"Um, if I recall correctly, that village is definitely Goto, right?"
Eleven days had passed since they left Gilm. Rei looked toward the village appearing in the distance, relying on a combination of his map and his memories of passing through the area during the Spring War.
"Guruu?"
What are we doing? Set chirped. Rei stroked the Gryphon's neck as he spoke.
"Well, if I'm wrong, we can just ask for directions then. It's not like there are bandits to deal with this time."
In truth, given Set’s flight speed, they should have arrived at Goto several days earlier. But as Rei had predicted, he’d managed to take several wrong turns. These detours had led them to unintended locations—sometimes stumbling upon a bandit hideout, other times finding adventurers struggling against monsters.
Rei had his excuses, of course. When he had traveled toward the Seremuse Plain in the past, he had gone by land. Moving through the air on Set’s back was naturally a completely different experience, and he told himself that the perspective shift was the reason he kept losing his way.
(Well, I did get a decent amount of weapons and gold from those bandit dens, and I wiped the thieves out. Those adventurers were in a tight spot, too, so helping them out was the right call. Plus, they gave me the right path to the Seremuse Plain, so it all worked out in the end.)
While he was musing, Set began to glide, descending toward the earth.
With a final flap of its wings to absorb the shock, the Gryphon touched down.
They were still a short distance from the village, but a Gryphon dropping out of the sky was hardly an inconspicuous sight. Since Goto sat so close to the Seremuse Plain, its residents were likely on high alert.
Even from afar, Rei could see the village was in an uproar. Deciding it didn't matter since arriving with Set would cause a stir regardless of the timing, Rei slowly approached Goto with the Gryphon by his side.
The village was surrounded by fields of wheat that were almost ready for harvest, creating a literal Carpet of Wheat across the landscape.
The sight reminded Rei of the Golden ears of rice he had seen stretching across the fields every year back in Japan. He was still lost in that nostalgia when...
"S-Stop right there!"
A high-pitched, cracking voice called out as they neared the village gate.
Rei stopped as ordered. Turning his gaze toward the gate, he saw five men brandishing simple weapons like hoes and clubs, watching him with intense caution.
This was likely their first time seeing a Gryphon like Set. Their knees were practically knocking; Rei suspected they would bolt if Set so much as let out a single cry.
Since Rei had no intention of threatening or seizing the village, he came to a halt alongside his companion, keeping a distance of more than ten meters from the group.
"Y-You... you're with a Gryphon. Does that make you Crimson?"
The man in his 30s standing at the front—the representative—shouted while gripping his hoe.
Given the ten-meter gap, he had to yell to be heard. However, the noise drew the attention of other villagers inside and those who had been working in the fields nearby. Tentatively, a crowd began to gather at the entrance.
Reassured by the growing numbers, the man finally calmed down enough to take a closer look at Rei.
The boy was indeed accompanied by a Gryphon. But seeing that the one commanding the beast was only a boy of about fifteen, the man let out a breath of relief that was quickly followed by suspicion.
Is this kid really Crimson?
Goto's proximity to the Seremuse Plain meant that detailed information about the Spring War had reached them quickly. One name had stood out above the rest: a figure who had incinerated the Bestia Empire's vanguard and wielded a massive scythe until he was drenched in blood, earning him the alias Crimson.
However, while the figure before them had a Gryphon, he didn't appear to be carrying the characteristic great scythe, and he looked far too young.
(Could it be a different person entirely?)
As the villagers whispered, Rei nodded while stroking Set’s back.
"Yeah, I am indeed called Crimson. I fought on the side of the Kingdom of Mireana Army during the war, so you don't need to be so afraid, do you?"
"T-That... well, maybe, but you don't look like the rumors! You don't even have a scythe!"
"Hm? Oh, right. Does this help?"
In response to the man's challenge, Rei reached into his Misty Ring and pulled out the Death Scythe.
The handle alone was much taller than Rei, and the blade was a massive meter-long crescent. Its sheer presence was enough to justify its name as the Grim Reaper's Great Scythe.
"Does that clear things up?"
"I... yeah."
Faced with the weapon itself, the villagers had no choice but to believe him. As they nodded under the heavy pressure radiating from the Death Scythe, Rei stored the weapon back inside the Misty Ring.
"Alright, I believe you're Crimson. But what business does someone like you have in a tiny village like this?"
"Before I answer that, I should check—this is Goto, right?"
"Yeah. This is the Village of Goto. Now... your business?"
"Looks like I finally got it right. I'm actually here for a meeting."
"A meeting?"
The gathered villagers whispered in confusion at his words.
(...Hm?)
However, Rei noticed one man among the crowd acting oddly.
The moment Rei had mentioned a meeting, this particular man had unnaturally averted his eyes.
He looked to be in his 20s. He had refined features and a sturdy, well-built frame from farm work. In fact, if Rei and this man were stood side-by-side, most people would assume the man was the seasoned adventurer based on his physique alone.
Because he was so physically imposing, his momentary lapse in composure stood out all the more to Rei.
"A meeting? Here in this village?" one of the villagers asked.
Rei nodded. "Yeah. Though it'll probably take a bit more time for the others to arrive..."
Rei had traveled by air on Set, but his companions, Vihera and Theoreme, were traveling by land. It was certain to be a while before they reached Goto.
"...Hey, what should we do? If he really is Crimson, we can't exactly turn him away."
"He's got the Gryphon and the scythe just like the stories. I'd say he's the real deal."
"But he said it'll be a while yet. What are we going to do? It's not like we have an inn."
"Then who's going to let him stay? Not me. We don't have the food to spare for a freeloader."
"Maybe the village head..."
The villagers consulted one another in low voices. They were trying to be discreet, but Rei’s sharp hearing picked up every word.
Suddenly, the man who had been acting suspiciously stepped forward.
"If it's alright with everyone, he can stay at my place. I live alone, so I have plenty of room."
"Are you sure, Luchard? You're by yourself—there won't be anyone to help you if something happens."
"Well, looking at him now, he doesn't seem like a bad person. Besides..."
Luchard paused, then approached Rei directly.
"I'm Luchard. Nice to meet you. I'm willing to let you stay, but I have one condition—well, more of a request."
"What is it?"
"As you can see, this isn't a rich village. We don't have the resources to feed a Gryphon."
"Guruu?"
Set tilted its head curiously. Seeing the adorable gesture from an A-Rank Monster, the villagers' expressions softened for a moment before they remembered what they were looking at.
Still, the tension in the air eased slightly.
Rei caught the change and shook his head reassuringly. "Don't worry. Set is smart enough to hunt for its own food, and I've brought plenty of supplies for it as well. You don't need to worry about my meals, either. I've prepared my own."
In reality, Rei had a hoard of gourmet food stored in his Misty Ring that was far superior to anything in the village.
Unaware of this, Luchard tilted his head in confusion. "But you don't look like you're carrying anything?"
There was something almost comical about such a muscular man tilting his head in confusion, but Luchard seemed oblivious to it as he stared at Rei.
"It's like how I pulled out the Death Scythe earlier. Just think of it like that."
"I see... I'll ask one last time. This village doesn't have much. We can't offer you proper meals, and even if we did, it would be the same coarse food we eat—hardly fitting for an Alias Holder Adventurer. You're really okay with that?"
When Rei nodded, Luchard looked around at his fellow villagers.
"You heard him. He'll provide his own food. I'll lend him a room, and from the look of it, this Gryphon, Set, isn't going to go on a rampage. Even so, it might be best if it stays outside the village limits so we don't cause a panic. How does that sound?"
The villagers whispered for a moment before their representative spoke up again.
"Fine. Since he doesn't need our food and Luchard is vouching for him, we'll allow it. But are you sure about this, Luchard? Bringing a stranger into your house like that?"
"I'm fine with it. Besides, someone as strong as the famous Crimson wouldn't need to talk to us if he wanted to take something by force. The fact that he's being so friendly says enough."
His logic seemed to satisfy the crowd. Indeed, if Rei wanted to cause trouble, he could have leveled the village in minutes, much like he had done to the Bestia Imperial Army.
"Alright then. I'll show him to my house. Everyone else should get back to work. There's still plenty of daylight left."
At the word of Luchard—who was respected in the village for his strength and calm demeanor—the crowd dispersed.
Luchard turned back to Rei. His expression was noticeably stiffer than it had been just moments before.
"Follow me. I'll take you to my home."
"..."
Rei watched him suspiciously, wondering what was behind the sudden change in tone. Misinterpreting Rei’s silence as hesitation, Luchard leaned in and spoke in a low voice meant only for Rei.
"We can talk about the details once we're inside."
"...Alright. Set."
"Guruu?"
What is it? Set asked. Rei stroked its head.
"Sorry, buddy, but you'll have to play outside the village for a bit. Everyone’s still a bit jumpy around you. Go find yourself a nice snack."
"Gurururuu... Guru!"
Though a bit disappointed, Set gave a small nod, took a short running start, and flapped its wings to soar into the sky.
Rei watched it go, then looked back at Luchard.
"Lead the way."
Luchard nodded and led Rei to a house near the outskirts of the village. It was a standard dwelling—neither large nor small—perfectly typical for Goto.
For a single man, it was quite spacious, though Luchard had clearly grown up here with his family.
"Come in. I've lived here alone since my parents passed away a few years ago, so don't be shy."
"Thanks."
Rei entered the house. It was clear a bachelor lived here; while it wasn't filthy, it was certainly cluttered.
Luchard checked the street from the doorway to ensure they weren't being watched before closing the door. He turned to face Rei.
"Now, nice to meet you once again. I'm Luchard. I have a question: could you tell me about the people you're supposed to be meeting, Rei-san?"