Three days later, Alec and William set out for the Capital. Before going, Collen gave them a few pieces of advice and some gold coins to spend. Their journey to the capital would take two days.
Upon reaching the capital, both of them took a deep breath as their life would take a new turn.
The capital was spreading on a wide range. There was a hill on the east and a forest on the west. City people were all busy in their lives. A great crowd watched some cheap show of acrobats, streets filled with laughter and whispers of ladies.
Carriages were in rush, taking merchants and nobles to their destinations. Some royal guards and swordsmen made their way through the hustle and bustle of the city.
Alec and William looked at the scene unfolding in front of them with a sense of excitement and anticipation for their next years in this city.
"This is amazing," Alec muttered to himself.
"Truly... it is..." William's voice was shaky. He was so excited for the upcoming life in this place.
"Where do you think we should go?" William looked around the busy main street, his eyes drifting from one place to another.
Alec scratched his head and walked ahead. He looked around, "To be honest, I have no idea what we should do now..."
William followed him behind.
"Do you think we should eat first? I'm hungry."
Alec turned to him. William continued with his suggestion, "If we find an inn, there will be a lot of people. We can just ask them about a swordsmaster to teach you."
William shrugged as he spoke. It was easier said than done.
Alec thought about it and agreed.
"Okay. We'll eat and then ask around."
---
Arriving at an inn, the front door flung open as the bell on the side rang, announcing the arrival of customers. Alec and William looked around to face the cheerful atmosphere.
"Welcome~, over here!"
As they walked in, a young lady welcomed them. She had short hair and was wearing a blue garment.
"Hello, what would you like? We serve breakfast and lunch, too."
They walked to the counter and Alec replied,
"Hello. We're—"
"We'd like to order breakfast." William cut him off. Seemed like someone was too hungry. Alec looked at his brother and then again at the lady.
"Alright, two servings of breakfast coming up!" She pointed at a corner table.
"You guys can wait there, it'll be done in a few minutes." She calmly explained and turned to her work, greeting other customers.
Alec and William gazed around and sat down across from each other.
"This place is quite cheery," William complimented the inn.
There were many people eating, shouting, or laughing loudly. They cheered and clunked their beer mugs, splashing some of it on the tables. A truly cheerful place. It seemed like this place would also have a lot of information sources.
Alec thought that it would be better to ask people here. They all were happy, and happy people don't mind helping others.
A young man, around their age, came up to them and served their breakfast.
"Enjoy our special breakfast, sirs." The boy left after serving.
They got hot and soft bread with eggs and meat on the sides, and hot, steaming vegetable soup.
They took a bite and savored the flavor in their mouths.
"Hmm! No wonder there are so many people here, this place is good."
Alec joined in the compliment, "I think so, too."
—"HAHAHA, you have no idea how scary it was for the poor guy!"
—"I remember him begging for mercy..!"
—"My lord, you truly are strong, I don't think anyone can ever defeat you!"
While eating, they listened to the people talking behind their table. They were too loud to be left unnoticed.
—"It's all the power of these muscles." The man proudly showed the people his powerful biceps.
There echoed the cheers from the people. Alec looked behind to see who it was. Although he didn't know the man, it didn't hurt to take a look.
"What a show-off." William murmured, looking at the bizarre man.
"I think he's some kind of a hero," Alec shared his thoughts with William while stirring the soup.
"Look at all these people, gawking around him. You would think that this is some kind of a great man."
William agreed, "True. He's just showing off."
Alec added, "Do you think they can tell us about a swordsmaster?" Curiosity stung his eyes.
"I don't know, might as well ask." William's voice was filled with sarcasm. But he didn't think that Alec would actually go to the man.
"Excuse me, may I ask you something?"
Alec's straightforwardness left him rendered. He hurriedly cackled out,
"Oi! I didn't mean for you to just go up and ask!"
The buff man looked at both of them and the crowd silenced. The man gazed at Alec with surprise. He stood straight.
"It's okay, I'm just asking and then leaving. This gentleman would help us."
Alec looked like an idiot to William and the crowd. He even called the buff man a gentleman!
"Pfft—what, what do you want to ask?" As he laughed, the whole crowd burst into laughter.
Alec didn't mind and calmly explained. "We are looking for a mentor to be a swordsman."
Alec didn't say 'swordsmaster' because he knew the people would look down on him for having a big ambition. That's how the world works. The laughing crowd fell silent again. All the eyes were on Alec. William gulped and stood behind Alec.
With a grim expression, the buff man confirmed:
"You want to be a swordsman?"
The request wasn't so out of the ordinary, but the atmosphere went silent because Alec asked a swordsman for another swordsman's mentorship. He unintentionally insulted the buff man. As if to rub salt on his wounds, Alec further confirmed his words.
"Yes, can you tell me the address of the best swordsman here? I can talk to him myself."
Now, the cheerful atmosphere was nowhere to be found, replaced with a heavy air.
The crowd filled with whispers and murmuring noises. The buff man gritted his teeth in anger. William tugged at Alec's sleeve, muttering,
"Alec, let's get out of here." His voice was husky and trembling. "We—we can ask somewhere else."
"No one is going anywhere!" The thunderous voice fell. The buff man looked at Alec straight in the eye.
"You. You insulted me." Black fog rose from the buff man's body. His eyes shone. People silently stepped back, fear lingering in their eyes.
The lady at the counter noticed the unusual atmosphere and turned to see what was happening.
"No, sir. I'm merely looking for a mentor." Alec took half a step back.
He knew what he had gotten himself into. His brows knitted slightly and his hands silently looked for something to grab. William trembled, but he could not back up, leaving Alec behind.
The buff man laughed loudly at his retort. "I see. A mentor, you say?"
His voice was husky and filled with malice.
"Why don't you take me as your 'mentor'?" His eyes flickered with anger.
"I'll train you good."
The buff man silently clenched his fist, blue veins appearing on his hand and knuckles.
Alec's brain worked fast. "No, thank you. I'll just find someone else."
His voice was determined and firm. Veins popped on the man's temples. People, murmuring, got out of the inn. The lady at the counter shockingly looked at the leaving people.
'Can't they just silently eat and go? Why make my work go down?' Before a fight broke out, she rushed to settle the fuming flames.
"Wait, wait! Gentlemen, no fighting!" She demanded and stood between them.
"Sir Richard, please let go. He seems new here, please don't fight with the kid."
They, along with William, looked at the lady. The buff man sneered.
"Ha! Let him go? He's the one who insulted me first!"
He glared at Alec and William with furious eyes. "He should pay for that."
Alec didn't say a word and his eyes drifted toward an escape. He silently gestured William to leave first.
'I'll handle this, you go now.'
'No, I can't leave you. What would happen to me if anything happened to you?'
'Just go. Trust me on this one.'
Meanwhile, the buff man argued with the counter lady,
"Sir, this is a civilized place. You cannot fight in here."
"Well, you should've made sure he hadn't insulted me! You get out of my way, I'm going to make him pay for what he did!"
She tried to push the buff man away. "No, you shouldn't do this! At least, not in my shop!"
"I said get out of my way!!"
The buff man grabbed her hair and threw her aside.
"Ah!—" she fell badly on the ground. Her body curled from the pain.
The man turned his face to Alec as an unannounced kick greeted his face. The force was so much that the man fell on a table, breaking it into pieces.
The man didn't even get a chance to feel pain, his mind became hazy. He held his head in a confused state.
Alec steadied himself straight. Even William was left jaw-dropped. No one had time to even react when the kick came. Alec let out a huff.
All eyes fell right on him.
"Alec..." William shakily called out his name.
"You..." After a pause, anger swarmed over the man. His eyes wide open, showing his frustration.
"You son of a—"
Thud!
A flying pan hit the man on the head, with a loud noise from the metal hitting skin.
"Keh..-"
The man fell down again. Alec and William stood on guard, watching the man fall. They looked in the direction of the source of the pan.
"Hey, I told you not to fight in my shop."
The cheerful lady from before was gone, replaced with a deadly-looking woman standing a few meters away.
Alec and William didn't dare move an inch and gulped at the sight of her.