Chapter 86: Artificiers

Now that the first piece has fallen; Aren is game, my little mouse will bring me all the information I need and set up all the proper meetings, with the way he was living, there's no way he could possibly reject me.

All I have to do is wait for him to put in motion the next bit of my plans. It will be an arduous wait no doubt. I can't possibly imagine being comfortable in Aste, at least not while I'm plagued with this hunger.

This is the first thing I have to solve; I have to get rid of this hunger and fast. It's come back to bit me in the most annoying way, this emptiness, the growling. 

It's driving me mad.

But I estimate I'll need to hold out for at least a week more…another week of this growing madness. I'm not sure I can do it and I know Lotar isn't the type of being to go back on deals.

I won't get any escape from him. I don't even know how to contact to giant spirit wolf that acts as my Patron, perhaps if I could, he could help me out with this.

But that's all-wishful thinking as things stand, though, the next time we speak, I'll be sure to demand a method of contacting him.

I left Aren's house pretty early in the afternoon. But my wondering legs took me about the city and to the places I'm most familiar with.

As the sun begins to set, the night shift of sales begins. The food industry blooms to life as many set up shop right on the side of the street.

It's not at all ready yet. The white puff cakes made out of not cake, the roasted fishes and steamed meat, it's far too early.

But at the same time, it's not too late for some shops to be open. I glance a look at the artificer shop I was at the last time, back then I came curious about what an artificer with magic could achieve.

It turns out there's a lot. My feet carry me into the store, the sign has been brought in and the chairs and tools have been set aside. It's closing time.

"Hello." I call out. There must be someone in the back or close by if the door is left wide open like this. "Anyone here?"

Soon, the sound of little metals falling is heard, then a grunt, a curse and then a reveal of a rather stout, buff blond bearded man.

"What do you want?" he speaks like he has something stuck within his throat.

"You're not the fat boy I met here last time I came by." 

"Huh? My apprentice you mean?" the man grunts. 

It's not clear to see behind his beard and with how short he considerably is but, he's wearing a thick leather apron, the gloves on his hands are also quite sturdy and he has on a pair of smudge google-like spectacles over his eyes.

"What do you want? Did you leave an order? You'll have to come by later, we haven't finished any of our jobs yet."

"No, nothing like that, not yet." I mutter.

"Then what is it? You're wasting my time; I need to close shop." He groans, taking off the goggles and wiping them off with a rather dirty cloth.

"Your apprentice said you could enchant simple clothes, but back then my material wasn't the best for it, what about what I'm wearing?"

He lifts his head up and hobbles closer to inspect my clothes. I'm wearing a variation of my usual red shirt and black leather trousers. 

The man hums, squeezing the hem of my shirt and pulling on my trousers. After a bit, he looks up to me as says, "Yes, this is a simple enough material. What sort of enchantment are you looking for, self-cleaning is really popular with travellers?"

Self-cleaning? How would that even work? Shaking my head, I resign to the fact; enchanters are the most creative Mages for sure.

"I need protection."

He turns around, grumbling something under his breath, behind his head I notice something peculiar at last; his ears they're pointed.

He's a dwarf.

"What sort of protection? Protection from what? Illusion? Physical attack? Magical attack? Minor accidents, drowning? Natural fires? What do you need?" he groans.

"You're a dwarf." I blurt out like an incel.

He turns and looks at me strangely, "Yes? Is this just known to you? Most artificers are, if you need a human artificer, you'll have to look for one outside this city!"

"No, no no! I was just a bit…I need protection from attacks, I'm a Mage and I'll be fighting a lot."

He shakes his head solemnly, "If you're a mage then what you need is to enhance your own magic isn't it? You can't be in the front of battles. What type of magic to you practice? Evocation…no that's too guarded, illusion magic?"

"No, no, my magic is fine as it is."

He raises an eyebrow at this. "Conjuration? Conjurers spend the most mana on their spells, a lot of them power it with artifacts, mana gems on their fingers? Some eccentric ones even carry larger gems I have heard of one S-rank that does such."

Truthfully it sounds like a good idea. At the moment, Necromancy doesn't eat so much mana, but if I plan on getting any better that'll change. Plus, having a large battery to power my undead army wouldn't be such a bad idea.

I think I'll need to go that far eventually.

"Okay, you've convinced me." He grins widely at this, "I'll need a large gem like that, to store mana…a lot of it. But for now, just get me some protection for these clothes."

He nods, "It'll be expensive, all of it, and it'll take time."

"What do you think you'll need for the gem?"

He scratches his balding head as he thinks, "Well, I'll need some fresh work materials for something this big and I'll need to buy the gems as well, they aren't cheap either and then I'll need to get pay the enchanter for the work as well."

"You're not the enchanter?"

"Huh? If I was, I wouldn't be, here would I? I'd be living high and wide off the money schmuck artificers pay for my magic." He shakes his head, "Artificers like myself only build the materials, sharpen them and train them for their sensitivity to mana. We come up with the methods to imbued mere objects with magic but never have the magic ourselves."

I see. Artificers are simply the architects of enchantments like this, they're the ones who figure out how every piece should fit in. But the building is done by Enchanters.

It's an industry alright.

"Anyway, it'll afford at least seventy gold tokus for start and completion." 

Seventy?! The hell is that? That's like…I don't even know how expensive that is but I know is costly as hell.

He sees my surprise and he nods. "Yes, that's an amount that can build you a mansion. But magic is sparse and rare, it's worth even more than tokus."

"I see…" I murmur.

"You won't be able to afford it will you? Mages are notoriously bad spenders; you earn the most and spend so frivolously. A broke Mage is such a contradiction."

I chuckle at this, "I will be able to afford it. I can give you half of that tomorrow so you get started while I get the rest, trust me, if I don't plan on getting the rest I won't come by tomorrow and hand you thirty-five gold tokus."

He grunts, "Very well, until then."

Truthfully, I could afford…more than afford to hand over the seventy tomorrow. I've got a large chest with the maintenance funds of a pseudo-city in it as well as much of Leriva's frivolous riches that can be exchanged for even more absurd amounts of tokus should I so choose.

But I'd like to see some progress first at least. I may be rich now but I've still got the smarts to be stingy when needed. Especially since this goes outside the budget, I planned for my operations in Aste.

But it doesn't matter now, if this dwarf is successful and hands me a gem with a large storage quantity for mana then it'll help more than he could know.

I give the dwarf a respectful nod and leave his shop, letting him close at last.

The time spent in there has been enough to get all the street side chefs ready for sales, their faithful customers are lurking out of the damp corners and streets of the city, allured by the wafting scents of food.

It's amazing how peaceful it is. A lot of these sellers are elves and many of their customers are human. Food really does bring people together.

But unfortunately for me, it won't quench this hunger I'm plagued with, but until it can…I'll simply savour the various chewy, salty, and vivid tastes of the culture of another world.