After departing the Lord's Mansion, Rei made his way toward Baron Cisne's House, accompanied by Set.
When Rei broached the subject of the necessity for guards, Muet—likely recalling his previous encounter with Keep—gave his immediate approval to hire protection. It was for the sake of his son and his maid, after all. Although Baron Cisne's House was far from affluent, they managed to scrape together a respectable reward.
However, the need for security was urgent. Submitting a formal request to the Guild and waiting for it to be posted would take far too long. Consequently, it was decided that Rei would bypass the official channels and personally recruit members for a private commission.
Tasked with selecting the guards, Rei headed straight for the Guild. Since this was a request handled outside official systems, scouting for personnel within the Guild hall was technically a breach of etiquette. Nevertheless, it was an undeniable fact that the Guild—specifically the Guild Tavern—was the primary gathering place for adventurers during the winter season.
Upon arrival, Rei left Set in front of the Guild as usual and stepped inside. The hall itself was predictably sparse, standing in stark contrast to the lively, crowded tavern adjacent to it.
Rei swept a cursory glance over the few people lingering near the Guild counters, but none of them appeared to possess the level of skill he was looking for. While any regular adventurer in Gilm was bound to be above average, they didn't meet the high standards Rei required for this specific task.
He checked the Counter, but unusually, neither Lenora nor Kenny was at their posts. Having had little interaction with the other receptionists, Rei decided there was no point in asking them for recommendations. He turned his attention back to the tavern, and his eyes eventually locked onto a specific table.
There sat a dwarf drinking in high spirits, while a woman beside him reached for food with an exasperated expression. Rei recognized them immediately. They were the two who had fought alongside him during his past conflict with the Azoth Firm: the dwarven man, Brasso, and the human woman, Phron—the duo that comprised the C-Rank Party, the Crushing Warriors.
"Talk about luck... Or maybe it was just inevitable," Rei muttered.
Brasso was a notorious lover of ale, and with winter in full swing, most adventurers were on long-term vacations. It was only natural that he would spend his days in the tavern.
Rei walked over and took a seat at their table.
"Hm? Who’s this just sitting down without a... Oh, it’s Rei. Been a while, hasn’t it?" Phron greeted him in her usual tomboyish manner.
Noticing his partner’s reaction, Brasso looked up, his face flushed red from the drink. "Eh? Rei? Well, look at that, it really is you! It’s been far too long, lad."
"It has. To be honest, I have a job I want to ask you two to handle..."
As Rei spoke, he glanced at Brasso, who immediately shook his head. It was clear the dwarf had no intention of letting work interrupt his hard-earned drinking session.
"I take it that's a no from Brasso... What about you, Phron?"
"Me? Well, I’m certainly free, but... if you’re the one bringing the job, Rei, it’s bound to be a headache, isn't it?"
"I don't think it'll be that bad. I just need you to work as guards for four days, starting today."
A flicker of surprise crossed Phron’s face. She hadn't expected him to offer guard duty. Given their history, she’d assumed any request coming from him would involve a Subjugation Request. Then again, Rei’s habit of seeking out monsters for their Magic Stones was well-known, so her assumption wasn't exactly baseless.
"Hmm. Guard duty, you say? Let’s hear the details."
Her interest was piqued. Phron dropped the piece of Dried Meat she had been holding onto her plate and leaned in.
Relieved to have caught her attention, Rei began to recount the events of the previous day. The moment he mentioned that a noble had challenged Baron Cisne to a Duel as a pretext to kidnap Ashie, a vein throbbed on Phron’s forehead.
Phron was a woman herself. She understood perfectly well what a Corrupt Noble like Keep would do to a girl like Ashie once he had her in his clutches. Several adventurers at a nearby table noticed the shift in her aura and immediately went silent, shrinking back in their chairs. Phron either didn't notice or simply didn't care as she spoke.
"I see. So that’s why you’re the Duel Proxy. But half an Earl’s fortune? What is that man thinking? Is he an idiot? Even if he thinks he has it in the bag, there’s no such thing as a sure thing in a fight. Well, I suppose that’s the level of intellect you expect from a fool who can’t win a woman without flashing his authority."
"Likely so. Anyway, they’ll probably realize who I am soon enough. Once they do, they’ll know winning the Duel is impossible. At that point, their next move will be..."
"Trying to get the Duel canceled," Phron finished for him.
"Exactly. For instance, by ensuring that those carrying the blood of Baron Cisne's House all meet with an unfortunate accident."
Phron grinned ferociously, having fully grasped the situation. "I like it. I’ve always wanted an excuse to punch an arrogant noble. It’s a pity I can’t hit the man himself, but I’ll settle for thumping his lackeys. Hey, Brasso. You heard the man. You’re coming too."
"Hold on now! Why am I being dragged into this? I thought you said you were going to handle things on your own!?" Brasso protested, clutching his mug of Ale as if it were a shield. However, his voice lacked its usual conviction, clearly cowed by Phron’s intensity.
Phron thrived on action. To her, a winter spent doing nothing but training was incredibly stifling. Even while sitting here drinking, the urge to move her body had been gnawing at her. Now, Rei had presented her with the perfect target: a Corrupt Noble using his rank to prey on women. There was no way she was passing this up.
"For the specific rewards, you'll need to go to Baron Cisne's House. I expect the bulk of the payment will come from the forfeit money after the Duel. But the two of you won't be enough. I'm going to head to another place I have in mind to gather more people. Do you know where the Cisne estate is?"
"Yeah, we know the Noble District well enough. We go there often for various jobs, and if we get lost, we can just ask the adventurers on patrol. I've got a few people in mind too, so I'll see if I can round them up."
"I see. Then I’ll leave that part to you."
With that, Rei rose from his seat and headed for the exit. Behind him, Phron began the process of forcibly peeling Brasso away from the table so they could return to their inn and prepare their gear.
Leaving the Guild, Rei and Set followed a path he had previously learned from Johanna. After walking for about thirty minutes, they arrived at their destination.
Despite the heavy snow, the structure that came into view was massive—closer to a mansion than a house. A stable sat in the garden, and several carriages nearby were draped in protective cloths, their roofs already heavy with snow.
"Should those really be left outside?" Rei wondered aloud.
He quickly answered his own question, though. The estate might have been large, but it clearly didn't have enough outbuildings to shelter the carriages for everyone living there. The horses, at least, were all safely inside the stable, which spoke to the building's impressive capacity.
"Guruuu?"
At Rei's mutter, Set looked around the estate. Its eyes lit up when it spotted the stable, and it turned a hopeful gaze toward Rei. The horses that had pulled the carriages for the former Mobile Unit and their families had grown quite accustomed to Set during their journey. Initially terrified, they had reached a point by the time they hit Gilm where they wouldn't even flinch if the griffon walked right alongside them. Set considered the horses his dear friends.
Understanding what the griffon wanted, Rei nodded and gave Set's back a playful pat. After Set trotted off toward the stable, Rei gave the mansion door a light knock.
A few seconds later, the sound of hurried footsteps approached, and the door swung open.
"Yes, yes, who is it? ...Oh! You're Rei-san, aren't you?"
The person at the door was someone Rei recognized—not a member of the unit itself, but one of their family members.
"I have a bit of business... how many of the former Mobile Unit members are currently here?"
"Eh? Um, almost everyone, I think. Just a moment, please. Sergio-san! Rei-san is here!"
the woman's voice rang through the house. Rei watched her as she called out. She looked to be in her late teens, likely a few years older than himself. As her tone suggested, she had a remarkably bright personality. Many of those connected to the former Mobile Unit still looked at Rei with a sense of reverent awe, but her attitude was nothing but friendly.
Then again, considering Rei's reputation, perhaps a little caution was usually the more "normal" reaction.
"Come in, come in! It's freezing out there."
"Thanks. You've certainly rented a spacious place." Rei brushed the snow from his clothes as he entered.
As he'd noted, the mansion was vast. It was the kind of property that wouldn't have looked out of place in the Noble District. It wasn't new, however; even to Rei’s eyes, the building appeared quite ancient.
"Isn't it? Apparently, it's the result of Johanna-san's sharp negotiating and the sheer power of money."
"...Speaking of which, is Johanna around? She didn't come out even when I—or rather, Set—arrived."
"Ah, no. She said something about going to settle things with her nemesis and left in full battle gear."
Rei didn't need to ask who she meant. The image of Mirene, likely armed just as heavily as Johanna, flashed through his mind.
(I just hope they don't actually end up killing each other...)
He was busy imagining Mirene's Longsword clashing with Johanna's Spear and praying for their mutual survival when Sergio appeared from the depths of the mansion.
"Rei-san? What brings you here? Not that you aren't always welcome, of course."
"I have a request. How many people do you have who can move right now?"
"Right now? Well, with the snow coming down, most of the men are just idling around. I could gather a fair number of them."
"Good. Then how would you like to take on some guard work?"
"Guard work? You mean... for you, Rei-san?" Sergio asked, his voice filled with disbelief. He couldn't fathom Rei needing protection, and he knew that if Rei did find himself in a situation that required guards, his own men likely wouldn't be strong enough to make a difference.
Rei shook his head, sensing the other man's confusion. "Not for me. For a noble I know."
"An acquaintance of yours? Is this something you can't handle alone?"
"I probably could if I had to, but I need to focus entirely on the upcoming Duel."
"A Duel? You're fighting one, Rei-san?"
As Rei explained the situation, Sergio could only stand there, stunned by the absurdity of it all. "To challenge you to a Duel... the man must be either a hero or a complete madman."
"More like a 'hero' in the sense of reckless bravado," a new voice interrupted. It was Dietz of the former Mobile Unit, another face Rei knew well. "Long time no see, Rei-san. Seems like you’ve found your way into trouble the moment you stepped back into Gilm."
"Well, things happened. Anyway, the situation is as I've said. Will you take the job? You won't have to worry about the pay."
"...Well, the moment you stepped into the ring, the outcome of the Duel was decided anyway. Very well. I can't guarantee everyone will say yes, but I'll talk to the members who are here. Will it be enough if we just provide those who want to participate?"
Even for Rei, their benefactor, Sergio wouldn't force his men into a job against their will. Rei nodded in understanding.
He had come to them because he knew the former Mobile Unit members were trustworthy, but they weren't his only option. Since Phron was also looking for recruits, Rei didn't expect to be short-handed.
"Then I'll go gather the men and see who's interested. Dietz, what about you?"
"Me? Like I’d ever pass this up. Besides, a proper reward is on the table," Dietz replied with a confident grin.