A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation

On the night of the first day of labyrinth exploration, after Lizel’s party had returned, Nahas visited the inn where they were staying to deliver a message to Lizel and ended up drinking with the Innkeeper.

It was their day off, and as men of Astarnia, it was only natural to drink when meeting again after a while. Once Lizel’s group left, the only remaining guests were a single family, so it was easy for the Innkeeper to free up his evening. When Nahas tried to leave after passing the message along, the Innkeeper stopped him, saying, “You’re really gonna abandon me when those insanely strong personalities are gone and I’m left feeling weirdly lonely? That’s just cruel,” and thus tonight’s drinking party was decided.

“Seriously, those two are terrifying when the noble guest isn’t around. What’s with that total lack of friendliness when you meet them one-on-one? That beastman guest, no matter what I ask him, all he says is basically ‘Hah?’ I swear. The only time he answers properly is when the topic is food, and he only talks to me like a normal person when he wants me to make something. And it annoys me that I get a little happy every time that happens. Is this the power of good looks or what!?”

“You’re awfully sociable in some strange directions.”

“And the one-sword guest? If I had to face him alone, I’d be prepared to die. I mean, I can’t actually sense killing intent or anything, but he’s just pure scary. It’s not like he does anything to me, and he’s basically uninterested in me, but still scary. But then you see he’s actually really sensible, and that gap makes him look like several times the good guy. What’s with that weird effect!?”

“He’s the type of man who never starts trouble on his own.”

For all his griping, there wasn’t a hint of real malice in the Innkeeper’s words, so he clearly didn’t dislike them. Watching his friend’s face grow red with drink, Nahas tossed back his own liquor.

It seemed they hadn’t caused any trouble at the inn. From the Innkeeper’s point of view, they might be days of being dragged around, but judging from his “man, what a handful, but oh well” expression, he was actually enjoying it.

Nahas nodded firmly to himself, satisfied that it had been worth introducing them not to an ordinary inn, but to this slightly peculiar friend’s establishment.

“Well, when they’re together with the noble guest, how do I put it—the wall gets thinner, you know? They feel less unapproachable. Like… it’s like a vicious monster’s been put on a chain, so it’s okay to get within a certain distance. Something like that.”

“Ah, that’s actually a pretty accurate description.”

The problem, however, was that the one holding the chain, as the Innkeeper put it, had absolutely no intention of “controlling” the vicious monsters at all. He’d simply smiled and accepted the chain that the monsters themselves had offered, and now just held it without pulling or disciplining them.

“If those two treated me as gently and mildly as the noble guest does, my stomach would thank them. No wonder the neighborhood kids have started calling him ‘Prince’ lately. Normally a nickname like ‘Prince’ would be hilarious, but somehow it just fits. He’s incredibly noble, but unexpectedly easy to talk to, not stuck-up at all. Who even benefits from that? I guess I do.”

“Honestly, as the oldest, he really needs to look after the younger ones a little more properly, or we’re the ones in trouble.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, that because he’s the party leader he should take care of the members? And why do you keep slipping into this mom’s-eye view every now and then? What is that?”

Despite being a good caretaker, he never let himself be swept away by emotion, and often fussed over others entirely of his own accord. Forgetting his own behavior, the Innkeeper sighed in mock exasperation.

Needless to say, thanks to a certain party, the two of them had no shortage of topics to talk about that night.