Winston paused mid-swipe with the duster. He slowly lowered the duster, his sharp eyes narrowed at Bethel.
"Lunar Icestones," he repeated. He pushed his spectacles higher on his nose. "A certain type of mana stone that helps amplify Divinity Magic. Why are you looking into it? I don't believe someone powerless against magic would have a need for it." Winston questioned Bethel.
Bethel hesitated, shifting her weight.
'So it's for that? Then that Lord Ramsey must have made a beneficial deal with the church to acquire them in their place...' Hearing that it wasn't a dangerous object relaxed the weight off her chest. Having eavesdropped on a nobleman wearing a mask, Bethel's mind couldn't help but think the worst possible outcome.
'I should still ask about it some more.' Bethel glanced back at Winston's questioning gaze. "I just heard somebody mention it and got curious. I thought you would know, and it gave me an excuse for this visit."
He leaned an elbow on the counter, his demeanor snapping from grumpy former employer to annoyed former employer.
"Last time I checked, you aren't one of my grandchildren. The Lunar Icestones are the church's business; even the Royal Family doesn't bother with them." Winston didn't let Bethel weasel her way out without demanding an acceptable reason for her inquiry.
"Aww! Are you worried about little old me?" She deflected his question by pretending he was showing concern through his gruff demeanor. "I'm not going to do anything reckless. My ears just picked up those words. That's all."
Bethel wasn't one to tell the truth easily, knowing Winston was still a firm believer of the Goddess's beliefs. If she wanted him to acknowledge the cruelty that can happen in some marriages, she would have to do her job with a willing client first.
"Hmph! If that's all, then what do you want to know?" Winston's curiosity—a chance to bestow wisdom—was an intellectual reflex. It was right in his wheelhouse.
'I've hooked my favorite fishy of the day!' Bethel cheered internally at her latest catch.
"Is the Lunar Icestone dense in weight?" This got her attention when Lord Ramsey and Grem talked. Grem had mentioned his displeasure at setting aside his own workers under Lord Ramsey's orders.
'How is just having Mr. Graves work alone better than a dozen or so workers, whatever deal he made?'
"Yes, to be exact! Take a regular stone that fits perfectly in your hands. Now multiply that weight by sixty to a hundred." The excitement flowed from his tone of voice as he continued. "It would weigh much like a boulder that's bigger than me, but it retains a size that fits in your hands, much like a regular stone!"
Winston was once a teacher who enjoyed teaching others. Being long since retired from that profession didn't quench the joy he revealed. Even while currently at odds with Bethel, regarding a former employee's line of work, that part of him still stood out, before a classroom, engaging his students to participate in lessons.
A part that Bethel believed Winston wouldn't completely turn his back on her. 'It would have been nice to have him as my teacher while growing up, but I will settle with having him around now instead.'
"Then how are priests able to use them? By the sounds of it, carrying that around wouldn't be easy."
"The priests, of course, do not lift the Icestones in their raw state. That dense, concentrated weight you asked about is necessary for its power—it must hold the Divinity amplification untouched by clumsy processing. But carrying it is another matter entirely."
"They use what is called Deep-Mantle Coral, a rare, brittle material harvested from the deepest trenches of the ocean," Winston explained, his voice gaining a theatrical resonance.
"This coral has a natural, almost paradoxical property: when combined with the proper enchanting formula—a specialization held only by the Dwarf clans—it is transformed."
Winston spread his hands, illustrating the transformation. "The Dwarf blacksmiths combine a tiny piece of this Deep-Mantle Coral with a processed metal alloy and encase the Icestone in it, which makes the heavy, boulder-weight stone light enough to be worn on a priest's scepter, a necklace, or integrated into an armor breastplate."
He paused, leaning back, satisfied with his explanation. "Now, do you understand why the Royal Family doesn't bother? It's magic strictly for the Church's exclusive, high-level use. Even the mine is under Church ownership. Of course, they require help from devoted nobles in getting them past the clan of Savages."
'That makes sense; how else would they be able to use them...' Bethel focused on Winston's explanation. 'Then they must consider it to be quite valuable, seeing that they made some sort of transportation deal to acquire more of those stones.'
"How long have those Lunar Icestones been discovered? This is my first time hearing about their existence?" Bethel asked her final question.
"It's been about twenty or thirty years. They weren't put to use until six years ago after the High Priestess position changed hands. I remember seeing the current High Priestess healing a sick child with her scepter. " Winston removed his spectacles, "By the Goddess's grace, that child was already standing at deaths door. If only you had witnessed such an event. Maybe then your ridiculous choice of being a Divorce Lawyer wouldn't had happened." Delivering one last jab after finishing his explanation.
"And we're back to the usual Winston..." Bethel murmured, recognizing the unavoidable jab that always concluded their conversations.
'I should write this information down once I get home. Even though it isn't as important as I originally thought. It wouldn't hurt to pay attention to the church business.' Intrigued, Bethel moved around the book store in thought.
While Winston stares, being left in silence after sharing what he knows.
"What? Am I chopped liver over here? It's bad manners to not reply!" Getting the sense he was being use as an encyclopedia. Bethel wasn't bothered by his speculations, as he wasn't completely wrong on that part...
"No, no. I found your lecture quite insightful even." Trying to prevent a crumbling bridge between them.
"It just while I was working here for you. Talks about the church were never bought up?"
Winston paused, his dam of annoyance aside. "Well... When Madam Elara first brought you here," Winston admitted, his voice softening slightly as he recalled the past, "I thought you wouldn't be comfortable with your employer talking about the church. You might even follow a different faith."
He adjusted his spectacles, the reflection on the glass momentarily obscuring his eyes.
"And honestly, when you began studying for the Royal legal exam, you were so focused on contracts and statutes, faith didn't seem to be a high priority for you. I simply kept my beliefs to myself to maintain a peaceful working environment. Until, of course," he added, his voice returning to its characteristic gruffness, "you decided to become a pariah."
Bethel gave him a genuine, warm smile. "See? I knew you were looking out for me, Winston. Even if you hide it under a mountain of disapproval."
She moved toward the door, tucking the memory of the conversation away.
"I'll see you when I need to look up the legal penalties for challenging a noble's marriage," she called out, already reaching for the door latch.
"Don't you dare!" Winston roared, but it was half-hearted, "Take this cloak before leaving! I don't want to read tomorrow publication about a woman fitting your description getting dragged into some alley!"
Accepting the cloak he thrown at her face with a smile. His grumbling fading into the noise of the bustling street as Bethel slipped out.
She had spent too long inside. The sun was dipping low, painting the sky in shades of orange and violet. Heading home, she thought about signet ring.
'I didn't mention the signet ring to Winston,' she thought, recalling the image of the bird crest worn by Lord Ramsey. 'There shouldn't be a need to look into it. Besides, getting involved with nobles of any rank won't be good for my business.'
She does intend to take on noble clients at some point. The groundwork on divorces needed to seem possible for those still hesitated.
Pulling her hood, she turned on to Peony Lane. While the people glared at her back as Bethel entered her building. She didn't mind, it wasn't as if they were going to attack her in broad daylight.
"Welcome back, Bethel" greeted by Lydia who arrived home before her. "I talked with Madam Elara about her search for a willing mercenary."
Removing her borrow cloak for Lydia to take. "Oh! You visited Mr.Winston, how have he been? I bought him some meat stew last month. He such a sweet talker when it comes to my cooking!" She gushed at the memory of being complicated.
"He doing well, still annoyed at my choice but I can see him coming around someday." Bethel answer, a bit optimistic at the likelihood of Winston change in personality.
"What did Madam Elara say? Had she found anyone yet?" Bethel is really counting on good news on Elara end.
Lydia shook her head, "Sadly, while there were few that seemed interested. They weren't available at this time for such a long term job."
Once the frost of winter thawed, many mercenaries are hired by low-ranking nobles and merchants alike.
She thought about Rupert, but quickly shake her head. 'He might be working for that Lord Ramsey for a few months. He even say his Guild would have another job ready for him'
"Do you have someone in mind?" Lydia asked, noticing Bethel deep in thought.
"No, no one."