Once again the old owner of the Mag Drug Magic Shop found himself face to face with a ghoulish sight. Honestly, that was fine. He had seen a lot of things during his travels. It took more than just an eerie woman who looked like she was running on two hours of sleep. She had actually done well enough in her previous tasks. However, he was still mildly concerned how... excited... his assistant had gotten when he warned about the possibility of injury and even death. And there it was... Something about that word just seemed to light a spark in the woman’s eyes. The look was enough to give him chills. Well, hopefully it wouldn’t come to that...

Shelving the troubling thoughts, the old owner led the volunteer to the back of his shop. Honestly, the place was a lot bigger than it seemed on the outside. Isolated and open, with nothing to break, it was the perfect place for testing some of his more dangerous experiments. With a delighted smile he presented the subject of today’s job. It was a lovingly crafted shield donning the crest of the magic council. He explained how it was specifically designed to withstand magic.

Meanwhile, Mary struggled to lift the shield. It was heavier than it looked... And she had never been physically talented. Still, she managed to raise it and take shelter behind it. When the wizard asked if she was ready, a quivering hand carefully peeked from behind the cover and showed a thumbs up. Without wasting a moment, the shopkeeper summoned flames into his hands and hurled a fiery ball right into the shield. It exploded on impact, sending a ring of soot across the floor. The shieldbearer was sent tumbling backwards from the force.

After a moment of silence, a weak groan confirmed the volunteer was still alive. ...Unfortunately, in her opinion. She held up the shield with shaky hands. Much to the shopkeeper’s giddy glee, his creation was entirely unscathed. There wasn’t even a single scorch mark on the shiny surface. Likewise, the volunteer quietly confirmed that she hadn’t felt any heat through the shield. It was still pleasantly cool to the touch. Now that was exactly what the old innovator wanted to hear. Quietly he chuckled how he still got it.

Soon enough the roles were reversed. The client had insisted that the ghastly mage should try to blast the shield as well. Testing different types of magic was important. She had hesitantly accepted, but doubts were creeping into her mind. What if-? Her line of thought was cut short when the old wizard gave the signal. V-very well then! She covered her face and started sobbing softly. Dark magic started gathering like purple wisps. After briefly gathering power, she revealed her visage with a haunting scream. A purple beam clashed against the shield before dissipating harmlessly.

The shopkeeper turned the shield around and admired his handiwork. A delighted smile played on his lips. Showering the awkward woman with words of gratitude, he handed her a pouch of jewels. It contained a little extra for an Amicable Adventurer. With a happy hum, he bid her farewell before returning to work. Another successful project!

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