Early the next morning, Rei walked down the city’s main street in his usual attire—the Dragon Robe and Sleipnir's Shoes. Seto trotted beside him as always, though the creature’s shoulders were slumped in a show of disappointment.
They were scheduled to gather at the Main Gate before the 6 o’clock bell rang. Because it was so early, almost none of the food stalls that usually lined the main street were open yet. The few that were open primarily served hearty soups for those starting their workdays, which weren't exactly something one could eat on the go. If they had searched, they might have found a place selling light snacks like sandwiches, but unfortunately, no such shops were located along their path.
"Guruuu..."
Seto let out an envious trill as he watched a group of soldiers, likely coming off the night shift, happily devouring bowls of thick soup at a nearby stall.
Rei gave a wry smile and patted Seto’s head.
"I had the inn prepare a bento for you, too. Once we join up with Elena and the others and head for the dungeon, it’ll be time for breakfast."
"Gururuu."
"Well, even so, your bento is only about one meal’s worth. I’ve got plenty of meat from the monsters we’ve hunted stored in the Misty Ring, so we won't go hungry for a while. Still, I’d like to hunt a few more things for your meals on the way to the dungeon if we can."
Chatting as they walked, they eventually arrived at the Main Gate.
To Rei's surprise, it wasn't Captain Ranga of the Guard Force who attended to him today, but a regular soldier.
"Good morning. Your Guild Card and Tamed Monster's Necklace, please."
"Right. Ranga is usually the one here. Did something happen?" Rei asked as he removed the necklace from Seto’s neck and handed it over along with his card.
The soldier gave a wry smile as he accepted them.
"The Captain is usually stationed here, but even he doesn't work twenty-four hours a day without a break. It's his day off today, so I’m filling in."
"I see. I had started to think Ranga was my personal attendant... but if he's not here, it can't be helped."
"Yes. To be honest... when you first arrived, Rei, I was terrified of Seto because he’s a Gryphon. But seeing him around the city for this long, I’ve either gotten used to him or... well, I’ve started wanting to spoil him a bit."
The soldier cast a furtive glance toward Seto.
"Guru?"
Sensing the gaze, Seto tilted his head and looked back at the soldier with big, round eyes.
"...When he acts so innocently, it makes me feel like I’m the one being mean by staying away. Besides, I have a younger brother, and he always talks about how much fun he had playing with Seto in the city. After hearing that, I just..."
The soldier looked around to ensure no one was watching, then pulled a piece of dried meat from his pocket and held it out.
"I’m sorry for being afraid of you before. Here, a peace offering."
"Gurururururuu."
Purring softly, Seto took the dried meat in his beak and swallowed it.
The soldier watched the scene with a warm smile, which soon turned into a slightly troubled expression.
"Still, while I’ve gotten used to Seto... that’s actually a little scary in its own way. I wonder if I'll be able to react properly if I ever run into a Gryphon that isn't him. I’m afraid I might just walk up to it like this and get chomped."
"Thinking about it that way, perhaps getting too used to him is a bad thing. Then again, high-rank monsters like Gryphons don't usually show up in populated areas."
"That’s true, but the 'just in case' is what makes this the frontier. Alright, here you go. Everything is in order with your Guild Card. Safe travels."
Rei took back his card, and after Seto let out a pleased trill from the back of his throat, they parted with the soldier and stepped outside the Main Gate.
The carriage he had seen the day before was already waiting there.
"You’re a little early... but I'm glad you came, Rei."
Elena was waiting for them, looking to be in as good a mood as Seto. Rei was momentarily struck by her beauty in the morning sun, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Good morning, Lady Elena. I didn't expect you to be out here already. Shall we head for the dungeon?"
"No, wait a moment. Vel is running a bit late; apparently, he had some business to attend to."
(Vel—he was the scout, the one in the Thief role. Is he doing some last-minute research on the dungeon? A Thief is essential for any dungeon raid, so if that's why he's late, I can't really complain.)
"Understood. Then we'll wait a little longer."
"Umu. ...By the way, I’ve been curious since yesterday—would you mind if I petted your Gryphon?"
"Guru?"
Seto tilted his head and looked at Elena as she turned her attention toward him.
"Lady Elena! That is far too dangerous," Ara cautioned. Even Kyuste, who had been ignoring Rei, spoke up.
"Ara is right. A monster is a monster. No matter how well-tamed it is, touching it so carelessly is far too risky."
Ignoring their warnings, Elena began stroking Seto’s head as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"But this Gryphon will be accompanying us into the dungeon, won't he? Then I think building some rapport is an excellent idea."
"Gurururuu."
Elena must have had a gentle touch, for Seto purred happily under her hand.
"Ho. Seeing him like this, the 'Grim Reaper of the Skies' is actually quite adorable."
Watching them, Rei pulled the sandwiches Lana had prepared for Seto out of his Misty Ring.
"Lady Elena, please take this."
"Hey! Are you seriously trying to make Lady Elena eat something so coarse?" Kyuste let out an exasperated sigh, looking more appalled than angry. Beside him, Ara looked at Rei with a bewildered expression.
"Don't get the wrong idea. This is a sandwich for Seto."
Rei clarified before offering the sandwich to Elena again.
"Would you like to try feeding him?"
"Oho. I've never fed a monster before. That sounds intriguing. Here, Seto. Here is your breakfast."
"Gurururuu."
Seto took the sandwich from Elena’s hand and swallowed it. As she reached out toward Rei again, he noticed her hands once more. Just as he had thought the day before, they were remarkably beautiful, not at all what one would expect from a warrior.
"Hm? Is something wrong? You’re staring at my hands."
"No, I just thought that for someone strong enough to deflect my attacks, your hands are surprisingly beautiful."
"...Hey, you! That’s enough. You’ve been far too familiar with Lady Elena for long enough!"
Kyuste pointed the tip of his magic spear at Rei, his face flushed with indignation.
However, Elena held up a hand to stop him.
"It is fine. As I have said, we will be acting together with this man for some time. If being casual helps him perform at his best, that is enough for me. ...Though, I will say this: if you intend to woo me, you should at least wait until you are stronger than I am before you try—"
She stopped mid-sentence and looked down at her own hands. She realized that yesterday, she had barely managed to deflect a single blow from this man. Which meant...
"...No, it's nothing. More importantly, this Gryphon—Seto, was it? It’s rare for even a tamed monster to be this friendly."
"Yes. He’s quite popular with the city's residents and children. Just walking through the streets usually results in everyone trying to feed him."
"Fufu. With this loveliness, I can certainly see why."
Elena spent a few more minutes receiving Seto's bento from Rei and feeding the creature.
"Gurururururuu."
As Seto purred with delight, a genuine smile played across Elena’s lips. Rei found himself nearly captivated by her again but forced himself to focus.
"Lady Elena, while we wait for Vel to return, I’d like to store the supplies in my Item Box."
"Hm? Ah, that’s right. We might as well take care of that now while we have the time. Ara!"
"Understood. I shall guide him inside the carriage."
"Umu. All the necessary supplies should have been placed inside already."
"Yes, that won't be a problem."
"Then I’ll leave it to you. I think I’ll stay here and play with Seto a little longer."
"Very well. ...Lord Rei, please follow me."
"Inside the carriage...?"
Rei followed Ara with a puzzled expression. She didn't offer any explanation, simply leading him to the carriage door and stepping inside. When Rei followed her in, he stopped dead, his face a mask of pure shock.
"This is..."
From the outside, it had looked like a standard carriage built for six people. The interior, however, was beyond anything he could have imagined.
By Rei's estimation, the space was over thirty tatami mats in size. It was furnished with elegant, high-end pieces and even featured a fully equipped kitchen.
"Are you surprised? Duke Kerebel had this prepared for the Young Lady. It is a magic item that dozens of the top-tier alchemists in the Magic City Ozos spent years creating, at a cost of over fifty Light Gold Coins. In terms of rarity, it is a one-of-a-kind treasure. It is likely even more valuable than your Item Box, Lord Rei."
The Magic City Ozos was a city-state located near the center of the continent. It housed one of the land's most prestigious mage training schools and maintained its independence from surrounding nations through the sheer magical might of its inhabitants. It was also world-renowned for exporting superior magic items created by its resident alchemists.
"No, this is truly incredible. You used space magic to expand and fix the interior volume? Fixing a space this large must have required incredibly advanced techniques. And you’ve added a concealment effect to the exterior so people won't realize it's a magic item. Even the kitchen counters are magic items."
"Correct. Lady Elena does not only travel to battlefields as the Princess General; she sometimes goes on monster hunts as well. The Duke arranged this so she could always find rest and comfort. Now, the supplies are over here."
Ara looked at the stunned Rei with a sense of pride as she led him to a corner of the vast interior. There, a mountain of gear was piled up: tents, food, water, cooking utensils, potions, and various Status Ailment Recovery Medicines.
"It certainly would have been a struggle for everyone to carry all of this."
"Yes, which is why we are entrusting it to you, Lord Rei."
As expected of supplies gathered by a Duke’s daughter, everything was of the highest possible quality.
"I’m impressed, to say the least."
Ara nodded as if his praise was only natural.
"Of course. These are for Lady Elena’s use, after all. But we are on a schedule. Could you please begin storing them?"
Rei nodded and reached for the potions, but then he paused as a thought occurred to him.
"Wait, wouldn't it be better to just store the entire carriage and take it into the dungeon with us?"
Ara shook her head at his suggestion.
"This carriage is a magic item that includes the hitch for the warhorses; we cannot simply remove the cabin and store it. Besides, I heard that an Item Box cannot store living things. Is yours different, Lord Rei?"
"No, I can't store living things either. ...But even with the concealment effect, isn't it dangerous to leave something this valuable near a dungeon?"
Towns—or rather, rough villages—usually sprang up near dungeons to serve the adventurers who gathered there. These settlements were often populated by adventurers hired to protect the area from nightly monster attacks. People stayed there to rest, repair gear, or sell materials and ores to visiting merchants. Naturally, there were also stables and areas for carriages and mounts. However, dungeons also attracted those looking to make a quick coin through crime. Rei was concerned the carriage would be a prime target, but Ara only smirked.
"As I said before, this carriage is the culmination of the efforts of the finest mages in the Magic City Ozos. Do you really think such an item would be left defenseless against common thieves?"
"I think I can guess what you mean by that."
Rei could easily imagine that anyone foolish enough to touch the carriage would meet a very unpleasant end.
"Now, enough talk. Vel should be back any minute now. Please, hurry and store the luggage."
Her tone was slightly softer now, perhaps because she had enjoyed boasting about the carriage. Together, they made quick work of storing the mountain of supplies into the Misty Ring. By the time they finished, Vel had returned, and the party finally set off for the dungeon.