Meanwhile, at the palace garden.
"Haa... I somehow feel at peace now. So sharing really does something." He talk to himself, sitting alone while enjoying a cup of tea and reading a bunch of documents.
"Father." Ellie called and approaching him.
He looked up and smiles warmly before putting down the paper to greet her properly.
"What is it dear? I noticed you've been holding back your smile, did something happened?" He ask playfully.
"You wouldn't believe me father. It's regarding Nein." She said after sitting beside him.
Hearing that, his expression turned serious, thinking something happened there.
"What did he do?" He ask with suspicion.
Seeing his reaction, Ellie can't help but chuckles at it before calming him down by stealing his cup and drink it.
"He does nothing father, what I mean is the reaction Sidir made with him." She explain calmly before setting down the cup.
His expression soften slightly and sighing in relieve at her statement.
"So what did he do? Did he tell at him like usual or worse? Either way, I'm not surprised." He ask while pouring another cup for him.
"Hehe, that's where you're wrong father. Not only he speak normally with him but also backing down without him even saying anything!" She said with excitement.
He spit out his tea and coughing, turning his head slowly and staring at her with disbelief as he wipe his mouth.
"... Tell me what happened." He demanded.
Back to the blacksmith. Both of them were sitting on a low table facing each other.
"..."
None of them saying anything, just staring at each other as if trying to figure out an unsolved puzzle.
"Where you from? You're wearing such peculiar clothes there and why you're smelling just like my furnace. And your eyes really stand out. Just who are you exactly." Sidir break the silence with a bunch of questions that sounds like interrogation.
At first, he remain quiet and finally shifting slightly to make himself comfortable before talking back.
"My name's Nein winter, I'm coming from a certain piece of land from beyond the north. And as for my reason here... it's because I'm an outcast. That's all you need to know." Half lie half truth. A made up story he created a moment ago.
"Bullshit. There's nothing in the north, boy." He object.
"What makes you think there's nothing there? Were you ever going there yourself?" He counter his argument without flinching.
"..."
Another silence stretches between them as Sidir begin to thinking to himself while keep looking at his steady gaze.
"What kind of weapon you want and for what?" He ask finally.
"A sword-lance. I'm a mercenary, so I'll need something versatile. Because my-"
"Stop, say what you want again?" Sidir interrupted him, curious of a certain name he said.
"A... sword-lance?" He repeat slowly.
Sisir simply frozen on his spot. It's his first time ever hearing such name and it caught his curiosity.
He immediately rose up from his seat and went somewhere to grab some paper.
"S-show me how it looks like. Quick!" He said with trembling hands.
Nein's confused by his reaction and do a quick analysis before finally taking the paper and use the pencil to draw one, he take advantage of this situation to draw one he was familiar with.
"Like this, can you make it?" He said after handing him the drawing back.
Sidir grab the paper and trembling from what he sees.
"This length...this size... But how... Where do you learn about this? No, rather who designed this?" He said with wonder.
Seeing his reaction, Nein able to get one thing clear. A hybrid weapon haven't invented yet in this world, while he saw a huge opportunity in this, he chose to keep it to himself.
"It's something a friend of mine figured out after tinkering with weapon for a long time. So... Can you make it?" He decided to make another story for this, to avoid getting involved further from bringing impact to this world.
"What's their name? Tell me...who are-"
"You're being unprofessional here. The question asked. Can you do it or not?" He interrupt him from asking too much question, his tone cold and demanding.
His words finally snap Sidir back to his senses, he rub his face roughly to clear his mind and stare at the drawing before looking at Nein again with renewed interest.
"I'm sorry... For a craftsman like me, seeing something new like this really pulling out my inner child. It's... Been a while since I'm this worked up... I apologize." He's speaking so we'll mannered that it caught Nein off guard.
"It's fine. But I'd not talk more about this. It's a secret my friend want me to keep after he died. Because it'll birth nothing but deaths. You know what I mean." He said, his tone calm now.
"Yes... To think you can merge two things as one... It'll definitely create something that not supposed be exist... I understand. But... Can I use this... Sword-lance as a inspiration? I'll pay you for that, please?" He beg, his pride doesn't matter as he only care about what in his hands.
Since Sidir been lived for centuries, he thought he'd already know everything about smithing and making his fire not as hot as before. But now, he can feel it, his heart's beating so fast from a mere drawing coming from a strange man Infront of him.
Just from a single piece of paper. Nein accidentally spark a change to this world. Accidentally.
"I'm... Fine with that. It's not like stop if I asked you to. But please promise me that, you'll stop once you're going too far. Can you do that?" Nein asked, the question feels like precautions, to prevent fault on his side.
"I promise. I know what I'm doing and for when to stop. And... I'm sorry for doubting you too much, Nein." He answered, smiling warmly at him.
"Understandable. Well then, I'll be waiting for the results. I'll be going now." He said before getting up from his seat.
"Wait, how about the-"
"No need. Just promise me that and it yours. I'm not the one coming up with the idea you see." He cut his words with a smirk.
"Then at least give me his name. So I can thank him for giving me the inspiration." He plead, determined to know this great craftsman.
"It's... Paul. His name is Paul. Well then, I'll be going now. See you soon." Nein leave after dropping a name coming up in his mind.
"Paul... Such a great name. ALRIGHT! TIME TO WORK!! HAHAHA!!!." His shouting can be heard across the room to the outside of the place.
Nein simply shaking his head at that and begin walking back to the palace to do his job.
"Well... Looks like reading all those books really paying off." He chuckles to himself, somehow the staring doesn't bother him anymore as he make his way back.
An hour later, after a short discussion with the king, he finally begin investigating deeper into the jade forest. Accompanied with two elves, to help him with his job.
"We've arrived. This is where the last elf disappear." A female elf named Sina explain.
"For how long?" He ask briefly, crouching down to check the dry trail left behind.
"... Two months ago." She adds, there's a hint of shame in her tone.
"I see... Despite no more elf disappearing, there's still lot of new movements... Can you guys back off a bit. I need some room to use my ability." He said, still on the ground as he stretch his arms and place it on the old mark.
The two nods reluctantly and take a few step back, enough to give him space while also watching what he's doing. They can't help but feel anxious about what about to happen, especially after hearing what happened in the dining hall earlier.
"{Tracer}". He whispered.
A trail of black smoke coming from his fingertips, sinking into the marks and coming back up before spreading to all over the woods.
"Calm down, it's not dangerous. We've talk about this." He said to the elf who's already holding her sword in hand.
Sena calm the startled elf beside her and told her to sheath her sword back. For them wouldn't stand a chance against him.
"Did you find anything?" Sena asked, it's been an hour and she's been watching him staying still until now.
He open his eyes shortly and taking off his hand from the ground before rising up to his feet.
"There's a fresh trails all over the forest, but strangely... They're only at the outside of the gates, circling around." He answered while cleaning his palm.
"What? What do you mean? Then how does..." She's in doubt and asking for explanation.
"Follow me, it's much more easier to show you." He begin walking back to the kingdom, but this time toward the one of the wall.
It takes them a while before reaching the destination.
"Here. Can you see it?" He said immediately the moment he stopped.
"See what exactly?" She ask suspiciously.
And with a smirk, Nein use his smoke to reveal what the elves unable to see. A huge amount of trails on the ground outside the wall.
"That." He added casually.
He keep going until the smoke spreading around the kingdom as the guard patrolling also saw how the trails revealing itself and cause them to panics.
The news reach the king and immediately called everyone for a meeting. Including Nein.
"It's definitely caused by human your majesty! They're after this kingdom again." Said one man with heavy armor, presumably a head knight of the west wall
"We should prepare for all out war! Those human cannot be trusted!" Said another knight of the east wall.
"Yeah! We should attack first your majesty!" Said the rest.
The room fall into chaos, leaving the king have no choice but to listen and watching over Nein who seems being ignored by everyone. Witnessing his calm and collected state despite their uproar.
"Silence." The king state.
Everyone gradually settling down until no more voice can be heard.
"It's nice to see none of us forgetting what happened back then. But mind your tongue, we have guest now." He reminds them of Nein presence.
He's currently leaning against the wall, distancing himself from their discussion unless needed.
"No matter how you perceived him, it was him who reveal this news to us. So, I prefer we could discuss about the solution first." He added, his tone carries his authority.
Despite the king order, they're still showing a clear hint of doubt and suspicion toward Nein. Seeing him only as a human. Blindly judging him.
"I'm sorry you're majesty for my insolences, but we're discussing about internal matters. I don't see it fits for... Him to stay here, listening." Said the financial regulator.
His argument sounds, making everyone looking at him with pure hostility despite the king presence. All this because he's a human, the very race responsible for what happened five years ago.