The inn is quite lively as we arrive there, as is to be expected in the evening. There are plenty of the local adventurers, but not all of them. A few seem to still be out adventuring. There are plenty of the local farmers and other craftsmen and women here too. Some are eating. Others are drinking. Someone is making music, but it is not Rafal for a change. No this task seems to be up to some of the local youths for a change.

And, of course, there is the omnipresent smell of fresh food. It hits us even before we enter. This olfactory promise of fresh bread and meat might just be more important than everything else. Both our stomachs grumble. First mine, and then, almost without delay Elzbietas. It has to be due to the fresh air we got today. We look at each other sheepishly for a moment and grin.

It proves a little tricky to find seats for both of us though. After looking around a little we manage anyway. Before long Maryla drops by and we order a mug of light beer and serving of meat pie each.

Most curious. Apple pie and meat pie on the same day? Well, I certainly won't complain and by the looks of it Elzbieta won't either. No, quite the opposite is true. She digs in like there is no tomorrow.

I can't help but chuckle. The first taste makes me give up all restraint too though. It usually isn't the finest cuts of meat that go into meat pie, but this one is incredibly good anyway.

We take our sweet time eating, as we aren't exactly in a hurry, since Krystina is having dinner too right now.

Elzbieta is the first to head towards the guild counter as our local guild representative returns to her duty station. She isn't the only one either. It seems some of the other adventurers have not yet turned in their quest papers for the day either.

I almost expect that she will have to wait in line, but the others make room for the pregnant woman as she draws near. It seems even the most competitive adventurers are looking out for each other. Good.

I in turn take a little longer. I even get myself another mug of beer. It is a pretty light beer anyway and I'd rather wait here having a drink than while standing in line.

By the time I head over to the guild counter most of the others are done with their business. A few still hang around in small groups, chatting about their day, Elzbieta among them, but most return to the tables to have another drink, or two, before turning in for the night.

Krystina flashes me a smile, as it is my turn.

“Valeria! What can I do for you? This isn't about posting another request, is it?”

She pauses briefly as she gives that idea some more thought.

“Although you could certainly post quests for tomorrow now.”

I blink. She isn't wrong. I certainly could. I'm not entirely convinced though. In the end I shrug.

“I'll think about it. For now though, I wanted to talk about advertising my enchanting services through the guild. Especially the double enchantments.”

She nods as I trail off.

“Oh yes. We have talked about this before. Would you like to do it?”

Now it is my turn to nod in affirmation.

“Yes. Could you tell me about the options?”

She flashes me another beaming smile. A smile that goes well beyond a polite business smile. At the same time she gets her guidebook from below the counter. She opens it to a section that is about guild services in general. For a brief moment her gaze flits over the page, then her finger darts down to a specific section.

“Here, this is it. The most basic option would be to just register your enchanting services and your capabilities with the guild. Registration here, at the local branch would be pretty much instantaneous. No surprise there. I would send a notice to the branch in Barter Town as well and that note would make the rounds from there until you and your services are registered with all branch offices.”

She pauses to take a deep breath before she resumes.

“Obviously, that isn't advertising in the strictest of senses, but people, even guild officials tend to talk. This isn't a confidential subject after all. Your name will be fresh on their mind if someone asks for an especially capable enchanter, thus word would get out. It might take a while though.”

I listen carefully. There is one little detail she hasn't mentioned yet, thus I decide to ask.

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“How much would registering my services like that cost me?”

Her gaze darts down to the page briefly before she answers.

“One silver Crown.”

I lick my lips. That is quite a bit of money. If I really get more business as a result though, it certainly will be worth it. Before I can say anything else, Krystina speaks up again though.

“With your double enchantments there is a good chance that the guild would send some one to put you to the test.”

I blink. That little tidbit of information sounds important. My brows furrow.

“I'll have to provide a double enchantment free of charge?”

Krystina is quick to wave her arms.

“No, no. Nothing like that. They'll place an order for an item with two enchantments and, of course they'll pay for it. In all likelihood they'll be able to make back whatever they end up spending by auctioning it off later. You probably won't ever even know that you did business with a guild representative.”

I nod, much more slowly this time around. That doesn't sound unreasonable. Test purchases like that work best after all, if you don't know that you are being put to the test.

“Right. That shouldn't be an issue then. You mentioned that this is the most basic option. What other options are there?”

Krystina turn the page in her big book of regulations and guidelines. After a moment she finds the section she is searching for.

“Of course. The next step up would be a simple note posted on the board. There adventurers can read about the services or products you offer by themselves.”

She nods in the direction of the quest board.

“The guild only offers this service to craftsmen and women already registered with and certified by the guild. If you want to post a note only in specific branch offices this will cost you one bronze Crown per note. To be honest, I'd suggest you take the package deal instead, where we put up a note everywhere for a flat fee of two silver Crowns instead. We have a lot of branch offices after all.”

She pauses briefly, taking another deep breath, before she gets going again.

“Of course you can provide a proper advertisement poster instead. The guild will then have copies printed to be put up instead.”

She points to a poster pinned to the wall behind her. It advertises the services of a especially popular smith from the town of Iron Hollows. It features the smith in question, flashing us a beaming smile, and some of his merchandise on display. It is colorful and overall quite artistic.

I swallow hard.

“I think that is a little beyond my budget right now. Lets get the registration with the guild out of the way first, yes?”

As she nods and grabs a form from below the counter I fish the requested silver Crown from my purse. Together we go over the form and fill in some details. For the briefest of moments I consider advertising triple enchantments instead, but I decide against it in the end. Maybe another day. I want to see how this works out first. Finally we both put our seals on the form.

And once we are done, she makes me fill out an exact copy of the form. My raised eyebrow must be giving away my thoughts, as she is quick to explain.

“One copy for me and the other gets passed along to the branch office in Barter Town.”

In the end the piece of parchment is put in the box I have seen Krystina use before to transmit the dagger I want auctioned off to Barter Town. I perk up at the reminder.

“Say, any news on the dagger I wanted auctioned off yet?”

She shakes her head, but goes through a small pile of notes, probably ones that have come in from elsewhere, anyway.

“No, nothing yet. It might still take a while. Don't worry, I'll let you know.”

Even as she reassures me she enters our transaction into her guild ledger, right after dropping my payment into her strongbox.

I'll need to do that too once I get back home. First I get a fresh jug of cream for the cat though.

I pour her a little right after returning home too, as the feline in question is quick to weave her way around in in between my legs, time and again, as soon as she realizes what I have brought. It is a good thing that I have Elzbieta right there to support me, or I might have tripped.

She in turn lets out a yawn, while I feed the cat.

“Will you do some enchanting tonight? I hope you don't mind if I hit the hay right away. I'm feeling a little exhausted.”

I place a quick kiss on the tip of her nose.

“No, lets both get some sleep for a change … uh, except … could you still help me with my little problem first?”