You, be my colleague (7)
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Aristine stopped looking at the handicrafts and watched the two of them with interest. Feeling her gaze, Mukali gasped and came to his senses.
Before he knew it, he had been rambling on thoughtlessly.
‘I-I didn’t come here to do this!’
He came here to see if Aristine and this slick faced guy might have a possible scene of an affair. Unlike when he first talked with Dionna, he was leaning more towards verifying the truth rather than catching an affair. However…
‘Now that I think about it, it’s not just his face that’s slick. He had a good body and he’s a good talker…’
Friends of science were precious.
Mukali tried his best to defend Ritlen.
In the first place, Aristine was more interested in the handicrafts than Ritlen and while she was looking at them, Ritlen was talking to Mukali, and his eyes were sparkling.
It made sense.
Theory discussion wasn’t a topic that most warriors who loved swords or blacksmiths who made swords were interested in. Even to Mukali, such topics belonged to scholars.
It didn’t suit a great and valiant warrior, or a blacksmith who ruled over fire and iron.
After their discussion briefly halted, Aristine walked up to them and began to speak:
“These are all lovely items.”
“I am honored that you think so, Your Highness.”
Ritlen replied with a flushed face.
“Will you be able to make anything I want as well?”
At those words, Ritlen’s eyes widened.
“M, me?!”
“Mhm.”
It was a great honor for the Princess Consort to choose him and say she wanted to entrust the making of an item to him. Even if she wasn’t the princess consort, Ritlen felt honored to be able to make something for Aristine.
“I, I…”
Ritlen’s voice trembled with excitement, anticipation, and joy.
But the next instant.
Ritlen’s face stiffened. His olive-green eyes grew murky like it had lost its light. He had forgotten his position for a moment but now he remembered.
“I…I am not worthy of the interest of a great personage like Your Highness.”
Ritlen lowered his head with shame and embarrassment.
If a nuisance like him were to make something for the noble Princess Consort, her reputations would be harmed. They would say she has no discernment and low standards so she can’t tell what’s good or bad.
He couldn’t dare to bring such dishonor to Aristine’s name.
“Who decides that?”
When Aristine said that, Ritlen’s head whipped up.
“I, I only cause harm here… Not only have I smeared the Catallaman name, I have disappointed my Master who was kind enough to not just take me away but adopt me—.”
“And so?”
Aristine interrupted Ritlen.
“I trust what I see.”
Aristine was staring straight at Ritlen. Her purple eyes were filled with certainty. Her eyes were clear and deep.
Ritlen inhaled sharply. His eyes were riddled with yearning that was yet to fade away.
The moment his eyes met Aristine’s, that yearning filled his whole body.
‘I want to make it.’
His finger twitched.
‘I want to make something perfect for this person.’
He wanted to go and grab his hammer already.
Aristine smiled when she saw the greed rising in Ritlen.
Someone who has lost his talent. Or someone who is wasting their talent.
That was how Ritlen was defined.
‘He is neither of those.’
Ritlen was growing his talent.
It must have been daunting to keep up with the new ideas and inspiration springing up. He knew himself better than anyone else. He knows how to hone his amazing talent.
As the saying goes, an awl in one’s pocket cannot be hidden.
His talent was that sharp and keen.
“Ritlen.”
Nobody recognized his talent, but Aristine did.
“This place simply doesn’t suit you. The well here is too small to contain someone as talented as you.”
Ritlen never expected such words. His lips fell open.
The best smithy in Irugo was practically the best smithy in the world. That wasn’t arrogance but the truth. Who could call the world’s best blacksmith forge a small well?
‘Compared to me of all people.’
Ritlen didn’t dare agree in his mind.
His master, Volatun was undeniably a great blacksmith.
‘But…’
He wanted to believe Aristine’s words.
There were things overflowing within him. He didn’t want to hide it, or shelve it away or deny it. He wanted to bring it all out and see how far he could go.
Every hour, every second felt like a waste.
And he wanted to believe that it was all worth something, not just a waste. That he wasn’t trash that couldn’t repay another’s kindness or even meet expectations—.
‘That I am someone with some potential.’
Could he dare to have such a dream?
Ritlen looked at Aristine desperately, like he was searching for an answer.
“Come with me.”
Aristine said, like she was reading his mind.
Aristine was certain of something even Ritlen himself wasn’t sure of, nor could he even believe it.
Leaving this place.
His savior.
Her silver hair was like a sword blade reflected under the sunlight. It was the color of metal that Ritlen had been captivated with his entire life.
“You decide.”
The right to decide was given to him.
“Even if you stay here, today’s incident will not repeat itself. They will not harass you in such a manner again, knowing that I have my eyes on you.”
It was a very fortunate thing that his personal safety was guaranteed. But for some reason, Ritlen couldn’t be happy. Rather he felt anxious.
‘I thought she said I should come with her.’
Aggrieved feelings sprung from the bottom of his mind.
“However, if you become my person.”
Aristine’s lips spoke softly but firmly, “I will make you the best blacksmith on the continent.”
