The clocks turned back to several hours after Rei had fled the Imperial Capital. Daskar, acting in his capacity as the representative of the Kingdom of Mireana, had arrived at the castle.
Elk and Min were by his side as guards, naturally, accompanied by several knights.
It was only to be expected that a noble from the Kingdom of Mireana—the nation that had defeated the Bestia Empire in the Spring War—would draw eyes, but there was another reason the castle staff were focused on Daskar.
Specifically, the attention was focused on the man who had just taken second place in the fighting tournament: Rei.
Given the long history of the tournament, participants from outside the Bestia Empire had certainly won or taken second place before.
However, this was the first time someone from the Kingdom of Mireana, the Empire's long-standing rival, had ever reached the finals and taken the runner-up spot.
Fortunately for the upper management of the Bestia Empire, the ultimate champion had been a citizen of their own country. In that regard, the prevailing opinion was that Chancellor Peshe Gatto's cautious planning had truly paid off.
Had Rei—the very man from the Kingdom of Mireana who had been the primary cause of the Empire's defeat in the Spring War—won the fighting tournament, the Imperial leadership would have been utterly disgraced.
Regardless, Daskar arrived at the castle under those scrutinizing gazes and requested an audience with the Chancellor.
Ordinarily, the Chancellor held one of the most senior positions in the Empire. It was not a role where one could simply walk in and receive an audience on a whim. Normally, one would have to secure an appointment several days—or in the worst case, more than a week—in advance.
However, Daskar's status as the representative of the Kingdom of Mireana worked in his favor. By implicitly suggesting that the matter at hand was of extreme importance, he managed to secure a meeting.
He was guided by a knight toward the Chancellor’s office.
"Pardon the interruption, Chancellor Peshe. I have brought Margrave Daskar Larkus."
"Understood. Send him in."
At the response from within, a soldier opened the door.
Daskar left his knightly escort there, entering the office accompanied only by Elk and Min.
(Hoh.)
Entering the office, Daskar couldn't help but groan inwardly.
Peshe’s frame was more obese than giant, and Daskar had idly wondered if the man even bothered to take his work as Chancellor seriously. However, seeing the mountain of documents piled on the desk—and the way the man rapidly scanned them, scribbled notes, and sorted them into piles—he looked like a truly capable administrator.
Then again, considering the Bestia Empire was a place where it was impossible for someone without merit to hold the position of Chancellor, this was perhaps the natural result.
Peshe glanced at the document in his hand, scribbled a final note, and then turned his gaze toward those who had entered the room—or more precisely, toward Daskar alone.
"Well now, this was quite a sudden visit. I must admit we were rather perplexed. Has some urgent matter occurred? Regardless, please have a seat. Since I've cleared the time, let us speak at leisure."
After ordering a maid to bring black tea and light refreshments, Peshe guided Daskar to a sofa and sat down across from him.
As Daskar took his seat, Elk and Min stood behind him, just as they had during their previous meetings.
The same was true for Peshe; his three regular guards stood behind him as he settled onto the sofa.
"Come to think of it, is Crimson not with you today? I watched the finals of the tournament myself, and it was a splendid battle. I never imagined someone could fight on such equal terms against our nation’s hero, Noise the Immovable."
Peshe tilted his head at Rei’s absence while offering praise for his performance.
However, his words were deliberately tinged with the reminder that, in the end, the winner had been one of their own.
"No, no... honestly, even I never expected Rei to be able to go toe-to-toe with an S-Rank adventurer to that extent. Judging by that display, I imagine it won't be long before his combat strength is truly on par with an S-Rank. Fortunately, our country has S-Rank adventurers as well, so I might consider having him study under them."
At the insinuation that the Kingdom of Mireana would soon possess two warriors with S-Rank strength, Peshe’s expression soured for a fleeting second.
In truth, it was an undeniable fact, and it was exactly what had been keeping Peshe awake at night.
Even if the boy’s official rank hadn't reached S yet, it wouldn't be long before his raw combat power did. Furthermore, while the tournament match had been fought under various restrictions, Rei also possessed his partner Seto, who was essentially his trump card.
For the Chancellor of the Bestia Empire, it was highly unpleasant to know that a rival nation possessed such overwhelming military potential.
"...Ahem. Indeed, the future of the Kingdom of Mireana seems bright. So then, what exactly brings you here today?"
Sensing he was at a disadvantage in this verbal sparring, Peshe subtly changed the subject.
"Actually..."
Just as Daskar was about to speak, the maid Peshe had summoned returned to the office carrying black tea and dried fruits.
He paused, waiting for the maid to leave before opening his mouth again.
"To return to the topic, it concerns Rei, whom we were just discussing."
"Hoh? Is it a matter of what clothes he should wear to the award ceremony, or something of that nature? As I'm sure is the case in the Kingdom of Mireana, there are many in our capital who are quite strict about such protocol."
In response to Peshe’s prompt, Daskar silently shook his head.
Seeing that gesture—which clearly indicated it was no such trivial matter—Peshe frowned slightly, his sagging cheeks quivering as he spoke.
"So it is not a matter of attire. Well, I wasn't being entirely serious about that anyway... Then, what is it?"
"The truth is, Rei has deserted my service."
"...Pardon?"
Peshe stared at Daskar, his expression one of pure disbelief.
Daskar, however, simply wore a wry smile.
(...A wry smile? A man who fought the S-Rank Noise to a standstill has deserted him, and he settles for a wry smile? Impossible. That would mean simply letting a peerless war asset slip through his fingers... In that case, is this desertion intentional? ...Wait. Desertion?)
As Peshe rapidly connected the dots in his head, a single line of thought formed.
At this exact time... yes. At the very moment when the Third Prince Mercurio, who had been under house arrest, was spirited away and branded a rebel, Rei coincidentally deserted. Peshe was not so naive as to believe in such a convenient coincidence.
The gaze he directed at Daskar, who was calmly sipping his tea, sharpened into a glare.
However, since he had no physical evidence, he couldn't openly accuse him.
(Even though... even though His Majesty has ordered us to remain bystanders, you go and heap more trouble on our plates.)
The castle had been raided while numerous foreign guests were present, and now the Third Prince Faction led by Mercurio had become a rebel army.
Because this was the Bestia Empire, they had managed to maintain a facade of control, but in any other nation, the current situation would have been a fatal blow to their international prestige.
Even if he wanted to resolve the situation, he couldn't move because the Emperor had directly commanded him to remain a bystander in this rebellion.
Peshe understood the Emperor’s ultimate goal, but he couldn't help but feel frustrated... why did it have to happen now?
The result of all this chaos was the mountain of documents he had been buried under until moments ago.
He glanced at the mountain of documents on his desk and, realizing this news would only add to his workload, he resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't be able to visit his favorite restaurant tonight.
"So then... assuming Crimson has deserted, do you have any idea where he might have gone?"
Given the timing, the destination was obvious. Since it was a desertion, the Gryphon would surely be with him, and it was highly probable he had already rendezvoused with the Third Prince Faction.
However, unable to say that aloud without proof, Peshe asked with feigned ignorance.
...Of course, at this very moment, far from joining the rebel army, Rei was actually busy hunting bandits... but Peshe could hardly be expected to know that.
"Well, I wonder. He said he was going to travel and train to become stronger... but he didn't give me any specifics beyond that."
"That means... in other words, if Crimson should commit some act that violates the laws of our Empire, we may assume you would have no objection to him being judged accordingly?"
It was phrased as a question, but it was really a statement of fact.
If Daskar showed even a hint of hesitation, Peshe was prepared to treat it as a sign that the Kingdom of Mireana was officially backing the rebels.
"Of course. If Rei were to commit a crime, he must naturally be judged by the laws of the land."
Daskar gave the answer flatly, without a moment's pause.
If he were to waver here, it would be taken as proof that he and Rei were still in league.
Daskar fully understood that the Imperial Chancellor suspected him.
No, it was more than suspicion. The man was likely certain.
But as long as there was no evidence, it remained nothing more than an unproven theory.
That was precisely why Daskar needed to explicitly state that their ties had been severed.
Naturally, his performance wouldn't end in this office. After this, he would head to the Guild in the Imperial Capital and hire new temporary guards to publicly demonstrate that Rei was no longer in his employ.
(If I only tell the Chancellor, he might suppress the report to keep the suspicion alive that Rei and I are still connected.)
Muttering this to himself, Daskar spoke with a practiced smile.
"As for us, since Rei has left, I am quite concerned about our own safety. I plan to visit the guild after this meeting to arrange for additional guards."
"...I see."
Peshe had likely been thinking exactly what Daskar had just anticipated. Having been outplayed once again, the Chancellor’s ample jowls twitched slightly, though he maintained his composure.
As a seasoned politician, he kept a small, neutral smile on his face.
"I see. Then I shall send word to the guild from my side as well. That should make the arrangements proceed more smoothly."
"Would you do that? I would appreciate it, as I only wish to hire capable individuals."
"...However, even if he has already deserted, the fact that he will be absent from the award ceremony held here at the castle is likely to cause various political headaches later on."
"I hope I can rely on your wisdom to handle that, Chancellor. As a representative of the Kingdom of Mireana, I feel truly apologetic about the inconvenience."
The casual mention of the Kingdom of Mireana was a subtle reminder of their victory in the Spring War.
(However... Crimson, the hero of the Spring War, has ostensibly deserted. And he is almost certainly joining the Third Prince Faction. Which means... is this actually an opportunity for us? But who should we send? It’s clear from the Fighting Tournament that no ordinary opponent can match him. ...I see. The Fighting Tournament, eh? There is certainly a possibility.)
Calculating rapidly, Peshe eventually nodded with feigned reluctance.
"Very well. I shall take measures regarding the award ceremony. However, I expect you to remember your promise to abide by the laws and agreements discussed today."
Whether he had noticed the hidden threat in those binding words, Daskar’s eyes sharpened for a fleeting moment.
But from the second Rei had proposed this plan, Daskar had known it would invite all sorts of trouble. In that sense, while it was a harsh thought, whatever hardships Rei faced were essentially his own responsibility.
Still, Daskar couldn't entirely stop a bitter feeling from welling up in his chest.
Rei was an adventurer and Daskar was his employer, but after traveling and working together for so long, it was only natural to feel some sense of personal attachment.
Even so, he couldn't afford to hesitate. Daskar suppressed his true feelings and nodded.
"Understood. Then we have an agreement."
Don't go dying on me, Rei, he thought.