“Ah, that? Well, you’ve been living together for this long, so marriage is probably just around the corner, right? I figured those two, being Lilia’s acquaintances, could give you a little push in that direction.”

“Th-th-there’s no way that’s true! I mean, yes, we live in the same house, but I’m there as a guard, and we have separate rooms, plus Lange is there too... A-and besides, we’re not even dating, so how could we possibly get married!”

Lilia, her face bright red, desperately denied it.

She’s so adorable...

Normally, she’s so cool, composed, and reliable, which makes seeing her embarrassed like this feel so refreshing.

“Hmm...”

Rizac looked at us with a sly grin on his face.

Of course, as a man, it would be a complete lie to say I don’t see Lilia as a woman. She’s beautiful, kind, and being around her is always enjoyable. Her missing left arm doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

Honestly, I’ve been trying not to view her as a woman intentionally. When I first arrived in this other world, I was in no position to think about dating anyone—I didn’t know anyone, had no money, and was practically starting from scratch.

But now, the shop has stabilized, and life has become more secure with more acquaintances and resources. I’ve started to feel at ease.

...And that’s the problem. I’m so comfortable in this environment that I don’t want to risk ruining it. If I confessed to Lilia and got rejected, this shop would become unbearably awkward. Just imagining it gives me stomach pains.

“At the very least, this is a matter between Lilia and me, so could you refrain from interfering?”

“A matter between the two of us!?”

...When Lilia reacts like that, it makes me think there’s a chance. But if I were to confess, and she said, Please don’t misunderstand, you’re being way too full of yourself... I’d never recover from that.

Of course, I know Lilia wouldn’t say something like that, but my mind keeps jumping to worst-case scenarios. I’ve never dated anyone in my life, so I have no idea what to do...

“A matter between the two of you, huh~?”

Rizac kept grinning, alternating his gaze between Lilia and me.

Ah, he’s definitely not sorry at all.

“I apologize. I did think about correcting it, but personally, I think the two of you suit each other very well, so I hoped this might help things progress. But since you and Lilia don’t appreciate such meddling, I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Hmm, Patrice doesn’t seem to have had bad intentions. Honestly, being told I’m a good match with Lilia feels nice.

Alright, the verdict is in. Rizac: Guilty! Patrice: Not Guilty!

Of course, this doesn’t mean I’d stop supplying goods to the Adventurers’ Guild. This is a personal matter, after all, and unrelated to the guild.

“By the way, changing the subject, I received some wyvern meat from Berna and Ferry—an incredibly high-grade ingredient. I made some special smoked meat with it, and I’d like you to try it.”

I pulled out two packages from my backpack and handed them both to Patrice.

“Smoked wyvern meat! Are you sure we can have such a luxurious item?”

“Of course. You’ve always been a great help to me, Patrice. Berna and Ferry said I could share it with others, so don’t hesitate.”

“H-hey, Tetsuya! What about mine!?”

“This is a token of appreciation for those who’ve helped me.”

Yes, this is a personal gift. It’s not for people who poke fun or interfere unnecessarily.

“Come on, don’t joke. One of those must be for me, right?”

“What are you talking about? I tried a bit before bringing it, and it turned out great. Before smoking, I seared the meat lightly and simmered it in a special sweet and spicy sauce. Honestly, it was already delicious at that stage, but the smoky flavor from the smoking process brought it to the next level.”

“I’m sorry! I was wrong! Please, give me some of that smoked wyvern meat!”

“I tasted it too, and the tender, juicy wyvern meat combined with the smoky aroma made it absolutely amazing! The smoked danama bear meat someone gave me before was fantastic, but this wyvern meat was on a whole other level. And it pairs perfectly with alcohol!”

“Mr.Tetsuya, I was wrong! I’ll never do something like this again! Please, just share some of that wyvern meat with me!”

“………………”

Never did I imagine Rizac would use formal language and even bow down to me. Also, so this world has bowing customs too...

Of course, this time, I made sure to give both packages to Patrice to ensure Rizac properly reflects on his actions.