"I will keep in mind and think about it"
Seraphina had in a form didn't accept his proposal but he didn't dwell on it too much. It was just a thought which he wanted her to know because of what would come sooner or later.
After they had separated after some talk and their lunch finished, Theron went to the blacksmith shop. He went inside and saw Aria. "Hello, Aria we meet again" "I was wondering if my sword was ready" "Yes, yes its ready" "Grandpa is just finishing the final touches" "If you don't mind, you can wait here" She said as she pointed her hand at the seats nearby
__ __ __
After paying in full since he paid the down payment last time, Theron sat at the seat and started talking to Aria.
"I noticed you got second in academics" "Mm-hmm, I just got lucky though" "It shouldn't be all luck, you definitely put in a lot of effort" Aria blushed a little bit at the compliment.
"But you got first, with over 50 points above me"
"It's just luck" "Liar"
As they were talking, the door to the back was opened and a figure of an old man carrying a weapon in his hand as smoke came out of the room and walked out. The figure revealed to be the grandfather of Aria.
"Oh, you are already here"
"Very good, you can test out the katana" The old man said as he threw the katana and Theron caught it. He took it out of the sheath to see a polished blade that reflected the light in a mesmerizing manner.
"Feel the weight, check the balance"
Theron nodded, feeling the balance in his hands, and the weight seemed perfect. With a swift motion, he swung the katana through the air. The blade cut through the air with a satisfying whoosh, displaying the weapon's quality.
'As expected from a master craftsmen'
"It's impressive. You have my gratitude," Theron said, pleased with the outcome.
"I'm glad you like it. Now, make sure to take good care of it," the old man replied with a proud smile.
Aria also smiled as she felt proud of her grandfather's work.
"Right, I didn't introduce myself last time because it's been a long time since I've seen an ore like Lunar Silverite"
"I am Cedric, Aria usually calls me grandpa and you can do so as well. Grandpa Cedric or grandpa whichever works"
"You are from the same academy as my granddaughter right"
"Yes, sir"
"Heh, I told you to call me grandpa"
"Yes, grandpa Cedric"
"Your name?"
"Oh, yes, I am Theron Silvercrest"
There was a faint surprise which Cedric masked which went unnoticed by Theron. Cedric looked at Theron in a different view and could see a faint shadow of someone.
'Sigh, I guess it won't be long before we meet again'
"I could have done it in 2 days but my granddaughter over here already made a reservation with an audiologist for me to get hearing aids the day before so it took longer"
Theron finally remembered that he was supposed to be talking louder because of Cedric's hearing problem, but he didn't notice the hearing aids on Cedric because he was focused on the katana.
"No, no its fine, grandpa Cedric should take care of his health"
"Theron, make sure to take care of Aria since you two are both from the same academy"
"She is usually quiet and not talkative so she didn't have many friends even before we moved here"
"Grandpa, don't embarrass me" Aria nudged her grandpa with a red face.
"Of course, we are friends so I will take care of her, grandpa Cedric"
Theron used his insight skill to take a look at the katana.
[Katana - Rank 4]
[Skills: Lunar Essence]
[Description: Crafted by the master craftsman Cedric. The blade is infused with the essence of the moon, providing it with a unique quality. Lunar Essence allows the katana to resonate with lunar energy, making it extremely strong under moonlight. It is razor sharp and extremely durable]
There were ranks to weapons. The weapon which he had before were just unranked weapons whereas this was crafted with Lunar Silverite and other rare ores as well as crafted by Cedric, a master craftsman.
There were rank 1 to 7 for weapons and this was already rank 4 making it quite powerful.
"Give it a name" Cedric said as he looked at Theron.
"I name it Eclipse"
[Seraph - Rank 4]
The status changed as well when he named it.
"Hmm, well feel free to drop by anytime, Theron. And take good care of that katana"
Theron left the blacksmith after thanking and saying goodbye to both Aria and Cedric. His spirits were high and he was satisfied with the katana.
As he went out of the blacksmith, he saw a guy who looked like a typical gangster with brown hair and scars with a bit of facial hair making him look a bit intimidating. He was leaning on a pole and waiting for someone but he started to walk towards him after he had walked out of the shop. He walked away thinking that it was not him that he was looking for. Then a hand reached out to his shoulder.
The guy who reached out to his shoulder took his hand back shook for a moment of what he saw. Theron's colorful and expressive eyes had turned dull and looked terrifying. His entire aura had changed and the person felt that he could see the figure of a lion roaring behind Theron. Those eyes fit the description of what he heard before. But he snapped out of his stunned state as he tried to go back to his intimidating nature but it was less effective than before.
"We need to talk"
"Why would we need to talk, I don't have time to waste"
"I will make it quick, get away from Seraphina"
"And who are you to make me do it"
"I am Jareth Hawthorne, son of Viscount Veric Hawthrone"
"A mere viscount's son dare to order me"
Theron said in a cold voice. Jareth looked at his eyes once again and finally remembered what family he could be from and shuddered but didn't back off from what he said.
"You, remember what you said, you will regret it"
He said as he walked away. Theron released the pressure he had exerted, reflecting on what had just transpired. He always experienced this kind of change whenever he sensed malicious intent towards him. It was a state that manifested when he fought something he perceived as a threat, a mode that turned him into a battle maniac. Theron suspected that this aspect of himself might have been inherited from his family, the Silvercrests, who were feared throughout the nations.
Why were they feared? The reputation stemmed from an incident during the Great War. An assassin had killed a member of the Silvercrest family, and in retaliation, the brother of the slain person had followed the assassin back to its master. There, he had killed both the master and servant in front of their guardians, who had no chance to save them. The master turned out to be one of the princes of a kingdom already in conflict with the one the Silvercrest Family hailed from, and the rest was history. Of course there were still other reasons why they were feared but this was one of them.
One notable trait of the Silvercrests was their eyes, which took on a terrifying appearance in battle.
Theron sighed as he knew there was going to be trouble but he wouldn't run from it. He needed to face it or else he wouldn't be able to go forward. He didn't regret how he spoke to Jareth. Even if he had chosen different words, the situation would likely have unfolded in a similar way given the malicious intent he sensed.