Gil honestly underestimated Lizel.
No matter how much he acted like a nobleman, no matter how naive he was, the man in front of him was now just an ordinary person. But at this moment, he realized that Lizel had only been adjusting his behavior to match Gil's expectations.
"I'd like to buy all the books in this store. How much would that be?"
"Hey, stop that!"
Gil should have anticipated this, given that Lizel, who was usually so polite, had interrupted Studd's explanation just to come to the bookstore. Lizel's excitement was much higher than his appearance suggested.
Looking closely, his eyes seemed to be sparkling, and his tone of voice seemed somewhat cheerful. Leaving the bewildered shopkeeper aside for the moment, Gil looked down at Lizel, who was wearing a troubled smile.
"Why are you acting like the victim?"
"It's not like I wasn't thinking about anything."
"Rather, what were you thinking that led to that statement?"
"Because Gil said there was no library, didn't he?"
Indeed, along the way, Lizel had said he wanted to buy books and go to a library. Gil's response was, "What is a library?", and even after Lizel explained, Gil replied that such a place didn't exist.
Incidentally, Lizel was quite depressed internally at the moment. In his original world, Lizel, who was told by his former student (the current king) that he was "always reading something," could even be called a bibliophile.
"So, I thought it would be nice if there was a similar place."
Lizel understood that buying and taking away all the books in this store would cause trouble. That's why, after thinking about it, he came up with that statement.
He calmly looked at Gil's face, which was so stern it could silence a crying child, and said, somewhat proudly: "If I pay for all the books in advance, I can come and borrow any book I want whenever I want, right?"
"..."
"I'll leave the books I've read here in the shop. Most of the books sold in bookstores are secondhand anyway, so it shouldn't affect your business."
Gil thought, after Lizel casually stated that he would buy the books at the regular price if he wanted them: This guy's an idiot.
Since meeting Lizel, he knew that Lizel was thinking about many things behind his calm demeanor. He suspected that Lizel's feigned ignorance was also based on some kind of plan, and he didn't seem like someone who would simply show his weaknesses.
He had thought more than once that he was being manipulated by Lizel. He was practically certain of it, but since he was enjoying the situation and their interests aligned, there was no problem.
"You..."
"Yes?"
"No, it's fine."
But apart from that, Gil was convinced that Lizel was, in the end, an idiot. A clever idiot. A smart idiot. An even more troublesome idiot because he was aware of it.
The fact that he was smiling contentedly, even though he knew what Gil was thinking as he looked down at him with utter disbelief, also made him an idiot.
"...You're not actually going to read all of them, so at least try to negotiate the price."
"Yes."
Lizel nodded obediently and approached the shop owner, who was still frozen in place. He explained the same idea he had told Gil to the shop owner, and managed to persuade the shop owner, who was so surprised that he was uttering incomprehensible words.
Once the shop owner accepted the method of use, all that remained was price negotiation. The deal was so advantageous to the shop that the owner hesitated to accept such a high price.
As a result, Lizel was able to borrow the books for considerably less than the total price of all the books in the shop. The negotiation was successfully concluded, and both the shop owner and Lizel exchanged beaming smiles.
"Okay, then, I'll borrow all the books on this one shelf for now."
"Huh? At least half of them..."
"Gil, please get the book on the top shelf."
"There's a step stool, isn't there?"
Saying that, but sighing resignedly, Gil reached out his hand. Ignoring the shopkeeper who was about to say something, Lizel mercilessly emptied one entire shelf.
Lizel was generally a very considerate person, but when it came to books, that restraint disappeared. After receiving a thank you from the shopkeeper, who looked rather dejected, Lizel and Gil left the shop.
Lizel walked along, admiringly stroking the pouch that, no matter how many books he put in it, didn't change in mass or weight. The two of them together attracted attention in many ways, but they were used to it by now.
"It'll be lunchtime soon."
"Yes, I'd like to try eating street food from the stalls."
"That doesn't suit you at all... Well, fine, let's go."
For the next three days or so, Lizel lived a normal daily life with Gil. It was an uneventful few days, fulfilling their basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter, and Lizel stopped exhibiting behavior that showed a sense of being in a completely different world.
He still stood out from his surroundings, but the people around the inn had become accustomed to him and stopped reacting to his every move, so it wasn't entirely inaccurate to say he was blending in.
And after that, Lizel gave Gil free rein and secluded himself in his room. Even during the first three days, he seemed to have been constantly reading whenever Gil wasn't around, and on the third day, when he returned all the borrowed books and borrowed new ones, she received a look of incomprehension from Gil.
But as if that were just the beginning, Lizel immersed himself in reading.
"I'm borrowing this."
"Go ahead."
Gil entered the room to borrow a book, but received no reaction; he only got a response when he spoke to Lizel directly. According to Lizel, he can defend himself to some extent, but if he were attacked in this state, he'd probably be killed even by a child.
Gil, who has been given free rein by Lizel, takes on requests and goes out occasionally to keep himself from getting rusty, but in his free time, he reads in Lizel's room. He doesn't dislike reading; he's not particularly fond of it either.
For Lizel, who in his original world would immediately buy any book he didn't know and had practically read everything, waiting for new books to be released, this place was heaven. A mountain of unknown knowledge, truly a treasure trove.
"Hmm..."
This continued for about ten days. He only went out to borrow and return books, and when Gil took him out for meals.
Lizel placed the last book down on the desk with a thud and stretched. Gil, who was also reading on the bed, watched him. Gil glanced down at the open page.
"'I couldn't hide my astonishment. He was a fish swimming in a sea of bookshelves, living by devouring knowledge.'"
"'I thought he was beautiful, but those around him didn't'... Did you think I was beautiful?"
Lizel calmly recited the rest of the quoted passage and smiled teasingly, earning a look of utter disbelief from Gil. He was sure Lizel had read that book a few days ago.
Despite having read dozens of books of various genres in between, could he possibly remember everything? The man who made him think that anything was possible waited for Gil's reply with an amused expression.
"I thought you were an idiot."
"That's the first time I've been told that."
They both had serious expressions.
"Well then, shall we go and accept a request now?"
"Normally, you'd go first thing in the morning."
"Hmm? It's okay to accept it today and start tomorrow, right?"
"There are more new requests in the morning, and the good ones are first come, first served."
"I see," Lizel nodded. However, Lizel is currently a novice F-rank adventurer, only able to accept F and E-rank requests, and there's no rush for such low-ranking requests.
It's early afternoon now, and the guild should be less crowded with fewer adventurers around. Since it's his first request, he wants to take his time and choose carefully.
"Speaking of which, a request right after reading?"
"Wouldn't your body get sluggish if you don't move much? Besides, if we don't know each other's abilities, it'll be difficult in a pinch."
"Abilities, huh..."
Standing up, Gil glanced at Lizel while attaching the sword that had been leaning against the bed to his waist. Lizel was wearing a jacket, but there was no sign of him carrying any weapons.
Even if he has a bag with spatial magic, it's basic practice to always carry a weapon for emergencies. He'd heard that Lizel could defend himself, but surely he wasn't particularly skilled in hand-to-hand combat.
Gil recalled Lizel's casual attire before bed, but the muscles visible through the thin fabric and his unblemished palms didn't belong to someone who fought.
"We can't accept any long-distance requests now, so let's choose something nearby."
"Okay."
Perhaps he's skilled in magic, Gil thought, considering what kind of request to accept. From Lizel's words, he seemed willing to engage in combat, so gathering or monster hunting would be fine.
As they descended the stairs, Gil looked at Lizel walking ahead. Even if they accepted a low-rank request, with Gil accompanying him, there would be virtually no danger.
"We're heading out!"
"Oh, Lizel-san, aren't you going to leave a tip?"
Lizel greeted the innkeeper sweeping the entrance, and the two shared a laugh. On her first day of lodging, Lizel had surprised the innkeeper by leaving a few copper coins when she handed over the key.
Incidentally, Lizel is the only one the innkeeper addresses with "-san." Initially, she used "-sama."
"Are you going to buy more books again today?"
"No, I'm making my debut as an adventurer today."
"That's a big deal! Gil, you make sure you protect Lizel properly!"
"Yeah."
"Um, I'm the one who's taking the request, though."
Lizel gave a wry smile at the landlady's firm instructions to Gil. While many people were intimidated by Gil, who was notoriously rough around the edges and whose strength was well-known, the landlady here was one of the few who didn't change her attitude.
Gil probably found it easier to deal with someone who didn't treat him with apprehension, which is why he likely used this inn as his base. Though he did think it was a bit much for a grown adult to be treated like a child.
Seeing them off, the two headed to the guild. Of course, they didn't forget to stop by the bookstore on the way to return all the books.
"Studd-kun."
Studd, who was organizing documents, looked up at the voice. He had just finished registering a new adventurer, and since there hadn't been many new registrations lately, he was thinking of helping out at the regular reception desk, assuming no one else would be coming today.
The familiar voice belonged to the person who had recently astonished everyone in the guild, and Studd immediately turned his gaze in that direction.
"Ah, it's you."
"I'm here to continue the explanation from before and to accept a request."
"It's unusual for someone to take this long between registration and their first request."
Lizel gave a wry smile at the usual matter-of-fact tone. He knew the person didn't mean any harm, and Lizel personally preferred that things be said clearly, but he couldn't help but think that this person had a rather unfortunate personality.
"The bookstore you recommended before had a really good selection, and it took me a while to read through everything."
"Everything..."
Studd glanced at Gil. He understood everything from the look of profound exasperation and resignation on Gil's face as he looked down at Lizel. He nodded, acknowledging that he certainly didn't seem much like an adventurer.
"I'm glad you like it. Now, continuing from our last discussion, I've prepared this."
Studd opened a desk drawer and took out a booklet. The thin, large booklet, clearly made with durable, tear-resistant material, was obviously not an ordinary book.
He opened the cover and placed the first two pages facing Lizel.
"This contains the guild regulations. After our last meeting, I borrowed this from the guild master, thinking you might want to know about something like this."
"That's perfect, thank you."
Studd watched Lizel, who was smiling, with an expressionless face.
Seeing his expectant look, Lizel tentatively raised one hand. Studd reacted slightly, his gaze following his hand.
With newfound confidence, he moved his hand towards Studd, and since he showed no sign of avoiding it, he stroked his hand two or three times. He offered no resistance.
"Lending this out is prohibited, but..."
"It's fine if you read it here,"
He added, without mentioning the hand that was stroking his smooth, pleasant-to-the-touch hair. Behind Lizel, who looked satisfied that he wasn't resisting, was Gil, slightly taken aback, wondering if this guy was using some kind of mind control.
He couldn't accept the sight of Studd actually enjoying having his head stroked. This was a man who would undoubtedly verbally abuse anyone who even tried to touch him until they were completely incapacitated, and would unhesitatingly stab a pen into the hand of anyone who dared to stroke his head.
He wouldn't go to such extremes with a colleague, but a certain colleague who had gotten drunk and tried to get friendly with him before had his drunkenness instantly sobered by the Absolute Zero gaze he received the moment he put his arm around his shoulder.
"Is it okay to read it here? I think I'll have some questions."
"No more registered members will be coming today, so it's fine."
"Hey, hey, he really hates it! 'Single-Stroke' has really fallen low!"
Interrupting Studd's words, the guild door burst open with a loud bang, and a commotion ensued. Gil frowned slightly and turned around, looking annoyed, while Studd, his face expressionless, showed his irritation by the veins bulging on his forehead.
The man who entered, spewing insults, approached Gil with a smirk. He was a muscular man, not slender like Gil, and carried a thick greatsword on his back.
The adventurers in the guild, accustomed to this kind of thing, weren't surprised, but they couldn't hide their curiosity as they compared the man and Gil.
"I heard that 'Single-Stroke' teamed up with someone, and when I came to see, he's teamed up with some wimpy guy!"
"What's with you casually calling me by my name, you bastard? Who the hell are you?"
"...You're underestimating me."
It wasn't that Gil didn't know the man in front of him. Since arriving in this country, I've been repeatedly invited to join this man's party, so frequently that I can't forget it even if I wanted to.
The party was B-rank, and they kept repeating, like idiots, that if Gil joined, S-rank wouldn't be a dream anymore. Honestly, I just wanted to ignore these guys as usual and leave quickly.
But when I glanced at Lizel, he was calmly looking through a booklet he'd been given, showing no reaction since the man had entered. He must have noticed the commotion, but his relaxed demeanor showed no sign of concern that the man's insults might be directed at him.
"Regarding the regulations for leaving this guild, this is..."
"...This is..."
Even Studd, usually so composed, paused for a moment at Lizel's unhurried question, which made it seem as if he hadn't even noticed the man's arrival. However, it seemed he had succeeded in appeasing Studd, as the cold atmosphere emanating from him dissipated with the question.
Lizel showed no intention of moving, and sighing, realizing that if he left now, the man's anger would likely be directed at him, he faced the man.
"Following your master, huh? How devoted."
"You came here for a reason, didn't you? We're not exactly friends, so just get to the point."
He crossed his arms and leaned against the back of a chair that remained unused due to his consistently good posture. His complete lack of interest irritated the man, who raised his voice.
"After repeatedly rejecting my invitations, what's this about teaming up with a beginner?"
"I'm not in a party with him, I'm just hired."
"Even you, who likes to be alone, couldn't resist the lure of money, could you?!"
Gil made no attempt to hide his annoyed attitude towards the mocking man.
Gil certainly looked rough around the edges, but he wasn't so childish as to easily pick a fight. Even when provoked with taunts like "Are you running away?", if it's too much trouble, I'll just ignore them and run away. I'm the type to just shrug off insults like "coward."
To Gil, the man in front of him was incredibly childish. Essentially, he didn't like that he was being judged as less valuable than Lizel, who was a complete novice as an adventurer.
"Regarding the guild's responsibility for managing adventurers..."
"We don't interfere excessively, but we will intervene in emergencies. For example, if there's damage to the surrounding area that goes beyond the scope of an adventurer's activities, guild staff will..."
From Gil's perspective, comparing the two was fundamentally wrong, but the man seemed to believe it. While listening to the calm Q&A happening behind him, he casually brushed off the ranting man.
His attitude must have been quite obvious. The man gritted his teeth, then smirked.
"That pretty boy must be quite to your liking... you seem completely smitten, huh?"
It seemed he had shifted to trying to lower Gil's reputation. If he showed a dismissive attitude, the onlookers wouldn't believe him, and no one would seriously believe the rumors that spread out of amusement.
Denying it vehemently would only make him seem suspicious, so he sighed, and then felt Lizel turn around behind him. Wondering what was going on, he turned and looked down, only to see a hateful, deliberately artificial serious expression.
"So you're that kind of person, Gil? Our one-month contract is over today..."
"That's disgusting, you're the worst, I can't believe it!"
"Idiot."
Gil smacked Lizel's forehead with the back of his hand. It made a slightly loud sound, but it didn't hurt at all; the force was perfectly judged.
He knew Lizel didn't believe him at all, but the gaze from Studd behind him was simply cold. Even though he knew it was just empty talk from the man, he couldn't help but wonder why he was seizing this opportunity to hurl insults.
"But, it's a problem if Gil's reputation suffers because of working with me."
"Huh? Nobody's going to take anything that guy says seriously."
Lizel, who hadn't been paying any attention to the man at all, suddenly interjected, and that seemed to be the reason. Questions and answers were constantly being exchanged, but it seemed he had been listening carefully to Gil and the others' conversation as well.
Lizel tapped his side, and Gil, understanding the meaning, lifted himself from the back of the chair he was leaning against. He moved to the side, and the man and Lizel, still seated, finally faced each other.
"I understand your point of view. However, Gil and I are temporarily working together through a legitimate transaction; complaining about it is out of line."
"What are you saying, you who used the power of money to get your way!"
"Do you think Gil is the kind of person who would be swayed by mere money?"
Lizel said with a look of disbelief, and the man was momentarily speechless. He had been insulting them earlier, assuming they were that kind of people.
In other words, was he even understanding the rather indirect sarcasm that implied he himself was that kind of person for making such an offer?
"Well, if you think so, why don't you try luring him with an amount of money greater than mine?"
Lizel, still smiling, narrowed his eyes. Gil, standing beside him, and Studd, sitting behind him in a perfect posture, directed their piercing gazes at the man.
The man felt an overwhelming pressure from Lizel, who seemed to be commanding the two of them, as if he were facing an S-rank adventurer, and he fell silent for a moment.
"I don't think you can lure him."
Lizel smiled, and the man, upon understanding the meaning of his words, instantly became enraged. The adventurers in the guild also stirred with murmurs. Lizel, who looked like nothing more than a gentle young man, clearly regarded the burly, muscular man as inferior. This wasn't the kind of courage a novice would possess.
His unchanging smile and lack of any pretense made him seem as calm as a seasoned warrior. In that moment, those around him shed their preconceived notion that Lizel was merely a spoiled rich boy who had hired a skilled fighter with money.
At the same time, they understood why Gil, who never worked with anyone, had taken an interest in him.
"You...!! Who do you think I am?! I'm a B-rank, the same as that guy you paid!"
"B-rank, that's wonderful."
Finally receiving a word of affirmation, the man wore a twisted smile. He thought he had finally made Lizel understand who he was up against, and that Lizel should now grovel or do whatever it takes to appease him.
Unaware that he was the only one who believed in this future, he glared at the figure before him, trying to restore his shattered pride.
Then, he finally realized there was more to Liesel's words.
"However..."
Lizel tilted his head slightly. The gesture, which would be adorable coming from a girl, seemed like a signal for execution. A shiver ran through the air; the feeling of the atmosphere being dominated was clearly due to his presence.
"To compare someone of your caliber to what belongs to me is deeply unpleasant."
The man roared in anger. His voice, a mixture of rage and humiliation, was incomprehensible.
The greatsword on his back was drawn by his rock-like fist. Lizel watched him, still smiling. He showed no sign of disturbance and didn't move.
The slash, worthy of a B-rank, reached Lizel in less than a second, and it took Gil even less than half a second to draw his sword and strike the man down. The man's sword was severed at the hilt and flew through the air. Gil caught the blade between his fingers, then swung his long leg upwards.
"Gah...!!"
A kick so powerful it made a whistling sound as it cut through the air struck the man in the solar plexus, sending his massive body flying backward. The guild doors, which should have stopped his momentum, flipped inside out with a terrible crash, and the man disappeared outside the building.
The surrounding people, stunned by the sheer speed of the attack, had their hair gently ruffled by the wind pressure that arrived a moment later. The silence that followed, before they regained their composure, didn't last long.
"Hey."
Suddenly, a calm voice broke the silence that still echoed with the sounds of destruction. Gil lowered the leg he had raised, and, as if nothing had happened, sheathed his sword and turned around.
In his line of sight, Lizel was gently restraining Studd's hand, which he had probably been about to raise.
"Guild employees don't interfere in disputes between adventurers, that's in the regulations," he said.
"...We don't intervene even if asked to mediate, but it's not prohibited."
"That's good then. I was worried about you if you were to be punished."
Studd looked at Lizel, who was smiling, and then lowered his gaze to his left hand. He felt a slight dissatisfaction at having his magic interrupted at the moment of activation, but he accepted it readily, thinking that he was worried about him.
Despite not caring at all about the man who had just been sent flying, he cared about Studd—he felt a childish sense of superiority he had never experienced before. His expression, however, remained as impassive as ever.
"He's the kind of man who would calmly organize documents even if a fistfight broke out right in front of him."
"There was a risk of the attack reaching me in his path, and it was unavoidable. Shut up."
Even as he retorted to Gil, Studd hadn't thought for a moment about protecting himself in that instant. There was only one thing on his mind: eliminating the external threat to Lizel.
He didn't understand why he felt that way. He could only think that he had been influenced by Lizel's atmosphere.
He glared up at Gil, who was looking down at him with a smirk, as if he had seen through his thoughts.
"If you can understand, then you must have felt the same way."
"That's my job."
Avoiding his questioning gaze, Gil tossed the large sword, which was only the blade, onto the desk. He had somehow resumed reading the guild regulations, and Lizel looked up after finishing reading.
He noticed the sword, which had already been returned to its sheath, and looked at Gil.
"You didn't cut anything, did you? I'm glad about that."
"If there's a clear cause, we'd have to clean it up, and that would be a hassle."
"Huh? So we have to fix the door too?"
"Just leave the repair money."
Lizel looked down at the booklet, thinking about this unspoken understanding. It wasn't written anywhere in the booklet, but there must be such rules.
There was still much to learn, and feeling a sense of joy about that, he thanked him and returned the booklet to Studd. The booklet wasn't his only objective today.
"Now then, let's find our first request..."
He stood up and looked around again. The atmosphere was still somewhat frivolous, and Lizel...
The adventurers watched their every move with keen interest.
To put it simply, it was incredibly awkward. Lizel didn't mind, but he felt uncomfortable with everyone around him constantly being so considerate.
"Shall we do this tomorrow?"
"Probably."
"Studd, we'll come back tomorrow, so please send us the bill for the door repairs then."
With those words, Lizel and Gil left the guild. A crowd of onlookers had gathered around the unconscious man lying on the ground, but the two pretended not to notice and returned to their inn.