It was a cold winter night. Despite the buffeting of the violent winds, the campfire Rei had ignited with his magic continued to burn steadily, refusing to be extinguished.
Set had already finished his meal, having devoured the meat of two Icebirds in the form of grilled skewers. As the Gryphon lay down with a look of pure satisfaction, Rei retrieved a magic stone from his Misty Ring.
It was an Icebird magic stone he had obtained when Alektor’s caravan was attacked. Having just finished the meat, he prepared to absorb the stone as a sort of dessert. In a sense, it was like the final course of a full-course meal.
"...No, that’s not quite right," Rei muttered, dismissing the thought with a wry smile. He held the stone out toward Set, who was watching him with sparkling, expectant eyes.
Set was a being created through Beast Magic, and as such, he naturally sought to grow stronger by absorbing magic stones—the very essence of his existence. He snatched the blue stone from Rei’s palm with his beak and swallowed it in a single gulp. Then...
【Set has learned the skill 『Ice Arrow Lv. 1』】
The familiar announcement echoed through Rei’s mind.
"Guruuuu."
Delighted by the new skill, Set purred and rubbed his head against Rei.
Rei stroked the Gryphon’s head, a look of understanding on his face. "I figured you’d learn an ice-type skill given it was an Icebird stone. It would’ve been funny if Fire Breath had leveled up instead... but then again, since they're both water-aligned, maybe Water Ball could have improved? Or maybe Ice Ball instead of Ice Arrow."
"Guru?" Set tilted his head as if asking what was wrong. Rei shook his head and gestured toward a nearby boulder.
"Set, show me the skill you just learned. Target that rock over there."
"Guruuu!"
Set faced the boulder and let out a sharp cry. Instantly, five or so ice arrows formed around him.
They were slightly smaller than the ones used by the Icebirds they had encountered, but their sharp tips glinted with the cold, crystalline light of ice. In the dark of the winter night, the glow seemed even more pronounced.
"Guruu!"
Set’s cry rang out again. The next moment, the five ice arrows shot forward, baring their fangs at the rock.
One, two, three, four. The boulder held firm against the first four projectiles as they shattered upon impact, its natural density resisting the blows. However, as the fifth arrow struck, a faint cracking sound filled the air. In an instant, the massive rock, weighing well over a hundred kilograms, began to fracture. Centering on the point where the final Ice Arrow had pierced it, the boulder split apart and tumbled to the ground.
"Guru?" Set tilted his head, seeking approval. Rei chuckled and gave the Gryphon’s head a firm scratch.
"Impressive. In terms of raw power, it’s already superior to Wind Arrow."
"Guruuuu." Set chirped happily at the praise.
(Wind and ice. They're both 'arrows,' but the difference in power must come from the difference between a gas and a solid. Well, even at level one, it has this much punch. It’ll be plenty useful.)
"Now, it’s my turn," Rei whispered. He pulled out the second Icebird magic stone.
"Guruuu!" Set cheered him on.
Rei tossed the stone into the air. In the same motion, his Death Scythe flashed through the darkness. The blade sliced the stone perfectly in half, and the fragments vanished into a mist. Rei waited...
"..."
He stood in silence for several seconds, but no announcement of a new skill acquisition reached his mind.
"Tsk."
"Guruu." Hearing Rei click his tongue, Set let out a comforting chirp. Rei shook his head.
"Don't worry about it. Icebirds aren't exactly high-rank monsters. We should be glad you learned a skill at all. Besides, the Death Scythe already has plenty of useful abilities. I can get by just fine without forcing a new one."
It might have sounded like he was just trying to convince himself, but Rei genuinely meant it. He still had his flame magic, his own physical abilities, and an array of magic items. While more options were always better, there was no point in having so many that he couldn't master them all.
"More importantly, I’m still a bit sleep-deprived after dealing with those thieves yesterday. Do you mind taking the watch?"
"Guruu."
Set sensed the truth in Rei’s words. The Gryphon chirped softly and lay down on the ground, indicating that Rei should lean against his body to sleep, as they always did. Grateful, Rei stroked Set’s smooth back and leaned in. He was asleep within minutes.
Once he was sure Rei was under, Set glanced at him with a gentle gaze and closed his eyes. He wasn't truly sleeping, however; he was honing his hearing, sense of smell, and magic detection to their sharpest levels. If any monster or bandit was foolish enough to attack thinking the Gryphon was vulnerable, they would pay for that mistake with their lives.
And so, wrapped in Set’s warmth despite the winter chill, Rei slept deeply to recover his strength.
"Set, let’s pick up the pace. The cold doesn't bother us, but snow will be a pain to fly through."
"Guruu."
Set purred in response and flapped his wings wide.
Having rested well, Rei showed no signs of his previous exhaustion. He stroked Set’s neck while looking up at the overcast sky, where the thick clouds blocked out almost all sunlight. Snow or rain wasn't lethal to them, but it was certainly unpleasant. Lightning was the only real concern, though even a direct strike likely wouldn't kill a Gryphon or Rei in his Dragon Robe.
Regardless, they were eager to reach the City of Gilm before the weather turned. Fortunately, the journey was uneventful. Before long, the familiar silhouette of the city appeared below.
"Phew, we made it just in time. Set, let’s land a short distance from the gate and walk the rest of the way."
Rei remembered Ranga’s previous request not to land right in front of the city. Though the rule was meant to prevent scaring travelers—and there were hardly any people on the road in this weather—he decided to be considerate.
"Welcome back, Rei-kun, Set. You’re back sooner than I expected... did the escort end at the City of Abuelo?"
Ranga met the pair at the main gate. His face was as intimidating as ever, his beard adding to his fierce look, but his tone was surprisingly gentle. To a stranger, the contradiction between his appearance and his personality would have been jarring, but Rei was long since used to it.
Rei handed over his Guild Card and shook his head. "No, we went all the way to the City of Sablusta. We arrived just before noon yesterday, so I had Set fly us back. We camped near Abuelo last night and finished the trip today."
"...I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by how fast Set can travel," Ranga muttered in admiration. He pulled a piece of dried meat from his pocket and offered it to the Gryphon. Set purred and swallowed the treat happily.
After Ranga returned the Guild Card and handed over the Tamed Monster's Necklace, the pair entered the city. Ranga watched them go with a satisfied expression. Now that winter had arrived, the Bestia Empire-related disturbances had finally calmed down. The weight he had lost from the stress of the past few months had already started to come back.
(I hope things stay this quiet... but I doubt it. Life is never boring with Rei-kun around. Still, if his antics keep the city safe, I don't mind working a little harder.)
"Ah, this is the life. Udon really has to be made like this."
"Was the udon in Sablusta really that bad?"
Kenny sat across from Rei, blowing on her own forkful of udon to cool it down.
After reporting the completion of his quest at the guild, Rei had immediately headed to the Full Belly Diner to overwrite the memory of the terrible meal he’d had in Sablusta. Kenny, who was just starting her lunch break, hadn't missed the chance to join him. She would have preferred a place with a bit more atmosphere than a back-street diner, but she couldn't win against Rei’s singular craving.
"Yeah. For some reason, they boiled the noodles directly in the soup. They had zero firmness; they were just bloated and mushy."
(It was like finding a cup of ramen you forgot you’d made two hours ago,) Rei thought, remembering a similar culinary disaster from his life in Japan. He had tried to eat it out of spite back then, but it had been truly inedible.
"That does sound awful. Maybe they thought the noodles were just another soup ingredient? The recipe must have been misunderstood as it traveled that far," Kenny suggested.
"Most likely. I tried to show the owner the right way to do it, but he was the type who didn't listen to a word anyone said. Who knows if he’ll ever change his ways." Rei thought back to the stubborn Stall Owner and sighed.
Kenny smiled wryly and changed the subject. "By the way, most adventurers take it easy during the winter, but you’ve been taking a lot of requests, Rei-kun."
"...I guess so. The Gamelion hunt was technically still autumn, though." As the memories of recent troubles surfaced, Rei realized once again that he was a magnet for chaos.
"Ahaha. I’ve been a Receptionist for five years, but I’ve never seen someone attract trouble quite like you. I assume the rewards make it worth it, though?"
"The magic items definitely help. The Thorn Spear I received from the Guild Master is top-notch. My only regret is that my main weapon is the Death Scythe, so the spear is relegated to being a throwing weapon. It’s too high-level to use for just anything. In that regard, the escort mission was great—the reward included nearly a hundred disposable spears."
"Disposable spears, huh? I did hear a rumor that a merchant was going around buying up old, battered spears from blacksmiths and weapon shops recently..."
"That would be the one. When I throw a spear, I only need it to survive the flight. It doesn't matter if the shaft snaps or the tip shatters once it hits the target."
Rei made the cold calculation while reaching his fork for a piece of meat in his soup. It had been simmered until tender and fell apart easily. As he ate, he looked at the fork with a trace of dissatisfaction.
Having been raised in a culture of chopsticks, Rei found eating udon with a fork deeply unsettling.
(I’ve been using forks for pasta and such, but udon just feels wrong. The people in this city definitely wouldn't know how to use chopsticks, so I’d stand out for the wrong reasons if I used them... then again, I already stand out.)
Even in a city as full of eccentrics as Gilm, Rei knew he was a prominent figure. He decided that adding one more strange habit—like using unknown wooden sticks to eat—wouldn't change much. He resolved to hand-craft a pair of chopsticks for himself, figuring he could just claim he’d read about them in an old book.