With all the seeds for the cover crops and the winter vegetables, they went back to the grotto. It was agreed that the ants will plant the crops and Theanore and Marinus would harvest what they already had, while Crassus went to the town of Mirstone to search for enchanted items.

They had a simple dinner of grilled fish with baked pumpkin for dessert and on the next day, Crassus left for Mirstone. The two children took baskets and began to collect the vegetables they could.

By midday, they had two baskets filled with carrots, five with cabbage. A basket with different herbs. A separate basket for the mint so they could make tea from it. And three baskets with pumpkins.

They carried all the baskets themselves, so the ants could rest. Everything was arranged in the ice room, and then the children went to the kitchen area of the grotto to eat some baked pumpkin for lunch.

They were just digging in when they heard a commotion from outside. Crassus’ new house was already completed, and so they used the secret passage to get in it through the tunnel hidden in the floor under the bed.

There was a woman looking at their stall. The two children looked at each other, and then they took their salesperson hats and went outside to greet her.

“Little children, are you the ones who made the wonderful fire enchantments?” She asked in a raspy voice. The two children nodded happily, and they showed her the last cape they had for sale.

“Do you want it bagged, Miss?” Asked Marinus as she ran her fingers over the fabric.

“I am searching for another enchantment. One that reduces weight. I have this old lithium earring that is missing its hook. I am willing to part with it so that you enchant these boots instead.”

“We can do that!” Said Theanore happily. This was the best deal they have gotten so far. She extended her hand and received an earring that almost weighed nothing.

Warning: This woman is not who she appears. This is Grandpa Thinker, also known as wizard Odious. Proceed with caution.

Both children paled at Tania’s words. They huddled next to the enchantment fountain and began to whisper to each other.

“The one-time uncle Crassus isn’t here to protect us!” Said Marinus so quietly, Theanore strained to hear him.

“It is best that father is not here. He would have been in danger,” said Theanore. She laid the earring in the enchantment fountain. But instead of the lightweight enchantment being the only one on it, there was another one. There was an air enchantment too.

“What do we do? The earring is already gone!” Said Marinus. They couldn’t restore it or unlearn the second enchantment. Grandpa Thinker must know this.

“We have to be honest. We can offer him a deal. If the earring could hold two enchantments, then so can the boots.”

The two children went to the disguised dungeon core.

“Miss, your earring had two enchantments on. We can’t unlearn them, as you probably know. But we can offer to enchant your boots with the second enchantment too.” Said Theanore.

Grandpa Thinker had seen the system’s message, even though the system herself hadn’t known. But he knew one more thing: An item could hold only one enchantment. There was no way these children could do what they promised. And in exchange, he would take all his worker elves back and nip this enchantment business in the bud.

“Ok, little lady. But if you fail, you will give me those who make you the capes for the knowledge of the two enchantments.”

Theanore was ready to call the mummery for what it was, but she held herself back. Mari and she could make a double enchantment. They had done it before.

“You will never get them.” The back was left unsaid between them. Theanore held back a frown, and grandpa Thinker held back a smirk.

The children went to the enchantment fountain with the boots, and they mixed their mana crystals together.

“Light, light you become. Spirited like a sprite, you will be!” Said Theanore, and she weaved in the lightness enchantment. Grandpa Thinker allowed his false skin to smirk then. Now for the failure.

“Wind, storm, quick of feet. Air, breathe, breathe, breathe!” A gust of wind enveloped Marinus as he finished saying it. The boots turned from white to a sea blue. The enchantments were done.

With their enchanted pair of boots, the children returned to the disguised grandpa Thinker.

“Here, Miss, your boots,” said Theanore, pushing them towards the woman.

Grandpa Thinker stared at the boot in amazement. He had never been capable of weaving two enchantments in a single thing. The earring was made from two half circles connected and enchanted separately. This was…a miracle!

“How did you two make this?” Asked the “woman”. Grandpa Thinker was so amazed he couldn’t even keep up the raspy voice of his fake skin.

“I focus on enchantments that have to do with the earth, and Mari focuses on enchantments that have to do with the sea. We are two, so it is easy.”

Grandpa Thinker had to have these two children in his employee. If the girl was not a dungeon core, he would have whisked them both away.

“I can supply you two with numerous enchantments.” Said grandpa Thinker, trying to temp them. “If you both come with me to Alerion.”

“No way, grandpa Thinker!” Said Theanore. She pointed a finger to where the dungeon core has come from. “You leave here and don’t come back! The apple grotto is a free dungeon!”

“Yes. Leave, or I will tell mermaids to raid your shores,” said Marinus.

Grandpa Thinker frowned at the children and put the boots on. Flying high with his new enchanted boots, he couldn’t help but admire the spirit of the dungeon core, which rebelled against him and her little friend. He will get them to enchant things for him, or they will remain on the bad list by the time Yule came. And no one liked that.