The sun had already risen, and it was nearly noon.
Rei finally opened his eyes, much later than his usual waking hour. He sat up in bed and looked around, and upon realizing he was in his usual room at the Dusk Wheat Inn, he gave a great stretch.
"Nngh... Whaaaaah..."
Still feeling the heavy pull of sleep, he sat in a daze for a few minutes, surrendering himself to the slow passage of time.
After about five minutes, his mind finally began to function. He started getting ready for the day while mulling over his schedule.
(Let’s see, I should probably show my face at Baron Cisne's House. I left the guarding to Phron and her group, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Actually, now that Keep and his men have been captured, there’s likely no need to worry about another raid in the first place.)
Once he finished grooming himself, he donned the Dragon Robe he took out from the Misty Ring and left the room to head toward the dining hall.
He passed a few guests along the way, and for some reason, the atmosphere seemed unusually restless.
Sensing the rowdy energy permeating the inn, he entered the dining hall. In an instant, the gazes of every customer inside shifted toward him.
It was close to noon, and the hall was filled with those seeking an early lunch or others simply killing time in the warmth of the hall because it was winter.
"Hey, it's Rei."
"Yeah, I heard about yesterday. That noble who challenged him to a duel at the festival raided Baron Cisne's House, right?"
"Not quite. It was the noble who hired that Zelos guy Rei fought in the duel. Apparently, he didn't want to pay the half of the property he bet, so he brought a bunch of hired thugs to try and massacre everyone at Baron Cisne's House."
"Yeah, I heard that too. Rei anticipated it and lay in wait with his comrades. They rounded them all up in one fell swoop, didn't they?"
"That’s the word. I heard the noble even had all four limbs severed."
"Even so, I wonder what that red thing was that appeared around his body during the duel. Just looking at it made my body stop moving."
"I know, right? There was a B-Rank adventurer near me, and even he froze up. He was breaking out in a sweat all over his face."
"...Even though he was the same rank? Rei really is an outlier in more ways than one."
"Well, obviously. I mean, his opponent in the duel was B-Rank too."
From the snippets of conversation reaching his ears, it was immediately clear that the rumors were about the duel and the previous night's attack.
Rei was accustomed to being the subject of gossip. He ignored the chatter, took a seat at a table, and ordered a meal from Lana.
(Keep only lost his hands, not all four limbs. Rumors certainly have a way of taking on a life of their own. Where did this information leak from? The guards? Or the adventurers Phron and the others brought? Well, either way is fine.)
To kill time until his food arrived, Rei sipped his water while listening to the rumors, but in the next instant, the cup stopped dead at his lips.
"Is it true that the carriage loaded with treasure was also connected to that noble?"
"Yeah, that’s what they say. They found a corpse. It was supposedly in a gruesome state after being crushed by the carriage."
Tilting his head at those words, Rei turned his gaze toward the direction of the conversation.
It was coming from a spot not very far from his table.
Two men who appeared to be adventurers were deep in discussion. Recognizing their faces, Rei stood up.
They were individuals who, despite being C-Rank and not high-rank adventurers, were clever enough to make the Dusk Wheat Inn their regular lodging. Their names had even come up in his conversations with Kenny and Lenora.
One was a human and the other was a mouse beastman, both men in their early twenties.
Rei approached their table, and as they looked up at him, he spoke.
"Sorry to interrupt, but could you tell me more about what you were just discussing?"
"Eh? Ah, yeah. We don't mind, but... right?"
"Ah, yeah."
Both men were clearly older than Rei, but they addressed him with the deference one shows a superior.
This was partly due to their respective ranks, but more than anything, it was because it was common knowledge that Rei possessed strength that even a typical B-Rank adventurer could never hope to match.
Furthermore, Rei was someone who had climbed to that status in less than two years since registering as an adventurer in Gilm.
To many, he was an object of admiration.
...Though, given Rei's personality, there were also quite a few who disliked him.
Fortunately, these two were well-disposed toward him. Though surprised to be addressed, they immediately invited Rei to sit down.
The two explained that late last night, Furtos had been found dead, crushed under an overturned carriage.
Furthermore, judging from the bloodstains found on the coach box, it was likely Furtos himself who had been driving. The carriage had been loaded with valuables, gold coins, and even platinum coins.
"...So, what happened? Was Furtos ordered by Keep to transport the treasure?"
"No, I don't think so. If that were the case, he would have hired a specialized driver instead of someone like Furtos. Given Furtos's build, it's hard to imagine he'd enjoy being a driver, right?"
Rei recalled Furtos’s appearance.
The man was so obese that he seemed to weigh two, three times... or perhaps even more than Rei himself.
(With that physique, doing the job of a driver by choice... No, one wouldn't normally think so.)
Rei nodded in agreement, and the conclusion he finally reached made him furrow his brows involuntarily.
"So, he used his own master as a decoy to make a getaway?"
"That’s the general consensus. ...And well, there was even some talk about whether you had a hand in his death, but it seems that wasn't the case."
Rei nodded naturally at the man's words.
Using the master he served as a disposable pawn was something Rei hadn't even considered.
It might have been a different story if he had known Furtos’s personality well, but the only times Rei had encountered the man were when Ashie was being harassed at Baron Cisne's House, when they went to the Lord's Mansion regarding the duel, and during the duel itself.
In those few encounters, Rei had almost no memory of actually speaking to him. For better or worse, it was Keep's personality that had left the strongest impression.
"...In that case, who did it?"
At the other man's question, Rei spoke with a cynical smile.
"Probably someone who couldn't leave their disgrace unaddressed."
"Eh? Does that mean...?"
Before the man, who realized who Rei was referring to, could say anything more, Rei stood up.
"Thanks for the info, it was a big help. Let me know if you ever need anything. I'll lend a hand if I can as thanks for this."
Rei left those words with the two adventurers—who were stunned by the implication of King's Faction involvement—and returned to his original table.
"Ah, Rei-san. Welcome. Thank you for your hard work yesterday."
After finishing his meal at the inn, Rei arrived at Baron Cisne's House.
Ashie greeted him with a joyful expression. It was only natural; if Rei hadn't been there, she likely would have been turned into a noble's plaything. Rei had saved her from that fate and protected her life with Muet and Basrero; no amount of gratitude felt like enough.
"Don't worry about it. More importantly, has anything happened since then?"
"No. The guards remained just in case, but there hasn't been any trouble."
"I see, that's good to hear. ...So, is Muet around? I have a few things to discuss regarding this incident."
"Understood, I will call him immediately. Please, come inside."
Guided by Ashie, Rei entered the reception room they had used before.
Herb tea and dried fruit were brought out at once. They likely served them because they remembered Rei had enjoyed them last time.
He popped a sweet and sour piece of dried fruit into his mouth and washed it down with the herb tea. Despite having eaten a hearty meal at the Dusk Wheat Inn and snacking at stalls with Seto on the way through the Noble District, he displayed an appetite and thirst that made it hard to believe he had already eaten.
For Rei, this was likely just a light refreshment.
By the time he finished his tea, Muet appeared, timing his entrance perfectly.
Understanding that the conversation would be about the recent incident, Muet came to the reception room alone.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Now, about today's business... it's about the duel incident, isn't it?"
"Yeah. I don't know if you've heard, but that fat man who was an attendant to Keep? Apparently, he's dead."
"Yes, the guards informed me of that. It seems he was killed by an arrow."
"...Hmm? No, the story I heard at the inn was that he was crushed by a carriage."
Recalling the gossip from the Dusk Wheat Inn, Rei questioned the cause, but Muet shook his head.
"No, it seems the direct cause of death was an arrow through his chest. The impact knocked him from the coach box, and he was subsequently crushed by the carriage..."
"I see. So, the culprit is, after all...?"
"Yes. While there is no concrete evidence, it was likely a purge at the hands of the King's Faction. However, as for whether it was because he tried to steal the property of Count Eriel's House and flee, or if he was simply caught up in the purge for the shame Lord Keep brought upon the faction... they say it is unclear which it was."
Hearing Muet's words, Rei suspected it was likely the latter. He had no solid proof, but he felt it was probably so.
"Well, with this, there's no one left on their side to cause trouble, so this house should be safe. Oh, regarding the reward for the guards, I'll leave that to you."
"Yes, of course. If Phron-san and her group hadn't been here, I, Basrero, and Ashie would likely be dead. I have no intention of being stingy with the reward for my lifesavers. ...Um, about the reward for Rei-san..."
He trailed off, looking hesitant.
It was natural. The one who had contributed the most in this incident was undoubtedly Rei. Naturally, his fee would be astronomical. Furthermore, Rei was an alias holder and a B-Rank adventurer.
"Ah, right. You don't have to push yourself for now. It can wait until the property from Count Eriel's House arrives."
"...I would feel too apologetic if I did that, so please take at least this much for now."
With those words, Muet handed a bag to Rei.
Inside the bag were three gold coins. It was a sum far from sufficient to hire someone of Rei's caliber, but it was the maximum amount Baron Cisne's House could provide at the moment.
Understanding this, Rei gave a small nod and stored the bag in his Misty Ring without complaint.
"Now that the problem is settled, you'll be able to spend this winter peacefully."
"Yes, indeed. ...To be honest, I never expected to become this busy. Even after the duel ended, I ended up buried in paperwork. Documents like the contract with Lord Daskar."
"Ah, the one about going to Count Eriel's territory to collect the property."
"Yes. I was told that messenger birds have already informed the Royal Capital and Count Eriel's House about the duel, so Lord Daskar said there shouldn't be any issues, but..."
Muet trailed off again, looking far from happy. He clearly anticipated that more trouble would arise.
Yet, he let out a faint sigh of relief, likely glad that he could finally return to his usual routine. For a man who disliked standing out, Muet had been thrust far too deep into the spotlight.
(Though, given how much of a commotion this caused, the name of Baron Cisne's House is undoubtedly burned into the minds of every resident in Gilm.)
Muet wasn't unaware of that fact. It was also certain that his name had become known to the King's Faction, to which Count Eriel's House belonged. While they might enjoy quiet days starting today, things would never truly return to how they were before.
Just then, Rei's gaze was suddenly drawn to the door.
The door swung open, and Basrero burst in.
"Rei-san, I've thought of a finishing move! Won't you come take a look!"
Rei’s use of the Flame Emperor's Crimson Armor during the duel had clearly made a massive impact on the boy. Basrero’s eyes were full of hope and excitement as he set out to create a technique of his own.
(Well, it's good that we were able to protect that smile, at least.)
Seeing Ashie standing behind Basrero, Rei stood up from the sofa with a smile.
"I see, a finishing move. I'd definitely like to see that. Is the courtyard okay?"
"Yes!"
Rei left the room together with Basrero, who beamed with a joyful smile.