"Well then, I'm counting on you."
"...I'm counting on you, Rei."
"Yeah, leave it to me."
In front of the City of Gilm's Main Gate, Rei straddled Seto's back and gave a small nod to Ranga and Elk as they saw him off.
He hadn't been granted permission to fly straight out of the city center like he had when he’d rushed to the City of Baar. However, despite the late hour, Ranga had used his authority as the Captain of the Guard Force to wrench permission from the higher-ups to let Rei through the gate.
In a way, this was the only logical choice. This operation had to be carried out in absolute secrecy. Even at night with few eyes watching, Rei—who had become a prominent figure in Gilm lately—would have stood out far too much taking off from the middle of town. To the Bestia Empire spies likely still lurking in the shadows, or those within the Kingdom of Mireana seeking to weaken Gilm’s military or the Neutral Faction’s influence, he would have been a target in plain sight.
Marina, the Guild Master, had consulted with Lord Daskar Larkus to deploy the city’s barrier, temporarily jamming long-distance communication magic items. However, such a measure couldn't be maintained indefinitely. The situation needed a swift resolution.
Rei didn't bother with these complexities himself, but Marina and Ranga had prioritized secrecy, resulting in this departure through the Main Gate. Elk didn't object, perhaps too consumed with worry for Min and Rhodos—or perhaps he simply hadn't thought that far ahead.
Under the watchful eyes of Ranga and Elk, Rei gently stroked Seto's neck.
"Seto, we're off to the City of Abuelo. Go at full speed."
"Guruuuu!"
With a cry that seemed to promise success, Seto beat his wings, churning the cold night air. After a short running start, he ascended, and the one man and one beast vanished into the dark sky.
Ranga watched them go, staring as if in prayer. Elk, on the other hand, saw them off with a deep, respectful bow.
The season was turning from winter to spring, but the nights remained bitterly cold—especially at high altitudes. A normal person would have been shivering uncontrollably, but Rei, wearing his Dragon Robe that largely negated temperature extremes, was far from ordinary. Seto, too, was an A-Rank monster. Neither seemed bothered by the chill as they sped through the air.
The skies were clear of snow or rain, and the wind was manageable. The moon and stars shone brightly, and the freezing air was so crisp that visibility was excellent. Taking advantage of the relatively comfortable conditions, Rei pulled sandwiches and grilled skewers from his Misty Ring to feed himself and Seto. He had been so swept up in the whirlwind of events—the ambush by Elk, the capture of the watcher, and the emergency meeting between Guild Masters—that he hadn’t had a spare second to eat dinner.
"Guruuu."
Seto ate the sandwiches with an appreciative purr while maintaining his maximum flight speed. He proved himself to be incredibly versatile; when low-intelligence monsters approached on wings or leather flaps, oblivious to the threat he posed, he neutralized them with a burst of King’s Intimidation. All the while, his sharp night vision ensured they stayed on course for Abuelo without deviation.
Seto used his King's Intimidation again on a Big Bat that recklessly tried to intercept them. Without Rei even needing to strike a blow, the giant bat fell toward the earth, paralyzed by the Gryphon's voice and magic power. Shortly after, Rei spotted a cluster of lights below. It was clearly a settlement.
"Seto, take us down."
"Guruu."
Seto glided toward the ground, folding his wings upon landing and running to bleed off his momentum.
"We're here, then."
About a hundred meters ahead stood a massive gate. It was definitely the City of Abuelo.
Previously, when he was escorting Alektor's caravan, he had been refused entry into the city because the guards were terrified of Seto's presence, but...
"We've been waiting for you, Rei-san, the C-Rank Adventurer. And for your Gryphon, Seto, as well."
Waiting just outside the gate were about ten adventurers and a man who appeared to be a member of the Guild Staff.
"Sorry for keeping you out in the cold."
"Not at all. This was on the Guild Master's orders. ...Though I must ask you to show your Guild Card. Given the sensitivity of the situation."
Rei nodded and handed over the card he had retrieved from his Misty Ring. Because of the darkness, no one seemed to notice the ring itself, sparing Rei the usual reactions of shock.
"Confirmed. And here is the Tamed Monster's Necklace. The Guild Master is waiting, so let's head to the Guild immediately. We have adventurers gathered by the Guild scouring the area for anyone suspicious, but the fewer people who see you, the better."
"Understood. ...Seto."
"Guruu."
Seto lowered his neck at the call, allowing Rei to fasten the necklace. They followed the staff member into the city.
It was late enough that most houses were dark or had only dim lights flickering in the windows. The group moved in silence, and after twenty minutes, a building far larger than its neighbors came into view: the Abuelo Branch of the Adventurer's Guild. Lights were still burning inside, though it lacked the rowdy tavern noise typical of the Gilm branch.
"We've mobilized every available adventurer and thief capable of stealth for this operation," the guide explained quietly. "As for the others, we've closed the tavern for today under the guise of an emergency war meeting."
"I see. ...Seto."
"Guruu."
Seto understood without being told. He wagged his tail and headed toward the Tamed Monster Space.
"Seto, if you spot anyone lurking or spying on the Guild, capture them. We believe the enemies are few in number, so it's unlikely, but we can't be too careful."
"Guruuu."
Seto gave a short cry of affirmation.
The Guild Staff member watched with a look of pure astonishment. "I'm amazed. I'd heard Gryphons were smart, but I didn't think they could actually understand human speech."
"Seto is special," Rei replied simply.
"I see. Specially raised as a tamed monster, then?"
Rei didn't feel like explaining the intricacies of Beast Magic, so he simply gave a non-committal nod.
Rei was greeted by an unexpected figure as soon as he stepped inside: Tirage, the Guild Master of Abuelo.
"We spoke not long ago. To think you've actually made it from Gilm in just a few hours... truly, a Gryphon is something else."
"I'm Rei, a C-Rank Adventurer of the City of Gilm. I appreciate the help," Rei said with a slight bow.
He attempted a formal tone since he was addressing a Guild Master, but Tirage waved him off with a smile.
"You can speak to me the same way you do with Marina-san. I'm not important enough to warrant formal language."
"Alright. It's a relief not to have to watch my tongue."
The surrounding staff looked on in horror. To speak so bluntly to a Guild Master—even one who had given permission—was unthinkable to them. They didn't realize that while Tirage looked unimposing, he was famous among the adventurers of Abuelo for his administrative prowess, earning him the alias of 'Mighty Arm.' He had purged corruption, shut down wasteful departments, and streamlined the Guild with ruthless efficiency. Some of the staff glared at Rei, but Rei simply parried their gazes with indifference. If anything, his lack of concern only irritated them further.
"Let's talk in my room," Tirage suggested, likely sensing the tension. "I have the investigation results from the last few hours to share."
Tirage led Rei to his office. When he opened the door, Rei saw a space that differed wildly from Marina’s or Seis’s quarters. Instead of a room decorated with weapons, the back of the room held an office desk, while several other desks were arranged in neat, orderly rows.
It looks like a school classroom, Rei thought.
"A bit of a surprise, isn't it?" Tirage laughed bashfully. "It's quite different from Marina-san's place. My role is more of a coordinator than a leader, and I have a mountain of paperwork to process, so it ended up looking like this. Please, have a seat."
"I'm surprised, but if this is how you work best, it’s fine."
"I appreciate that. Most people just look at me with pity when they come in here. Now, please, sit. I'm not great at brewing black tea, and I can't offer alcohol given the situation, so I can only provide hot water."
Tirage touched a pot near his desk and flowed magic power into it. The water inside boiled instantly.
"A magic item?"
"Yes. We have a large group working in here at once, so I keep this ready so anyone can have tea whenever they like. Though as I said, I'm a terrible brewer, so plain water it is. Please, use the sofa."
"Thanks."
Rei sat down and accepted a cup of hot water. Tirage sat across from him.
"Now then, shall we start with the information we’ve gathered?"
Tirage said this as he brought the cup to his mouth.