There are several reasons why Studd is in charge of registering new adventurers.
One reason is to force him, the most unapproachable person in the guild, to interact with new adventurers first, so they can get used to him.
Conversely, it's also to thoroughly break down any adventurers who look down on guild staff, preventing them from ever thinking of defying the staff again.
Another reason is that he has completely memorized the numerous guild regulations, allowing him to calmly answer any question thrown at him.
Furthermore, even in the royal capital of Parteda, there aren't that many new adventurers coming in every day, so he's also capable of flexibly assisting with other tasks during his free time.
"That concludes the explanation. Do you have any questions?"
He always performs his job calmly and without change, but recently, a slight change has appeared.
Studd's eyes, which had been staring at the new adventurer with an intimidating, expressionless gaze, subtly shifted as he confirmed that a new adventurer had entered the guild.
Before the adventurer, who had been forced to endure his fixed gaze and felt nothing but fear, could notice the change, his gaze returned to him.
"Do you have any questions? You don't, do you? You don't, right? Say you don't. Say it!"
"Huh?"
"If you have any, say them quickly! Are you listening?"
The calm, monotonous voice felt like a crushing pressure, a path that everyone who registers at this guild must go through.
Of course, no one laughed at the speechless adventurer; instead, sympathetic glances were directed at him due to the unusually strong pressure.
A currently active adventurer, who had probably brought him in, placed a hand on the adventurer's shoulder. They were adventurers who had registered in another country, but they had experienced Studd's "baptism" when they had once acted aggressively towards a staff member at this guild. Receiving silent encouragement, the new adventurer looked up, his face showing determination.
"There isn't any,"
Of course, he couldn't possibly ask any questions, and his voice trailed off into a small, polite tone.
Seeing this, Studd was convinced that there really wasn't anything. He certainly wasn't going to neglect his own work.
Before the adventurer could even stand up, Studd rose from his seat and, without a second glance, headed straight for the request completion counter.
He opened the closed counter and looked directly at the person he had confirmed entering the guild earlier.
"You're earlier than expected."
"Things went smoothly. I'm back, Studd."
The new adventurer, witnessing Studd enjoying a gentle caress of his hair, almost fainted, but managed to avoid falling off his chair thanks to the words "Get used to it."
"The Forky Gang, you say? What a ridiculous name, but I've been hearing about them a lot lately."
"Ridiculous... no, never mind."
"You were attacked? Understood. We'll mobilize the entire guild to eliminate them."
"It's alright, I already eliminated the people who attacked me."
Behind Studd, who was nodding calmly, a guild employee was frantically shaking his head and making a large "X" with his hands. Lizel gently calmed him down.
If Studd said he could do it, he undoubtedly could, but it would probably put a tremendous burden on the guild. Leaving them unchecked was dangerous, but it would be pointless if the guild suffered damage as a result.
Studd nodded, but he seemed somewhat dissatisfied as he completed the request termination procedures.
"If they're bandits, shouldn't the country be handling them?"
"It seems the country can't deploy troops because they can't pinpoint their base. If they deployed troops and failed to catch them, it would seriously damage their prestige."
"A mobile base? They're quite cautious for mere bandits."
The group calling themselves the Forky Gang apparently operates in a wide area.
They mainly operate in Partedarl (the original country name is Parteda, but now the capital city is referred to as Parteda, so this term encompasses the capital, the commercial nation, the magic ore nation, and other cities), appearing and committing robberies throughout Partedarl, regardless of direction.
Considering they easily sacrificed nearly twenty men when they clashed with Lizel and Gil, their scale is far beyond that of ordinary bandits.
According to information extracted from the bandits, their leader was present at that encounter, so perhaps they are currently using the area between the capital and the commercial nation as their hunting ground.
"They know when to retreat, and they're skilled at surprise attacks, so they might be a bad match for the country's knights."
"Besides, if the leader escapes, they can just recruit more members."
"Well, I don't plan on traveling far for a while, so it doesn't really concern me."
While waiting for the request completion procedures to finish, Lizel was thinking something rather outrageous: that if push came to shove, they could probably manage by just throwing Gil into the mix.
The request completion procedures take time. Did they perform adequately? What was the client's evaluation? How much should they be paid for a job where the reward varies depending on the work?
Even with all these considerations, there are still quite a few adventurers who complain about the final decision.
Suddenly, Studd stopped, looking at the information displayed on Lizel's guild card.
"Hmm, was there something I did wrong?"
"No, I just thought that since you defeated the underground dragon, you should be eligible for a rank-up."
"Even though it says I defeated it, Gil was the one who single-handedly cut it down."
"If you made a sufficient contribution to defeating the monster, it will be counted towards your kill count."
Lizel chuckled wryly. His contribution had mostly consisted of things like creating a hole in the dragon's breath attack and helping with its landing—things that were only indirectly related to the underground dragon itself.
However, if the guild card judged it that way, then it must be true. You couldn't be an adventurer if you doubted the evaluation of the latest technology.
Perhaps the judgment was that without Lizel, it would have been difficult to even reach the underground dragon safely.
In contrast to the calm demeanor of Studd, who remained unfazed by the mention of the underground dragon, the adventurers within earshot in the guild hall were stunned.
"Is it really okay to rank up so quickly?"
"It's also undesirable for the guild to have an adventurer who can fight an underground dragon still at E rank."
Ranking up isn't simply a matter of blindly completing quests.
For example, even if you only accept monster subjugation quests, you won't rank up if you're deemed unable to complete a variety of quests. Conversely, even if you accept a wide range of quests, you won't rank up if you're judged incapable of fighting higher-ranked monsters.
In that respect, Lizel, believing that everything is an experience, takes on quests that no one else wants (while acting alone, separate from Gil), and his abilities are sufficient to contribute to the subjugation of the underground dragon. He had more than met the conditions for a rank-up.
"Ranking up too quickly can be complicated in various ways, though."
"But it's only D rank, right?"
"That's true."
Generally, everyone can reach D rank without getting stuck.
It becomes difficult to advance from C rank onwards, and many adventurers struggle to move from D to C. Seeing Lizel nod in confirmation, indicating there were no problems, Studd proceeded with the rank-up process.
Up to B-rank, adventurers could be promoted based on the guild staff's judgment, but beyond that, the permission of a guild master was required.
Gil hadn't advanced beyond B-rank because of the hassle of the required training courses, which had been mentioned before.
"Do adventurers usually go out for drinks on occasions like this?"
"They usually drink to celebrate, but it's not an obligation."
"I can't drink, though. But since it's a special occasion, can I go with Gil when he goes out for drinks today?"
"You're going to drink?"
"I won't be drinking. Just for the atmosphere."
There was no need to do something specifically "adventurer-like," but it seemed like a good idea since it was a party.
Gil closed his mouth, resisting the urge to say that doing something like that wouldn't make him look like an adventurer, and gave him consent.
He generally preferred drinking alone, but drinking while having a pleasant conversation with a soft voice wouldn't be so bad occasionally.
With a calm voice saying "Congratulations," Lizel received his guild card.
"Can you let me join your adventurer party?!"
That's when it happened.
Lizel, suddenly addressed, turned to see a young man running towards them.
His fiery red hair was tied back, swaying and rippling like a snake.
Even more distinctive than his hair were the several scales on one cheek, indicating that he was a beastkin.
In Lizel's original world, people called beastkin lived normally, so he wasn't particularly surprised, but he had never encountered a beastkin that was presumably reptilian.
There was no one else in front of him except Lizel and Gil, so he was undoubtedly asking Lizel to join his party.
He narrowed his almond-shaped eyes even further, smiling and grinning with a friendly expression. He wore clothes that emphasized his slender build, and his lithe physique moved with a light, almost silent grace as he approached, without any clumsy thudding sounds. Two daggers were clearly visible at his waist, their presence undeniable.
He glanced at Gil, his face a seemingly ordinary frown, but there was something suspicious about the way he looked at him.
Certainly, anyone would be suspicious of a young man (though he looked to be over twenty) who suddenly wanted to join their party.
"Self-introduction and reason for applying."
"My name is Eleven, and my adventurer rank is Solo C! My strengths are my resistance to poison and my honesty! My weaknesses are that I'm not a morning person and I'm sensitive to the cold! I applied because I thought it would be really cool to defeat an underground dragon!"
"Your strengths and reason for applying contradict each other. Please try again."
"I'll be back!"
Before Gil could even reprimand him, the first encounter was over in a whirlwind.
He smiled, his lips curving upwards, at the rejection from Lizel, who had been listening to Eleven's story with a smile. He showed no sign of discouragement, and left the guild with light steps.
Watching his seemingly cheerful back, Lizel smiled, ignoring Gil's disapproving gaze.
"He's quite a charming young man in many ways, he has a certain presence."
"He doesn't seem to be what he appears. Don't be so easily taken in."
"I was just a little curious. This was probably an appeal, a way of saying, 'I'm honest, but I can easily tell lies that are to my advantage.'"
What exactly Lizel was curious about remained unclear to those around them.
Gil simply sighed with a displeased expression, and didn't pursue the matter further. If Eleven were a formidable opponent that even Gil couldn't defeat, that would be a different story, but since that's not the case, he's not someone who would pique Gil's interest.
Lizel turned to Studd, who was looking at Eleven with a somewhat displeased expression, and smiled reassuringly.
"Studd, who is he?"
"...Almost everything he said is true. He's a skilled individual who climbed to C-rank solo, but he's whimsical and not very enthusiastic about taking on requests, so he's stopped there."
"He's a beastman... a snake, perhaps? Being resistant to poison and sensitive to cold are characteristics of his species, right?"
"He claims to be a snake beastman. It's a rare type of beastman, but there have been precedents among past adventurers, so I don't think there's any mistake."
Beastmen exist everywhere.
Compared to ordinary humans, they often have superior physical abilities, so there are many adventurers among them, and in Lizel's world, they often used their physical abilities in construction and other industries. However, they are generally less skilled in handling magic.
The extent to which the characteristics of the animal manifest is completely random, but in Eleven's case, it seems only scales are visible on his surface. The more pronounced the characteristics, the stronger the benefits of the corresponding animal, so they are respected among beastmen.
The reason why reptile beastmen are rarely seen is simply because there are fewer of them, and since they dislike the cold, they often live in temperate regions. The reason Lizel hadn't seen them in his original world was entirely due to the difference in their living environments.
"Are you going to put him in the party?"
"Hmm, that's a little difficult."
Lizel shook his head in response to the question.
Studd thought it might be a misunderstanding, but he was secretly relieved that it didn't seem like he would be joining the party. After a moment of thought, he looked up at Lizel.
"If you're going out for drinks tonight, would it be alright if I joined you?"
Lizel smiled and nodded at his request, which was made in a slightly quieter voice out of consideration for being on duty.
After receiving his consent, he looked at Gil, who reluctantly nodded and averted his gaze. Unlike Studd, who was openly embracing his change, Gil was probably feeling a little awkward because he was aware that his former self would have immediately refused.
Lizel chuckled softly at Gil's reaction and then glanced at Studd, who seemed to be secretly overjoyed at having received his consent.
"I'll come pick you up. What time would be good?"
"Let's see... I think I'll be off around eight."
"Okay, I'll come around then."
Thinking it wouldn't be good to keep Studd tied up any longer, Lizel waved his hand as he prepared to leave, and Studd also raised his hand slightly.
He didn't know what to do since he had never waved before, so he just lowered his hand, but since Lizel smiled at him, Studd resumed his work, thinking it was probably alright.
At a slightly lively, familiar pub that had the atmosphere of a bar but also served proper meals, the four of them sat around a single table. Lizel and Gil sat facing each other across the round table, and Studd and Judge sat facing each other.
The reason Judge was there was simple: Judge, who had come to deliver the reward after completing a bodyguard assignment, and Lizel, who had come to pick up Studd, happened to meet in front of the guild.
Since the two of them were good friends, Lizel invited him along, and Judge happily nodded and followed.
"Technically, this is to celebrate my rank-up, so I'll treat you all today."
"Why are you paying?"
"Oh, wasn't that the case?"
In aristocratic society, when there's a celebration, people spend their own money preparing for parties, showing consideration for their guests, and essentially throwing lavish celebrations to show off. That's why Lizel's statement was completely out of place in this situation.
Lizel realized he was wrong, but nodded, thinking, "Well, whatever."
"Anyway, I'm paying today, so please eat as much as you like."
"Um, I could pay too..."
"I'll pay, so Judge, please be quiet."
"Why are you being so harsh on me...!"
"I'm not going to let someone younger than me pay. What would you like to order?"
"Yes," they said, and the two stopped arguing as the menu was handed to them.
In reality, no matter how much the bill came to, Judge was the owner of a famous shop, and Studd was the second-in-command at the Parteda Guild in the royal capital, so there was no way they couldn't afford it.
Incidentally, Studd, despite being constantly busy with work, had no plans to spend his money, so his already high salary was accumulating.
However, since Lizel had declared that he wouldn't let someone younger than him pay, the two backed down, not wanting to force the issue and embarrass him.
"For now, an ale, pale."
"Uh... I'll have an ale, brown."
"Something dry and decent, whatever you recommend."
"All three of you can drink, huh? Oh, a Saratoga."
While admiring the three who ordered so casually, Lizel ordered his usual non-alcoholic drink.
The master, who never showed any displeasure towards Lizel, who sometimes visited and only ate without drinking, nodded with his usual taciturn expression. He was a skilled man who could perfectly fulfill Studd's vague order. After ordering their food and seeing the master off, who left without much ceremony, Judge looked at Lizel with a surprised expression.
"Lizel, you don't drink...? That's a bit surprising; you seem like the type who would enjoy wine."
"It's just my constitution. I get drunk after just one sip."
"...By the way, what happens when you get drunk?"
"Unfortunately, I don't remember. But my former student told me I shouldn't drink, so I assume I don't handle my liquor well. He said I become the complete opposite of my usual self."
Lizel, who said this without any embarrassment, had his first experience with drunkenness at his family home.
Losing his memory while drunk was something unacceptable in the aristocratic society, where even verbal promises couldn't be taken lightly, so he had abstained from alcohol ever since.
Lizel's father had laughed, saying that nothing strange had happened while he was drunk, so he shouldn't worry about it. However, Lizel didn't quite trust his father's words, given his unique sensibilities, so he suspected he might have done something strange and continued to abstain from alcohol.
The reason Lizel drank again after so long was because his former student, now the king, insisted. However, even he didn't tell him what happened while he was drunk the next day after he sobered up.
The only thing he heard, accompanied by a sly grin, was "the complete opposite," which is why Lizel continues to abstain from alcohol.
"(Since he usually doesn't show any signs of lust,) does he become a sex maniac?"
"(Since he's usually very kind,) does his attitude become cold...?"
"(Since he's usually very doting,) does he become clingy?"
"Since Gil is paying today, Judge and Studd, don't hold back."
Gil frowned and clicked his tongue, but Lizel smiled brightly.
He certainly didn't want to think about the possibility of going crazy with lust while he had no memory of it. Gil seemed to realize he was at a disadvantage and didn't express any further complaints. Judge was nervously glancing at Gil, but Studd, as if this was the perfect opportunity to order whatever he wanted, immediately opened the menu.
While they were doing this, four mugs and glasses were brought to the table by the master and placed in front of them.
"Should we do a toast?"
"If you want to, go ahead."
"It's a celebration, so let's do it. Congratulations on your rank up!"
"Studd... couldn't you be a little more..."
Judge, who seemed to want to object to the rather bland toast, gave up halfway through and also raised his mug.
It wasn't the kind of place that suited a noisy atmosphere, so they simply clinked their glasses quietly, but the clear, ringing sound made Lizel narrow his eyes happily. Despite their various reactions, they were all genuinely celebrating Lizel.
Because he understood this, Lizel didn't hide his joy, and the three of them inwardly felt that they were glad they had done this.
Gil was about to gulp down his drink in one go, and surprisingly, Judge was also drinking continuously without stopping. Studd slowly sipped his drink and then stared intently into his glass.
"It's delicious."
"That's good. Master, you might be getting a new regular customer."
"...Is that so?"
When Lizel spoke to the master who happened to be passing by, he nodded as usual.
Seeing the three of them ordering food one after another, Gil smiled, thinking that while he was always like this, the two young men seemed hungry after working.
Watching them order so much food while drinking, he couldn't help but be impressed by how much they could eat.
"How was this escort mission? This clumsy oaf probably caused you a lot of trouble, but I think the journey was probably more comfortable than usual."
"There he goes again, calling me an oaf..."
"What? With that big body of yours and your slow movements, are you seriously going to say you didn't cause any trouble at all?"
"Uh..."
Judge was speechless, and Studd chuckled indifferently, his face expressionless.
Lizel smiled wryly and tilted his head slightly.
"Judge didn't cause me any trouble. But still, the treatment I received during Judge's escort mission was exceptional."
"You... after receiving all that hospitality, do you think that's normal?"
"Just checking, just checking."
"Since it was a request from Lizel, I thought that much was normal..."
Judge looked embarrassed, and even Studd agreed with him on that point, his face serious.
However, Lizel couldn't quite agree, as he was acutely aware that he was only an E-rank adventurer.
Of course, he would naturally prefer good treatment over bad, but he wondered what it was about him that resonated with them and led to such preferential treatment.
Lizel thought that Gil, who was making a bewildered face, probably felt the same way, but what Gil was actually thinking was, "I understand the sentiment, but it's overkill."
"Maybe it would be good to try a typical escort mission sometime."
"You're the kind of adventurer who would make the client feel obligated," Gil said, grinning.
Lizel pouted at Gil's teasing and took a sip of his drink.
It had a drier taste than regular fruit juice, making it even easier for Lizel to drink. He felt grateful that they had remembered his preferences after he had come to drink there several times.
Judge, with a serious expression, cautiously looked at Lizel.
"Ordinary escort requests involve sitting on the same floor as the cargo, being crammed into a cramped space..."
"I don't think it would be 'cramped' if you're accepting the request,"
"No! That's unacceptable! For Lizel to be treated like that...!"
Judge slammed his mug down on the table, trembling slightly as he spoke, imagining something terrible.
While ordering another drink for the empty mug, I wondered if he was drunk.
He doesn't seem like someone who can hold his liquor, but since he's ordering drinks, he's probably sober.
Even so, accepting various requests is the quickest way to rank up, I thought, glancing at Studd.
"Of course, I'm against it too. If you want to rack up requests, Judge will issue them repeatedly, so just accept those."
"That doesn't sound like something a guild employee would say."
"Having achievements is what matters. You're an exception yourself, having reached B rank almost entirely through monster hunting requests, so things like this happen."
"If Lizel wants it, I'll issue requests repeatedly...!"
"It's alright, let's both calm down for now. Here, the stuffed cabbage rolls are here."
After handing them the plates, the two began to eat. They were so obedient.
Gil sighed and ordered more drinks, and the master kept clearing away the empty bottles.
Inspired by Gil, who had started ordering by the bottle, the two young men were quickly emptying their glasses.
Lizel was also holding the bottle and pouring drinks every time they emptied their glasses, perhaps amused by how much they could drink. Since it had been a long time since they had drunk alcohol, they probably wanted to let loose.
After finishing several glasses of ale and moving on to wine, Judge smiled faintly, his cheeks slightly flushed.
"Speaking of which, I had something to brag about to Studd," Judge said.
"Do you think your bragging will be something I'll be proud of?" Studd replied with a completely unchanging expression, his face showing no change whatsoever.
Both of them had drunk quite a bit, but their speech was clear and steady. Lizel and Gil both thought, surprisingly, that they were quite strong drinkers. They had imagined Judge would get completely wasted quickly, but while he was somewhat drunk, he showed no signs of collapsing.
"I slept next to Lizel, and I even got to see his sleeping face... Aren't you jealous?"
Suddenly brought into the conversation, Lizel blinked and looked at Judge.
He looked somewhat smug, and he wondered if he found something enjoyable about seeing his sleeping face. He glanced at Studd, expecting him to scoff dismissively with a blank expression, since it was a bodyguard assignment after all. His expectation was completely wrong.
The three of them clearly saw a bolt of lightning strike behind Studd, who remained completely expressionless.
"How close were you sleeping next to each other? I'm so jealous, you idiot!"
"The return trip was a bit cramped, so maybe like a semi-double bed... And he even held my hand!"
It was amusing that this was a conversation between two men who were past the age of being considered children.
The conversation...
Lizel, the subject of the conversation, was now in a watchful stance, wearing a smile that accepted everything, while Gil was stifling laughter, letting out a small cough.
After confirming that a second bolt of lightning had struck behind Studd following the hand-holding comment, Judge puffed out his chest slightly with his large frame. Perhaps irritated by this, Studd straightened his posture and calmly looked down at Judge from below.
"Aren't you a little too cute and small? All merchants are cunning, you know."
"That's discrimination... If you're going to say that, Studd, you're usually so quiet in front of Lizel...!"
"I'm just being honest with myself. So, can I stay in your room tonight?"
"I'm fine with it, but it's a single room, so there's only one bed."
"We'll sleep together."
With the sudden shift in conversation and Studd's expressionless, smug face, Lizel finally understood that Studd was drunk.
Normally, Studd would be affectionate, but he would also be considerate enough not to cause trouble for Lizel, so he wouldn't act like this. While Lizel didn't think it was troublesome, he wondered if Studd would even remember this in the morning, putting his own feelings aside.
He pictured the bed he usually slept in, wondering if two men could comfortably sleep together. Perhaps it would be better to move to a double room just for tonight.
"He said he wants to sleep together, so let him sleep with you."
"You're enjoying this, aren't you, Gil?"
Gil, who was smirking, glanced at Studd. Following his gaze, Lizel saw Studd's expressionless face staring intently at him.
In his eyes was a plea; even upon closer inspection, it was something most people wouldn't notice, but Lizel, who could, gave a wry smile.
There was no reason to refuse other than the bed being cramped. He soothed Judge, who was sulking, saying that was unfair, and then gave his consent. Studd nodded once, and then immediately collapsed. Gil's quick reaction prevented Studd from face-planting into the plate, but his complete lack of movement after collapsing was starting to worry them.
"Is he drunk? Studd, are you alright?"
"Studd always falls asleep suddenly when he drinks too much. So, I don't think there's anything to worry about."
"It's surprising that you're the one who's more resistant to alcohol," Gil commented.
Judge, receiving Gil's gaze, blushed and looked embarrassed, as if this was something he was often told.
Since Judge didn't apologize or show any fear, he seemed to be drunk too, and they started thinking about wrapping things up.
Studd was going to head back to the inn with them, but Judge was going back to the shop alone. It wasn't too far from here, but they were worried about him being too drunk or staying out too late.
"Master, thank you for the meal."
"...Ah."
The master nodded once and smoothly handed the bill to Gil.
Had he overheard their earlier conversation, or did he think Gil should pay given the group? Gil, paying with a frown, showed no signs of being drunk at all.
Lizel laughed, thinking he'd like to see Gil completely drunk someday, and gently shook Studd's shoulder.
"Studd, come on, let's go home together?"
"I'll go home with you."
After a brief pause following his call, a quiet but firm voice replied.
He thought he might sober up quickly, but contrary to his reply, his body remained slumped against the table, completely motionless.
When he gently patted his back, one hand grabbed his affectionately, but his body didn't seem to be able to move at all.
He was usually quite composed, and this rarely happened even at drinking parties with his guild colleagues, but today, perhaps because he was with people he was comfortable with, he seemed to have let loose.
"Should we have Gil carry you?"
"No."
This time, the reply came immediately. Studd's body, as he slowly stood up, didn't waver, which was unusual for the usually agile Studd.
Judge, who had seen this several times and knew he was surprisingly alright, watched Studd as he opened the door.
"Studd, are you okay?"
"You have no reason to worry about me."
"Then why are you so cold to me...!"
Judge lowered his eyebrows and slumped his shoulders as Studd slipped through the opened door.
When Gil finished paying and left the shop, the door closed, completely shutting out the lively atmosphere inside.
The city, completely enveloped in darkness, was almost deserted and quiet, and even the sober Lizel felt his mood calm down.
"Well then, I'm going this way..."
"Are you really sure you don't need me to walk you home?"
"Yes! Um, I'd be happy if you invited me again..."
He nodded with a smile at Judge, who had asked hesitantly, and then waved goodbye with a happy expression.
Lizel, while not completely familiar with the area, had a good understanding of the safety of his immediate surroundings. If there were any dangerous areas between here and Judge's shop, he would have insisted on walking him home, but thanks to the good location, the clean streets were safe.
He watched him go, feeling reassured that nothing would happen. According to Studd, he's "not the kind of person who would just let things happen to him," so that was also reassuring.
"Shall we go?"
"You're really soft on younger people, aren't you?"
"They're cute, aren't they?"
"I don't get it," Gil said, looking down at Studd with a bewildered expression.
The usual cold atmosphere he exuded was gone, replaced by a calm, almost absent-minded demeanor.
It was complicated to think that he had become close enough to notice that difference, but since Lizel had taken notice of him, he must be far more capable than the average person, and he had no intention of denying that. Whether they could become friends or not was beside the point; this feeling of being drawn to the same kind of existence was something only those who experienced it could understand, so, to put it nicely, they were kindred spirits. To put it another way, they were two peas in a pod.
"Speaking of which, Studd, you're unusually confrontational with Gil," Lizel suddenly remarked.
Indeed, Studd, who was usually indifferent and emotionless towards those he wasn't interested in, sometimes snapped at Gil.
Before meeting Lizel, they simply didn't have much conversation, so there was no change in that regard, but he wasn't the kind of person to change his attitude towards Gil just because they had more opportunities to talk.
Gil nodded lazily and was about to continue speaking, but then his gaze suddenly shifted to the rooftops of the houses.
Immediately afterward, Studd, who had been walking calmly beside Lizel, vanished.
"Huh?"
"I expected it, but he's fast."
With a grating sound, something glittered in the moonlight as it flew through the air.
Studd kicked off the ground, subtly emitting a killing intent that seemed to freeze the surrounding air. With a speed that Lizel could only perceive as a disappearance, he silently approached the house from which the arrow had come, kicked off the wall, and landed on the roof.
Lizel couldn't follow with his eyes the events that unfolded in that fleeting moment—the object flying through the air falling to the ground, and the realization that it was a completely frozen arrow.
Gil, however, seemed to have followed it perfectly, saying with an impressed tone, while subtly shifting his position to protect Lizel.
"The reason he's picking a fight with me is because he's jealous of me for being with you, and..."
"And?"
"It's self-loathing, isn't it? He'd hate to hear it, but there's something similar about us."
Lizel pondered the similarities between the two men, who seemed so different, and then quickly understood.
The red danced on the rooftop. The silent purge came to a quiet end. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what the similarities were, but there was definitely something similar about the two of them.
Studd melted the ice knife he was holding and dropped it into the pool of blood, then silently descended from the roof.
"Let's go to bed soon."
"Yes, let's talk about everything tomorrow."
Lizel, who smiled as if nothing had happened, was similar in his own way, Gil thought, glancing at the pool of blood before sighing.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Author Misaki Note:
Gil can hold his liquor well; he doesn't get hangovers.
Judge takes a long time to get drunk; he stays tipsy for a while and gets hangovers.
Studd takes a long time to get drunk, but once he does, he passes out relatively quickly. He doesn't get hangovers.
All three of them are generally quite good at handling alcohol. This time, they simply drank too much.