About ten days had passed since Dietz had joined them and they had departed Elton.
Rei’s Entourage was making steady progress along the highway. Fortunately, Dietz had arrived alone, and his integration into the party had been seamless. It was only natural, given that they had served together in the Mobile Unit during the civil strife.
That wasn't to say their journey was entirely uneventful, however.
Dietz had grown a bit too close to the sister of a fellow Former Mobile Unit Member, which had resulted in a half-serious mock battle. A group of Goblins, seemingly oblivious to Seto’s presence, had attempted an ambush. They had also met up with several more Former Mobile Unit Members in various villages along the way, and there had even been a small skirmish where they defeated a group of Bandits and raided their hideout. Despite these minor commotions, they continued down the highway without being caught in any major trouble.
And now, stretched out before Rei’s Entourage, lay the Seremuse Plain.
"We’re back," Rei muttered reflectively as he gazed across the expanse.
Rei’s stay in the Empire hadn't been particularly long in terms of days. Nevertheless, his time there had been so dense—filled with the Fighting Tournament, attacks from underground organizations, and participation in the civil strife—that it felt as though he had been there for an eternity.
(I wouldn’t exactly call it "fulfilling," though. Well, I suppose it’s a relief that most of the problems have been resolved.)
The Fighting Tournament had concluded with Rei as the Runner-up, and Mercurio had emerged victorious in the civil strife. But what brought Rei the greatest peace of mind was the resolution regarding the underground organization known as the Requiem Bell.
Using Mura and Shistoi, the Requiem Bell had targeted Rei time and time again. Ultimately, however, the duo had been taken prisoner and handed over to Theoreme. Acting swiftly on the information extracted from them, Theoreme had orchestrated secret raids on several Requiem Bell bases, successfully capturing a large number of their members.
However, completely dismantling an organization as influential in the Bestia Empire’s underworld as the Requiem Bell would have inevitably sparked chaos, not just in the Imperial Capital but throughout the nation. In the end, the interests of the Requiem Bell’s Upper Management, who prioritized the survival of their syndicate, aligned with those of Theoreme, who desired a clandestine organization to act as his hands and feet. The matter was settled with the Requiem Bell becoming Mercurio's direct subordinates.
Vihera had shared this report from the Imperial Capital with Rei earlier in their journey. Rei had been so stunned by the news that his eyes had nearly popped out of his head, causing the others to wonder what could have possibly happened.
"It’s true. At this rate, it looks like we’ll manage to reach Gilm before the snow begins to fall, but..." Vihera murmured, looking over the companions who had joined them since they left the capital.
For Vihera, she could only remain with Rei until they crossed the border into the Kingdom of Mireana—specifically, until they crossed the Seremuse Plain. To be more precise, she would be staying until they reached the crossroads where the highway split toward Exil and Gilm, which lay not far beyond the plain.
(Once we reach that point, Rei and I will have to say goodbye for a while...)
The thought made Vihera feel a twinge of loneliness, but she fully intended to head toward Gilm once she finished her business in Exil.
(Compared to Elena, who is bound by the duties of her ducal house, I have far more mobility as an outcast princess. I think I’ll make the most of that advantage.)
Turning her thoughts back to the positive, Vihera flashed a smile at Rei, who was watching her with a suspicious look.
"Is something the matter?" she asked.
"No, it just looked like you were deep in thought."
"Fufu, it’s nothing. I just felt a little sad realizing that once we enter the Kingdom of Mireana, I’ll have to part ways with you."
"That’s..."
Faced with Vihera’s lustrous gaze, Rei hesitated, unsure of how to respond. While the exchange felt somewhat awkward to the two of them, to the onlookers, it looked like nothing but an intimate atmosphere between lovers.
"Rei-san, we should enter the Seremuse Plain soon," Sergio called out. "We have to camp in the plain tonight regardless, so I’d like to cover as much distance as possible before then."
Recognizing that lingering here was a waste of time, Rei turned around.
A cluster of carriages stood nearby. The Former Mobile Unit Members and their families, lovers, and friends were gazing at the Seremuse Plain with curious eyes. Even the horses stood calmly, showing no sign of being frightened by Seto.
When they had first departed the capital, the horses had been terrified of the Gryphon, but after spending ten days in close proximity, they had finally grown accustomed to his presence. Not every horse was equally comfortable, of course, so the lead carriage was pulled by the horse most adjusted to Seto. This served as a buffer, allowing the carriages pulled by more nervous horses to remain part of the group and move as a cohesive unit.
Rei raised his voice to address the assembled group.
"We’re entering the Seremuse Plain now. Many of you likely already know this, but you generally don't have to worry about Bandits here. However, the Undead wander these lands in their stead, so please be extremely cautious. They are particularly active at night, so do not let your guard down for a moment."
At Rei's warning, the group’s expressions sharpened. Aside from Rei and Vihera, only a few others present had ever traversed the Seremuse Plain. Most of the party—especially the Former Mobile Unit Members—had not participated in the war that spring. Being highly skilled, some had used their Adventurer's Intuition to avoid the conflict entirely, while others had simply been occupied with different requests. The few who had seen the plain before were former soldiers.
"Undead have been known to move during the day as well, even if their numbers are fewer, so please be careful," Rei continued. "Do not act carelessly. Furthermore, we won't be stopping for lunch today like we usually do. I’ll be handing out the Sandwich assortments I collected from everyone before we entered the plain, so please eat those on the move."
Rei went from carriage to carriage, handing out baskets filled with sandwiches. Knowing the dangers of the Seremuse Plain, he had ordered them from a Dining Hall in the last village they visited. It wasn't Rei’s treat, of course; Sergio had paid the bill using the funds he had collected from the group.
"Does anyone have any questions?"
One of the men from the Mobile Unit raised his hand. "What’s the plan for the night watch?"
"I intend to leave it to Seto, but with this many people, we can't rely on him alone."
A murmur of unease rippled through the group. Before reaching the Seremuse Plain, they hadn't stayed in a village every night. They had camped in tents several times, and on those occasions, the watch had been left entirely to Seto. The logic was that since they weren't in the Frontier, there were no monsters powerful enough to pose a significant threat.
However, Rei was now implying that Seto alone might not be enough, suggesting that the danger here was far greater than anything they had encountered so far.
"In that case...?"
"Yeah. I’ll be helping, and I’ll need some of you to stand watch as well."
"...Will it just be us? Or will the others...?" The man trailed off, his gaze drifting toward the civilians in the group. Rei shook his head, understanding the unspoken question.
"I hate to say it, but putting an amateur on watch would be more dangerous than helpful. The watch will be restricted to those with the proper training. I’d like those who are former Adventurers or soldiers to cooperate."
Several people nodded in response to Rei's request.
"I won't force anyone, though," Rei added. "If you think you can handle it, come talk to me later."
Standing watch in a place where Undead were guaranteed to appear was a serious task. Forcing an unwilling participant into it would only lead to unnecessary casualties, which was exactly what Rei wanted to avoid.
"Well then, let’s head out. Once we’re through here, we’ll be back in the Kingdom of Mireana near a village called Goto. Since this group isn't carrying any heavy luggage, we should be able to cross the Seremuse Plain relatively quickly. Just remember—never lower your guard."
Everyone climbed back into their carriages, and Rei vaulted onto Seto's back. Vihera guided her horse over to join them.
"Undead are such tedious opponents for someone like me who relies on close-quarters combat," Vihera sighed. "Even if I use Magic Impact Palm, it’ll hardly have any effect. I don't mind Skeletons so much, but I have no desire to touch things like Zombies or Ghouls."
"...I bet," Rei replied. He didn't particularly want to punch a rotting corpse either.
Fortunately, Rei had a wide variety of long-range attack options at his disposal, and there was no longer any need to hide Seto’s various skills. As long as the Zombies attacked from one direction, he was confident he could handle any number of them.
"Still, it was only autumn the last time we passed through here. The seasons change so fast, don't they?"
"Technically, it’s still autumn. It just feels like a long time because our days have been so dense. Though, it’s true they were dense in a bad way."
"Fufu, you’re right. It was one battle after another. In that sense, I certainly wouldn’t call it 'fulfilling' in the positive sense."
While they talked, Rei checked the line of carriages behind him. Once he confirmed that everyone was ready, he let out a loud shout.
"We’re moving out!"
"Uooooh!"
Perhaps fueled by memories of the civil strife, the members of the Mobile Unit let out a collective roar. It lacked its usual intimidating power due to their small numbers, but their families and friends still watched them with expressions of surprise.
"Guruuuu!"
At Seto’s low growl, Rei shifted his gaze to the right.
They had been in the Seremuse Plain for several hours now. The sun was hanging low in the sky, half-submerged beneath the horizon. As night approached, the Undead naturally began to stir.
"Three Skeletons on the right! They’re slow, so we can outrun them. Keep up the pace and pull away!"
The drivers immediately shouted their acknowledgment. But the encounter didn't end there. In Rei’s line of sight, several Zombies came swaying into view directly ahead.
"Tch, Zombies up front! I’ll take care of them—keep pushing straight ahead!"
Rei shouted as he pulled the Death Scythe from his Misty Ring and began the incantation.
"O Flame, thy power is my power. According to my will, burn my magic power and incinerate the enemy. Thy traits are spreading fire and hellfire. Use my magic power as a primer to increase thy intensity."
As he chanted, ten spheres of fire manifested around the blade of the Death Scythe.
"10 Fireballs!"
Upon the spell’s activation, the ten fireballs shot forward. Whether by coincidence or because they sensed the incoming threat, some of the Zombies tried to shuffle out of the way, but the fireballs possessed a degree of homing property and flew straight into their targets.
The impact was instantaneous. The fireballs struck the Zombies, erupting into a violent blaze that incinerated them so thoroughly that even their bones were carbonized in an instant.
The group, led by Seto, charged through the clearing. The carbonized remains crumbled into ash as they struck the passing carriages. The group of Zombies was completely annihilated, leaving behind nothing but charred fragments of flesh. Even those were quickly snatched up by the winter wind and scattered across the Seremuse Plain.
The Skeletons that had been giving chase realized the carriages had moved beyond their detectable range and ceased their pursuit, returning to their aimless wandering. The clattering of their bones and the sight of their rusted longswords and broken spears served as a grim reminder of the Undead’s true nature.
However, Skeletons were not the only ones who sought the living.
With the heavy sound of clashing metal, a new figure appeared. At first glance, it looked like a Knight clad in Metal Armor, but this armor was an Undead creature in its own right.
It was a Living Armor—a suit of plate possessed by human malice. Positioned higher in the Undead hierarchy than Skeletons or Zombies, it began to walk slowly but surely in the direction Rei and the others had gone, drawn by the warm light of life that it could never possess.
Ghosts drifted around the Living Armor as if following its lead. And several of the Skeletons that had been nearby also began to march behind the Living Armor, joining the pursuit of Rei.