Chapter 16 Gold Bars?
The day after the meditation incident, the pair were trying to stay busy while they waited for Edward to figure out how he was going to handle the other problem deep in the tunnels near Safeharbor. They had just finished their morning spar, they began sparring twice a day to stay in shape as they were not permitted to go out on normal jobs at the moment, when a certain Blade Master walked into the arena. “Morning you two.” He greeted them.
“Edward.” Isaac replied and Lenna gave him a nod. “I take it we are being ungrounded.”
Edward smirked. “Yeah. I have a job for you.” He told them.
“You want us to do the other half of Azazel’s scouting.” Isaac replied. He had long seen that as Edward’s only real option.
Edward nodded in reply. “How soon can you two head out?” He asked.
Isaac raised an eyebrow. “You aren’t coming with us?”
Edward shook his head. “It’ll be harder for you to sneak around if there is an extra person that you need to make invisible.” He commented. “Also, I am the Guild Master. I shouldn’t be taking jobs at all. The last one was an exception, not the norm.”
Isaac shrugged. “What level is the bounty?” He was only really interested in the pay out.
Edward shook his head, seeing right through Isaac, and smirked. “It depends on what happens.”
Isaac gave him a flat look. “So it’s gold if nothing happens and double platinum if we run into a lot of trouble.”
Edward’s eyes widened at the price tag Isaac had just put on the bounty. “I was thinking it should be electrum if nothing happens with the potential for platinum if you run into too much trouble.”
“Not worth the trouble. Find someone else to work for cheap.” Isaac replied with a shake of his head. “There is a high chance that we will run into the people that have been making the chimera. Alexander said that they were over level eighteen. That means stronger than you, old man.”
Edward’s eyes narrowed at Isaac. “I am in my forties.” He replied indignantly. After a moment he sighed. “Gold if you don’t run into trouble, platinum if you do, and double platinum if you take care of the creators.”
The two men locked eyes for a long moment before Isaac sighed. “Fine.” He conceded. “But I want your chime to get rid of wards.”
It was Edward’s turn to sigh. “Can’t let anyone else win can you?” He asked rhetorically.
Isaac cracked a smirk in reply. “We can leave the day after tomorrow, right away in the morning.” Isaac told the older man. “Tomorrow the Adventurous Taste should have their catalog done and we can pick up some magic items and anything else we might need. I will also need to run a few errands before I’m ready to leave for a few days.”
Edward nodded. “That’s a bit later than I would like but I understand. I’ll get the contract written up and leave it with Alice.” He turned to go and waved over his shoulder. “Try not to get into any more trouble before you leave.” He said as a farewell.
“I’ll try not to.” Isaac replied with a chuckle. “Won’t promise anything though.”
“I’ll try to keep him out of trouble.” Lenna added and then looked at Isaac. “I doubt I’ll be able to though.”
“Hey.” Isaac replied with mock hurt. “I am capable of not getting myself into trouble for a day or two. I am not responsible for trouble landing on my lap however.”
Lenna smirked and shook her head. “Let’s stock up on what we can today.” She advised and Isaac nodded in agreement.
—
The pair stocked up on generic adventuring gear like rations, rope, and water before checking up on Jessica to see how the repairs on their damaged clothes were going. They had left the clothes there the night before and Isaac had figured that they had enough money to at least order some more clothes from her. “Hey Jessica.” Isaac greeted the older woman once they had entered the Silverstrand Seamstress.
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She came out to meet them. “Hello. I’m glad the two of you are alright but was ruining your clothes truly necessary?” She questioned.
Isaac shrugged. “I think the repair bill should be sent to the duke for this one.”
Jessica sighed. “Well, I am glad the two of you seem fine even after all the blood that stained your clothes.” She looked between the two of them. “I would ask how much of it was yours but I have been around long enough to know that it was all yours.” She shook her head. “It was all too localized.”
“That’s what happens when you get stabbed in the throat.” Isaac replied nonchalantly.
It took Jessica a moment to acknowledge what Isaac had said and move on. The lack of apparent care Isaac had to being stabbed in the neck caught her off guard. “Well… your clothes should be repaired by tomorrow.” She informed them.
“That’s fine.” Isaac told her. “Can you have them delivered to the Celestial Dawn?”
“For a small delivery fee.” She replied.
“That’s fine, we are also here to order more.” He explained.
Jessica’s eyes lit up. “Wonderful!” She looked back and forth between them. “What do you need?” Her eyes darted to Lenna. “A ballroom gown? Nightgown? More party dresses?” She barraged Lenna with questions.
Lenna sighed and glanced at Isaac who just smirked in return. “Everything save for a nightgown.” She told the younger woman.
“Wonderful!” Jessica exclaimed and clapped her hands. “What colors? What styles?” This went on and on until Lenna was feeling exhausted from just the social interaction. Isaac had also gotten a suit and three more sets of the clothes that he had worn to Sera’s teaparty. In all, Isaac’s clothes had cost them only a hundred gold but Lenna’s had cost a hundred gold for just two dresses. The other party dress was much the same as the one that was currently being repaired only it was mirrored. They would still need to make sure it all fit properly but that would be a problem for later.
The real cost would be if they wanted any of it enchanted with things like self-cleaning and repair or durability enhancements. Most high class nobles had outfits that had cost them tens of thousands of gold and many were considered heirlooms. Princesses often had the enchantment that caused the outfit to change sizes to fit the wearer put into their favorite dresses so that they would never outgrow them. High society cost more money to be seen than most commoners would see in a lifetime.
—
The following day found the pair inside the Adventurous Taste talking with Clayton Smith, the apprentice who ran the store and made the catalog. “Before we get into my magics we are here to shop.” Isaac cut the young wizard off before he could smother him in questions.
“Oh, yes, of course.” Clayton replied and hurriedly handed Isaac the catalog. The binder was three inches thick and weighed well over five pounds.
Isaac set the binder on an open shelf and started flipping through adventuring gear and accessories, all of it magical. A few minutes later something truly wonderful caught Isaac’s eye. “What is this?” He asked in wonder.
Clayton peered over his shoulder. “Ah yes, the ring of protection from divination. One of the more valuable pieces here in the store. The effect is always active. Identify is actually a type of divination magic so you will have to take the ring off and make sure it is a few feet away from your person before you can use the spell on yourself.” He nodded his head and thought for a moment. “You two are adventurers, correct? It will cause your badges to become out of sync so make sure the guild knows before you put the ring on otherwise they will think you dead.”
Isaac had decided that the ring would be worth every copper. The only way that anything could detect his presence was divination and even then it wasn’t very accurate as long as he was in his shadowcloak. The ring should make him utterly undetectable. “How effective is it at hiding a person’s soul signature?” Isaac asked.
Clayton looked at him questioningly. “That is how divination finds the target. It should completely hide your soul’s presence and signature as long as the ring is on. There is a caveat I must make sure you are aware of. Due to the nature of the magic item, all sales of it must be reported to the nobility in the area so they can report it to the crown. It is a favorite for assassins and thieves of the highest order so the crown makes sure to keep tabs on every one of these items.”
Isaac nodded. “Makes sense.” He continued to stare at the item. “Six thousand gold…” He whispered. “I hope our next job pays well.”
Clayton nodded. “I can fetch it quickly. Is there anything else that has caught your eye?”
Isaac continued to search through the catalog. Most of it was potions and weird niche magic items like a torch that still needed to be lit via a flame but gave off no smoke and used up no oxygen to burn, or crystal that could summon a small elemental from one of the elemental planes to aid in combat. Much of it was interesting but Isaac didn’t feel like wasting the brain power to try to find a good use for them. One item did catch Isaac’s eye however. A pair of ovular stones. Each one had a side with a bunch of small holes on it and another side with only three. Any sound, not made by the stone, would be heard by the side with only three small holes and transmitted to the other stone where it would be projected out the other’s opposing side. The effect would only happen as long as they were within a thousand feet of each other and things like stone walls would cause their range to shrink. If Isaac and Lenna ever got separated they would still be able to talk as long as they were not too far away from each other. The best part, they only cost six hundred gold.
“These sending stones.” Isaac told Clayton. “Two antivenom potions and two healing potions. That should be seven thousand gold in all right?”
Clayton looked over the list and nodded. “Yes, I’ll be right back with them. How will you be paying for them?” He asked.
“Can the bank do a direct transfer?” Isaac asked.
“Not without a bank note.” Clayton replied.
“Oh…” Was Isaac’s response. “Gold bars?”
Clayton visibly winced. “If you insist.”
Isaac did insist. He didn’t like how easy it would be to forge a bank note and if he had never bought any then that meant that none could be accepted by the bank. He went to the bank and got Clayton’s money in bars that were stored in Lenna’s bottomless bag.
Once the monetary business was concluded it was time to get to the more interesting things. “How do you make things disappear and reappear?” Clayton asked excitedly.
Isaac shot him down instantly. “It has come to my attention that that ability should not be discussed with anyone who is not a demigod of magic. The complexities of how and why things both cease to be and still exist are far beyond me and considering that it was a gift from a divine being I think it is a bit beyond you.” He explained.
Clayton was instantly crestfallen. “I see.” He replied meekly.
Isaac gave him an easy smile. “That is not to say that I don’t have plenty of other magics that don’t quite make sense to me that you may be able to help explain.”
The young wizard’s eyes brightened. “Of course! Where should we start?”