The streets through which the young girl whom Chiron later knew to be Emma took him, were not at all favorable ones. It was only a few distances from the Blacksmith market but it felt like it was a different world entirely.
Every person on the street either looked shady or carried the atmosphere of one.
The air here was damp and the smell of urine mixed with alcohol hung tightly to the nose like paint on a wall. It was a pungent mixture that Chiron suspected could instantly get a person high if inhaled enough.
At least from the hopeless look of some of the people on the streets, this might actually be true.
The ground was unbeautifully decorated with bodily fluids like the makeup on the face of a roadside prostitute.
It was so bad that every step taken was accompanied by the reluctant sticky sound of the ground not letting the shoe go.
After a few turns here and there, they arrived at a dilapidated home. Even though the door and the roof had holes in them, this house was actually far better than the surrounding houses. What's more to Chiron's surprise was that it was large.
In fact, one could say that it denoted the wealth and status of the individual in it.
After all, everywhere had its hierarchy, even if it was the slums.
Emma led Chiron into the house.
Unlike the unpleasant introduction to the street, this home was actually quite clean. Apparently, Emma took her time to clean up regularly. Even in her impoverished state, she did not let such basic values go.
She led Chiron through a corridor. As they passed a room, Chiron subconsciously peeped in. Surprisingly, it was a smithy.
Although it looked long abandoned, it was definitely a smithy.
Chiron smiled internally. Even though this Ganja swore to never hit iron again, he still had a smithy in his home. Such a thing in Chiron's head was not a coincidence.
They finally got to a door, or to be more precise, Emma pointed at the door. Chiron instantly understood that she did not want to enter.
Chiron approached the door and knocked lightly.
"GO AWAY! I'm not hungry!" a deep manly voice sent him away. However, he did not go.
The door was unlocked so he opened it gently. However, the first thing that hit him right in the face was the deep pungent smell of alcohol. It was so bad that Chiron subconsciously took a step back before he forced himself to enter.
Now, he knew why Ema did not want to come along.
the room was not wide or huge. But it was well-spaced. The window blinds were mostly shut except for a tear here and there on the curtains that permitted the entry of light into the room.
With the bare minimum amount of light available, Chiron was able to see the incredible devastating state of the room.
The room was filled with empty wine bottles and kegs on nearly every part except for the bed in the middle. Two or three of them still leaked drops of wine from time to time, giving out unrhythmic music to the silence of the room.
The floor with its stickiness reminded Chiron of the streets outside and even the atmosphere was similar. Except this one was dread and hopelessness.
Chiron could see the shape of a person on the bed. It was not so clear, but Chiron could still see the small shape of the former blacksmith on the bed.
Apparently, Ganja was a dwarf.
This was a bit surprising to Chiron. After all, Emma was of normal size. Also, with the information he knew of this world, the Dwarf tribes were quite far from here. Apparently, this one found his way here somehow.
It was no wonder Ganja was a forging genius. This was naturally to be expected since dwarfs were known especially for this skill.
Of course, they were also known to be lovers of wine. The big empty barrels were no longer a mystery. Dwarfs drank in any situation. It was their solace embrace.
A depressed Dwarf was even worse.
"Ganja!" Chiron called out softly, "I'm here to see you."
Ganja noticed the immature unfamiliar voice. "Go away! tell whoever sent you, I'm no longer making swords. I have retired."
From his tone, Chiron instantly knew that this was going to be a tough one. But he was not originally a person of this world. he had a trick or two up his sleeves.
He no longer said a word and left the room.
"You see, I told you he won't meet you," Emma spoke up the moment he left the room.
However, Chiron only smiled at her as he threw her two yellow beast cores, "I need you to go into the market and buy the best wine you can find. I want them not in barrels, but in wine bottles. Remember! they should be the finest you can find. If the money is not enough. I'll give you more."
Chiron's words took Emma by surprise but she still did as he asked.
A few minutes later, she arrived with a few bottles of alcohol and handed them over to Chiron.
Chiron took a bottle and opened it. He placed it inside the room, but close to the door, and left the place.
They were many ways to get a man. The best, was to speak his language or at least deal in his currency. At the moment, Ganja's was alcohol.
Next, Chiron went to check out the smithy. This was the place the plan he had in mind was going to be enacted. But first, he needed to clean it up.
With Emma's help, the place was cleaned up well in an hour's time.
According to Chiron's calculations, it was also about time.
He entered Ganja's room, and as expected, the bottle of wine was empty. This made Chiron smile. He had found a weak point he could use to his advantage.
Dwarfs were sensitive to alcohol. This included its, taste, smell, and any other sense that could tell them it was close or good.
Chiron left another bottle of wine on the floor, but this time around, he left the door slightly opened and dropped the opened bottle of wine in front.