"Ah, you lot... you made it back safely."
Elena and her companions were greeted by those words as they emerged from the dungeon.
Standing before them was the same guild staff member who had seen them off. He took one look at the reduced size of their party and shook his head with a small, regretful sigh.
"I’m sorry to see you’ve lost members of your party. ...I was told to have you contact the guild as soon as you came out. Would that be all right?"
"Yes, of course. However, we have urgent matters to attend to first. Please relay a message that our report to the guild will be delayed."
"I understand. Well... don’t let it get you down too much. After spending so many nights in that dungeon, you should consider yourselves lucky you weren't wiped out entirely."
"I appreciate your concern. If there is any urgent business, please come to our inn and we will handle it there."
After addressing the guild staff member, Elena and her party left the area.
Ideally, they would have preferred to return to the inn as quickly as possible, but between Elena’s captivating beauty and Set, the A-Rank Monster, it was impossible to avoid the public eye. With so much attention fixed on them, they couldn't afford to show any outward signs of panic.
If Rei had still been carrying his Death Scythe in hand, they would have stood out even more.
They walked briskly for about fifteen minutes before finally arriving at their lodging.
"Ah, everyone! You’re back... Oh, wait."
Linde, the boy employed as the inn chore worker, greeted them with a bright face that quickly fell when he noticed their numbers had dwindled. He trailed off awkwardly.
Elena offered the boy a faint smile and ruffled his hair.
"Do not worry; it is not something for you to trouble yourself with. More importantly, tell the innkeeper to prepare for an urgent letter delivery."
"Y-Yes!"
Addressed by Elena—a woman who was easily the most beautiful he had ever seen—Linde’s face flushed bright red as he hurried inside. Rei watched him go, then stroked Set’s back.
"I’ll take Set to the stables."
"Very well. I must write to my father regarding Vel’s betrayal immediately, so I will be occupied for some time. Please, rest until then."
Rei nodded and headed for the stables with Set. Elena watched their retreating backs before turning her gaze toward Ara.
"Ara, you as well. I will be busy for a while, so take this opportunity to rest."
"...Ideally, I would want you to rest, Elena-sama. You were the one who underwent the ritual."
"I shall rest once the letter is sent."
She scanned the surroundings to ensure they were alone before lowering her voice.
"Regardless of whether it was incomplete, I did just absorb the power of the Ancient Dragon and then immediately escape the dungeon. Even I am tired."
"Even so, your resilience is as expected, Elena-sama. ...If only Kyuste were here as well..."
Ara ground her teeth, the sound echoing in the quiet air. Elena placed a hand on her shoulder, patting it gently to steady her.
"Indeed. I will see that he pays for betraying the Kingdom of Mireana... and us. I heard that Viscount Sails's House chose to turn traitor because they believed the Kingdom had no chance of winning the next war. We shall teach Vel with his own body that his judgment was a grave mistake."
"Yes. When that time comes, I will certainly be at your side."
"Though, there is no guarantee he will show himself on the front lines."
Elena muttered, recalling Rei’s description of their encounter. Vel had lost his left arm, his face had been horribly burned by the liquid he had prepared himself, and his leg had been pierced by a needle dripping with the poison liquid found in the dungeon.
Still, if the man Rei had faced was indeed the true Vel, he would surely cross their paths again. However, there was no telling how long it would take for his mangled body to recover.
"Now then, we are wasting time. I must write to my father at once. If luck is on our side, we may be able to deal with Viscount Sails's House before they can flee the Kingdom."
"Right. Once you finish writing, I shall find a summoning magic user or a tamer with a bird to ensure it's delivered immediately—"
"I told you, you must rest. We have only just returned from the dungeon. For someone who lacks confidence in their physical endurance, rest is non-negotiable."
At Elena’s firm tone, Ara tightened her grip on the Power Axe in her hand.
"I’m fine! With this Power Axe, my stamina—"
"Relying on a magic item for recovery is merely forcing your body to continue. I won’t say it is inherently harmful, but it is certainly not healthy. Besides, you are only borrowing that Power Axe from Rei. Do not forget that you must return it eventually."
Ara blinked, looking down at the axe as if she had just come to her senses. Because it felt so strangely natural in her hands, she had completely forgotten it wasn't hers.
"...Come to think of it, I am just borrowing this, aren't I?"
Seeing her look like a child who had been told their favorite toy would be taken away, Elena couldn't help but smile.
"If you have taken such a liking to it, you should negotiate with Rei to keep it. As it is a fine piece, it will require a fitting price, but given how casually he lent it to you, he seemed to have forgotten he even owned the Power Axe."
"Yes, I will ask him when the opportunity arises."
The master and subordinate shared a nod and headed into the inn.
Around that time, Rei and Set were settling in near the stables at the rear of the building.
"Guruuu."
Beside a lone tree near the stables, they let the time pass slowly. Set lay down in the thick grass, and Rei leaned against the gryphon, closing his eyes as he stroked Set’s head.
"This request... I suppose it was a success of sorts."
He whispered softly to himself. His job had been to guard Duke Kerebel's only daughter, the famed Princess General. In that sense, he had fulfilled his duty.
However, a traitor had emerged from their ranks, and because of that betrayal, a party member he hadn't particularly liked—or rather, someone who hadn't even acknowledged him—had died.
(I have to... get stronger.)
As the rare feeling of exhaustion washed over him, Rei’s consciousness was gradually swallowed by sleep.
"There. This should suffice for the letter."
Elena muttered, giving the document a final read-through before sealing the envelope.
"And as for Ara... ah, just as I thought."
Ara had insisted on staying awake until the letter was finished, but the fatigue of the dungeon had been insurmountable. She had let go of her precious Power Axe and was now fast asleep on the bed. Elena felt a smile touch her lips.
Ara was a headstrong subordinate and friend, but her devotion was absolute. To a Duke's Daughter like Elena, that loyalty was more precious than anything.
(Kyuste... I will personally settle the score for you. That is my duty as your leader.)
Truthfully, Kyuste’s worshipful intensity had often been exhausting. Yet, it had also been proof of how much he cherished her. He had been a quintessential noble who looked down on commoners, causing his share of trouble, but he was not a man who deserved to die like that—manipulated by someone he had believed was a comrade.
"No, now is not the time for sentiment. I must send this at once."
She called for the innkeeper and handed over 5 gold coins for a summoning magic user.
In this day and age, except for the magic items used to link guilds, most correspondence was handled via letters. Consequently, high-end inns often kept mages under contract to facilitate rapid delivery.
Since this village had grown into a town due to the nearby dungeon, it was frequently visited by wealthy merchants and nobles who required urgent contact. In such cases, specialists who could summon or tame flying monsters, birds of prey, or simple birds were hired to carry messages. Since the mage’s monsters would be occupied, preventing them from working as adventurers, the service was quite expensive.
Usually, a single gold coin was more than enough, but Elena had paid five. She was paying for extreme haste and the absolute certainty that the letter would reach its destination.
"Now that the letter is gone... I suppose I should rest. ...Hm?"
She stretched and happened to look out the window, spotting a boy and a beast sleeping by a tree. She recognized them instantly. After all, they had been inseparable lately. Furthermore, even if the power of the Ancient Dragon she had inherited was incomplete, her vision was now several times sharper than it had been.
"..."
After a moment’s thought, she smiled and nodded to herself. Leaving her armor behind, she threw on her mantle and headed outside.
As she approached the tree, Set opened its eyes. Upon seeing it was Elena, the gryphon simply closed its eyes and went back to sleep.
Elena felt a spark of quiet joy at knowing Set trusted her. she sat down in the grass a few paces away from the pair.
(The breeze is cool. It's already autumn...)
As the summer heat faded into the autumn chill, her golden hair swayed in the wind. She watched Rei as he slept against Set’s side. He was five years her junior, yet he possessed a strength that defied all common sense.
(And...)
She crept closer to look at him. His hood was down, revealing his crimson hair. His eyes were closed now, but she remembered them being as blue as the azure sky—a striking contrast to his hair.
His features were well-proportioned, though perhaps not so remarkable to a noblewoman like Elena who was used to refined company.
"And yet..."
She whispered, reaching out to gently stroke Rei’s crimson hair.
(...What?)
Enveloped by Set’s silk-like fur, Rei felt a gentle touch and slowly blinked his eyes open.
(Is that... Set?)
He thought it might be Set’s wing, but the sensation was different. When he opened his eyes, he saw Elena’s beautiful face directly in front of him.
"Elena?"
"Oh... apologies. Did I wake you?"
"I don't mind, but..."
Rei muttered, surprised that Set hadn't reacted to her being so close. He sat up, leaning back against the gryphon, and looked around. Fortunately, no one else was nearby, which explained why Set had remained relaxed.
"The letter..."
"Hmm?"
"No, what about the letter? You said you were going to message Duke Kerebel."
Elena nodded, her hand moving to stroke Set’s fur.
"Yes, it has been sent. The inn arranged for a Four-winged Bird known for its speed to be summoned. It is already on its way. ...That aside, it may not be freezing yet, but autumn is here. You will catch a cold if you sleep outside."
"My body isn't so fragile that I'd catch a cold from this. Besides, I have Set."
"True, Set’s warmth and fur are quite remarkable. ...Ah, that reminds me. Regarding the Power Axe you lent to Ara... she has grown quite attached to it. She was wondering if you might be willing to part with it. What do you say?"
"What do I say? Well, I don't use axes, and I don't have a party to give it to. I don't mind letting her have it, but I can't exactly give it away for free."
Elena chuckled and nodded.
"Of course. I wouldn't dream of asking for a magic item for nothing. I am prepared to pay a fair price. Would two platinum coins suffice?"
Rei paused to consider the offer. Two platinum coins was a small fortune for any commoner or adventurer. For that price, one could likely purchase an even higher-tier magic item.
"Isn't that a bit excessive?"
"We have been through a lot. I don't want to see Ara depressed. Besides, she has given me so much over the years; consider this a gift of my gratitude."
"...Well, if that’s the case, I don't mind."
He had won the weapon from Falcon's Claws and had forgotten it was even in his Misty Ring until recently. If she wanted it, there was no reason to refuse.
"I see. That is a help."
Elena smiled brilliantly and pulled two platinum coins from her pouch. As Rei reached out to take them, she suddenly caught his hand, staring intently at his palm.
"Elena?"
"...This hand."
"What about it?"
"It is no different from mine. ...I find it hard to believe this is the hand of an artificial lifeform."
Rei stared back at her, a look of genuine surprise crossing his face.