Chapter 12: Let's Drink Again

Within the city of Bozzile, there was an old tavern called Mildew House. Inside, were two master wizards, chatting away about the good old days. This continued until one of the wizards asked a question.

"Do you remember how we first met?" she spoke with a lost tongue.

"Of course I do. It was at the Shakespeare Pub in Veilig village," he responded as he took another swig of his cup.

"It's not a village anymore," she commented.

"Ah~ Is that right? I did hear that dust swamp got bigger over the years. Why did you ask me?" he said as he placed down his cup.

She snickered. "Oh~ nothing. I was just checking if you haven't grown too old yet."

"I'm not that old, I'm only thirty-eight." he huffed as he twitched his beard.

She laughed and he sighed. "You have changed quite a lot."

"Is it because of my mutations?" she said as she gestured her third arm.

He shook his head. "No, it is like... how do you say it?"

She hummed as she waited for him to find the right words.

"It is like, you change every time I see you. Almost like I've been talking to a completely different person," he explain before he took a sip of his cup.

"Really? How so?" she questioned with a curious gaze.

He chuckled. "Where do I even start?"

"The beginning is a good place to start," she suggested before she sip her cup.

He grinned as he scratched the back of his neck. "Alright then, I'll start at the beginning."

Odin Thrash; a young man who was disowned by his own family, all because he didn't want to be a farmer. Without a place to stay or a place to sleep, Odin always found himself seeking comfort at the Shakespeare Pub. A place where alcohol was dirt cheap but was enough to make Odin forget about his worries for just a little while. Odin thought he would die as a drunk hobo on the muddy streets of Veilig village. That was until a certain little girl came and visited the Shakespeare Pub.

She sat on a high stool that was in front of the counter, right next to where Odin usually sits. Every time she visited, she would order the same thing.

"One glass of milk, please." the girl said before the pub owner goes and fetches her Beveridge.

The girl looked around five or younger in Odin's eyes. She had short fern-green hair that cover her eyes, while she had the same complexion of a tall winter hill. Based on her features alone, it was obvious to Odin that she didn't originate from the Linus Kingdom. Which made him presume that she or her family left their nation and decide to in the Linus Kingdom instead. Or maybe her family dumped her at Veilig village because of some family issues. As curious as Odin was, he didn't want to delt himself with a little girl.

But then...

"Hey." spoke a heavy voice.

Three of the regulars confronted the little girl with obviously bad intentions written across their faces. The little girl did not faze, nor did she even turned to look at them. The little girl silently sat on her stool as she waited for her glass of milk to arrive. One of the thugs clicked their tongue before he pinched the little girl's hood and lifted her off her seat.

"Hey, hasn't your mummy or daddy ever told you to listen whenever is someone talking to you?" the scarface man mocked.

The girl didn't react or said anything. She simply hanged on her hood with an expressionless face. The man clicked his tongue before his eyes landed upon the glass of milk the little girl patiently waited for. The scarface man grinned as he gestured one of the thugs standing behind him the grab the glass of milk.

"You see this? It is your little milky, that you waited so long for." the scarface man said before he spilled it onto the floor and dropped the shattered glass cup.

The girl showed no reaction, the scarface man popped a vein before he barked.

"LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU! YOU STUPID LITTLE--" before the scarface man could finish his ranting, a flash of light appeared and the scarface man lost his grip on the little girl's hood as he tumbled backwards.

The man was furious yet confused. Everything was pitch black, he couldn't speak or breathe. He could only hear, he could only hear the frightened screams from the two thugs that were companding with him.

"HIS FACE! HIS FACE IS GONE!" they screamed.

The little girl didn't show expression, while she pulled off her leather gloves with her teeth. Red marks were revealed upon her hands. The two thugs attempted to compose themselves before they attacked the little girl. However, the little girl easily dodge past their attack before the red marks on her hands started to glow. When the thugs turned around their faces became white, as they saw the little girl's hand morph into large sledgehammers.

"What the hell? What are you?" the thugs said as they backed away from the little girl.

"I'm a human." the girl simply said before she swang her hammers and knocked the three thugs out of the pub.

The little girl's sledgehammers started to glow red before they morph back into hands. The girl then pulled out some chalk and drew on the floor around the broken glass. After she was done the white chalk drawing glowed and a flash of light appeared before the glass was good as new. The little girl picked up the cup and placed it on the counter.

"Refill please." the little girl said with a flat voice.

"Right away!" the pub owner yelped as he quickly cleaned and refilled the glass.

Odin had his eyes wide and his mouth in a gap. Even if was to see the whole scene again, he still wouldn't believe what he saw. A little girl who was smaller than a beansprout took on three men who were ten times her size, she stole a man's face, turned her hands into sledgehammers and back to hands by will, fixed a glass cup without even trying, and she did it all with a straight face.

"Are you a Master Wizard?" Odin asked, the girl turned towards him.

Odin knew it was a crazy question, exceptionally when he is asking this to a little girl. Odin might not know much about magic, however, based on what he did knew. What did the girl do wasn't something any typical run-of-mill wizard could do so easily.

The girl shrugged as she pulled out of her hood a golden locket with a Wizard Council symbol on it. "My name is Solomon Brace."

"Solomon? Do you mean the youngest Master Wizard that was announced all over the Linus Kingdom just two months ago? That's you?" Odin said with a blank expression.

Even if he wasn't told it was true, there is a small part of him that believe it was true. Even though it was announced that Solomon was very young, they specified how young. And even if was told that Solomon was a talented wizard, they never mention Solomon's gender. Were the Wizard Council deliberately hiding those little details from the public because it would sound too unbelievable?

The girl nodded. "That's me."

"Beg my pardon when I say this but... how old are you?" Odin asked with a dry throat.

"I'm seven." the little girl said.

Odin's eyes widen. She was so small, too small in fact by Odin's standards. Even Odin's youngest sister was bigger than her, and she was only five. What makes it worse is Solomon's type of magic. If she constantly shapeshifts her body, it'll obviously restrain her slim form.

Odin lifted himself from his chair before ran outside, moments later Odin came back with his arms filled with bread. Odin placed the loaves of bread on the counter. Odin then tore one of the loaves before stuffed it into Solomon's mouth. Solomon twitched slightly before she relaxed and casually ate the bread she was given. Even when she felt full Solomon carried on eating the bread until it was all gone.

"There! That's all I can offer you. But from now on, you have to eat a lot more now. Got it?" Odin growled with intimating face.

"Okay." Solomon nodded.

"My name is Odin, Odin Brook," Odin said.

"Solomon, Solomon Brace," Solomon said before she finally drank her glass of milk.

A few years have passed by, Odin's life has changed in a great turn. Ever since he met Solomon, he has been stride to do better. He got a job as a blacksmith, married a beautiful woman and even has a son. Life couldn't be better. If Odin had any complaints, it would be the stalker he has that continued to follow wherever he goes. Odin soon felt too overly stressed as he made his way to the Shakespeare Pub.

When he sat down and took in some cups of boozes into him, Odin felt a shift next to him. Odin turned his gaze to the side and saw a tall girl with familiar fern-green hair. Odin rubbed his eyelids a few times, to check if he wasn't seeing things. But when the girl called her order, Odin grinned.

"May I have one glass of milk, please?" the girl spoke before she turned to Odin.

"You seem happy." Solomon bluntly commented.

"I am happy, well at least I'm supposed to." Odin frowned.

"Why?" Solomon said without any contests.

"Well..." Odin sighed.

Solomon remained silent as she waited for Odin to continue.

"I have a job I like doing, I have a hot wife, a cute son. I have everything, but..." Odin paused as he drank from his cup.

"Something has been bothering you lately?" Solomon said as she sip from her cup.

"I have a stalker and it freaks me out, you know? I am so stressed that I can't think straight, that's why I'm here." Odin hiccuped.

"Wouldn't your wife and son wonder where you are? Or did you tell them that you went out to get drunk at a pub?" Solomon said coldly.

"I didn't say anything, but it's okay. They probably already know that I'm here." Odin rambled.

"You get drunk often?" Solomon said with a disgusted expression.

"Only twice a week." Odin hiccuped.

"That's too often for a family man." Solomon scowled.

Odin wanted to yell at Solomon, but he knew better to piss off a Master Wizard. It wasn't like Solomon was wrong, even if she didn't have a family of her own. What was Odin doing was not something a man with a wife and child should be doing. But Odin didn't know what else he should do, he lived in Veilig village. No one will do anything to help him and his stalker problem.

"I'm so sleepy..." Odin muttered before he shut his eyes and blackout.

When Odin opened his eyes again, he was in a bed that wasn't his own. He felt his head pounding. Odin looked around and saw a cup of water on top of a small drawer next to the bed. He took the cup in his hand before he drank the cooling and refreshing water.

"You're awake." spoke a soft voice.

Odin turned his head as he saw his wife standing in the doorway with a sobbing face. Odin placed down his cup before he forced himself off the bed and pulled his wife into a loving embrace. His wife cried into Odin's shoulder, while Odin held her tightly.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me." Odin muttered.

"Stop apologizing. I'm happy to know you're alive." his wife sobbed.

"What do you mean by that?" Odin asked before pulled away and allowed his wife to speak.

"After you got blackout drunk last night, there was a strange woman who tried to kidnap you while you were asleep." his wife explained.

Odin couldn't believe what he heard, he was almost kidnapped by his stalker. "And what happens afterwards?"

"Master Solomon was there when you were about to kidnap, she saved you and punished the woman who tried to take you." Odin's wife said with a trembling.

"I was so frightened when I heard this. I thought I've lost you." his wife cried before she was pulled into Odin's arms again.

After the tender moment was over, there was a knock outside the doorway. The couple stared at the doorway as they fern-green hair girl standing with a deadpan expression.

"It's time," Solomon commented.

"Time for what?" Odin questioned.

"We moving away." his wife said as she wiped away her tears.

"Moving? To where?" Odin asked.

"To the outskirts of the Bozzile City, I own private property there. It's a safe place to raise children." Solomon said as she gave Odin a piece of parchment with a Wizard Council symbol stamped on it.

"Children? I only have one son." Odin mentioned.

"Not anymore." Solomon bluntly said as she gestured to Odin's wife.

Odin's eyed grew wide as he stared down at his wife. "Is she telling the truth?"

"I didn't know about it either, that was before Solomon confirmed about by pregnancy." his wife said as she gently on her currently flat belly.

Odin blinked at Solomon as he asked. "You're a doctor?"

"It's just the way how my magic works." Solomon shrugged.

Afterwards, Odin, his wife and son moved out of Veilig into the outskirts of Bozzile City. Odin remained as a blacksmith, while he learned some of Solomon's alchemy magic and soon created his very own magic as well. Solomon left as soon the family got confrontable with their new home.

A couple of years pass by, Odin has become a Master Wizard but still works as a blacksmith. His eldest son Hiccup helped him around the shop, meanwhile, his youngest son Clover runs around and plays with his magic. Odin still loves them both, but there are times Odin gets a bit stressed and he wanders himself into a tavern called Mildew House.

Odin swig downs two bottles of booze before someone decided to sit next to him. Odin turned his gaze to the side and saw a familiar woman with long fern-green hair. She wore a black mask that covered the upside of her face, she wore a deep green cloak over her body and wore leather gloves.

Odin smiled as he heard the woman's order. "One glass of milk, please."

"What takes you here, Master Solomon?" Odin asked with a cheeky grin.

"Having a break from work, and you? Or let me guess, you're because you are stressed." Solomon said casually.

"You really know how to wound a man's pride, you know that?" Odin half chuckled.

Odin sighed as he rested his head on the countertop. "It's been difficult, without having Marigold around anymore."

"Marigold? That's your wife's name, isn't it? Did she die or something?" Solomon said bluntly.

"You don't beat around the bush, do you? Needless to say, you are not wrong. Marigold passed away three years ago." Odin said before he sips out of his bottle.

"How old is your youngest?" Solomon said as she gave Odin a glace.

"He's only ten years old." Odin groaned.

"Really huh? He's the same age as Eric." Solomon hummed as she sip her cup.

"Who's Eric?" Odin questioned.

"He's my apprentice." Solomon simply said.

"Aren't you too young to have an apprentice?" Odin grumbled.

"Aren't you too busy to be drinking?" Solomon remarked.

When Odin was about to say a comeback, he realized there isn't much he could say. "Fair enough."

"Six years until now, Eric is going to enrol into Umeadora Academy and take my place as Grandmaster Wizard," Solomon said as she gulped down her drink.

"Grandmaster? Why won't you take it?" Odin asked as he noticed Solomon's conflicted expression.

Solomon placed her cup down before she sighed. "Odin... Can I tell you something? I do not desire to seek your option or personal advice. All I ask is for you to listen, okay?"

Odin nodded. "Go ahead."

Solomon was never the type to speak about her feelings, that was a fact. However, Solomon had a sensation of comfort when she was ever around Odin. Solomon couldn't be able to describe this sense she possessed towards Odin. The best way she could describe is trust.

"I hate violence, I hate war, I hate people fighting as an entirety," Solomon said with battered breath.

"I see," Odin hummed as understood where the origin of Solomon's hate.

Over twelve years ago, there was a war between the Linus Kingdom and the Kazuko Empire. The war was chaotic as both sides received major losses. Solomon would've been born when the war was still active. If a child was born in a world filled with bloodshed and murder, it would make sense that Solomon grew to hate it.

"The thought of travelling isn't a bad thought. But the more I travel, the more I'll encounter someone who wishes to challenge me into a duel or something. And personally, I don't want to be led into a corner and I have to kill someone." Solomon said before some tears felled from her eyes.

Odin patted Solomon on the back while he hush her. "Hey, hey, hey~ It's okay. You won't need to kill anyone, you're not a soldier."

Solomon sobbed. "The war is over, so do we humans still have to fight each other. I don't understand!"

Odin then pulled Solomon into his embrace as he tried to calm her down. Odin was about to say something but decided against it. At that current moment, Solomon; a person who lived most of her life without a parent figure, needs Odin to just be there for her. Solomon couldn't talk about this in front of her apprentice, he's just a child. What would he understand?

This was something Solomon could only talk to is with an adult. Something she could only talk about with Odin because Solomon has no friends.

After Solomon calmed down, she then said. "Hey, Odin."

"Yes?" Odin responded as Solomon left from his arms.

Odin's eyes grew wide, as he saw Solomon smiled for the first time.

Solomon chuckled. "Let's drink again sometime in the future."

Odin grinned. "Yeah, I would love to."