In Lucas's office, both of them were discussing about the issue. Sitting across each other with a cup of herbal tea.
"Bellonia duchy will also sent their knights here so there would be plenty of help with this matter. They'll arrive soon and we'll start the operation after that." Lucas explain while sipping his tea.
"I see. So there's a weird movement deep in the woods you but unable to find the source of it?. Sounds familiar." He said while examining the reports Lucas handed to him earlier.
"I suppose it is. Ellie already told me what happened in Bellonia and she's the one who recommended you to me." Lucas said with a smile.
"Then let's talk about payment, Ellie said to me that you'd like to decide what kind of payment you want. Feel free to tell me." He adds generously.
Nein caught off guard by Lucas's words. He don't remember ever saying that before but he take it as a good thing because he's already saving up so much gold already. He set down the reports and remember something.
"Then I'd like a spear. If you may, I'd like to make it myself so... could you told me where I can find a blacksmith?." He sounds interested. He always fight barehanded since then, but he's actually a spearman back in his original world.
"A weapon?. Of course, I'll sent someone to guide you there but...are you sure you're not asking for anything more... valuable?." Lucas's intrigued.
"It's fine, I'll take the weapon." He immediately refuse and lean forward. "So, let's talk about the operation shall we your majesty?."
Lucas nods as they spend the rest of the night to discussing strategy. With morning light comes, Nein woke up immediately and ready himself to start his day. He noticed the elves also have started their life even before the sun's up. He take a stroll around while ignoring their curious gaze.
He came to a stop after seeing Ellie's training with others. He enters the training ground and see many peoples exercising and testing their skills. He feels out of place with that dark attire of his.
"Huh, Nein?. What are you doing here?". Ellie noticed his presence by the entrance and told her sparring partner to stop as she approach him.
"Nothing, the sounds of exercise caught my attention." He says casually while looking around.
"What I meant is... whatever." She stop herself for asking and got an idea. "Say, do you up for a spar?" She says with a smile.
"A spar?. What kind of spar?." He's making sure.
"A light spar. What else it could be?. Just a hand to hand combat, I want to test something." She explain eagerly.
He ponder for a bit before agreeing with a nod. She delighted and went back to the arena expecting him to followed. He enter the arena and take off his coat so it won't get in his way, toss it aside and stretch his muscles.
"Wow, such muscle you have there." Her eyes watching the flexed arms covered in scars.
"But I've taken many opponent bigger than me." She says confidently.
Crowds starting to gather around to watch this spar. To see their princess fierce spirit crushed opponent bigger than her like usual.
"Remember, no magic." She says before closing the distance between them.
The elf is well known for their dexterity and flexibility for they're always leaping over trees while carrying their equipment. The strength of their core make them able to draw their bow while hanging on tree branches.
Nein decided to go with defense, taking each blow with precision to learn about her pattern. And when he sees an opening he immediately went for it, she immediately grins and shift her weight to use the momentum against him.
It caught him surprised especially when Ellie's goes with a different footwork and strikes unlike before. A tactics she developed after facing a smart opponent. She strikes first with a fake technique and when the opponent thought they figured the pattern, she immediately changed to a completely different style.
Some of her hit connect to his body and almost overwhelm him, forcing him to make distance from her and assessing the situation first as she smiles and mocking him.
"Haha, make you flinched right?." She says proudly.
"Heh,you does. Let's continue." He says with thrilled grins.
She made a mistake. Thinking she'll be able to take him down by crushing his spirit without her knowing Nein nature of his craving to learn and his endurance that make him able to rose up even from beneath the ruble.
Despite her strikes, he keep pushing forward eagerly. Learning from her unexpected blows and keep trying to land a hit on her. She's starting to get overwhelmed by his marching. She's in disbelief at how pain doesn't even stop him and instead terrified at how his red eyes widen with excitement.
She's falter for a moment and failed to maintain her footing making her stumbled down and watch Nein larger frame raising his fist above her making him looks terrifying. She's freezed in fear and lost all control of her body. She just sit there watching his fist getting closer to her face.
The room goes silent, everyone holding their breath by the sight of the scene before them. His fist stopped, hovering slightly from her face before flicking her forehead.
"I win." He says with a smile before pulling away and standing with reached hand to help her stand. "That was fun, I've learn something new today. Thanks".
She simply stare at his outstretched arm in disbelief. The flick doesn't help clearing her mind, especially when she thought she'll get obliterated by him. She's unconsciously accepting the hand and gets up with his help while still stunned by how the spar unfold.
He went to grab his coat and slides his arm smoothly before making his way to the exit.
"I'll be going now, bye." He left with a smile on his face. Leaving everyone speechless.
Later at noon, the news about the spar spreading between the knights. Ellie's stay in her room to review their match, taking the matter seriously so when she's facing someone like him again, she won't lose.
Meanwhile, Nein's taken by one of the guard to the blacksmith as promised. He watch the surrounding scenery with awe, the beauty of the forest combined with the settlement makes a perfect harmony.
They arrived at the blacksmith entrance and the guard immediately knock the door.
"Who is it!" A heavy voice can be heard across the door.
"It's me uncle, I bring you a guest from the king's order." Said the guard with familiarity.
The door opened shortly before a dwarf emerges from the room with face covered in dirt and oil. His eyes stern and judging.
"Hmph, what does the king want from this old man?" He says gruffly after eyeing both of them Infront of him.
Nein take a step forward and taking the conversation as he pat the guard shoulder to tell him to back down a bit.
"I'm Nein, I want to make a weapon and the king himself recommended this blacksmith to me. Would you mind if I look inside for a bit?" He ask politely.
The dwarf ponder and suddenly turn around and retreating inside. "What are waiting for?. Do you want a room tour or not?". He says gruffly.
"And boy, just leave this man to me, you can pick him up once everything's done" he adds to the guard behind Nein.
"I'll be fine on my own, just tell your majesty that I've arrived safely." He assure the guard and entered the blacksmith before closing the door behind him.
The guard sigh and returned to the palace alone to tell the king about it.