"A hexer?"
The notion seemed to amuse the elf, pressing his clasped hands to his chest.
"I've not sold to hexers in almost two hundred years. If you had come during the Risorgimento, I would have had more a selection for you. But, we are not called Le joyau caché for nothing," the Elf clapped his hand, and called to the back entrance, "Alma! Do we still have the silvered blade in the back? Check for me, please."
Summer in Monaco
Re: Summer in Monaco
There was a sudden thud, and a bit of a shriek from the back room, as the shopkeep's summons seemed to have surprised the girl in the back. "Just a minute!" the voice of a girl, whom sounded like she would be roughly Katerina's age, called from the back, followed by a sudden crashing sound, at which the blonde student winced. There was a sound as of someone hastily trying to stand up something made of several moving pieces of metal, followed by an oddly metallic thunk, and then a dull scraping before the back door opened to reveal a teenager with purple hair and matching eyes, wearing what appeared to be a thick headband. She had one a short sleeved cream yellow shirt and white short shorts, and had bandages on both her forearm and outer thighs, but aside from that she was notably carrying a long, relatively narrow object draped in a linen cloth, which she brought over and presented to the shopkeeper. "Is this the one? she asked, sounding a bit exasperated.
Katerina had to blink several times at the whole presentation, not sure if it was some sort of impromptu comedy sketch, or if this Alma was simply that clumsy. "Thank you, and pleased to meet you, I'm Katerina," She greeted the newcomer.
The new girl nodded and bowed slightly to Kat, introducing herself "Almara Marchioni, at your service!" At the bottom of the bow, Kat thought she noticed for a brief moment that what she had thought to be a headband was not connected in the middle, but given the circumstances, did not pursue the thought further. However, it was odd that the same presence she had felt before was indeed now stronger, and indeed identical to the new spellbooks.
Katerina had to blink several times at the whole presentation, not sure if it was some sort of impromptu comedy sketch, or if this Alma was simply that clumsy. "Thank you, and pleased to meet you, I'm Katerina," She greeted the newcomer.
The new girl nodded and bowed slightly to Kat, introducing herself "Almara Marchioni, at your service!" At the bottom of the bow, Kat thought she noticed for a brief moment that what she had thought to be a headband was not connected in the middle, but given the circumstances, did not pursue the thought further. However, it was odd that the same presence she had felt before was indeed now stronger, and indeed identical to the new spellbooks.
Re: Summer in Monaco
"Yes..." the shopkeep, who seemed completely immune to this train-wreck of a girl's entrance, stared wistfully at the narrow object. He took it up in his hands and presented it Katerina once introductions had been fully dispensed. "... this would be what you're looking for. A silver blade with a steel core. Hexes are not known for adornment or flashy appeal, so the sort is quite simple in make, but it was forged in a time when blades of this kind were common, by masters who created them wholesale."
Then, once that nostalgia had been spent, the elf removed the wrappings to reveal a finely polished blade. True to his word, it was an ordinary looking sword, more ordinary than the hexer Katerina knew had used before. Yet it looked exquisitely made for the time it had been produced, lacking for any imperfections.
"You may be curious, as some are, to energies that you are sensing," the elf spoke with attentive eyes at Almara, "Almara is a craftswoman unlike few have ever known, and some of the things you hold come from her very body. She is... a dragon, one of the few remaining in the world."
Then, once that nostalgia had been spent, the elf removed the wrappings to reveal a finely polished blade. True to his word, it was an ordinary looking sword, more ordinary than the hexer Katerina knew had used before. Yet it looked exquisitely made for the time it had been produced, lacking for any imperfections.
"You may be curious, as some are, to energies that you are sensing," the elf spoke with attentive eyes at Almara, "Almara is a craftswoman unlike few have ever known, and some of the things you hold come from her very body. She is... a dragon, one of the few remaining in the world."
Re: Summer in Monaco
As the shopkeeper spoke, Katerina eyed the wrapped sword, and her eyes nearly glimmered with awe as the simple yet beautiful weapon was drawn from its coverings. While she had never used a sword, nor held one before, she was able to tell that it was a finely crafted piece, if not overly adorned as most of the swords she had seen in museums and art collections were. "May I?' she asked, holding out her hands as if in preparation to take the sword, but she was distracted as the elf spoke of the other girl in the room. before she could take the weapon, her arms dropped to her side in a bit of shock at the revelation.
"You're- You're a Dragon?" the blonde asked, nonplussed. 'So those are horns on the side of her head' she thought, at a loss of what else to say that might not be rude of her.
"Yeah, you could say that, though I'm not especially good at it," Almara answered, looking a bit glum. Her arms relieved of their burden, she hung the cloth across her shoulder, pulling a rather new and somewhat familiar device from her pocket- a magical smartphone made by the Michizaki corporation similar to the tablet that Katerina had been making copious use of. "This is my hoard of NFT's, which cost me a literal fortune, but I found out the hard way they're actually worthless..." she scrolled through what seemed like hundreds of lazily made pieces of digital artwork, ranging from glittering pixies to the ubiquitous money (quite a few different ones) and nearly anything in between.
"Monsieur Hugo was able to help me of course but, I spent a lot more than what I had trying to convert to digital..." The girl absentmindedly tapped the magi-phone, the screen going blank before she stuffed it back into her pocket, and then unconsciously scratched at the bandage on her forearm, as it seemed to itch. "I make quite a few of these books every day, as well as a bunch of other stuff, though! Jean-Paul says I'll have my debts paid off in just under a hundred years!"
Kat winced at the entire thing, doing some quick math in her head and realizing that that likely included a criminally high amount of interest, likely going against quite a few laws. "I see..." she commented, looking toward the elven shopkeep. "I'm hoping this is all registered properly according to the EUOM laws on indebtedness and indentured servitude?"
"You're- You're a Dragon?" the blonde asked, nonplussed. 'So those are horns on the side of her head' she thought, at a loss of what else to say that might not be rude of her.
"Yeah, you could say that, though I'm not especially good at it," Almara answered, looking a bit glum. Her arms relieved of their burden, she hung the cloth across her shoulder, pulling a rather new and somewhat familiar device from her pocket- a magical smartphone made by the Michizaki corporation similar to the tablet that Katerina had been making copious use of. "This is my hoard of NFT's, which cost me a literal fortune, but I found out the hard way they're actually worthless..." she scrolled through what seemed like hundreds of lazily made pieces of digital artwork, ranging from glittering pixies to the ubiquitous money (quite a few different ones) and nearly anything in between.
"Monsieur Hugo was able to help me of course but, I spent a lot more than what I had trying to convert to digital..." The girl absentmindedly tapped the magi-phone, the screen going blank before she stuffed it back into her pocket, and then unconsciously scratched at the bandage on her forearm, as it seemed to itch. "I make quite a few of these books every day, as well as a bunch of other stuff, though! Jean-Paul says I'll have my debts paid off in just under a hundred years!"
Kat winced at the entire thing, doing some quick math in her head and realizing that that likely included a criminally high amount of interest, likely going against quite a few laws. "I see..." she commented, looking toward the elven shopkeep. "I'm hoping this is all registered properly according to the EUOM laws on indebtedness and indentured servitude?"
Re: Summer in Monaco
Jean-Paul smiled knowingly, also pleased that the sword may have finally found an owner. He waited patiently for Almara to introduce herself, as she was wont to do with customers at times. The precariousness of her situation and the openness in how she shared it with Katerina didn't seem to faze him, even though there was a legitimate amount of things said to be concerned about.
"Ninety-four years, seven months, twelve days and six hours to be exact; not much longer than a few months in the life-span of a human," the elf laughed, his lengthy lifespan for an above that of most of the people on earth. "I do try to stay away from the fast-moving ends of society. Fifty or so years behind has served me rather well in the last five hundred years."
Though that fifty years was felt most tangibly when Katerina brought up EUOM laws. Jean-Paul looked a bit confused, "Laws? My! Slavery is illegal. I know that much. What is there to register?"
"Ninety-four years, seven months, twelve days and six hours to be exact; not much longer than a few months in the life-span of a human," the elf laughed, his lengthy lifespan for an above that of most of the people on earth. "I do try to stay away from the fast-moving ends of society. Fifty or so years behind has served me rather well in the last five hundred years."
Though that fifty years was felt most tangibly when Katerina brought up EUOM laws. Jean-Paul looked a bit confused, "Laws? My! Slavery is illegal. I know that much. What is there to register?"
Re: Summer in Monaco
Katerina placed her thumb and forefinger on the bridge of her nose and sighed, realizing that this shopkeeper had no ideas of the strides that magical society had taken recently in terms of humane treatment not only of humans but every sentient race known and unknown on the orb known as earth. "Any form of debt above what one can pay in a year on the minimum acceptable wage must be recorded and approved with your local EUOM council, and any indentured servitude resulting from such debt must also be recorded, registered, and approved. As well, you must possess the proper licensing and be a banking institution or similar in order to legally hold those debts." She shook her head, taking in stock of the entire situation.
Alma herself was quite bewildered at everything Katerina had just stated but, being slightly more tech savvy than Jean-Paul, decided to look it up on her M-Phone and was astounded to find that everything the blonde had said seemed to be true. "But I owe almost 500 wells worth of cups! 100 years didn't sound too awful, that much money would have taken almost a lifetime to pay off when I was younger."
"Yes, well," Katerina interrupted before Alma could go much farther, "That much would take quite some time to pay off, but at the minimum wage that's currently legal in Monaco..." Kat paused to do a bit of calculations after checking her A-pad for the values she needed, " That would be twenty five years at most, perhaps thirty if we added the legal limit on interest."
Her point made, the business heiress stowed her A-pad and crossed her arms, giving Jean-Paul a stern look and tapping the fingers of her right hand across her left bicep.
"Wait, that means..." the young dragon tried to do some quick math in her head, but looked confused
"Four times, roughly" Kat interjected
"Yeah, You're trying to keep me here for four times as long as you should! that's not nice!"
Alma herself was quite bewildered at everything Katerina had just stated but, being slightly more tech savvy than Jean-Paul, decided to look it up on her M-Phone and was astounded to find that everything the blonde had said seemed to be true. "But I owe almost 500 wells worth of cups! 100 years didn't sound too awful, that much money would have taken almost a lifetime to pay off when I was younger."
"Yes, well," Katerina interrupted before Alma could go much farther, "That much would take quite some time to pay off, but at the minimum wage that's currently legal in Monaco..." Kat paused to do a bit of calculations after checking her A-pad for the values she needed, " That would be twenty five years at most, perhaps thirty if we added the legal limit on interest."
Her point made, the business heiress stowed her A-pad and crossed her arms, giving Jean-Paul a stern look and tapping the fingers of her right hand across her left bicep.
"Wait, that means..." the young dragon tried to do some quick math in her head, but looked confused
"Four times, roughly" Kat interjected
"Yeah, You're trying to keep me here for four times as long as you should! that's not nice!"
Re: Summer in Monaco
"Hm, well," the elf hid his mouth behind his hand, realizing that his usurious relationship with Almara had become more open than he had intended. "I'm quite glad that someone clarified that."
Jean-Paul had been many things in his life, but this had been one of the few times he had been upstood by a child. Then again, Kat was no ordinary teenager, nor were most of the friends she had back at Safeholme. The elf had no way of knowing that. He tried checking her ears, eying her for any sort of fae energy, but nothing so long-lived was necessary to pick out his scheme.
"I assure you, I had nothing but the best of intent. Alma, what would you have done had I told you twenty-five years? Would you even have taken it seriously?" the shopkeeper gave a practiced, saccharine smile, "Twenty-five years is nothing? Even humans squander a two-and-a-half decades. You're an artist now."
With a hand over his heart, he stated, "I do swear to amend this, so that it is done quite fairly."
Jean-Paul had been many things in his life, but this had been one of the few times he had been upstood by a child. Then again, Kat was no ordinary teenager, nor were most of the friends she had back at Safeholme. The elf had no way of knowing that. He tried checking her ears, eying her for any sort of fae energy, but nothing so long-lived was necessary to pick out his scheme.
"I assure you, I had nothing but the best of intent. Alma, what would you have done had I told you twenty-five years? Would you even have taken it seriously?" the shopkeeper gave a practiced, saccharine smile, "Twenty-five years is nothing? Even humans squander a two-and-a-half decades. You're an artist now."
With a hand over his heart, he stated, "I do swear to amend this, so that it is done quite fairly."
Re: Summer in Monaco
Katerina seemed to be starting to show a little bit of frustration with the entire situation, the nonchalant insincerity shown by Jean-Paul being a bit much for her to handle. She looked over at Alma and the young looking dragon girl was almost in tears, though the blonde wasn't entirely sure why.
"Y-You mean I don't have to stay here for almost a century?!" the dragon suddenly blurted out which took Kat by surprise, especially when she practically launched herself at the blond, taking her into a big sobbing hug that nearly brought the Michizaki Heiress to the floor.
Gathering her strength, and balance, Katerina pulled Almara back up to her feet and set her straight with a bit of a shake. "Calm yourself, I won't even let you stay here much more. Tell me, where would you want to go, if you had your freedom back?"
Alma sniffed and wiped a bit of snot from her nose, rather unsightly after bawling like that, but she looked at Kat with a bit of clarity in her eyes. "Well, most of my family were wiped out a few hundred years ago during the dragon hunts, but I heard I have an uncle still alive in the far east I'd like to meet..."
"That's perfect! I'm actually from Japan..." Kat got a bit of a gleam in her eye and started rummaging through her bag for something, making a slight "Ah ha!" when she'd found it. "I didn't want to pull this out but if it's for someone's freedom, I think it's worth it." And without further ado, she pulled out an Orb of Opulence, which had quite a sheen to it. "Now, I should really report you for this, but if you'll be sure to help me get the gifts for my friends, and release Alma from her servitude, then I'll pay you with this, and I'll let your misdeeds slide for now."
"Y-You mean I don't have to stay here for almost a century?!" the dragon suddenly blurted out which took Kat by surprise, especially when she practically launched herself at the blond, taking her into a big sobbing hug that nearly brought the Michizaki Heiress to the floor.
Gathering her strength, and balance, Katerina pulled Almara back up to her feet and set her straight with a bit of a shake. "Calm yourself, I won't even let you stay here much more. Tell me, where would you want to go, if you had your freedom back?"
Alma sniffed and wiped a bit of snot from her nose, rather unsightly after bawling like that, but she looked at Kat with a bit of clarity in her eyes. "Well, most of my family were wiped out a few hundred years ago during the dragon hunts, but I heard I have an uncle still alive in the far east I'd like to meet..."
"That's perfect! I'm actually from Japan..." Kat got a bit of a gleam in her eye and started rummaging through her bag for something, making a slight "Ah ha!" when she'd found it. "I didn't want to pull this out but if it's for someone's freedom, I think it's worth it." And without further ado, she pulled out an Orb of Opulence, which had quite a sheen to it. "Now, I should really report you for this, but if you'll be sure to help me get the gifts for my friends, and release Alma from her servitude, then I'll pay you with this, and I'll let your misdeeds slide for now."
Re: Summer in Monaco
While the exact value of an Orb could not be attested to until one had it in their possession, Jean-Paul knew well enough that it, at the very minimum had a value of ₰3,456. One could not make an orb without more than one well, after all, and this one had a luster that made that seem like a very low ball-park. This price bought not just a willing affirmation, but a more sinister looking pleasure at the idea of possessing so many cups. Before he even answered, he pulled the orb from her hand with his magic and held it close to himself, as if he had found something he had lost a long time ago.
“Such generosity,” The words sounded as though he were praising her, but it looked more like he was describing the mystic wallet. As the truth of its worth sank into his mind, his lips curled in an over-satisfied smile.
Then, remembering himself, he tugged the loose neck of his robe and dropped the orb within, regarding Katerina with a more comforting smile.
“Certainly, she is yours now. Ah. I mean, you’ve bought her fairly. Ah. You’ve bought her debt fairly,” the elf corrected himself many times, giddy, “That’s what we say now. You do not own the person, you own their debts. Old ways die so hard. Hn hn hn. Sweet Alma, I do hope you know true debts can never be paid by others than yourself. Nonetheless....”
Jean-Paul tugged a small book from his robe and a quill tugged from across the room.
“... Consider my debts bought, as well, young mistress. Name your items and I shall find them for you.”
“Such generosity,” The words sounded as though he were praising her, but it looked more like he was describing the mystic wallet. As the truth of its worth sank into his mind, his lips curled in an over-satisfied smile.
Then, remembering himself, he tugged the loose neck of his robe and dropped the orb within, regarding Katerina with a more comforting smile.
“Certainly, she is yours now. Ah. I mean, you’ve bought her fairly. Ah. You’ve bought her debt fairly,” the elf corrected himself many times, giddy, “That’s what we say now. You do not own the person, you own their debts. Old ways die so hard. Hn hn hn. Sweet Alma, I do hope you know true debts can never be paid by others than yourself. Nonetheless....”
Jean-Paul tugged a small book from his robe and a quill tugged from across the room.
“... Consider my debts bought, as well, young mistress. Name your items and I shall find them for you.”
Re: Summer in Monaco
"Well, if that's the case, then I still have quite a bit to go on this list," Kat began, grinning now that she knew she could likely find everything else without hassle, "I do have a friend who's rather, Auguste, if you will-" she continued, knowing that she had done a bit of a good deed in helping get Almara away from some rather unethical treatment, even if she hadn't seemed to realize what Jean-Paul had actually been doing, that is, exploiting her.
The conversation continued, with Katerina bringing up the things she wanted or needed, and the elf either finding it for her, or telling her where she could get it. The young dragon took in every bit of back and forth dealing between the two as much as she could, but found she was quickly outpaced by the minds of businessmen and what made sense to them. still, she was happy that she would be getting away from the cramped workshop, and would be able to properly heal and even go and find what was left of her family.
**********
Once all the dealings had been done, and Katerina had taken Alma around Monaco to help pick up the last few things, the pair made their way to the Yacht that the young heiress had arrived on, stowing it all in Kat's cabin before she sat the dragon down for a bit of a serious talk. First, Alma was scolded about her purchasing habits, with the Blonde explaining to the purple haired girl in as simple terms as possible how the modern economy worked, and then turned to the dragon's family.
"You said you have an uncle in Asia, correct?" Kat asked, a somewhat confused Alma looking up at her, having expected the tongue lashing to continue but glad of the change of subject.
"Y-Yeah. Apparently he traveled out there and settled down before the dragon hunts, I heard he lives on an island off the coast of china. Tungning I think?" she said, trying to remember back a few centuries.
"Tungning?" Kat mused, trying to remember back to her history and geography lessons from before she had joined Safeholme Academy. "Ah, I believe that's called Taiwan now. We can certainly take you there, as my destination is Japan."
"Really! You can take me! It won't be a burden?" the horned woman asked.
"Nonsense, it's on the way, however, what Jean-Paul said is true, and I do want some form of recompense for paying off your debts, though nothing like what he was having you do."
Alma looked at the blonde Japanese girl with a bit of a worried look on her face, having known something like this would come up eventually. "WHat would that be? she asked, with trepidation.
"I want you to come to Safeholme Academy, and take classes with my friends and I, after you've found your uncle. You'll be safe, you won't get exploited again, and you'll be able to learn of the modern world, both Magical and Mundane."
"I think I can do that, but are you sure it's okay? I am a dragon after all, most schools only take human mages, right?"
"We've got more than our share of non-humans attending, you should be fine. Now, let's get some dinner, I'm starved after all this talking"
"Okay!"
The conversation continued, with Katerina bringing up the things she wanted or needed, and the elf either finding it for her, or telling her where she could get it. The young dragon took in every bit of back and forth dealing between the two as much as she could, but found she was quickly outpaced by the minds of businessmen and what made sense to them. still, she was happy that she would be getting away from the cramped workshop, and would be able to properly heal and even go and find what was left of her family.
**********
Once all the dealings had been done, and Katerina had taken Alma around Monaco to help pick up the last few things, the pair made their way to the Yacht that the young heiress had arrived on, stowing it all in Kat's cabin before she sat the dragon down for a bit of a serious talk. First, Alma was scolded about her purchasing habits, with the Blonde explaining to the purple haired girl in as simple terms as possible how the modern economy worked, and then turned to the dragon's family.
"You said you have an uncle in Asia, correct?" Kat asked, a somewhat confused Alma looking up at her, having expected the tongue lashing to continue but glad of the change of subject.
"Y-Yeah. Apparently he traveled out there and settled down before the dragon hunts, I heard he lives on an island off the coast of china. Tungning I think?" she said, trying to remember back a few centuries.
"Tungning?" Kat mused, trying to remember back to her history and geography lessons from before she had joined Safeholme Academy. "Ah, I believe that's called Taiwan now. We can certainly take you there, as my destination is Japan."
"Really! You can take me! It won't be a burden?" the horned woman asked.
"Nonsense, it's on the way, however, what Jean-Paul said is true, and I do want some form of recompense for paying off your debts, though nothing like what he was having you do."
Alma looked at the blonde Japanese girl with a bit of a worried look on her face, having known something like this would come up eventually. "WHat would that be? she asked, with trepidation.
"I want you to come to Safeholme Academy, and take classes with my friends and I, after you've found your uncle. You'll be safe, you won't get exploited again, and you'll be able to learn of the modern world, both Magical and Mundane."
"I think I can do that, but are you sure it's okay? I am a dragon after all, most schools only take human mages, right?"
"We've got more than our share of non-humans attending, you should be fine. Now, let's get some dinner, I'm starved after all this talking"
"Okay!"