It was the first night after they had departed the City of Gilm. The sun had yet to fully set when Rei, Elena, and the others brought the carriage to a halt at a spot with a commanding view to prepare for camp.
Though it was called a camp, Elena and Ara would be resting in the luxurious rooms within the magically expanded carriage. Only the three men would actually be sleeping outdoors.
Kyuste and Vel set up their own tents, while Rei pitched his own a short distance away from them.
"Sorry about this. Kyuste’s being difficult again," Vel said, approaching Rei as he worked on his tent.
The way he apologized with a breezy wave of his hand was so casual that it was hard to believe he was a noble. Very few people looking at Vel would have guessed he shared the same social standing as Kyuste.
Originally, they had planned to pitch one large tent for the three men to share, but Kyuste had adamantly opposed the idea. In response, Rei had simply produced his own tent from the Misty Ring.
For his part, Rei had no desire to breathe the same air as a man who clearly looked down on him, so he actually welcomed the arrangement.
As Rei drove stakes into the ground to secure his tent, he glanced at Vel. The scout’s tone lacked the sense of aversion Rei had felt from him back in Gilm. Though he felt a lingering spark of doubt, Rei simply shook his head.
"Don't worry about it. He and I were never going to get along. Besides..." Rei looked over at Seto, who was helpfully pulling on the opposite side of the tent to keep it taut. "It seems he likes Seto even less than he likes me. Considering the potential for trouble, it's better if we sleep in separate tents from the start."
"I appreciate you being so understanding. Kyuste actually has his good points, believe it or not. Though he rarely shows that side to anyone who isn't a noble..."
While they talked, Rei finished hammering in the stakes.
"As expected of an adventurer. You've got the routine down," Vel noted.
"You think so?"
"Guruuu."
Seto let out a soft cry and gave Rei’s Dragon Robe a gentle tug with its beak. Knowing exactly what the Gryphon wanted, Rei looked back at Vel.
"Sorry, but Seto’s hungry. I’m going to head off a little way to process that Iron Snake I stored at noon."
"Ah, right. I'll let Lady Elena know, so take your time. If you're used to operating solo, I imagine being around people all day is exhausting."
"Well, I’ve done my share of group work—the Orc subjugation and the rank up exam, for instance."
With that, Rei headed off with Seto.
As they walked, Rei turned the conversation over in his mind, feeling a persistent sense of confusion.
Vel was definitely wary of me yesterday, he thought. There’s no doubt about that. So why did he drop his guard in a single day? Ara’s the same, but she’s devoted to—or rather, infatuated with—Elena. I can see her dropping her guard if Elena said something. But Vel doesn't seem the type. Especially not since he’s the scout for this party... Well, whatever. I’m just a temporary addition, a guard sent from Gilm. There’s no need for me to stick my nose where it doesn't belong.
Despite his rationalization, Vel’s inconsistent behavior left a strange aftertaste in his mind.
"Guru?" Seto looked up, as if asking what was wrong.
Rei gave the Gryphon a small shake of his head and retrieved the Iron Snake from the Misty Ring. At the same time, he pulled out a book he hadn't used in a while—a guide on material stripping.
Seto watched intently, waiting for the work to be done. To an observer, the powerful Gryphon might have looked more like a well-behaved dog than a legendary beast of the sky.
Rei smiled and leafed through the pages. "Let’s see... the Iron Snake Proof of Subjugation Part is the fangs... oh, right. Never mind."
Seto’s raw strength had crushed the monster's head so thoroughly that the fangs had been obliterated along with it.
"Guru..." Seto whimpered.
"Hey, don't worry about it. Everyone makes mistakes."
Rei stroked the dejected Gryphon and continued reading. "The materials are... the hide. Well, it's called an Iron Snake for a reason. Its scales are famously tough, so it should be easy to repurpose for armor."
Muttering to himself, he drew the Mithril Knife from his waist. He didn't bother with his usual skinning knife; the Iron Snake's name wasn't just for show, and a common blade would have likely chipped against the scales.
He channeled magic power into the blade, reinforcing the Mithril Knife as he made an incision at the neck and began peeling away the scaled hide.
Rei had once been terrible at material stripping, but after Elk, the Leader of the Axe of the Thunder God, had taught him the tricks of the trade during the Orc subjugation, he had improved significantly. Though a few scraps of meat still clung to the skin, his work was worlds apart from the mess he had made of the Water Bear.
"All right. Now for the rest."
He used magic to spark a fire and began roasting chunks of the snake meat on wooden skewers. Though he only seasoned it with salt, Seto didn't care. The Gryphon was in high spirits, happily snapping up the hot meat as fast as Rei could provide it. Rei also tried feeding it the monster's magic stone, but unfortunately, no new skills were acquired.
"Guruuuu."
Seto purred contentedly as it ate. Suddenly, the sound of four sets of footsteps approached from behind.
Rei knew exactly who it was without looking, so he continued feeding Seto. Behind him, he felt a wave of stunned silence.
"...So monsters also enjoy cooked meat. I had assumed they only ate raw flesh."
Rei turned to see Elena and her three guards standing there. They were staring at Seto, who was blissfully devouring the grilled Iron Snake meat.
Rei tossed another piece to the Gryphon with a wry smile.
"Guru!" Seto caught it mid-air.
"He’s lived with me this whole time, so he knows cooked meat tastes better. I suppose a wild Gryphon would stick to raw meat, though."
"Indeed," Elena said. "I have fought many monsters in my time, but I have never heard of one that prefers its meals roasted."
"Actually, Lady Elena," Ara interjected, "I recall reading in a book that Fire Dragons use their fire breath to roast their prey before eating."
"Is that so? I have heard that many among the dragon species possess intelligence surpassing that of humans. If that is the case, it certainly seems possible."
Elena nodded, appearing genuinely intrigued. Ara smiled, clearly pleased to have captured her mistress's interest.
Rei waited until Seto had finished the last of the meat before turning his full attention to Elena. "So, Lady Elena. You didn't come all this way just to watch us eat, did you?"
"I did not. As I mentioned earlier today, I wish to spar with you before the light fades completely."
Ping. Elena flicked the hilt of the whip-sword at her waist. Even that simple gesture was imbued with her natural charisma and beauty, drawing the eye effortlessly.
Rei stood up and put some distance between them, breaking the spell with a small smile.
"Guru?"
Rei gave Seto’s head a reassuring pat and then pulled the Death Scythe from the Misty Ring.
"I understand. A promise is a promise. However, since this is a mock battle and you are my employer, can we agree to keep this strictly to weapons? No high-risk magic."
"Hmm. I had hoped to see the full extent of your power, magic included," Elena replied, sounding slightly disappointed.
Ara, however, was quick to intervene. "Lady Elena, Rei is right! What if you were to get a scratch on your beautiful skin?"
"Now, now, Ara, calm down," Vel said. "This is Lady Elena we're talking about. It’s not like she’s going to take a hit that easily."
Though Vel spoke with his usual levity, support for Ara's position came from a surprising source.
"No, I agree with Ara."
"Kyuste? Did you eat something poisonous for dinner?" Vel asked.
"Hmph. I am merely assessing his ability objectively. As I said yesterday, the man is skilled, regardless of his personality. In fact... he may be too skilled."
"You think so?"
"Didn't you see him yesterday, Vel?" Ara added. "I know I lost my head and attacked him, but..."
"Oh, I saw it," Vel chuckled.
Ara went quiet. She couldn't argue with the fact that she had lost her temper. To her defense, they were deep in territory controlled by an opposing faction, and their destination was a city ruled by a man at the heart of that faction. A certain degree of hyper-vigilance was perhaps understandable, even if her reaction had been extreme.
Elena sighed as she listened to her guards bicker. "It seems I should accept Rei’s terms if only to keep Ara and the others from worrying. Very well. We shall settle this with weapons alone."
Elena drew the whip-sword from its sheath, pointing the tip toward Rei. Rei gripped the Death Scythe with both hands, his body coiling like a spring.
"..."
They stood in silence, each measuring the other, closing the distance inch by inch.
In a fight between a sword and a great scythe, the scythe usually held the advantage in reach. However, Elena’s weapon was no ordinary blade; it was a whip-sword that could behave as both a sword and a whip. In terms of effective range, Elena likely held the advantage at both the furthest and closest distances.
Which means if she switches to the longsword form, she’s ready for close combat, too, Rei thought. It’s either incredibly versatile or just plain cheating.
Rei judged that while Elena held the extreme ranges, the Death Scythe was superior in the mid-range. Elena seemed to reach the same conclusion. Just as Rei took his first step, she swung her sword with a sharp, fluid motion.
The blade elongated instantly, transforming into a bladed whip that lashed out at Rei.
In the hands of a master, a whip could exceed the speed of sound. Even if this wasn't a true whip, Elena’s speed was terrifying.
"Tch!"
Only Rei’s inhuman reflexes allowed him to react. He swung the Death Scythe in a near-reflexive motion, his blade catching and parrying the tip of the whip-sword as it aimed for his chest.
"Impressive. To stop my strike so effortlessly," Elena murmured.
Rei’s lips twisted into a strained smile. "The same to you, Lady Elena. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to deal with a strike like that. But I’m not one for just taking hits. My turn!"
He kicked off the ground, closing the gap. Elena lashed out repeatedly with a speed that left no room for breath, but Rei parried every strike using the blade and the shaft of his scythe.
"What’s wrong? Are you only going to parry? Why not evade?"
Elena swung again, the blade snaking low along the ground toward Rei’s ankles. Rei used the shaft of the scythe to knock it aside.
However, as soon as it was parried, Elena flicked her wrist. The whip-sword changed trajectory in mid-air, its tip whipping back toward Rei’s torso. He caught it on his blade once more.
"Because even if I evade, you’ll just change the trajectory like you did just now," Rei said with a grin. "In this case, a last-second dodge isn't the smart move... Hup!"
He parried the next strike, but this time he put significantly more power into the swing. The whip-sword was knocked much further back than before, creating a larger opening as Elena struggled to regain control of its momentum.
Rei didn't miss his chance.
He lunged forward, entering his ideal range. Finding Rei suddenly within her guard, Elena felt a flash of genuine admiration. She channeled magic into her weapon, snapping it back into its rigid sword form to intercept him.
"Hah!"
She allowed the heavy blade of the scythe to slide off her own sword, parrying the weight rather than meeting it head-on. Elena knew the sheer power behind Rei’s swings; if she had tried to block him directly, her arms would have gone numb, and she might have been disarmed entirely.
His strikes are incredibly heavy, she thought. But that means there must be an opening after he puts everything into a swing!
She prepared to counter-attack as the Death Scythe finished its arc, but...
"What!?"
Without a moment’s hesitation, the scythe reversed direction.
The Death Scythe was a magic item that felt weightless to its wielder. Despite weighing over a hundred kilograms, Rei could manipulate it as easily as a twig.
Elena barely managed to react, a testament to why she was feared as the Princess General. Reflexively, she poured magic into her sword, extending the blade once more.
"It’s a draw, then," Rei said quietly.
"So it seems."
The razor-sharp edge of the Death Scythe was pressed firmly against Elena’s throat. At the same time, the extended tip of her whip-sword was leveled at the side of Rei’s head.
"...No way. A draw with Lady Elena?" Ara gasped, her face pale with disbelief. "I’ve never seen anyone do that."
Kyuste watched in silence, his jaw set tight as he re-evaluated the young man before him.
"Well, now," Vel said, his voice light but his eyes sharp. "I knew you were good, but this is something else. Talk about a pleasant surprise."