Rudeus can't lift. Sara takes offense and clearly tries to hurt Rudeus in a way she know will work. They've been together for a long while now. No way it wasn't on purpose.
Then she gets upset at drunken Rudeus when he doesn't even know she's there ? Okay, Rudeus shouldn't have said that, but he didn't have the intentions Sara had with her words...

Rudeus not being able to lift tells us how strong his depression and PTSD is. You need something powerful to completely erase the libido in an otherwise healthy teenager. No one watching this should underestimate the quagmire he mentally is in.

I'm in the camp of those who liked the ep, I liked Elise and what she brought.
Sol was maybe a little too different, but I guess he has his reasons to try to help Rudeus. A practical one would be to get a reliable powerful mage, better knowing Rudeus probably helps. And maybe Sol has his reasons to be first so harsh towards Rudeus and then help him when he understands his circumstances.

We were once again shown that Rudeus isn't very strong. I start to doubt it's only because he is still a young teenager. Multiple punches should still hurt. But I have to remember we have demi-humans and people jumping around and fighting mid-air. Even Eris did that.
So muscle power and resisting multiple punches might be different in that world.