Chapter 35: Cladding 2
Elania and Yolani strolled down street, their eyes scanning the storefronts. Yolani’s gaze landed on a quaint shop, its sign bearing the image of a mortar and pestle.
“There it is,” she said, pointing. “The alchemy shop.”
Elania nodded, taking in the signage. It boasted of award-winning potions and high-quality wares. Maybe true, maybe not. She wasn’t sure how strict Contia’s advertising laws were. If they even existed…
They probably did, considering her experience with the “regulations” so far.
As they stepped inside, unique scents filled the air. The aromas emanated from shelves lined with an array of items, most of which were securely stored behind the front counter.
Her gaze wandered. Crystal vials bubbled with effervescent liquids and sets of scales used for precisely measuring ingredients were on sale in assorted sizes. The shop was a treasure trove of alchemical wonders.
It reminded her of Aetherhart’s Artifice, but it was a completely different flavor of artisanal.
They waited, and an old shopkeeper emerged from the back, greeting them with a smile that creased his weathered face.
“Welcome to my humble shop,” he said. “How may I assist you today?”
Elania reached into her bag and pulled out a pack of glow moss, holding it out for the shopkeeper to see. His eyes widened, and he went for a magnifying glass, inspecting the luminescent plant with keen interest.
“Fascinating,” he murmured, turning the glow moss over in his hands. “I’ve never seen anything like this on Contia before, although I’ve read about it in several of the arcane treatises. Where did you acquire it?”
Elania leaned forward. “It’s not native to Contia, you’re right. We’ve been growing some in a demi-divine infused plant bed.”
A smile tugged at her lips. For once, her powers were being used for something other than destruction and death. “We’re interested in selling it. Could you appraise its value?”
“Ah, that explains it. With the right conditions, such phenomena can persist, even become natural,” the shopkeeper said before pulling out an old ledger. His fingers traced the lines of the ancient paper as he flipped through the pages.
He tapped the page. “Based on my records, I can offer you five crit per kilo for the glow moss.”
Elania and Yolani exchanged a glance, their expectations slightly deflated. They had hoped for a higher price, considering the plant's rarity.
He seemed to sense their disappointment. “I understand it’s rare, and it may be worth more in the right hands. However, the potions and salves I know to make with it wouldn’t justify a higher price on my end.”
He turned to Yolani. “Perhaps an artificer like yourself would have more use for it? I imagine its unique properties could be harnessed in ways I haven’t considered.”
Yolani nodded. “I can think of some uses, but we were looking into the alchemical side of things.”
Elania smiled. “Thank you for the insight. We were also wondering if you might have any ideas on fungi we could grow in a humid, warm, dense environment on the island.”
The shopkeeper nodded. “Ah, I see. Those conditions would be perfect for certain types of fungi, even if they aren’t natural for our altitude.” He tapped his chin, his eyes distant. “Give me a moment.”
He disappeared into the back of the shop, rummaging through shelves and drawers. Elania and Yolani exchanged a glance.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
The shopkeeper emerged a few minutes later, his arms laden with an assortment of fungal samples and spores. He laid them out on the counter.
There was a cluster of luminescent mushrooms, their caps glowing with an ethereal blue light. Beside them, a tray of spores resembled a miniature forest, their delicate tendrils reaching towards the sky. A jar of dried fungi caught Elania’s eye, their colors ranging from deep crimson to vibrant orange.
The shopkeeper pointed to each sample. “These fungi would thrive in the environment you described. The bioluminescent ones could provide natural lighting, while the red and orange varieties have potent medicinal properties.”
He picked up a vial of spores, holding it up to the light. “These spores, when cultivated properly, can create powerful healing potions. The fungi have a distinct, earthy aroma and a slightly bitter taste, but their effects are unparalleled.”
Elania’s eyes widened as the shopkeeper produced a small crystal vial filled with a shimmering liquid. “This is a sample of the potion,” he explained, handing it to her. “A single vial can speed healing and prevent infections from taking root.”
Elania turned the vial over in her hands, marveling at the iridescent liquid within. She glanced at Yolani, who gave a subtle, approving nod.
The shopkeeper cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to him. “I can offer you the recipe for the healing potion, along with the spores and samples, for ten crit.”
The price seemed steep. But if she considered the potential for industrializing the process and the competition they would generate, she reconsidered. It was a fair deal.
She shared a look with Yolani, a silent understanding passing between them. Elania smiled. “How hard can alchemy really be?”
The shopkeeper just chuckled.
Elania turned to the shopkeeper. “We’ll take it. Can you deliver everything to the northern arena?”
The shopkeeper nodded, jotting down the address on a scrap of paper. “Of course. I’ll have it sent over this evening or tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow would be fine. Just have it presented to the guards there,” Elania said.
It took another few minutes to make the exchange with their crit cards before Elania and Yolani stepped out of the alchemy shop, the busy street of the district enveloping them.
They didn’t make it very far before Elania found a quiet spot for them near some railing. She glanced at her companion. “What do you think the glow moss might do for the [Regalia]?”
Yolani pursed her lips. “Well, like I mentioned before, it can function as a reagent when making certain alloys. That’s its primary use.” She shrugged. “I’m not sure if there are auxiliary uses that could provide different effects, but I can ask Ember.”
Elania nodded. “The alloys it makes are strong and light, right? And they make excellent mana flow conduits?”
Yolani nodded, her fingers tracing invisible patterns in the air as she explained. “Adding it to most alloys gives them that property.”
Elania hummed to herself as she thought about it. “If we’re making a [Regalia], mana flow would be good, right?”
Yolani frowned. “It’s good in some places but not others.” She gestured to an imaginary suit of armor, her hands outlining its shape. “For example, if it were armor, you wouldn’t want mana flow conduit alloy through the entire thing. It would make it easier for enemies to attack with magic, bypassing the armor’s protection.”
Elania nodded. “Balancing all the different materials, picking the right one for the right spot... it must be incredibly complicated.”
Yolani smiled. “It’s pretty fun.” She met Elania’s gaze, her eyes turning serious. “We should discuss what type of [Regalia] you actually want. That will help narrow down the materials and design.”
Elania looked out into the clouds, considering.
“Armor, weapon, sword?” Yolani asked.
“Why not something that can be multiple things?” Elania said before grinning.
Yolani groaned. “That’s even more complicated.”
Elania’s laughter echoed into the sky. “I’ve always wanted a gun sword.”
Yolani’s eyes widened. “The impacts would be terrible for the barrel alignment!”
Elania’s laughter only grew louder. “Alright, alright. How about gun armor, then?”
Yolani sighed, a knowing look crossing her features. “I see where this is going.”
Elania poked at her playfully, grin spreading across her face. “I know what’s going on in that magic brain of yours. Didn’t you have a gauntlet that shot fire?”
A blush crept up Yolani’s cheeks, her eyes darting away in embarrassment. “That was an emergency idea!”
Elania’s eyes sparkled. “It worked to stop Keswick’s attack, didn’t it?”
Yolani frowned. “Only once.”
Elania patted Yolani’s back. “But now you can make something with the idea of having massive, nearly unlimited [Power] reserves.”
Yolani nodded. “We could probably reduce the internal power source to a minimum to make room for…”
Elania smiled and nodded. As they headed back to the estate, she enjoyed letting Yolani bounce her various ideas off of her. Even if she didn’t really understand everything, sometimes there was just a commonsense question she could answer or a question of her own that would spark an idea.
It was almost enough to dispel the lingering unease that Arlois had pushed on her.
“Are you alright?” Yolani asked, an eyebrow raised.
Elania blinked. “Oh. Uh. Sorry, I was just thinking about you and zoned out.”
Yolani mirrored her blink. “I’m right here, and you’re daydreaming about me while I’m asking serious questions?”
Elania pursed her lips and attacked with a playful tickle that elicited evasive action and a panicked squeal.