"Maybe." Gorak said while glancing at the silver-armored figure, who was still completely absorbed in his book. "Since the merchant said the one he arranged to meet was indeed a human. And we’re in the Dwarven Nation now. There aren’t many humans wandering around in full plate armor with a feathered crest."

Valcrea gritted her jaw and glared at the man sitting at the other table. "I’ll go and ask him if he’s the one."

Gorak nodded. "But don’t cause a scene. I don’t want any trouble before we get any information from this guy."

"Mm. I won’t, Leader."

While watching Valcrea walk toward the armored figure, Noji and Zume exchanged glances, their expressions annoyed.

"How dare he make us wait and then sit at another table like we don’t exist," Noji muttered under her breath.

"Tch. These lowly humans from this continent have no manners," Zume added, her voice dripping with disdain.

Meanwhile.

Valcrea walked toward him, trying her best to control her frustration. She stopped beside the armored figure and crossed her arms.

"Oi, lowly life."

The armor guy remained focused on his book, turning a page slowly.

"Oi, stupid. Can’t hear me? I’m calling for you!"

The armored figure slowly glanced up at the girl standing beside him, his gaze calm and unreadable behind his helmet. He then turned his attention back to his book, speaking in a measured, thoughtful tone.

"Rudeness is a sign of a weak mind. A person of true strength knows when to speak and when to listen. And more importantly, they know how to be considerate, especially when someone is minding their own business."

"Huh? What are you mumbling about, you stupid tin can?" Valcrea snapped, her voice dripping with irritation. "Some wise nonsense about respect? Who do you think you are?"

The armor guy shook his head slowly before nodding toward the dwarven waitress, who arrived with his liquor bottle, a cup, and a plate of roasted meat. She set them down with a warm smile before walking away.

"Oi! You should be thankful that someone like me, a beautiful girl, even bothers to greet a lowly wanderer like you!" Valcrea snapped, placing her hands on her hips.

The armor guy glanced up at her again, slowly lifting his cup and taking a sip through his mask. His gaze traveled from her head to her feet before he shook his head.

"I have wandered across this entire continent, from the frozen peaks of the north to the scorching deserts of the south. And in all my travels, I have yet to see an ounce of the beauty you claim to possess."

"W... what? How dare you..." Valcrea’s voice rose in anger. "Are you blind? Or just too stupid to recognize true beauty when you see it?"

The armor guy ignored her outburst, focused on his meal for a moment before his gaze shifted to one of the dwarven waitresses moving gracefully between tables.

"Now, if you want to talk about beauty..." He gestured subtly toward the dwarven girl. "Look at her. Her skin is smooth, not marred by arrogance. Her height is perfect for her kind, and her body is well-proportioned, with curves in all the right places. Her breasts are full and firm, drawing the eyes of every dwarf in this tavern. Her hips sway naturally with each step, and her movements are graceful, not stiff with anger."

He turned back to Valcrea, his voice calm and cutting.

"Compared to her, I fail to find any of the attractiveness you so boldly claim for yourself. Your face is plain, your chest is flat, your skin is rough, and your eyes are full of nothing but arrogance and stupidity. If you are the standard of beauty in your land, then your land must be truly desperate."

The armor guy chuckled softly before lifting his cup and drinking it in one go. He set the cup down with a quiet clink and shook his head.

"Pardon my rudeness, but even if you stood naked before me, or lay down with your legs spread, I doubt my body would respond. There is no allure in arrogance, no beauty in bitterness. There are far more appealing sights to be found in a dusty library."

"H... how dare you!" Valcrea’s face twisted with rage. "Do you have a death wish?!"

"Hmm?" The armor guy tilted his head, his voice calm and unhurried. "Death is not something one wishes for or avoids. It comes when it comes, knocking on the door when least expected. I have traveled far and seen enough to know that death is not something to be feared, nor something to be challenged recklessly. It will find you when it’s your time."

Valcrea’s hand shot toward her weapon, but before she could draw it, Gorak stepped in, placing a firm hand on her wrist.

"Sorry for my companion’s behavior," Gorak said, his voice flat. "She tends to let her temper get the better of her."

The armor guy tilted his head, his voice carrying the same calm, measured tone.

"A meal tastes better when the company is pleasant, and the mood is light. But when anger and arrogance sit at the table, even the finest liquor turns bitter, and the richest meat loses its flavor. Perhaps you should teach your companions better manners before approaching strangers."

"Again... I’m sorry for the trouble caused by my companion," Gorak said in a calm, measured tone before taking a seat across from the armor guy.

The armor guy shook his head slowly, opening his book again. He read with one hand while the other reached for the liquor bottle, pouring it into his cup with a refined grace, a stark contrast to the rough dwarven tavern around them.

"I’m sorry if I’m being too forward, but are you the one I was supposed to meet?" Gorak asked, his tone measured.

"Hmm?" The armor guy set down his empty cup after taking a drink, then glanced at Gorak before turning his gaze toward the other table where Valcrea stood, still seething. He looked back at Gorak.

"Are you the one the merchant mentioned?" He paused, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "He said he would arrange a meeting with one man. Not a man accompanied by a group of..." He glanced again at the women, his tone dry. "...less than appealing companions. I was expecting a professional, not someone traveling with a harem that lacks any real beauty."

Gorak’s smile tightened, but he forced himself to remain composed. "I apologize again for my companion’s behavior. She let her temper get the better of her."

"Mm." The armor guy nodded slowly, his voice calm.

"If it weren’t for the merchant, who helped me during my early years when I was still rough around the edges, I wouldn’t have agreed to this meeting. I would have already moved on to the next town. Consider yourself lucky that I owe him a favor."

( End Of Chapter )