Is it wrong to fleece adventurers at the item shop?

The rest of the day I'm in a daze. I'm feeling incredibly energized as well though, due to my newest accidental coffee creation. Every last hint of fatigue is washed away. It isn't exactly a good combination. Not for me anyway. Not right now at least.

Elzbieta on the other hand is enjoying the invigorating effect of her coffee greatly. She is working the mana mill again, with renewed energy. She is back to actually singing too. At least that is a welcome change. It eases my troubled mind at little. At the same time the glances she is shooting my way every once in a while still have me blushing.

I try not to dwell on what transpired between us just now, but I'm having a hard time taking my mind off it. The bowl of milk sitting on the workbench now doesn't exactly help either.

The amount alone is a little surprising, even if it doesn't look like all that much at a first glace, considering that the bowl is rather big and only filled to a small degree. It probably still is enough to fill two of the small potion bottles. And it'll be like that for days? Possibly several times a day?

What am I even supposed to do with the milk? Before I can properly finish the thought an idea strikes me. I take a deep breath, focus my attention on the bowl, or rather the liquid it contains, and activate my appraisal skill.

[Virgin Milk, Quality: Rare, Not necessarily the milk of an actual virgin, but the milk of a woman that has not yet given birth herself. Known properties: [Fortify: Appearance], [Calm: Frenzy/Rage], [Health], [Stamina] Still good to use for another 48 hours.]

I blink several times as I take in the information revealed to me. The fact that it can be used for health and stamina potions isn't a surprise. The rest is. Ingredients, and thus potions, fortifying any attribute are exceedingly rare. And while I know some ingredients that could be used for a potion that would cause the user to enter a berserk frenzy, this is the first time I actually see something that could reverse the effect. And of course the general rarity is a little surprise too.

“Gods and goddesses!”

Elzbieta stops both her singing and her work at my outburst.

“Is something up? Nothing bad I hope?”

I shake my head.

“No. Nothing bad. Its just … sorry! I need to get to work! I'm kind of in a hurry!”

It isn't a lie either. I have to hurry up to preserve the milk.

First and foremost I prepare to heat treat it. I get some fresh firewood and I get the cauldrons ready as well. A big one with water and a smaller one for the milk which I hang in the former. The milk mustn't get too hot. I'm not trying to make cheese after all. Using Elzbieta's singing to keep time I stir the milk continuously until it is time to take it off the heat again.

This task has a surprisingly calming effect. This effect isn't unwelcome. I can really use some calm and peace of mind right about now. Especially as I'm not yet done with my efforts to preserve this rare ingredient.

I check up on it again with appraisal before I continue with the next step.

[Heat treated Virgin Milk, Quality: Rare, Not necessarily the milk of an actual virgin, but the milk of a woman that has not yet given birth herself. It has been heat treated to make sure it will keep longer. Known properties: [Fortify: Appearance], [Calm: Frenzy/Rage], [Health], [Stamina] Still good to use for another 3 days.]

The effect is only marginal as it is, but it is essential for what is to follow.

I grab two potion bottles and put them into the hot water, stoking the flames a little more for good measure, before fishing them out again with a ladle a little later. Or rather, I fish out one of the bottles right away. The other can stay in the hot water a little longer.

I place the one bottle at the center of the enchanting table and grab a piece of enchanter's chalk. The enchantment I have in mind isn't too complex and my skills have improved ever since I made the first one, thus I'm done with this potion bottle almost in the blink of an eye, as I jot down rune after rune in quick succession.

The effect becomes obvious almost immediately, as the moisture in the air begins to condense on the cold metal of the potion bottle.

I don't waste any time. I fill it with about half of my heat treated milk. Then I stopper and seal it with wax. I allow myself only a single deep breath, before I repeat the procedure with the other potion bottle.

All the while Elzbieta watches me, curiosity clear in her eyes.

I can't exactly fault her either, as I'm curious too. Eyeing the two sealed, enchanted potion bottles, I activate the appraisal skill once again.

[Conserved Virgin Milk, Quality: Epic, Not necessarily the milk of an actual virgin, but the milk of a woman that has not yet given birth herself. It has been heat treated and stored at low temperature to make sure it will last considerably longer. Known properties: [Fortify: Appearance], [Calm: Frenzy/Rage], [Health], [Stamina] Still good to use for another 14 days.]

I nod to myself, satisfied, before handing one of the potion bottles to Elzbieta, who scrutinizes it using a skill of her own too. She too nods, before she asks the question on her mind out loud.

“You plan to sell it? Not here though? Right? I mean, I doubt anyone else in Clear Brook would have a use for it. Or am I wrong?”

She isn't wrong and she sums up my thoughts on the matter pretty well. I nod in agreement.

“I was thinking of asking Agnieszka to sell it at the academy in Barter Town, since I already asked her to head there anyway.”

At this point I almost jump, as someone speaks up from the direction of the door to the backyard.

“Sell what?”

Standing there in the doorway, one eyebrow arched, is my neighbor. Before I can say anything Elzbieta passes her the potion bottle. Agnieszka too analyses it with a skill.

“You heat treated it before filling the bottles? Good, good! I think I can get a decent price for those. Anyway, I just dropped by to let you know that I'll leave for Barter Town tomorrow morning since I'm pretty much finished with Danuta's dress.”

Now it is my turn to raise an eyebrow?

“You are done with the dress already?”

She shrugs as she hands the potion bottle back to me.

“I might still need to make some minor adjustments. I need her to properly fit everything though and she is out adventuring at the moment. I'll take care of that once I'm back. Anyway, if you get any more of these vials of virgin milk until tomorrow morning, I'll take them along. My usual conditions. You get your share once I return.”

I think about that for a moment. Then I nod and we shake hands.

“Alright. Will you stop out front before you get going?”

She nods once again.

“I will, but I can come around to the back just in case. I won't be in a hurry after all.”

We shake hands once more and she leaves again. Elzbieta, who has been watching our exchange stops working the mana mill.

“You are really doing it?”

I blush, but I won't let that stop me.

“It's good coin. I still need to prepare a few more of these enchanted potion bottles though. Actually, maybe I should prepare more than just a few?”

She shrugs in reply. She is blushing a little too though.

“Either that or you can try to come up with a potion recipe using it.”

Her brows furrow.

“Actually, you'll need these potion bottles either way. Won't you?”

She has a point. I probably should use enchanted potion bottles for all potions and beverages using milk or other similar perishable ingredients.