16
Waking up within the timeless confines of the enchanting chamber, I realized with a jolt that my internal clock was utterly useless.
The lack of a day-night cycle and the unchanging artificial light made it impossible to gauge the passage of time accurately.
Rem was still sound asleep in the adjacent bedroom.
Not wanting to get too far ahead in our lessons, I decided to explore the other stations within the chamber, leaving her to enjoy her well-deserved rest.
The first station that caught my eye was the one we had passed earlier, the one with the array of beakers and flasks. A sleek, metallic table held the glassware, each piece spotlessly clean.
Next to the table was a strange small device that resembled a writing tool like a really thick pen. Upon picking it up its tip emitted a faint glow.
I tried writing on the table but it left no mark on the surface it touched.
A nearby plaque offered a brief explanation:
Liquid Enchanter: Utilizing the standard method of runic inscription, potions can be created by imbuing runes onto the flask and then willing the runes into the liquid.
Intrigued, I picked up the writing tool and examined it more closely.
It felt cool to the touch, its surface smooth and featureless.
I brought it close to one of the empty flasks, and as the tip neared the glass, the faint glow intensified-
Only for a small explosion to occur at the tip of the pen.
Oh yeah, I have no fucking clue what I'm doing.
The shattered flask disappeared and a new one replaced it along with the shredded pen.
I only spent like 15 seconds on that The 1000 hour amulet just gave me 250 hours of the equivalent of 'explosions are bad and don't fuck with things you don't understand, moron.'
Obviously I have no basis for how this works.
With the liquid enchanter temporarily abandoned, I headed towards the magically conjured kitchen, eager to return the favor and cook something special for Rem.
My time living alone in Boston had honed my culinary skills to a decent level, at least when it came to simple comfort food.
Bacon, eggs, and cheese with sausage on a toasted sandwich—a classic for a reason. It might not be fancy sushi, but it was a meal I could prepare with confidence, and hopefully, it would bring a smile to Rem's face.
Opening the pantry door, I was greeted by a vast array of ingredients, far exceeding anything I had ever seen in a normal kitchen. Exotic spices, unfamiliar fruits and vegetables, and a dizzying selection of meats filled the shelves and coolers. I spotted cuts of meat from creatures I couldn't even name, their marbling and textures unlike anything I had encountered before.
Tempting as it was to experiment with these exotic ingredients, I knew my limitations. Sticking to the familiar was the safest bet, especially when it came to impressing Rem with my culinary skills.
I grabbed a package of bacon and sausage, both made from the highest quality boar meat, the price tag of 50 silver per pound a testament to their premium quality.
Next, I selected a block of cheese that resembled cheddar, again opting for the most expensive option available in the sharp category of cheddars.
1 Large gold left my storage
Moving on to the eggs, I was surprised to find a massive, speckled egg labeled 'Evolved Chicken-King Egg' with a price tag of 3 Large gold coins.
It was easily ten times the size of a normal egg, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to try something new.
With my ingredients gathered, I set about preparing the meal. As I cooked, a pang of guilt struck me.
Rem had likely used her own money to purchase the expensive fish and high-quality rice for the sushi she had prepared the previous night.
A gentleman always pays for the food on a date, I reminded myself.
It was time to rectify that oversight.
The smell of bacon and eggs soon drew Rem out of her chamber.
She was dressed in the nice clothes she went out with me on her date in.
She looked completely refreshed.
We both ate in companionable silence, when we finished, Rem said, "That was really good. The hero can also cook. Just like in the stories." she leaned into my side as she glanced at me with a smirk.
I nodded, "I, indeed am, the best hero. But only for you. I am the hero for Rem."
"Oh my gosh stop being so sweet! You'll give me a toothache!" she jabbed be in the side lightly with a smile. Something told me she definitely didn't mind.
"Oh, but what would I be if not sweet, sweet on the most beautiful Oni in the world and all of history?"
She pouted. "That's too much, I might actually tear up."
I smirked. "Well, in that case, I can't make a lady cry, so how about this?"
I had counted out all the fish she purchased and the other ingredients from last night.
She spent 3 gold of her savings on a battle-maid's salary.
I had pulled out a book on professions of lugunica and the waterfall world I had taken from the library in one of the doomed timelines, it was dated to be published a few years ago so not much could have changed.
She had literally spent 10 months' salary on me.
"You didn't have to spend 10 months' salary on me, Rem, I'm the one who's supposed to pay for the date as the gentleman." I stated.
"Huh? What do you mean? In kararagi aren't families supposed to share expenses? Oh wait, you're from japan, which is beyond the waterfall, so-"
She paused for a moment and so did I.
She then started up. "Culture differences are weird."
I nodded. "Can I still pay for my portion? Also, are you sure you want to spend that much?"
She nodded with a large smile on her face "I have a lot saved up. I worked there since I was 7 and I'm 19 now, so 12 years is a lot of money saved up that I haven't had any place to use. Also, Once we are finished, we can sell our work to Kasimir that we don't want to use ourselves which I'm sure will make me quite wealthy! So there's no need to worry!"
Oh my god the lack of child labor laws here is stupid.
Shrugging that off I grin, "alright. If you're sure" I hand her the 1.5 Gold as we agreed.
The gold disappeared somewhere, and we stood up.
With our stomachs full and hearts content, Rem and I returned to the central platform of the enchanting chamber, eager to continue our lessons. The holographic instructor materialized before us, its ethereal form shimmering with a soft, blue light.
"Today," the instructor began, its voice a melodious chime, "we delve into the theory of runic inscription. Runes are not merely symbols; they are stories, vessels of meaning and intent. The power of an enchantment lies not only in the runes themselves but also in the narrative they weave."
Rem and I exchanged curious glances, intrigued by this new perspective.
"A single word, etched onto an object, will impart a simple effect," the instructor continued. "Strength, speed, resilience—these are basic concepts that can be conveyed with a single rune or a short phrase."
"But to create truly powerful enchantments," the instructor elaborated, "one must weave a more intricate tale. A poem, for instance, with its rhythm and rhyme, can imbue an object with a deeper understanding of the desired effect."
The instructor gestured towards a nearby display, where a series of runes glowed with varying intensities. "The number of runes and the clarity of their message determine the strength and complexity of the enchantment. A single rune with a clear intent can be powerful, but multiple runes, woven together into a coherent narrative, can achieve extraordinary effects."
Rem's eyes sparkled with understanding. "So, it's like writing a story, but instead of words, we use runes?"
"Precisely," the instructor confirmed. "And just as a skilled storyteller can evoke emotions, paint vivid pictures, and transport the reader to another world, a skilled enchanter can imbue objects with properties that defy the limitations of the physical realm. Defying all known laws of magic is a matter of course for a grandmaster enchanter."
4 hours passed in this lesson. Two of which hours were of demonstrations that were given by the instructor.
Nodding to myself, I realized the runic languages we made from the first lesson must have been absolute crap- the thousand hour amulet did its job in showing how ineffective at conveying meaning the runic languages we used were.
"I think we need to start the first lesson over so we can formulate more and better runic languages."
Rem nodded. "Okay."
We turned on the instructor and set it to the first lesson.
After two hours again, we had obviously created at least three extremely good runic languages.
It was time to compare notes. "Okay so I think this rune, the one I call Algurotronico, would-"
"Hm? What rune? I don't have that one here?"
We paused.
Soundlessly we passed each other our notes and thought processes.
Apparently, each of us having different thought processes and being different people, caused us to create completely different languages. Each going about them in a different way and using different trains of thought to get there.
We spent the next 3 hours combining our notes and thought processes.
Soon we would have the ultimate shared runic language.