Madame Sharan politely excused herself, glancing at Dink suspiciously as she left. Madame Celeste ignored the Goblins as she opened her arms wide to invite Lady Estra into an embrace, exposing her small and perky breasts. What she lacked in her chest, she made up in her hips. Her slender waist defied common sense as it flared out into wide hips and a firm ass. Dink’s breathing quickened as Lady Estra pulled back the hood of her cloak to run into her mentor’s embrace.

Lady Estra had tears streaming down her cheeks as she buried her face into her mentor’s bare shoulder. Dink could feel her grief through the bond as she lowered her guard. Madame Celeste rubbed Lady Estra’s back comfortingly while making soothing sounds. Eventually, Lady Estra’s sobs lessened as she composed herself. She broke away from her mentor's embrace with a beaming smile. Madame Celeste returned the smile warmly.

“It’s okay, my dearest. I heard about House Stormborne’s plight through the grapevine. The House of Worldly Delight’s information network is still as unrivalled now under the new director as it was when I orchestrated it. My protege still keeps me informed on anything I may find of interest. Of course, that includes my favourite student,” Madame Celeste commiserated.

“I have to save my House, the mistress. I’ve found something in the Arcane Academy libraries that’s given me hope,” Lady Estra said.

“Yes, the origin myth of the Wood Elves. A High-Elf daughter of a minor House that consummated with her forbidden lover during a rare celestial event. Earning the approval of the land and giving her descendants a connection to the forests. It’s an interesting idea, you were not the first to have it. It was dismissed after realizing that Wood-Elves are as vulnerable to the expanding woods as the rest of us,” Madame Celeste replied.

“Ordinary Wood-Elves are, but what about their king? I know that he’s been able to prevent the expanding woods from overtaking the forests of Lashar,” Lady Estra defensively said.

“He’s an exception. He’s the direct descendant of their progenitor and is one of the oldest living Wood-Elves. I’m a child in comparison to his ancientness and I’m nearing my first millennium. Besides, no one has been able to replicate the ritual for the midnight sun. It’s been lost to the ages,” Madame Celeste continued in an attempt to persuade her.

“I found it. The Humans had the ritual, it was in the private library of a collector who didn’t understand its importance. It was discarded at the foot of a bookshelf, hidden in a dark corner, gathering dust. It looked like it had fallen there decades earlier and I found it entirely by chance. I tripped and almost set the entire library on fire as I knocked a lit lantern onto the floor, scattering embers. Fortunately, the library’s fire wards were intact despite being inactive for so long. The library belonged to our host, Lord Hubris, he’s a close friend of my father from their service against the expanding woods in his youth. He’s old now and is mostly bedridden. He would never allow his prized library to be neglected, otherwise,” Lady Estra excitedly explained.

Dink felt a tingling sensation of mana being channelled as Lady Estra raised her hand. An arcane Sigil appeared in the air, drawing light fragments together to form the shape of a radiant book. The light faded away, revealing an antique, leatherbound book covered in decorative gold filigree, written in Elven script. Madame Celeste gasped, hurrying to tentatively touch the ancient book held in her student’s hands. Tracing her finger across the words as she silently mouthed the words to herself.

“Is this real?” Madame Celeste suddenly asked, looking into Lady Estra’s eyes, searchingly.

“Yes, I showed it to my father. That’s why I have the full support of House Stormborne behind me. Lord Hubris didn’t remember how he came to possess the book. He gifted it to my father in the hopes that it’s successful in combating the expanding woods,” Lady Estra replied.

She was grinning, Dink could sense her self-satisfaction through their bond at her mentor’s reaction. He raised his hand to his mouth and cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the pair of stunning women.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your reunion, but I have an appointment downstairs with that large lion man,” Dink interrupted.

Madame Celeste’s face barely perceptively twitched. Dink could only see it with his enhanced senses, Lady Estra appeared oblivious to her mentor’s disapproval. He chose to ignore her displeasure because he had become accustomed to that reaction long ago. People had treated him as filth since he was cursed into a Goblin.

His eyes narrowed slightly, but that was the only visible reaction as he instinctively suppressed his emotion from carrying through the bond. The draconic bloodline allowed him greater control than was traditionally granted to a contract holder.

“Axion can wait. He’s getting bored after escorting me here and is stirring trouble, as usual. It doesn’t surprise me that he would enjoy the company of a Goblin,” Madame Celeste said.

Her polite tone masked her contempt. Lady Celeste noticed it regardless. Hurrying to stand between them, she channelled mana to dismiss the ancient book. A Sigil appeared and fractured the book into scattered light that rained down as it rained down.

“This is Dink. He’s the arena champion…” Lady Estra started to speak.

“Until today. You purchased it from the owner after it slaughtered the men your father entrusted your safety with. How could you be so impulsive as to risk your life and your guardians in the arena? They weren’t the most exceptional, I can grant you that. It’s better for you to have discovered that early before being overrun by his kind in the expanding wood. You’ve also improved greatly in your application of world laws to your magic. I can’t even form the Sigil you effortlessly used to summon the book,” Madame Celeste reprimanded.

“There was no way to predict what would happen and the expanding woods is far more dangerous than any arena. Including the ‘fire pit’ that only the least fortunate creatures are forced to fight in the bowels of Mount Tai. The dwarves of Ugren are so proud of their arena built atop a magma crust. I needed to get as much experience as I could before starting on my quest. I think you can understand that,” Lady Estra firmly retorted.

“I’m only worried about you, dearest. You’re an adult now and can make your own decisions. You’re no longer the timid girl who came to me to learn my craft. I taught you everything I know, that includes the things outside of the bedroom that I probably shouldn’t have, but it will serve you well now. I’ll trust your judgement,” Madame Celeste sighed as relented in her chastisement.

“Back to what I was saying earlier. Dink has a draconic bloodline. I believe that’s the reason why he was able to overpower my Attuned warriors so easily,” Lady Estra said.