Chapter 342: 340 Gejiev’s Request
After the rain, the capital looked as old as its appearance suggested, and couldn’t really be considered a beautiful sight; it resembled a muddy countryside scene instead.
The roads were covered in puddles, and when carriages sped past, the water and mud splashed around by the wheels sprayed all around, coating the nearby buildings’ walls in mud, presenting a sorry sight no matter how one looked at it.
Worried about the possibility of more rain, Gejiev had carried rain gear with him before leaving the house. He had donned a raincoat, which ironically didn’t serve its purpose of shielding him from the rain but acted as a barrier against the splashing mud, an irony not lost on him.
Fortunately, Gejiev had things to do today, people to meet, and no time to wallow in sorrow and sentimentality. Thus, he quickly dismissed his complicated thoughts and headed in one direction.
Soon, Gejiev arrived in front of an inn.
Located on one side of the main road, it was an inn specifically set up for adventurers.
The inn was equipped with high-end accommodations and stables, as well as a spacious courtyard suitable for sword practice, its exquisite exterior made it easy to imagine that the interior decorations were equally splendid.
This was the most luxurious adventurer’s inn in the capital, Jestidje, attracting high-tier adventurers who were confident in their abilities and could afford the steep accommodation fees.
Gejiev did not frequent this place, and one could even say he had never been here, as he seldom had dealings with adventurers; however, this time, he had to meet a great adventurer who had reluctantly responded to his audacious request and seek his help.
Upon arrival, Gejiev passed between the guards stationed at the entrance and entered the inn under their scrutinizing gazes.
Once inside, Gejiev immediately saw a spacious hall.
It was a dining room adorned with the entire ground floor’s space, and the furniture inside was of very high quality, certainly a favorite spot for nobles accustomed to high society.
Yet, in such a high-end restaurant, there were very few patrons, just a handful of tables occupied.
They wore exceptionally fine gear, and the metal badges hanging from their necks were all made of materials superior to Mithril.
In other words, these adventurers were at least of Mithril level.
In Ye·Lantil, these were the highest-tier Mithril leveled adventurers, and here they were, a common sight, which showed the kind of strength the adventurers gathered at this inn possessed.
The arrival of Gejiev drew the attention of the adventurers in the inn to him.
Then, the adventurers were surprised.
"...Isn’t that the Kingdom Warrior Leader?"
"Gejiev Storunov..."
"The strongest warrior from the neighboring countries?"
"What is he doing here?"
The adventurers first expressed surprise among themselves, and then their gazes towards Gejiev turned intense.
Gejiev was familiar with this type of gaze.
It was the kind that those who aimed to challenge the so-called strongest warrior to make a name for themselves would exude upon seeing him.
Adventurers, whether low-tier or high-tier, were all extremely eager to make a name and have their renown spread across the world.
This not only benefited their work but also their future prospects and the achievement of higher statuses.
If they became renowned, people would come seeking them out to join their teams or specifically request them for high-difficulty, high-reward commissions.
Fulfilling these commissions would accumulate achievements and elevate an adventurer’s rank.
This was a virtuous cycle, a necessary competition.
Thus, every adventurer had a need for fame and sometimes, in pursuit of a good reputation, they did not mind engaging in perilously edgy deeds; their fervor, to an outsider, could certainly be considered terrifying.
In front of such a group of adventurers, the sudden appearance of the warrior admired as the strongest in the kingdom naturally meant that there would be those confident in their own skills, plotting to use him as a stepping stone to fame.
It was for this reason that Gejiev seldom interacted with adventurers.
However, to say Gejiev had nothing to do with adventurers was premature.
After all, Gejiev’s master had once been an adventurer, and the person who had given him the Dragon’s Secret Treasure was also an adventurer; the adventurers related to him were not few, but they had simply moved beyond the stage of seeking fame and occupied very high positions among adventurers.
Now, the person Gejiev was here to meet was also one of the highest achievers among the recent adventurers.
Thus, ignoring the intense gazes cast around him, Gejiev looked around the room twice until his gaze stopped upon someone in a corner.
"Whom is he looking at?"
The adventurers who were watching Gejiev noticed this and followed his gaze.
Immediately, in a corner by the window, a man who seemed out of place among the rest caught everyone’s eyes.
He wore no apparent armor, only some seemingly extraordinary accessories, making him look not at all like an adventurer but more like a young master out experiencing life.
He leaned against the window, holding a cup of tea, sipping intermittently, his attention fixed outside as if something out there captivated him, causing him to gaze like this.
Seeing this youth, who looked more like a young master than an adventurer, the adventurers exchanged puzzled looks.
It was indeed incredulous that, prior to this, they had entirely failed to notice such a youth, who was so out of place among them, seated there.
Upon seeing him, however, Gejiev’s face broke into a clear expression of joy.
The next moment, Gejiev approached the youth in front of everyone.
"It has been a long time, Your Excellency,"
To everyone’s astonishment, Gejiev bent deeply in a respectful bow to the youth.
His attitude was not so much that of addressing a superior but rather someone he truly admired and revered.
In fact, that was exactly how Gejiev felt as he bowed.
The youth before him, undoubtedly younger by many years, was indeed someone he truly admired and revered.
The battle at Kain Village two months ago had already proved that.
Therefore, Gejiev didn’t regard him as a mere youth but as a pioneer worth following and learning from.
Perhaps it was this straightforward attitude that made Reiger take a different view of this robust man?
"Long time no see," Reiger did not shift his gaze from the window, greeting him while continuing to drink his tea, "So this is the capital, huh?"
"Yes," Gejiev smiled at Reiger and said, "Is this your first time in the capital?"
"Obviously," Reiger still looked out the window and said, "Rather, I should say I hardly ever visit human cities, and this is no exception."
"I see," Gejiev cautiously inquired, "So, how do you find it?"
"How do I find it?" Reiger turned his gaze back to the robust man in front of him, smiled faintly, and said, "Pretty bad."
The anticipated answer made Gejiev smile wryly.
"Have a seat," Reiger was no longer looking out the window, he pointed to the seat opposite him and said, "You have something to discuss with me, right?"
"Yes," Gejiev sat down across Reiger, and with a serious expression said, "And thank you for heeding my request to come all the way to the capital."
Speaking so, Gejiev bowed again to Reiger.
He hadn’t harbored much hope.
When they had parted at Ye Lantil, although he gave Reiger the magical communication tool he carried, its effectiveness was poor, prone to delays and errors in transmitting messages, and the success rate of communication was also very unreliable, so Gejiev had little confidence that it could connect to Reiger.
Initially, when he had given that piece of parchment to Reiger, the purpose was to be reachable if the latter needed his help, to repay the life-saving favor; never had he expected that before Reiger sought help from him, he would be the one troubling him, which made Gejiev feel somewhat embarrassed.
"Don’t mind it," Reiger appeared indifferent and said, "You gave me the precious Dragon’s Secret Treasure; I can provide a service or two."
"Thank you," Gejiev nodded, leaving things unsaid.
"So," Reiger got to the point, "what did you call me to the capital for?"
Gejiev did not immediately answer this question.
Choosing his words carefully and after deliberating for a while, he finally spoke.
"I would like to ask Your Excellency to examine someone for me."
This statement slightly raised Reiger’s eyebrows.
"Examine someone?" he asked, curious and surprised, "What? Someone around you is sick? They should be taken to a temple rather than seeking my help, right?"
"...Indeed, he is sick, and it seems to be a very serious illness," Gejiev paused for a moment, sighed, and said, "But I believe that this sort of illness can only be cured by Your Excellency."
"You say that as if I were a priest." Reiger rolled his eyes but didn’t outright deny it, instead tentatively asking, "So what illness does he exactly have?"
"He suffers from a mental illness," Gejiev looked at Reiger and said, "If left unattended, he might take his own life, so I hope Your Excellency could meet with him."
Hearing this, Reiger narrowed his eyes.
"Who is he?"
Reiger posed this question.
Gejiev answered.
"His name is Brian Angelos, a hero who tied with me at King’s Royal Tournament, and is on par with me."