Archie Rhein was a young man with a striking appearance. Even among a group of noble children dressed in dazzling attire, he managed to draw attention, becoming the center of discussions.
At this moment, several females surrounded him, seemingly vying for the opportunity to converse with him. Envy and jealousy cast from nearby male companions.
Riezel's arrival initially went unnoticed by the group. However, the most popular figure, Archie, was the first to notice him and warmly welcomed him.
"My buddy, it's really good to see you again!"
Leaving the group, Archie strode toward Riezel, arms open as if to embrace him. However, before Riezel could react, two people stepped forward, namely Ain and Ian.
The two female knights, who were silently following Riezel from behind, positioned themselves between Riezel and Archie, blocking his approach.
"Hmm?"
Archie halted, staring at the two female knights in surprise. Others followed suit, and soon a murmur arose.
"Who are these two female knights?"
The outstanding looks of Ain and Ian caught the attention of the nobles, with many admiring their beauty.
Ain and Ian, however, remained indifferent, focused on protecting Riezel. Their actions were unmistakably aimed at safeguarding him from unfamiliar and suspicious characters.
As attendants, preventing unknown and potentially threatening figures from approaching their master was a mandatory skill. Since Yuri had entrusted them with Riezel's protection, they acted with the commitment expected of those safeguarding their master.
Observing this scene, Riezel finally spoke up.
"It's okay, you two can step back."
Upon hearing his words, Ain and Ian silently retreated a step, returning to their positions behind him. Yet, their vigilant expressions persisted, eyes fixed on anyone approaching him, ready to intervene at a moment's notice.
What was initially a lively atmosphere became somewhat awkward and tense due to Ain and Ian's unexpected actions. Bodyguards from all around subtly moved closer, especially Archie's bodyguard, hand on the hilt of their sword.
Fortunately, at this tense moment, Riezel broke the silence.
"I hope I wasn't too late?"
Stepping forward, Riezel spoke to Archie with a casual tone.
"Of course not." Archie, finally grasping the situation, glanced briefly at Ain and Ian before returning his warm smile to Riezel. "We were delighted that you could come. It had been a month since we last saw you, y'know."
Just as he finished speaking, however, another voice chimed in.
"Looks like you're doing well, Riezel."
The speaker was a man with slightly dark skin and a robust body.
Not as handsome as Archie, he exuded an athletic vibe, the type that seemed to enjoy running under the sun—a rugged and appealing man, likely to attract those who appreciate strong, muscular men.
Approaching much like Archie, he glanced over Riezel from head to toe before breaking into a smile.
"Your condition is better than I imagined. I thought you might be too scared to leave the house by now."
Seemingly teasing but carrying a hint of underlying sarcasm, Riezel turned his gaze toward this robust man. Drawing from the memories of the original Riezel, he easily identified this man.
Senna Lahm, the third son of the Viscount Lahm Family, a year older than Riezel and a somewhat awkward acquaintance. Although the original Riezel might not have sensed any subtle animosity, Riezel, from the man's sly smiles, deduced that this man harbored some dislike for him.
Undoubtedly, this had to do with the Lahm family being a vassal to the Rhein family, which explained Senna's submissive attitude toward Archie. In essence, he was Archie's servant and likely developed a bit of resentment due to Archie's continuous friendly attitude toward Riezel.
As Riezel was lost in thought, others took this opportunity to step forward.
In total, six people approached.
Among them, four were male, and two were female.
The four males had distinctive looks—one tall, one short, one fat, and one skinny, forming a peculiar combination of tallness, shortness, fatness, and skinniness. Walking together, they created an irresistibly comical sight.
Some were children of a viscount family, and some were from a baron family. As they approached, they immediately gathered around Senna, giving off an aura of reverence toward Archie.
As for the two females, one was a girl with striking red hair that immediately caught Riezel's eye, while the other was a young girl with a curious expression, glancing around in all directions. The two formed a vivid contrast, prompting him to take a closer look.
These four males and two females, along with Archie and Senna, totaled eight people—the noble children who had been mingling with the original Riezel.
Seeing everyone gathered, Riezel's eyes subtly flickered, hinting at thoughts unknown, though his face remained calm.
"Apologies for the wait. I didn't expect you all to arrive so early." Riezel said with a calm tone.
Upon hearing that, Archie was the first to smile.
"Hey buddy, we were just dying to know how you're doing," Archie said, arms open but holding back from a hug this time. "Heard you got attacked and took some serious injuries? Man, we were freaking out, you know. Hope you're alright."
"Yeah..." Senna maintained his mysterious half-smile. "If we had known you'd come out unscathed and even formed a relationship with the Frenzel family, we wouldn't have worried at all."
His words caused the gazes of the noble children present to subtly flicker. The red-haired girl and the curious-looking girl even cast a glance at Ain and Ian standing behind Riezel, their thoughts unclear.
In contrast, Riezel paid no attention to Archie's words or Senna's theatrics. He merely glanced meaningfully at Archie before speaking up.
"This time, I really hit a jackpot."
Encountering Yuri, such a kind and life-saving benefactor, Riezel did feel that his luck was not bad at all. Of course, to those present, his words carried a different meaning. In their ears, his remark likely referred to his relationship with the Frenzel family.
Being acquainted with the famous, talented, and beautiful young lady of the Frenzel family, who was a Strategic-Class Magician and national treasure at such a young age, was bound to make countless noble children jealous.
This young lady, similar in age to Riezel, was already the head of the family. One must know that the Frenzel family was a marquis family, second only to a duke. Many, including the fathers of these noble children present, would be eager to establish connections with this young lady, known for both beauty and strength.
Yet, this exceptional and talented young lady chose to take in Riezel.
As that fact crossed the minds of some noble children present, their hearts filled with jealousy, except for Archie, who still showed genuine warmth toward Riezel.
"Anyway, as long as you're okay." Archie patted Riezel's shoulder. "Today, it's on me. Let's celebrate your smooth recovery."
"Celebrate?" Riezel paused for a moment, then said with a hint of strangeness in his voice. "Where are we celebrating?"
"Do I even need to say?" Senna took over the topic, revealing a smile understood only by men. "Of course, we're going to a place that will make everyone happy!"
His words brought forth meaningful smiles from the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths.
Seeing this, Riezel knew exactly what these guys were up to.
Even Marilyn knew that Riezel used to spend time with these guys, indulging in drinking and pleasure. With the memories of the original Riezel, he was well aware of their nature.
"Forget it." Riezel immediately shook his head. "If that's the case, you guys go ahead. I'm not going."
"Why?" Senna asked with a surprised face. "Aren't you the best at this kind of thing?"
To be honest, hearing someone evaluate him like that left Riezel genuinely somewhat stupefied.
"You guys better not involve me. I don't want to be kicked out." Riezel said flatly.
With that answer, everyone fell silent and quickly understood.
"You're right..." Archie smiled wryly. "If I were you, I wouldn't dare to mess around either."
"Meh... It's different when you need to climb up to a thigh of big shots, huh..." Senna remarked sourly.
At this point, the red-haired girl, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up.
"Hmph, it's because your thoughts are too gross." The red-haired girl snorted coldly, wearing a disdainful expression. "Do you forget we girls are here too? You really want to drag us along to that place?"
The curious-looking girl who had been observing everything joined the red-haired girl in casting a disdainful glance at the male group.
"Hey hey hey, don't take it seriously, okay?" Archie's wry smile deepened. "How could we really go? It's just a casual joke, okay!"
""That's right!""
Senna and the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths immediately nodded repeatedly in agreement.
"Alright, let's head to the market then. I heard there's a bunch of new stuff lately. It's been a while since I went. Let's go and check it out." Archie suggested.
"That sounds about right."
The red-haired girl finally expressed satisfaction.