"Kyu!"
Rei was woken that day not by the brilliant morning sun, nor by the sound of someone knocking on his door, but by a cute, high-pitched cry.
"...Mnn..."
As his eyes fluttered open, a small dragon about twenty centimeters long came into focus. It was Iero, the familiar created by Elena.
"Ah... What is it?"
"Kyu!"
In response to Rei’s sleep-addled question, Iero turned its gaze toward the window.
"Kyuu!"
Then, it looked toward the letter resting on the table—the reply Rei had written for Elena. Watching the little creature, Rei finally understood its intent.
"Are you heading back to Elena now?"
"Kyu!"
Iero gave a small, firm nod. Rei reached out and lightly stroked its head before picking up the scrap of cloth he had used to wrap Elena’s original letter.
"Here, come here. I’ll tie it to you so it doesn't get blown away by the wind, just like when you brought her message to me."
"Kyuu!"
At Rei’s call, Iero flapped its wings and hopped onto his lap. As he worked, Rei found himself tilting his head in thought.
The wings were barely ten centimeters long. He wondered how it could possibly stay aloft with such a small wingspan. Of course, the same logic applied to Seto. The wings growing from the back of Seto’s leonine body were far too small to lift a massive frame exceeding two meters simply by flapping alone.
It was safer to assume they flew using magic power rather than aerodynamics. While musing on the physics of the world, Rei wrapped the envelope in the cloth and secured it firmly around Iero’s body.
"Still, you could’ve stayed a bit longer. You just got here yesterday and you're leaving already? Talk about a rush."
"Kyuu!"
Iero shook its head. Given its tiny stature, its flight speed wasn't particularly high. While it was certainly faster than traveling on foot, it couldn't compete with other flying monsters. In that sense, gaining the invisibility ability—even if it had been a stroke of luck—was a godsend for the small creature. Even with such an advantage, the journey back to Anesis would take a considerable amount of time. It was a small mercy that as a familiar, it didn't need to eat, but the flip side was the constant danger of vanishing if Elena's magic power ran out.
Ultimately, Rei had no authority to order Elena’s familiar around. With a short cry, Iero took flight and disappeared through the open window.
"Heh. It really does have the dignity of a dragon, small as it is."
Rei watched the departure, murmuring to himself. Iero utilized its special ability to vanish after only a few seconds, but during that brief window, its flight had been remarkably graceful.
Once Iero was gone, the room suddenly felt colder. Rei shivered as the winter wind blew in, promptly closing the window before donning his Dragon Robe. After a quick meal in the dining hall, he set out into the city with Seto.
His destination was the Noble District—specifically, Baron Cisne's residence.
The streets were filled with people bundled in layers of robes and coats, their breath blooming white in the air as they hurried along. Rei and Seto moved at their own pace. Rei was perfectly insulated by his Dragon Robe, and Seto didn't mind the chill in the least. They were a conspicuous pair, but as usual, Rei ignored the stares and headed for the upper-class neighborhood.
Having visited the Noble District during the incident with Boruntar, Rei arrived at the gates without getting lost. The patrol adventurers acting as gatekeepers recognized him immediately; between his famous gryphon and the recent takedown of the Azoth Firm, Rei was a local celebrity. He was waved through with little more than a nod.
"Let’s see... left here... then the third house. The map says there’s an owl statue on the gate, so I can’t miss it... Ah, there it is."
Following the directions Kenny had given him, Rei soon found the estate. However...
"Whoa."
"Guruu."
Rei let out a surprised breath, and Seto let out a soft trill in agreement. The residence was significantly smaller than Rei had expected for a nobleman's estate. Compared to the massive mansion Boruntar had owned, this place was perhaps a fifth of the size. It was still larger than a commoner's house, but for the Noble District, it was modest to the point of being jarring.
Furthermore, unlike the other estates, there were no guards at the entrance.
"...Hey, Seto. What should we do? Do you think I should just walk in?"
"Guruu."
Seto tilted its head, unsure how to respond.
"Even if I'm about to become a C-Rank adventurer, I probably shouldn't just trespass into a noble's home."
Strictly speaking, he was still a D-Rank adventurer until he completed this trial and reported back to the Guild. Rei sighed, peering through the gate. While the parts of the estate visible from the street looked well-maintained, the areas further back were a different story. Dead weeds and fallen branches cluttered the yard. If it were summer, the place would likely be a jungle.
The low reward suddenly made sense. It wasn't that Baron Cisne was stingy; he was likely just poor. The Guild had probably arranged this trial specifically to help the Baron while providing Rei with a stepping stone to his promotion.
Rei loitered in front of the house, looking increasingly suspicious. It didn't take long for him to be noticed.
"Hey, you! What are you doing there?"
Three adventurers on patrol approached him. There was a man in his thirties and a younger man and woman in their twenties, all wearing matching armor and swords.
Rei assumed the uniform look was either a show of wealth or a demand for aesthetic consistency from their employers. He forced a neutral expression.
"Ah, I’m not a suspicious person, I promise."
"Right. Loitering in front of a noble's gate is the definition of suspicious," the younger man replied. His tone was casual, but his eyes were sharp, and his hand rested near the hilt of his sword.
"Why have you been standing here for so long?" the woman asked, pointing to the snow that had been trodden flat by Rei’s boots.
"A mage with a gryphon... You're that adventurer, Rei, aren't you?" the older man interjected.
Rei nodded. "That's right. I'm Rei, a D-Rank adventurer. I’m here on a request from Baron Cisne, but there weren't any gatekeepers. I didn't want to just barge in."
"Ah." The younger man let out a wry laugh, seemingly realizing which house Rei was referring to.
"We’ll need to see your Guild Card," the middle-aged man said, his attitude softening. "Between the gryphon and the rumors, we're pretty sure you're the real deal, but we have to check."
"Understandable." Rei pulled his Guild Card from the Misty Ring and handed it over. The reaction of the guards confirmed his suspicions; the poverty of the Cisne household was apparently a well-known fact in the district.
"Everything checks out. You're definitely Rei. But if you keep standing out here, other patrols are going to stop you. What's your plan?"
"Well, I can't just leave, but..."
Before Rei could finish his sentence, a figure came running toward them from further down the street.
"Excuse me! Are you the adventurer from the Guild?"
The girl was in her mid-teens, roughly Rei’s age, wearing a coat over a maid's uniform. She was lugging a bag filled with groceries.
"I am so sorry to keep you waiting! I am Ashie, the maid in service to Baron Cisne's house—kyaaa!"
"Whoops!" The female adventurer caught the girl just as she slipped on a patch of ice.
"...Ashie-kya? That’s an unusual name," the younger man muttered.
"No, it's not," the middle-aged man snapped, realizing she had just screamed.
The female adventurer glared at her companions before checking on the girl. "Are you alright?"
"Ah, yes! Thank you for the help..."
"It’s fine. But the snow is slippery, so try not to run."
"I will! Thank you so much!" Ashie bowed repeatedly before turning her attention to the group.
The younger man stepped forward. "This is Rei. He says he’s here for a request from the Baron. You're definitely the maid here, right?"
"Yes! I am. I was supposed to be here to welcome him, but I realized we were out of food and had to rush to the market. ...Oh! My goodness, is this the famous Seto-san? It’s an honor!"
Ignoring Rei entirely, Ashie scurried over to Seto.
"Wow! You really are a gryphon! You’re just like the stories!"
Rei had visited the Noble District enough times for his reputation to precede him, but the nature of that reputation varied depending on the audience. The Noble's Faction knew Duke Kerebel valued him and that he was close with the Princess General. The King's Faction, the largest group, watched him with cautious curiosity. Even the Neutral Faction had their eyes on him.
"Uh, could you leave Seto alone for a second?" Rei asked. "I'm here for the combat training request."
"Ah, yes! Of course! Master said he was bringing someone in for the Young Master's combat training."
Ashie bowed with a cheerful smile, her shoulder-length blue hair swaying. She had a gentle, flighty aura about her.
"So, it’s confirmed then? He’s the one expected?" the female adventurer asked.
"Yes, absolutely," Ashie confirmed.
The patrol leader nodded, satisfied. "In that case, we'll get back to our rounds. Sorry for the trouble."
"Not at all! Thank you for your hard work!" Ashie called out, bowing once more as the patrol moved on.