Chương 1664: Interlude: Trouble Brewing II

"Who are you?" He was tall, lean, his hair dark and curly, his beard neatly trimmed around sneered lips, his eyes full of an arrogance of a man born in silver and silk. A plain white shalwar, colourful outer robes, a vest of black and silver, and a finely crafted sabre hung at his side, the kind he had no need to wield, for a greater blade stood beside him. Chain vests, chain helmet, chain scarf, his heart and blade chained to the young man beside him.

"Chosen."

"Tanagek."

"What business do you have within the Setting Sun?"

"We have come to speak with your grandfather, or-,""Hah!" The young man reached up to cover his smirk, though he did not cover it truly.

"Who is it that wishes to speak with grandfather? By what right do you believe you are capable?"

"Do you wish to beat Wild Cobra Sword?" Tanagek asked in the Aldish tongue.

"You should do it, for my prey is greater," Chosen replied. Tanagek turned, holding Chosen's gaze for a moment. The pair glared between one another for a long while, until finally, Tanagek stood.

"It seems as though I have the privilege of beating you this day." Yet, as Tanagek stood, another approached suddenly, a man in similar attire to the young Aswadian, save his cloak was black and silver, his vest colourful, approaching with such a swiftness one might have thought he was flying through the air. Beside him another followed, adorned in iron scale, and wielded quite a beautiful blade at his side.

In his forties, yet his hair was already salt and pepper, save his beard, now dyed blue, for it was his daughter's favourite colour this month.

"I was informed of such fine guests within our humble estate," Abdul Shums said, his eyes taking in the sight of the pair of Iyrmen.

'It is just my luck that such a pair have come to speak with me. These youngsters, they would not dare to act up within the estate, but...' Thankfully, it seemed Akbar had not antagonised them too greatly, or at the very least, they would dare not suggest such while standing before this great merchant.

"It is good to see you again, Abdul."

"Yes, certainly. Tanagek, and Chosen, wasn't it?"

"Yes," the pair replied.

"How may I assist?"

"I would like to face the Roaming Steel Sword," Chosen said, standing, rolling his shoulders, holding the merchant's gaze.

"Are you upon such a journey?"

"It is that kind of journey?" Chosen's face contorted to reveal the beast that he was, the savagery of the Iyr, and the delight that was tasting iron upon his tongue. Indeed, for Aswadasad should know it too, the name of the Iyr, of this Iyrman's family, Sen, of this Iyrman, Cho.

'Is that why they have come?' Abdul thought, before he was stopped by a hand, as Chosen raised two fingers.

"I will face Roaming Steel Sword, and my cousin shall face Wild Cobra Sword. If we lose, we shall surrender two blades from our family, those which hold enchantments. If we win, we shall claim the Twin Steel Sabres." Abdul raised his brows curiously towards them, for certainly these Iyrmen were fools, but were they that foolish?

Even so, the fact that these two were that fool's companions, it stirred his heart, and certainly, these two who had yet to step into the realm of Masterhood, would be unable to defeat Roaming Steel Sword.

"You will face Roaming Steel Sword and Wild Cobra Sword. If you claim victory against both warriors, I will set the Twin Steel Sabres free from our contract. If you do not claim victory against both warriors, you, Tanagek, must surrender a magical weapon from your family, and you, Chosen, must surrender a magical weapon from your family."

"Can you do it?" Tanagek asked in their tongue. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Can you?" Tanagek remained silent for a long moment, noticing the look within Chosen's eyes. It would be difficult for even he to stop this fool when he was like this.

"Since you-," Chosen began, only for Tanagek to interrupt him.

"When we defeat both your warriors, you must surrender them to us."

"It is up to the Twin Steel Sabres if they wish to accept a contract from you."

"Twin Steel Sabres, you must join the United Kindom upon their typical conditions for Experts," Tanagek said, holding their gaze.

"If you win, we will do so," the pair replied.

"Do you have family?"

"Our master is our only family... now."

'They even pause the same?' Chosen thought, his viciousness disarmed by their behaviour, not accepting their words into his heart just yet.

"Are you able to afford such fine warriors?"

"An additional sum of a thousand gold shall be paid to each of you upon the acceptance of the contract, a ten year term, and at the end of such a term, at least one magical weapon each," Tanagek said, making a promise on behalf of the United Kindom, though he was not officially a part of it. However, these twins were worth it, and Adam would take his advice. The twins raised their brows excitedly.

"Sabres?"

"Sabres," Tanagek confirmed. Abdul remained silent for a long moment, for losing the Twin Steel Sabres was quite an issue. However, the bout was still in his favour, and a pair of magical weapons wasn't a terrible deal. Also, to put the Iyrmen in their place, wouldn't that be quite the delight? Then, he appeared. His skin was coloured like almond, wrinkled like almond, and within a hand, he carried almonds.

He wore plain white, save for the colourful outer robes, which seemed to suggest the old man had accidentally swum in a river of a thousand colours. Roaming Steel Sword, bowed his head lightly towards the old man, as well as the woman beside him, who drew her sword, and as she leapt into the air, her beautiful blade, like a long needle, blurred through the air.

The ringing of steel filled the air as Tanagek drew his magical blade, the pair clashing for a moment, and though her blade was barely a finger thick, it did not yield against even the might of a weapon like Tanagek's, that which had been a gift from his nephew, and was the greatest gift of all.

"You must be one of Duteous'," the woman said, their blades still locked, not just a battle of magical steel, but a battle of wits. She was old, though looked a touch younger, in the Aswadian way. She wore a brightly patterned scarf which covered her hair, her shoulders, but revealed her pretty face. Her attire covered her from head to heel, draping her in a sea of grey. Her finger thick blade's handle was a finger thicker, perfect for her small, finger thin hands.

"He is my granduncle," Tanagek confirmed, holding her gaze, as firm as the one known as Duteous.

"Granduncle?"

"My grandfather is his elder brother."

"I see," the woman said, stepping back.

"I do not believe I have heard of your grandfather?"

"He did not reach such a great height," Tanagek said, for both his grandparents had died so long ago.

"What a shame."

"It is no shame, for they reached the heights of an Expert before they passed, as expected of them," Tanagek stated, his voice neutral as his expression, even after facing the likes of this woman.

"It is no shame to reach such a height."

"My father has only recently stepped into the realm of a Grandmaster, so you may not have heard of him." The old woman blinked.

"Your father?"

"Yes."

"..."

"..." The old woman remained silent, for this young man was probably the same as her grandchildren, his father probably the same age as her own children, and as Duteous was one of her contemporaries, that meant his father, who was perhaps twenty years younger...

"Your father, what is his name?"

"Tonagek."

"Ah," she said.

"A Grandmaster, whose son is a Master. How fortunate." Abdul blinked, his eyes darting down to meet his son's. Then the pair looked to Roaming Steel Sword, whose face remained blank, for he had already met three figures who were at the same realm as him, each only twenty four, and now...

"Is that so special, Steel Storm Staff?" called a voice, of a young man whose lips formed a wide smirk.

"Who are you?" the old woman asked.

"The one who has come to beat Roaming Steel Sword appropriately," Chosen said, pointing towards Roaming Steel Sword.

"Are you a Master too?"

"Certainly, one could say that I am like my cousin, whose father is a Grandmaster, whose Granduncle is a Paragon."

'I am the...' Azim, head of the Setting Sun Merchants, thought, for was that not his title? Yet they were ignoring him so blatantly. He slowly, sadly, bit another almond.

"Last we met, you were not within such a realm," Roaming Steel Sword accused.

"Last time we met, I was not in such a realm," Chosen confirmed.

"Now that we have met, I am in such a realm." The problem was, Roaming Steel Sword believed it. Since monsters like those three existed, then certainly a monster like him existed, he whose granduncle was a Paragon, whose father was a Grandmaster, who was a Master at almost half his age.

"Do not worry, for I am more sensible than that monster," Chosen joked.

"Are you speaking of the half elf?" Azim finally asked, since he was still the Family Head, so he should speak up at a time like this, especially when it came to a creature like that half elf. Chosen's bestial grin filled the awkward silence, his eyes flashing with amusement.

"I understand there is a matter of a bout, but would you be willing to speak your tales?"

"I shall provide the music," Chosen said, holding up a finger, beckoning Roaming Steel Sword towards him. Roaming Steel Sword glanced aside to the patriarch, who nodded.

"Father, I-," Azim raised a hand, silencing his son, who had made a deal, but he was not as much of a fool of his grandson. Surely.