'Organs?' Rio pondered as Kaschet guided him through the mines, the dirt path crunching beneath their steps. Rio's eyes darted curiously from side to side.
...
Currently nestled in the carriage with his father, Rio couldn't shake the yearning to return to the mines.
'I want to experience that again,' he mused.
Father had unraveled the intricate operations of his mine, referring to them as "organs." Beyond the distributor, Rio was treated to the sight of the smelter. Crushed rocks found their way there, transforming into bars of various metals—iron, silver, copper, and occasionally gold or platinum. Eager to witness the process in action, Rio discovered the buildings empty during lunch break, precluding a detailed tour amid the hustle.
Father then guided him to the woodworkers' haven. Their living and working quarters, nestled near the dense forest, presented a spectacle. Workstations and kitchens bordered by the river, featuring cascading waterfalls, painted an awe-inspiring picture.
'How I wish I could dive into that river, invited by its rhythmic flow,' Rio yearned with a sigh.
However, the subsequent structures held the greatest allure.
An hour ago...
"What is this shiny house, Father?" Rio inquired, his gaze fixed on a building predominantly crafted from glass.
Resembling a teahouse or a greenhouse, the structure boasted numerous square windows, glass doors, and tinted glass bells. A portion of the roof even shimmered with colored glass—pink, red, green, and blue.
"Gems, rubies, and crystals undergo polishing here. If our jewel maker spots a stone with potential, she crafts accessories and jewelry," Kaschet explained as they entered.
Glass bells ring
Rio stepped inside, greeted by wooden mannequins adorned with unique and enchanting accessories. Some were mere carvings of arms, hands, and upper bodies, protected by glass and bedecked with accessories—from necklaces and bracelets to earrings. Each piece was a singular work of art.
Kaschet continued, leading Rio through the interior. Glass-covered cabinets held rings, catching Rio's eye. Dust covered many of the items, hinting at their prototype status.
"Is this a shop, Father?" Rio asked.
"Hmm, not quite. Some are for sale, but most serve as prototypes—a foundation for the real creations. Especially when working with rare materials. So, many of these shiny items are crafted from inexpensive stones and ruby replicas," Kaschet clarified.
"But they look so real and beautiful," Rio remarked, captivated by a glass bracelet—its sunflower design and silver wolf standing out.
Kaschet halted, and Rio followed his gaze to a door. Kaschet knocked, and they waited.
"Come in," a faint, mature feminine voice invited from within.
Kaschet opened the door, and Rio stepped inside.
The scene that greeted him was a blend of a forest and flowers. Enclosed in a globe-roofed glass space with thick moss-covered concrete walls, the room was strewn with scattered boxes, round stones shaped like discs with holes in the middle, water buckets, and a table laden with glass tools, including large magnifying glasses.
In the midst of this beautiful chaos sat a woman, facing a smooth, disc-shaped stone attached to a wooden table. A carved wood structure allowed small amounts of water to flow, dropping onto the spinning stone disc, while the carved wood dangled from the ceiling.
The woman, slender with perfect curves despite visible signs of needing more food, wore a sleeveless light green shirt and deep green cargo pants. Various decorative hairpins adorned her short brown hair, concealing most of it. She pressed something onto the spinning grinding stone, her right eye covered by a bulky magnifying glass.
'She's blind?' Rio speculated.
Kaschet, noticing Rio's thoughts, whispered, "It's a magnifier, making small things look larger inside the glass. She calls it a lowp or something."
"Sigh, it's a loupe. So, Chief, what brings you here? A personal order?" Senny Wonderly, the woman, spoke, her attention still on the grinding task.
"Not here for that, Senny."
Stopping her work, Senny set aside the red ruby she was grinding, raised her head, and turned to face the newcomers. Rio's eyes met hers, the right one still covered by the magnifying glass.
Senny removed the magnifier, revealing her ruby-like eyes
"I'm just showing Rio how things work here," replied Kaschet.
Senny stood up, navigating through the scattered items on the floor, and approached Rio. While walking, she looked him up and down.
boing
*gulp' It's bouncing! ' thought Rio.
Senny playfully messed up Rio's hair, wobbling his head, and asked with a smile, "So, found anything here you liked, little man?"
Rio's eyes briefly glanced at the two bouncing gems before immediately putting his head down.
"Hmm? Ah, would you like some goat milk?" Senny asked.
Kaschet watched the scene unfold, sighing.
"N-no," Rio sheepishly replied.
"Hmm? I thought kids in your town liked goat milk?"
"I'm not a kid anymore," Rio retorted, his face turning pink as embarrassing memories resurfaced.
"Really now?! Hehe, my bad, little man," Senny said, retracting her hand. "Well, feel free to look around, I suppose. Just don't misplace anything; I'm getting hungry."
"The men have already gathered at the hall," spoke Kaschet.
"Ah, I've lost track, then," said Senny, scratching her head. "Hahaha."
knock knock knock
The three heard a knock on the door as Rio and Kaschet entered.
"Hmm? Come in," shouted Senny, approaching the door.
Opening it, she saw a boy a little taller than Rio, presumably at least 15, holding a wooden lunch box.
"Oh, Olbert's apprentice? Is that for me?" asked Senny.
The boy, eyes darting everywhere except the middle, stammered, "Y-yes!" He stretched his hands with the box, looking down to hide his face.
"Oh, thank you so much," Senny said with a smile.
"It's welcome, no, your thank you! Ah, I got to go," the boy slipped his tongue and ran.
"Ow, thank you for the delivery."
Kaschet/Rio: 'Damn.'
After the boy's awkward exit, Senny chatted with the two and ate as they walked. She provided a brief tour of her sunny workshop, discussing her work. Rio learned that the models she created were sometimes universal, adaptable to different stones. She mainly polished gems and other stones sent to her, occasionally picking some for personal projects.
Before leaving Senny's workshop, she called Rio over while carrying a box.
"Hey, little man, I got something for you and your sister."
Senny handed the box to Rio, expressing regret about not being able to show him works using mana stone, which were promptly shipped after production.
"Anyways, I assume your father will show you where they separate those mana stones. See you, little man," Senny said with a smile, waving her hand, and went back inside.
Rio looked at the box in his hands and then at Kaschet.
"Let's go," Kaschet nodded and said.