Daskar's entourage moved steadily along the highway.
Nearly half a month had passed since they entered the Bestia Empire. By now, it was no longer unusual to see other groups on the road who appeared to have been invited to the fighting tournament, much like Daskar and his companions.
There were nobles of the Bestia Empire and dignitaries from neighboring countries. Occasionally, Rei even spotted merchants traveling in carriages far more opulent than those of the local aristocracy.
"Well, we've made quite good time."
Rei looked around, observing the various groups heading toward the Imperial Capital.
The carriage decorations varied not only by nationality but by each individual faction, but the real spectacle lay in the escorts. Many appeared to be knight orders from various noble territories, with each member clad in armor of the same design—a sight Rei found quite entertaining.
The merchant caravans were usually guarded by mercenaries rather than knights, meaning their equipment was far more eclectic. However, many were outfitted with what appeared to be magic items, which also piqued Rei's curiosity.
A knight riding near Rei muttered something, prompting Rei to glance his way.
"Hm? Oh, sorry. Just talking to myself."
"No, it's fine. What did you mean by 'fast'?"
"The time it's taking to reach the Imperial Capital. I've never been there, of course, but I once heard from a merchant in Gilm that no matter how much you hurry, it takes at least a month after crossing the border into the Bestia Empire."
"...Are there really merchants who travel all the way here for business?" Rei asked, sounding slightly exasperated.
The Kingdom of Mireana and the Bestia Empire had been rivals for generations. Naturally, the citizens of both nations harbored deep-seated animosity toward one another. For merchants to go out of their way to do business in hostile territory struck Rei as incredibly bold—or perhaps just greedy.
The knight gave a dry chuckle and shrugged. "Well, money is money, and merchants go where it's flowing."
The mention of money made Rei think of the Requiem Bell.
(They only attacked us that one time and haven't made a move since. I wonder what they're up to. Are they planning to strike once we reach the capital? ...Well, that certainly seems like a possibility.)
Once they entered the Imperial Capital, Daskar's entourage would separate to fulfill their respective roles. Daskar would attend to diplomatic duties with Elk and Min; Rei and Rhodos would focus on the fighting tournament; and Seto would likely be kept in the stables.
The Requiem Bell would surely see that as the perfect opportunity to strike while their targets were divided and their collective strength was diminished.
"Rei? Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing. So, you said a month at the fastest? That’s probably because merchants travel in heavy wagons. Compared to them, our three carriages—including Lord Daskar's—are all top-tier models. Even the horses are exceptional, and that's not even counting the warhorses."
As he replied, Rei glanced at the three carriages moving a short distance away.
Compared to the other travelers on the highway, they looked relatively plain. However, that was simply a reflection of Daskar’s preference for practicality over flashiness. To a trained eye, it was obvious that the quality of both the carriages and the horses was vastly superior to anything else on the road.
This was particularly evident in how the horses handled. While the mounts of other nobles and mercenaries grew skittish and panicked at the sight of Rei—or more accurately, the sight of Seto—the horses pulling Daskar's carriages remained perfectly calm.
Part of that was familiarity from the long journey from Gilm, but the fact that every single horse had grown so completely accustomed to a Gryphon proved they were of the highest caliber.
"Guruuu?"
Seto purred and looked up at Rei, as if sensing his thoughts.
Is something wrong? it seemed to ask. Rei smiled, shaking his head as he reached out to stroke the Gryphon's neck. "It's nothing, Seto."
"Well, for those of us who have survived on the frontier, I suppose this level of quality is to be expected," the knight said.
At Rei's casual words of praise, the knight’s cheeks flushed with pride. From an outsider’s perspective, a young and handsome knight looking so bashful was a notable sight, and several onlookers turned their gaze toward him.
The knight eventually noticed the attention and cleared his throat before turning back to Rei.
"That aside... with so many nobles—including foreign dignitaries like us—gathering in one place, trouble is bound to happen. You have a knack for getting caught up in that sort of thing, Rei, so stay sharp."
"...I don't exactly go looking for trouble, you know."
Rei replied, though he knew his words lacked conviction given his track record. Even Seto let out a soft purr that sounded suspiciously like it was disagreeing with him.
And then...
"Seto, not you too... Hm?"
Rei was about to playfully scold his partner when he suddenly went quiet.
The highway ahead had ground to a halt. A massive congestion of carriages stretched out before them, blocking their progress. At a glance, there were nearly 20 carriages stopped in front of Daskar's group.
"What's going on?"
"Who knows? Maybe a wagon overturned and is blocking the path?" the knight suggested.
Rei shook his head. "The road isn't that narrow. Even if a carriage flipped, they could just go around through the grass and pull back onto the highway."
"...True enough," the knight admitted, glancing at the shoulder of the road. While the weeds were tall, the ground was firm enough for a carriage to pass.
"Then why are we stopped?"
"No idea."
Something was clearly wrong, but Rei had no way of knowing the cause from this far back.
"Staying here is just a waste of time. Hold on, I'll go ask Lord Daskar for instructions."
"Right. We're only a few days from the Imperial Capital, and the tournament isn't starting immediately, so a little delay shouldn't hurt. But we might as well know why we're sitting here."
The knight shrugged and rode toward Daskar's carriage.
Left with nothing to do, Rei continued to stroke Seto's head as he watched the crowd.
"Guruu?"
Seto tilted its head and purred, its eyes asking if it was time for more attention. Rei chuckled and began to massage the Gryphon's head, beak, and throat.
Seto leaned into his hand, narrowing its eyes in bliss. If they hadn't been in the middle of a crowded highway, it likely would have rolled onto its back right then and there.
As Seto purred for more, Rei kept his hands moving with a resigned smile.
Carriages were beginning to pile up behind them as well, and the sounds of grumbling and dissatisfaction filled the air. Despite the crowd, a wide berth remained around Rei and Seto; the fear and awe toward the Gryphon kept most people at a distance.
However, that fear slowly began to melt away as the travelers watched Rei doting on his companion. The scene playing out before the onlookers was a far cry from the terrifying spectacle people usually imagined when they heard the term "A-rank monster."
A gentle, warm feeling welled up in the hearts of those watching. Had they stayed there for another ten minutes, some might have even found the courage to approach—even those who suspected that the youth was the famous adventurer known as Crimson.
Most of the travelers were from the Bestia Empire or its smaller neighbors, so his reputation preceded him, but the sight of the "Deadly Gryphon" acting like a pampered housecat was a powerful deterrent to their fear.
Before anyone could make a move, however, the knight returned from Daskar's carriage. He looked at the cozy scene and let out a small sigh.
"Seriously, Rei? You think this is the place for that?"
"Why not? We're stuck here anyway. I've got time to kill."
"That’s not the point... ugh, whatever. I have a message from Lord Daskar. He wants you to go investigate the cause of the congestion."
"Me? Why specifically me?" Rei asked.
The knight gave a blunt nod. "His Lordship expects that there's some kind of trouble up ahead, and he wants you to go resolve it."
"...I see."
Rei understood Daskar’s intent immediately. His primary goal was to stand out and attract the attention of the state upper management before the tournament even began. Taking care of a roadside problem was an easy way to build a reputation.
"Understood. Let's go, Seto."
"Guruu!"
Seto purred happily and stood up, weaving through the gaps between the horses and wagons to reach the edge of the highway.
They moved through the tall grass, heading toward the front of the line. Rei kept their pace slow so as not to startle the other travelers by having a Gryphon sprint past them. Eventually, they reached the head of the traffic jam.
There, they found a group of about 20 people. Every one of them wore green and blue dyed armor, indicating they belonged to the same faction.
That in itself wasn't strange—plenty of groups on the road wore matching livery. What set them apart was the fact that they were standing in a line across the highway, effectively forming a blockade.
Rei watched as a man who appeared to be the representative of the group spoke with the driver of the lead carriage. The driver handed something over, and the armored men stepped aside just enough to let the carriage pass.
(Is it... a checkpoint?) Rei wondered.
But it didn't look like an official inspection. As the next carriage pulled up, the driver went through the same routine, handing something to the leader before being allowed through the gap.
If Rei hadn't misidentified it, the driver had handed over several silver coins.
It certainly didn't look like a legal toll.
That left only a few possibilities. The most likely scenario was that a group was taking advantage of the heavy traffic to extort money from travelers.
But Rei found it hard to believe someone would be that stupid. This was the main highway to the Imperial Capital, and the road was currently filled with powerful nobles and guests of the Emperor. To carry out such a blatant shakedown in broad daylight was suicide.
If they tried to pull that on someone like Daskar, their heads wouldn't just be "rolling" in a metaphorical sense—it would be physical.
Rei decided to ask around. He spotted a traveling merchant man in his 40s nearby who looked like he’d just swallowed a lemon. He was a solo peddler, likely less intimidated than the high-ranking noble servants.
"Hey, what's the deal with those guys?" Rei asked.
"Huh? Isn't it obvious—"
The merchant started to answer, but his voice died in his throat as he realized what Rei was sitting on. His eyes went wide at the sight of the Gryphon. He looked around frantically for an escape, but there was nowhere to go.
Realizing he was stuck, he let out a defeated sigh and spoke in a low, resentful tone.
"It's exactly what it looks like. They're shaking down everyone who wants to pass."
"...And nobody’s reported them? We're right outside the capital, and it's tournament season. They have to know how this ends for them."
"How should I know? I'm sure they have some kind of—"
The man cut himself off mid-sentence, his eyes darting behind Rei. He suddenly backed away in a panic.
The reason was immediately apparent.
"Hey, you. You've got a lot of nerve talking behind our backs. Why don't you tell us what's on your mind?"
A man clad in green and blue armor was standing right there.