"Captain Rei, could you take this?"
Inside one of the inns in the Imperial Capital.
Rei was currently storing luggage inside his Misty Ring at the request of a member of the Mobile Unit.
"Sure, I don't mind. You're fine coming alone? No one else you need to bring?"
"Ah, yes. I was an orphan, so I have no kin."
"What about a party? Or were you acting solo like me?"
"No, I was in a party, of course. But just before the civil strife began, we had a bit of an argument over the distribution of loot..."
"I see."
Rei nodded as he stored a spare set of armor found in the room into the Misty Ring.
Forming a party with multiple adventurers was the standard way to ensure a higher success rate for requests and increase one's chances of survival. However, a party was naturally a collective of individuals; the larger the group grew, the more complex human relationships became.
As an adventurer himself, Rei was well aware that such groups often disbanded. He had personally witnessed several instances where parties fractured over internal disputes or shares of the rewards.
"In that sense, a solo life like mine is much easier."
"...That's true for low-rank adventurers, perhaps, but once you reach a certain rank, it’s hard to manage alone. Unless you possess overwhelming power like you, Captain Rei, or some special skill that no one else can replicate."
"Is that so? ...Well, I suppose you're right. In my case, I have Seto, so I've never really felt the need for a party. Is this one too?"
Rei gestured toward a backpack filled with camping equipment. The man nodded.
"Yes, that's the last of it. The rest is just daily necessities, so I'll be fine. I'll just load those into the carriage received as a special reward. ...To be honest, part of why I wanted to go to the Kingdom of Mireana with you is that I've grown tired of being here. The Imperial Capital just reminds me of all the trouble with my old party."
"A fresh start, then. ...Well, if you're coming along, do as you please. You know the meeting place? We gather outside the Main Gate in two days, when the nine o'clock bell rings. Make sure you finish the paperwork to leave the Imperial Capital as soon as possible."
"Yes, thank you very much!"
"One more thing. If you suddenly find you can't make it, make sure you come and tell me. If you just disappear without a word, I’ll dispose of the luggage I’m holding at my own discretion."
"Understood. I was told about that beforehand."
"Good. Then I'll see you in two days."
After their brief exchange, Rei left the room.
He had to collect the belongings of more than ten people, so he had no time to waste. Since this particular adventurer was single and using the inn as a base, his luggage hadn't been that substantial. Even though the man had prepared his things in advance, the process had still taken about thirty minutes. Part of that was due to Rei chatting while he worked.
After leaving the inn, Rei went to rejoin Seto, who was waiting outside... but first, he had to weave through the crowd that was watching the Gryphon from a distance.
Seto was treated as a lovable pet within the Mercurio Army, but that was only because they had grown accustomed to his presence. To the ordinary citizens of the Imperial Capital, a Gryphon was something they were seeing for the first time in their lives, and the impression of him being a dangerous A-Rank Monster was overwhelming.
Under the circumstances, it was only natural that they were hesitant to approach. There were soldiers among the onlookers, but they refrained from acting because of the Tamed Monster's Necklace around Seto's neck, and more importantly...
"Sorry, could you step aside?"
"Th-that's Crimson Rei..."
The crowd likely recognized Rei, the adventurer who led the Gryphon.
He was the man who had triggered the Bestia Empire's defeat during the Spring War, the runner-up of the Fighting Tournament who had fought Noise to a near-draw, and the individual who was undoubtedly the top contributor in the recent civil strife. It was said that Rei’s name was now even more famous within the Bestia Empire than in his home country, the Kingdom of Mireana.
Faced with such a legendary figure, the soldiers couldn't possibly interfere. Besides, Rei hadn't actually committed any crime.
"Guruuu."
Catching sight of Rei, Seto stood up and purred happily.
The surrounding people jumped in surprise, and the circle of onlookers widened instantly.
(If they were purely afraid of him, they wouldn't gather like this... maybe they're at least a little curious? I'd be happy if that were the case.)
Reflecting on this as he scanned the crowd, Rei took a sandwich out of his Misty Ring and held it out for Seto to see.
"Guruu?"
Can I eat it? Seto tilted his head. Rei gave a confirming nod, and in the next heartbeat, the sandwich vanished from Rei’s hand.
"Guruuu, gururururuuu!"
Seto purred with delight as he munched on the snack. To any observer, he looked exactly like an adorable pet. The people watching were initially stunned, staring at Seto with wide eyes, unable to process the sight.
(Hopefully, this will help clear away some of the fear they feel toward him.)
Rei gave Seto a pat as the Gryphon ate with single-minded focus, his mind already drifting toward his next destination.
"Wait, what do you think you're deciding on your own?! I have no intention of leaving the Imperial Capital!"
Rei had finished feeding Seto and was about to knock on the door of the next house on his list when he heard a voice shouting from inside.
"Come on, just listen! If we stay in the Bestia Empire, we might eventually have to fight Captain Rei on the battlefield at worst. That would be way more dangerous!"
"Then you should just quit being an adventurer! I've told you my family's shop is looking for help, haven't I? If you work there, you won't have to do such dangerous work anymore!"
"The income is completely different!"
"Well... maybe, but that high pay is only because you're risking your life! You're selling your soul for coin! You can't keep doing that forever!"
"I know that. I don't plan on being an adventurer for the rest of my life either. But I can still do it for now. So while I'm young, I'll earn what I can and—"
"Don't talk nonsense! You spend every copper as soon as you earn it!"
Rei pulled his hand back, stopping just short of the door.
It didn't seem like knocking now would result in a productive conversation. He couldn't tell if it was a married couple or a pair of lovers, but getting caught in the middle of that domestic spat was a certainty he wanted to avoid.
"...Let's hit the other spots first and come back here later."
"Guruu."
Seto purred in agreement.
Following the principle of letting sleeping dogs lie, Rei left the scene. He couldn't help but wonder if the adventurer man arguing inside would actually show up at the gate in two days.
"Ah, Seto-chan! ...Er, ahem. Captain Rei, you're here early."
The woman's face broke into a broad grin the moment she opened the door and saw Seto. Rei let out a small sigh.
"Am I just an afterthought? Well, whatever. You seem to live in a rather nice house... why are you even working as an adventurer?"
"Ahaha. Well, my family runs a fairly large shop, so things are complicated."
"...Then what about coming with me? If you have a business here, your family won't be able to leave, right?"
"Yes. That's why I'll be going to the Kingdom of Mireana by myself."
Despite the fact that this might mean a lifelong separation from her family, she spoke with a bright smile, showing no signs of distress.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes. ...Ah, it's not like I hate them or anything! It's just that our shop actually does business with the Kingdom of Mireana, so keeping in touch won't be that difficult."
"Understood. If you're fine with it, I won't pry. Where's the luggage?"
"It's already packed. Please, come in. ...Ah, sorry, Seto-chan. It's impossible to bring a Gryphon inside, so..."
Leaving it at that, the woman ducked into the house and returned almost immediately. In her hand was a plate containing a stew with large chunks of meat. The rich aroma of the sauce and the rising steam made it obvious to anyone that it was a freshly prepared dish.
"This might take a while, so eat this Orc Meat Stew while you wait."
"Gururururuuu!"
Seto purred happily, his round eyes fixed on the woman as if urging her to hurry. Though she felt a desperate urge to pet him, the woman restrained herself, knowing Rei had to take her luggage first. She placed the plate on the ground.
Leaving Seto to purr while he ate his stew, the woman led Rei into the house with an air of finality—like someone walking away from a lover they still had lingering feelings for. On the way, a middle-aged woman in her 40s, likely a maid, gave them a polite bow. They eventually reached the woman's room in the back of the house.
"Here, Captain Rei. This is my luggage. Please!"
"...You... where exactly are you planning to go?"
Rei muttered in disbelief as he looked at the piles of bags. The room was about ten mats in size; while that was large by Rei's personal standards, it wasn't particularly huge by the standards of Elgin. However, considering the high land prices in the Imperial Capital, it could be called quite spacious.
But the reason Rei was exasperated was the sheer volume of belongings gathered there. It was clearly too much. Way too much. It was a quantity that would never fit in any inn an ordinary adventurer might stay at.
"Isn't this a bit excessive? What kind of inn are you planning to stay at in Gilm?"
"Oh, that'll be fine. I'm planning to rent a house with my friends. Some of this stuff is actually merchandise I plan to sell over there."
"...I see. Well, if you're sure."
Renting a house. That was an idea Rei hadn't considered. Perhaps it was because his home in Japan had been owned by his father.
(A rental house, huh? I have plenty of money, so maybe I should look into buying a house. That way I wouldn't have to leave Seto in a stable; he could just walk around the garden. ...Then again, the Dusk Wheat Inn has such great facilities.)
The inn was equipped with various Magic Items, allowing for a level of comfort comparable to modern Japan. There was no doubt that he wouldn't be able to live nearly as comfortably if he rented or bought a regular house.
(Besides, I'd have to do the cleaning and everything myself. ...Get a maid? No, I have too many secrets for that.)
Rei weighed the options in his head, but ultimately concluded that the Dusk Wheat Inn was his best base of operations. Having grown accustomed to the finest lodging in Gilm, he found it difficult to imagine lowering his quality of life.
"Captain Rei? Is something wrong?"
"Hm? Oh, no. By the way, how many people are going to live in this house you're renting?"
As Rei began storing the luggage into the Misty Ring, the woman thought for a moment.
"The full list hasn't been finalized, but for now, all the women in our group plan to move in. As for the men... hmm, I don't know. That part is still under negotiation."
"You don't mind living with men, then?"
"Of course not. We're adventurers; sleeping in a cramped room with men during a request is standard practice. ...Well, some guys get the wrong idea and try to get handsy, but you just have to teach them a lesson they won't forget."
Rei found himself nodding at those words—they were exactly what he'd expect from a member of an elite Mobile Unit. If an ordinary man tried to jump her, she could easily handle him. It was precisely because she possessed that kind of strength that she had been selected for the unit in the first place.
Though, Rei did notice her making a gesture like she was crushing something in her hand as she spoke. He looked away and pretended not to see.
"I should warn you, if you plan to be an adventurer in Gilm, it's the frontier, so things are pretty strict. Especially since it'll be the dead of winter by the time we arrive. Guild requests get a lot tougher then."
"Ah... that's true. But if I sell the things you're holding for me, I can manage to get through the winter somehow. Besides, the reward I got for this job was quite substantial. Even if you don't count the carriage I received as a special reward, I have enough to live comfortably for about half a year without working."
As the woman spoke with a smile, Rei judged that it made sense for an elite unit to be paid so well. He himself had received a Legacy of the Ancient Magic Civilization—the Ring of the New Moon, a one-of-a-kind artifact worth several light gold coins.
"Anyway, Captain. Now that my luggage is done, you should head to the next person's place. There are others waiting for you, right?"
"...The way you put that sounds a bit suggestive."
Muttering to himself, Rei left the woman laughing and headed toward the next house.
I'll save the place where that couple was arguing for last, he thought.