You're hired

"So, tell me about this guy named Bassel."

I leaned my arm against the rough edge of the table in the tavern where I followed that 'guy.' Since he had already given me a clue about this eccentric blacksmith, he might as well give me more information. This stranger, whose body was as hard as steel, sounded like he knew the man, after all.

"Well, let's see. A mug of booze here, oy!" he motioned his hand up, catching the old lady server's attention for a drink. He then rested his elbow on the table, keeping his fist erected.

"Bassel, he... as I've said, who people call a lunatic, a failure, and just a freak who likes to waste materials to create his own inventions than get the proper orders done, that pathetically get him kicked out," he explained in a fed up tone. "No one wants to work with him or anyone interested in his talent because of his personality."

"You mean everyone treats him like a freak?"

"He is a freak. One time, someone asked for a heavy sword to get done." He shrugged while I listened to him intently. "And when his client returned, no sword."

I blinked, waiting for him to continue until I got impatient. "God damn the suspense. This is not a horror film. What did the client get?" I clicked my tongue in irritation as he chugged down the booze while keeping his eyes on me.

"Easy." He laughed before he hissed in satisfaction. "What the client got in return is a mace."

"A mace?"

"Yes. A mace." He rocked his head with his lips closed. "The client barked like a soprano, and the rest is history."

I cocked my head to the side while rubbing my chin. No wonder the man in question was being avoided like a plague. No one wanted to get the wrong order, even back on Earth.

The corner of my lips stretched from ear to ear, warranting me a question from the stranger across from me.

"Do you have any idea how evil you look?" he asked, but my only response was a devious giggle. "You're scary."

I smacked my lips and pounded the bottom of my fist against the table lightly. I spread my legs as I leaned forward, my other hand placed on my thigh.

"Tell me more about him," I demanded like a maniac.

"You find him interesting?"

I nodded confidently. "He is interesting, so why would I find him not?"

"Heh... will you hire him if you see him?"

"Well, why not?"

"That's strange."

"Heh... you and everyone in this world are the one who are strange." I cleared my throat, crooking my finger to get his attention. "Have it ever occurred to you why this guy, Bassel, crafted a mace instead of a sword?"

"Uh..."

"Do you have any idea how to craft metals? It's fucking hard, dangerous, and takes a lot of time. Why would he waste his time and talent to make something that isn't worth his time? That is why I think, maybe as a blacksmith, he knew what is best for his client and what type of weapon they should wield. Unless he is stupid, of course." I snapped my finger as if that would clear the space of his tiny memory storage. "I might be wrong, though. So I need more stories about this guy before I meet him. It's best to know something about him before meeting him."

He looked at me with strange eyes, but I was already used to this. Bedo would always give me this judgmental look. That stone guy trained me.

"Come on, man. Just indulge with me a bit more. I mean, you already know my name..." I trailed off when I noticed the misplaced cluelessness in his eyes. That was when I realized we hadn't had a proper introduction yet.

Right. Manners.

I cleared my throat and offered my hand over the table, my elbow on the surface of it. "Ammon." My brows rose as I sported a friendly smirk.

"And you?" I asked. I didn't want to look like I was flirting, but well... I was the cool guy who looked like I flirt with everyone. Being born with a handsome gene wasn't my crime to bear.

"Uh, it's --"

"Oy, Bassel!"

My entire face froze when I heard the name of the man I wanted to search for. He was here? I wondered, twisting my neck to the source of the voice. I searched for the owner of the voice and my eyes landed on a group of men looking for their spot in the tavern.

"Huh?" I blinked when three men waved in my direction.

"'Bassel, oy! Someone is looking for you earlier — hack! You're dead!" yelled the fat, old, and had a long wrinkly beard man. Each time he spat out words, his saliva was showering through his missing front teeth, landing on his beard and whichever direction.

"Bassel, huy! They're looking for you! You're really dead — ah, wait for me!"

"Hah... that stupid fuck," the man sitting across from me mumbled, making me face him with a dead face. He glanced up at me and huffed.

"Bassel." He cleared his throat, attempting to sport a brave face even when he looked a little embarrassed. He looked more shameless now, though,

"Did you... just let me interview you for a job?" I asked tonelessly, eyes straight in his eyes.

"I didn't lie, though. All the things I've said were the truth and nothing but the truth!" he argued while flinging his arms open. "I don't lie to people."

I blinked as he clicked his tongue in annoyance. This cunning bastard... but...

The corner of my lips hooked up, watching him furrow his brows and cast me a look. "You're hired, you cunning bastard."

"What?"

"You're hired." I snapped my fingers at him, laughing with my lips closed. "I like you."

"Really?"

"Really." I laughed once again as I shook my head lightly. "If the person who is going to work with me isn't as cunning as to force an interview without me noticing, he won't last long."

"Hah..." he laughed faintly before it became a full laugh. I couldn't help but laugh as well, knowing deep in my soul I wasn't wrong with this one.

"I'm looking forward to working with you, Bassel." I put up my fist in front of him, smirking like a devil.

His laugh subsided before he cleared his throat. "I'm in your care..." he jerked his chin slightly, raising his fist to bump mine before adding, "Boss."

*****

A/N: THIS NOVEL WILL BE REUPLOADED UNDER WSA 2022 :) SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING. I WILL TRY TO UPLOAD 1 CHAPTER EVERY THREE DAYS or WEEK BEFORE I REUPLOAD IT.

NOTE: pointing out grammatical errors, typos, and anything to make the readability better are all welcome.