Tamosmed balked for a moment before he could reply.

    “Forgemaster, did you hear what I said? Or is it just that hard to believe? I know it’s hard to fathom but believe me, I conducted every test possible, every test you developed. I saw the crafting with my own eyes, I verified the golem’s nature, and I put the slime through the autonomous crafting test. This is real.”

    Forgemaster Ughlarer scoffed.

    “You’re missing the point, forge adept. No smith of any forge I speak for will have anything to do with the humans. I don’t care what their slimes are doing.”

    Tamosmed’s jaw dropped.

    “Are...are you serious? You would forgo true, autonomous slime crafting, the great desire of our people, just because the one who figured it out is human?”

    The forgemaster’s face turned dark.

    “See, there it is. The temptation the humans always offer. Always ambitious, always pushing the limits, heedless of the consequences since they won’t be around long enough to suffer them. Promising the world, not knowing what it is they say. The last time the fair folk gave into that temptation and shared our knowledge, the humans doomed the world, unleashing the Hunger. I won’t stand for it, not again, no matter what the human claims to offer us.”

    Tamosmed glared at him.

    “This human has nothing to do with that! Dungeon Master Nenavann himself vouches for this human’s character! He even gave the boy the Heart of the Forest!”

    Forgemaster Ughlarer returned his glare.@@@@

    “Don’t you raise your voice at me, boy! That sea-addled sailor has gone mad with grief, his judgement cannot be trusted! He’s already setting us up for disaster with this human, I will not accelerate it! There''s no telling what a human, much less a human with a dungeon, could do with our resources and knowledge!”

    Tamosmed gritted his teeth.

    “Well, you’re too late!”

    Forgemaster Ughlarer’s next shout died in his throat.

    “...what did you do?”

    Tamosmed gathered himself and stood tall as he marched up to the forgemaster.

    “I gave him mithril.”

    For the first time Tamosmed could remember, Forgemaster Ughlarer was rendered speechless. Tamosmed pressed on.

    “The great weakness of our people, of all the fair folk, has ever been our numbers. Thanks to that, we could not hold back the humans, much less the Hunger, even with our might or our craft. Slime crafting has ever been our goal because it solves that problem. If we can create armies of masterpiece golems at will, if we can expand our production beyond our own numbers with fast-reproducing slimes that can eat anything, then we would no longer need to fear the humans. Maybe we would no longer need to fear the Hunger itself! And you’re telling me that you would refuse this, refuse the answer to the very fears that drive you, all because of the race of the one who offers it? Don’t be a fool, father. We need this, all the fair folk need this. Human or not, it is worth the risk.”

    Forgemaster Ughlarer was completely silent and remained so for a long time. When he finally spoke, he used a quiet voice, softer than Tamosmed had ever heard.

    “You have doomed us all. You have given our most precious resource to those who doomed the world. You have betrayed your family and people both. By my authority as forgemaster, you are a smith of this forge no longer. And, so long as you engage with the humans, I have no son.”

    Tamosmed gaped at him. Neither black elf spoke another word as the forgemaster turned and left. Once he was gone, Tamosmed gripped his own hair and let out a scream.

    Nenavann nodded. Tarwantrad immediately began to shake her head.

    “No!”

    Nenavann remained unmoving.

    “There is no other choice, Tarwantrad. Besides, I’ve asked every member of the Circle to offer Belissar a boon. He will meet her eventually.”

    Tarwantrad kept shaking her head.

    “You know what she’s like, what she always said she wanted! He’s not ready to handle her!”

    Nenavann gave a helpless smile and a shrug.

    “No one ever is.”

    He then steeled his expression once more, looking Tarwantrad in the eyes.

    “And you cannot shield him from her forever. If we want the Compact to accept him, he must interact with all of its members. This is necessary, Tarwantrad. It is what we are working towards."

    Tarwantrad stopped shaking her head, though she kept frowning.

    "But...”

    Tamosmed threw his hands up.

    “Hang it, Tarwantrad! I’ve been disowned by my own father and stripped of every title and commendation save dungeon master! And you know what? I’m taking it on the chin because I believe it’s necessary! But it’s all going to be for naught if those Hunger-loving humans come and take the one of their number we’ve decided to trust! We’re doing this to save Belissar, so surely he can handle it even if it goes poorly! Whatever he loses to her will pale in comparison to what he will lose if he can’t stop the humans!”

    Tarwantrad took a step back as Tamosmed shouted at her and then hung her head. She took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

    “...you’re right. Fine. I’ll introduce Belissar to...the pixie princess.”

    Nenavann gave her a sympathetic smile and patted her shoulder.

    “It is not all bad, Tarwantrad. If my predictions are correct, Belissar has the perfect weapon to use against her...and her mother. And if he can bring the pixies to his side...”

    Tarwantrad sighed yet again.

    “Then the Compact will come with them. I know. I’m just...worried. How is a young and earnest human supposed to deal with a pixie princess when even I couldn’t?”

    Nenavann and Tamosmed glanced at each other. Unfortunately, neither of them had an answer to that.

    And so, the next dungeon master to offer a boon to Belissar was, reluctantly, decided upon.