Don't mess with mercenaries, please! part 2

"Is your armor just for show or are you an adventurer?" Ryu asked.

"Oh, this old thing? Of course it's real. I'm the best spearman in the whole kingdom of Loudeac, the renowned Hagen!" Hagen said puffing out his chest in a gesture that much reminded Ryu of a certain woman of tiny stature.

"If you're so strong then how come you're so poor that you need to resort to extort money from passerby?" Anne scoffed.

"I didn't extort anything, there's no shame nor deception in asking." Hagen shrugged. Ryu noticed something was off when he looked at Anne straight in the eye instead of ogling her body like any other man. It would have been one thing if it was only because she was clean, but Anne was extremely attractive and he didn't bat an eye at her beauty. He kept his suspicions to himself and offered a hand to the man.