Is it wrong to fleece adventurers at the item shop?

I'm already about to leave when a thought strikes me and I turn back to Krystina instead.

“Say, could we put up the mana mill quest again since I'm already here?”

She grins at my request.

“So you can sleep in a little tomorrow?”

I haven't actually thought about that option at all, thus it comes as a surprise. I tap my lip thoughtfully before nodding at long last.

“Can't work all night every night after all. Even busy bees need some rest every once in a while.”

Together we laugh for a moment, then she gets out one of the quest papers and we quickly go through the by now familiar steps of the process of posting the quest. Once we are done I quickly make room for the next customer and leave with a cheerful wave.

I could head home now and get some decent sleep for a change. I have had a rather productive day after all. I don't though. Instead my gaze is drawn to the temple.

Maybe I should visit the temple. The gods and goddesses have been heaping plentiful rewards upon me recently after all. They wouldn't go bad, but if don't put them to use they wouldn't benefit me either.

After a moment of hesitation I nod to myself and walk over to the temple. The simple truth is, that I should, at the very least, check out my options.

Maybe I can get a gift to help me with enchantments? It would be good if I were to be able to produce more potent enchantments more consistently after all.

Or I could look into acquiring a skill that will benefit me during the upcoming midsummer night? Something like that probably wouldn't hurt either.

And I have time to spare right now. There really is no reason not to at least pay my respects to the divine.

A sense of calm overcomes me when I enter the temple and I take off my sandals and wash my feet at the basin in the entrance hall as is expected of me.

I drop a few coins into the offering bowl as well. After all I'm hoping to earn a hefty sum soon. Considering these prospects it wouldn't do to be stingy with my offerings.

As I look up again, Wislawa stands there, smiling at me. I didn't hear her approach. Not at all.

“Welcome once more, Valeria.”

She gestures for me to join her in the actual hall of worship and I follow her invitation.

As before I get ready to enter the pool at the heart of the candlelit hall under the artistic representation of the night sky.

Wislawa follows me, and as before, she moves to let my head rest in her lap as I float in the salty water.

I only close my eyes for the briefest of moments, but when I open them again I'm in the familiar dreamscape. My own likeness smiles down at me, from where the priestess should be, as I keep floating in the water.

“Welcome back, Valeria. You have been quite busy. Would you like to ask us for another boon?”

“Yes, please. Could you provide some advice as well?”

“Very well. The two most potent gifts you could acquire right now, are both Aura gifts. One is the Auspicious Aura. Your presence alone will be an auspicious omen. It will be, as if any friends or allies within close proximity of you, as well as you yourself, were under the effect of a blessing. This is one of the, if not the most potent gifts of the Wheel of Fortune Arcana.”

I swallow hard. That is indeed a powerful gift. It is more common among high ranking priests and daring adventurers though. I want to speak up, but my divine guide hushes me gently, so she can continue.

“The other is the Enchanted Aura. This aura temporarily empowers any enchantment within range. This effect only lasts while you are within range of course. As you can imagine this is a gift of the Magician Arcana. You could, of course use your amassed points in the Magician Arcana as well, to upgrade your enchanting skill to master level, allowing you to create more complex and powerful enchantments more easily. Sadly you do not yet have enough Karma saved up to acquire both.”

Once again I swallow hard. Those are all very good offers. Finally I manage to muster the courage to speak up.

“What about the Dragon Arcana?”

“With the Karma of the Dragon Arcana you could acquire either the persuasion or the seduction skill at apprentice level. On the other hand you could use it to improve your dexterity in general instead. It might help with the dance, you know.”

“But no dance skill?”

The divine guide wearing my face laughs and shakes her head.

“You would need to acquire points in the Stars Arcana. Curiously enough, the easiest way to do so would be dedicating yourself to dance. Giving extraordinary, magical gifts could do the trick as well though.”

She winks at me as she drops that last hint.

I sigh in turn.

“Good to know. It probably will be another little while until I'll get around to that. Still, I have a choice to make, don't I?”

She nods.

“Yes, and the choice is all yours.”

My mind is racing. All her suggestions sound intriguing. At long last I take a deep breath and make up my mind.

“Would you please improve my enchanting skill to master level and bestow the Auspicious Aura gift upon me?”

The divine avatar nods, bends down and kisses me on the forehead.

Then my eyes snap open and I'm back in the temple with the priestess.

[The Dawn Maiden grants your wish! Your enchanting skill has been upgraded to master level in exchange for 8 points of the Magician Arcana. This is a passive effect and improves all your enchantments. You acquired the Auspicious Aura gift in exchange for 5 points of the Wheel of Fortune Arcana! This gift is always active and acts like a blessing upon you and nearby friends and allies. You can spend more points of the Wheel of Fortune Arcana to upgrade this gift.]

The priestess smiles down at me.

“Am I right to assume that something good just happened?”

I blush a little as she helps me up. I need the help this time around as well, as I'm a little dizzy. After spending so much Karma at once I feel a little empty. At the same time my mind is swimming though. I received something in exchange after all.

“You wouldn't be wrong. The divine have been quite generous with their rewards recently. And now I received both an aura gift and a skill upgrade in exchange.”

The priestess nods, as we get ready to leave the inner sanctum again.

“Let me guess. What I'm feeling right now is the effect of an Auspicious Aura. Am I right?”

I stifle a giggle, at least until we have left the inner sanctum with the pool.

“Yes. That's it.”

She nods and smiles.

“I thought as much. And the skill?”

I decide to answer her question without beating around the bush.

“I upgraded my enchanting skill to master level.”

Once again she nods, a smile still gracing her lips.

“Very good. A master at your age. Very good indeed! I suspect that we will see a lot more interesting enchantments coming out of your workshop in the years to come.”

I cant help but grin.

“I hope so.”

With those words we part ways and I head back home. I stop at the door to my house though and only head inside to get a fresh towel. Then I head further upstream to the bathhouse. I really need a nice bath right about now. Not just to wash off the last of the salt from the temple pool, but to calm my thoughts and order my mind as well. This has been a rather exciting day after all.

It is only quite a bit later, after a nice soak, that I at long last return home, where I drop into bed as soon as I'm done changing into my nightdress. Sleep claims me right after and it is a nice, deep and dreamless slumber too!