"I see it! It's Baar!"
Rei shouted instinctively from Seto’s back as the city finally appeared on the horizon.
As it turned out, the bandit gang hadn't bothered them again during the night, and Rei had been able to sleep soundly, wrapped in the warmth of Seto’s fur.
He had woken up at the crack of dawn. As the rising sun began to chase away the lingering shadows of night, he and Seto shared a quick breakfast before taking flight. They soared past the final transit point village for the City of Baar and reached their destination well before noon.
"Guruuu?"
Seto was in high spirits, mirroring Rei's joy, but its gaze soon shifted downward. Spotting dozens of figures who looked like soldiers gathered at the City of Baar’s Main Gate, it gave a questioning cry, as if asking how they should proceed.
Hearing the cry, Rei noticed the city was under blockade. However, since he had the Aurani Grass powder in his possession, he knew he had to deliver it regardless of the restrictions.
"Seto, land a little ways away from the men blocking the main gate. If we drop down right in front of them, they'll probably think we're attacking."
"Guruuu!"
Seto gave a short cry of understanding and flapped its wings, banking toward the ground.
The soldiers noticed them immediately. A stir went through their ranks as they brandished spears and swords, settling into wary stances.
Rei allowed himself a small smile. Their morale was impressive; they hadn't broken ranks even when faced with a high-rank monster like a Gryphon. He leaped to the ground from a height of several meters and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"I’m Rei! An adventurer from the City of Gilm! I’ve brought Aurani Grass powder to treat the Magic Fever! Contact the City of Baar’s Guild immediately!"
His voice echoed across the open ground.
The soldiers looked joyful for a split second upon hearing his words, but their expressions quickly turned to doubt. Rei looked like a typical fifteen-year-old with a slender build, and more importantly, he appeared to be empty-handed despite claiming to have brought the medicine. They exchanged perplexed glances.
Eventually, a man stepped forward from the line and approached.
He looked to be in his twenties and radiated a peculiar sense of composure. He stopped about five meters from Rei and spoke.
"I’m Sazanas. I’m the coordinator of the soldiers here. I have to ask... you said you brought Aurani Grass powder, but where is it? You’re empty-handed. Don't get me wrong, even a small amount would be a godsend, but if you came all the way from Gilm, surely you brought more than a pocketful?"
Rei gave a small nod and manifested a wooden box from his Misty Ring.
Sazanas reflexively reached for the sword at his hip when the box suddenly appeared out of thin air. Realizing almost instantly that the object wasn't a weapon, he froze, staring at the crate.
Inside the box were dozens of small bottles. Each one was filled with a fine, greenish powder.
"Wait... could it be...?"
"That’s right," Rei confirmed. "Aurani Grass powder. It's the primary ingredient for the Magic Fever medicine."
A wave of murmurs broke out among the soldiers. They were stunned by the sheer amount of powder, but even more so by the presence of an Item Box.
"An Item Box... I see. This certainly looks like the real thing."
"The real thing?" Rei asked, tilting his head.
Sazanas gave him a short, apologetic bow.
"Forgive me. I had to be sure. The Guild Master of our local guild told me to expect an adventurer dispatched from Gilm. However, as you can see, Baar is currently being ravaged by an explosive outbreak of Magic Fever. Several researchers heard rumors and tried to force their way in to 'study' the disease. Lord Dialogo rejected them all because their presence was more dangerous than helpful, but..."
"Why reject them? If they're researchers, couldn't they help find the cause?"
"In theory, yes. If that was actually their goal."
Sazanas’s tone suggested the situation was far more complicated than a simple medical crisis. Rei decided not to press the issue and changed the subject.
"So, am I cleared to enter?"
"Y-yes. Though... what about the Gryphon? It won't attack anyone, will it?" Sazanas asked tentatively, eyeing Seto as it waited patiently behind Rei.
"Guruu?"
Seto tilted its head curiously. Sazanas instinctively took a step back; despite the monster's apparent docility, the raw power of a Gryphon was still terrifying.
Recalling his first entry into Gilm, Rei reached back and stroked Seto’s neck.
"There's no need to worry. As long as no one provokes it, it's perfectly well-behaved."
"Guruuuu."
Seto purred contentedly, leaning into the touch.
Sazanas watched the interaction as if witnessing a miracle. He produced a Tamed Monster's Necklace—the same kind used in Gilm—and handed it over. Rei accepted the collar and presented his Guild Card to finalize the entry procedures.
"Open the gate!" Sazanas barked.
The heavy doors creaked open, breaking the blockade of Baar.
I could have saved a lot of time by just flying over the walls, Rei thought. But then I'd have been branded an intruder. Better to do it by the book.
"I’ll head to the guild immediately, Captain," Rei said.
"Understood. Lord Seis will be relieved to see you. We’re counting on you."
One of the soldiers nodded to Sazanas and hurried into the city ahead of Rei to announce his arrival.
"Just follow this main street straight and you'll see the guild," Sazanas explained. "The streets are practically deserted because of the fever, so you should be able to make good time. And... one last thing. Thank you for coming. Our city owes you a great debt."
Sazanas bowed deeply. His men followed suit, their heads lowered in profound respect.
Many of them likely had family, friends, or lovers suffering from the disease. Rei noticed tears falling from a few of the soldiers. They weren't tears of grief, but of hope—the realization that salvation had finally arrived.
"I only brought the materials," Rei said humbly. "The rest is up to the pharmacists and alchemists of this city."
"Even so, without the materials, there is no medicine. You saved us."
Sazanas offered his final gratitude, and the Gate of Baar swung shut once more. Sazanas watched the closed doors, praying that when they finally opened again, it would be because the fever was gone, and not because the city had become a graveyard.
"The streets really are empty," Rei muttered, looking around.
It wasn't quite a ghost town, but the number of people out and about was pitiful compared to Gilm. Part of that was the fever, but Baar was simply a smaller, more rural city to begin with. Gilm, being a frontier hub, naturally drew in merchants, adventurers, and craftsmen. Baar lacked that inherent draw.
The few residents Rei did encounter stopped in their tracks, eyes wide at the sight of the unfamiliar boy and his Gryphon. Then, one by one, they bowed their heads politely.
What’s with them? Rei wondered.
Unknown to him, Lord Dialogo had pre-announced that an adventurer was flying from Gilm with a Gryphon and an Item Box to deliver a specific cure for the Magic Fever. He had done it to stave off panic and give the people something to believe in. Consequently, when the citizens saw Rei, their awe was completely overshadowed by their gratitude.
Lord Dialogo had also strictly forbidden anyone from stopping Rei to thank him—every second spent talking was a second lost in making the medicine. Thus, they could only offer silent bows from a distance.
Ignorant of these orders, Rei found the behavior strange but continued down the main street as Sazanas had directed. Soon, a massive building came into view with a sign reading 'Adventurer’s Guild.'
"Seto."
"Guruu."
Seto knew exactly what was needed. It trotted over to the tamed monster area and lay down to wait. In Gilm, Seto would have been swarmed by children and animal lovers, but here, the area was silent. Magic Fever hit those with low magic power the hardest, meaning nearly every child in the city was currently bedridden.
Rei gave Seto’s head a final pat and pushed open the guild doors.
"...I see."
The lobby was nearly empty. Normally, this was the time of day when staff would be rushing about and the tavern would be filled with adventurers sharing a meal. Instead, the building was a tomb.
There was only a single receptionist at the counter—a woman a few years older than Kenny—and a handful of staff members in the back. Not a single adventurer was in sight. Since the city was under lockdown and food was being rationed, the tavern had likely been forced to close.
Despite the grim atmosphere, the receptionist offered Rei a professional smile and a polite bow as he approached.
"I’m Rei. I’ve brought Aurani Grass powder and other relief supplies from Gilm."
The receptionist froze. Behind her, the other staff members went just as still.
"M-may I see your Guild Card, just to confirm?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Sure."
Rei pulled his card from the Misty Ring.
"Ohhh!"
The staff broke into cheers. Seeing the Item Box in action confirmed everything they had been told. Rei handed over the card, understanding their excitement given the dire circumstances.
"I-it's him. Rei, D-Rank Adventurer belonging to the City of Gilm’s Guild. Everything is in order."
The receptionist returned the card with shaking hands. Rei stored it back in his ring and got down to business.
"Where should I unload the supplies? There's a lot, so I'll need a large, open space."
"P-please wait! I'll go get the Guild Master right away!"
As the receptionist shouted, another staff member turned to run into the back, but Rei called out to stop them.
"Wait. Give this to him first. It's a letter from my Guild Master in Gilm addressed to the Guild Master here."
Rei handed over the envelope. The staff member took it, bowed quickly, and bolted toward the back offices.
If the layout is the same as Gilm, the Guild Master’s Office should be right through there, Rei thought. He turned back to the receptionist, hoping to get a clearer picture of the local situation.
The woman was quite pretty, though she looked exhausted. He noticed she was the only one at the counter.
"About the Magic Fever," Rei started. "In Gilm, they said about forty percent of the city was infected. How bad is it now?"
The receptionist had clearly expected the question. She bit her lip and shook her head.
"The number of symptomatic patients has risen to sixty percent."
"Sixty? In such a short time?"
"Yes. It's terrible. As you likely know, Magic Fever only affects those whose magic power falls below a certain threshold... and this strain is different."
The receptionist sighed, but a voice from behind the counter cut in.
"Specifically, the threshold for this outbreak is abnormally high."
An elderly man in his fifties stepped out from the back. Rei didn't need to guess who he was, and the receptionist’s next words confirmed it.
"Guild Master..."