Chapter 20: Chapter 19 – Festival of Wonders (Part 4)

"It is sometimes curious to consider the way Paradise distributed seats during their seasonal festival. Sultans and Kings would often be seated next to peasant farmers, whereas even the lowest-born Magus would get a better seat than them. Many simply rationalized this as acceptance that the festival is held by Magus, for Magus. My personal opinion is simply that nobody has been foolish enough to take offense over such a trifle when the other party counts nearly one-tenth of all Archmagus in the world as their residents." - Zaeed Joussef, retired Chancellor from the Hassid Caliphate.

On the third day of the festival, Cal quietly spent a couple hundred gold coins - a small fortune even for most merchants - as she laid down orders on new, highly convenient enchanted items showcased, but the third day's highlight was not until the last participant of the season's festival.

 

Markus Dessler was a short, bearded man, a mix of human and dwarven ancestry who dressed like a minor noble. A Glass mage, his affinity gave him many advantages in the field of enchantments, although enchanted glass always had the issue of fragility.

 

"The invention I wish to present to the audience today, will likely be seen as little more than a useless object by some." The man started. "Yet I believe there will be some convinced of its true worth."

 

"My creation is a simple thing." He continued, as he pulled out a thick glass mug from his storage. With her sharp eyes Cal could see what looked like minute carvings used for enchantments on the inside surface of the mug. A lot of them. "What this humble mug does, is to analyze the structure of any liquid poured within, and heat or cool it to the perfect temperature for consumption."

 

"I can see much skepticism on its usefulness, so I hereby ask for any volunteer from the audience who happens to bring a consumable liquid with them to try it out."

 

Three members of the audience - two commoners and a Magus - took him up on the offer. The first commoner was a dwarf who poured out liquor from a small barrel, tasted it, and looked impressed. The second, a human, similarly looked impressed after he tried the mug with some fruit juice.

 

The last audience member, an orc Magus, looked skeptically at the mug he held. He had poured in meat broth into the mug - which to his knowledge was best consumed hot -, yet he could tell that the fluid now in the mug was tepid, if not cold. His eyebrows quirked in an unvoiced query as he stared at Markus.

 

"Give it a try, then comment." Said the man with a confident look on his face.

 

The orc tentatively gave the tepid broth a sip, before his eyes widened, and took a larger gulp, then quickly drained the mug. He left while he muttered something about how his mother's recipe needed a change when he went back.

 

"Anybody else?" Asked Markus from the dais. The man looked satisfied.

 

"I would like to give it a try, young friend." Came an answering voice.

 

That voiced attracted everyone's attention because the mist mages that broadcasted the festivities via their illusions all focused on the speaker, who sat in the Archmagus section of the stands. Many eyes widened when the image focused closer on the figure as he walked towards the dais.

 

It was an old Dwarf, one with hair as white as snow, wrinkles and age lines indicated his advanced age, and clothed in finery fit for a noble. Yet it was the heraldry symbol on his tabard that drew everyone's eyes.

 

The symbol was of a wooden mug with froth on its top, six wings spread behind it, set in gold over brown. The heraldry of dwarven noble house Himmelsbrau, and the small pin in the form of the dwarven numeral of zero on the dwarf's collar signified its wearer's status as the progenitor of the house.

 

The legendary Braumeister Orloff Himmelsbrau himself, in the flesh.

 

Even Markus was left visibly flabbergasted by the development, as he mechanically offered the mug to the dwarven Braumeister. The old dwarf brought out an ornate cask of ashwood lined with platinum. A cask that signified that it contained no less than one of his hand-crafted brews.

 

He poured a measure of ale into the mug, stopped at three-fourths of the mug and watched the foam as it perfectly crested the brim of the mug, before he gave it a tentative sip. The sip turned into a gulp the next moment.

 

"Stupendous!" Orloff praised as he let out a satisfied noise. "Truly the perfect temperature for this brew, well done, young man!"

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"I- uh- Thank you for your praise, sire!" Markus nervously stammered in return.

 

"Oh don't be shy, young man. You speak the truth in that many would miss the value of your creation, but us dwarves? No we will not." Orloff chastised. "I am willing to invest a hundred platinum into the mass production of this wonder, should you accept."

 

Markus just looked at him in disbelief for a good while. The situation had escalated well beyond even his most optimistic projections. He had expected to be disregarded, ridiculed even, for his invention that only a drinker would even appreciate. He definitely had not expected approval and an immediate investment proposal from one of the most influential dwarf nobles in existence.

 

"Uh- Ah- It would be my honor, sire!" He finally managed after he snapped out of his shock. The crowd gave an applause as he did.

 

For her part, Cal quietly put in an order for a set of twelve mugs, ten of which were to be sent to the empire as a souvenir.

 

****************************

 

"I definitely didn't expect Orloff Himmelsbrau himself to show up for the festival." Cal said as she and Aideen walked back towards the latter's tower after the festivities.

 

"Oh, Orloff is good buddies with Hans. Wouldn't be surprised if they're drinking together by now." Aideen said. "He rarely misses a festival, just usually keeps himself more incognito. Unless something piqued his interest like today, that is."

 

"It has definitely been a few days full of wonders." Cal admitted. "I know I'm going to miss this place."

 

"Leaving so soon?" Aideen asked.

 

"Not for another month or two I think, no. I still have scheduled sessions with Shi-Huang. Also still waiting for all those orders to get here too."

 

"Where are you going afterwards?"

 

"The goal would be to travel the world." Cal said. "But for the next destination, I'm heading for the Xewaur Plains."

 

"Keep this with you." Said Aideen as she tossed an object to Cal. She caught it easily and saw that it was a mithril token, with what served as the emblem of Paradise carved on one side. "Show that, and any of our portals should be free to use. Can always take a quick break here from your travels from time to time."

 

"Thanks." Cal said as she stored the token in her pendant. She was about to say something else when a different sight attracted her attention. "Hey, wait. Over there by the balcony, isn't that Hans and Orloff?"

 

"Good catch!" Aideen said with joy. "C'mon then, what are you waiting for? Let's crash the party and mooch some good booze off them!"

 

Cal just shook her head as she followed the Unliving woman to crash the party.

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