Published: February 1, 2026
Although Rizel had taken Quattro in, he was basically a hands-off type of person.
He believed everyone should do as they pleased, and if someone wanted to follow him as a result, he would accept it unless it was inconvenient. However, Quattro was a bit of an exception; Rizel needed to show him what to do moving forward.
After all, even if Quattro himself understood what he wanted to do, he didn't know how to proceed. Memories from the past wouldn't restore everything overnight, and Rizel was well aware of that.
“Today, Innkeeper, please stay home and keep watch with him.”
“You want me to stay together...?”
“No, today I’m going to properly be an adventurer, so no.”
Jill and the others openly gave him looks like “Really?”, but Rizel didn’t notice. The passing Innkeeper glanced at him like “Me?!”, but that didn’t bother him either.
With dull, almost disappointed eyes, Quattro looked steadily into Rizel’s, who was positioned slightly lower than him. The translucent color of those eyes peeked upward faintly, but Rizel smiled gently.
“Please listen carefully and help out.”
“…Yes.”
Quattro pressed his lips tightly together and nodded firmly.
However, his hands fidgeted with the bright sash tied around his waist. It was part of the set of clothes he had bought recently, the kind often seen in Astarnia.
The country’s clothing suited his supple, muscular brown skin well. Thinking this, Rizel gave a warm smile to the Innkeeper, who occasionally glanced over at him while moving around.
“Please take good care of him.”
“If anyone could resist that smile, I’d probably slap them with praise. Got it.”
He seemed to accept willingly.
Feeling relieved, Rizel nodded and headed toward Jill and the others waiting by the door. Eleven yawned, while Jill was putting on his gloves, opening and closing his hands to check his condition, chatting with Eleven.
Not wanting to keep them waiting, Rizel once again turned his gaze back to Quattro.
“Well, I’m off then. If I don’t hurry, the good requests will be gone.”
“Requests?”
“First come, first served.”
While internally muttering “Yeah, he really is an adventurer,” the Innkeeper headed off to the bathroom to collect the laundry. He still found it strange that Rizel was an adventurer.
The dull eyes that looked a little downcast kept looking steadily at Rizel, who was lower than him. Rizel smiled gently again.
“Listen well and help out, okay?”
“…Yes.”
Quattro closed his lips tightly and nodded.
His hands played with the bright sash tied around his waist, which was part of the new clothing set recently bought. The clothes from this country suited his supple, muscular brown skin very well.
Rizel smiled warmly at the Innkeeper who glanced at him occasionally while moving.
“Please take care of him.”
“If anyone can resist that smile, I’d give them a slap with praise. Understood.”
The Innkeeper seemed to accept willingly.
Relieved, Rizel nodded and headed to Jill and the others waiting by the door. Eleven yawned, while Jill put on his gloves, opening and closing his hands as if checking his condition, chatting with Eleven.
Not wanting to keep them waiting, Rizel looked once more at Quattro.
“Well then, I’m off. I have to hurry or the good requests will be gone.”
“Requests?”
“First come, first served.”
While internally murmuring “He really is an adventurer,” the Innkeeper left for the bathroom to collect laundry. He still found it strange that Rizel was an adventurer.
Quattro didn’t move from the spot until Rizel’s back had completely disappeared. Watching him leave, he slowly traced the tattoo on his arm left behind in the entrance hall.
“Oh, the noble guests left?”
“Yes, they left.”
The Innkeeper suddenly poked his head out from the bathroom, holding two large woven wooden baskets filled with laundry — towels, nightwear, and the like — which were quite heavy.
Quattro thought for a few seconds, then approached. The Innkeeper’s face tensed briefly, but even though they had only met three days ago, Quattro was less intimidating and more approachable than Jill and the others.