"It seems like all the stolen items were from the labyrinth. They were all quite valuable, worth about one gold coin each."
One gold coin for a valuable item—that was certainly true, but given Lizel's slightly skewed sense of monetary value, it needed to be reconfirmed.
After all, one scale from a regular labyrinth boss dragon was worth one gold coin. One scale from a rare species of underground dragon (and a super-large one at that), a hidden boss, was worth ten gold coins.
The materials from the bosses that Gil hunted and defeated as a test of his skills were all bought at high prices. Though it seemed he didn't sell them very often.
This was because there were hardly any parties capable of defeating the bosses on the lowest floor, and even those parties faced life-threatening danger with each hunt.
Lizel, who had only recently begun to understand the general standards of an adventurer, was starting to doubt if Gil was truly human.
He had even felt relieved when he saw Gil take a few hits for the first time during a fight with an underground dragon. Since it was through his defenses, and thanks to the quality of his equipment, he was unharmed.
Normally, ten gold coins in the royal capital would be enough to rent a house for several years. In the countryside, it would be enough to build a house. One gold coin would probably be enough for a family to live modestly for a month.
However, Lizel's sense of monetary value, despite being a former noble and having been penniless at one point, remained unchanged.
He understood market prices and general living expenses, but that didn't stop him from spending large sums of money without hesitation.
Gil, who could be considered a highly successful adventurer, was also the same; in other words, his spending habits were so extravagant that it wouldn't be surprising if he were hated for it.
Gil looked at Lizel with a bewildered expression as Lizel reconsidered the value of one gold coin and nodded, realizing it was indeed a large sum of money.
"Judge's shop handles much more expensive items, so why didn't they steal those? Maybe because they knew they'd get caught?"
"And they'd definitely leave a trail when selling them. We've had our guys searching the black market, but we haven't heard anything about multiple labyrinth items being circulated."
"I suppose so."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Besides, why are you here?"
A low voice interrupted Eleven's attempt to question Lizel, who nodded as if he saw right through him.
Even though Eleven had only just yesterday asked to join their party again, he had shown up at their table as if nothing had happened, ready to eat dinner with them.
Lizel and Gil, who had been acting completely separately, had coincidentally met outside, and Lizel had suggested they have dinner together. The timing seemed too perfect to be a coincidence, but Gil sensed that the surveillance that had been following him until yesterday had been lifted.
Gil narrowed his eyes at Eleven, wondering if he had been the one following Lizel, but Eleven deliberately spread his hands wide and laughed.
"No, it was a coincidence! I finished gathering information, and I was just wandering around thinking about going to ask to join the party again with a gift, and then I saw you guys."
"That's awfully kind of you."
"Always! By the way, how about a sparring match sometime?"
"If you can last five minutes, I'll do it."
Eleven grinned at Gil's casual reply.
He was no match for him, but that's precisely what made it so exciting...
Gil himself seemed to enjoy fighting strong opponents, and he would gladly challenge anyone who could fight him on equal terms. He knew Eleven didn't have the skill to be considered an equal opponent, but he was a promising opponent for some practice after a long time. "Fifty-fifty, huh?" Eleven muttered, and Gil glanced at him before looking at Lizel.
"Aren't you supposed to stay out of this?"
"I haven't done anything yet. Besides, I said I wouldn't do it openly, didn't I?"
Gil was exasperated by Lizel's unapologetic statement that doing it secretly would be fine.
It was typical of him to carefully hedge his bets with his words.
Lizel smiled, thinking of Judge, who apparently had been showing up at the Commercial's Guild every day to complain, and thought that he was surprisingly stubborn. He was a little weak-willed, but he was inherently strong-willed; there were things he wouldn't compromise on as a merchant.
However, he considered that being branded with a bad reputation would be detrimental to his business.
"Shall we go accept a request tomorrow?"
"Huh?"
Gil didn't understand what Lizel was thinking to arrive at that conclusion, but he didn't need to.
If it was necessary, he would say something, and he would probably find out tomorrow when they went to the guild anyway.
Gil, who usually didn't object to anything Lizel did, nodded with a puzzled expression, and Eleven next to him shouted, "Me too!"
The next morning, Lizel and the others were choosing requests at the guild.
Their party rank was C, meaning they could accept requests up to rank B, but of course, that didn't mean they couldn't accept F-rank requests. However, accepting low-rank requests wouldn't do anything to impress the guild, and therefore, they couldn't hope for a rank-up.
However, sometimes there were requests specifically addressed to them that were outside their appropriate rank, so that was the reason.
But Lizel generally looked through requests of all ranks and often chose those that piqued his interest, so he frequently took on requests outside his appropriate rank.
Among adventurers, there was an unwritten rule to avoid taking on requests outside their appropriate rank to avoid being rumored as inexperienced or simply cowardly, but Lizel didn't care about such things.
"Excuse me, but we've received a request from a young man attending a certain academy, specifically addressed to you, asking for help with a report."
"Tell him to do his homework himself."
"I'll handle it that way."
Lizel smiled as he replied to Studd's words, who had approached him calmly, and then he calmly walked away again.
It was undoubtedly the same young man the children had brought before, but this time, Lizel wasn't interested.
It's possible to refuse a specific request, but adventurers who value their connections with clients rarely do so.
Moreover, this client was likely a promising student from a famous academy, yet Lizel easily refused, drawing the attention of those around him.
Incidentally, the moment Lizel refused, a young man with lifeless eyes ran away crying outside the guild, but no one in the guild noticed.
"As expected, you're smart, just like your appearance suggests! That famous academy around here must be either a knight academy or a magic academy in the neighboring country, right?"
The attention wasn't solely due to his refusal of the request.
Eleven, standing on the opposite side of Lizel from Gil, wore a smile that could be interpreted as either friendly or provocative.
His vibrant red attire was eye-catching, and his distinctive equipment that clung to his slender body, along with the twin swords at his waist, made him a noticeable presence in the adventurer's guild.
Eleven, who was teasing Lizel, who was almost the same height as him, was a person of interest among the adventurers, as he was hoping to join Gil and Lizel's party.
"From what I saw before, it's the Magic Academy. ...Ah, Gil, what about this request?"
"['Testing a New Sword'], no way, most swords break after a few swings when I use them."
"Is that why you carry so many greatswords around?"
"How incredibly strong! Seriously, won't you let me join your party?!"
"No."
Every time Eleven enters the guild, he subtly brings up the fact that he hasn't joined a party yet, but he's not genuinely begging to join.
Of course, he truly wants to join, but mentioning it at the guild is a way of appealing to those around him.
By emphasizing that he hasn't joined a party yet, he's preventing Lizel and Gil from being inconvenienced.
Understanding this, Lizel's refusal is gentle, and his somewhat complimentary tone makes Eleven's usual smirk seem even more frivolous, causing him to work hard to control his facial muscles every time.
Occasionally, someone tries to pick a fight with Eleven, perhaps thinking he's trying to curry favor, but the rumor is that they never get away unscathed.
However, Gil glanced at Eleven, who was standing next to Lizel choosing a request, thinking that it couldn't just be a rumor.
Eleven, with his long hair swaying like a snake as he clung to Lizel, truly lived up to his reputation of successfully balancing being an adventurer and a thief's leader without anyone noticing for so long.
Most people would be deceived by his innocent approach, seeing him as a free-spirited solo adventurer who has finally found a party he wants to join.
That's why those who misunderstand him carelessly reach out and get bitten by a snake dripping with venom.
Their gazes suddenly met.
His narrow, slanted eyes narrowed further, as if understanding Gil's intentions, and his lips twisted into a strange grin. Eleven, who had been subtly looking over Lizel's shoulder at the request he held, slightly raised his head and smiled, offering words that could be considered either advice or commentary on the request.
The smile, imbued with a seductive charm and murderous intent that seemed to emanate from the abyss, quickly vanished, replaced by an innocent expression as he continued his conversation with Lizel.
Eleven, who had smiled while confirming Gil's prediction, seemed to have no intention of causing them any trouble. With this confirmation, Gil sighed, concluding that it was none of his business.
"Gil?"
"...Nothing. Are you going to accept that?"
"What do you think?"
"There's no problem for me, but I wonder about you."
[Acquisition of White Golem Core]
Rank: B-A
Client: Tools Magic Item Workshop
Reward: 10-15 silver coins per core
Request: We would like you to obtain a White Golem core.
However, since it will be used in the production of magic items, it must be undamaged.
The reward varies depending on the size (criteria are detailed on the back).
"Ah, certainly. Golems aren't very susceptible to magic, so wouldn't it be dangerous for you?"
"But I've never seen a golem before, and I'd like to see one at least once."
"Do as you like."
Golems are monsters unique to dungeons, so they are not usually found outside of them.
They don't appear in all dungeons, so Lizel hadn't encountered them in the dungeons he had explored so far.
Since Gil would stop him if it were truly dangerous, Lizel happily smiled, assuming there was no danger, or at least that it was within Gil's capabilities to handle, and took the form to the reception desk. Meeting something new is always exciting.
He headed towards Studd, who, after naturally offering Lizel a designated request, was sitting at the request reception counter, keeping everyone else away.
"Aren't you spoiling him too much?"
"..."
"Letting him take the request even though it's dangerous is like telling you to protect him, isn't it? I don't think that's good for the party."
Eleven, watching Gil who was casually looking at A-rank requests to pass the time, spoke to him with a smirk, hands clasped behind his head.
Lizel was talking intently with Studd while handling the request procedures. The distance and volume of their conversation were definitely too far for Lizel to hear, so it wasn't like he was trying to provoke Gil like before.
Was he simply curious, or was he amused that Gil had become soft?
Gil, who had been ignoring him dismissively, realized that Lizel, who seemed to be discussing something even after the request procedures were finished, wouldn't be coming back anytime soon.
He looked down at the annoying man with a cold, expressionless gaze.
"Does it concern you?"
"Because I'm joining the party soon, so I'm curious! ...Is that real killing intent? Sorry."
Feeling a sharp, even intimidating aura from GIl, Eleven's face twitched, realizing how annoying he must have been.
He felt a thrill of excitement creeping up his spine, along with a definite sense of danger that his life could be taken.
If he could survive the fight regardless of the outcome, he would gladly continue provoking him, but he had no intention of engaging in a fight where he would definitely be killed. That's why he could easily ask for a sparring match for a quick thrill, but Eleven had no intention of fighting seriously to the death.
Gil let out a sigh, putting away his dangerous aura.
"If he wanted to be protected, he wouldn't have accepted the request in the first place."
"That person? But magic doesn't work on golems, does it?"
"If he wanted me to protect him, he wouldn't have said it like that; he would have coerced me."
"If you were going to answer, you should have said that from the beginning."
Eleven pouted, "I wish he'd coerce me," Eleven thought, pursing his lips, then blinked.
"Coerced... does that mean a command?" It was a word that didn't suit the gentle Lizel.
Even now, as he gently stroked Studed's head with a faint smile, there wasn't a trace of a dictatorial atmosphere about him. He still looked like a nobleman, but he seemed completely devoid of any overbearing attitude.
"That person... commanding, huh?"
Eleven frowned, looking confused, and Gil inwardly thought, "I guess so," ending the conversation.
It was a feeling only those who had experienced it could understand. The pure, overwhelming pressure, like receiving a supreme command that instilled the need to protect Lizel, had only been experienced by Gil and Studd so far.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"You were deep in conversation."
"I had a small request."
Lizel waved to Studd, and they immediately left the guild.
Eleven, who had been giving off a somewhat unconvinced vibe, quickly changed his demeanor, smiling brightly and following them.
It seemed that their encounter at the guild that morning wasn't a coincidence after all. Lizel gave a wry smile at the person who clearly intended to tag along.
Was it against the rules to follow them on a quest without permission? It would be a violation if he were trying to steal the credit, but Eleven had no such intention.
Even if Eleven helped them complete the quest without being part of their party, it wouldn't count towards his own achievements or raise his guild rating. Like Gil when he was employed, there was no benefit for him in this quest.
"There's no benefit to you coming along. Besides, you can't even enter the labyrinth with us, can you?"
"The labyrinth's atmosphere is incredibly accommodating, so it'll be fine! As long as you guys don't refuse, I can accompany you!"
"Come to think of it, those tourists from Marcade were able to accompany us even though they weren't part of our party."
Of course, this assumes that both parties are aware of and agree to the arrangement, but it seems that even those who aren't in a party can enter the labyrinth together. It's unclear how this works, but it's the labyrinth, so anything is possible.
Gil frowned, considering refusing, and glanced disapprovingly at Eleven.
He had many things he wanted to say about taking someone who wasn't in their party on a quest or into the labyrinth, but before that...
"You're too conspicuous. If you're coming with us, walk separately."
"Speaking of which, I'm attracting a lot of attention today... As expected, someone who stands out so much that it's a disadvantage is different."
"No, no, I don't mean you're always conspicuous! I mean you're not suited for stealth operations... or rather, you guys are already conspicuous!"
While arguing with Lizel, who was laughing teasingly, Eleven realized, "Ah, these people are completely unaware." They had expressions that showed absolutely no understanding of the idea that they were inherently conspicuous.
Eleven had thought this when he was investigating them, but despite the lack of information, their notoriety among adventurers was exceptionally high.
Normally, famous adventurers, like Gil before, would only have their names circulated among other adventurers due to their unique strength, but these two were well-known even among ordinary citizens.
Even if their names weren't known, if someone heard a description of their characteristics, most people would likely recognize them.
"First of all, just being good-looking makes you stand out, and having two of you makes you stand out even more, and the strange combination makes you stand out, and being adventurers makes you stand out, and being incredibly powerful makes you stand out even more. How can you possibly think you don't stand out?"
"Lately, I've actually started acting more like a proper adventurer, haven't I?"
"Huh, are you serious...?"
Seeing Gil's exasperated expression behind Lizel, Eleven understood everything.
Eleven swallowed the words he was about to say and nodded solemnly. It would be tactless to point it out here.
Moreover, Lizel's slightly pleased expression made him swallow his words even further.
"I'm just the catalyst, you know? A kind of buffer for people who find it difficult to look at you?"
"Difficult to look at?"
"Well, you're kind of... intimidating to look at. Whether you're talking to a child or eating at a food stall, you give off this aura of being from a different world. Though lately, the reputation is that you've finally started to blend in."
"Doesn't that mean I'm unapproachable...?"
Lizel pondered dramatically over this reputation, something he'd never heard in his original world.
Even in his original world, he had lived surrounded by similar people. In other words, he lived among people from the same world, and he never interacted with people in the city like this.
In truth, it wasn't so much that Lizel had blended in, but rather that those around him had gotten used to him, but Lizel, who was scratching his head wondering why, was never told this.
Eleven chuckled at Lizel's reaction and then looked at Gil.
He grinned at Gil, who was looking at him with a displeased expression.
"Single-Stroke-niisan used to give off this vibe that you'd get cut down if you even made eye contact with him, but lately, it seems like not only the girls from the back alleys but also the girls around here are getting smitten with him!"
"I don't need that."
"Ah, but some of the girls from the back alleys say they preferred him the way he was before..."
"Speaking of which, they did say before, 'That aura was addictive.'"
"!!"
Unaware of the two who had suddenly become serious, Lizel continued walking as if nothing had happened, a smile still on his face.
Certainly, he's a man, and it's not strange for him to have interactions with women like that, it's not strange, but Gil and Eleven looked at Lizel, who had just made a rather shocking statement. It didn't fit at all with his pure and innocent image.
Gil, who strangely came to the conclusion that Judge would cry if he heard this, and Eleven, who was inwardly trying to figure out the true meaning of what Lizel said, differed simply because of the length of their acquaintance.
Gil's solution, based on their past interactions, was that if you take everything Lizel says and does seriously, you'll be led astray; it's best to just let it slide.
"Well, basically, adventurers are a noticeable bunch, aren't they?"
"Some of them wear full armor, and their weapons are conspicuous in the first place."
"That can't be helped. Swords and other weapons are intimidating, after all. And there aren't many pieces of equipment that are exactly the same."
Armor can be bought at a shop or made by bringing in materials.
Even when buying from a shop, the design changes depending on the materials used, so it's rare to find two people with exactly the same equipment. If you bring in your own materials, you can even incorporate your own designs as long as it doesn't hinder the manufacturing process.
As a result, many adventurers wear unique equipment, making them eye-catching. And quite a few adventurers feel a sense of superiority because of this.
"Your equipment isn't something you see around here very often, is it? Mostly cloth armor... how high-quality are the materials you're using?"
"You're lightly armored yourself, aren't you?"
"I prioritize agility, so I don't like heavy metal armor. I'll definitely take damage if I get hit."
Naturally, metal armor is more effective at protecting oneself than cloth armor.
Wearing cloth armor, which would leave you injured even from a monster's claws, is only done with top-tier equipment. Even the lowest-ranked adventurers have at least leather armor.
When they showed their guild cards to the gatekeeper to leave the city, the gatekeeper, who had seen Lizel many times before, let them through without hesitation. He did, however, look at Eleven standing beside him with a curious expression.
"Whoa, isn't this mithril? And it's being used so extensively... from a top-tier dragon species..."
"Are we walking?"
"By carriage."
Lizel let Eleven examine his loose-fitting clothes as much as he wanted.
He smiled at Gil, who was giving him a look that said, "Isn't that annoying?", and headed towards the only carriage stop outside the city.
The carriages there were owned by the guild and were used by adventurers who repeatedly traveled to and from several dungeons outside the city. They didn't stop at dungeons within walking distance, so they had to walk to nearby dungeons.
The dungeon where the White Golem was located was about an hour and a half away by carriage. It was a bit too far to walk.
Perhaps because it was early morning when adventurers set out for dungeons, there were many adventurers at the stop.
There were also many carriages at this time, so they probably wouldn't have to wait long, although quite a few people would be riding in each carriage.
The adventurers stirred for a moment when Lizel and his companions approached, but the commotion quickly subsided. In the royal capital of Parteda, people had largely grown accustomed to their presence.
However, Eleven, who was accompanying them, attracted some attention, but he simply let go of Lizel's clothes, which he had been holding, without paying any mind to the stares.
"The White Golem is found in this country... in the 'Black and White Castle' and the 'Box Cave,' right?"
"That's right."
The layout of the labyrinths is somewhat predetermined.
They are often categorized as ruin-type, castle-type, cave-type, forest-type, etc., and the names of the labyrinths often reflect these characteristics.
Lizel had read through the guild's monster encyclopedia, so he remembered the habitats.
"Should we go to the closer one?"
"Yeah. By the way, you've been quite active with requests lately."
"I've been feeling a bit out of shape lately. I mean, Gil can climb stairs endlessly without even getting out of breath."
"You can't compare yourself to Single-Stroke-niisan! That guy's not even human!"
"Really?"
"Let's talk later."
Since returning from Marcade, Lizel had indeed been taking on more requests, as Gil had suggested.
He hadn't been taking on many requests to begin with, so even though the frequency had increased, it wasn't to the point of going constantly.
Gil probably didn't mean it in the literal sense. As Lizel had said in Marcade, he seemed to have some reservations about being a lower rank than Gil as the party leader.
He had told him not to worry about it, but Lizel seemed to still be bothered by it. Or perhaps he was simply annoyed by having to constantly confirm with guild staff other than Studd that Lizel was indeed the leader.
While Gil was thinking that the latter was more likely, the carriage arrived.
They boarded in the order they were lined up, and the carriage, which could hold about fifteen people, gradually filled up.
Lizel and his group couldn't get on the first carriage, so they would have to wait for the next one. Knowing there was plenty of room, the adventurers boarded the carriage, nearly twenty of them in total. After seeing them off, some even sitting on the roof, another carriage arrived fairly quickly.
This time, there was just enough room for Lizel and the others, but it looked like they'd have to sit on the roof.
"This is my first time up here, it seems quite high."
"Ah, ah... should we switch?"
"It's alright."
Lizel smiled, wondering why the people who had already boarded looked so uncomfortable as they asked.
He watched as Gil easily climbed the ladder next to the usual entrance, and Eleven nimbly followed. Lizel then reached for the ladder himself.
The adventurers waiting for the next carriage watched anxiously, as if they were witnessing something they shouldn't. Lizel finally climbed to the top with a grunt. He couldn't imitate Eleven, who was standing confidently on the slightly curved roof, so he immediately sat down after reaching the top.
Even the driver looked back with a hint of unease, but the carriage departed as scheduled.
"Wow, it's quite bumpy!"
"You won't fall."
When the carriage jolted violently, Lizel instinctively grabbed Gil's leg, who was sitting cross-legged next to him, but Gil didn't shake him off.
Compared to Judge's well-made carriage, this guild-owned carriage was sturdily built, but not much thought had been put into passenger comfort.
As he had noticed while sitting inside, there was a considerable amount of rattling and vibration during the ride. Previously, his back had hurt so much that he had ended up standing.
Eleven, who had walked across the roof of the moving carriage and sat down next to Lizel with his legs stretched out, looked curiously at Lizel as he rummaged through his pouch.
"Here, Gil, here you go."
"Hmm."
"You can use it too, if you'd like."
"A cushion? Wow, what is this?"
"What?! Why are you making cushions out of the fur of a Phantom Wolf?!"
"The carriage was shaking too much, so I had them made."
"What a waste!"
The adventurers inside the carriage momentarily doubted their ears at the voice coming from the roof.
The Phantom Wolf, as its name suggests, is an extremely rare species, almost legendary, and usually inhabits steep, rocky slopes that are practically cliffs.
The secret to its toughness, which is said to allow it to survive even a fall from a cliff, lies in its fur, a material specialized in shock absorption that occasionally appears on the market and fetches high prices.
It's a material that would make someone a top-tier adventurer if used to craft armor, but for Lizel, it was the perfect solution to his back pain caused by the bumpy carriage ride.
Of course, it was also used in Lizel's equipment, but he used the leftover fur to make several cushions.
"Oh, so fluffy!"
"Right?"
Its effectiveness was so impressive that even Eleven, who was initially surprised, couldn't help but agree. The moment he sat down, the cushion's elasticity, neither too hard nor too soft, absorbed his weight.
The rattling and shaking vibrations were felt, but the impact wasn't transmitted, and the discomfort disappeared as if he were in a rocking cradle.
Gil could sit without it, but he didn't want to experience any unnecessary discomfort. He generously spread out the gray fur cushions.
Unaware that the adventurers sitting on the chairs inside the carriage were thinking how nice it was, Lizel and the others were spending a relatively comfortable time on the roof, away from the crowds.
Once the worst of the seating discomfort was overcome, the roof wasn't such a bad place after all.
When using the carriage, they would sometimes travel across plains or through forests, so they would occasionally encounter monsters. In such cases, the principle is that the adventurers in the carriages handle the situation, and no one objects to this.
However, since different parties are mixed together, there are apparently sometimes disputes over the spoils after the battle, but Lizel has never witnessed this. Lizel himself didn't realize that the reason for this was to avoid incurring Gil's irritation at the delay in departure that would result from such arguments.
"We're almost at the first dungeon, aren't we? We're going to the third one, right?"
"Yes,"
"What's wrong...? Ah, I see, you're quite observant, even though you're not a beastman."
This was while they were heading towards the first dungeon, their first stop.
After answering, Gil suddenly looked in the direction the carriage had come from, and Lizel and Eleven also looked that way.
Only Eleven could accurately sense what it was, but from the reactions of the two, Lizel could tell that something was there.
A few seconds later, a shadow of something came rushing towards them from behind the moving carriage.
Several shadows were gradually closing the distance to the moving carriage, and their forms gradually became clearer.
"Those large bird monsters running on the ground at such incredible speed have a strange kind of power."
"They can fly, but they rarely do."
"Maybe running is faster for them?"
Several "Forest Runners," bird monsters about a meter tall with streamlined bodies, were sprinting through the forest with their heads held low.
The speed at which they were running was so great that if they were to ram the carriage, they would easily break through the walls—they were incredibly fast for birds.
Their folded wings were held tightly against their bodies, as if to say they were a hindrance to running, and their iron-like beaks reflected the light. The people in the carriage hadn't yet noticed the monsters approaching from behind with faint footsteps. Since the adventurers sitting on the roof were generally the ones keeping watch, Eleven leaned back in his seat, wondering if he should have the carriage stopped.
However, just as Eleven was about to call out to the driver sitting opposite Lizel, Lizel stopped him.
"Gil, if I look like I'm going to fall, please catch me."
"Just don't fall in the first place..."
Taking his exasperated reply as an agreement, Lizel leaned towards the edge of the roof and peered into the carriage.
His body swayed precariously in the carriage, which was shaking even more than usual because they were in the forest, but Gil was holding onto his clothes from behind, so he wouldn't actually fall.
The adventurers were startled for a moment when Lizel's face suddenly appeared upside down, and their gazes converged on him, wondering what was wrong.
"Is there anyone in here who wants to fight a Forest Runner?"
"Huh?"
"If you don't particularly need the materials, we'll just defeat them and leave the carcasses behind."
They thought about his words for a moment, and then came to the conclusion that the carriage was currently being chased by Forest Runners.
Forest Runners, with their sharp beaks protruding at knee height and their swift movements, were difficult monsters for anyone to fight. A single blow from their beaks, which could pierce a tree, would render a person's legs useless.
Such monsters were darting around their feet, and attacking in groups, so they were certainly not an opponent anyone wanted to fight.
However, the adventurers, who had been about to stop the carriage and prepare their weapons, remembered Lizel's words and stopped their movements.
If he said they could defeat them and leave them behind, did that mean they could defeat them without stopping the carriage?
"If anyone wants the materials, you can stop the carriage and fight them,"
"If... if no one does..."
"I'll take care of it myself."
The adventurer who had been talking to Lizel near the boarding area silently looked around the carriage.
Seeing everyone shake their heads, he nodded to Lizel, still looking bewildered, giving his consent.
"Understood," Lizel said with a gentle smile, and then disappeared onto the roof of the carriage.
The adventurers near the windows leaned out competitively, cautiously peering towards the back of the carriage.
The horde of Forest Runners was now so close that they could even make out the patterns on their wings.
"Do you want anything?"
"I don't need anything, but with magic... wait, what's that...!"
Along with Eleven's astonished cry, a series of explosive sounds echoed through the forest.
The sound would attract monsters, but by the time any monsters heard the sound and arrived, the speeding carriage would be long gone, so there was no problem.
The adventurers who had been peering out the windows watched the Forest Runners fall with each explosion, their eyes wide with disbelief at what was happening.
The carefree voice from the roof seemed completely out of place.
"Ah, it dodged. As expected, fast monsters are different."
"Two more."
"Yes."
After a brief pause, two more explosive sounds rang out.
The adventurers didn't understand what had happened, but judging from the conversation, it seemed that this time the targets had been successfully eliminated without being able to dodge.
Hearing Lizel tell the driver that everything was alright, they knew the attack was over. Above the murmuring adventurers, who were convinced that the person who looked undeniably like a sorcerer must have done something with magic, Eleven was intently peering at and following with his eyes the gun that Lizel had (or appeared to have) stored in his spatial magic pouch at his waist.
"Hey, what's that... no, I know what it is!"
"This is different from ordinary guns; it's the type that requires magic power."
"It's floating!"
"It's for recoil control."
"I want to see it again!"
"No."
Lizel casually brushed off Eleven's eager questioning and settled down, adjusting his cushion.
He let out a sigh, and then rested his head on Gil's shoulder, who was giving him a puzzled look.
He wasn't the type to get tired from something like this, he thought, shrugging his shoulders at Lizel, whose puzzled expression quickly turned into one of exasperation.
"I'm feeling motion sickness..."
"Motion sickness? You were fine before!"
"It wasn't this bumpy back then, was it?"
Lizel had used carriages several times before, but he had never gotten motion sickness.
That's why Gil was giving him a surprised look, but until now, even when they encountered monsters, Lizel hadn't participated in combat[1], and they would stop the carriage whenever a fight broke out.
It seemed that focusing intently on aiming in the opposite direction of travel amidst the considerable shaking had backfired.
In his original world, he had ridden in carriages used by the upper class, which had absolutely no vibration, so it seemed he had gotten motion sickness because he was doing something he wasn't used to.
As Lizel looked up at the sky to avoid looking at the rapidly changing forest scenery, Eleven, realizing he couldn't ask any questions right now, rummaged through his own spatial magic pouch.
"Are you okay? Here."
"Hmm?"
"Chocolate."
He tried to take the chocolate that Eleven had unwrapped and offered to him, but it was avoided. Lizel blinked, and Eleven grinned, bringing a piece of chocolate to his lips. Lizel gave a wry smile and reluctantly took it. Contrary to expectations, the sweetness was subtle, clearing his head.
He enjoyed Gil loosening his collar, while thinking about something irrelevant: no one would ever imagine that three of these rare and expensive containers with spatial magic would be found in such a place.
Suddenly, Lizel noticed Eleven taking his hand and strangely massaging his palm and arm.
"What kind of massage is that?"
"They say it's for motion sickness, but honestly, I don't know if it works."
"Oh, I've never heard of that before."
He didn't know if it was effective for motion sickness, but the massage itself certainly felt good.
He hadn't bought any books on that subject because he didn't particularly want to read them, but maybe he should read one sometime.
The carriage was still swaying, but he wasn't particularly prone to motion sickness, so he was gradually recovering.
He thanked Eleven and stopped his cool hand, and the carriage gradually slowed down as the first labyrinth came into view.
"You've been so attentive, I feel much better."
"How's that? I think I'm pretty useful!"
"Yes, you're a very good boy."
Eleven choked up at Lizel's smile.
He hadn't done it with any ulterior motives, but after doing it, he wondered if it was strange, and gave a somewhat calculated reply. Yet, he saw right through him and praised him sincerely, leaving him speechless.
Eleven groaned and clutched his head, and Lizel laughed at him, then lifted his head from Gil's shoulder where he had been resting it. After watching several adventurers disembark from the stopped carriage and approach the labyrinth's entrance, they returned the smiles of the adventurers who briefly raised their hands in thanks for the monster slaying.
Normally, adventurers returning from the labyrinth would board the carriage, but at this time of day, there were only adventurers heading into the labyrinth, so there wouldn't be any returning yet.
"There's space inside now, what would you like to do?"
"Since we can sit here, this is fine."
There might be space, but there wouldn't be any empty seats.
After declining the offer from the coachman, the carriage soon started moving again.
It would take about thirty more minutes to reach the labyrinth that Lizel and the others were aiming for. The weather was nice, and even if there were empty seats, there was no need to go inside the carriage. It was still early morning, so it was a little cool, but the sunlight was warm, so it wouldn't be a problem.
"How many white golem cores do we need?"
"We should just take all the ones we get."
A peaceful conversation took place beside the groaning Eleven.
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Author Misaki Note:
Eleven is still getting used to things, so he's feeling overwhelmed. He's also afraid of getting scolded.
So, once he figures out what he can and can't do without getting in trouble, and gets a little more comfortable, he'll probably go back to his original elusive personality. Probably.
[1] Note: while Lizel did fight against monsters during the journey with Judge while the carriage was moving, remember that Judges carriage was incredibly good and didn't sway or rock a lot.