Races: Online (VR Smartphone App)

The world spun around him like an alcohol-induced haze fever, the mere mention of the word 'brother' shouldn't have gotten him a reaction like this—but then he grinned and shook his head. "They're just like my brother, but we're not really blood related or anything. Same went for our grandfather—er, Old Man Joe. We just happened to be very close."

Stares from Donovan, Diov and the others came, but he ignored them.

"Hah! I see, I'm glad you still remember us. It's been quite some time—glad to see that you're doing well." Ryden grinned. "You actually look stronger and more in shape than when I last saw you—some scrawny kid you were back then in your grandfather's cart filled with vegetables."

It was obvious that this guy remembered far more things than necessary. 

Han kept the grin on his face, although it was starting to get a little wearisome. This guy naturally had more energy than him. More than that, it was best to avoid these kinds of talks with someone he didn't know well. "Yeah, it's nice to meet you again, Mister…"

"Ryden Attaway, and what was your name kid?"

"It's Han, just Han," he introduced. 

"Hah, seems easy to remember." Ryden chuckled, and then clutched his side. It still felt tender to him, even though the Healer had given him a go-signal to leave. 

"What happened to you, Mister?" Teresa asked and motioned to the bandages around him. She herself couldn't help but notice the man's toned body, similar to the busboy she had been eyeing earlier.

"Oh these?" Ryden chuckled. "These are the marks of me fulfilling my line of duties."

"...as a Guardsman?" Diov said. He briefly glanced at Boaz.

Russel waved his tankard at Diov. Some liquid sploshed on their table, much to chagrin of those who noticed the waste. "I guess, it's probably dealing with Thieves and other notorious people. Don't look down at them!"

"I wasn't." Diov scrunched up his face. This was why he didn't like people figuring out he was a Noble, people tended to make assumptions. Other than that, it didn't take him much looking to understand that this man was in good shape.

People in his father's own personal army wouldn't have minded if a guy like this were placed among them. That only meant one thing, and he said it. Even if he had to explain himself. "I was just curious about how much trouble he needed to encounter to get to that state. It must have been an organized gang or something close to it?" 

"Well, yeah… you can say that." Ryden nodded.

Han cleared his throat, the memory of the other Players' arrival was still fresh in his mind. While he wasn't so sure if people had seen him in the midst of panic, and people dropping like flies back then—he changed the topic.

"As long as you're fine now, sir." He glanced at the table and lifted his mug. "Are you celebrating by drinking right now? We can toast to that!"

"I like the sound of that!" Ryden grinned and grabbed for a nearby seat. He settled down into the group of much younger people and squeezed himself in. "It's a lot more fun when there's more people, hey Bo, grab a seat and let's eat with them!"

"Er…"

"Well, it's not too troublesome for more people to join us," Donovan said. "Like your friend said, there's more fun when we're several more!" Truth be told, it was because he respected a man who stuck to his duties and responsibilities. Even if it had been difficult to get injured to that point—and Donovan was sure that Guardsmen were supposed to have Healing Potions.

And whoever these men could be, they were probably folks that Sir Leon himself would like to meet if only by courtesy of Han. And so the two folks were ushered into available seats scoured from the place.

.

.

.

Boaz was still in his Guardsman uniform, only coming out to pick up his friend from the clinic. While he didn't want to be here and talking to random strangers that they've met only once—he glanced at Han with a small frown.

[ Detect Distinguished Individuals ]

He was pretty sure that no boy that had come from some random village could trigger his Skill this much, and this Skill took note of the other young man who looked in his direction, but not in the same way as this guy did.

Why was that…

Boaz did a double-take at Han and remembered a boy who had waved a white flag around the city—this was that guy! It was difficult to restrain his expression, but nobody paid much attention to himself. Somehow his experience with those other Races also gave him a [ Meek Presence ] like a terrible joke.

It made Ryden even look more egregious in this moment.

Boaz cleared his throat. Information like this was important, but now wasn't the time to become confrontational. Rather, he needed to retreat and recharge. He glanced at his colleague. If Ryden hadn't probably been knocked out by that Tiefling last time, this guy would have arrested the kid already as a traitor to humanity.

So, he did the sensible thing. 

"You know, these kids are probably going to need to head back to the Academy. Doesn't your place have some sort of curfew?" the Guardsman said.

"Er, yes… but who cares about that!" One of the Students hollered, clearly drunk much to the amusement of his friends. If one could even call them friends for tolerating this much drunkenness. How many tankards had this guy drunk and why was nobody stopping him?

Ryden chuckled, and sipped his drink. "Well, never me—as long as you pass your grades, kid." This guy clearly only cared about getting the job done, but tolerated the slacking off which was typical.

"I am!" Russel's tankard dropped to the table. "Why, I'm probably the most well-read guy out of all of them!"

Teresa raised a brow and rolled her eyes. "Romance books."

"Why, don't let the cover dictate what you think—that's quite prejudicial of you, Teresa." Russel huffed. "There's much to learn about reading not only books dictated by the curriculum—how else would you expect a person to grow?"

Diov shook his head, slightly embarrassed. "Hah, Russel is really loosening up." 

"Are you okay?" Donovan raised a brow. "Water? Barbecue...er, there's not much left."

"Get me another jug!" the young man demanded. 

Boaz sighed inwardly. He didn't think he was that old—but seriously, kids these days were irresponsible. "Well, to bring us back to the points. It's up to people like us to protect the city and its citizens, so it also includes you Students."

"Why, we can do it by ourselves!" Russel said.

Han cleared his throat. It really was starting to get out of hand, but he hadn't intervened much because it took the attention away from him—which was what he wanted. But he really should be going right now, there was still another thing on his to-do-list.

He waved a hand and stood up from his chair, "Yeah, you know what, I don't want to be the guy who says it, but I think we should do that. It is getting a bit late."

"Eh, I thought you were supposed to be fun—"

"And I assumed you would be sober." Han snickered at the guy, but finished the barbecue he had and threw the stick on the table. "But, seriously, I want to get back to the dorms, and it's not right—"

"You were late last time," Donovan pointed out with a roll of his eyes. Even if he and the others weren't as drunk as Russel, alcohol still gave the ability to loosen one's tongue. "I don't remember that being a problem."

"And the barbecue's getting cold though." Han motioned to the leftover ones meant for the Noble. 

"That's not much of an excuse." Diov said dryly. It was as if the entirety of these people had decided to team up on him at this moment. Or maybe it was just the young man stating facts. "It's easy enough to heat the food up if you're serious."

"Speaking of which, wasn't that the time when Penelope slapped you?" Teresa raised a brow, looking at Han. "I can't exactly remember, but you and Timothy had the Half Elf—er, Ellynn in your arms. What exactly happened that time?"

"Wait—that happened?" Russel's head turned to Teresa. "What the actual—"

Great. Han wasn't exactly there—he… wasn't there? Well, Han Jing hadn't been there at that time! More than that, how was he going to explain it was some Mermaid's voice that brought her to sleep and all of that? 

Wait, he already had an excuse.

Timothy wasn't around anymore to back or contradict his statement any longer too. Han scratched the back of his head, "Er, we found her on the streets abandoned—it was the time when a panic struck in the city? Two to three weeks back?" 

"Oh, I remember that!" Ryden chuckled. "Lots of people started panicking cause at the north gate—"

Boaz was too busy thinking about a Half Elf and their connection to the three, but then snapped up his head and intruded on the two. "I can't let it slide any longer, if you young men—and woman—stay around here any longer, I'll write up a report to your Headmaster."

"Oh reaaaally?" Russel hiccuped. "Do you dareee?"

Han fought the urge to rub his face. This guy was starting to sound like a second-rate young master from a xianxia . It wasn't a nice sight to see.