Hilda sat down on one of the benches in the workshop, which was full of warmth. She looked a little overwhelmed by all the attention. Lylia had already put a bowl of stew in her hands, and Bork was excitedly talking about how their team worked together.

Bork waved a piece of bread around and said, "So you see, we're not just a team."

"We're all one big happy family. Boss made these things that saved my job." He proudly tapped his magic headphones. "I'd still be the dwarf who couldn't swing a hammer without throwing up if it weren't for them."

Hilda's eyes got bigger. "You're allergic to the sound of hammers? That's really rare for a blacksmith, and my condolences for your condition..."

Bork laughed and said, "Tell me about it, but Boss here found a way to fix it."

"That's what he always does, like working on things that can't be done."

Felix jumped over with Donetta behind him, and they both had plates full of food. "Did someone say it was impossible? That's what we do!"

"By the way, I'm Felix Hutcher! Reformed gambler, cat summoner, and sometimes genius."

"The word 'sometimes' is generous for you, Felix." Marina said from across the room, but her words didn't really have any bite.

Hilda's face softened as she looked around at the group. "You're all really like family, aren't you?"

"Found family," Elwen said softly as she sat near the forge and drew something in her notebook. "The best kind. We picked each other up!"

Seraphine walked up with her usual calm grace, but Greg could tell she was trying not to smile. "You should know that by saving Greg, you've basically become an honorary member of the Brotherhood of Peace. We look out for our own, and it looks like that now includes you."

"Brotherhood of Peace...?" Hilda said it again, raising her eyebrows as she looked at Greg. "Is that the name of your team and family?"

Greg rubbed the back of his neck, feeling heat rise to his face. "It's a long story."

"It's a perfect story," Lylia said as she put down a new pitcher of water. "Greg won't make weapons but will make only things that are peaceful."

"That's how we became the Brotherhood of Peace. Marina keeps saying we need a better name, even though half of us aren't brothers."

"I still vote for 'The Household Hazards,'" Marina said as she sat down next to Greg. Her hand naturally found his, and he saw that Hilda's eyes followed the movement with understanding instead of disappointment.

Thereafter, the conversation went smoothly. Hilda told stories about her time in the mines, when she narrowly avoided cave-ins, and the strange creatures that sometimes lived in the deepest tunnels. The Brotherhood told their own stories in return. Hilda laughed so hard at Felix's story about how Donetta came to life that she almost spilled her stew.

She was able to say, "A lake serpent?" between laughs. "You made a doll come to life by being eaten by a lake serpent?"

"And my blood!" Felix added with pride. "The blood is the most important thing because now Donette is alive."

Donetta added softly, "The infinite luck he has also helped, even though he is sometimes always unlucky about things he wants," but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes.

Hammy, who had been hiding in Lylia's lap since the event, finally came out. The slime bounced carefully toward Hilda, making a soft sound.

She reached out slowly and let Hammy come to her when it was ready. Hilda's whole face lit up when the slime finally touched her hand and bounced around.

"Hello there, brave little one," she said softly. "I heard you ran all the way back to get help. That was a very smart move."

Hammy chirped with pride and did a little flip.

...

The night went on and on, full of laughter and warmth. Greg watched his family interact with Hilda and saw how easily she fit into their group. Her presence was grounding, a steady sense of practicality that balanced out the chaos of the group.

As the night went on and the festival lights outside started to fade, Hilda finally got up and stretched. "I need to leave now. Tomorrow morning, you all have a contest to win."

"Better win that one for the family, okay?"

Lylia said, "You're welcome back anytime," and it was clear that she meant it. "And of course! We're going to win this one!"

The others agreed and each added their own invitation. Even though Marina had teased Hilda before, she seemed genuinely happy to have met her.

Greg walked her to the door, but he was limping a little because Lylia's healing magic had helped with the worst of his injuries. Hilda stopped at the door and looked back at him.

"That hammer you were making," she said in a low voice so only he could hear. "The one that was messed up. Don't let that jerk win by making you doubt yourself."

"Fix it, make it better, and show everyone why you belong here."

Greg said, "I plan to."

Hilda's face changed, and she looked almost unsure. She looked back at the workshop and then moved closer. "After you win," she said in a low, careful voice, "I want to see you again."

"I need to talk about something. Something important."

Greg's eyebrows went up. "How important is it...?"

Hilda shook her head and said, "Not here, not now."

"You need to win first and show the saboteur that they are wrong. After the award ceremony, meet me at the west gate. Can you do that?"

Greg nodded before he fully understood the request because of the intensity in her eyes. "Okay, sure. I will be there."

"Okay." Hilda's smile came back, and it was real and warm. "Now go to bed. And for the love of all the gods, no more midnight trips into the woods."

Greg said, "No promises," and she laughed, which was what he had said before.

He saw her disappear into the crowds at the festival before going back to the workshop. Marina was waiting for him with her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.

"So," she said slowly. "What did the strange miner lady say to you?"

Greg said honestly, "She wants to meet after the competition. She said she has something important to talk about."

The other eyebrow on Marina's face joined the first. "Very important, huh~? I get it~."

Greg replied, "It's likely about ore, mining, or something related to work," but even to his ears, his tone sounded uncertain.

"Uh huh," she said, her expression unreadable to Greg. "I suppose we'll find out after you win, won't we?"

"You sound very sure about that."

"Yes, I am." Marina got closer and took his hand again. "We're going to fix that hammer, win the competition, and show everyone what the Brotherhood of Peace can really do!"

"Together."

Greg added, "As a family," while gently squeezing her hand.

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