Gilbert has been looking for some time. He struggled on getting the requested ring for the day Mr. Ransack will be announced High Wizard. A magic ring which can keep its owner warm in colder days and help them regulate their temperature in warmer ones: Such was the priest’s request.

Mr. Ransack was never the fittest one among the crowd although he has been one of the lucky children who made it so far in life. Gilbert does not like how the soon-to-be High Wizard neglects his own health for the sake of… For the sake of what? He has barely been alive for four decades, but already complains daily about his back, having blue hands in a mild winter, and heat strokes when even the elders could still run about under the sun. That was why the priest specifically requested a special ring for his new position: However inhumanely this sounds, the authorities always want to make sure that the higher-ups stay as long as time allows them to be up there. Like other things, time can be bribed with money. Or so do many people think once they are beyond the clouds.

“Yes, my money,” sighed Gilbert as he finally found an artist who is also able to infuse the requested kind of magic in any ring with a sufficient quality, not for a cheap price though. The priest said the church will reimburse the expenses for the ring – a statement he knew could not be relied on. The administration also said that the papers for the purchase can only be done after the inauguration of the High Wizard. And he, Gilbert, would need to request a reimbursement.

The magic jeweler pressed together her lips and took a deep breath as Gilbert told her about his situation. “Damn church,” she finally whispered, more to herself than anyone else. “They will most likely not reimburse you, but you can’t go up and saying that you don’t wanna buy them the ring, either. They’ll haunt you for life.” She paced up and down.

Only by observing her store could Gilbert see that the woman was a friendly shopkeeper, skilled craftsman, and reliable business partner. Certificates and pictures indicating cooperation with all kinds of institutions, even those far in the northwest, jewelry for all kinds of occasions and customers, and the various visitors show that she sees every business opportunity as an opportunity towards growth and virtue instead of more money. She kept her store humble enough as not to scare away the less wealthy ones but also clean and elegant to also attract ones with more gold in their bags.

“How about this,” the businesswoman then said after brooding over the problem for some time. “You don’t have to pay the full price, only the third of it up-front. I’ll give you a letter to the church saying that the church loans me the rest and I won’t start working on the ring if I don’t see a proof that you have got reimbursed for the third part in at most two weeks. Later than that, I won’t be able to finish it on time, and good luck finding another one who can craft a high-quality ring and infuse such complicated magic with the same price and working time – if there is even any. You must’ve been searching for quite some time, haven’t you?”

Gilbert nodded. “They either said that they needed more time than 10 weeks, demand sometimes more than thrice your price, or admit that they are not able to do it at all. I think I could go on searching the whole continent with no better results.” He glanced toward the letter the shopkeeper was writing for the church. “Are you sure that would work?”

“It better does. I have worked with the church for a few times. They like to send out rich younglings, using virtue to press them buying expensive things to never reimburse them. They were mostly snobby kids though, thinking that you can do anything if you have money, so I never bothered to help them.” She looked up to Gilbert and handed the already sealed envelope. “You seem more conscious of what you have, so I’m willing to help.”

He thanked the kind woman and went back to the church. Some employees on the administrative side scolded him for handing such a disrespectful letter, but their tumult called in the bishop who seemed to recognize the seal.

“Just do what has been told in the letter. She is a fair businesswoman and the finest jeweler you could ever get in this continent – or even the world. Do not mix up your faith with business,” said the well-respected man after reading what the shopkeeper has written and gave the letter back to the employee who held it. He then proceeded to go back to what he initially intended to do but abruptly turned back and thanked Gilbert for all the hassle he had gone through.

The young man only nodded, not knowing how else to respond. The bishop might not be as bad as the people who serve under him, but all the pressure of getting the perfect ring for a deteriorating man who does not know how to take care of himself, then getting scolded just for defending his own position was enough. He has been mistreated before, also involving money. All the stress they let him go through suddenly struck him to a realization: The only reason the faithful has been so kind to him was because he inherited tons of golds from his departed parents. They did not want Gilbert as the person he was: They only wanted his gold.