124 Chapter 122 Planning For The Future (1/2)
The next morning, Joseph bounced out of bed. He knew exactly what he wanted to make. Mages should have a weapon unique to them, so he was going to work on magical staves. He had to practice enchanting before he was able to give Stella her birthday present. Since the present was a secret, he had to figure out a way to get Stella to help him, without knowing.
”Making a magical staff, takes thirty mana, and I can only get nineteen,” he said to her over breakfast. ”I'm going to need you to help me make staves if that's okay?”
”Of course, Master Joseph.”
It took an hour to enchant the first staff, as he had to meticulously carve the rune magically onto the staff. He had the rune at intermediate, so he knew what he was doing, but he wanted to make a lot of the staves, to get good at the rune, for Stella's present. At the end of the time, the mana was drawn into the circuit that was inscribed into the rune, rapidly out of him and Stella.
(You have successfully cast a spell of the Enchantment Rune for the first time. You have earned 3 Life Points.)
As he made the next three, he thought over her present. He wanted her to gain Resist Fire, but the only way he could gift her that ability, was if he tattooed the rune onto her. The spell would cost 800 mana, so her battery of 40 wouldn't work. He would have to ask his a.s.sistants and students to contribute, but he was nervous about it.
Joseph wasn't sure what she thought about tattoos. Many people had them, as it was a popular way to decorate themselves without costing too much. But he couldn't figure out how to bring up the subject without giving away his idea. It took an hour per hundred mana, so the tattoo would take eight hours. If he tried to do it by himself, without any help, it would take him over two years working eight hours a day.
Tekaun showed up about then, carrying a bundle of staves. ”I brought the requested sticks. They should match the description you wished for.”
”Thank you, Tekaun!” said Joseph, coming over to inspect them. They were exactly what he requested. Except one, it was more of a club. ”Is this the one you wanted?” he asked.
”Yes. If I am to have a magical stick, to aid me with things, I would prefer it be able to hit things and not break.”
He chuckled and said, ”All right.”
”I know it is a secret, so I will tell no one,” she added, before turning to leave.
”Are you ready to go again, Stella?”
”I am just standing here, Master Joseph. It is not very taxing.”
”Stella? How do you feel about tattoos?”
”Why?” she asked, suspiciously.
”Well. I was kind of thinking of giving you a magical tattoo.”
”Why?”
”So, you would be harder to hurt?”
”If you want, I suppose it would be alright. I've honestly never thought about having tattoos before. I had them in my previous life as Sylva.”
”I remember some of them, but not well. My vision was kind of fuzzy.”
”Which magic were you thinking?” she asked as he started enchanting the staves again.
”I was going to surprise you, but I don't think you like surprises very much.”
”I really don't. Surprises when I was very little, were never really good.”
”I'm sorry for that,” he said with a grimace.