After arriving at the inn, Lizel went straight to Gil's room without resting. He thought it would be easier for Gil to do his job if he explained the situation beforehand.
After knocking and being invited in, he was greeted by a room that was far cleaner than he had imagined. It seemed to be a room Gil had been using as his base for about a month, but perhaps because he was an adventurer and didn't have much luggage, it didn't have much of a lived-in feel.
"It's so clean."
"It would be the worst to come back tired and be greeted by a dirty room, wouldn't it?"
Gil seemed to be consciously keeping it tidy. Lizel, given his background, had never done any real cleaning himself, and he was genuinely impressed.
He sat down in the offered seat, and Gil sat down opposite him.
"So, you're going to explain, right?"
"Don't rush me. ...Before that, one thing."
Gil frowned, comparing Lizel's face to the index finger he held up.
Lizel chuckled at Gil's expression, which would undoubtedly make a child cry.
"There is not a single lie in what I'm about to say."
"I know that. There's no point in lying now."
"Around noon today, I was transferred to this world from a different world."
Lizel said this, slightly overlapping with Gil's statement, and as expected, Gil gave him a look that said, "Don't be ridiculous." However, he quickly fell into thought, looking at Lizel as if recalling everything that had happened since they met today.
Lizel watched this sequence of events leisurely, then tilted his head to prompt him.
"I'm going to explain based on this premise, so if you can't believe it, let's end the conversation. If I feel any problems during the duration of the request, I will advise you accordingly."
"...No, continue."
There was no way he could believe the words, "I came from another world." It's true that his behavior feels off, and it seems he really doesn't have any social standing, but the idea that he's some kind of naive nobleman who's been disowned is far more believable.
The reason I'm willing to believe him is because I'm certain that Lizel isn't stupid enough to tell a lie that would be detrimental to himself. Even though we've only just met, I can tell that much.
What would he gain by lying about coming from another world? If he had even the slightest intention of attracting Gil's interest and securing a skilled bodyguard, Gil wouldn't even listen to his initial story.
The only thing I sense from Lizel is a kind of detached calculation, the thought that it would be more efficient to tell me the truth.
"So, you told me this because your world isn't that different in terms of technological level?"
"I've only seen the city, but it's pretty much the same. In fact, the magic ingrained in everyday life... or rather, the magic here... is more advanced. At least, spatial magic doesn't exist there."
If Lizel possessed advanced technology or knowledge, he definitely wouldn't tell Gil. If that knowledge fell into the wrong hands, he would surely be exploited.
Lizel seemed satisfied that Gil understood without him having to explain further.
"But you're so calm. You're a nobleman in that 'other' world, aren't you?"
"Yes, can you tell?"
"Why wouldn't I be able to tell?"
He certainly gives off a relaxed impression for a nobleman, but from every angle, he looks like a nobleman or someone of equivalent status. It's not just because of his well-tailored clothes; even if Lizel wore commoner's clothes, his noble background would likely still be obvious.
Gil sighed in exasperation, wondering if Lizel was simply acting as he always did, completely unaware of the impression he was giving off. "So, even among nobles, there's a wide range, right? What about you?"
"Is it alright if I mention my title? I've only recently inherited it, but I'm a Duke, and my position is Prime Minister. I worked at the royal palace."
"Hold on a minute."
Gil felt a headache coming on. A Duke is the highest rank among nobles, and the Prime Minister is the highest-ranking official assisting the King—the very core of the government.
Why did this man, who looked to be in his late twenties, hold such a high position? He looked even younger than that, but that age estimate was probably accurate.
While the age discrepancy was noticeable, noble titles are mostly determined by birth, so that was understandable. But why was he the Prime Minister? Noticing Gil's questioning expression, Lizel gave a wry smile.
"I was the King's tutor since he was a child, so I just happened to be favored by him."
"..."
In Parteda, where they also have a monarchy, Gil could understand the other person's position. Gil understood this particularly well.
Normally, at the mention of a Duke, one would kneel without hesitation, and with the added title of Prime Minister, even prostrating oneself wouldn't be enough. And to be the King's tutor... it was beyond imagination how important that was.
The person he thought he could understand by hearing his story was becoming more and more elusive the more he learned about him.
"It has nothing to do with anything here, so you don't need to worry about it."
"...I guess I have to think that way to cope."
Gil quickly accepted the situation, feeling relieved that he could switch gears so easily.
Lizel was also pleased with his attitude. If he had been overly deferential, it would have been meaningless. That's why he chose Gil as his collaborator.
"In that case, things must be chaotic over there."
"Yes, I hope the King isn't doing anything reckless."
"Is he the kind of king who would do something reckless?"
As he asked, Gil noticed a slight change in Lizel's expression. When the word "King" was mentioned, a very subtle smile appeared on his face. Lizel, who always wears a smile as if that's the only expression he possesses, seemed to have finally shown his true smile.
"Considering your age, he must be a remarkably young king. Is he that capable?"
"When he was younger, before he became king, he was quite mischievous. Even now, the people affectionately call him the 'former delinquent king'."
"Is that really affection?"
"It's nostalgic. I was surprised when he went out somewhere alone and came back after burning down two houses."
"That's serious!"
The two houses he burned down actually belonged to corrupt nobles who were difficult to catch, but that's beside the point. Even so, it's true that he's loved by his people and respected by the nobles who serve him.
Lizel doesn't recall giving him any education to benefit himself, but it's inevitable that they would become close due to the length of time they've spent together. The fact that there wasn't much criticism when Lizel became Prime Minister is likely due to the trust that the king wouldn't appoint incompetent people to important positions out of favoritism.
"But, he's a person who was born to be a king."
Politically, he's quite capable, but he sometimes does outrageous things—that's the general opinion of those around him. These outrageous acts don't actually harm the country; in fact, they sometimes even lead to benefits, so his reputation is generally high.
However, a small number of people know that Lizel's support is largely responsible for the lack of negative consequences, and they are currently desperately trying to stop the king from leaving the castle to search for Lizel, something the king himself is completely unaware of. "Well, if they're really going to be in trouble without me, they'll find a way to bring me back. Until then, I'll treat this as a vacation and enjoy myself here."
"Even if they try to find a way, you came here without any warning, didn't you? There are no clues at all!"
"It's not exactly the same, but I felt a sensation similar to teleportation magic. So, I thought I could somehow use that... wait, doesn't that exist here?"
Teleportation magic—Gil had never heard of it. He wasn't particularly knowledgeable about magic to begin with, but if such a versatile magic existed, it would surely be widely known.
Lizel had considered the possibility of interference between the two worlds' teleportation magic, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
If teleportation magic didn't exist here, then returning home was unlikely. It seemed the only way to return was for the people in his original world to figure it out.
"I think I understand the situation now, so please tell me if I'm acting strangely."
"You don't seem out of place as a noble, but you're not going to do anything like that, are you?"
"Since it's a vacation, I'll do something different. You said I could become an adventurer, didn't you?"
He had indeed said that, but it was a statement made with the assumption that it would never actually happen.
If Lizel became an adventurer, it wouldn't be a matter of looking for inconsistencies; there would be nothing but inconsistencies.
"First of all, I need something to prove my identity, and adventurer registration will serve that purpose, right?"
"Ah... no one would think someone like you would register with the guild just for identification purposes."
When that person entered, the adventurers who were looking at the requests or waiting in line at the reception desk had a look of expectation in their eyes. The man, with his refined manners, well-tailored clothes, and gentle face, was clearly a man of high status.
His leisurely gaze seemed to be merely curious, yet it also seemed to be assessing his surroundings. He was probably there to greet the guild master, but his casual attire suggested he might be there for a request. Whether it was an official request or a discreet one, it was undoubtedly a request from a high-ranking individual, and the adventurers, each hoping to receive the request themselves, began subtly vying for attention with their gazes. Everyone wanted to have connections with those in high places.
"This is the guild, isn't it? It seems like a lively place."
"Yes."
However, those hopeful gazes quickly turned to disappointment. The person who followed the man into the guild made them certain that the request wouldn't be given to them.
Gil the Single-Stroke, a figure inevitably mentioned when discussing the guild's most skilled members, was accompanying the man. He was an adventurer rumored to surpass even S-rank adventurers in individual skill; if they had managed to hire him, they wouldn't be giving the request to anyone else.
So, was it perhaps some business with the guild master? But how had they managed to hire a man who never worked with anyone, regardless of who requested his services? They watched the two men head towards the reception desk.
The man, perhaps because it happened to be free, stood in front of a guild member at the guild application counter. The young guild member, noticing him, looked up from his paperwork and said with a calm, expressionless face:
"I apologize, but the guild master is currently out. What is your business?"
"Huh?"
"What?"
The man let out a puzzled sound, and the guild member also furrowed his brow slightly in confusion.
The man who had caused both expectation and disappointment in those around him was, needless to say, Lizel.
After a good night's sleep, he had visited the adventurer's guild with Gil to get his guild card, his identification. Although he had received some advice while eating breakfast before visiting, he still felt out of place.
Gil, who could easily understand the misunderstandings of those around him, inwardly offered his condolences, but was secretly enjoying the situation.
"Huh, if the guild master isn't here, we can't register, Gil?"
"You don't need the guild master."
"Right."
Lizel looked up at Gil, who was standing beside him, to confirm. Perhaps sensing something in their exchange, the guild member, who had been looking at them with a puzzled expression, stared intently at Lizel.
It was fortunate that the slight, rare flicker of emotion on the otherwise expressionless man's face was only visible to the two people in front of him. Their eyes met, and Lizel smiled questioningly.
"We've come to register as adventurers, is that alright?"
"...Yes, please wait a moment."
Was his monotonous, flat way of speaking a habit? Combined with his unchanging expression, it made him seem cold.
Among adventurers, it was often said that this was an inappropriate way to handle new recruits, but he didn't seem to care at all.
"This is the first time I've seen you surprised."
"This is also the first time I've seen you talk so much."
Gil narrowed his eyes and curled his lips, looking down at the seated employee.
Without even glancing at his somewhat sadistic smile, the receptionist tapped the documents in his hand against the desk. His demeanor, as expected of a guild employee, didn't falter even when dealing with Gil.
And, he added, showing no sign of fear or hesitation in retaliating:
"And this is the first time I've seen you working under someone."
"You certainly don't hold back..."
The employee gave the impression of disliking conversation, based on his first impression.
He's often perceived as quiet, but that's absolutely not the case. If there's a need to talk, he'll talk endlessly, and if someone says something to him, he'll retort twice as much.
The general consensus among all his guildmates was that he was surprisingly talkative.
"I didn't mean to put Gil under me, though."
"...It doesn't suit you."
"Didn't you say it yourself, 'at least'?"
To Gil's muttered remark, Lizel replied with a wry smile in a low voice. He was well aware that it didn't suit him.
He was diligently putting into practice the first piece of advice he received during their meal to avoid looking out of place: changing his manner of speaking. As a result, his polite language became slightly less formal, and his first-person pronoun changed to "I" (ore).[1]
Incidentally, Gil, the one who suggested it, still feels a sense of incongruity with that pronoun. Unfair. He wants to believe that the effect is not entirely negligible, even if it's very slight.
"Before registration, a confirmation."
"Hmm?"
"Due to the guild's management structure, we sometimes refuse intervention from the government. Therefore, nobles and knights affiliated with the government cannot join as registered members."
"I heard from Gil, so it's fine."
What was fine?
To the receptionist who spoke calmly with a steady gaze, Gil muttered "Ah," and pointed at Lizel with his crossed arms.
"He's not a noble, and he has no connections whatsoever, so there's no problem, right?"
"There isn't."
"Huh?"
"Excuse me, let's proceed with the registration. My name is Studd, and I'm the guild receptionist."
Ignoring the words that had slipped out of his mouth, Studd placed two documents on the table. Gil smiled slightly and glanced around.
Everyone, at the same time, started to say the same thing but then fell silent. Only Studd managed to voice it, but that was probably his way of processing reality.
No one else around them could fully comprehend it. Lizel isn't a noble, nor does he come from a family of similar status. The fact that he acts so much like a noble is clearly quite shocking to them.
"I hope this doesn't cause any trouble," Gil said, his smile fading as he narrowed his eyes. The adventurer who was caught in his gaze flinched, but it seemed the rumors were unavoidable.
Gil, who never teamed up with anyone, was now acting as if he were working with someone. It's not good for a new adventurer to stand out. Lizel said it would be fine, but Gil watched Lizel, who was signing the document with a slightly bent posture but still maintaining a graceful bearing.
"Are you really not a noble? If you're hiding something, it will become my responsibility."
"It's fine, you can even investigate if you want."
"If there's no problem, then where did you learn that kind of behavior?"
"I just had a slightly unusual upbringing."
Could you call this a lively conversation? Studd was clearly trying to pry information out of him, but Lizel was skillfully deflecting all of his questions.
The fact that he seemed to be enjoying himself meant that Lizel truly had the composure to enjoy this situation.
"(Then there's no need to do anything unnecessary, and it would be presumptuous to take away his enjoyment.)"
"Gil, the recommender's signature."
"Ah."
Called upon, he signed his name haphazardly below Lizel's neat but slightly slanted signature. It wasn't messy, but the handwriting was rough.
A recommender isn't usually necessary, but it's required for someone like Lizel, whose background isn't clear. If they accidentally registered a criminal, the guild would suffer the consequences, so this is a measure to prevent that.
"Please place your finger here for the guild card issuance."
What was offered was an object with a glass needle-like point at the top.
Below the needle was a sphere, also made of glass. The surface of the sphere was adorned with intricate patterns, which changed color depending on how the light reflected off them.
Inside the glass framework supporting the sphere, an unmarked guild card was placed.
"It's a magic tool, isn't it? There are magic formulas drawn on it, but I can't understand all of them."
"It's guild confidential information, so it would be unusual if you understood all of them."
Smiling wryly, avoiding Studd's indifferent yet pointed gaze, Lizel pressed his little finger against the tip of the needle. Even as the needle pierced deeply into his finger, his expression remained unchanged, a slight smile still on his face.
As expected, Gil, who had been subtly observing him from the side, inwardly shrugged. He wanted to see the day when this man, who remained unfazed even across worlds, would finally lose his composure.
Lizel's blood traveled down the needle to the sphere, gradually staining the drawn patterns red. The moment all the magic formulas turned a vivid red, a single drop of silver liquid dripped from the bottom of the sphere onto the card.
Immediately afterward, it slid across the card's surface, forming letters.
"Hmm... so the magic formulas are confidential, but the mechanism is..."
"Hey, your finger."
"Ah, is it finished already?"
Prompted by Gil, he pulled out his finger, which had remained impaled on the needle. He then casually and without hesitation, put his bleeding little finger into his mouth.
Gil, looking disgusted, took a cloth from Studd and pulled Lizel's finger from his lips, then pressed the cloth against the still-bleeding wound.
"You're surprisingly ill-mannered in some ways."
"You're surprisingly attentive."
"Licking it won't heal it. It just looks weird when someone like you does it."
Lizel surprisingly often performs actions that would be considered impolite in the world of nobility, like he did just now. Of course, there are exceptions in situations where perfect behavior is required, but in situations where he can afford to be less careful, he sometimes becomes sloppy.
Lizel himself thinks it's fine now, but as Gil said, when he behaves that way, it's so out of character that people do a double-take. Lizel constantly thinks that it's also a problem to have a good image.
Conversely, Gil is completely unrefined, but if you ask if he's ill-mannered, that's not the case at all. He's surprisingly observant of details, and Lizel has noticed that he's been subtly covering for him in various ways, such as the way he subtly controlled people's gazes earlier.
Gil himself hadn't been aware of it because he'd always done things alone, but if someone called him meticulous, he supposed that might be true. "It's a side of me I didn't need to be aware of," Gil muttered, clicking his tongue with a bitter expression.
"It's interesting to see this unexpected side of Single-Stroke Gil, but your guild card is ready."
"Hey!"
As Gil casually tossed the cloth he'd been using to stop the bleeding onto the table, Studd picked it up and retrieved a card from under a magical device.
Lizel took the card and examined it closely.
Guild: Parteda
[Lizel]
F-Rank adventurer
It was a very simple card, containing only the guild, name, and rank. Without the faint guild emblem on the back of the card, it would be disappointingly simple.
Since Lizel didn't use his original long name, the card was even more sparse.
"Gil, can I see your card?"
"Huh?"
With a frown, he reluctantly took out his card.
It was simple, too. The name, which only said "Gil," made Lizel wonder if it was a pseudonym, like his own.
However, unlike Lizel's, it was properly B-rank, and the card color was different. According to Gil, the color changes as the rank increases. It seemed to be a measure to prevent forgery.
"I'll be explaining the details of an adventurer now. What would you like to do?"
"Yes, please."
Lizel glanced at Gil, wondering if he was bored, and saw him leaning against the wall right next to him.
He didn't seem to be in the mood to move, so Lizel smiled and turned to face Studd. In fact, even if Gil had been told he could go and kill time somewhere else, he probably would have refused, saying it was too much trouble.
The explanation started with the basics. Studd's matter-of-fact explanation was easy to understand, but Lizel quietly kept to himself the fact that the guild member next to him was dozing off because of his voice.
Liesel nodded along, listening to the entire explanation, but he finally interjected during a particular part of the conversation.
"The guild lends out illustrated guides of monsters and plants that appear in requests. If you have any questions, you can ask at the reception desk."
"Can I buy one of those guides?"
Lizel skillfully interrupted the flow of his speech with his question.
Studd stopped speaking at his first question, and Gil, who had been closing his eyes in boredom, opened one eye.
"There's no charge for viewing them, so you can look at them whenever you like."
"It's a hobby of mine, acquiring knowledge."
"That's a good hobby."
It wasn't sarcasm or anything of the sort. Rather, Studd agreed with a sense of empathy.
"However, books within the guild are not allowed to be taken out."
"It's not a matter of confidentiality, is it? They're freely available for viewing."
"It's simply a matter of the hassle of lending and returning them, and the number of copies available."
Studd tore a page from his notepad as he spoke. Lizel waited silently as he smoothly wrote something down with his pen.
He took the slip of paper Studd offered him and saw that it contained a location and what appeared to be a shop name.
"This is a bookstore that handles various specialized books, not just on monsters and plants. While the monster encyclopedia isn't quite as up-to-date as the guild's latest information, it should be sufficient."
"Thank you. Gil, look at this."
When called, Gil moved away from the wall he was leaning against. He placed his hand on the backrest of the chair that Lizel was sitting in but not using, and peered over.
The address and shop name written on the memo were familiar, and although he hadn't been to the shop before, it didn't seem like he would get lost.
"It's this place."
"Ah, no problem."
"Is that so? I want to go right away."
This was probably the happiest Lizel had been since meeting Gil.
He quickly stood up from his chair.
"Excuse me. I don't plan on taking any requests right away, so please continue the explanation another time."
"That's fine, and you could ask that swordsman over there, too."
"No, I'll ask again later."
Studd looked up at Lizel, who was standing up, wondering if he actually had any plans to take on requests. While there was an obligation to fulfill requests, he couldn't imagine the person in front of him acting as an adventurer.
Studd was about to stand up to see them off, but he was suddenly stopped by a gentle force pressing down on his head.
"Thank you, Studd. You're such a sweet boy."
For a moment, he couldn't understand the meaning of the warm touch on his head and the words directed at him, and in that moment of unexpected surprise, the two of them swiftly left the guild.
Studd, who had been about to stand up, remained seated. His expression remained impassive, but his hands didn't resume working on the unfinished documents.
"(He's definitely older than me, but what does he mean by calling a man my age a 'sweet boy'?)"
From the outside, it probably looked like he had simply brushed off the sudden treatment as a child, as usual. But he was definitely feeling a strange sensation for the first time, and it wasn't unpleasant.
"Don't even think about patting the head of a man that age."
"But he's a cute younger man, about the same age as our Majesty. The King would be happy if I stroked his head."
"I think most people would dislike that."
"Huh?"
[1] Not really a way to convey this in English, but just think of it as Lizel talking less formally.