Impressions 5. Mysterious People

Impressions 5. Mysterious People

-...Well now. As much as I loathe the necessity, I do actually need to take your report. Things are getting a little urgent.Findd new stories at novelhall.com

- MM, sure, sure... Just, ah... One moment while I mmm... Oh quit it, I can hardly think of serious things if you keep distracting me like that!

- But it's ever so fun. How could I possibly resist?

- Flatterer... Mm, just keep it slow for now, alright? So... HM. What to begin with?

- Well that's easy. Tell me a little story about Champagne court.

- Those folks, mm? Well, they've been busy. That little prodigy you keep mentioning is literally burying them under an avalanche of new and exciting. Not just by herself, either. To be frank here, we keep hearing odd things about all of it. On one hand, we are quite certain the engagement with the third prince was dissolved because she wanted it gone. On the other, she immediately turned around and dragged the third prince into a joint production effort. Speaking of which, would you kindly arrange for a bit of extra funds?

- Oho? Didn't we already buy a whole gross of spyglasses? I'll grant that they're quite useful for certain kinds of job, but... Aaah, I see, something else they're offering that caught your eye?

- Mume1 [Aunt] Magdalene and her girls were quite vocal about graduated glasses...

- Do tell?

- Oh, yet another of those "so simple yet so useful" little things. Remember the measuring cups? Well, imagine the same cup made out of glass. And having a stack of marks on the side. Fill it up to the first mark, that's onse, fill up to second, that's two, fill up to third, that's posson. Or a bigger jar that fits a pinte with posson marks. Or a fine vial that lets you measure out quarters of onse...

- I see, I see... And that's hardly the only thing they make for alchemists, I wager?

- Dokter Netsboym had been making noises about "Royal medicos kit", whichever that is. According to girls over at the guild, a fine and extensive collection of instrumentarium for a medical scholar. A little pricy, but I do believe we should get at least one, see what new things are inside. Maybe take some notes and pass them to our own artisans for, ahem... inspiration?

- Yes, that sounds reasonable enough. I'll see what can be done about extra funds later... For now, continue. So the new keeps coming?

- Everything, by the looks of it. Champagne Temple is confident she's gods' chosen one. Kassandra confirms she is very thoroughly defiled. Plenty of scholars around her, both as lovers and as employees.

- Lemand Lemarchand, you mean?... What can you tell me about that consumption treatment? Something worthwhile or?

- Oh, that one is a real deal alright. Reliably cures consumption in any stage, so long as you stick to instructions and don't screw up.

- Oho? I suppose I should not be surprised. How many people are known to be already cured?

- We do believe at least two dosen, partially in Parsee, partially in Grenwille. Soon to be more, sir Pasteur gave his unrestricted endorsement for the treatment last week.

- Can we get our hands on a detailed enough description of procedure to reproduce?

- Sure, so long as you sign off on obtaining license.

-...And they will give license to someone from Kraut?

- On standard terms, yes. I have already made inquiries. His highness Alphonse had already signed off on royal endorsement of this license within Kraut.

- Ahh. So it's just a matter of getting herr Netsboym through the licensing office, then? Good, good.

-...And now I have a premonition that Old Man will try to steal it.

- Why would he? It's basically given out to us as it is.

- Because he would never be able to believe there is no hidden cost or trap with what was proffered to us voluntarily.

-...Scheisse.