The metallic sound of hammers striking steel echoed through the castle courtyard.

Max walked through the heat of the forges while watching Frida work on a sword that was still glowing red-hot.

The dwarf had protective goggles resting on her forehead and her hair tied back in a completely messy way, fully focused on her work.

Until she saw him approaching.

"Max!"

She set the hammer down on the table.

"Are you here to break somebody else’s sword again, or are you actually bringing good news this time?"

Max let out a small laugh.

"Depends on how you look at it."

He reached into one of his pockets.

And carefully pulled out a small piece of gold.

Frida raised an eyebrow the moment she saw it.

"Gold."

Max nodded.

Frida took the piece between her fingers.

She turned it around, inspecting it with professional attention.

"And what do you want me to make with this?"

Max glanced away slightly.

"...A ring."

Frida slowly looked back up at him.

Her smile started growing dangerously.

"Oh."

More smile.

"OHHH."

Max could already physically regret coming here.

"It’s for Elanor," he muttered.

Frida burst into laughter again.

"The pet is finally getting officially married!"

"Please stop using that word."

"Never."

The dwarf was clearly having way too much fun with this.

But even so, she looked back at the gold seriously.

"Don’t worry."

She gave him a confident smile.

"I’ll probably have it ready by tomorrow."

Max blinked.

"That fast?"

Frida proudly pointed at her own head.

"I already have the princess’s measurements."

Max stared at her in confusion.

"...Why do you have the princess’s hand measurements?"

Frida shrugged.

"I’ve been making jewelry for the royal family since before you existed."

That actually made a lot of sense.

Max smiled a little.

"Thanks, Frida."

The dwarf waved a hand dismissively.

Then Max remembered something.

"Oh, right."

Frida raised an eyebrow.

"Moonlight’s probably going to come ask you for armor later."

The blacksmith went completely silent for a few seconds.

Then started laughing again.

"Of course she is."

She shook her head, amused.

"Coming from that little one, I’m not surprised at all."

Max sighed.

"The problem is she still has to convince Elanor to let her wear it at the wedding."

Frida let out a low whistle.

"Good luck with that."

She crossed her arms.

"I don’t think convincing the princess to let a child enter her wedding in armor is going to be easy."

"Seraphine said she’d help her."

Frida outright leaned against the table laughing.

"Oh, then yeah, convincing her is definitely possible."

And just as they continued talking, another female voice interrupted the conversation.

"Excuse me."

Max recognized that voice immediately.

And already felt a headache coming before even turning around.

Thara walked elegantly toward the forge, curiously observing her surroundings.

Her glasses briefly reflected the light of the forge as she examined the weapons and armor on display.

"So this is the famous royal blacksmith."

Frida smiled proudly.

"The only one."

Thara was holding two long metallic staffs that Max hadn’t noticed before.

They looked strange.

Dark.

With small engraved lines running along the metal.

"Would it be possible to repair them?" the drow asked. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Max automatically looked at her with irritation.

He still remembered perfectly everything she had said about him.

But he didn’t comment.

Frida took one of the staffs.

She inspected it carefully.

"Hmm."

She ran a finger along a crack on the side.

"Yes. Of course I can."

She smiled kindly.

"Leave them here. I’ll finish Max’s ring first, then I’ll take care of these."

Thara slowly adjusted her glasses.

"I would prefer if you prioritized them."

Her tone remained perfectly elegant.

Which somehow made what she was saying even more annoying.

"After all, I came from very far away to educate the princess."

Her eyes shifted slightly toward Max.

"While the other boy is simply a pet."

The atmosphere froze for a second.

Max felt his jaw tighten.

"Okay."

He looked directly at her.

"You’re getting seriously out of line now."

Thara simply kept observing the staffs as if she hadn’t heard a single word.

Max opened his mouth.

Closed it again.

Took a deep breath.

’Do not commit diplomatic crimes.’

He repeated internally.

Then he looked at Frida.

"Don’t worry," he finally said.

"My ring can wait."

He pointed at the staffs.

"Handle the princess’s teacher’s stuff first."

Frida looked far too uncomfortable to react normally.

Which was pretty unusual for her.

The dwarf slowly nodded.

"...Sure."

Thara gave a small nod of her head.

"Thank you very much."

She placed both staffs on a side table.

"I’ll come pick them up tomorrow."

Then she simply turned around and left the forge as if she hadn’t just publicly insulted someone twice in a row.

Silence lasted for a few seconds.

Until Frida finally spoke.

"...I didn’t know that woman was so rude."

Max slowly let out a breath.

Frida frowned.

"You can’t let her treat you like that."

Max shrugged slightly.

"I don’t really care that much."

Even though he did care a little.

But beyond the anger...

There was something else.

Discomfort.

Distrust.

Something about Thara still didn’t sit right with him.

"Anyway..." he muttered.

"...that woman definitely doesn’t inspire confidence."

And just as he was about to leave, something near the floor caught his attention.

A folded piece of paper.

It had fallen right beside where Thara had left the staffs.

Max frowned.

"Hmm?"

He picked it up.

It looked old.

With strange markings drawn on it.

And the moment he opened it, he felt a chill run down his spine.

It was a circle.

A complex pattern filled with symbols and strange seals.

Runes.

Geometric markings.

Something that looked...

Like a ritual, like the one they had used to summon Chloe.

Max immediately felt his heart start beating faster.

Frida looked at the paper.

"What’s that?"

But Max was barely listening anymore.

Because he had just remembered the altar.

And slowly, a horrible idea began forming in his head.

’No.’

He looked toward the exit where Thara had left.

’It can’t be that obvious.’

But the more he thought about it...

The more sense it made.

The strange presence.

Her behavior.

And now this.

Max swallowed hard.

"I need to find Seraphine," he suddenly said.

Frida blinked in confusion.

"Right now?"

Max quickly folded the paper and put it away.

"Right now. I need to show her something."