The purple mist was completely incinerated in midair.
Rei spent several minutes flying around the area with Seto to confirm that every trace of it had vanished before finally returning to Seis.
Down below in the City of Baar, some people were still frozen in shock at the sudden appearance of the purple tornado. However, once they saw the vortex dissipate, they seemed to realize the crisis was over. Cheers gradually began to rise from the streets.
"I suppose it’s settled then?"
"Guruuuu."
Seto let out a wary cry, as if to say it was too early to celebrate.
Rei heard the warning and agreed that it might be premature to let his guard down just yet. Even so, he descended into the city, half-convinced that no further trouble would arise now that the Dungeon Core—the likely source of the phenomenon—had been destroyed.
But when he landed back at the spot from which they had taken flight, Rei found a troubling sight.
"Guild Master!?"
Seis lay collapsed face-down on the ground.
"Seto, we need to get to the guild immediately... No, the Lord's Mansion!"
Rei changed his mind, remembering that the mansion was currently housing many people suffering from Magic Fever or paralysis. If the sick were gathered there, it stood to reason that there would be a concentration of doctors and recovery magic users as well.
"Guru!"
Seto gave a short bark in response. Rei lifted Seis onto the gryphon’s back. Just in case, he retrieved the Resonance Necklace he had tossed aside earlier, along with Seis’s staff and his own Death Scythe, stowing them all in the Misty Ring before breaking into a run.
Even with a passenger, Seis was merely an elderly man in a light robe, not a warrior in heavy armor. Seto maintained a speed that made it seem as though it weren't carrying anyone at all, and Rei ran alongside the gryphon, keeping pace with its inhuman stride.
Ignoring the cheering residents, they used their extraordinary speed to reach the Lord's Mansion in less than half the time the initial trip had taken.
Dialogo, who had been busy barking orders to the staff, spotted them. His face contorted in shock as he rushed toward them; his movements were indeed swift, as expected of a former thief.
Leaving his subordinates to their tasks, Dialogo arrived at their side, out of breath.
"Rei! What happened to Seis!?"
"He likely pushed himself past his limits with that magic. Fortunately, it doesn't look life-threatening, but I brought him here as fast as I could because I knew there would be doctors around."
"I see. Hey! Guild Master Seis has collapsed! Call the doctors! Get someone who can use recovery magic, immediately!"
The order was relayed through the subordinates to the medical staff inside.
Simultaneously, Rei lifted Seis from Seto's back and entrusted him to one of Dialogo’s nearby guards.
"I’m counting on you."
"Yeah, leave it to me. He's one of the heroes who saved the City of Baar. We’ll make sure he’s taken care of."
The soldier, clad in chainmail for mobility, took the unconscious Seis and hurried inside the mansion.
"...Phew. Honestly, that old fool works too hard for his age. But more importantly, I saw it from here—it looks like you dealt with the mist. Good work."
Dialogo, having watched his friend being carried away, spoke to Rei with a sigh of relief. A lingering trace of worry for Seis remained in his eyes, but his mood was noticeably lighter now that the crisis had passed.
"Yes. The Guild Master gathered the mist and moved it outside the city, and then I incinerated it with flame magic. ...However."
"However? Is there something else?"
"Well, the East Distilled Liquor Storage Facility—the source of the mist—is almost a total loss. We had to use the tornado to suck the mist out from the roots, and it essentially leveled the building."
"...I see. That’s a blow to the city’s coffers, certainly, but it’s a small price to pay compared to that mist remaining. You did well."
"I’m glad you see it that way. ...Ah, and take these."
Rei reached into the Misty Ring and produced Seis’s staff and the black Resonance Necklace, handing them to Dialogo.
"The Guild Master was already out cold by the time I got back to the ground, so I collected them."
"Understood. Honestly, that idiot needs to learn to act his age."
Dialogo muttered the same complaint as before, but this time his voice was thick with emotion as he gripped the two magic items tightly.
As Rei watched him, he saw several soldiers running toward them, likely to deliver situational reports.
"Dialogo-san, you should probably focus on settling the chaos. There are still many people paralyzed in the East District who need help."
"...Yeah, you're right. No time for sentiment. You and Seto should go rest. If you two are seen roaming the city during this commotion, it’ll just cause more confusion. Go back to the same inn as this morning. I’ve already made the arrangements."
"Understood. I’ll take you up on that. Please let the Guild Master know I wish him a speedy recovery."
Agreeing that a gryphon wandering the city would indeed cause a stir among the uninformed, Rei followed Dialogo’s advice and headed for the inn.
"Ah, Rei-san! Did you see that mist!?"
The moment Rei returned Seto to the stable and entered the inn, the young man acting as the temporary manager practically pounced on him. The inn was in the south, but the staff had clearly seen the mist in the east, the massive tornado, and the final incineration.
"Yeah, about that..."
Rei started to speak, but he realized that explaining the Dungeon Core would lead to an endless stream of prying questions. He stopped himself.
"Actually, Dialogo-san will probably make an official announcement later today. You should get the details then."
"Come on, if you know something, you can tell me..."
The young man seemed to suspect that Rei was involved, his adventurer's intuition pinging. He tried to press for more, but Rei simply sighed and shook his head.
"You're an adventurer, aren't you? Then you know the risk of leaking information regarding a request. I'll just tell you that you don't need to worry about the mist anymore. Now, just wait for Dialogo-san's announcement."
"...Alright."
Reluctantly, the young man backed down. As an adventurer himself, he couldn't argue with Rei's professional logic.
"Make sure Seto gets plenty of food."
Leaving the manager with that instruction, Rei retreated to his room.
The next day. Rei was still huddled under the covers against the morning chill when the sound of several people rushing up to the second floor woke him. If it had been the normal movement of guests, he would have gone back to sleep, but the frantic pace told him someone was coming for him.
"...What now?"
Slightly grumpy from the rude awakening, Rei nonetheless prepared for trouble. Given everything that had happened in this city, he was almost certain someone had business with him. He quickly donned his equipment, finishing with the Dragon Robe just as a heavy pounding echoed through the door—less a knock and more of a strike.
"D-Rank Adventurer Rei. You have been summoned by Baron Soleil Levant, the Lord of this city. Come out at once."
(The Lord? I thought Dialogo was handling the administration. I suppose he came to check on things now that the Magic Fever is over. And he must have heard about me and decided he wanted a meeting.)
"Understood. I'm getting ready. Wait a moment," Rei called out.
Through the door, he heard the messenger soldier click his tongue. The man likely thought he was unheard, but Rei’s senses were far from ordinary.
"Fine. But don't keep Lord Soleil waiting. If you're late, he’ll charge right into this inn. For the sake of the management, you’d better hurry."
"Charge into the inn?"
"Yeah. Once Lord Soleil gets interested in something, he doesn't know how to back down. If you take too long, he’ll storm this place himself."
Rei tilted his head in confusion as he conversed with the soldier through the door. Based on the pounding and the clicking of the tongue, he had expected a typical arrogant lackey. But the soldier's words suggested he was actually rushing Rei to prevent the inn from being troubled by his master’s eccentricities.
(I heard he was a noble who caused nothing but problems. I guess this soldier is more like his babysitter. Either way, he sounds like a handful.)
Muttering to himself, Rei gave his appearance a final check and opened the door.
Standing there was a man in his mid-twenties who looked utterly exhausted by life. He had the face of someone who would much rather be drinking than working.
"Are you the one?"
"Yeah. I’m Kormish, Lord Soleil's guard. You ready? Let's move."
"I'm ready. Where are we going?"
"He’s the Lord of the city. Where else? The Lord's Mansion."
Kormish started walking briskly down the hallway without waiting. They descended the stairs, left the inn, and...
"Wait," Rei called to his back.
"What now?"
"Is it just me you need?"
"...I was told you were a solo adventurer."
"Is that wrong?" Kormish asked with a look of extreme boredom. Rei gave a small nod.
"I am solo, but I have a tamed monster. I'm only able to work solo because of it. Should I not bring it along?"
"Ah... don't bother. I was only told to bring you. Besides, you probably don't want Lord Soleil taking a weird interest in your monster, do you?"
"...Fair point. In that case, make sure Seto is fed," Rei called back to the stunned manager as he and Kormish left the inn.
At the Lord's Mansion, Kormish spoke to the gatekeeper.
"It’s Kormish. I’ve brought the man as Lord Soleil ordered. We’re coming in."
"Yes, we were expecting you."
Rei followed Kormish inside, passing through corridors that were slightly different from the ones he had seen the previous day. They eventually stopped in front of a large set of doors.
"Is he in here?"
"Yeah. Lord Soleil is inside. Whatever you do, don't be disrespectful... No, wait, that's not right. He’s likely to be very disrespectful to you, but whatever happens, make sure you watch your reaction."
"...Excuse me?"
Rei was used to being told to mind his manners with nobles, but being told to watch his reaction to the noble’s rudeness was a first. Before he could ask for clarification, Kormish knocked on the door.
"Lord Soleil, it’s Kormish. I’ve brought the person you asked for."
"I see! Bring him in at once!"
Kormish opened the door and ushered Rei inside.
The first thing Rei saw was a man sitting on a sofa. He looked to be in his twenties, similar in age to Kormish. His most striking feature was his narrow, fox-like eyes. His entire aura suggested a researcher rather than a high-ranking noble.
"Heh... So you’re the one who saved the city... Rei... is... it..."
The man’s voice trailed off. His movements froze, and his expression grew increasingly strained as he stared at Rei.
"Y-You... What on earth are you!?"
Soleil stammered reflexively. In his panic, he tried to scramble backward, forgetting he was on a sofa. He slammed into the backrest with enough force to flip the piece of furniture. His head struck the floor hard, and he immediately lost consciousness.