Adrian sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Ohhh," he said slowly, a faint note of sarcasm creeping into his voice. "Definitely wasn't expecting something this easy."

"Easy?" Hestia drawled, leaning back against the sarcophagus with a faint smirk. "I'm guessing my sisters were a bit difficult or hard on you?"

"You can say that," Adrian replied dryly.

Hestia's lips curled into a lazy smile. "Well, I prefer not to stress over an agreement. All this fuss—blood, sex, sacrifices, pledges—it's exhausting just thinking about it." She stretched her arms languidly, her posture radiating an almost hypnotic calm. "My way is better, isn't it?"

Adrian rolled his eyes. "Better for you, maybe."

"Exactly," Hestia said with a soft laugh. She gestured toward the scroll. "So? Are you ready to seal the deal? Or do you need more time to brood?"

Adrian studied her for a moment, noting the contrast between her casual demeanor and the weight of her words. Though she seemed indifferent, there was an undeniable power in her presence, a quiet strength that demanded respect.

"No more brooding," he said firmly. "Let's get this done."

He scanned through the contract one last time, as if to see if there was a disclaimer or something subtle he had missed.

"So you also don't have a pen?" Hestia asked.

Adrian blinked at her in disbelief. "You didn't come with one from the underworld. Why would you think I carry a pen into a catacombs? Seriously?"

Hestia shrugged, her marine blue eyes glinting with faint amusement. "Do you have any better ideas?"

He frowned, then reached down to the dagger strapped to his leg. "Blood will work, right?"

Hestia's expression didn't change, her tone as nonchalant as ever. "Sure. Do you, champion."

Adrian pulled the dagger free, turning the blade in his hand. He pressed the tip against his finger, grimacing slightly as a bead of crimson welled up.

He carefully pressed his bloodied fingertip to the scroll, signing his name in smooth, steady strokes.

"There," he said, holding it out to her.

Hestia took the scroll lazily, giving it a cursory glance. "Efficient. I like that," she murmured before snapping her fingers.

The scroll vanished into a puff of blue smoke, and a faint glow surrounded her hand. "All right," she said with a faint yawn. "Now for the fun part."

"What fun part?" Adrian asked, already bracing for the unexpected.

She held her glowing hand out to him, her tone light and playful. "Place your hand on mine. Let's seal this thing properly. Don't worry, it'll only take a few seconds."

Adrian hesitated for a fraction of a moment before stepping closer and placing his hand over hers. The moment their hands touched, a surge of warmth coursed through him, starting at his fingertips and spreading through his body.

A soft blue flame flickered to life between their palms, its glow gentle yet unyielding.

"There," Hestia said in a soft voice that was laced with satisfaction. "The Fire of the Hearth is yours now."

The flame leapt from her hand to his chest, embedding itself just above his heart. It burned for a moment, not with pain but with a soothing warmth that felt both calming and invigorating.

Adrian exhaled slowly, his fiery chains dimming as the new energy settled within him. "That's it?" he asked, his tone cautious.

Hestia gave him a lazy smile. "That's it," she confirmed, stretching again as if sealing the contract had been the most exhausting task in existence. "Now you have my gift. Use it wisely—or don't. Either way, I trust you'll figure it out."

Adrian's lips twitched into a faint smirk. "You make it sound like you don't care."

"I care," Hestia replied with a playful shrug. "Just… not enough to stress over it. That's so not my style. You'll do fine, Adrian. You're capable, stubborn, and surprisingly resourceful. That's why I agreed to this in the first place."

Adrian shook his head with a soft chuckle. "You're definitely not what I expected."

"Good." Hestia smiled, her marine blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "That's what makes me so memorable. Plus I would hate to be predictable."

The faint sound of footsteps echoed from the passageway behind them, and Adrian turned to see Selene stepping into the chamber. Her silver eyes darted between Adrian and Hestia, her expression a mixture of curiosity and caution.

"Is it done?" she asked, her voice steady.

Adrian nodded. "It's done."

Hestia waved lazily at Selene, her smile faint but warm. "Nice to see someone else made it through the catacombs in one piece. I hope you didn't strain yourself too much."

Selene blinked, caught off guard by Hestia's casual tone. "Uh… no. I'm fine."

"Good," Hestia said, already leaning back against the sarcophagus as though preparing to nap again. "Because I don't think I have the energy to deal with any more drama today."

Adrian crossed his arms, his gaze flicking pointedly to Hestia's bare form. "Good," he said. "I believe this is the part where you put some clothes on." He gestured vaguely to her, then quickly added, "To avoid dealing with unnecessary drama when we get back up there."

Hestia tilted her head, her marine blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "Unnecessary drama, huh? You think anyone would dare cause a fuss over this?" She gestured casually to herself, completely unbothered.

"I'm not taking chances," Adrian replied firmly. "Your sisters might not care, but Ava? Lilith? They'll turn it into a spectacle, and I don't have time for that."

"Fair enough," Hestia said with a lazy shrug. She raised her hand, snapping her fingers.

A soft, blue wave of energy rippled over her body from head to toe, leaving behind a simple, flowing gown of light blue fabric. The dress swayed gently with her every slow movement, as effortless as the goddess herself.

"There," she said, spinning once with exaggerated grace. "Satisfied?"

"That'll do," Adrian said, stepping toward the passageway. "Let's get out of here before you decide to settle back in for another century."

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