While I return home, I use "Inspect" on the ring, but it only reveals that it is enchanted and does not show me the details of the enchantments. It seems that I will have to trust Sofia.
The sun is setting when I get to Ragnar's house. As I enter, I see that Joaquín has come to visit. During this year I have seen him about two or three times a month, as he seems to be very interested in my training progress. Seeing him, I greet him happily and approach the table, where he and Ragnar are sitting.
"How are you? Ragnar was telling me what happened in the labyrinth yesterday." Joaquín says, as he gives me a worried look.
"Well... I was just taken by surprise at the challenge we had, but there is nothing to worry about" I say to downplay it and try to change the subject "that reminds me... Yesterday was the last day of training, right? " I say, looking at Ragnar.
"Yes, it's up to you whether you want another week or not, but I don't think you're going to ask for another. I have seldom seen a group of rookies as combat-ready as you are. As long as it doesn't go to your heads and you try to bite more than what you can chew, I think they will be fine" replies Ragnar. "You're going to keep going with them to the labyrinth, right?"
"Yes, today I spoke to one of them and we coordinated to meet again in two days" I say.
"good, good. It is always better to be in good company when you go to the labyrinth" says Joaquín, laughing "Ragnar already told me about your new partner" he says, pointing to Azur, who gets off my shoulder to sit at the table "but he still hadn't told me about the group you're part of"
"Speaking of last week... Joaquín, now that I'm trained and I have a group to go to the labyrinth with, don't you want me to give you back the equipment that had belonged to your son?" I ask, looking at him questioningly.
"Nah" he says, waving his hand to dismiss it "in my house those things only collected dust, and in your hands, on the other hand, they can be used for something"
"In that case, could I pay you somehow for them? I made a deal with the headmistress of the magic academy and..." I say, but Joaquín interrupts me.
"Those things were a gift, for a fellow I found in the same situation as me, at an unexpected moment" he says, frowning "I would be very offended if you paid me for something I have given you voluntarily"
"hmm, ok" I say, and I turn to look at Ragnar "I want to ask you the same question. The deal was that I would stay here until I was trained, and although it took longer than I thought, now that I am ready, do you want me to pay you for living here? or would you prefer that I move somewhere else?"
"No... And not just because I like you. The point is that my granddaughter has always been alone in this house, at least when it comes to playmates her age. I am almost always working and my daughter does not have much time for Mia with the housework... What I mean is that we appreciate a lot that you keep Mia company, and that is already a higher payment than you can imagine" he says and, while caressing to Azur who is on the table, adds "now we even have a pet and, in case you didn't notice, Mia loves the new inhabitant of the house"
"Okay, but let's go back to the deal with the headmistress you were talking about. What is the agreement you made with her about?" Joaquin asks, scowling and with concern in his eyes.
I explain how I met Sofia, and the deal I made with her. Ragnar already knew part of what I tell them, since I had related it to him when I brought Azur home with me. At the end of my explanation, Joaquín seems to relax.
"Well..." says Joaquín, sighing "it seems that I was worried about nothing. It is true that many times I have heard dangerous and murky things related to the magic academy, but the headmistress does not seem to be a bad person. I am going to investigate her anyway, just in case"
"Is it necessary?" I ask embarrassed, imagining what my companions and Sofía would think of me if they found out, but knowing that there is nothing I can do to prevent Joaquín from doing what he wants.
"Prevention is better than cure" intervenes Ragnar.
"Anyway... Now that you're going to have some money, do you have any thoughts on what to spend it on?"
"Hmm" I say, thinking about it "I suppose I could enchant my sword or armor, since I don't have to return it, or I could just buy potions to be able to spend more time in the labyrinth... Also, having some extra clothes wouldn't be a bad thing"
"The potions and clothes thing is fine. If you want, I can advise you on some places to buy" says Joaquín.
"Yes, I would appreciate it. Anyway, I already know a place to buy potions" I say, remembering the bald elf "but... is there a problem with the idea of enchanting my equipment?"
"At least two, I think" says Ragnar "the first thing is that you already have three enchanted items. Since, as you told us, thanks to the headmistress you already have two enchanted rings"
"I have four enchanted items, counting the bag and the necklace, but what is important about it?" I ask, confused.
"The bag does not count, since it does not use or modify your energy in any way, but a person can only have a maximum of three enchanted objects affecting the body. Since, if they have more, the enchantments do not work correctly" explains Ragnar "at least that's how it generally works"
"generally?" I ask, not quite understanding.
"There are objects that do not follow this norm, they are the objects obtained in the labyrinth, but they are extremely rare and expensive" adds Joaquín.
"Ahh" I say, and look at Ragnar with a mocking smile "still, that's just one reason and you said two"
"Don't act smart, if I said there were two, it's because there are two" says Ragnar, snorting "the second reason is that enchantments work with magic circuits. If you use them on a sword or armor and the circuit is broken in combat, which is quite normal, the enchantment stops working and has to be repaired by a professional. So, it is expensive and annoying to use enchanted weapons or armor. Only those with a lot of money or who have items from the labyrinth do it, since in this second case the items self-repair over time"
"So, what I use are enchanted items from the labyrinth?" I ask with wide eyes, amazed by Joaquín's generosity.
At this, Joaquín bursts out laughing and asks "what makes you think that? Don't be offended, but my appreciation for you is not that high. When I said that they were extremely expensive, I really meant that. With what a sword is worth, like the one that you carry, but enchanted and coming from the labyrinth, you could buy several large houses "
"Yesterday, my boot had been damaged by a wolf and, after a while, it repaired itself" I explain, surprised by Joaquín's laugh.
"You suffered a traumatic experience yesterday. You probably just thought it was damaged" Ragnar says, looking at me as if he sympathized with me.
"Could be..." I say quietly, but I'm sure the boot was damaged. The auto-repairing thing must be an interface feature as I had thought. "So, how do people know what enchantments an object that comes from the labyrinth has? And how can you tell if an object is enchanted?"
"The people who are in charge of enchanting objects can identify an enchanted item and its enchantments, in the case of the labyrinth items... the guild generally has one or two professionals dedicated to that, but the obtained objects are almost never checked, since, normally, they are only loot from normal enemies and in that case, they are never enchanted, and checking an item has a cost" explains Ragnar.
"Well... how about you tell me what your first days in the labyrinth were like?" Joaquín says "Ragnar has already told me enough about it, but I would rather hear your version"
Joaquín stays to eat and I think once more, as we eat, how lucky I am to have met them and how much I owe them, whether Joaquín wants to admit it or not. After all, I owe this entire year of training, lodging and food to the generosity of him, Ragnar and Julia.