Hi there! Here is the next chapter! Since this will not be a very long fanfiction, some things about Soma I won't take too long to describe in favor to focus on certain points of Soma's memories that I need him somewhat already aware about what's happening, but I promise I'll try to keep it interesting to read.

Hope you enjoy^^ Until next Friday!

Chapter 04 – Hammer

After the incident with Castlevania and the solar Eclipse, Hammer left the American army and decided to open a shop in the middle of Japan with items and artifacts he had found in the dark castle. Over the years the business went well, being widely recognized in the country and generating great profits for him.

Even though he spent most of his time tending to the store, he never ceased contact with those he had met there, creating a great bond of friendship that only deepened with time and when the group had a break, they often come to visit him.

On that sunny afternoon while explaining a few assignments to the two young men assisting him with the work in the shop, Hammer looked through the window and saw a navy blue car parked in front of the property. A smile flashed across his face as he easily recognized who the vehicle belonged to.

Minutes later the small bells on the door rang as it opened, and with great receptivity the ex-soldier greeted his friends.

"Hey guys! How are you? It's been a while since we've seen each other!"

"Good to see you well, my friend." Julius nodded, shaking his hand.

"It really has been a little time! Things have been in some hurry in the church, but now I finally have some peace!" Yoko smiled and greeted him with a light kiss on the cheek, making the man blush slightly.

"Hehe, great! It's good to have some free time to throw away!" Hammer spoke, and looking over the witch's shoulder, he called out cheerfully. "Hey, you two! Why are you standing there, silent and timid? Come here!"

Mina and Soma approached them and the woman greeted him with a gentle smile.

"Hello, Mr. Hammer!"

"How are you, little lady? Taking good care of this plague on your side?" The man asked with a gentle smile.

"Hey! I'm right here!" The silver-haired man complained with an indignant look, making the American laugh, raising his hands.

"Easy boy! I'm just joking with you to see if you can loosen up a bit!" Hammer wrapped his arms around the other's shoulders and hugged him friendly. Soma froze with surprise, but did nothing to push the other away. "I know that ritual business wasn't pleasant, but cheer up a bit, it's over! Let's focus on the present and liven up a little more this visit, won't you? Be good to your host and put a smile on that face and I'll serve you a nice cup of coffee! None of those green teas!"

"Alright, Ham, thanks..." Soma nodded a little awkwardly, shaking his head.

"That's it! Let's go guys, follow me!" The American invited them and the group went deeper into the store.

The silver-haired man followed slowly, Mina looked sympathetically at him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You're ok, Soma?" She whispered gently.

"Yes..." He smiled at her and patted her hand. "Don't worry. Just... trying to get used to it... I'm just a little misfit ... "

"I know. If anything happens, I'm right here, okay? "

He nodded silently and they followed the small group that talked a few steps ahead.

The silver-haired man looked curiously at the place; Hammer had brought so many objects from Castlevania and had acquired so many artifacts and items from other places for resale that they looked like they were inside a little piece of the ancient world, hidden in the midst of all that modernity. Faced with this thought, he couldn't help thinking on how everything in that place seemed familiar to him, perhaps, by the majority being exact items that had once been inside Castlevania, his home...

Soma stopped, frowning deeply at the thought.

He looked up to his friends, but was surprised when he realized that he was no longer in Hammer's shop, but somewhere else completely unfamiliar to him.

Inside a humble shop with several weapons scattered on the wooden tables or hung on the walls with iron supports, the young man ran from one side to the other obeying orders from his father, an experienced blacksmith, who was instructing him to search in the back of the establishment for the order made in advance by the noble gentleman currently waiting in the center of the room.

The tall man with long black hair, aristocratic face, cunning blue eyes and dressed in a elegantly dark armor, patiently waited for the young man's return as he talked with the merchant about the progress of the war that plagued the region.

"Even if we are in difficult times, Lord Cronqvist, I have faith in the strength of our army, and with you and Lord Belmont leading the front, surely soon all this will be over."

"Certainly is what we all desire." The noble replied evenly.

At that very moment the front door opened and another knight entered the house. With a messy blond hair and a jovial face, the man nodded toward the blacksmith in cordial greeting and looked with bright blue eyes at his companion.

"Glad I found you, Mathias." A smile spread across his face. "I'd like to ask your advice to finish the last details of the plan for the fortress's invasion."

The long-haired knight approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You have all my attention, my friend, but I tell you to not be anxious, for tomorrow it is certain that at this time we will be victorious."

"I do not doubt your words, you are the greatest strategist I know and you have never failed the men, the people or me. In your hands I fully trust my life."

The blond knight smiled even more and embraced the man whom he considered as close as a brother, a gesture that was immediately reciprocated by the other.

"I'm sure that when we finally return home, there's a young lady anxiously waiting..." The blonde whispered with amusement.

Mathias laughed heartily.

"We will choose the date of our marriage then, and you and your betrothed gave us your word to being our Best man and Maid of honor, do not forget."

The blonde gave him a playful wink.

"Never, Mathias! Never!"

"Hey Soma! Wake up!"

The man blinked dazedly and confusedly, his blue eyes fixed on Yoko who was waving a hand before his face, laughing lightly.

"Did you see how his head was in the clouds?" The witch teased, stroking his silver hair.

"Sorry ..." Soma said a little sheepishly.

"No use, the boy is a lost case!" Hammer laughed and Julius, next to him, smiled amused. The American then exclaimed, "We're going to have to take extreme measures!"

Approaching the other, the American put his arm around Soma's shoulders again and dragged him deeper into the shop, talking to him while the others followed with a slight laugh and Mina giving him sympathetic looks, though she could not hide the small smile that slipped on her lips.

"I was thinking of inviting you to spend the next month with me at the Belmont mansion, I know that Yoko will be on vacation and that Soma and Mina are also free to come."

"In Europe?" Mina asked delightedly, Soma on the contrary, listening to the family's name froze with certain astonishment and said nothing.

"That's right," the hunter said with a gentle smile. "I already talked to your father in the temple earlier and he agreed to allow you to come with us."

"It will be great to spend some time there, my dear," Yoko exclaimed enthusiastically. "And Europe is beautiful; you will like the cities and also the forests and landscapes that are breathtaking!"

"I can hardly believe it! I would love to! "The young woman agreed immediately.

"With the shop's constant movement I cannot stay for many days, but I'm sure to have some time in the coming up holidays to stop there for about a week to visit you." Hammer said.

"I also believe you have no objection, Soma, although I have not talked to you before." Julius looked at him with a soft look. "What do you think?"

"Say yes, Soma! It will be very cool! I know you've never been to that side of Europe before! I guarantee you will feel like as if you were at home!" Yoko pleaded.

More than she would ever know, he thought to himself, though the surname Belmont was still ringing insistently in his head, giving him a certain sense of dizziness.

"I guess it would be nice..." He finally said, nodding slowly.

"Oh great! We can already start organizing the luggage and buy the tickets..." Yoko began to speak animatedly, taking all the attention of the group to herself.

Soma kept silent, staring at Julius who didn't notice his look. His friendship with the hunter made him over time forget the small detail of his surname, which seemed to assail his spirit now with overwhelming force, but he was able to keep his restlessness for himself.

His thoughts led him back to the vision he had; the memory of the blond knight... His presence, his face and his extremely familiar voice, brought an indescribable tightness to his heart. He could not explain why, for his mind couldn't remember anything more about the man beyond that strange scene he had witnessed by allowing himself to succumb to his own daydreams.

Extremely puzzled Soma followed the others, remaining silent most of the time.