"How about this spot?"
Egret muttered as he looked out over a verdant expanse of grassland, characteristic of the transition from spring to summer.
They were about thirty minutes away from the main highway, and not a single soul was in sight besides Rei and his companions.
Taking in the surroundings, Miroir seemed to agree with Egret’s assessment. She nodded and turned toward Rei.
"What do you think? I don't see any problems with it. We’re far enough from the highway that we don’t have to worry about travelers getting caught in the crossfire..." She trailed off, a small smile playing on her lips. "Plus, out here, we won't have to worry about any interlopers—other adventurers trying to jump the bounty."
"Hmm, that's true enough," Hendeka replied. "But the fact that we don't know the Lemures’s exact size is what worries me. Teleporting it here is all well and good, but if it’s massive enough to be seen from the highway, people will find us anyway."
"But wouldn't that be true no matter where we went?" Egret interjected. "Since the size is a mystery, we just have to accept that as an acceptable risk."
Hearing Hendeka and Miroir go back and forth, Egret turned his focus back to Rei.
"Well, you’re the one calling the shots on this, Rei. What’s your take?"
"I don't have any objections. I plan to scout the area a bit more after this, but for now, this is our strongest candidate."
It was isolated and well away from prying eyes. Given that the terrain was open grassland, Rei figured it would provide an advantage for aerial attackers like Seto and Shen.
"I hadn't considered worrying about interlopers," Rei added, nodding to himself. "But this should work fine."
He thought back to the group that had been tailing them earlier. In the end, they had been swamped by monsters and were in no state to keep following, so they weren't an immediate concern. However, that was only today's luck. Considering they might be targeted again tomorrow or later, taking precautions against interference was the right move.
"Though, they’re probably just after the Item Box, so I doubt they’d actually want to meddle in a fight with the Lemures."
"...In that case, wouldn't it be better if you didn't go out of your way to use your Item Box in the middle of the city?" Miroir muttered with a look of exasperation.
Rei shrugged. "It would be nothing but foolish to refrain from using a convenient Magic Item just because I’m afraid of being watched. If I were going to do that, I shouldn't have carried one in the first place. At the very least, I have no intention of trembling in fear of public eyes while using my own gear."
"But they might come after you as a group, you know?"
"Then I’ll just give them the retribution they deserve," Rei said, a grin spreading across his face.
Though, there’s a good chance they’ll just meet with misfortune like those guys earlier, he thought.
Since Rei’s primary goal was collecting Magic Stones, the places he frequented were almost always dangerous. Since criminals couldn't easily strike in the city, anyone aiming for his Item Box would have to follow him into the wilds. The outcome of such an encounter was obvious. Even if they survived the local monsters, if they laid a finger on Rei and Seto, they would realize too late that he hadn't earned his alias for nothing.
Furthermore, even if they tried non-violent means, Rei was effectively under the protection of Daskar, Margrave Larkus. If someone chose to ignore all that and force his hand, he always had the final resort of leaving the country entirely. If that happened, the Kingdom of Mireana would lose a rare talent who possessed an Item Box, was accompanied by an A-Rank Gryphon, and was already an Alias Holder despite being Rank C.
"Whoa, Rei’s got a real villainous look on his face," Egret noted, sounding surprised.
Realizing his inner thoughts might be showing, Rei hurried to change the subject.
"Anyway, let's keep this as a candidate for the Forced Teleportation and keep looking. If we find an even better spot, we can use that as the battlefield."
Miroir and Hendeka both realized he was deflecting, but they didn't push. They followed Rei as he set off to find the next location, with Egret, Seto, and Shen—who was still clinging to the Gryphon’s back—trailing close behind.
"Ah—looks like we didn't find anything better than that first grassland after all."
As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, Egret’s bored voice echoed along the highway. The others walked behind him, nodding in silent agreement.
"Well, we’re restricted to the area near the City of Emocion," Rei said. "It can't be helped that our options are limited. More importantly, about the plan. How much time do you need to prepare?"
Egret was the first to answer. "I’m ready whenever. I could go today, right now, even."
"Don't be an idiot," Miroir sighed. "There’s no way we’re starting today. As for me, I just need to stock up on potions and perform some weapon maintenance. Tomorrow is plenty of time. What about you, Hendeka?"
"We-well, you see," Hendeka started. "Aside from Shen, my role involves the bow, right? In that case, I’d like some time to buy a new bow and arrows, and maybe a little time to practice."
Even for the soft-spoken Hendeka, the prospect of suddenly entering combat with an unfamiliar bow was clearly nerve-wracking. He looked at Rei, pleading for a little more time.
Rei considered it for a moment. "By the way, have you used a bow before?"
"Ah, yes. Back in my village, I was taken along for hunts quite often, so I’m somewhat accustomed to it."
"I see. In that case, let’s use all of tomorrow to let you get your intuition back. We’ll set out to hunt the Lemures the day after tomorrow. Any other suggestions or opinions?"
The three of them had no objections and nodded in silence. Even Seto and Shen seemed to nod along, creating a scene that might have looked quite heartwarming to any passerby.
"Alright, it's decided then. Everyone, get your preparations finished tomorrow. We’ll meet in front of the guild when the nine o'clock bell rings the day after tomorrow."
"Heh heh heh. Finally, a fight with the Lemures. I wonder how strong it is. I can't wait."
"Sigh... I really wonder why I’m stuck working with a guy like this. But if I’m not here, he’ll probably just run wild and cause a massive scene."
"Inhale... exhale... Calm down, stay calm. I have to train with the bow tomorrow so I can at least be a little useful."
"Guruuu?"
"Kiki!"
The three renewed their resolve, while Seto turned back to talk to Shen, who chirped in response. Watching them, Rei realized he wasn't feeling particularly nervous, despite having to perform the most critical part of the operation.
Then, something caught his eye, and he stopped.
"Is that..."
"Hmm? What's up?" Egret asked.
Rei didn't answer immediately, his eyes fixed on a single point. He looked at the crimson mess scattered across the highway, nodded as if convinced of something, and then turned back to Egret.
"There was a large-scale battle just a little further ahead."
"Enemies!?"
"You idiot!" Miroir snapped. "He said 'there was'—past tense. We can't hear any shouting, so the fighting is obviously over."
"...Oh. Yeah, you're right. Tsk. I haven't gotten to move much today, so I was hoping for some monsters to show up."
"Wow," Hendeka whispered. "As expected of a B-Rank Adventurer like Egret-san. Your way of thinking is on a whole different level."
"Well, yeah. If your rank goes up enough, Hendeka, you'll be just like me—"
"There is no way in hell he will!" Miroir’s whip cracked against the ground near Egret’s feet with a loud thwack. "Hendeka, battle-maniacs and muscle-brains this dense are rare, even for B-Ranks. This guy’s just a special case."
"I-I see... is that how it is?" Hendeka nodded, looking both relieved and strangely disappointed.
The group continued forward and soon reached the site where the blood had been spilled.
"Heh, looks like there was quite a scrap here. Judging by the amount of blood, there must have been nearly forty people involved, counting both sides."
Egret muttered as he surveyed the area. The victors had apparently been careful to ensure the dead wouldn't rise as undead; traces of scorched earth suggested that the monster and human carcasses had been burned, either by magic or a simple bonfire.
Well, if they left bodies here and they turned into undead, there’s no telling what kind of penalty they’d face, Rei thought. Especially since they were the ones tailing us. They likely have plenty of dirty laundry they want to keep hidden.
He scanned the area alongside Egret. "Looks like the attackers were a group of Goblins."
"Yeah," Egret agreed, spotting a stray goblin arm that hadn't been gathered for the fire. "Goblins shouldn't be much of a threat to the adventurers gathered in the city right now... or so you'd think."
Egret’s gaze shifted to the remains of a sword, snapped halfway down the blade. It had likely belonged to one of the adventurers. He furrowed his brow.
"That blade has almost no rust—definitely an adventurer’s weapon. That means the adventurers took some losses, too. Would someone who came all this way for a high-bounty target like the Lemures really struggle with Goblins?"
"Is it possible there was a High-ranking Species or a Rare Species among them?" Miroir asked.
Egret shook his head. "No, there was probably just someone holding the group back. Look at the footprints around the highway. The battle shifted as if they were all huddling in one spot to protect something."
The fact that he could deduce that much just from looking at the tracks proved that, despite Miroir’s taunts about being a muscle-brain, he was a true B-Rank Adventurer. Or perhaps, it was precisely because he lived for battle that he could read the scene so well.
"Well, if you say so, I'm sure it's true," Miroir said. "Anyway, it was the guys following us, right? In a way, they got exactly what they deserved."
"Eh? I-Is it okay to just leave it at that?" Hendeka asked timidly.
Miroir, Egret, and Rei all nodded in unison.
"Whatever happens to people who set out to attack others is their own fault," Rei said flatly. "And if they weren't targeting us but were just adventurers on an escort request, well, fighting Goblins is just part of the job."
With that, Rei turned and headed back toward the City of Emocion. Hendeka followed without another word.
Once back in the city, the group went their separate ways after promising to meet in front of the guild the day after tomorrow at nine in the morning.
When they parted, Shen—who had been clinging to Seto’s back—seemed to resist until the very last second. Eventually, the bird let out a lonely cry toward Seto before following Hendeka, a sight that left an impression on Rei. It seemed the two monsters had become fast friends. Miroir also watched them with a soft smile.
"Well, if the hunt goes well, they’ll only have a few more days together anyway," Rei muttered as he sat down on the bed in his room at the Coral Inn of the Blue Sea.
He had already eaten and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep, but he still had work to do. He pulled the Paired Orbs from the Misty Ring and channeled his magic power. Soon, the image of a Skull Wearing a Crown appeared within the crystal.
"Hmm? Ah, Rei. Does this contact mean you are prepared to face this Lemures?"
"That’s right. It’s a bit of a rush job, but the plan is set. About the teleportation... we’re looking at the morning of the day after tomorrow. Is that alright with you?"
"Fumu... the morning of the day after tomorrow. Very well. Shall I assume I should join you once you have set out to sea?"
"That would be a huge help. After that, I’ll need you to teleport the Lemures. I just need to have the destination in mind, right?"
Rei asked for confirmation. Since he only had an affinity for Flame Magic, he had no way of using Space Magic himself. Grimm let out a rattling laugh.
"Fofofo. Indeed. I have constructed the spell formula so that when I invoke the Space Magic, it will lock onto the location held within your mind. You need not worry."
"Heh. Space Magic is even more convenient than I thought."
Rei marveled at the versatility of the art, but Grimm only laughed again.
"Fofofo. Naturally, no ordinary mage could hope to match it. Even if my skill with Space Magic doesn’t quite equal my expertise in Necromancy, it is still the fruit of several millennia of research. Hmm? Ah, pardon me, but I am in the middle of an experiment. I cannot linger. I shall see you off the coast of Emocion the morning of the day after tomorrow."
With that, Grimm’s image faded from the Paired Orbs. Rei returned the items to his Misty Ring and lay back on the bed, his thoughts turning toward the battle that awaited him.