We continue descending the steps in comfortable silence for a few minutes. However, it grows awkward, so I ask him a question that's been on my mind since I learned enchanting from him.
"Hey, speaking of items you've made...Zara's lightning sword. You taught me that the way enchanting works is, after the item is activated with the enchanting spell, you have to cast the spell you want imbued on it. In that case..." (Mizuki)
Percivil nods with a sly grin.
"Fufufu...yer wondering how I put something as rare as a lightning spell on the sword, aren't yah?" (Percivil)
"Yeah, pretty much. I thought at first that you must have just hired someone to cast it, like you keep a network of people with certain affinities to hire for making those special items. Now that I know just how rare that affinity is, though, even among the elves....it just doesn't seem as likely." (Mizuki)
Percivil begins stroking his beard, and looking around as though to see if anyone is listening. After a moment, he smiles back at me, and speaks in a low tone.
"Aye, I guess I don't mind telling yah. Just don't spread my secrets, eh? This is a little-known enchanting trick that I learned on my travels over the years. It's finicky, but if yah have one item that's already enchanted with a certain spell, you can copy it onto another item. So, I've made a habit of acquiring items with rare enchantments that I can use for things like Zara's sword." (Percivil)
I feel my whole body tense...that's actually terrifying information. I've been protective of the train control plates and spell rings out of general paranoia about the secrets of magic being exposed and violating Azazel's rules. But what he's saying...could they actually be copied by someone like Percivil?
"Percivil...can you explain exactly how you do that? Copy one item's enchantment?" (Mizuki)
"Aye, like I said, it's finicky. Basically, yah got to make a kind of mold for the weapon and enchant that. Yah prime the item yah want to enchant with the spell I taught yah, then you put it in the enchanted mold and flow magic into it. The enchanted item kinda mimics casting the spell in the enchanting process, but it's not great. Even after refining my skills, and with a good enchanted mold, the process ruins four or five swords before enchanting one right. The metal in those swords is expensive to waste, so I only do that for rare enchantments." (Percivil)
I involuntarily breath a sigh of relief...I think I have some idea of how that works, then. If I'm right, my items are safe for now. I need to be sure, though.
"I see...what about if you held another enchanted sword right next to the one your enchanting, and activated the enchantment on it. Would it be transferred the same way?" (Mizuki)
Though I try to hide it, I think some of my nervousness leaks into my tone. Percivil shakes his head.
"Nah, I've tried it myself. Yah really need the molds. Whatever spell is being conjured on the enchanted item needs to really 'sink in' on the new one you're enchanting, yah know? They can't just be overlapping a bit. The item being enchanted needs to be fully surrounded by the spell from the first enchanted item. That's what I've noticed, anyway." (Percivil)
Phew...as I suspected, this secondhand enchanting seems to require bathing the primed metal in the direct physical effects of the spell from the first enchanted item, and the new enchanted item just produces the same spell around itself. Since my train control plates and spell rings all project spells' physical effects away from themselves, this process shouldn't work for copying them. Still, this scare only goes to show that my caution was warranted.
I smile at Percivil gratefully, and let out a deep breath.
"Thanks, Percivil, that explanation is very helpful." (Mizuki)
Percivil nods, seeming somewhat puzzled by my intensity toward the end.
"Uhm...sure, I don't mind." (Percivil)
We fall into a silent walk once more, and I'm reminded of the reason I called him out here in the first place. I'd like to bring it up more organically, but I guess it's best to just be direct with him.
"Well, Percivil, there was something else on my mind. It seems quite likely that, if you wanted to, you could probably open your own shop in the Elven Kingdom. There'd be some technicalities, of course, but we'd make sure to smooth those over for you. More or less, you'd have your own house and shop, and an endless stream of eager customers with varied requests and plenty of money. Plus, we could commission you for any special projects in Eden or other cities more easily. Is that an arrangement you'd be interested in, by chance?" (Mizuki)
Percivil's eyebrows raise in surprise, and he smiles.
"Lady Alara made me a similar offer not too long ago, eh? I turned her down. It's not unappealing, far as offers go, but I'm attached to that little shop of mine in Elmesia. More importantly, there are streams of people out there braving the Delmura Forest. They got burning purposes for some items, ones they trust their very lives with, and I can't quite bring myself to abandon them, yah know? That said...if this is a personal favor to you, I might consider it." (Percivil)
I smile despite myself...Alara already tried to poach him, huh? I have to give her credit for that. I'm surprised she never mentioned it to me.
"Fufufu...I didn't know about Alara's request, but it sounds like something she'd do. Please don't consider this a personal favor. You should do whatever feels right for you. However, you don't have to abandon your Elmesia shop to open another one here, just so you know. It'd be quite easy for you to do as Alara asked, and keep your Elmesia store running semi-normally." (Mizuki)
Percivil's head snaps toward me in shock, and his tone becomes a little shrill.
"What's this!? Yah know something I don't, Mizuki!?" (Percivil)
"Fufufu...well, you're my friend, so of course I'd help you out if that's what you wanted. You've seen the MMC I made in our family room, right? And you know Levi and his adventuring party?" (Mizuki)
"Aye...I do..." (Percivil)
"Right, well they actually joined my party recently. I'm sure they'd be happy to take turns managing simple day-to-day sales and filing custom crafting requests at your shop there, and I installed an MMC in their home. So, you could do all your crafting in a nice, big shop here, exchange updates with them through the MMCs, and only go back there as needed. As long as you don't mind up to a one-day delay for me to be available, I'd teleport you and any items directly between locations. Alternatively, you could stay in Elmesia and we'd do the opposite, with someone else managing the store here." (Mizuki)
Percivil's voice rings out immediately, laced in disbelief.
"Yah'd go through all that trouble just for me!?" (Percivil)
I give him a puzzled look.
"First of all, that's not much trouble for me. Alara would be handling most of the details, I'd just spend a few seconds of my time teleporting you every now and then. Second, it's hardly 'just for you', you know? Pretty much everyone would benefit. Levi and his group get some stable additional income, the elves get a much-needed source of enchanted items, Alara gets a huge boost in Eden's economy, and my friend Percivil gets to expand his business." (Mizuki)
Percivil looks off to the horizon with a conflicted expression, as though contemplating the offer seriously.
"Mizuki's being serious, Percivil. I know it sounds like he's just being modest, but that's really how he feels. For the record, I agree with him." (Alto)
Alto, who has apparently been eavesdropping next to us, interjects. Percivil gives her an appreciative smile, then glances between both of us. Did he really think I was just being modest? The guy's seriously valuable as a craftsman...I find it hard to believe he thought I stand nothing to gain from his presence here.
"Aye, I'll take some time to think about yer offer then." (Percivil)
Huh...guess so. I grin stupidly back at him.
"Great, please do! If you decide that you want to take us up on the offer, then just let Alara know your preferences directly. Tell her I said you deserve your own house if you want your main site of operations to be here. In the meantime, I'll see about getting Queen Elira's permission for a permanent work permit for you. Just in case. If you decide against the idea later, that's no problem." (Mizuki)
Percivil is silent for a few moments.
"Hey, Mizuki..." (Percivil)
"Yeah?" (Mizuki)
"I'm glad yah stumbled into my store." (Percivil)
I can't help but smirk at that one.
"Fufufu...me too, buddy." (Mizuki)