The Master of Uradan

It was now almost four months since Rohan had arrived in Blanche. After his master had shown him how to forge, his days were even busier than before.

After waking up, the first act he did was his daily meditation. He had never missed even one seance, and had done eight months worth of meditation considering he had settled for two seances a day.

After the meditation, he ate his breakfast before going down toward the forge with a plate in his hand. But after posing it on the table inside the dark and warm room, he didn't go up into the shop to wait for customers. Or, more exactly, to train.

He stayed here, and, without caring about Horim waking up in the corner of the dusty room, he headed toward the furnace. He lit the fire with a flint before he stirred up the flame.

A few seconds later, the crackling of the flame echoed in the room as it chased the darkness and the warmth away.

He didn't waste any time as he took out the bellows to have the furnace at the right temperature. Then, he threw an iron ingot inside and waited for a few more minutes. Once the color of the metal turned into the bright orange-yellow Rohan was researching, he took it out with his tongs.

His morning passed this way, as he trained to forge correctly a dagger, with Horim watching from the side. Rohan found out that hammering a piece of hot metal enhanced his capability to gauge where to precisely strike, while also accustomed him on how to use his strength. A plus for his swordsmanship which was far from being perfect.

Then the day continued. In the afternoon, he took back his role inside the shop, waiting for non-existent customers to barge in, while he swung his sword around him.

But that day, the door of the shop opened up. Rohan stopped the slash that was fending the air in two and turned to face the entrance, looking at the customers. Unlike the last time, he didn't throw away his weapon, but kept it at his side. He had learnt his lesson.

A woman entered the shop, followed by a man, obviously a guard. Rohan raised a brow, as it was a rare occurrence to find a rich woman interested in weapons. Even more so when the weapons' shop was one of the worst in the city, hidden in a random street.

"Welcome. Do you need anything?" He welcomed the two customers with his usual self, without trying a fake smile or anything. What was the point anyway?

The woman walked into the shop before stopping in front of Rohan. She was a beautiful lady, with a pretty green dress highlighting her generous forms, leaving her smooth white legs noticeable at each of her steps. Her brown hair was tied on her left side, descending on her medium chest. Her face, as perfect as the rest of her body, was fully displaying a joyous smile.

"Yes, I need you." The woman spoke with a clear yet soft voice. Rohan tilted his head to the side. Was she alright?

He had seen a lot of these daughters of noblemen, very pretty girls with dresses as costly as this whole shop. But as soon as he had heard them talk, and every single time, all good emotions he had felt flew away toward an eerie world of darkness called deception. They were all princesses wanting everything, ordering all other persons as if they were slaves, and generally with an obnoxious laugh.

That is why he wouldn't feel anything toward a good-looking girl such as the one before him.

"I'm sorry, we only sell weapons here. I suggest you go away if you don't want any." His tone was slightly irritated as he thought about his past, and all he wanted now was to have this person in front of him leave as early as possible.

Elia, surprised by these words, stood silently for a few seconds, without knowing what to say. It was the guard beside her who moved forward, trying to prevent himself from jumping on this boy.

"Hold your tongue, young boy. You are talking to a member of the nobility, the young Miss Elia Macker."

Rohan turned his face toward the man who had talked. He was a tall man with a square jaw, and a dangerous light in his eyes. If someone suspected this man to be a killer, Rohan would judge him guilty without any hesitation.

It wasn't the first time he had heard about this name, and Delia was talking about her every so often. Maybe an old conquest? In any case he didn't seem to like her very much.

He didn't care about what the scary looking man had just said. There was often a misconception about the nobility. The son or daughter of a nobleman was just that, a child of a noble. They did not have the title of a noble. So this woman wasn't a true member of the nobility. Of course she could use the name of his father to threaten everyone around her, but Rohan didn't care at all.

In the worst case he would just hide behind his master. What a joke. No one in the city would dare to show any lack of respect toward an Intermediate Paladin.

His contempt should have leaked on his face, as the man was ready to take out his sword at any time. No one had looked at him like that for a long time. After all, he was still a rank 4 Beginner Warrior. But before a brawl could start, the clear voice of Elia took the attention of the men staring at each other.

"It's fine Matthew, don't bother about it." She placed herself in front of Matthew, blocking his view from Rohan. "I just want to talk with you about an interesting offer."

"Sorry, there is nothing that can interest me, and I think you should find a professional for whatever you want to do, not a random boy working in a deserted shop." Boredom was installing itself into his whole being like a parasite. Both these people in front of him were starting to take away his social endurance already.

Matthew was beginning to feel pissed off about this nobody. Even though he was quite young for a strong rank 2 Beginner Warrior, his attitude was making his blood boil from anger.

"Are you sure nothing can interest you? Even if I offer you enough potions to put you a rank 3 Warrior in less than two years?" She wore her special smile of temptation, sure to see an expression of longing in the warrior standing in front of her. But to disappoint this woman, Rohan didn't have any change on his surnaturaly calm face.

Actually, he was even laughing in his head. He was already a rank 3 Beginner Warrior, and he was persuaded to reach the rank 4 before two years, and maybe even halfway toward the rank 5. This offer was then ridiculous, but it did interest him. Resources to increase the speed of the promotions were all costy, even the most basique one which was the weak mana potion.

"What do you mean by resources? How many potions are we talking about?" If he could have a stock of potions, then this offer definitely attracted him. Of course, it depended on what service he would have to do.

"Well then, should we have a place to discuss it?"

"Here is fine."

"..." Elia was speechless. Was this man truly the one she thought he was? "Hmm, then let's talk here I guess."

She made a slight pause, before speaking about what was happening in the city.

"I think you must be aware of what is happening in the city these days, but I will resume it a bit."

Honestly, Rohan didn't know at all, as he didn't have any contact outside this shop, aside from Delia of course. But for a strange reason, each time Delia was talking, no information could travel long enough until it arrived into his brain.

"After Delia has been attacked by these bandit warriors, his father the viscount Noir was full of rage and strongly complained to the count."

Rohan raised a brow at the mention of this information. So it was how Delia had done it, definitely a cunning idea.

"And after a long period and various acts here and there, the noble's council had decided to eradicate once and for all this group of thugs. And that is why I am here, so you can participate."

"Why me?" Rohan was finding all that a bit fishy. Even if this woman knew he was in reality a rank 3 Beginner Warrior, that would be nothing against such a group.

"All the warriors affiliated to the city have to participate. You are not the only one. But you seem to be powerful, so I offer you an opportunity to give your help. In exchange, you will receive 20 weak mana potions and a weak mana compression potion. What do you say?"

A few minutes later, Elia and Matthew were in front of the shop, looking at the wooden door as if they could see through it.

"Why give such rewards to this nobody, young Miss?" Matthew couldn't understand. Just the weak mana compression potion was enough to make him drool.

"A nobody?" A soft laugh left her throat. "Do you know what had happened in Prasthana a few months ago?"

"Are you talking about the rebellion of the duchy of Barnes? I only know a few things about it, young Miss."

"Well, let's just say that the duchy had on his hand an item that the emperor wanted to have. It isn't really interesting."

She waved her hand in front of her to chase away this useless part of the story.

"But what is interesting is that I've looked through everything I could, after the appearance of this unknown warrior." A strange smile was on her face. "And a special piece of information had struck me. It was a well hidden one, as if the duke of this duchy didn't want anyone to know about it."

She was still looking at the door in front of her, an enigmatic smile on her face, and a sparkling light on her eyes.

"In the duchy of Barnes, a young man had become a rank 1 Beginner Warrior the day he had formed his mana core, and had become a rank 2 Beginner Warrior a few months after that. The description we know about him is that he has long black hair, a stoic face, and is the son of the count. His name was then Rohan. Tell me Matthew, if a Rohan participating in such a war succeeds to survive, and suddenly, weeks after, another Rohan with the same description appears in this city. Wouldn't it be interesting?"

Matthew was shocked beyond words. A new warrior becoming a rank 2 Beginner Warrior in less than a year, in the poor duchy of Barnes, was really a terrifying feat. BUt a warrior becoming a rank one Beginner Warrior in a single day was unprecedented. It wasn't a genius.. But a freak.