Daskar's entourage arrived suddenly in the village of Goto, a place that could well be described as the frontier.
The arrival of a noble naturally threw the village into a temporary state of confusion. However, since Daskar's group was small—numbering only about twenty people—the chaos subsided quickly.
Even so, Goto was a small village, and it lacked any facilities capable of housing twenty people. In the end, Daskar's entourage set up tents within the village grounds to rest.
The Village Head offered to have Daskar, at the very least, stay in his own home. Daskar refused, citing the need for various secret consultations. Furthermore, Daskar himself found no hardship in camping in a tent; on the contrary, he actually seemed to be enjoying it.
The Village Head felt a strong sense of unease. If word got out that he had let Margrave Larkus—the central figure of the Neutral Faction and a leader of one of the Three Great Factions of the Kingdom of Mireana—stay in a tent, there was no telling what the local Lord might say. However, since the request came from Daskar himself, he could not go against it.
Of course, Daskar understood the Village Head’s position and intended to speak with the local Lord to smooth things over later.
Regardless, the unexpected visit from a noble meant that the wheat harvesting was cut short in the mid-afternoon. A simple welcoming banquet was organized in their honor.
As Rei had noted upon his arrival, the village had almost no surplus food reserves. This problem was solved by using the meat from the Giant Boar that Seto had recently defeated, supplemented by food supplies brought by Daskar.
The start of the wheat harvest also meant there was slightly more breathing room regarding their food situation, which proved to be a significant help.
"Gahahaha! Delicious! Truly delicious!"
"I am honored you find it so. This boar bacon was provided by Lord Crimson and his tamed monster, who hunted the beast for us."
"Ho, so it was Rei and Seto."
Daskar happily tucked into a Boar Bacon Steak and washed it down with ale. To a typical noble, the meal would have seemed incredibly frugal, but Daskar had originally come from the Knight Order. He was accustomed to this kind of fare—in fact, he preferred it.
"Yes. There was quite a stir when they first arrived, but fortunately, one of our village youths, Luchard, is an exceptional young man. Thanks to him, everything went smoothly. Lord Crimson even played with the children alongside his tamed monster. At this point, he's almost like a member of the village himself."
"I imagine so. Rei aside, Seto is quite popular with the children back in Gilm, too. No, not just the children. I hear plenty of adults swarm around Seto as well."
"I can see why. It’s only natural, given how adorable it is."
The Village Head nodded in agreement with Daskar’s words and offered him more ale. Nearby, the escort knights, attendants, and drivers were also enjoying the banquet, letting the festivities soothe the fatigue of their long journey.
However, Elk and the rest of the Axe of the Thunder God were nowhere to be found.
They had been invited to the banquet, of course, but they had declined under the pretext of guarding the village perimeter. The knights felt like asking who was supposed to guard the Margrave during the banquet, but since the memory of Elk’s terrifying murderous intent was still fresh, no one spoke up. Then again, considering the knights' primary duty was also protection, it was only natural they remained silent.
Besides, in terms of security, Rei and Seto were present. Attempting to harm Daskar in this environment would be nothing short of suicidal.
The knights and their charge, Daskar, had come to that same conclusion. While the knights partook in the celebration, they touched almost no alcohol and kept a sharp eye on their surroundings.
Rei, who didn't particularly care for the taste of alcohol, was enjoying his meal as he always did.
"Say, do you think the Axe of the Thunder God members stayed away because we're here?"
Vihera asked while savoring a bowl of Boar and Vegetable Soup next to Rei.
"Probably. Well, to be precise, it's because of Theoreme."
While answering, Rei glanced at Theoreme, who was sitting on Vihera’s other side, carefully chewing through a piece of Boar Bacon Steak and some Herb Bread.
Normally, Theoreme would eat a substantial amount. However, knowing that a battle that could literally turn into a fight for his life was waiting for him later today, he was limiting himself so his digestion wouldn't interfere with his combat movements.
"Guruuu?"
Seto let out a soft cry as it scanned the village plaza. Since Seto was quite fond of Elk, it was likely disappointed by his absence. On the other hand, perhaps because the impression from their first meeting had been so poor, it still held a grudge against Rhodos.
"That's right. Well, I’m sure Elk will be back to his usual self by tomorrow, so there's no need to worry."
"Gururuuu?"
Are you sure? Seto asked with its eyes. Rei nodded while stroking Seto’s head.
"It’s true that Elk is fuming right now, but he’s a simple guy at heart. Once he settles the score properly in the battle tonight, he won't be able to stay angry. Or rather, I don't think he has the attention span for it."
"Guruuu."
I hope so, Seto chirped.
"Once the matter with Theoreme is settled, I wonder if I can get him to fight me too. It looks like it would be a wonderfully tense match."
"Please wait a while. We can't have you causing a scene right now."
Rei sighed as Vihera whispered beside him, her eyes sparkling with the thrill and anticipation of combat. Seeking battle was a desire ingrained in her very instincts. She turned a dissatisfied look toward Rei for standing in her way.
Apparently, when it came to fighting, even her feelings for the man she loved were a separate matter.
"..."
Initially, Rei tried to ignore Vihera’s blatant pout, but eventually, he found it too much to bear. He let out a small sigh and spoke up again.
"It’s not like you have to fight Elk this very second, right? We have several nights of camping ahead of us before we reach the Bestia Empire. You can fight him then."
"But wouldn't that feel half-hearted? I could fight the Axe of the Thunder God while they're actually serious right now."
"If you're okay with reducing the military strength we need to rescue your younger brother, then do as you like."
Faced with that, Vihera finally backed down. Still looking somewhat dissatisfied, she began eating a piece of Herb-steamed Boar Meat. Her momentary desire versus her brother’s life—when put that way, the latter was obviously more important.
As they ate and talked, Rei suddenly noticed someone approaching them. Vihera, Theoreme, and Seto noticed it at the same time. Turning their gaze toward the figure, they saw a boy slightly older than Rei.
It was Elk’s son, Rhodos.
Rhodos paused for a second, seemingly startled by the multiple gazes suddenly fixed upon him, but eventually, he resumed his walk and came close to Rei.
"What is it?"
"Nothing, just something for Rei. Is this okay?"
As he spoke, he looked toward Vihera, who was sitting next to Rei. His cheeks—no, his entire face—turned a deep crimson at the sight of her outfit, which looked more like a dancer’s or a prostitute’s.
For a young man his age, it was a natural reaction. Furthermore, since Rhodos was in a party with his parents, he couldn't exactly visit brothels, and he tended to have quite a bit of pent-up energy. Vihera's skin-baring attire was far too much stimulation for him.
Even while waiting for Rei to respond, his gaze kept darting toward Vihera's exposed limbs. Seto let out a low growl to keep Rhodos in check, but Rei stopped it with a glance.
"Fufu."
Fully aware of the attention, Vihera simply smiled back at Rhodos. To her, the gaze Rhodos directed at her was more shyness and admiration than anything else. She felt his desire, of course, but it was faint—not at all like the lust-filled gazes an adult man would give her.
"!? Rei, over here!"
The moment she directed that smile at him, Rhodos reflexively averted his eyes. He grabbed Rei’s hand and forcefully led him away from the group.
"Guruuu."
Seto, who had been grumpy ever since Rhodos appeared, let out a huff. Seto didn't want its favorite partner to be alone with the detested Rhodos, but since Rei had signaled it to stay put earlier, it could only watch them leave in silence.
"My, does Seto dislike that boy?"
"Gururuuu."
Obviously, Seto chirped before reaching its beak toward a piece of bread placed on its plate.
"That's rare. I didn't think Seto could hate anyone."
"According to the information I gathered, it seems there was some trouble between them during their first meeting."
Theoreme, who had been eating quietly even when Rhodos arrived, answered Vihera’s murmur. After learning of Rei's existence, Theoreme had likely researched his history as thoroughly as possible, starting with the Orc settlement incident where Rei and Seto first made their mark. He had also gathered plenty of intel while plotting to pit Elk and Rei against one another.
"Heh. Well, he looks like a headstrong kid. He probably just doesn't get along with Rei."
"At the same time, I heard that Rhodos’s mother took an interest in Rei."
Vihera’s ears practically perked up at Theoreme’s remark. Rhodos and Rei’s relationship was one thing, but if Min was involved—and especially if she was interested in Rei—that was a different story.
Vihera conjured an image of Min in her mind. She had only seen her briefly when she stepped out of the carriage in the village, but the impression was vivid. The woman didn't look particularly feminine; she seemed more practical and refreshing. Her hair was cut quite short—unlike Vihera’s, which grew down to her back—likely to keep it out of the way during combat.
"Is it possible Rei has a preference for older women?"
"Considering the matter with the Princess General, I believe that is only natural."
Theoreme stated it as if it were an undeniable fact, but Vihera shook her head.
"No, that's not it. Even if he likes older women, I'm talking about someone ten or twenty years older than him."
"...Wouldn't the Princess General's case suggest otherwise?"
Vihera found herself nodding in reluctant agreement as Theoreme repeated his point. Beside them, Seto let out a small chirp as if agreeing with Theoreme’s assessment.
"But if she's interested in Rei, then that woman named Min might..."
"In Rei, who is younger than her own son? I doubt it goes that far."
"Really? I hope so."
She murmured, reaching for a piece of Herb Bread as if to swallow her inner anxiety.
Unaware that a conversation full of massive misunderstandings was taking place behind them, Rei and Rhodos moved away from the village plaza.
The welcoming banquet had started in the late afternoon, but the sun had already set and the moon was high in the sky. Relying on the moonlight, the two walked for a few minutes before stopping and facing each other as if by unspoken agreement.
"This should be far enough. So, what did you want to talk about?"
"It's about my father."
"I figured."
Rei had expected as much. Despite being a mother complex, Rhodos naturally harbored deep affection and respect for his father, Elk—even if he rarely showed it. Even if the cause was the fact that he and his teammates had been taken hostage, he couldn't ignore the current situation where his father was radiating murderous intent.
"I know I'm asking for the impossible. But if my father looks like he's actually going to kill that Theoreme guy... could you stop him?"
Rhodos likely still held complex feelings toward Rei, but he showed none of them as he bowed his head deeply.
Rei watched him in silence. As the sounds of laughter from the banquet echoed faintly from the plaza, Rei finally spoke.
"Are you sure you want this? Elk is angry because you were taken hostage and put in danger, you know."
"I know that. And it’s not like I don't have my own grudge against that Theoreme guy. But we might be about to form a new relationship with the Bestia Empire. I can't let my personal feelings ruin that."
Rei couldn't hide his surprise as Rhodos spoke while still bowing. To suppress one's own feelings for the sake of a greater cause—it was an easy sentiment to voice, but incredibly difficult to execute. Furthermore, the fact that the Rhodos standing before him was capable of it was the biggest surprise of all.
This was the same Rhodos who had picked a fight during their first meeting simply because he hated how his mother's attention was focused on Rei.
"...I understand. I can't stop the fight itself, but if it comes down to it, I'll be the one to step in and stop it."
Ultimately, he gave in to Rhodos’s plea and gave his word.