While Johanna, Lento, and the others processed the Gamelion internal organs alongside Beast's Fang, Rei flew naturally through the sky atop Seto's back.
Since Seto, who had been left behind to watch the carriage, was now soaring through the air, the area around the vehicle was naturally deserted.
However, because Seto had been there until moments ago, the lingering scent of a Gryphon meant very few monsters would dare launch an attack. It wasn't a guarantee of absolute safety, but the security was undeniably high.
"Besides, we're up here. If anything suspicious happens down there, it won't be hard to spot."
"Guru?"
At Rei's murmur, Seto turned its head back as if asking, What's wrong?
Petting Seto's head, Rei shook his head to show it was nothing.
An altitude of nearly 100m provided Rei and Seto with a perfect vantage point to overlook the terrain below. Even now, Rei could see several adventurer parties locked in combat with Gamelions. Some were struggling, but none seemed to be in a true crisis yet.
"…Ah, that one got away."
Rei watched as a Gamelion managed to shake off a party and bolt. Though the adventurers had successfully wounded it, the creature had instinctively judged it had no chance of winning and chose to flee. Gamelions were fundamentally ferocious and aggressive, but evidently, some individuals were intelligent enough to understand the consequences of staying in a losing fight.
"Those are the ones that survive… while ones like that die."
Rei shifted his gaze toward another Gamelion launched into a one-sided assault against an adventurer party. The scene appeared as if the creature was trampling them with its tusks, blade-like ears, massive body, and tail that served as both whip and spear.
However, a closer look revealed that no one in that party had suffered lethal damage, despite some minor injuries. The Gamelion only seemed to have the overwhelming advantage because the adventurers were focused entirely on defense—parrying, evading, and blocking with their shields.
Meanwhile, two other groups were circling around the distracted monster. Normally, a Gamelion's hearing was quite sharp, making it difficult for anyone to sneak up on one. But this specific monster was so focused on its target that the constant high-pitched ringing of weapons against armor and shields was effectively killing the Gamelion's hearing. The fact that the beast was clearly seeing red also played a significant role.
"That flashy defense isn't just about survival; it's meant for attracting the Gamelion's attention while masking the others' approach."
Rei's assessment was proven correct only a few minutes later.
The two parties that had circled around struck from the rear. Having been completely preoccupied with the party in front of it, the Gamelion didn't notice the threat from behind until a hammer slammed into its back.
Even if it realized its mistake after taking such a lethal strike, there was no hope for a reversal. Its movements were too sluggish from the initial damage to even attempt an escape. There was nothing that Gamelion could do anymore.
Caught between three adventurer parties and subjected to a relentless, one-sided barrage, the creature finally died.
Watching the scene, Rei was impressed by their coordination. He said "three parties," but each group consisted of at least four people, with the largest having seven. Seeing that many people cooperate without getting in each other's way meant they were well-practiced in large-scale hunts.
"They must be regulars for the Gamelion hunting season. Or maybe they just hunt big game together all the time."
"Gururu!"
Seto let out a cry, but it wasn't the usual sound of agreement. Sensing something was off, Rei followed Seto's gaze.
Below them was the carriage they had used to reach this area. That was fine, but the problem was the several people—presumably adventurers—standing around it. At first, Rei thought they were just curious passersby, but as he watched them open the doors to investigate the interior and check the horses' condition, their intent became clear.
"Carriage thieves, huh? I guess carriages do sell for a good price. They probably wouldn't target it if they knew who it belonged to… Unlucky guys. Seto!"
"Guru!"
Seto gave a sharp cry and beat its wings, descending rapidly. At an altitude of nearly 100m, a single dive from the Gryphon closed the gap in an instant. Seto landed on the ground before the looters even realized something was happening—and it did so with almost no sound, a testament to its prowess.
Rei hopped off Seto's back and gave the creature a grateful pat. Then, he drew the Death Scythe from his Misty Ring and addressed the adventurers inside the box carriage.
"You petty thieves in there. Come out."
His tone made it clear that he knew exactly what they were doing.
Realizing they couldn't play dumb, the adventurers who had been rummaging through the carriage for valuables gave up and emerged. However, they hadn't given up on the crime—instead, they had decided to stop hiding and seize the carriage by force.
Four men stepped out, their gazes meant to be intimidating. But as soon as they saw the figure waiting for them, their bravado turned to pure despair.
In the hands of the small, robed figure was a scythe larger than his own height. Furthermore, a Gryphon stood right behind him, piercing them with a sharp stare.
In that instant, the men realized exactly who stood before them. It was that person famous in Gilm as the one you must never, ever cross.
"…Eh?"
"Hey, wait a second…"
"Why is he here?"
"I mean, it's not weird that he's here, but the carriage is…"
Their hostility evaporated instantly, replaced by panicked murmurs. They had heard the rumors countless times: this person showed no mercy to anyone he deemed an enemy. If they were to show even a hint of hostility now, they would suffer a fate that was no joke.
Their submission was the right move, but it came a bit too late.
"Now then, why were you rummaging through my carriage? I’d love to hear the details."
"T-That’s… see, since the carriage was just sitting here in the middle of nowhere, we thought someone might have forgotten it."
"…Forgotten a carriage, have they?"
Rei gave a dry smile at the explanation—or rather, the excuse—offered by the leader-like man among the men.
"Do you really think anyone here is stupid enough to believe that?"
Rei asked as he pointed the Death Scythe's blade at them. The men reflexively backed away. The only reason they hadn't reached for their weapons was that they desperately wanted to avoid a decisive battle with Rei.
An encounter with Rei meant certain defeat, and with Seto there as well, they stood no chance at all. The men racked their brains for a way out, only to realize there was none. The fact that they’d been caught red-handed inside the carriage was a fatal error.
Left with no other choice, the men did the only thing they could.
"We're sorry!"
They confessed and apologized sincerely. They couldn't win, so they had to avoid further provocation. Making up more excuses would only sour Rei’s mood, leaving an apology as their only hope.
"Sigh…"
Rei let out a heavy sigh at the sight of the four men bowing in unison. He couldn't stay here forever, so he needed to find a compromise.
To tell the truth, Rei wasn't quite as furious as he looked. It was annoying that his carriage had almost been stolen, but his own presence here was an irregularity. If he hadn't come back to check, the theft would have likely succeeded.
(I could say Johanna and the others were being lax, but since I told them Seto was guarding it, it’s only natural they wouldn't worry. In that sense, me taking Seto to scout from the sky was a bit careless. If I was going to take him, I should have brought someone along to stand guard.)
Rei acknowledged his own mistake, but he wasn't soft enough to let carriage thieves off scot-free. He hesitated for a few seconds. The thieves weren't lashing out and clearly wanted to avoid a fight, which made it harder to just slaughter them.
Finally, he reached a conclusion.
"Fine. As an apology, I'll have each of you pay one platinum coin. Do that, and I'll act as if this never happened."
A fine of one platinum coin each. The men cried out in shock.
"That’s impossible! We don't have that much!"
"Yeah! If we had that kind of money, we wouldn't be doing this!"
"This is tyranny! Absolute tyranny!"
"Even for an Alias Holder, this is going too far!"
As they made a fuss, Rei spoke over them.
"In that case, shall I just tie you up and hand you over to the guards? Or would you rather fight me as bandits? I don't care which, so take your pick."
"Gururururu."
Rei gestured with the Death Scythe while Seto growled bellicosely beside him, its talons scratching the grass. It was clear that either path would lead to a miserable end.
On the other hand, forking over a platinum coin from their meager savings would make surviving the winter incredibly difficult. They would have to take on grueling jobs in the freezing cold just to scrape by. But if they were handed to the guards, they’d face massive fines, a flogging, or if prior crimes were found, they could be sold into slavery.
And fighting Rei was out of the question. That was suicide.
Ultimately, the men made their choice.
"Four platinum coins. I've received them."
Holding the coins the men had reluctantly produced, Rei wore a smirk. It wasn't a total ruin for the men, but it was a massive blow. They would definitely be short on the funds needed to last through the winter.
Looking at the men's bitter faces, Rei continued while stroking Seto.
"Just so you know, don't even think about making up this loss through more crime. If I catch you again… well, I wonder. Will I take several platinum coins, hand you to the guards without a word, or… will I let you taste the Death Scythe's sharpness for yourselves?"
A chill ran down their spines. They could tell Rei meant every word. If they were caught trying to steal another carriage or cart, he would definitely follow through on his threat. Aside from the fines or the guards, they knew that if they truly made an enemy of Rei, they wouldn't live to see the next day.
Understanding this perfectly, the men nodded frantically.
"…Good. As long as you understand. Don't be stupid again. Get lost."
At Rei's command, the men scrambled away, desperate to be as far from him as possible. Rei watched them leave, let out another sigh, and then took to the air with Seto once again to resume the search for Gamelions.