Chương 14: Chapter 14 - Negotiations
At Mia's forge, the air was filled with anticipation as they prepared to test the enchanted bracelet. The heat from the forge radiated through the room, adding to the intensity of the moment.
"Let me just fire the forge up first," Mia said, sparking the flames to life.
"Sure, I'm just thinking about how to do the test. What happens if it stops working while we're shoving our hand into the forge?" Lilly voiced her concern, aware of the potential risks involved in their experiment.
"I'll take care of the testing, you two. I can take a lot of heat before it gets dangerous," Eolande offered, ready to assume the risk herself.
"Oh, if you're sure then fine, I guess. I expect it to hold for a while even in that situation, but we never know," Lilly agreed, albeit a bit apprehensive.
"True. I'm not the best defensive adventurer, but if you need to test other protective enchantments, I expect I'm the best option. Unless Thoren is available," Eolande added, showing her willingness to help.
"Oh right, I'm curious. Mia is using her mana to empower herself while forging. Is that the same as you adventurers usually do?" Lilly inquired, recalling her observation of Mia.
"Oh really? How did you figure that out?" Eolande asked, intrigued.
"Oh, uh, I checked her with my mana," Lilly admitted, her cheeks turning slightly red as she remembered the intimate nature of the examination.
"... That's surprising. And you were okay with that, Mia?" Eolande turned to Mia, curious about her consent to such a personal investigation.
"I was the one that wanted it after Lilly explained it. She needed some convincing," Mia said, her voice rising above the sound of roaring flames as she worked at the forge.
"Well, I can understand why. That can be a dangerous situation, even. But yes, that is very similar to how we fighters use it. I guess it makes sense for great blacksmiths to do the same, since you need a lot of force to work on some metals," Eolande concluded, acknowledging the parallels between adventurers and skilled blacksmiths like Mia.
"Do you think Mia could become a warrior?" Lilly asked Eolande, her curiosity piqued by their recent discovery.
"Lilly?" Mia seemed a bit taken aback by the question, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.
"I'm just curious," Lilly defended her inquiry, sensing Mia's discomfort.
Eolande considered the question thoughtfully. "If you've developed the ability to channel mana into your physical efforts naturally, and it's made you significantly stronger, it does suggest a latent talent. Of course, it's likely very specialized to your blacksmithing tasks, but with training, it could potentially be adapted to broader combat skills. How much strength does it add?"
"She broke this hammer in one hit," Lilly said, holding up the two pieces of the hammer Mia had shattered, which she found near the anvil.
"That much?" Eolande seemed genuinely impressed by the demonstration of Mia's strength.
"Yeah, there was a significant surge of mana when she did it, so I guessed it was quite powerful," Lilly recalled, remembering the intense flow of mana she had sensed from Mia.
"That's certainly a talent, Mia. You've made a wise choice in becoming a blacksmith. Your strength will undoubtedly be an asset in your craft," Eolande praised.
"Well, that's good… I dreamed of being a warrior when I was younger, but I think I'm happy just cooperating with Lilly now, wherever that might take us." Mia said, smiling at Lilly.
Lilly returned the smile, heartened by Mia's decision to continue in her chosen path, even knowing she could pursue her childhood dream instead.
"The forge is ready now; it should be at about 1000 degrees. I can push it further if needed," Mia announced, indicating the readiness of the forge for their test.
"That should be sufficient for now. Could I have one of the bracelets, Lilly?" Eolande requested.
Lilly handed her one of the standard bracelets, watching intently as Eolande slipped it onto her wrist. They were all eager to see the effectiveness of the enchantment under such extreme conditions.
"I can feel the protection, it seems to be pretty strong. Let's see…" Eolande cautiously approached the blazing forge, inching her hand closer to the intense heat. Lilly watched nervously as the bracelet began to drain mana, attempting to shield Eolande from the scorching temperatures.
With a determined gaze, Eolande extended her hand into the forge, lightly touching the glowing coals. The bracelet's mana drain intensified, working at its fullest capacity to protect her. Then, abruptly, the flow of mana ceased, and Eolande swiftly withdrew her hand, letting out a sharp hiss of pain.
"Ouch, at the worst time," she muttered, shaking her hand slightly to ease the discomfort.
"Are you okay, Elly?" Lilly asked, her concern evident in her voice.
"I'm fine, Lilly. It's just a bit hot," Eolande assured her, examining her hand. "The enchantment did about as well as I expected. I'm curious about the stronger bracelet though. Should we try that as well?"
"It's up to you, Elly. But I think we'll have to increase the heat for that one," Lilly responded, glancing towards Mia for confirmation.
"That's fine. I think I have a better sense now of when it's about to fail," Eolande said confidently.
With the more potent bracelet now on her wrist, Eolande once again reached into the forge, her hand meeting the hot coals. The bracelet's mana drain was substantial, but it seemed to withstand the extreme conditions admirably.
"Should I increase the heat?" Mia asked, ready to add more fuel to the fire.
"Go ahead, Mia," Eolande nodded.
As Mia stoked the forge, the temperature climbed, and the bracelet's mana drain escalated correspondingly. Just as the bracelet reached its limit, Eolande swiftly pulled back her hand, narrowly avoiding another burn.
"Hah, that's better. This one can definitely withstand a drake's breath for a while. I'm impressed, Lilly," Eolande praised, examining her unscathed hand.
"That's great! What do you think it would be worth?" Lilly inquired, curious about the market value of her work.
"Oh, around 900 gold for this one, I'd say. And 400 for the others. What was the cost?" Eolande estimated.
"That much?" Lilly was taken aback by the high valuation. She turned to Mia, "What was the material cost, Mia?"
"The electrum cost about 300, but with the work included, it would total around 400 if I were to sell them normally…" Mia seemed a bit taken aback by the potential profit, which was significantly higher than her usual earnings. "50/50 split… that's almost 1000 gold?" she calculated, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"You need to remember that Gallus won't offer you the full price, girls," Eolande cautioned, grounding their expectations. "And I'm not entirely sure about my valuation. Mia, aren't you keeping one for yourself?"
"Oh, right," Mia remembered, her eyes scanning the bracelets before picking one with intricate decorations. "This one. It will be a huge help with smithing. Thanks, Lilly."
"No worries, Mia. It's well deserved, considering the work you put in," Lilly replied warmly. "I think I'll head over to Gallus now to sell these and perhaps buy some more materials."
"Do you want me to make some necklaces for protective enchantments?" Mia offered.
"That would be great, but I think we need to sell some before we can afford making them for personal protection. We need to fund them, and I suspect they'll sell quickly if word about the war has spread," Lilly reasoned.
"Well then, time for me to dive back into alchemy. See you later, Mia. It was nice meeting you," Eolande said, bidding farewell.
"Nice meeting you too, Elly. Goodbye!" Mia responded cheerfully.
"Goodbye, Mia!" Lilly echoed as they left the smithy together.
"You think you'll manage on your own?" Eolande asked Lilly as they parted ways.
"Yeah, I've met Gallus a few times now. He seems decent, but I'm aware he's a shrewd businessman, so I won't be easily fooled," Lilly replied confidently.
"Good to hear. Just remember the prices I suggested. Aim for at least 60% of that, and hint at potential future sales to entice him," Eolande advised.
"I'll keep that in mind, Elly. Thanks again. See you later!" Lilly said, grateful for the advice.
"See you later, Lilly," Eolande replied, and they went their separate ways.
Lilly took her familiar route to the Aether's Echo, located near the heart of the city. The streets were bustling with activity, but the recent news of potential war lent a certain tension to the air. Despite this, Lilly felt a sense of purpose as she walked, her bag of enchantments a symbol of her growing capabilities and the possibilities that lay ahead.
Upon entering the emporium, Lilly was immediately struck by the unusually large crowd inside. 'Could this be because of the war rumors?' she pondered, navigating through the bustling patrons. The line at the counter was much longer than usual, and Gallus seemed swamped with customers. Catching sight of Lilly, he signaled to one of his male assistants to attend to her.
"Hello there, how can I assist you today?" the assistant greeted her.
"Hi, I have some protective items to sell and I'm also looking to purchase magical materials," Lilly replied, showing the bag containing the bracelets.
"Protective items, you say? That's certainly in demand right now. Please, come with me," the assistant said, his interest piqued. He led Lilly up a staircase to a small, well-furnished room with a table and two couches, giving off an air of exclusivity. Lilly followed, wondering if her products warranted such special treatment.
After they were seated, the assistant inquired, "What kind of protective items are you selling? I assume they are enchanted, given their size?"
"Yes, they are fire-resistant bracelets crafted from electrum. One of them is particularly powerful," Lilly explained, placing the bracelets on the table.
"Fire resistance, interesting. Not the primary demand right now, but still valuable." The assistant's tone held a tinge of disappointment, likely hoping for physical protective gear more suited for combat.
He then asked, "What price are you seeking for these?"
Lilly, feeling a bit nervous but confident in her work, responded, "I believe the total value could be around 1700 gold, so I'm asking for 1200 for all three."
"That's a lot more than I think these will be worth, miss," the assistant remarked, looking a bit apologetic. "Did you make these yourself?"
"I did the enchantments, and my friend made the bracelets," Lilly stated, a hint of defensiveness creeping into her voice as she felt somewhat underestimated.
"I see. Would it be alright if I tested these a bit, miss?" the assistant asked, his expression one of professional curiosity.
"Of course," Lilly responded, her confidence growing with each word.
The assistant's fingers grazed the table, activating glowing formation circles on its surface. "Could you place the bracelets on the table, outside of the bag, please?"
Following his instructions, Lilly carefully set the bracelets on the table. She watched intently as the assistant's expression shifted from focused scrutiny to a brief, poorly masked look of surprise, before settling back into a neutral facade.
"You crafted these yourself, miss? That's... incredibly impressive," he admitted, a note of genuine surprise in his voice. "I can see why you've priced them as such. I had assumed that the electrum would be somewhat wasted on such enchantments, but clearly, I was mistaken."
Lilly felt a surge of pride at his acknowledgment, but she braced herself for the next phase of the conversation.
"However, the price is a bit steep," the assistant continued, his tone turning apologetic. "The most I could comfortably offer would be around 900 gold."
"That would barely cover our costs," Lilly replied, her tone firm yet reasonable. 'Barely cover' was a bit of an overstatement, but it would only leave Mia with 50 gold more than she invested. Lilly had spent a lot less on these bracelets so she would be fine giving some gold to Mia, but she suspected that wouldn't be accepted. "Considering my skill and the potential for future business with your shop, I believe 1200 gold is a fair asking price."
"Your future sales will also need to be fairly priced, miss, and since your name as an enchantress has little value yet, I fear selling these could be a challenge," he said bluntly.
"I've been learning enchanting for less than a month, sir. If you think my reputation will stay the same, you might want to reconsider," Lilly countered, hinting at her future potential.
"...In that case, I believe we can make a deal, miss. I'll offer you 1100 gold for these bracelets, provided you agree to sell your enchantments here with us for the remainder of the year."
"I can only agree to give you the chance to buy them at a fair price, but I'm happy with that offer," Lilly said, seeing a beneficial opportunity.
"Great, we have a deal then. You mentioned you wanted to buy some materials as well, right?" he transitioned smoothly to the next topic.
"Yes, I understand there's a demand for protective items at the moment. I'm looking to buy materials for making those," Lilly confirmed.
"Well, as you can imagine, the prices for those materials have risen considerably with the recent news. Considering your abilities, I would suggest trying some steeldrake scales, gargoyle hearts, or antlers from the arcane deer. Each offers unique protection: the steeldrake scales provide constant defense at skin level, the gargoyle heart turns your skin and muscles as hard as stone, and the deer antlers create a magical barrier when activated. The current prices are 34 gold, 42 gold, and 47 gold. Interested?"
"Hmm, which one would sell for more after the enchantment?" Lilly asked, hoping for the decision to be made a bit easier.
"The scales will fetch a good price, more than you'd think from their cost. They're more common, so they're cheaper than the others. But if we're talking profits, the antlers would be your best bet. They protect against a wider range of damages, not just physical ones," he explained.
"Then I'll take… 10 scales, I think," Lilly said hesitatingly. She had calculated how many she'd need for the people she cared about: 7 in total. Mia would probably want to cover her family of five, and then there were Gramps and herself. Eolande, she figured, could fend for herself and likely had better protective gear already. Making 10 necklaces would be a hefty task, and the cost of the electrum would add up. They'd have to sell a few before they could afford to make them all. "Yes, 10. How much would you pay for such enchantments?"
"If they're as effective as these bracelets, they could go for about 1000 gold each in the store. You'd get around 650 gold for each, considering we're pretty confident we can sell them. Just give me a minute to get your materials and your payment," he said, getting up to leave the room.
Left alone, Lilly started to ponder. 'With better materials, the enchantments should be much stronger. I might even need more than just electrum, especially if I can channel my emotions like last time. Maybe I should ask Elly about using crystals.'
The assistant returned with two bags: one holding 760 gold and the other containing 10 steeldrake scales. "Here you are, miss. Thanks for doing business with us."
"Thank you too. Can I ask your name?" Lilly inquired.
"I'm Timothy, miss. And what's your name?"
"It's Lilly. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. I'm looking forward to your next visit, Miss Lilly."
"It shouldn't be too long, maybe a few days."
"I'll be waiting for your return then, Miss Lilly."
Lilly stepped out of the emporium, her mind already drifting as she made her way home. That evening, she found herself deep in thought while meditating.
'If a war really does happen and we lose, what then? Could we become part of Dortfell?' she wondered, the idea unsettling yet distant. 'Eldrin and Thoren might die in the war, and that would really be awful. But other than that… I guess I don't know enough about Dortfell to say.'
The prospect of war stirred a nervous energy within her, but it wasn't paralyzing. Lady Selene helped a bit, and Eolade helped a lot. And her own ability to help was growing, although it was only through enchanting. The thought that her necklaces might actually save lives was both empowering and daunting. She hoped they would end up in the hands of those who would be in danger, instead of just adorning some noble who faced no real threat.
'And Mia… I don't know what to do about that situation. If she really… loves me in that way… would I mind trying something with her? She is quite… muscular." Lilly blushed, realizing the direction of her thoughts. But it needed to be pondered, she thought, and excused herself.
'I guess I would be open to a genuine relationship with her, if we get to that point… No, I think I'd like that even. Mia is cute, and a great friend I can joke around with. If there's love there, then that's even better… maybe? But do I feel the same spark she does? Or is it something that could develop over time? I never considered her in this way just because we're both girls, but now there might be something more. Seeing her in her underwear today did make me feel a bit hot. Seeing and feeling through mana is different after all.'
Lilly's internal debate left her struggling to make sense of her emotions. Ultimately, she retired to bed, feeling more introspective than before, and perhaps a bit excited.
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