Chapter 103 You’ll Know Where To Find Me
“My Lord, my Lady.” Kathrin greeted them with a bow. She glanced at the three women behind the duo. “I have been informed by her Grace of the situation and will see to the task at hand. We can only hope that they take to the position with as high an aptitude as master Shamesh.”
“Yes, Kathrin, though I would try not to hold the children to the same level of perfection.” Lenna told the woman. “In descending order this is Margaret, the mother, Madeline and then Martha, the children.”
Kathrin nodded to the three that would soon be in her care. “Greetings, I am Kathrin, maid of house Arbencroft.” She told them. “Now, her Grace wished for me to pass on some information that had slipped her mind.”
“Oh?” Isaac asked. “I take it this is about something important with how you’ve been eyeing the newcomers.”
Kathrin bowed her head in both acknowledgement and apology. “Yes. The celebrations in the capital are beginning today and continuing on for just over two full weeks. While they are away, Captain Timothy and the Guild receptionists have been instructed to go to you with any problems that they cannot handle on their own. Her Grace thanks you for your assistance and understanding.” Kathrin explained.
“I take it everyone else is out of town then.” Isaac commented. “I thought Edward was done with social events but I guess this is an exception. Very well.” Isaac said with a nod. “We will leave these three in your very capable hands.”
“Thank you and it is my pleasure to be of service.” Kathrin replied with a bow.
Isaac turned towards the trio that would become their manor’s staff. “If you need anything that Kathrin cannot help you with, someone can assist you in contacting us or Celeste.” He told them.
Lenna smiled at the girls. “Kathrin is very nice but she will have to be a little strict with you so your training can get over with faster.” Lenna explained. Margaret and the girls thanked them before the duo left to lounge about town for the following two weeks. They were not left entirely alone over the course of those two weeks however. Shamesh could only handle so much of Jala’s prodding while she helped him with the Nebulous Warehouse spell. Alexander had been forced to push him off onto her right when he was about to get the spell down for good. It had taken a whole four days to get back to the point where he had been but with a different teacher. By the time the night of the full moon came around again he was finally able to cast the spell with confidence.
Shamesh stood before Alice, Isaac, and Lenna in one of the Guild’s storage rooms. “A chest for my treasures, a place for my pleasantries, a box for my curios, a capsule for my memories.” He chanted and an amorphous swirl of colors and liquid fog coalesced in front of him. It was like a dozen cans of paint that refused to mix but could also sort of be seen through. The pastel gyre swirled in front of him and he turned to look at Isaac. “Telekinesis, my Lord?” He questioned.
“Yes.” Isaac replied.
Shamesh nodded and reached out with his hands and power. The throne of dark gray stone decorated with ornate platinum engravings lifted off the ground and was slowly pushed into the vortex. The Nebulous Warehouse was only around three feet tall but once Shamesh touched it with the throne the maelstrom of color expanded to fully subsume it. Once it was inside, Shamesh turned to Isaac. “As for getting it out, I do not believe it will be a gentle process.”
“Oh?” Isaac questioned. “Why not?”
“I cannot affect it with telekinesis while it is inside the warehouse. I can withdraw it but as soon as I do it will fall at least fifteen inches to the ground.” Shamesh explained.
Isaac shrugged. “I guess it can’t be perfect but that is good enough. Thank you Shamesh, and it is good to know that you are truly capable of learning new spells. How was that by the way? Working with the entirety of the mana spectrum on a spell that you didn’t instinctively know how to cast?”
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“It was strange.” Shamesh confessed. “Moving the mana that is inside of me to create new runes inside my core and mind with conscious effort was not something that I was used to. Magus Alexander was incredibly patient with me even though he was very busy. Lady L’Vore was less interested in teaching me as she was in watching me struggle to cast it.”
Isaac sighed. “I’m not surprised.” He grumbled. “Well, at least now you can carry stuff like I can. How much more can you fit in there?”
“It is very difficult to know for sure. The exact integrity of the dimensional pocket is nebulous at best.” Shamesh explained.
“Ugh that pun was awful.” Alice groaned with a smile.
“Pun?” Shamesh questioned. “Oh.” He stated once he realized where he had accidentally made one. “I see.”
“If you had to take a guess at the minimum and maximum amount of weight and or volume you could add, how much would it be?” Isaac wondered.
“At least a bar of copper and at most almost another throne.” Shamesh replied. “I know that it can take more but not as much as what is already inside it. The exact statistics of the spell vary from mage to mage based on mana potency and how precise the original spell was that created it.”
“I take it the spell to access it is different from the one used to create it in the first place then.” Isaac surmised.
“Yes.” Shamesh confirmed. “It was a ritual that Lady L’Vore drew out for me and I powered once it was completed.”
“Then there shouldn’t be very many, if any at all, better created Nebulous Warehouses on the planet. Your mana potency is at least as strong as a living grand magus and Jala is a true master at the art of rituals.” Isaac replied. “That is good to know. Maybe one day your warehouse will no longer need to house the throne, but for now, I am glad that we can get it out of Alice’s storeroom.”
“I am too.” Alice replied. “I couldn’t move it and I couldn’t exactly put anything else in here with it now could I. It’s a good thing that everything has calmed down. Before you two showed up we never needed this room anyway but with all the craziness that was going on there for a while every room was being used.”
“Speaking of, everything has been running fine without the boss?” Isaac wondered.
Alice rolled her eyes. “He was half of our trouble. Though, he does already have a stack of forms and letters to address when he gets back. One of them smelled like cinnamon and iron. It was really weird.” She rambled on.
“You smelled his letters?” Lenna questioned. This might have been a new level of nosy for the twins.
“No… maybe one or two… but only the ones that we didn’t know who they were from.” Alice tried to defend her and her sister to no avail. “Listen, we wouldn’t be so curious if anyone told us what was going on!”
“Alice,” Isaac began. “usually anything you tell us we would keep to ourselves in good confidence.”
“No, please.” Alice begged.
“But there are at least two people that will get a kick out of this that absolutely must be told.” Isaac finished. “One of them being Edward.”
Alice’s eyes looked like saucers plastered onto her face as she gave Isaac the biggest puppy-dog eyes he had ever seen. “Please don’t tell him. We’ll, I’ll do anything.” She pleaded.
“I would take that back.” Lenna warned the tiny receptionist. “You shouldn’t offer to do anything in exchange for something to someone like Isaac.” Alice turned to her with still giant eyes. “Oh I am with Isaac on this one, a certain someone might pass out from laughing so hard when they get back.”
—
Isaac and Lenna found themselves approached by Clayton out of nowhere only a short while after they left Alice to explain to her twin how their ‘expert’ sleuthing was about to be exposed. “Eliza has given me a list of requirements in order for him to create the sword of legend that you are asking for.” He told them by way of greeting. “Is now a good time?”
Isaac and Lenna shared a look and then Isaac nodded. “Sure. I take it you have it in writing.” He replied.
“Of course.” Clayton replied.
“Then we are ready when you are.” Isaac prodded the wizard to continue.
“Firstly, the time frame is two and a half years at best.” Clayton started off with news that already made Isaac frown. “Secondly the price will be two hundred and fifty thousand gold as well as twenty mana stones filled with Lady V’Nova’s mana. The mana stones may need to be refilled at a later date in order to finish the weapon. If there are any problems then the price and duration will increase. Additionally, while he is working on it, he will not be working on any other items for anyone else or for you. Because of that, he requires all of the money and resources up front.”
“That is insane.” Isaac replied. “I know that what we are asking for is not something that has been done before but a quarter of a million gold coins up front is ridiculous.”
Clayton sighed. “I know. That is what I said when he told me as well but he was dead set on the terms. If for some reason he is not able to finish the weapon in five years time then he will refund everything except the first two hundred and fifty thousand gold.” Clayton explained. “That is the only protection for your investment that he was willing to give. I’m sorry.”
Isaac sighed and rubbed his temples. “Let’s think on it.” Lenna told him while resting her hand on his arm. “I know that it will be an amazing sword but sometimes the price is too high. We need to decide if that price is too much.”
Isaac nodded. “Yes.” He agreed. “We’ll get back to you, Clayton.”
“Of course.” Clayton replied. “You will know where to find me.”