'It's really him...'
When Riezel heard 'Brain Unglaus' from Gazef's mouth, this was the first thought that came to his mind.
However, the second thought that followed was a bit rude.
'Did he get depressed and become a pussy like in the original work?'
If a thought like this got out, wouldn't any man with some pride want to fight Riezel to the death?
Even so, what could he do?
Anyone who knew the original work couldn't help but think that way, since, logically speaking, Brain shouldn't have been facing that situation again.
"What happened to him?"
Curious about Brain's current situation, Riezel asked Gazef, but unfortunately, Gazef himself seemed just as unsure.
Gazef spoke with a helpless expression.
"In my memory, he was someone who was incredibly confident in his own abilities. Even though he lost to me in the kingdom's tournament back then, I didn't see any discouragement in him. All I saw was a strong resolve to defeat me."
"Back then, I was very clear that this man hadn't given up, and he would come back sooner or later, rechallenging me."
In truth, Gazef was more than willing to face Brain again.
It was only natural since Gazef also saw Brain as a worthy rival, someone he respected as an opponent, so he was eager for another match.
"Recently, I ran into him on the street."
Gazef continued with a very complicated expression.
"When I saw him then, he was completely different from the man I remembered. If the old him had always struck me as a genius swordsman, then now he feels more like a deserter from the battlefield."
"He's lost all his will to fight, all his spirit, and he can barely even hold his sword."
Such a fact made Gazef's mood even more complicated.
It couldn't be helped.
To see someone he regarded as a worthy opponent, someone he considered a rival, suddenly fall into such a state was almost surreal.
"I asked him what had happened, and all he said to me was one thing..." Gazef looked up, meeting Riezel's eyes. "He said, I saw monsters..."
It was truly an intriguing statement.
"Okay, I get the general idea..." Riezel nodded thoughtfully. "Still, why did you end up asking for my help?"
It was clear that Brain had lost his spirit and confidence as a swordsman, which had led him to his current state, so Gazef wasn't wrong—he was indeed dealing with a mental illness, something even priests couldn't heal.
Only, Riezel was genuinely curious about why Gazef had come to him to deal with this kind of problem.
At Riezel's question, Gazef answered seriously.
"Even though I don't know what happened to him, if nothing unexpected occurred, he must have encountered enemies that humans cannot defeat. Maybe they were monsters, powerful demi-humans, or even the legendary dragons."
"Regardless, in his words and actions, there's nothing but sadness for humanity's existence and a realization of the weakness of our race."
"He's stopped believing—stopped believing in the potential and power of the human race."
"That's why I think, to awaken the spirit he's lost, we need to show him that there are truly powerful individuals among humans."
When Gazef gradually understood Brain's condition, he immediately thought of Riezel.
No choice.
He had met many powerful people in his life, including some who had truly entered the Realm of Heroes, but if he had to choose the strongest in his mind, the only name that came to his thoughts was Riezel Brynhart.
"If it's you, you'll definitely knock some sense into him, make him realize the potential humans have." Gazef continued, gazing intently at Riezel.
Needless to say, for this reason, after much hesitation, Gazef decided to contact Riezel and ask for his help.
"I know this is a one-sided request, but..." Gazef suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Riezel. "Could you please help that man?"
Upon hearing this, Riezel stared at Gazef, remaining silent for a long time.
Gazef didn't rush Riezel, patiently holding his bowing posture, waiting for Riezel's response.
Time passed slowly, and soon the adventurers in the inn began murmuring among themselves.
Just as Riezel opened his mouth to respond, a voice suddenly interrupted.
"Lord Stronoff?"
A voice, tinged with surprise, suddenly rang out, reaching both Riezel's and Gazef's ears.
Riezel immediately closed his mouth and halted his intention to speak.
Gazef froze for a moment, instinctively straightening up and turning toward the source of the voice.
In the next second, a familiar face appeared in his view.
It was a young man, somewhere between a boy and a young adult, around the same age as Riezel.
He had blue eyes and thick eyebrows, his skin darkened from the sun, and his golden hair cut short, likely for practical reasons, giving off an impression of someone who valued function over aesthetics.
"Climb?" Gazef called out in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Before the young man named Climb could answer, however, someone standing behind him, exuding an overwhelming presence, spoke first.
"He's here looking for us!"
It was a rather rough voice, but the owner of it was actually a woman. Even though her appearance might make one seriously question her true gender, she was undeniably a biological woman.
It really couldn't be helped if someone misunderstood.
Not only was her body incredibly muscular, clearly filled with strength, with large arms that made one think of thick logs, but her head was also square-shaped, like a carnivorous beast—intimidating to look at.
Next to the muscular woman stood someone who formed a stark contrast—a smaller figure, almost like a little girl.
She was dressed in a crimson robe that covered her whole body, and her face was hidden behind an odd mask adorned with a crimson jewel on the forehead, making it impossible to see her features.
One had a shocking body, and the other wore strange attire—these two women stood behind Climb.
Upon seeing them, Riezel didn't react much, but Gazef wore a very surprised expression.
"Lady Gagaran, Lady Evileye?"
Gagaran.
Evileye.
While these names might be unfamiliar to regular people, and they might not even recognize them, if another name were mentioned, it would be well-known to everyone.
"Ah, to see two members of Blue Roses here today, I must be lucky." Gazef added with a smile.
Indeed, the two women before them were members of Blue Roses, one of the original two Adamantite Adventurer Groups in the Re-Estize Kingdom.
In other words, they were Adamantite Adventurers.
Riezel instinctively turned his gaze toward them and focused on one of them.
Coincidentally, the one Riezel gazed at seemed to notice his gaze right away and looked back at him.
In that instant, their eyes met.
'Interesting...' Riezel thought with a faint smile.
"..."
Because of her mask, Evileye's expression and eyes were completely hidden, but it was clear she was observing Riezel.
Strangely, the more she observed, the more she seemed to care about his appearance.
Meanwhile, the others didn't notice the interaction between the two and continued talking among themselves.
"Why is Lord Stronoff here?"
Climb first bowed to Gazef before asking curiously.
"I'm looking for someone, just like you."
Gazef answered Climb's question without hesitation—his attitude toward Climb was fairly friendly, even warm.
"Looking for someone? What I saw was you bowing and begging to someone, though?" Gagaran quickly cut in, speaking casually. "I don't know what's going on, but the Warrior Captain acting all humble in a place full of adventurers? If this gets out, it won't look good for you, right?"
"Ahaha, I can't deny that..." Gazef said with an awkward smile.
"Oh?" Gagaran raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Since you know that but still chose to do it, it means you had no choice? Well, now you got me curious."
She then turned her gaze and finally looked at Riezel.
"So, the one that made our Sir Warrior Captain go as far as to bow and beg is you?"
At this, everyone's attention turned to Riezel.
"I'm sorry if I'm rude, but... who are you?" Climb asked while tilting his head, looking genuinely confused.
From Climb's perspective, the young man before him was clearly someone he had never seen before, nor did he recognize.
"Hello."
Riezel didn't seem interested in introducing himself, offering only a brief greeting and a slight nod toward the group.
"I'll introduce him."
Seeing that Riezel wasn't planning on introducing himself, Gazef took the responsibility instead.
"He's Climb, the Third Princess's bodyguard. He's a very hardworking warrior who can endure a lot."
Gazef's introduction left Climb flustered, making him feel embarrassed, but he tried to maintain a serious expression, hoping to give the impression that he was a reliable man.
Done with Climb, Gazef then introduced Gagaran and Evileye, explaining that they were both members of Blue Roses and, of course, their status as Adamantite Adventurers.
Finally, Gazef introduced Riezel.
"He's Sir Riezel Brynhart, my savior."
Gazef's words immediately caused a stir among the group.
"Riezel Brynhart?"
Gagaran, surprised and even a little moved, had her eyes focused even more as she stared at Riezel.
"So it's you?"