They left the academy without any problems and strolled toward the city.
The streets were bustling as always, but today even more so.
Raelis couldn’t recall if there was some sort of special event happening, but the way Cael walked beside him seemed a little too relaxed.
They didn’t even know each other that well, and yet Cael was treating him like they’d been friends for years
Maybe I’m the weird one. I really should get some friends... Raelis thought with a sigh.
"Hey, since you’re first place in your class, did you get any duel requests yet?" Cael asked. "I’m second in my year, and I got around 10 already. It’s really getting annoying to deal with."
"Nope, not a single one," Raelis replied, tilting his head. "I wonder if it’s because they’re intimidated?"
"Don’t get ahead of yourself." Cael chuckled. "Where there are strong people, there are also idiots. Those idiots do whatever they can to prove to others that the strong people are not actually strong."
He puffed out his chest. "They haven’t even landed a hit on me once though."
"Hmm... if you say so," Raelis said dryly. "By the way, what’s the actual reason you called me out here?"
As much as he didn’t want to think about it, it was highly likely Cael knew about the bounty.
Because of that, he had likely decided to lure Raelis out of the academy to murder him in some back alley.
"You’re too skeptical for your own good," Cael remarked. "I was serious when I said the only reason I called you out here was because I saw you hanging out alone. I consider myself a social butterfly, so I try to make as many friends as I can. Just think of it as me trying to befriend you or something."
He let out a chuckle, and like that, the two finally reached the Crafting District.
It was pretty straightforward. It was a section of the city dedicated entirely to crafting, separated from the rest of the city by a pitch-black building perimeter.
Whether it was blacksmithing, tailoring, alchemy, or even enchanting. All of those fell into the crafting category.
And of course, it was by far the loudest district in the entire capital.
Magitek machinery rang throughout the air, yet despite that, most of the people walking by were used to this noise, so they didn’t even bat an eye as they went about their day.
It only took a few seconds for Raelis to get adjusted to the noise as he followed after Cael.
They roamed the paved cobblestone streets, which were dyed in different colors from all sorts of experiments.
But eventually, they arrived in front of a hunter’s shop.
Cael took a deep breath and swung the door open.
Before he could even put one foot through the door, a swift arrow flew out, the speed of which Raelis found difficult to react to.
But even so, he extended his hand and grabbed the arrow out of the air, right as it was about to pierce through Cael’s skull.
Cael turned toward Raelis, puzzled.
All of a sudden, Cael’s body turned to smoke as footsteps resounded behind him.
Turning around, he noticed that they belonged to none other than Cael.
"Thanks for the catch. Wasn’t expecting it," Cael remarked, then pointed inside the shop, toward a gray-bearded man. "That’s my dad, by the way. He’s the hunter I mentioned."
"Aha... and why did he try to kill you?" Raelis asked. "Doesn’t sound like a very fun father and son past-time activity."
"It isn’t, but I don’t complain. Him being so hard on me helps me hone my senses," Cael replied and stepped inside the shop.
He wasn’t stabbed this time. Instead, he was greeted warmly.
"You’ve not visited your pops in over a year? Do you have a death wish?" a thundering voice rang out from behind the counter, belonging to the bearded man.
"Come on... don’t overreact. I sent you letters," Cael countered.
"Haaa? Sent me letters? Little bastard... You are a 15-minute walk away from me! Visit me!" his father yelled. "Now then, you realize what will happen now that you’re here?"
Cael nodded slowly. "You’re going to send me on another pointless boar hunt, aren’t you?"
His father nodded nonchalantly.
"That’s right. I need their tendons to strengthen my bows."
"Fine... I’ll go get them, but first, can you make me another quiver?" Cael asked. "A demon broke mine the other day and nearly scooped my spine out in the process."
Demon? Raelis’s curiosity was piqued.
But how unfazed Cael’s father was, it seemed was a daily occurrence. So much so that Cael didn’t even bother going into detail.
I guess he went on an excursion and encountered a demon... that would make the most sense.
"I’ll get you a quiver, and what about your friend there? He caught the arrow like a champ. Does he want anything?" The man narrowed his eyes at Raelis. "Do you want anything?"
"A recommendation to a blacksmith maybe?" Raelis smiled. "I want someone capable to craft me five knives."
"Pfftt..." Cael held back a laugh.
As for his father, he seemed stunned.
"You kids don’t have any shame, do you? I was joking, and you ask for something ?"
A deathly silence ensued for a few moments, but then, Cael’s father burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha! Good! You can pay a visit to the dwarf next door. He calls himself the greatest blacksmith or something. If you tell him Portel sent you, he might even give you a discount."
Hearing that, Raelis was satisfied.
However, when he met Cael’s gaze, he noticed Cael violently shaking his head, as if trying to tell Raelis no.
Then, he began mouthing letters, some of which Raelis managed to pick up. And in the end, quite a clear sentence was pictured.
Don’t use my father’s name, you will have to pay four times more.
Raelis sighed inwardly and nodded once again.
"Thanks," he said, turning to Cael. "I’ll see you later then?"
"Mmm... probably. It will take me a few hours to come back, so if you’re still here, we might run into each other," Cael replied. "Oh, the dwarf my father is talking about runs a shop called: Girgon’s Diner. And no, it’s not a diner. He just has a sick naming sense like the rest of the dwarves in the crafting district."
With those words, Cael shot Raelis one final wave and went to the back to have a chat with his father.
And as for Raelis, he stepped outside and approached the dwarf’s store.
It really was named Girgon’s Diner, and there were even some outdoor benches for eating. It was either some twisted humor Raelis didn’t understand, or the father and son duo lied to him.
Even so, Raelis stopped right in front of the door, and after taking a deep breath, he swung the door open.