my spine and I''m quick to shake my head. I don''t even get to actually say anything. Instead Elzbieta keeps going.


    ¡°Good, good. You are learning.¡±


    I sigh and lean against her shoulder, just as she leans against mine.


    ¡°I try. I''ll ask Wislawa first, to have a look tomorrow morning.¡±


    She nods and continues our conversation, as one of her hands starts wandering.


    ¡°Best not to talk too much about these sandals, if they really turn out as good as you think they did. I''m pretty sure no one around here would do anything stupid, but if the news gets out, even if just as a rumor, someone else might.¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    I grimace in the dark. She isn''t wrong though. There sure are people out there, less than scrupulous ones, that would see my sandals as nothing more than a way to secure their retirement. I probably could sell them for a hefty sum. Except I really don''t want to.


    No, I want to collect the whole set first, if it is in any way possible. It is too bad that I don''t even know which parts I''m still missing.


    ¡°You wouldn''t happen to know of any other gear that would match my summer night''s sandals and the dress I inherited from grandma? The description provided by appraisal suggests that there have to be more.¡±


    She tilts her head. Even in the semi darkness I can see the gesture.


    ¡°Sure! Don''t tell me you don''t?¡±


    I feel silly now. The way she said that makes it sound like the answer is rather obvious. Except, try as I might, I can''t even begin to guess what she is hinting at.


    After a moment she shows mercy and begins to elaborate.


    ¡°You really haven''t been to any of these dances before, have you? Well, alright, young, unmarried women usually wear something called a summer night''s crown to the midsummer festival. That does sound like a match, doesn''t it? It is a wreath of fresh flowers, usually made for just this occasion, although I have heard of ones that are enchanted to last.¡±


    That does indeed sound like a good match for my query.


    ¡°I think I even know an enchantment like that. Well, it is mostly the right enchantment anyway. The version we learned at the academy is optimized for bouquets instead. Adapting for a wreath shouldn''t be too hard though.¡±


    As I keep talking Elzbieta starts kissing my shoulders only to take a break as I finish.


    ¡°Want to go out together tomorrow and collect some flowers?¡±


    I have to admit that the suggestion sounds tempting. There is a slight problem though.


    ¡°I certainly wouldn''t mind, but I don''t really know how to make a wreath like that. I wouldn''t even know how to get started. Would I use fresh flowers or do I have to dry them first? And how does it stay in shape?¡±


    Elzbieta laughs out loud and slips the nightdress off my shoulders.


    ¡°Don''t worry. I''ll help you. And it really isn''t all that complicated. You start with a wooden hoop wrapped in cloth. It has to be comfortable after all. Then you need plenty of flowers, thin wire and some time.¡±


    I blush deep red, all the way to the tips of my ears as she explains. Not because of the explanation though. No, the blush is due to her wandering hands. The hands she slips under my engorged breasts only to lift them in contemplation. She sounds a little puzzled as she speaks up at last.


    ¡°Are ¡­ are those still getting bigger?¡±


    I would blush even more, if I could. I can''t though. I already feel like I''m burning up.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ maybe? They do fill surprisingly full again already.¡±


    Fresh enthusiasm replaces the puzzlement in her voice.


    ¡°Alright! I kind of feel like having a little midnight snack anyway!¡±


    ¡°You ¡­ what?¡±


    That is as far as I get, before she clambers around me, to get better access. And before I can formulate a proper response she is already suckling on my breasts with great vigor and no less skill, switching in between them regularly.


    It is almost enough to make my eyes roll back into my head.


    ¡°Oh, gods and goddesses!¡±


    Eventually the flow of milk ebbs off. Not before I reach the highest highs of pleasure though. In the end I''m left panting as the pregnant woman snuggles up to, satiated and satisfied. She pulls me as close as her well rounded belly allows.


    ¡°Valeria? I don''t think I ever want to this to end.¡±


    ¡°What? Us sharing a bed? Or you nursing at my bosoms?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 132 - A basket of flowers

    I wake up early next morning. And yet, I''m barely in time to make a little room on the bed for Sour Cream who returns from her nightly prowl just then. I''m a little reluctant to get up at first. Snuggling up to Elzbieta a little longer would be nice. In the end I slip out of bed though, after scritching my feline companion behind the ears and placing a brief kiss on Elzbieta''s cheek.


    I''d love to sleep in a little, but I really can''t afford to. I decided to start the day with a quick trip down to the temple. I really need to ask Wislawa to have a look at my new sandals and I don''t really want to wait any longer than necessary. Afterwards I can have breakfast with Elzbieta before we head out to gather the flowers for the wreath she mentioned yesterday.


    Hopefully Wislawa is in already. She always has been so far, whenever I visit the temple, but I might just be pushing my luck this time around. I give it a try anyway. At worst I might have to wait a little. Thus I''m off to the temple, wearing my old shoes, while bringing along the new and newly enchanted ones, wrapped in a piece of cloth.


    Thankfully my worries are quickly proven unfounded, as the priestess welcomes me after I finish washing in the anteroom, just as I drop a few coins in the offering bowl. She sounds amused.


    Welcome Valeria. You are back early. In every sense of the word.¡±


    My heart beats a little faster and I blush slightly as I nod.


    I am, ain''t I?¡±


    She lets out a chuckle, as she eyes me and the cloth wrapped bundle I hug close.


    Yes, you certainly are. What brings you to me this time?¡±


    As she extends me a hand to guide me inside, I unwrap the bundle I brought, revealing the sandals in the process.


    I would like to ask you to have a look at those. I just finished enchanting them last night. And well ¡­ after my recent experience I thought it better to ask for a second opinion first before putting them on.¡±


    She takes the sandals and sits down with them by the divine pool.


    Very well. This shouldn''t take long.¡±


    She focuses on the sandals and sings a short little prayer, calling upon both the Dawn Maiden and the Sun Mother.


    Dawn Maiden, guide my thoughts! Sun Mother, enlighten me!¡±


    I''m starting to get a little fidgety as she stays focused on the sandals for quite a while. Finally she lets out an appreciative whistle.


    Well, well, well, aren''t you full of surprises! Those are something else! They probably will go well with your grandmother''s special dress, if I''m not mistaken.¡±


    Of course she would know about the dress. Maybe grandma even brought it to get a second opinion on it from the priestess, just like I did with the sandals.


    I blush a little and nod in confirmation, as she looks my way.


    She flashes me a bright smile in return.


    No curse on these. They should be safe to wear. You might want to try them one before the dance though. Especially if you intend to wear them together with the rest of the set. You might need to get used to the effect. These might turn out to be a little more potent than anything else you have experienced so far.¡±


    I help her up and accept the sandals back. Once I''m done wrapping them back up and before I can turn to leave, she pulls me into a surprise hug.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The best of luck to you! I''m looking forward to the midsummer night''s dance this year.¡±


    I blush once again and uncertainty tinges my voice as I reply.


    Thanks?¡±


    The priestess just laughs and pats me on the shoulder, as she sees me back out.


    This is one issue taken care of. It feels like a big weight off my heart. As a result there is a little extra spring to my steps, as I return back home to get Elzbieta.


    She already is awake, but still in bed, petting Sour Cream who has curled up alongside her.


    I flash her a beaming smile.


    Rise and shine! Time to hit the bath and get something to eat right after!¡±


    Curiously enough the mention of food gets a rise out not only of her but the cat as well. I roll my eyes as Sour Cream is quick to jump out of bed, while Elzbieta takes a little while to untangle herself from the sheets.


    The cat circles around my legs once, rubbing up against me and meowing softly, only to beeline right towards her bowl afterwards.


    I don''t need any further prompting. Her demands are easy enough to understand after all. I fill her bowl with her namesake treat and she tears into it right away, purring up a storm all the while. How she does that without choking is beyond me. It has to be a cat thing.


    In the meantime Elzbieta gets ready to head out. I grab my bath supplies and a change of clothes as well. Then we are off. First to the bath and after washing and soaking for a little while to the inn to grab a bite to eat.


    Today''s morning meal is apple pie of all things. I don''t even want to think about how long Maryla and Patryk, and possibly Krystina too, must already be up and about to have fresh apple pies for everyone ready this early in the morning. I really appreciate their effort though. The pie is just the right mix of sweet and sour, fluffy and crunchy. I decide to get two more to go, so we can have them later while we are out collecting flowers.


    Before we leave I head over to Krystina at the guild counter with Elzbieta in tow. She greets us with a cheerful wave.


    The usual?¡±


    I return the wave and flash her a smile.


    No, not today!¡±


    That leaves both her and Elzbieta stumped for a moment, although the latter should really be able to guess that the usual mana mill quest won''t do today, since we''ll both be out of the shop.


    I quickly elaborate.


    I''d rather place a request for a special item today. A Summer night''s crown. If that is alright with you?¡±


    Krystina blinks in surprise at first, but nods in the end.


    Sure.¡±


    She consults her big guidebook for a moment while filling a quest form.


    That will be ten bronze crowns for the reward and four for the guild''s fees. Is that alright with you?¡±


    I nod, count the coins onto the counter and sign the quest paper while she enters our transaction into her ledger.


    Elzbieta, who of course has caught on by now, follows her over to the quest board to snatch the quest the moment our local guild official puts it up.


    With that taken care off we return to the shop once more, since we still have to get ready for our little trip.


    On one hand we have to get some baskets for the flowers we intend to collect and the pies we bring along. On the other hand there is still my other issue that needs to be taken care of.


    I don''t have time to properly preserve the milk right away though this time around. It shouldn''t be too much of an issue though. If I take care of it around noon, or maybe a little later, everything should still turn out fine. Thus I leave the bowl with milk on the counter, with another turned upside down on top of it to keep flies and the likes away.


    Once that is taken care of, we head out. I let Elzbieta lead the way this time around, since she knows the surrounding area better than I do.


    Together we follow the creek upstream for a little while. We even begin gathering flowers along its bank. I''m not quite sure if there is a system to it, or if we gather a little of everything, as long as it is in full bloom and likely to look good in a wreath. I guess I''ll find out soon enough.

 Chapter 133 - A wreath of flowers and greens

    We cover a surprising distance in our quest for flowers, although I''m still not quite sure what qualifies a plant to become part of the wreath. Even more so, as some of the things we collect are not flowers at all or at least not blossoming right now. I decide to simply follow Elzbieta''s instructions whenever she tells me to gather a little more of any specific plant.


    Among the flowers it isn''t just the blossoms either. The smell seems to matter too. Very peculiar. I don''t complain though, despite being left in the dark in that regard. I might still figure it out yet, as long as I keep my eyes and my mind open after all.


    Eventually we stop, after a little excursion along the forest edges that led us away from the creek, to have lunch. Elzbieta guides us to the right spot to have our meal with uncanny accuracy. She must know it from her own prowls as a hunter.


    Three trees, spruce with wide arching branches lean against each other in this spot, providing decent shelter against wind and weather, should it be needed. A few sizable, flat stones from the creek have been placed as seating around a small fireplace that has obviously seen plenty of use in the past.


    Elzbieta flashes me a grin.


    ¡°One of my haunts, when I''m out on the hunt. Well, when I used to be out on the hunt anyway.¡±


    I nod and set my basket down, before dropping on one of the seats too. I take a moment to properly stretch my legs. Then I lean back against the trunk of one of the trees.


    ¡°It certainly is nice. So, lunch?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°Lunch and a little break. My legs are killing me. Oh, and by the way, I''ll need a little help afterwards.¡±


    One of my eyebrows rises a little while I unwrap the first of the pies we brought. I proceed to divide it in handy slices too, while I wait for her to elaborate. I have to wait though, as she focuses her attention on the slice of apple pie I hand her first and foremost. It''s a good thing that I have a slice of pie to occupy myself with too. It isn''t warm anymore, unlike in the morning, but it still is incredibly tasty. Oh, what a treat!


    The little nap right after isn''t bad either. It is warm and sunny. Enough so that I''m thankful for the shade provided by the trees. And Elzbieta snuggling up to me doesn''t hurt either. Altogether it really makes for a nice lunch break.


    Eventually we have to get back up though. I decide to take this opportunity to actually voice my earlier question now.


    ¡°What did you mean? What do I need to help you with?¡±


    The pregnant archer stretches and stifles a yawn before she answers at last.


    ¡°Did you see the willows we passed earlier on our way here? I''ll need a branch as a base for the wreath. As a matter of fact we better get a few just in case.¡±


    I nod. I noticed them indeed. They looked like their flexible twigs get harvested pretty regularly, probably to be woven into baskets like the ones we brought. And the suitable branches, both long and flexible, grow pretty high up.


    ¡°I''ll have to do a little climbing, won''t I?¡±


    She scratches the back of her neck in embarrassment and blushes a little.


    ¡°I''d do it myself, but I''m really in no shape to climb any trees. Especially not ones like those willows. Not sturdy enough. Not enough hand and footholds.¡±


    Now it is my turn to nod. I really can''t imagine her climbing any trees right now. For that matter I''ll probably have more than enough trouble with those willows.


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    ¡°Alright. Some branches from those willows? Is there anything else we still need? Or should we head back?¡±


    Elzbieta takes a moment to sift through the contents of her basket, before she answers at last.


    ¡°Just the branches. We should be good with the rest, I think. We can still grab a few things here and there as we head back, just in case.¡±


    Thus we begin the return trip. Elzbieta is still picking up some flowers as we walk and only stops once we reach the willows along the creek''s bank.


    My brows furrow a little as I eye them up once more, this time with the plan to climb them in mind. Finally I turn to face my companion.


    ¡°Promise not to laugh if I fall and land in the water.¡±


    She frowns and shakes her head.


    ¡°No, if you land in the water I''ll scream. It''s not terribly deep here and there are entirely too many rocks down there. If you fall, try to land on the river bank. All the reeds growing there will break your fall and the ground is much softer too. It''s better to ruin your clothes than to crack your skull.¡±


    My eyebrow twitches a little, but I can''t really argue with the logic. In the end I sigh and nod once more.


    ¡°I''ll keep it in mind. Alright, how long and thick should the branches be? How many should I get?¡±


    She looks at me for a moment. Then she grabs her utility knife and cuts one of the thinner, lower branches. I''m a little confused as to why at first, until she uses it to measure my head, bending it into the shape of a circlet in the process. Finally she seems satisfied. Adding a little extra she cuts the branch to length.


    ¡°About this long at least. And they should be about as thick as a thumb. Get four at least. No, make it a dozen. I doubt I''ll need that many, but it''s better to have some spares. And there is always a use for those anyway. Maybe you can use the ones I don''t need for your garden? You could fashion them into a trellis of some sort. Yes?¡±


    I nod and borrow her knife and the measuring stick she fashioned too. Then I climb the first of the willows. I cut a few branches of appropriate length and girth, then I jump back down and climb the next tree. I repeat this several times until I have a dozen or so branches.


    I cut some thinner ones too and use them to bundle up the rest. Then I return the knife and we resume our trek back home.


    Once we reach my place Elzbieta gets to work right away. She sorts the flowers and other assorted plants. Then she peels the bark off some of the willow branches before bending and tying them into shape. She ends up with several hoops of slightly different size. At this point I get to try them on and she picks the one she deems to fit best. This one gets wrapped in cloth afterwards. That way it will be much more comfortable and it will be easier to tie and pin the plants in place too.


    At this point I leave her to her work to prepare another little snack for us. The last apple pie. I intend to brew us some coffee to go with it too. Except, I stop dead in my tracks when I reach my workbench.


    A veritable mess awaits me there, where I left the bowl with milk before we left. The second bowl I put on top is on the ground and the other one tipped over. A still slightly wet paw print leaves little doubt about the nature of the culprit. I look over at Sour Cream, who is still, or rather once more, on the bed.


    She watches me through half lidded eyes and meows innocently.


    I just shake my head and tap her nose lightly before patting her head.


    ¡°You silly cat.¡±


    Thankfully it''s not too much of a mess. I need to do some cleaning before I can get started on the coffee anyway. I do it while the water for the coffee heats up in the fireplace. The I prepare two mugs of the black, sweet and mana enriched beverage. One for each of us. I slice the last pie too, for easier eating.


    Elzbieta eyes it as I hand her hers.


    ¡°No milk today?¡±


    She sounds a little disappointed, but accepts the mug and her slice of pie anyway.


    I just shrug.


    ¡°Seems like a cat burglar got to it while we were out.¡±


    She looks towards the window.


    ¡°You think ¡­¡±


    I shrug once more and eye up the half finished wreath which seems to come along nicely.


    ¡°Maybe? Could have been any cat though. At least any Sour Cream gets along with. Never mind though. It really isn''t an issue. Anyway, enjoy!¡±

 Chapter 134 - Putting it all together

    We take our sweet time to enjoy or coffee and the last of the apple pie. Why wouldn''t we? Some things, like good meals, even more so in good company, shouldn''t be rushed. The coffee, even without the milk, certainly reinvigorates us both.


    Afterwards Elzbieta resumes work on the wreath, happily humming all the time. I in turn wash the dishes and as I do so, I catch myself humming along with Elzbieta. Given the cheerful mood her happy little tune is simply irresistible.


    Eventually I have to disturb her though, as my aching, swollen breast remind me of the other issue that needs to be taken care of. I simply can''t ignore the matter any longer.


    Thankfully the impish archer is not up to any mischief this time around. Thus the issue is quickly resolved. I process the milk right away this time around too, as I don''t want to risk any more accidents. The adorable, silly feline better not get used to this kind of treat.


    I''m busy enchanting a few more potion bottles to serve as cold storage and once that is done I need to heat treat the milk too, to properly preserve it. Still I end up scratching my head. What am I going to do with those?


    The best option would be to sell them as they are in the city. Except I''m not quite sure when Agnieszka will make her next trip to Barter Town. I might have to ask Krystina. I''m sure the guild offers some kind of service that is applicable. It probably will be pricey though. Ah well, as long as I end up making more than I spend it should be alright.


    I''ll ask her in the evening, when Elzbieta heads down to the inn to hand in her quest. I might as well discuss advertising my enchanting services with the guild too, while I''m at it.


    First I still have some time to pass though. It is a good thing that I already have a new project lined up. Well, after a fashion anyway. I want to enchant the wreath Elzbieta is making right now and I want to put at least two enchantments on it while I''m at it.


    The first one to preserve the wreath. I''ll still have to treat it properly, but if I do it should take on a look of nicely dried and preserved flowers instead of completely wilting and falling apart.


    I can''t help but grin as I take a deep breath while jotting down some notes in my notebook. It''ll be like a constant reminder of my new home. I like that thought. I like it very much in fact.


    I''m not quite sure about the second enchantment right now. I could of course use a generic enchantment to enhance my abilities. Except which one should I go for? Another one to improve my agility? No, that somehow wouldn''t really fit with a wreath of flowers. Willpower would be a better match. Except, I doubt I''ll need it. No, maybe I should boost my charisma instead?


    Yes, that sounds better. I jot down some more notes and start to do a preliminary design for the two enchantments. Applying the generic enhancement to charisma is easy. It results in a rather plain and simple circle of runes, even when I adjust it to be added as a second enchantment on top of another.


    The other enchantment is a little more troublesome. Mostly because I have to adjust it from one optimized for bouquets of flowers to be put on a wreath instead. And considering that I want this preservative enchantment to be more powerful I optimize the new version for wreaths in general too, adding additional circles to ramp up the power.


    This one is a challenge despite the recent growth of my enchanting skill and my improved auspicious aura. It''s a good thing that I like challenges.


    I''m so immersed in my work that I don''t even notice Elzbieta moving up to stand at my side at first. That changes though, as she moves in a little closer to place the apparently finished wreath on my head. It tickles a little, but not in a bad way. Besides, Elzbieta leaning in close to look over my shoulder helps distract me a little.


    ¡°Oh my! That looks quite complex.¡±


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    I smile and take another deep breath, as the smell of flowers and greens intensifies a little.


    ¡°It is. It is supposed to preserve the wreath, without it looking like it is well past its prime.¡±


    She nods along as I speak. Then she places her quest papers atop of my notebook.


    ¡°Well, the wreath is done. Do you like it?¡±


    I ignore the quest papers at first and focus on the wreath instead. I take it off and turn it around in my hands to give it a good look.


    The willow branch providing support is wrapped in cloth, which In turn provides some padding. Necessary for anyone intending to wear a wreath like that for any length of time. And of course there are all the flowers and other assorted greens we gathered earlier. It might be called a wreath, but it looks the part of a crown.


    In the end I swallow hard and nod.


    ¡°It looks marvelous. All the more reason to properly preserve it.¡±


    I take a moment to get a look with my appraisal skill, but I barely pay the results any mind.


    [Masterwork Summer night''s crown, Quality: Uncommon, A wreath of summer flowers and other greenery of the season, to be worn by young women to the dance during midsummer night. It looks good and smells pleasant. This particular wreath has been created with love and great care. When worn together with Summer night''s sandals or other matching items additional effects might be achieved.]


    Well, I barely pay most of the results any mind. There is one little tidbit hidden in there that has me blush a little. Created with love and care?


    It is as if Elzbieta is able to read my mind, as she places a peck on my cheek just then. She wraps her arms around me too, for emphasis.


    ¡°So, feel like getting something to eat down at the inn? The pies were good, but I still have a craving for something with meat.¡±


    Of course. I laugh and take this chance to put my seal on her quest papers, before I can get distracted again.


    ¡°Sure. Let''s get dinner while we are at it. I need to talk with Krystina about something else afterwards as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What is this about?¡±


    Even as she inquires she backs off a little so I can get up.


    ¡°I need to talk with her about advertising my enchantments through the guild. Especially double enchantments. Maybe even the triple ones?¡±


    Elzbieta taps her chin as she thinks about it for a moment, while I close the shop for the evening.


    ¡°Getting some more business sure would be nice. Especially if it is from the kind of customers that can afford enchantments like that. Hold off on advertising the triple enchantments for the time being though. You might draw more attention than you want all at once otherwise.¡±


    I nod. That sounds reasonable enough. Before we leave another thought strikes me and my gaze shifts to Sour Cream once more. She is still sleeping on the bed. Or is she just pretending? I''m not quite sure.


    I still remember what she did with the little wreath I made for her though. Given the nasty surprise with the milk earlier today I don''t want to take any risks with the wreath Elzbieta made for me. Thus I take a moment to put it into the strong chest for safekeeping. I need to grab some coins to cover the guild fees for advertising anyway.


    Once that is taken care of, we are off to the inn. And without even thinking about it, I put an arm around Elzbieta as we get going.

 Chapter 135 - Advertising trouble

    The inn is quite lively as we arrive there, as is to be expected in the evening. There are plenty of the local adventurers, but not all of them. A few seem to still be out adventuring. There are plenty of the local farmers and other craftsmen and women here too. Some are eating. Others are drinking. Someone is making music, but it is not Rafal for a change. No this task seems to be up to some of the local youths for a change.


    And, of course, there is the omnipresent smell of fresh food. It hits us even before we enter. This olfactory promise of fresh bread and meat might just be more important than everything else. Both our stomachs grumble. First mine, and then, almost without delay Elzbietas. It has to be due to the fresh air we got today. We look at each other sheepishly for a moment and grin.


    It proves a little tricky to find seats for both of us though. After looking around a little we manage anyway. Before long Maryla drops by and we order a mug of light beer and serving of meat pie each.


    Most curious. Apple pie and meat pie on the same day? Well, I certainly won''t complain and by the looks of it Elzbieta won''t either. No, quite the opposite is true. She digs in like there is no tomorrow.


    I can''t help but chuckle. The first taste makes me give up all restraint too though. It usually isn''t the finest cuts of meat that go into meat pie, but this one is incredibly good anyway.


    We take our sweet time eating, as we aren''t exactly in a hurry, since Krystina is having dinner too right now.


    Elzbieta is the first to head towards the guild counter as our local guild representative returns to her duty station. She isn''t the only one either. It seems some of the other adventurers have not yet turned in their quest papers for the day either.


    I almost expect that she will have to wait in line, but the others make room for the pregnant woman as she draws near. It seems even the most competitive adventurers are looking out for each other. Good.


    I in turn take a little longer. I even get myself another mug of beer. It is a pretty light beer anyway and I''d rather wait here having a drink than while standing in line.


    By the time I head over to the guild counter most of the others are done with their business. A few still hang around in small groups, chatting about their day, Elzbieta among them, but most return to the tables to have another drink, or two, before turning in for the night.


    Krystina flashes me a smile, as it is my turn.


    ¡°Valeria! What can I do for you? This isn''t about posting another request, is it?¡±


    She pauses briefly as she gives that idea some more thought.


    ¡°Although you could certainly post quests for tomorrow now.¡±


    I blink. She isn''t wrong. I certainly could. I''m not entirely convinced though. In the end I shrug.


    ¡°I''ll think about it. For now though, I wanted to talk about advertising my enchanting services through the guild. Especially the double enchantments.¡±


    She nods as I trail off.


    ¡°Oh yes. We have talked about this before. Would you like to do it?¡±


    Now it is my turn to nod in affirmation.


    ¡°Yes. Could you tell me about the options?¡±


    She flashes me another beaming smile. A smile that goes well beyond a polite business smile. At the same time she gets her guidebook from below the counter. She opens it to a section that is about guild services in general. For a brief moment her gaze flits over the page, then her finger darts down to a specific section.


    ¡°Here, this is it. The most basic option would be to just register your enchanting services and your capabilities with the guild. Registration here, at the local branch would be pretty much instantaneous. No surprise there. I would send a notice to the branch in Barter Town as well and that note would make the rounds from there until you and your services are registered with all branch offices.¡±


    She pauses to take a deep breath before she resumes.


    ¡°Obviously, that isn''t advertising in the strictest of senses, but people, even guild officials tend to talk. This isn''t a confidential subject after all. Your name will be fresh on their mind if someone asks for an especially capable enchanter, thus word would get out. It might take a while though.¡±


    I listen carefully. There is one little detail she hasn''t mentioned yet, thus I decide to ask.


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    ¡°How much would registering my services like that cost me?¡±


    Her gaze darts down to the page briefly before she answers.


    ¡°One silver Crown.¡±


    I lick my lips. That is quite a bit of money. If I really get more business as a result though, it certainly will be worth it. Before I can say anything else, Krystina speaks up again though.


    ¡°With your double enchantments there is a good chance that the guild would send some one to put you to the test.¡±


    I blink. That little tidbit of information sounds important. My brows furrow.


    ¡°I''ll have to provide a double enchantment free of charge?¡±


    Krystina is quick to wave her arms.


    ¡°No, no. Nothing like that. They''ll place an order for an item with two enchantments and, of course they''ll pay for it. In all likelihood they''ll be able to make back whatever they end up spending by auctioning it off later. You probably won''t ever even know that you did business with a guild representative.¡±


    I nod, much more slowly this time around. That doesn''t sound unreasonable. Test purchases like that work best after all, if you don''t know that you are being put to the test.


    ¡°Right. That shouldn''t be an issue then. You mentioned that this is the most basic option. What other options are there?¡±


    Krystina turn the page in her big book of regulations and guidelines. After a moment she finds the section she is searching for.


    ¡°Of course. The next step up would be a simple note posted on the board. There adventurers can read about the services or products you offer by themselves.¡±


    She nods in the direction of the quest board.


    ¡°The guild only offers this service to craftsmen and women already registered with and certified by the guild. If you want to post a note only in specific branch offices this will cost you one bronze Crown per note. To be honest, I''d suggest you take the package deal instead, where we put up a note everywhere for a flat fee of two silver Crowns instead. We have a lot of branch offices after all.¡±


    She pauses briefly, taking another deep breath, before she gets going again.


    ¡°Of course you can provide a proper advertisement poster instead. The guild will then have copies printed to be put up instead.¡±


    She points to a poster pinned to the wall behind her. It advertises the services of a especially popular smith from the town of Iron Hollows. It features the smith in question, flashing us a beaming smile, and some of his merchandise on display. It is colorful and overall quite artistic.


    I swallow hard.


    ¡°I think that is a little beyond my budget right now. Lets get the registration with the guild out of the way first, yes?¡±


    As she nods and grabs a form from below the counter I fish the requested silver Crown from my purse. Together we go over the form and fill in some details. For the briefest of moments I consider advertising triple enchantments instead, but I decide against it in the end. Maybe another day. I want to see how this works out first. Finally we both put our seals on the form.


    And once we are done, she makes me fill out an exact copy of the form. My raised eyebrow must be giving away my thoughts, as she is quick to explain.


    ¡°One copy for me and the other gets passed along to the branch office in Barter Town.¡±


    In the end the piece of parchment is put in the box I have seen Krystina use before to transmit the dagger I want auctioned off to Barter Town. I perk up at the reminder.


    ¡°Say, any news on the dagger I wanted auctioned off yet?¡±


    She shakes her head, but goes through a small pile of notes, probably ones that have come in from elsewhere, anyway.


    ¡°No, nothing yet. It might still take a while. Don''t worry, I''ll let you know.¡±


    Even as she reassures me she enters our transaction into her guild ledger, right after dropping my payment into her strongbox.


    I''ll need to do that too once I get back home. First I get a fresh jug of cream for the cat though.


    I pour her a little right after returning home too, as the feline in question is quick to weave her way around in in between my legs, time and again, as soon as she realizes what I have brought. It is a good thing that I have Elzbieta right there to support me, or I might have tripped.


    She in turn lets out a yawn, while I feed the cat.


    ¡°Will you do some enchanting tonight? I hope you don''t mind if I hit the hay right away. I''m feeling a little exhausted.¡±


    I place a quick kiss on the tip of her nose.


    ¡°No, lets both get some sleep for a change ¡­ uh, except ¡­ could you still help me with my little problem first?¡±

 Chapter 136 - Surprises and presents

    The night passes without incident, which is a good thing, as I really need the sleep. It is the best night of sleep I have had in a long while, probably thanks to Elzbieta in no small part. I almost wish it could stay like that forever, except, the circumstances are sure to change one way or another sometime soon. Probably.


    In the morning Elzbieta helps me relief the pressure of my breasts after a quick trip to the bathhouse. Afterwards I take care of the milk. I store it in enchanted potion bottles again after heat treating it. That way it will keep a while. Not forever though. I really need to figure out a use for it.


    Well, if I can''t come up with anything else, I can still sell it to the academy in Barter Town. Eventually. When Agnieszka makes her next trip to the city. Honestly, how can this be such a hassle? Shouldn''t having a valuable and rather rare resource available be a good thing? No, never mind. Worrying like that doesn''t help.


    Instead we make a quick trip down to the inn, to take care of the usual quest and to grab a little something to eat. That mana mill quest is quickly taken care off and our morning meal, just a bowl of hearty porridge today, doesn''t take up much of our time either. Before long we are back at the shop.


    As usual Elzbieta starts work with the mana mill, once I help her set up by the fireside. I on the other hand decide to put some of the enchanting dust I have stored up by now to good use.


    After opening the shop I start work on some new enchanter''s chalks. I don''t cut any corners on these. I want some good chalks for the enchantments I intend to put on the wreath after all. And Krystina mentioned that someone is likely to put my skills to the test in the days to come. I''ll need good chalks for that occasion even more. I really don''t want to screw that up after all.


    Sour Cream on the other hand is a little late today. I''m getting a little worried even, as I hear her meow from the direction of the door.


    The mixture for the chalks is in the small cauldron I suspend in the hot water I filled the big one with. Nothing can burn like that, thus I take a moment to check on her.


    ¡°Oh my!¡±


    The surprise at the sight that greets me is clear in my voice.


    Sour Cream''s fur is ruffled and not just a little either. I don''t have to guess at the reason either. She is sitting there, next to the door, with a dead rodent of unusual size. Only as she hears my exclamation does she drop it, only to put a paw on it, claws out, right away.


    Is she bragging? Or is she just making sure it doesn''t play dead and get away? I wouldn''t be surprised if the rodent had tried that at least once.


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    Drawn out by my own exclamation of surprise, and Sour Cream''s second much more audible exclamation, Elzbieta joins us too.


    ¡°Oh my indeed! A water rat! That is a rare catch.¡±


    She bends down to scratch the cat behind the ears and Sour Cream leans into her palm in turn, enjoying the attention to the fullest.


    I inspect the feline''s catch a little in the meantime. That is a water rat? I have to admit I have never seen a specimen, not in whole. Their tails I know though. Those are prized among alchemists, or rather the fat that can be extracted from them is.


    What does Sour Cream want with one though? It is entirely too large to be eaten whole and as sharp as her claws may be, she will have trouble getting through the thick fur. That she managed to kill it at all is already a surprise.


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    One Elzbieta gets back up, not entirely without trouble, and with a little help from me in the end, I take over for her. It is now my turn to praise and pet Sour Cream.


    Elzbieta chuckles, as she watches us.


    ¡°Want me to take care of it? You only need the tail, right? At least that is the only thing your grandmother wanted from these. That and the meat for our brave little huntress, yes?¡±


    It is as if Sour Cream understands her. Or maybe this is a spiel she is familiar with?


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    I just nod. Protesting wouldn''t be of any use anyway.


    ¡°Sure. What is in it for you though?¡±


    The pregnant huntswoman shrugs, before she answers.


    ¡°I can sell the fur. There is no market for it here in Clear Brook, but rich city folk seem to like it.¡±


    She shrugs again and adds another little tidbit of information.


    ¡°If you ask me beaver is much better, but water rats are a little more abundant. As a matter of fact we might want to mention this to the elder. If Sour Cream got one around here, there might be a whole colony dug somewhere into the riverbank, making it unstable in the process.¡±


    I can only nod in agreement. The elder will know what to do. We''ll let him know.


    ¡°Lets talk with him during our lunch break, yes? Do you ¡­ do you need help with that water rat?¡±


    Elzbieta shakes her head.


    ¡°Nah, I can manage. You go and take care of the store. Maybe pour our little hunter some cream? She certainly deserves a reward.¡±


    Sour Cream perks up at the mention. Her tail is standing at attention, only the very tip waving about excitedly. I suspects she understands well enough what we are talking about.


    I pet her a little more before I head inside with her. I barely manage to pour her her treat without spilling any, as she keeps weaving in between and around my legs.


    Eventually I get around to actually opening the shop, while Elzbieta takes care of Sour Cream''s catch out back. I leave the door connecting the shop out front with the workshop in the back open and finish my new batch of chalks. Once I''m done I set them out to cool and harden.


    Just as I settle in at the counter with my notebook, after updating my ledger with the expenditure for today''s mana mill quest, to finalize the design for the enchantments that will go on the wreath, a customer I haven''t seen in a while knocks on the door frame.


    It''s Nuutti of the Iivari.


    ¡°Nuutti of the Iivari family. Welcome to my shop. What can I do for you?¡±


    He bows, ever so slightly, as he sees that he has my attention.


    ¡°Valeria. I would like to inquire. Could you make a potent stamina potion for me? Something that will allow me to keep fighting in a berserk rage longer?¡±


    I blink in surprise at first, then I point at the appropriate shelf.


    ¡°I have some more potent stamina potions in stock. Have a look. If you need something stronger still, I can come up with something for you too. I just hope you don''t need it right away.¡±


    He walks over to the shelf I indicated. Along the way he shakes his head.


    ¡°No. I''m not in a hurry. When facing troublesome foes, preparations need to be taken serious. They take time and shouldn''t be rushed.¡±


    He scrutinizes the potions closely, probably using a skill in the process.


    ¡°These look good. Could you still make another for me? The most potent you can brew? Just to make sure.¡±


    I nod and add up the two stamina potions he brings to the counter.


    ¡°These will be two silver Crowns. Will tomorrow be soon enough?¡±


    He pays without haggling and nods in turn.


    ¡°Yes, tomorrow will be fine.¡±


    He bows his head again. Then without any further delay he leaves.


    I bite my lip as he leaves and make a few quick notes. His request should be easy enough to fulfill. It shouldn''t take too much time either. I settle on a recipe almost in the blink of the eye.


    Coffee will serve as the base. I''ll settle for normal coffee this time around, instead of the mana spiked variety. Sugar and some birch sap will add sweetness. They match the stamina recovery properties of the coffee too. A little virgin milk will round off the flavor and maybe some spice like clove or cinnamon will add an additional kick. Yes, that will do nicely. I''ll use one of my enchanted potion bottles to make sure it''ll keep.


    I nod to myself. That is decided then. I''ll get to it later. I need to focus on the enchantment now first and foremost. After taking one more deep breath I start taking note and crunching numbers in earnest.

 Chapter 137 - A wreath for the ages

    Thankfully the design doesn''t take me too long. I''m getting pretty good at those. I double check the diameter of the circles and the other support lines I have drawn on the enchanting table with coal anyway. This is becoming second nature by now, as it should. It''s not just my personal enchantments I need to be careful with after all.


    I find no faults and am quite pleased with the result. Everything looks good. I check to make sure Sour Cream is napping. I want no accidents of the feline kind either. I need not fear though. She is curled up on my bed after thoroughly cleaning her mussed fur.


    Elzbieta is out right now, taking care of the water rat carcass. She''ll sell whatever she can and the rest will go to the village''s trash pit. And even if she should return early she is unlikely to disturb me.


    Yes, I''m all set. I get the wreath from the strong chest. It still looks pretty nice. I better hurry though, before the flowers start to wilt. I want to preserve it while it still looks best.


    I place the wreath at the center of the enchanting table, in the middle of the circles I have sketched, humming a cheerful little tune to myself. Then I pick up the faintly glowing chalk I have prepared and get started.


    With great deliberation and care I place one rune after the other, filling the circles from the inside out. It doesn''t really take me all that long to finish, but the moments seem to stretch into an eternity anyway. I don''t let the disconcerting feeling distract me though.


    No, I only dare to relax as I place the last rune and the glowing circles are drawn into the wreath without a hitch and with barely any waver or delay at all.


    It feels like no other enchantment I have ever made has ever taken to its carrier object this well. Is this my preparation paying off? Or are these my improving skills and gifts in general at work? Maybe it is both? Either way I''m quite grateful.


    I blink and take a deep breath as I slip out of this state of deep concentration and the rest of the world comes into focus around me again.


    Sour Cream is rubbing up against my legs, purring up a storm. And Elzbieta is back as well. She is sitting by the fireplace working the mana mill, glancing my way every once in a while with a mixture of concern and curiosity and maybe a little affection. Or maybe the latter is just my imagination?


    Only now do I notice that my hands are shaking a little. I just can''t help it. Then a divine whisper hits me.


    [Through hard work and dedication you have transcended your limits and improved your enchanting skill to the grand master level. Is this the end of this path or just another step? One of many? The Sun Mother is your witness and gifts you 5 points for The World Arcana as a reward.]


    I clench my hands around the edge of the table for a moment, but it won''t do me any good. Instead I let go and pick up Sour Cream who intensifies her purring right away as I head over towards the bed with her.


    There I just drop and lie back while gently running my hand along the feline''s back from her ears to the very tip of her tail.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    There definitely is a hint of worry in Elzbieta''s voice. I look over at her without ever stopping to pet the cat.


    ¡°I just got an upgrade for my enchanting skill. Without spending any karma. I even got some instead. That ¡­ that hasn''t happened to me ever outside of picking up entirely new skills.¡±


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    The pregnant archer puts the mana mill down, setting it on the ground besides her stool, as she ponders my words.


    ¡°Yes, that is pretty rare. Outside of advancing to grand master level. You can only reach that one through hard work and dedication ¡­¡±


    She trails off then and there, her eyes widening in comprehension.


    ¡°... oh. Oh!¡±


    She immediately gets up and comes over to join me on the bed. She eyes the blissfully purring Sour Cream for a moment and decides against pulling me up into a hug in the end. Instead she lies down next to me, to place a brief peck on my cheek. Somehow that feels even better.


    ¡°Congratulations!¡±


    For some reason this little gesture of affection makes me blush more than anything else ever has. Well, it feels that way at least.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    For a little while we just lie there. In the end it is Sour Cream that gets back on our feet, as hunger compels her to get us to prepare her a meal. For a change she doesn''t go for the cream though. Instead she goes for some of the leftovers from the water rat which Elzbieta put in a bowl just outside the backdoor.


    That gives us some breathing room.


    I take this chance to actually get a better look at the enchanted wreath. Powerful cursed items can trick my appraisal skill, as I recently learned, but it would be negligent not to check anyway.


    While Elzbieta gets back to the mana mill I focus my attention on the enchanted wreath.


    [Everlasting Summer night''s crown, Quality: Rare, A wreath of summer flowers and other greenery of the season, to be worn by young women to the dance during midsummer night. It looks good and smells pleasant. This particular wreath has been created with love and great care. In addition it has been enchanted to endure the change of seasons time and again. When worn together with Summer night''s sandals or other matching items additional effects might be achieved.]


    I let out a long sigh and Elzbieta shoots me a questioning look as a result.


    ¡°Everything looks good so far.¡±


    At this point my grumbling stomach interrupts me.


    Elzbieta giggles, then her own stomach makes itself known quite similar to my own.


    ¡°Time to get something to eat?¡±


    ¡°Seems like it.¡±


    I help her put the mana mill away for the time being, then we close up the shop. On the way out we pass Sour Cream who is still busy tearing into what little remains of her prey.


    Today we are a little early for lunch, thus we get ourselves a mug of root beer each, which we sip while enjoying the summer sun and the light breeze out on the village square under the old oak.


    Root beer really isn''t one of my favorites. I don''t like the taste all that much. I have to watch myself though. Today more than on most other days, as I still have plans for another personal enchantment. And I have yet to make that potion for Nuutii too. I don''t want to mess that up either.


    Today''s meal is sliced and diced roasted meat, at least two kinds of meat as far as I can tell, with plenty of roasted vegetables to go with it. Overall a pleasant and tasty mix and very filling too.


    Yet my brows furrow a little as we head back home.


    ¡°Was there, by any chance, some water rat in today''s meal?¡±


    Elzibieta blinks in surprise at my question, but in the end she shakes her head.


    ¡°No. Not today. Today was wild boar and some sheep as far as I can tell. But your suspicion isn''t entirely wrong either. Water rats are big, but not that big. They would be well suited for a meal like this, where the meat is sliced and diced. Patryk mentioned that it needs to be properly seasoned first though. That takes a while. So, tomorrow maybe, or the day after.¡±


    Ah, that sounds reasonable. I nod only to stop as we come around to the back. There Urszula is already waiting for us with little Milena. By now the little girls seems to be already used to this routine. Very curious.


    A little later we see the two off again, once Milena is satiated and my little problem is taken care off. As we return to our tasks after opening the shop, at the enchanting table and with the mana mill respectively, Elzbieta poses a surprising question.


    ¡°Want me to take care of customers if anyone stops by while you are engrossed in your work? I''m mean, you can''t exactly just stop, right?¡±

 Chapter 138 - Lost in thought

    I blink in surprise at the suggestion, but in the end I''m quick to accept. I nod without hesitation. Relief fills me, although I hardly even considered the possible problem so far. I have to make sure she really wants to do that though. It isn''t like she has a quest or any other obligation after all.


    ¡°You would?¡±


    She just nods and pats the mana mill.


    ¡°Sure. Just help me move this to the counter before you get started. And maybe the chair too.¡±


    She winks at me and pats her belly.


    ¡°I might need a sit down every once in a while. Lugging around this little one all day is killing my feet, you know. Can''t wait for this to eventually be over with.¡±


    She doesn''t sound too serious, but I bend down and stage whisper near her baby belly anyway.


    ¡°Don''t listen to your mother. There is no need to hurry, and besides, she won''t get out of carrying you around anyway. So, take you time.¡±


    Elzbieta chuckles and lightly taps the back of my head in warning.


    ¡°Don''t give the little one ideas! They should very much always listen to their mother!¡±


    We share a quick laugh after that. Then I help her move to the counter in the shop out front. After I make sure she is comfortable, or as comfortable as she can be anyway, I retreat to the workshop.


    It is time to continue with my big project. And afterwards I need to look into getting that potion for Nuutii brewing. If it is true that the wicked are not deserving of rest I must have been pretty wicked recently. I blush a little. Then I slap my cheeks. No! I need to focus!


    I take a moment to thoroughly clean the enchanting table. Then I get my notebook so I can get started with the supporting lines and circles for the wreath''s second enchantment. I check my numbers once more just in case, although I already checked everything several times.


    I have decided on something different this time around for the second enchantment. At first I considered a protective enchantment, maybe something to increase my willpower further, but in the end I decided against it. The idea just doesn''t seem to fit this kind of wreath.


    Instead I''ll apply an enchantment that should harmonize well with the one on grandma''s heirloom dress. I''ll add an enchantment to boost my charisma. It isn''t anything fancy, but it certainly should boost the charm effect of the dress. Yes, that is much more suitable.


    Only when I do not come upon any mistakes do I grab the enchanter''s chalk. I take another deep breath to steady my nerves. Then I get started by drawing the first rune. And it is like before, as I draw one rune after the other I descend into a meditative trance once more.


    The melody Elzbieta hums nearby fades until it is nothing more than a pleasant background noise. Even the flow of time seems to lose all meaning. Maybe even time itself and its passage becomes a mere suggestion. It is a weird experience, but I decide not to focus on it too much. I need to focus on the enchantment anyway.


    I draw rune after rune, completing the circle bit by bit. As I draw close to finishing, I slowly begin to emerge from my trance like state too. And as I place the last rune, the softly glowing circle is drawn into the wreath once more. And like before the enchantment takes without a hitch.


    I''m tempted to sigh in relief, but I take a moment to take in my surroundings instead. They have subtly changed. Or maybe not so subtly? Even without turning around I can tell, that the sun is setting already. And while Elzbieta is still happily humming along, the reassuring sound isn''t coming from the counter anymore. No, she is closing up the shop right now. Sour Cream is gone too, but the state of her bowl suggests that she already received her treat before heading out. It seems like Elzbieta has been quite busy.


    I take another moment, or maybe two, to steady my heartbeat as well as my feet, which are aching almost as bad as my swollen breasts. I guess we''ll have to take care of that too. Again. Ah well, one thing after the other.


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    I move to the front room to check if my housemate needs some help, but as I step through the door I stop in surprise. There is a pile of old, and in some cases almost downright ancient, gear piled on the counter a little to the side.


    ¡°What ¡­?¡±


    The pregnant hunter looks over at my exclamation, but finishes closing the shutters of the windows anyway, before she answers, while I start picking through the pile.


    ¡°The youngsters are back from their second trip. They brought a whole pile of things beyond what they need to finish their quests too. Tamara wants you to have a look at it. I hope you don''t mind. You don''t mind, right? For one bronze Crown per piece of gear, right?¡±


    I nod absentmindedly, as I divide the pile into several smaller, just to get a better feeling for the additional workload. It is quite a bit of extra work, but not too much.


    ¡°It should be alright ¡­ I just hope she doesn''t expect it all to be appraised by tomorrow morning though. Right?¡±


    Elzbieta laughs out loud.


    ¡°She initially wanted it done by then, but I talked her out of it. They are staying here all day tomorrow anyway at the very least. So, tomorrow evening should be fine.¡±


    She chuckles some more.


    ¡°You should have seen them. Poor Szmuel looked like he just wanted to curl up in front of a nice fireplace, any fireplace really. And the others weren''t much better either. It seems their second stint took quite a bit out of them. But hey, they got their quests done and then some. This should set them up nicely for the future.¡±


    Then something else comes to her, just as she closes the last window.


    ¡°Oh! And Agnieszka is back from Barter Town too! We decided that she should talk with you personally though, since she has more than just coin from the sales you commissioned her to make.¡±


    Of course. I asked her to get me notes on additional runes for the wet nurse enchantment I messed up. The mention of coin from sales is nice too though. I nod as I finish sorting through the gear left by Tamara and the others.


    ¡°Think we''ll able to meet her down at the inn?¡±


    Elzbieta joins me behind the counter and wraps an arm around my waist. Tension I wasn''t even really aware off leaves my body and I relax a little.


    ¡°Yes, probably. She tends to have gossip to share after her trips to the city after all. The tricky part might be to get her alone for long enough to talk business.¡±


    Then she nods in the direction of the wreath which is still resting on the enchanting table.


    ¡°Did you check it out yet?¡±


    I wrap an arm around Elzbieta in turn this time, as I shake my head.


    ¡°No, not yet. I think I''ll wait until after we had dinner. It will probably be a long night anyway. I still have to make custom potion for Nuutii.¡±


    She brightens up considerably at the mention of dinner. We don''t dawdle around any longer after that either. I just take a moment to make sure I have enough coin on me to pay for our meals.


    Today''s dinner, as it turns out is sour cream porridge with boiled eggs. It is quite tasty, but I''m left to wonder what my feline housemate would think of it. Ha! That actually is an easy to answer question. She probably would say that it would be better with a little less porridge and some more cream.


    Getting a moment alone with my neighbor is, as it turns out, a little more tricky. There really is a lot of people who want to know the newest gossip from the city. At least this gives Elzbieta a chance to spend some time with Zofia and Czeslaw instead for once.


    Agnieszka greets me with a heartfelt hug.


    ¡°Valeria! So good to see you. You really were absorbed in that enchantment when I dropped by earlier.¡±


    I can''t help but blush.


    ¡°Yes, I guess I was. I earned another skill upgrade recently. It has some curious side effects.¡±


    She pats my back as we sit back down and winks at me.


    ¡°As long as you don''t forget to eat, dear. But you have someone to look after you for now, so I really shouldn''t worry too much, right? And I have the notes you requested back home. I''ll drop them off with you a little later, if you don''t mind? Oh, and the money from your sales too! My, that turned into a little adventure! Who would have guessed that a few vials with well preserved virgin milk could get these alchemists so excited. Some of them started a real bidding war once they realized what I had there.¡±

 Chapter 139 - Special potions

    Elzbieta and I walk side by side as we return back home after dinner. Apparently she was done talking with her adventuring comrades too by the time I finished with Agnieszka. We don''t talk, but we don''t really need to either. Just holding hands is more than good enough right now.


    Once we reach my place Elzbieta decides to get ready for the night. She is a little exhausted after the not as quiet as usual day. She doesn''t turn in for the night righ away though. Instead she decides to sit by the fireplace and the fire I start there to stretch her legs a little while enjoying the warmth at the same time.


    ¡°Still not checking out the enchanted wreath?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°I''m a little afraid. And besides, I really need to get this potion for Nuutti done.¡±


    She motions for me to come closer and bend down a little. Then, as I do, she places a quick kiss on the tip of my nose.


    ¡°Just don''t forget about it. You really need to check your enchantments before you try to test them first hand, you know.¡±


    I snort in amusement and kiss the top of her head in turn.


    ¡°That isn''t something I''ll forget anytime soon. Maybe I should look into finding some way to upgrade my appraisal skill while I''m at it?¡±


    She just shrugs at first, only to nod right after.


    ¡°I think there should be upgrades both for quality and quantity. If you have to work through piles of gear, like what Tamara and her friends brought, the latter will come in really handy.¡±


    I can''t really argue with that logic. At the same time it is a reminder that there is yet more work to be done. Well, the potion first. Everything else afterwards. I nod to acknowledge her words anyway. Her advice is good advice after all.


    ¡°Right. The potion first though. I already have an idea. One you might like, although you probably should only try it after the little one is born. This stamina potion might turn out quite potent after all. Well, it better anyway.¡±


    She tilts her head slightly, a questioning look on her face.


    ¡°That strong? Don''t worry about me. Are you sure the elf can take it? I mean, sure, he is an experienced adventurer. Much more so than me and probably anyone else around, but still ¡­¡±


    I nod along with her words. She is right to worry after all.


    ¡°With everyone else I would agree. He wants something that can fuel his berserk rage, at least for a while, though. And if anyone can survive a potion of that strength, it is a berserk warrior.¡±


    Elzbieta whistles.


    ¡°He must be preparing for a real tough fight in that case. I doubt I even want to know. Just thinking about facing enemies requiring this kind of preparation might give me nightmares.¡±


    I nod and get some fresh coffee beans. I make sure none of them are moldy and roast them over the fire. The smell alone seems to be enough to invigorate both Elzbieta and me. Finally she speaks up again?


    ¡°Anything I can help you with?¡±


    I look up in surprise, then I make a gesture that is not quite a nod but not quite a head shake either.


    ¡°Not with the brewing itself, but you could prepare a fresh cork for one of the potion bottles and some wax. I''ll use one of the enchanted bottles with the virgin milk we still have.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Even as I finish talking, I help her up. And while she gets the cork to prepare a fresh stopper for a potion bottle, I start grinding down the freshly roasted coffee with mortar and pestle.


    By the time I finish the water is just right too and I get the coffee brewing.


    This in turn gives me time to grind up some dried clove and cinnamon too, which I then add to the brewing coffee in a separate silk bag. I''m still not done with the mortar yet though, as I still need to crush some sugar.


    That I do not add right away. Instead I wait for the brew to be done. Once I have removed the silk bags with the ground coffee and the one with the ground spices, I add the sugar, together with equally sweet birch sap and some extra honey for good measure.


    Now I have to do some serious stirring, while it is still hot. Otherwise neither the sugar nor the other sweeteners will dissolve properly. Eventually I''m satisfied though and I''m ready to add the last ingredient, the virgin milk. I have to stir the mixture again afterwards, but not nearly as vigorously as before.


    The potion is pretty much finished by now, but it is still hot. This allows me to take a moment to wash the potion bottle that contained the virgin milk I just used. I still have more than enough boiling hot water in the cauldron for that purpose.


    I can see Elzbieta wince as I fish the cleaned and heat treated bottle from the hot water with a wooden spoon. I understand the sentiment, but I''m pretty used to it. This isn''t the first time I have to handle hot bottles or ingredients after all.


    Since I''m already at it, and there is way more brew than is necessary to fill just one potion bottle, I prepare two more plain bottles too.


    Elzbieta, may the divine bless her heart, immediately starts to prepare two more fresh cork stoppers when she sees that.


    Just as I''m about to get started filling the finished brew into the bottles, after stirring it up one last time, a knock at the door distracts me.


    It is Agnieszka, as promised. She doesn''t come empty handed either. No, she comes bearing a bundle of papers, neatly tied up with a ribbon, as well as a purse of considerably size and weight.


    I greet her with a nod.


    ¡°Please give me a moment. I''ll just fill and stopper these, then I''ll be there for you.¡±


    She just nods and leans against the door frame as she watches me work. Well, me and Elzbieta, as she helps me with the funnel, to make sure nothing goes to waste. The stoppers and the wax seals don''t take us long either. As I put the bottles away to finish cooling she comes over to talk business.


    ¡°Here is the money made from auctioning off the vials and the notes for additional runes you wanted.¡±


    She turns the bundled notes over, to point at the rearmost sheet of paper in the bundle.


    ¡°I included a detailed breakdown of your expenses and earning from this trip, including my share, which I already deducted, for your ledger. If you want me to make another trip to town due to your circumstances, it''ll probably have to wait until after midsummer. It shouldn''t be an issue then though.¡±


    I nod and skim the breakdown she included.


    ¡°Thanks! I''ll let you know if something comes up.¡±


    Before she turns to leave she nods in the direction of the potions.


    ¡°I hope you don''t mind me asking, but those seem a little over the top. I''m not sure you''ll be just able to sell potions like those around here. What''s up with those?¡±


    Oh! She probably appraised them. I decide to take a moment and do so myself, before I answer her question. I focus my attention on the potion in the enchanted potion bottle.


    [Lungs of the Leviathan Potion, Quality: Epic, A stamina potion extraordinaire. For the days when simply catching a second wind will not be enough. This will keep you going and going and going. For hours, if not more. Still good to use for another 28 days.]


    I nod, pleasant satisfaction welling up inside of me.


    ¡°Nuutti asked me for an extra strong stamina potion. I have no clue what he is up too though. I don''t really think it is my place to ask.¡±


    My neighbor snorts in amusement, as she turns to leave.


    ¡°Maybe I''ll get something out of him. Anyway, thanks for doing business with me once again! See you!¡±


    What does she mean? Why would she ¡­ then realization dawns upon me. Oh! I blush deep red, trying and failing not to think about the implications of her words, given what I stumbled upon not long after my arrival here.

 Chapter 140 - The power of names

    Once Agnieszka leaves I slump down at first, at least a little. I lean heavily on the workbench, enough so that Elzbieta seems to see reason to rub my back in a comforting and reassuring way.


    ¡°Are we done for the day?¡±


    I ponder her question for a moment. Then my gaze settles on the things Agnieszka dropped off. I sigh, straighten back up and grab both the money and the papers.


    ¡°Almost. I just need to take care of this.¡±


    Thankfully, it doesn''t take me too long. Even going over the details of Agnieszka''s recipe and counting the coins, not because I don''t trust her but because out of principle, I''m done pretty soon. It''s a good thing too. I can feel my eyelids grow pretty heavy, even as I bring my ledger up to date. It''s in fact bad enough that I end up double checking it to make sure I made no mistake.


    Once I''m done for good, something else catches my eyes. Something I have been avoiding for a while now. The enchanted wreath. I really should check it out. I doubt I''d end up cursing myself a second time within such short order, but I better be careful anyway.


    Cursing yourself twice with items you enchanted yourself would be like asking for bad publicity. Word would get out after all, even if no one has any ill feelings or means me any harm. People talk after all.


    Damn it, why am I stalling again? This is a waste of time!


    I pick up the wreath and have a good look at it to activate my appraisal skill once more. The effect is almost immediate.


    [Everlasting crown of the summer night''s queen, Quality: Epic, A wreath of summer flowers and other greenery of the season, to be worn by young women to the dance during midsummer night. It looks good and smells pleasant. This particular wreath has been created with love and great care. In addition it has been enchanted to endure the change of seasons time and again. A second enchantment greatly boosts the wearer''s charisma as well, greatly boosting any charisma based powers like charm. When worn together with Summer night''s sandals or other matching items additional effects might be achieved.]


    Oh my! It might not be the most powerful item on its own, but together with the dress alone it will already be out of this world. With the sandals on top? I simply have no idea just how powerful the combination might turn out to be.


    I pick the wreath up again reverently and deposit back in my strong chest for safekeeping. It''s not just to keep the floral crown safe either. I have to make sure no one else puts it on by accident Just like grandma locked away her marvelous dress.


    I stop at the thought, the lid of the chest half closed. Maybe I should get a separate chest just for powerful items like this one? Yes, that is something I should give a little more thought. I''m sure Olgierd and Nawoja could make something that is both sturdy and pretty, although the latter really isn''t necessary, strictly speaking.


    I''ll ask them about it tomorrow, or maybe the day after. I''m not exactly in a hurry after all.


    I let out a yawn, as I lock the strong chest, before I make my rounds around the shop once more to make sure everything else is locked up properly too. Then I head back into the backroom.


    Elzbieta seems to have taken the chance to get ready for bed. And that is exactly where she is waiting for me. That smile of hers is quite inviting too.


    ¡°Coming?¡±


    I have to admit that the idea of just climbing into bed and slipping under the covers with her sounds incredibly tempting right now. In response to her question I''m smiling too, and I''m certain that it''s the kind of smile that makes me look quite silly.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Ah yes, that was a reply worthy of my wit. Marvelous and eloquent. I quickly shrug off my clothes, barely taking the time to throw them over the back of a chair in the process, before I can say anything else. It probably is for the best like that.


    And thankfully Elzbieta doesn''t mind anyway. She just wraps an arm around me as I snuggle up close to her under the covers.


    It quickly becomes obvious that I''m not the only one who hasn''t bothered with a nightdress. Not that we need those. It is a pleasantly warm night after all, close to midsummer. And with the two of us under the covers we certainly won''t get cold. Even without any strenuous physical activity there is no doubt about that.


    Not that Elzbieta seems to have anything like that in mind. She seems perfectly content to just snuggle. And to be honest I''m quite content like that too. I only adjust myself a little to snuggle up even closer as I close my eyes.


    Before I can doze off for real though, Elzbieta''s voice snaps me back awake. Well, maybe it just keeps me from slipping deeper into the embrace of sleep. That is probably more like it.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Valeria?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    My reply really isn''t terribly eloquent, but it is good enough to prompt her to keep going.


    ¡°Say, since you agreed to be the godmother of the little one ¡­ have you spent any thought on names?¡±


    Oh! Now I snap awake for good. I don''t even waste time blinking owlishly in the not quite complete darkness. Instead I flat out stare at her wide eyed. Oh, gods and goddesses! It''s not that I''m actually unaware of the custom that the godmother or the godfather of a child pick their name. I just plain forgot about it. Completely.


    My reaction isn''t lost on the woman snuggled up to me. Of course it isn''t. The way I just went rigid wouldn''t be lost on anyone. Her reaction helps ease my mind though. She starts to chuckle at first. Then she kisses the tip of my nose.


    ¡°Hush! Relax. You should still have a little time.¡±


    She grabs one of my hands and places it atop her belly. I feel the need to apologize anyway.


    ¡°Sorry. I completely forgot. Got any preferences?¡±


    She shrugs in my embrace.


    ¡°No, not really. Just, please, nothing fancy.¡±


    I can relate to that sentiment. Fancy or even just uncommon names can lead to some merciless teasing or worse. Children in their cluelessness can be terrible that way. I was never target of such treatment, but I have seen it happen.


    ¡°So, no Klementyna? Or Zenobiusz?¡±


    I can''t exactly see her grimace, but I can feel her body tense a little. I lean in a little closer once more, to reassure her.


    ¡°Don''t worry. I''ll try to come up with something that won''t feel out of place around here. Does that sound good to you?¡±


    For a moment I fall silent, but as I move my hand along the curve of her belly, something else comes to me before she can say anything.


    ¡°Should I think of more than one name? Just in case?¡±


    At first, she just snorts in reply. Her body trembles in silent laughter. Finally she speaks up though.


    ¡°I honestly don''t know. For the longest time I didn''t even consider the possibility. I ¡­ I really don''t know. So, maybe? Like you said. Just in case? It can''t hurt, right?¡±


    I hum softly in response. My mind is already racing though, going through names. Mostly ones I have personally encountered so far. I don''t want to go for names of people I know right now though, to avoid confusion. Finally I come up with some first ideas.


    ¡°How about Sylwia and maybe Eliza for girls?¡±


    She seems to think about it for a moment. Maybe she is thinking about people she knows too? Finally she speaks again.


    ¡°Sounds fine. I have to admit, I really like Sylwia. What about names for boys though?¡±


    She likes Sylwia? Good, that is one thing settled then. Now for her next question. I give it a little more thought.


    ¡°Maybe Ulryk? Oh! How about Aleksy?¡±


    This time her reply comes faster.


    ¡°Aleksy? Really?¡±


    ¡°What? It''s a perfectly common name.¡±


    That seems good enough for her. She giggles again.


    ¡°Fine. Let''s go with Ulryk as the first choice though.¡±


    I don''t protest. Why would I anyway, I suggested the name in the first place. I just hum softly. It seems that with that settled we are done talking for the night. I let out one last mighty yawn. After that my breathing soon matches hers as I drift off to sleep.

 Chapter 141 - Going through the pile

    Early next morning we head down to the inn after a quick bath. On one hand to get something to eat. On the other hand to take care of the usual quest too. It is becoming a little ritual in between Elzbieta and me.


    I might need to come up with something else if she keeps hogging the mana mill quest. It probably won''t be a problem in the long run though. I have little doubt that she will be back out in the wilds doing more serious quests eventually.


    She really isn''t the kind of person who wants to stay cooped up all the time. It is a small miracle that she can sit still long enough to handle the current quest. I suspect that she really wouldn''t bother with it if the circumstances were any different.


    Never mind though. That is a problem for another day. Reinvigorated from the bath and strengthened by some sweet porridge we return to the shop. Together we open up. Then I get the mana mill for Elzbieta so she can work out front in the morning sun, while I have a look at the piled up work already waiting for me.


    I let out a deep sigh as I step up to the counter, where the things that Tamara and her group dropped off the other day are still piled up. Well, there is no way around it. I''ll just appraise one after the other. It certainly is a change from my usual routine.


    It really is a very diverse pile this time around. The youngsters have been quite busy it seems. Where to get started? Oh, never mind. In the end I''ll have to appraise everything anyway. I might as well just grab whatever lies on top first. Thus this is exactly what I do.


    What I end up holding seems to be some kind of magic wand. An implement various spell casters use. The wood looks old but still decent enough, possibly because it is polished to a shine and treated in some way. The grip isn''t wrapped in leather but fine wire instead. It isn''t iron or copper, which would be most common, though. Those would probably have rusted away ages ago. This still looks good enough, even if it has blackened a little. Then realization dawns upon me. This is silver wire!


    Oh! It seems Tamara and the others brought back some good things this time around. A material like that wouldn''t have been used on just any wand. It might just explain the decent state of the wood too. I certainly wouldn''t be surprised if it is some special wood too.


    I close my eyes for a moment to concentrate and take a deep breath before I focus my whole attention on the wand instead, to trigger my appraisal skill. The effect is immediate.


    [Ancient wand of Web, Quality: Rare, A relic from a time long past, this wand of polished heartwood and silver wire still holds some charges of a useful spell. The spell in question is the Web spell in this case, which creates a tangle of sticky threads about five paces across at the indicated spot, when the user triggers the wand. Remaining charges: 5]


    Oh my! Oh my, indeed! I quickly grab a wooden tag and note down the essentials. Wands are pretty rare items these days. Sure, I could, in theory create them. The creation of wands is a very specialized form of enchanting after all. I would need to learn to cast the spells in question myself first though. And nowadays hardly any enchanters at all bother to learn the kinds of spells adventurers would find useful in the field.


    Maybe I should consider it anyway? There is money to be made providing rare gear after all. It would require a massive expenditure of time and possibly karma first though.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Well, the group certainly found a real treasure this time around. If they don''t keep this thing for themselves it certainly could earn them a small fortune. Especially if they have the patience to auction it off through the guild. Sure, it is only rare and not epic or anything like that, but as a wand it sure is rare enough to justify quite a price.


    Humming along with Elzbieta''s song I put it aside to grab the next item. I stop to stare at it puzzled for a moment. It looks almost like a belt buckle, except it really isn''t one. I focus on it and trigger my skill to find out more.


    [Ancient brass fibula, Quality: Common, A relic from long ago, giving silent testament to the everyday life of an age long past. Fashioned of brass this fibula could shine almost like gold when properly polished. It was used to hold garments like tunics in place.]


    I blink in surprise. Well that is quite a contrast to the wand. I doubt many things could be more mundane than this. Well, I guess that means that Tamara and her gang will probably sell this one to the smiths for smelting down. They always have use for some good brass after all.


    I put it in a wicker basket to which I tie a wooden tag I label mundane brass. At a glance there might be a few more items like this one in the pile. Together they might still earn the group a decent sum.


    Anyway, next! I decide to check on all the other trinkets, more fibulae, some belt buckles and even a little simple jewelry, that appear to be brass next. Most of them do indeed go into the basket with the first fibula. I''m a little torn on this development. The agreement says that I''ll charge a bronze Crown for each item I check, but with these they''ll be hard pressed to earn that money back.


    Sure the wand might earn them a few gold Crowns if they are patient, but I still feel a little bad about the rest so far.


    That is, until I grab and appraise the next piece. This one looks like a brooch of sorts, not entirely unlike the earlier fibula. It becomes quickly obvious that this one is something special. For one it isn''t made just of brass. No, the brass only frames a stone. At first I can''t quite tell what kind of stone, but when I polish it with a wet cloth it starts to glitter in all rainbow colors.


    An opal? A pretty sizable one too. That on its own would already make the brooch quite valuable. The information provided by my appraisal skill further adds to its worth though.


    [Ancient brass and opal brooch of health, Quality: Rare, A relic from long ago, giving silent testament to the everyday life of an age long past as well as the artistic talent of the craftsmen of that time. Fashioned of brass framing a large opal shimmering in rainbow colors it''s an enchanting piece by any measure. That isn''t all though. The brooch holds a basic enchantment, improving the wearers constitution and thus their health in general, including their resistance to diseases and poisons.]


    I can''t help but whistle in appreciation. That might just be one of the most useful single enchantments. Someone is sure to pay a hefty sum for it, of that I have no doubt. Even better, it is rather pretty too. As a result the brooch gets a tag of its own, upon which I note all the important details. Then I place it on the counter next to the wand, before I resume work on the rest of the pile.


    The rest of the pile is relatively mundane once again. Mostly sturdy iron gear in the same ancient style. Very much like the things they brought back the last time. I can''t really afford to buy any this time around, as I still have the ones from last time, the ones I want to use to practice my enchanting some more, in the back. Thus I only tag everything properly.


    In all likelihood these will be sold in bulk to the smithy too. That really isn''t my problem though. I''m sure Tamara and the others are more than capable of taking care of their business. They''ll sort it out, no doubt about that. I''m just glad I''m done with this.


    I just take a moment to write a proper receipt for my services rendered, using a page from my notebook. I count the items I appraised again and then once more for good measure and even include some brief details about the results. That should do.


    I put the sorted items behind the counter, they aren''t for sale after all, and even deposit the wand and the brooch in the strong box for the time being, together with the receipt.


    Once that is taken care of, I take a moment to properly stretch. Then I head out front to join Elzbieta for a little. I really feel like catching some sun in pleasant company right now. And maybe we can have an early lunch break afterwards. Yes, that sounds good too.

 Chapter 142 - Change of plans

    At the inn we meet, among others Tamara and her gang. She is really shaping up to be a proper leader by the looks of it. I just hope she will be able to work things out with Danuta in the long run. The witch is, after all, the much more experienced adventurer and although she doesn''t appear to be very competitive I''m not quite sure she''ll be willing to stand back behind the younger dwarven woman.


    Well, whatever, it really isn''t my business. No I have a different kind of business to discuss with them. I greet them with a wave as I head their way while Elzbieta heads directly for a free table to get comfortable and order something to eat.


    Curiously enough it is Szmuel who perks up first and most as they take note of my approach. I flash him a smile, taking care not to show any teeth as I do so.


    Hey! You are all taking good care of yourself, right? Have a hearty meal and some rest, yes?¡±


    Szmuel is quick to nod, in between bites of his meal. A moment later the others nod too. I keep talking, to keep the interruption of their meal as brief as possible.


    Well, I''m done with the appraisal of the things you left at at my place. Want to drop by after lunch to talk about the results and pick them up?¡±


    This time around it is Tamara who nods.


    Sure. Right after lunch?¡±


    Please. I have been thinking about keeping the shop closed for the rest of the afternoon, as I want to work on another little project.¡±


    After receiving another round of nods I leave them to their meal and rejoin Elzbieta at the table she picked for us. It seems she already ordered for both of us, as Krystina is coming over with two bowls of spicy chicken and drinks to go with it just as I sit down next to Elzbieta.


    I raise an eyebrow as I behold the bowls Krystina places in front of us.


    Isn''t that a bit much? And ¡­ its not too spicy, right?¡±


    It isn''t that I dislike spicy food, but contrary to a popular saying, there can be too much of a good thing. Elzbieta doesn''t seem to share my concerns though. She just shakes her head and starts to dig in.


    Taking great care I mimic her. My worries are unfounded though. Neither the meat, nor the diced and carefully steamed vegetables coming with it are too spicy. Maryla and especially Patryk really know what they are doing.


    As Much as I would like to take my time and enjoy the meal, I pick up the pace anyway. I don''t want to keep Tamara and her group waiting for too long. And besides, even at the increased pace I''m barely matching Elzbieta anyway. Well, I can''t really fault her for it. It is good after all and she is eating for two.


    Afterwards we head back to the shop together, the young adventurers, Elzbieta and I. I don''t open up the shop out front though. Instead we all head in through the back.


    They eye the things I have appraised and sorted with visible curiosity and I decide to have a little fun with them, while Elzbieta moves out into the backyard with the mana mill for the time being.


    I start off with all the things that aren''t anything special at all. Especially the various brass trinkets. Before they can actually get disappointed though, I disappear behind the counter to get the two very special finds from the strong chest.


    Their eyes grow wide as I gently place both the wand and the brooch on the counter. The way I treat these two items already gives away that they have to be quite special.


    An ancient wand of web and an equally ancient brass and opal brooch of health. Both are incredibly rare. I''d suggest auctioning them off through the guild.¡±


    Now they have stars in their eyes. Well, not really, of course, but they still look like little children who just received their first sweet treat. I decide to keep going.


    I don''t know the exact prices, especially not for auctions. Krystina might be able to help you out in that regard. I''m pretty sure though that either of this two items can earn you a few gold Crowns at the very least.¡±


    Now their mouths stand open. Sure they have to have been hoping for something good, but this is probably well beyond their wildest dreams. Or, at least, it is well beyond any moderately reasonable wild dreams.


    Szmuel''s exclamation sums it up pretty well.


    Mewow!¡±


    The rest of us break into laughter.


    Eventually we all calm down again, and I feel I need to put a little damper on their good mood.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Just don''t get reckless. Gods and goddesses only know when you''ll have another haul like this.¡±


    It''s Tamara who responds after taking a deep breath to calm herself. She looks at her comrades, a stern expression on her face.


    Yes. These auctions with the guild tend to take a while. No spending money we don''t have in our purses yet!¡±


    A very reasonable attitude. It gets the others to clam back down too. They simply nod in response. Once that is settled Tamara pays me without raising any further questions as I hand her the receipt I put together.


    Maybe I should make a habit out of that? Not having to haggle certainly sounds like a winning move to me. Yes, this thought bears further consideration. For now though I just enter the transaction into my ledger and drop the coins into the strong chest.


    Just as the adventurers leave with their appraised and sorted loot my next visitor makes their presence known. It''s once again Urszula with Milena, her youngest. We all know what they are here for. Thus we get to it without any further delay. It''s a good thing too, that she shows up now, as my breasts have been starting to ache rather fiercely already. The little girl is pretty hungry too it seems. As a result the whole affair doesn''t take terribly long.


    Once the two leave again, with Milena now peacefully napping, it gets quiet around the house again. Well, relatively quiet anyway. Elzbieta is still humming to herself. I join her on the bench out back for a moment.


    Mind if I head out for a little bit?¡±


    She tilts her head, without interrupting her work with the mill.


    Oh? Where are you going?¡±


    I nod in the direction of the creek just beyond the garden.


    I want to go looking for some shiny rocks in the creek. Those shields I got from the youngsters last time can be set with stones. I want to give it a try and add a polished pebble to one before I enchant it.¡±


    She tilts her head the other way as she thinks about it.


    A pebble as a gem? Are you sure?¡±


    I just shrug.


    A small polished quartz. Better than wasting money on real gems. Right?¡±


    She thinks about it some more. Then she nods.


    I''m not quite sure where you might find stones of the right size though.¡±


    I nod downstream.


    I''ll try the place where I got my ocher for the chalks. If I don''t find any there, I can search some other spots a little upstream on another day.¡±


    She nods again.


    And are you going to polish them yourself?¡±


    This time I shake my head.


    No. I''ll ask Nawoja and Olgierd at the smithy. Maybe they can set the shield I have in mind with the polished stone right away too. That would be the best approach. At least I think so. Well, anyway, will you be alright on your own for a while? I really shouldn''t be too long.¡±


    She nods once more.


    I''ll be fine.¡±


    With that out of the way I get ready for my little trip. Essentially I just grab a basket while leaving my sandals at home, since I expect to be wading in water for some time at least. Then I''m off with one last wave.


    In the end my trip doesn''t take me long at all. It is even quicker than I anticipated since I''m already a little familiar with the terrain. And I find several pebbles that seem suitable in the spot where I got my ochre.


    Some are almost clear. A few have a slight rosy tint. Most are a little milky. The aren''t real precious stones, but they sure look pretty enough for what I have in mind. Eventually I have to stop myself from gathering too many. I still have to carry them back after all.


    I even make a quick stop at the smithy on my way back to share my idea with Olgierd and his wife.


    They agree to do the work I ask of them. It''ll take a while though, and of course I have to bring the shield I want fitted with one of the stones. Thus I return back home after leaving the stones with them.


    I''m just in time too, as Elzbieta is just about to finish with her workload for the day. After taking care of her paperwork and grabbing the old iron shield in question we head back down to the village square to finish our business for the day.


    Just as we are about to part ways there, so she can head to the tavern while I visit the smithy once more, she suddenly stiffens. Her grip on my arm tightens all of a sudden. Her voice shakes a little as she speaks up.


    Valeria? Could we maybe visit Wislawa at the temple first?¡±


    I''m a little confused at first. Then I notice the way she is holding her belly and realization dawns upon me.


    Oh? Oh! Sure!¡±


    I''m of course worried. Yet, at the same time I''m excited too. I can''t help it.

 Chapter 143 - Fluttering nerves

    It turns out that getting Elzbieta to the temple and into the care of Wislawa is the easy part. Never mind that she is gratefully leaning onto me. It is more a expression of gratefulness than anything else. I''m pretty certain that she would have been able to make the short trip to the temple without any help too.


    And of course the priestess is already waiting for us as we enter the anteroom. Her clairvoyance would be a little scary, if it weren''t comforting and reassuring at the same time too. Yes, it actually is quite comforting to know that she keeps watching out for us.


    The priestess isn''t quite done with me yet though. As she accompanies Elzbieta inside she addresses me.


    Valeria, would you be so kind, as to get either Agnieszka or Urszula for us? Either one will be fine. Both would be better.¡±


    Both would be better. Somehow that sounds a little ominous out of her mouth. I don''t question or second guess her though. She isn''t doing this for the first time. She knows better than me. That much is for sure. I swallow hard and simply nod.


    I''ll be right back.¡±


    With those words I''m off like greased lightning. I don''t head up the road that leads to both the house of my neighbor as well as that of Urszula at first though. Instead I decide to check the inn first, in case either of them is in.


    Urszula usually cooks for her family at home, but Agnieszka comes down here at times. Especially in the evening. It really is for the best if I check the inn first.


    I pretty much forget all about the shield and the pebbles I''m still carrying around with me in the process. These things simply don''t really matter right now. I can still take care of that project another time.


    Agnieszka is indeed here. Before I can approach her, I spy someone else though. It''s Ryszard, Urszula''s eldest. He is sitting with Tamara and the rest of her group. They aren''t splurging, but they certainly are eating well and resting up after their recent adventure.


    I fish a bronze Crown from my purse as I move towards them and as I get close enough I snap it at the boy who has already noticed me.


    He catches it out of reflex.


    I have to admit that I''m mildly impressed. I half expected it to smack him in the face. He is a little confused though, staring first at the coin and then at me.


    Wha ¡­?"


    Before he can even finish forming the first word I interrupt him.


    Could you go and get your mother? Real quick? Wislawa asks for her, over at the temple.¡±


    Maybe its my tone. Maybe he just doesn''t want to second guess some good fortune. Either way, he thankfully doesn''t question me or my request. He just nods and pockets the coin as he gets up. He only nods at the others at the table briefly.


    Be right back.¡±


    Then he is off, while the others are still looking at me, a little confusion evident in their gazes. In the end it''s not one of the adventurers who asks the obvious question, but Krystina who puts a hand on my shoulder as she walks up to us.


    Whats up?¡±


    I turn and let out a sigh.


    Elzbieta. I think its time.¡±


    Oh!¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    She nods in understanding and so do Tamara and the rest of her little group. It seems Agnieszka has heard too, as she joins us as well.


    It''s time? Should I come too?¡±


    I nod.


    Wislawa said to either get you or Urszula, but that both would be better.¡±


    The older woman winces briefly. Then she finishes her mug in one quick gulp.


    I better not dally then. If she wants both of us she might suspect that this won''t be an easy birth. Better be safe rather than sorry in that case. And speaking of that, Valeria, could you bring us a potion or two, just in case?¡±


    I lick my lips, which have suddenly become rather dry, and nod.


    Sure. Healing potions? And maybe a stamina potion?¡±


    She flashes me a reassuring smile.


    Yes, please! Oh! Since you mentioned stamina potions, Nuutti, wanted to talk with you too.¡±


    She nods in the direction of the elf in question, then she is off to the temple.


    I in turn let out another sigh. Well, that is taken care of. Now I just have to see about those potions.


    Before I can leave Nuutti of the Iivari joins me. He must have finished his own drink real quick too.


    I''ll accompany you, if you don''t mind.¡±


    Sure!¡±


    It isn''t that I want to conclude my business with him right now, but it keeps me from fretting too much about things I can hardly influence anyway. And besides, it will take another thing off my plate. Thus we head to the shop together.


    We enter through the back. I don''t feel like wasting time opening and later closing the front door to the shop. Nuutti only drops by to collect the potion he ordered anyway and he doesn''t haggle. Thus we conclude our transaction with a handshake pretty quickly.


    I drop the shield and the shiny pebble I intend to be socketed to it''s front on the counter too. That can wait for now. Instead I grab a few potions. Two potent healing potions and two stamina potions, one of the latter is one of the crazy powerful ones I have left over after my deal with Nuutti. The other is a more basic stamina potion. The kind Elzbieta is very much used to.


    I can still get more for Wislawa and the others should Elzbietas little one take their sweet time to come into the world. On a hunch I grab a Mana potion for the priestess too, just in case.


    I make sure the bottles all have properly labeled tags and I check all of them with appraisal too for good measure, to make sure none have gone bad. Then I gather them up in a basket and head back down to the temple.


    As I make my way to my destination, short as it may be, I can''t help but notice that I''m trembling a little. I''m not the only one to notice either.


    That much becomes obvious as Urszula catches up with me. I haven''t noticed her approach from behind. I haven''t noticed Ryszard either, who follows a few steps behind his mother. To be honest though, he has started to move much more careful ever since he ventured forth into the Twilight Forest with the other youngsters. Maybe he''ll become a pretty decent adventurer after all. He certainly seems to be growing into the role.


    He just flashes me an apologetic smile, before he heads towards the inn instead of following us further towards the temple. Urszula in turn wraps an arm around me to pull me into a quick hug. It''s probably intended to reassure me and to be honest it is. Milena, whom she carries in a wrap blinks up at me sleepily.


    Don''t worry. I''m sure Elzbieta will be fine. Between Wislawa and Agnieszka we have a lot of skills, gifts and spells that will help to make sure of that. I''m probably just there to lend a hand and maybe learn a thing or two.¡±


    Then she nods towards the basket with potion bottles I''m carrying.


    And if those are anything like your grandmothers we are even well prepared for the most dire emergencies. Not that I believe that anything of the sort will come to pass.¡±


    Her words help reassure me further. Yet I can''t help but worry, even if just a little, anyway and Urszula seems to notice. She pats me on the back once more.


    You are to be the little one''s godmother, right? Why don''t let me take the basket with the potions and get the present you prepared for the naming ceremony instead. You don''t have to join us, but you could wait in the anteroom.¡±


    She nods to herself.


    Yes, in fact that might be for the best. You could lend a hand by taking care of little Milena in the meantime. If you don''t mind that is. And I''d like to have you close by anyway. Your auspicious aura gift might help smooth things out too. And besides, I think that its a good omen for a little to enter this world under the effect of an aura like that.¡±


    I nod and we shift about our burdens. She takes the basket with the potions and I in turn take little Milena, who barely takes any note of the exchange at all, as she is already fast asleep again.


    Then we part ways. She continues on towards the temple, while I return back home once more to get the enchanted diapers I prepared. I make sure my steps are measured though. I don''t want to wake little Milena after all. Not right now anyway. Once I have what I came for, I head right back down to the temple though, where I make myself comfortable in the anteroom. While the other women are busy.

 Chapter 144 - Birthday presents

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    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


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    [You have fulfilled your vow to become an unborn child''s godmother! The Moon Father is your witness and gifts you 7 points for the Wheel of Fortune Arcana as a reward.]

 Chapter 145 - Cats and catfolk

    I''m in a bit of a daze as I return home after all the excitement. I''m on my own, as Elzbieta will stay with Wislawa at the temple for the night, and maybe the next few days too. There really shouldn''t be any problems, but the priestess want''s to keep an eye on the newborn and the fresh mother anyway. I approve, but I still feel a little lonely as I enter the house with no one else around.


    Not even Sour Cream is here. She probably is already out on the prowl. She''ll probably let me know of her displeasure tomorrow morning. Or maybe not. It''s hard to tell with cats. For all I know the feline might be very well aware of the situation.


    I guess I''ll just have to face the music, or rather the soft meows, in the morning. For now I just want to sleep. There is preciously little left of the night anyway, so I better hop into bed right away so I''ll be at least moderately well rested tomorrow.


    With a mighty yawn I get changed. Only as I finish up do I realize that I completely forgot about the other project I wanted to discuss with Olgierd and Nawoja at the smithy. Well, that will have to wait until morning too. There is no way around it. The two would probably not appreciate being woken in the middle of the night after all. Not for something that very much is not an emergency.


    Well, it''ll be alright. The pebbles I gathered won''t go bad after all. And the ancient shields have already lasted quite a while, they won''t rust away over night either. And it isn''t like the local expert crafter couple will go anywhere overnight.


    Thus, with my mind at ease, at least mostly, I slip into bed. There is only one thing bothering me, as I make myself comfortable under the blanket. The bed, which really isn''t all that big feels too big now that I have to sleep on my own again for a change. Not even that can keep me awake for long though. I just hug my pillow a little closer for comfort.


    Thankfully it doesn''t take long for my eyes to fall shut so sleep can claim me. It seems the day has taken its toll out of me. Elzbieta and her little Ulryk feature prominently in my dreams that night too, but by the time I wake up again in the morning I can''t remember any details anymore. Since I''m pretty well rested I assume that these dreams have to have been good ones.


    I don''t get up right away through. Instead I remain lying there in my bed for a little while longer as a new question swirls around my mind. How are our sleeping arrangements going to look in the near future? Will the little one sleep with us? Or will we have to get a crib? I really hope Elzbieta has thought on this question, and others like it, because, as I lie there, realization dawns upon me, that I''m pretty much clueless.


    I sigh and get up to get ready for the day. I''ll have to ask her. Or maybe Urszula or Agnieszka. Even if Elzbieta hasn''t spent any thought on these not so little details one of the others should be able to provide some guidance.


    Before I can get far the expected soft meowing from the windowsill makes me stop. It is Sour Cream. As expected. Once she has my attention she turns around to simply sit there, giving me the cold shoulder treatment. She really is a little offended.


    I''m tempted to chuckle at her silly antics, but I don''t. Instead I grab her bowl, pour her some of her namesake treat and head outside with it, where I put it down on the bench out back after sitting down myself.


    Eventually she deigns to join me on the bench, lured in by her treat.


    I let her eat first, humming only softly while she does so. Without even noticing I come to hum one of the tunes I have picked up from Elzbieta over the days.


    The cat doesn''t seem to mind. Once she is done eating she comes over to rub up against me.


    I pet her in turn and run my hand across her creamy fur. After a moment she starts to purr, thus I keep going as I softly talk with her.


    Sorry about yesterday. Things got a little exciting all of a sudden with Elzbieta''s little one deciding that the time was right.¡±


    For a moment I resume humming softly while I keep petting Sour Cream. Then something else occurs to me.


    It''s going to get a little more lively around the house with the little one. I hope you''ll be alright with it. Do you think you can watch out for little Ulryk as well as you do for me? You''ll have to be careful though. I think very young children like him can be a little grabby and they don''t really know their own strength.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Sour Cream looks at me as if she understands every word. She might just. Finally she jumps up on my lap to stand up and nuzzle my cheek, as if to tell me to stop worrying. Finally she is off through the window to make herself comfortable on the still warm bed, where she immediately begins to groom herself.


    Well, I can only hope that this will work out alright. I resume humming one of the tunes about Ksawery the catfolk adventurer I have picked up from Elzbieta and get a change of clothes before heading off to the bath to get properly ready for the new day.


    From there, my way leads me back down to the temple to visit with the new mother before anything else. I''m not the only one either. Curiously enough it isn''t just Zofia and Czeslaw who visit their comrade either. No, just as I arrive I see Tamara and her group, including Danuta the witch this time around, leave the place. Szmuel seems quite excited about little Ulryk too. Most curious.


    Maybe this is a good sign? If the little boy likes the catfolk adventurer, maybe he''ll get along well with Sour Cream too? Well, I can hope for that much at least. That shouldn''t be asking for too much, right?


    Czeslaw is with the two, mother and child, right now, holding the latter. He looks a little awkward, but overall he doesn''t do too bad. His son certainly seems to be comfortable enough to keep on napping.


    I exchange nods with him, as neither of us wants to wake up the sleeping infant. Then I turn to Elzbieta. She looks much better already. A good night''s sleep and some alchemical potions certainly seem to have helped with the exhaustion of the ordeal. We exchange hugs, before I finally speak up softly, to bombard her with half whispered questions.


    How are you? Is everything alright? Want me to get you something to eat from the inn?¡±


    She nods at the first two questions. The last one makes her shake her head though. At last she speaks up in a tone matching mine, to clarify.


    I''m good. Thank you. Zofia is already getting me something.¡±


    I nod. That is good. Then I grin.


    Szmuel seemed quite excited when he left with the others.¡±


    Both mother and father chuckle at the mention of the catfolk adventurer. The infant only stirs a little at the sound before going right back to sleep. This time it is Czeslaw''S turn to speak up.


    Turns out he has quite a few younger siblings and thus a lot of experience with children. Well, with catfolk children anyway. He has shared more than a few tales of his own adventures in that regard already. Ha! I wonder if our son will be just as lively?¡±


    I keep on grinning.


    I wouldn''t rule it out. Anyway, I probably shouldn''t disturb you too much. Want me to drop back by around noon?¡±


    Elzbieta agrees with an energetic nod. She remembers to keep her voice down though.


    Let''s have lunch together.¡±


    After sharing one more hug with her I''m off again. On my way out to have breakfast at the inn I pass Zofia, who comes in with a cloth covered basket. It smells like fresh baked bread. That probably is not all that is in there, but even on its own it smells very promising.


    Oh yes, fresh bread with plenty of butter and some jam on top would be really nice right about now. I''d go for fresh bread with thin slices of ham or roasted bacon too though. Either would be fine. I''m really not picky. Overall I would say that the day is off to a good start.

 Chapter 146 - Getting back on track

    I get to have the tasty fresh bread with butter and jam I crave ever since Zofia passed by me with Elzbieta''s breakfast and it tastes about as heavenly as I expected it would. Oh my, what a wonderful start for the day!


    Now I really need to get back on track though. I slap my cheeks lightly and rube them for emphasis once I leave the inn, to help me focus as I walk back home.


    The shiny pebbles and the ancient shields. That is the project I should focus on first. Not because it is my most urgent project, but because it is easily taken care off, at least for the time being. I only need to take one of the shields and some of my pebbles to the smithy to talk with Nawoja and Olgierd after all. Afterwards I can focus on something else until they get back to me.


    Yes, all things considered, that is an easy decision. With a little extra spring to my steps I return home and grab the things I already had with me when events took an unexpected turn last night. With those I return down to the smithy at the village square.


    I''m in luck too. Even before reaching the smithy I can already hear that our local blacksmith and general crafter couple is already back from their morning meal at the inn. Judging by the sound of hammers on hot steel, they are quite busy as well.


    I step aside once I''m inside, only waving in greeting briefly, to wait until either of the two has time for me and my project. Thankfully I don''t have to wait long. This time around it''s Nawoja who addresses me. She is already eyeing the things I brought, curiosity clear in her eyes, well before she actually reaches me.


    What can we do for you today, Valeria?¡±


    I hand her the polished up, ancient shield I brought.


    I couldn''t help but notice that these have been fashioned in such a way that a gem could be socketed in the center at the front. I was wondering if you could possibly polish up one of these shiny pebbles I gathered the other day so it can be put in the socket.¡±


    She raises an eyebrow and gets a better look at both the shield and the pebbles.


    In the end she nods, although she is a little reluctant. You realize that you''ll need actual gems, properly cut and all, if you want to go for an additional effect. Something that is on the same level as your enchantments.¡±


    I flash her a smile as I now nod in turn.


    Yes. I''m aware. That will be a project for another day though. These pebbles should be milky quartz, once you polish them. Nothing special, but they should go nicely with an enchantment I have in mind. They''ll do for now.¡±


    Understanding dawns upon her as I speak. She sounds a little excited, as she speaks up again.


    Will it be a light enchantment? Something like the staff you made for Danuta? A milky quartz will not make for a very good lens though.¡±


    She is almost spot on, but not quite.


    A little like the staff, but yet not quite like it. I want the pebbles on the shield to emit a soft glow instead of tightly focused light when a command word is spoken. That way it should be able to substitute for a torch or lantern.¡±


    Now she nods in understanding.


    I see. Very convenient for warriors who don''t have a hand free. Well, yes. I think we should be able to do this. It might take a while though. Polishing these pebbles especially. That is slow tedious work. And we can''t really judge their quality either until we are almost done with them either. But if that isn''t too much of a problem with you, we''ll get it done.¡±


    She scrunches up her face briefly.


    Three or four days unless you are in a hurry. We are quite busy right now as you can see. One silver Crown to be paid when you come to get the finished product.¡±


    Those are not questions. Those are statements that leave little room for any haggling. Not that I really want to haggle right now. Thus I just shake her extended hand to seal the deal. I''m not off right away though. Instead I gesture in the direction of the metal they steel she is currently working with her husband.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    What are you busy with? If you don''t mind me asking?¡±


    She laughs, as she rejoins her husband at the anvil.


    It''s no secret. Tamara commissioned new armor, solid breastplates, both for herself and Odolan.¡±


    She flashes me a grin as she picks her hammer back up.


    Wouldn''t be too surprised if they ask you to enchant it too. I would in her place anyway.¡±


    She might just be right. The youngsters should be able to afford at least some basic enchantments for their new gear even after commissioning custom armor for two of them. A basic self repair enchantment maybe? Well, I guess I''ll find out soon enough. With one last cheerful wave I''m off again.


    Before returning home I drop by the inn once more to put up the mana mill quest again. I wonder if anyone will take it. If so, it probably won''t be long. If not, well, I''m not hurting for enchanting dust right now anyway.


    Humming to myself I eventually return home and open the shop. I prepare to do some alchemy too after updating my ledger. I better make sure some fresh healing potions are on the shelves. Some more mana and stamina potions probably won''t hurt either, but those can still wait a little longer. One thing after the other. There is no need to rush. I just have to make sure not to miss my lunch break.


    Some purple mountain flowers, fresh wild rose petals and a little Bitterleaf together with a few dried Juniper Berries make for a pretty potent healing potion. It turns out good. Strong but not too strong.


    I''m stoppering a half dozen potion bottles filled with the brew when some knocks on the door leading to the shop out front. I barely glance over to see who it is, while I finish what I''m currently doing.


    Odolan! What a surprise. What can I do for you?¡±


    He holds up the papers for the mana mill quest.


    I''m here about the quest. Oh! And I brought some potion bottles too! I have them out here on the counter. You still take those, right?¡±


    Now that is a very welcome surprise.


    Oh! Good! I wish more people would return those potion bottles. I''m running a little low. Just let me finish up here real quick, then I''ll be with you right away.¡±


    He doesn''t have to wait long, but thankfully he waits patiently.


    I take care of the potion bottles he brought first. They are once again in good condition and nicely cleaned too, as I have already come to expect of this group. It''s just a handful of bottles, but they''ll go a long way to help me out restocking the shelves.


    I hand him the five bronze Crowns he is due for the bottles and enter the transaction into the ledger as well while I''m at it. Once that is taken care off, I set him up with the mana mill on the bench out front, where he''ll be able to catch a little sun while he is busy. There is one thought I just can''t shake though. I just can''t help it. I have to ask.


    Not that I don''t appreciate you dropping by, Odolan, but I have to admit, that I expected Szmuel instead. Is something up with him?¡±


    He laughs out loud as he begins to work the mill.


    You could say that. You know we found another magic item, a pair of bracers.¡±


    My brows furrow. I can''t remember seeing any bracers in the pile of things they left me to appraise. My confusion has to be pretty apparent, as he hurries to explain.


    We took those directly to Wislawa. They looked rather ominous. A black glow of sorts. Or rather, no, I wouldn''t call it a glow at all. It''s more like they seem to drink up all light. We suspected that they might be cursed, so we went straight to the priestess to have them checked out.¡±


    I nod. That is the sensible course of action after all, since what little I have heard about those bracers now makes them sound ominous indeed.


    I take it that everything worked out in your favor. Or rather in Szmuel''s?¡±


    He flashes me a smile as he nods.


    Indeed! It turns out that the bracers improve his ability to hide in shadows. He can even jump from shadow to another nearby. He is still busy practicing these shadow jumps as far as I know.¡±


    I nod once more and whistle.


    I already knew your last trip payed off, but it seems to go well beyond what I initially expected. You really found quite a few impressive things.¡±


    It''s the honest truth. It sounds like those bracers would be worth another fortune on top of what I appraised for them. And they are even more lucky to have found something that complements their groups abilities so well.

 Chapter 147 - Restocking the shelves

    While Odolan is busy with the mana mill I''m still busy with the fresh batch of healing potions. Stoppering the bottles and sealing them with wax isn''t the end of it all. No, I still need to appraise and properly tag them before I can put them on the shelves.


    First things first. I take one of the bottles from the fresh batch and focus my attention on it to trigger my appraisal skill.


    [Greater Healing Potion, Quality: Rare, A rare and potent healing potion that will heal any injury, including life threatening ones, almost within the blink of an eye. Still good to use for another 35 days.]


    I allow myself a proud little grin. Then I check the rest of the bottles too, just to make sure. The result is always the same.


    Very good! I really want some of those on the shelves should a guild representative drop by to put my enchanting services to the test, as Krystina mentioned. It might just result in a little free advertisement that way. I need to brew a slightly less potent and more affordable batch too though. Sadly not everyone can afford the good stuff. Well, it can''t be helped. And besides, not every little injury requires a potion that strong.


    For now I busy myself tying the little wooden tags I have to the bottles. Finally satisfied I put them on the shelves in the shop. I take the chance and get a rag to wipe away some dust too, while I check to make sure none of the older potions have gone bad.


    Once that is done I get back to the brewing. Or rather, I wash the tools and cauldrons first before I get a new brew going. I have to make sure no residue from the first brew contaminates the second. More often than not it will not have any undesirable side effects, but I can''t take that for given. I have to make sure. I don''t want to take any chances in that regard.


    That second brew is much more basic than the first one. I only grind up some Bitterleaf and dried wild rose petals in the mortar for this one. This mix will not make for a pleasant taste, but it is one of the most common recipes for lesser healing potions anyway. It''s the recipe using the ingredients most readily available to me too and that is the most important point.


    The finely ground, fragrant herbal mix goes first into another of the little silk bags and then into a small cauldron of hot water. Now it''ll just have to brew for a little while. That gives me just enough time to get the potion bottles Odolan returned, they really do come in handy right now, and more importantly fresh stoppers for them ready.


    As I make my preparations I realize that I''m running really low on sealing wax. I''ll either have to get some, probably from Barter Town, or I could make some myself. Beeswax should be easy enough to acquire around here and I can use some burnt, red ochre to color it after adding a little tree sap and maybe some oil. Yes, that should work well enough.


    I''ll inquire with Krystina or maybe Wislawa at the temple. Yes, the priestess might just be the right person to ask. The wax for her blessed candles has to come from somewhere after all. And if she can''t help me I''ll ask Agnieszka. At worst she can get me some from the city. I nod to myself. That sounds like a decent plan.


    With the decision made I fill the prepared potion bottles with the new brew. These too get stoppered and sealed, although I have to be a little more stingy with the wax this time around. I still make sure to use enough though.


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    After taking a deep breath I focus on the new potions to check the results with my appraisal skill.


    [Lesser Healing Potion, Quality: Common, A healing potion that will heal a minor injury. Still good to use for another 35 days.]


    Plain and simple, yet good enough. Very well. I tag these too and put them on a shelf. I have to admit the shelves look a whole lot better with enough potions on them.


    With that taken care off I step outside. On one hand to check the time. I promised Elzbieta that I would drop by with lunch after all. On the other hand to check on Odolan and his progress.


    ¡°How''s it going? Want to take a break and head down to the inn to have lunch?¡±


    The young warrior is focused on his task and the simple song that lets him keep a steady rhythm, simple as it may be, and doesn''t even take note of my approach. As a result he almost jumps off the bench, as I address him. He blushes a deep crimson as he eases back down again.


    ¡°Ah ¡­ sorry. Didn''t notice you there at all. Want to take a look?¡±


    He nods at the mana mill while scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.


    Since he mentions it, I decide to do just that. I open the mill''s drawer just a little bit to have a brief look at the gathered enchanting dust. It looks good and the drawer is almost full too. His diligent work is paying off.


    ¡°Almost done. Just a little more. Why don''t you keep going a little longer while I tidy up in the back and close the shop for lunch? That way I probably can stamp your quest papers before we head down to the inn and you can do something else in the afternoon.¡±


    He perks up, as I talk and gets back to work without any delay. Judging by the look on his face he might already have plans for his afternoon. I decide not to ask though. Instead I head back inside and do exactly as I said.


    It doesn''t take me too long to clean what little tools I used today under the watchful, half lidded stare of Sour Cream. Maybe I''m a little too busy today for her liking? I dry my hands and take a moment to pet my feline housemate and before long she starts to emit a content purr, as she closes her eyes again. Alright, it seems she is not actually upset. Not too much anyway.


    Then, as I close the shop for my lunch break I call Odolan inside too. I check on the contents of the mill''s drawer once more as well, now that I can properly open it without having to fear that a gust of wind might scatter its contents all over the place. I''m quite satisfied and the smile on my face as I nod reflects that.


    ¡°Looks good.¡±


    I stamp his quest papers and then we are off to the inn. I let him go ahead though, as I take a little detour as I spot someone on our way there.


    It seems Elzbieta is already out of bed, although she is not exactly up and about yet, strictly speaking. She is sitting on a bench in the little garden behind the temple. One of the trees growing there shades the spot, so she and little Ulryk can enjoy some fresh air without getting sun burnt.


    Elzbieta takes note of my approach too and greets me with a silent wave, as the little one keeps napping. She winks at me as I stop by their side. When she speaks it is in hushed tones, as not to wake the child.


    ¡°I was afraid you might have forgotten. The little man already wanted his lunch a little while ago.¡±


    I let out a low, quiet chuckle in turn.


    ¡°I don''t think he''d care for such things like lunch and dinner. Not yet anyway. Going to have lunch out here?¡±


    She looks around briefly, then she nods too.


    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±


    With another wave I''m off to the inn, to get us something to eat. It turns out that today''s meal involves more of the fresh baked bread. Two lightly toasted slices of it with a filling of tender pulled pork and gravy. The smell is truly heavenly. At least for me. I hope Elzbieta and Ulryk don''t mind either. There is coleslaw too.


    I order two servings and am not surprised, well not a whole lot anyway, as I receive what has to be three in the end. I don''t even need to mention that I want to eat together with Elzbieta over at the temple. I receive everything, including two mugs of light beer, on a tablet, so I won''t have to make multiple trips. I pay up and am off, careful, not to drop or spill anything, so I can spend some time with the young mother.

 Chapter 148 - Wood shavings

    My lunch break with Elzbieta is quite enjoyable and not just because of the incredibly tasty food either. I wish I could stay a little longer, especially after we are done eating, including little Ulryk who apparently got hungry too, as we were eating. Once the little boy is done with his meal he is quick to go right for a nap and his yawn, little as it may be is rather contagious.


    Elzbieta doesn''t hesitate to give in and takes a nap as well. I can''t stick around to do the same though. Which is too bad. The two look downright adorable, as they are sleeping on the bench in the garden behind the temple.


    Thankfully Wislawa has an eye on them and Urszula is scheduled to drop by a little later to check up on mother and child too.


    I give both a little peck on the check, then I''m off to return the dishes to Patryk and Maryla at the inn before I head back up to my own shop. I still have plans for today after all. Sadly those do not leave any room for impromptu afternoon naps. Damn, some days I wish I could switch places with Sour Cream. She doesn''t seem to have problems like that.


    Oh well, not all of us can be magnificent felines with servile and obedient humanoid servants. I''ll just have to make do with the lot I have been dealt. It isn''t all bad anyway.


    First I grab a dry piece of wood from the stack of firewood out back. I make sure to pick one that doesn''t have any cracks. I choose one that isn''t too big either. That would be inconvenient for what I have in mind after all. I go through my tools in the workshop until I come across a small knife that I can use to do some wood carving too.


    I''m not a master woodworker and I don''t have the tools of one either, but I should be able to get what I have in mind done anyway.


    Only then do I open the shop back up. I very much expect a slow afternoon as I do so. That among other things why I decide to pass some time doing some wood carving. It isn''t just some idle pastime though. No, this is a preparation for the still unfinished project for Urszula.


    The wet nurse enchantment would be best suited for a piece of clothing, but something else, like an amulet of sorts, should work too. And while stone tied to piece of string would in theory be good enough I don''t want to settle for something looking cheap and uninspired like that.


    I turn the piece of wood about a few times, to study it in greater detail. Then I start to carve a small figurine from it. I''m no expert at this, but I can envision the shape of the finished, full bodied likeness of the sun mother with her radiant halo well enough. I have no trouble cutting it from the wood either. It just takes me a little more time than it would a professional or even just anyone who does this more often.


    The only really delicate thing is the halo with the stylized rays of sunlight. Especially as this is where I''ll fasten the string to it.


    Eventually I''m satisfied with my work anyway. The small figurine is all smooth curves and no sharp angles, as it should be. I smooth the surface a little more so there will be no splinters and varnish it with a little oil at last. This way it should keep nicely.


    Yes, I''m truly satisfied. It isn''t a piece of high art, but it shows that I crafted it with love and care and that is what really matters. The oil varnish gives it a warm glow too which is very fitting. And the little figurines curves will go well with the intended enchantment as far as I can tell. Yes, this is a great success as far as I''m concerned. It''ll do nicely!


    I head to the back, figurine in hand and grab one of the longer leather straps I usually use to tie tags to potion bottles. One basic knot later I''m done. Well, I''m done with this part anyway. I now have a little figurine that can be worn like an amulet or holy symbol of sorts. I still need to enchant it though.


    Next I get my notebook and the research material Agnieszka got for me from the academy in Barter Town. My original design is no good after all. It probably wouldn''t result in a cursed item twice in a row but it would utterly fail instead in all likelihood. And anyway, neither is an acceptable outcome. I need to draft something better!


    Thus, first off I study the runes and the accompanying material from the academy''s library in depth. Only once I''m through with that do I start with the design for the wet nurse enchantment.


    I don''t take any chances this time around thus I end up starting over several times. In the end I''m satisfied with the result though and that is what really matters. It''s a plain and simple single enchantment optimized for the little wooden figurine. There is nothing fancy about it and, to be honest, there doesn''t have to be. The only downside is, that it takes me some time to finalize everything. That though is a price I''m willing to pay in this case.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    In the end I don''t get to put my hard work to the test right away. A knock from the direction of the door interrupts my thoughts in that regard. An unfamiliar face greets me as I look up.


    It''s a dwarf and it isn''t Tamara. The long graying beard leaves little room for doubt about that. The wizard robes he wears have pretty much the same effect.


    I perk up. Could he be the guild representative that will put my enchanting services to the test? It''s possible. Of course he could be just someone who has happened to take note of my services listed with the guild too. In the end it doesn''t really matter. He is a customer or at least a potential. That is the important point. It''s these thoughts that shape my words as I greet him.


    Welcome! What can I do for you?¡±


    He does come in and looks around a little. It''s clear though, that he isn''t here for either potions or second hand gear. He barely glances at the things on the shelves or in the bins as he comes over to join me at the counter.


    Ah, well, young lady, it has come to my attention that you are offering your services as an enchanter. The guild lists you as someone who can even create double enchantments if I''m not mistaken. I have to say, that is quite an achievement for someone so young. I''m impressed.¡±


    I perk up further. Could it be? Is he really here to put my abilities to the test? He is not done talking though and his next words make me seriously question the likelihood of this option.


    There is something else too that caught my attention. Recently a wand, a real rare treasure was put up for auction with the guild here. You wouldn''t possibly be able to fashion such enchantments as well?¡±


    I blink in surprise. Then I shake my head.


    Sorry, but no. That wand is a find Tamara and her group brought back from one of their forays into the Twilight Forest. I''m pretty confident in my ability to create double enchantments. I can even create triple ones, even if I don''t want to advertise that with the guild just yet. Wands though are a specialization I''m not familiar with. Not yet anyway. I''m not a spellcaster myself, you know.¡±


    He nods along with my words. It seems that they are no big surprise to him. Well, most of them aren''t anyway. The mention of Tamara though causes one bushy eyebrow to rise ever so slightly.


    Oh? Young Tamara found that wand?¡±


    He breaks into brief but hearty laughter. It seems heartfelt and he doesn''t even try to hold it in.


    I guess her parents will be pleased to hear that she is doing well at least. That is quite a find after all.¡±


    I nod and decide not to mention that she seems to be in a relationship with Odolan. Her parents probably wouldn''t be enthusiastic about that piece of news.


    He laughs some more, before he regains control of himself and gets back on topic.


    Ah well, I guess it is to be expected. You''d be willing though to learn a rare art like the enchantment of wands? You certainly could become a spellcaster in your own right you know. Every enchanter has what it takes. If you already do triple enchantments at such a young age, I have high hopes for you!¡±


    He really isn''t perturbed in the slightest and just keeps going.


    Anyway, since you are offering to do double enchantments, there is a little something you could do for me.¡±


    He pulls something from the folds of his robe, before he begins to elaborate his request.


    I got myself a new pipe recently. A rare and precious thing carved from sea foam and dragon turtle bones. A masterpiece, if you''ll allow me to brag a little. I want two enchantments for it. First, it should be self cleaning. And second, I want it to light itself upon a spoken command. Think you can do it?¡±

 Chapter 149 - Wrapping things up

    I take a moment to think on the old dwarf''s words. The enchantments he wants for his pipe sound reasonable enough. I can see why he would want it enchanted too. It is a very nice pipe after all. The complexity of the stacked enchantments should be similar to the staff I have enchanted for Danuta. Thus I might as well ask for a similar price too, but there is one more factor I need to consider. At long last I nod, as I inquire about that.


    I can do that. Are you in a hurry? Or can I take my time?¡±


    He taps the pipe against the counter lightly as he thinks on the question for a moment.


    It''s not that I''m in a hurry, but I really want to give this little beauty a try. I have even got myself some twilight forest tobacco, a very rare mix, for the occasion. Could you get it done tomorrow?¡±


    I''m no expert on tobacco, regular or special, but I know that plants from the deepest depths of the Twilight Forest have special properties and usually price tags to match those. If he is willing to spend that kind of coin on the experience I might as well charge a little express delivery fee as well. Why not. After all it''ll probably cost me most of my precious sleep tonight.


    I nod but let out a little sigh as I do.


    Yes. I think I can get it done tomorrow. Probably around noon. I need good light when I write the enchantment, even if I get the design done over night. How does nine silver Crowns sound to you?¡±


    He makes as if to take a drag from the pipe, a motion obviously born out of habit, only to let out a sad sigh in the end as the pipe is, of course, not lit. His bushy brows furrow a little.


    I know I''m rushing you a little, but let''s say eight. That should still be a pretty good deal, right?¡±


    He isn''t wrong in that regard. Eight silver Crowns is a good deal for an enchantment like that. It certainly is more than what Danuta paid for her staff. I nod in agreement and we shake hands to seal the deal.


    The old man seems pleased and somewhat relieved. Was he afraid that I might actually turn him down? Well, whatever it was, it is now a thing of the past. He flashes me a grin.


    I''ll leave the pipe with you then. You can find me down at the inn when you are done. Might as well take the time to sample some of the meals they serve. Maybe a drink or two too.¡±


    Then he is off with a wave.


    I return the gesture. Once he is out the door though I pick up the pipe and take it to the workshop in the back. When I return to the counter I open my notebook once more and get busy creating the new enchantment, all the while humming one of the tunes about Ksawery''s adventures I have learned from Elzbieta.


    On one hand I use the enchantment for Danuta''s staff as a reference. On the other hand I try my best to streamline this one. That way I can reduce the chance for it to fail outright or turn out bad or even into a curse. Thankfully I know all the runes I''ll need for this one. The two individual enchantments aren''t terribly exotic after all. Just as well. Otherwise I wouldn''t be able to finish this tomorrow. Now that would be embarrassing.


    I tackle the self cleaning enchantment first. It will provide a solid base for the other one which is a little more complex due to the verbal trigger and the fact that it''ll be the second enchantment on an already enchanted object.


    Every once in a while I''ll go back a few pages in my notebook and work on the wet nurse enchantment for the little figurine too. That one is a little more complex to begin with, enchantments that affect living beings usually are, but since it''s only a single enchantment without a complex trigger it doesn''t get to tricky either.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    By the time the sun begins to set I''m pretty much done with the designs for all of the enchantments I have planned. I''ll go over the calculations one more time though before I give any of them a try, just to be sure rather than sorry.


    For now though, I have other things on my mind. I close the notebook and put it away. Next I close the shop. I can''t help but stifle a yawn, as I step outside briefly and see the sun set. I''m not yet ready to turn in for the night though. Not by far.


    Once I have taken care of the shop I prepare Sour Creams namesake treat for her. Then I head out down to the inn and the temple. The latter is in fact my first stop, as I want to check up on Elzbieta and little Ulryk. They are in good hands for sure, but I want to see them anyway.


    I don''t quite reach my destination though, as Wislawa intercepts me in the temple''s backyard garden.


    The priestess puts a finger to her lips before she talks in a low soothing tone.


    The two are already asleep.¡±


    She winks at me, as she shows me inside quietly, where both mother and child are indeed fast asleep. Only when we are back outside though does she explain.


    I made sure the boy wasn''t the only one who got to eat dinner either.¡±


    I nod as I let her show me back out to the street.


    Should I drop by tomorrow? Or should I prepare to welcome them home?¡±


    She tilts her head a little to think about it, before she finally answers.


    There really shouldn''t be any problems, but I''ll keep them here at the temple for another day at least, just to make sure. So maybe drop by for lunch again tomorrow. Hm ¡­ and actually, why don''t you prepare to welcome them home for the midsummer festivities?¡±


    That is a pretty important reminder. With everything going on I probably would have all but forgotten about everything but the midsummer night dance. And there really is more to midsummer than just that. I nod and take my leave.


    See you tomorrow.¡±


    After one last exchange of waves I''m off towards the inn.


    At the inn I get another helping of toasted bread with the incredibly tender and tasty pulled pork. I have a little light wine too, but not too much. The old wizard is down at the inn too, surrounded by other adventurers, especially the younger ones, as he tells stories.


    What would be an idle pastime or light entertainment for me is much more for the adventurers. Sure, the old man puts some effort into spinning his tales in entertaining ways, but to anyone willing to listen and read in between the lines, these tales are still clever lessons as well.


    I don''t linger too long though, entertaining as the stories might be. Instead I head back home. I don''t head back inside right away. Instead I sit down on the bench out back to do a little stargazing for a change. It''s a pretty nice night after all. The sky is clear and there is a gentle warm breeze.


    As I sit there I come to the realization that I don''t want to turn in for the night yet. No, I still feel a little too excited for some reason. I cross the garden and head down to the creek to splash a little fresh water into my face. That is enough to make even the last vestiges of exhaustion disappear. Yes, I think I''m good to keep going for another hour or two.


    I already know what I''m going to do too. I''m going to finish the little enchanted figurine for Urszula. That one should be easy enough.


    As I return to the house I get my enchanted lantern and two more candles to properly light the workshop. I really should make some more enchanted lanterns. They probably would sell well too. That is for another day though. Now I have other priorities.


    I place the wooden figurine with its leather string at the center of the enchanting table. Then I start drawing the supporting lines and circles with charcoal. Only when I''m satisfied with those do I get a suitable piece of enchanter''s chalk and after taking one more deep breath I start drawing the runes for the new and improved wet nurse enchantment one after the other.


    It''s like with the last few enchantments. Time almost seems to come to a stop and most of the world around me fades out, as my attention focuses on the table and the figurine lying at its center.


    The runes come to me easily and all the lines are as neat as I can make them. It''s like almost no time has passed when I finish the last line of the last rune, although I of course know that isn''t really true. Then the circle of runes gets drawn into the figurine, as the enchantment takes hold without so much as a wobble or any delay.


    This has to be the smoothest one up to date. Yes, for sure.

 Chapter 150 - Over the top

    I feel exhilaration as I look at the little enchanted figurine. At the same time I feel like it still is lacking a little something. After a moment it comes to me what exactly. It is the little halo I added. It should be shining, at least a little. That way it would be perfect. Well, as far as little homemade things like these go anyway.


    It takes considerable effort to refrain from trying to add an enchantment that should, in theory achieve the effect right away. Sure, a little glow, especially if it isn''t supposed to provide actual illumination, isn''t hard to achieve, but I really shouldn''t rush things now.


    I take a deep breath to calm back down and think this through a little more thoroughly. I don''t want to ruin it now, when it is basically already done, in a vain attempt to add some sparkles after all. Especially as its shiny extra bits Urszula hasn''t ordered and which are, strictly speaking, not covered by the agreed upon price.


    I can''t exactly renegotiate one sided either. That would really ruin my reputation. You don''t change a deal once you have shaken hands. No, only frauds running shops in the worst hives of scum and villainy would do that. People that can''t be trusted, because how can you be sure that someone won''t just change the deal further once they have changed it once?


    Yet, at the same time I feel the figurine needs that little extra. I''ll just have to provide it free of charge this once. I''ll just consider it an investment into the future.


    In fact I''m tempted to suggest that Urszula ask Wislawa to put a blessing on it too, but that is for her to decide. I need to finish my work here first.


    The first thing I do is to clean the enchanting table in preparation for the next enchantment. Then I take a moment, to draft up a specialized enchantment that will make only the halo of the figurine glow in a soft light.


    It quickly turns out that it''s a good thing that I took my time to do that. As I thumb through my notebook to look at my previous works it becomes obvious that especially the restriction to the carved halo is a little tricky. It needs so many additional runes that the otherwise simple enchantment almost doubles in size.


    I''m tempted to remove the restriction, but in the end I don''t. Once again because I want this to be as close to perfect as I can possibly manage. Cutting corners simply won''t do!


    I calculate the circle''s diameter too. In fact I go through the calculations twice to make sure I have made no mistake. Only once I''m satisfied with them do I grab another piece of coal to draw the circle and other supporting lines on the enchanting table.


    After readjusting my lantern and the candles I place the already enchanted figurine in the center of the circle drawn on the enchanting table once more. I go over the runes for the enchantment another time too, to make sure I have them all properly memorized.


    I have my notebook open on the workbench next to the enchanting table just in case, but I''d rather not have to look so I can keep drawing the runes without interruption. Otherwise the chances of the enchantment not taking hold properly increase. Thus I make sure to have everything memorized properly, down to the last line! In fact, by the time I''m done going over the runes time and again I''m moderately certain that I could perform the enchantment again and again, possibly in my sleep. Not that I would ever try to do something foolhardy like performing enchantments while asleep.


    Yes, I better be properly awake for this. Thankfully I know just the potion to achieve that state of wakefulness.


    I get a fire started to boil some water. I roast some of my dwindling supply of coffee beans too. Once I''m satisfied with their color and the smell they emit, I grind them up to get them brewing with the hot water right after. While the coffee brews I grind up some clove as well as some sugar, which I stir in right away too. I don''t add anything else today. I want the brew black, strong and hot.


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    I wince as I burn my tongue. Alright, maybe not this hot. I blow on it a little before I finish up the now slightly cooler cup of coffee. My heartbeat quickens and even the last vestiges of fatigue vanish almost right away. Oh yes! This is good! I probably won''t be able to get any sleep tonight after this, but right now this is exactly what I need!


    Now it''s time to get back to work. I check the prepared coal circle and the positioning of the figurine once more. Then I grab a suitable piece of softly glowing chalk and get going without any further delay.


    As I place line after line I''m once again grateful for grandma''s high quality enchanting table. I have had the questionable pleasure of working with worse at the academy. With some it had been downright impossible to draw a single line without making a screeching noise just barely not bad enough to make your ears bleed. Somewhat like a wailing banshee. With this table in comparison the chalks make barely any sound at all, as I fill the circle around the figurine with runes.


    My worries prove unfounded not much later, as the softly glowing runes of the circle get drawn into the wooden figurine almost without delay once I finish.


    I take another deep breath. I''m not quite done yet though. I still need to check on the results of my work at the very least. I wouldn''t be able get any restful sleep otherwise.


    I can already see that the second enchantment is working as intended, as the figurine''s halo glows in a soft, warm light. It''s not too bright either. At a glance everything looks alright. A glance is not good enough though. I have learned to be a little more careful. I only take a moment to clean the enchanting table once more, then I focus my whole attention on the little wooden statue to trigger my appraisal skill.


    [The sun mother''s wet nurse charm, Quality: Rare, A small hand-carved wooden figurine depicting the sun mother as she is often imagined in the coastal cities. It can be worn around the neck on a leather strap. Wearing this enchanted item will stimulate the flow of milk even in women that have not given birth or even been pregnant. The effect will last for 7 days after wearing the item for at least four hours. In addition the figurine''s halo has been enchanted to spread a little pleasantly warm light.]


    I nod to myself. That sounds good. I''ll ask Wislawa to check it too just in case. Tomorrow morning, when I visit Elzbieta and Ulryk at the temple. It is then, that I can''t sniffle a mighty yawn anymore, try as I might. It seems not even spiced coffee can keep me going any longer than this.


    Before I can even really think about getting ready for bed though, another divine whisper brushes my mind.


    [You selflessly created an item of religious importance well beyond what you agreed to create! The Sun Mother is your witness and gifts you 1 point for the Priestess Arcana as a reward.]


    Now this is a surprise. The reward itself is modest, as is to be expected, since the little idol is neither a great nor a grand piece of art. No, what really surprises me is who sponsored the reward. Feats performed during night time are much more likely to catch the attention of the moon father or, if its either early or late, the dusk or dawn maiden. It is quite exceptional for the sun mother to hand out a reward during the night.


    I peek outside for a moment to make sure I haven''t completely lost track of time, but no the stars still twinkle in the mostly clear sky above. The night sky isn''t even lighting in the slightest in the east. It really still is nighttime.


    With a little frown, but not displeased I return inside and begin to get ready for bed. All the while I''m still thinking about this latest divine reward.


    Is it because I carved the idol in her likeness, or at least how she tends to be depicted around here? It''s the only remotely reasonable explanation I can come up with. It still sounds a little unlikely in my ears though. I''m sure plenty of other people carve similar little charms or figurines every year and I have never heard mention of any of them catching a divine patron''s attention like that. Usually not even when they are carved during daytime. Much less when the work is finished at night.


    In the end I can only shake my head as I slip into bed. Maybe Wislawa can provide some insight. I''ll ask her. Tomorrow. After one last yawn sleep finally claims me.

 Chapter 151 - A little enlightment

    I can''t exactly claim to be well rested when Sour Cream wakes me the next morning, as she comes in through the open window to curl up on the bed besides me with a content little purr. That purr matches how I feel though. I feel content and maybe even a little accomplished. Yes, that sums it up pretty well, or at least well enough.


    For a little while I just lie there and run my hand through Sour Cream''s fur. I''m not in too bad a hurry after all. Eventually I have to get up and ready for the day though. There is no helping it. Especially as I still have to finish an important project. That wizard''s pipe wont enchant itself after all.


    Ha, wouldn''t that be something? Items that enchant themselves. No, actually, on second thought, maybe it''s better that there is no such thing. Or rather, we probably call those items with a mind of their own cursed. There probably is a reason why there are no stories about benevolent items like that.


    Now I have dawdled long enough though. I slip out of the bed, taking care not to jostle the cat too much and get ready for the day. I pour the cuddly bundle of purring joy some of her favorite treat and grab the little figurine I enchanted last night as well as some coin. Then I''m off down to the village square.


    My first stop this time around is the inn. I''m early enough to be moderately certain that Elzbieta has not had anything to eat yet. Thus I get a tray with two servings of breakfast. Two servings that as usual would probably enough to feed three. Well, I won''t complain and Elzbieta who will benefit the most certainly won''t either.


    Today''s morning meal is nothing exciting. Oatmeal with yogurt and honey for the better part. There are some dried fruits mixed in too. I''m not entirely certain which kind though. Well, its no use worrying. I''ll find out before long anyway. It certainly whets my appetite.


    And of course there is some hot tea to go with the sweet oatmeal. Because of that I''m especially careful as I head over to the temple. I really don''t want to risk any accidents with the hot beverage. An accident like that is the last either Elzbieta, little Ulryk or I need.


    At least I don''t have to wake anyone. Both mother and child are already awake, probably because the latter feels like having his own morning meal too. Wislawa is already up and about too. She welcomes me at the backdoor of the temple in the garden to see me in.


    Elzbieta flashes me a smile in greeting and I just nod in return, not to disturb the infant during his meal.


    I set the tray down well out of the way. I don''t start eating though, as I really want to wait for Elzbieta. Instead I turn to address the priestess, handing her the enchanted figurine in the process.


    ¡°Could you have a look to make sure it isn''t cursed? And if everything is alright, could you maybe put a blessing on it for me? It''s for Urszula.¡±


    She looks at it, running her fingers over the wood. She takes note of the softly glowing halo too. Finally she nods.


    ¡°You don''t need me back here right now, right? I''ll be right back.¡±


    And with those words she disappears in the direction of the temple''s sanctum. She doesn''t even ask for compensation.


    I guess it''s to be expected. Gifts and donations are more valuable if they are given freely after all. Maybe I can make something nice for her or the temple too one of these days. Something beyond putting some enchantments on candles. What though? I''ll have to think on it.


    In the meantime I wait for Ulryk to finish his meal so his mother and I can have ours together. Elzbieta really is looking much better already. In fact she looks like she wants to be up and about already. Once her son is back asleep, which thankfully doesn''t take too long I hand her her bowl of honey sweet oatmeal and we both dig in.


    ¡°So, you finished the enchantment for Urszula?¡±


    I nod in response to Elzbieta''s question, as I have my mouth full at the moment.


    ¡°Marvelous! She''ll like that. Although I have to admit it looks a little fancy. Does it have to glow like that? Not that I''m complaining. It looks nice ¡­¡±


    I start to chuckle eventually, as she keeps going. I make sure to keep my voice low as I answer.


    ¡°No, it doesn''t have to glow. In fact Urszula didn''t order it that way. She didn''t order a blessing for it either. I just thought the added glow would look nice. And now, I can''t help it, but blessing it just feels right.¡±


    Now the young mother is smiling too.


    ¡°Sounds like one of the occasions where one thing just leads to the other. And if it feels right, it probably is. Anyway, Wislawa seems pretty satisfied with our condition. She suggested that we, Ulryk and I, could return home tomorrow at the latest. So ¡­¡±


    Towards the end some doubt seems to be clouding her voice. Is she really starting to second guess herself now? That silly ¡­ I hastily put away my mug of tea and wipe my mouth on the sleeve of my blouse, not something I should make a habit of, and lean over to place a quick peck on her cheek.


    ¡°Stop doubting yourself and your place in my life. The both of you will be welcome.¡±


    Oh good gods and goddesses. Of course she and her little one will be welcome. I need to make sure the house will be ready for them tomorrow. And of course I need to finish the enchantment for that fancy pipe. And then there is the dance in the night. How is it that everything seems to happen all at once all of a sudden?


    Elzbieta tilts her head slightly as my thoughts begin to spiral out of control.


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    ¡°Are you sure? We could spend a night at the inn, you know.¡±


    I let out a nervous laugh, straining in the process to keep my voice from cracking. The little man still sleeping peacefully probably wouldn''t appreciate that. I shake my head vigorously at the suggestion that she go to the inn instead though.


    ¡°No. I just realized that I have a really busy day and night ahead of me.¡±


    This time around she leans over to place a feather light kiss on my cheek.


    ¡°You''ll manage. I''m sure.¡±


    I lean in and rest my head against her shoulder for a moment. Then the priestess returns with the enchanted figurine. She hands it to me.


    ¡°Here. I hope Urszula will like it. She should drop by around noon. Should I let her know to visit your place? Anyway, this is a pretty piece of work. It''s really like it was just waiting for me to invoke the sun mother. To be perfectly honest, blessing it took almost no effort on my part.¡±


    I let out a little sigh, as I accept the figurine back.


    ¡°Thanks! Please do tell her to come and visit me.¡±


    Then I let out a little nervous chuckle as I get back up.


    ¡°Now, if you''ll excuse me. I have just come to realize how crazy busy this day and night will be for me. I really should get going.¡±


    The priestess just nods, but Elzbieta pulls me into one last heartfelt hug, before she finally lets me go.


    I gather up the empty dishes and leave, stopping by the inn first, before I head back home. Returning the dirty dishes may seem trivial, but it takes one first point off the list of things I have to do. That seems like a good way to get underway for the day.


    Once I''m back home I open the shop. More importantly though, I get some water boiling at the same time too. Water for some especially strong coffee. I have a feeling that I''ll need it.


    Once the smell of coffee fills the workshop, to the point that even Sour cream''s nose twitches once or twice, I get started with the most time consuming task. The enchantment for the pipe. I have to make sure that this turns out perfect!


    I go through the necessary runes again and again. I check and double check my calculations. Finally I wipe off the enchanting table to make sure it''s spotless, before I prepare the supporting lines as usual. Then I makes sure I have a good piece of the softly glowing enchanter''s chalk at hand.


    After taking one last deep breath to calm my fluttering nerves I get started with the runes for the self cleaning enchantment. This is the more basic one and thus the one I need to add first to provide a proper foundation for the other.


    It''s quite reassuring that I manage to slip into the trance like state, which has become almost second nature to me by now whenever I''m enchanting, without a hitch. Once again it''s like the flow of time slows to a crawl as I carefully draw rune after rune until the enchantment is finished and gets drawn into the pipe.


    As if on cue a knock at the door pulls me out of my trance, just as the enchantment takes hold. It''s Urszula.


    I blink in surprise.


    ¡°Is it noon already?¡±


    She nods, but before she can actually say anything I''m already at her side.


    ¡°I have the wet nurse enchantment you asked for finished.¡±


    With these words I hand her the enchanted figurine.


    Now its her turn to blink in surprise. Then she breaks into a brief laugh.


    ¡°I guess that is what Elzbieta meant when she said that I have a surprise waiting for me.¡±


    I can''t help but grin sheepishly.


    ¡°I''m sorry. It may seem a little over the top, but it just felt too right to add the glow and ask Wislawa to bless it. And don''t worry. It doesn''t cost extra. The additional enchantment is more to indulge myself after all. I couldn''t charge for that even if we hadn''t already agreed on a price.¡±


    A little tension leaves her and her posture relaxes ever so slightly at my words.


    ¡°It''s alright. In fact it looks marvelous. I probably shouldn''t keep you though. I heard you are quite busy today?¡±


    Without any further delay she hands me the coin she already had ready and we shake hands one more time. Then she is off again while I return to the enchanting table. I''m not quite done yet after all.

 Chapter 152 - Running late

    I wave one last time as Urszula leaves with the enchanted figurine. Afterwards I enter this latest sale into my ledger and deposit the coin in the strong chest in a hurry. I still have to finish the second enchantment for the pipe after all.


    It almost makes me wish I knew a spell that allows me to add another hour or two to any day. Sadly such magic is beyond me, or any other mortal in all likelihood. Only the divine can even think about such feats of magic and even they won''t perform them for trivial reasons. Messing with time can have unforeseen consequences after all. There are plenty of cautionary tales to remind us mortals about that fact.


    In the end I have to make do with the next best thing. A cup of extra strong black coffee that is both bitter and sweet beyond compare. I know that beverages like that actually take time to take effect, but my heart speeds up the moment I get the first taste anyway.


    I quickly chug down the whole cup before I can think better of it. Oh yes, this really is the good stuff! In a terrifying kind of way, considering how it makes my heart race, my pulse thunder in my ears and my fingers tremble.


    Gods and goddesses, coffee really is both a terrible and wondrous thing. And in hindsight maybe it wasn''t the best of ideas to make the brew this strong. Well, what''s done is done. Now I have to press onward.


    With fresh resolve I make sure the enchanting table is ready for the next step, the enchantment to ignite the pipe on command. This enchantment is a little more tricky and not just because it is the second enchantment either. I''m well prepared though.


    I go through the runes of the more complex circle once more in my mind, already placing them on the coal lines I prepared in my imagination. Only once I finish that mental exercise without any issues do I grab the enchanter''s chalk to get started with the actual enchantment.


    Again the by now surprisingly familiar effect sets in as the world around me seems to almost disappear from my senses as I write rune after rune. I''m quite glad that no one interrupts me. If anyone could even interrupt me when I''m like this. I''m not quite sure it''s even possible to be honest. That too is a thought I quickly banish though to focus entirely on the runes I still have to write.


    As a result I''m done before long. This enchantment takes a little longer to take hold, but it doesn''t waver in the slightest as the softly glowing and sparkling runes are drawn into the pipe. No, it is a slow and steady process that leaves little room for doubt. This is what a successful enchantment is supposed to look like.


    I take both a step back and a deep breath to calm my nerves. The effect is ruined right after as I gulp down half a cup of my especially strong coffee right afterwards.


    If I keep drinking this to get through the day and the night still ahead of me I''ll probably regret it tomorrow. I grimace and decide to let future me curse my current self. It''s not like I have a whole lot of other options. As I finish that line of thought I gulp down the rest of the cup''s bitter sweet content.


    I pick up the fancy pipe and focus my attention on it, looking at it from every angle in the process, to trigger my appraisal skill.


    [Wizard''s wellspring of soothing smoke rings, Quality: Epic, This pipe is a rare piece, a masterwork item carved from sea foam and dragon turtle bone and decorated with intricate details. The pipe is enchanted to continually clean itself. Neither ash or soot nor anything else will ever stick to it. Even better, the pipe will light itself on command, as long as it''s packed. Neither wind nor rain will keep it from burning. The stacked enchantments have another effect too. When used to blow smoke rings into the air these will purge the miasma of disease. It won''t do anything about other kinds of bad air or poison though.]


    I blink in surprise. That is quite a bit to take in. The name alone is already something else altogether. And the double enchantment seems to have resulted in an additional effect as well. That one gives me pause. Could I advertise that effect? It sounds pretty useful after all.


    Well, I don''t know too many people smoking pipe. Urszula''s father smokes pipe and so does Danuta. Maybe I should ask the witch? Or would she prefer different enchantments for her pipe? I''ll really have to ask her. First I''ll have to deliver this particular piece to its owner though.


    I close the shop, checking the time in the process, and grab the fancy, enchanted pipe. Then I''m off to the inn where I hope to find the man who commissioned it. There is a little extra spring to my steps. Is it either due to the accomplishment or the coffee? I''m not sure. It might be both.


    Along the way I come across Jaromir, the elder of Clear Brook. He greets me with a friendly wave. He keeps his voice low though as he greets me when I draw closer.


    Valeria! Do you have some time? I''d like to talk with you about your ledger and the tithe.¡±


    Oh, of course! I almost forgot. I wonder why? Maybe because it''s not a particularly nice topic? I nod anyway.


    I''m on my way to deliver this pipe I just enchanted. Give me a moment to enter the sale into the ledger afterwards and add up the numbers.¡±


    He nods along with my words. Judging by his expression, my request seems pretty much expected.


    Good. I need to visit a few other people first anyway. See you later!¡±


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    And with those words he is off again.


    I pick up my pace as well. I don''t have any time to waste after all. Now even more than before. Tallying up the entries in my ledger shouldn''t take that long, there aren''t that many yet after all, but I better get to it anyway. Gods and goddesses, this day is really turning out to be quite a busy one.


    Thankfully I don''t have to go looking for the old dwarf. He really stands out after all and right now he is talking with Krystina at the guild counter. I guess that is better than passing the time with drinking, eating or gambling.


    Never mind though. He has taken note of my arrival as well. He flashes me a broad smile as he takes his leave with our local guild official to talk with me instead. His eyes are already on the pipe as he comes over to join me.


    I see, you are done already?¡±


    I nod in response.


    As you wanted. A self cleaning enchantment and an enchantment to light it upon your command. There is a third effect too. I''m not exactly an expert regarding smoking pipes or anything else for that matter, but my appraisal suggests that you can purge the miasma of disease from the air by blowing smoke rings?¡±


    A wide smile blossoms on his face.


    Very good! As I have been hoping! Mind if I give it a look myself? I have a slightly more advanced identification skill.¡±


    I hand him the pipe and he focuses his attention on it. This apparently doesn''t stop him from talking though, thus he keeps going.


    It''s called the collector''s discerning eye. I use it to earn a little on the side whenever I take a few days off from adventuring. And this, young lady, has truly turned out wonderful. Marvelous! I''m impressed!¡±


    Even as he talks, he pulls a few coins from his purse, counting them into my hand without even looking.


    Nine silver Crowns, as we agreed, for a successful double enchantment and prompt delivery. It''s been a pleasure doing business with you, young lady!¡±


    I accept the coins and shake hands with him to finalize our transaction.


    It''s been a pleasure to work with a masterful piece like this. Please come again if you need anything else enchanted!"


    I will, young lady. I will! Now, if you''ll excuse me, I have to give this beuaty a proper try.¡±


    He winks at me and without delay gets out another pouch. By the smell alone I can tell that it contains a rather aromatic mix of finely cut tobacco leaves. He packs some of it into the pipe right away.


    Light up, my beauty!¡±


    As he speaks the words a spark ignites in the pipe and he puffs on it right away. A moment later he blows a first smoke ring into the common room of the inn. A moment later a deep heartfelt laugh comes over his lips. Before I can leave he addresses me once more. His voice is low and almost conspirative this time around though.


    By the way young lady. Some food for thought. With enchantments that activate upon command like this one you are almost halfway there to mastering the art of enchanting wands, you know? You just need to figure out the proper runes toi achieve the spell effect you want the wand to create.¡±


    He winks at me once more, then he focuses entirely on enjoying his pipe, while I''m off to take care of my ledger. I can''t shake his words though. Could it really be that easy? Well, for a certain value of easy anyway. I''ll have to think on it.


    First I need to focus on my ledger and the tithes though. Thus this is exactly what I do when I return home. I quickly add this latest transaction into the ledger. Then I begin to tally up all my sales and purchases.


    By the time a knock on the door draws my attention I''m just about to finish double checking the result. When I open the elder is already waiting there for me.


    Elder Jaromir, please come in!¡±


    He nods and does as I bid him. He heads directly to the counter to check on the ledger. He too goes through my calculations once more. He seems pleased.


    Very good! And so neat! I wish everyone would take such good care of their ledger.¡±


    Then he adds a line of his own below my added up sums. The amount I owe him, or rather the lord.


    It''s enough to make me sigh, but it''s no use to complain, thus I get the coin from the strong chest. No words are exchanged, only coin.


    The elder counts the small fortune I hand him one more time. He nods again, adds another line to the ledger, saying that my tithes have been paid in full. Then at last he puts his seal in red ink over the lines so no one will be able to tamper with them.


    Marvelous! I''m so very glad that you took over your grandma''s shop! Have a nice day!¡±


    He pauses to wink at me.


    And a fun midsummer night! Just don''t do anything none of us would do.¡±


    While I''m still wondering about those words he is off with a chuckle.

 Chapter 153 - Getting ready

    With the tithe taken care of for this year I let out a long relieved sigh. I have only been here for a little while, but I can already see how my business can be considered quite essential as far as the lord is concerned. The adventurers'' guild, the inn and possibly the smithy are in all likelihood the only other businesses creating a similar flow of revenue. The local farms, even if they do pretty well, probably don''t even come close.


    Well, it''s not like I have to worry. I just hope the lord doesn''t take a personal interest. That would be too troublesome. I''d rather just do business and pay my tithes without getting involved in the local politics any more than is necessary. Yes, I rather like how everything is coming along right now. As far as I''m concerned anyway.


    I really should get back to work now though. I slap my cheeks, get a bucket of water from the creek and grab a rag. There is still one last thing I want to get done before I get ready for the night after all.


    I want to make sure the house, especially the room in the back, is ready for Elzbieta and little Ulryk when they come. And since I''m unlikely to be in any state of mind to do any cleaning tomorrow morning I have to do it now.


    With fresh determination I get started. I wipe everything down and scrub the tabletops as well as the floor. I clean the fireplace too. Last but not least I change the sheets of the bed. I don''t have time to actually wash the old ones right now, but the old sheets won''t run away. I set them aside in a basket by the door for now.


    I take a peek outside to gauge the time and my eyes widen as I do. I''m running late. Really late! I have to hurry!


    Rushing around the house I close the shop. Then I grab my washing supplies and am off to the bathhouse like a whirlwind. I don''t bring the clothes I''ll wear to the midsummer night dance yet though. I really don''t want to be seen wearing them yet.


    I really wish I could take my time and soak in the warm water for a nice long while, but I can''t. Instead I just focus on washing. I have brought some especially nice smelling scented soap too.


    Surprisingly I''m not the only one at the bathhouse either. To be honest, I really shouldn''t be surprised. I should have expected this development. Why would I be the only one in a rush to get ready for the most exciting night of the year, or one of the most exciting nights anyway, after all.


    I try not to pay too much attention to the others, despite the fact that this is a mixed crowd this time around. I can only hope that the others feel the same way too. Although, to be honest, the idea that someone might be sneaking a glance is a little exciting. Well, I don''t have time to dwell on that silly idea though. I''m still in a hurry after all.


    As I return back home afterwards I stop at the house only briefly. Just long enough to grab a brush, a comb and a ribbon for my hair. Afterwards I head down to the temple. I need a little help for the next step.


    I enter through the back door in the garden after knocking to announce myself. Wislawa is heading to the anteroom, as I enter. She welcomes me with a nod in passing. I in turn head directly to the room where Elzbieta is staying right now.


    It seems the little ones has just had his evening meal, as the young mother is still in the process of readjusting her clothes, while little Ulryk already is in the process of falling back asleep.


    Elzbieta flashes me a smile and blows me a quick kiss too, for good measure as she sees me. Then she notices the things I brought.


    ¡°Want some help with your hair?¡±


    Well, I guess that isn''t terribly hard to come to this conclusion. I nod.


    ¡°Please? Could you braid it for me?¡±


    Elzbieta lets out an amused chuckle, a sound Ulryk is quick to mirror with his own baby laugh. It seems he is wide awake again all of a sudden. All thoughts of sleep pretty much forgotten. Curiosity is a mysterious and powerful thing. His mother in the meantime motions for me to come over and sit with them on the bed.


    I sit down slowly and with great care, so as not to jostle the infant too much and while his mother starts combing and brushing my hair I play with him a little. Thankfully he is still easily entertained. A gentle belly rub and with it the chance to grab my fingers is enough to keep the little man busy.


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    It probably helps too, that Elzbieta is softly singing about one Kswaery''s many silly adventures, while she turns my hair into a braided piece of art. I join her too, singing along, putting a little more emphasis of the pieces about Maryla the magpie, one of Ksawery''s accomplices, while Elzbieta focuses on the parts of the catfolk adventurer.


    I never thought of myself as much of a singer, but it seems that together with his mother I''m good enough to put a beaming smile one the little man''s face.


    Eventually Ulryk falls asleep though and Elzbieta finishes with my hair too.


    I don''t have a mirror on me, but what little I can glimpse out of the corner of my eyes looks good to me.


    Reluctantly I get up to leave. Before I can get going though, Elzbieta pulls me into a quick hug.


    ¡°Take care when dancing with the fair folk, yes?¡±


    I swallow hard and nod. I have been trying not to think about that part too much. For the same reason I can understand all too well why Elzbieta might be worried.


    ¡°I''ll try. See you tomorrow, alright?¡±


    I''m already about to pull away when another thought strikes me.


    ¡°Or would you like me to stop by again after getting all dressed up?¡±


    ¡°Would I? I think I can stay up a little longer, but won''t you run late?¡±


    I shrug.


    ¡°Maybe? Just a little? But at least I''ll run late for a good reason.¡±


    I wink at her, then I''m off and I blush hard, real hard, all the way until I''m back home. My heart is beating real fast too and it''s not just due to the general excitement catching up to me either.


    I take a moment to calm my nerves after closing the door behind myself. Then I fly into action again. Or at least I want to.


    Sour Cream demands my attention before I can turn to other things though. Her demands are easy to meet at least. A liberal helping of her namesake treat and she is happy as any cat can be.


    Now I can resume my festival preparations. My everyday clothes fly off. Only at the last moment can I restrain myself from throwing them on the freshly made bed. I dump them in the basket with the rest of the laundry instead.


    Without delay I put on some scented oil. Only a little though. Very little in fact. I don''t want to smell like an alchemist''s workshop after a very unfortunate oil spill.


    Then I slip into my highly enchanted festival clothes. First the sandals, then the dress inherited from grandma. Just feeling the sheer cloth on my skin is enough to send a shiver down my spine.


    At long last I get the floral wreath from the strong chest to place it upon my head with tender care. I don''t want to disrupt my freshly braided hair after all.


    It is only when I turn to leave the house again, that I realize that Sour Cream has stopped in her tracks on the windowsill, to look at me with big eyes. It seems the combined effect of the enchantments has an effect even on her.


    I bend down to place a quick kiss atop her head and run my hand along her spine all the way from the top her head to the tip of her tail. That seems to shake her out of her stupor and as she is off into the night I leave as well.


    My first destination is the temple once again, where I can already see Elzbieta out in the garden in the back, where she walks up and down, softly singing to little Ulryk who seems to be awake again. The young mother flashes me a smile.


    ¡°It''s almost uncanny how my little man seems to be able to tell whenever I''m about to leave, even if it''s just for a moment ¡­¡±


    Then her words trail off as she truly beholds me.


    I smile at her in turn and somehow that is enough to make her blush like I have never seen her blush before. I twirl in place once and move over to her, to break her out of her daze with a little kiss too. While I''m at it, I place another little kiss atop of Ulryks head as well, since he is staring at me wide eyes too.


    ¡°See you tomorrow, you two.¡±


    Then with one last twirl and a wave I''m off into the night, heading in the direction of the festival meadow.

 Chapter 154 - The smell of spring

    It''s getting dark already, but I know the way. In fact I''m benefiting from my occasional nightly strolls now. It helps too, that I''m not the only one on their way to the old fair ground. Others are heading in the same direction. Some alone. Others in small groups. All are dressed up for the occasion though. None can really compare to me and my enchanted outfit though. As a result I''m drawing more than a few looks and even some stares. I''m starting to feel a little self conscious because of it.


    Good gods and goddesses. What am I even thinking? This is well beyond anything I have ever done. Should I ¡­ no, there is no turning back! I can''t chicken out now! Try as I might to firm my resolve, I can''t keep my nerves from fluttering. The best I can do, is to act as if I had no care.


    That I know some of people heading the same way as me doesn''t exactly help either. Maybe it should though? There is the trio of Rafal, Feliks and Lotar. They are hard to miss, especially as others are drawn to them at times due to Rafal playing his lute.


    I think I can see Tamara and Odolan too. It''s curious that Szmuel isn''t tagging along with them. Or maybe it''s only natural. By the looks of it the young dwarven woman wants some time alone with her human comrade in arms. The young catfolk adventurer will probably be around too, except he''ll be on his own or with someone else.


    And those are only the ones easiest to spot among those I can see. There will probably already be more at the fair ground and even more might arrive later. And even that doesn''t account for the people from other nearby villages that share the fair ground with Clear Brook. It''ll be a lively night. I have little doubt about that.


    A moment later, already well beyond halfway to my destination I spot someone else. Danuta the witch. Of course she is attending too. And other than the bard she might be just about the only other person so far drawing as much attention, or at least almost as much, as I. The way her new dress shows off her curvaceous figure might have something to do with that. It might not be heavily enchanted like mine, but the way it pronounces her charms seems like some kind of magic all on its own.


    She has noticed me too, of that I''m certain, but we don''t get a chance to exchange any words.


    My eyes widen as I take note of the changes washing over the meadows and groves. Like the last time they are subtle at first. The grass seems greener, the foliage of the trees a little more lush. The smells of the plants all around become a little more intense too. It is the smell of spring that tickles my nose.


    It doesn''t end there though. Out of the corner of my eyes I can almost see motion among the trees. Some of that motion resolves into figures I can actually discern. Mostly pixies, but a few other fey as well. All, or at least the ones I can see clearly, seem to be dressed up for the occasion. Then my breath catches in my throat, as a voice like a hundred delicate silver bells calls out to me.


    You came, Valeria of Iwona''s blood. Thank you.¡±


    And just like that he is there. Again I can barely glimpse his true form when I don''t look directly at him. I close my eyes for a moment to ward off the building headache. When I open them again I try not to look too closely at what is not quite there. I focus on other sensations instead. Sensations like the smooth skin of his hand as he takes mine and his breath, that is a little like a pleasant spring breeze, on my skin as he breathes a fleeting kiss on the back of my hand. My heart speeds up. When he is this close. his sweet floral fragrance is almost too much for me.


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    Finally, after a brief moment that feels like an eternity anyway, I find words again.


    Of course I came. I promised.¡±


    He chuckles. His laugh once again sounding like pleasant silver bells.


    Indeed. Not all people keep their promises though. Thus I''m all the more glad to see you today. And you dressed up too. I know the dress, but the rest is new. Made with so much love and care too. I''m impressed.¡±


    It may sound silly, but the praise is enough to make my heart flutter. Sure, I''m not the only one who deserves praise. Urszula''s father made my sandals after all and the floral wreath is Elzbieta''s work, all the love and care that went into it are hers, but the enchantments on both are mine. It''s not entirely wrong that I take some pride in my contribution, right?


    As he leads me along the path to the fair ground, other fey, barely visible most of the time, flitting through the woods all around us, he speaks up again. His voice is soft and soothing.


    You promised me one dance, but maybe I can coax another out of you.¡±


    With him so close it''s hard to keep thinking straight. The way his voice lulls me in isn''t helping either. Is he trying to change the deal we struck? Well, he is only suggesting it as an option so far. As long as the choice remains mine in the end I don''t mind. Still I''m a little worried.


    We shouldn''t make the summer queen jealous though.¡±


    He doesn''t protest this time around. Instead he just nods.


    We really shouldn''t. It might make for a really unpleasant summer otherwise. Unbearably hot like her anger. No, let''s try to coax the best out of her instead!¡±


    A shiver runs down my spine, but I don''t object either. I can really only hope that this will work out well in the end. I, instead, decide to go with the flow.


    You have a plan?¡±


    The fey prince doesn''t answer right away. Instead he twirls me around just as we reach the fair ground, the fair ground that is very different from what I remember. Of course it''s different! It''s not just a handful of people here this time around after all. No, the place is incredibly lively.


    There are people all around the edge of the large clearing, clustering together in groups small and large. It''s not just people from Clear Brook either. No, there are many faces I can''t even begin to recognize. And, of course, the arrival of a fey prince has gone neither unannounced nor unnoticed.


    There countless fey intermingling with us mortals. Pixies, dozens, no hundreds of them, are already fluttering about overhead in an intricate dance. Thankfully none seem to be of the corrupted kind I have had the misfortune of meeting not too long ago.


    These lively, little creatures aren''t the only ones either. Not by far. There are dryads walking among the groups closest to the forest''s edge. Good gods and goddesses, I have never heard of so many of them coming together in any one place!


    My eyes are wide in wonder. Then something else catches my attention. There are Sylphs too, some are dancing among the smaller pixies in the sky above. Others mingle with the mortals that have come to celebrate the midsummer night.


    And, of course there is the bonfire at the clearing''s center. The very heart of this festival. That is where most of the fair folk gather to dance. And they do not just dance around the fire like the few mortals who dare to get this close to the being that dances in the fire itself. There she is, the queen of summer, wreathed in flames, wearing them like the finest cloth and the dancing embers of the fire like glowing jewelry.


    And as I lay eyes on her, her form shifts subtly, to mirror the figurine of the sun mother I carved recently, even if just a little bit. My breath catches as I behold her and her fiery gaze in turn touches me and the fey prince at my side.


    The fey prince seems not nearly as heavily affected as me. He buys me a moment to compose myself by interjecting himself in between me and the queen of summer, briefly obscuring her from view. His own smile is barely any better though. It makes my heart flutter anew.


    Well, my dear, shall we dance?¡±

 Chapter 155 - Like embers on the wind

    The prince of spring doesn''t really give me time to answer. And this is why I have prepared for this night and come here now anyway, so the question is kind of moot. In the end he picks up the pace and as I match him, he spins me into a first twirl. The first of many.


    Thankfully I only have to follow his lead. And he is pretty good at providing all the subtle cues I need. There simply is no way I could keep up otherwise, not even with my marvelous sandals and the rest of my enchanted gear.


    The prince''s attention is not entirely focused on me. At times his gaze wanders towards the summer queen instead, who in turn is closely watching us. My own gaze is drawn to her too every now and again. She is a marvelous sight to be hold as well after all. Possibly the only one beyond the prince, who outshines my own appearance tonight.


    I''d be worried, really worried, if I actually had more time to think on it. As it is, the feeling is a barely perceptible worry at the back of my mind. I have to focus too hard on keeping step with my dance partner. Especially as our movement becomes faster and more adventurous as we keep going.


    Under the watchful eyes of the queen of summer more and more of the people and fey join our dance. There is no stopping it, not that anyone actually tries to. As the number of dancers increases, so does the complexity of our movements, as we have to navigate the joyful, excited and at times already a little tipsy thickening crowd.


    It really is all very exciting and my heartbeat quickens considerably. In fact the more the excitement grows, the less I think about the potential consequences of the night. Am I getting drunk on dance? Is that even possible? Or is there some kind of magic at work I can''t even begin to understand? I can''t rule out either possibility and in the end I decide to not even bother. It is like it is. I just have to make the best of it.


    I''m so absorbed by the dance, it takes just about every bit of attention I can muster. Even by the time I have no more trouble matching my partner''s steps, jumps and twirls, I don''t pay much more attention to anything or anyone else. As a result the realization that we are drawing ever closer to the fire and the queen of summer dancing within it comes as quite the surprise to me.


    The heat of the great bonfire makes should make me sweat, but somehow it doesn''t. The embers dancing in the wind should sting or in all likelihood set sheer cloth like that of my dress on fire, they don''t though. Belatedly I realize that these dancing embers are not embers at all but tiny fey creatures, a little like pixies, except even more delicate. And their movements are not governed by the wind either, not completely anyway. No, they too are dancing.


    I don''t get to marvel at this little revelation for long either though, as the dance draws me further away from the fire again, right through a throng of fauns playing various musical instruments.


    Another thing that is impossible to keep track of, at least for me, is the passage of time. I can''t even gauge it by the measure of my exhaustion, as I''m not exhausted at all. Not even a little bit, although I probably should be. I''m not even feeling sore in the slightest although we have circled the fire at least several times.


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    Eventually I find myself breathing hard, as our dance winds down. At the same time I''m not actually out of breath. It''s a weird, but not unpleasant sensation.


    The night is far from over yet though. This is curious in its own right. I have been half expecting for the prince to make the one dance I promised him last all the into the twilight of morning. It''s not an entirely unreasonable assumption when dealing with fey and especially fey nobility, but it seems I was mistaken.


    As we come to a stop the prince lifts my hand, which he is still holding, to breathe a kiss upon it. A gallant gesture, I have to admit, even if he can''t capture my heart like that.


    Much as I would love to keep going, I can''t usurp this night. Not in its entirety. My season is over. There still are other dances for you to dance after all and I can''t deny the queen of the season to come the chance to at least ask you for a dance.¡±


    He winks at me, his expression speaks of mirth and mischief.


    As sure as spring passes, it''ll come around again though. Maybe we can meet to dance again on the eve of midwinter.¡±


    Before I can open my mouth to answer he gently places a finger against my lips.


    Hush. Don''t make any promises yet. We''ll see if you are in the mood when the mentioned night comes around. If you are up for it though, I''d certainly enjoy the company.¡±


    And just like that is gone and in his place a whirlwind of blossoms spreads out over the clearing. That isn''t the only change either. Not by far. Most dancers, both mortal and fey, have withdrawn to the edge of the clearing. Only a few, young women like me, as far as I can tell at a glance, remain out in the open.


    They and something else. Something with fur black as night and eyes that seem to burn like the bonfire. Something rippling with muscles. It''s hooves paw the ground, leaving noticeable furrows. The curved horns aren''t a laughing matter either.


    My heart misses a beat as I behold the wild auroch bull for the first time. It misses another as I realize that it has taken notice of me too. Oh good gods and goddesses, I''m supposed to leap over this monster? I''m not quite sure how I imagines the creature I would face, but this terrifying and magnificent beast isn''t it. Not by a long stretch.


    I''m not the only one who''s thoughts are following this path, judging by the reaction of the crowd. There are gasps and murmurs, but I barely take note of any of it.


    I barely hear anything but my own heartbeat. It resounds in my ears like thunder, as we lock eyes, and my mind is racing about as fast as my heart. I don''t have much time to think anyway.


    One thing is obvious though. Running away is not an option. Even with my enchanted sandals I''ll never outrun this animal. And even if I could outrun it, I would be the laughingstock of not just our village for sure. Never mind that the queen of summer would witness my shameful behavior. No, running really is not an option.


    I have to do as we practiced, even if looked so much easier back then. With my resolve reaffirmed I lower my head, take one more deep breath and get running, straight at the great horned beast.


    I have no clue what is actually going on in the bull''s head. I can''t guess what a creature like it might think. Surprise might be among the most likely candidates, as I run straight at it. That doesn''t last though and maybe that''s for the best. After all my practice session with Feliks, Lotar and Rafal suggests that I''ll achieve the best results if I can use the bulls momentum against it. Thus I''m not actually worried but a little relieved instead, when the bull lowers it''s head, scrapes the ground one last time and charges at me in turn. Weird as it may be, I even smile as we come at each other.

 Chapter 156 - Leap and fly

    It''s almost like I can feel the ground shake, as we close, almost as if a small mountain were coming at me. It''s a silly thought though. The bull may be massive, but it''s not actually that massive and it still is only one creature and not a herd that would actually make the earth tremble.


    What really shakes me, is probably my own heart beating like crazy within my chest. That''s a good thing though. Probably. I need to be on edge right now after all. This is the time to act quick and decisive. Every step counts now.


    Thankfully the bull actually makes things a little easier for me. It closes its eyes shortly before we clash. Probably because it might actually be expecting a messy crash. A messy crash where I would account for most of the mess it doesn''t want in its eyes.


    Well, joke''s on it. There will be no crash. My steps are sure and light, in part certainly thanks to my enchanted sandals. My nerves might flutter, just like my heart, but they don''t falter either.


    I barely take any note of our surroundings by now anymore. I''m too focused on what is right in front of me and on the things I need to do now. Even the music, which certainly has picked up in pace and volume, is drowned out by my own heartbeat.


    Then its time, I can already feel the great horned beast''s hot breath. With the last step I push off with all the strength my legs can muster. At the same time I grab the bulls horns. My body tenses, as the rest is not entirely in my hands anymore.


    I needn''t worry though. It''s like I have come to expect. Due to irritation and maybe a little due to the momentum I impart due to my actions too, the bull throws back his head and with it me.


    The boost this seemingly simple action, performed so casually by the giant bull, gives me is considerable.


    On my own I probably would have landed on the bull''s back in all likelihood. I have heard whispered stories of dancers who do that on purpose. The act is beyond dangerous and reckless though. I don''t want to tempt fate any more than I already am, thus I''m quite grateful for the additional boost, as it carries me over and beyond the bull in a dizzying somersault.


    For a brief moment I''m unsure if I''ll land on my feet, but in the end I''m lucky. Oh, I could have rolled with the fall for sure. I have trained for it after all, but that would not have looked graceful at all. No, not one bit. Thus I count myself lucky to land on my feet in the end. Well beyond the kicking hooves of the angry bull too. Yes, very lucky indeed.


    That I land on my feet doesn''t mean that all is well and that I can rest at ease now though. My momentum still carries me forward. Thanks to my training this too isn''t an unexpected development. What comes as a bit of a surprise though is the amount of additional momentum imparted to me by the bull.


    The momentum proves too much. Even with the support of my enchanted gear I can''t gloriously stand the landing. I don''t mind though. Besides, I have learned in training, that it''s imperative to keep moving, thus I do. I have to fight not to stumble though. Not perfect, but certainly good enough. The cheering crowd reassures me of that.


    It takes me several steps to slow down enough to risk a glance over my shoulder. I needn''t have worried though. The irate bull has found a new target for its anger. I blink in surprise. I don''t know this dancer. How would I?


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    She isn''t human, or mortal for that matter. No, she is one of the fey. Her head too is crowned by ever branching antlers. Hers are not quite as dazzling as the prince''s were though. Maybe one of his court? Although considering the fiery hues of her dress she might be of the summer queen''s court instead.


    It doesn''t really matter anyway. What matter is, that the bull has set its sights on her and that she seems intent to brave his charge.


    Even as I keep moving to get a little more distance so I could in theory take on the bull again, I now get to watch a dancer jump myself. My breathing is still ragged, and as the fey dancer grabs the bulls horns much like I did, my breath hitches for a moment.


    She jumps much like I did, yet her performance is very different. Unlike me she doesn''t come back down. No, instead she turns into a cloud of dissipating, dancing embers at the apex of her jump, which only coalesce back into her usual self a good while later and a good distance away.


    It''s not quite what I expected, or anyone else for the matter, but it still is a spectacular show for sure. Thus I cheer for her together with the rest of the spectators. Sure, we are all trying to put on a good show here, but I don''t begrudge her the fame she is due for her effort. If I were capable of feats of magic like that I would do the same after all.


    I get another moment to catch my breath afterwards, as the bull doesn''t turn around to come back my way. No, it seems like Danuta will be the next to put on a show for the crowd and the queen presiding over the festival from her bonfire alike.


    And just like the fey dancer before, and me before her, she seems determined to accept the challenge.


    Someone, I barely pay any attention who exactly hands me a warm cup with some kind of drink. I guess now is the time to get a little refreshment since someone else is keeping the bull occupied right now.


    I down the cup''s contents with one big gulp. Almost immediately my eyes widen. This stuff is strong! It''s spiced wine. Except it''s not just spiced, it''s fortified with some stronger spirit too. I really should have paid a little more attention. I can''t really spit it back out though. That would be a bad look. And besides, it doesn''t actually taste bad. It just surprised me a little. I''ll just have to be careful not to drink too much too fast. With a nod I hand the now empty cup back. Even then my attention is still on the bull and Danuta though.


    Barely a moment has passed, with beast and witch eyeing each other. Then the dangerous dance resumes and my breath hitches again. I want to see her jump. I want to see her fly. I want the crowd to cheer and I want to cheer together with the crowd. At the same time though I''m worried for her. I''m worried she might overdo it. This is a quite dangerous dance after all. No doubt about it.


    My worries make the relief and joy I feel as the buxom witch makes her jump feel all the sweeter. She jumps much like I did. I cheer together with the gathered crowd. As she lands two faun revelers drag a wooden tub close to where the angry bull has come to stop.


    I can''t quite make out what is in the tub, but whatever it is, it certainly catches the attention of the magnificent beast. It''s anger seems forgotten for a moment as it trots over to gulp the tubs contents down.


    A quick look around lets me know that there are several more, similar tubs being kept ready around the perimeter of the clearing. And then I spot something that makes everything come together. A young man refills a cup similar to the one I received just moments ago at one of those tubs.


    I let out a laugh. Well, of course the bull would go for those. Well, at least we don''t have to tire it out on our own like that. Everything will go over much smoother if it has a drink or two in between jumps. Hopefully.


    Several other young women dance with the bull afterwards, as it makes its way around the bonfire under the watchful gaze of the summer queen. And then, after a little while it is my turn again.


    If the spiced wine is having an effect, the giant animal isn''t showing it yet. It probably takes more than one tub to really intoxicate a beast of this size and weight. Just as well. The bull lowers its head and we charge at each other again. And once more I push off and grab its horn. This time though he adds a little shake as he throws me. The motion might have sent me tumbling helplessly through the air not too long ago. Now though I add a twist to my routine as I fly through the air to compensate. I can''t land on my feet this time around, but I come back up right again after a quick roll, with my heart beating like crazy. It beats fast like never before, but not out of fear. No, this is pure unbridled joy and exhilaration.