Clunk!
The cute girl quickly returned with our drinks and placed them on the table.
"Here is your barnyard beer and your potatoes should be out shortly."
"Thank you," Aaron and I said in unison after she set our drinks down.
While she left for the backroom, I picked up the drink and examined it closely. It looked darker than regular beer and smelled a bit sweeter than any beer I had ever smelled before.
"Have you ever had a barnyard beer before?" Aaron asked me tilting his head.
"No, I haven't, what makes it different from any other beer?"
"Well, barnyard beer has less alcohol and tastes a lot sweeter than any other beer. Also, it has more nutritional value.
"Sounds good," I said curtly.
"Cheers," Aaron said raising his glass with a smile.
"Cheers," I repeated returning the gesture.
I then took a sip to find out if it was as good as Aaron said it was. It was delicious. The drink was thick and soothing as it ran down my throat. Strangely, I wished I could have had this when I was a child and would constantly get sick.
When I looked up from my daydreaming I saw a rather shocking sight. Aaron was chugging his entire glass in one go. He quickly finished it and set the glass down on the table before giving out a very large, satisfied sigh.
"You must really like this beer if you can down it just like that."
"Well of course I love this drink. I couldn't imagine coming here and drinking anything else ever since I took my first sip of it." Aaron let out a chuckle before remarking, "In fact, the only complaint I have is that it doesn't come in a bigger glass."
"Well, I certainly can't say the drink is bad. I just don't think I'll ever be as enthusiastic as you," I said right before taking a large gulp from my glass. I can't say for sure, but I could swear Aaron beamed with pride after my statement.
After our lighthearted banter, Aaron's mood shifted. His expression became more serious and his body more tense. I could almost feel the nervousness oozing out of his body.
"Listen," he started while anxiously scratching his arm, "I know I'm a blacksmith apprentice, but I don't just want to be an ordinary blacksmith." I want to learn magic and apply it in my blacksmithing to craft enhanced weapons. I wanted to get your opinion on it as an outsider with different ideas. Lots of people in Billings would think it is a ridiculous idea and that I'm too old and uneducated to train for such a position. So, all I want to hear is your full and honest thoughts on this."
Aaron finished his statement hanging his head and closing his eyes. His body shook waiting to hear what I had to say. I had thought long and hard about the advice I would give him the previous night. I only had limited knowledge of how hard it was to craft enhanced weapons or learn the trade, so my reply would be simple and meek.
"My honest thought is your goal will be difficult to accomplish and giving up on it shouldn't be considered shameful in the slightest."
Aaron wore a dejected look after hearing this. I knew he spent much time considering pursuing the path of magic and had thought long and hard about the possibilities.
"But," I continued, "I can practically feel your passion to achieve this from where I am sitting. You have been on the fence about this for a while, feeling trapped. You face pressure to quickly decide to let this dream go or hold onto it until the very end. All things considered; I believe that if you truly put your 100% into your goal you will succeed. Now, that doesn't mean it will be easy, it just means it is attainable."
As I made my speech and gave him what I could only call sound advice, Aaron looked on in utter shock. He had finally heard the words he wanted someone, anyone to say to him to give him the passion to strive for this craft.
"Is that really what you believe?" he asked me unable to believe what I had said.
"My total and honest thoughts. I wouldn't lie about this," I replied going in for another drink of my barnyard beer.
"Thank you," Aaron said, "Thank you for believing in me. I will give my all to become the best-enhanced blacksmith in the entire region."
He clenched his fist filled with a new determination from encouragement.
I felt like this discussion made us closer and our bond had deepened tonight.
Now that I had given him my advice, I wanted to ask a question I had been dying to ask someone since the library.
"Hey, can I ask you a question about something I read earlier?"
"Sure, since you heard me out it would only be fair to return the courtesy and listen to you."
I took a pause and looked toward the backroom where the door slowly opened, and our server stepped out.
"Do dragons really exist?"
Continuing to look at the server approaching us she immediately stopped in her tracks. After hearing my question, her eyes widened in bewilderment.
Aaron wore a quizzical expression on his face before speaking. However, after a second he quickly answered.
"I don't know. Commonfolk would never know the answer to that question. The knowledge of whether dragons exist, are made up, or are even extinct is classified information that only the highest of nobility know about."
His answer made sense. The history book of Melalova said dragons were mythical beings that no one had ever seen. Dragons were a species with supposedly no proof of ever existing. Only circumstantial evidence, like what happened to a certain town called Earnest, can attest to dragons' existence. Earnest was found by a traveler smoldering in ruins. The entire town was wiped out overnight by an unknown force or entity, which clearly destroyed the village with extremely powerful fire.
"That makes sense. Well, thank you for answering my question the best you could."
"No problem at all," Aaron said, "It is the least I can do."
As our conversation wrapped up, our server finally approached with trembling arms. She slowly placed our potatoes on the table while her whole body shivered.
Aaron didn't seem to notice this, but I watched her intently out of the corner of my eye. She took a moment to stand over us and build up courage before finally speaking, "I couldn't help but notice you guys talking about dragons."
"We were," I answered before giving Aaron the chance to speak.
As I answered her question, I stared into her eyes the entire time. Her eyes showed a moment of surprise before she promptly regained her composure.
She then asked, "Is there anything more I can do for you forcing a smile."
"There is," Aaron said not missing this opportunity, " I would like to order two more butter beers."
"That will be coming right up," she said while scuffling back to the kitchen.
After she had disappeared into the back Aaron asked me, "What was up with her?"
"I don't know but she seemed spooked."
"Well, anyway you should finish your butterbeer. I ordered more for us."
"Will do," I replied right before guzzling the rest of the drink in one go.
I thoroughly enjoyed the outing. I was pleased with the way everything had panned out and was happy that I was able to provide helpful advice to Aaron. However, our server was a bit off when the topic of dragons came up and I couldn't help but wonder why.
While the dragon issue circulated through my head, I picked up a square potato and ate it. It was chewy and melty.
"This is very tasty," I told Aaron after I finished it.
"I thought you would like the potatoes. I'm glad I picked them."
For a couple of minutes, we just enjoyed the food and ate quietly. I had learned everything I wanted to know and was going to just finish my food and drink and then leave. My plan for the future had slightly changed and I needed to wake up early the next morning for both exercise and to confirm something.
"Are you trying to rob me?" a man suddenly yelled from the other side of the room.
"You cheated me out of 6 silver coins and now want to turn it around on me? You really are a scumbag," another figure spoke in a mocking voice.
After hearing the two men trading insults the whole tavern went silent and turned towards the commotion.
The entire atmosphere changed at that moment. It went from one of cheerful chatter and laughter to hostility. Tension filled the air, and the spotlight became this argument.
I observed the two people and noticed one was a beast man with lots of fur covering his back and shoulders and a mane wildly twisting all over his face. The other was a large human with a sturdy build.
For a moment they both just stared each other down looking ready to make a move. Any second they could grab each other's throat I thought.
Wait wait wait, let's just take a step back, are they really going to fight? Right here and right now?