Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

"What is your name, young man?"

Baelin inquired of Leo as he took a hearty gulp from his dwarven ale-filled mug. Leo stood before the renowned Grandmaster rank, a mix of reverence and caution coloring his expression before he responded.

"Grandmaster Baelin, my name is Leo Longblade," Leo spoke with humility, punctuating his words with a respectful bow befitting Baelin's esteemed rank.

"I emerged victorious in the tests, surpassing my peers, so that I could have the privilege of training under your guidance," he added, a trace of pride and self-assurance threading through his voice.

"Teacher Baelin, surely you received his file yesterday. Please don't tell me you approved him without bothering to peruse the contents," Ravid cast a suspicious gaze at Baelin as he questioned him.

"Bah! Do they think I have the leisure to read about some greenhorn's background history? I am busy here, damn it. Let me work in peace," Baelin grumbled, cursing the city administration and muttering less-than-flattering comments about certain influential figures within their ranks under his breath. Finally, he turned his attention to Leo Longblade, giving him a careful examination.

"Nevermind. Hmm. You don't seem half bad. Show me your Individuality," Baelin commanded Leo, who nodded in compliance. In an instant, Leo unleashed his mana-infused elemental prowess, causing a pool of inky blackness to materialize beneath the ground. The ambient lighting dimmed, courtesy of Leo's shadow element, lending an aura of shadowy intrigue to the space.

Leo did nothing more, merely showcasing his Individuality as requested by Baelin, who seemed impressed once again.

"Not bad, young man. With an Individuality like this, along with your shadow element, it's no surprise you passed the test," Baelin remarked, setting aside his now-empty mug of dwarven ale. Only after confirming Leo's Individuality firsthand did Baelin bother to delve deeper into Leo's background by accessing the file through the spectral screen at his disposal.

Quickly scanning Leo's known history and experiences, Baelin found himself satisfied with the provided details. However, one particular aspect caught his attention.

"Hm? It says here that you resided in Edinburgh until the age of 8, then moved to the Asikha Empire and remained there until breaking through to the Expert Rank. After that, you seemed to have vanished from the radar for quite some time," Baelin noted as he perused Leo's personal history.

"And it says you returned to Edinburgh around five years ago. That means you came back during the war's tumultuous times. What prompted your return to your homeland, young man?" Baelin posed the question with genuine curiosity, despite its divergence from the topic of weapon crafting.

After all, to Baelin's knowledge, the Asikha Empire boasted its own skilled weaponsmiths and the empire was currently embroiled in conflict with the Amazonians, presenting ample opportunities for someone like Leo.

Leo's ink-black eyes locked onto Baelin's with unwavering intensity before he responded sincerely, "To find success in weaponsmithing within the Asikha Empire, Grandmaster Baelin, one needs to have certain connections. Unfortunately, being originally from here, I lacked those connections.

Moreover, influential figures within the empire spoke highly of your expertise. So I decided to come here in search of better opportunities for myself," Leo explained earnestly, his gaze fixed on Baelin.

"Hmm, that does make sense," Baelin nodded in understanding. "I do have a considerable number of customers in the Asikha Empire. However, the ongoing war situation in both Edinburgh and the Asikha Empire has made it challenging for communication between the two sides," Baelin sighed.

Ironhand could sense that the city administration had made efforts to gather detailed information about Leo. Yet, due to the complexities arising from Edinburgh's conflict with Layos and the Asikha Empire's clash with the Amazonians, acquiring comprehensive background history on foreign soil proved difficult. Consequently, even though Leo had garnered some recognition in Edinburgh through his recent creations, his personal history lacked explicit details.

As Baelin stroked his long beard with his right hand, he carefully observed Leo, prompting another personal question, "What are your life goals, Leo?" Baelin continued scrutinizing him, sensing an underlying peculiarity about the young man before him. It was an intuitive perception, characteristic of his Grandmaster rank, yet Baelin couldn't quite pinpoint the nature of this peculiarity.

"Well, my first goal is to surpass you in artifact crafting, Grandmaster Baelin. As for my second goal… Well… it's money.

Earning wealth and obtaining invaluable resources for ranking is my goal," Leo replied with a resolute expression, his voice brimming with conviction. Baelin and Ravid were momentarily stunned by Leo's answer, rendered speechless.

After a brief silence, the dwarf burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha! That's refreshingly honest, young man. If you had expressed a desire to serve your homeland during these challenging times, I might have rejected you. I appreciate this candor," Baelin exclaimed, slapping his work desk with excitement.

"Thank you, Grandmaster Baelin," Leo offered another bow to Baelin. "I'm glad to know that you value honesty. It's something I strive for in my work," Leo humbly added.

Baelin's unwarranted concerns about Leo gradually dissipated, pushed aside by their engaging conversation. Each time Baelin inquired about Leo's personal life, the young man responded with entertaining anecdotes. And whenever the conversation shifted toward artifact creation, Leo's precise and focused answers hit the mark.

It felt less like an interrogation and more like two friends bridging a significant age gap, engaged in lively banter.

Ravid observed the entire exchange between Leo and Baelin as a silent observer. He couldn't help but acknowledge Leo's way with words. The Leo he had initially met seemed entirely different from the one interacting with Baelin.

A wry smile crept onto Ravid's face as he realized that he might not remain Baelin's right-hand man forever. After all, Leo appeared to be on the verge of breaking into the Master Rank. From Leo's file, Ravid knew that he was around 40 years old, making him almost 30 years younger than himself.

Despite being nothing more than an array master, Leo's rapid progress in rank was undeniably impressive. Ravid speculated that it would take another 5 to 6 years for Leo to achieve the Master Rank. With such talent and potential, given the right opportunities and experiences, Leo could very well surpass Baelin someday.

'Am I going to have to stay on the good side of my junior as well?' Ravid sighed inwardly as he watched Leo and Baelin passionately discuss various weapon-smithing techniques.

It was akin to witnessing two passionate enthusiasts immersed in their shared obsession. Two geeks geeking out.