Inside the room Rei rented at the Dusk Wheat Inn.
A voice laced with a faint smile echoed through the air.
“Heh, I see. Personally, I would welcome any chance to see you, Rei, but... that party called Scorching Wind finally had their Seeds of Restraint removed, didn’t they?”
“Yeah. Just today. Naturally, everything went smoothly without any accidents.”
“And so, you intend to remove the restraint for Ara and me as well?”
Rei nodded in response to Elena, who had asked the question to confirm his intent.
“Like I said before, a lot of people saw Seto's Skill during the fight with Noise. Those Seeds of Restraint are dangerous for several reasons.”
“True. But how shall we manage it? It would be difficult for me to head your way right now. With the year drawing to a close, things are about to get quite busy here in Duke Kerebel’s Territory. That would mean you would have to come here, Rei... but that, too, would be unwise.”
“Probably.”
Rei wore an expression of understanding at Elena’s words.
He grasped why things would become hectic at the end of the year, and he also knew that his arrival in her lands would inevitably spark a massive commotion.
“Especially since the snow could start at any moment. If things went poorly, you might even find yourself snowed in at Gilm.”
That was another point Rei had to concede with a nod.
After listening to Elena and thinking it over for a moment, Rei finally spoke.
“In that case, how about you come to Gilm next spring? I could try heading to Anesis where your home is, but that would probably cause a scene.”
Rei himself wasn't particularly conspicuous.
To be precise, as long as he wore his Dragon Robe with the hood pulled up, he looked like any other fledgling mage.
However, Seto would naturally be at his side. Furthermore, if he were to enter the territory ruled by Duke Kerebel—a central figure of the Noble's Faction—it was practically a given that other Nobles would harass him.
Considering those factors, the best course of action was for Elena and Ara to come to Gilm.
And, more than anything...
“It sounds like Vihera is coming to Gilm next spring as well, so that makes three of you. If you bring Byune along, wouldn’t it be interesting to form a party of four? Wait, it’d be five if we include Ara.”
“Hmm, I see. That might indeed be interesting. Meeting Vihera feels a bit complicated, but I would love to see Byune again after all this time.”
Seeing Elena doting on Byune as usual, Rei thought his suggestion was actually a surprisingly good idea.
With Vihera and Ara in the vanguard, Byune as the thief, and both Rei and Elena capable of attacking at any distance, they would be formidable. Then there was Seto, a Gryphon capable of flight.
Though, Seto wasn't the only one who could take to the sky. Both Rei and Elena possessed Sleipnir's Shoes, magic items that allowed them to walk through the air.
In other words, they could gallop through the sky, even if only for a few steps.
As a party, they would likely possess ability rivaling not just B-Rank, but even A-Rank.
Rei’s honest thought was that adventuring in such a group sounded like a lot of fun.
“Heh heh.”
Watching Rei imagine them active as a party, Elena on the other side of the Crystal let out a soft laugh.
“What is it?”
“No, I simply realized that you, too, harbored a longing for parties, Rei.”
Rei wore a dissatisfied expression at Elena’s remark, as if his feelings had been slightly hurt.
“It’s not like I stayed solo because I preferred it. It was just because of the situation with Seto until now. However, because of this recent affair, there’s no longer a need to hide Seto's Skill. In that sense, it’s a fact that it’s become easier to form a party.”
“That is true. However... unfortunately, I think it would be difficult for me to officially become an adventurer.”
“Ah...”
At Elena’s words, Rei finally remembered the standing of the person on the other side of the Crystal Ball.
She was the woman who held the alias of the Princess General, a person who should be called the Symbol of the Noble's Faction.
No matter how he looked at it, it would be impossible for her to work as an adventurer.
Because he had expected to act as a party, Rei’s expression turned even more disappointed, but Elena continued with a small smile.
“Indeed. It wouldn’t be an official party, but in the sense of accompanying you, I think I can find a little time. ...Well, my workload before and after heading there will likely become quite severe to compensate, though.”
“Really? Then I’m looking forward to spring. ...Actually, it might be good to conquer Exil's Dungeon. Or maybe the dungeon where the Altar of Inheritance was. Back then, it didn't really feel like we dealt with the Dungeon Core or anything like that.”
“Heh, true.”
To both of them, the events that occurred back then were bitter... truly very bitter memories, but even so, they were now able to speak of them like this.
“Still, the floors where Water Monkeys appear are a nuisance because of their numbers.”
“But this time is different. You don’t have to hide Seto's Skill anymore, so it shouldn’t be that much of a—”
Just as Elena was speaking.
As if timed perfectly, the sound of a knock echoed against the door.
Before Rei could even answer, the door swung open and a voice rang out.
“Rei-kun, I finally escaped from that flat-chested girl! Honestly, that Lenora is so nagging that she won’t even find a single lover...”
The person who barged into the room was Kenny.
Kenny broke into a smile at the sight of Rei, but in the next instant, she noticed the crystal placed upon the table near him.
On its own, that wouldn't have been a particular problem.
But the situation changed entirely when the person projected in the crystal was a dignified beauty.
The Guild possessed orbs for contacting other branches, and Kenny had seen them being used several times for work.
Because of that, she understood that the crystal—the Paired Orbs—was something similar. She was also surprised that Rei possessed Paired Orbs, which were not usually something an individual could own.
...However, the biggest problem was surely the sight of the woman projected in that crystal.
Kenny had confidence in her own appearance.
It wasn't out of conceit; the reality was that only those with well-formed features were recruited to be guild receptionists.
Furthermore, she had experience being approached by many adventurers.
However, the person projected in the crystal was an opponent that Kenny herself had to admit was undeniably more of a beauty than she was.
“...Rei-kun, who is that person?”
“Listen, you can't just barge into the room without permission... well, fine. This is...”
Rei tried to introduce Elena, but a voice from the other side of the Crystal Ball addressed them as if to cut him off.
“Rei, it is fine. Let me introduce myself.”
Elena’s gaze as she looked at Kenny through the crystal was sharp.
Elena had known of Kenny’s existence for a long time.
When she had sent Iero to Gilm in the winter, Iero had encountered Kenny, and Elena had seen those memories.
That was why she understood exactly who the Kenny standing near Rei was. And her feelings.
“I am Elena Kerebel. I am being somewhat presumptuous, but if I mention the Princess General, would you know who I am?”
“—?!”
At those words, Kenny gasped.
Given her position as a guild receptionist, she naturally acquired various pieces of information and had more opportunities to see such things than ordinary people.
Because of that, when the woman on the other side of the crystal gave her name, Kenny was immediately able to match the face with the corresponding person.
“...Pardon me, Elena-sama. I am Kenny, and I work at Gilm's Guild.”
“Yes, I know of you, Kenny. And your relationship with Rei.”
“...”
With that one sentence, Kenny understood.
The person projected in the crystal was indeed the Duke's Daughter and an Alias Holder.
But she felt that was different now. That such things didn't matter.
The person existing before her now was not a high-ranking noble... but her enemy, her love rival.
Elena likely judged that Kenny had understood their relationship. She turned her gaze toward Rei.
“Rei, I am sorry, but could you leave me alone with this person named Kenny for a moment?”
“Are you serious?”
It was a question that contained several meanings.
For a person in the position of a Duke's Daughter and an Alias Holder to say she wanted to speak privately... and in Rei’s room, at that.
If some problem were to occur because of this, it would undoubtedly bring disaster upon Kenny.
He directed a sharp gaze at Elena, wondering if she said that while understanding the consequences.
However, the one who reacted to Rei's words was not Elena, but Kenny.
Of course, Kenny understood that she could not act recklessly against the Duke's Daughter—especially the one called the Symbol of the Noble's Faction.
Even so, she could not back down here.
“Rei-kun, please. I have things I want to talk about with Elena-sama too. ...Right, I’ll go call you once we're finished, so could you kill some time in the dining hall downstairs?”
At those words, Rei’s gaze turned toward Elena, hesitating.
In terms of social status, Elena was overwhelmingly superior.
That was why he thought that if Elena were to say something unreasonable, he would have to stop her. But if Kenny also desired the talk, Rei could not stop her.
If that was the case, all Rei could do now was ask Elena not to make things difficult.
Sensing Rei's gaze, Elena gave a small nod.
“Rest assured. It is impossible that I would do anything to her over this matter. Though, yes... let us just say it is a talk between women.”
“I get it. ...Well then, I’m a bit hungry anyway, so I’ll head down to the dining hall on the first floor.”
With that, Rei left the room.
Leaving them alone in his own room was nothing short of careless, but Rei trusted Kenny.
Beyond that, there was also the fact that he had almost no belongings in this room to worry about.
A few minutes after Rei left, the first to speak was, surprisingly, Kenny.
“Honestly, Rei-kun... I wonder why he doesn't doubt us even a little?”
“Rei is ruthless toward enemies, but he becomes endlessly soft toward those he has once judged to be allies.”
“Is that based on actual experience?”
“Yes. But, considering Rei’s personality, don't you know him better than I do?”
“That's true, I can't deny it. It seems that even when he first came to register at the Guild, he provoked a party that picked a fight with him into a battle and stripped them of their money and weapons.”
“Hmph, sounds like Rei. ...Now then, let us leave the preamble at that. You understand why I thought I would like to try speaking with you, yes?”
At Elena’s words, Kenny nodded after a moment of silence.
“Of course. It’s about Rei-kun, right?”
“Indeed. ...Considering Rei’s personality and ability, as well as his origins and the situation of having Seto as a Tamed Monster, he will undoubtedly be caught up in various turmoils from now on. At those times, I do not want people who will become shackles near Rei. ...No, that is an excuse. Let me speak honestly. For my part, I cannot accept you being by Rei’s side. Even from an emotional standpoint.”
Elena predicted that Rei would wed several wives in the future.
However, even so, she intended to be the primary wife. While it was one thing if it was someone she acknowledged like Vihera, it was not a happy thing for someone she didn't know well to enter that circle.
At Elena's words, Kenny felt herself flinch for an instant, but she still spoke up immediately.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot follow your wishes, Elena-sama. For me as well, my relationship with Rei-kun is something precious.”
“Hmm... I see. I suppose so. But are you sure? I am being somewhat presumptuous saying this myself, but I hold a strong influence. Does that not make you uneasy?”
Those were words she used to threaten... or rather, to confirm Kenny’s resolve. But the receptionist suppressed her internal fear and returned a nod.
“Of course I feel uneasy. But I have judged that a person called the Princess General... and a person who harbors affection for Rei-kun at that, would not do such a thing.”
“...Do you not think one might take such actions precisely because they care for Rei?”
“Someone who actually intended to pull a stunt like that wouldn't warn me first.”
“Oh?”
Elena muttered, seemingly impressed by Kenny’s response.
A light flickered in her eyes, as if she were acknowledging Kenny’s existence more than she had a moment ago.
“I see. Working at the Guild in a place as far on the Frontier as Gilm, you certainly have courage. But... I cannot acknowledge you being by Rei’s side with just that.”
“Elena-sama. I am sorry, but Rei-kun himself will decide the people who stay by his side. I don’t believe that is something you should be the one to decide.”
“...Heh, indeed. Perhaps I was being a bit too eager.”
Elena’s laughter echoed in the room... and the heavy atmosphere from earlier vanished.
In the end, it was about thirty minutes later when Rei was finally called from the dining hall by Kenny. He never learned what kind of things were spoken of during that time.