Rei's entourage, who had resumed their journey after lunch, arrived at their destination village just as the first shadows of evening began to fall.
While the number of soldiers stationed there was small, the village was nonetheless encircled by a wall. It was more than sufficient to protect the inhabitants from the monsters that roamed the lands near the Imperial Capital.
Because the settlement lay at the end of a road branching off the main highway, it remained a modest village of fewer than two hundred residents despite its proximity to the capital. The soldiers serving as gatekeepers were natives of the village, which explained their diligence; they were protecting their own homes.
Consequently, when they spotted nearly ten carriages lumbering toward the village, their hearts hammered with the fear of a bandit raid.
Their suspicion was far from baseless. With autumn giving way to winter, bandits were eager to stockpile coin, grain, and women before the heavy snows made raiding a grueling prospect. Despite being close to the capital, the village's position off the main road made it an attractive target. To counter this threat, nearly twenty soldiers were permanently stationed there—a remarkably high number for such a small place. The Bestia Empire had no desire to see a village so close to its seat of power become a bandit stronghold.
"Halt! You lot, don't—... a... a Gryphon!?" one soldier shouted, his voice cracking.
His eyes had been fixed on the carriages, but once he caught sight of the creature leading them, the wagons faded into insignificance. The Gryphon's presence was overwhelming.
"H-Hey. What do we do?"
"I... I don't know what you expect me to say..." the other soldier stammered.
They were tasked with protecting the village, and as such, they had to ascertain the intentions of any approaching party.
Wait, a Gryphon? the first soldier thought. A Gryphon... oh! That's it!
The word triggered a memory of the famous adventurer from the Kingdom of Mireana—the one who had been the runner-up in the Fighting Tournament and played a pivotal role in the recent civil strife. News traveled fast, and someone from their village had actually participated in that conflict. A highly skilled local adventurer had mentioned that his superior would be arriving soon to help him move his belongings.
Once the soldier made the connection, his panic subsided.
"Hey, go fetch Deetz. I think this is the group he was talking about."
"...Right!"
His partner snapped out of his daze and sprinted into the village.
The remaining soldier watched him go, then tightened his grip on his spear's shaft just in case. He spoke to the approaching group, his tone cautious but respectful.
"Welcome to the Village of Elton. We don't often see a group of this size, but we've heard the story from Deetz. You're... Crimson Rei's entourage, I assume?"
Even as he asked, the soldier felt certain there was no way he could have mistaken such a distinctive party. There was simply no mistaking a traveler accompanied by a Gryphon.
Naturally, the person riding on the creature's back—Rei—nodded.
"Yeah. We have an appointment... or rather, we came to pick up a resident before heading to the Kingdom of Mireana. We'd also like to secure lodging in the village tonight. Is there any space available?"
"Please wait a moment. We're fetching Deetz right now," the soldier replied.
He caught a glimpse of Vihera, but since he had never seen her before, he only offered a momentary glance. The fact that he didn't leer at her was a testament to his strong sense of ethics. Both Rei and Vihera found themselves forming a favorable impression of the man.
"I see. Then, for the time being, could you at least proceed with the entry procedures?" Rei asked as he produced his Guild Card.
The soldier hesitated for a moment, but since processing twenty people would be a lengthy task, he nodded, deciding it was best to start immediately.
"I suppose so. It's better than standing around here. I'll need identification from everyone. Also, the Gryphon will need a Tamed Monster's Necklace."
Following the soldier's instructions, Rei handed over his Guild Card. The soldier was stunned to see the B-Rank designation, and even more surprised by the pristine condition of the card. Normally, an adventurer's card would be covered in scratches, but Rei's was safely stored within the Misty Ring.
As they proceeded with the paperwork, footsteps echoed from within the village.
"Sorry about that! I knew Captain Rei was coming, but I had some business to finish up on this end."
"You're late, Deetz," the soldier grumbled. "So, is this the Captain Rei you mentioned? Though, seeing the Gryphon, I'm sure there's no mistake."
"That's right. I've never seen anyone other than Captain Rei with a Gryphon as a tamed monster. ...Captain Rei, I'm sorry to have put you through so much trouble."
Deetz bowed, but Rei shook his head.
"It's just a small detour, don't worry about it. Are you ready to go?"
"Hei."
"I see. ...Oh, and the Mobile Unit has been disbanded, so you don't have to call me 'Captain' anymore."
"Is that so? Then, Big Brother Rei—"
"...No matter how you look at it, you're the older one."
Rei had the appearance of a fifteen-year-old, while Deetz was in his mid-twenties. The ten-year age gap made the title "Big Brother" sound like an anomaly to anyone watching.
"Hmm. Rei-san, then?"
"That would be for the best."
After finishing their brief exchange, Deetz turned back to the soldier.
"So, is it okay for Rei-san and the others to enter the village now?"
"Wait a moment. Verifying nearly twenty people is going to take some time."
The soldier and his partner resumed checking identifications. However, since the group was accompanied by Deetz, a trusted resident, and considering Rei's fame, there was little reason for suspicion. After a perfunctory screening, they permitted the group to enter.
"Here is the Tamed Monster's Necklace. Regarding the handling of tamed monsters, the responsibility for any trouble caused lies solely with the master."
After listening to the standard lecture on tamed monsters, Rei led the group into the village.
"Deetz, take us to the inn first. There's a lot of us—can the inn accommodate everyone?" Rei asked as he dismounted from Seto to walk beside him.
Given its proximity to the capital, the village wasn't overly insular. Many residents peered curiously at Rei from their windows, though they kept a respectful distance from the Gryphon.
"No, the inn here isn't that large... Let's see, we can manage about fifteen people somehow... I can squeeze the rest into my house if I have to..."
"My, it would be a shame to go that far," Vihera interjected. "As I thought, I'll just stay in the Magic Tent with Rei."
She spoke as if it were a settled matter, clearly undeterred by Rei's earlier refusal.
"Vihera, I told you earlier," Rei sighed.
"Oh, but it really would be better! I'm quite famous in this country. If I share a room with the others, they'll be too nervous to sleep."
"Ah—true," Deetz agreed. "A woman sharing a room with Lady Vihera would likely feel awkward and intimidated."
Vihera nodded, satisfied that her point had been proven. "Exactly. And since rooms are scarce, I shouldn't take a whole one for myself. That's why it's best if I sleep inside the Magic Tent with Rei."
"True, the logic is sound, but..."
Rei admitted her reasoning was correct, but knowing her feelings, he couldn't simply give in.
It would be one thing if it were anyone else...
He thought for a moment, but his only other options were giving Vihera a private room at the inn and paying other villagers to house the remaining travelers. In the end, Rei managed to push his opinion through, convincing Vihera to let him use the Magic Tent alone.
"Honestly, turning down a beautiful woman like me... don't blame me if you regret it later," she teased with a smile. "Though if it's you, I'd be happy to make that regret vanish instantly."
Meanwhile, Rhodos, who had yet to regain consciousness, was being cared for by several travelers who were being paid for their service. It wasn't a gift from Rei; he fully intended to be reimbursed for the cost once they reunited with Elk. The work involved preventing Rhodos from rolling off his cot, bathing him, and handling his toilet needs. For those traveling toward Gilm, it was good pocket money, and competition for the job had been high.
If Rhodos finds out people were handling his personal business while he was out, he'll be mortified, Rei thought. But that's his own fault for not waking up.
Rei continued through the village, feeling somewhat relaxed.
That night, inside the Magic Tent, Rei was conversing with Elena using the Paired Orbs.
『I see. So the first day of the journey has gone smoothly.』
"Yeah, we're progressing according to plan. If things went wrong on day one, I wouldn't know what to expect for the rest of the trip."
『Hehe, true. But you must stay cautious. I shouldn't need to tell you this now, Rei, but sudden accidents can happen at any time—especially when moving in a group.』
Rei nodded. "I know. Even if things went as planned, we still had issues with people being afraid of Seto. Well, that settled down once we ate lunch, so tomorrow should be better."
"Guruuu?" Seto poked his head through the tent's entrance and trilled as if asking, "Did you call?"
『Kyukyu?』
On the other side of the Paired Orb, Iero reacted to Seto's voice, his gaze shifting left and right as if searching for his friend. Elena reached out and stroked his black scales.
『And what of Vihera?』
"Ah... she's at the inn in a private room. She wanted to come here, but, well..."
Rei trailed off, and Elena nodded knowingly.
『I see. I have the gist of it.』
Elena understood Vihera's personality and how honest she was regarding her own feelings. From Elena's perspective, it was almost a foregone conclusion that Vihera and Rei would eventually end up in a relationship. Even so, the thought of Vihera reaching that stage before she did was still unpleasant.
Seeing Elena's complex expression, Rei suddenly remembered the Metal Card Emperor Trajist had given him. The card that identified him as a Friend of the Empire.
It's quite a grandiose thing... I should probably tell Elena. It's not like he told me to keep it a secret...
Rei took the card out of the Misty Ring.
"Elena, I received this over there."
『Hm? ...Is that a card?』
Elena tilted her head as she looked at the metal card in Rei's hand. Rei explained the circumstances of how he had received it while his eyes were momentarily stolen by the way her golden hair swayed.
『...I see. I understand that you couldn't refuse, but it was still a bit reckless. However, I suppose it is better than becoming a Noble of the Bestia Empire.』
Elena murmured with a frown. Inwardly, she groaned; this was going to be a massive headache.
If this becomes public knowledge, there will undoubtedly be an uproar. I'll need to do as much groundwork as possible beforehand.
While impressed by the other side's shrewdness, she spoke.
『When you return to Gilm and report to Lord Daskar, you should mention that card as well. But make sure no one else sees it. I will also take action through my father as early as tomorrow.』
Rei looked up at the tent's ceiling and sighed. It seemed his return was going to be anything but simple.