After making the deal, Kol puts everything he bought inside his leather bag.
The thought then crossed his mind.
'Now that I have money. I would be able to buy some of the most powerful and useful spells I couldn't normally get access to.'
"Excuse me. Do you sell spell books?" Kol asked Shaphi.
"We do. Some of our spell books are from the most prestigious and renowned academy." Shaphi said with a mischievous smile.
"I would like to look at them please," Kol said.
Shaphi snapped her fingers and after waiting for a moment her clone came out pushing a cart filled with books.
Kol's eyes widened at the assortment of books before him, but he kept composed. He then went up to the cart and glanced at some of the covers and titles. 'Pyro techniques of Ralo', 'Tree of The Mountain', 'ruins without glory'. Titles that Kol had never even heard of, but none of them piqued his interest after flipping through a few pages. All of these books were life stories of great wizards and their journey through discovering and mastering their craft and none of them seemed like something he would enjoy.
'I guess Peter's diary set a bar for me.' He thought to himself.
"What's the matter you don't like them?" Shaphi asked. "These are the same books nobles would read in the academy. People would pay a huge price for some of these."
"I know. But they all seem boring to me."
"Well, I can't say it didn't hurt but these are the only ones I have."
"Do you have something that a bad person would want?" Kol asked hesitantly. changing parts of the question so he won't raise any unwanted attention. The last thing he wanted was to be labeled as someone up to no good.
Shaphi thinks for a minute, then looks at her clone gesturing to the room she came from with her head.
"I think I have just a few," she says with a smile.
The clone then brings out three books. The three appear to be bound by black leather, but only the book in the middle has a web-like design made of silver or metal.
'Women of joy.', 'Inventing the Elements.', and 'slaves of silver.'
Kol did not expect the first book, though he could not blame her if she misinterpreted it that way. The other books, though, piqued his interest. But before Kol could lay his hands on them Shaphi stood between them.
"These books are one of a kind. I only came upon them when a wizard who has nothing else to bargain with and out of desperation sold me their book." Shaphi said with a grin. "So, you can only imagine how much they are worth and the valuable secrets they hide."
[Insight D20+D4 roll] – 10
'Really? I doubt the first one is even from a wizard.'
"Have you read them?" Kol asked.
"I skimmed some of it. But I can assure you they are 100% genuine spell books."
"How much for the 2 books?"
"Sorry, but I can only sell them to you as a set." Shaphi smiled. "I can let you have them for 20 gold."
'20 gold?? Fuck. Fine.'
"Deal," Kol said after a sigh.
"Great!" Shaphi exclaimed. "Let me wrap all of them for you."
While waiting for the clone to appear with the wrapped books, the bell on the door rings signaling a new customer.
"My lady, are you here for the delivery?" Said Shaphi beside Kol.
Kl turned to see the beautiful emotionless face with red hair. It was Ella, accompanied by a handful of her knights.
"Let me go get them for you." Shaphi said leaving the counter.
"My lady." Kol bowed before her.
"You left the ship early," said Ella.
"Yes. I was hurrying to get home but stopped by this shop first to get them some gifts."
[Deception D20+D4 roll] – 18
"I see."
Still bowing his head Kol wondered what to say next. The commanding pressure she emits is more than enough for Kol to sweat.
'Should I just come back for the books later?' he asked himself.
"Has your energy grown?" Ella asked breaking the awkward silence.
"Yes, it has grown but currently is has peaked."
"What number is it now?"
"My blue energy is at 20 at the moment."
The knight behind Ella quickly put his hand over the hilt of his sword.
"You should know better not to lie in front of my lady, boy." The knight said.
'Lie?'
Ellas hand quickly gestured the knight to stand back.
"Look at me." She spoke.
Kol stood straight and looked towards her, keeping his composure steady, and locked eyes with her.
"And what level of spells can you cast?" Ella asked.
"Only the first, my lady."
"Impressive."
Hearing her words fueled Kol's self-esteem, and after a bit of calculation, he quickly dropped to the floor in a turtle position. This movement shocked even the proud Ella.
'This is the best opportunity I have.' Kol thought to himself.
"My lady, I implore you to take me as your student. I promise I won't disappoint." Kol exclaimed.
The knights beside Ella quickly reacted and a cacophony of insults erupted. 'My lady doesn't need an orphan like you as a student.', 'You are not qualified to be my lady's student.', 'the likes of you would only taint my lady's image.' And so on but they all went silent when Ella gestured.
"You will have to prove yourself." Said Ella.
Delighted by her words, a smile appeared on Kol's face. Although hidden from them since he was in a position of kissing the floor.
"I will do my best to accomplish any task you command," Kol replied.
"Not right now," Ella said and upon hearing her words Kol's smile dropped. "You cannot serve two masters. Finish your study with Ross, then come find me."
"As you wish, my lady." Kol's heart skipped a beat as he now had a way to learn red spells and from the greatest warrior on the island no less.
Kol stood from the floor with a happy expression plastered on his face at the same time Shaphi returned with a box filled with potions.
"Here you go my lady, everything accounted for and in pristine condition." The original explained. "That would be 300 gold."
Ella gestured to her knight as he produced the leaves from his pouch.
"Lend this boy the tome of clear mind," Ella said
Shaphi looked surprised, making double glances towards Kol.
'Tome of what?' Kol asked himself lost in thought.
"I would lend him mine but it's up the castle and I'm too lazy to get it," Ella said.
The great warrior of the island is a fierce and formidable individual but is lazy. Though the people of Oakheart feared her they still wonder how she came to be a great warrior with the type of lazy person she is.
"As you wish my lady. I shall lend it to him."
"Good. He will return it when he's finished." Ella said as she turned to leave, "Don't disappoint me."
"I won't my lady." Kol said giving her another bow.