It had been three days since Rei arrived in the Imperial Capital and was sheltered inside the castle grounds—more precisely, within Frizion’s Shack.
As was the case every day, Rei had very little to do, but the cottage was filled with a vast collection of books, and he spent his time poring over them.
There were monster encyclopedias, texts on magical attributes, books about spirits and magic items, and even manuals on sword techniques that fell far outside Rei’s expertise. Piled haphazardly around the sofa where he sat were more than just practical reference materials. He found volumes of regional folklore adapted into stories, fairy tales, cookbooks, and even picture books used by noble children to learn their letters.
A truly diverse assortment of literature was scattered across the floor in precarious stacks.
These books, of course, were not items Rei had produced from his Misty Ring. Rei only owned a few books himself, including a single monster encyclopedia. In this world, books were prohibitively expensive; they were not the sort of thing a mere adventurer could afford to own in bulk. In fact, setting aside mages, it was rare for an adventurer to own any books at all.
The reason so many volumes were gathered here was that Frizion, Angela, Videre, and those members of the White Rose Knight Order who were friendly toward Rei had brought them to help him pass the time.
Currently, opinion regarding Rei within the White Rose Knight Order was split exactly down the middle.
One half admired Rei’s strength, found Seto adorable, and viewed him favorably as a guest of their lord, Frizion—an ally to be respected.
The other half harbored no small amount of resentment. Some had lost friends during the Spring War; others found his attitude toward Frizion and Angela impudent. Furthermore, many were frustrated that he showed no sign of reciprocating the feelings of Vihera—a woman they themselves adored. While it hadn't quite reached the level of open malice, they were far from friendly.
Since the order was divided roughly in half, it was the former group that had provided the mountains of books surrounding the sofa. Of course, Rei had been told that these were only on loan; he would have to return them before Frizion eventually left the castle.
Even so, Rei found great joy in the act of reading. He had always been fond of books, but the prices in this world were usually a steep barrier. Given his current fortune—wealth that a normal person couldn't spend in a lifetime—he could easily afford to buy out entire shops, and the Misty Ring ensured he would never lack storage space.
The only reason he hadn't started a collection yet was that he simply hadn't had the leeway to do so. It had been nearly two years since he first arrived in Elgin. During that time, he had been swept up in one crisis after another, leaving him no time to buy or read anything other than practical manuals like his monster encyclopedia. If he ever needed specific information, he could usually find it in the Gilm library or by asking receptionists like Lenora and Kenny.
"Well, I guess this constant string of incidents won't last forever. I can start collecting books once things settle down. ...Trouble won't keep following me, right?"
As he spoke the words aloud, Rei felt a wave of anxiety as he recalled the various commotions he had experienced. In truth, he had already resolved more crises than an average person would see in several lifetimes. He had built a significant track record, and because of that reputation, the probability of him being dragged into future incidents was actually increasing—though he didn't seem to realize it.
"Besides, I haven't really been able to hunt since I got to the Bestia Empire."
Materials aside, as a user of Beast Magic, he desperately wanted to get his hands on the Magic Stone of an unknown monster. He hoped that once this situation was resolved, he could travel to the Bestia Empire's frontiers—similar to the region around Gilm in the Kingdom of Mireana—to hunt new prey.
Occupied by these thoughts, he reached for a piece of dried fruit, only for his hand to grasp at nothing.
"Huh?"
Confused by the lack of sensation, he looked at the table and realized the dried fruit was gone.
"...Damn. Frizion’s going to be annoyed."
Frizion had visited the shack several times since Rei arrived, and every time she saw her snacks had vanished, she gave him a sulky, reproachful look. The dried meat that had accompanied the fruit was already settled in Rei’s stomach as well. When she had realized that, the princess had looked at him with an expression quite unbecoming of royalty.
"The dried meat went first, and now the dried fruit is gone, too. Well, I guess it can't be helped."
He let out a sigh and pulled a Riot from the Misty Ring. Since it was a fruit with the texture and sweetness of a pear, it wasn't ideal for eating while reading. He couldn't risk staining the expensive, borrowed books, so he set his current volume aside.
Having kept the fruit chilled in storage, he bit into the thin skin, and a crisp, refreshing juice filled his mouth.
"No matter how I look at it, this is a pear. It's delicious, though."
He finished the snack with several satisfying crunches and then used the Dagger of Flowing Water to create a small stream to wash his hands. Just as he was about to pick up his book again, he paused. He sensed someone approaching the cottage.
"...Now, who is it? I don't feel any murderous intent, so it shouldn't be an enemy."
He stood up and walked toward the door. As expected, the visitor was someone he knew.
"Videre."
"Good day, Lord Rei. I thought you might be restless, so I came to talk. Do you have a moment?"
"Sure. My only choices today were training, eating, reading, or sleeping."
Videre thought for a moment that such a schedule sounded quite busy, but she reminded herself that she was here to report on the First Princess Faction's movements.
"May I come in?"
"Yeah, go ahead. This cottage belongs to your master anyway."
Rei shrugged and waved her inside.
"Lord Rei... honestly, is it always this messy?" Videre muttered, staring at the sight before her.
Piles of books were stacked so high around the sofa and table that they looked like miniature towers. She gave Rei a look that suggested he really ought to tidy up.
"Oh, my bad. I'll move them."
Rei quickly began shifting the stacks toward the corners of the shack. It was more a matter of clearing floor space than actual cleaning, but Videre found the sight of the towers disappearing quite satisfying nonetheless. Rei wasn't just tossing them aside, however; he had sorted the stacks by the person who had lent them, so they would be ready to return at a moment’s notice.
Once he had cleared enough space, he gestured for Videre to sit on the sofa.
"Here, have a seat."
"...It’s only been a few days, but you’ve completely turned this place into your lair," Videre said with an exasperated sigh.
Rei spoke with the casual air of the cottage's true master. "Frizion only stops by for a few hours at a time, right? I'm here all day, so of course it’s going to feel like my place."
"I suppose that makes a strange sort of sense..."
"Just think of it that way. You said you had news? Here, have some of this."
Rei used the Dagger of Flowing Water to fill a cup. Under normal circumstances, serving a guest plain water might be considered rude, but water created by Rei’s magic was of such high quality that it was a luxury. It tasted better than most black tea or expensive liquor.
Videre had grown fond of the water during their journey to the capital, so she accepted the cup with a grateful smile.
"Ah... Lord Rei's water is as delicious as ever."
She took her time enjoying the drink before finally getting down to business.
"So, what’s the news? I appreciate the company, but I'm guessing there's more to it."
Though he had some freedom, being confined to the area around the shack was essentially house arrest. Rei understood the necessity of it—his presence becoming public knowledge would cause a disaster—but being unable to wander was starting to weigh on him. He truly did welcome the interruption.
"Yes. Her Highness Frizion and the others have finalized the plan to evacuate the castle. I’m here to give you the details."
"Heh, sounds like things are finally moving. What’s the plan?"
Videre noted Rei’s sudden shift in focus. "Initially, we planned to send the soldiers joining the Rebel Army out of the city in small groups to meet up outside. However, we realized that would cause too much internal chaos. Instead, the entire faction will leave the castle at once."
"That’s... definitely going to cause a scene."
"Without question. And that is where you come in, Lord Rei. If you are carrying that Great Scythe... the Death Scythe, was it? Everyone will immediately recognize the Crimson who annihilated the Second Subjugation Army."
"I see. I’m the deterrent." Rei nodded in understanding.
The Bestia Empire knew the destructive power of a Firestorm better than anyone else. The prospect of such an attack occurring near the castle was a nightmare scenario. Even if it wasn't the castle, a Firestorm unleashed within the capital would deal an immeasurable blow to the empire. The loss of life, infrastructure, and tax revenue would be catastrophic, and the surviving residents would likely turn to banditry. For the imperial nobles, Rei’s presence was a looming disaster.
In reality, Rei couldn't create a Firestorm on his own, but the nobles didn't know that. They would think twice before interfering with him.
"It’s a smart move. But... that’s a double-edged sword. Sure, they won't attack near the castle or inside the capital, but once we're in the open, they’ll be free to strike. How are you handling that?"
"The loyal nobles of Her Highness Frizion’s faction will provide their own troops, supported by the White Rose Knight Order and the Volunteer Soldiers. And then..." Videre glanced at Rei.
Rei shrugged. "And then there’s me."
"Indeed. To be blunt, you are our greatest military asset. Honestly... as knights serving Her Highness, it is a bitter pill to swallow." Videre clenched her fists, her frustration evident.
Rei tapped the table to get her attention, offering a small, reassuring gesture. "I was dispatched by Mercurio to serve as a guard. If that’s what everyone expects of me, I’ll just do my job."
"I am sorry. It is a failure on our part."
As the Captain of the Third Unit who had earned her rank through merit, Videre felt a deep sense of shame at being unable to guarantee Frizion’s safety with her own power. She was also frustrated with those in the order who held a grudge against Rei. She felt that if they hated relying on him so much, they should have come up with a better plan and convinced the princess to follow it. Because she respected Rei as a superior warrior, she couldn't help but feel disappointed in her comrades.
"Don't worry about it," Rei said, oblivious to the depths of her inner conflict. "I’ve done plenty of guard work. I can handle whatever comes our way."