Chapter 66: The Captain and the Pure White Tulips

                                    

                                          
Barrett peered cautiously out the window, and to his surprise, the visitor was the handsome, blue-haired renowned swordsman—Brain Unglaus.
The swordsman wasn't empty-handed; he carried a light yellow flat box in his left hand and a large bouquet of pure white tulips in his right. With a face full of humble smiles, he stood straight and waited quietly outside the door.
Brain Unglaus was quite famous in the Re-Estize Kingdom, known as a genius swordsman on par with the former Warrior Captain, Gazef. He had once fought Gazef to a standstill at a royal martial arts tournament and had developed several unique Martial Arts techniques. 
He had also worked as an adventurer for a while and had earned an orichalcum-level rating. If he hadn't been so obsessed with swordsmanship and had instead focused on honing his monster-hunting skills and gaining adventure experience, it wouldn't have been difficult for him to achieve the highest-tier adamantite-level rating.
With such a renowned swordsman visiting suddenly and presenting himself with gifts, it seemed he meant no harm. Normally, Barrett would have hurried to open the door and show the proper hospitality of an adventurer. But Barrett felt a bit hesitant and uneasy.
The first time the Last Defender of the Way adventurer team encountered Brain, he had tried to teach the arrogant EeDeChi a lesson on behalf of Princess Renner. Instead, EeDeChi had easily defeated him, taking his sword with a single hand and leaving him humiliated.
Brain looked utterly dejected, as if EeDeChi's strength had stirred up some dark psychological shadow within him.
Afterward, EeDeChi had stopped Brain, who was trying to leave, and had a lengthy talk with him. When the conversation ended, Brain seemed as if he had been granted a pardon, like someone taken down from the gallows after an interrogation.
Barrett remembered clearly seeing the captain walking calmly behind Brain while Brain appeared disheveled, covered in cold sweat, and with a look of someone who had narrowly escaped disaster. 
Now, with Brain taking the initiative to visit, holding a gift box and a bouquet of tulips, and without his sword at his waist, smiling with an air of humility, Barrett couldn't shake the feeling that there might be a hidden threat behind that smile.
"Hey? Barrett, does it really take this long to open the door?" EeDeChi's dissatisfied voice came from behind the house.
Barrett shook his head and decided not to dwell on it. He walked to the door, unlocked it, and let Brain inside.
"Make yourself comfortable. What brings you here?" EeDeChi lounged in a leather chair, not displaying any arrogance towards her defeated opponent, but still maintaining a casual demeanor.
Brain sat on the edge of the chair with a cautious expression. He spoke earnestly, "Princess Renner has a favor to ask. She hopes you could visit her at Sandelin Castle."
EeDeChi nodded. "Princess Renner's being too formal. She already hired me, so helping her out is only natural. No problem, I'll go see her later."
It was normal for Brain, who now worked under Princess Renner, to deliver such messages. However, it seemed unnecessary for a renowned swordsman to act as a messenger for such a routine request when a mere servant could have done the job.
After hesitating for a moment, Brain made another request. "I have a personal favor to ask. I'm currently participating in the national martial arts competition for the position of the Kingdom's Warrior Captain. I was wondering if Miss EeDeChi might have some time to offer me guidance on my swordsmanship."
EeDeChi turned her gaze towards Brain and frowned. It seemed to be the first time someone had called her "Miss."
The Warrior Captain, directly appointed by the king, was responsible for protecting the royal family and commanded an elite knightly order. Since the kingdom's main forces were destroyed by the Great Demon King Ainz a few years ago, the knightly order had become the kingdom's most elite fighting force.