Leon fell into a deep sleep as he sat in his chair facing the fireplace in the cottage.
He slept profoundly... Leon was truly exhausted, and his slumber was so heavy that even if an explosion had occurred nearby, he wouldn't have stirred.
The next morning, the sun rose, signaling the start of another day, while Leon struggled against his lethargy, lying on a bed in an unfamiliar room.
But this laziness soon turned into panic and suspicion. Leon looked around the room; it was strange. He remembered it clearly—he had succumbed to sleep while sitting in that chair. So what was he doing here, on this bed?
Leon quickly rose and rushed toward the door of the room. He pushed it open and crossed a short corridor, at the end of which he found a staircase leading down.
Leon descended the stairs to find himself in a familiar place. The fireplace and the chair—everything was exactly as he remembered from last night. But this only added to the mystery. Leon was certain he had fallen asleep in that chair, so how did he wake up in that bed? There was only one possible answer. "Is anyone here?"
Leon was convinced that someone had moved him upstairs to where he woke up. Therefore, he called out to anyone who might be listening.
The response didn't take long. As soon as Leon finished speaking, a reply came: "I am here, young man."
The tone was gruff yet shaky and unstable—that was the voice of the speaker. Leon looked to his left, thinking the sound came from there, but he was mistaken. Then he looked to his right but found no one either. This prompted him to ask again, his voice tinged with slight annoyance: "Where is the speaker? Show yourself."
Upon Leon saying this, a heavy laugh filled the room. "Hahaha! Hahaha! I told you I'm here, boy. Look down."
Leon complied with the voice's request and shifted his gaze downward, only to see a surprise right beside him.
"Hah? What is this? Is this a Dwarf?"
"Hmm... it seems you possess a great deal of insolence, boy. Are you trying to mock an old man who took you into his home on a cold night?"
This Dwarf was eloquent and eccentric in Leon's eyes. Although Leon held no grudge against him—in fact, he should be grateful for being allowed to stay the night—the situation was still strange. Leon could only manage one sentence for the occasion: "Who are you?"
Upon hearing Leon's question, the Dwarf rubbed his chin slightly and began to ask himself, "Who am I?" But that wasn't his answer, nor was it the important question for the old Dwarf. "Hmm... Who am I? Who am I? Well, isn't the more appropriate question right now 'Who are you?' rather than 'Who am I?' After all, you are the intruder, and this cottage is my home."
Although this answer didn't satisfy Leon, it was the most logical. Leon considered the possibility; if he were in the Dwarf's position, he would be the one entitled to know the identity of the guest who entered his home without warning.
"Ah... I suppose you're right. Well, all I can tell you is this: my name is Leon, and that is the only thing I can share with you."
The Dwarf rubbed his chin again and sighed before speaking. "Well, Leon... it's a good name, but rare among humans. It's strange to find a human carrying that name. But I suppose that doesn't matter now. Well then, Leon, if you're hungry, you'll find food on the table."
As soon as the old Dwarf said this, he turned his back on Leon and left the house, leaving Leon alone inside. This sparked Leon's anger and resentment, prompting him to speak more harshly and aggressively toward the old Dwarf. "Wait a minute, Dwarf! What do you mean by doing this?"
The old man stopped and turned his face toward Leon as if he didn't quite understand what Leon was trying to get at. "Hmm... I don't mean anything. Besides, that question should be asked of you first, not me, as you know."
Leon couldn't stand the old man's words, so his tone grew sharper. "Don't mess with me. What is your goal in doing this? A stranger breaks into your home, and now you just leave and walk out? Don't you at least want to know where, how, and why I'm in your house?"
"Hmm... ah, to be honest with you, I'd be lying if I said no. I do indeed want to know the details. But didn't you say that all you could share with me was your name? And I accepted that. You can stay here for a few more days without paying rent if you want, Leon."
After listening to the old Dwarf's words, Leon realized how wrong he was. There was no justification for his outburst moments ago. "Ah... you're right. I apologize if there was some kind of misunderstanding. And I also apologize for intruding into your home this way."
The Dwarf turned his head away from Leon and took several steps forward. As he did, he said to Leon, "Hahaha! It's fine. Misunderstandings happen sometimes. I hope you enjoy your food."
Leon looked to his left toward the table. There was the meal designated for him. Upon seeing it, Leon succumbed to his hunger and began devouring the food with unprecedented greed. "Mmm... hammm... ahhh! This is amazing! Eating a meal like this makes me feel like I've never eaten before."
While Leon continued to eat, the old Dwarf was working near the cottage. There was a small workshop beside the hut, filled with equipment: a hammer, a saw, and many types of metals. Swords and shields also decorated the walls of the workshop. From the first glance, one could tell it was a blacksmith's forge.
"Ahh... this work is truly arduous and exhausting. It seems I've grown so old that my grip has become this weak."
While the Dwarf was complaining to himself about his frailty, someone was watching from the workshop door. The old Dwarf didn't notice him at first until the person spoke. "Hmm... these armors are very good. As long as you're capable of making such armor and weapons, I don't think you're actually weak."
The Dwarf looked toward the source of the voice, where Leon stood alone, examining the swords and shields the old Dwarf was crafting.
"Hohoho! Hahaha! Since my work has earned your admiration, I'll admit—it's still too early for me to retire from this profession. Hahaha! Thank you for your encouragement."
Leon and the old Dwarf exchanged conversation inside the workshop for a good while. But suddenly, Leon veered off the topic they were discussing and asked a question that might seem somewhat strange: "Why do you live alone in this place?" That was Leon's question; he wanted to know the reason. What would drive a skilled blacksmith to live here, where you can't see a single living soul?
The old Dwarf's response wasn't entirely satisfying, but it was his answer nonetheless. "Hmm... you're asking why I stay here? Well, finding an answer to your question might be difficult. But if you look at it from one perspective, I like being alone here. I prefer this over mingling with other beings. Here, I can pour my full focus into crafting swords and armor without being disturbed by anyone."
Leon could sense something strange in the Dwarf's tone. His voice moments ago was complex—filled with misery and sadness at the same time. This made Leon certain there was another reason for the Dwarf staying here alone... but despite that, Leon didn't want to be any more intrusive and settled for believing the story. "Hmm... solitude. It's good. But believe me, too much of it isn't."
Upon hearing this, the old Dwarf smiled comfortably and said, "Haaah... you talk about it as if you're older than me! Hahaha!"
As soon as the old man finished answering Leon's question, he poured his full focus back into his work. He was working on a sword; it was beautiful and professionally crafted, prompting Leon to ask about it. "It looks like a beautiful sword. Who is it for, I wonder?"
The old Dwarf turned his head slightly toward Leon and answered, "It's for a nobleman's son. A nobleman came to me two weeks ago and asked me to make this sword. He said it would be a birthday gift for his son."
Leon was certain from the moment he saw the sword that it was no ordinary weapon. Being a custom order from a nobleman was enough to make it an excellent sword. "Hmm... it's a truly good sword. Also, it's made of magic metal, and the material it's crafted from is high quality as well."
A hint of surprise crossed the old Dwarf's face when he heard Leon's words. Such talk only came from the mouth of an expert or someone well-versed in these matters. "Hoho! It seems you possess extensive knowledge, and that is very good. The youth of today are so reckless; they don't respect knowledge or take their ancestors' stories seriously. But it's good that you're not one of them. That makes me feel more at ease around you."
Leon looked at the ceiling of the workshop for a moment, then stepped forward and sat opposite the old Dwarf. Words were on the tip of his tongue, but he was hesitant to speak—something the old man was able to notice. "Speak. I am but an old man waiting for his death, nothing more. Speak; if there is something I can help you with, I would be happy to assist."
End of Chapter