After having eaten outside the forest, Ignis and the group had found a nearby settlement and Fervor had bought them a new caravan that would carry them to the city. Thus, without further ado, they headed toward the city. The journey took a day; with nothing to do, Ignis spent the time sleeping—and she was good at it considering that her activities inside the cave mainly consisted of just sleeping. She could sleep for hours on end but was woken up by Alicia.

‘Ignis, look, look! It’s the city!’

Ignis opened her eyes, still feeling drowsy. Then, she rose from the bench which she was sleeping on. A pleasant surprise, it was, for her to know that she could finally move. Humans can move right after waking up. I’ll keep that in mind.

Ignis looked at the direction that Alicia was pointing. To which, she saw a place as dense as the forest, but with stone-looking structures for trees. Much like trees, however, they varied in shape and size, and something about that generated more interest than if they were to all be the same in every aspect. Nevertheless, this wasn’t the first time she had seen a human city. She had seen a human city before—she had to stretch her wings at the time—from above. But this was the first time she had seen a human city from below.

Everything just looks so grand in human form… Ignis thought. She couldn’t figure out whether it was a good or a bad thing. Perhaps both.

‘I can’t wait to show you around! I know a place that sells serpent meat on a skewer that’s delicious!’

‘Alicia,’ Fervor joined in, ‘it’s good that you’re excited to give Ignis a look around, but our priority should still be in helping her get her dragon form back as she had requested. I have a plan in mind, and we’ll focus on that first. Then you’ll get to enjoy looking around the city.’

‘Okay!’

‘Ignis, please, allow me to handle what’s about to happen.’

What is about to happen? she wondered but decided not to think too much about it. ‘Okay…?’

There was a gate to enter the city, guarded by guards who were armed with spears. Each of them had a hardened look on their faces. Were also strict on checking the caravan that had passed through the gates before them. Ignis didn’t know what they were checking when they stabbed hays that the caravan in front had carried, but she could tell they were serious.

‘Hold!’ said a guard.

‘Hold, we shall,’ said Fervor.

A guard checked the passengers and what they had carried, while another was asking Fervor questions which he answered without missing a beat.

‘You.’ The guard who inspected the passengers pointed at Ignis. ‘Take off your horns!’

Take off my horns? How even?

‘Don’t dillydally! You take them off or I will!’

At that moment, Ignis remembered the pain that was inflicted on her when Alicia had tried taking off her horns before. She did not want to endure such pain again. ‘Try it and I’ll burn you.’

‘Are you threatening the guards?! How dare you—’

‘Sir,’ Fervor cut in, ‘she has a strong faith; I’m afraid your asking to take her horns off is a serious violation of her religion.’

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The guard shrugged. ‘Standard procedure. Take it with the city. They’re worried of the possibility of humanoid creatures with horns.’

‘That is unheard of. This standard procedure is a political agenda rather than actual concern if anything else. However, I do understand that you are just doing your job. Sir, perhaps this could convince you to respect her faith?’

The guard inspected the brown pouch that Fervor gave. He nodded. ‘This is very convincing indeed. Forgive me for questioning her faith.’

‘No worries.’

‘Let them pass!’

Just like that, they gained access to the city.

‘What did you give to the guard?’ Ignis asked Fervor, wondering how he changed his mind that fast.

‘It was filled with gold coins. Works every time.’

Considering how Ignis’s cave was filled with gold, offerings from humans that had been given to her, she knew that humans found gold valuable. However, she couldn’t understand why it was important. Maybe they like sleeping on it? Gold does get comfortable after you get used to it. That must be it.

***

The cave that humans lived in—the Ignicias had called it a mansion—was a space filled with little items, but each decorated the room nicely. The floor, unlike Ignis’s cave, wasn’t filled to the brim with coins, but was instead layered with a thin fabric they called a carpet. Not only did that make walking more comfortable, but something about the color made the place looked appealing. There were also holes, closed with glass, which blocked the wind but allowed the lights in.

Walking hand in hand with Alicia through the hallway, Ignis had so many questions.

‘Is that a trident?’

‘Trident? Ignis, that’s a candle holder!’

‘What’s that above?’

‘That’s a chandelier! Works almost the same as a candle holder!’

‘What about that thing inside the wall?’

‘That’s a fireplace! Technically a stronger candle holder!’

‘What’s a candle?’

‘Something that can hold fire!’

And the question went on and on as they walked around. There were so many things that were new to Ignis. Humans have so many things…

The reason they were walking around the mansion wasn’t because Alicia was giving Ignis a tour, but because they were looking for Alicia’s magic mentor to ask her about Ignis’s condition.

Before, inside the caravan, after having passed the guards, Fervor had told Ignis about the plan he had to restore her dragon form: ask someone who might be knowledgeable about it.

Thus, they were on their search.

‘Miss Aziel, are you here?’ Alicia popped her head beside a shelf. They were now inside the library, a place where many books were stored, but they had no luck in finding her. ‘Oh! Ignis, this book is good, you should try reading it!’

She picked a book from the shelf that had caught her fancy and handed it to her. Ignis looked at the title but couldn’t understand it. What are these scribbles? ‘Okay…’

‘Look! Someone made a mess!’ Alicia pointed at the books which were piled messily on the ground, creating a small mountain. ‘Whoever did that should take care of books better! Ignis, can I put the books back onto the shelf first? I promise we’ll resume our search right after!’

Alicia asked for permission, but she went on to do what she asked without hearing a response anyway. Ignis was starting to get used to that.

Not wanting to just stand around, Ignis helped Alicia. She wasn’t as fast as her, but she was contributing.

At some point, the pile of books was getting shorter and shorter, and Ignis found a book that had a weird spine. It looked like a nose and seemed to be breathing. Just like—wait a second…

‘Alicia.’

‘Yes?’

‘Do humans have a habit of burying themselves under books?’

‘No. What gave the idea?’

Ignis pointed at the nose. Alicia saw what she pointed. ‘Oh!’ Alicia got rid of the books and revealed the face: a woman who had dark circles under her eyes. ‘Miss Aziel!’

That was her, the magic mentor they had been looking for. Buried under the books. Alive.