Clang, clang, clang.
Lex heard the rhythmic sound of hammering and felt the intense heat, which made him subconsciously raise a hand to wipe his forehead.
Then he saw the bright furnace fire, the dark anvil, many unfinished iron blanks, the chimney leading to the roof, and a dog tethered by a chain, lying by the door.
Next, Lex picked up the iron tongs, gripped a glowing red piece of iron, and brought it to the anvil. He took up the hammer and struck it repeatedly, shaping it again and again.
As the iron gradually lost its fiery glow and sufficient temperature, Lex fed it back into the furnace to reheat it.
At that moment, he heard the sound of the door being pushed open, followed by someone clearing their throat, and then saying, "How are the items our master ordered coming along?"
Lex turned to look. A man dressed like a butler walked in from outside the door, covering his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, as if a single breath of the air inside would suffocate him.
Lex heard himself say, "Soon, sir. It can be delivered tomorrow."
"Then deliver it tomorrow morning." With that, the butler turned and left, not wanting to stay a second longer.
After a moment of daze, Lex saw himself put on a cheap formal suit, then pick up a box and leave the room.
He hurried down the stairs, emerged from a dark apartment building, and stepped onto the muddy ground. Dirty water flowed everywhere, rubbish was strewn about, and livestock droppings were visible all over.
The street was lively, with mobile vendors selling vegetables, fruits, and cooked food everywhere, but passersby were in a hurry, and few were willing to stop and buy anything.
A strange smell, a mix of stench and fragrance, constantly assailed Lex's nose. He pressed down on his felt hat, bent slightly, held the wooden box tightly in his hands, and walked with his head down through the bustling street.
He walked on foot, passing street after street, finally arriving at a relatively wide, clean, and paved hard road.
The passersby here were elegant; most men wore black three-piece suits, half-high top hats, and either carried walking sticks or newspapers. There were fewer women, and when seen, they were dressed modestly, wearing soft hats with black veils covering their faces.
Carriages passed by occasionally, so pedestrians had to walk on the side of the road.
When Lex stopped, he stood in front of a villa. After a servant announced him, he was led to the reception room.
While waiting for the master to arrive, he heard a light laugh, and then a figure darted out—a girl of sixteen or seventeen. Her face had a touch of baby fat, her naturally curly brown hair was casually draped, and her dark green eyes held a smile. She skipped and jumped like a nimble deer in the forest, coming to Lex's side.
"Abrio, what fun thing have you made for my father this time?" The girl looked at the box in Lex's hands with innocent curiosity.
Lex was about to say that his name wasn't Abrio, when suddenly, through the glass of a front window, he saw a young man of seventeen or eighteen.
He had a tall and straight posture, and due to his work as a blacksmith, his arm muscles were particularly developed, stretching his sleeves. He had short hair, which shone like gold in the sunlight.
Who is this?
Lex was startled, then woke up, turned over, and saw the bedroom ceiling.
"So, it was a dream."
He got up, yawned, put on his clothes, and went to the washroom to clean up.
After washing, Lex felt refreshed and habitually opened the window, only to see that the sky outside was gloomy, with thick fog drifting, making it almost impossible to see the houses across the street.
"No wonder Old Cook didn't want to come to Backlund; now I'm starting to miss the sunshine of Enki Town." Lex sighed as he closed the window again.
After changing into his formal wear, he and Levto went to the dining room. In the dining room, Bison and his mother had not yet appeared, but his younger sister, Harribel, and the other two little ones were already there.
"Lex, come quickly."
Harribel pulled him over, "There's a circus performance in Cherwood district this afternoon. How about we go together?"
"Circus?" Lex touched his nose and said casually, "Sure, but with such thick fog today, I'm worried we might get lost."
Harribel said dismissively, "We can take a carriage. Local coachmen won't get lost, unless they don't want a tip."
The little boy Joe chimed in, "Pasha and I want to go too!"
Pasha, who came from a commoner background, timidly shook her head, "I don't have…"
Harribel ruffled Pasha's hair, made a face at Joe, and then said, "Little kids shouldn't go, lest they get scared by the tigers and lions and wet their pants."
Joe said angrily, "I'm not a little kid anymore! I haven't wet my pants in ages!"
Just then, Amelia's voice rang from the doorway, "Good morning, children, what are you talking about?"
Joe immediately ran over and grabbed his mother's hand, "Mom, my sister is bullying me. She and Lex are going to see the circus performance, but they won't take Pasha and me, and she said I'd wet my pants."
Amelia smiled softly, knelt down, and said to Joe, "Your older brother and sister have their social activities; you shouldn't go and join the fun."
She then said to Lex, "Your father has an event in the Dock Area tonight. He's prepared some winter clothes and food to distribute to the workers there. He would be very happy if you could go and help."
"Dock Area?"
Lex frowned almost imperceptibly. Going to the East District and the Dock Area was not a good idea now. He said, "Why go to the Dock Area? Can't he hold the event somewhere else?"
Amelia smiled in response, "He has his considerations. It's alright; if you don't have time, you don't have to go."
Lex nodded slightly, then hinted, "You should advise him. The Dock Area is very chaotic, with many potential dangers. He'd best not go in person; someone else can do it."
Next, he didn't discuss this topic further but shifted to his sister's studies.
In the afternoon, after lunch, Lex saw Harribel, who had changed into men's clothing. She wore a flat cap on her head to hide her long hair.
"Let's go." Harribel excitedly pulled Lex out the door, "I've never seen a circus performance before."
Neither have I, Lex thought to himself.
They walked out of the villa and saw mist drifting before their eyes. Although it was afternoon, the fog wasn't as thick as in the morning, but for recent times, today could already be considered a heavy fog day.
"Everything is good here, except for the fog being too thick."
"Elana even told me a joke about Backlund's smog."
"A gentleman who had just arrived in Backlund got lost in the dense smog and had to ask a soaking wet gentleman who brushed past him, 'How do I get to the Tussock River?' The gentleman very kindly replied, 'Go straight, don't stop; I just swam up from there.'"
"Unfortunately, I can't appreciate the humor in it. It only makes me feel that the pollution in this place is too severe, and the kingdom needs to properly manage those factories that emit soot."
Amidst such casual conversation, the three of them—Lex and his companions—took a hired carriage and arrived at a location in Cherwood district near the Tussock River, where the Rhys Circus was performing today.