Rei scanned the landscape below from his seat atop Set's back.
Spread across the ground was Frizziore's entourage, many of whom were pointing up at the boy and his gryphon as they took flight. Had it been summer, a green carpet would have greeted his eyes, but autumn had already taken hold. The grass had withered, leaving the parched earth exposed; the resulting view was a "carpet of brown"—a dreary sight that offered little visual pleasure.
"Well, for scouting from the sky, it doesn't make much difference whether the ground is green or brown," Rei muttered.
He gave a light wave toward the ground—not knowing if they could even see him—and gave Set's back a fond pat. As Frizziore's group resumed their march, Set flapped its wings, leaving them behind in a matter of moments.
There were few advantages greater than scouting from high altitude. While enemies hiding in thick forests or groves might be difficult to spot, they stood little chance against Set's extraordinary gryphon vision. Catching the glint of sunlight reflecting off armor or weapons between the trees was a simple task for the magic beast. Rei's own five senses were also sharpened far beyond the human norm, making the duo an unparalleled reconnaissance team.
It was because of this that they succeeded in spotting the threat so quickly.
"Just as I thought. They’ve known we were coming for a while."
"Guruuuuuu."
Set and Rei spotted a unit deployed directly in the path of Frizziore's entourage. Their numbers totaled about 500 people—not a particularly large force compared to previous subjugation armies. However, Frizziore only had about 400 combat-capable people at her disposal. Even including the supply unit, they only reached about 500 people total, meaning the two sides were roughly equal.
(What should I do? Should I launch an attack from above right now? With a well-placed spell, I could wipe out a group that size easily.)
The thought crossed Rei's mind, but he reminded himself that his primary role was that of a scout. He stroked Set's neck and spoke.
"Set, let's head back to Frizziore and the others. We need to report this."
"Guruuu?" Set purred, looking back at Rei as if to ask, 'Is that okay?'
Rei gave a firm nod. "Knowing Frizziore’s personality, even if I annihilated the enemy here, she would only be saddened..."
He trailed off, falling silent. He knew that Kabajid was surely aware of Frizziore's distaste for conflict. Having been siblings for years, there was no doubt he understood her nature perfectly.
(And so... he prepares a force of the exact same size right in her path? This is all playing out a bit too perfectly.)
Rei wondered what he would do in Kabajid's position, but he quickly realized that the first prince's intellect was likely on a different level, making his own speculations useless. He shook his head. The best Rei could come up with was lying in wait with a massive army to crush Frizziore's morale in a single blow.
"Guruu!" Set suddenly gave a sharp cry.
"What is it?"
"Guruuuu."
In response to Rei's question, Set purred while focusing its gaze—not on the Ambush Unit deployed ahead, but toward the forest lining the highway. Rei followed the gryphon's lead, staring intently at the trees. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but then...
"Wait, what's that?"
He felt a sudden sense of incongruity. He squinted, peering deeper into the woods, and finally realized what was wrong. Something was moving inside the forest. Not just one or two things, but a significant number. Rei intuitively realized the truth.
"Is that... another unit lying in wait for a surprise attack!?"
Set purred in confirmation. Looking back at the forest, Rei could now clearly see the soldiers lurking in the shadows. He hadn't noticed them at first, but once he knew they were there, their silhouettes became obvious.
"They really thought this through. They're definitely hard to find like that."
Rei muttered words of genuine admiration. When searching from above, the easiest things to spot were reflections—specifically, sunlight bouncing off metal weapons and armor. However, the unit in the forest was matte. Upon closer inspection, Rei understood why. They weren't wearing metal; they were equipped in leather armor. Furthermore, the leather had been dyed in dull colors to blend in with the woods, then dirtied with soil and covered in attached tree branches. It was true camouflage.
"This had to be done specifically to guard against aerial scouting. If they were worried about people on the ground, they could just hide behind trees or bushes."
"Guruuu?" Set purred, asking if they should attack.
Rei hesitated for a few seconds before shaking his head. He knew his role was that of a guard. To fulfill that duty perfectly, the best move would be to wipe out the ambushers here and now. However, he didn't think Frizziore would permit a preemptive strike. She was the type to seek dialogue first, only resorting to force when all other options failed.
(At least she isn't the type to forbid the use of force until the very last second and tie our hands. That's a relief.)
Rei signaled Set, and they turned back toward Frizziore. While the distance was about 2 hours on foot at military speed, the journey was negligible for the flying Set. Frizziore's faction soon came back into view.
"Hmm?"
Rei tilted his head, noticing that the First Princess Faction was moving faster than expected. He looked around and quickly discovered the reason for their haste. A group of about 20 infantrymen was trailing the entourage at a set distance, as if pursuing them.
"Still, what can a mere twenty people hope to accomplish?"
Frizziore was currently accompanied by handpicked elites from the First Princess Faction, including soldiers, adventurers, and mercenaries. Even the volunteer soldiers were mostly veterans. A group of twenty moderately skilled followers shouldn't have been able to pose a threat.
(Maybe they're reinforcements from a noble friendly to Frizziore?)
He wouldn't get an answer without asking. Rei signaled Set to land. The gryphon spread its wings and glided down, touching down a short distance from Frizziore's carriage. The White Rose Knight Order guarding the vehicle tensed for a moment, but as soon as they recognized Set, they relaxed.
Whether it was because of Captain Angela or Frizziore's own fondness for Set, Rei was allowed to approach the carriage while still mounted.
"Lord Rei, we’ve been waiting for you. Please, give us your report immediately."
"Yeah, I've got it."
Rei gave a brief reply to Videre, who had met him on horseback, and followed her lead. No matter how friendly he was with the princess, he couldn't just bypass military protocol in front of everyone. Besides, there were still those among the White Rose Knights who disliked him. Though the Rei-Acceptance Faction had grown considerably, some nobles still looked down on him—largely due to his blunt way of addressing Frizziore.
However, after seeing Set with their own eyes, many of the doubters had been won over in a remarkably short time. The fact that Rei had brought along a bear corpse was being pointedly ignored by most.
"By the way, what happened to the bear meat?"
"It's being transported properly. It was a bit of a hassle, but we managed to shift the supplies around as we moved."
"Guruu!" Set cried, its eyes sparkling at the mention of its prize.
Feeling a bit of warmth at Set's excitement, Rei continued. "You moved supplies while marching?"
"Yes. Captain Angela insisted we get away from the Imperial Capital as quickly as possible."
Rei was impressed. He didn't know if Angela was aware of the twenty infantrymen following them or if she was just following her gut, but her judgment was spot on.
"Is that because of the guys trailing us?"
"Indeed. But we should discuss the details in front of Her Highness Frizziore."
As they spoke, they reached the front of the line. The Knights of the White Rose Knight Order cleared the way for Videre. Normally, royalty traveled in the center of an army for protection and to issue orders to both the vanguard and rear. Frizziore, however, rode at the very front—a sign of her absolute trust in the White Rose Knight Order, and her belief that the rear would become the front line once a pursuit unit was dispatched.
Indeed, twenty pursuers were already on their heels. Furthermore, Frizziore's carriage was a powerful Magic Item capable of withstanding an assault from nearly a hundred soldiers. However, Rei couldn't help but feel that this judgment was a sign that she was underestimating Kabajid, Schurus, or even Schurus's adjutant, Amare.
"Her Highness Frizziore, I have brought Lord Rei."
"Welcome back, Rei. And you too, Set. So, how was the reconnaissance? Some strange people have started following us from behind."
"Yeah, I saw them from the sky too."
Rei and Frizziore exchanged words as he moved alongside the carriage. Frizziore wasn't on the coach box; she was inside the carriage, looking out through an open window. Rei gave her a look that asked, 'Should I go take care of them?'
Frizziore gave a slight shake of her head. Rei wasn't disappointed; he had expected as much.
"So, what's the plan? You're just going to let them follow us? All the way to where the ambushers are waiting?"
The knights of the White Rose Knight Order nearby widened their eyes in shock. Videre and Angela, who were riding close to the carriage, looked equally stunned.
But Frizziore remained calm. "...I see. So there's an ambush. How many are we talking about?"
Though likely the person with the lowest combat ability in the group, she showed no sign of agitation. She looked perfectly dignified, as if she had expected this turn of events. Rei was surprised for a moment, but Frizziore just gave him a small smile.
"I never believed I could completely evade Big Brother Kabajid, regardless of what Schurus might do. Ever since I heard Videre encountered him outside the castle, I had a feeling it would come to this. Videre, I'm sorry to ask this right after you brought Rei back, but please go call for Marquis Lognos."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Videre quickly turned her horse and rode toward the rear. Rei remembered the name Marquis Lognos. Angela had mentioned him back at the cottage, and they had briefly met before the departure.
(He's one of the heavy hitters in the First Princess Faction, isn't he? I mostly just remember that impressive beard.)
As Rei recalled the man's dwarf-like facial hair, Videre returned with the Marquis in tow. The man looked exactly as Rei remembered, sporting a magnificent beard that made Rei think of Brasso, the Dwarf warrior from the Crushing Warriors.
"Her Highness Frizziore, I am here. You requested me?"
The Marquis gave a polite nod to Rei on Set's back, then bowed to Frizziore, maintaining a dignified air as he awaited his sovereign's word.