Published: February 1, 2026
One morning, some days later.
“This is from our leader. ‘Looks like I’ll really be able to quit being an adventurer safely. Thank you.’ I wanted to hand it over to you in person since we owe you, but if I approached you too openly people would start wondering if you guys were involved. Still, don’t you think there’s way too little information about you three? I tried to look up what you like so I could thank you properly, but all that ever comes up is alcohol, meat—basically food preferences. Well, in your case there were books too. None of it felt quite right as a gift, and you lot wouldn’t accept something you don’t actually want no matter how valuable it is, so I brought the very best silver-bull beef, some Romanée wine, and an assortment of sweets from one of the Capital City’s top, ultra-famous shops.”
“Thank you very much.”
Jade’s jade-colored hair caught the light as he softened his usual sour expression a little, carefully lining up the things he’d brought on the table. He’d clearly learned from his last visit—this time he hadn’t come at the crack of dawn, and the two of them were seated facing each other in Lizel’s room.
He must really be overjoyed that his own leader and the others would be able to build a family in peace. Still riding that high, Jade’s words just kept pouring out. Lizel smiled, thanked him, and accepted the gifts.
Apparently fate had decided that no matter what, Gill was going to be gifted raw meat; it was a rather odd lineup for one adventurer to give another, but since he was honestly happy about it, he just nodded and let it be.
“I haven’t heard any rumors that they’ve already quit yet, though.”
“They haven’t actually quit. It’s just that the guild stopped dragging their feet about it. Quitting itself is just handing back your Guild Card, really. They’re probably settling everything they want to do before they leave. If you start doing that while the guild’s still trying to hold you back, they’ll jump at any excuse to complain.”
“The adventurers’ guild really has all sorts of things going on behind the scenes, doesn’t it. I suppose it can’t be helped once an organization gets this big.”
Not that that was going to change the fact that Lizel’s party would still do as they pleased.
That suited them, Jade muttered inwardly, then bowed his head again.
“Anyway, you really helped us this time. Thank you, truly.”
“Please, raise your head. You helped us out when we were attacked too, so we’re even. And honestly, all I actually did was sic the attackers on you and yours—I shoved that ‘favor’ on you without even asking.”
“…If you say so, I’ll leave it at that.”
Jade reluctantly lifted his face. He still looked like he had more to say, but obediently closed his mouth.
To Lizel, it really hadn’t been much. They’d just happened to have Jade nearby when they were attacked, so he thought it would be a waste not to at least ask if he could create a debt there.
If Jade hadn’t moved, they’d have just wiped out the attackers themselves and returned to the Capital City as if nothing had happened. Lizel wouldn’t have blamed Jade or even felt the slightest dissatisfaction, and the next time they met he’d have greeted him and chatted with the same calm manner as always.
Which was exactly why Jade had loosed his arrow that time.
“I don’t lend a hand to people who plan on relying on me completely, even if they’re acquaintances. I helped because I understood there was something going on, and I chose that myself. You didn’t force anything on me.”
“You didn’t think that ‘something’ might be something bad?”
“You’re seriously asking if you’d do something as brain-dead as going around causing trouble for other people? That’s the worse joke here.”
Especially since Jade’s party was rank s. Picking a fight with them would never end well.
True, in terms of raw strength Lizel’s group (or rather, Gill) would never lose, but if they made enemies of those who stood at the pinnacle that adventurers aspired to, they’d be harshly criticized. Their peaceful adventurer life would come to an end.