"Shorter, unless that would compromise its potency," Peony responded. "I do not intend to fight with it, only cast." If an opponent got near enough to her for her to attempt hitting it with her rod, she had already lost. "If the weapon is fine enough, I think I can meet the price." Her latest advance was largely unspent - what did she have to spend money on, except tea and food and occasionally more books? - and the rod was a fairly immediate need.
She had immediately shortened the elemental list to six as these were what she was accustomed in working with, but a smith would of course be versed in many types of magical needs. "In order of preference, then: fire, followed by earth, then lightning, wind, water, and finally ice." An augment to non-elemental magic certainly would have been nice, but she did not use it as often and it seemed frivolous to ask.