"Lord Daskar, I have returned."
It was deep into the night when Rei returned to the camp of the Larkus Territorial Army to report to the Margrave.
Inside the tent—a magic item in its own right—stood Daskar, the army’s commander, along with three knights serving as his guards. Rei, who had requested the audience, stood before them with Egg, the leader of the Prairie Wolves, in tow.
"Good work. And I take it this is the man from the Prairie Wolves?"
"Yes. This is Egg, the leader of their group. Egg, if you would."
Prompted by Rei, Egg tilted his head up slightly.
"As introduced, I'm Egg, and I lead the Prairie Wolves. I’ll say this upfront: we despise nobles. Especially the Acting Lord of Sablusta; that man has his hands in every filthy business imaginable. But just because we hate nobles doesn't mean we hate the kingdom. Besides, we owe Rei a debt. We’ve agreed to cooperate this time... but don't go thinking you can tame the Prairie Wolves like common hounds."
He’d said it. The thought was written across Egg’s face.
His words were born of a long-standing resentment toward the nobility. Part of him hoped the Margrave would take offense, giving them an excuse to sit out the war. He even considered the possibility of being cut down for his insolence on the spot, figuring that if he didn't return, the Prairie Wolves would simply vanish back into the mountains.
Above all, however, he was putting Daskar to the test. Rei had described Margrave Larkus as a bold and magnanimous man, and Egg wanted to see for himself if that was true.
The result was...
"Gahahaha! Did you lot hear that? Standing right in front of me, he hasn't a speck of fear. He said exactly what was on his mind!"
Instead of drawing his sword at the impudence, Daskar roared with laughter, looking genuinely delighted.
There wasn't even a hint of him reaching for the hilt at his waist. Egg, who had surrendered his own axe before entering, realized he would have been helpless had the Margrave chosen to strike, but his host's reaction completely deflated his tension.
"Well? What do you think of him?" Daskar asked, his laughter finally subsiding as he turned to his guards.
"The courage to speak like that to your face is certainly something, Lord Daskar," one knight replied.
"I could never talk to you like that, my lord... This man’s got more presence than your run-of-the-mill thief."
"Watch it. Even I have feelings, no matter how true your words are. Mind your tongue."
"You, get hurt, Lord Daskar? You, whose heart is rumored to be made of orichalcum?"
"Who the hell is spreading such nonsense?"
Egg watched the banter with a bewildered gaze, eventually looking to Rei for an explanation. From Egg's perspective, he couldn't wrap his head around the commander of the territorial army acting this way with a social inferior.
"...Rei?"
"What is it?"
"He's... quite the strange man."
"Isn't he? That’s why I’m willing to help him. If he were the kind of arrogant noble you expected, I probably wouldn't have gone this far to assist him either."
"Hey, you two. Whispering right in front of people is poor form."
"Ah, apologies, Lord Daskar."
Rei bowed his head slightly before turning back to Egg.
"As you can see, he has the guts to stand his ground even with Lord Daskar. He’s a capable fighter, and given his background, his expertise in stealth will make him and his men invaluable as the eyes of the Larkus Territorial Army."
"I agree," Daskar said, nodding. "I trust Rei’s judgment, and I’m familiar with the reputation of the Prairie Wolves. Being on the frontier, while we have sufficient direct combat power, we have very few people assigned to covert operations like scouting and sabotage. I’d welcome the support... but you’ll have to prove your worth first. Furthermore, while I don't care about your past, others will surely pick fights if they find out you were bandits. Unless they cross a serious line, I might not be able to shield you. Are you still willing to cooperate?"
"No problem. The Prairie Wolves are only here to settle our debt to Rei. However, as I said, we are wolves; we have no intention of becoming a noble's dogs. ...Margrave Larkus, you are indeed a capable man and far from arrogant—the best kind of noble a commoner could ask for, just as Rei said. But for every man like you, there are a dozen who are nothing but scum. I want you to remember that many of the bandit gangs in this region, including my own, are made up of people who were forced into that life because of nobles like that."
The words were spoken flatly, presenting nothing but the raw truth. Daskar and his guards fell silent, the jovial atmosphere vanishing as they listened with solemn respect.
Daskar understood perfectly. As the man who functioned as the buffer between the King's Faction and the Noble's Faction, he was intimately aware of the systemic rot Egg described.
"...Very well. I shall take those words to heart. Now then, shall we move on to the immediate strategic briefing?"
"Works for me. Since we've committed to this, use us as you see fit for the duration of the war. You’re clearly not the sort of noble I’m used to."
Egg flashed a knowing grin at Daskar. The Margrave met his gaze with a fearless smile of his own.
Whether their temperaments were naturally aligned or they were simply cut from the same cloth, the two men had found common ground in a remarkably short time. They shared a firm handshake.
Daskar turned his gaze to Rei while still holding Egg’s hand.
"Rei, sorry for piling extra work on you beyond the supply logistics. This recruitment is a major achievement. You can expect a handsome reward."
"It’s fine; I was the one who suggested it. ...However, if possible, I’d prefer my reward to be a magic item rather than gold. Specifically, something on a level that can be utilized in actual combat."
"Hoh..."
Daskar nodded, likely recalling a past report. "Now that you mention it, I believe your hobby was collecting magic items."
"...Yes."
Rei was slightly surprised that Daskar knew about his penchant for collecting, but he quickly realized that his unique nature meant reports were likely being filed on him constantly.
"Very well. It depends on your performance in the coming conflict, but... I’ll tell you what. If you distinguish yourself so thoroughly that everyone agrees you are the top contributor of the war, I shall grant you a treasured magic item held by House Larkus."
Rei’s interest was instantly piqued.
House Larkus held dominion over the frontier. Despite being a relatively small force within the Neutral Faction, they were a clan with significant influence across the Kingdom of Mireana. Even with Zephyle's Knowledge, Rei couldn't easily fathom the power of an heirloom from such a family.
"I understand. Then I shall use every ounce of my strength to achieve a feat that no one else can match."
"See that you do. The more active you are, the better the kingdom's chances of survival."
Daskar nodded with a smile.
Naturally, there were benefits for Daskar in offering such a prize. By dangling an alluring reward, he hoped to ensure that Rei remained tied to the City of Gilm—and by extension, to his own faction. Even if Rei traveled elsewhere, the possession of such an item would signify a deep connection to the Margrave. Now that Daskar had witnessed Rei’s transport capabilities using the Item Box, Rei’s value to him had skyrocketed. For this first campaign, Daskar had only entrusted him with a portion of the food and supplies, but he was already considering making Rei the sole center of the army's logistics once he was fully certain of his loyalty.
Without letting Rei see the depth of his plans, Daskar dismissed him. Rei exited the tent, his silhouette draped in his Dragon Robe.
As Rei departed, Daskar and Egg turned their attention to the scouting maps.
"Guruuu?"
Waiting for Rei outside was Seto, lying on the ground as it usually did. Since it was night, the gryphon gave a low, rumbling purr as it looked up at him.
"Did I keep you waiting? Things got a little complicated. Let’s head back to our tent. Tomorrow’s going to be another long day."
"Gurululuuu."
Seto stood with a grace that belied its massive size and rubbed its head against Rei.
During the day, Seto acted as the eyes of the Larkus Territorial Army at the front of the column. Whenever they stopped, Rei was swamped with supply duties, pulling prepared meals and equipment out of the Misty Ring. Seto had hoped for some attention at night, but Rei had immediately headed for the mountains to track down the Prairie Wolves.
Fortunately, they’d found a guide quickly, so it hadn't taken as long as Seto feared, but the gryphon still felt that its time with Rei had been cut far too short lately.
While the other adventurers and soldiers were fond of Seto and often played with it, the gryphon only truly wanted the company of its partner.
It purred and wagged its tail, pressing its head into Rei’s chest in a silent demand for affection.
Rei understood perfectly. With a wry smile, he reached out to pet the gryphon’s head. The feathers felt as smooth as silk, and the tactile sensation helped wash away the day's mental fatigue.
Though Rei wasn't particularly social by nature, his role in the war forced him to interact with hundreds of people daily. This constant social exertion was a significant part of why he felt so drained after his supply shifts.
"...Here. You haven't had much to eat while we were on the move, have you?"
Rei pulled a sandwich from the Misty Ring—chicken simmered in a sweet and salty sauce—and held it out to Seto.
It was a leftover from dinner that he’d set aside for himself. He had plenty of other stored dishes, but this sandwich had been the first thing he saw on the Misty Ring List.
"Guruuu?"
Seto tilted its head as if asking if it was really okay to eat it. Rei nodded, but as Seto leaned in...
"Gurulululuuu."
The gryphon carefully bit off exactly half with its beak and swallowed it, then used its head to nudge Rei’s hand toward his own mouth.
Seeing the clear intent to share the meal in those round eyes, Rei smiled and took a bite of the remaining half.
"Thanks, Seto."
"Guruuu."
One man and one beast made their way through the campsite toward their designated tent, located not far from Daskar’s.
Normally, the center of the camp was reserved for commander-class officers, but Rei had been granted a spot here due to his importance to the supply chain. Keo, the officer in charge of logistics, was also camped nearby.
"...Tomorrow looks to be another busy one."
Rei looked up at the night sky.
The clouds had cleared, and the light from the moon and stars was so bright that one might have questioned the need for torches.
Of course, that was a luxury afforded by Rei’s Night Vision. To an ordinary human, the world beyond the campfires was a wall of darkness.
"Gurululuuu?"
Seto lay down by their tent, wagging its tail and watching Rei with spoiled affection.
Rei leaned back against the gryphon’s warm side and reached out to stroke its throat.
Though Seto had the head of an eagle, it seemed to find the same joy in a throat scratch as a common house cat, purring loudly.
The petting was nice, but for Seto, the greatest joy was simply the presence of its partner. Even on the highway, it knew Rei was close, but since he was usually tucked away inside a carriage, the gryphon couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of loneliness.
It wasn't a feeling born of fear or insecurity—Seto knew its own strength—but simply the pure loneliness of being separated from the person it loved most.
Rei stayed there, playing with Seto in the quiet of the camp until sleep finally began to claim him.