“What? Kill him? What are you saying, Riha?” Stella frowned, stepping in front of Levi almost defensively. It would’ve been a heartwarming gesture if it weren’t for her next words. “He’s worth more alive. We can probably get an entire chest full of iridium coins if we play this right.”“Perhaps if Ironwood junior here was still the heir,” Riha said. “But he’s disinherited now, don’t you know? Disgraced, as well. I hear he’s quite the failure…”Levi suppressed a wince. Holy shit, the news of his counterpart’s reputation had even reached the bandits all the way out here?!Stella blinked. “I knew he was disinherited, but I wasn’t aware he was disgraced.”Riha let out a tinkling laugh. “Oh, yes. I have a cousin who knows someone who knows someone in the Institute. They say he’s the laughingstock of the entire place, infamous for not even reaching level 20 yet.”Next to her, Roland did a double take, whipping his head over to stare at Levi incredulously. “Level 20? Say it ain’t so, boy.”“I’m level 14…”Stella reared back in shock, and even Riha blinked. A wave of gasps, followed by disbelieving snorts and mocking laughter, rippled through the crowd around them. Roland physically staggered back. “Holy mother of gods,” he breathed. “How do you survive being so pathetic? How do you stand such weakness within you?”“How were you even in the Viritilan Forest then?” Stella asked. “That’s a platinum-tier region…” She slowly trailed off in realization. “Oh. You were getting boosted by those two adventurers, (...)