I wave one last time as Urszula leaves with the enchanted figurine. Afterwards I enter this latest sale into my ledger and deposit the coin in the strong chest in a hurry. I still have to finish the second enchantment for the pipe after all.

  It almost makes me wish I knew a spell that allows me to add another hour or two to any day. Sadly such magic is beyond me, or any other mortal in all likelihood. Only the divine can even think about such feats of magic and even they won't perform them for trivial reasons. Messing with time can have unforeseen consequences after all. There are plenty of cautionary tales to remind us mortals about that fact.

  In the end I have to make do with the next best thing. A cup of extra strong black coffee that is both bitter and sweet beyond compare. I know that beverages like that actually take time to take effect, but my heart speeds up the moment I get the first taste anyway.

  I quickly chug down the whole cup before I can think better of it. Oh yes, this really is the good stuff! In a terrifying kind of way, considering how it makes my heart race, my pulse thunder in my ears and my fingers tremble.

  Gods and goddesses, coffee really is both a terrible and wondrous thing. And in hindsight maybe it wasn't the best of ideas to make the brew this strong. Well, what's done is done. Now I have to press onward.

  With fresh resolve I make sure the enchanting table is ready for the next step, the enchantment to ignite the pipe on command. This enchantment is a little more tricky and not just because it is the second enchantment either. I'm well prepared though.

  I go through the runes of the more complex circle once more in my mind, already placing them on the coal lines I prepared in my imagination. Only once I finish that mental exercise without any issues do I grab the enchanter's chalk to get started with the actual enchantment.

  Again the by now surprisingly familiar effect sets in as the world around me seems to almost disappear from my senses as I write rune after rune. I'm quite glad that no one interrupts me. If anyone could even interrupt me when I'm like this. I'm not quite sure it's even possible to be honest. That too is a thought I quickly banish though to focus entirely on the runes I still have to write.

  As a result I'm done before long. This enchantment takes a little longer to take hold, but it doesn't waver in the slightest as the softly glowing and sparkling runes are drawn into the pipe. No, it is a slow and steady process that leaves little room for doubt. This is what a successful enchantment is supposed to look like.

  I take both a step back and a deep breath to calm my nerves. The effect is ruined right after as I gulp down half a cup of my especially strong coffee right afterwards.

  If I keep drinking this to get through the day and the night still ahead of me I'll probably regret it tomorrow. I grimace and decide to let future me curse my current self. It's not like I have a whole lot of other options. As I finish that line of thought I gulp down the rest of the cup's bitter sweet content.

  I pick up the fancy pipe and focus my attention on it, looking at it from every angle in the process, to trigger my appraisal skill.

  [Wizard's wellspring of soothing smoke rings, Quality: Epic, This pipe is a rare piece, a masterwork item carved from sea foam and dragon turtle bone and decorated with intricate details. The pipe is enchanted to continually clean itself. Neither ash or soot nor anything else will ever stick to it. Even better, the pipe will light itself on command, as long as it's packed. Neither wind nor rain will keep it from burning. The stacked enchantments have another effect too. When used to blow smoke rings into the air these will purge the miasma of disease. It won't do anything about other kinds of bad air or poison though.]

  I blink in surprise. That is quite a bit to take in. The name alone is already something else altogether. And the double enchantment seems to have resulted in an additional effect as well. That one gives me pause. Could I advertise that effect? It sounds pretty useful after all.

  Well, I don't know too many people who smoke pipes. Urszula's father smokes a pipe and so does Danuta. Maybe I should ask the witch? Or would she prefer different enchantments for her pipe? I'll really have to ask her. First I'll have to deliver this particular piece to its owner though.

  I close the shop, checking the time in the process, and grab the fancy, enchanted pipe. Then I'm off to the inn where I hope to find the man who commissioned it. There is a little extra spring to my steps. Is it either due to the accomplishment or the coffee? I'm not sure. It might be both.

  Along the way I come across Jaromir, the elder of Clear Brook. He greets me with a friendly wave. He keeps his voice low though as he greets me when I draw closer.

  “Valeria! Do you have some time? I'd like to talk with you about your ledger and the tithe.”

  Oh, of course! I almost forgot. I wonder why? Maybe because it's not a particularly nice topic? I nod anyway.

  “I'm on my way to deliver this pipe I just enchanted. Give me a moment to enter the sale into the ledger afterwards and add up the numbers.”

  He nods along with my words. Judging by his expression, my request seems pretty much expected.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Good. I need to visit a few other people first anyway. See you later!”

  And with those words he is off again.

  I pick up my pace as well. I don't have any time to waste after all. Now even more than before. Tallying up the entries in my ledger shouldn't take that long, there aren't that many yet after all, but I better get to it anyway. Gods and goddesses, this day is really turning out to be quite a busy one.

  Thankfully I don't have to go looking for the old dwarf. He really stands out after all and right now he is talking with Krystina at the guild counter. I guess that is better than passing the time with drinking, eating or gambling.

  Never mind though. He has taken note of my arrival as well. He flashes me a broad smile as he takes his leave with our local guild official to talk with me instead. His eyes are already on the pipe as he comes over to join me.

  “I see, you are done already?”

  I nod in response.

  “As you wanted. A self cleaning enchantment and an enchantment to light it upon your command. There is a third effect too. I'm not exactly an expert regarding smoking pipes or anything else for that matter, but my appraisal suggests that you can purge the miasma of disease from the air by blowing smoke rings?”

  A wide smile blossoms on his face.

  “Very good! As I have been hoping! Mind if I give it a look myself? I have a slightly more advanced identification skill.”

  I hand him the pipe and he focuses his attention on it. This apparently doesn't stop him from talking though, thus he keeps going.

  “It's called the collector's discerning eye. I use it to earn a little on the side whenever I take a few days off from adventuring. And this, young lady, has truly turned out wonderfully. Marvelous! I'm impressed!”

  Even as he talks, he pulls a few coins from his purse, counting them into my hand without even looking.

  “Nine silver Crowns, as we agreed, for a successful double enchantment and prompt delivery. It's been a pleasure doing business with you, young lady!”

  I accept the coins and shake hands with him to finalize our transaction.

  “It's been a pleasure to work with a masterful piece like this. Please come again if you need anything else enchanted!"

  “I will, young lady. I will! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to give this beauty a proper try.”

  He winks at me and without delay gets out another pouch. By the smell alone I can tell that it contains a rather aromatic mix of finely cut tobacco leaves. He packs some of it into the pipe right away.

  “Light up, my beauty!”

  As he speaks the words a spark ignites in the pipe and he puffs on it right away. A moment later he blows a first smoke ring into the common room of the inn. A moment later a deep heartfelt laugh comes over his lips. Before I can leave he addresses me once more. His voice is low and almost conspirative this time around though.

  “By the way young lady. Some food for thought. With enchantments that activate upon command like this one you are almost halfway there to mastering the art of enchanting wands, you know? You just need to figure out the proper runes to achieve the spell effect you want the wand to create.”

  He winks at me once more, then he focuses entirely on enjoying his pipe, while I'm off to take care of my ledger. I can't shake his words though. Could it really be that easy? Well, for a certain value of easy anyway. I'll have to think on it.

  First I need to focus on my ledger and the tithes though. Thus this is exactly what I do when I return home. I quickly add this latest transaction into the ledger. Then I begin to tally up all my sales and purchases.

  By the time a knock on the door draws my attention I'm just about to finish double checking the result. When I open the elder is already waiting there for me.

  “Elder Jaromir, please come in!”

  He nods and does as I bid him. He heads directly to the counter to check on the ledger. He too goes through my calculations once more. He seems pleased.

  “Very good! And so neat! I wish everyone would take such good care of their ledger.”

  Then he adds a line of his own below my added up sums. The amount I owe him, or rather the lord.

  It's enough to make me sigh, but it's no use to complain, thus I get the coin from the strong chest. No words are exchanged, only coin.

  The elder counts the small fortune I hand him one more time. He nods again, adds another line to the ledger, saying that my tithes have been paid in full. Then at last he puts his seal in red ink over the lines so no one will be able to tamper with them.

  “Marvelous! I'm so very glad that you took over your grandma's shop! Have a nice day!”

  He pauses to wink at me.

  “And a fun midsummer night! Just don't do anything none of us would do.”

  While I'm still wondering about those words he is off with a chuckle.