Chapter 52 – The Convenience of Magic Technology
Chapter 52
The Convenience of Magic Technology
Date: Day 1 of Grimleaf 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Hyoren woke to the first light of morning. The golden rays of the suns filtered through the window, warm against his face, pulling him gently from slumber.
Elise was still sleeping at his side. Her silver hair cascaded across the pillow and spilled onto his chest. Her arm lay draped across his torso, her fingers curled loosely into the fabric of his tunic. She held him like a pillow, possessive even in sleep.
He smiled faintly at the sight.
Carefully, he lifted her hand from his body. He moved slowly, deliberately, easing himself away without disturbing her. She mumbled something incomprehensible and shifted, but didn't wake. Her arm found the warm spot he had left and curled around it instead.
He slipped out of bed and made his way to the bathroom.
At the washbasin, he splashed cool water on his face and ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. He gathered it at the back and tied it into a loose knot. The reflection in the mirror showed a different man than the one who had stumbled out of the forest. No longer wild-eyed and ragged. But the stubble along his jaw still gave him an untidy look.
"I should buy a shaver today."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I think Elise mentioned we're going on a shopping spree."
He left the bathroom and crossed to the window. The first light of day had just crested the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and pale silver. Below, the street was already showing signs of life. Housewives carried baskets of groceries toward the market. Drunk adventurers stumbled home from taverns, their steps unsteady. In contrast, other adventurers walked with solid, purposeful strides, heading to the guild to claim the best quests of the day before others could take them.
He looked toward the horizon. The golden Sol was already half the size of the silver Luna. He counted the days in his head.
It was the start of a new month. Today was Solday, the first day of Grimleaf, last month of the autumn. In thirty days—winter would arrive.
A stir from the bed drew his attention.
He turned. Elise had sat up, her hands rubbing her sleepy eyes. She yawned, her mouth opening wide, and her pointed ears twitched with the motion. Her silver hair was a mess, sticking out at odd angles.
He smiled at the sight.
“Good Morning Elise. Sleep well?”
Elise stretched her arms above her head. Her joints popped softly. Her disheveled hair swayed with the motion. When she lowered her arms, she was smiling.
"Morning, Hyoren. I slept good. Real good."
She climbed slowly out of bed and shuffled toward the bathroom. She emerged a short while later, transformed. The sleepy haze was gone from her eyes. Her long silver hair was now tied in a neat ponytail that swished between her shoulder blades.
As Elise walked closer, a loud rumble broke the quiet morning air.
Her stomach.
Elise's pointed ears flushed a deep shade of pink. She covered her face with both hands, embarrassed.
Hyoren chuckled.
"Let's eat breakfast, Elise?"
Elise, still hiding behind her hands, nodded.
"Uuh. Please forget about it... but yes. I'm so hungry..."
They prepared to go out. Elise picked up her short sword and sheathed it at her belt. Today would be a shopping trip in a safe city. Her bow would be unnecessary. She also left her bag behind, taking only a small pouch containing her wallet and guild card.
Hyoren did the same. He left his bag in the room, carrying only his makeshift steel dagger and a similar pouch.
He opened the door.
"Let's go, Elise."
Both of them stepped into the hallway. Elise locked the door behind them and slipped the brass key into her dress pocket. They descended the stairs together.
In the communal room, a few adventurers were already eating their breakfast. The smell of warm bread and hearty soup filled the air.
Martha looked up from behind the counter and smiled.
"Morning, dears. Going to eat breakfast?"
Elise and Hyoren settled onto stools at the counter.
Elise leaned forward with a lazy gesture, her elbows on the surface.
"Two breakfasts, please, Martha. And an extra portion for me."
Hyoren chuckled at her candor.
Martha smiled, her motherly warmth radiating. She disappeared into the kitchen at the back and returned moments later with a food tray. She placed their meals on the counter. Two bowls of simple vegetable and squirrel soup, along with soft bread. For Elise, Martha added an extra serving of bread.
"Eat away, dears. What would you two like to drink? Juice or plain water?"
Hyoren looked up.
"Juice, please, Martha."
Elise nodded in agreement.
"Same. Same."
Both of them began eating in comfortable silence. They enjoyed the relaxed morning, savoring the simple but tasty food. Martha returned with two mugs of Dew-heart juice, the pale liquid catching the morning light.
As Hyoren sipped his juice, voices from a nearby table drifted over.
"Hey, did you know? Increased goblin activity in the Forest of No Return has been confirmed. The Guild is starting to post more and more scouting quests."
Another voice called out in response.
"Yeah. I'm going to take that quest. But the notice says we shouldn't enter the forest. It's already swarming. Our job is to monitor the forest edge and run back to the city if there's any sign of a goblin army making a move."
Hyoren lowered his bread, chewing thoughtfully.
The news Elise had brought to the Guild was already having an effect. The Adventurer's Guild had taken quick action.
He returned to his meal, soaking up the last of his soup with a chunk of bread.
Both of them emptied their bowls and gulped down the last drops of their juice.
Elise dropped a few copper coins onto the counter and stood.
"Thanks, Martha! It was tasty as usual."
Hyoren rose as well.
"Yes, Martha. I'm already your fan."
Martha giggled, her eyes crinkling with warmth.
"You two know how to give praise, huh? Okay. Be safe, whatever you two have planned."
Elise headed for the door, Hyoren following close behind.
They stood together in front of the inn. Elise pressed her fingers to her chin, thinking.
Hyoren watched her for a moment.
"Today's plan is a shopping trip, right? Where are we going first, Elise?"
Elise turned to face him, a mischievous glint in her emerald eyes.
"I've decided. Follow me. First things first. We should buy the most important tools we need."
Elise started walking, her steps light and purposeful. Hyoren fell into step beside her.
"What is it, Elise? My weapon? Or our armor?"
Elise giggled.
"Just wait. It won't be a surprise if I tell you now."
He smiled wryly.
"Fine then... lead the way, Elise."
Both of them began walking, heading toward whatever shop Elise had in mind.
***
They walked through the side street of the Adventurer's District. The narrow lane was sparse compared to the main street, with only a few people passing through. But when they emerged onto the main street, the bustling crowd swallowed them whole.
Adventurers walked briskly in every direction, heading to or from the guild, moving toward the city gates and the wilds beyond, setting out on their quests. Street vendors hawked produce and groceries, their voices competing with the general din of the morning crowd.
Elise moved through the chaos with a steady step. Hyoren followed closely beside her, matching her pace. Not long after, they reached the archway that led into the Merchants' District.
Elise finally broke the silence.
"First things first. We'll go to The Gilded Scale. We have a few things to buy there. And one of them is necessary before we go shopping for other stuff."
Hyoren nodded. She was a veteran, experienced in matters like this. For now, he would leave everything to Elise until he could learn the trade himself.
Elise giggled softly.
"Fufufu. Frankly, there's one thing. Something I've always wanted, but as a solo Bronze-rank adventurer, I could never quite justify the expense."
She glanced at him sideways.
"But now... as a party... I think it's a necessity."
Hyoren stopped and turned to face her, giving her his full attention.
"So. What is the tool?"
She turned to him, her eyes gleaming with a mix of longing and practicality.
"A Storage Bag, a high-tier magic tool that uses space and time magic."
Hyoren's mind immediately grasped the concept. It was the classic "item bag" from countless games and fantasy stories. But he needed to be sure. Some of his knowledge had proven wrong or inapplicable in this world.
"Storage Bag?" he asked.
Elise continued walking as she explained, her voice growing more excited.
"Inside is an expanded space. The capacity varies wildly with price. But it's the time magic that makes it truly invaluable. The flow of time inside the bag is either slowed down or completely frozen."
Hyoren saw the logic immediately. It would allow them to operate deeper in the wilds, for longer periods. It was an investment that would pay for itself countless times over.
Elise slowed her pace. Looking at Hyoren’s eyes.
"The only problem is the cost. The cheaper model i planned to buy already cost two to four million Kres, the expensive one even reaching more than hundred million Kres."
Hyoren nodded. He understood her concern.
"I see. Four million means almost a half of our current party funds. Just for a single tool."
He met her eyes.
"But I agree. It's an investment. Let's buy it."
A relieved smile spread across Elise's face.
"Then let's go. To 'The Gilded Scale.' They specialize in magic tools."
She resumed walking, her steps quicker now.
"It's run by a pair of dwarven brothers who are master runic inscriptionists."
Hyoren smiled and followed.
They arrived at the shop not long after. Both of them stood in front of a well-appointed building with architecture similar to the rest of the city. A sign hung above the door depicting a golden balanced scale. One side held coins. The other held magic stones.
They pushed through the door and entered.
The shop was quiet and pristine. Thick carpets muffled sound, and glass display cases gleamed under the soft light of magic lamps.
Two dwarves stood behind the counter, arguing good-naturedly over a glowing rune etched onto a small metal plate. One had a meticulously braided silver beard that reached his chest. The other sported a short, fiery red beard.
They looked up as Hyoren and Elise entered. Their expressions shifted immediately to professional courtesy.
"Welcome to The Gilded Scale…"
The silver-bearded one said, stepping forward and offering his hand.
"I am Fireforge's Balin, and this is my brother, Fireforge's Gror. How may we illuminate your day?"
Hyoren took the offered hand. The dwarf's grip was firm but different from Jigor's. Not calloused from battle, but dexterous, the hands of a craftsman who worked with precision tools.
"Nice to meet you, Balin, Gror."
He filed away the naming convention in his mind. It seemed all dwarves used their family name first, followed by their given name. The inverse of human tradition.
Elise stepped forward, stating their business.
"We're looking to purchase a Storage Bag. Our budget is two to four million Kres."
Gror's eyes lit up.
"Ah, a practical investment! An excellent choice."
He rubbed his hands together.
"For that price, we have four options that might suit your needs."
He disappeared into a back room and returned moments later carrying four bags, which he placed on a velvet cloth atop a display counter.
They were all outwardly similar, simple leather satchels that looked no larger than a melon.
Balin began, indicating the first bag.
"Option one, 4 Million Kres. The 'Merchant's Friend.'"
His voice carried a note of pride.
"This is our most popular model for large-scale traders. It has a massive internal capacity, roughly 100 cubic meters. You could fit months of supplies inside, or the entire haul from a large monster."
He grinned.
"The trade-off is the time dilation rune. It's a low-grade rune. Time inside is slowed by a factor of 2. For every two days that pass outside, only one day passes inside."
Gror picked up the second bag.
"Option two, 5 Million Kres. The 'Scholar's Vault.'"
His voice dropped with reverence.
"This one is slightly over budget. But I've included it as an option since it's still close to your budget, Elise.”
He smiled.
“And this one is the opposite of ‘Merchant’s Friend’. The internal space is small, only 1 cubic meter, enough for a few days of rations and essential gear."
He leaned in slightly.
"However, it is enchanted with a higher grade time dilation rune. Time inside is slowed by a factor of 30. It's a favorite of mages and researchers who need to preserve rare ingredients."
Balin presented the third bag.
"Option three, 3 Million Kres. This is the 'Adventurer's Pack.'"
He gestured broadly.
"It offers a middle ground in all respects. The internal space is 20 cubic meters. It's large enough to carry one or two weeks of supplies and the loot from several days of hunting. The time dilation is also moderate, a factor of 15."
Gror then presented the last one.
"Last but not least, our most popular model. This is the 'Personal Pack.'"
He lifted the small bag.
"A lot of adventurers buy this as their first bag. It's small. About 5 cubic meters. And the time dilation is the same as the 'Adventurer's Pack.' The advantage? It's the cheapest model, priced at 1 Million Kres."
Gror gestured to all four bags.
"All four bags were enchanted with high-grade space runes, meaning anything placed inside would be rendered effectively weightless."
Hyoren thought for a moment. The choice seemed obvious. He looked at Elise.
"We're not merchants or scholars. So I think our choice is obvious. We should get the Adventurer's Pack, right, Elise?"
Elise nodded.
"Yeah. And the Personal Pack too while we're at it."
Hyoren tilted his head in confusion.
"Huh? We're buying two storage bags?"
Balin and Gror rubbed their hands together, sensing a larger purchase in the making.
Elise nodded.
"Yes. We buy two. We can afford it. And it was necessity. The Adventurer's Pack will be our main storage bag. It will be used for our main supplies, tools, camping gear, and our loot."
She pointed at Hyoren.
"But having only one bag means one of us will be left without a storage bag. We each need one. For worst-case scenarios, when we get split up. The one without a storage bag would be left stranded without supplies. So we buy two bags. The smaller bag will contain personal supplies for emergencies."
Realization dawned on Hyoren.
"That's true. With two bags, we can divide our supplies too."
He shook his head slightly.
"I see. That was an oversight on my part."
Elise smiled. Then she turned to face the two dwarves.
"Okay. Get those two bags for us."
Gror's eyes shone with the prospect of a good sale.
"Anything else, customer?"
Elise looked around the shop, scanning the displays. Then she faced the dwarves again.
"Yeah. Now that we have storage bags, we can bring more tools for our journey or quest."
She ticked off items on her fingers.
"Firstly, two cloaks with temperature control rune. Second, a two-person tent with a similar rune."
She turned to Hyoren.
"It's already autumn. The air is starting to get chilly. We need cloaks and tents that will keep us warm."
Hyoren nodded in understanding.
She placed a hand on her chin, thinking.
Hyoren watched her, awed by her foresight. She was thinking of so many things, preparing for every contingency.
Elise nodded to herself.
"Next, a portable magic stove. I want to cook simple hot food on the way."
Balin noted everything down on a small piece of paper.
"That's all, dear customer?"
Elise widened her emerald eyes slightly as she remembered another important items.
“Oh right Balin, water orb!”
Balin nodded, and then gave the list to Gror.
Gror disappeared into the back room again. He returned carrying their order, a folded tent, two cloaks, a blue orb, and a compact portable magic stove.
"Okay. The tent is 500,000 Kres. Two cloaks are 400,000 Kres. And the portable stove and water orb is 200,000 Kres."
He calculated quickly.
"With the storage bags you purchased before, that's 5.1 million Kres. As you're buying in bulk, we'll give a 100,000 Kres discount, and I will give you bonus portable magic lamp for your tent worth of another 200,000. Final price, 5 million Kres."
He stated the price while he took small magic lamp from the glass case nearby.
Elise smiled. The price was reasonable and they had even gotten a bonus. She quickly took her guild card. As treasurer of their party, only she could access the money from their party funds.
Balin processed their transaction using the magic tools on the counter. The device glowed softly as it confirmed the transfer.
"Okay. That's done. Payment of 5 million Kres is confirmed."
Elise nodded. She gathered the tent, lamp, one of the cloaks, the stove, and the water orb, and began placing them into the Adventurer's Pack. She poured her Aethell into the bag, and the items seemed to slide into a warped space above the opening, disappearing into the void. She placed the other cloak into the Personal Pack.
She handed the Personal Pack to Hyoren.
"Hyoren, this will be your bag. So you don't need to carry a cumbersome bag anymore."
She adjusted the strap of the Adventurer's Pack on her waist belt. The small bag secured tightly on her waist.
"Let me hold on to our main storage bag."
Hyoren nodded. He took the smaller bag, more like a pouch, and tied it securely to his belt too.
"Thank you for your time, Balin, Gror."
Elise and Hyoren turned toward the door.
Balin called out from behind them.
"Thank you for your business. And may your pack always be light and your pockets heavy."
They stepped out of The Gilded Scale and back into the lively streets of Merchants’ District.
***
Hyoren and Elise stood in front of The Gilded Scale.
Elise smiled widely, clearly happy with the purchase. Her long-held dream of owning a storage bag had finally become reality. And on top of that, they had significantly increased their convenience for future journeys.
Hyoren, on his side, was busy examining his new Personal Pack. He unclipped it from his belt and held it in his hands, turning it over.
He poured a small amount of Aethell into it. A small warped space appeared above the opening of the bag. He didn't even need to open the bag itself. He tried putting his wallet inside. It vanished instantly.
"Huh. It's truly gone."
Elise chuckled beside him.
"Of course, Hyoren. It's inside the bag now."
Elise started walking.
"Now... don't stand in front of the door looking like you've been hit by a Ramtauro. Fufu."
She glanced back at him, urging him to move.
"We still have a few more places to visit today."
Hyoren finally snapped out of his stupor. He quickly caught up with Elise.
"Sorry, Elise. It was my first time seeing something like this. Haha."
Elise shook her head. Her silver hair swayed with the motion.
"Fufufu. No problem. I was happy too, actually. But at least I can hold myself together."
Hyoren smiled wryly.
"Putting items into the storage bag seems easy. So how do I take items out? Especially if we have a lot of items stuffed inside."
Elise walked past three adventurers who seemed to be arguing about something, then glanced at Hyoren.
"Just pour your Aethell into it again, and put your hand inside the warped space."
Hyoren did as she instructed. As his hand entered the warped space, something strange happened. His mind suddenly seemed to know exactly what was inside the bag. The knowledge appeared automatically, like a list forming in his thoughts. And when he focused on wanting his wallet, he felt it materialize in his hand. When he pulled his hand out of the warped space, his wallet was already there.
Hyoren stared at it in awe.
"Damn. This is neat. Easy to use."
Elise chuckled.
"Right? It's convenient and easy to use. It certainly costs a lot. But I think it's really worth it."
Hyoren nodded. He completely agreed with Elise. He put his wallet back into his storage bag and tied it to his belt again.
"Okay. Now that we've got our storage bags, what's next, Elise?"
Elise smiled.
"I want to buy a few clothes. Just normal clothes. Now that we have storage bags, I can afford to have a few casual clothes to wear in the city."
Hyoren nodded.
"I see. I might want to do the same. This tunic is more like traveling wear. I want one or two casual outfits, and maybe some sleeping wear too."
Elise nodded, then turned away abruptly, her silver hair swayed wildly. She mumbled something under her breath.
"I don't want to be seen by you wearing the same clothes every day."
Hyoren turned his head toward her. He hadn't caught her last words, the street was too crowded and noisy.
"What was that, Elise?"
Elise quickened her pace. Her ears had taken on a faint pink tinge, though it was hard to notice.
"Never mind. Let's go."
Hyoren tilted his head. But he didn't want to make a fuss about something small like this, so he quickened his pace to match hers.