Chapter 99: Improved Crafting Process
The next day, back in the clothing store:
Heavy rain drummed on the roof, and the wind howled in the chimneys. In the cramped, dark basement, the two girls crouched over a bloodied circle drawn on the floor.
In the darkness, tiny gemstonessome devoid of color, others an intense orangecast an eerie glow, illuminating the girls' tense expressions.
'It should be ready.' It was only a day since Tia returned from her hunt and now the first ritual was ready.
Suspended on slender rods of brass, a series of lenses and crystals hovered above the circle. Each one was strategically positioned, their collective directions converging on the center, where a brass plate with a crystal bowl suspended above it and various lenses separating them stood.
"So you want to learn magic?" The voice of the taller girl in the black dress cut through the eerie silence, each word echoing in the cramped space.
"Y-yes..." The stammered response of the blonde girl betrayed her apprehension. She was visibly gagging and paling at the irony smell of blood.Read latest chapters at novelhall.com Only
The taller woman nodded, a smile playing on her face. "You can fuel enchantments with your own mana when using them, or you can alternatively create catalysts to power them."
Tia's hand moved with grace, depositing an orange elemental crystal shard onto the brass plate. A splattering sound followed as a lump of flesh appeared in the bowl above it. At last, she poured a vial of thick, red, slightly glowing liquid into the bowl.
The blonde immediately stepped back, her face losing all color.
The blonde retreated, the unnerving display evoking a mix of awe and terror. Tia, unshaken, leaned over the display. "Don't worry, it's not human. Wyvern blood and livers."
With calculated precision, Tia unleashed a pulse of magical energy.
"Semi-crystallized focus catalyst, not bad," Tia whispered, her voice a mixture of exhaustion and triumph.
The pea-sized pearl, seemingly liquid beneath its hardened exterior, brightly shone, containing refined magic power.
Ding!
//
Assessment:
Name: Unnamed
Type: Semi-crystalised liquified mana
Primary affinities: Fire, Null, Power
Quality: Average
Tier: III
//
[Apprentice Artificing (45%)] -> [Apprentice Artificing (55%)]
'Good start; this should fit my new ring.' Tia sighed heavily, knowing her job had only started. 'I need three more of those small ones and then one big from the heart.'