“...I see. So the effects of the Spring War are still dragging on.”
Daskar muttered the words with a weary sigh as he finished reading the letter Rei had delivered.
Fatigue was etched deep into his features.
The recent trouble with the Bloody Blade wasn't the sole cause. While a group of bandits encroaching on the frontier was never welcome, it wasn't exactly an unheard-of occurrence. What truly weighed on Daskar’s mind was the situation regarding the Bestia Empire that Rei had brought to him.
Rei seemed to understand this just by looking at him. Without a word, he brought the black tea the maid had served to his lips.
Silence filled the office.
It was Daskar who eventually broke it. As if trying to shake off the heavy mood, he addressed Rei in a lighter tone.
“So, what about your rewards for this job? Did you find anything worthwhile?”
“Yes, there was one item in particular. Aside from a gemstone and a spear... there was this.”
Rei reached into his Misty Ring and placed a pocket watch on the table.
“A watch? ...Wait, is this Mithril-made? You really have a knack for finding valuable pieces.”
Daskar stared in genuine amazement as he reached out to pick up the watch. He traced the intricate carvings on its surface with a finger, exhaling a sigh of admiration.
In truth, a watch made so abundantly of Mithril was exceptionally rare. The craftsmanship of the engravings was something far beyond the reach of an ordinary artisan. Using Mithril so lavishly was simply unheard of.
However, a flicker of unease crossed Daskar’s mind.
A pocket watch this magnificent is bound to have a history. It could be trouble if a merchant was already planning to sell this to someone specific, he thought.
He harbored these doubts internally, but then he looked at the young man before him. He found it hard to believe anyone would be foolish enough to try and seize it from him by force.
At the very least, anyone who knows Rei’s true strength wouldn't be so reckless... though that's a different story if some brainless noble gets involved.
The image of the young noble who had picked a fight with Rei during the Spring War flickered in Daskar’s mind. Ultimately, that man had suffered a fate at Rei's hands that he would likely never stop regretting. Even so, there were many nobles who insisted on believing they were special and above the consequences of their actions.
...Well, regardless of how things were before, Rei is an Alias Holder now. If someone tries to force their will on an opponent of his caliber, they’ll only end up learning a painful lesson.
Daskar allowed a small smile to play across his lips. Indeed, the very reason he was moving forward with the plan regarding the Bestia Empire was because Rei’s cooperation made success a tangible possibility.
Coming to a decision, Daskar looked Rei in the eye.
“Regarding that matter with the Bestia Empire—I’ve decided to head there myself in a few days. I’ll have you accompany me as my guard, so prepare yourself accordingly.”
Rei’s eyes widened at the casual announcement.
“Wait... you mean you’re personally heading to the Bestia Empire, Lord Daskar?”
“Yes. I’ve always received an invitation to the Fighting Tournament every year, anyway. Though from their perspective, it was likely meant as a sarcastic jab.”
Daskar gave a cynical smile and shrugged.
As the central figure of the Neutral Faction, Daskar led a group that was relatively small in influence. They existed in the fragile space between the King's Faction—the largest faction—and the opposing Noble's Faction.
Nevertheless, they remained the third faction of the Kingdom of Mireana. To the Bestia Empire, sending Daskar a yearly invitation to the Fighting Tournament was a form of psychological harassment, a minor sting intended to remind him of his standing. Naturally, Daskar had never intended to actually go. Every year, he either declined or sent a proxy.
But the Spring War had changed everything.
While the faction’s size hadn’t technically increased, the fact that they now counted an Alias Holder among their ranks was a massive shift. Their potential military might was now something that had to be respected.
Because of this, the Bestia Empire no longer sent the invitation as a slight. They recognized Daskar as one of the leading figures of the Kingdom of Mireana, and the invitation to the Fighting Tournament was now a formal diplomatic gesture.
Of course, under normal circumstances, few people would actually venture into another country in such a position. Even Daskar would have declined or sent a proxy as usual if it weren't for the information Rei had brought.
Rei’s news had completely changed the significance of the tournament. If the proposal from Elena was successful, they would be able to foster a pro-Kingdom of Mireana faction within the Bestia Empire. Furthermore, if Daskar assisted in the creation of that faction himself, he would gain a massive political advantage and could expand the Neutral Faction's influence within his own kingdom.
However, he couldn't rely on Rei's combat strength alone for this mission. He needed time to assemble the necessary forces, which was why they would depart in a few days.
“It goes without saying that this is a major event for the Kingdom of Mireana—and for us in the Neutral Faction. Because of that, I need to bring more than just you when we cross into Bestia.”
“I suppose so. Since I’ll be busy participating in the tournament, you'll need someone to guard you during those intervals. Lord Daskar is probably high on Bestia's list of enemies after the events this spring.”
Daskar looked at Rei with an exasperated expression as the boy muttered as if it were someone else's problem.
“I’m sure they hate me, but if we’re talking about who they hate the most, it’s obviously you, isn’t it?”
“In my case, I can protect myself. Besides, if I’m participating as a subordinate of Margrave Larkus, even those who want to try something will have to think twice,” Rei replied with a shrug, storing the pocket watch back into the Misty Ring.
Daskar gave him a flat look.
“...Whatever. In any case, I need guards. Like I said, Elk is scheduled to return to Gilm in a few days.”
“I see. So you’re hiring the Axe of the Thunder God. I’d certainly feel safe with them as guards, but...”
Rei let his voice trail off.
Led by Elk, the Axe of the Thunder God was an A-Rank party that stood as one of the most prominent groups in Gilm. The party’s name was also Elk’s alias. Compared to the alias of 'Crimson' given to Rei after the Spring War, Elk’s reputation was far more established and his name carried significantly more weight.
The party consisted of a family of three: the quintessential warrior Elk, his powerful mage-wife Min, and their son Rhodos. Their skill was beyond reproach. In terms of providing protection, they were far superior to Rei, who had relatively little experience with escort duty.
However, the reason Rei hesitated was the past relationship between Elk and the Bestia Empire.
Last winter, Elk had been blackmailed into targeting Rei’s life after his son, Rhodos, was taken hostage. The man responsible for that operation was none other than Theoreme, who was now a key player in the plan involving Vihera.
Rei’s goal was to draw the attention of the Bestia Empire upper management by standing out in the tournament, so he would be acting separately from Vihera and Theoreme during the event. Even so, since they were all moving toward the same objective, it was inevitable that Elk and Theoreme would eventually cross paths.
Rei had serious doubts about whether the hot-headed Elk would be able to maintain his composure in front of the man who had ordered his son to be kidnapped.
Actually, it wouldn't be strange if they started trying to kill each other on sight, he realized.
Rei could already see it: the two of them locked in a bloody struggle, and him having to be the one to stop it. While Vihera was certainly strong enough to intervene, there was a high chance she would simply join the fray instead. As a battle maniac, she likely wouldn't want to miss a chance to trade blows with an A-Rank adventurer like Elk.
“Elk and the Axe of the Thunder God are more than enough in terms of power. But Lord Daskar, haven’t you received the reports about what happened last winter?”
Daskar nodded immediately at Rei's question.
“I know. You’re talking about the incident where they took his son hostage to force him to kill you.”
“Yes. Knowing Elk’s temper, a major confrontation is all but guaranteed.”
“Probably. It’s definitely a possibility... no, it's a certainty. But it’s also a fact that I have no other options for high-level security. Bestia has its own high-rank adventurers. If someone targets my life, I need people who can match them. Elk is the only person currently available that I can contact on such short notice.”
Gilm was a frontier city, and it naturally attracted many high-rank adventurers. There were other A-Rank and B-Rank parties besides Elk and Rei, but at the moment, Elk was the only high-rank veteran who wasn't currently occupied with another task. There were several B-Rank adventurers available, but none of them had the skill to stand against the likes of Vihera or Theoreme.
“...I understand the situation. But what about the matter with Theoreme?”
“On that front, I'm afraid I'll have to leave it to you and Elk's wife, Min. Besides, you're supposed to rendezvous with them within the borders of Mireana, right? You'll just have to do your best to make sure no trouble breaks out then.”
“You make it sound so easy, but I'm the one who actually has to handle it,” Rei said with a sigh.
Still, with no other options, they had to take Elk.
...Fine. I’ll just leave it all to Min.
Rei decided to pass the buck to Min, Elk’s wife and a skilled mage. Elk was a devoted husband who could never win an argument with her. It was far more likely she could settle things peacefully than if Rei tried to intervene himself.
“Very well, I understand the plan for Elk. So, we depart Gilm in a few days?”
“Yes, plan for that. As for the reporting and the political groundwork with the King's Faction, I’ve coordinated with the Noble's Faction so they’ll handle the negotiations.”
“...When did you manage that?”
Rei had the Paired Orbs tucked away in his Misty Ring, so they couldn't have been used. Besides, those orbs connected him to Elena, not Duke Kerebel.
Daskar smirked at Rei’s confusion.
“I have my own ways. Fortunately, thanks to the Spring War, we’ve maintained a relatively friendly relationship with the Noble's Faction... at least among the upper management.”
Rei still had questions, but he assumed they were using summoning magic or tamers to communicate.
“Understood. So, once Elk returns, we leave Gilm. Is that the correct understanding?”
Rei expected Daskar to nod in agreement, but instead, the Margrave fell silent, his expression darkening as he thought. He remained silent for a full minute before finally speaking.
“Rei, I want to confirm something. If Elk meets Theoreme... or rather, let’s call him by his alias, Flash. If he meets Flash, there will be a commotion, right?”
Rei nodded, wondering why Daskar was asking such an obvious question now.
“You’ve known Elk longer than I have, Lord Daskar. It shouldn't be hard to imagine.”
“...True. And if Elk is with us, our safety on the journey is as good as guaranteed. Your role is primarily needed once we enter the Bestia Empire. In that case...”
Daskar continued to mutter as he organized his thoughts. Rei turned his gaze toward the window.
The sun was high in the sky. It was a summer morning, but the sunlight felt somewhat soft, perhaps an indicator of the approaching autumn. As Rei watched the late summer sky, Daskar finally made up his mind.
“I'm sorry, but could you leave Gilm a step ahead of us? Go to the rendezvous point at Goto village. It would be quite a headache for everyone if they were suddenly ambushed and killed by Elk before we even arrived, wouldn't it?”
Rei found himself unable to argue with that logic.