Rei recognized the voice coming from the direction of the Dusk Wheat Inn. Leaving the snowman behind, he headed toward the sound.
Seto naturally followed at his heels.
Rei walked on, fully aware of the griffon's presence but not particularly concerned, until the carriage stopped in front of the Dusk Wheat Inn came into view.
It was a carriage, certainly, but it was far from ordinary.
Exquisite decorations were carved into the body, and the components of the vehicle itself were crafted from meticulously selected materials. Rei didn't know exactly what those materials were, but even he could tell at a glance that it was no common transport.
(It looks similar to the magic item carriage Elena rides in. And the horses, too...)
Rei shifted his gaze from the carriage to the pair pulling it.
They were undoubtedly horses, but they weren't just animals. They were clearly horse-type monsters. High-rank ones, at that.
In fact, though Seto seemed wary at Rei’s side, he didn't show any outward signs of fear.
Several people who looked like servants stood near the carriage, providing unmistakable evidence that the voice Rei had heard indeed belonged to the person he suspected. And then...
"Hm, so this is where you were. I quite thought you would be inside the inn."
The person who emerged from within the Dusk Wheat Inn was exactly who Rei had expected.
Despite being a young girl who hadn't yet reached ten years of age, her eyes held a clear light of intelligence. Basrero, the heir to Baron Cisne’s House, was clever for his age, but the girl before Rei obviously possessed a far higher intellect, despite being even younger than the boy.
With her green hair fluttering, the girl broke into a delighted smile upon confirming Rei and Seto’s presence.
"Indeed. The King's Faction is in quite a stir right now following the reports of your exploits... I am most pleased to see you are as well as ever."
"Maruka...?"
When Rei spoke the familiar name, Maruka Quento gave a satisfied nod.
"Indeed. I am glad to see you have not forgotten me!"
This girl, who spoke in a manner far more mature than her appearance suggested, was Maruka Quento. She was the only daughter of Duke Quento—a leading figure of the King's Faction—and the next Duke Quento.
A precocious genius capable of mastering three attributes of magic—Wind, Earth, and Light—she was rumored to be the one who would carry the future of the Kingdom of Mireana’s magic. She had visited Gilm once before and had established a friendship with Rei during that stay.
"It has been a long time, Rei-san."
A smiling man appeared from behind Maruka. Even Rei could tell at a glance that this man was powerful. It was Koan, a magic sworduser and former A-Rank adventurer.
He exuded an approachable atmosphere, but as Maruka's guard, his actual strength was formidable. Beyond his skills as a former A-Rank adventurer, he was utterly devoted to Maruka—who had not lived even a third as long as he had—and would likely stand against a dragon to protect her.
...Then again, as Maruka herself was an exceptionally talented mage, she didn't exactly need a guard all that often.
"Even Koan is here... I’d ask what brings you both to town, but that feels a bit staged."
There was only one reason Rei could imagine for the successor of Duke Quento’s House to come all the way to Gilm in the middle of a snowfall: the duel that had taken place a few weeks ago... or more accurately, the duel incident between Count Eriel's House and Baron Cisne's House.
Even though it was winter, Ranga had already set out for Count Eriel's Territory with a group of escort knights and soldiers to claim half of the assets Keep had wagered. Rei had initially wondered why the Captain of the Guard Force was the one sent for the task, but once he learned that Ranga was one of Daskar's confidants, it made perfect sense.
"Umu. Quite so. My reason for coming is likely exactly what you suspect. Now then, I would like to discuss those matters in private. Is that acceptable?"
The innocent smile Maruka had worn upon reuniting with Rei and Seto vanished, replaced by an expression befitting the next Duke. Rei returned a nod to that serious look.
"Where should we go? I'm sure you don't want others overhearing, so is my room okay? It’s not that big, though."
"Rei's room? Hmm. Any concerns about eavesdroppers?"
"You can basically assume that won't happen at this inn. Even if someone were listening in, it wouldn't be hard for me to sense them. Besides, Koan will be there too, right?"
"Umu. That will suffice. Move the carriage to a place where it won't be an obstruction. I shall be speaking with Rei for a time. Everyone except Koan, wait inside the inn. I hear the food in this dining hall is delicious, and you must all be exhausted after the winter forced march to Gilm and the trip to the Lord's Mansion. Rest well."
At Maruka's command, the butler and attendants near the carriage bowed deeply. Their eyes held a mix of gratitude and concern as they cast trusting looks toward Koan. Rei understood the unspoken message: Should any danger befall Maruka, we leave her in your hands.
"On that note, Landlady. I would like you to let my people rest in the dining hall for a while. This is to compensate for the commotion we have caused, as well as payment for their food and drink."
Maruka handed five gold coins to Lana. Despite a Duke's daughter standing before her, the landlady showed absolutely no surprise on her face, regardless of what she might have been thinking. Five gold coins, however, was a completely unexpected sum. Lana spoke up in a panic.
"Young Lady, this is far too much."
Maruka simply smiled and shook her head.
"Think of it as an inconvenience fee. We have caused trouble by arriving like this. Besides, as a member of Duke Quento’s House, this much is only natural. Please, take it for the sake of my reputation."
Lana hesitated, but she clearly realized that refusing a noble who framed the offer that way would only cause unnecessary friction. She bowed deeply.
"I understand. In that case, I shall see to it that we serve a meal that satisfies everyone."
"Umu, I leave it to you. Now then, Rei. Lead the way."
Urged by Maruka, Rei patted Seto's head, prompting the griffon to return to the stables, and entered the inn. The attendants showed expressions of surprise as Seto returned to his stall without a single verbal command.
(And why do you have such a smug look on your face?)
Rei offered a silent rebuttal to Mirene, who was puffing out her chest as if to say, Seto-chan is amazing, isn't he? The reason she didn't seem all that surprised by the arrival of the next Duke was likely because she was already used to nobles... or more likely, because her attention was focused entirely on Seto.
Watching Lana approach Mirene out of the corner of his eye, Rei guided Maruka and Koan to his room.
"Oho, so this is Rei's room. It seems a bit lonely, with so few belongings."
Those were the first words out of Maruka's mouth as she entered and looked around. Koan nodded in agreement.
"Well, I keep most of my necessary gear in my item box. It's more convenient to move quickly that way. It’s just a plain room, but please, take a seat. It might be a bit crude for a Duke's daughter."
Rei gestured toward the chair near the desk. In truth, his words were borderline disrespectful. Any other noble possessed of nothing but pride would have turned red with rage at the perceived insult. However, Maruka showed no sign of taking offense. If anything, she sat down with an amused smile. Koan took his place behind her as her guard.
"For now, have some of this."
Rei offered fruit water in cups. It was a luxury he had purchased in the summer and stored in the Misty Ring—something that normally couldn't be enjoyed at this time of year.
"Ho. This is... umu. An item box is truly a convenient thing."
Maruka broke into a happy smile and took a sip. Ordinarily, a girl of her status would require a food taster, but she showed no concern. While she trusted Rei, she also possessed a magic item for detecting poison.
"Ho, ho, ho. Umu, it is cold and sweet. Drinking this in winter is normally problematic, but it is warm enough inside this inn that it poses no issue."
Savoring the sweet and tart flavor, Maruka drained the cup in one go. Once she set it down and exhaled, her expression shifted from that of a young girl to that of a proper high-rank noble. Koan erased his presence so as not to disturb her and stood quietly at the ready.
"Now then, you said you understood the reason why I have come to the frontier of Gilm at this time of year, did you not?"
"Yeah. It’s about the duel incident, right?"
At Rei's blunt answer, Maruka nodded.
"I have come here as my father's proxy. More accurately, as the proxy of Duke Quento, a leading figure of the King's Faction."
She paused for a moment and looked at Rei. Seeing that his expression hadn't changed, she let out a small sigh.
"I have come as the proxy of a Duke, you know? Could you not show a bit more surprise?"
"It’s not like it’s bad news, right? Then there's no need to be surprised."
"Oho? Why do you think so? The opponent you fought in the duel was the next head of Count Eriel's House. To be honest, I did not particularly like the man, but he was still a fellow member of the King's Faction. For such a person to lose half of his family's fortune... if I were to arrive under those circumstances, would one not normally assume the news was unfavorable?"
Rei merely shrugged and took a drink of his fruit water.
"I might not look it, but I'm reasonably valued by Lord Daskar. If this were something fatally bad for me, I'm sure a message would have come ahead of time. Besides..."
Rei stopped speaking and finished the thought in his mind.
(Lord Daskar saw firsthand just how much power I have during the war that occurred in spring last year. If something was going to happen that would turn Gilm into a pile of ash, he’d at least tell me to leave the city before it started.)
Rei didn't think Daskar—who had seen the Bestia Imperial Army's lead unit collapse entirely due to Rei’s Firestorm—would go out of his way to let Rei go on a rampage inside Gilm.
"Hm? What was the 'besides'?"
"No, it's nothing. Anyway, all I did was act as a proxy and win a duel. Knowing Lord Daskar's personality, I don't think he'd let me be thrown under the bus. Although..."
With a malicious grin, Rei continued.
"It might be a different story if that Count Eriel's House is actually worth helping, even if it means turning the Neutral Faction into enemies."
Behind his words was a sharp implication: Is a house whose next head is a man like Keep really worth that much? If Maruka had said they were valuable, Rei would have been at a loss, but fortunately, she smiled and nodded with satisfaction.
"Umu, quite so. It is true that Count Eriel's House held a reasonably large amount of power within the faction, but that was only 'reasonably.' Replacements are easily found. However, it is also a fact that a noble of the King's Faction has been shamed beyond measure."
"Lamentable," Maruka sighed. She looked at her empty cup, then at Rei, and then at the cup again. Understanding the demand, Rei took another fruit water out of the Misty Ring and handed it to her. Taking the cup happily, Maruka continued.
"However, the fault in this incident clearly lies with Lord Keep. If we punished you for this, the King's Faction would become a laughingstock. But... within our faction, there are many fools with loud voices who refuse to understand that logic. Therefore..."
Maruka, wearing a smile as if she were plotting something, whispered a decisive sentence.
"Rei, how would you like to serve as an instructor for a while?"
"...Huh?"
Unable to grasp the meaning behind her words, all Rei could do was let out a dumbfounded sound.