Chapter 3 - Ordering the suit

Meanwhile, in the neighboring block of student accommodation

Jane Majere looked around the student room. It was different from what she had expected. So... tidy. The walls were full of black Billy shelves in which files, folders and books were neatly lined up. Everything was carefully labeled and sorted. On the walls themselves, modern star charts were hung in every free space. The desk, instead of being pushed against the wall as in most other student digs, was placed a little way away in the room. The front of it faced the door. On it were careful stacks of black loose-leaf binders and a pen-and-ink set. There was also a pen holder with a few pencils. A student sat behind it. Not on one of the usual office swivel chairs, but on an upholstered chair covered in black leather.

On the desk was a professional stand with the inscription: "Magus Consultatoris Rodrik Bannwäldner"

"It somehow looks more like a lawyer's office than a student dorm."

Rodrik looked up from the documents he had just been reading: "Thank you. It should be. I always wanted to have a study just like this back home. Only perhaps a little bigger. Do you have any idea how much such carpentry work for shelves and desks would cost in a medieval world? Not to mention the sheer volume of books. Priceless. And here even my small scholarship is enough. In fact, I have far more money than I did back home. I was always discriminated against there because of my specializations. Here, people would say that I offered consulting services. Advice on magical and, above all, black magic phenomena. But anyone who knows anything about necromancy, demon summoning or golem building is shunned and despised there. After all, he must be an evil, mad black magician. But enough about my past before I start talking about the most magic-hating church there."

He turned the open loose-leaf binder around and slid it across the desk. Jane looked around in vain for a second chair, then sat elegantly on the edge of the desk, took the folder and skimmed the text. A sketch of a cloak and next to it numerous magical formulas and artifact theses.

"A golem? Why would I want my coat turned into a golem?" She ran her hand through her golden curls.

Rodrik leaned back in his chair: "Let me summarize what you wanted. Your father has given you a budget to have a magical artifact created. It has to be a magically equipped piece of clothing so that you are no longer so unprotected if another shootout breaks out at the academy or you are transported to another parallel world. The most effective garment would be one that covers as much of your body as possible. A cloak or something similar. The Faculty of Magic has fixed rates for enchantments. Your father introduced this himself years ago to put an end to the wild and uncontrolled crafting of artifacts. So of course he can't make any exceptions for his own daughter. He has calculated quite generously how much the enchantments will cost. And then there's the cost of a cloak."

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"Two hundred euros! I might get a wool coat for that in some discount store, but nothing I'd wear in public. The beige, single-breasted cashmere coat I've chosen costs 1200 euros, even when it's on sale! And it doesn't have any fur trim or other frills."

"Exactly. I have now worked out a solution to your problem . Archeron has to enchant a golem for one of his lectures. Of course, this is at the expense of the university. Golems can be given additional properties. Usually to make them better warriors. Here we simply use this for a different purpose. We make it invulnerable to non-magical kinetic attacks. This makes him bulletproof and practically indestructible. Plus the ability to regenerate. Repairing golems is annoying, I would never enchant one that doesn't have it. As a nice side effect, this means that the cloak will automatically repair any damage it takes within a few hours. This includes stains. So you never have to take the coat to the dry cleaners. Some of the special abilities exceed the budget for his project, but we can make up for that with your money."

"But, a golem? What do I want with a coat that moves independently around me?"

"Just tell him to stay relaxed. And then you can also send him off to hang himself. Coats aren't particularly fast, as the shape isn't exactly suitable for running or even fast walking. But he can eventually get anywhere and can also carry things. He'll only be as dexterous as a person with thick mittens in winter, but still."

"I don't know..."

"Come on! I get ten percent commission, you get your dream coat with enchantments that you could hardly afford using normal methods. Of course, we can also use the normal method. I have a Bon Prix catalog here with some cheap imitation wool coats..."

"Okay, you've convinced me. Go ahead."

"Excellent."

"Oh, and Rodrik..."

"Yes?"

"Get a second chair."

"Don't worry, a chair for my customers is at the top of my list."