Chapter 1 - Standing Out

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"Hmm, do I stand out...?"

A man stood in a back alley. He was calmly taking off his jacket, but just a few seconds ago, he had been in an entirely different place.

From the castle where the king resided, without even a single blink, he suddenly appeared in an alleyway.

Even though it would be impossible for an ordinary person not to panic, the man remained utterly calm.

He wasn't emotionless; he was clearly troubled, but it was so subdued that it was hard to tell. He appeared so composed, it was almost as if nothing was amiss.

He—Lizel (whose full name was much longer)—had been in his office mere moments before.

A duke by rank, a chancellor by profession, and formerly the royal tutor to the king. Among the king's confidants, Lizel was the one closest to him, both mentally and physically.

Incidentally, the position of chancellor had been specially created by the king himself—who had ascended to the throne at the unprecedentedly young age of twenty—just to keep Lizel by his side. A blatant act of favoritism.

Although Lizel initially declined, he was eventually strong-armed into accepting. Favoritism aside, if he hadn’t been genuinely competent, the king’s reputation would have plummeted soon after his ascension.

Under such a fearless king, Lizel should have been working diligently since the morning, but why is he now in an entirely unfamiliar town?

Determined to leave the dark alley, Lizel—fearless in his own way—made his way toward the main street.

‘The language is the same, but the currency is different. For now, let’s figure out the value of their currency... But I really do stand out.’

Lizel, who didn't like flashy things, wasn't wearing anything extravagant, but even after he took off his sufficiently noble-looking coat, he still stood out. He draped the coat over his arm and continued to absorb information from his surroundings without interrupting his train of thought.

His calm demeanor, often described as unnerving by his former student, was evident even in this absurd situation. Though he felt some confusion, he was able to suppress that emotion, realizing that it wasn't necessary to assess the current situation.

Self-control, to the extent that it could be considered beyond the bounds of normal human behavior, was a necessary skill in noble society, but Lizel's was extraordinary.

He casually shifted his gaze around. What was the child trying to buy with the copper coin clenched in their hand? What did the housewife purchase with silver coins at the market, and how many coins did she receive as change?

He took in everything he could, one after another, memorizing the details. He knew how many of the lower-value coins made up the higher ones, estimated the prices of goods, and compared them to the value he recognized.

Though Lizel’s understanding of money was shaped by a noble’s perspective, his occasional covert visits to the town with the king had given him a practical grasp of market prices.

‘Coins I’ve never seen before... Well, the value doesn’t seem too far off.’

Flint coins, copper coins, silver coins. While the shapes and designs of the currency differed from what he was used to, their mineral-based value was consistent. No matter where this place was, the value system seemed similar.

At this point, Lizel concluded that he must be in a different world from his own. Though pragmatic, Lizel wasn’t so rigid as to dismiss the possibility of the extraordinary.

He simply identified "another world" as the most plausible explanation for his situation. And even if that assumption was wrong, he’d be the only one inconvenienced by it.

In any case, his course of action remained unchanged. With a thoughtful hum, Lizel began walking purposefully toward his next destination.

‘I should check out the higher-value coins too.’

He had already grasped the value of the currency circulating in street stalls and markets.

If it was as he expected, there should probably be gold coins and crystal coins as well. He set his sights on a shop that dealt with those, walking down a street that had slightly fewer people compared to the main road.

‘The structure of nations doesn’t really change, does it? Convenient, though.’

Lizel wasn’t heading to a particularly high-end store. Shops catering to the upper class typically weren’t located alongside ordinary establishments. First, the most inaccessible area would be the castle, surrounded by the homes of the nobles. The high-end shops would be clustered in an area slightly farther from the noble houses but in a commercially advantageous location.

Lizel avoided such shops, as their clientele often consisted of nobles who had been visiting since childhood. A first-time visit at his age would surely arouse suspicion.

‘This looks like the spot.’

The shops here offered slightly better goods than those on the main street.

Lizel intended to sell a sword for some money. It was one with beautiful decorations that were typically used by nobles.

In reality, it wasn’t completely useless, but its value as a weapon was not very high. Lizel himself had no intention of using it, but as a matter of etiquette for entering the castle, he had it hanging at his waist.

Lizel walked past a weapon shop where a seasoned-looking swordsman had just stepped out and stopped in front of the neighboring curio shop. Hanging beneath the shop's sign was a small one that read, "We’re confident in our appraisal," though it was written in a rather hesitant manner.

It was likely the work of the shopkeeper. There was nothing more troublesome than a merchant with a strong personality, so it was better to find one that’s modest. With that in mind, Lizel opened the door without hesitation.

"Welcome—sir."

"Hello, good afternoon."

Inside was a young clerk diligently polishing merchandise.

The awkwardness in the way the shopkeeper ended his sentence seemed to be due to his surprise at a noble visiting alone. There was no mistaking the quality of the tailored clothing that Lizel wore even with his coat removed, and his demeanor, graceful and refined, was evident without him even trying to conceal it.

It was impossible for anyone not to think of him as nobility. Smiling calmly, he spoke.

"I have something I’d like to sell. Is that all right?"

"Y-yes."

Seeing no one else around, Lizel assumed the clerk was the owner. When Lizel asked for an appraisal, the clerk's willingness to take action himself confirmed this.

The clerk had a somewhat youthful face, but he was likely around twenty years old. He was tall and slender, with a slight slouch. His chestnut-colored, curly hair was tied back into a single knot and flowed down his back, swaying gently with each movement.

The monocle over one eye was probably for appraisal, and it gave the clerk an air of professionalism. As Lizel handed over the sword, the shopkeeper suddenly froze in place.

However, his eyes moved quickly, tracing the sword, so despite his surprise, he was likely still appraising it. Lizel watched with satisfaction before casually glancing around the shop.

This was likely a shop meant for adventurers, a group that had often come up in conversations around town. It made sense that it was located next to a weapon shop. Though adventurers were a profession that didn't exist in Lizel's world, he could roughly imagine what kind of people they were based on the conversations he'd overheard.

"...This is exquisite craftsmanship. I've never seen such a unique design."

The shopkeeper, who had been standing still the entire time, muttered quietly.

Right after that, he seemed to snap to attention, looking at me in surprise, before suddenly lowering his head in a deep bow, his face turning pale.

"I-I’m terribly sorry! That was rude of me!"

"No, I won’t be angry for being complimented."

From the shopkeeper's attitude, which seemed more driven by reverence than fear, it was clear how the nobles in this world were perceived. Whether one was a noble or anything else, if those in power were disrespected, it was all over.

It was troublesome if one’s reputation was so bad that it instilled fear, but it was also problematic if people felt too familiar and treated you as equals. In that regard, the nobles of this country seemed to have it together.

"So, what price do you think this would fetch?"

"Oh, yes… About 300 gold coins."

Lizel smiled and tilted his head slightly.

If someone intended to buy it for an unreasonably low price, they would likely hurry to raise the price. And if they had even a bit of doubt in their appraisal, they would direct their gaze back to the sword.

No merchant would dare pick a fight with a noble. If they had something to hide, they would show some sign of it.

"...?"

"Nothing. I’ll sell it to you, then."

"Y-yes!"

However, the shopkeeper merely tilted his head in response to Lizel's puzzled expression, giving him a curious look and tilting his own head slightly.

The shopkeeper was confident in his own appraisal skills to the point that a second assessment wasn’t necessary, and there was no trace of an intent to lowball the price. This was clear proof that he had no such intentions. Lizel quickly decided to sell the sword to this shop.

‘I’ve found a good shop, the sign wasn’t misleading. Not only does he have the funds to handle impromptu purchases, but he also has connections to sell the sword for a higher price. This might be the most reliable shop around here.’

Though he was actually a noble, in this world, he held neither position nor connections. However, Lizel made use of his appearance as a noble, and since he never directly claimed to be one, he nodded to himself, thinking it was fine.

‘If they mistake me for a noble, it's fine to leave it that way,’ Lizel thought, watching the still-nervous shopkeeper bring over a cloth bag.

"Here you go—300 gold coins."

"Could you group them more compactly?"

"? Oh, do you not have a purse with you?"

In Lizel's world, a hundred gold coins would be enough to upgrade to a crystal coin. He casually asked about it, but the shopkeeper seemed to think he was referring to the issue of carrying a large amount of gold coins.

Based on the shopkeeper's reaction, it seemed that such a system didn't exist in this world. Lizel wondered how he would deal with such a large amount of gold coins, thinking that even if he had a purse, the weight wouldn’t change. Just then, the shopkeeper brought over several types of purses from the shop’s shelves.

Each one was small enough to fit in a pocket, and it seemed doubtful that any of them could hold even a tenth of the gold coins in front of him.

"Uhm, these are the purses we have available."

Incidentally, the reason the shopkeeper didn’t even find it suspicious that Lizel wasn’t carrying a purse was simply because he assumed Lizel was a nobleman in disguise.

Nobles didn't use purses for shopping. Instead, a bill would be sent from the store to their home afterward, and the payment would be made in full at that time.

This shop had no dealings with nobles that required direct interaction, but the owner still had the knowledge. Lizel, aware that the shopkeeper likely thought this way, made no attempt to hide his ignorance about purses.

"There's quite a variety... which one do you think would be best?"

"Huh?! Um, er, let’s see..."

"Which one do you think would suit me?"

As Lizel asked the question playfully, the shopkeeper flustered and began desperately comparing the purses with Lizel. The reason he didn’t mention the price was likely because Lizel, having just acquired 300 gold coins, could easily afford the amount.

Thinking it wasn’t worth asking, Lizel’s perception of money remained that of a true noble.

"H-how about this one?"

What was presented was a smooth, white purse made of some kind of leather. The mouth of the purse was adorned with silverwork, giving it an elegant design.

"I’ll take that. Deduct the price from the coins here, and please put the remaining gold coins in the purse... Oh, and could you exchange two gold coins for silver coins?"

Lizel wasn’t too particular as long as it wasn’t entirely off taste, but this purse was more to his liking than expected.

Smiling and nodding, Lizel watched as the shopkeeper, with visible relief, pulled 22 gold coins from the pouch. Twenty of those must be for the purse’s cost.

The extracted coins were placed on a silver tray for clarity, and the shopkeeper prepared 200 silver coins for the two gold coins as he glanced toward Lizel for confirmation.

"Um..."

"It’s fine. If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t have sold it in the first place."

"Y-yes!"

Assuming the hesitation was due to the need to confirm the count of gold and silver coins, Lizel urged him to proceed.

It seemed Lizel’s assumption was correct, as the shopkeeper struggled to hide his happiness, unable to stop a strange smile from forming as he began transferring the coins from the pouch to the purse.

‘It’s not getting full... Maybe I should casually ask’

“It’s rare to see these up close; it’s refreshing."

"Huh? Oh, the purse? Items with spatial magic are expensive and scarce, so there aren’t many varieties, unfortunately."

Lizel had actually been curious about the spatial magic, but the shopkeeper must have assumed he was intrigued by the purse itself.

Still, Lizel was satisfied to understand why the purse wasn’t overflowing with coins.

‘Magic... People talked about it casually on the main street, so I assumed it was similar to sorcery, but there seems to be some difference.’

In Lizel's world, what was called "sorcery" was not much different from what was referred to as "magic" in this world. He had already confirmed whether he could use mana in this world, and he was able to use it without any problems.

The mechanism was likely the same, but of course, it seemed that it wasn’t exactly identical.

As Lizel pondered how gathering information alone might have its limitations, the shopkeeper appeared to have finished transferring all the coins. Hoping to learn how to retrieve the contents as well, Lizel spoke up before the purse was handed over.

"I’m also interested in a bag with spatial magic. Do you have any?"

"Oh, yes, let me see..."

"Something compact would be nice. Whatever you think is suitable."

As with the purse, Lizel subtly implied for the shopkeeper to choose. The shopkeeper nervously approached a shelf lined with bags.

Thanks to the spatial magic, size didn’t matter, so this must have been to allow for design selection. The collection ranged from large items like backpacks and trunks to smaller ones like handbags and pouches.

Despite the shopkeeper's claim that spatial magic items were supposed to be rare, the shop boasted a surprisingly decent selection. Considering this wasn’t a luxury store but a mid-tier curio shop, it was an impressive stock.

The shopkeeper likely had excellent connections, and Lizel felt pleased to have found such a good shop.

"How about this one...?"

"Thank you. Please take the cost from the purse."

What was offered was a simple yet stylish black belt paired with a matching black leather waist pouch designed to loop through it.

It seemed that even with Lizel's current noble-like attire, there would be no issue wearing it.

"That will be 30 gold coins."

"Sure, go ahead."

Lizel discreetly but carefully observed as the shopkeeper opened the purse. The shopkeeper reached in just like one would with any ordinary purse and retrieved the gold coins without any apparent trick or technique. It seemed there was no special knack to using it.

Relieved, Lizel accepted the purse with the remaining coins and immediately tucked it into the waist pouch. He noticed there was no sensation of the purse hitting the bottom of the pouch. It would take some getting used to, as it might feel like he’d dropped it.

Next, Lizel folded the coat he had been holding and brought it toward the pouch. The pouch seemed to gently absorb the coat as it disappeared, regardless of the pouch’s mouth size.

Satisfied that he had everything he needed, Lizel adjusted the fit of the belt and turned to look at the shopkeeper.

"Thank you. I’ll come again."

"Y-yes, thank you very much..."

The shopkeeper froze for a moment, and Lizel smiled as he stepped out.

As the door closed behind him, the faint voice he heard made him curious about what reaction the shopkeeper would have next time.

"Come again? Wait... again?"

‘I really do need to gather proper information’

Even in the curio shop, Lizel had realized that gathering information alone had its limits. While it wasn’t impossible if he took his time, he preferred the easier path when it was available.

Relying on others posed the risk of revealing his circumstances, but even if that happened, it wouldn’t be a significant issue.

If this transfer to another world had been orchestrated by someone, Lizel would tread more cautiously, but he was certain it wasn’t. Although it was a feeling only someone who had experienced such a transfer could understand.

Still, it wasn’t something he wanted to share carelessly. He needed to carefully choose whom to approach for information, Lizel thought as he stepped into an alley that caught his eye.

‘Someone unaffiliated with any country would be ideal. A neutral perspective is best.’

The alley was silent despite its proximity to the bustling main street.

The slightly damp, cool air trapped between the stone walls gave it a faint chill.

‘Someone who doesn't have strange convictions, but has their own stance. Not necessarily with a sense of justice, but with basic decency and skill in negotiation.’

People who were good at negotiations didn’t unnecessarily push themselves onto others. If you offered them clear benefits, they’d return with the same amount of information. These kinds of people wouldn’t spread rumors about him without personal gain.

Of course, that was assuming one could negotiate as well, and living in aristocratic society had made Lizel more than capable of doing so.

‘Oh, and if possible…’

"Hey."

A voice called out, and Lizel turned around. The figure, facing away from the main street, was hard to see due to the backlighting, but there was no mistaking that it was a man.

Lizel took a moment to look him over, and for a moment, he wondered if he was going to be dragged into something.

The first impression was definitely a rough one. If you looked closely, you could tell he had a very handsome face, but his demeanor ruined it completely.

The man was tall, easily a head above Lizel, and on his hip was a thin, long sword that was almost as long as his legs. Based on his appearance, he was probably a mercenary, or maybe an adventurer. He certainly didn’t look like a knight.

Recalling the low, hoarse, and disgruntled voice he had heard earlier, it seemed to match this man perfectly. He was the complete opposite of Lizel, who, if nothing else, had a gentle appearance.

Lizel was the only one in the alley, so he assumed the voice had been directed at him. He met the man's gaze and smiled.

The gaze looking down at him was sharp, so intense that Lizel imagined a person with a weak disposition would likely faint from it immediately.

"Can I help you?"

Lizel, with his approachable demeanor, responded naturally as if a neighbor had casually asked him a question, causing the man to raise an eyebrow slightly. Likely surprised that Lizel had answered so calmly despite the man’s tough appearance, Lizel couldn't help but find it amusing internally. Still, he tilted his head slightly, urging the man to continue.

The man stared at Lizel for a while, as though trying to gauge something, before he let out a small sigh and shifted his sharp gaze toward Lizel’s back.

"There’s some troublemakers ahead. Stay away."

Lizel hadn’t planned to go too deep into the alley; he had only entered it to find a quiet place to think. However, it seemed that, as the man had said, some "troublemakers" had gathered there. What bad luck.

Lizel smiled without showing the slightest hint of probing, though he couldn't help but think that the man didn't seem like someone who would go out of his way to offer concern.

"Thank you. That’s kind of you."

"...I just happened to notice."

The man replied in a rather dismissive tone, but it was clear that his motives weren’t purely driven by kindness. However, not everything he said was a lie—he likely had the option to simply ignore him and walk on by.

The man turned his back and started walking toward the main street, as though to signal that it was no longer his problem. Lizel reached into his pouch, took out a gold coin, and tossed it toward the man’s back.

The moment the coin was about to reach the man’s head, he swiftly turned around and caught it. With a raised eyebrow and a suspicious look, the man regarded Lizel. In response, Lizel smiled and held out another gold coin.

"How about we have a little chat?"

"If it’s about trouble, go look elsewhere."

"It's enough if we just have a conversation, probably. I won't force you."

The man frowned suspiciously but clicked his tongue, accepting the gold coin Lizel offered. The first coin was a token of gratitude for the help, and the second was payment for sharing his story.

Understanding the intention behind the offer, the man twirled the gold coin in his hand and motioned for Lizel to follow as he began walking. Though he didn’t appear to be in need of money, it seemed that Lizel had piqued his interest.

What information could be so worth paying for? Perhaps that thought crossed his mind.

As he watched the man's back, Lizel once again repeated the thought that had crossed his mind earlier.

An adventurer with no particular allegiance to a country, someone who could understand Lizel’s intentions and who, despite his rough appearance, didn’t show it in his actions. He likely held a respectable position and had a broad perspective.

And ideally...

‘If he's a bit of a busybody, it’ll make things easier.’

Even if his actions weren’t driven by kindness, as long as they worked in Lizel’s favor, that was enough.

Grateful for the luck of meeting such a favorable person, Lizel followed the man.

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