Chapter 2: Late night intel
"Man, this sucks!" The blacksmith sighed at the sudden realization. "I have to walk back home, but the beers are hitting me hard right about now."
The town was located next to the Lost Forest, the place where the man resides. His route usually took about an hour or less, depending on his pace.
"I need to get a horse one of these days because-- hick, walking isn't cutting it anymore, not with this old age dragging me down."
The man who could barely walk kept talking nonsense at each step he slowly took, "Then again, the road is kind of rough for a horse. Maybe I'll get one of those lizard things--hick."
William was very drunk. He could barely keep his composure when making a step. He knew that at this rate he wouldn't make it home, not even halfway through.
The blacksmith sat on a bench in the market street as he frowned at himself, "Man, this is embarrassing! Just when I had made such a cool exit, why did I have to fall this badly?"
He referred to the interaction he had with the waitress. He felt very confident about the way he conveyed the message of him paying so Lucy would not get scolded by her boss. The problem was that William was a bad drinker. He had made a very bad move by sitting while drinking. Once he got up, he quickly felt the effects of alcohol.
"I acted like such a novice. Everyone knows you eat and drink water in between alcohol. What was I thinking? Well, clearly, I wasn't."
As he scolded himself as if being his own mother, he caught a sniff of a pleasant odor in the air, "Wait, I smell… food!"
The man quickly stood up in search of the solution to his predicament. He dragged himself, following the smell through the market street and found a stall with delectable food.
His mouth drooled as he stared from afar, "Now that I remember, I've barely eaten all day. I guess today was just one of those days where my poor decision skills shined through."
The man rested his drunk body against one of the many empty stalls. He was curious as to why a food stall would be open so late at night. It was well past west-sun hours. All the stalls should've been closed by now.
"Perhaps I have a guardian angel after all. Regardless, I must eat something quick. I don't want to end up throwing up."
"--Come 'on grandpa, just give me one! Don't be so greedy."
"How dare you! I told you I would not give any of my food to broke kids. If you don't got money, then don't bother."
"What the hell is going on?"
As the blacksmith approached the stall, he saw a discussion happening between two individuals. Apparently, the angry merchant was arguing with a young golden blonde boy.
"Listen, you don't know me right now, but in the future, I will become something great, my name will be heard around the world!"
"Is that so…"
The young man nodded, "If you think about it, it is an opportunity you can't miss! When that day comes, I'll be sure to mention the kindness you showed me in my eulogy. A whole chapter is dedicated to the man who showed compassion by giving me free food. It will be good publicity for your business and a good brag to your colleagues. So, what do you say?"
The merchant sighed, "Kid, I don't know from what loon house you escaped from, but I'm very certain that the fall you had when your parents dropped you must've been very bad. Like I said, this isn't a charity. We're all out here trying to live strong. I suppose you should get your shit together and do the same."
The young man looked down somewhat defeated. He closed his hands in a fist but let them go, "I see there is no reasoning with you… very well, I will take my leave."
"Good because you're wearing off my customers, so scram."
"Geez, so rude." the young man took a few steps before turning back to the merchant, "Just so you know, I will give you no mercy in my eulogy."
"Get out!" the man exclaimed.
The young man took a step back, surprised at the merchant's sudden burst of rage,
"Alright, alright. I'm gone."
"What was that about?" the man asked himself.
The blacksmith saw the young man walk out of sight as he approached the merchant. He suddenly twitched. He had seen the merchant before at reunions of the merchant's guild and the Jaeger household. William hadn't gotten around to knowing his name. Mostly because he didn't want to be near his explosive attitude. He also didn't approach him, considering he had been a business partner of the family.
"Was it Larry, John or Polo? The P felt right to say, so I'm sure it had a P at the beginning… Was it Perry?"
The man was deep in his drunk thoughts, but it was too late to think about it now. He was already in front of the merchant. The blacksmith could see the merchant's nostrils flaring from anger.
"Hey Polo, how's it going?"
"It's Paul you imbecile!"
"I knew it had a P in it!"
The merchant sighed, he knew another troublesome person had arrived. He was quick to notice it was none other than a Jaeger. He scoffed in disbelief at who he was seeing.
"Look who decided to show his face after all this time and is very drunk at that. How much has it been? Two years? The guild is not going to appreciate that."
The man scratched his cheek, "Actually it's been four, but it doesn't really matter. I quit being a merchant a while ago."
The merchant was not surprised, "Figures, it's not like you were good at it anyway. I didn't really expect much of you."
The blacksmith was stunned at the merchant's sincerity, but he was never one to beat around the bush. Now that he thought about it. Not many people were hard on him other than his family. It felt like a hit of nostalgia.
Paul kept looking straight at the blacksmith. It made William nervous, "What?"
"You came here for more than a chit-chat, I suppose?"
"R-right! I'll take some of that please." he said as he pointed at the food of his interest.
There was a moment of silence that bothered the blacksmith as he watched the food being wrapped, "It was quite the interaction you had with that boy."
The merchant snorted, "Stupid kid. Doesn't he know that life won't make everything that easy for him?"
"That is true, although you could've gone easy on him."
The merchant scoffed, "And what good would that have been? Life is not so simple. You of all people should know that."
The blacksmith couldn't deny it. Despite being part of a wealthy family, he had a rough upbringing. He recalled all the hardships he had to go through at such a young age. That's why he had a tendered heart for kids like the young man. He knew what it was like.
"I do, that's why we should do better. The next generation doesn't have to go through the same things we did."
The merchant shook his head, "It would be irresponsible of my part to do so. We can't shelter them. Not everyone thinks like you, blacksmith. Eat this so you can sober up and be rational for once." He handed the food into a bag and the irritated blacksmith snatched it from Paul's hand, "How much?"
"Ten bronze." He calmly said.
William was leaving the money on the counter when the merchant suddenly grabbed his arm, "What the hell!?"
"Calm down Jaeger." He quietly said, it was the first time William had ever heard him speak in such a tone, "You see, I'm not just here selling food at these hours out of my own free will, especially today out of all days."
The blacksmith chuckled, "I see. I would never think you to be the messenger boy. Although everyone was going to get a turn one month or the other. It sucks to be you, doing this on a holiday... You could've been the drunk one getting served tonight."
"Spare me from your mockery tonight, blacksmith, especially now that I'm going to give you information for free."
"It's not free if it's coming after charging me for the food."
"I have to make a living one way or the other. It's the merchant's code. Regardless of still being a merchant or not, you still have one of those pendants around your neck, so I'm obligated to tell you."
The blacksmith realized his pendant was exposed and tried to hide it with his loose arm, but his movement was too sloppy to complete the task.
"Anyway, I would suggest making some of those weapons of yours."
The blacksmith furrowed his eyebrows, "Why?"
"Someone or something big is coming to the merchant's guild. It could be a huge sale for you, you're a Jaeger after all."
That last sentence left a bitter taste in the blacksmith's mouth, "Like hell I am." he murmured under his breath, "When's it happening?"
The merchant smirked, "I can't tell you yet."
"What the hell? Then how am I supposed to know when and where it is happening?"
"You see, you're going to be my grey area. I will tell you in due time. For now, just have everything ready." The merchant let go of his arm, "Thank you and come again!"
The blacksmith didn't respond. Instead, he turned around and walked home.
***
"I've arrived at last!"
After almost giving up on reaching his house that night, William finally stepped on the front porch of his cozy home.
"Seriously, if I hadn't eaten that food, I would've slept on a bench tonight."
He was grateful to have made it back. He wouldn't know what to do with himself if he had slept on the bench. It was certain he would get weird stares from people walking by in the morning.
"It took me about an hour, but I've arrived in one piece!"
The house was located far out of the town, deep inside the Lost Forest. A dangerous forest filled with many distinctive creatures. For ordinary folk, someone who isn't familiar with the territory, it would take around two or three hours to get to William's house.
"It takes work to walk here every time I go out, but it has its pros. I mean, no one would dare come inside this place. These people put some thought into building this place here."
It is a hassle, but it comes with its perks. It's very helpful in avoiding being followed. It's not easy for people to know a Jaeger, one of the great blacksmithing families, is living in the village. It attracts unwanted attention. Especially to thugs who think of stealing some of William's work.
"To think grandfather used to live here…"
It used to be one of the Jaeger households. It is still part of the household name, but it was left forgotten. Avoided by the family by all means. The house resembled William in that way.
"Although if one were to know the truth, they would come to the conclusion that this house had the complete opposite reason for being built. Isn't that right?"
From an outside perspective, one would assume that the blacksmith was talking to
himself. Although William does in fact act that way when he's in self-reflection, this time he was actually talking to someone. Someone had been following him the moment he stepped into the forest. Despite that, they didn't say a word to the blacksmith. Let alone show themselves to him.
"Hmm. Still stubborn as ever, I see. Well, I have no right to complain. I am the one at fault here."
He sighed as he was given no response. He walked towards the door and before he stepped inside, he looked back at the trees. "I'm sorry for keeping you out this long. Thank you for guarding me all the way here. Even if it's just part of a generational contract." The blacksmith was closing the door behind him as he murmured, "Although you and I both know it isn't necessary."
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