And now Gren is sleepy. "Yeah 's fair."

"You okay?" she asks with some concern.

"Used up lots and lots of magic. It's like running around. Can I have a snack?"

"Sure."

After a few minutes, she's looking much less worn-down. "Do you think I can find a moneychanger for my coins since the silver crescents are used here?"

"I don't think so; it's a pretty small village. Though a smith might make the trade, since they'll have a use for the metals. You might also be able to save them and trade them later, once we're in Cloudshear or even Bajilda."

"Good idea."

Gren follows Sarati out into the village, looking around with hungrily curious eyes.

Most of the buildings are only one or two stories, with white plaster walls and grass roofs. They're almost all decorated with swirling motifs in glowing colors, murals depicting people and animals or just abstract art. The paving-stones glint slightly, so they're easy to see. Most of the people are humans or a strange sort of person, taller than a human and often with green hair and bright eyes like a cat's, though there's also a few animals in clothes, going about their business and occasionally talking in a language Grenadine can't understand. 

Sarati leads her to a little shop out of the way; the sign above the door has a picture of a book with a golden-green eye on it. She ducks into the store, which is full of books on narrow shelves. There's an old-looking cat at the till, who calls out, "Sarati! It's been far too long! Who's your little friend?"

"Kar! Sorry I've been busy with routes! My friend's Grenadine; she's a first-gen, just arrived, and needs a general translation spell. I was thinking about calling in that favor you owe me."

"No need! I'm always happy to help another first-gen. Always confusing, your first few days. Or years!" He turns to Grenadine. "How're you holding up, dear?"

"Hi. Everything is weird like a fairy tale, but Sarati is nice. And it turns out Witches can give magic to things."

"Are you a Witch, then? And, yes, this realm is incredibly strange, even to one used to magic. Here, let me cast that translation spell..." He jumps to the floor and pads over, then pats her with his paw. "There, now, you should be able to understand anyone you care to. Has the occasional bug, but it's overall a reliable spell."

"Yeah. I'm a Witch. And there are more kinds of people here too! Not just more kinds of magic and land."

"That's why I like running my shop! I get to meet everyone who comes in looking for books that way."

"Ooh, book shop. That must be expensive."

"Most new books run about two silver crescents each; these are mostly used?" 

Kar nods. "Prices vary, but they're about six Bajildan pieces - those're twenty to a crescent - to one crescent. Newer books cost more, of course."

"That's really really cheap. A copy of the Bible would cost... Uh... Forty crescents? Lovril's weather almanac cost I think it would be fifteen?"

"How are books made where you're from?"

"Monks write them, of course."

"Well, here, you put blocks with letters on them into a frame, then ink the letters, then press them onto a page. I think there's a new invention, too, making that all faster. You can do lots of copies of books very quickly that way, so books tend to be very cheap."

"...How many things like that and engines are there? I might need lots of books when I go home."

"Oh, lots. At least hundreds. I think I have a book on inventions, if you'd be interested."

"Well how much does it cost? And how big is it? I'm not great at reading."

"The one I'm thinking of has pictures most pages, but, yes, that is a consideration. Hmm, let's see if we have something geared more towards your age group..." And he vanishes off into the stacks. After a bit, he comes back with a book floating behind him. "It's not as thorough as it could be, but this is part of a Madezan encyclopedia set for children. Don't have the rest of the set, I'm afraid, so it'll be just eighteen Bajildan pieces. It has lots of drawings, so the price is a bit higher." The book is bound in faded but still intact cloth, and was once a bright green. It's titled 'Encyclopedia of the World: Technology and Science.' "You might be able to find the rest somewhere bigger, there's also a book on history, geography, and biology in the set."

"I'll buy it!"

With some of what seems to be the fairly large amount of money Sarati is paying her. It's a bit of a novelty.

He gladly trades her one silver crescent for the book and two smaller silver coins that he identifies as the Bajildan pieces. "Thank you for shopping with us!"

"Thanks for the translating magic! It's warm."