The journey to Bilgrad started off well enough. Seraphina had bought Bolg's wagon, and now Ethan was sitting on a pile of... things in the back of it. Apparently, cutting off bits of monsters served as proof of their demise. In this case, close to a thousand goblin ears made a surprisingly large pile. Shockingly, it didn't smell, as Elaniod explained they had poured some alchemical concoction over it to prevent decomposition.

Seraphina would hand them all in as proof, but she had promised to return to the village with their share. Seraphina had a good reputation, one of honor and integrity, at least according to Calandra's assurances to the villagers.

Ethan himself probably had the biggest individual share of the pile, and he would need piles of money for what he had in mind. He wanted to keep improving, learning new recipes and enchantments. To do so, he needed to invest in his crafts, which required money. So, he was considering opening a shop as a short-term solution. Somewhere he could sell his items and earn money in the process.

He could then reinvest that money into new projects, hopefully earning more points to expand his skills, making it easier to learn even more. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't respond when Elaniod called for him. It was only when the elf approached the wagon that Ethan snapped out of it and asked, "Huh, what... What is it?"

Elaniod grinned. "You seemed pretty lost there, Ethan." Ethan shrugged, and Elaniod continued, "We're making camp. Do you want to join us for a meal?"

Ethan jumped off the wagon and nodded. "Sure, getting pretty hungry."

Elaniod clapped him on the shoulder. "Of course you are. Nothing builds an appetite like traveling on top of a pile of severed body parts!"

Ethan grimaced. "You know, I had managed to willfully forget that until now, so thanks."

Elaniod grinned. "My pleasure!"

They all gathered around a cooking fire, unpacking foodstuffs and soon having a pot of stew bubbling away. Bread and hard cheese accompanied it, and while it wasn't particularly flavorful, it was at least filling. Ethan made a mental note to buy salt, pepper, and perhaps other spices if available.

The adventurers chatted amongst themselves, and Ethan glanced around with interest. There were the tall and beautiful elves, a couple of humans, what he guessed was a dwarf, and then there were the beastkin. There were four of them, each looking different from the others. One resembled a giant bear, covered in fur with large fangs.

He growled slightly as he tore into his food, intriguing Ethan. Next was a man with features of a Labrador, followed by a catwoman with narrow slitted eyes, and finally, a snake girl. The snake girl appeared mostly human, but her forearms had scale-like patterns, her eyes resembled those of a snake, and her forked tongue flickered out occasionally.

Ethan knew it was probably rude to stare, so he tried to discreetly observe everyone without drawing attention. The dwarf walked over to grab another bowl of food, and as he did, he looked over at Ethan and said, "So, you're the one who made that wagon, I heard!"

He looked up and shook his head. "I didn't make it. I only designed the wheels and suspension."

Others slowed their eating to listen to the conversation, and the dwarf grunted. "Anyone can learn to carve wood, lad. Ideas are something else. Would you mind sharing those drawings with me? People back home would greatly appreciate the design."

Ethan shrugged. "I don't mind. It'll spread eventually. So, this technology doesn't exist anywhere else?"

The dwarf looked at Ethan. "Hard to say, lad. It's a big world. We have our ways, of course. Enchanted carts that can float and such. But the simplicity of this design makes it attractive. A floating carriage is for the rich, but these ball bearing wheels was it? Well, they are something anyone could get their hands on."

Ethan smiled. "I'd love to see a floating carriage. I can make a few drawings for you, for a bit of coin of course,’’ he smiled at the dwarf and continued, ‘’I can do so once we get to Bilgrad."

The dwarf nodded. "I'd appreciate that. My name is Gamling. Pleased to meet you."

Ethan shook Gamling's hand, feeling the strength in his grip. "Name's Ethan Okamaura. Ethan is fine. Pleased to meet you too."

Gamling went back to his refilled bowl but soon returned, holding a gladius-style sword. He handed it to Ethan. "You're an enchanter, right?"

Ethan shrugged. "I am, but I'm only a novice so far, I'm afraid."

Gamling grinned. "You can give me a discount then. Could you do something with this?"

A female elf spoke in an offhand tone. She was a bit on her own, her back to the fire, and looking into the darkness. "The guilds won't like it, Gamling."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Gamling scoffed. "We're not in Bilgrad right now, so those folks can shove it up their arses. Besides, Ethan is a temporary member, isn't he? No harm in helping each other out on the road."

Seraphina smiled. "It's fine. I'd like to see your 'clean cut,' Ethan."

Ethan shrugged, ‘’I did promise one free enchant..’’

Then he rummaged around his pack for a few moments and pulled out his crystal knife. There were a few sharp intakes of air as he did, and Ethan looked around to find a lot of eyes fixed on him. No, not on him, but on the knife.

"Um... The staring is a bit uncomfortable," Ethan said cautiously.

Seraphina asked in a breathless voice, "Ethan... Where did you get that?"

Ethan glanced at the knife. "Got it in the mountains. Sort of stumbled upon it."

Gamling stood very close, but he didn't reach for the knife. "Lad, this is an Essence crystal. It's extremely rare and very, very valuable."

Ethan had a bad feeling, but Gamling just shook his head in disgust. "Bah, some people have all the luck. You better keep that thing secret lad. Don't let anyone see it."

He looked around a little worried. "Right, okay. I hope you'll keep my secret then?"

Everyone nodded, and Seraphina even looked a bit insulted. "We're not thieves, Ethan, nor would we share that kind of information."

Ethan smiled. "Sorry, you're right. Thanks, though. I would do this for free just for that, if I wasn't already of course.."

Seraphina began to answer, but Ethan had already unsheathed the crystal blade, his mind focused inward and he didn’t hear her. He visualized the rune he needed, and slowly started carving it into the bottom of the gladius’ blade.

Everyone watched in awe as Ethan worked his magic. Despite magic being commonplace in this world, not everyone had witnessed it firsthand. Even a group of seasoned adventurers like them still found it fascinating to watch, including the mages among them.

Enchanting was one of the most difficult and rare magical arts. Most enchanters could only perform a few spells, as it required not just knowledge but true understanding to imbue items with magical properties. As they observed Ethan, everyone present felt something unique. It was like witnessing a master craftsman at work, skillfully plying his trade.

Ethan completed the carving and then focused on the conditions he wanted to lay upon the blade. He glanced at Gamling, and their gazes locked. They stayed locked long enough to make the dwarf fidget. Ethan's eyes were sharp, focused, yet seemed to be somewhere else at the same time. He extended his hand to Gamling, who found himself instinctively grasping Ethan's hand.

When Ethan finally nodded and looked away, Gamling let out a sigh and lowered his arm. He glanced around and noticed Seraphina studying Ethan with a small smile, which sent a shiver down Gamling's spine.

Ethan was ready. The rune was in place, and the conditions were firmly set in his mind. He directed his focus toward the enchantment itself, his mind consumed by thoughts of achieving perfection He honed in on precision, meticulousness, and finding the perfect balance between power and finesse. With every fiber of his being, he envisioned a seamless, effortless enhancement, one that would make pure cuts with no error.

Placing his finger on the rune, Ethan's finger began to glow as he slowly traced it down the length of the blade and back up the other side. It was instinctual, and he knew exactly what needed to be done. Gradually, the edge of the blade started to emit a soft glow, and Ethan felt the essence leaving him.

And then, it was done. Ethan released a long breath and looked up at Gamling. He smiled and handed him the blade, hilt first. "It is done."

No one moved, and Ethan glanced around at those gathered. "Um, what's going on?"

Seraphina smiled. "Sorry, Ethan. We rarely get to witness something like this. Enchanters are quite secretive, and... well, it was quite beautiful to watch."

Ethan frowned. "Beautiful? How so?"

Alec, the vice captain, cleared his throat. "Well, it's like watching a master dancer or listening to a singer with perfect pitch. It stirs something within you when watching someone doing something masterful."

Others nodded in agreement, and Seraphina smiled at Alec. "That was quite a poetic comparison, but Alec is right. That's exactly how it felt." She gestured to Gamling. "Please, let us see what it can do, Gamling."

Gamling cautiously approached and gently took hold of the hilt. He examined the blade, which now appeared ordinary, and then glanced at Ethan with uncertainty. "How does it work exactly?"

Ethan snapped his fingers. "Right, sorry. I placed a condition on the activation. It will only activate for you, and only when you say 'cut' as you swing the blade."

Gamling's mouth gaped open, Seraphina spluttered, and there were various reactions around the campfire.

Ethan furrowed his brow as he looked at them. "What's the matter this time?"

Alec burst into laughter. "You... You just made a personalized enchanted item for Gamling here, and you need to ask?"

Ethan shrugged. "I think it will work better for him that way. I sensed it would reduce the amount of essence needed for each activation."

Gamling stared back and forth between the sword and Ethan, unable to form words. Ethan let out a sigh. "Bloody hell, Gamling, just give it a try already. I haven't performed that enchantment before, and I want to see it in action."

Seraphina gave Ethan an incredulous look. "Are you saying that blade is currently one-of-a-kind?"

Gamling appeared as though he might faint, while Alec laughed so hard that he struggled to catch his breath. Ethan scowled. "Yes, it's one-of-a-kind. But you know what? Perhaps I should enchant every damn blade here, and then no one will be special anymore!"

Seraphina grinned. "I might take you up on that."

Ethan paused, realizing he might have made a slight mistake with his remark.