To be honest, I was more than just surprised - I was dumbfounded.


    It felt like watching a documentary scene where a baby gazelle fearlessly charges at a lion, headbutting it with its tiny head.


    No matter how high-ranking a noble might be, they couldn''t openly insult the hero party, right? This guy was basically saying he didn''t recognize our faces at all. We weren''t playing heroes in secret to save people - we''d openly shown our faces at the temple, Magic Tower, royal palace, and even the empire.


    At this point, it was beyond irritation or annoyance - it was almost admirable. Maybe this sleazy noble had face blindness and couldn''t recognize people, or perhaps he looked normal but was actually cursed by black magic and being controlled.


    Otherwise, how could he not recognize us on the 55th floor?


    "Hey, who are those people...?" a nearby mercenary whispered.


    "I don''t fucking know. Maybe he''s just crazy?" another replied.


    "Did they come from the Empire? Even the Imperial folks knew who we were."


    Even the mercenary groups buying supplies nearby were whispering and keeping their distance to avoid trouble. An interesting spectacle was unfolding - people were gathering to watch but maintaining distance from this long-haired man, creating a strange situation.


    Despite the murmuring crowd forming a peculiar stage around us, the man seemed oblivious. Either he was incredibly dense or confident despite noticing the atmosphere.


    Though his walk seemed casual, his center of gravity was stable, and his steps and breathing were rhythmic. He must have easily reached the high ranks to be hunting on the 55th floor. He didn''t seem to be from the Kingdom - perhaps a foolish young noble from the Empire?


    ''Maybe he''s a country bumpkin from the far north of the Empire who leveled up fighting monster waves but is clueless about Kingdom politics?''


    If he was from the remote northern Empire, which took nearly a year to reach by carriage from the Kingdom, it might make sense that he didn''t know the hero party''s appearance. Perhaps he''d only faced monster waves in that barren corner of the north before coming straight to the tower to make big money.


    As I pondered this, glancing around, the long-haired man''s expression gradually soured. But rather than feeling annoyed or irritated, I found it rather refreshing.


    I remembered a gif I''d seen online of a lion looking bewildered as a baby gazelle kept headbutting it. There was also one of a hawk startled by a pigeon entering its nest while it was resting on its eggs. Of course, in both cases, the ending was the same - the clueless baby gazelle and pigeon became delivered meals.


    "What do you mean, adventurer?" the man asked.


    "I''m saying it''s troublesome to be hit on by a man in front of everyone like this," I replied.


    "W-What?!"


    I wasn''t angry, but that didn''t mean I wouldn''t tease him a bit. As I threw out that blatant insinuation about his sexuality, his face instantly turned beet red. The adventurers watching us burst into stifled laughter.


    They probably hadn''t expected the holy sword''s owner, a member of the hero party, to respond like this.


    But what else could I do? This level of provocation was practically flirting in the mercenary world.


    Beating up and chasing away someone for talking to your attractive companion would lead to troublesome rumors. Even though we''re now recognized as heroes and wouldn''t have trouble finding quest partners, old habits die hard.


    It was also a pain to rough up a low-level who didn''t even register as a threat. Besides, our companions were just watching him like zoo monkeys, without any particular reaction.


    "Yes, you idiot!" Alisa snapped.


    "But I heard the holy sword''s owner was a 3-meter giant who could shatter an ogre''s leg with a single blow..."


    "Why would you believe the ramblings of drunkards?"


    To be honest, even to my internet-savvy eyes, these two''s comedy routine was quite amusing. It reminded me of Japanese manzai comedy, with one person saying stupid things and the other retorting.


    The reason they didn''t recognize us as the hero party was apparently due to the wild rumors Olek had been hearing in the northern Empire. The news of us helping mercenaries fight an ogre had spread north, picking up some bizarre embellishments along the way.


    "What kind of rumors spread exactly?" I asked.


    "Ah, hero. Well... they weren''t proper rumors. Just some drunkards misinterpreting a bard''s tale and spreading nonsense," Alisa explained sheepishly.


    According to the rumors, the holy sword''s owner was a monstrous figure with incredible strength who could shatter an ogre''s limbs, standing 3 meters tall with beast-like mane of hair and eyes that glowed like magic tools even in broad daylight.


    The mage chosen by the Goddess was said to be a mysterious witch with jet-black hair that swirled around her like night mist. Supposedly, she was a great witch from a remote part of the Kingdom who converted to the faith after being chosen by the Goddess, and she used mysterious spells unknown even to Magic Tower mages.


    As for the others, Grace was rumored to have arms reaching down to her shins, fist-sized eyes, and long ears due to archery-related gossip. Katie was described as some kind of yeti or snow woman who could freeze people to death with her breath or touch.


    The only one without wild rumors was Irene, about who only stories of her beauty and kindness had spread, leaving no room for exaggeration. At this point, it sounded less like a hero party and more like a mixed-race group of monsters being led around by a saint.


    "But logically speaking, that doesn''t make sense..." I began.


    "I''m so sorry about our captain''s stupidity..." Alisa apologized.


    Naturally, the educated classes didn''t believe these tales at all. They were the kind of stories only uneducated commoners would spread. After all, nobles knew how amazing it was for superhumans who could handle mana to accomplish such feats in human bodies.


    But for him to believe such rumors despite reaching the 5★ high rank himself - I wondered just how low his intelligence could be.


    "To think all those rumors were false... And the holy sword''s owner, wielding a massive blade, is actually about my height..." Olek muttered, dumbfounded.


    "I''m really sorry. He''s actually a good person, though," Alisa insisted.


    "That''s right. He''s usually quite decent, it''s just... he tends to act childishly in situations like this," another knight added.


    Even the other Ice Cross Knights who had come because of the commotion were trying to defend him somehow, so he must be a good person overall, but-


    [Help Olek Sibedev and advance to the 60th floor with the Ice Cross Knights 0/1]


    What kind of quest is this, Goddess?


    I looked up at the sky in protest, but of course, there was no answer. Only Alisa and the Ice Cross Knights blushed at my head movement, misinterpreting it as embarrassment.


    ---