Thankfully the design doesn't take me too long. I'm getting pretty good at those. I double check the diameter of the circles and the other support lines I have drawn on the enchanting table with coal anyway. This is becoming second nature by now, as it should. It's not just my personal enchantments I need to be careful with after all.

I find no faults and am quite pleased with the result. Everything looks good. I check to make sure Sour Cream is napping. I want no accidents of the feline kind either. I need not fear though. She is curled up on my bed after thoroughly cleaning her mussed fur.

Elzbieta is out right now, taking care of the water rat carcass. She'll sell whatever she can and the rest will go to the village's trash pit. And even if she should return early she is unlikely to disturb me.

Yes, I'm all set. I get the wreath from the strong chest. It still looks pretty nice. I better hurry though, before the flowers start to wilt. I want to preserve it while it still looks best.

I place the wreath at the center of the enchanting table, in the middle of the circles I have sketched, humming a cheerful little tune to myself. Then I pick up the faintly glowing chalk I have prepared and get started.

With great deliberation and care I place one rune after the other, filling the circles from the inside out. It doesn't really take me all that long to finish, but the moments seem to stretch into an eternity anyway. I don't let the disconcerting feeling distract me though.

No, I only dare to relax as I place the last rune and the glowing circles are drawn into the wreath without a hitch and with barely any waver or delay at all.

It feels like no other enchantment I have ever made has ever taken to its carrier object this well. Is this my preparation paying off? Or are these my improving skills and gifts in general at work? Maybe it is both? Either way I'm quite grateful.

I blink and take a deep breath as I slip out of this state of deep concentration and the rest of the world comes into focus around me again.

Sour Cream is rubbing up against my legs, purring up a storm. And Elzbieta is back as well. She is sitting by the fireplace working the mana mill, glancing my way every once in a while with a mixture of concern and curiosity and maybe a little affection. Or maybe the latter is just my imagination?

Only now do I notice that my hands are shaking a little. I just can't help it. Then a divine whisper hits me.

[Through hard work and dedication you have transcended your limits and improved your enchanting skill to the grand master level. Is this the end of this path or just another step? One of many? The Sun Mother is your witness and gifts you 5 points for The World Arcana as a reward.]

I clench my hands around the edge of the table for a moment, but it won't do me any good. Instead I let go and pick up Sour Cream who intensifies her purring right away as I head over towards the bed with her.

There I just drop any lie back while gently running my hand along the feline's back from her ears to the very tip of her tail.

“Is everything alright?”

There definitely is a hint of worry in Elzbieta's voice. I look over at her without ever stopping to pet the cat.

“I just got an upgrade for my enchanting skill. Without spending any karma. I even got some instead. That … that hasn't happened to me ever outside of picking up entirely new skills.”

The pregnant archer puts the mana mill down, setting it on the ground besides her stool, as she ponders my words.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Yes, that is pretty rare. Outside of advancing to grand master level. You can only reach that one through hard work and dedication …”

She trails off then and there, her eyes widening in comprehension.

“... oh. Oh!”

She immediately gets up and comes over to join me on the bed. She eyes the blissfully purring Sour Cream for a moment and decides against pulling me up into a hug in the end. Instead she lies down next to me, to place a brief peck on my cheek. Somehow that feels even better.

“Congratulations!”

For some reason this little gesture of affection makes me blush more than anything else ever has. Well, it feels that way at least.

“Thanks.”

For a little while we just lie there. In the end it is Sour Cream that gets back on our feet, as hunger compels her to get us to prepare her a meal. For a change she doesn't go for the cream though. Instead she goes for some of the leftovers from the water rat which Elzbieta put in a bowl just outside the backdoor.

That gibes us some breathing room.

I take this chance to actually get a better look at the enchanted wreath. Powerful cursed items can trick my appraisal skill, as I recently learned, but it would be negligent not to check anyway.

While Elzbieta gets back to the mana mill I focus my attention on the enchanted wreath.

[Everlasting Summer night's crown, Quality: Rare, A wreath of summer flowers and other greenery of the season, to be worn by young women to the dance during midsummer night. It looks good and smells pleasant. This particular wreath has been created with love and great care. In addition it has been enchanted to endure the change of seasons time and again. When worn together with Summer night's sandals or other matching items additional effects might be achieved.]

I let out a long sigh and Elzbieta shoots me a questioning look as a result.

“Everything looks good so far.”

At this point my grumbling stomach interrupts me.

Elzbieta giggles, then her own stomach makes itself known quite similar to my own.

“Time to get something to eat?”

“Seems like it.”

I help her put the mana mill away for the time being, then we close up the shop. On the way out we pass Sour Cream who is still busy tearing into what little remains of her prey.

Today we are a little early for lunch, thus we get ourselves a mug of root beer each, which we sip while enjoying the summer sun and the light breeze out on the village square under the old oak.

Root beer really isn't one of m favorites. I don't like the taste all that much. I have to watch myself though. Today more than on most other days, as I still have plans for another personal enchantment. And I have yet to make that potion for Nuutii too. I don't want to mess that up either.

Today's meal is sliced and diced roasted meat, at least two kinds of meat as far as I can tell, with plenty of roasted vegetables to go with it. Overall a pleasant and tasty mix and very filling too.

Yet my brows furrow a little as we head back home.

“Was there, by any chance, some water rat in today's meal?”

Elzibieta blinks in surprise at my question, but in the end she shakes her head.

“No. Not today. Today was wild boar and some sheep as far as I can tell. But your suspicion isn't entirely wrong either. Water rats are big, but not that big. They would be well suited for a meal like this, where the meat is sliced and diced. Patryk mentioned that it needs to be properly seasoned first though. That takes a while. So, tomorrow maybe, or the day after.”

Ah, that sounds reasonable. I nod only to stop as we come around to the back. There Urszula is already waiting for us with little Milena. By now the little girls seems to be already used to this routine. Very curious.

A little later we see the two off again, once Milena is satiated and my little problem is taken care off. As we return to our tasks after opening the shop, at the enchanting table and with the mana mill respectively, Elzbieta poses a surprising question.

“Want me to take care of customers if anyone stops by while you are engrossed in your work? I'm mean, you can't exactly just stop, right?”