A few days had passed since Rei had finished testing the Poison Claw. During that time, he had mostly occupied himself with grazing on street food, wandering the city in search of bargain magic items, or playing with Seto and Mirene, whom he had bumped into by chance.
Occasionally, adventurers newly arrived in Gilm who didn't recognize him would pick a fight, only to be promptly repelled. In a way, his daily life was as routine as ever.
He hadn't spent all his time playing, of course. He gathered information about the Labyrinth City he planned to visit soon and conducted combat training with his Death Scythe in front of the Dusk Wheat Inn's stables.
During one such session, a few adventurers staying at the inn asked him for a spar. One by one, more joined in, shouting "Me too!" and "Don't leave me out!" until the crowd of participants swelled to nearly twenty. He ended up in a marathon of consecutive mock battles, racking up over fifty wins in a row—an outcome that was, in its own way, only to be expected.
The reason he achieved fifty wins against twenty opponents was simply because they were adventurers. Even after being floored by Rei’s heavily suppressed strikes, they would recover while he was busy fighting others and jump back into the fray.
For the inn's residents, a mock battle with a B-Rank Adventurer—especially an Alias Holder like Rei—was an invaluable learning opportunity. Furthermore, since it was just practice, Rei would point out their flaws as they fought. In that sense, he had brought the endless line of challengers upon himself.
The adventurers considered themselves incredibly lucky to build a rapport with a B-Rank like Rei outside of formal training. Even the non-adventurer guests watched like spectators, and a few bold souls even went so far as to place bets on how long each challenger could last against him.
In the end, the gathering was forcibly dispersed when Lana, the landlady, struck them all with the "lightning" of her scolding. Rei, too, found himself on the receiving end of her lecture.
After several days of such antics, a Guild Messenger had arrived the previous day to inform him that the meeting with the nobility had been finalized. He was instructed to report to the guild today, just past noon.
"Nobles, huh? I really don't think there's any benefit to them hiring me," Rei muttered.
"Guruuu?" Seto warbled, as if to say that wasn't the case at all.
Rei silently stroked Seto's head as they made their way down the Main Street.
The Guild Messenger had specifically requested that he refrain from snacking to save room for the luncheon. The fact that the messenger felt the need to mention it suggested that Rei’s habit of grazing at street stalls was already quite famous throughout the city.
...Then again, considering he bought massive quantities of food and stored them in his Item Box, it would be more surprising if he weren't well-known.
For once, Rei kept walking without stopping at any stalls until they finally reached the guild.
"Guruuu."
Seto gave a short cry and moved to its usual spot. It had already effectively become Seto's Specialized Space; even when the Gryphon wasn't there, no other Tamed Monsters or horses would dare approach it. Rei watched him settle in and then entered the building.
"Ah, Rei-san. Good afternoon. I've heard the details from my superiors, so please wait a moment. I'll have the carriage brought around shortly," Lenora said as soon as she spotted him.
Usually, Kenny would be right there to pester her, but she was nowhere to be seen today—perhaps it was her day off.
Rei watched Lenora give a few instructions to a nearby staff member before turning back to him.
"I was told it’s fine for Seto to come along. That hasn't changed, right?"
"Yes, I’ve been told the same, so there shouldn't be any problem. Still, I’m a bit jealous. A luncheon with the nobility..."
"I really don't think it'll be that great."
"But aren't you even a little curious about noble cuisine? It's probably completely different from the food we commoners eat—it must be delicious."
Rei nodded, conceding the point. "When you put it that way, maybe I am lucky. I’m actually starting to look forward to seeing what they serve."
"Hehe, I'm glad to see you're interested. Oh, it looks like everything is ready. Please, follow me out front."
Rei gave a small nod of thanks to Lenora and stepped outside.
Less than ten minutes had passed since he entered the guild, yet a carriage was already waiting. This wasn't one of the standard carriages the guild usually employed. Rei had seen those several times, and this was distinct. However, it wasn't a gaudy, vulgar display of Nouveau Riche Taste like the one he had seen during the Rank Up Exam either. It was clearly a guild vehicle, built with a focus on practicality. That said, exquisite carvings adorned its surface, revealing a subtle artistry that only a discerning eye would truly appreciate.
(I wonder whose gaudy carriage that other one was, anyway.)
As he was musing, a voice called out to him.
"Please, step inside. The others are already waiting."
Following the guidance of the Driver, who was dressed in refined attire, Rei climbed into the carriage. He felt the eyes of the onlookers on him, but he dismissed it as the usual attention and paid them no mind.
"We are departing now."
"Yeah, go ahead."
The carriage began to roll. Rei looked out the window to see which way they were heading and tilted his head slightly. The route was familiar. It was the road leading to the mansion of the Lord of Gilm.
"Are we heading to the Lord's Mansion?"
"Yes, that is correct... Had you not heard?"
Rei realized then that he had only been told there would be a luncheon.
"...Now that you mention it, no one told me where."
"I see. My instructions were that the luncheon would be held at the Lord's Mansion."
Just as I thought, Rei noted to himself.
Daskar, the Margrave of Larkus and Lord of Gilm, undoubtedly wanted to prevent Rei from being snatched up by other factions. Keeping the luncheon under his own roof was the best way to supervise the proceedings and ensure Rei didn't pledge himself to anyone else.
(Well, I don't plan on leaving this city anyway. Staying on the Frontier is definitely the best move when it comes to anything involving Beast Magic.)
Rei watched the scenery flow past the window. Before long, the carriage reached the familiar Outer Gate. After the Driver and the Gatekeeper exchanged a few words, they were waved through.
The carriage eventually came to a stop in front of the Lord's Mansion Gate. When the Driver opened the door, Rei stepped out and immediately realized that numerous eyes were fixed on him.
To be precise, about half the stares were for him, and the other half were for Seto.
"It's really okay for Seto to be here?"
"Yes, those were my orders."
He checked with the Driver once more, and when the man confirmed there were no issues, Rei entered the mansion grounds with Seto. A Maid soon approached and whispered something to the Driver, who nodded and turned back to Rei.
"My apologies, but we are running slightly behind. I’ll lead you directly to the venue, if you don't mind?"
"I don't mind, but is this outfit okay?" Rei asked, looking down at his Dragon Robe.
The Dragon Robe was a top-tier Magic Item, but because of its concealment effect, most ordinary nobles wouldn't be able to tell how valuable it actually was. However...
"It should be perfectly fine. Anyone who cannot see through the quality of that robe has no business speaking to you anyway, Rei-sama."
Rei widened his eyes. That remark could only come from someone who had seen past the Dragon Robe's concealment effect.
"This way, please."
He followed the man through a set of doors that opened into the Lord's Mansion Garden.
"Mmm! You finally made it! I've been waiting for you!"
The voice belonged to Maruka. She was dressed in a pale green gown and looked every bit the Daughter of Duke Kerebel.
She wasn't the only noble present. A quick scan revealed about thirty people. Among them were Arnihit and Orchidée, but the rest were strangers.
Most were standing and chatting, eating food they had piled onto plates from the long tables arranged throughout the greenery. It was a Garden Party—a buffet-style affair.
"This is..."
Rei had expected a formal, sit-down meal with stifling etiquette. Instead, the scene before him was as relaxed as a Home Party among friends. Holding it in the garden rather than inside the manor gave the whole event a much more casual air.
Indeed, while some like Maruka wore formal dresses, many others were in more comfortable attire. Near the edges of the Party Venue, he could spot the nobles' escorts: Mages in robes, Knights in armor, and Warriors with swords.
Fortunately, it seemed none of the Mages could sense Magic Power, so there were no scenes of people gasping at Rei’s massive reserves.
(I see. My clothes won't stand out much here at all.)
As he was feeling relieved, a man approached him.
"Hahaha! Surprised? I’m not much for stuffy manners myself. Standing around, talking, and eating whatever you like is far more relaxing."
"Lord Daskar, thank you for the invitation."
Rei bowed to Daskar, who had approached with a boisterous laugh. Daskar waved his free hand—the one not holding a wine glass—to dismiss the formality.
"Like I said, don't worry about manners here. Not today, at least. Come with me, I want to introduce you to everyone."
Daskar led Rei and Seto to the center of the garden. The guests, who had been enjoying the summer garden and their conversations, all turned to look at the Two men and one beast.
Actually, since most of them were here specifically to see Rei and Seto, it would have been stranger if they hadn't noticed.
"Everyone, if I could have your attention! As you can see, Rei, our guest of honor, has arrived. Beside him is his Tamed Monster, the Gryphon Seto. While a Gryphon is often called the Grim Reaper of the Skies, Seto is quite gentle and will never harm anyone unprovoked. ...Of course, if you do provoke him, that's another story. Please keep that in mind."
A more difficult noble might have grumbled at Daskar's bluntness or complained about bringing a monster to a party. However, these guests had been carefully selected to exclude anyone likely to cause a scene. They had gathered plenty of information on Rei and Seto beforehand, and they knew Rei’s reputation was inseparable from his Gryphon. In the war with the Bestia Empire, it was an established fact that without Seto, Rei could never have devastated the enemy Lead Unit so thoroughly.
Moreover, anyone who had asked around the city knew how docile and friendly Seto was. As long as there was no danger, the nobles were happy to accept the beast's presence.
The guards, however, were another story. No matter how much they were told Seto was safe, they couldn't help but feel on edge just in case.
"Margrave Larkus, today thank you for hosting such a wonderful gathering. ...Rei, it's been a few days. Have you been enjoying your new B-Rank status?"
A woman immediately called out to Rei. It was Arnihit, his former rival from the Rank Up Exam. Her tone was significantly softer than it had been during the exam, which surprised Rei for a split second before the reason clicked.
(So that arrogant attitude during the exam really was just an act.)
"Yo. Doing okay?" Orchidée added, raising a hand in a listless greeting as he trailed behind Arnihit.
Arnihit's cheek twitched at her friend's lack of decorum. "Orchidée! You greet Margrave Larkus first!"
"Hahaha, it’s fine, it’s fine. We're leaving ceremony at the door today. Otherwise, I’d never have gotten Rei to come," Daskar laughed.
"My apologies, Margrave Larkus. My friend is..."
"Ow! Hey, Arnihit, stop it! Let go of my head!"
Arnihit ignored Orchidée's protests as she forcibly shoved his head down into a bow.
Seeing this interaction, the other nobles decided it was safe to approach. A flurry of introductions followed. While most were eager to make Rei’s acquaintance, none were bold enough to try and recruit him after he had already turned down Duke Quento. They focused instead on simply establishing a connection.
While Rei was busy navigating the sea of nobility, Seto spent a delightful afternoon being pampered. The nobles were more than happy to "bribe" him with delicious treats from the buffet, and the Gryphon basked in the attention as they took turns petting his feathers.