The occupants of the carriage headed for Gilm were in high spirits.
"I’m really glad we had Rei-san come along. We ended up being able to hunt Three and a half Gamelions, after all," one of the members of the former Mobile Unit muttered with deep emotion.
At those words, Lento puffed out his chest. "It just goes to show that I had great foresight."
"...Listen. If you can drag Rei-san into it, our combat strength is basically guaranteed from that moment on. I’d call that more of a sure thing than 'foresight.' Well, I’ll at least honestly give you credit for being the one to convince him."
"Ugh... I—well, it's hard to tell if that's a compliment or not," Lento muttered with a complicated expression at Johanna’s words.
Originally, this Gamelion Hunting expedition had been intended as a way for Lento to appeal to Johanna. However, given her current attitude, he couldn't exactly call the trip a success—even if they had managed to take down Three and a half Gamelions thanks to the cooperation of Rei and Seto. Half of that haul had been shared with the party Beast's Fang.
One of the members of the former Mobile Unit silently patted Lento on the shoulder. Lento appreciated the sympathy, but it left him in a delicate mood. It was one thing for his comrades to know how he felt about Johanna, but he really wanted Johanna herself to realize it.
Yet Johanna showed absolutely no sign of noticing his feelings. Her obliviousness was so complete it could be described as mysterious—or perhaps even unnatural.
Well, the reason for that is probably Seto, Rei thought, his mind drifting to his partner likely walking alongside the carriage window. It was clear that Johanna’s romantic interests were directed toward the griffon rather than any human man.
"More importantly, once we’re back in Gilm, don't forget to prepare a place for dismantling Gamelions. They won't rot as long as I keep them in my Item Box, but I’m sure you guys want to turn them into money as soon as possible, right?"
"Hm? Oh, that’s fine. We’ve already secured a proper place for the dismantling. Once we reach Gilm, we plan to head straight there."
Rei had deliberately changed the subject, and Lento answered without seeming to notice the diversion. In fact, Lento likely welcomed the chance to stop thinking about his romantic failures.
"Gamelion Meat... if you want to experience its true charm, simply grilling it is the best. Though it's delicious in a stew, too."
"Like as Grilled Skewers?"
"Those are good, but I think it’s tastier when normally grilled on an iron plate."
As the conversation shifted toward Gamelion recipes, Rei spoke up, offering an opinion he refused to back down on. "Personally, I’d recommend the stew. That’s also a form of slow cooking."
The memory of the stew he had eaten at the Dusk Wheat Inn last year crossed Rei's mind. The potato-like vegetables were fluffy, and the meat—despite being stewed—retained a pleasant elasticity that released juices with every bite. The natural sweetness of the vegetables had thoroughly infused the soup, and the inclusion of a few beans as an accent had been a clever touch.
"...Yeah, the Dusk Wheat Inn's Stew was the best."
Lento nodded in agreement at Rei’s nostalgic tone. Johanna and the other members of the former Mobile Unit couldn't relate since they had never been to that specific inn, but Lento knew the taste and had to agree.
However, Lento had his own preferences. "Stew is good, but Gamelion Meat served as an udon topping is delicious too. Especially the Full Belly Diner's Udon—you can't leave that out."
"Ah—yeah. That’s true."
Realizing that Lento apparently didn't know he was the one who had originally proposed udon to the diner, Rei gave a vague reply. The fact that Rei had suggested the dish was information known only to a select few; it clearly hadn't reached the general population of adventurers—or at least not Lento.
"I see. They all sound delicious. Rei-san, could you tell me about any other places that serve good Gamelion Meat?"
Rei thought for a moment before answering the Mobile Unit man. "The best recommendation is definitely the dining hall at the Dusk Wheat Inn. It’s an expensive inn for Gilm standards, but the food is worth it. Also, the Full Belly Diner Lento mentioned is an excellent spot—it's tasty, cheap, and fast. I’m sure various other places will start serving Gamelion dishes once the meat becomes more available. Oh, and the food at the stalls is usually great, too. Grilled Skewers are the most common, but the degree of grilling and seasoning varies quite a bit from stall to stall."
"Huh... Then next time..."
I'll try going there, the man was about to say when the driver opened the small window leading into the carriage at the perfect time.
"Hey, Gilm is in sight."
"Oh, we’re here? Carriages are fast and easy; they really are the best way to travel."
Lento looked out the window. Through the dimming light of dusk, he could see Gilm's Outer Wall. The occupants of the carriage raised cries of joy at the sight.
"All right, we made it back safely."
"It hasn't been long since we first came to Gilm... but even so, seeing it like this makes me feel like I’ve come home."
"Well, this is the frontier, so I guess it’s to be expected."
They must have been under more pressure than they realized. Now that Gilm was in view, their conversation became even brighter than before.
When they finally arrived before the Gate of Gilm, they found a crowd. Many other groups had likely gone Gamelion Hunting as well; several adventurer parties were lined up with Gamelion carcasses loaded onto their carts.
(Ah... that party.)
Looking out the window, Rei noticed a group of Three adventurer parties he recognized. They were the ones who had used a coordinated strategy where one party drew the monster's attention while the other two circled around to its rear.
"Hm? What's wrong, Rei?" Lento asked, noticing Rei staring at the crowd.
"No, it's nothing. More importantly..."
As Rei spoke, he realized that he was being watched. Many people were staring at the carriage. Even the coordinated group of adventurers he had been looking at a moment ago were now directing curious gazes his way.
"We seem to be attracting quite a bit of attention."
"Of course. Going Gamelion Hunting in a carriage is rare, and more than anything, Seto is outside. That makes it obvious who’s riding in here."
"...I see."
Johanna, who had been listening to the exchange, spoke up. "Rei-san, you really aren't aware of how much of a celebrity you are. You’d be famous just for having Seto-chan with you, even without your other reputation."
"I know my name is out there and that I stand out. But it just doesn't feel real."
In matters like this, Rei still tended to hold onto the sensibilities he'd had back in Japan.
"And besides..."
Just as Johanna was about to add something else—
"Seto-chan, Seto-chan, Seto-chan! Have you been a good boy!?"
A voice rang out from outside the carriage, causing Johanna to freeze.
Moving like a stiff, broken doll, she turned her gaze toward the window. There, she saw a woman she didn't recognize stroking Seto's head and feeding him Dried Meat.
On its own, it wasn't a rare sight. Seto was beloved in Gilm and was constantly doted on by adventurers, soldiers, knights, and merchants alike.
And yet... for a reason Johanna couldn't quite name, the sight of this woman doting on Seto made her cheek twitch. Almost reflexively, she threw open the carriage door and leaped outside.
"Ah... so it’s come to this..." Rei muttered as he watched her go.
He had recognized that voice instantly. The woman outside was arguably the top Seto-lover in all of Gilm. Confronting her now was a woman who had moved all the way from the Bestia Empire specifically to be near Seto.
Of course, Rei knew that wasn't Johanna’s only reason for coming to the Kingdom of Mireana, but it was certainly a major one.
In terms of their affection for Seto, neither woman would back down. Rei had known there would be trouble if they ever met.
(Why is Mirene outside the city at this time of year? I thought they’d already saved up enough money to last the winter.)
Though he felt a deep sense of dread, Rei knew that as long as Johanna was free to move about Gilm, this encounter had been inevitable.
(At least I should be glad it’s outside the walls and not in the middle of the city. If those two start fighting here, at least they won't destroy any buildings.)
As he looked for that small silver lining, Lento snapped out of his daze and looked at Rei. "H-Hey, Rei. Was that who I think it was...?"
Lento was a Gilm adventurer. He knew exactly who that Seto-obsessed woman was: the Leader of the Scorching Wind, a C-Rank Party.
Unlike Lento, the two other members of the former Mobile Unit in the carriage were still confused. As for the man on the coach box, he was paralyzed by the thick tension in the air.
"Yeah. It's probably exactly what you’re thinking, Lento."
"S-Shouldn't we stop them?"
"...I suppose so."
Rei stood up with profound reluctance, then paused to look at Lento. "Hey, Lento. Don't you think it’d be better if you were the one to go handle this?"
"Wh—!? Are you trying to get me killed!?" Lento shouted in protest.
To an outsider, his reaction might have seemed like an exaggeration, but for anyone who understood the reality of the two women outside, it was no joke.
For a moment, Rei wondered if he really wanted to step into a potential deathmatch. But since Seto was the cause of the conflict, he decided he had to take responsibility. He checked to make sure all his Magic Items were properly equipped and stepped out of the carriage.
The moment his feet hit the ground, he felt as if the air had turned into a thick sludge. The source was unmistakably Mirene and Johanna, who were currently staring each other down near Seto. Behind Mirene, he spotted Ekryl and Sulnin, who both looked like they had entirely given up.
Rei spoke to the two women as they stood in silence, their glares practically interlocking. "You two, knock it off with the murderous intent. You’re scaring Seto."
Invoking Seto's name was a strategic masterstroke.
"Guruuu...?" What's wrong? Are you fighting? Seto tilted his head slightly.
At Seto's cry, Mirene and Johanna both snapped out of their trance and looked away from each other. Seeing Seto watching them with an uneasy expression in his round eyes, they both began shaking their heads frantically.
"N-No, of course not! We aren't fighting at all, so Seto-chan doesn't need to worry, okay?"
"That's right. Look, we’re actually the best of friends!"
The two of them threw their arms around each other's shoulders in front of Seto.
Both were wearing broad smiles, but hidden from Seto's view, Mirene was viciously pinching Johanna’s side while Johanna was grinding her heel into Mirene’s foot. Despite the pain, neither let their smile falter for even a second.
Seto seemed finally reassured. He let out a happy purr.
"I feel like I’ve just witnessed something truly horrific," Rei muttered.
On the surface, they were all smiles, but beneath that facade, they were practically at each other's throats. Rei could only give a resigned sigh and wait for their turn to pass through the gate.
Sulnin stepped up and gave Rei’s shoulder a sympathetic pat, shaking his head as if to say there was no helping them. In that moment, the two of them shared a deep, wordless bond of understanding.
Suddenly, as if to cool their heads—or perhaps to signal the start of their war—snow began to flutter down from the sky.
Even though it was the First snow of this winter, Rei didn't feel particularly happy or sad about it. He just felt tired.