"The match is over. That's enough!"
At Vihera’s command, Rei pulled the Death Scythe's blade away from the man's throat.
The razor-sharp edge, over a meter long, had been pressed directly against the spearman's skin. He clearly understood that if Rei had possessed the slightest intent to kill, a simple flick of the wrist would have severed his head. He exhaled a long, shaky breath of relief.
"I yield," the man said. "It seems our accusations were entirely baseless. I admit it—you have the skill you claimed, and you certainly have the strength to keep up with Lady Vihera."
Rei turned toward the source of the voice as he stored the Death Scythe back into his Misty Ring. Standing there was the leader-like man who had been sent tumbling to the ground just moments ago.
Huh, Rei thought, a flash of genuine admiration crossing his mind.
He had fully expected the man to complain that he had only tripped or that the fight wasn't officially over. To see him admit defeat so readily was a surprise.
He might overstate his own importance, but being able to face a loss with dignity is a commendable trait, Rei mused.
Now that the three most hostile men in the camp had conceded, Rei hoped the rest of the day would be free of unnecessary drama. His intuition proved correct; even the other nobles who had harbored doubts about "Crimson" now looked on with expressions of begrudging respect.
"Incredible," one of the nobles remarked with a smile. "To handle all three of them alone like that..."
Rei gave a curt nod. "I'm glad you think so. Now... am I officially permitted to join this army?"
The question was directed at Mercureo, the supreme leader of the Third Prince Faction. The prince nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Yes, of course. We welcome anyone with your caliber of strength."
The unease Rei had seen in Mercureo earlier that morning had vanished. Part of that was surely the prince's awareness of his own precarious position, but it was also because he had finally seen the proof of what Vihera and Theoreme had claimed. There was also the unspoken fact that Mercureo wanted to keep Rei close, given the boy's relationship with his sister.
"Your Highness," one of the surrounding nobles interjected, "how exactly shall we utilize him?"
Mercureo fell silent for a moment, deep in thought. "Given his overwhelming combat power and the mobility of his Gryphon, I believe he should serve as an Irregular."
The term caught the noble off guard. "An Irregular? I assumed he would be tasked with leading a company of mercenaries."
"I considered it," Mercureo admitted, glancing toward Rei, "but my sister tells me his martial prowess is best suited for individual combat. Rei, tell me: are you more effective leading a group, or fighting on your own?"
Rei didn't hesitate. "The latter, without question. I have almost no experience in command, and leading a unit would only tether Seto, wasting his mobility."
A few of the older nobles frowned at Rei’s informal tone with the prince, but they remained silent, curious to see where the conversation led.
"I thought as much," Mercureo said. "Throwing away the speed of a Gryphon would be a waste of our best asset. We have no Dragon Knights in this army; if the Imperial Army takes air superiority, we’ll be in a dire state. I intend to entrust the skies to you. Is that acceptable?"
Rei raised an eyebrow. "You're handing me a pretty vital role quite easily."
Mercureo looked toward Vihera. "You have my sister’s endorsement. Furthermore, anyone who takes the runner-up spot in a Fighting Tournament is someone I can trust with a mission."
"Endorsement?" Rei echoed, shifting his gaze to Vihera.
She offered him a sultry, confident smile. "The Rei I know can handle a few Dragon Knights without breaking a sweat. You proved that during the Spring War, didn't you?"
"I can't exactly argue with that," Rei muttered, shrugging his shoulders. It was a matter of record that he and Seto had decimated the enemy's aerial forces during that conflict.
"Exactly," Vihera added. "Seto's mobility is a legendary weapon. It would be foolish not to use it. And it's not like we can just pair Seto with someone else."
"Guruuu!" Seto purred, tilting its head as if to say, Exactly!
The sudden sound caused several nearby nobles to jump.
"Lady Vihera... does that Gryphon actually understand what we're saying?" one asked nervously.
"Of course," she replied. "He's an A-Rank Monster. He might not speak our tongue, but his mind is as sharp as any human's. Isn't that right, Seto?"
"Guruuu!" Seto chirped in confirmation.
The nobles exchanged looks of disbelief. They knew the Gryphon was powerful, but they hadn't expected it to possess such high intelligence. Vihera watched them with amusement before turning back to Rei.
"So, it's settled? You're our Irregular?"
"Fine by me," Rei agreed. "It suits my style."
However, Mercureo wasn't finished. His next request was something Rei hadn't seen coming.
"One more thing, Rei. I want you to train our soldiers."
"Training? Me?" Rei asked, incredulous.
Mercureo gave a solemn nod. There was no hint of a jest in his eyes. Rei looked to Vihera and saw her giving him a small, apologetic nod.
They were severely outnumbered by the Imperial Army, and they needed to close the gap with superior quality. Rei knew he couldn't turn every common soldier into a hero—talent was a finite resource—but training against an overwhelming opponent like him would give them a fighting chance to survive the real thing.
Rei noticed Gurgast looking like he wanted to jump in and demand a rematch, but the veteran warrior seemed to realize he was too busy with command duties to indulge his battle-lust today. Rei looked away, pretending not to notice Gurgast’s disgruntled expression.
I have my own problems to worry about anyway, Rei thought. Like mastering the Overlord's Armor. That’s my real priority.
"It's decided then," Vihera announced. "Everyone, make sure your men know that Rei will be overseeing their drills. Actually, I’d like to introduce him to a unit this afternoon. Is there a volunteer?"
Several nobles began to step forward, but Karaza Graat, the leader of the trio Rei had just defeated, beat them to it.
"Lady Vihera, let him start with my unit."
"Are you sure, Karaza?" she asked.
"Yes. We've seen the gap between us firsthand. I have no objections. Besides... I want to see more of the power that captured Lady Vihera’s heart."
Karaza’s demeanor had shifted entirely. The arrogance was gone, replaced by a humble, almost eager respect. The surrounding nobles watched him in shock, though Theoreme simply looked on with a knowing expression.
"What do you say, Lord Rei? Will you train my men?"
Rei felt a bit overwhelmed by the man's sudden intensity. "I mean, I don't mind..."
Vihera chuckled at Rei's rare moment of hesitation. "Then it’s settled. Rei, you should probably introduce yourselves properly."
Karaza cleared his throat and stood tall. "I am Karaza Graat, third son of Count Graat's House."
The spearman stepped forward next. "I am Chare Tenda, second son of Viscount Tenda's House."
Finally, the man with the longsword spoke up. "I-I am Galateo Mors, sixth son of Baron Mors's House."
"Sixth son?" Rei repeated, surprised.
"Y-Yes. I am indeed the sixth," Galateo replied, his tone far more polite than it had been minutes ago.
"That's quite a family," Rei noted. He had always assumed nobles kept their numbers low to avoid inheritance disputes.
"Well, I grew tired of the infighting at home," Galateo explained. "So I decided to stand on my own feet and join the cause."
Standing on your own feet? Rei wondered. Even if the man was using family funds to field a unit, joining a rebellion was certainly a bold way to strike out on one's own.
"About the training," Rei said, turning back to Karaza. "Do you just want me to spar with them?"
"That would be ideal. My unit is off duty today—no scouting or sentry rotations."
"Fair enough," Rei said. "It's good that you're keeping up the drills even when you're not on the line."
In a rebel army, readiness was everything. They were a ragtag collection of units from different territories, mercenaries, and volunteers; without constant coordination and training, they would never stand a chance against the unified Imperial Army.
"Very well," Mercureo said, bringing the meeting to a close. "Let us begin our respective tasks."
And so, despite a few scuffles, Rei was officially integrated into the leadership of the rebellion.