The afternoon sun filtered through the linden trees, dappling the grass as Leon, Dahlia, and Flower spread a cloth on the ground. With Im away in the provincial capital, they'd moved their meals outdoors—picnicking beside the herb garden, far more relaxed without their teacher's watchful eye.
Dahlia bit into a honey-glazed bun, then looked up at Leon, her eyes bright. "Leon, my birthday's coming. What are you going to give me?"
Leon froze. Gift-giving had never been his strong suit—back on Earth, his only "birthday celebration" had been tea eggs his mom boiled when he was ten. Here, in Etho, he was even more clueless. He couldn't conjure magic trinkets (he barely knew Mage Hand and a few trivial cantrips like Light), and crafting something meaningful seemed impossible.
But he couldn't admit that. "How many days until?" he asked, playing for time. "I'll get you something you've never seen."
"Next month, the eleventh," Dahlia said, grinning. "Don't forget!"
Leon's mind raced. November eleventh—of all days, Singles' Day. He stifled a laugh. "I won't. Promise it's unlike anything you've ever had."
He thought of making her a meal, but that felt lazy. A cake? His family's bakery made simple cakes, but no cream-topped ones. Maybe a paper crane? He'd never seen anyone fold them here. For now, he tucked the problem away—he'd ask Im for help when the mage returned.
Im had left for the capital to sell Mana Restoration Potions. The Moonlight Grass in the herb garden had matured, and Im had turned it into a clear, pure potion—far superior to the murky green versions sold elsewhere. His secret? Charcoal filtration, the same method he'd documented in his research paper.
"The purer the potion, the faster it works," Im had explained before leaving. "Impurities build up in the body, making repeated use less effective. Mine has none—clear as spring water."
His real goal wasn't just selling potions, though. He wanted to build a reputation. If the potions sold well, his paper on charcoal filtration would gain traction, earning him royalties—a dream for any mage, who envied the few who could live off their research.
Three days later, Im returned, his pack lighter but his purse fuller. Leon met him at the valley entrance, eager to share his idea. "Master, let's name our cottage! Other mages have cool names—White Tower, Iron Forge. Ours is just 'the house.'"
Im raised an eyebrow. "You've been thinking about this?"
Dahlia jumped in. "Call it Mushroom Cottage! Leon's growing mushrooms!"
Flower shook his head. "It doesn't look like a mushroom. Linden Pine Cottage is better."
"Too long," Leon said. "What about Moonlight Cottage? We have so much Moonlight Grass by the slope."
After a short debate, they settled on it. The herb garden became simply the Herb Garden, its four zones labeled Zone 1 to 4 for simplicity. Im carved wooden signs and nailed them up, and Moonlight Cottage felt like a proper home at last.
That evening, by the campfire, Leon brought up his real request. "Master, can you build a high-temperature furnace? One that can melt metal?"
Im leaned forward. "Why?"
"It's a secret for Dahlia's birthday gift," Leon said. "If I fail, I'll look silly. Please?"
Im sighed but agreed. "Magic furnaces are expensive. I'll use runes for insulation and a wind rune to feed oxygen. It'll need a mana crystal to store power—like a battery."
The furnace cost nearly ten gold coins in materials, not counting the mana crystal. Leon winced—magic was a luxury he'd never get used to. "Thank you, Master. I'll pay you back someday."
Im waved it off. "Focus on making something worth the cost."