First Legendary Dragon: Starting With The Limitless System

From the brothel's entrance, a flamboyantly dressed woman—clearly the owner, given her commanding presence—stood with her hands placed firmly on her hips, glaring angrily in the direction of the disheveled man.

"Listen clearly, Magi!" she shouted furiously, her voice strong enough to cut through the market noise. "If you don't have money, stop coming here and wasting my girls' time! Next time you try, I'll make sure you can't walk out!"

The crowd surrounding Orion and Edgar began buzzing softly with hushed whispers, their voices tinged with disdain and pity.

"Isn't that Magi Alzareth?" murmured a nearby elderly vendor, shaking his head in disappointment. "Such a waste, really. He was once a true genius, praised all throughout the city."

"Yes, that's him—the fourth son of that famous merchant family," whispered a middle-aged woman selling fresh fruit nearby. "I heard he used to be incredibly talented. He was such a genius in business that he raised his family's standing in the city at the mere age of 16. Rumors said he'd become even more successful than his father."

Another bystander quickly joined the conversation, adding with a sigh, "But that all changed suddenly when he left the capital several years ago. When he finally returned, he had become like this—a useless drunk, wasting away his wealth and reputation. What a tragedy."

Orion's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he listened intently to the murmurs around him. His curiosity was thoroughly piqued by this sudden turn of events and the unexpected history behind this seemingly broken individual.

Magi groaned weakly from where he lay sprawled upon the restaurant's steps, slowly pushing himself upward with obvious difficulty.

Staggering unsteadily to his feet, he swayed slightly as he removed the various undergarments covering his head and shoulders, tossing them to the ground with a tired sigh.

His expression was one of weary resignation, slowly calming down with mild annoyance.

"Ugh, these people have no respect for true gentlemen anymore," Magi muttered under his breath with exaggerated dignity, the slight slur in his speech betraying his still partially drunken state.

Orion chuckled softly to himself, quietly amused by Magi's unexpected and colorful personality despite his seemingly unfortunate circumstances.

Edgar beside him simply shook his head, eyes betraying mild amusement mingled with a hint of genuine sympathy.

Just as Orion was about to turn his attention elsewhere, his eyes caught an unexpected sight—a small, pure white bunny sat calmly perched atop Magi's disheveled shoulder, completely undisturbed by the commotion or its owner's embarrassment.

Orion raised an eyebrow curiously, intrigued by the presence of the unusually composed bunny amidst such chaotic surroundings.

The small creature's fur was impeccably clean, its delicate ears twitching occasionally as it gazed around with curious yet calm red eyes, seeming almost entirely detached from the man's current predicament.

'Now that's certainly intriguing,' Orion thought, his interest in Magi increasing significantly upon noticing the peculiar pet.

"Interesting, isn't it, Young Master?" Edgar murmured softly beside him, clearly noting Orion's thoughtful gaze. "The Alzareth family is indeed rich and renowned throughout the capital. Magi here was expected to become their greatest pride, but now he's merely a laughingstock."

Orion nodded thoughtfully, eyes still fixated upon Magi, whose clumsy attempts to straighten his clothing only caused further amusement among onlookers. "But why doesn't he have money if he's from one of the richest families in the capital?"

Edgar shook his head in disappointment. "For some reason, he started to consume the family's money like crazy when he returned, and in anger, his father and the other elders of his family banned him from using a single coin of the house. Since then, he's been living like this."

Orion rubbed his chin while looking at Magi deeply. 'Magi… such a punchable name, yet such an interesting character.'

"Uncle Edgar, let's have a chat with him. Let's invite him inside the restaurant to have a chat. I might need his help," he said slowly.

Edgar shook his head. "It's hard to get his help. Many tried, but to no avail. He doesn't even want money."

Orion shook his head. "Then I'll just have to try myself."

He calmly approached Magi Alzareth, stepping carefully around the scattered undergarments still lying haphazardly on the stone steps leading up to the elegant restaurant.

Edgar followed behind him, his expression showing mild intrigue, clearly curious about Orion's sudden decision.

Magi, still half-staggering and swaying lightly from the lingering effects of alcohol, noticed the approaching figure and slowly raised his head.

His striking blue eyes, although clouded with fatigue, held a trace of clear intellect as he observed Orion curiously, perhaps sensing that the young man wasn't just another curious onlooker.

Orion smiled politely, voice gentle yet confident. "Magi Alzareth, wanna join us for lunch? I have a proposal you might find interesting."

Magi's gaze grew more focused, a hint of suspicion and curiosity flickering momentarily in his eyes.

He tilted his head slightly, causing the bunny perched calmly on his shoulder to adjust her balance subtly. A slow, faint smile formed on his lips, revealing a charismatic demeanor beneath the disheveled appearance.

"Lunch, you say?" Magi repeated slowly, eyes flashing briefly with genuine amusement. "Well, who in their right mind would refuse free food and good alcohol?"

Orion's lips twitched. 'I don't remember offering alcohol.' However, he was also surprised at how effortlessly Magi accepted the invitation.

He had expected resistance, considering what Edgar mentioned about others previously attempting to reach him unsuccessfully. Yet the man readily agreed, as if thoroughly unconcerned or simply too tired to resist.

Edgar looked at the scene with a smile. 'Well, he only rejected them, not their free food.'

"Then, please," Orion gestured politely toward the entrance of the elegant restaurant behind them, "join us inside. Let's have a proper meal and a pleasant chat."

Edgar stepped forward, calmly motioning to one of the attending staff members, discreetly instructing them to prepare a private room for the three of them.

The staff immediately responded with expertise—probably a daily occurrence with such guests—escorting the trio through the bustling, aromatic restaurant and into a lavish private dining room.

As the doors closed softly behind them, Orion sat comfortably across from Magi, observing the man curiously.

Edgar settled into a seat beside Orion, maintaining a composed and respectful silence, carefully watching Magi's reactions.

Magi casually reclined in his chair, his eyes exploring the lavish decor of the room with mild amusement.

Yet his casual demeanor held faint traces of vigilance, his guard subtly raised despite his seemingly careless appearance.

"Thank you again for accepting my invitation," Orion began calmly, ready to broach the subject of business. But before he could continue, Magi quickly raised his hand, cutting him off politely yet firmly.

"Wait, wait, wait—first things first. I'm starving," Magi said frankly, grinning unabashedly as his stomach emitted an embarrassingly loud growl. "Let's eat and drink first. Business can wait."

Orion blinked, slightly surprised by Magi's straightforwardness, but he quickly recovered, nodding his head. "Of course, let's have our meal first."

With a quick gesture from Edgar, the restaurant's staff promptly served a sumptuous feast—tender grilled meats, flavorful soups, freshly baked bread, and exquisite desserts, accompanied by the restaurant's finest aged wines.

Magi wasted no time eagerly diving into the meal, thoroughly savoring each bite as though he hadn't eaten properly in weeks.