The day after Rei spoke with Elena via the Paired Orbs, the Frizion Army struck camp early, departing to rendezvous with the Rebel Army led by Mercurio.
Their swift departure was possible only because their numbers were limited to about 500 people. Had this been a force of thousands or tens of thousands, merely preparing to move would have been a monumental task. The fact that the five hundred of the Frizion Army were all seasoned elites certainly helped as well.
"Lord Rei, you seem more composed than I anticipated."
"Marquis Lognos? What brings you this far forward...?"
They had been marching along the highway for about an hour. Rei, still traveling atop Seto's back, turned around at the sound of the voice to see a man with a magnificent, well-groomed beard.
This was Marquis Lognos, a man who could rightfully be considered a heavyweight within the Frizion Army. He possessed a rare temperament for a noble, showing a peculiar level of understanding toward Rei’s behavior. While many of his peers bristled at Rei’s bluntness, Lognos interacted with him with an ease that made the youth—who generally harbored a distaste for the aristocracy—feel a rare sense of affinity.
"Oh, it's nothing. I spoke with Her Highness Frizion last night. Lord Rei, you are essentially another army within this Frizion Army—its greatest combat asset. Given that, I expected something to happen today, and I simply wanted to check on you beforehand."
"Guruuu!"
I'm doing great! Seto trilled. The Marquis let a small smile touch his lips beneath his beard.
"I see, I see. As expected of a Gryphon, you seem quite reliable indeed. I have high expectations for you both."
Marquis Lognos laughed heartily at Seto's response, feeling a wave of inward relief. Because Cabajid was moving against the Rebel Army, the Marquis had worried Rei might be out of sorts due to anxiety for his allies.
But based on their conversation, he seemed no different than usual. Of course, the Marquis didn't know Rei well enough to define exactly what "usual" was, but the boy’s steady gaze was enough.
"Well then, I shall return to the rear. I'm sure you have much on your mind, Lord Rei, but we're counting on you."
Rei gave a sharp nod. He watched as the Marquis departed to rejoin the units of the other nobles gathered at the back of the column, then he reached down to stroke Seto's neck.
"It seems we've even made Marquis Lognos worry about us. You noticed it too, didn't you, Seto?"
"Guruuu..."
Still carrying Rei on its back, Seto shook its head, signaling that it wasn't a problem. Rei felt a surge of gratitude and moved his hand from the neck to the top of the creature's head.
"Guruuu, gururururuuu!"
Seto trilled happily, clearly delighted by the affection.
"Now then... that brings up the question of how the Rebel Army's Position is faring. We’re supposed to arrive today. If the enemy really is relying on starvation tactics, I'd like to think they're still holding out. What do you think?"
As Rei directed his question toward an approaching presence, the owner of that aura—Videre—opened her eyes in slight surprise.
"You noticed me. As expected of you, Lord Rei."
"There's no way I'd miss the sound of a horse approaching. More importantly, what’s your take?"
"If it truly is starvation tactics, we have time. However... stalling us simply to facilitate a blockade seems like a move with diminishing returns."
Rei nodded, finding her words perfectly in sync with his own analysis.
"Exactly. Whether they use thieves, mercenary bands, or even units from the Subjugation Army, all they're doing is stalling. That makes it sound better than it is, though; it’s really just a harassment attack. Since we've already crushed most of the units lying in ambush, the enemy should understand that a mere time-buying unit isn't going to stop us."
Harassment was, in the end, only harassment. No matter how frequently a bandit gang attacked, they could at most slow the marching speed slightly. They could never hope to inflict enough damage to force the Frizion Army to abandon their merger with the Rebel Army. In fact, if they caused too much trouble, it would only goad Frizion into accelerating the march.
"Perhaps someone has a completely different idea... hm?"
As he muttered that, Rei suddenly looked toward the horizon—specifically in the direction of the Imperial Capital—as if a new thought had struck him.
"Lord Rei?"
"No, I was just wondering... even if Schuls and Cabajid joined forces, is it possible they aren't actually in sync?"
Videre pondered the suggestion for a moment before speaking.
"Ordinarily, that would be a distinct possibility. However, since His Highness Schuls and His Highness Cabajid both view His Highness Mercurio as the primary enemy to be destroyed, I find it hard to believe their coordination would falter."
"That might be true for the princes and their inner circles. But does that necessarily mean the people under them are communicating? Vihera mentioned that Schuls’s ranks are filled with those who couldn't cut it in Cabajid’s faction—basically, a collection of incompetent fools."
The truth of that statement had been laid bare during the first battle between the Rebel Army and the Subjugation Army. In that encounter, many nobles had been captured alive and were currently the subject of ongoing ransom negotiations. Had those "incompetents" not been captured, the forces of the Second Prince Faction would likely be far more formidable now.
"Thinking about it that way, we're lucky that Schuls is surrounded by failures."
"I hope you are right."
Videre wanted to agree, but a nagging sense of unease lingered in her chest.
"Well, putting that aside, I'm thinking of heading out for scouting soon. Is that alright?"
Two days ago, Rei had ridden Seto to annihilate several ambushing units. Now that another day had passed, he suspected a fresh group might be lying in wait.
(Though, word travels fast through the Bandit Network. It wouldn't be strange if they knew I was with the Frizion Army by last night.)
A wry smile touched his lips as he considered his burgeoning reputation as the Bandit Eater. It was an absurd title, yet if it served as a repellent against pests that wasted his time, he supposed it was worth the laugh. Of course, it was also possible that the bandits had been replaced by more elite forces—mercenaries, adventurers, or regular Subjugation Army units.
"Hmm. We have been on the road for some time now, so I see no issue. Furthermore, Lord Rei, you are not under our direct command; I have no authority to give you orders. Besides, scouting aligns perfectly with our current objectives."
"Sorry to dump the paperwork on you. Just make sure the higher-ups get the report."
Seeing Videre nod, Rei lightly stroked Seto's neck.
"That's the plan, Seto. Let's go."
"Gururururuuu!"
Seto let out a joyful cry. After a short running start, it flapped its massive wings and soared into the sky. Those nearby looked up for a moment, but once they realized it was Seto, they returned to their duties.
It had only been four days since Rei and Seto joined the march, yet the army had grown remarkably accustomed to the Gryphon's presence. Many members of the White Rose Knight Order, the Frizion Army's Most Elite Unit, had taken to adoring the creature, and the army as a whole remembered how Seto had fought alongside them during the first ambush. Furthermore, the duo had been systematically clearing the highway of the annoying bandit gangs that usually harassed them. For these reasons, the initial awe and terror toward Rei and Seto had begun to settle into a comfortable acceptance.
"Oh, there goes Seto."
"Yeah... You know, he actually ate the dried meat I offered him before we left today. It was a beautiful moment."
"Ugh, I'm so jealous. I want to try feeding Seto-chan too."
"Don't call it 'feeding,' you make it sound like he's a pet."
As these snippets of conversation drifted through the air, Videre rode toward the head of the column, knowing that Her Highness Frizion would likely feel a bit lonely now that Seto was in the air.
"Guruuuu."
Seto trilled happily. While it enjoyed the attention from the soldiers, the Gryphon was always at its most relaxed and joyful when it was alone with Rei. Rei smiled, stroking its neck as they climbed higher.
"This is technically a scouting mission, Seto, so don't get too distracted."
"Guruu!"
I know! Seto chirped.
Together, they enjoyed a pleasure flight under the guise of scouting. However, Rei remained vigilant. He scanned the terrain below, searching for any sign of hidden enemies.
"Hmm... as I thought, the bandits are gone."
Two days ago, the area had been crawling with them, but today he hadn't spotted a single gang. Most of the stalling units had likely been bandits who retreated the moment they heard "the Crimson" was in the area.
"Well, it's easier for us if we can just march normally."
"Guruuu?"
Is that so? Seto tilted its head.
"Yeah. No enemies is a lucky break. Let's look around just a bit more and... hm?"
Rei was about to suggest they head back when something caught his eye.
A large group of cavalry and a lone rider. The two parties were far apart, making their roles in the pursuit immediately obvious. Furthermore, the Pursuing Cavalry Unit seemed to be wearing expressions of cruel amusement. They were chasing the fleeing cavalryman as if they were on a hunt. The only reason they hadn't used their bows was likely a lack of skill in mounted archery.
"...Now then, what should I do? Actually, there's no time to think. Seto!"
"Gururururuuu!"
At Rei's command, Seto let out a thunderous roar and dove toward the ground. He hadn't even used the King's Intimidation skill, but the Gryphon's natural cry was more than enough. The pursuers' mounts fell into visible disarray, panicking at the sound of a high-ranking predator.
The only downside was that the horse of the fleeing cavalryman also succumbed to the panic. Since it was a simple roar, Rei couldn't pick and choose his targets like he could with a specialized skill. Nevertheless, because the pursuers' formation was shattered, the pursued man found himself momentarily safe.
In the midst of the chaos, Seto landed squarely between the hunters and their prey.
"Wh-who the hell are you!?"
A voice cried out from the Pursuing Cavalry Unit. Rei ignored the question, reaching into the Misty Ring to draw the Death Scythe. He swung the massive weapon in a wide arc, a sharp whoosh echoing through the air—a sound far too swift for a weapon of that size.
"I'm an adventurer allied with the Rebel Army."
"The Rebel Army?! You came here to save him?!"
Terror was now unmistakably laced in the soldier's voice. Seto's roar had clearly done its work.
(Maybe I should have used King's Intimidation after all?)
Rei brushed the thought aside and turned his gaze toward the man they had been chasing. If the pursuers were to be believed, this man was a member of the Rebel Army—an ally.
"That's about the size of it. Now, what’s your move? Since you were the ones doing the hunting, I assume you’re with the Subjugation Army's side. You want to dance with me here? I’m game... provided you’re ready to die."
Rei brandished the Death Scythe pointedly. Sitting atop a Gryphon with the Dragon Robe's Hood pulled low to obscure his face, he looked every bit the harbinger of death.
"Hey, is that him...?"
"Yeah. Riding a Gryphon... there's no mistake."
"What the hell is he doing all the way out here?!"
"Look, we can't take him. Not like this."
"Should we fall back?"
The soldiers whispered frantically among themselves before reaching a consensus. They hauled on their reins, turning their horses around.
"We'll back off! Just let us go!"
They shouted the plea and galloped away without waiting for an answer. Rei was momentarily stunned by the sheer speed of their retreat. He had fully expected to cross blades with them, but instead, he was left watching them vanish into the distance.
A set of footsteps approached from behind. Rei turned to see the man who had been pursued. He had dismounted and was running toward them, his face pale and tight with tension.
"Lord Rei! The Rebel Army Main Camp is being attacked by the Subjugation Army!"