"……I see. I have a general understanding of your actions now. While I think some of your maneuvers were a bit reckless, it’s all in the past. Above all, you successfully settled the Internal Strife and created a group within the Bestia Empire that could be considered a Pro-Kingdom of Mireana Faction. That alone is a significant gain. Furthermore, the Bestia Empire's national strength was exhausted to some degree by the Civil Strife. As far as I’m concerned, these results are quite satisfactory."
Daskar spoke with a small nod after listening to Rei's full report.
Although his expression had flickered with surprise several times during the story, he ultimately accepted Rei's actions.
Daskar pondered something as he brought a sandwich to his mouth—one brought by a Maid during their conversation.
Observing him, Rei also reached for the sandwiches arranged on the table.
Perhaps because he had requested a generous portion, the sandwiches were piled into a literal mountain on the plate. Under normal circumstances, anyone told this was merely a "light snack" would likely find it impossible to believe.
The Black tea had cooled slightly during their long talk, but it was still quite delicious.
As Rei ate a Ham and Vegetable Sandwich, Daskar spoke once more.
"So…… I heard from Lady Elena that you received something rather troublesome?"
"Something troublesome? ……Ah, you mean this."
Rei didn't understand the reference at first, but once he realized what Daskar was getting at, he pulled a Metal Card from the Misty Ring and placed it on the table.
Engraved upon the card was the sentence: 'This person is a friend of the Bestia Empire.'
It was the token Rei had received directly from Trajist, the Emperor of the Bestia Empire.
In a sense, out of everything Rei had done during his journey to the empire, this object was the most likely to sow the seeds of future trouble.
"……May I see it?"
Given the weight of such an object, Daskar picked up the Metal Card with visible caution.
"I see. ……A Friend of the Bestia Empire, is it? You’ve certainly brought back a subtly troublesome item."
"Is it that bad?"
"Yes. Among the Nobles, there will surely be those who shout at the top of their lungs that you, as the holder of this card, are someone colluding with the Bestia Empire. And usually, those with the loudest voices—even if they belong to a Minority Faction—are often mistaken for the voice of the majority simply because they stand out."
Daskar made a bitter face.
It was only natural. Rei was not officially one of Daskar's subordinates.
However, he was undoubtedly an Adventurer belonging to Gilm, the city Daskar ruled. Between Rei's own skills and the mobility of his Gryphon, Seto, he was an incredibly reliable asset.
Reflecting on the Magic Fever incident from some time ago made the strategic advantage of that mobility crystal clear.
Furthermore, Rei possessed combat power equivalent to an entire army on his own. As a specialist in Wide-range Annihilation Magic, he was an unparalleled force in times of war.
He even possessed logistics capabilities thanks to the Misty Ring, as demonstrated during the war in the spring when he transported vast amounts of supplies.
Even his lack of greed regarding money was a welcome trait from Daskar’s perspective.
……Though, while he lacked an obsession with gold, he was still an eccentric whose hobby involved collecting Magic Items and Magic Stones instead.
Regardless, there was no doubt that Rei was an extremely useful individual for Daskar to have in his corner.
The fact that Rei felt a genuine attachment to Gilm was another positive factor in Daskar's eyes.
However…… if one looked at it from the opposite perspective, Rei was an extremely troublesome existence for Daskar's enemies.
This didn't just apply to hostile nations like the Bestia Empire. It was equally true for those within the Kingdom of Mireana who opposed Daskar.
The most prominent rivals were, of course, the Nobles of the King's Faction, who were the most numerous.
Next was the Noble's Faction. ……However, given that they had cooperated during the recent Bestia civil war and that the Head of the Noble's Faction was on good terms with Daskar, their relationship highlighted the inherent complexity of a power bloc composed of so many different Nobles.
Even within the Neutral Faction, while they currently stood united around Daskar, there were a few individuals who were less than happy about the arrangement.
Then there were the Nobles who belonged to no faction at all, and it wouldn't be strange for any of them to view Daskar with hostility.
In this manner, Daskar had many enemies and potential adversaries within the Kingdom of Mireana. If they found a way to restrain Rei—one of Daskar's greatest military assets—they would undoubtedly move to do so without a moment's hesitation.
The Metal Card Rei had received directly from the Emperor of the Bestia Empire carried more than enough weight to make such a move possible.
That was why Daskar kept his expression grim as he spoke, card in hand.
"Rei, do not use this Metal Card if you can help it. In fact, it would be best if you didn't show it to anyone at all. If word of this gets out, people will almost certainly try to meddle with you in some way. You wouldn't find that very fun, would you?"
"……Well, that’s certainly true. I'm not interested in stirring up unnecessary trouble."
Rei was fundamentally merciless toward anyone who became his enemy.
In a worst-case scenario, it wouldn't be surprising if a rival Noble used an injury sustained during a confrontation with Rei as an excuse to launch a political or physical strike.
Daskar judged that the best way to prevent such a situation was to keep the existence of the Metal Card a total secret.
Normally, this Metal Card would be an incredibly convenient tool, and a person would usually push back if told not to use it.
However, since Rei had no intention of relying on the card in the first place, he gave Daskar an easy nod.
"Are you sure about this?"
Rei's casual response made Daskar be the one to double-check.
"Yes. Lady Elena gave me several warnings along the same lines when I consulted her. Besides, even if something does happen, I intend to handle it with my own strength."
Daskar was genuinely surprised that Rei could so easily agree to tuck away an item gifted by the Emperor of a major nation.
The Metal Card was the kind of treasure that would drive anyone to attack him for it if they knew he had it.
However, Rei felt that it was far too late to worry about that.
Countless people had already attacked him in attempts to steal Seto or the Misty Ring. He figured that a few more people added to that list wouldn't make much of a difference.
"……My apologies."
"Don't worry about it."
Deciding to conclude the talk about the Metal Card with that brief exchange, Daskar handed the card back.
Rei took it, Store-d it back in the Misty Ring, and reached for another sandwich before changing the subject.
"By the way, regarding that new Dungeon."
"Ah, that seed of trouble. What about it?"
"I heard it's a small Dungeon, but are there no plans to clear it? I figured simply destroying the Dungeon Core would settle the matter."
"I don't have anyone with free hands. Well, I do, but many of them are currently busy preparing for the winter."
"But surely that can't be everyone?"
It was already the time of year when snow could fall at any moment.
Despite the season, it was impossible that every single Adventurer in Gilm was still scrambling to finish their winter preparations.
"True. But a newly formed Dungeon isn't very profitable. Even the Dungeon Core itself can't summon significant monsters before it has fully grown. There are a few other issues, but the gist is that there’s no profit to be made relative to the effort required."
"……I see."
It was true that Adventurers usually dived into a Labyrinth for the money they could make selling Proof of Subjugation Parts, materials, and Magic Stones.
A small number of them might dive in search of strength and the chance to face powerful foes, but those were the exception.
The Labyrinth Daskar described was home to weak monsters that couldn't even be called "enemies," and they provided no decent materials to strip.
Of course, the Boss Monster guarding the Dungeon Core might be slightly different.
However, because the potential earnings were so low and the regular enemies so weak, no one expected much from the Boss either. There were almost no eccentrics willing to challenge such a place.
Rei listened to Daskar's explanation, then tilted his head in confusion.
"I heard that Ranga has been dispatched there…… but if it's really such a weak Dungeon, is there a need to go that far?"
"That’s the problem. If Ranga hadn't been sent, someone might have judged a Dungeon appearing so close to Gilm as a threat and cleared it. But since Ranga is there, any monster that crawls out is immediately killed. As a result, no one feels any sense of crisis anymore."
"……What about the Knights?"
"I was considering that as a last resort. However, Knights and Adventurers are quite different, despite the surface similarities. Knights are trained for combat, yes, but they aren't trained for Dungeon exploration and Labyrinth navigation like Adventurers are."
Rei could accept that logic.
Knights were trained to fight men and monsters, but they didn't typically enter Dungeons.
That was widely considered the work of Adventurers.
It wasn't an absolute rule—Daskar himself had dived into Dungeons as a hobby during his days as a Knight—but it was the general perception.
"So, there’s simply no one willing to clear the Dungeon?"
"Exactly."
Daskar nodded casually at Rei's confirmation. ……But as he nodded, he turned an expectant gaze toward Rei.
The situation Daskar described was actually quite appealing to Rei.
Setting aside the fact that the enemies were weak, it meant he could obtain a Dungeon Core with relative ease—especially when compared to the Dungeon containing the Altar of Inheritance or the Labyrinth in Exil.
"But if you leave the Dungeon alone, won't it grow?"
Indeed, while Dungeons started at various sizes, they all grew over time.
An extreme example of that growth was the massive Dungeon in the Labyrinth City of Exil.
It was also clear that the Dungeon with the Altar of Inheritance would eventually become a colossus if it remained uncleared.
"Even if it grows, the speed depends entirely on the Dungeon Core. Even in a fast-growing one, it’s rare to see a pace as absurd as one floor per year."
"……In other words, because someone can clear it whenever they feel like it, everyone is just ignoring it for now?"
"Precisely. Well, defeating the Boss Monster guarding the Core still requires a certain level of strength, so it’s not like anyone could do it."
Daskar let out a long sigh.
It was obvious even to an outsider how much this was bothering him. Since his needs aligned perfectly with Rei's own interests, Rei finally spoke up.
"How about this, Lord Daskar? If you’re willing, would you let me clear that Dungeon?"
Despite his underlying hope, Daskar looked genuinely stunned, as if he hadn't expected those words to actually come out of Rei's mouth.
It was understandable. The monsters were weak and worthless, and they provided no real challenge.
He hadn't expected Rei to volunteer for such a Dungeon.
Of course, Daskar had hoped Rei might do it.
But even so, he had expected a rejection…… no, he had been certain Rei would say no.
Because of that, he asked back almost instinctively.
"Are you really sure? I'll say it again: I don't think there’s any profit in this for you."
"That’s not necessarily true. There are a few things I want to test out…… and besides, I have my own attachment to Gilm."
"That would be a huge help. However, I don't think you can bring Seto inside. Will you still go?"
"Seto can't go in?"
Rei knit his brows slightly, and Daskar nodded.
"No. The Dungeon Entrance is only wide enough for a single person to squeeze through. Even a tall man would have a hard time. It would be nearly impossible for someone in full armor or someone carrying a long weapon like a Spear. ……Actually, that’s another reason Adventurers hate the place. There’s a bit more room once you're inside, but it’s apparently still quite cramped."
While there were small but highly skilled Adventurers like Rei, the nature of their work meant that most Adventurers tended toward more robust, physical builds.
If those people couldn't even get through the door…… and there was nothing to be gained even if they did, Rei had to admit it made sense why no one was challenging it.
Rei opened his mouth to respond, but he suddenly sensed a presence rapidly approaching the Office. He sprang up from the sofa and stepped in front of Daskar to shield him…… and in the next moment, the Office Door was burst open as if it were being smashed.