The moon hung high in the sky, but the tavern was getting louder and louder as the night progressed. Guards, Merchant, Hunter, Peddler, adventurer, all joined in the tavern that night to drink themselves and forget their daily problems.

Two people sat in the corner of the tavern, they are one of the few inside who haven't completely wasted themselves. One was an incredibly handsome young man with a short brown hair and another one was a blue haired....... kid? young man? Wearing an expensive leather armor.

"So have you decided what you are going to do now?" Theo asked.

"I'll stay here until Autumn comes, disowned or not. But after that... I go south to Lethrand to study magic. If I'm a Class 5 Mage like you said I am, I probably won't be there for long. How about you? Tomorrow?"

"The day after tomorrow. Still have some work to do, giving the prophecy letter to the adventurer guild and the church, getting my sword from Andre, and saying goodbye to everyone."

"Your women, huh? How many in this city alone?'

"9."

"Must be good for you. I never even kiss a girl."

"Well, aside from Mary, Miki, and Cynthia, the others don't really care. They're just sex friends, fuck buddies, friends with benefits, you call them that. But really? I bet the third son of Edward Lion, Lord of the Riverside, would have girl throwing themselves at his feet." Theo mentioned Ed's father's title with a mocking tone.

"Some noble tried to marry their daughter to me, but father never liked any of them, so he rejected them all." Ed took a drink. "Continuing our previous subject, where do you plan to go?"

"South, to the capital. Get a slave there, see the capital with my own two eyes. Funny enough, I have seen the north shore and south shore of the continent, but I've never even visited my own kingdom's capital."

"Ah, slavery. Never realize that thing is still allowed."

"Well thDukeke don't like it and forbids its practice in the duchy, but the King never forbids its practice in the kingdom." Theo turned his body so that he could see the whole tavern. "After that, I'll go north to the Ketu Theocracy then to the Eternal City, get some money and fame there, and try getting some girl along the way, the usual. After that. Who know where life would take me."

"You know if you're free tomorrow, why don't we go to the church?"

"To hear the old man's preaching?"

"No. I want to check my talent and skill, and I want to know yours too. Old man Thoros is the only one capable of a high tier scanning and appraising spell."

"Okay. Maybe after getting my sword from Andre." Theo put down the tankard in his hand. "Ed, see that girl?" Theo pointed his finger towards the barmaid serving drinks for the customer. She was an attractive woman with long black hair and pretty face.

Ed nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"I saved her from a bandit camp a year ago. Do you think she likes me?"

Ed observed her. "Uhh.... I don't know."

"That was a rhetorical question, Ed. Of course, she likes me."

"And how do you know that?"

Theo turned to face Ed. "Listen, Ed. When a someone you're not close with likes you, they won't just suddenly approach you and say I like you, or say Let's fuck. No, that won't happen....except maybe some special case, but that's extremely rare. Anyway, most people like to drop hints. And that girl has been dropping hints at me like crazy for the past few weeks. Can you see them?"

Ed took his time trying to get anything from the barmaid, but he just wasn't able to pick up any hints. "No."

"The glance Ed. You know how much she glanced at me when I'm not looking directly at her? A lot. Sometimes she almost spills the drinks or foods she holds because she was distracted by me. Next, the neckline."

"The neckline?" After Theo said it to him, Ed began focusing on her neckline. Ed realized that she was wearing a revealing outfit with a low neckline. He could clearly see her cleavage. "But isn't that a normal barmaid's outfit to attract male customers?"

"Now that's the problem, Ed. That girl there, she was a timid, shy girl, almost no confidence at all with her body. I've been asking the regular customers about her. They said that she never wears a revealing outfit like that if I don't come here. On normal days, she wears a normal outfit, but if I showed up.....well."

Ed nodded his head. "Ohhhhh."

Theo stood up and patted Ed on the shoulder. "You should go home, Ed. Adult things will happen tonight and the kid better stays at home."

"Hey, I'm not a kid."

"Yes, you are. Yes, you are." Theo said as he walked towards the barmaid they talked about before.

---------

Theo enjoyed walking through the city in the night time. The star, the huge shining moon, and the empty street. Lanterns and torches of the guards appeared as a dots on top of the wall in the otherwise dark city.

He smelled his hand. The girl scent and perfume from before still lingered on his hand. She was a cute and attractive young woman, but she lacked experience, not that he disliked it.

His home was a book shop. It wasn't his, he just lived there since he knew the previous owner and befriend the previous owner's daughter, who was now the owner. Well, befriend was not the correct word to describe their relationship. "Mary I'm home!" He shouted as he opened the door. Normally he would enter without making any sound when he came back this late, but seeing that the light was still on, he decided to call her.

She didn't answer.

He had checked all the bedrooms before realizing that the lamp in the kitchen was still lit. Mary sat in the dining room with her head hung low. She didn't answer his call.

"Is something wrong?" He asked after noticing water dripping from her chin.

"When... are you leaving?" She asked. From her voice, it was obvious that she was trying to hold back her tear to no result.

"The day after tomorrow. Well, technically its tomorrow since it's past midnight now." He wrapped his hand around her shoulder and pulled her to his chest.

"Please..*Hic*... Don't go."

"I'm sorry Mary, I must."

"Just live with me here in this city! I don't care if you sleep with Cynthia, Miki or the others, but don't leave me." She pleaded him. Tears that she was trying so hard to hold back burst out like a broken dam.

"I'm sorry Mary. I can't do that. Just as you have this shop you promised your father to run and can't go with me. I have a promise I made to Dad that made me can't stay here." She cried as loud as she could. He gently stroke her hair trying to calm her down and kissed her.

----------

The sound of morning birds chirping outside the window woke Theo up. He looked at Mary who was sleeping soundly next to him and gave her a kiss on her freckles-filled cheek. When they first met, he never liked those freckles, but after a while, he realized how much it made her cuter and grew fond of it.

The sound of the front door being knocked multiple times echoed throughout the shop and to the second floor where he resided. He put on his clothes and covered Mary's body with a blanket before going down to answer the front door.

When he opened the door, a male tiger beast-kin was waiting, Fergus.

His appearearance was mostly the same as a human, but with some feature of a tiger. There was a pair of tiger ear on his head, tail, whiskers, and black-orange stripe on his hair and some part of his face.

"Morning Mar... oh.. it's you, Theo." Disappointment visible in his face, it wasn't as if he tried to hide it either. "Where's Mary?"

"Sleeping. Naked. In my bed." Said Theo with a smug smile.

Fergus smiled, deliberately showing a row of sharp fang. He shook his head and let out a small forced laugh. "Well, I come here for business. NOT for a personal reason." His voice full of enmity. "What Mary does with her life is not my concern. Not anymore." He walked to the wagon behind him. Stacks of books could be seen inside. "I've got some new items after my travel around the Continent. Girantine, Lethrand, Haken empire, Kingdom of Mosk, Holy Empire. Even got some books from Nippon and the Ulster Isle." His voice became more relaxed and friendly as he talked about his wares.

Theo smiled at his change of attitude. It seemed that some years on the road as a merchant had changed him for the better. "Bet Mary already ordered some books."

"Yes, she has paid in advance. I'll carry it inside later. If you want to browse some book-"

"I do actually." Theo walked to his wagon and looked for some books while Fergus carried the books that Mary ordered. Theo was amazed at Fergus' collection. Most of what he sold were books that he never saw or even heard before. Theo himself wasn't much of a book enthusiast, but helping someone run a bookstore did make him knew a lot about books. Moreover, there were a lot of strange and bizarre collection of items inside his wagon. Idols, trinkets, dolls.

After looking for a while, two books caught his attention. Shonen Duck and Old Ace, both were collections of manga. A book full of pictures like that was only possible to be made because of Lethrand's advanced magic technologies, including something called a printing machine. It was a shame that only Lethrand could produce a magical machine like that. He wondered how much better the world would be if every country has a printing machine.

"How much is this?" Theo asked.

"30.. no.. 50 silver each."

"That much?"

"Special price for you," Fergus replied with a satisfied smile, hoping that the price would deter him.

"Okay." Theo went inside.

"......." Fergus was left dumbfounded, he didn't expect him to just accept the price. It was obviously overpriced, and Theo, who lived in a book shop should have known that. "Well, whatever, extra money is extra money."

Not long after Theo went inside, he came back with a gold coin in his hand. Mary was following him from behind. "Fergus!" Mary jumped in the place, seeing Fergus in front of the door.

"Mary!" The fake and forced smile in Fergus's was replaced by a genuine one.

"My god! It feels like ages, how long have it been?"

"Three years. Can't believe how time flies."

Theo stood back and watched as Fergus and Mary talked about the past three years since they last met. Seeing the smile on Mary's face, he decided it was the best to leave the two friends on their own to reminisce their childhood memories.

"Mary. I'm going now. I have something to do." Theo said.

"Don't come back too late. I have something to give to you before you left." Theo raised his thumb as he walked away.

He greeted people as he walked pass them. It was necessary to imprint the image of a nice guy to everyone's mind. He also called their name, which was a hassle, but he had to do it. His father told him that remembering names was important to give the impression of closeness and the likes.

Three years he lived in Aeston, but he could still feel the stare and the look of women as he passed by them, or the red on their face as he greeted them and gave them a smile. Young girls, maid, female adventurer, none could resist his charm. Hell, even the wives and some older women couldn't help but stare at his face.

Theo walked toward the first intersection near his home. A building with a huge sign sat on the corner of the intersection. It was a crude stone building with a huge chimney on its roof spouting smoke nonstop. The sound of a hammer tempering an iron could be heard from across the street. The smell of burning coal was evident as he approached the open workshop.

"Andre. How is my sword going?" Theo asked as he entered the forge area.

"Morning Lad!" Andre paused his work to greet his loyal customer. "Wait a minute won't ye? Let me finish this beauty real quick!"

Andre continued his work. The room lit up each time he brought his hammer down. Theo could feel the massive amount of aura Andre put into the sword he made, proving his dedication and love for each of his creation. After finishing the sword, Andre stood up and cleaned his huge body with a towel. Then he went into the backroom. He came back with a shrouded sword and a paper in his hand. Andre scratched his head after giving both to Theo. "Me ashamed to say this lad, but Me was unable to complete the beauty."

"What? How can you not make it? You're one of the best in the kingdom." Theo asked in surprise.

"Don't know where ye find that diagram lad, but the technique used to make that beauty is not something me, a Class 3 blacksmith could learn." He rubbed his chin. "Me able to make it, the most beautiful one Me ever made. The thing is, the next part about reforging, enchanting, couldn't do that. Ye have to search for some Class 4 blacksmith for that."

"And where can I find one?"

"One in the capital, but the wench the King's personal blacksmith, she didn't make for others. Though ye can try. She's the closest one and ye have plan for the capital. One in Haken Empire and one in Nippon. Also, there's a rumor of Class 5 blacksmith in Ulster isle, but Me think it's just a rumor."

Theo grabbed a pouch and was about to hand it when he was stopped by Andre. "No need to pay lad. Think of it as a gift from me. Seeing something Me not able to craft fully in me old age is already a great payment."

Theo opened the shroud and took a look at his sword. It was one of the finest swords he ever saw, and he had seen many. "Thanks, Andre. What is its name?"

Andre rubbed his chin again, thinking. "It's yer sword lad, ye gave it its name."

"Hmmm. What would dad name it?...... Panes." He looked at Andre after saying the sword's name. A message appeared on Theo's head.

[Panes, Blade of Theo]

[Epic Longsword]

[Strength: B+ Dexterity: B+]

"An epic longsword with B+ scaling in both Strength and Dexterity. Thanks again Andre."

"Nice to be of service to ye lad." Andre watched him as he left his workshop. "Ye become more and more like yer dad, lad."

When Theo walked outside the sun was already shining brightly. He remembered his promise to Ed about going to the church after visiting Andre.