It was supposed to be a simple journey for someone like him, a merchant just transporting his goods from one to another. His job may not be as dangerous as those with adventurers going down the dungeons and mercenaries, but it is still comparable. They still need to look for their surroundings. Mainly for monsters and those elusive bandits. He truly hates those bandits. Of course, he knows this by heart and mind. He even bought a presence warding crystal for safe travel.

But here is confronting a group of goblins. Alone they are very weak, even a rookie adventurer can kill them. Though if we are talking about a group of goblins, it will be troublesome even for a group adventurer.

It all happened when he was just silently following the dirt road inside the forest. According to a map, there was supposed to be a town near that path but he chose to not go there as only few people visit that place. Being a merchant he needed to look for a place where there were a lot of people.

"I guess there is no good town here to have a break and sell my surplus" he said looking back at his bag of goods.

He looked back at his map, taking a heavy sigh. As there are only small villages around.

Thinking that he needs to go back to the Forsbeg kingdom to resupply his shop. Something glows immensely at his back. He looked back, there he found the warding crystal glowing with pulsating red, it even blinded him for a moment.

'That was not supposed to happen,' he thought in his mind.

Thinking that it may not be working, he approached it. Before he even took off his seat. The crystal suddenly exploded in face, throwing him out of his carriage. He blinks for a second, then touches his face.

'There is no wound'

He caressed his face like he found a new toy. Eyes, nose, lips, everything was still intact, no wounds nor blood. He took a deep breath, thankfully he didn't receive any mortal damage and the crystal only sent a wave of air. But then, he heard growls. He snapped his head back, his face suddenly pale at what his gaze saw. Goblins, five goblins standing with their club and rusty dagger ready to attack him.

There he was in the ground frozen solid. He was going to die. He wants to move but even his minds urge his legs to, they remain stone in place.

He whimpers…

He was going to die. He was going to die without even fighting.

The goblin in center dash towards him, his club raised above his head ready to crush him. Everything slowed down for him, in a flash everything from his life passed through his eyes. He knows it, everything about him is going to end. He is going to die.

As he contemplates the last moments of his life. A fireball suddenly came crashing through the goblin coming from him. He looks at the source of the life-saving spell. He saw a teenager holding a shortsword, if he could describe him though. He could only say that he is average, pretty weird as everything practically screams as plain. Beside him though, stands a mage. Seeing her, he could only say that she is powerful.

'they' re look like arguing'

He shook his head. He needs to call them. He wants to be saved, he wants to escape his death.

'I will give them all, I will give them what all I have.'

"Hel-"

Just as he open mouth and shouts at them. The boy suddenly dash forward towards the goblin. Just after, the mage follows him. Instead of fighting though, the mage walked towards him. But he could only make a frown. He was thankful that they are helping them however due to him being a merchant for a long time and the skill to feel the mana of an individual, he knows that the boy who just dashes has very low mana even for his age. It made him more worried for the boy than he was to himself.

He knows that the boy is weak, his body is not built and his sword seems not that of high quality. If he confronts the goblins he will or at best only get grave wounds. If the mage is the one who fought though he is sure that she will prevail, but here she was standing beside her.

His heart seems to stop, as he sees the boy fighting. He expected that he would instantly lie down there with a body full of wounds. But he was fighting, and even winning. He literally trashed every goblin that came his way. He kicked, slash, and swung his enemy without hesitation as if he was reading them. Using all he had with proficiency.

He was shocked throughout his body, even having shivers at what he watched. This boy whose body screams plain and average, won the fight. He looked at his side where the mage was still standing, there she was too surprised by what she saw.

She looked at him, who came running towards them. She pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping that she could prevent the upcoming headache.

"Tell me, when did you learn those things? As far as I know you told me that you are only a blacksmith and a normal blacksmith can't do that. '' she said in annoyance.

"huh? what are you saying?"

She shook her head and took a hard sigh "I mean how can you do that, who did teach you. I thought that blacksmith can just make weapons"

"oh, is that what you mean?" he said, as if just realizing something important. She didn't know how to react to his reply. Is she supposed to be angry or annoyed? Still confused, she remained silent. "My teacher told me that in order to create better weapons I must first know how to use it, " he said in excited tone

'what to create a better weapon you need to know how to use it. I think your teacher is scamming you. If you didn't always tell me that you are a blacksmith, I think your teacher is training you to be an adventurer rather than what you are saying' she thought.

It's not like Alice is judging his teacher but if someone just heard him say that. They will say that your teaching is not properly teaching you smithing and instead teaching you that way to fight. They will probably even laugh at him and encourage him to go on an adventure, though from how Yuuto is somewhat narrow-minded in being a blacksmith it's unlikely to happen.

"and did you know that I even train blin-"

Before he finished explaining, Alice put her index finger in his mouth and glared at him, which put Yuuto instantly shut. Sensing that overlooking shadow in her back, he moved his gaze to the best distraction.

"Are you OK, do you have any injuries? " he asked the merchant, who was still sitting on the ground.

"Ah," he said in surprise. "Ye- yes I'm OK. How about you, are you okay? You fight those goblins" he said pointing toward the group of the goblins

Yuuto looked down at his body, he touched his body as if finding something missing. "no, I'm pretty, I think I'm pretty good."

Though Yuuto thinks that he may escape the impending anger coming from Alice. His expectations come crashing down, as Alice grip his shoulder tighter.

He groaned in pain 'just how strong she is? This is far more terrifying than what the teacher let me through. ' he thought.

The merchant finally stood up, and cleared the dust around his lap "Thank you for saving me. My name is Aki, a simple merchant from Forsbeg Country '' he moved his hand forward.

Yuuto grabs his hand and shakes it "My name is Yuuto and the girl beside me is Alice. Nice to meet you"

"Once again, thank you for saving me. Is there any way that I can help you? Maybe having a free ride perhaps? "

As the word 'free ride' comes up, Alice who is still mad at Yuuto who recklessly comes heading at danger suddenly perks up. As Alice is stubborn, she suggests they take a carriage earlier. Yuuto sweat dropped at her antics, though she will be really angry at her again on what he is about to do.

"No need to do that, " he shakes his hands "beside the town we are going to is just close by '' After he said that, bloodlust filled the atmosphere. The bad thing is. It is all directed to him. He can imagine her hair floating in the air, glaring at him with glowing red eyes. Yuuto shivers just thinking about it. No, he won't look back to check if what he is imagining is true. He doesn't want to risk it or else he will regret it for the rest of his life.

"oh, that is bad," he shrugged. "Let me tell you this instead. I heard that something is happening next town. They said that it is not major but to be safe still. I don't want my saviours to be in danger" he said.

After Aki goes back to his carriage and proceeds to the Forsbeg kingdom. But before he let his horses run he said "If you have time go to my store in the Forsbeg kingdom. I will be waiting for you there. Be safe"

"Yes thank you, I will do that. Be safe" Yuuto said.

Both of them separate in direction and proceed to their next destination. Though Alice is still angry at him, she didn't show it in her face. Yuuto hopes that she will forgive him, if he apologizes to her or when they reach the next town. Still something stuck in his mind, what could be the danger in the town they are going to, He shakes the thought, it's not Ike he will be dragged into it, right?