Chapter 307 - Getting Used To Life In Ingrid (2/2)
Mercury's face lit up before he bowed his head
”Thank you very much”
”Don't worry about it kid, besides with that resolution you would just find another teacher if I refused… And we can't have you learn from a teacher that's worse than me, not when lady Evelin introduced you”
Mercury nodded then Casper showed a fierce smile that sent chills down Mercury's spine
”Then are you prepared kid!?”
”Yes!”
”Very good, go line up with the rest!”
”Yes!”
At night Marie was working the forge when she heard someone open the front door, she glanced at the furnace and the flame died down then she walked out from the workshop and into the shop where she found Mercury standing, the smile that was forming on her face stiffened however when she saw what state he was in, he looked utterly exhausted, his face was covered in dirt along with the rest of his clothes and his legs were shaking, the right one more than the left, she walked over and supported him at once before she asked concerned
”What happened to you Mercury?”
”Training… It's worse than it looks, really”
”If you say so… Come let's get you washed up”
”Sure…”
Marie walked out back with Mercury and helped him wash up, there she noticed his hands were bruised considerably, even more than when he learned to forge, then after she got some food in him she helped him up the stairs and laid him down on the bed where he began snoring a few moments later, Marie showed a wry smile and muttered
”Really what kind of training is this?”
3 months passed, Mercury lived quite a busy life, he started the morning with training along with the castle guard where he was put through the winger by Casper, thanks to that he learned the [Swordsmanship] skill in less than a week and by the end of the 3 month period he had leveled it to level 3 which was considered decent, then when he was done training by midday he returned home to Marie and trained blacksmithing thanks to this his [Blacksmith] skill was raised to level 4 which was the same level as Marie, that said her experience was richer than Mercury's so she could still teach him some things, right now Mercury sat and ate with Marie, he looked over at her and admired her for a few moments before he spoke
”It's time”
”Time? What do you mean Mercury?”
”Time for me to leave for Ode, at least I'll be leaving within a few days once I get my affairs in order”
Marie nodded before she spoke
”I'll come with you”
Mercury nodded before he asked
”Are you sure? You could also wait here for me to return with Julia?”
Marie showed a bright smile and reached across the table and took Mercury's hand
”I won't be able to focus on forging when you are away anyway, so I might as well come with”
”Okay… I was thinking of taking a request at the guild to escort a caravan to Ode”
”That's a good idea, have you looked into it yet?”
”Yeah, there's a caravan leaving in 2 days”
”Okay, then let's leave by then… But first, you have to meet my dad”
Mercury nodded and squeezed her hand
”Sure”
The next morning Mercury was dressed up neatly and walked hand in hand with Marie that hummed a tune as she swung their hands back and forth, she seemed happy, very happy in fact, she wore her boyish outfit again today, a shirt and a pair of rugged leather pants, but she excluded girlish charm, her black hair was in a ponytail that was rather long, it reached down to her lower back, Mercury felt a little nervous about meeting her father but her happy mood rubbed off on him so he felt that it was going to be okay, soon they reached a rather busy workshop, Marie walked in like she owned the place, the store clerk greeted her with a smile
”Hello Marie, are you here to visit your father?”
”Yeah, I am here to introduce my boyfriend”
”Ohh~ In that case, you better hurry, he's working in the workshop”
”Yes, see you, Julie”
”See you, Marie, you too mister boyfriend”
Mercury raised his hand to the clerk before he followed Marie out to the workshop, there a muscular elf with obsidian black hair was working the forge, he looked very focused and didn't even notice when Marie and Mercury walked in, Marie waited until he was about to heat the metal again and called out to him
”Dad!”
Marie's dad snapped out of his concentrated state and looked over and saw Marie and showed a smile, he didn't have the same color eyes as her, his eyes were blue like the sky
”Oh Marie, what a pleasant surprise what's up?”
”Ehehe~ This is Mercury, my boyfriend”
The air froze slightly before Marie's father looked over at Mercury and looked him over before he spoke sternly to him
”Come here boy”
Mercury nodded and walked over, then all of a sudden the old man embraced him in a bear hug and cried out
”Thank you for loving my daughter!”
”Ehh…”
Mercury looked back at Marie that had an amused look on her face, then before Mercury managed to say anything Marie's dad broke the hug and asked him
”Kid, do you know how to work a forge?”
Mercury nodded which resulted in Marie's dad showing a smile
”Then help me finish this blade will you?”
”....It would be an honor”