Chapter 155
“Very well, I accept your request,” Hephaestus said, taking a moment to sort through her thoughts.
“Thank you,” Draco replied, carefully wrapping the dragon scales in layers of thick cloth, soaked in his blood, until it’s ominous aura faded.
He wasn’t entirely sure why this method worked, but it did.
After securing the scales, Draco handed them to Hephaestus, who took them into her private forge—a sacred space where no one dared to enter without her express permission.
“Phew,” Draco let out a sigh of relief, feeling lighter now that Hephaestus had taken one burden off his mind.
“Draco!!” Bahamut called from behind him, snapping him out of his contemplations.
She pounced onto his back, her small frame dangling playfully, and her warm breath tickling his neck.
“What is it?” Draco asked, slightly startled but amused.
“Why do you insist on taking such a convoluted route? I know you love free things. I’m sure Hephaestus wouldn’t have minded crafting a few items for you at no cost,” Bahamut inquired, her voice filled with curiosity.
“Hmmm, you know me well. While I do love free things, I also understand the immense value of the work that Hephaestus pours her soul into. It would be insulting to request any of her creations for free; it feels like I would be undermining the value of her time and effort. At least that’s the impression I got since I entered this room,” Draco explained thoughtfully.
“Did you hear that, Hephi? Your work has managed to tame this greedy one!” Bahamut teased, clearly aware that Hephaestus was eavesdropping from her forge.
Hephaestus’s face flushed a bright red in embarrassment.
It hadn’t been her intention to listen in, but after securely storing the scales, she had tried to return to her office but accidentally overheard their conversation.
She couldn’t find the right moment to re-enter.
“Ahem, by the way, why are you two like that? Isn’t it a bit too intimate?” Hephaestus asked, raising an eyebrow. Bahamut was still hanging from Draco’s back, their faces uncomfortably close.
“I don’t think Draco minds it. We’re dating after-all,” Bahamut replied casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“What!” Hephaestus exclaimed, her surprise evident.
This revelation was jarring, especially since Bahamut had shown no interest in males until now.
“When did this happen? Isn’t it only about five or six months since you met?” Hephaestus asked, trying to process this new information.
“Hmm, we started what I like to call ‘passive dating’ about two months ago. Besides, love can happen at any time,” Bahamut explained, a playful smile on her lips.
“Passive dating?” Hephaestus repeated, her brow furrowing in confusion.
“Well, it means we’re dating but won’t proceed as a normal couple until Draco comes of age,” Bahamut clarified.
“What does that mean? It’s so confusing,” Hephaestus admitted, feeling lost in the terminology.
“Think of it this way: we acknowledge our feelings for each other, but we won’t act like a traditional couple until Draco is older,” Bahamut elaborated.
“Oh, I somewhat understand now. Congratulations!” Hephaestus said, her tone shifting to one of genuine happiness.
“Thanks,” Bahamut replied, beaming at the compliment.
Sighing inwardly, Hephaestus couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy.
‘So she really has someone now,’ she thought, subconsciously reaching for her eyepatch.
She felt a bit left behind for reasons she couldn’t quite articulate.
Bahamut quickly sensed the change in Hephaestus’s demeanour but chose not to comment on it.
‘If she is one of his fated partners, that would be wonderful,’ Bahamut thought, a small smile creeping onto her face.
“Ahem, there’s something else I would like to request,” Draco interjected, keen to lighten the suddenly awkward atmosphere.
“What is it?” Hephaestus asked, quickly lowering her hand from her face.
“These,” Draco said, handing over two objects wrapped in light cloth to Hephaestus.
“Are these horns?” Hephaestus asked, her crafters’ instincts tingling slightly.
The sensation was not as intense as with the scales, but she could tell that these horns were valuable.
“Yeah, they are my old horns. They can interact with, store, and control any of the four basic elements. I figured they could be useful for crafting something special,” Draco explained.
His old horns had fallen off during his transformation a month ago.
He had retrieved them from Vasiliki, who had wanted to keep them as souvenirs.
Although these horns were much weaker than his current ones, which could potentially interact with higher elements, he believed they still possessed value.
“I see, but are you sure about this?” Hephaestus asked, her tone cautious.
She had learned how sensitive dragons could be regarding their horns, having experienced this firsthand with Bahamut, who was a dragon goddess.
She assumed that Draco, as a dragon kin, would be similar.
“It’s fine. Think of it as compensation for not letting you use the one-eyed black dragon scales just yet. So go ahead and let your imagination run wild with them. I’m open to any outcome and will pay the appropriate price,” Draco replied, his sincerity clear.
“Really?” Hephaestus confirmed again, barely able to contain her excitement.
She was approaching the end of her current project and had been pondering what her next one would be.
“He said it’s okay. So go work your magic!” Bahamut encouraged with enthusiasm.
“Thank you,” Hephaestus said, a mesmerizing smile gracing her lips.
It was a smile so beautiful and genuine, when mixed with her charming features and personality, made Draco’s heart skip a beat.
‘What was that?’ Draco thought, feeling his heart rate spike unexpectedly.
The sensation concerned him.
Bahamut noticed his confused expression and smiled knowingly.
‘So Hephi might be one after all. At least it’s not some stranger. I don’t understand why Hephi underestimates her own charm,’ she mused.
After this, Bahamut and Hephaestus engaged in light banter while Draco observed from the background.
He found the playful exchange between the two goddesses to be a refreshing experience.
He occasionally chimed in when they discussed topics he was familiar with, but for the most part, he remained a quiet observer, feeling the atmosphere shift from tense to lively.
As time passed, it became clear that it was time for them to take their leave. Draco had explained all the properties of his horns to Hephaestus, hoping this information would assist her in crafting something extraordinary.
Hephaestus expressed her gratitude for his insights and even offered a discount, despite the fact that a price had yet to be determined.
Draco gratefully accepted the offer, already picturing potential nightmares regarding the price she might request for her commission.