CHAPTER 21: DON’T BUY THIS CHAPTER YET!

Though there’s a saying that one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, it was obvious that no one would remember such wisdom upon meeting this man.

His voice boomed like thunder, instantly drawing the attention of those nearby.

"Hey... doesn’t that guy look familiar?"

"Are you blind? How could you not recognize him?!"

"Look, he’s definitely not a beautiful girl or a sexy woman. So tell me, why should I bother remembering the face of an ugly guy like him?"

Bangrave Land was a vast, fertile area with a few long mountain ranges stretching across its expanse. The land also served as the border between the Liurnia Kingdom and Asura Kingdom.

Because of its large size, it was impossible for the Liurnia Kingdom to fully oversee Bangrave Land. As a result, they established only a few settlements along the major routes, leaving the rest of the area unprotected. This lack of security meant Bangrave could not be classified as a Safe Zone.

The term "Safe Zone" was used by the Liurnia Kingdom to describe areas that were protected and free from roaming monsters.

Not all regions within the kingdom held this status. Besides Bangrave, there were several other areas that were also excluded from the Safe Zone. The famous ones for example, Lachia Plain in the north, Amita Mountain Range in the West, and Tawar Forest in the south.

...

Soon, Kuro carried them beyond the city gates. Once again, Lumien was greeted by the vast expanse of the sea. A gentle breeze brushed against his cheeks, carrying the salty scent of the ocean. But unlike before, when he could hear the thunderous waves crashing against the shore up close, he now stood at a much higher elevation, giving him a breathtaking view of the coastline stretching out below instead.

Arsnova was a city built on an island, its lower section connected to the mainland of the Liurnia Kingdom, while the upper section extended toward Bangrave Land. From this vantage point, Lumien could see towering cliffs in the distance, with a dense forest stretching endlessly behind them.

A few merchant carriages rumbled past, traveling in the opposite direction as him, their wooden wheels creaking against the stone-paved road.

Peering over the edge, he inhaled sharply, momentarily awestruck. Below him, the sea stretched endlessly, its surface shimmering under the golden light of the sun. The water churned restlessly, waves crashing against the base of the bridge’s towering pillars.

It took them over a dozen minutes just to cross the massive bridge. When they finally reached the other side, they were met with a T-junction, where each path led deeper into the dense forest.

Fortunately, a wooden signpost stood at the intersection, with the names of various destinations carved into it, pointing in different directions.

Without it, Lumien feared that he and Azalea would have been completely lost and would have had to ask a passing merchant for guidance. After all, they weren’t locals, and the map Azalea had studied only marked Bantaro Farm’s location—it didn’t show the exact roads leading there.

Just as they were about to set off down the path indicated by the sign, Azalea suddenly whipped her head around.

"What’s wrong?" Lumien asked curiously.

"I thought I heard something..." She paused, listening for a moment before shaking her head. "Never mind, it’s probably just some animals."

Lumien shrugged and nodded, and the two resumed their journey.

What they didn’t notice was a weak hand sticking out of the thick bushes just a few feet away. The hand was pale and shaking, reaching out as if trying to grab something—or maybe call for help. But its movements were weak, and after a few seconds, the hand lost its strength and dropped to the ground, vanishing into the shadows of the dense plants.

"Shhh! Shut up! Damn it, you’ve spoken the forbidden word, now he’s coming this way. We never met each other, we never spoke to each other, we’re complete strangers. Got it?!"

"H-Hey, where are you goin—?!"

Before the man could finish his sentence, a strong hand suddenly grabbed his shirt. A second later, he felt his feet leaving the ground, his body lifted high into the air as if he were no heavier than a sack of feathers. He felt like a mouse caught in the talons of a hawk.

His eyes widened in shock, struggling to believe what was happening.

How the hell is this guy lifting me so easily?! I’m a grown man and I’m wearing armor right now!

Panic set in as he looked down at the huge, bear-like hand gripping his shirt. His gaze followed the thick, muscular arm covered in bulging veins, until finally, he locked eyes with the "ugly guy" he had so casually mocked just moments ago.

The moment their eyes met, his breath hitched, and his face drained of all color, turning as pale as a sheet. His voice came out in a panicked stammer. "G-Giant Brian...!"

It was only now that it dawned on him—the person he had just insulted was none other than the infamous "Giant" Brian.

No wonder he had found the man’s face to be somewhat familiar!

When he first entered the Adventurer circle in Arsnova, one of the very first things his peers had gifted him was a list of dangerous people that he should avoid at all costs. Among those names, "Giant" Brian was included in the list.

Aside from being infamous for his bad temper, Brian was also known for having a long history of crimes, mostly harassment toward women. Yet, somehow, he always managed to evade punishment. No one knew exactly how, but many believed it was because the Guild saw him as a valuable asset. As a result, they often covered up his misdeeds and cleaned up his messes.

On the list, along with the rough portrait, history, and basic background details about the person, there were also additional notes. For "Giant" Brian, the note was clear: never, under any circumstances, say the words "ugly," "bald," "small," or "yellow" anywhere near him—unless you had a death wish.

And just now, he had called Brian ugly!

To think he had made probably the biggest blunder of his life by offending one of the most dangerous people in the city—someone he was supposed to avoid at all costs!

Damn it! Why did I only remember him now?! If I had realized sooner, I would’ve kept my mouth shut! This damn ape looks like he wants to kill me. Hell, he is going to kill me—and the Guild won’t lift a damn finger to stop him. Shit!

Earlier, just before they entered the building, he had heard someone trying to hit his sister and trash-talking him. But before he could turn to look, Azalea had gently squeezed his hand and shot him a glance. Without a word, she had urged him to keep moving forward.

Now, however, he was starting to regret it a bit. If he had known that street fights were such a common occurrence here, he would’ve at least sent a few fireballs at that guy’s face. How dare that guy call him a little runt and try to hit Azalea!

From the murmurs around him, it was clear that this kind of scene wasn’t anything new.

"Who’s fighting outside this time?"

"It’s... it’s "Giant" Brian! Some poor fool actually had the nerve to say the word ’ugly’ right in front of him. You can guess the rest."

"What an idiot. Doesn’t he know that’s basically a death sentence?"

"Praise the Sun! May his soul be basked in your holy light!"

"He’s still alive, you moron!"

Noticing the questioning look on Lumien’s face, Azalea turned to him and asked, "Are you wondering what happened outside?"

"Not really," Lumien replied. "The people around here already made that pretty clear. I was just wondering—was the commotion outside caused by the same guy who was trying to mess with us earlier?"

"Yes, it was," Azalea confirmed.

"Ah, is that why you told me not to bother with him? Judging by the way people here talk about him, he seems to have quite the infamous reputation."

From Lumien’s perspective, it didn’t quite fit Azalea’s personality to simply ignore the man who had insulted him and blatantly flirted with her. He had expected her to put the guy in his place immediately, yet she chose to walk away instead. That could only mean one thing—he was dangerous.

But Azalea’s response next contradicted his assumption.

"Hmm, not exactly. It’s just a hassle if we respond to him and get into a conflict," Azalea said.

"You know, being an Adventurer has taught me a lot. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that we can’t control what others say or think. In our society, people are reserved, careful with their words, and rarely speak their minds openly. But here, Adventurers have no such restraints—they say whatever they want, however they want, without a second thought."

"When I first registered as and Adventurer, the difference was shocking. But over time, I got used to it. If someone flirts with me, so be it. If someone bad-mouths me, I just ignore it. Of course, I have my limits—so long as they don’t cross the line into physical contact, I don’t bother wasting my time on them. I just treat them like barking dogs." her tone was indifferent.

"So that’s it," Lumien nodded, finally understanding.

Azalea led him toward the front desk, where a beautiful receptionist immediately greeted them.

"Good morning, may I ask if you’re already a registered Adventurer?" the receptionist gave them a standard smile. Her eyes curiously swept over Lumien and Azalea’s appearance.

At the moment, Azalea had pulled her hood back on and wrapped a black scarf around her

"So, you do know me. Then you should also know what happens to those who call me ugly, right?" Brian’s grin widened, baring his yellowed, uneven teeth like a predator toying with its prey.

The man’s body trembled uncontrollably with intense fear.