Reiji was surprised and intrigued by the news of the new dungeon he had heard from the guard, but he couldn't exactly head straight there now. Advised that he should seek detailed information from Daskar instead, he finally entered Gilm.
Naturally, Reiji wasn't alone. He was accompanied by the members of the former Mobile Unit and their associates, all of whom had traveled here to start new lives in the city.
As soon as Reiji's entourage passed through the gates, they made their way toward the Lord's Mansion. Seeing the residents of Gilm casually calling out to Reiji as they walked, the former Mobile Unit members were stunned.
While people in the Bestia Empire had certainly spoken to Reiji, it was almost always on account of Set. When it came to Reiji himself, his reputation as Crimson and the weight of his past deeds usually kept others at a distance. Not many dared to approach him so freely.
"Wow... They're talking to Reiji-san like it's nothing."
"It's hard to believe. Even we can't talk to him that casually."
"I know, right? Though, I guess the way they treat Set is the same everywhere."
They watched as a passing adventurer pulled some dried meat from his pocket and offered it to Set. Seeing a sight so similar to what they had witnessed during their journey brought a sense of relief to the group.
"In any case... did you hear what they said earlier?"
"About what?"
"The dungeon! I'd heard rumors that they could form naturally, but to think we'd see it with our own eyes..."
"You haven't seen it yet. They said it's already there."
"Even so! A dungeon is a blessing for us. You understand why, right?"
The man spoke with intensity, questioning the woman sitting in the driver's seat of the carriage next to his.
The woman met his gaze and let out a small sigh. "I know. A dungeon means a way to earn a living. Since we’re newcomers to Gilm, it’s better to gather materials and magic stones in a dungeon rather than fighting over the few winter requests available."
"Exactly. Requests are scarce in winter, and those who haven't saved enough are desperate. If we tried to push our way in, we'd probably be met with hostility—unless there were more requests than people to take them."
"...Actually, those desperate people are probably the ones heading to the dungeon, too. Though I suppose rank might be an issue."
As they talked, they arrived near the Lord's Mansion.
Reiji glanced at the others as they stared in awe at the building—which looked more like a formidable fortress than a lord's residence. He lowered the hood of his Dragon Robe and was about to speak to the gatekeeper he recognized when the man called out to him first.
The gatekeepers hadn't missed the approaching caravan and had already realized Reiji was leading it.
"Is that you, Reiji? You're finally back."
"Yeah, I finally made it. I was told at the city gates to come straight here to see Lord Daskar."
One of the gatekeepers glanced at his colleague as if to say he understood. The other man immediately headed inside the manor.
"Anyway, I heard you were quite active out there. You'll have to tell me the stories sometime."
The gatekeeper spoke to Reiji with the familiarity of an old friend. Reiji had been summoned to the Lord's Mansion by Daskar many times in the past. Having met the gatekeepers on every occasion, it was only natural for them to become acquaintances. While some guards preferred to keep things strictly professional, this particular gatekeeper was the type to engage in friendly banter.
"Sure. If you treat Set and me to a meal, I'll tell you everything."
The guard made a face at Reiji's suggestion. "If I fed you and Set until you were full, I wouldn't have anything left to eat the next day!"
"Then you could just get staff meals from Lord Daskar's cook."
"Listen here... sigh."
"Don't praise me too much."
"How on earth did you get 'praise' out of my reaction just now!?"
The members of the former Mobile Unit could only watch the exchange in silent disbelief. Hardly anyone they knew interacted with Reiji so lightheartedly. Vihera was the first to come to mind, followed perhaps by Theorem, Frizziore, or Angela.
"So? I heard at the gate that a new dungeon appeared?"
"Ah... so you've already heard. Yeah, it was a massive uproar when it was first discovered. The city only calmed down a few days ago. It helped that Captain Ranga headed over there, and the dungeon itself is apparently quite small."
"...Small, is it?"
Reiji looked down at his own hand. He wasn't thinking about size in a literal sense. He was remembering the Dungeon Core at the deepest level. He thought back to the time he had destroyed one with his Death Scythe.
(I don't know if a Dungeon Core counts as a monster, but the biggest problem is that I've already absorbed one with the Death Scythe. Even though Terrain Manipulation is an incredibly useful skill... I wonder what Set would learn if he absorbed one? It might be worth aiming for.)
If it was a small dungeon, reaching the Dungeon Core shouldn't be too difficult. A small smile played on Reiji's lips.
"Yeah. But it was so sudden. Apparently, it was quite a mess at first with monsters pouring out of the dungeon entrance. Luckily, they were mostly weak things like Goblins, so there wasn't any direct damage. It also helped that the entrance was small, so larger monsters couldn't get through."
"And that's why Ranga is there?"
"Exactly. Since the dungeon appeared out of nowhere, he went to help keep the unrest under control."
"...Are we allowed to conquer it freely?"
The gatekeeper's eyes widened slightly. "Whoa, hold on. You just got back from the Bestia Empire and you're already looking for the next job?"
"I won't have much to do during the winter anyway, and a dungeon sitting so close to Gilm is a headache for everyone, isn't it? ...By the way, how close is 'close'?"
"Let's see... probably a few hours' walk from here."
"...That's very close."
The dungeon containing the Altar of Inheritance that Reiji had explored with Elena was several days away by carriage. Compared to that, a few hours on foot was practically in the backyard.
"Right? That's why Gilm was in such a panic. As for the location..."
Just as the gatekeeper was about to continue, the man who had gone into the manor returned.
"Lord Daskar will see you now. Please come in. However, Lord Daskar only requested Reiji. A room has been prepared for the rest of you inside the manor, where the Precautions for Migrating to Gilm will be explained."
Ordinarily, the Lord or his high-ranking subordinates wouldn't personally involve themselves in the migration of individuals to Gilm. However, this situation was far from ordinary. They were a group of natives from the Bestia Empire, and specifically, they were members of the former Mobile Unit who had fought alongside Reiji throughout the civil strife.
For those reasons, Daskar had to confirm things personally in his capacity as Margrave Larcus.
Representing the former Mobile Unit, Sergio turned toward Reiji. His gaze asked if it was truly okay to trust this. Reiji gave a reassuring nod. Seeing that, Sergio and the others were put at ease and nodded back to the gatekeeper.
(Daskar should have already heard through Elena that people were coming with me. It’ll probably be fine.)
As Reiji was thinking this, the gatekeeper spoke up again. "Reiji... that maid over there will guide you. To the usual office."
"Got it. ...See you guys later, then."
After a final word to the gatekeeper and Sergio's group, Reiji stepped through the gates. Before Reiji could even say a word to him, Set headed toward the stables on his own. It seemed Reiji wasn't the only one who felt at home at the Lord's Mansion.
"It has been a long time, Reiji-sama. Allow me to guide you to Lord Daskar immediately."
"Thanks."
Following the familiar maid, Reiji entered the residence.
"Lord Daskar, I have brought Reiji-sama."
Reiji had visited many times, but the Luxurious Office Door still managed to catch him by surprise. The door itself was a masterpiece of opulence. A commoner could likely sell it and live a life of leisure for generations—dozens of them, perhaps.
"Enter."
At the voice from within, the maid opened the door and ushered Reiji inside.
Upon entering, Reiji didn't find Daskar looking grumpy as usual. Instead, he found a massive mountain of documents piled high on the desk. Peeking out from behind the paperwork was Daskar, looking thoroughly displeased.
"Reiji. You're back."
"...Yes. But what in the world is all this?"
"Hmph. Haven't you heard? A dungeon appeared out of thin air right near Gilm."
"I heard... but is that why things are this bad?"
Being a noble is tough, Reiji thought idly. Daskar let out a heavy sigh. "I'll have you know that some of these documents concern the people you brought with you."
"...My apologies, and thank you."
It was the only thing Reiji could say. Seeing Reiji's reaction, Daskar likely realized he was taking his frustration out on him. He scratched his head and stood up.
"Bring us something light to eat. And make it a large portion."
Aware of Reiji's legendary appetite, the maid smiled, gave a small bow, and left the office. Daskar gestured for Reiji to sit on the reception sofa and took the seat opposite him.
"...It sounds like you went through quite a lot."
"Yes, I did. Although it wasn't all bad."
"Noise the Immovable, was it?"
At the name Daskar mentioned, a complex expression crossed Reiji's face and he nodded. While the battle with Noise had been incredibly valuable, the feeling that he had lost—or rather, been spared—remained strong.
"And... there's the matter of Set."
"...It's shocking enough that he's an A-rank monster, but a rare species on top of that. I'm impressed you managed to tame a monster equivalent to an S-rank."
"We've been together since I was young. It doesn't really feel like I tamed him; he's more like a brother to me."
Daskar gave a wry smile. If simply being together from a young age was all it took to tame such a creature, there would be many more tamed monsters in the world. However, he decided there was no point in arguing the logic and changed the subject.
"Then there are those wishing to migrate who came with you."
"There's that, too. Besides, isn't this a good result for you, Lord Daskar? You've essentially recruited skilled fighters from the Bestia Empire."
"It's a nuisance if I consider the possibility that they're still connected to the other side."
"I don't think that's something you need to worry about..."
They had made it clear they never wanted to be Reiji's enemies. They would rather abandon their homeland than fight him. Or rather, they simply wanted to be near Set. Since those were the genuine thoughts they had expressed, Reiji couldn't believe their words were entirely false. Reiji explained his reasoning, but Daskar shook his head in disagreement.
"I might be able to believe you, Reiji. But then again, I might not. There's no concrete evidence, only your intuition. In my position, I can't give them my full trust based on that alone."
"I see."
Reiji had to admit the man had a point. It was one thing for Daskar to be personally convinced, but if he had to justify his decision to others, he needed something more solid.
"...Does that mean they’re in some kind of danger?"
"Not danger, exactly, but I intend to keep them under surveillance for a while. ...Don't worry, we won't do anything so obvious that it makes them uncomfortable."
"Will it be Egg?"
"Yes."
Images of the men Reiji had once fought near Sablusta, and the face of the man who led them, flashed through his mind. Egg had once been the leader of the Prairie Wolves, a group of thieves. Now, he had been recruited to handle the darker underbelly of the frontier—specifically, Margrave Larcus's Territory.
The Prairie Wolves were all skilled in their own right. If they were the ones doing the monitoring, the targets wouldn't even notice they were being watched.
(Though the former Mobile Unit members are quite sharp. A few of them might catch on eventually.)
Recalling their faces, Reiji decided it wouldn't be a major issue and nodded to Daskar.
"I understand. That's probably for the best. Besides... if they were to try anything, the responsibility would lie with me for bringing them here. In that case, I'll take responsibility and handle it personally. ...Though I don't think it'll ever come to that."
Reiji spoke with a confident smile, and Daskar nodded back. Since Daskar himself trusted Reiji’s word, this was strictly a precautionary measure.
"...Now then, putting the migrants aside, tell me what happened during the civil strife."
They had finally arrived at the heart of the matter. Reiji began his report, starting from the moment he and Daskar had parted ways in the Imperial Capital.