Published: March 21, 2026
"Anyway, I'm really sorry! You can execute Raul if you want, but please don't punish the Adventurer Guild!"
"You bastard! You sold me out!!"
The adventurers who had been bad-mouthing us seemed to sober up at my words; their faces went pale and they left the Adventurer Guild, so on Keria's urging I took a seat in the space they left. The snack served with the tea was a husband-and-wife comedy routine — oddly entertaining.
The other guild staff weren't stopping them either; they watched and laughed.
By the way, at night Yamato sits like a statue on my shoulder so as not to frighten the Beastmen, barely moving, but occasionally she trembles and seems to be holding back laughter.
"The Adventurer Guild will not be punished, nor will you. It was I who was narrow-minded. I'm sorry."
Amelia, apparently completely defanged by the couple's squabbling, bowed her head and apologized for speaking too harshly.
Keria panicked a little.
Meanwhile, the main offender was looking away with his cheeks puffed out.
Such a child.
"No, no! It was all Raul's fault! Come on, Raul, apologize."
With surprising force from those pale, slender arms that looked like they'd never seen the sun, Keria held Raul's head down and made him bow.
Is this child really Human?
For the first time I doubted the World Eye.
"Ouch! What are you doing?!"
"Well, it's Raul's fault for talking trash in the first place! And even if you hit a sensitive spot, you don't attack someone you've just met! You promised that before! You're banned from here!"
How long will this go on?
Somewhere I accepted that "a fighting couple" must be a phrase for them.
They truly embodied "they fight because they're close."
"Enough, you two, Princess Amelia and the 'dark assassin' are both disgusted."
"Ah, s-sorry!"
A narrow-eyed Human man in an indigo kimono spoke up, and finally the two stopped their roughhousing.
I waved my hand and told Keria I wasn't offended as she bowed. I squinted slightly.
An assassin who's publicly known and whose name is famous — how does that even work?
Besides, I've never actually done anything assassin-like.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Mamoru, Deputy Guild Master of the Uruk Adventurer Guild. I've long heard rumors about the two of you."
That name and clothing are oddly Japanese.
Well, nowadays few people wear kimonos. The Human country Yamato is said to be Japan-like, so perhaps he's from there.
Mamoru lowered his gaze to the rings on Amelia's and my fingers.
"No matter how many fakes appear, there aren't many who wear such deep 'rings' other than the two of you."
Following his gaze, I saw it was our left ring fingers.
The deep impression left there, unlike other wounds, hadn't formed a scab and remained as it was.
Amelia's finger had the same mark.
"So it's known here as well."
"Yes. However, few actually cut their fingers as the two of you did. Usually people use iron bands on their fingers, but among adventurers — people whose partners might die at any time — many choose to mark themselves like you two."
Hearing that, Amelia tilted her head.
From her unbothered expression it seemed she had heard of the "ring" before.
"But Ria said that at the castle, more people have visible marks."
"I've heard the castle has many love affairs, so it's probably a sort of marking. The scar won't completely disappear unless very powerful healing magic is used."
I see — it also serves as a deterrent against infidelity. I didn't know that.
"Anyway, the two of you are not fakes, Raul."
Apparently Mamoru had been explaining this to Raul.
But Raul himself looked dazed.
"…Are you really the 'dark assassin'?"
There was no response to Makoto's question; dull golden eyes were fixed straight on me.
Though puzzled by the change from his earlier childlike tantrum, I nodded.
"I don't much like the name, but yeah, that's me."
Hearing that, Raul suddenly dropped to the ground and bowed his head deeply.
Somehow he'd learned a perfect dogeza (kowtowing apology).
"I'm sorry!!!"
"…Huh?"
The suddenness made me blurt out a stupid sound.
While Raul kept his head down, Keria explained to me from the side.