The Life of a Captain (3)
"And who said you need to do something heroic to become the Supreme Swordswoman!?" William exclaims. "Being the Supreme Swordsman isn't about having a moving story, it's about defending people and defeating the bad guys!"
"Yes..." He's right. "I wish I had heard that when I was younger..."
"It's never too late to follow your dreams!" It's easy for him to say that since he still has his whole life ahead of him, and he can still break his limits.
"I disagree." I answer. "Do you think a lady like me could compete to be the best swordswoman in the world?" I'm not that old, but compared to the swordsmen in magical schools, I'm already in my prime.
"It's up to you."
The truth is that I didn't leave the guild of my own free will, my own companions expelled me. With nowhere to go, I wandered to Legório, where I took my entrance test as a soldier.
I passed and managed to join the army. I wasn't strong, but I managed to stand out on some occasions.
And then, I became a Lieutenant at the age of 26. It wasn't very difficult to rise through the ranks in this army. To tell the truth, even today, it's not difficult.
This kingdom is peaceful; in the last fifty years, there has been nothing that has taken all the guards to war—no terrorist attacks, no monster attacks; it is a completely peaceful kingdom. And this is also reflected in the actions of royalty.
The captain at that time was already thinking about retiring, I had my suspicions when he was late, or slept during work hours, and he saw the perfect opportunity to move me up.
When I became captain, I was only 28 years old, which is very young for the role. Inexperienced and without any direction to go, I took on the responsibility, but it's not like it was anything complex.
Today, at 33 years old, I'm thinking about leaving this profession. I wanted to do something other than fight.
My entire life has been a constant physical and mental struggle. Maybe if I go to another job, I can have some peace. I think cooking would be fun; I could also get married—not that I want to, but it would be a funny experience; just imagining myself in a wedding dress makes me yearn...
"Nah, I'm too old to dream that big. If I could go back in time, I'd do things a different way." I say with a smile on my face. "Thank you, William. You made me think about something I couldn't do on my own."
With a confused face, William doesn't seem to understand the reason for my smile, but that's something only I would understand...
I say goodbye to William, and we head on our way.
I, of course, go to a tavern close to where my inn is.
While coming here, the sky turned to night, and raindrops began to fall again.
I sit in a high chair that faces the counter. One bartender is cleaning glasses while another serves people. Behind them is a huge shelf with all kinds of drinks.
On the other side of the tavern, bards sing and play instruments while some drunks dance around.
"The usual?" The bartender asks me, approaching.
"Would you have something heavier?" I have another question.
All that talk with William left me tired.
"Hmm..." The man thinks with his hand on his chin. "I already know something you'll like..." He turns and starts looking for a drink on the shelf.
He takes a bottle of clear liquid and pours the drink into a small glass. Then he squeezes a cut lemon, causing many drops to fall into the drink. Then he adds three ice cubes. Finally, the bartender cuts some lemon slices and puts them in the glass.
And then, he hands it to me.
"What's the name of that drink?" I ask.
"This one's called Little Dragon." He answers. "It is famous for its acidic and sweet flavor at the same time."
Let's see if what he's saying is true...
As I put the glass close to my mouth, I smell the citrus aroma of lemon. I take a sip and feel the refreshing, sweet and strong flavor. The drink burns down my throat and makes me feel hot. I feel the sugar mix with the lemon and ice, creating a perfect balance.
"Looks like you were right..."
I drink one, two, three, four...
Huh?
Why is everything black?
I fainted?