CH610

Delair was looking sad that day, standing with her mother given what was to come. The two were going to join him to watch as he enchanted a couple of gates but from there they’d be dropped off back at their home village, left to deal with their own preparations for the coming war.

Now that Fontesh had an awakened skill it was doubtless that Hentath and the village as a whole would have some work for her to help with, even with the sheer number of awakened skill holders that village was going to have after getting Ben’s help.

There was nothing to be done about that though so all Ben could do was try to entertain Delair as they all waited in front of the shop, with the two they were expecting appearing with a hole in space.

“Been a while, strangers,” Ben said happily as Steph and Will made their appearance. “No Wedrow this time?”

“He had other work,” Steph explained as she went to hug both him and Thera. “Or at least he says, but I think he just wasn’t a fan of having mana shoved into him like that last time. But anyway, who else do we have here?”

“My little apprentice and her mom, Delair and Fontesh. Delair and Fontesh, this is Steph and Will. hope you don’t mind but I already volunteered you to help get them home. One of the gates we’ll be enchanting is already close to their village and I’ve come bearing payment.”

“Sure, I don’t mind. What did you make this time then?”

He handed over two rings when she asked, with Will eyeing his.

“I do like you buddy, but I’m not sure I’m ready to tie the knot yet. Maybe make me a couple more dinners first.”

“You’ll change your mind after you try them on,” Ben laughed, enjoying the sight of them putting them on and their eyes immediately widening once their minds filled with options as both of them pulled out things to look at before putting them back.

“Man, how did you…?”

“What can I say, I’m just good,” He laughed, with Steph having her own thoughts.

“Legendary?”

“Middle of it,” He told her with a shrug, not having expected her to ask with the question prompting both Delair and Fontesh to look at the rings he’d made them in surprise, with him not having bothered to mention that small fact to either of them.

Fontesh immediately looked like she was going to try to return it but Ben was already holding up a hand to stop her.

“Don’t worry about the ranking, I gave them to you guys so use them. But maybe don’t spread their rankings around, that’s a pretty good way to get robbed if word gets out of your village.”

“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with accepting a fortune.”

“What fortune?” He asked as he materialized a chunk of white mana crystal and tossed it to her. “I materialized the parts I needed and enchanted the rest. Not a single cent went into making them.”

“You know that has nothing to do with their value.”

“As the only one who can make them and without any on the market, I’m the guy who currently sets their value. It just so happens I’ve set the value to zero.”

It still looked like she was uncomfortable knowing that she’d been casually given something that nations would want to bid over but Ben had already moved on and was focusing back on his friends, telling Steph what areas they were going to hit first and where the village they’d need to stop into was to drop the two off, with their plans fully outlined from there as they began, opening a few different gates to get to their first stop.

“Alright, we’ll be taking this one a little slower than I actually need to so Delair, watch carefully. Thera, you remember how we did this last time?”

“Yeah, I’ll move you two around the arch.”

“Cool, and now most important of all, where oh where is my payment?”

<You’ll find someone for every gate you’ll be enchanting inside the network.> His god told him. <Easier to let you get them all at once rather than how things turned out last time.>

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