Gardenia’s Heart

Resting a hand on her broad shoulder, the middle-aged smith flashed a grin and flexed the muscle in her arm.

“When it comes to weapons, there’s no better place than here, especially for a newlywed young lady.” Letting out a soft laugh, Agatha displayed her strength a bit more proudly, drawing a smile from the silver-haired girl as she watched.

When Lily and Nia left the girl’s village to explore the world, Agatha had been the first person to offer help to the newlywed wives. Though their time together had been brief, Lily deeply respected her—Agatha was, in fact, the very first person Lily had told about her marriage.

“Speaking of that, how’s married life treating you? You really caught me off guard with that revelation. I hope everything’s going well.” Agatha asked, her green eyes studying Lily with curiosity.

Hearing Agatha’s words, Lily placed both hands over her chest, feeling the gentle pulse of her heart—a sign of Nia’s constant presence within her.

“It’s been going perfectly. I couldn’t ask for a more wonderful partner. Actually, we’re planning to have our first child soon; we just need to settle a few things first.” As her fingers slid down to the base of her stomach, Lily rested her hand gently on her abdomen, imagining the day she had long dreamed of.

“Oh, that’s amazing! When the time comes, if you need any help during the pregnancy, count on me. I can teach you a thing or two about having a healthy gestation.” Leaning over the counter, Agatha seemed lost in fond memories. “My kids didn’t want to follow the family trade and became mercenaries instead. It’s not what I’d hoped for, but I’ve chosen to support their decision. I could tell you more if you’d like—it was quite a hectic time.”

“I’d love to hear all your stories and tips,” Lily replied, stepping closer to the counter as the conversation grew more heartfelt.

While the two women spoke, Nia felt her entire body heat up, as if engulfed in flames. Even though her name hadn’t been mentioned, it was obvious she was one of the conversation’s topics. Hearing her wife praise her so openly made Nia feel so overwhelmed with emotion that she didn’t know how to react. But the thought sending the strongest waves of warmth through her mind was something else entirely.

(A baby... mine and Lily’s.) Nia murmured softly, so quietly that not even her wife could hear her shy voice.

She’d thought about it before. Every time Lily had mentioned it, the tender idea whispered at the back of her mind, making her hold Lily just a little tighter with her tentacles.

It was such a sweet, intimate thought, yet so perfect. The vision of her beloved wife with her stomach gently rounded, her hands protectively cradling the bump. The soft, maternal expression on Lily’s face as she smiled and invited her closer, asking her to feel... their baby.

As the women continued their heartfelt conversation, Nia gave Lily a gentle prod beneath her clothing. The shapeshifter could feel that if this topic went on any longer, her imagination might get the better of her. If she didn’t stop it, the moment when she would have to fulfill her promise of taking responsibility would come much sooner than expected.

Feeling the increasingly frantic pokes from Nia’s tentacles, Lily assumed she was being reminded they had stayed too long. Gently stroking the unusually warm tentacle in return, Lily turned her attention back to the weapons lining the walls.

“Forgive me—it seems I got a bit carried away chatting. Returning to the reason for my visit, Miss Agatha, I’d like to buy a weapon.”

”There’s no need to worry about that, Lily. I really enjoy talking with you,” Agatha said, adjusting her overalls and tightening the bun that held back her orange hair. ”So, what kind of weapon do you have in mind?”

”I need stardust weapons within this budget.” Placing the pouch filled with gold coins on the counter, Lily gestured toward the collection of weapons. ”They need to be strong enough to withstand a massive amount of mana, but light enough for someone with almost no physical strength to wield. I need them as soon as possible—preferably today.”

As Lily confidently made her request, Agatha raised both eyebrows.

”Honestly, that’s the craziest request I’ve ever heard.”

”Yeah, I figured...” Lily’s shoulders slumped, her gaze dropping to the counter below.

”Why do I feel like I’m having déjà vu? I never said it was impossible.” Laughing so hard she had to clutch her chest, Agatha hopped down from the wooden stool that allowed her to reach the tall counter. She opened the wooden gate separating the shop from the living quarters. ”Come with me, Lily.”

Waving for her to follow, Agatha led Lily into the back of the shop, a place where customers usually weren’t allowed.

”Lily, do you know the difference between ordinary weapons and magical ones?” the blacksmith asked while guiding her through the cluttered workspace, careful to keep the girl from bumping into the scattered tools on the floor.

”The way they channel mana?” Lily replied after a brief moment of thought.

”Not a bad answer, but still only half right. Unlike regular weapons, those made with magical minerals aren’t truly complete after forging. If you want them to become truly great weapons, they need to be enchanted.”

Wearing a confident smile, Agatha pulled aside a leather curtain separating the final room of the hallway from the rest of the house.

Everything glowed in a deep, fiery orange hue.

The forge was modest yet sturdy. At the center stood a well-worn iron anvil, marked by years of use. Against the far wall, a stone furnace burned brightly, casting dancing shadows on the dark stone walls. Hammers of various shapes and sizes hung neatly on hooks along stone shelves. The air was thick with the bitter scent of hot metal and burning coal, and the heat was so intense that someone unused to the environment would start sweating within seconds.

If the sight wasn’t impressive enough, near the entrance sat a small box containing a few black stones that shimmered faintly with white and bluish hues. It was as if a fragment of the night sky had been crystallized into rock.

It didn’t take Lily long to recognize what she was looking at.

”Stardust...” Lily murmured, eyes fixed on the raw mineral. She stared at the box with curiosity, completely oblivious to what was happening around her.

”It’s time to wake up, you lazy lump!” Agatha’s cryptic words rang out sharply, her voice loud enough to startle the silver-haired girl.

Before Lily could ask what she meant, she felt herself being subtly pulled back a few steps—Nia’s intervention.

It didn’t take long to understand why. A loud thud echoed through the room as Agatha struck a large fabric net hanging from the ceiling with the handle of a broom.

Something—or rather, someone—fell from it.

”Aaargh! I-I told you not to wake me up like that! Just calling me is enough!” A male voice, both pained and grumpy, filled the room.

”As long as you keep sleeping in the forge, I’ll keep waking you up like this. Why don’t you just use the bed?” Agatha said, rolling her eyes.

”You know I like warm places, dear! Even when I close the windows, the fog still seeps in through the cracks, and it gets way too cold!”

”Just use a blanket! There’s no reason to burn through all our coal every time you want to nap!”

Watching the heated exchange unfold before her, Lily scratched her cheek lightly while the other hand gently caressed one of Nia’s tentacles, a silent thanks for protecting her earlier.

”Umm... Miss Agatha?” Realizing they might have forgotten she was there, Lily cautiously spoke up.

At the sound of her voice, both turned toward her at the same time. Agatha blinked, realizing she had gotten distracted again. She cleared her throat, pressing a gloved hand to her mouth as she coughed a few times.

”Lily, meet my husband, Borago.” She patted the man sitting on the stone floor several times, presenting him with a proud smile.

Rubbing his short, blue hair while attempting to stand, Borago gave a subtle nod.

”Nice to meet you...”

He was only slightly taller than his wife, his brown eyes weighed down by deep shadows under them. His dark overalls were stained from work, and his unshaven beard, though scruffy, wasn’t long enough to make him look older. His hands were calloused, marked by charcoal stains, small cuts, and light burn scars—evidence of years spent mastering his craft.

”A pleasure, Mr. Borago. My name is Lily,” she replied politely, exchanging the greeting. She then turned to Agatha, who seemed unusually excited.

”I’m in charge of forging the weapons, and my husband here is the one who enchants them,” Agatha explained before beckoning Lily to follow her to the far end of the forge.

”First, we’ll choose the weapon. Then, we’ll enchant it.”

She dragged a heavy stone table aside, revealing a hidden compartment in the floor filled with dark, finely crafted weapons.

”These are my best pieces. I don’t display them in the shop—I reserve them for special clients.”

Unlike the weapons on the storefront, these instantly stole Lily’s breath. Her eyes widened as she gazed upon the collection.

Finely crafted battle-axes, so sharp and polished they looked capable of felling entire sections of a forest with a single swing. Curved daggers, their edges gleaming with the promise of piercing solid stone. Shields so sturdy they seemed indestructible, crafted for those who would never back down.

”Impressive, aren’t they? Weapons are the life of a warrior—or a mage. They can mean the difference between survival and destruction. A proper magical weapon can amplify spells or ensure you can defend yourself when magic isn’t enough. Choose carefully, Lily. A weapon should resonate with its wielder.”

However, the choice Agatha expected to take time ended in a heartbeat.

Without hesitation, Lily reached for a particular set of twin blades. One rested in each of her hands, as though they had been crafted for her.

The elegant, curved swords were a masterpiece. Their grips, wrapped in textured black leather, were accented with tarnished silver details resembling dim stars. The stardust-forged blades themselves were a polished midnight black, catching only the faintest glimmer of light, with a subtle bluish sheen running along their length. Intricate, floral patterns in deep gray traced the steel—somber and cold, as if fragments of the world’s essence had been twisted and reforged into this haunting design.

The guards curved in an almost organic shape, resembling claws stretching outward to protect the wielder’s hands.

”I want these...” Lily’s voice was barely above a whisper, her gaze unwavering as she turned to Agatha, determined—no hesitation, no second thoughts.

Placing her hands on her hips, proud and clearly satisfied by Lily’s reaction, Agatha turned toward her husband.

”You heard the girl. Now it’s your turn. They’re sturdy enough to withstand a massive amount of mana but light enough for someone with almost no physical strength to wield. You can do it, right?”

The scruffy-bearded man squinted at the request, his expression making it obvious how absurd he thought it was.

”What?! Who in their right mind would ask for something so crazy—”

”You can do it, right?” Agatha leaned closer, almost spelling out each word with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Seeing no room for argument, Borago put on a brave face, snatching the twin swords from Lily’s hands.

”Of course I can! Who do you think I am?!” he grumbled, exhaling heavily as he placed the swords on his workbench. His tired eyes, ringed with dark circles, met Lily’s gaze.

”So... both blades are for you, right? To make such specific adjustments, I’ll need to imprint your mana signature onto the weapons.”

”My mana signature?” Lily echoed, tilting her head in confusion.

”It means the swords will be enchanted based on you as the wielder. From today onward, they’ll only respond to your mana, adjusting to your needs. Of course, this also means you won’t be able to resell them. Even though they’re made from stardust, they’ll be about as useful as chunks of wood in anyone else’s hands.”

Borago explained while preparing a small hammer and a chisel glowing faintly with a blue aura.

Upon hearing this, Lily’s expression shifted to slight concern.

”Wait—please, is it possible to bind the mana signature to two people?”

Borago stopped, raising an eyebrow.

”Weren’t you listening? Each mana signature is unique. If you try to bind the weapons to two different sources, the enchantments will conflict, and neither will work.”

Hearing the explanation again, Lily crossed her arms, resting a hand thoughtfully on her chin, deep in rapid contemplation.

”Alright... then instead, I’ll place my signature on one of the swords and someone else’s on the other.” She uncrossed her arms, offering the couple a small but determined smile.

”But Lily, that would defeat the purpose of twin blades,” Agatha said, concern evident in her voice. ”You wouldn’t be able to channel mana through both, even while wielding them together. It would waste their full potential.”

”Don’t worry.” Lily’s smile remained, distant yet warm, as if lost in a thought only she could understand. ”Even if I’m not the one supplying the mana... I feel like we can make this work.”

She chuckled softly, ignoring the puzzled expressions around her.

”I’ll call my wife. Please wait a moment.”

Without further explanation, Lily dashed out of the forge in a flash, leaving the blacksmith couple exchanging baffled glances.

Minutes later, she returned—this time, with another girl in tow.

Lily led the way, her steps careful and protective. Half-hidden beneath Lily’s cloak was a smaller figure, clinging close. The girl’s cheeks were flushed a soft pink, her crimson eyes peeking nervously from behind Lily’s shoulder. Her purple hair swayed gently as she pressed herself closer to Lily, as though seeking comfort.

When they stopped, Lily’s hand slid gently along the girl’s back, a reassuring caress that seemed to give her courage.

With a shy glance toward the blacksmiths, the purple-haired girl finally spoke, her voice quiet but steady.

”P-Pleasure... my name is Gardenia. I’m Lily’s wife.”

Proud of her wife’s introduction, Lily wrapped her arms protectively around Nia, holding her close as if sharing her warmth.

”Oh my, you’re just as adorable as your wife! That outfit—are you perhaps working as a maid somewhere around here?”

Caught off guard, Agatha nearly jumped in place, marveling at the sight of the two beauties embracing as if they couldn’t bear to let go of each other.

”I’m already married to Lily. I have no interest in anyone else.” Pressing even closer against Lily, Nia tightened her hold around her wife’s waist, hiding further beneath the cloak.

”Of course, sweetheart, I wouldn’t dream of stealing you from your wife. Do you also wear dresses like Lily? You must look magnificent in them! Let me see them sometime, and I’ll give you a discount on your next purchase as thanks.” Agatha teased with a hearty laugh, her cheerful face making it clear she hadn’t smiled so much in a long time.

Seeing Nia’s efforts to socialize despite her shyness, Lily couldn’t help but feel warm inside. It was the first time Nia had revealed her human form to anyone but her, and she was doing her best despite her nerves. If she could, Lily would cover her face with kisses for being so adorable—but instead, she held back, turning her attention to Borago, who was still holding his tools, waiting patiently.

”We’re ready,” Lily said, guiding Nia closer to the forge.

”Alright, I have no clue what you two are planning, but I’ll follow your instructions.” Borago handed them each a small engraving tool, the tips glowing faintly. ”Channel your mana into these tools. I’ll use the trace to carve your signatures into the blades. My craftsmanship is top-tier—so fine you’ll barely see the etchings unless you look closely.”

The older craftsman stroked his beard proudly while waiting for the tools to be returned. Once both girls had transferred their mana, Borago collected the instruments and grinned.

”And you, newlywed miss, what kind of enchantment would you like on your blade?” he asked, turning to Lily.

”Lightweight and as sharp as possible,” she replied without hesitation.

”And you, miss maid?” he added, smirking at Nia.

”Um... Increase the mana conductivity and durability... as much as you can,” Nia responded softly, still clinging to Lily’s side for comfort.

Borago twirled the chisel and hammer in his hands with a confident smirk, preparing to start.

”How long will it take?” Lily asked, watching him closely as he prepared his workstation.

”Who do you think I am? Give me half an hour.”

With a fierce grin, the craftsman, who had seemed timid earlier, began engraving the swords with passionate precision. His fluid yet forceful movements captivated both girls, the rhythmic sound of metal meeting metal echoing softly. Delicate patterns and runes began to form along the black blades, glowing faintly as the enchantments settled.

”It’s just like magical artifacts...” Nia murmured, her curiosity drawing her closer to the workstation, ruby eyes wide with wonder.

”You want to watch, don’t you? Go ahead—I’ll be in the next room.” Lily smiled gently, encouraging her.

Nia hesitated for a moment before hugging Lily tightly, then, after a deep breath, stepped closer to Borago. Her expression remained serious, but Lily couldn’t help but chuckle as she noticed how her wife, entranced by the forging process, began rising slightly on her toes as if too excited to stay still.

Leaving the forge, Lily drew the leather curtain behind her and returned to the shop’s front. Just as she had hoped, even with part of Nia’s body physically distant from her, nothing unusual happened.

”Did something happen, Miss Agatha?” Lily asked, noticing the woman had left the forge to her husband and returned to the counter with a stack of papers in hand.

”Oh, was it that obvious?” Agatha scratched her head while finishing organizing the documents before her. ”It’s just... business hasn’t been going well these last few months.”

The orange-haired smith let out a soft sigh.

”Most of my sales came from exporting our stardust weapons to the capital. But the city’s council recently got a deal too good to refuse from Caligo. They sold off most of this year’s stardust ore stock to them. I barely managed to secure enough to finish my current orders. If this keeps up, I’ll be in trouble for next month’s commissions.”

The sudden mention of Caligo made Lily narrow her eyes, hands pressing against the counter as she tried to process the information.

”Caligo is buying stardust? Not stardust weapons?” the silver-haired girl asked.

”Yes, it even caught me off guard. It’s not like Caligo has such renowned blacksmiths that they’d rather forge their own weapons instead of purchasing them from a proper stardust forge like ours.” Agatha ruffled her vibrant hair in frustration. ”I wonder why they need such a highly mana-conductive mineral. With their efficient mana ore mines, they shouldn’t be lacking raw materials for equipment.”

Giving up on the thought, Agatha tucked the documents away and resumed tidying the displayed goods in the shop.

Lily, however, couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling tightening in her chest. Her arms crossed, fingers resting on her chin as her mind raced. What could *he* be preparing in that city to require such a massive amount of rare ore?

She must have been lost in thought for longer than she realized, as a cheerful cry snapped her back to the present.

”Lily! Lily! They’re ready!”

Nia came running over, two black swords cradled carefully in her arms, a beaming smile brightening her face—proof that watching the smith work had been thoroughly enjoyable.

Taking the blades, Lily tested their weight in each hand. The one in her right hand felt noticeably lighter, no longer requiring her to channel mana to lift it with ease.

”This is... truly impressive,” she murmured, while Nia once again retreated under her cloak, pressing against Lily’s back and hugging her waist.

”That was some of my finest work, so feel free to shower me with praise.” Borago’s fierce grin remained as he joined them at the counter, wiping his sweaty brow with the cloth draped over his shoulder.

”And so modest, too.” Agatha elbowed her husband in the stomach, speaking through gritted teeth before turning back to the pair of wives. ”I hope this is what you wanted.”

”It’s perfect. Thank you so much. Even if I’m not buying anything, I’ll try to stop by for a visit when I’m in town.” Lily smiled warmly, adjusting the swords at her waist before preparing to leave.

”Take care. I hope everything works out.”

Watching the two leave, Agatha’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as if a thought had just struck her.

”Now that I think about it—not to pry or anything—but how exactly do you two plan on having children, considering you’re both women?” she asked, a mix of curiosity and genuine confusion in her voice.

Pausing, Lily closed her eyes with a composed smile. Raising her index finger to her lips, she replied just before closing the door behind her.

”Couple’s secret.”