"To Rei’s runner-up finish in the fighting tournament... cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Ruzy’s voice boomed through the dining hall of the Eternal Sky Inn.
Outside, night had long since fallen. The moon hung in a cloudless sky, bathing the world below in a brilliant, silvery glow.
Rei watched the moonlight through the dining hall window, his mind drifting back to the conversation he had shared with Elena via the Paired Orbs only moments before.
She really is a remarkable woman, he thought.
When Rei had told her that he intended to remain in this land to join the civil war, Elena clearly had much she wanted to say. Ultimately, however, she had relented and accepted his decision—on the sole condition that he promise to return to the Kingdom of Mireana alive.
Ordinarily, given her position, she likely would have been adamantly opposed. It was one thing for him to participate in the fighting tournament to draw the eyes of the Bestia Empire Upper Management, but now he was explicitly throwing his lot in with the Third Prince Faction.
Because Rei was an adventurer, Daskar intended to publicly announce that the boy was no longer under his supervision. While that would likely prevent any diplomatic fallout when Rei joined the civil strife, it was still only a "likely."
But still... throwing myself into the conflict brewing here is essential for me, Rei mused.
Despite the midsummer-like heat of the night, the dining hall remained pleasant thanks to the effects of magic items. Rei took a sip of his chilled fruit water and looked inward.
It was often said that a single real battle was worth more than days of training. In the year and a half since he had arrived in Elgin, Rei had survived more combat than most veteran adventurers saw in a lifetime, and he found himself agreeing with that sentiment wholeheartedly.
Because of the impending civil war, he had a prime opportunity to master the Overlord's Armor skill he had stolen from Noise.
Right now, I’m not the one wearing the Overlord's Armor. If anything, the armor is the one wearing me.
As the thought crossed his mind, he reached his fork toward the Orc steak on his plate. But just as the tines were about to pierce the meat, another fork darted in from the side, snatched the steak away, and vanished from his sight.
"Hey now, what's the star of the show doing eating all by himself in the corner? Come on, get over here! Sit in the middle!"
Ruzy spoke around a mouthful of the stolen steak, washing it down with wine. Rei gave him a flat, deadpan stare.
"Look, 'runner-up' might sound fancy, but it just means I lost the final. Why exactly are you congratulating me?"
Grumbling under his breath, Rei reached for the assorted fruit sitting near his plate.
He had lost today’s match, finishing in second place. While people liked to dress it up as being the runner-up, it was a defeat, plain and simple.
Despite that, everyone insisted on a celebration. He had just finished his call with Elena and was trying to savor the lingering emotions when they had practically kicked down his door, dragged him to the dining hall, and declared the start of a victory celebration. He wasn't exactly in a festive mood.
...Well, I suppose they are genuinely trying to cheer me up, he admitted to himself.
Since arriving at the party, many people had stopped to speak with him. Some offered words of consolation, while others gave sincere congratulations. Seeing that they were all speaking from the heart, he found he couldn't bring himself to complain.
Besides, this also serves as a farewell party for the people who stayed here during the fighting tournament.
It had only been for the duration of the tournament, but perhaps because of that, the prospect of parting with those they had shared this time with carried a certain weight. Staying at the same inn had led to new business ventures, connections between nobles, and even a few romances among the younger guests.
Normally, simply staying at the same lodge wouldn't lead to such bonds, but the shared experience of the fighting tournament changed things. Furthermore, this was the Eternal Sky Inn—the most prestigious establishment in the Bestia Empire. Anyone staying here was guaranteed to be someone of standing rather than a suspicious character.
Though, arguably, Rei himself was the most suspicious existence in all of Elgin.
Even the adventurers know that causing trouble in an inn frequented by nobles and great merchants would end badly for them.
Causing a scene in a place where so many important figures gathered would lead to consequences far more terrifying than a simple brawl. Even for those from other nations, like Rei, the sheer power of the Bestia Empire meant that being a foreigner offered little protection.
"What are you talking about?" Ruzy asked. "Did you actually expect to beat Noise? I’ll admit you put up a much better fight than I did. But expecting to actually win against Noise the Immovable is a bit much, even for you."
"...Hmph. And what was it you were saying right before you fought him?"
Because Ruzy had lost to the same man, his words carried an undeniable weight. Rei’s retort was almost purely reflexive—a bit of petty venting—but Ruzy simply took it in stride. His perspective was fueled by the shared experience of defeat.
To Ruzy, the fact that Rei had managed such a spectacular performance against Noise made him a monster in his own right.
To do that much against Noise... and he's just a kid, Ruzy thought.
Compared to himself—or even to Most, who was the smallest and thinnest member of Wind Dragon Fang—Rei was tiny. He had more muscle than a mage like Most, but he was physically smaller than even Veikyul.
Yet that small boy had displayed such terrifying combat prowess. That alone was enough to leave Ruzy speechless, but Rei had gone further, performing the impossible feat of stealing Noise's skill just by seeing it. Ruzy, Veikyul, and Most had all been left silent with shock when it happened.
I definitely made the right call asking Rei to train us. I'm a genius, Ruzy congratulated himself.
As Ruzy basked in his own self-praise, he noticed Rei had stopped eating fruit and was staring at him intently.
"What is it? You're not going to tell me you've finally fallen for me, are you?"
Sensing a strange gravity in Rei’s eyes, Ruzy tried to break the tension with a joke. It worked. Rei let out a dry chuckle and shrugged, his gaze softening.
"Don't be an idiot. I'm not interested in men. I just had something I wanted to ask you."
"...Ask me what?"
"Yeah. What are you guys—Wind Dragon Fang—going to do now? The fighting tournament ended today. I know the formal award ceremony at the castle isn't over yet, but that doesn't really matter to you, does it?"
"Not really."
Ruzy had no patience for formalities. If asked whether he wanted to attend a stiff, stifling ceremony at the palace, his answer would be a flat 'no' without a second's hesitation.
Technically, as participants, the members of Wind Dragon Fang were eligible to attend. However, doing so would require them to rely on the nobles who were currently trying to scout them. If they accepted such a favor, they would be maneuvered into a very troublesome position.
This was their first time in the tournament, yet the entire party had made it to the main tournament. Ruzy, the leader, had gained a reputation as someone who could have climbed even higher if he hadn't run into Noise.
No one wanted to let such talent slip away. Nobles and merchant firms had been bombarding them with recruitment offers. Ruzy had rejected them all, but if they went to the castle, they would be forced to accept a noble's backing. While they wouldn't enter service immediately, they would find themselves beholden to that noble, forced to prioritize their requests. Eventually, they would be backed into a corner and forced to sign a contract.
Rei nodded at Ruzy’s short answer. "I see. If you have no reason to stay in the Imperial Capital, you should leave as soon as possible."
Ruzy reacted instantly to the gravity in Rei’s voice. "Why?"
"Who knows? But let’s just say that things might get very messy if you stay."
Rei didn't say anything more. Seeing that he couldn't go into detail, Ruzy furrowed his brows.
"Is this about those assassins?"
"Sure. Let's go with that."
Because Rei agreed so easily, Ruzy realized he wasn't talking about the assassins at all.
But if it's not the assassins, what else is there? ...Wait, there is something, Ruzy realized.
He thought back to the thunderous explosion they had heard before the start of the ceremony.
The rumor was that a thief disguised as the Empire's princess tried to break into the castle and was driven off... is it related to that? Does that mean the 'thief' story was just a cover? I can't see Rei helping a common thief.
Ruzy had heard Rei talk about hunting bandits during their breaks. Rei would track down those who preyed on the innocent and take the treasures they had stolen for himself. It was a suicidal endeavor for most, but for someone with the strength to defeat an A-Rank adventurer, bandits were little more than target practice.
A person with a rigid sense of justice might object to the killing, but Ruzy and his companions were seasoned adventurers. They weren't naïve enough to complain about the death of a thief. If anything, they had seriously considered whether they could pull off a bit of bandit hunting themselves.
The idea of Rei helping a thief was impossible.
Then again, if Rei ever did turn to crime, he'd be the most terrifying thief in history. A normal adventurer wouldn't stand a chance against him.
If that happened, the Empire would have to send someone like Noise just to stop him. Since Rei was essentially a one-man army, trying to stop him with anything less would just be throwing away lives.
...Wait a minute. If the Kingdom of Mireana used him like this during a war, the Empire would be in serious trouble.
They had Seto’s aerial mobility combined with Rei’s devastating long-range magic. On top of that, Rei was now skilled enough to hold his own in close combat against an S-Rank fighter like Noise. Finding a single man and his beast was nearly impossible if they didn't want to be found.
If that pair infiltrated the Bestia Empire and began a campaign of sabotage during a war with Mireana, the outcome was clear as day.
Ruzy’s face began to twitch as the terrifying implications sank in. Rei noticed his sudden silence and looked at him with confusion.
"What’s wrong? You went quiet all of a sudden."
"Oh, uh, nothing. Forget it. So, you really can't tell me why we should get out of the Imperial Capital?"
"I’ve told you what I can. The rest is for you—for Wind Dragon Fang—to decide."
"Wind Dragon Fang's decision, huh? Got it. I'll talk to Veikyul and Most."
With that, Ruzy reached for a grilled skewer, signaling the end of the serious discussion. Rei followed suit, reaching for a skewer of his own—specifically, a fish skewer.
Since the Bestia Empire was landlocked, "fish" almost always meant freshwater fish from rivers or lakes. Sea fish was incredibly rare and expensive, as it had to be imported through the Kingdom of Mireana. Because of the travel time, it was usually only available in processed forms like dried fish.
...However, as the finest establishment in the Empire, the Eternal Sky Inn was serving fresh sea fish tonight. It wasn't dried; it was raw fish, seasoned with salt and grilled to perfection.
Rei peeled back the skin, the salt stimulating his tongue, followed by the soft, light texture of the meat. The sweetness of the white fish was bold, yet it harmonized perfectly with the salt.
He took bite after bite, clearly enjoying himself. Ruzy, intrigued, reached for a fish skewer as well.
"So, the award ceremony at the castle... that's in three days, right?"
"Yeah. So whatever you decide, make it quick."
As he savored the fish, Rei made a mental note to teach the inn’s cook a new recipe tomorrow, as he had promised, before things got out of hand. The victory celebration continued long into the night. Rei ate and drank his fill with Ruzy, helped Most restrain a drunken Veikyul who had started trying to strip, and deftly dodged the drinks being pressed on him by other guests. Even Elk, Min, Daskar, and the escort knights stayed until the early hours, joining in the festivities.