Once the various supplies necessary for the orc subjugation were safely tucked away inside his Misty Ring, Rei parted ways with Bobbs, who claimed to still have business at the guild. He headed out through the back exit.
“Gururu.”
Noticing Rei, Set let out a happy purr from its throat in greeting. Together, the two of them made their way toward the Main Gate of the City of Gilm.
“Oh, another request today?”
Ranga stepped out to process them, handling the situation with the practiced ease of someone who was already growing accustomed to Set. Since ordinary members of the Guard Force were still petrified by the gryphon’s presence, Ranga—despite being the captain, or perhaps precisely because of it—had effectively become Rei and Set's personal handler.
Of course, another major reason Ranga had taken charge of Rei was that he had been specifically instructed by Margrave Larkus to keep a watchful eye on the boy.
Rei withdrew his Guild Card from the Misty Ring and spoke as he handed it over along with Set’s Tamed Monster's Necklace.
“It’s a quest, in a sense. Haven't you heard the news about an orc settlement?”
Ranga’s expression tightened at the mention.
“Of course I’ve heard, but... even if you’re strong, aren’t you still G-Rank? Were you actually allowed to accept the request?”
“It’s an emergency request. They said rank doesn’t matter this time, so long as you’re capable of taking down an orc on your own.”
“...I see. Well, considering you’ve defeated a Water Bear, I suppose your ability isn’t in question.”
“Exactly. The subjugation force is supposed to gather at the Main Gate after noon. I’m a bit early, though.”
“Guru.”
Not yet? Set rubbed its head against him as if asking why they weren't leaving. Rei patted the gryphon and took his Guild Card back from Ranga.
“Sorry for keeping you. I’m sure you’ll be fine with Set by your side, but please, be careful.”
Nodding to Ranga, Rei and Set moved to a grassy patch a short distance from the city’s Main Gate.
“Guru.”
Set lay down comfortably in the meadow, and Rei leaned back against it. Normally, he might have waited right next to the gate, but he had only been in the City of Gilm for a few days. Knowing that many people were still unfamiliar with Set, Rei chose to stay out of the way so as not to obstruct the flow of traffic entering and leaving the city.
Set seemed to prefer the meadow anyway, purring contentedly like a giant cat as it basked in the warmth of the summer sun.
Under ordinary circumstances, the direct summer heat might have put someone at risk of heatstroke, but Rei was far from ordinary. Between his enhanced physical constitution and the Dragon Robe—which functioned effectively as a personal air conditioner—he remained perfectly cool as he leaned against the gryphon.
“...Is that you, Rei?”
Rei had left the task of monitoring the surroundings to Set while he enjoyed a light doze, but his name being called brought him instantly back to full alertness.
He opened his eyes to find a woman in her thirties standing before him, clad in a robe and gripping a sturdy-looking staff. Beside her stood a middle-aged man with an amused grin and a boy roughly Rei’s age who looked as though he were staring at something impossible.
They were the members of the A-Rank party, Axe of the Thunder God: Elk, Min, and Rhodos.
“Is it time?” Rei asked.
“No, not quite yet, but... well, do you mind if I ask you something?”
Roughly guessing what she wanted to know, Rei nodded.
“I’m fairly certain that what you’re leaning against is a gryphon,” Min said, her tone a mix of caution and curiosity. “...But how?”
Even for members of an A-Rank party, a gryphon—a monster of the same rank—was a creature to be feared. Min spoke tentatively, but Rei’s answer was blunt.
“I tamed it.”
“Don’t give me that! There’s no way a mere G-Rank adventurer could tame a gryphon...!”
Rhodos began to shout, but he choked on his words when Set turned a sharp gaze toward him, a low growl vibrating in its throat.
It was a natural reaction. Despite being part of an A-Rank party, Rhodos himself was only a C-Rank adventurer. Facing an A-Rank monster like a gryphon, it was no surprise that he was instinctively overwhelmed by the disparity in their biological standing.
“Easy, Set. Calm down,” Rei said with a wry smile, soothing his partner.
“Guru.”
Rei scratched Set's head in its favorite spot and addressed Rhodos.
“Just so you know, Set isn't hostile toward everyone. But if anyone tries to harm me or it, that's a different story.”
“...”
Rhodos opened and closed his mouth like a fish, but the fear that Set might growl again kept him silent.
“Gahahaha! Incredible, kid! I’ve seen my share of monster tamers, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone with a gryphon. Hey, mind if I touch it?”
“Father!” Rhodos protested.
This was perhaps the true difference between A-Rank and C-Rank—or maybe just the difference in life experience.
“Set, what do you think? The man wants to pet you.”
“Guru...”
Set looked at Rhodos, Elk, and Min in turn. After a few seconds of scrutiny, it let out a short cry and gave its tail a small wag.
“You’ve got permission,” Rei said.
“Great! Much obliged.”
Despite the extreme danger inherent in touching an A-Rank monster, Elk showed no sign of tension. He reached out with a grin and touched Set’s flank.
“Whoa! What is this? It’s as smooth as silk! This is my first time seeing a gryphon up close, but I never imagined the fur would feel like this.”
Silk was indeed the most fitting description for Set’s coat. Elk nodded with satisfaction as he continued to stroke the animal.
“Say, Rei. You called it Set, right? If you made clothes out of this fur, you’d have something fit for royalty.”
“Maybe. I’ve never really thought about it since I have no intention of shearing him.”
“...Rei, would you mind if I felt it too?”
Unable to contain her curiosity after seeing Elk's reaction, Min chimed in. Rei looked at Set, and the gryphon wagged its tail again just as it had for Elk.
“It seems he doesn't mind.”
“Wonderful. In that case... Elk, move aside. Let me feel that texture for myself.”
“Mother! It’s a gryphon! It’s dangerous!”
Rhodos tried to stop her, but his words fell on deaf ears. Min’s eyes were already sparkling with excitement.
“My, oh my... you’re right, this is incredibly smooth. I could stay here and pet him all day.”
“Right? Man, touching a gryphon without having to worry about an attack—today’s our lucky day.”
“I agree with Elk. Touching the body of an A-Rank monster like this is an exceptionally rare experience.”
Set watched the two of them stroke its side for a moment, shot another sharp glare at Rhodos, and then closed its eyes again.
“Heh heh heh. Looks like he’s got a real grudge against you, Rhodos,” Elk laughed, leaving Min to her petting while he turned to his son.
“I—I don’t care if some gryphon hates me!”
Elk sighed, realizing his son was a lost cause for the moment. Rei spoke up.
“Bobbs told me that I’ll be traveling with your party until we reach the orc settlement. I’ll be in your care.”
“What?! Why do we have to go out of our way to babysit a G-Rank?!”
Rhodos was the first to object, as expected, but it was Elk who shut him down.
“Because it makes perfect sense. And for the record, I don’t mind at all.”
“Father!”
Elk let out an exasperated sigh and looked his son in the eye.
“Listen. Think back to the meeting this morning. Rei was entrusted with transporting the supplies for this entire subjugation, wasn't he?”
“Yeah. I know that.”
“Then what do you think would happen if Rei were killed by an orc or some other monster along the way?”
“That would... oh...”
“Finally caught on? That’s right. If Rei goes down, we lose all our supplies. Now, another question: what are we?”
“...The A-Rank party, Axe of the Thunder God.”
“Exactly. And more specifically, we’re the only A-Rank party on this mission.”
A-Rank was the tier directly below S-Rank. Since there were only three S-Rank adventurers in the entire world, everyone in the guild knew exactly how much weight an A-Rank title carried. To most adventurers, those at A-Rank were effectively the pinnacle of their profession.
The Axe of the Thunder God featured two such adventurers. Even in the City of Gilm, they were recognized as a top-tier party in both power and reputation, and that assessment was entirely accurate.
“We are considered the primary combat force of this expedition. It’s only natural that we’d be assigned to guard the person carrying the logistics. ...Is there something about that you find strange?”
“I get that the supplies are important,” Rhodos muttered, doubling down out of sheer stubbornness. “But it doesn’t have to be us doing the guarding. There are plenty of B and C-Rank parties here.”
(Dammit, why do both Father and Mother have to be so nice to this guy? That gryphon and the item box aren't even his own power. He’s just relying on a monster and magic items. There’s no reason for us to go this far for him...)
Rhodos looked at Elk with resentment. He hadn't realized that his animosity toward Rei was largely fueled by the fact that his mother, Min, had acknowledged the boy.
As his father and the leader of the party, Elk was well aware of his son’s feelings.
“Enough. This is my decision as the leader of the Axe of the Thunder God. I will not hear any more arguments, and I will not tolerate any slacking on your guard duties.”
“...Fine. I get it.”
Faced with Elk’s unusually stern command, Rhodos finally gave a reluctant nod.
(Good grief, have I spoiled him too much? He’s at the top of C-Rank in terms of skill, but he’s still so clingy with his mother. I hope Rei’s influence rubs off on him during this mission.)
Unlike Min, Elk couldn't sense magic power. However, as an A-Rank adventurer, he had a gut feeling about Rei’s true potential. Through their brief conversation, he felt he had a decent grasp of the boy's character. Rei possessed immense power, but he didn't seem like a bad person. ...Though Elk could only offer a wry smile when he thought about what Rei had done to the Falcon's Claws.
Elk had never liked the way parties like the Falcon's Claws bullied newcomers and treated them like servants. He knew it served as a form of "training" for rookies, but he found it distasteful. Hearing that Rei had stood up to them—and the outcome of that clash—didn't bother Elk in the slightest. If anything, he wanted to give the kid a round of applause.
While Elk watched his son’s brooding behavior with concern, Rei leaned against Set and looked toward the Main Gate.
The other parties from the morning meeting were starting to gather. Most were chatting amongst themselves, but they couldn't help stealing glances at Rei’s group. Specifically, their eyes were glued to Set. Even if they had heard the rumors at the guild, it was a different matter entirely to see a legendary A-Rank monster like a gryphon in the flesh.
(But... those gazes observing me instead of Set haven't gone away.)
The sensation of being watched had persisted since he revealed the Misty Ring in the conference room. It was a feeling that had followed him everywhere except when he was inside his inn, the Dusk Wheat Inn.
To whoever was watching, the orc subjugation was clearly secondary to finding a way to steal his Misty Ring. Rei simply allowed a wry smile to form internally at the premonition of the battle that would inevitably come.
“Oh, they’re here,” Elk muttered.
Rei looked toward the gate again. A line of eight carriages was rolling out from the city. Bobbs was visible on the driver’s seat of the lead carriage.
“Listen up! Everyone on the orc subjugation mission, gather around and board your assigned carriages! Rei and the Axe of the Thunder God will be in the middle carriage with me. I assume you all understand why!”
Bobbs addressed the gathered adventurers and then looked toward Elk.
“Yeah. To make sure we don't lose our supplies, right?” Elk called back.
Elk walked toward the carriages, followed by Min and Rhodos. Rei and Set followed suit.
As they approached, the adventurers near the gate scrambled into their own carriages, looking visibly unnerved by Set’s proximity. Bobbs and Elk ignored them and continued their conversation.
“Alright, we’re moving out! Let’s hunt some orcs!”