The number of enchantments around the shop was staggering. Every floor was lined with them, runic signatures far more complicated than I had seen in this life. It was still nothing compared to the enchantments around some of the libraries I had visited in my travels.

For a private establishment, it was still imposing. It made me even more excited about the gear I would soon be purchasing. The quality would surely be at quite a high level. I almost bounced up the rest of the steps following the hostess as we went further into the shop, which unsurprisingly had a spatial enchantment covering the entirety of the store. There was no way for us to be continuing up the stairs for as long as we had been without magic at play.

It could be a simple mental enchantment to make you think you walked further than you did. I wouldn't believe the famous Johan family would resort to such petty tricks to impress their customers, many of which would be seasoned mages themselves and probably not best pleased with those sorts of enchantments.

We continued up for another short time, the hostess coming to an abrupt stop broke me out of my musings with a simple single knock on a door that had felt like it had appeared out of nowhere.

The layered enchantments were simply staggering, I had more than enough theoretical knowledge to understand what he had done in principle, yet it would be a long time and a lot of practice for me to be able to pull off something similar.

It only renewed my excitement for the facilities I would have access to when I went to the academy. I would finally be able to put to the test all of the ideas I had when I was searching for a cure. Enchanting had seemed like a logical choice to bypass my destroyed mana channels. Yet, my broken core never allowed me sufficient power to wield anything beyond the most basic of enchantments.

Moving through the door, I was greeted by a laboratory that was everything I had ever dreamed of for myself. I was honestly surprised the attendant had taken me to a lab instead of another store area to wait. A ringing went out as we stepped through the doors—a simple magic alarm revealing our presence.

The room stretched out in front of us, obviously another spatial enchantment. The many tables were filled with the equipment I had only dreamed of using in the past. All manner of stencils and acid storage vats for work with harder metals. Tons of mixing vats preparing different mixtures for all manner of runic enchantments. I couldn't see anyone at work in the lab. Only the sounds of hammering emanating from the back revealing there was someone in the lab at all.

I could only assume the majority of the higher tier enchanted gear was within some storage area in the laboratories that would be one of the most protected areas in the entire store. I supposed it saved on expenditure and built up further trust with any clients that were worth the investment. I was surprised I fell into that category with only splashing a few mana crystals around. I figured the worth of even one set of equipment could be measured in mana crystals. My little fortune being nothing compared to the wealth that was on display.

The hammering didn't stop as we moved further into the lab. I was too busy drooling at the work on display and the combinations of equipment, some of it being extremely inspired. I was looking forward to meeting whoever was working with all these materials.

I was more than happy to spend all the money I had earned on whatever gear I could buy. I had full trust in the ability of someone with this level of equipment. I was still marveling in wonder when a gravelly voice broke through my awe.

"Hello Dirie, how can I help you and the child beside you?

That hurt a little, my body was still far from fully grown, but I hoped that the small halo of magic around me was enough to preclude me from such a greeting. Nevertheless, It was hard to argue with the man that towered over me.

Corded muscle crisscrossed with scars made up his thick arms. Every part of him seemed like he had just come from a warzone. His face was untouched, surprisingly. An average face that would have looked normal on anyone else appeared out of place on the giant. I had, of course, seen far taller humanoid creatures. The myriad races had many kinds that towered over even the tallest humans. Somehow I felt he could give them a run for their money. My mind finally clicked, of which Johan I was speaking too. The Runic Giant. One of the last defenders of the Capital before it fell. Capable of taking on mages tiers above him, all thanks to his enchanted armor and skin.

It was certainly a wonder seeing him in person. All the stories I had heard of his heroism and legend made a little more sense.

He hadn't died in the war that tore down the Capital. He progressed to Royal Mage within the fighting, leading him to escape with quite a number of the townsfolk, saving a little chunk of the Capital, leaving all his family's accomplishments behind.

It took a second of his staring for me to break out of my thoughts.

"Hello Sir, I know I don't look like much. However, I do have a keen interest in enchanting and have found myself with enough wealth as of late to be able to afford the best, created by the best. Or at the very least a few pieces of such equipment."

I figured a little bit of flattery would go a long way. His stare went beyond me towards Dirie. I couldn't see what was going on behind me. After a second, he seemed satisfied, however, and moved beyond me. Every stride got him further from me. I hurried after him as he went to the corner of the room. A door once again appearing out of nowhere.

The number of layered enchantments once again left me astounded.

I was left even more shocked as we went through the door into a storefront that seemed identical to the sister store in the Merchants quarter. The main difference was the quality of gear within the store. Everything on display was valued in platinum rather than the gold I had seen before.

Every item on the shelves would be able to wreak havoc amongst any low-level mages. Even a High mage might have some difficulty blocking the items on the outer shelves. I could only imagine the equipment available further into the store.

I was still drooling, going further and further into the haven for enchanters. I had read theoretical knowledge that significantly outstripped anything on display here, sure, but I had never borne witness to such large storage of actually enchanted gear.

Swords that no doubt would be able to tear through any mundane defense with ease, staves that could empower any lower-level spell to be able to cause mass destruction, armor that would be able to take attacks from a Master mage were commonplace in the store.

All were within my grasp, making my confidence for the future shoot through the roof.

"So, what exactly can I help you with, young one?"

Master Johans steps far outstripped mine as he walked towards the typical counter amidst the incredible treasury of goods. It was hard to reconcile the difference between the two.

"Yes, I need something that will keep me alive long enough to enter the academy."

His stone face was all the reply I got as he gestured to the rest of the store.

That was all the permission I needed to run around the store like an excitable kid. I knew what I needed. If they had an Auxillary use that would last me a long time even when I began making stuff of my own, that would be even more useful. For the moment, I couldn't get myself away from looking at the mastery of every piece of equipment.

Every one of the pieces had the signature of who made the gear, unlike the sister store, where it was all unknown. It was clear that this was where the real masterworks lay. I was almost as excited seeing the array of different signatures of many accomplished enchanters I had only ever heard about in the past.

The Johans were a true mercantile family. Pieces that would have been put away safely in the clan vaults in any other place were put up for sale here.

I would truly have to be discerning with my purchases. It would not be a cheap day.