Never.
Under any circumstances.
As for the Amorcap mushrooms, Noelle didn't want them to go to waste.
So she took the sack and carried it down to Master Florian's laboratory.
Someday… maybe… they might be useful.
Noelle burst into the lab with her usual energy, the sack of mushrooms tucked under her arm.
"Hey, you old fossil! I brought you some mushrooms. If you've got time, brew something out of them."
Florian didn't even look up from his bubbling concoction.
"What kind of mushrooms?
Amorcap?
So you finally gathered the courage to drip some into Young Wolf's tea?"
Noelle's face instantly turned crimson.
Florian continued, as casually as if discussing the weather:
"Why didn't you say so earlier?
You didn't need to go all the way to the Old Wolf‑Oak for them.
I've got a whole crate of ready‑made potion."
Noelle's eyes widened.
Florian still spoke with perfect calm:
"Where do you think the Wolfwood brothel gets its potions from?
I make them.
Not for the money, of course — but this little side job practically covers my entire yearly membership at the brothel."
Noelle's throat went dry.
Florian added another shovel of fuel to the fire:
"If you ask me, you should use it when you're alone with Young Wolf.
In fact, always keep some on you when the two of you are somewhere… secluded."
That was when Noelle exploded.
"No, no, no, no and NO!
I am NOT mentally prepared for that!!!"
The half‑elf girl stormed out of the lab, slamming the door so hard the glass vials on the shelves rattled.
Noelle never slammed doors — this was a rare exception.
Florian watched her go in silence for a moment, then sighed.
"Ah… to be young."
Then he paused.
"Wait… maybe I could invite Floralys over for tea sometime, to discuss mage matters.
And when we're alone, I could drip a little into her tea and…"
He stopped.
His expression darkened.
"…even I'm not that brave."
The mage returned to his potions, while the sack of Amorcap rested on the shelf — a promise of a later, perhaps even more dangerous chapter.
Dinner Chaos in the Kitchen
By evening, everyone in the kitchen was preparing for dinner.
The team sat around the large table, the smell of steaming food filling the room.
That was when Young Wolf noticed that Fireburp and Lili were eating while standing, as if they were being punished.
"Why aren't you sitting down to eat?" Andras asked.
Fireburp immediately turned bright red.
"Well, because… I learned my lesson.
Please, Noelle, heal my butt!"
Lili raised her hand too.
"Mine as well… and my back too, please, Noelle."
Fireburp blinked at her in confusion.
"What happened to your back?"
"Well, since Noelle punished my butt, my mom used the wooden spoon on my back."
Anita burst out laughing.
"Don't tell me you two did something naughty! Hahaha!"
Lili lowered her head.
"We didn't mean to… it was all a misunderstanding."
Fireburp pointed at Anita indignantly.
"And it's all your fault, Anita!"
Noelle instantly agreed:
"I second that. It's entirely Anita's fault!"
Anita snapped her head up.
"What did I do this time?!
Wait… does this have something to do with my dark sword?"
Noelle crossed her arms.
"It has something to do with your dark brain."
Fireburp added enthusiastically:
"And the Amorcap!"
Lili squeaked.
"You weren't supposed to say that out loud!"
Andras raised an eyebrow.
"Amorcap? But that's a—"
Noelle cut him off before he could finish:
"It was all Anita's idea!
I was against it from the very beginning!"
Anita slammed her hand on the table.
"Excuse me?!
We only talked about it, we didn't actually do anything!
Or did I miss something?!"
Andrea's head shot up.
"And what exactly were you plotting that you wanted to leave me out of?!"
Meanwhile, Ironclaw muttered over her plate:
"What's an Amorcap? Is it tasty?"
In the middle of the chaos, Fireburp suddenly lit up.
"Today I finally learned how to breathe fire!"
The kitchen fell silent.
Andras slowly turned toward her.
"Really.
You'll show me tomorrow."
In the background, Noelle murmured quietly — and very smugly:
"Nice distraction, Fireburp."
The kitchen soon filled again with chatter, laughter, and general chaos — but the two little girls already knew one thing for certain:
Next time, they would never go on a secret mission without Noelle's knowledge.
Arc 13 – Firestorm
In the Forest of Wolves, on the morning after the Amorcap fiasco
The sun was only just blinking sleepily over the horizon when a massive shadow swept across the Forest of Wolves.
The treetops trembled, birds scattered in alarm, and the wild animals instinctively dove into the underbrush.
It was Firestorm.
Queen of the Fire Dragons.
The strongest dragon in the Volcanic Highlands.
And now… she was searching for her little sister.
Her eyes glowed a deep, burning red as she scanned the landscape.
"I can feel it…
My little sister's presence is getting closer."
Then something else brushed against her senses.
"Hmm?
And this strong presence…?
A magical beast, perhaps.
Maybe the ruler of this territory."
A predatory smile curled at the corner of her mouth.
"I'll take a closer look.
Maybe it's a creature with delicious meat."
Firestorm descended onto a rocky riverbank.
The stones sizzled beneath her feet as her heat seeped into them.
But the magical beast…
was not exactly alert.
By a large boulder at the water's edge, it was peacefully snoring.
Firestorm raised an eyebrow.
"An Earthstone Bear?
Quite a big one.
Even in my territory there are Firestone Bears, but they're not even half this size."
She leaned closer, examining the creature's armor‑like hide.
"Its Stonehide is so tough even my teeth might break on it.
And its meat is as chewy as petrified lava.
Not worth hunting."
The bear suddenly shifted and muttered in its sleep:
"Ursa Laci…
I can't eat any more honey treats…
Alright… maybe just one last sack…"
Firestorm froze.
"It talks in its sleep?
And what honey treats is it eating?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"If it's in a sack, then it must be human food.
Meteora always said humans eat far tastier things than dragons."
Her stomach growled.
"I want to taste this honey treat that this giant oaf is dreaming about!"
The Earthstone Bear continued snoring peacefully, completely unaware that one of the strongest dragons in the world was currently contemplating how to steal its breakfast.
Firestorm Meets the Earthstone Bear
The Earthstone Bear continued snoring peacefully as Firestorm stepped toward it, her shadow covering half the riverbank.
"Hey, you bear! Where is that honey treat?"
The bear slowly opened his eyes, let out a massive yawn, then looked up sleepily.
"Ursa Laci:
Hmm? And you're…?
A dragon?"
Firestorm snorted.
"You're certainly not easily bothered.
Firestone Bears in my territory panic the moment they see me — they don't even know which way to run.
Are you not afraid of me?
Do you think that just because you're as big as I am, you stand a chance?"
Ursa Laci scratched his belly.
"I know you're much stronger than me."
Firestorm blinked.
"Then why are you so calm?"
"I've met a dragon before.
Much smaller than you, but she became a good friend of mine.
Thanks to her, I understand what my human friends say."
Firestorm's eyes narrowed.
"A magical beast… befriending humans?