"Ah... the weather's nice."
Rei muttered the words as he woke, bathed in the sunlight streaming through his window. Outside, the previous day's rain had vanished, replaced by a brilliant blue sky. It was that transitional time of year between autumn and winter, and the sun seemed determined to assert its presence.
Rei gazed at the scenery for a while before pulling himself together to finish his morning preparations. Two days had passed since he had left the castle. He had spent those forty-eight hours in a whirlwind of activity, storing the luggage of the former Mobile Unit members into his Misty Ring and acting as a mediator for the inevitable arguments—usually involving family or lovers—that arose from their decision to relocate to Gilm in the Kingdom of Mireana.
"Seto might be feeling a bit lonely out there."
Even in a city as large as the Imperial Capital, there were very few places capable of housing a Gryphon. Such establishments typically required advance reservations and were governed by a mountain of fine print. Rei understood the necessity; regardless of how well-behaved he was, Seto was still a Gryphon, and the owners feared the liability. After being turned away several times, Rei had given up on finding an inn for him.
Instead, he had released Seto to roam outside the Imperial Capital. The Main Gate Guards had flinched at the sight, but Seto's status as Rei’s familiar was well-known. Since he was unlikely to attack anyone without provocation, they had allowed it—though they were quick to warn Rei that the city would take no responsibility if an adventurer managed to defeat the creature.
"Not that I think anyone actually could," Rei mused. "Anyone who saw the civil strife knows better than to lay a hand on him."
To the soldiers of the Subjugation Army, Seto was the embodiment of despair. He had rained Fire Breath and other long-range attacks down on them from the safety of the sky and delivered devastating physical strikes whenever he descended to the earth. Now that the war was over and many of those soldiers were free after paying their fines, his fearsome reputation had spread throughout the capital. Rei doubted anyone would be foolish enough to test him.
Unbeknownst to Rei, however, several enterprising individuals had indeed sought out the Gryphon Seto. These weren't adventurers, but merchants. Their goal wasn't to capture or kill him, but to collect his shed fur and down feathers. While most had failed to even find him, a lucky few had managed to win him over with food, walking away with rare materials that fetched a king's ransom from the Imperial Capital Blacksmiths and the city's burgeoning population of Alchemists. This brief interaction had even caused a minor ripple in the capital's economy—a fact Rei would likely never discover.
"Seven o'clock. If I have breakfast and take a short break, I'll be right on time for the meeting."
He checked the time on the Pocket Watch he had retrieved from the Misty Ring and stepped out of his room. He ate in the inn's first-floor Dining Hall, a staple of such establishments, and once his preparations were complete, he headed for the exit.
"Ne—! ...Please present your Guild Card."
The guard on duty at the Main Gate flinched the moment he saw Rei. He clearly recognized him and had evidently not expected to be the one to process his departure. Because the gate was crowded with merchants, adventurers, and travelers, Rei kept his Dragon Robe's Hood up. Most failed to recognize the famous youth, and he was able to slip through without causing a scene.
Once outside the Imperial Capital, Rei made his way toward a group of eight carriages gathered a short distance away. Several other groups were also preparing to leave, as traveling in numbers simplified the paperwork, but Rei headed straight for his party without hesitation. He had spotted several familiar faces—and more importantly, he had spotted Seto.
Several people were currently surrounding the Gryphon, feeding him sandwiches, grilled skewers, and dried meat.
I suppose it’s only natural he ended up here, Rei thought.
Seto was merciless in battle, but in his daily life, he was incredibly friendly. It was only a matter of feeding his need for attention once he found people he knew. While the members of the Mobile Unit doted on him, the other travelers heading for Gilm—those who had only heard the legends—watched the beast from a safe, fearful distance.
One of the Mobile Unit members on lookout spotted Rei and called out. This was a vulnerable group; with so many carriages and so few guards, they were prime targets for thieves, unscrupulous mercenary bands, or even opportunistic nobles.
"Captain Rei, good morning!"
The first to react to the greeting wasn't a human, but Seto. The Gryphon, who had been purring as he ate, bounded toward Rei immediately.
"Guruuuuu!"
With his beak still sticky with sauce from a grilled skewer, Seto rubbed his head affectionately against Rei.
Rei stroked Seto’s head and turned to the acquaintances who had gathered around him. "That’s quite a lot of carriages for this many people."
"Yes, sir. We thought we might get horses and carriages as part of our reward for the civil strife, but we actually received these separately from the main payout. We know we have you to thank for that, Captain Rei."
The man beamed. Carriages were expensive, and the horses required to pull them were even more so. The animals Rei saw were of decent quality—not top-tier, perhaps, but certainly not nags. However, their visible trembling in Seto's presence confirmed they hadn't received any special training.
"Theoreme and Mercurio certainly didn't skimp."
"No, sir. To be honest, we were worried if it was even okay to take all this. It feels like we're being rewarded for more than we actually did."
It was an extraordinary bonus. For an adventurer, a horse and carriage were invaluable assets. Even for those who couldn't afford the upkeep, selling them would provide a significant nest egg.
They were generous... maybe a little too generous, Rei thought. Combined with their official rewards, it felt like overpayment.
"What do you make of it?" he asked, sensing a presence approaching from behind.
"I imagine it's an investment," Vihera replied, wearing a knowing smile and her usual provocative outfit. "An expression of their desire to remain on your good side, Rei."
"I appreciate the gesture, but this? Carriages and horses aren't exactly cheap."
"Rei, you're dealing with the Next Successor to the Throne of the Bestia Empire. If he can secure your friendship for this price, he’d consider it a bargain."
"If you say so."
"I do. ...Good morning, Rei. You too, Seto."
"Yeah, morning. Sorry, got the order a bit backward. Are you ready to go?"
As they spoke, Rei glanced at Vihera’s mount. It was a horse of exceptional quality, evidenced by the fact that it didn't seem the least bit bothered by Seto’s proximity. It carried a heavy load of luggage behind its rider, yet it moved with ease. That wouldn't last forever, though; once they began the long trek, that weight would become a literal burden. Vihera was well aware of this.
"Rei, if you would?"
Rei nodded, gave Seto one last pat, and moved to Vihera’s horse to store her belongings in the Misty Ring. As he worked, a sense of recognition hit him.
"This horse... wait a minute."
"Oh, you noticed?"
"This is the one you rode during the war, isn't it? You were on this horse during the parade too."
"Exactly. Mercurio picked it out for me. It's intelligent, fast, and has incredible stamina. A true prize."
Rei understood. Mercurio doted on his sister; he would never have given her anything less than the best. That thought led him to another memory from the conflict. He remembered Vihera had encountered someone she seemed interested in—something of a "love at first fight."
"What happened to Digma?"
Rei was met with a sudden, icy glare. He blinked, confused for a moment before the realization dawned on him.
Right. Vihera is interested in me. She’s not going to want to talk about another guy who was hitting on her.
Still, he couldn't deny that Digma was talented. An Elf’s Water Spirit Magic would have been incredibly useful on the road. Even with the Dagger of Flowing Water, providing enough water for nearly thirty people every day was going to be a chore—not because of the magic required, but because of the sheer effort of distribution. He had hoped Digma might lighten the load.
"Never mind. We're only together until we hit the border of the Kingdom of Mireana, but I'm glad to have you with us."
"Likewise," Vihera replied, her expression softening only slightly.
It was no wonder she was annoyed. While Rei had been busy storing luggage, buying supplies, and replenishing his stock of spears, Digma had attempted to court her several times. Vihera was well aware of her own beauty, but Digma’s relentless advances had reached the point of being a nuisance. He was the type who didn't know when to take no for an answer. In the end, she had simply started ignoring him entirely.
Sensing he was on thin ice, Rei decided to change the subject. He called out to the Mobile Unit member who had tactfully distanced himself from the couple.
"Is everyone here yet?"
"Um... we're still missing a few people. But they live in a village on the way to the Kingdom of Mireana, so the plan is to meet up with them there."
Rei pulled his Pocket Watch from the Misty Ring. It was 9:13 AM. They were behind schedule, but in a world where clocks were rare, people were generally relaxed about punctuality. Being late by several hours might earn a scolding, but a few dozen minutes was usually overlooked—though it was always better to be early.
"Fine. We'll leave as soon as the capital group is assembled. Make sure everyone is ready to move at a moment's notice."
"Yes, sir. ...Though, since you've stored almost all our gear, there's nothing left to pack. Once we're ready, we just climb into the carriages and go."
Rei nodded. "One more thing. Until we reach the Kingdom of Mireana, I want you to take charge of the group. ...You're Sergio, right?"
"What? Me?"
"Yeah. We aren't the Mobile Unit anymore, and Paelnix has gone back to serve under Theoreme. I need someone besides myself to keep this group organized."
"...Wouldn't Her Highness Vihera be better for that?" Sergio asked, glancing at Vihera, who was currently playing with Seto.
Rei shook his head. "No. Vihera is going her own way once we enter the Kingdom of Mireana. It's better to have you in the lead from the start."
Reluctantly, Sergio accepted the responsibility. A few moments later, the remaining members of the party emerged from the Main Gate at just the right time. With the group finally whole, they turned their backs on the capital and began their journey toward the Kingdom of Mireana.