The Offer

Sofia wanted to meet the people who helped Hiroto with the wedding preparations. So the plan was for them to visit Coral's workshop today. Hiroto wore a disguise, his hair now black due to Sofia's spirit magic. He knew he needed to understand how that magic worked so that he could also do it himself.

They stopped in front of the shop. Sofia read the sign, 'The Humble Alchemist'. Hiroto entered the shop without hesitation, and she followed.

"Welcome—" Coral greeted them in her usual business tone, but stopped mid-sentence. She looked a little confused. "You are...?"

"Yes, Hemal Rodrick," Hiroto confirmed.

"I thought you looked a little familiar."

Hiroto just nodded. He knew that only changing his hair color wouldn't fool those who already knew him. He had to find other ways to disguise himself. Coral looked at Hiroto's hair but didn't ask about it. 

"So, who is the one behind you?" she asked, her gaze landing on Sofia.

Hiroto was about to introduce them, but Sofia stepped forward.

"Greetings, I am Sofia Galur."

"Galur... You mean you're royalty?" Coral asked, her voice filled with a mix of shock and dread.

Sofia just smiled. Coral felt a cold sweat run down her back. She looked at Hiroto, silently asking why the Princess was here. It was just a typical day for Coral, so she didn't expect someone of such high status to come to her shop.

She just stood there, unable to decide on what to do next. 

"Why don't we sit and talk?" Hiroto offered, seeing how flustered Coral was, not knowing how to attend to a noble.

They went to the back of the shop, which served as the living area. The shop was a combination of a business and a home. Four chairs were set at a table that looked like a dining table. Hiroto wondered if Coral lived with someone, but he wasn't there to find that out. She brewed tea for them, silently worrying that Sofia would lash out, saying something like, 'Do you think nobles drink this kind of shit?'

She was fine with Hemal because he didn't act like a noble, but Sofia was the highest authority in the country. She was sweating profusely. She waited for them to explain their purpose.

"So, you're the one who prepared the ingredients for what Hemal asked for?" Sofia began.

Coral looked from Hiroto back to Sofia.

"Yes."

"And the Dwarf named Hammer constructed everything?"

"Yes."

Sofia paused, and the room fell into silence. She took a sip from the tea and declared,

"Come to the capital with me, both of you."

Coral raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes, but quickly composed herself.

"Your Highness, what do you mean?" Coral asked.

"Like I said, I want both you and Hammer to come with me to the capital," Sofia said, pausing. "Although Hemal came up with the ideas, you two were the ones who made it possible."

Sofia said this confidently, thinking it was a valid offer that no one could refuse. But Coral looked hesitant. Sofia was confused, wondering if she had said something wrong.

"Did I say something you didn't like?" she asked.

"No... It's just—" Coral hesitated. "Your Highness must know that we beastkin face a lot of discrimination from humans."

Sofia nodded. Although the kingdom had laws to protect them, people would discriminate against them regardless.

"And it's terrible in the capital."

"What do you mean?"

"I had a shop in the capital at first, but I had to move here to the border estate for that very reason. It was the same for Hammer."

"Can you tell me what happened? I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

Coral just shook her head.

"I know you can make it possible. But how long can you protect us? Anyone could have made those artifacts if they were good in their field. I assume you have plenty of talented people around you."

Sofia was at a loss for words.

"You know, I asked Sofia to invite you," Hiroto interjected.

Coral was confused by his statement.

"I don't know much about your work. You may be right that many people would have the same qualifications as you."

Coral smiled.

"But whether I can trust them or not is another matter. What I mean is that I trust you and Hammer. We've spent a month together making something that never existed before. And you gave it your all, regardless."

Coral didn't know how to react and just looked at Hiroto's face.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and everyone's eyes turned to the entrance. There stood a dwarf—Hammer. He was surprised by everyone staring at him.

"I didn't know you would be coming today," Hammer said to Hiroto, shifting his gaze to Sofia.

Sofia smiled. "You must be Hammer."

Hammer then looked at Hiroto, silently asking who she was.

"She is Princess Sofia Galur. She is here—"

"Princess? You mean Princess-Princess?" Hammer's eyes widened. He never thought he would meet royalty in his lifetime.

"Yes, Princess-Princess," Sofia said, mockingly.

Hammer shut his mouth, thinking he had offended the Princess. But Sofia smiled.

"Why don't you sit with us? It concerns you as well," she said.

Hammer was quickly brought up to speed and now had the same expression as Coral. He was just as reluctant to go to the capital.

Sofia noticed their silence.

"You don't have to decide immediately. You can discuss it and come to a decision. I feel like..." She shifted her gaze from Hammer to Coral. "I feel like you two have suffered a lot. While I can't resolve what happened in the past, I can promise that it won't happen again under my watch."

Coral and Hammer remained silent. With that, Hiroto and Sofia left the shop.

As they walked through the streets, Sofia looked around at everything. Hiroto smiled, remembering how he had explored the city before.

"Isn't the capital better than here?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I've never explored the capital like this."

"Why?"

"I wasn't allowed to."

"Is that so?"

Sofia nodded, and they continued walking in silence as the day came to an end. The people around them were going about their own business.

"You know..." Hiroto said, and Sofia looked at him. "Why did you help me?"

Sofia understood what he was getting at.

"You must have heard the rumors about me, how I'm a troublemaker. Still, you helped me. It's... suspicious."

"Gezz, you think too much. There was no reason. I just did what I wanted to." Sofia tried to brush it off, but Hiroto stopped walking. After a moment, Sofia also stopped and looked back at him.

"Why?" he simply asked.

Sofia's gaze was steady, her expression unreadable in the fading light. She didn't speak. She didn't need to. The question hung between them, a tangible weight on the otherwise quiet street. The sounds of the city—the distant chatter, the rustle of leaves, the soft clinking of a bell—all faded into the background. In that moment, there was only Sofia's gaze and the profound, unanswered question.