Is it wrong to fleece adventurers at the item shop?

Despite getting a bowl of hearty stew to soothe my stomach I find no sleep that night. I have a suspicion as to why as well. There are two things that can cause me to suffer from insomnia. The first one is the moon. I tend to be restless if it is full and shines too bright. This reason I can rule out. The moon is waxing but it is nowhere close to being full right now.

The other possible reason for my insomnia is one I'm all too familiar with from my time at the academy in Barter Town. It is an unfinished project with a deadline looming over my head. Back then it usually had been a homework assignment of one kind or another. Now it is about the girdles I promised to enchant. In theory I don't have to worry or fret. In theory I have more than enough time. Some part of my mind doesn't care though.

I throw back the blanket and with a long, drawn out sigh, swing my legs out of bed. For a precious moment I just sit there with my head in my hands. There is no helping it though. Once I'm in this state of mind only finishing whatever is on my mind, or at least making reasonable progress, will provide any kind of relief.

After rubbing the last vestiges of sleep from my eyes and slapping my cheeks for good measure I get up for good. I don't bother with getting dressed. At this time of the day, or rather the night, my nightshirt will suffice. It isn't like anyone will see anyway and it isn't exactly cold either. A little chill maybe but not actually cold.

At first I get the enchanted lantern from the shop, where I keep it during the night, and hang it above the workbench with all the tools.

The next order of business is preparing the ingredients I'll need for the enchanter's chalks I'm about to make. This means wax, oil, chalk and enchanting dust. I place them all within easy reach and get the tools I'll be using ready as well. I find an aged and well used wooden cast. By the looks of it, it should suffice my needs. Next I get a spoon and a whisk as well as the mortar and pestle. The big cauldron is already hanging in the fireplace and I have another smaller one ready as well.

I check everything once more, just to make sure that nothing is wrong or out of place. Finding everything to my liking I nod. That was the easy part. Now I have to do some actual work.

First thing first. I grab a bucket and head out the backdoor down to the creek. The overgrown garden is a little spooky at night. Thankfully it isn't entirely dark though, as the stars and the waxing moon provide some light. Despite that I still almost slip on my way back up from the creek as the full bucket throws me off balance.

I take a moment to regain my balance before I resume my climb. I splash a little water in my face as well to make sure I'm properly awake. After pouring the water from the bucket into the big cauldron I realize that I'll have to make that trip at least one more time. Better yet I head down to the creek twice and only fill the bucket about halfway each time. That way the return trip should be a little easier. I really don't want to slip and fall in after all.

Thankfully nothing happens as I make the trip down to the creek twice more. A little smile finds its way onto my lips though as I think about how I might have looked. A tall woman in a fluttering white night shirt at the creek. It almost sounds like the beginning of a ghost story.

I can't dwell on it though as I have no time to waste and still plenty of work to do. Among other things I need to get some wood from the stack along the back wall to light a fire under the now filled cauldron.

People often have quite silly ideas about the work of alchemists. They imagine us stirring blubbering cauldrons in smoke filled huts as we throw in various ingredients. Hardly anything could be further from the truth.

We use cauldrons for sure but everything else is silly superstition for the better part. The smoke filled room for an example would in truth hint at a chimney in serious need of cleaning. Smoke, or any kind of miasma gathering in a room, was a sure sign that something was not as it should be and that you better open doors and windows and get out of there.

For that reason I take a moment to check on the chimney as I stack some firewood under the cauldron. There is no obstruction as far as I can tell. I leave the door open as I light the wood just in case anyway.

I needn't have worried though. A thin column of smoke rises around the cauldron and disappears up the chimney without issue as I get the fire started. I nod satisfied and turn to face the workbench instead.

The water will take some time to heat up. I can take care of everything else in the meantime.

I grab the piece of chalk that will serve as the pigment in my enchanter's chalks first and crumble it into the mortar. It takes me some time to grind it into a fine dust with the pestle. After carrying wood and water this is the most strenuous step. By the time I'm done I'm all sweaty and I can feel a slight ache in my arms.

I don't mind though. Instead of lamenting I see it as a sign that I'm already halfway done. A quick glance over the shoulder tells me that the water is heating up nicely as well. Thin wisps of steam are rising from the bubbling surface. The fire under the cauldron is already burning out but that is no issue either.

The water is hot. That is all that matters. As a matter of fact I'm even a little proud that I used just the right amount of wood, not wasting any.

I grab another, much smaller cauldron and hang it in such a way that it is mostly submerged in the hot water of the bigger one.

Now I have to be quick! I crumble the wax into the smaller cauldron and watch it melt due to the heat of the hot water. It doesn't take long. Working with indirect heat like that might seem a little wasteful at first but it greatly reduces the risk of ruining your work by burning anything.

I add the oil, olive judging by the faint smell, next. It will soften the chalks a little so they won't crumble in my fingers. I stir the mixture before finally adding the actual chalk dust. I keep stirring as I add it bit by bit. Without pause I add the enchanting dust as well, stirring the mixture all the while to make sure nothing clumps together. Thankfully the water is still plenty hot enough to make sure the wax doesn't harden too soon.

Once I'm satisfied with the consistency I grab a piece of cloth and lift the smaller cauldron from its hot bath. Now I have to be real quick. I can't afford any mistakes either though.

Without delay I pour the liquid mixture into the cast, cleaning out the cauldron with the spoon so nothing will go to waste. Within moments the cast is filled and I put away the cauldron with a sigh of relief.

I'm done. Now I just have to wait for the chalks to harden so I can remove them from the cast. For a moment I enjoy the fragrance of the hot wax. I'll probably never get tired of the smell of beeswax.

I stretch and wipe away some sweat before heading back outside. Since I have to wait anyway, I might as well enjoy the night a little. I sit down on the wooden bench next to the door, stretch my legs and bury my toes in the grass, as the cool night air washes over my skin.

Just like that the tension that has kept me awake so far dissipates. I allow myself a small smile. I still have to enchant those girdles but at least I now have the tools to do so.

I can't allow myself to fall asleep out here though, otherwise I'm sure to catch a cold. Thus I head back inside again eventually. I don't climb back into bed right away though. Instead I first check on the fruit of my labor.

I put a cutting board atop the wooden cast and turn it over. To my great relief the chalks fall free easily. I don't have to use force. They didn't break either and they sparkle just right. All seems well. I pick one up and look at it from all sides, activating my appraisal skill.

[Enchanter's chalk, Quality: Uncommon, A solid piece of basic, white Enchanter's Chalk used in enchanting. Smells like beeswax as it is the main ingredient.]

I repeat the process with the other as well and get the same result. All is in fact well. With that I'm all set for tomorrows work.

As I finally climb back into bed, my thoughts drift off to the bathhouse Agnieszka mentioned instead though.