Chapter 506: Familiar Ground

Isolde let out a slow, tired sigh. She pressed two fingers against her forehead and closed her eyes for a moment, as if trying to stave off a headache.

"You always do the strangest things," she muttered.

Lilith settled back into her chair with effortless grace, crossing one leg over the other. The white fabric of her dress pooled around her like moonlight, and she lifted her teacup with the poise of a queen who had just won a small, private war.

"That’s because strange things are the most interesting," she said lightly. "And besides—" she took a slow sip, "—you enjoyed watching. Don’t pretend you didn’t."

Isolde’s eye twitched. She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again, because she knew Lilith was right.

Isolde turned her gaze toward Celine, who was still glaring at them with pure, undiluted hatred. She set her teacup down with a soft click and spoke in a calm, measured tone.

"You’re my familiar now. So stop with the hostility. It will only make your suffering worse."

Celine’s jaw tightened. She tried to move, to lunge, to do anything but her body refused to obey. The invisible chains held her in place like iron shackles.

"I’d rather die than serve you," she spat.

Isolde tilted her head slightly, her expression unchanged.

"Oh, is that so?"

She leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other with elegant precision.

"I don’t particularly like familiars who lack manners. And Adam seems to see potential in you, so I can’t just kill you." She paused, letting the words hang. "So I’ll just hand you over to Lilith. She’s more interested in you anyway."

Celine’s eyes widened. Her breath caught in her throat.

She looked at Lilith.

Lilith was already smiling in a way that made Celine’s skin crawl. Her crimson eyes gleamed with undisguised delight.

"Oh my, that’s a great idea, Isolde." She pressed a hand to her cheek, tilting her head with theatrical admiration. "You’re surprisingly considerate, you know that?"

Celine’s heart pounded. The memory of Lilith’s fingers on her horn, the whispered words, the complete helplessness, it all came rushing back.

"Wait—"

Lilith rose from her chair with fluid grace. The white fabric of her dress whispered against the floor as she stepped toward Celine. And behind her, thin threads of silk began to move, uncoiling from her fingertips like living things, slithering through the air toward Celine.

Celine’s body trembled. The chains held her in place, but her voice was free.

"What are you going to do?! Stop it!"

Lilith didn’t answer. She just kept walking, her smile widening as she watched the fear flicker across Celine’s face. She savored it every tremor, every sharp breath, every crack in that stubborn pride.

"Please, continue screaming," Lilith murmured. "It’s so much more entertaining this way."

Selena watched the scene unfold from behind her desk. She let out a slow breath and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Please don’t make a mess in my office."

But her words were swallowed by the chaos.

"STOP IT!!!"

Celine’s scream echoed through the room, through the walls, through the entire building.

Isolde simply picked up her tea and took another sip.

Meanwhile...

Adam walked down the sunlit street with Ignis beside him. She had finished eating several plates’ worth, in fact and was now strolling along with a satisfied smile, humming a little tune under her breath.

Her steps were light. Her tail swayed lazily behind her. She looked like a completely different person from the exhausted, bloodied dragon who had stumbled out of the Dream Grave.

Adam glanced at her.

"You’re in a good mood."

Ignis nodded without stopping her humming.

"Yepppp."

"Any particular reason?"

She tilted her head, still humming, then looked up at him with bright eyes.

"Because I’m walking with you."

Adam smiled. "Not because you’re full?"

Ignis turned her head forward, still smiling.

"Of course that too. But I’m happy because you’re always by my side."

Adam looked at her as she walked, and his smile softened.

"I see."

Ignis quickened her pace slightly, tugging at his sleeve.

"Come on, let’s go find Alice and Azrynn. I want to see them working."

Adam let himself be pulled along, matching her pace.

"Alright, alright. Slow down a little."

They walked until they reached Hilt’s workshop. Ignis pushed the door open with a loud bang, full of energy.

"I’m here!"

A crash echoed from inside. Something metal clattered to the floor, followed by Hilt’s irritated shout.

"We’re still closed! Didn’t you see the sign outside?!"

Adam stepped in behind Ignis.

"It’s me."

Hilt looked up from behind the counter, saw Adam and the red-haired woman beside him, and let out a sigh.

"Oh. It’s just you two. I thought it was someone else."

She turned back to her work without another word.

Alice was at the anvil, hammer in hand, while Azrynn stood beside her, holding a piece of metal steady with a pair of tongs. Both of them were covered in soot and sweat, but they looked focused.

Ignis’s eyes lit up.

"Wow, you two are making weapons?"

Alice glanced up, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

"Tsk! You’re finally back."

Azrynn smiled faintly.

"Welcome back, Ignis."

Ignis stepped closer to the anvil, her eyes bright with curiosity.

"Let me help," she said. "I can do something."

Alice didn’t even look up from her hammer. "Don’t. You’ll just get in the way. Better to just sit there and stay quiet."

Ignis puffed out her cheeks. "I won’t get in the way."

Azrynn glanced up from the tongs she was holding, her expression apologetic but firm. "Sorry, Ignis. But we already have our own tasks. There’s nothing here for you to do."

Ignis opened her mouth to argue, but Adam placed a hand on her shoulder before she could.

"That’s enough, Ignis. You’re still tired. Rest for now." He nodded toward the corner of the workshop. "They’re focused. Let them work."

Ignis looked at him, then her tail drooped, and her shoulders slumped.

"...Okay."

She walked to the corner of the workshop and sat down on a small wooden stool, pulling her knees to her chest. She didn’t say anything. She just watched the others work, her chin resting on her arms.

Hilt glanced toward Ignis, who was still sitting quietly in the corner with her knees pulled to her chest. She studied her for a moment, then spoke.

"If I remember right, that girl can control fire, can’t she?"

Adam looked at her, eyes narrowing slightly.

"If she wants to help that badly, why not have her melt down the material components I need? That would speed things up a lot."

Adam stared at her blankly.

"Are you serious? Or are you just trying to save fuel?"

Hilt didn’t flinch. She crossed her arms and met his gaze.

"Don’t you feel sorry for her? She clearly wants to help." She shrugged. "I’m just giving her what she wants."

Ignis’s head snapped up. Her eyes widened.

"Really??"

Hilt nodded once.

"Really. Get over here. I’ll show you what needs melting."

Ignis was on her feet before Hilt finished speaking. She crossed the workshop in three quick strides, her tail swaying behind her, the earlier disappointment already forgotten.

"What do I need to melt? Show me!"

Hilt pointed toward a cluster of dark, jagged ore chunks sitting in a reinforced iron basin near the forge.

"Those. They’re stubborn. Normal fire won’t touch them, I’ve been burning charcoal for two hours and they’ve barely softened." She tapped the rim of the basin with her knuckles. "If you can turn them into something workable, I’ll owe you one."

Ignis leaned over the basin and studied the ore. Her eyes gleamed.

"Easy."

She raised one hand. A small sphere of golden fire formed in her palm, swirling slowly. The temperature in the workshop spiked. Alice and Azrynn both paused mid-motion, sweat instantly beading on their brows.

"Hey—!" Alice started.

But Ignis had already dropped the fire into the basin.

The golden flames engulfed the ore. The dark chunks hissed, cracked, and within seconds they slumped into a glowing pool of molten metal, smooth and bright, hotter than anything the forge had produced all morning.

Hilt stared at it. Her mouth opened slightly.

"...That’s it?"

Ignis beamed. "Told you. Easy."

Hilt grabbed a pair of long tongs and carefully tested the molten metal. She lifted a small portion, turned it in the light, and let out a low whistle.

"Perfect consistency. Cleaner than anything I’ve managed." She set the tongs down and glanced at Adam with a pointed look. "See? Useful."

Adam crossed his arms, unimpressed.

"You just didn’t want to spend your own coal."

Hilt smirked. "Two things can be true."

Ignis, meanwhile, was already eyeing the next pile of materials.

"What else? Give me more."

Hilt’s smirk widened.

"Now you’re talking."

Hilt gestured toward a second basin near the back wall, filled with a mix of crushed crystals and dark powder.

"Those too. They need to be fused together, but the melting point is too high for my forge. I’ve been putting it off for a week." She glanced at Ignis. "Think you can handle it?"

Ignis didn’t answer. She simply walked over, placed both hands over the basin, and let her golden fire pour out.

The crystals glowed white, then blue, then collapsed into a shimmering liquid that swirled with veins of light. The powder dissolved into it, and within moments the entire basin held a smooth, luminous alloy that pulsed faintly like a heartbeat.

Hilt leaned over and studied it. Her expression shifted from curiosity to genuine surprise.

"...You just did in ten seconds what would’ve taken me three days."

Ignis straightened, wiping her hands on her torn clothes with a proud grin.

"So? Am I useful now?"

Hilt let out a short laugh and shook her head.

"Yeah. You’re useful."

From the corner of the workshop, Adam watched the exchange with a faint smile. Ignis’s tail was swaying again, her shoulders relaxed, her earlier gloom completely gone. She looked happy.

Hilt picked up a fresh pair of tongs and gestured toward the first basin.

"Alright, Keep going. I’ll tell you which ones to do next."

Ignis nodded eagerly.

"Got it!"