After receiving an urgent summons from a messenger soldier, Rei made his way toward the Magic Tent atop Seto.
Along the way, the people stationed in the camp regarded him with profound awe. Merchants and prostitutes—those not directly involved in the combat—offered Seto treats and tried to press food upon Rei.
However, since he had been called specifically by Mercurio, Rei didn't linger. Rather than his usual leisurely pace, he hurried toward the Magic Tent, exchanging only brief pleasantries as he passed.
Upon arriving at the entrance, he noticed that the knights standing guard were uncharacteristically tense.
"I was summoned. Has word been passed along?"
"Yes. We were ordered to show you in the moment you arrived, Lord Rei."
Even the guard knights could not help but feel a deep-seated respect for the youth. After all, if Rei hadn't been there, this camp would have already fallen to the Subjugation Army. In such a desperate situation, any lingering hostility toward him had been buried deep; anyone foolish enough to show it openly would have been ostracized by the rest of the Mercurio Army.
Even if some still harbored personal reservations about the boy, they made sure never to let them surface.
For these knights, their primary duty was loyalty to Mercurio. Rei had saved the Mercurio Army from certain destruction time and again, and for that, they felt only gratitude. Without a word of protest, they ushered him inside.
Seto watched his partner disappear into the tent and then lay down a short distance away. The autumn sun, which had been shining clearly for days, lacked the aggressive heat of summer, instead casting a soft, enveloping warmth over the gryphon. Though the season was deepening and the wind had grown cold, the sunlight provided much-needed relief from the chill for the soldiers.
The moment Rei stepped inside the Magic Tent, he felt a strange vibration in the air—an atmosphere of sheer incredulity.
Wondering what was going on, Rei turned to Videre, who was standing nearby. He chose her because the others present were either the primary leadership or their high-ranking retainers.
In comparison, while Videre was a member of the White Rose Knight Order directly under Frizion, she was not the Knight Commander like Angela; she was merely the Captain of the Third Unit. Among the group, she was the easiest to approach.
"What's with the heavy air? What happened?"
"Ah, Lord Rei. You're late. Have you heard that a negotiation messenger has arrived from His Highness Cabajid?"
"The messenger soldier mentioned it. I assume it's that man over there? He and his attendants are dressed... rather ostentatiously."
"Indeed. As for the terms of the negotiation..."
Videre was interrupted when Mercurio, who had been silently observing Frederic, finally spoke up.
"Ahahaha! My, how grand. When I heard 'negotiation,' I assumed Big Brother Cabajid and the others were looking for terms of surrender. I never imagined they would be the ones suggesting we surrender to them."
At those words, Rei finally understood the source of the tension in the room.
I see. A Messenger of the Demand for Surrender. But still...
The Mercurio Army had just absorbed the Frizion Army and crushed the Subjugation Army’s Position Seizure Operation. They were currently riding a wave of momentum; there was no way they would accept such a proposal now.
Morale was high, and the soldiers were well-trained. Most importantly, the presence of Rei and Seto provided them with immense confidence. Rei had proven his combat prowess time and again, though he privately worried the army was becoming overly dependent on him.
"Is it truly so strange, Your Highness Mercurio? You must surely be aware of the disparity in our military strength. It is true that the Subjugation Army was repelled during the struggle for this camp a few days ago. However, His Highness Cabajid and His Highness Schuls have since joined forces. Our numbers have actually increased since that battle."
"Oh? To what extent, exactly?"
"Regrettably, I have not been privy to the specific details, so I cannot say..."
"I find it rather questionable to demand our surrender when you don't even know your own army's strength."
"I may not have the exact tally, but it is clear that we outnumber this Rebel Army—pardon me, the Mercurio Army—several times over. Surely you realize you have no hope of victory?"
Frederic spoke with exaggerated, dramatic gestures. Mercurio, in response, turned his gaze toward Rei.
"Haven't you forgotten something? Even without our main forces present, you ultimately lost the last engagement. You were defeated by the power of Rei here... by Crimson. If I recall, you lost despite us being at a disadvantage. Now that we are at full strength, I wonder... what do you think will happen next?"
In a formal military structure, it was likely considered a liability for an entire army's fate to rest on a single individual—especially one who wasn't a vassal but a mere hired adventurer.
However, Rei had displayed enough raw power to render such concerns moot. He was an overwhelming, easy-to-understand deterrent. The Subjugation Army had suffered catastrophic losses because of him, and the Mercurio Army's leadership believed that the mere mention of Rei's name would be enough to make the messenger back down.
However...
"Lord Crimson is indeed an adventurer of marvelous capability. I shall grant you that. I understand he is currently a B-Rank Adventurer, but his pure ability surely matches an A-Rank. Under the right circumstances, he might even reach the heights of an S-Rank. But... do you truly believe that I would come here with such a proposal without taking him into account?"
Frederic didn't seem surprised in the least by the mention of Rei's name. In fact, he was composed enough to offer the boy praise, which caused many in the tent to tilt their heads in confusion.
They couldn't imagine many ways to counter Rei. Some among them truly believed that no one could ever best him in combat.
"...Rei, if I may? Do you think he has any basis for such confidence?" Mercurio asked, looking away from Frederic and toward Rei, who had been silently watching the proceedings.
"It's hard to say when you put it like that..."
"Oh, Lord Crimson. Even without His Highness Mercurio's confirmation, I knew it was you the moment I saw you."
Frederic spread his arms wide as he spoke. Before Rei could react, Mercurio beat him to the question.
"Is there something about Rei's appearance that gave him away?"
Appearance?
Rei felt just as confused as Mercurio. It was only natural; he was currently wearing his Dragon Robe with the hood down. Since the robe possessed a Concealment Effect, it should have appeared to everyone else as nothing more than a plain, unremarkable garment.
To any outside observer, Rei was simply a short, girlish-faced man in a drab robe. There was no reason anyone should have been able to identify him as Crimson at a glance.
"Yes. Just looking at that robe, I can tell it is an incredibly high-quality Magic Item."
"...What?"
Rei couldn't help but mutter in surprise. The man had just claimed to have seen through the concealment.
Noticing Rei's reaction, Frederic allowed a pleased smile to cross his face.
"As it happens, I possess a special ability that allows me to see through such effects. Well, I suppose that is why I am employed in this line of work."
"I see."
Rei couldn't be sure if the man was telling the truth. It was possible he simply possessed a Magic Item with a similar detection effect, but he accepted the answer for now.
"I'm Rei. Good to meet you."
"Yes, likewise. Even so, I must say I am astonished. To think I would be able to witness such a Magic Item with my own eyes..."
"Is it really that incredible?" Mercurio asked, his curiosity piqued by Frederic's assessment.
The other people in the tent leaned in, waiting for Frederic's reply. Very few people in the room—actually, only Vihera—knew the true nature of Rei's equipment. Naturally, they were curious about its worth.
"Indeed. Without a doubt, it was crafted with extremely advanced techniques. It is a masterpiece that even the artisans of the Bestia Empire would find impossible to replicate..."
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything more," Rei interrupted.
Rei was well aware of the rarity of his items. He knew that if their true value were widely understood, people would start making suspicious moves to get their hands on them.
"Ah, my apologies. At any rate, it is an honor to meet you, Lord Crimson. I only wish we had met as allies rather than enemies. Tell me, would you consider entering the service of His Highness Cabajid? A man of your renown would undoubtedly be welcomed with open arms."
"I'll pass."
Rei refused without a second thought. Hesitating even for a moment might have sown Seeds of Discord within the Mercurio Army, and he had no intention of actually considering the offer anyway.
"I'm sure there are plenty of people on your side who hold a grudge against me. Besides... I'd never fight for the man who did that to Rhodos. Not if my life depended on it."
"Rhodos?" Vihera and Theoreme tilted their heads at the name, but they quickly recalled the story Rei had told them, and their expressions sharpened.
Frederic didn't seem to notice the change in their demeanor. He simply shook his head with a look of regret.
"Is that so? A pity. But if that is your final answer, I suppose it cannot be helped."
Frederic ended his attempt to recruit Rei and turned his focus back to Mercurio.
"Then, regarding our previous discussion... though perhaps there is no need to continue. You refuse to surrender. May I take this as your final decision?"
"It is. We have no intention of surrendering. Regardless of what methods Big Brother Cabajid or Big Brother Schuls employ, I don't intend to lose."
"I would love to hear the source of that confidence... though I assume you won't tell me even if I ask?"
"Of course not."
Mercurio answered with a smile. Frederic didn't seem particularly discouraged; instead, he glanced at his attendants.
Taking that as a signal, one of the attendants reached into a pouch at his waist. For a brief moment, the others in the tent moved to restrain the man, but they froze when they saw what he pulled out.
It was an ornately decorated Jewel Box.
The onlookers quickly deduced how such a large item had fit into a small pouch. It was likely a Simplified Version of an Item Box. While expensive, such a thing was easily within the reach of the First Prince of the Empire.
Frederic took the Jewel Box and held it up.
"Here, Your Highness Mercurio. His Highness Cabajid instructed me to hand this over in the event that the surrender negotiations failed."
"...Hmm. Interesting. Theoreme."
"Yes."
Theoreme signaled to one of the knights to open the Jewel Box. Although it was unlikely, he had considered the possibility that it might contain a Magic Item meant for assassination. He positioned himself to shield Mercurio, while Angela stepped in front of Frizion.
However, when the knight opened the box, nothing happened.
I thought assassination would be the most effective way to deal with us since we have Rei, but I suppose not, Theoreme thought.
Feeling relieved but still suspicious, Theoreme took the Jewel Box and handed it to Mercurio. Inside was a single letter. The wax seal made its sender obvious.
"A letter from Big Brother Cabajid. Now, let's see what it says."
Mercurio muttered as he broke the seal and began to read. He scanned it once to the end, then started over from the beginning.
"Ha... hahaha! I never expected him to try something like this. But it isn't a bad idea. It prevents a pointless waste of military strength on both sides, and there are reports of suspicious movements in the neighboring countries as well. It’s a bold proposal, certainly... but I can't give an immediate answer. I need some time."
"Understood. I have been instructed to wait until I receive a response."
"Still... he wants to specify a time and place for our armies to meet for a final confrontation... Big Brother Cabajid certainly has a penchant for the eccentric. Or perhaps Big Brother Schuls had a hand in this?"
Mercurio's amused voice echoed through the Magic Tent, leaving everyone else in the room wearing expressions of utter shock.