SSS-Rank Engineer: Only I Can Create Legendary Weapons

Percy slumped into one of the chairs in the tenth inn's lobby, tiredly cursing under his breath. All the rooms were taken, so they would have to go out and find another place to stay. Again.

Thalos and Barty were seated to his left, trying to understand why all the inns were so booked.

Barty pointed at the sky.

"There must be something serious happening in the south, so everyone's trying to get to Lysandra."

The Duchy of Lysandra was close to the sea and the capital of the kingdom. So if anything interesting was happening, it often happened there.

Thalos shook his head.

"There are more commoners than nobles moving about. If the event was so important, then more high-ranking people would be coming."

"And we didn't see these people on the road," Percy added. "They have to be coming from the east or west, close enough for them to hear word of whatever we don't know."

They both nodded, surprised by his quick reasoning. Barty cupped his chin.

"The brat has a point. We'll be better off just asking someone what the hell's going on."

They both turned to him with pleading eyes. Percy grumbled lazily. "Why do I have to be the one to go ask?"

"My old man legs hurt."

"I don't want to walk up to anyone."

Their excuses were so ridiculous that he wanted to just ignore them, but if he didn't do anything, then they would spend even longer sitting around.

He got up and walked towards a couple of guys sitting around a table, drinking as they chatted noisily. Their voices halted as he approached them, sizing him up quickly before realising it was just a kid.

"Hello, fine gentlemen. I was sitting over there with my dad after trying for the last hour to get a room. Do you mind if I ask why everyone is so overbooked?"

The men glanced at him, then at themselves, before bursting into laughter. Their answers came between drunken laughs and insults.

"Are those huge ears of yours for decoration? The Stormsword is going to be in Yarol soon."

"They are hosting a tourney to welcome him. With prizes fit for the heir to a Margrave."

"Take your weird hair and dumb face back to wherever your little hovel is. All the knights in Demetria are traveling to Yarol, so there won't be much space anywhere."

Percy gritted his teeth for a moment, then turned back.

"Thanks for nothing, drunk fools."

"Oy!" a gruff voice said behind him. One of the men rose. He was almost three times Percy's height with a broad frame. He crouched down, bringing his rough face closer to Percy, who had stopped. "What'd you call us, you little bastard?"

Percy sneered. There wasn't much alcohol on the man's breath, but it was still disgusting.

"A drunk fool, but maybe the alcohol isn't stepping up your stupidity. You seem to be really stupid all on your own."

The man swung an open palm at him, hand as big as Percy's head. He caught the man's hand and twisted it until the man whimpered and was forced to his knees.

"Say it with me now," Percy mused, slapping the man softly. "I shall respect my juniors and lay off the booze."

The man grunted and tried escaping his grip, but those hands were enhanced by his Fighting Spirit. Percy twisted harder until the man cried out.

"I shall respect my juniors and lay off the booze!"

"Good boy. Now say: I solemnly swear that I am an idiot."

"I solemnly swear that I am an idiot!"

Percy let go of the man and walked away with a satisfied grin, ignoring all the flabbergasted stares he got from the people around them. That felt good. He needed something to unwind after such an annoying day.

He was walking back to Thalos and Barty when he saw them surrounded by a group of redheads.

"That's the same family I saw back at the first inn we entered. When you have ten fucking kids, it's no surprise you can't find anywhere to contain them."

He stopped talking just as he arrived back. The father of the family was speaking enthusiastically to Thalos, who looked like an uncomfortable puppy. The man had a wild look with his bushy red hair and beard, and his powerful build.

"Then I packed my things and said: Time for an adventure!"

The mother of the family was black-haired with gentle-looking amber eyes. It looked like her genes lost the fight for survival, because every single kid had red hair. Her soft voice contrasted her husband's in a quiet yet more violent way.

"I wanted him to be fully ready for the tourney, so I slaughtered an entire ram and salted every last piece of meat for the journey. I can't wait to watch him bash some skulls in."

Percy's face went blank.

You can't say that with such a beautiful face and voice… and you, wild man, get away from my socially inept father.

He cleared his throat to get their attention. Twenty-six pairs of eyes turned towards him instantly. He hadn't really noticed the brats—seven boys and two girls… This cannot be a sustainable way to plan a family.

The boys ranged from boisterous and fiery like their father to eerily quiet like their mother. He could already see the tornado of personalities that you would have to deal with from the family.

On the other hand, the girls seemed calm enough. One of them seemed close to his age, and actually shy. It must be hell growing up as an introvert among this madness.

"Father," he said, voice raised a bit. "I'm sure you've already learned about the tourney from…"

He didn't know their names and didn't want to learn them, but Thalos intervened.

"This is George Ramlos and his wife, Ura. And their kids: Xavier, Collins, Mesa, Hack, Linden, Soca, Flynn, Cherry, Garfield, and Little Joey."

This started from the oldest, Xavier, and ended at the youngest, a toddler. The rapid fire of names also seemed to be fully correct as the Ramlos family broke into a round of applause.

He wouldn't be remembering any names though, but he was impressed by their parents' ability to come up with so many random names. Some of them had to have been named on the spot.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Dad, we need to go find somewhere to stay. More people will be coming into town."

Before Thalos could say a word, George raised his voice in a hearty bellow.

"Don't worry. I have a place for all of us to stay. It would be an honour to host Lord Thalos and the legendary Perseus."

He ignored the praise from the man—he was already used to it—instead he stared at the… battalion of children watching him in awe.

"You have somewhere for everyone here to stay."