He turned around and saw a black counter next to the doorway . Hurian stood behind it . He reached down and removed a bottle of blueberry wine and two silver cups .
"Cup?" he asked .
"No . Thanks . "
For the first time in his life, he felt truly uneasy because of his company . Who knew what was in that wine? He still remembered Maria's warning; not all magi were friendly .
"My teacher told me about this place," Claude answered, bringing the conversation back on topic .
"Your teacher? And who might that be?"
Claude didn't answer . As long as the man had proof he was a magus, he need not know anything else . The old man smiled knowingly and took a sip of the wine .
"Just curious", he said, putting his cup on the counter, "First time seeing you, don't know you, was curious whether I knew your teacher . "
"My teacher's in Tordesass . They'll be back in a few more days, but I'm stumped by their errands," Claude continued on his own track, careful not to reveal Maria's sex, "I thought I might find something useful here . My seniors have mentioned this place a couple of times as well . The capital sent word of its opening . None of us have been here before, of course, but I have little choice . "
Claude painted an impressive, unspoken picture . He was part of a group best not messed with . An extensive group, headed by a master who could have multiple disciples, with connections to the capital .
"Alright," Hurian said, his gaze shifting subtly, "What materials did you say you were looking for again?"
"Magic crystals . "
"I do . Which element?"
"Fire . "
There were many different crystals he could ask for, but fire crystals were the ones key to arrays . More complex arrays might use other elemental crystals, but not the one he was looking to build .
"I have a few, but they're pricey . Purchase or trade?"
"You take shaliuns?"
"Shaliuns?--" The chubby man's eyes brightened . "--I do indeed . One square of fire crystals for three shaliuns . How many?"
The square was a unit of measurement used almost exclusively for crystals . One square was roughly the equivalent of a mahjong tile . Maria always had a square water-element crystals on her person . They had cosmetic effects, making them a favourite among young women in the right circles .
Claude saw the water crystal before, he'd even toyed with it on occasion . There had to be more appropriate names than 'squares', 'pieces' perhaps .
"That doesn't sound right," Claude said, eyeing the old man, "The capital's crystals are less than two shaliuns and five crowns . "
One shaliun was worth 20 crowns at the magic black market, if a square was worth 45 crowns, then it was just two shaliuns and five crowns . It appeared he was more a merchant than a magus .
He only earned three thales a month, just 36 a year . It would take him two years to make enough for just one square . Now the old man was going to try to take an extra two years?
Not to mention he needed six squares, not just one .
"The capital is far away," Hurian said calmly .
He finished his wine and refilled his cup before continuing .
"The further away from the capital, the more expensive the items . Transport costs and rarity, and all that . Besides, a shaliun is worth just 18 crowns here, so it's 54 crowns for a square . Not to mention I'm not technically even supposed to have these crystals . Any we get is supposed to be sent straight to the capital . I only have these because I'm selling them as a favour for a friend . And I've only got eight squares . I can't do anything about the price, either, my friend set it . I'm not even making a fenny out of this .
"The price is what it is . Take it or leave it . It won't take too long for me to sell them, anyway . Besides, I heard from a reliable bird prices are about to go up; prices for everything . "
Claude stared at the old man . He didn't trust him, but he couldn't argue . He had little choice but to go with it and pay up .
"Fine, six squares," Claude sniffed .
Hurian's serious face bloomed into a warm smile .
"Anything else?"
"Skystar dust, whiteroot powder, and crimsonblood dew . "
Skystar dust was basically powdered meteorite; whiteroot powder was a kind of powdered plant root; but crimsonblood dew wasn't anything bloody at all . It was a mineral that catalysed alchemical reactions .
Hurian's brow furrowed, and he scrutinised Claude again .
"You're setting up an array . "
It was a statement, not a question . Claude wasn't surprised he figured it out . Someone trusted to manage a branch of the black market would know his stuff .
"I screwed up and ruined my teacher's array . I have to rebuild it before they come back . "
Hurian laughed .
"Young people always make mistakes . It's inevitable, especially on the path of magic . Just make sure you learn and don't make it again .
"A catty of skystar dust is 16 crowns . Whiteroot powder is seven crowns a box . Crimsonblood dew is 12 crowns a bottle . Two shaliuns, I'll even give you a crown's discount . "
Warm smile or not, he was a cruel merchant . Claude didn't even try to argue this time . He was upping the price by half on everything!
"Fine," Claude sighed through clenched jaws .
He finally had all the materials . He'd had to fork out more money than he'd expected, but he was lucky to find everything in one place . He'd half expected he'd have to go to several places to get what he needed .
"I have a few tablets as well, if you want them . They improve the array if you place them beneath it," the old merchant chirped .
An array could be as simple or as complex as one wanted it to be . The bare minimum was very simple, but there were infinite possibilities beyond that . An array could be, for example, set up using only the ingredients he'd bought so far, and it would work, not well, but it would work . The tablets were essentials mods on the basic design that could improve specific functions, aspects, or make it better at certain processes . They were much harder to do, however .
Magistone was the most common material for these tablets, and they often formed the foundation of common arrays . They were made from the industrial waste left over from earth crystal production .
"How large and how much?"
"Six pieces, about a square meter in all . One shaliun . "
Just enough for the array . But damn that price tag! The fight was out of the boy, however, so he just nodded and paid up again . He sighed and wandered around the shelves .