"Wait here for a while. You're free to use what's in the room, but please, do your best not to break anything."
Rei looked around the room at Videre's words. It was a rustic cottage, a building one would hardly expect to find within the castle of a powerful nation like the Bestia Empire.
(Is this one of those log houses?)
The exterior, constructed from actual rounded logs, was the very image of a log house in Rei's mind. The interior followed suit, built exactly as he had expected.
"This building certainly doesn't fit the rest of the castle," he remarked.
"Perhaps. This place was built specifically for Her Highness Frizion to unwind when she is exhausted. It's difficult to truly put your mind at ease when your surroundings are as opulent and grand as the main castle, wouldn't you agree?"
"...I see."
Rei had several thoughts on the matter, but voicing them now would serve no purpose. If anything, he risked offending her by appearing to mock Frizion, which would only sour his relationship with Videre. Given that, he knew better than to be careless with his words.
"As for food... we have some dried fruit and nuts that keep well. Please snack on those until I can bring Frizion back. I'll arrange for a proper meal to be sent over, but... well, in Lord Rei's case, you have your Item Box, so you might not even need ours."
"Is that so? Personally, I'm quite fond of nuts and the like. Anyway, I just need to behave myself here until you return, right?"
"Yes, I'm counting on you. Please, do not leave this cottage under any circumstances."
"The cottage... sure."
Rei nodded in agreement while surveying the room.
"Understood. I'm a bit tired myself, so I'd like to take it easy."
"Lord Rei, tired? Now that is an amusing thought."
"...Just so you know, it's not like I never get exhausted. I'm actually quite drained, despite how I look."
Rei spoke while glancing toward the sofa. As he had said, he was feeling a light fatigue. However, the cause was not physical. It stemmed from his encounter with Cabajid.
An enigmatic man—that was the impression Rei had of the prince. Had Cabajid seen through his identity or not?
(No, I suspect he saw right through it... most likely.)
Otherwise, the man wouldn't have gone out of his way to bring up the subject of Rhodos.
(But despite that, he didn't try to interfere with me at all. Why?)
He wondered, but there was no one present to give him an answer.
"Very well, please rest. I must deliver the personal letter from His Highness Mercurio to Her Highness Frizion and provide my reports. I expect to return around evening, but..."
Rei nodded, signaling he understood. It wasn't just about delivering the letter or reporting what Videre had learned at the Rebel Army's position; he knew there were many other things that needed to be communicated.
In particular, Rei—even with his limited political insight—understood that there would be friction regarding Mercurio's condition for Frizion joining them: that she would serve under him. Videre clearly understood this as well, and truthfully, she likely wished she could just loaf around here with Rei. However, as someone in Frizion's service, such behavior was out of the question. She quietly departed the cottage.
"Well then, I guess I'll relax for a bit."
Muttering to himself, he lay down on the sofa, making a show of it for the eyes he felt watching him. Rei had noticed those gazes before even entering the cottage—ever since they had stepped into this district.
However, since he detected no hostility or murderous intent, he judged that they belonged to Frizion's subordinates. Having made that assessment, he didn't let the surveillance bother him. He was, after all, a member of the Rebel Army—and their greatest military asset, at that—staying inside the castle of the Imperial Capital. He had expected to be monitored.
(Looked at another way, they're basically acting as my guards. As long as I don't do anything unnecessary, it works in my favor.)
He thought as he savored the softness of the sofa.
"Still, this is incredibly soft. It feels like my body is sinking into it, as if the cushions are perfectly accepting my weight... I guess this is what you'd expect from something used by the Imperial Family."
Giving himself over to the sofa, he felt so comfortable he almost wanted to take a nap. However, since he was in the heart of enemy territory, he couldn't afford such a luxury. Feeling his eyelids grow heavy and realizing he would definitely fall asleep if he stayed like this, he hurriedly sat up.
Even so, the drowsiness wasn't so easily banished. Furthermore, this cottage was designed specifically for Frizion to relax, so every element was crafted to be as soothing as possible. Under such conditions, it was only natural to feel at ease.
Certain that he would drift off at this rate, Rei opened a window to clear his head. A cool, autumn breeze blew in. Unlike the warm winds of spring, this air served to sharpen his senses rather than dull them. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the area.
While looking at the trees changing color for autumn, he turned his gaze toward the gardener... or rather, the gardener and sentry who was watching him.
(I guess 'pretending' isn't quite right. They're probably real gardeners too—Oniwaban, acting as both gardeners and sentries.)
Gardeners could move freely around the castle grounds, and it wouldn't be strange for them to carry bladed tools. Along with that vague knowledge, the word 'Oniwaban' surfaced in his mind—a memory from a TV show or something similar. He figured this was a similar setup.
(These guys must be the ones who've been watching me.)
Rei thought as he lightly raised a hand to a gardener who bowed toward him. As he had considered earlier, as long as he didn't do anything reckless, they were essentially his guards, and that didn't feel half bad. It was especially reassuring if Cabajid truly had seen through his disguise.
"...Still, I have nothing to do."
He couldn't exactly train here, and sleeping was too risky. Maintenance on his equipment was unnecessary as long as he wore the Death Scythe and Dragon Robe.
"Even if I wanted to play, I'm all alone."
Rei thought about how much better it would be if Seto were here, though he couldn't play the games Seto enjoyed... like throwing a wooden stick for him to fetch.
He decided his only option was to eat, realizing he hadn't had lunch yet.
"I think they said I could eat whatever was in the cottage... Since a princess uses this place, there should be something decent, right?"
Muttering to no one in particular, he immediately began searching the room. It was only one room, without even a kitchen, so it didn't take long to investigate. As expected, he found a box in the corner containing dried fruit.
But what surprised Rei more than the fruit was the dried meat stored alongside it. Dried meat itself wasn't unusual, but considering this was Frizion's private retreat, it meant this jerky was meant for her.
"The First Princess eats dried meat?"
Thinking about it logically, she was human, so it wasn't impossible for her to enjoy it. Yet, the image of a princess and jerky seemed fundamentally mismatched.
"Well, she is Vihera's sister. It's possible she has surprisingly commoner-like tastes."
He had traveled and shared meals with Vihera many times. Recalling how normally she ate jerky, it didn't seem so strange for the First Princess to like it too.
Trying to convince himself, Rei returned to the sofa. He used a knife from the box to cut the dried meat into bite-sized pieces and popped one into his mouth.
"...This is..."
The words were all he could manage. Up until now, the most delicious jerky Rei had ever eaten was the one from the Eternal Sky Inn. That was made with high-rank monster meat, marinated in spices and fruit juices, and produced using a Magic Item. It was expensive, but Rei—who never lacked for coin—judged it worth every penny.
But the dried meat Rei had just tasted was clearly superior to the one from the Eternal Sky Inn. The flavor of spices and fruit spread through his mouth alongside the savory meat, yet neither overpowered the other. If anything, they seemed to enhance each other's richness. It was supposed to be just dried meat, yet it possessed a level of flavor comparable to a main course at a high-end restaurant.
He next reached for the dried fruit, which was also exceptionally delicious. It was sweet, but not cloying. As the intense sweetness filled his mouth, it shifted into a sweet-and-sour tang, followed by a faint, pleasant acidity. The taste of the fruit changed with every bite. This, too, was the most delicious dried fruit Rei had ever experienced.
"Regardless of how it looks, the taste is beyond all common sense. I guess this really is the kind of thing the Imperial Family eats."
Muttering to himself, he reluctantly placed the meat back on the table near the sofa.
"Don't you agree?" he called out toward the cottage door.
After a few seconds of silence, the door opened without a word. Standing there was a person taller than Rei—unusually tall for a woman. She carried a platter covered with a cloth.
"It seems you aren't an assassin. Your way of masking your presence is mediocre."
"Is that so? I suppose I need more training. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Angela Luxinowa, Commander of the White Rose Knight Order. I've heard that my subordinates, Videre included, have been in your care... thank you."
"Don't worry about it. I gained quite a bit from the arrangement myself. And thanks to Videre, I was able to enter the Imperial Capital like this."
"Heh. You certainly have the personality Videre described. I am a noble, you know."
Though she identified herself as a noble, Angela's expression suggested she was intrigued by Rei's lack of formal deference.
(According to Videre's report, Her Highness Vihera has feelings for Rei. I see. Perhaps it's because of this personality that he got along so well with her.)
Recalling Vihera's temperament, Angela nodded with a look of conviction, deciding that the man before her was indeed a good match for the princess. Rei wondered what she was so satisfied about, tilting his head as he spoke.
"So, why has the Commander of the White Rose Knight Order come all this way? I'm not complaining—I was bored—but surely you didn't come just to keep me company?"
"No. I'm not quite that idle. I brought a meal for you, though... it seems you've already taken care of that yourself. Although, since that jerky was Her Highness Frizion's special reserve, I would have preferred if you hadn't eaten quite so much of it."
"...I thought so. It really was something valuable. I can understand why, given the taste. Though it was just sitting there rather casually."
He gestured toward the dried meat and fruit on the table. Angela's smile turned slightly wry as she stepped into the cottage.
"That's only natural. This cottage was prepared for the exclusive use of Her Highness Frizion. Now then, please eat these instead of that jerky."
She placed the platter on the table, revealing sandwiches for about three people. To Rei, however, such portions were little more than a snack.
"Her Highness Frizion is currently considering the matters Videre reported. I believe she will be able to come here at least once before the day is over, but..."
"It'll take a bit of time, then."
Watching Angela nod, Rei reached for a sandwich.