Studd doesn't know his origins.
He found himself living in darkness, simply surviving by killing people using ice magic.
The weapon, which left no evidence when it melted, seemed to be highly valued, and he spent his days killing people for money, instructed by a man who occasionally appeared from somewhere (it was always the same man).
He felt no value in the money he received; he only used it for the bare minimum of food, and there was always plenty left over.
The leftover gold coins were heavy and noisy to carry around, and young Studd hadn't thought of depositing them anywhere, so he buried them all in one place.
Those days suddenly came to an end.
An adult, different from the man who always brought him information about the people to kill, appeared before Studd.
Studd felt no sense of danger. He didn't think what he was doing was wrong, and he was confident that he could easily kill the adult if they tried to harm him.
The adult knelt down to meet Studd's gaze, who was shorter than his waist, and spoke to him with an expression Studd had never seen before. Looking back now, it was probably a smile or something similar.
The adult told Studd to stop killing people, but Studd hadn't done it because he wanted to, nor had he ever thought he didn't want to.
If anything, he did it to survive, so he couldn't nod in agreement, thinking that he would die if he did.
"All the people who told you to kill are dead."
"..."
"You have nothing to do now, right? How about working for me?"
"..."
"I'll guarantee you food, clothing, and shelter, plus three meals and snacks."
He nodded. Looking back, the offer to work for someone at such a young age—practically a toddler—seems questionable, but for Studd, who simply thought that not having money made life inconvenient, it was probably effective.
He could have stolen, but frequent theft would attract the attention of the military police. Since the killings were only of high-ranking officials, the military police didn't increase their presence in the city, thus preserving Studd's peace and quiet.
The adult tried to shake Studd's hand after he nodded, but almost had their wrist severed. With a strained expression, the adult shrugged and took Studd back to the guild.
"That adult is the current guild master. I'm somewhat grateful that he doesn't spread rumors about my origins. I've been working as a guild employee ever since, so I haven't committed any killings like last night."
"...Sorry, could you please start from the beginning again?"
The information, delivered in a monotone voice, didn't register at all in his still-groggy, recently awakened mind.
The moment he confirmed his eyelids were fully open, Studd began speaking, apparently wanting to explain that he had been drunk last night and had overreacted because Lizel was targeted.
With his mind slowly starting to function, Lizel understood that he was trying to convey that he didn't want him to dislike him. He raised a hand and gently patted Studd's head.
Seeing Studd slightly relax his shoulders, he smiled softly, realizing he had guessed correctly.
As Lizel had suspected, Studd had been calmly thinking about what Lizel thought of him since waking up that morning.
Guild employees, like adventurers, have early mornings, or even earlier. Waking up at his usual time, Studd had been simply passing the time, reflecting on his actions from the previous night.
He didn't regret getting drunk. Since he was able to act so affectionately because of the alcohol, it was all for the best.
He also didn't regret killing the attackers. It's only natural, considering they were aiming for Lizel; I should even congratulate myself for doing so well.
I concluded to myself that there was nothing to regret, and nodded. The only remaining question was what Lizel thought of me.
And so, I returned to my initial thoughts and began to think calmly again.
Today was Studd's day off.
That's why I chose to go to the inn with Lizel. If it were a workday, I would have definitely returned to the guild.
Normally, Studd, who works regardless of whether it's a holiday or not because he has nothing else to do, is finally having a proper day off. The staff, who naturally expected him to be there, are probably surprised and in a panic right now.
The staff, worried about Studd who never takes a day off, usually try to get him to take a break by asking him to do a lot of shopping on his days off, at least as a distraction.
They probably haven't even considered that the accumulated shopping requests won't be fulfilled, and are currently racking their brains wondering what to do, while also being touched that Studd finally took a day off. Not that Studd cares.
"...,"
Studd looked around the room, which he had seen last night.
The room, being a single room, wasn't very large, and several books were piled on the desk.
There were also books on the side table next to the bed, but he hadn't read them last night, so they were probably always there. He didn't seem to be very meticulous.
Studd's jacket was hanging on the wall, and he remembered being prompted to take it off. He had taken advantage of the situation and let himself be pampered, but it was amazing that Lizel went along with it.
If Judge had told him to take off his clothes, he was confident he would have broken the wrist offered to him in the opposite direction.
Speaking of Judge, Studd, using his old skills, erased his presence and silently sat up. He gently placed his hands on the bed, straddling Lizel's body, who was sleeping with his back to him, and peered at his sleeping face.
He quietly moved the hair that had fallen across his face, as if to say it was in the way, and a look of satisfaction crossed Studd's face as his face was revealed.
He felt a sense of superiority towards Judge, who wasn't there, thinking that he was now on equal footing, and stared intently at him.
Coincidentally, he had the same thoughts as Judge, but he decided to wait for Lizel to wake up in that position. He had decided to tell him about himself as soon as he woke up.
Normally, a person would feel something and wake up if they were being stared at, even while sleeping, but apparently, this didn't happen with Studd, who was exceptionally skilled at concealing his presence.
And so, we arrive at the present.
Studd, who had lifted his head from peering at his face, and Lizel, who had no idea he had been stared at for so long, also sat up.
Facing each other on the bed, he ran his fingers through Studd's hair, which was completely free of bedhead.
Although he was expressionless, he felt as if a single flower had bloomed in the background, so he assumed he wasn't displeased and got out of bed.
The window outside was faintly bright, indicating that the guild's opening hours had already passed.
"You're off today, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"You can sleep a little longer if you want."
"No, I always wake up at the same time."
"Gil says the same thing, but I'm envious."
Lizel, who basically sleeps until he feels like it, doesn't have the habit of waking up at the same time every day.
He doesn't usually sleep until before noon, but he often wakes up at a time that would be considered late compared to seasoned adventurers like Gil.
Lizel stood up and looked down at his clothes, which he had only partially removed.
"I fell asleep too, but as expected of the top-of-the-line equipment, there's not a single wrinkle,"
Studd was relieved by how completely normal Lizel seemed.
He thought that since Lizel had stroked his head, he hadn't been completely disliked, but he was still curious about what Lizel was thinking internally.
After all, Lizel had slept with him, so he probably hadn't been rejected, but he looked up at Lizel with an expressionless face.
It wasn't as if it had been completely ignored, and the fact that Lizel had accepted him made his chest, which usually remained completely still, feel a faint warmth.
"Do you have any questions?"
"Well... I'm worried about whether Studd-kun will suffer any disadvantages because of what happened yesterday."
"He clearly looked like some kind of bandit. I don't think there will be any problems even if he's discovered."
Lizel smiled faintly and replied calmly.
In truth, Studd was overjoyed that Lizel was concerned about him, but he didn't even realize it himself. Lizel found this amusing and suppressed a laugh.
He leaned down to meet Studd's gaze, who was still sitting on the bed, and cupped his cheeks as if to reassure him.
"Even if something similar happens in the future, I don't want you to intervene if it would cause you any disadvantage."
"I will take every precaution to ensure that you don't suffer any inconvenience. Are you saying I should just stand by and watch?"
"I can defend myself. Besides, it would be inconvenient for me if something happened to Studd-kun."
Depending on how you interpret it, it could sound like he was saying that he would lose someone who would act for his benefit. However, Studd felt great joy at those words.
For Studd, kindness without ulterior motives or pretense was more frightening. Kindness without reason always carried the risk of disappearing without reason. If Lizel's kindness was that kind of unreasoning kindness, Studd would never have accepted his hand, no matter how much he was attracted to him.
But it was different. Lizel was kind to Studd precisely because Studd was capable. I know you don't intend to take advantage of me, and I know you don't have any malicious intent. You simply tend to be drawn to capable people, and while that's true of everyone, Lizel just has a stronger tendency in that regard.
Even so, kindness with a reason behind it won't disappear as long as Studd continues to uphold that reason.
"...Understood. If anything similar happens in the future, I'll act within the bounds that won't cause inconvenience to either of us."
"I feel like that's a little different..."
Lizel smiled wryly at Studd, who seemed to have come to his own conclusion and was satisfied, and released his hand.
Following his hand with his eyes, Studd also stood up.
"Would you like to have breakfast together?"
"Yes, please."
Lizel smiled at Studd, who nodded expressionlessly, and offered him his jacket.
Putting on the jacket, they stepped out into the corridor, where the clear, crisp air of early morning flowed in through the open window.
Listening to the slightly bustling sounds from downstairs, likely due to people starting their day, the two descended the stairs together.
"Is Gil in his room?"
"No, he seems to have gone out early this morning."
"He might be in the labyrinth, getting some light exercise."
There aren't any adventurers who would go into the labyrinth as a warm-up exercise, but Studd nodded without thinking much of it.
He had no interest or concern in why other adventurers went into the labyrinth, so he wasn't surprised to hear about Gil's actions. He simply thought, "So there are people like that."
However, he was confident that Gil would be back by the time he left Lizel's side. Or perhaps he thought that he wouldn't leave Lizel until Gil returned.
Given what happened last night, Studd reluctantly agreed that he shouldn't leave Lizel alone, so he was confident that his prediction in this regard wouldn't be wrong.
Lizel confirmed with Studd that the inn's breakfast was acceptable and then entered the dining room. At this inn, where many guests stay for relatively long periods, most people have already gotten used to Lizel's presence.
Several adventurers, upon noticing Studd following closely behind Lizel, almost choked on their food, but managed to restrain themselves.
Since they were adventurers with enough skill and income to stay at this not-so-cheap inn, their shock would likely pass quickly. Though the memory would probably linger.
"Oh, Lizel, did that boy stay here last night?"
"Yes, the landlady was already asleep last night, so it was without permission. Do I need to pay for his stay?"
"You were in the same room, it's fine. I'll even throw in breakfast! Hmm, that uniform is from the guild... So Lizel, you really are an adventurer, aren't you?"
"You still didn't believe me...?"
Lizel gave a wry smile at the landlady, who laughed heartily.
As always, Lizel...
The innkeeper, who had casually dismissed the fact that Lizel was an adventurer, seemed to be more understanding now that he was accompanied by guild staff.
Perhaps pleased by Studd's polite bow and expression of gratitude, her attitude was the complete opposite of when Aign and the others had visited.
Thinking to himself that social standing and manners were important, he sat down at the table he was shown to.
"Good morning, Milord! You said you were going somewhere, but you're back!"
"Yes, good morning."
"Teach me how to study again!"
A little girl trotted over to the table and said with a smile.
Despite the previous incident, the children in this area still playfully called him "Milord."
The girl was also staying at the inn long-term due to her parents' work, so Lizel often saw her.
Incidentally, Gil had once made her cry. They had encountered each other when he was in a particularly bad mood, so it was simply bad luck for both of them.
"Today, you're with a different older brother, aren't you?"
"..."
The girl smiled at Studd.
Studd, in contrast, remained completely expressionless. His usual, almost unnervingly cold expression.
The girl, noticing the indifferent silence, looked flustered and began to look at Lizel for help.
Lizel, who had decided to observe their first interaction, simply smiled and didn't offer any assistance.
He waved to her parents, who were watching anxiously, assuring them that everything was alright. They then relaxed and also adopted a watchful stance. Having heard them whisper that their child was a bit clumsy, their attention shifted to both their child and Studd.
Since Lizel and her parents were present, the girl didn't cry, but she continued to look up at Studd, trying her best to make conversation despite her flustered state.
"Are you a friend of Milord?"
"..."
"Um, well... you have such a handsome face, big brother!"
"...Thank you."
The girl beamed at the reply, which finally came after a long pause.
Incidentally, Lizel knew that Studd was silently considering how to respond.
Studd, who usually works constantly at the guild, doesn't have many opportunities to interact with children. His silence was the result of his careful consideration to ensure that his actions wouldn't damage Lizel's reputation, but was that really the best approach with a child?
Finally, satisfied with the thank you he offered, the girl returned to her parents.
"Was that a compliment?"
"Yes, it was a compliment."
"Do you usually teach children?"
"Only occasionally. It seems I'm considered more approachable than Gil."
On days when he doesn't have guild requests, when he goes out for a change of pace with a book, he sometimes gets caught by children.
The children returning from school don't approach him when Gil is with him, but they call out to him when Lizel is alone.
If he has the time and is in the mood, Lizel gladly helps them with their homework, but on other days he refuses, so he only teaches them occasionally.
Lizel's explanations, which are known for being easy to understand, are often appreciated by the children's mothers, but these mothers are always genuinely surprised and bewildered when they learn that Lizel is an adventurer.
However, once, when some children jokingly brought a young man who seemed to attend a prestigious academy somewhere, and Lizel explained his report, his reputation among the adults in the area soared. Being good at academics seems to be well-received by parents in any world.
Incidentally, when the young man was brought to him, he had a dead look in his eyes and was muttering something to himself, but after hearing Lizel's explanation, he went home overjoyed, shouting, "I can finally sleep!"
"Speaking of which, you mentioned having a student, so you seem quite used to teaching."
"It was more like tutoring, so I only taught that one student."
While they were talking, breakfast was served.
Breakfast tends to be similar every day, but this inn makes an effort to offer variety because many guests stay for extended periods.
From rice to bread to noodles, and of course, a wide variety of breads from pizza to sandwiches, and even potatoes—the main dishes alone offer a rich selection.
Today, the basic meal consisted of minestrone soup with plenty of sausages, a baguette, and a salad. Various refills were available upon request, and meat and fish could be added for an extra charge. The additional items naturally took some time to prepare as they were made to order, but the innkeepers must be very busy preparing all of this the night before.
They finished their meal while chatting.
As Studd was slowly sipping his after-breakfast coffee, he glanced outside the dining room.
"Studd?"
"It seems Single-Stroke has returned, and since I've finished breakfast, I'll be going now."
He certainly didn't consider spending the whole day with Lizel just because it was his day off.
From what he'd heard, Studd, who seemed to have been involved in something assassin-like, was as sensitive to presences as Gil, and had apparently sensed Gil's return.
"That's a useful skill," Lizel thought, and then tilted his head as Studd, who had finished his coffee, stared intently at him.
"I don't know why you're being targeted, but please be very careful."
"Thank you, Studd. You be careful too."
Studd nodded at Lizel's words and stood up.
He raised his hand in response to Lizel's wave, but as usual, he lowered it without actually waving.
As he was leaving the dining room, he bumped into Gil, who was just about to open the door from the other side. Studd calmly looked at Gil, who had probably just taken a quick shower. Gil, still holding onto the door handle and looking down, wondered what was going on but didn't move.
Studd, about to pass through the open doorway and past Gil, suddenly stopped.
"Stop saying we're similar, you battle-crazed maniac!"
"I don't want to say it either!"
It seemed that the words from last night had reached Studd, who was on the roof.
Seeing Studd's displeased expression, Gil also frowned. The standoff at the only entrance to the dining hall was so intimidating that no ordinary person would dare to pass through.
Lizel, who had called out, "You shouldn't block the door," was glanced at by both of them, and then Studd resumed walking.
"If you want to stay by his side, protect him with all your might, 'Single-Stroke'."
Gil scoffed at Studd's parting words, as if to say it went without saying.
If Gil and Studd fought, Gil would undoubtedly win, which is why Studd entrusted Lizel to him.
It wasn't something as beautiful as trust; it was simply a fact.
Lizel smiled, holding his coffee, at their exchange, which they both accepted as a matter of course, thinking that they were indeed quite similar.
"The only person I can think of is that bandit."
"The bow and arrows were exactly the same, weren't they?"
Lizel and Gil were walking side-by-side towards the guild.
With Lizels rank-up, there would likely be more quests available. Although they weren't short on money, Lizel wanted to gain experience, so he visited the guild quite frequently.
They walked along, discussing the attack from the previous night, without any apparent concern.
"I don't think there are any bandits who would go on a revenge spree just because one of their comrades was killed."
"The fact that they're targeting me instead of Gil is... strange. Maybe they think I'm an easy target?"
"Well, you were the one who attacked the one who got away, so maybe they're holding a grudge."
In his original world, Lizel had always skillfully avoided making enemies, but in this world, he frequently became the target of grudges.
These grudges stemmed from things like forming a party with Gil or exchanging words with Layla, but Lizel even seemed to enjoy these experiences, which he couldn't have had in his original world due to his position.
Of course, this was all predicated on his own safety, but Lizel's belief was that there was no harm in experiencing everything, even if it put him at a disadvantage.
"But there was no contact for three days until we arrived in the capital, so it doesn't seem like it's a grudge."
"If it were a grudge, the attackers would already be dead, but..."
"It's not over yet."
Lizel smiled, interrupting Gil's words and continuing the conversation.
Gil sighed in exasperation, thinking that Lizel couldn't possibly have sensed something on the other side of the attackers like he had.
Yes, Gil had sensed a presence separate from the attackers. He couldn't explain how he noticed the presence, which was suppressed to the extreme, but he was certain he wasn't mistaken.
If such a person existed, the attackers were merely pawns, and thinking that they wouldn't be targeted again was overly optimistic.
"The same arrows and the bandit-like attackers were probably intentional. Their intention is probably to scare me."
"Well, I can understand the feeling. I'd like to break your composure once."
"Why are you agreeing with the attackers...?"
He sighed dramatically and thought about the real attackers who remained hidden. If they truly hated Lizel, they wouldn't resort to such methods. Perhaps they want to put pressure on him by making him feel constantly targeted, driving him to desperation.
The intention to slowly torment their prey is sadistic, yet full of childishness. The fact that they're aware of Gil's presence but still interfere suggests a decadent attitude, as if they don't care about the consequences as long as they can enjoy themselves.
However, the troublesome part is that the methods they're using aren't simply childish.
"Well, it probably would have been an effective method against anyone but you."
"Do you think I wouldn't be fazed by anything, Gil?"
"I truly believe that."
Gil, with a serious expression, opened the guild doors.
Since their party rank had reached C, they could now accept B-rank quests. They headed towards the quest board to see if there were any new and interesting quests.
Light footsteps approached the two as they discussed which quest to choose.
Gil turned around and nudged Lizel with his elbow, prompting Lizel, who had been intently staring at the "Urgent! Help Wanted for a Theater Troupe" notice on the board, to look up.
"Ah, the one from yesterday."
"Eleven! Please let me join your party!"
"Okay, one more time."
"Solo C-rank! My strengths are my good voice and good looks! My weaknesses are that I look scrawny and I stand out! I volunteered because I thought that since you both have good looks, forming a party would give me an unparalleled sense of superiority!"
"You've stopped lying, but your adventurer appeal failed. Try again."
"I'll be back!"
Amidst the bewildered stares from those around them, the fact that Eleven wasn't being ridiculed was proof that his words weren't entirely false.
However, this wasn't the kind of appeal an adventurer should make to join a party. With an unchanging smile, Eleven received the rejection and, with a grin, left the guild with his usual light steps.
Gil looked down at Lizel, who was watching him go, with a puzzled expression, and then sighed as he looked at the request form in his hand.
"...Are you going to accept that?"
"Something about it caught my attention."
[Urgent Recruitment! Help Wanted for a Theater Troupe]
Rank: Unspecified
Client: Traveling Theater Troupe "Phantasm"
Reward: 10 silver coins (+α)
Request: Seeking personnel for setting up, backstage preparations, and other tasks requiring adaptability.
Those who can use magic to imbue stage props with magical power are especially welcome.
(Up to 30 silver coins negotiable)
The low reward for hiring a mage, who are generally few in number, probably wasn't offered with much expectation.
Many adventurers can use simple magic, but only mages would have enough magical power to imbue magical devices with power, though the extent of their abilities is unknown.
Lizel usually uses an efficient gun, but he can also use magic if he wants to.
Thinking that he could manage somehow, he glanced at Gil out of the corner of his eye, who was looking down at him with a displeased expression.
"Do you dislike it?"
"Yes, I do."
"Is it absolutely impossible?"
"Is that so?"
"..."
Gil clicked his tongue and averted his gaze.
He hesitated to leave Lizel alone at this moment, knowing that Lizel would likely head off on his own if left unchecked.
With Studd's cold, "You lying bastard," gaze fixed on him from the guild reception desk, Gil reluctantly nodded. If necessary, he could simply keep himself busy nearby as an escort.
Lizel smiled brightly, took the form, and headed towards the request counter.
But why was Studd really here? He had heard that he would come to work regardless of whether it was a holiday or not, but his confident demeanor, waiting for Lizel, made it seem as if he had been certain they would come.
"Studd, you were drinking quite a bit last night, you should take the day off."
"I've never carried over the effects to the next day, so I'm fine."
After physically silencing the staff member next to him who was teasing him about coming home late, Studd calmly completed the reception process.
He paused for a moment when he saw the request form, perhaps surprised by something.
However, knowing that Lizel readily accepted even unusual requests, he didn't show any agitation. Even when he wasn't taking requests with Gil, he had always enjoyed taking on unusual ones.
"This request was issued while you were in the commercial nation of Marcade, so it's a bit sudden, but the meeting time is tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM at the East Plaza in front of the central district."
"A meeting? Are there many people gathering?"
"No, there are two groups of adventurers. Both want assistance with setting up and preparations, so the magic power replenishment station is free."
"That's good then."
Smiling, he accepted the request.
The behind-the-scenes work of a performance was also interesting; in his original world, he could watch performances from a special seat, but he couldn't see the preparations.
Seeing Lizel's excitement, Gil sighed resignedly and returned to the request board to check on the day's requests.