Author Misaki's Note: "We look forward to your opinions, comments, suggestions, and questions."
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"Hmm, will I stand out...?"
A man stood in an alleyway. He was calmly taking off his jacket, but just a few seconds ago, he had been in a completely different place.
From inside the castle where the king resided, he had suddenly appeared in this alleyway without even blinking.
Even a normal person would be flustered, but the man remained completely calm.
Not emotionless, he was clearly troubled, but it didn't show. He appeared perfectly normal.
He—Lizel (his real name is much longer)—had been in his office just seconds before.
His title was Duke, his position was Prime Minister, and he was also the king's former tutor. In the monarchy, he held the position closest to the king, both physically and mentally.
Incidentally, the position of Prime Minister was a position the king, who had inherited the throne at the youngest age in history at twenty, had created out of extreme favoritism towards Lizel, simply because he wanted to keep Lizel by his side.
Lizel immediately declined, but the king insisted. If Lizel hadn't been exceptionally capable, even without favoritism, the king's reputation would have plummeted immediately after his coronation.
Under such a fearless king, he should have been diligently working since morning, but why was he in a completely unfamiliar city?
Determined to get out of the dark alleyway, Lizel, who was also fearless in his own way, proceeded towards the main street.
(The language is the same, the currency is different, but for now, the currency value... I guess I'll still stand out a bit.)
Lizel didn't like flashy things, so his clothes weren't extravagant, but even without his jacket, he still stood out. He draped his jacket over his arm and continued to gather information from his surroundings without interrupting his thoughts.
Lizel was known for his frightening calmness, as his former student would say, and this was evident even in this absurd situation. While he couldn't help but feel a sense of bewilderment, he was able to suppress that emotion, knowing it wasn't necessary for understanding the current situation.
Such extraordinary self-control, almost beyond what one would expect from a normal person, was a necessary skill in aristocratic society, but Lizel's was exceptional.
He subtly glanced around. What was the child clutching the copper coin planning to buy? What did the housewife handing over a silver coin at the market buy, and how much change did she receive?
He absorbed everything he could, learning how many lower-denomination coins made up a higher denomination, predicting prices, and comparing them to the values he already knew.
Lizel handled money with the refined sensibility typical of the nobility, but having occasionally accompanied the king on incognito visits to the city, he understood market prices.
"(A type of currency that never existed before... well, the monetary value doesn't seem to have changed much.)"
Glass coins, copper coins, silver coins. The shape and design of the currency were different from what he knew, but the intrinsic value of the metals was the same. Wherever he was, there didn't seem to be any dramatic difference in values.
At this point, Lizel was certain that this was a different world from the one he had been in just moments before. Lizel certainly had a practical way of thinking, but he wasn't so narrow-minded as to deny everything unrealistic.
It was simply that the most fitting explanation for his current situation was that he was in another world, and even if that idea was wrong, only he would be inconvenienced.
In any case, what he needed to do remained the same. He pondered for a moment, then immediately set off towards his destination with unwavering steps.
"(I want to see some higher-denomination coins as well.)"
He had already grasped the value of the currency used in stalls and markets.
If his predictions were correct, there should also be gold coins and crystal coins. He set his destination to a shop that would handle such currency, walking down a street that was slightly less crowded than the main thoroughfare. "(The layout of every country is the same, isn't it? It's convenient, though.)"
The shop Lizel was heading to this time wasn't a particularly high-class establishment. Shops catering to the upper class wouldn't be located alongside ordinary shops. First, there's the castle in the most strategically advantageous location, surrounded by the houses of nobles, and then, slightly further away from the noble residences but in a commercially advantageous area, a row of high-end shops.
Lizel wasn't choosing those shops this time because high-class establishments usually have noble children frequenting them from a young age, and a first-time visit at Lizel's age would raise suspicion.
"(This should be about right.)"
The shops here dealt in slightly better goods than those on the main street.
What Lizel was planning to sell to supplement his funds was a sword, one beautifully decorated in a style typical of those used by nobles.
It wasn't entirely unusable, but its value as a weapon wasn't particularly high. Lizel himself had no intention of using it, but he wore it at his waist as a matter of etiquette when visiting the castle.
He walked past a weapons shop where a swordsman with a seemingly experienced air was standing, and stopped in front of the adjacent general store. A small sign that read "Confident in appraisals," written rather unconfidently, hung below the store's main sign.
The owner had probably written it. There's nothing more troublesome than an overly assertive merchant, so Lizel, preferring a more modest approach, opened the door without hesitation.
"Welcome..."
"Hello."
Inside, a young shopkeeper was diligently polishing the merchandise.
The hesitation in his voice was likely due to his surprise at a noble visiting alone. Even after taking off his outer garment, he was still wearing impeccably tailored clothes, and Lizel's demeanor was undeniably refined.
It would be difficult for him not to think he was a noble, so Lizel simply smiled calmly. "I have something I'd like to sell, is that alright?"
"Y-yes."
There was no one else around, so the person in front of him must be the shop owner. The fact that they were willing to handle the appraisal themselves confirmed this.
They had a somewhat youthful face, perhaps around twenty years old, tall and slender with a slight hunch. Their chestnut-colored, wavy hair was tied back in a single ponytail that flowed down their back, swaying softly with every movement.
The monocle over one eye was probably for appraisal purposes; they wore it quite confidently. As Lizel thought this, he presented the sword, and the shop owner froze.
However, their eyes were busily tracing the sword, so despite their surprise, they were likely still appraising it. Lizel watched them with satisfaction, then glanced around the shop.
It was probably a shop for adventurers, a profession he had heard mentioned frequently in the city. Its location next to a weapons shop made sense. It was a profession that didn't exist in Lizel's world, but based on the conversations he'd overheard, he could vaguely imagine what kind of people they were.
"...What magnificent decorations, and a design I've never seen before."
The shop owner, who had been completely still, muttered this.
Immediately afterward, they looked at him as if startled, then their face turned pale, and they bowed their head sharply.
"I-I'm so sorry! That was rude of me...!"
"No, I'm not upset that you praised it."
The shopkeeper's attitude was more reverent than fearful, showing how nobles in this world were treated. Even for a noble, if those in power were disrespected, all would be lost.
Excessive fear of reputation was problematic, but being perceived as too familiar and treated as equals was just as dangerous. In that respect, the nobles in this country seemed to be quite capable. "So, how much do you think it will be?"
"Ah, yes... it will be about three hundred gold coins."
Lizel smiled and tilted his head slightly.
Someone trying to buy it unfairly cheaply would hastily raise the price, and someone lacking confidence in their appraisal would look at the sword again.
No merchant would dare pick a fight with a noble. If they had something to hide, they would show some kind of reaction.
"...?"
"No, I was wondering if you would buy it."
"Yes!"
However, the shopkeeper only tilted his head slightly in response to Lizel's questioning look.
This was proof that he was confident in his appraisal and had no intention of trying to haggle for a lower price. Lizel immediately decided to sell the sword to this shop.
"(I've found a good shop. The sign isn't misleading. They have the funds to handle walk-in purchases, and they even have connections to shops that can sell the sword for a higher price. This might be the most reliable shop around here.)"
Although he was actually a noble, he had neither status nor connections in this world. Lizel was using the fact that he looked like a noble, but he hadn't actually claimed to be one, so he nodded, thinking it was fine.
If they were mistaken, that was fine too, he thought, watching the still-nervous shopkeeper bring out a cloth bag.
"Here you go, three hundred gold coins."
"Could you perhaps consolidate this a bit?"
"Ah, you don't have a wallet?"
In Lizel's world, one hundred gold coins were equivalent to one crystal coin. He subtly inquired about this, but the shopkeeper seemed to think he was asking about carrying a large amount of gold coins.
Judging by his reaction, it seemed that such a system didn't exist in this world. "So, what will you do with all this gold?" I wondered, thinking that even with a wallet, the weight wouldn't change. The shopkeeper then brought out several wallet-like items from the store shelves.
They were all small enough to fit in a pocket, and it was doubtful that even a tenth of the gold coins in front of me would fit in any of them.
"Um, these are the wallets we have available right now."
Incidentally, the reason the shopkeeper didn't seem suspicious that Lizel didn't have a wallet was simply because he probably thought he was a noble in disguise.
Nobles don't use wallets when shopping. The store sends a bill to their home later, and payment is made in one large sum.
This store didn't have any direct dealings with nobles like that, but they did have the knowledge. Lizel also sensed that the shopkeeper was thinking this, so he didn't try to hide his ignorance about the wallets.
"There are so many kinds... which one do you think is best?"
"Huh?! Uh, well, how..."
"Which one do you think would suit me?"
As Lizel playfully questioned the flustered shopkeeper, he desperately began comparing the wallets to Lizel. The fact that he didn't say anything about the price was probably because Lizel, having acquired three hundred gold coins, could easily afford it.
Therefore, there was no need to ask, a thought process that revealed Lizel's inherently aristocratic sense of money.
"H-how about this one?"
He offered a white wallet with a smooth surface made of some kind of leather. It had silver embellishments around the opening, and the design was quite elegant.
"Okay, I'll take that one. Please deduct the price from there. Put the remaining gold coins in the wallet... Oh, and I'd like to exchange two gold coins for silver coins."
Anything would have been fine as long as it wasn't completely against his taste, but this wallet was more to his liking than he expected.
With a smile and a nod, Lizel watched as the shopkeeper, relieved, took twenty-two gold coins from the bag of gold. Twenty coins would be the price of the wallet.
He placed the gold coins he had taken out onto a silver tray so they were clearly visible, and then, while preparing two hundred silver coins equivalent to two gold coins, he looked at me questioningly.
"Um..."
"It's alright, I wouldn't sell it if I doubted you from the start."
"Y-yes!"
Assuming that the shopkeeper was hesitant because he hadn't finished counting the gold and silver coins, Lizel prompted him.
It seemed he was right, as the shopkeeper, unable to contain his joy, displayed a strange smile and began transferring the coins from the bag to the wallet.
"(...It's not getting full... I wonder if I should subtly ask about it?) I don't see these very often, so it's quite a novelty."
"Huh? Oh, the wallet? Wallets with spatial magic are especially expensive and rare, so it's a shame there aren't many varieties."
Lizel wanted to know about the spatial magic, but the shopkeeper seemed to think he was interested in the rarity of the wallet itself.
Well, at least he eventually understood why the coins weren't overflowing from the wallet.
"(Magic... It was mentioned casually on the main street, and I thought it was similar to sorcery, but maybe it's a little different after all.)"
In Lizel's world, there wasn't much difference between what was called "sorcery" and what was called "magic" here. In this world...
I had already confirmed whether I could use magic immediately, and I was able to use it without any problems.
The mechanism is probably the same, but naturally, it's not exactly identical.
Just as I was thinking that there were limits to gathering information alone, the shopkeeper seemed to have finished transferring all the money. Before he handed me the wallet, I spoke up, hoping to learn how to retrieve the items as well.
"I'd also like a bag that uses spatial magic. Do you have any?"
"Ah, yes, um..."
"Something not too bulky, just something suitable."
Just like with the wallet, I implicitly asked him to choose one for me, and the shopkeeper nervously faced the shelves lined with bags.
Although the size wouldn't matter due to the spatial magic, he was probably letting me choose the design. There was a wide variety, from large items like backpacks and trunks to smaller ones like handbags and pouches.
He had said earlier that items with spatial magic were rare, but this shop had a surprisingly large selection. Considering that this wasn't a high-end store but just a slightly better-than-average tool shop, the selection was almost too extensive.
He must have some excellent connections; I was delighted to have found such a good shop, thought Lizel with a beaming face.
"How about this one...?"
"Thank you, please take the money from the wallet."
It was a simple yet stylish black belt, and a black leather waist pouch that could be attached to the belt.
It seemed perfectly suitable even with my current aristocratic attire.
"Thirty gold coins, please."
"Yes, here."
I subtly but carefully watched as the shopkeeper opened the wallet. He put his hand in like with a normal wallet and simply took out the gold coins. It didn't seem to require any special technique.
I received the wallet, now lighter by the removed gold coins, and immediately put it into the pouch I had attached to my waist. Since I couldn't feel the wallet at the bottom of the pouch, I might mistakenly think I had dropped it until I get used to it. Then, I casually folded the jacket I had been holding and brought it closer to the pouch, and with a feeling of being instantly absorbed, the jacket disappeared. The size of the pouch's opening didn't seem to matter.
"Okay, I think I have everything I need," Lizel said, adjusting the fit of his belt as he looked at the shopkeeper.
"Thank you, I'll come again."
"Y-yes, thank you very much..."
He smiled at the shopkeeper, who was momentarily frozen, and slipped through the doorway.
As he closed the door, he wondered what kind of reaction he would get from the shopkeeper the next time he came, and he looked forward to it.
"Again? Huh... again?"
* * *
"(I really want to get some proper information.)"
As he had thought at the tool shop, there were limits to gathering information alone. It wasn't impossible if he took his time, but if there was an easier way, he naturally wanted to take the easier path.
Relying on others carried the risk of his circumstances being revealed, but even if they were revealed, it wouldn't cause him any trouble.
If his transfer to this other world had been artificial, he would be more cautious, but Lizel was certain that wasn't the case. It was a feeling only those who had been transferred would understand.
That being said, it wasn't something he wanted to easily reveal, so Lizel decided he needed to carefully choose the person he would ask for information from, and he headed down a nearby alleyway.
"(Ideally, someone who doesn't belong to any country would be best; it's better if their views aren't biased.)"
Despite the main street being right next to it, the alley was quiet.
The slightly damp air and the coolness caused by being surrounded by stone bricks made it a little chilly.
"(Someone who doesn't have strange agendas but has their own opinions, someone who doesn't necessarily have a strong sense of justice but can uphold basic morality, and someone who is good at negotiation.)"
People who are good at negotiation won't unnecessarily pry into his affairs. If he clearly offers them something of value, they will return the favor with information; such people wouldn't spread rumors about Lizel without any benefit to themselves. Of course, this all hinges on the premise that I can also engage in negotiation, but it goes without saying that Lizel, who has lived in aristocratic society, is more than capable of this.
"(Oh, and if possible...)"
"Hey."
I turned around at the sound of a voice. The person standing with their back to the main street was difficult to see due to the backlight, but there was no doubt it was a man.
Lizel, after scrutinizing his appearance, thought for a moment that he was about to be accosted.
After all, his first impression was very rough. Looking closer, he had a very handsome face, but his overall demeanor completely ruined it.
He was a tall, slender man, a head taller than Lizel, and the slender greatsword hanging at his waist was almost as long as his legs. Judging from his appearance, he was probably a mercenary, or perhaps an adventurer. He certainly didn't look like a knight, despite carrying a sword.
Recalling the low, hoarse, and seemingly displeased voice he had heard earlier, it perfectly matched this man's voice. He was the complete opposite of Lizel, who had a gentle and calm demeanor.
Lizel was the only one in the alley. Assuming the voice was directed at him, he met the man's gaze and smiled.
The man's gaze was sharp and piercing; Lizel thought that someone weak-hearted would immediately faint.
"What can I do for you?"
Lizel, in a friendly manner, as if he were being addressed by a neighbor, naturally asked the question. The man slightly raised his eyebrows. Lizel inwardly found it amusing that the man was surprised by his calm response, and tilted his head slightly to encourage him to speak.
The man looked at Lizel for a while, as if searching for something, then let out a small sigh and shifted his sharp gaze to something behind Lizel. "There are some bad guys in there, you should stay away."
Lizel himself didn't intend to go that far in; he had only entered the alley because he wanted a quiet place to think. Unfortunately, it seemed that, as the man said, "bad guys" were gathered there.
He thought to himself that he didn't seem to be genuinely concerned, but he smiled without showing any sign of suspicion.
"Thank you, that's very kind of you."
"...I just noticed you."
He reluctantly confirmed it verbally, but it probably wasn't pure kindness. However, it wasn't entirely a lie; he likely had the option of simply passing by without getting involved.
Watching the man turn his back and head towards the main street, as if it were none of his business, Lizel reached into his pouch. He grabbed his wallet, took out a gold coin, and threw it at his back.
Just as the gold coin was about to hit the back of his head, the man turned around and caught it. He frowned and looked at him suspiciously, but Lizel, with the same smile, offered him another gold coin.
"Would you like to talk for a bit?"
"If it's trouble, go bother someone else."
"Just letting me listen would be enough, probably. I won't force you."
The man frowned suspiciously, but after a click of his tongue, he accepted the gold coin Lizel offered. The first coin was a thank you for his help, and the second was payment for listening to him.
Understanding his intention, the man started walking, playing with the gold coin in his palm, gesturing for him to follow. He didn't seem to be in need of money, but he had apparently piqued his interest.
What kind of information was he willing to pay for? Perhaps that's what he was thinking.
Watching his back, Lizel repeated the thought he had earlier. The ideal person would be an adventurer without any particular national affiliation, someone intelligent enough to understand Lizel's intentions, and despite their rough appearance, someone whose actions don't reflect that roughness, suggesting they have a broad perspective and a certain standing in society.
And ideally...
"(Someone who's a little bit caring would be easier to work with.)"
Even if their actions aren't motivated by goodwill, if the outcome benefits him, that's enough.
Lizel, grateful for his good fortune in finding someone with such favorable qualities, followed the man closely.