Ryze let out a short laugh. "I'm just as human as you are, minus the foolishness. Sorry if I look a little worse for wear, that happens when you're trying to stop humanity from destroying itself."
...
"So you know of a goddess? Who's also capable of reaching across worlds? And even you don't know what's going on? Great," he remarked sarcastically, disappointed at the red herring.
The archmage turned his attention away from Kazuma and over to Richter, who was giving him a strange look. Ryze found it mildly amusing that he would apologize right off the bat. "There's no need to apologize for something so trivial," he said dryly, examining the map.
"...You're right, I've never seen this map before," he replied, beginning to pace around and stroke his beard as he thought aloud. Meanwhile, it seemed that more confused people began to merge into the group. "I've traversed nearly every part of the known world and have read countless maps. Judging by this boy's ramblings about moving to other worlds and our lack of knowledge of this place, I think it's safe to assume that we've all been transported by some unknown power."
Ryze let out another deep sigh. "Well, this is just great. I really don't have time for this. Every second of time I waste here is another second toward yet another cataclysm," he said to himself, visibly irritated. "Who possesses such a power to drag me across time and space? Could it be another Rune...?"
The mage began to look around warily, now paranoid with the fact that he was among many people, some of whom could be thieves. If he was pulled to this world by someone, perhaps they wanted something from him. He put a hand on the large scroll mounted on his back. They come for the scroll, don't they?
He gave a disclaimer to the group. "Just so you all know, if we are to become temporary acquaintances, don't come near me or the scroll. You can't touch it, you can't look at it-- just don't even think about it. If you touch it, I'd have to obliterate you. Got it? Good."
