“Uwah, this place is bigger than I thought it would be.”

“Yep, I bet you thought that room was just the entirety of the house didn’t you.”

It’s been 3 days since Kei was found and he has fully recovered from all the wounds his current body had. After becoming the newest member of the household, Milly decided to give Kei a tour around the house.

(It’s a miracle that the old man found me when he did. If it was up to me, I don’t think I’d be able to get out of that predicament. For now, I should be glad that they were kind enough to take me in.)

“The room you were in the past few days was a guest room, so gramps said to give you that room as your own. My room is next to yours and at the end is Roy’s. Gramps’ room is downstairs along with his workshop. Gramps works as a blacksmith and I swear he’s really good at it. Or that’s what the others have said.”

“Others?”

“This house is on the edge of the forest and there’s a village about a field’s walk away. Gramps also protects the village from forest beasts and bandits. I’m telling you Gramps is really strong you know. No one can beat him, not that I’ve seen anyone beat him. But still, Gramps’ the strongest. The other he did save you from the slave traders.”

“Ya I believe you, but umm, are there adventurers of the sort here? I mean, why else would Eren be a blacksmith on the outskirts of the village?”

“Well adventurers don’t really come here, more like there’s no need for them since Gramps is here. Gramps just makes the general household items, like knives or saws. Either than that there’s nothing else he makes. But once I went inside his workshop and I saw a big axe against the wall. It was massive and it looked old, but it had no scratches on it. It was beautiful.”

As they conversed, Kei learned more about the village and Eren. Eren is relatively famous in the village and highly respected and everyone knows about them, Milly and Roy, living with Eren. The village itself isn’t that grand since not many visit here and everyone is relatively familiar with each other. As they talked more they arrived in front of Eren’s workshop.

“Hey gramps, I’m giving Kei a tour of the place, can we come in the shop?

“Ho, girl and the kid. I see, it’s best to know your way around since you’re a part of us now. Get familiar with the place. I’m gonna count on you for holding your share of the household soon enough. Anyways, I got nothing much to do, so come in and watch the stuff, not that it’ll break, it might break you instead, haha.”

Milly and Kei walk inside the workshop through a door in the hallway. The house has two front entrances, one connected to the house, and the other to the blacksmith shop. The inside is organized with tools hanging on the wall, like Milly said, there was nothing but knives and saws, nothing useful for an adventurer.

“Eren, did you ever make weapons before? I was just uh-curious you know.”

Ever since Kei accepted the fact that he was in another world, he the inkling feeling of becoming an adventurer like those stories he read. Now with a live blacksmith in front of his eyes, his curiosity surpassed his fear of the old man.

“At one point, yes, but not anymore. I won’t say the reason why, not that you’ll understand it, but the weapons I like to make are a bit too much for any normal guy to use. I only make it if they are deserving of it.”

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“O-oh I see.”

A bit disappointed by the answer, Kei looked around some more for the axe that Milly mentioned. If at least he got to see one otherworldly weapon, he’d be grateful for the entire day. And just then, Kei noticed the axe hidden in the corner of the room. The blade wrapped in a white cloth with the handle exposed. It seemed just like any ordinary axe except for the fact that stood taller than he was. It was massive to the boot, which seemed unrealistic to be held.

“Ho, this here is my prized possession. It’s been with me for as long as I can remember.”

Eren held up the axe as if it was a feather. The axe was around the same height as Eren, and Kei imagining Eren swinging it around brought him to fear Eren more for than just being a giant dwarf. In the minds of an eight year old, even if Kei was 17 at heart, it was a nightmare.

“Say kid, you hold an interest in weapons don’t you, come here and try to pick this up to see if you’re worthy for a weapon, ho ho.”

“Gramps what are you saying, we’re only eight and that things three times our size, and Kei just recovered. There’s no way I’m letting him- ”

“Really! can I?”

(Waah! It’s an actual weapon, well it’s sucks that it’s not a sword, but it’s better than nothing.)

The look on Kei’s face could be comparable to kid getting a birthday present. With no regards to his surroundings, he attempted to pick up the axe. And to no one’s surprise, it was a futile attempt. He tried again, and the axe barely budged.

“Ha kid, you’re a hundred years early if you think you can swing it like I can. Trust me on that one.”

Eren and Milly started laughing at the red-faced Kei, who rushed in with no care in the world.

“Aww Kei, you’re still cute no matter what, but you don’t need to grow bigger than me. You’ll be my little brother even now.”

“B-but we’re the same age!”

In reality, they were both the same age, but Kei’s was currently smaller in height than Milly, which gave the impression of him being a little brother.

“Ok we should go to the village now, Gramps I’ll show Kei around and meet with the folk down there. I also need to shop, we’re short on supplies since Kei came over. Ah, don’t worry, it’s not your fault Kei, it’s just it was unexpected for you to come here.”

“Ah, I don’t mind it. I mean I did come out of nowhere.”

Kei who suddenly intruded this home and chose to live here, all in under a week, felt a little guilty about the situation. As they started to leave, they noticed a set of glistening knives on the counter.

“Ho, and while you’re at it, deliver these sets of knives to the lady at the inn. She ordered for these to be repaired so she needs them quick.”

Kei and Milly left the workshop and started down the path to the village. Parts of the path was still covered up by the forest but it wasn’t a threatening feeling. Calmly strolling down the path, the rustling of leaves can be heard. It was the end of the cold season so it was still a bit chilly outside. Dried leaves were strewn across the path, and footsteps can be heard coming towards them.

“Milly, and you, are you heading towards the village? I just came from there, if you needed anything you could’ve told me.”

“It’s fine and be nicer to Kei, he’s gonna be with us from now on you know. I was planning on showing Kei around the place and I need to deliver these knives to Sonia-san.”

“Ah ok, then uh careful on the way. But if he does something to you, just scream and I’ll-”

“ROY”

“Gah, alright alright, sorry Milly.”

“Not me, Kei”

“...sorry...”

“I swear Roy, you’ve been acting like a spoiled child ever since Kei came. Didn’t you promise gramps that you’ll become someone worth remembering like him and how no matter what you’ll protect everyone in the village.”

“M-Milly don’t say that!”

(Ah, I see. So that’s how it is. I can’t get on his bad side more than I already am if I want to live here.)

After that Roy headed back to the house, while Kei and Milly continued on to the village. It can be said that Roy accepted Kei in name, but he was true to his words.

After walking for a good ten minutes, the village can be seen.