It was one of those rare moments where Mikella was grinning from cheek to cheek. No, she wasn’t fighting a worthy foe in a battle to the near death, nor was it because she was finally picking up her weapons with all the enchantments she’s been waiting to try out.

  Granted, that was part of it, but the real reason was because she got to spend time with her little sister again. Trotting along with a goofy smile on her face, Clara looked around the entire city. There was excitement in her eyes as she wasn’t let out of the house due to the potential trouble of being by herself, which unfortunately also included Zoan due to her appearance. Alissa was a very busy woman, and despite doing her best for the two, she can’t exactly bring two inexperienced women into her own matters.

  Though she feared that some bastard noble was gonna ruin all that, she knew that such a thing would be fine even if that were to happen. That’s because Zeke was by her side, keeping a close eye on Clara with a silly grin all of his own.

  It was a rare family moment, something that Mikella hadn’t expected to have while tackling the towers in Arcelot. They did it before, but that was before figuring out what their daily life would be like, which carried a sense of anxiety behind them. And just like before, they were going to go check on the smith, to which Clara was excited to see.

  However, when they got into the store, the scene did not play out the same in her mind.

  “Godsdammit! Curse you and your fucking ‘unexpected circumstances’, you fucking pigs wearing shit-made magic robes you made with the blood of innocent children everywhere!”

  Hearing a rather detailed rant from the obviously disturbed blacksmith was not part of the scene in her mind. Nor was seeing Cru actively crushing every wooden crate around her with a huge hammer that didn’t fit her slightly toned frame. Wood bits scattered everywhere, taking down the gear she crafted with them and making even more of a mess in the store.

  She continued to keep doing this for the next few moments, leaving the otherworlders standing there in awe at the scene.

  “...Should we leave?” Clara asked, turning to the adults in her group.

  “Maybe,” Zeke answered. “I don’t think she’s in a good mood to talk today…”

  “Hold on, let’s just get in there and see what’s wrong,” Mikella offered, but the two looked at her as though she lost her mind.

  “You do remember I lost my barrier, right?” Zeke asked. This time, he wasn’t even saddened, just in disbelief that she actually forgot that tidbit.

  Mikella shook her head as she went ahead herself, not really instigating Zeke to come with her as she certainly didn’t want Clara near anywhere of this mess.

  Eventually Cru did calm down enough for the otherworlders to come in soon after. Mikella approached the sweaty Cru, breathing erratically with her eyes bulging out from beneath her wild black hair that her bandanna only just barely manage to keep out of her eyes due to her outrage.

  “Cru, Cru!” Mikella called out, finally getting the smith’s attention. “What’s wrong? Why are you losing your shit like this?”

  “Why? I’ll tell you why!”

  See, I knew she was gonna explain, Mikella called in her head, knowing that a woman like this would definitely bitch and moan if someone just asked.

  “I just got word from the Alchemist’s guild that they are terminating my contract due to ‘unexpected circumstances’,” Cru made air-quotes while using a rather disturbed expression on her face as she continued. “Now they won’t send me the materials I need for my enchantments! I paid out of my ass for their services, even getting some shit quality monster parts despite my payments getting higher by the year, and all of a sudden they just dropped everything! Why wouldn’t I lose my shit!?”

  Mikella had to take a double take at the poor girl. Hearing all that made her realize that just because she was a blacksmith in a fantasy world doesn’t mean that they don’t work the same way as in their old world.

  Hearing monster materials out of Cru made her realize that she doesn’t only work with metal and just plain mana. She had to use different kinds of monster parts, gemstones, and other types of materials outside of steel to make her equipment. And being an enchanting-based crafter as well as a business woman, it was obvious that she can’t just collect them all herself. She had to pay someone else to do it, or in this case, getting a contract to make a formal exchange.

  “Shit, I’m sorry to hear that…” Mikella said, sympathy growing for the smith girl. “How did that happen in the first place?”

  “Bah, some weirdo deciding to heal everyone for free got all the people in the Alchemist guild to get riled up, or something like that,” Cru finally managed to calm down enough, her face still riddled with anger but her eyes were closed as she explained. Opening her eyes, she continued. “I think that got those piss-ants to lose their revenue on selling expensive potions for those folks or something. At least that’s the rumors I heard while I go out there to restock.”

  That instantly got Mikella to pause, shifting her gaze towards Zeke who came in after. His own eyes were widened, hearing all of this explanation, his face paling in realization.

  The very same rumors she heard were right. The one healing everyone for ‘free’ was actually Zeke, healing the adventurers who were hit with the cancerous Mana Parasite. Seeing that the Adventurer’s guild couldn’t ask for a more expensive option of relying on the Runist’s guild, it made sense that they made a deal with the Alchemist’s guild to get the potions necessary to keep their adventurers alive.

  Now that she thought about it, there were a lot of plain named guilds in this country. Were the people just that lazy to come up with better names? Or is this one of those official names so that the citizens won’t get confused about where to go?

  Either way, they have a problem. If Cru lost her materials, it was because Zeke was responsible for that happening. Cru looked back at Mikella, who immediately stiffened.

  “Sorry about this, Mikky,” Cru said, using her shortened name as easy as breathing air since their last discussion. “I think I might have to put a hold on your equipment. At this rate, I might not even be able to make them… If you want your gold back, I understand. I don’t know exactly how I can get the materials I need to start enchanting the gear to your specifications.”

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  “Oh, that’s…”

  Guilt took a vice-grip on her heart as she saw Cru’s crestfallen face. It was clear that while the contract being terminated was an annoyance, what really hurt Cru was disappointing Mikella on not getting the gear she promised. It was clear that Cru at least wanted to settle her current orders before this debacle came up.

  Zeke approached the two, Clara standing by while looking at the trio in concern.

  “Hey, Cru,” Mikella started, her hand resting on Cru’s shoulder to pick her spirits up. “Why not ask someone else to get the materials for you? I mean, how hard is it to get the stuff you need to enchant?”

  “Umm… why do you need monster parts to enchant, anyways?”

  Cru raised her head up to spot Clara, a new visitor along with the otherworlders in her store. She turned to Mikella, her finger pointing at the younger woman.

  “She your daughter?” Cru asked. “She’s a cutie, that’s for sure.”

  “She’s my little sister, and yes, she is,” Mikella smiled. She knew she liked Cru considering that she instantly thought Clara of being a cutie. Clara herself blushed slightly, but she had a silly grin on her face.

  “Huh?” Cru asked. “Wait, how old are you?”

  “I’m 21?” Mikella asked, somehow answering a question with a question. “Why do you ask?”

  “21, and you’re a fucking Journeyman… holy shit, you are impressive,” Cru shook her head. “Could’ve sworn you were older. At least old enough to get a kid now. Ah well… as for your question, kid.”

  Cru turned to Clara, ignoring the jive at Mikella’s age. Clara looked concerned, her face lowering for a bit, but remembering Mikella’s words, turned to Cru to speak eye to eye.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to annoy you.”

  “Ah, don’t worry about it,” Cru waved her concerns off as she continued. “Not every day a kid asks how enchantment works. See, enchanters don’t just put magic into an item, expecting to work like usual. We need catalysts to create the specific enchantments we need to put into an item. Monster parts, or anything that has any form of aspect in their mana signatures, are perfect for creating specific enchantments used on equipment and armor.”

  “Ooh,” Clara nodded. “So, now you can’t get those materials anymore…”

  “Precisely, and the Alchemist’s guild is perfect to get materials from,” Cru explained, turning to Mikella this time. “That’s because the guild is more organized in getting specific materials. I can’t just get it anywhere else. Even if the adventurer’s guild can also supply materials, they don’t offer contracts for the local merchants due to some weird law they made years ago or something, and they won’t bother changing it now. I have to pay for each commision I ask for, and I have to pay even more than what I pay for the contract with the Alchemist’s guild if I want any monster parts that are half-way decent.”

  Mikella winced, knowing exactly how that feels. Why use a more expensive option when a subscription can be better for your wallet? But it looks like that ship has sailed and now Cru is stuck in this predicament.

  As though he had enough, Zeke spoke up for the first time.

  “Cru, if I may ask. Do you necessarily need monster parts to create different effects for your enchantments?”

  Cru looked up at Zeke as though he just spoke an alien language. After staring at him for a while, her brows furrowed now that she considered his question.

  “Well… I never knew how to use anything else. But I don’t think it’s impossible. But what kind of catalyst do I need that can replace good old monster parts?”

  “What about something that replaces the need for parts, but still gives the energy needed to make powerful enchanting effects?” Zeke asked further, his eyes glinting as he continued. “Like, a permanent device that can stand in as a catalyst for every enchantment?”

  “Now that would be a dream come true,” Cru said, nodding her head. “Here’s the problem–I don’t have the gold to buy that wonder item. Even if I do, where do I get that wonder item? Sounds like something a Runist could make, but I sure know where I stand. No way in hell a runist would take the time to come to my place and make something so wonderful for me.”

  Mikella knew instantly what Zeke was trying to do, and for once, she didn’t try to stop him.

  There were reasons for that. One thing, she doesn’t control Zeke. Second, she knew him well enough that this would eat at him if he didn't help. Considering they were responsible for landing Cru in that situation in the first place, it only makes sense that he would offer her something else in return.

  Not to mention, she really likes the idea of Cru being better off financially than dealing with the shitty Alchemist’s guild that willingly took advantage of the sick adventurers by upping the price of their life-saving potions for them. If that wasn’t an act of pure evil, then what was it?

  “So then you wouldn’t mind if I make one for you?” Zeke asked, hope rising on his face as he finally made his declaration.

  “Make me what?” Cru asked, raising a single brow.

  “That wonder device. Do you want me to make one for you?”

  “How?” Cru asked, narrowing her eyes at him. “I just said that it’s impossible unless we’re talking about a Runist here.”

  Zeke turned to face Mikella, and she couldn’t believe him when he did so when she just shook her head and pointed at Cru, mouthing ‘just tell her already’.

  His cheeks reddening slightly, he turned to Cru. Mikella, however, knew full well he likes being dramatic like this.

  “I’m a Runist,” Zeke said. “I can make it for you.”

  Silence filled the store. For a moment, Mikella wondered if Cru was waiting for Zeke to continue, probably doing some sort of joke. Then her eyes turned glazy for a second, and in her eyes, Zeke tensed slightly from the Identify being used on him.

  The moment that passed, Cru immediately paled, her eyes widening like dinner plates. Her breathing turned up a pitch as she suddenly knelt down, her head slamming down with her hands resting underneath it right to the dirty wood-riddled floor.

  “Sir Runist! Oh gods, I’m so sorry for treating you like this. Please, please have mercy. I didn’t mean to insult you like this. I beg you, please don’t get angry at me!”

  That got the otherworlders to stare at Cru in shock. Her demeanor changed so suddenly that Zeke was left gaping at her, horrified at the scene.

  “P-Please, stop that!” Zeke offered, raising his hands in a gentle nature. “I’m not angry. You don’t have any reason to apologize like this. Please, stand up!”

  Mikella took a moment to realize why Cru was acting so crazy like this. Then, realization hit her as she snapped her fingers.

  “Cru, Zeke isn’t part of the Runist guild.”

  A moment passed, Cru’s face still hidden while staring at the ground in her kow-tow position. Then another moment came and went before Cru slowly turned up her face, facing the otherworlders with a raised brow.

  “...You serious?” Cru asked, genuine concern on her face.

  “I’m serious,” Mikella said, getting Zeke to nod vigorously. “We told you before that we’re outsiders, remember?”

  “But he’s a Runist,” Cru pointed her chin over at Zeke. “How is he a Runist if he wasn’t part of the Runist Guild?”

  “My master taught me Runecraft before I chose my class a y–I mean, a long time ago,” Zeke quickly sidestep the time gap with a slight cough. “I was never a part of the Runist guild. But I still chose Runist as my class.”

  After another moment of silence, Mikella wondered if Cru’s mind was somehow broken from all this. Then, she slowly rose from the floor, dusting off the dirt and dust from her pant legs and then her hands. Then she swiped the dirt off of her reddish forehead before facing the otherworlders.

  With a neutral expression, she spoke again.

  “...Oh. Well, that would’ve been good to know several seconds ago.”