I'm still in a bit of a daze after my talk with Krystina earlier. I'm getting a little dizzy just thinking about the contents of my strong chest. Good gods and goddesses, this might be more coin than I have ever owned before. Sure, while still living with my parents I could probably have asked for more, I never felt the urge though. And this, this is money I earned. That makes it something else entirely!

I shake my head and slap my cheeks to refocus my mind. I have money now. The right thing, responsible thing to do is to find ways to invest it into growing my business. Except, I'm not sure grandma would have agreed with that sentiment. Not wholeheartedly anyway. I'm sure she spent some coin on keeping house and shop in good order, but she obviously hadn't been running a continent wide enchanting emporium from here.

Well, I don't have to spend all of the money on growing my business. I can invest some of that coin in creating some quality of life enchantments for me and my little family too. An enchanted hearthstone might be a good first option. Something to keep us warm in winter without having to chop firewood all the time. Especially with a little child in the house that sounds quite sensible.

There might be some other expenses for little Ulryk in the near future too. In all likelihood Elzbieta will probably take care of them, or at least some of them, but I wouldn't be a good godmother if I weren't to shoulder at least some. Cloth diapers are good now, but he'll need real clothes eventually. The same is true for sleeping arrangements. The three of us sharing a bed is fine now, but eventually the little man will need a bed of his own.

My brows furrow slightly at the thought. Where would I even put a crib or baby bed? Maybe I'll need to have an extension built for the house? How does one even go about that? Goodness gracious! No, I don't even want to think about it now. If it needs to be done I'll just ask someone else. Someone who has an idea what they are doing. For now I'll focus on smaller problems. Problems like shopping for ingredients! That is something I can handle for sure! No issues there! I just need to figure out what I need!

The first order of business will be oil and wax for new enchanter's chalks. I have more than enough enchanting dust right now. Afterwards I might have to stock back up though, which means I'll be posting the mana mill quest again. Will I be able to get more night candle essence? The season for those flowers should be just about over. I might have to substitute it with something else. Dwarven stone oil would work. I'm not quite sure I want black chalks. Try as I might I can't come up with another exact match. Crushed pearl or vampire dust might work, but I'm not sure and one is expensive while the other is expensive and hard to get.

I sigh and shake my head. I'll have to give the stone oil a try. For a single batch at least. If it doesn't work out I'll have to settle for less powerful chalks for a while until the night candles bloom again next spring.

The next order of business is soap making. It should be easy. I'm not planning to make giant's strength soap using troll fat or fire proof soap with dragon fat and phoenix ashes after all. Just about any oil and lye should do and the lye I can make myself with ash from my fireplace. I can still add some aromatic herbs if I feel fancy. I need to check too, if grandma has molds for soaps. Otherwise I might need to get some of those made as well. That's a rather trivial problem though.

I blink in surprise as I realize that my shopping list is not all that long in the end. Clean wax, any local oil but quite a bit of it and some dwarven stone oil. That's it. Is it though? I think about it again, but I can't come up with anything else. I chuckle to myself. I'm sure something will come to my mind the moment Agnieszka has left for Barter Town.

My chuckle prompts Elzbieta to look inside for a moment. She shoots me a questioning look.

I in turn just grin sheepishly.

"Trying to come up with a shopping list. Could you two take over here for me for a moment or two? I want to head over to Agnieszka before I forget anything again."

Elzbieta raises an eyebrow as she comes inside with her boy on her arm. The little one looks around with wide eyes. Of course. The shop is still new and full of wonder to him after all.

"Just to watch the shop? Haggle a little if anyone drops by to buy anything? Collect the coin and enter the sale into the ledger?"

I nod at her questions.

"Exactly. Everything is labeled and most of the regulars know what is on which shelf anyway. Be back real quick."

I breathe a kiss on her cheek and am off to visit my neighbor. It isn't far, thus I'm indeed right over at Agnieszka's place. I knock and enter once I hear her call out.

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She is currently busy cutting patterns from cloth, obviously in preparation for some tailoring project. It'll become a blouse or a shirt, as far as I can tell. She may be busy, but that doesn't stop her from greeting me warmly.

"Valeria! What brings you over today? Something on your mind?"

I nod as I move over to join her at the workbench where she is busy.

"Yes. I was wondering if I could place another order with you for your next trip to Barter Town."

She, of course, is not surprised. She answers without looking up from her work.

"Sure, sweetheart. What do you need?"

For a moment I wonder if that is what I'm like when I'm in my new trance like state while enchanting. Except, no, of course I'm not like that. I can't have a meaningful conversation while I'm busy. I clear my throat to cover up for my wandering thoughts.

"First of all I need some oil. Just about any will do, but something that doesn't have a strong smell is preferred. I'll need it for both my chalks and some soap. I need some dwarven stone oil too, but not too much. I'm not entirely sure about black chalks yet after all. Oh! And bees' wax. Can't forget about that."

The older woman lets out a laugh, but nods along with my words anyway.

"Nothing too fancy then? That shouldn't be too hard. The oil and the wax I might even be able to get for you without heading to the city, if that is alright with you. I'll just have to talk with the right people. One of the farmers a little further down the creek makes oil from rice I think. It's probably the best you can get around here without doing some serious alchemy yourself. And as for the wax, we have plenty of people keeping bees around here. I'll ask someone to drop by your place, if that is alright with you? That leaves the dwarven stone oil. A small jug will do, yes?"

I nod with a smile as she looks up at me at last, seeking confirmation.

"Yes, that sounds good to me. Marvelous even!"

She puts away her scissors briefly, so we can shake hands to seal the deal.

"You'll have to negotiate the price for the oil and the wax with the farmers themselves, once they get around to pay you a visit. I'll drop by your place before I head to Barter Town again. A silver Crown should be enough for a small jug of dwarven stone oil."

Before we part ways again another thought strikes me.

"Say, Agnieszka, you mentioned wanting a lantern like mine in the past. I might have come up with something that could work even better for you though. I enchanted a shield with a polished quartz the other day to shed light upon command. It lasts about an hour. I could make something similar for you. An enchanted quartz, or maybe a small figurine carved from one to hold an enchantment better. You don't need a shield after all."

Now that catches her interest.

"Hm, yes, actually that doesn't sound bad. These enchantments are usually usable once a day, no? If you could make it last a little longer that would be nice. Something I could set on the workbench … no actually, something I could hang from the rafters over the workbench! How much would it be?"

I tap my chin, as my mind wanders.

"I'd have to ask Olgierd and Nawoja if they can shape the quartz beyond just polishing it. Even without the shield it would still need some kind of base into which it can be set. And if you want it to last longer, I'd have to make the enchantment considerably more complex. I really can't say for sure, but I think ten silver crowns would cover my expenses without a doubt."

Agnieszka bites her lips for a moment, obviously thinking hard. In the end she nods in agreement and extends her hand once more for a handshake.

"Alright! Please make one for me!"

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