“I see the City of Abuelo!”
The shout rang out from the lead wagon just as the sun began its descent toward the horizon, painting the sky in the hues of twilight. Aside from a brief midday rest, the caravan had marched relentlessly along the highway since morning.
“Yes! We actually made it to the city without a single monster attack!”
“...After everything that happened on the way out, this return trip feels like a bit of an anticlimax, honestly.”
“That’s thanks to Rei and Set. Especially Set. Like Rei said, a normal monster wouldn't dream of picking a fight with a Gryphon.”
“True enough. Though, monsters aside, thieves usually don't have the brains to understand that. Bandit activity is always high on the stretch between Abuelo and Sablusta.”
“Ah, definitely. We were jumped a few times when we passed through here before. And that was during the winter; there will be even more of them once spring hits.”
“Well, rest easy. This is likely the first and last time our caravan visits the Frontier. We won’t have to worry about spring thieves.”
“Good point. So, we’re staying in Abuelo tonight? I’m going to find some good food, some wine, and maybe hit a brothel to recharge for tomorrow.”
“Hey, don’t you dare be late for departure. Remember what happened last time? Alektor-san was furious with you.”
Relieved at the sight of the city, the merchants inside the wagons conversed in high spirits.
“Rei, have you been to the City of Abuelo before?” one of the merchants suddenly called out.
It was a natural question, given that the city sat right next to Gilm, but Rei shook his head. “No, I’ve never actually stepped foot inside.”
The closest he had come was flying over the city on Set’s back while heading toward the City of Baar.
“I see. I was hoping to ask you for recommendations on good places to eat... but I guess it can’t be helped.”
While they chatted, the caravan continued forward until they reached the front of the City of Abuelo's Main Gate.
“Oh, you folks... wait, you passed through here the other day, didn't you? Though, I feel like your numbers have dwindled.”
“We were attacked by monsters,” Alektor explained with a heavy sigh. “We lost a wagon, several comrades, and the Escort Adventurers were...”
“...I see. My apologies for asking such an insensitive question. More importantly, I’ll need to see your identification.”
“Yes, here you go.”
Alektor handed over his documents while speaking with the guard. At the same time, Rei and the members of the Beautiful Drops presented their guild cards to the other guards. Then, it happened.
“W-Waaaaaaagh! It-it-it-it’s a Gryphon!”
One of the guards caught sight of Set and fell into a total panic state, screaming at the top of his lungs.
The man likely hadn't intended to trigger a scene, but upon hearing his shout, the other guards stiffened. They leveled their weapons instantly, their faces a mixture of desperate resolve, despair, or sheer terror. Some looked as though they were on the verge of tears at the sight of a legendary monster. Not a single man looked at ease.
“Guruuu?”
Set, who was quite used to people in the City of Gilm, didn't quite understand why the guards were so frightened. It simply tilted its head in a silent "What's wrong?" and looked around at the frantic men.
It was fortunate that none of the guards were particularly elite warriors. No matter how accustomed to humans Set was, it would have surely found it unpleasant to be attacked and would have likely retaliated. Had that happened, the situation would have turned disastrous in more ways than one.
“Wait a moment, please! This Gryphon is his Tamed Monster! There is no danger!” Alektor shouted, his plump belly jiggling as he ran forward.
The guards began to murmur. They turned their gazes toward Set to verify the merchant's claim, then looked toward Rei, who stood calmly beside the beast.
“...Is what you said true?” the officer-in-charge of the guards asked.
“Yeah,” Rei answered. “If you’re asking whether Set—this Gryphon—is my Tamed Monster, then it’s true.”
The whispering spread like wildfire the moment Rei spoke.
“You’ve got to be kidding. Taming a Gryphon?”
“And look at that kid... I can’t see him clearly under that hood, but he’s just a boy, isn't he? He’s short and has such a slender build.”
“No, maybe he’s actually a girl?”
“That voice was definitely male.”
“But a Gryphon...”
“Wait. Now that I think about it, I’ve heard rumors that an adventurer in Gilm has a Tamed Monster that’s a Gryphon.”
“Yeah, didn't some party mention meeting a guy like that near here recently...?”
“Right, I remember hearing something about that now.”
Rei ignored the gossip and stroked Set’s head. “So, what’s the verdict?”
“...I’m sorry, but I need to confirm your identity. Let me see your guild card,” the officer-in-charge said, stepping forward. Judging by the way the other guards looked to him, he was clearly the leader of the unit.
“Fine by me.” Rei handed his guild card over without resistance. The officer inspected it intently, eventually giving a small nod before returning it.
“Everything is in order. Rei, C-Rank adventurer from the City of Gilm.”
A stir went through the ranks again.
“Are you serious? C-Rank at that age!?”
“Has the Gilm Guild gone soft?”
“Are you stupid? He has a Gryphon. If anything, he should be ranked even higher just for that.”
“Ah, I see. So maybe the kid himself isn't that strong, but his monster is. I guess that’s normal for a Tamer.”
The guards continued their hushed conversations, thinking they were being quiet. However, with Rei’s abnormally sharp five senses, he heard every word. He decided it wasn't worth causing more of a scene and chose to remain silent.
“However... I’m sorry. As the officer-in-charge here, I cannot allow that creature into the city.”
“Wait a minute—isn't that a bit much? It’s not like Set-chan did anything wrong! This is tyranny!” Luido protested, pouting at the officer.
Her melodic, drawn-out way of speaking made her look like a stubborn child despite her genuine anger.
“...My apologies, but this is my judgment as a guard. You must comply.”
“But—”
“Luido, that’s enough!” Taenia barked, stepping forward and clamping a hand over her teammate’s mouth. “Listen. What this man is saying might feel unreasonable, but if a Gryphon enters a normal city, it will cause a mass panic. It could turn into an incident where the Knight Order is mobilized. So, just stay quiet and accept it.”
“But... I thought I’d finally be able to play with Set properly tonight...”
“Guruuu.”
Set let out a rumble as if to say "don't worry about it" and stepped forward. The officer-in-charge caught his breath for a moment, but he managed to stand his ground, refusing to back down.
Set looked at the man, then turned its gaze toward Rei. Rei understood the beast's intent immediately.
“Set says it’ll spend the night outside. I’ll stay with it—”
“Guruuu.”
Set stopped him with another rumble, rubbing its head against his chest. Its will was clear: it wanted Rei to go inside and rest comfortably without worrying about its welfare.
“...Alright. Set stays outside the city, and I stay inside.”
“Guru.” Set let out a satisfied sound from the back of its throat and began to trot away from the walls of Abuelo.
“...I’m truly sorry,” the officer-in-charge said, bowing his head to Rei.
The man wasn't acting out of spite. Abuelo did have a few Monster Tamers, but the creatures they commanded were D-Rank at best. Most people had never even seen an A-Rank monster, let alone tamer one. The officer knew exactly what kind of chaos would erupt if such a beast entered the city, Tamed Monster's Necklace or not. In a way, it was the City of Gilm that was the outlier for accepting Set so easily—a testament to the broad-mindedness of the Frontier.
Understanding this, Rei gave the man a small nod. “Don’t worry about it. Set and I both understand the situation.”
Alektor breathed a massive sigh of relief. He had been worried that Rei—an adventurer with A-Rank equivalent strength—might take offense and abandon the contract, especially with the dangerous road to Sablusta still ahead. Although, considering the food expenses he’d seen at lunch, the merchant was starting to wonder if his "cheap" hire was going to be more expensive than he thought.
“Well then, let’s head inside. The inn I stayed at last time serves excellent food. Let’s gather our strength for tomorrow.” Alektor began to pull Rei toward the gate, his mind already calculating. And I need to hurry and buy up meat for Set’s meals... I hope I can find a large quantity for a decent price.
The caravan, the Beautiful Drops, and Rei entered the city, leaving Set to find its own bed under the stars.
About twenty minutes after passing through the Main Gate, they arrived at the inn Alektor had recommended. The sign out front depicted two blades crossed in an "X."
“Come, let’s go in. This Crossing Swords Inn is quite famous among traveling merchants. Oh, Clerona, I’ll leave the horses and wagons to you.”
“Sure thing, Alektor-san. In exchange, make sure my dinner portion is extra large!”
“I know, I know,” Alektor said with a wry smile. He led the merchants, the Beautiful Drops, and Rei inside.
They were greeted by a middle-aged man who was just as broad as Alektor, though while the merchant was soft, the man behind the counter was built of solid muscle.
“Welcome. Oh, it’s you...”
“Hey there, Shopkeep. We’ll be in your care again. We’ve got a bit of a crowd, but do you have rooms available?”
“Yeah, there aren't many guests this time of year, so it’s not a problem. ...Though, looking at your numbers, it seems you’ve had a rough trip.”
Alektor simply shook his head without a word. For the owner of an inn in a city as close to the Frontier as Abuelo, that was all the explanation needed.
“I see. I’ll get the rooms ready immediately. The price is the same as last time.”
As Alektor finished the check-in process, he turned to the group. “Alright, everyone. Tonight is on me! Eat your fill and gather your strength for tomorrow!”
His voice echoed through the attached dining hall. While the inn guests were few, the hall was fairly crowded with locals drawn by the reputation of the food. The travelers, exhausted from a full day on the highway, dug into their meals and wine with gusto.
“Rei-san, I really am sorry about the situation at the gate. I wanted to bring Set inside if I could,” Alektor said, leaning toward Rei.
Rei was currently eating a dish of monster poultry that had been steamed and drizzled with a tangy sauce. Alektor held a cup of wine that was definitely not his first; his cheeks were already flushed deep red.
“Don’t worry about it. Set probably wants some space to stretch its wings once in a while. It’s likely brought down a monster for dinner by now.”
“It’s a relief to hear you say that. I felt terrible, especially since I promised to provide its meals.”
They chatted for a few more minutes until Rei decided to ask something that had been on his mind.
“By the way, what else did you buy in Gilm besides the spears? I heard you found something valuable enough to offset the loss of an entire wagon. I would have thought monster materials were scarce in the winter.”
Alektor leaned in close, a smug grin on his face. He lowered his voice so the neighboring tables wouldn't overhear. “Actually... I managed to secure a shipment of Flame Ore.”
“...Flame Ore?” Rei’s brow twitched.
Unaware of the reaction, the drunken Alektor continued enthusiastically. “Yes! You know of it, don't you? It’s an ore created when Flame Magic Power is crystallized within a Magic Crystal. And the ones I found are top-quality—extremely high purity with a massive amount of magic trapped inside.”
“...I-is that so.”
“I never imagined Flame Ore would be found near Gilm. It’s a vital material for alchemy and a powerful medium for creating magic items. You can even use it directly as a weapon, or forge it into a blade to create a permanent Flame Attribute weapon. It’s incredibly versatile!”
“............I-is that so.”
Rei could only repeat himself. He knew exactly where that "top-quality" ore had come from. It was undoubtedly the byproduct of him blasting the Harpy nest with his fire magic. He couldn't exactly explain that to Alektor, so he simply gave vague nods as the merchant prattled on.
“Gurururururu!”
While Rei was breaking into a cold sweat in the dining hall, Set was tearing through a grove near the city walls. It had caught the scent of an Orc that was also out searching for prey, and Set wasted no time in pouncing to fill its own stomach.