The savory aroma of food wafting through the room must have triggered Mult’s appetite; he opened his eyes with surprising ease. Watching him, Brasso reached for a bottle of wine and spoke with an exasperated tone.
"I noticed some pretty good smells coming from the shops while we were moving through town, too."
"That’s hardly the point," Phron said with a sigh, watching Brasso pour wine into a cup.
Beside her, Rei brought a few dishes from the tray over to Mult.
"Here. Eat and get your strength back. A potion might have closed your wounds, but you have to recover lost blood and stamina on your own."
"Huh? Ah... wait, Rei!? Oh, right. I was looking for you... I heard where you were from an acquaintance..."
Dazed upon waking, Mult gradually regained his senses and pieced together the events leading up to his blackout.
"You burst into the workshop covered in wounds," Rei said.
"Right! What happened to the guys chasing me?! I saw your Tamed Monster take down a few, but..."
"They realized they were outmatched and fled. ...It looks like we should talk before you eat. What happened?"
"Well... honestly, it seems Boruntar hasn't given up on the Magic Items or the Gryphon, even after you beat him. He was trying to pull all sorts of strings," Mult muttered, bringing the cup of water Rei had handed him to his lips.
Rei nodded as he listened, bringing a spoonful of Offal and Bean Stew to his mouth.
"I figured. I heard a bit from Pamidoor the blacksmith. Apparently, Boruntar told the weapon shops not to do business with me. Word reached the workshop through the shops. Even a blacksmith can't stay in business if the shops won't buy the weapons he works so hard to make. That’s why he’s avoiding me for now."
Rei muttered this as if it were no concern at all.
There was no trace of misery on his face regarding the trade boycott; instead, he seemed focused on the stew, as if its flavor were far more important than any mercantile politics.
The offal had a satisfyingly firm texture, yet it was tender enough from the long simmer to snap apart easily between his teeth. The beans stewed alongside it had absorbed the savory fats and rich umami, making every spoonful addictive.
"So, what were you looking for me for?"
"...It’s about Galahat-san..."
Mult hesitated as if the words were difficult to say. Eventually, he decided there was no choice but to speak.
"Rei, you refused Boruntar’s Proposal and went on a rampage, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
At those casually spoken words, Phron and Brasso both turned to Rei, looking aghast.
Brasso, who had been mid-sip, nearly sprayed his wine and instinctively clamped his hand over his mouth.
They had heard at the Lord's Mansion that Rei had been coerced to hand over his Magic Items and Seto, but they hadn't imagined he had actually responded by tearing the place apart.
(Actually, knowing Rei’s temperament, I should have seen that coming,) Phron thought, recovering from her shock and finding herself oddly convinced as she watched Brasso cough.
Still, most people would find it unbelievable for someone to treat the Chairman of the Azoth Firm—the man who controlled the City of Gilm’s weapon trade—with such violence. In a way, Phron was becoming just as unconventional as Rei for accepting it so easily.
"...Galahat-san was nearly killed by your strike, but thanks to Recovery Magic and potions, he managed to survive."
"Well, he was the one being reckless despite taking that much damage. In a sense, he got what was coming to him."
Rei showed no sign of remorse, even though he was speaking to the person who looked up to Galahat as a sworn older brother. For a moment, the veins on Mult’s forehead bulged, but he swallowed his rage, remembering that he was here to beg a favor of this man.
"Fine. Anyway... after Galahat-san regained consciousness, he gave me instructions regarding the Azoth Firm."
"And who exactly is this Galahat?" Brasso asked, having finally calmed his coughing fit. He brought the wine to his lips once more.
"The Adventurer who came to fetch me when Boruntar summoned me. The first time I went, the Gatekeeper turned me away, but the next day Mult and Galahat came to get me. Apparently, he’s a B-Rank Adventurer. You don't know him?"
"We might be veterans, but that doesn't mean we keep track of every high-rank adventurer in the city," Brasso replied.
"Even so, he seemed far too good-natured for someone working for the Azoth Firm. I’d have thought he’d be more famous," Rei muttered.
Mult shook his head slightly on the bed.
"Think about Boruntar’s personality. Even if they share the same father, do you think he’d allow Galahat-san to become famous or highly regarded?"
"...Ah, I see. That makes sense. If even half the rumors about Boruntar are true, he’d definitely suppress him," Phron muttered with a sigh. Rei frowned, understanding the implication.
Mult let out a matching sigh.
"Whenever Galahat-san achieves something, Boruntar pulls strings to make sure a more 'loyal' subordinate takes the credit."
"...Does the Guild allow that?"
To Rei's natural question, Mult shook his head.
"Usually, no. But Galahat-san never says a word about it. The Guild could have acted if he’d filed a complaint, but he won't."
Rei recalled Galahat’s face as he stood in his way during the confrontation. He had been desperate to save Boruntar’s life, even at the cost of his own.
"The Guild knows what’s going on, so they make sure the Rank Up Exams are handled fairly, regardless of credit. That’s how Galahat-san made it to B-Rank, but..."
"And that backfired by making him famous as the Azoth Firm’s only B-Rank Adventurer, I take it?" Rei noted, recalling their first meeting.
Mult nodded.
"Yeah. And that touched a nerve with Boruntar again. Despite being a B-Rank, Galahat-san is forced to do menial chores and errands instead of real work. They just use his rank to bolster the Firm's name."
Mult spat the words out bitterly. Rei tilted his head, curious.
"It was the same when I tried to kill Boruntar. Why is Galahat so devoted to him? Boruntar clearly hates him. There has to be more to it than just being half-brothers."
Mult fell silent.
Rei, Phron, and Brasso all watched him expectantly.
After a few minutes of heavy silence, Mult finally gave in.
"Rei, I think you heard this before... Galahat-san and Boruntar are half-brothers. Boruntar’s father took a mistress in his old age, and Galahat-san was the result. Even if the Chairman controls the City of Gilm’s weapon trade, he’s still a commoner, not a Noble. This city is ruled by Margrave Larkus, so Nobles don't have absolute privilege here... but the gap between a commoner and a Noble is still huge. A Noble can have mistresses and they’re still respected. If a commoner does it, people look down on them. ...And because Boruntar’s father was the head of the Firm, the backlash fell on Galahat-san and his mother. All the resentment people had for the Firm’s aggressive methods was directed at them. It was easier to bully the 'illegitimate' family."
The three listeners grimaced at the sordid history. Brasso was the first to speak.
"But I know commoners who openly keep mistresses. They aren't treated nearly that badly."
"The blame was always the Azoth Firm's fault," Mult explained. "Aggressive trades, unfair deals... anyone who got screwed over by the Firm saw Galahat-san and his mother as easy targets to vent their frustration. They were forced to live in the shadows. Boruntar’s father eventually got tired of the drama and just paid them a pittance—barely enough for two people to survive."
"...So why does Galahat still follow him?"
"Galahat-san told me this once when he was drunk... When his mother collapsed from a disease, Boruntar—by some miracle or whim—went to great lengths to get the medicine she needed."
Rei and the others gaped in disbelief.
After a long minute of silence, Rei finally spoke.
"...You're joking, right?"
Beside him, Brasso and Phron nodded in agreement.
Mult offered a bitter smile.
"I said the same thing when I first heard it. But it’s the truth. At the very least, Galahat-san believes it with all his heart."
"His mother was the one who was sick? Not Galahat himself?" Rei asked, wondering if Galahat had hallucinated the event during a childhood fever.
"No mistake. I asked him several times."
"Then... did Boruntar’s personality just change after he became Chairman?" Rei muttered, half-convinced.
Brasso shook his head. "No. I was an adventurer here before Boruntar took over, and even back then, his reputation was absolute garbage."
"Then why would someone like Boruntar help the brother he hates so much?"
Rei’s question went unanswered. No one in the room could solve that riddle. Even Mult, who had agonized over it for years, had no answer.
Mult shook his head and continued.
"Regardless of why, Galahat-san feels a massive debt of gratitude. He was just a kid when it happened, so the impression stuck. When his mother eventually died, Boruntar became the only blood relative he had left. No matter how rotten the man is, Galahat-san won't leave him."
Rei had a theory for a moment, but he dismissed it as impossible and shook his head.
"Childhood experiences have a way of defining a person long after they grow up," Rei noted.
While he was lost in thought about how childhood traumas shape a person, he was snapped back to reality by the sound of Phron clapping her hands.
"The conversation has drifted. I understand the situation with Galahat now. You said he gave you instructions regarding the Azoth Firm. What were they?"
Mult went to answer, but—
"Wait," Rei interrupted.
"Rei?"
"What's wrong?"
Phron and Brasso both looked at him. Rei closed his eyes and listened intently.
"It seems we have some guests downstairs," he declared.