I Reject Quests

As soon as Rewen and Vinia stepped on the room, Mrs. Klofar hurriedly instantly approached them, scaring them a bit.

"Calm down, Mother. We aren't going anywhere." Rewen held her shoulders.

However, Mrs. Klofar's attention was elsewhere. "Your name is Vinia, right?"

Vinia was a little nervous but she nodded. "Yes."

"Why don't you stay at our place for a few days? This way, you can bond with my son quickly."

Vinia was tongue-tied. She opened her mouth several times but couldn't speak a word. Seeing her predicament, Rewen explained. "Wait, wait, wait. No need for that, Mother. I talked with her and it was decided that we would be in contact with each other frequently. There's absolutely no need for her to stay at my place." 

"Rewen, we don't have much time. Your marriage is to be held at the 7th of this month. That's why both of you need to bond quickly." Mrs. Klofar showed her stubbornness once again.

Rewen and Vinia looked at each other and couldn't hide the shock in their faces. Vinia peeked at her grandfather who smiled and nodded. Rewen saw the exchange and let out a sigh. 

"Do whatever you want." Rewen waved his hand and walked away from the room. 

He was disappointed and tired. At this point, he realised that no one could truly understand him. He had lived his whole life practicing the martial arts taught by his father and improving his skills as a blacksmith. To be suddenly thrown into an unknown world, he was irritated at the beginning but then he learned to adapt. He assumed he would continue having an easy life but reality was often disappointing. When he was again sent into another world forcefully by the system, he tried to take it as a change of pace but he had the worst days of his life there.

The only time he felt at peace was when he was his 'true' home, i.e., in this world. However, this peace was destroyed today. 'How much more should I compromise? Let's suck it all up. Things will get better in the future. Karma isn't all negative.' He liked to be philosophical because he was in favor of the idea that there is a definite system with rules that governs nature. 

***

[1500 EXP gained!]

"You have gained a 'Tier 2 Middle-Silver Ranked Unnamed Bow'."

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Stage: Rank 2 Upper Grade (887/8000)

Proficiency: 53.376%

Expertise: Spear

Best Product: Rank 2 Unnamed Bow

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Rewen's shirt was drenched in sweat as he let out a smile holding the medium-sized bow. "It took me four hours to successfully make a middle-grade Silver-ranked product. The result is satisfying."

"You achieved a breakthrough?" Master Kaf's voice sounded from the door.

Rewen smiled. "It won't be long before I become a Gold Blacksmith." Unlike the system's ranking of weapons, there were three known ranks of weapons Rewen knew and each of them also corresponds to the rank of a Blacksmith. For example, a blacksmith who can make a Silver-ranked, i.e., Rank 2 weapon, he is called a Silver Blacksmith. Similarly, someone who can create a Gold-ranked weapon will be called a Gold Blacksmith. As for what is beyond that, he doesn't know.

"Hold your horses. It's not good to be this arrogant."

"Keep this on the shelf when it's cooled down." He walked to the door and crossed Master Kaf.

"Do you feel exhausted?"

"Nah, I'm fine after I take a soothing bath."

"I'm not talking about that. Do you feel exhausted as a whole for the past few days?"

Rewen stopped. "It would be weird if I don't. It's been rough lately."

"Don't blame your mother. She has her reasons."

"I'm sure she has but that doesn't solve anything."

"So you do blame her."

"What am I supposed to do then? Be a pushover all my life and accept every unreasonable demand with a smile?"

"Rewen, she is your mother."

"It is exactly because she is my mother and also my closest relative that I'm not doing anything. I'll make sure that this will be the last thing I listen to her obediently when she requests something unreasonable from me."

Master Kaf looked at his back. 'The energetic and passionate youth from a week ago is now looking like a lone and depressed man. Everyone grows in some way or the other. Some grow from their mistakes, some grow gradually learning from their environment. People like to think that it's better for a boy to turn into a man quickly is a good thing. Maturity is not about the things you come to know when you become an adult. It is about constantly reflecting upon the things you are doing. Not about debating if what you are doing is right or wrong. But about if it's worth the risk or not as you begin to feel responsible for the people around you.'

"I'm only an old man who has failed in life. It's hard for a failure like me to understand what you are going through as in my eyes, you are a successful man. However…" Master Kaf's voice was filled with emotions. "If I pat your back and say it's going to get better, would you feel better?"

Rewen gave a subtle nod without turning back.

***

Before evening, Sam came back home.

"Aunty, did you see Rewen? Huh? Who is this?" As soon as he went to the living room, he saw an unfamiliar woman who Mrs. Klofar was enthusiastically talking to.

"Oh, you came back. Meet her. She is the one who got bethroted to Rewen."

The unfamiliar girl nodded to him. Sam smiled in return. "So… where is Rewen?"

"He should be on the balcony."

Sam hurried off.

Few seconds later, he saw his friend sitting on a chair blankly staring at the sky.

Sam scratched his head awkwardly and approached him from behind. "Rewen, I'm sorr-"

"It's fine. I'm sorry as well." Rewen replied in a nonchalant voice, still staring at the sky.

"What's up? What are you doing here? You sure you should be wasting your time here? Your future wife is not bad at all." Sam was vocal and open-minded. Unlike Rewen who makes things awkward every once in a while, Sam is good at conversations. 

"I know. Say, what would you do if you were in my position?"

Sam sat cross-legged on the floor. "I can't answer that. I'm sure you have many situations in the other world. Sure, if I have to answer whether I would be happy with the decision of getting married before I got thrown into an unfamiliar world, I would most likely be okay with the marriage."

"What if you were asked that after you got thrown into the unfamiliar world?"

"Like I said, I can't answer that. How about this. You list off your difficulties in the other world and I'll try to think accordingly."

"A minute after I got thrown into Earth, I encountered a bitch in heat."

"Woah." He wanted to ask if Rewen did 'something' but he knew the answer. 

"On my first day on Earth, a person attacked me for no rhyme or reason. No, there was a reason. To put it bluntly, she was mentally ill. She was also stronger than the City Guards. If it were not the system, I couldn't protect myself."

"Go on."

"I learned that I was the plaything of an obsessive woman."

"What?"

"That's an exaggeration but the truth is not from that. Continuing, there were troubles in my social life. A random person I met on the bus, a public transport, ended up being hostile to me.I also met a ghost who I first met in my room in this world. Oh, and my relationship with my family in the other world was quite complicated but that's all minor things. But these are all issues I decided to take care slowly."

"What is the big deal then?"

"My life along with my close friends and family may quite possibly be in danger."

"What? Why?"

"Because I didn't f*ck the bitch in heat. It's complicated but you get the point. That's pretty much one of my main sources of worry."

"One of your…?"

"Right. I again got thrown into an unfamiliar world."

"Eh? A different world? Why?"

"Because I rejected my first quest."

"Which was?"

"To f*ck the bitch in heat."

"Manners, brother. You told Aunty about this?"

"I mentioned that I went to another world but I guess her mind was too preoccupied to pay attention to me. Now that I have wasted my breath, you better give me a satisfactory answer."

"My answer won't change. You and I are different people. Even if that's the reason you are asking, I can't irresponsibly give an answer. I won't understand you unless I'm in your shoes. Even so…" Sam paused to get a good look at Rewen. "If I have to take a guess, then I'll probably break. You are stronger than me and since we were kids, we were rivals in a sense. So I guess I should say; Rewen! You better not fall before I defeat you with my Excalibur!"

Rewen smiled. He didn't care that the joke was old and overused. He got the emotion. That's what matters to him.