Rei heard the news while having dinner in the dining hall of the Eternal Sky Inn.
Joining him at the table were the three members of Wind Dragon Fang, who had become familiar faces by now.
Rei had wondered if they shouldn't be attending to the merchant they had escorted to the Imperial Capital, but Most had simply shrugged it off. He explained that the merchant already had his own guards, so their presence wasn't strictly necessary.
In any case, since he had just defeated Rhodos, Rei wasn't in the mood for a victory celebration or even a consolation party. He was focused on his meal—a table filled with dishes like a thick meat-and-vegetable stew—when Elk approached.
"Elk? This is a surprise. Should you be away from Lord Daskar?"
With both Rei and Rhodos out of the rotation, Daskar’s protection was down to Elk, Min, and the knights who had traveled with the group to the Imperial Capital.
Rei asked out of curiosity, and Elk sat down at the table with a slight shrug.
"Min’s there. Once in a while, I want a chance to eat a meal in peace. Besides, I was craving something that isn't high-class cuisine. Hey, miss! Get me some offal and bean stew and a few chicken skewers."
Though he ordered food that would have paired perfectly with a drink, Elk refrained from ordering any alcohol. He was clearly mindful of his duties as a guard for Daskar, a noble from the Kingdom of Mireana—a nation that had been hostile to the Bestia Empire for many years.
After finishing his order, Elk took a sip of water and turned his gaze toward Rei.
His usual boisterous cheer was absent, replaced by a visible flicker of worry.
Intimidated by Elk’s heavy aura, Ruzy, Veikyul, and Most ate their own food in silence.
Eventually, the waitress brought Elk’s order, set the dishes on the table, and hurried away.
Elk immediately dug into the offal and bean stew. Rei, unable to bear the silence any longer, finally spoke up.
"So, why are you really here? It’s not just for the food, is it?"
"Hm? ...Ah. I have a few things I need to ask you and your friends."
Elk swallowed his mouthful and turned his gaze toward the three members of Wind Dragon Fang.
Ruzy and his companions stiffened under the stare of an A-Rank adventurer. Even if he was from another country, Elk was a legend they rarely had the chance to see in person, let alone share a table with. Their tension was palpable.
Rei found their reaction a bit much, but he had known Elk for a long time. Having known next to nothing about the common sense of this world when they first met, he had always treated Elk with casual familiarity. To be fair, Ruzy’s group was reacting the way most normal people would.
"Something you want to ask?"
"Yeah. ...The truth is, Rhodos hasn't returned yet. I was wondering if you knew anything. I thought he might be here."
Muttering, Elk looked around the dining hall. Naturally, Rhodos was nowhere to be seen, and a sigh escaped Elk's lips. He looked back at Rei and spoke again.
"I don't mind that he lost today. Rhodos probably knew he couldn't beat you. ...But they were arguing after the match, weren't they? I suspect that’s the reason... Honestly, what happened?"
Rei thought for a moment while taking another spoonful of stew. He soon shook his head.
"It’s true he was upset, but I don't know why. We were just having a normal conversation."
Elk gave him a skeptical look. He didn't think Rei was lying, but he knew Rei had a habit of doing things that unintentionally rubbed people the wrong way.
"Just so I'm clear, exactly what did you say to him?"
Rei recounted the conversation as best he could. Ruzy and the others leaned in, their interest piqued.
Once the explanation was finished, Elk pressed a hand to his forehead and let out a long, weary sigh.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"Search me," Ruzy replied. "As far as I can tell, it sounded like a perfectly normal conversation. Most?"
"Hmm. Maybe his pride couldn't take being consoled by the rival he was trying to beat?" Most offered the theory with a hesitant shrug.
Elk knew Most had hit the nail on the head, but he also knew several pieces of the puzzle were still missing—namely, Rhodos’s crush on Vihera and his desperate desire to prove himself to her during the fighting tournament.
So, he gave it his all to impress the girl, only to get crushed by his rival—who wasn't even taking him seriously, Elk thought. Then he got a pat on the head for his trouble. No wonder the boy feels like a joke.
He looked up at the ceiling and exhaled. Rhodos was a prideful boy, and the blow to his ego must have been devastating. Elk couldn't really blame his son for wanting to disappear for a while. He’ll probably sulk for a few days before showing his face again.
He knew it couldn't be helped, but he still worried. Still, Rhodos was at an age where he had to make his own decisions; hovering over him would only make the boy more stubborn.
Min is going to lose it, though, Elk thought, knowing his wife's fierce love for their son. He decided he should probably break the news to her soon.
Once he reached that conclusion, Elk moved with surprising speed. He finished off the skewers and the stew in record time, then reached for the bread in front of Rei. Just as his hand was about to touch it, he saw Rei’s fingers drift toward a fork on the table. Sensing a threat, Elk instantly pivoted and snatched the bread from Ruzy’s plate instead.
"Ah!"
"Heheh, sorry, kid. I'm taking this with me. The bread at this place is top-notch."
It was the truth. The Eternal Sky Inn was one of the finest establishments in the Imperial Capital, and the cooks were all super first-class. Every type of bread they served—from the black bread and white bread to the flaky croissants—was delicious.
Ruzy could only watch Elk leave with a look of pure betrayal. He wanted to complain, but Elk was a legendary Alias Holder. Sharing a table was an honor; losing a roll of bread was a small price to pay.
Most, realizing Ruzy was about to start sulking, wordlessly slid his own plate of bread toward him. Veikyul followed suit.
"What are you doing?"
"Consider it a show of support for tomorrow’s match," Veikyul said casually.
"Ah... I see."
Hearing those words, Ruzy finally realized his teammates were trying to encourage him. He knew his chances of winning were infinitely low, but he still intended to go all out against his next opponent: the S-Rank adventurer, Noise the Immovable.
"Showing concern isn't like you guys. Well, fine. I'll do my best to earn this bread."
Ruzy’s nervousness from earlier had vanished. He was back to his usual spirited self.
"I'll be rooting for you," Rei added. "And if you do lose, try to force Noise to show his hand. It’ll make my life easier when I face him in the finals."
"Hmph. So you've already decided I’m going to lose and you’re going to the finals?"
"Well, according to the talk around town, that seems to be the consensus," Veikyul teased.
Ruzy snorted as he ate the bread. "Nobody thinks I can win, huh? That just makes it more fun to prove everyone wrong. Rei, I’m the one who’s going to be in the finals, not Noise. You can be disappointed then."
"We'll see. It would certainly be interesting. Since we're staying at the same inn and I put in the work to train you, I'll even place a bet on you."
Veikyul looked at Rei in disbelief. The odds against Noise the Immovable were astronomical for a reason. Betting on Ruzy was essentially throwing money away.
"I'm betting a copper coin, mind you," Rei clarified. "It’s a long shot, after all."
"Hey! I'm not asking for a gold coin, but at least bet a silver coin!"
"A silver is pushing it." Even with his winnings from betting on himself, Rei wasn't about to waste silver on a losing prospect.
Ruzy, realizing it was useless to argue with Rei, glanced toward Most and Veikyul. They both pointedly looked away.
"Fine! If that’s how it is, I’m going to win just to spite you all. Don't come crawling back to me when I pull it off!"
As Ruzy shouted, two guests eating at a nearby table laughed.
"Hey, kid. So you're the one fighting Immovable tomorrow?"
"Hm? Yeah. What of it?"
"I see. Well, it'll be a great memento of your trip."
"Exactly. Just getting in the ring with a man like that is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You’re lucky."
The two men spoke with well-meaning smiles, but they clearly assumed Ruzy had no chance. To them, Ruzy was just a cocky youngster who didn't understand the gap between him and a legend.
Ruzy realized there was no point in arguing. Their dismissal rankled, but they weren't being malicious. He turned back to his meal in sullen, determined silence.