The teapot had been hot for six hours.
Hammer lifted the lid, inspected the remaining water, and placed it back on the testing plate. "Still boiling."
"It is supposed to be boiling." Gibble said.
"I know what it is supposed to do."
"Then stop sounding disappointed that it works."
Hammer checked the temperature rune for the fourth time. He was not disappointed. He distrusted any success that had not been examined from enough directions to reveal how it intended to fail.
The factory testing room held twelve identical teapots. Each sat on a prepared square marked with the same warming pattern. Six contained water. Three held weak tea. Two were empty to test whether the enchantment would overheat without liquid. The last had been dented, dropped, chilled, and reheated until its metal complained.
All twelve remained within the safe range.
