"You're exactly that kind of person," Merrick shot back with a half-smile. "Cut the act. What's the real story?" Aiden's voice turned casual. "Nothing dramatic. I'm just planning to visit the Temple of Hephaestus." Merrick nodded at first. "Temple of Hephaestus, huh? Alright, that doesn't sound too—wait." He froze mid-word. His expression twisted like he'd just bitten glass. "The Temple of Hephaestus? You mean that Hephaestus? The old divine?" The courtyard went dead silent. Only the soft sound of running water broke the air. A few long seconds crawled by before Merrick found his voice again. "Brother. Listen to me carefully. You stay the hell away from anything tied to the old divine." He slammed his hand on the table so hard the mirror beside him rattled. "You cannot go there! I mean it!"He had fought a Tier-5 Dragon and killed Lord-level bosses without blinking. He'd stared death in the eye more times than he could count. His heart was usually as cold as the fish section in Whole Foods. But the instant Aiden mentioned that name, his confidence cracked. This kid had officially lost it. Was he hearing this right? "Visit the Temple of Hephaestus?" What, like it was a weekend getaway? That place wasn't some sightseeing spot. You didn't just stroll into an old divine's temple like it was your country club bathroom. "Merrick, don't be so uptight," Aiden said, his tone smooth as silk. "Everything has a price. We can work something out. "Relax," Aiden went on, sounding almost amused. "We've worked together for years. You know I don't take advantage. I'm talking real profit this time." Merrick let out a dry laugh. "Profit? Don't start with that. I like marks as much as the next man, but I'm not an idiot. You think a bag of coins is worth storming a divine temple? Unless…" He leaned closer, his eyes narrowing. "You're about to tell me you've got a couple pounds of the Fountain of Holy Spirits hidden somewhere. Then maybe we're talking. But you don't, do you?" Aiden chuckled. "Not exactly. But Merrick… ever heard of the Dwarves?" Merrick frowned. "The Dwarves? Of course I've heard of them. Why?" Then realization hit him like a train. "Wait. You're going there to find them, aren't you? The Dwarves of Hephaestus. Those little maniacs could forge anything. If you really found them, it'd be worth the risk." He rubbed his chin, muttering to himself. "But even if you did, they'd never forge for a human. You're dreaming if you think they'd—" "Finding? What makes you think I need to find them?" Aiden's voice sliced through his words, full of smug amusement. Before Merrick could speak, a burst of noise came through the communicator. He heard shouting, clattering, and laughter—like a party was happening on the other end. "Hey, Thor, say hello to my friend!" Then a muffled voice shouted, "Tell him I'm his daddy!" Merrick was wondering what they were doing, then he froze. The voice was thick and jumbled, like someone talking through a mouthful of food. The guy insulted him. That was not the point. That wasn't common tongue. That was Dwarven. The sounds were weird. He knew it right away. His heart skipped. "Hold on. You didn't. Kid, you didn't actually find the Dwarves, did you?" "Got lucky," Aiden said casually. "They were migrating. I ran into them. Now they're living in Leafport." Merrick jumped to his feet so fast his chair screeched against the floor. "You brought them into Leafport? That's impossible!" He wasn't exaggerating. He'd seen horrors crawl out of cursed ruins and dragons rise from ash, but the Dwarves were a different breed.They were more stubborn than stone and prouder than kings. Even if you had ten times their strength, if a Dwarf didn't like you, he'd crush your skull before shaking your hand. Sure, back in the old days, humans had struck deals with them. They made artifacts. But every deal had been a nightmare of bargaining, begging, and betrayal. After being tricked too many times, the Dwarves had sworn off humanity completely. Getting them to forge for humans again was like trying to grab lightning barehanded. But Aiden hadn't just found them. He'd brought them into the city. That wasn't bold. That was insane. "Something's wrong," Merrick muttered, his expression hardening. This kid was a genius and a con artist rolled into one. He had to be running some elaborate stunt. Maybe he'd found someone who spoke Dwarven and decided to put on a show. "There's no way this is real," he thought. His mind ran through every angle, every scheme. No matter how he twisted it, the math didn't work. None of it made sense. "Ha. I knew it. This has scam written all over it." Merrick's eyes narrowed as the realization hit him. That kid thought he could outsmart him again? Not a chance. "You really think I'm falling for your tricks twice? Not happening, kid," he said with a sharp grin. "Go on then," Merrick muttered, smirking. "Keep running your mouth. Let's see how long you can keep the act—" The communicator cut off with a soft click. Silence filled the room. Merrick froze, staring down at the wooden talisman in his hand. His mind went blank for a split second, and a dull buzz filled his ears. That wasn't right. If it were a con, the kid would've kept talking. He'd try to convince him, sweet-talk him, flood him with proof. That's how scams worked.So why hang up? Why sound so sure of himself? "Ha. So that's it again. Playing coy, huh? You think you're clever?"