Kyle spoke softly, "Thank you for the warning. That...actually aligns with what I've heard. That means she's the one I'm looking for. She's unconventional, yes, so maybe she's already proven herself incapable of economic growth. But, I'm willing to take a gamble. And trouble can bring attention."
Emily frowned, uneasy. She knew she would get reprimanded by the guild master for this.
But what can she do if the client is persistent?
'Besides, I warned him, if things go bad, it won't be my fault. God, I just hope I get to keep my head if they do.'
She looked at Kyle.
'He does not seem like the type to get people killed for their own faults. I hope.'
"This will likely end in disaster. A blacksmith who lets whims, not profit, define her reputation might not be the safest investment. But, since you have made your choice already, there is nothing I can do about it."
Kyle replied coolly, "Understood. But success doesn't always come from being safe. I've come looking for potential, not comfort. If Athena has even a spark of untapped talent, I think I can help channel it."
After a pause, Emily responded, cautious respect creeping into her tone, "...Very well. If you're set on sponsoring her, I'll register it. But do keep in mind, you'll be working with someone unpredictable. So the guild will not be held responsible once things go south."
Kyle offered a polite nod, "I'm aware of the risks that come with investing, and I will not have it any other way. Let's proceed."
Kyle reaches into storage, retrieving some pouches. He places two thick pouches of gold coins on the table.
"Here are two thousand gold coins. Please deposit this into my guild account. Set aside one hundred gold for my personal use; the remainder is for Athena's workshop, as my sponsorship."
Emily blinks, then carefully gathers the coins, "Understood, Young Lord Ravenshade. I'll process the deposit now."
She steps out to handle the transaction, leaving the room quiet, save for the even breathing of the three people in the room.
Sebastian, leaning closer, spoke, his voice respectful, "Young Lord, who is this Athena? Do you believe what the clerk just said about her?"
Kyle responded, without looking up, "Oh yes, the clerk was telling the truth."
Sebastian frowned, curious. "Then…why invest in her?"
The amount of gold he had just presented was astronomical. Two thousand was nothing to scoff at.
It could be counted as lifetime earnings for Sebastian. He doubted even the Marquis would give his son that amount so casually.
Kyle smiled faintly, calmly. "That, Sebastian, you wouldn't understand. So explaining would be of no use."
Sebastian remained silent, but the response still unsettled him. It could be regarded as offensive after all.
Kyle looked at Nuna, who was also looking at him. he could see she had the same questions on her mind.
He shook his head, telling her that now was not the time.
Sebastian, though, was still thinking.
Regardless, he did not say anything, but the topic still bothered him, so he just sat there thinking about it..
And then he recalls, 'Athena is a woman!'
The door closes softly. Sebastian sits quietly, his brows furrowed in thought.
He thinks to himself, 'Athena is a woman… Could it be… my young lord is chasing skirts?' He suppresses a near-tear expression out of frustration and bewilderment.
He looks down at the table, deep in silent contemplation.
'That's it, I'm sure.' He was convinced of the conclusion he had come to. Considering Kyle's recent activities with Nuna, it was a reasonable explanation.
'He is a growing young man after all. And he only recently became an adult.'
Moments later, Emily returns quietly, stepping into the room.
She placed the guild card gently on the table.
"All done. Two thousand gold coins deposited, one hundred saved for your personal account, the rest earmarked for Athena's investment per your instructions."
Kyle takes the card back, "Excellent. Thank you." Sebastian glances between Kyle and the clerk, still unsure but silent. "If that is all, we will be on our way."
"Of course," Emily led them out of the room.
The trio, Nuna, Kyle, and Sebastian, exited the merchant's guild under a fading afternoon sky.
Emily, catching up, offered a graceful nod: "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Young Lord Ravenshade."
He nodded to her in response.
...
Elsewhere in Dragonvale. A singular lady busies herself in the forge.
In the cavernous, secluded forge, she moves with relentless, quiet focus. The only light comes from the forge fire's molten glow, painting the shadowed room in flickering amber.
Sweat clings to her brow and trickles down her temples, evaporating into the heat.
Her loose pants brush against her ankles, her sleeveless shirt revealing toned arms and a full chest that fills the fabric with grace.
Her skin, a warm light brown, glistens where her damp clothes cling tightly.
She retrieves a glowing block of metal from the forge, its surface roiling with heat, before she places it on the anvil.
Raising her hammer, she brings it down. Each strike echoes.
thud, thud, thud...
Steady, deliberate.
With every blow, her breath settles into a slow cadence: inhale… strike… exhale… inhale… strike.
She doesn't speak.
There is no song, no chatter, just the rhythm of steel meeting hammer, the hiss of red‑hot metal, the soft cascade of sparks dancing into the dimness.
Tiny droplets of sweat leap away like glowing water, pinned by the furnace's heat.
When the metal cools slightly, she slides it back into the fire.
Flames flare, casting sparks upward, lighting fleeting halos around her as she bends to stoke the coals.
Then again, she lifts the glowing billet, places it precisely, and hammers with that measured heartbeat‑like pace.
Her muscles flex with fluid strength, every motion poised.
Amid the grit and flame, though, nothing shines brighter than her beauty; she is breathtaking, to look at, impossible to ignore.
Tanned, smooth skin that peeked out of the parts her clothes could not cover. Full breasts that her sleeveless shirt struggled to hold in place.
Powerful, bountiful curves under simple clothing, each motion graceful yet wrought with raw vigor.
The silent forging scene is a testament to the concentration, dedication, and focus of this person.
Apart from this crafter's own presence and the forge, numerous objects lay scattered across the room, seemingly forgotten to the ages.
"Huuuuu...!" She breathes out, a long, shaky breath.
Then she spoke, "I need some food." Her voice sounded cracked, breaking in between syllables from lack of use.
She set her hammer down and walked towards one of two doors in the room, disappearing into it.
...
Once Kyle and co left the guild, they went back into the heart of the city.
They walked through bustling streets toward the exit, intending to leave the city, Sebastian idly adjusting his steps to shield Kyle's flank.
Once they were on the outskirts of the city, nearing a discreet exit gate, Kyle whispered in a low voice.
"Prepare for an ambush, in five..." They walked on.
'One, two, and three!'
Then, just as Kyle had expected, it happened.
A flash at the edge of his vision. A silent blade glinting under a merchant's stall. The air shifted.
In an instant, a figure flashed into the peripheral of his vision.
Kyle instinctively shifted. His mind sharpened. He grabbed Nuna's wrist and kicked out, sending a dagger clinking onto the stone-paved floor.
Sebastian reacted just as quickly, blocking a second dagger.
Nuna retreated. Kyle's gaze hardened as he assessed the ambush, confirming the threat. The dagger throws had been precise, all targeted at him.
But he was calm, and Kyle steadied himself. He had been expecting this.
'I'm glad they didn't disappoint. Now let's see what I'm dealing with.'
Sebastian had recovered quickly and elegantly blocked another incoming strike with his dagger at his side as sparks flew.
Nuna slid to Kyle's side. Kyle's gaze flicked outward. He noted the presence of three masked individuals, all well hidden, out of plain sight.