Published: August 10, 2026
Gill had no ulterior motive when he told Eleven about it.
It was a triple room, or rather a four-person room if one counted the person sleeping soundly on the carpet. Night had fully deepened, and Gill was the only one awake, drinking by himself in the lamplit room with what was essentially a nightcap.
Apparently, Lizel had finished reading earlier than usual and was now fast asleep in the middle of the three beds lined up side by side. Gill idly watched the blanket rise and fall as he tipped back his glass, then glanced down at the floor and found Quattro curled up at the foot of Lizel's bed.
He was a little concerned about the married couple at the inn, who had accepted that as nothing unusual. It made him wonder a bit about their days as adventurers.
While he was thinking that, Eleven returned from wherever he'd gone.
Eleven came into the room, sat down directly in front of Gill, and casually poured Gill's liquor into a glass he produced from spatial magic before starting to drink. He did it so naturally that it was obvious he was used to behaving like that, probably even outside.
Then, while they were talking without any particular excitement about a new sword's quality, about not being able to find a decent blacksmith, and about rumors concerning Lizel, Gill suddenly remembered what had happened during the day.
The Magic Academy Lizel had woken him up and dragged him to. There, he had come face-to-face with the culprit behind the great invasion long ago. It would be a lie to say he felt no discomfort at the idea of interacting with him, but pointing that out and objecting wouldn't have meant much either. Lizel knew Gill would find it unpleasant, and if he still went through with it, then there had to be some reason.
As it turned out, there was not merely some reason, but a very serious one.
To think he had unknowingly been in mortal danger. That was no joke at all.
If one assumed the worst possible outcome, then he could say he had saved the lives of every citizen of Sars. No, there was also the possibility that things wouldn't have turned out that way, so saying it so confidently would be a bit too self-important.
Even so, for Lizel, a problem on the scale of an entire nation didn't seem particularly special, and apparently he had already moved on from it. It hadn't been a crisis anyone would have missed, and yet he'd been in a position where his opinions were always reflected on that scale. There was no reason to get worked up about anything now.
"Come to think of it, I met that guy."
"Who?"
"The great invasion guy."
"What, that gloomy handsome middle-aged dude? He's here?"
Not that it mattered, but Gill found himself agreeing.
The words came out as part of the conversation without much thought. Well, perhaps there was a little petty revenge in it too. Revenge for being woken up while asleep and made to face someone unpleasant. Revenge for that absurd behavior.
He'd intended it to be no more than a light topic, something like, Go ahead and spend your time soothing Eleven's bad mood.
"Something about the ruler."
"Hah...?"
Eleven snapped harder than Gill had expected.
His pupils narrowed, and he formed a twisted smile that looked as if the corners of his mouth had been forced upward. After standing there in silence for a while, he rose without a sound. Quattro startled awake at the unable-to-be-contained anger leaking off him.
Gill watched it all and, like it was someone else's problem, tipped his glass as he realized it. Lizel had woken him on purpose because this was exactly what would happen. He'd thought maybe there'd still be room for Eleven to complain and grumble, but there wasn't.
He thought he'd misread the situation, but it wasn't as if it mattered now. It was Lizel, not him, who was strange for being able to read such a notoriously difficult person completely.
Still, since he was asleep, Gill made a token attempt to stop him.
"Hey."
"Leader."
Gill's voice no longer reached him, and Eleven walked straight to Lizel's bed, where he was sleeping soundly. It was rare to see him acting like sleep meant nothing. It was obvious from his expression that he had no intention of yielding.