Spring sunlight filtered through the window as Rei woke in his bed.
He frowned slightly at the surroundings, which felt utterly different from how he had woken up over the past month, but he quickly remembered where he was. He was at the Dusk Wheat Inn, his regular lodging in the City of Gilm.
While there had been a chance the war could have lasted for several months, Rei was not strapped for cash. He had no intention of canceling his stay at an inn that served delicious food, provided attentive service, and offered a comfortable environment with various magic items—not to mention one that welcomed his gryphon, Set. He had pre-paid the fees for the month he had been away at the front.
"That’s right... I’m actually back," he murmured.
The memory of the previous day’s uproar came flooding back. He let out a sigh and looked out the window. The sunlight made it obvious that the weather was clear, but the sight of a cloudless blue sky for the second day in a row truly put his mind at ease.
After staring at the scenery in silence for about a minute, Rei finished getting ready and headed down to the 1F. Although not much time had passed since the 6 o'clock bell had rung, the dining hall was already packed.
...However, more than half of those people were currently passed out in a drunken stupor.
"This is a hellscape," he muttered.
The smell of alcohol permeated the air. It was clear that the revelry had continued until just a few hours ago, long after Rei had gone to sleep. Still, there were a few others who, like Rei, had slipped away from the banquet early. Seeing those guests eating breakfast, Rei took a seat.
"Good morning. Yesterday was quite an ordeal, wasn't it?"
A woman called out to him immediately. Rei turned toward the voice to see a plump, middle-aged woman. It was Lana, the landlady of the Dusk Wheat Inn.
"Yeah. I didn't think I'd be that busy the moment I got back."
What crossed Rei's mind were the mountains of supplies he had pulled out of his Misty Ring. The Knight Order Warehouse, which had been nearly empty, was now packed to the point of overflowing.
Then there had been the city-wide victory party. He had been forced to pull out even more food and alcohol from his Misty Ring. He and Set had been practically swarmed by crowds, and he’d been trapped by children—and even adults—begging for war stories. He felt exhausted in every sense of the word.
He had also spent time being welcomed and worried over by Lenora and Kenny, as well as catching up with people like Brasso and Phron of the C-Rank party Crushing Warriors, who had stayed behind to defend Gilm.
Eventually, as the night grew late, he had retreated to the inn to avoid being hassled by drunks. Ignoring the racket in the dining hall, he had collapsed onto his bed to recover from his mental fatigue.
Rei spent a few seconds recalling the previous day's events before nodding to Lana.
"It was a victory party, so I guess it couldn't be helped. More importantly, I'd like breakfast."
"Yes, of course. However... my husband overdid it with the celebrating yesterday too, so I can only serve something simple..."
Rei nodded, signaling that it was no problem. A normal inn meal would never satisfy his appetite anyway. He decided he would just buy extra food from the stalls later.
Lana eventually brought out a simple spread of sandwiches, vegetable soup, and boiled eggs. After finishing his meal, Rei headed out into the city with Set.
"Set, you were tired yesterday, weren't you? Here, have some of this."
"Seto-chan, here, have this!"
"Guruuuu."
As they walked down the main street toward the guild, voices called out as people handed Set dried meat, bread, and grilled skewers. Set’s popularity seemed to have spiked even higher than before the war, likely because the victory parade had made the gryphon’s presence common knowledge to every citizen.
"Hey, Rei! Want a grilled skewer?"
"Big Bro Rei, tell us about the war!"
"Hey, no fair! I spotted him first!"
While not as much as Set, Rei was also approached by stall merchants offering food or swarmed by children demanding stories.
"Ah—sorry, but I'm heading to the guild right now. I don't have the time. Ask someone else."
Even Rei wasn't cold enough to ignore or threaten children. He fended them off with a sigh and continued toward the guild with Set, who was purring happily while munching on the gifted snacks.
When he finally arrived at the guild, he was greeted by a chaotic sight.
"What is with this crowd?"
Rei parted with Set at the entrance as usual, but those were the first words out of his mouth upon stepping inside.
In the bar area, adventurers, residents, and merchants were all collapsed together in a heap, much like the dining hall at the Dusk Wheat Inn. The smell suggested the party had only ended an hour or two ago. That part was expected, but the reception counter was a different story.
"Please take this request!"
"Understood!"
Several adventurers hurried away from the counter with request forms handed over by Lenora. They glanced at Rei for a split second, but they were clearly too busy to stop and talk.
"Now, you two take this one. Goblins have been spotted in a group of ten on the highway. Check the area, and if it's true, I'd be so happy if you could defeat them for me."
"Y-Yes! For Miss Kenny's sake, ten or even twenty goblins! Right, partner!?"
"Y-Yeah! Uh, in exchange... once we finish this, how about dinner!?"
"You idiot, that's cheating! Miss Kenny! Don't go with him, eat with me!"
The pair of male adventurers in their 20s had been completely captivated by Kenny’s seductive glance. They scrambled to secure a date, but Kenny just gave them a sweet smile.
"I'm so sorry, but right now I'm buried under all this paperwork and the request backlog."
The adventurers looked down in disappointment, but Kenny was a pro—or perhaps she was just being herself. She immediately leaned in toward the two men.
"But, once this busy period settles down... I might just find the time for a meal."
The two adventurers snapped their heads up in unison.
"R-Really!?"
"I can't say for certain, but I'll definitely have more time than I do now. Though, at this rate, I don't know when that will be."
"Then I'll work even harder to clear these requests!"
"Wait, I’m the one who’s going to do it!"
"Fufufu. Do your best, okay?"
"Yes!"
Flushing bright red at her smile, they turned and practically sprinted out of the guild.
Once the counter was finally clear, Lenora turned a cold, judging gaze toward her colleague.
"Honestly, Kenny... I think you’re overdoing it with the feminine wiles."
"Oh, do you think so? But I was hired with that expectation, wasn't I? A receptionist needs to make sure people listen to our unreasonable requests. Well, I suppose it might be a bit much to ask of a certain someone, though."
Kenny emphasized her chest as she spoke. Normally, Lenora would have turned red with anger, but today she had a secret weapon.
"Heh, is that so. You really are a master of manipulation, Kenny. I wonder what Rei-san would say if he saw that?"
Kenny’s movements froze instantly.
"Wait, Lenora. You aren't planning to tell Rei-kun anything strange, are you?"
"What do you mean by 'strange'? I have no intention of telling him anything but the truth."
"...I'm terrified you're going to use 'exaggerated expressions' for the truth."
"Exaggerated, huh... What do you think?"
At that, Lenora finally shifted her gaze toward Rei. Kenny finally realized why Lenora had been so smug. A cold sweat broke out on her brow as she turned to see Rei standing there in his Dragon Robe.
"Wait, R-Rei-kun!? Were you watching just now?"
"Ah, well..." Rei gave an ambiguous nod.
Kenny tried to form an excuse, but she could only open and close her mouth like a fish. Lenora stepped in, a look of triumph on her face—specifically a victory over Kenny’s bust size, which usually made her feel inferior.
"Rei-san, what brings you in today? I believe you received your war rewards yesterday."
"It's not about the rewards. I heard there was a massive backlog of requests. I thought I'd see if there were any subjugation requests available."
Luno had mentioned in the carriage that subjugation was being handled with top priority, but Rei had come to check anyway. As expected, Lenora shook her head.
"Unfortunately, high-risk subjugation requests have been processed first... Besides, you've just returned from the front, Rei-san. You should really rest. There are no emergencies, and the adventurers who stayed behind can handle whatever comes up."
"Is that so?"
"T-That's right! You were a hero in the war, Rei-kun! And since you don't have military experience, you really need to recover!" Kenny added, finally finding her voice.
Rei shook his head. "I slept well last night, so I'm fine. If there are no subjugation requests, I have other things to do. I’ll be going."
"Ah, wait! Rei-kun, if you’re free, come on a date with me! I'll give you a present to celebrate your victory... Oh, or should I just be the present? I could wrap myself in a ribbon and nothing else!"
"Hey! Rei-san said he has things to do! Honestly, get your head out of the gutter! What do you mean, 'nothing but a ribbon'?" Lenora smacked Kenny on the head with a stack of documents.
"What's the big deal? It's my choice how I present myself to Rei-kun! Besides, with a chest like Lenora’s, a ribbon wouldn't even have anything to catch on. It would probably just slide right down to the floor."
"Hey! I am not that flat-chested! I have more than the average person!"
Lenora’s shout caused her to drop her documents. Every adventurer in the vicinity immediately turned their gaze toward her chest.
In truth, Lenora wasn't small. She was definitely above average. However, compared to Kenny—whose guild uniform was practically screaming for mercy at the bust—the matchup was simply unfair.
"..."
"!?"
Realizing that every eye in the room was fixed on her front, Lenora clutched her chest, her face turning a deep shade of crimson, and practically collapsed into her seat in shame.
Even with the attention, Kenny didn't hide herself. She flaunted her bust even more, making her uniform bulge further, before shooting a triumphant smirk at Lenora and sitting down.
Lenora glared at her with dead eyes. Not wanting to get anywhere near her, the adventurers at the counter quietly backed away.
Rei, the unintentional cause of the dispute, had already vanished from the guild, wanting no part in the drama.
"Eh? Wait? Rei-kun? What about our date!?"
Realizing Rei was gone, Kenny cried out, her voice taking on a sultry tone. However, she was promptly struck on the head again by a rolled-up document as repayment for the shame Lenora had endured.