Rei intended to head for Count Obrisin's Territory, which served as the Third Prince Faction's base. Having made that decision, he acted with characteristic speed.
After leaving Daskar's Room and exchanging brief greetings with the knights on guard, he returned to his own quarters and quickly packed. That said, there was virtually nothing in the room to call luggage.
Rei stored almost all his essentials within his Misty Ring. He cast a cursory glance around the room, spotted a Pouch of Dried Meat sitting on the table, and tucked it into the Misty Ring. With that, his departure was fully prepared.
"It was a short stay, but thanks for the hospitality."
He spoke his farewell to the empty room. Wrapping himself in his Dragon Robe, Rei stepped out into the hall and made his way toward the ground floor.
A low buzz of excitement still drifted from the Dining Hall, but he ignored it entirely as he walked out of the inn. Perhaps sensing something in Rei’s demeanor, the guests gathered near the inn's entrance remained silent, simply watching him pass without a word.
Rei’s first destination was the Inn's Stables, where his partner Seto waited. Even there, the unrest from inside the inn seemed to have seeped through; the horses were shifting and whinnying, clearly unsettled.
"Recognize the sound of your masters causing a ruckus, do you?"
He muttered while passing the agitated horses, heading straight for the area where Seto waited.
"Guruuu?"
Seto woke instantly at the sight of Rei. The Gryphon tilted its head slightly with its round eyes fixed on its partner, as if asking what was happening.
"Sorry to rush, but we’re leaving. I’ve decided to go meet up with Vihera and the others... Will you come with me?"
"Guruuuu!"
"Of course!" the Gryphon’s purr seemed to say. Rei smiled and stroked Seto's head.
"Sorry about this. I appreciate it."
He led Seto out of the stables, leaving the Eternal Sky Inn behind for good. A crowd of people hoping for a glimpse of Rei still lingered in front of the inn, but the sight of Seto brought them to a sudden standstill.
These people were here to see Rei, the sensation of the Fighting Tournament—or perhaps to attempt to recruit him. They had not come prepared to face an A-Rank monster like a Gryphon.
If they had possessed even a shred of resolve, the situation might have been different. But faced with Seto’s sudden presence, their courage failed them. Furthermore, this was the first time since their arrival that Seto had openly walked the streets of the Imperial Capital. Had the residents seen him around more often, they might have grown accustomed to his presence, however slightly...
"Hey, look at that..."
"Yeah, that’s Crimson Rei. I never expected him to be traveling with a Gryphon."
"What should we do?"
"Don't ask me... Honestly, I’m at a loss. It’s not exactly easy to just walk up and talk to a man who commands a Gryphon."
"Well, that Gryphon is a Tamed Monster. It won't just attack for no reason, right?"
"...If you're so sure, you go talk to him. Not me."
"Wait, hey! That's a different story entirely. I’ve got no desire to mess with a High-Rank monster that dangerous."
"Typical. Then why are you telling me to go? Don’t try to push the things you’re too scared to do onto other people."
"Man, a Gryphon. How majestic. I wish I could make a monster like that my own Tamed Monster."
"Don’t be an idiot. Taming something like that is suicide. Count me out."
"But letting him just walk away like this... Wait. Why is he walking around with the Gryphon today of all days?"
"Could it be...?"
"What? Don't just stop talking like you've figured something out."
"I mean, it's just a hunch, but do you think he might be leaving the Imperial Capital?"
"No way, absolutely not. Doing that would be the same as making a fool of His Majesty the Emperor."
"But rumors say Rei doesn't care about the nobility. They say he’ll kill anyone without hesitation, noble or not."
"Okay, that’s definitely an exaggeration."
Listening to the chatter drifting from beneath the hoods of the crowd as he walked, Rei frowned inwardly. He was being reminded once again of exactly how the public perceived him.
Still, despite his outward annoyance, he felt a secret smirk of triumph. No one would suspect that a man traveling as lightly as Rei was planning to vanish from his inn for good.
The Misty Ring really is the height of convenience, he thought with a sense of profound appreciation, stroking the band on his right arm beneath the Dragon Robe. With this, I don't need any travel preparations, and I can have a fresh meal whenever I want.
If he had to name the single most useful thing he’d acquired since coming to this world, it would undoubtedly be the Misty Ring—sitting right alongside his Death Scythe.
"Guruuu?"
Walking beside him, Seto purred and tilted its head in a questioning manner. Rei stroked the Gryphon’s head to reassure it and continued toward the Main Gate.
He encountered many others with the same stunned reaction as those in front of the inn, but he decided there was no point in worrying about it and kept moving through the streets. His only regret was that he couldn't stop at any stalls or vendors given the commotion they were creating.
"Guruuu..."
Beside him, Seto let out a mournful trill while staring at a Skewer Stall that was filling the air with the savory aroma of charred sauce.
"Sorry, buddy. I'll give you something to eat once we're outside the Imperial Capital. Just hold on a little longer."
He gave Seto's head a reassuring pat. The pair continued their progress.
Seto’s presence was undeniable. Even though the Fighting Tournament was technically over, the city was still packed with tourists, yet the crowds split before them like Moses parting the sea.
This is a sight you'd never see in Gilm, Rei mused. People in Exil were fond of Seto, too. ...Well, I suppose it can't be helped, considering this is the Bestia Empire. And Seto spent the entire tournament inside the stables, so the people here haven't had a chance to get used to him.
An A-Rank Monster was a creature most people would go their entire lives without seeing. To suddenly come face-to-face with a Gryphon at such close range—the reaction he was seeing was only natural.
And naturally, such a disturbance did not go unnoticed by the city’s security.
"Wait, wait, wait! What is the meaning of this commotion?"
Two guards appeared through the crowd. Both were men in their late twenties to early thirties. They started with authoritative voices, but the moment they realized they were speaking to Rei—and saw the Gryphon Seto looming beside him—they froze in their tracks.
It took them several seconds to recover their composure, a testament to their training as the Imperial Capital Guard. Their voices trembled slightly, but they managed to address the Gryphon’s master.
"Excuse us... I take it you are Crimson Rei? Is that correct?"
"Yeah. That's me."
"As for this disturbance... well, I understand the cause. It’s obviously that Gryphon. But look, even with a Tamed Monster's Necklace, the Imperial Capital is incredibly crowded right now. There are plenty of people who don't know what that necklace signifies, so we would appreciate it if you would refrain from walking around with the Gryphon if possible."
The guard’s tone was noticeably polite, likely influenced by Rei’s new status as the Fighting Tournament Runner-up. The man showed remarkable grit to even speak to Rei while his partner was clearly shaking in his boots at the sight of Seto.
Rei appreciated the guard’s professionalism and offered a small, disarming smile.
"I'm sorry for the stir. I have some business outside the Imperial Capital, you see. I need to take Seto with me."
"...Outside the Imperial Capital? But the Award Ceremony hasn't even been held yet."
Rei hesitated for a heartbeat. He couldn't exactly be honest and tell them he was leaving to join the Third Prince Faction and its rebellion. Fortunately, it seemed the news hadn't reached the ears of the general populace yet, but he couldn't be sure about the guards.
Deciding that a vague excuse was the safest route, he stroked the head of his partner, who was looking up at him with shining eyes that practically screamed, Are we there yet?
"As you can see, I can't just let my Tamed Monster loose in the city. He’s been cooped up in the inn’s stables the entire time I was in the tournament. I wanted to let him run and fly a bit after being stuck inside for so long."
His look suggested that such a thing was only possible beyond the city walls. The two guards turned their eyes toward Seto.
"Guruuu?"
Seto chirped as if to ask if they were going to play, but the only person who understood the gesture was Rei. To the people of the Imperial Capital, who had no experience with the Gryphon, that purr sounded like a predatory threat: Get in my way and I'll eat you.
"Eek!"
The terrified Male Guard let out a choked cry, and the surrounding crowd instinctively scrambled back several steps.
"Guruuuu..."
Seto purred sadly, seemingly realizing that its friendly greeting had only caused fear.
"I-I see. Fine. Just... go ahead. However, keep in mind that the master bears full responsibility for any trouble caused by a Tamed Monster. Please keep that in mind as you go."
"I understand. Sorry for the trouble. I'll head straight for the gate."
"Yes, please do. ...Actually, we'll escort you. It’ll be a problem if this causes a riot."
Rei felt another surge of respect for the guard. Despite being clearly frightened of Seto, the man was willing to guide them through the city. Of course, there was likely a bit of pragmatic self-interest involved; they probably wanted to get the "Crimson" problem out of their jurisdiction as quickly as possible.
"Don’t mind if you do. Let's go, Seto."
"Guruuu!"
Seto’s chirpy response sent another jolt through the guards, though they were beginning to recover more quickly now. It spoke well of the Imperial Capital Guard’s caliber. Then again, they had to be elite to manage the massive influx of visitors the tournament had brought.
Led by the guards, Rei and Seto navigated the packed streets. The escort seemed to help; while people still kept their distance, the outright panic began to subside.
I guess people really do trust the guards here, Rei thought. If they didn't, the commotion would have only gotten worse.
As they walked, Rei kept his hand on Seto’s head, making a public show of keeping the monster under control. It shouldn't have been necessary given the Tamed Monster's Necklace, but with a creature like a Gryphon, appearances mattered.
The trip to the gate took several tens of minutes—far longer than it would have under normal circumstances—as they moved carefully to avoid agitating the crowd.
Once they arrived at the Main Gate, the guard whose legs had been shaking earlier bolted toward the guardhouse near the Main Gate to serve as a herald.
A bit much, Rei thought with a mental sigh, though he understood given the spectacle their walk from the Eternal Sky Inn had been.
Between the efficiency of the guards and their apparent desire to see the "Crimson" problem resolved quickly, the exit formalities were handled in record time. Rei and Seto finally passed through the gate and left the Imperial Capital behind.