Lizel was walking through the city alone today.
He entered a shop on a street with slightly nicer shops than the usual stalls, using a small sign that read "We're confident in our appraisals" (though the writing seemed rather unconfident) as a landmark.
Inside, the lone shopkeeper was still busily arranging the merchandise, without taking a moment to rest.
Lizel quietly closed the door, finding his earnestness, unaware of his presence, endearing.
"Judge-kun,"
"L-Lizel-sama...!"
"Not that?"
"Lizel-san..."
Lizel smiled, giving Judge, who had changed his form of address with a groan, a "well done."
Since he visited every time he obtained labyrinth items from the dungeon, he wished he would get used to it already.
He looked up at his tall, slender figure, but since he was still a cute younger man, Lizel would give him chances again and again.
After all, he wouldn't even bother calling someone's name if they were an unimportant person.
"Ah, congratulations on forming a party...!"
"Hmm, has it reached your ears too?"
"Yes... You're not together today, are you?"
"We're not always together, you know. We're adults."
Even though it was a shop for adventurers, the fact that even the shopkeeper knew about it meant the rumors had spread more than he expected.
This was entirely due to Gil's high level of fame. Even when Lizel was alone, no one realized he was the central figure in the rumors.
This was partly because he didn't look like an adventurer at first glance.
Thanks to this, the adventurers who didn't know Lizel completely believed that Gil's newly formed party members were incredibly skilled.
"...Are you... alright?"
"Hmm?"
"Well, there are quite a few adventurers who admire Gil. If someone tries to cause trouble..."
As Judge said, the number of adventurers approaching Gil had increased since they formed a party.
Most of them were requests to join the party, and Gil ignored them daily with an annoyed expression.
Lizel was often by his side during these encounters, but most of the time, those who made eye contact with Lizel immediately backed down.
Lizel was unaware that low-ranked adventurers uniformly said that standing next to him felt somehow intimidating.
He simply thought they were worried about forming a party with someone as weak as himself.
"Well, I can defend myself to a certain extent, so I'll be fine."
"Is that so...?"
While he replied with words of agreement, the slight upward inflection at the end of his sentence suggested he wasn't entirely convinced.
Since he didn't look particularly strong, it was understandable that Judge would think that way.
From Judge's perspective, it was hard to believe that Lizel was even an adventurer, and he couldn't imagine him fighting at all.
It would be strange to tell a valued customer who was showing concern not to worry.
Nevertheless, the dungeon items Lizel brought in were impressive.
Although they had only met occasionally over the years, Judge knew that Gil wouldn't team up with someone who was completely useless.
Thinking that Gil had changed a little recently, Judge accepted the dungeon item offered to him.
Lizel, who had initially brought in two teddy bears in a row, had since brought in a wide variety of dungeon items.
This time, it was a palm-sized hourglass with beautiful decorations.
"...A 'Unwavering Hourglass,' huh?"
"Does it have any special effects?"
"No matter how many times you use it, it always accurately measures three minutes."
Whether it was amazing or not, Lizel stared at the hourglass with a complex expression.
Lizel had recently been venturing into the middle and deep levels of the labyrinth frequently, but he hadn't encountered any labyrinth artifacts with truly unique effects.
From teddy bears to labyrinth monster figurines, stain-resistant tea sets, and wallets that return even if stolen—everything was just ordinary everyday items.
Because of this, Gil had recently been smirking and laughing mischievously every time Lizel found a treasure chest.
He wouldn't mind if everyone else was the same, but sometimes Gil would go out alone and bring back rare monster fangs or rare minerals, which made Lizel feel dissatisfied.
"It's just... I wish I could find something a little more... unique."
"W-well, I'm happy to see so many unusual things..."
"Judge is a good boy."
Lizel gently stroked Judge's head, who had slightly bent down as if to comfort him.
He laughed at his suddenly straightened posture and accepted the appraised hourglass.
Many adventurers would sell off items after appraisal if they weren't particularly useful, but Lizel kept them with the thought that they might be useful someday.
Thanks to that, he even had souvenirs for Ray.
"Speaking of which, the wrapping from before was really well-received."
"Oh, r-really...!"
Judge, who was still slightly blushing and holding his head, smiled happily at Lizel's words.
He had stopped by this shop, which, despite not being a very large store, somehow had everything, before visiting Ray's house last time.
Of course, the purpose was to decorate the teddy bear with the yellow eyes. While Gil stared at them with a look of utter incomprehension, the two of them wrapped the teddy bear, discussing back and forth about how to do it.
"Was that another delivery request?"
"No, the last one was a souvenir for Viscount Ray."
"Is that so... ...um..."
"He was overjoyed."
Lizel smiled brightly, and Judge stopped thinking about it any further.
It was scary to think about. He wondered if the handwriting on the appraisal certificate was neat enough, or if he should have used more expensive wrapping paper, or if he was even confident in the appraisal results themselves.
He would never think, "I wish they would just take their business elsewhere," even though he was the shop owner.
Lizel called himself "just an E-rank adventurer," but Judge, who never really believed that in the first place, found it even harder to believe now.
"There were a lot of paintings from the labyrinth at the Viscount's house."
"Ah, it seems he's quite a collector of paintings."
"Do you often get them brought into your shop, Judge?"
Judge's shop also handles labyrinth artifacts that he buys.
Because it's a shop for adventurers, most of the items are practical, and they're mostly common labyrinth artifacts.
Practical labyrinth artifacts are found in the middle to deep levels, but there aren't that many types, so particularly rare items rarely appear.
That's why Ray probably seeks out low-level labyrinth artifacts that are never handled in shops, instead of buying them from the shop.
Since paintings without practical use don't sell, Judge didn't keep them in his shop.
"I do appraisals occasionally."
"There was a painting of Gil at the Viscount's place, and it seems to be very expensive."
"A painting of Gil?"
Judge tried to imagine it.
Since it depicts a scene from inside the labyrinth, it's probably a scene of fighting monsters.
It sounded terrifying. Judge couldn't imagine ever displaying something like that. "What about Lizel in that respect?" Judge wondered, looking over at him.
The initial awe he felt upon meeting him had subsided, but it hadn't completely disappeared, as he could tell from their interaction.
The gesture of tucking his hair behind his ear, the way he narrowed his eyes and smiled—it was a scene worthy of being captured in a painting.
If a painting were made of him facing a monster with such a calm and pure expression, how much would he value it?
He had pride as an appraiser, but he couldn't definitively say that the price he imagined wasn't influenced by his personal bias.
"The Viscount said he wanted my paintings too, but that's embarrassing, isn't it?"
"Oh, really? Then, even at this price, there's a buyer..."
"Gil is genuinely embarrassed, which is interesting... hmm, Judge?"
"Huh!?"
When Lizel questioned Judge, who had muttered something in a low voice, he blinked in surprise.
For a moment, he didn't understand what he had muttered, and then he realized that his thoughts had slipped out.
Lizel, who was looking up at him, apparently hadn't heard, and Judge's face, which had turned pale, relaxed with relief.
Judge shook his head, indicating that it was nothing, and Lizel didn't pursue the matter further, simply smiling.
"So, you only appraise paintings, but you don't buy them?"
"Ah, no, I don't display them in the shop, but I have a wholesaler, so I do buy them."
"A wholesaler?"
"There's a shop that specializes in handling paintings from the labyrinth, so I send them there."
What a... incredibly niche shop.
Ray would probably be happy about it. Or rather, he probably already knows, considering the number of paintings he has.
Judge said that his grandfather's friend runs the shop. This shop's network of connections seems quite extensive, thanks to the previous generation.
"Is it in this country?"
"No, it's in the commercial nation of Marcade."
The commercial nation, as its name suggests, is known as a haven for merchants, and I had only recently heard its name at Ray's mansion.
The royal capital of Parteda, the commercial nation of Marcade, and the magic ore nation of Kavannah—these three are actually just cities within a single country.
However, due to their nature, they each function as independent nations, and therefore each calls itself a "nation."
The commercial nation is located south of the royal capital, and it would take about five days by carriage to get there.
There are streets lined with specialty shops for paintings, and there's nothing related to commerce that you can't find there, and new businesses are constantly emerging.
Therefore, fierce competition among merchants is a characteristic feature, and each shop seems to be vying for dominance.
It seems to be a lively and vibrant country. Though, according to Gil, it's a noisy and restless country.
"...Lizel, do you have any plans to go to Marcade?"
"Hmm, why do you ask?"
"Well, actually, my grandfather is in Marcade."
"Ah, the previous generation that Gil mentioned, right?"
Judge nodded at Lizel's words.
His height surpasses even the tall Gil, but his gestures resemble those of a small animal.
The fact that it doesn't seem out of place is probably because Judge has a baby face; Gil always says he's glad he doesn't resemble his grandfather.
He hesitated, his gaze wandering, but eventually he timidly looked at Lizel.
"I'm planning to go see my grandfather soon. So, if possible..."
Lizel quietly waited for Judge, who was gradually losing his confidence.
He somewhat understood what he wanted to say, but Lizel wasn't so soft-hearted as to completely help him out.
"If you and Gil are planning to go to Marcade, I'd really appreciate it if you'd come along as my escort...!"
"I've never done an escort job before, though? I think it would be better to ask someone more experienced."
Lizel's logical point silenced Judge, who looked crestfallen.
There was nothing wrong with the escort request itself. Because Lizel had formed a party with Gil, his individual rank was E, but their party rank had risen to D.
They could easily accept C-rank requests, which included escort missions.
Even for personal requests, they went through the guild because requests not processed through the guild didn't count towards an adventurer's completed quest count.
Therefore, even personal requests were first submitted to the guild and then assigned to a specific adventurer.
Lizel had no problem accepting the request.
He had always wanted to visit Marcade, and escorting Judge, who owned his own carriage like a merchant, would be easy since they were already familiar with each other.
However, for Judge's sake, he thought it would be better to have someone more experienced in escorting.
Gil had also said that, due to the limitations of being a solo adventurer, he didn't usually accept escort requests. Part of it was probably because he disliked spending several days and nights with strangers.
"Do you... not want to?"
"It's not that I don't want to. Come on, don't make that face."
Judge looked at Lizel with a dejected expression, his chestnut-colored, slightly curly hair tied back in a ponytail.
Lizel gently placed his hand on Judge's cheek and slowly stroked it.
"Just a moment..."
When I gently placed my thumb on his eyes, which were slightly red and warm as if he were about to cry, he narrowed his eyes in apparent relief.
"What do you usually do? You must have to go shopping sometimes, right?"
"Some adventurers who've known my grandfather since his time occasionally come by, so I ask them for help. But I feel like I'm always relying on them, and it feels like I'm still relying on my grandfather..."
"Why don't you put in a request at the guild?"
"...I don't like people who are only drawn in by the shop's name."
Judge's grandfather was a true businessman who had made this shop prosperous in his lifetime.
He never dealt in low-quality goods, and because of that, the prices were quite high, so low-ranking adventurers rarely used this shop.
Furthermore, with accurate appraisals and the ability to procure almost anything upon request, this shop was highly regarded among those in the know.
Judge seemed to think that this was all thanks to his grandfather, and he lacked confidence in himself.
From Lizel's perspective, considering the personality of the previous owner that he had heard about from Gil, he couldn't imagine him letting his beloved grandson inherit the shop if he were incompetent, so he thought Judge should be proud of himself.
"Yes, I understand how you feel."
If Judge was trying to visit his grandfather without relying on him, he probably wanted to prove that he was a capable businessman.
In that case, he thought he should try even harder to hire adventurers, but perhaps it would be too harsh to say that.
He gently tapped his cheek and then let go of his hand.
"Is it absolutely impossible to hire other adventurers?"
"It's not absolutely impossible, but..."
"But?"
In response to his gentle question, Judge averted his gaze, touching his cheek where the warmth still lingered.
After a short pause, he kept his face averted but looked down at Lizel with only his eyes.
"I prefer you, Lizel."
His voice, which he squeezed out, contained a hint of dependence and trembled slightly. Judge covered his face, blushing deeply, wishing he could disappear into the ground.
He was so embarrassed that he could barely stand, leaning on the desk for support, and peeked at Lizel through the gap between his fingers.
He saw a fleeting expression of surprise on Lizel's face, but it quickly changed to a resigned smile. Seeing this, Judge desperately tried to keep himself from collapsing, struggling to maintain his composure.
That indulgent gaze was the problem.
That indulgent atmosphere was the problem.
Lizel, who made him feel like he could be spoiled and everything would be forgiven, was the problem.
He wondered what he was thinking, feeling this way towards a customer, but he couldn't maintain his sanity otherwise.
He knew it was inevitable that he would be seen as a grown man acting like a child.
"You don't have to be so embarrassed."
"I'm sorry...!"
In the midst of his overwhelming embarrassment, his only solace was that Lizel didn't seem to think anything of it.
Lizel chuckled at his trembling hands covering his face and placed a hand on Judge's back.
"I'll be leaving for today. I'll discuss the escort matter with Gil, assuming I'll accept the job."
"...!"
Judge nodded repeatedly, and Lizel smiled, placing a few copper coins on the silver tray on the desk. It was payment for the hourglass appraisal.
After confirming that Lizel had left the shop, wondering inwardly what he would do if another customer came, Judge slumped down, clinging to the desk.
He slowly exhaled his trembling breath and pressed his hot cheek against the cool desk to cool it down.
He stared blankly at the door, thinking about Lizel's image, which his merchant's intuition and appraisal skills, capable of seeing through even lies, had conjured up.
"I don't think he's just a kind person..."
I vaguely thought to myself, with my brain boiling and useless, that it was fine since he was genuinely kind to me.
"So, I think Judge will bring us a request sometime soon."
"Judge?"
After leaving Judge's shop, Lizel, having no other plans, headed to the guild.
It was just past noon, a time when the number of adventurers decreased, and inside the guild, bathed in gentle sunlight, the request desk clerk sitting next to Studd was dozing off, clearly bored.
Studd, who had calmly moved from the new recruit reception to the request counter when Lizel entered the guild alone, was staring intently at him without averting his gaze, so Lizel spoke to him.
"Oh, are you acquaintances?"
"When the guild receives a large number of dungeon items that need appraisal, we sometimes ask for his cooperation."
Apparently, it started during the previous generation's time, when the previous shop owner sent the young Judge to the guild in his place.
The guild, which had relied on Judges grandfather who was famous for his accurate appraisals, was initially hesitant, but Judge, whose appraisal talent had already blossomed, performed appraisals with even greater accuracy and speed than the previous shop owner, so they still rely on him to this day.
It was inevitable that Studd, who was also young and already at the guild when Judge first arrived, would become good friends with him.
"Since we're the same age, we had many opportunities to talk."
"Are you close?"
"I think we're close enough for me to be irritated by his lack of confidence."
In other words, he acknowledges Judge's accuracy in appraisals.
That's why he feels irritated by Judge's lack of confidence. It's hard to tell because he's so stoic.
"You're going to Marcade, aren't you?"
"Huh?"
Lizel questioned him back, and Studd suddenly stopped speaking. It was unusual for him, who usually responded so quickly and reflexively.
Studd stared intently at his hands, then slowly raised his head and met Lizel's gaze.
His expression was as unreadable as ever, but to Lizel, he seemed to have made some kind of decision.
"Are you saying you're moving your base of operations?"
With his gaze unwavering, Lizel silently repeated "base of operations" in his mind.
It seemed Studd thought Lizel might be staying in Marcade and not returning.
It was true that adventurers rarely stayed in one country for long, but Lizel had no intention of moving yet.
He certainly didn't feel he had accomplished enough in this country, Parteda, and more importantly, this was where he had been transported to.
He didn't want to easily move elsewhere and miss the opportunity to return.
"No, I'm just going sightseeing. I've never been there before."
"Is that so?"
Lizel stroked Studd's head, who seemed relieved despite not showing it outwardly.
His expressionless acceptance of the gesture might look frightening to some, but Lizel knew he didn't mind, so it wasn't a problem.
As he ran his fingers through Studd's smooth, short hair, Studd muttered something.
"Even so, it means we won't be able to see each other for a while, right?"
"Studd?"
"Do you have any plans to accept a request today?"
To Lizel's question about what he had said, he countered with a question of his own, as if nothing had happened.
Even as he asked, he was certain Lizel had no plans since he wasn't with Gil.
As expected, Lizel said he had no plans, and Studd stood up abruptly.
"It's my break time now, so I'd like you to keep me company."
"If its alright with you, then sure."
Lizel glanced at the staff member behind him who was staring at Studd in surprise, and the staff member nodded. The reason they were surprised was because Studd usually works as if he never takes breaks.
He claims he doesn't need them because he's not tired.
The other staff members couldn't believe that Studd, who usually shakes his head when encouraged to take a break, was voluntarily taking one.
Even so, many of the staff members looked at Lizel standing in front of Studd and sent warm glances, as if they understood.
It's common knowledge that Studd is attached to Lizel. Only Studd himself seems unaware of it.
The veteran staff members, who have known Studd since he was a child and who was unusually stoic for his age, are genuinely happy that he's finally showing interest in someone else.
Incidentally, the newer staff members are amused by Studd's change.
The guild member next to them, who had been dozing off just moments before, was openly smirking, but after Studd kicked his chair from a position where Lizel couldn't see, he turned pale and apologized profusely.
"Let's go outside, please wait a moment."
"Take your time."
Lizel watched Studd walk quickly and calmly into the back room.
Thinking that Studd was simply honest despite not showing much emotion, Lizel moved away from the reception desk.
Even though there were hardly any adventurers around, he felt reluctant to occupy the space for too long.
He was about to move to the bulletin board to look at some requests when Studd reappeared.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, let's go."
His guild uniform was the same, but the badge he usually wore on his chest was gone.
Assuming it was a rule, Lizel followed Studd, who walked with good posture, out of the guild.
"Have you decided where we're going?"
"There's a shop with delicious coffee just around the corner, is that alright?"
"That sounds wonderful."
Studd, who had been staring at Lizel, turned around and started walking again. He seems happy. In a way, it's easy to understand, thought Lizel, but Studd rarely shows any emotion except in front of him.
That's why, even if Lizel says something like, "Studd is so honest and cute," he doesn't get any agreement from those around him. Gil, for example, denied it with a very strange expression.
Just as Studd said, the shop was nearby, a five-minute walk from the guild.
The wooden structure exuded a charming atmosphere, and the faint aroma of coffee beans reached them as they stood in front of the door.
"Please," Studd said, holding the door open. Lizel thanked him and stepped inside.
Perhaps because it was past lunchtime, the not-so-spacious shop wasn't very crowded, and the customers were sparsely seated.
They sat facing each other at a two-person table and ordered coffee.
"Seeing Studd outside the guild is a refreshing change."
"Was I being too familiar talking to you outside of work?"
"No, I'm happy."
Lizel smiled, and Studd nodded, then stared intently at Lizel's hands.
Noticing his gaze, Lizel unclasped his fingers and opened his hands, showing them to him.
Studd's hand reached out, and his fingers traced from the palm of one of his hands to the back of his wrist.
Lizel felt a tickling sensation but let him do as he pleased. Studd glanced at him, seemingly satisfied, and then lowered his gaze to his exposed wrist.
"The bruise is gone."
"Gil wasn't really serious anyway."
"I wish I could have seen it if that 'Single-Stroke' guy had really cried."
The two coffees arrived, and Studd's hand withdrew.
Lizel only laughed at his words, apparently not intending to tell him the truth. Normally, if someone doesn't deny something, you'd assume it's true, but with Lizel, it's strange how it makes you think both possibilities are equally likely.
While thinking this, Studd watched Lizel take a sip of his coffee.
"It's delicious."
"I'm glad you like it."
Feeling his mood lift at Lizel's words, Studd also drank his coffee.
Because the guild operates until late at night, Studd often enjoys the coffee here to clear his head, but he had never brought anyone here before.
Even so, he certainly didn't regret bringing Lizel, and while he felt a strange sense of wonder, Studd was enjoying it.
He would reject it if it made him feel bad, but this was a pleasant feeling he had never experienced before.
"Hey, are you the one who teamed up with Single-Stroke?"
That's why this kind of interruption was incredibly unpleasant for Studd.
"I thought he was some kind of strong guy, but this is..."
"If you hired him with money, you'd better stop. He's not worthy of being shown off by a young master like you."
With a clatter, the trio who had just entered walked straight towards Lizel.
They had probably seen him through the large window that let in the sunlight. They seemed to have recognized Lizel, who often acted with Gil, and had come to confront him after confirming that Gil wasn't there.
Lizel glanced around the shop and sighed, thinking, "Why here of all places?" There were other customers present.
"If you have something to say, let's talk outside. I'm sorry, Studd, maybe another time..."
"No, I don't want to. I want to spend time with you."
Studd stopped Lizel, who was about to stand up.
His voice, contrary to his expressionless face, was dangerously sharp, making no attempt to hide his displeasure.
His hand was gripping Lizel's arm, preventing him from standing, and Lizel gave a troubled, wry smile.
His unusually straightforward demeanor was endearing, but he didn't want to involve him.
"Studd, I'll definitely come with you next time."
"I don't want to wait until next time."
"Please listen to me, okay?"
"If you're here with me, I'll be as selfish as I want."
The adventurer men stared at Studd, who spoke so calmly, as if they had seen something unbelievable.
And indeed, they had seen something unbelievable.
But as the initial shock wore off, they became irritated by the fact that Lizel and Studd were completely ignoring them and talking amongst themselves, and one of them slammed his fist onto the table where Lizel and Studd were sitting.
"You've gotten quite attached to him, haven't you?! But you're ignoring us—"
"Yes, I'm quite attached to him, that's why..."
The next moment, a surge of magic swirled around Studd.
Not the emotion-filled, yet detached gaze he usually directed at Lizel, but an absolute zero gaze slowly pierced the man.
It wasn't just the gaze. The swirling magic lowered the surrounding temperature as if draining the heat.
"If you interfere, I won't guarantee your life."
"――――!!"
The table began to freeze from where Studd's hand was touching it, and finally, the ice covered the man's hand that was touching the table.
As it gradually crept up his arm, the man let out a strained cry and quickly pulled his hand away.
With a cracking sound, the arm that pulled away was completely frozen up to the elbow, and the cold air emanating from it was so intense that even touching it would likely freeze his fingers.
The man's face turned pale at his now immobile fingers, but Studd said calmly:
"If you don't thaw it quickly, you'll have to have your arm amputated."
Lizel gave a wry smile at Studd, who didn't even look at the bewildered men, as if they were no longer relevant.
"Warming it up suddenly would be dangerous. I think it's better to warm it up gradually."
The men, startled back to their senses by Lizel's words, let out inarticulate cries and hurriedly left the shop.
They seemed to have realized that their arm was truly in danger, and not just a joke.
Lizel watched the men running away through the large window, thinking that it probably wouldn't be a problem at that level.
Even so, leaving it as it was would be dangerous, but judging from their reaction, they would probably thaw it immediately.
The exchange that took place in the corner of the shop went unnoticed by those around them, and when Lizel bowed his head apologetically, the atmosphere returned to normal as if nothing had happened. Studd quickly brushed the ice off the table.
"Don't do anything dangerous, Studd."
"Will you dislike me?"
"No, I won't. I'm just worried about you."
"I'm happy."
Having realized he had become attached, Studd no longer held back.
He hadn't been reserved before, but now that he was aware of his feelings, he expressed his affection even more openly.
Seeing Studd's somewhat smug expression, Lizel smiled resignedly and reached out his hand.
"For some reason, I often get liked by younger kids."
"You're saying that unconsciously? That's kind of off-putting."
Their dinner times happened to coincide, so Lizel was eating with Gil without hesitation.
As he recalled the events of the day and voiced his question, he was met with a blunt dismissal.
Even though he wanted to become friends with the kids he liked, he hadn't actually done anything specific, so Lizel sighed, thinking it couldn't be helped.
"Well, I might be a little lenient with the kids I like."
"...It's too much trouble to even comment on that."
"What do you mean by that?"
Lizel replied with a dissatisfied expression to Gil's frown, and then remembered to ask about being Judge's bodyguard.
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Author Misaki Note:
The two characters who are the same age (Studd and Judge) are around twenty years old.
Lizel and Gil are in their late twenties.
Judge acts spoiled and then gets embarrassed. Studd acts spoiled and then becomes defiant.
This is how it naturally turned out. It's somewhat unexpected.