Maruim walked the city streets carrying a jug of beer in his right hand and a metal box in the other.
His cheeks were a little rosy and his face was flushed.
"Hahahaha ~ today is such a good day I got enough money to advance my warrior level and with little to no effort, and if all goes well I might make double that money" Maruim roared in excitement.
"That boy Sol really is my lucky star, It's such a pity that he's dead." He said a hint of melancholy creeping into his tone.
Soon after Maruim snickered under his breath
"Like hell it was, It's good that he's dead it's be less trouble for me this way."
He took a swig of beer from the jug in his left hand giggling to himself like he just scammed a wealthy young merchant who knew very little about the world.
BANG!
Maruim kicked open the heavy metal doors to his smithy with full force while drinking out of the wooden jug.
"It seems I'm late, but who cares anyways I'm the bo–"
Clank!
The metal box in his left hand slipped from Maruim hands leaving him wide-eyed and starstruck as he looked at Sol reading a book while sitting on the window frame.
The successive loud noises from the opening of the door and the fall of the metal box Maruim was Holding made Sol pause from reading the book.
He raised his head and met Maruim's starstruck eyes with an even gaze.
"Why do you look so shocked?"
Sol's disinterested voice snapped Maruim out of his thoughts.
'why is this guy wasting time dawdling, I'd rather be reading my book.' Sol muttered internally as he watched the changes in expression on Maruim's face.
The first reaction he showed was suprise then after that a hint of a frown breifly grazed his face.
"Teacher, I'm officially your disciple now, right?" Sol asked, his voice crisp and clear.
"Yes, you are now my disciple, but to be honest with you, I would have preferred it, if you died last night, That would have allowed me to have that Jade you sold to me for free, but since you survived that proves your worth the effort to teach.
"But for now you should go home, I will only teach you the arts of a warrior, within the hours when the sun sets and the sun rises."
Sol closed the book in his hands and hopped off the window frame.
"Whatever floats your boat."
"Oh and before you go remember to scrub the floor, you left quite the mess here." Maruim said pointing to the red stain on the floor.
Sol glanced at him and sighed.
He sullenly went to the back of the smithy, getting the cleaning brush he saw earlier.
'I'm your disciple not your servant, dammit!'
But although Sol had his scruples, he didn't bother to voice them out — This was also why he seemed to have a expressionless face even though he was abundant in emotions — It was a habit he picked up from way back in his younger days, back then everything seemed so bland endless, with endless hours of monotone living even the job he had been once enthusiastic of was now a bore to him.
It was during this era of depression he developed the trait of not expressing his emotions, This remained in his older days, even after he had overcome his depression.
Admist the reminisce of his past Sol skillfully lay waste to the blood stains that littered the floor.
Sol was familiar with the in's and out of cleaning owed to his decade of experience cleaning his butcher after he was done.
"Hmmm ~ This new disciple is so good as scrubbing the floor perhaps you could use him to replace the cleaning servants to save on money."
"_"
Sol calmy stared at Maruim, with his brow raised in inquisition.
"What? Why you looking at me like that? Do you think I can't do it? Huh? You don't believe me? Look at at me one second longer and I'll really do it."
Sol tilted his head slightly at his master's eccentric behaviour but made no comment on it and continued scrubbing.
Time passed and Sol eventually finished wiping off all the spots of blood on the floor.
After that was done Sol went out of the smithy, leaving Maruim behind without informing him of his departure.
The bustling streets that were me would normally see in the summer was now nowhere to be seen, owing to the fast approaching chill of winter.
"The winter of this world is as harsh as ever."
Sol noted, as he watched the misty breath that came out of his mouth as he exhaled.
"But I seem to be taking the cold better than last time, is it because of…"
"Hey!"
As Sol was deep in thought he had bumped into someone on the street.
It was a young man in wealthy clothes about the same age as him.
Startled at the sudden interruption of his thought Sol stared listlessly at the young man before the light of realisation dawned on him.
"Oh, Sorry for bumping into you, I'll pay attention next time."
"How dare this mortal bump into me and apologise standing on his two feet, If I don't break both your legs today, you wouldn't learn to respect your superiors."
Without warning he struck his fists out striking bang in the middle of Sol's solar plexus (chest)
Sol didn't react even as his fist was about to land but thankfully at the last second his body's instincts kicked in.
His muscles clenched as the braces for impact and his legs softened in preparation to dissipate the incoming momentum.
Crack
Tiny bits of Sol's ribcage broke off into fragments ah he took multiple steps back in succession.
"Huh? The Warrior's instinct? Hmph ~ Since your a warrior I'll let you off with this, but next time don't be disrespectful of those stronger than you." The young man said with his chin raised up and arrogance oozing from his tone.
"Come on, Cayang let's go, we've already wasted enough time let's go meet that blacksmith that says he has a piece of Flawless Ice Jade."