Primordial Expanse: I have the Strongest Talent!

Chapter 385: Finally, some clothes!

Rothwind looked back at the unconscious Red Demon with a new light of concern in his face.

He could sense the unease in Alex’s and Mira’s tone, particularly at the mention of the Red Demons.

The momentary tension that passed between them spoke volumes, so Rothwind decided against pushing the topic any further.

"Ay, well."

He muttered, brushing off the heavy atmosphere he’d inadvertently created.

"Demon or not, that fella’ right there’s no threat for now. Let’s move on."

He straightened up, turning toward the pair, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

"So then, what’s got ya back in my forge so soon? Barely been a week since ya’ were last in here."

Mira glanced at Alex, clearly expecting him to explain.

Alex, never one to shy away from attention, unless he was naked…, coughed and corrected his posture.

"Uh, well you see…"

Rothwind raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"We don’t actually have anything grand or epic this time."

Alex admitted, disappointing Rothwind’s expectations a little.

After all, the last time they were there, Alex pulled out a sword created by the most legendary swordsmith there was…

Instead, he pointed to himself, making sure Rothwind got a really good look.

"You don’t happen to have any spare clothes, do you?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

There was a beat of silence from all three of them for a few moments after that.

Rothwind’s eyes flicked over Alex’s current state — naked as the day he was born.

He couldn’t help the rumbling, deep laugh that followed.

The sound echoed through the smithy, shaking the tools on the walls and causing Mira to smirk.

"Ha! So that’s why ya’ snuck into the city like a thief in the night?"

Rothwind seemed on the verge of tears as he wiped his eye.

"All this fuss, and it’s just ’cause yer forgot yer pants?"

Alex shrugged, trying to look innocent.

"Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides, can you imagine how awkward it would be walking through the city streets like this? Mira would never let me live it down."

Both Mira and Rothwind shook their heads in disappointment.

"Ya sure do have a talent of turning the simplest things into a mess…"

Rothwind finished ’admiring’ Alex and went into the back of his smithy to start rummaging through a chest, pulling out some spare clothes that were obviously a size… or ten, above his own.

"You actually have some spare human clothes laying around? I was half joking with that question…"

Alex was a little lost for words.

"Unlike you brats, I always come prepared."

Rothwind’s laughter gradually died down, and he tossed the oversized clothes over to Alex, who quickly began dressing himself.

The clothes actually fit him quite nicely, almost too perfectly…

’He didn’t prepare these specifically for me, did he?’

Alex couldn’t help but think to himself.

The clothes were especially comfortable as well.

"Say, Rothwind, where did you get such high quality clothes?"

However when Alex asked that question, Rothwind couldn’t help but look at him like he was thick in the head or something.

"I make armour for a living, son. Do ya really think I, a master smith, can’t make a pretty set of clothes in my spare time?"

However, as Alex fastened his belt and refrained from questioning Rothwind anyfurther, Rothwind’s expression shifted, becoming more serious.

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, looking somewhere between Alex and Mira.

"Now that yer clothed again, I’ve been meanin’ to ask… you two know anything ’bout that earthquake a few days ago? Whole city felt it — rumours are still running wild around these parts. And that energy wave… it wasn’t natural."

Mira and Alex, both momentarily caught off guard, exchanged a speechless glance with each other.

The silence that stretched between them was almost comical.

Alex looked around the room, avoiding eye contact with Rothwind.

"You… felt that all the way over here?"

He asked, but the way he did so left Rothwind feeling a bit suspicious.

"Aye, lad. It wasn’t exactly subtle."

He crossed his arms, brow furrowed and all.

"Tremors shook my forge, nearly ruined a nice piece of steel I was workin’ in the furnace."

Mira sighed and shot Alex a look that clearly said You’re explaining this.

Alex grimaced by nodded back at her.

"Alright, well, I guess we owe you an explanation… but don’t be too shocked."

He paused, rubbing his temples as he tried to find the right words.

"That earthquake… wasn’t exactly an earthquake."

Rothwind turned around and looked at him deadpan.

"Well no shit sherlock!"

"Anywa— Wait, you know of sherlock?" Alex had to do a double take.

"Enough yapping! Explain yourself!"

But Rothwind quickly brought the topic back on track.

"Well, like I said, it wasn’t exactly a quake. That was us… Or more specifically… me."

Rothwind’s bushy eyebrows shot up in amusement. "Yer telling me you of all people caused those tremors that rocked the whole city? Ha! Somebody call a doctor, I think this kid’s brain just died!"

Alex nodded awkwardly, ignoring that last remark by Rothwind.

"Well, not just me. You could call it a… joint effort, per se. I ran into a King class beast that wasn’t very happy that we woke him up…"

The air in the smithy seemed to freeze as Alex’s last sentence settled in.

Rothwind blinked, rubbed his eyes, pinched his wrist, practically everything to confirm he wasn’t hallucinating.

He looked utterly slack jawed when he realised Alex wasn’t pulling some sort of elaborate prank or something along those lines.

This revelation seemed to have stunned him to his core.

"A King class beast…"

Rothwind finally sputtered, his voice still carrying across his disbelief.

But as a master smith, his mind was quickly drawn back to reality, and onto much more important things.

To him, at least.

"Do you have the body!? Tell me, do you!? Don’t tell me you just left it out there for the scavengers to pick on!!"

Rothwind seemed almost fanatical the way he spoke about the King of Evermoor’s body.

In fact, he seemed ready to go at Alex’s throat if he revealed that he had left the body out to rot.

"Indeed we do."

Alex revealed, and glanced over at Mira, hinting that she currently held it.

"Well, show it to me then!!"