Rei's party had been making their way toward the Guild, but they weren't making as much progress as expected.
The reason being...
"Ah, isn't that Set-chan? And Rei too! It's been such a long time. I heard you were away on a request all winter, but I'm glad to see you looking well. How about it? Care to have a bite to eat before you go?"
"Hey, Set! Long time no see. How about some skewers? I can't offer you Gamelion meat, but we've got some quality Orc in today!"
"If it's skewers you want, I've got Kelpie right here. Melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the flavor is simply exquisite!"
"Rei, how about a sandwich? Packed full of ham we cured this winter. We've also got some with fresh spring vegetables—those are mighty tasty too."
"Ah, it's Rei and Set! We've got freshly baked bread. How about it? I'll throw in a little extra for you."
"How about some udon? Our technique's improved while you were away, Rei. It's gotten even tastier!"
"We've got river fish skewers too! Spring's brought in the seasonal catch—grilled with a sprinkle of salt. Absolutely delicious."
They were being called out to, one after another, by the owners and clerks of the stalls and food stands lining the road to the Guild.
Rei and Set had always been the best customers in Gilm, at least when it came to the sheer amount of food they bought.
Since Rei had been gone for most of the winter, the shopkeepers who relied on his patronage had been left sorely disappointed.
Of course, Rei's purchases alone weren't what kept their businesses afloat, so it wasn't as if any shops were in danger of closing. Still, falling short of their expected income had clearly been a significant blow.
"Whoa, that's incredible. How come you and the master are so popular?"
Magita stared in astonishment as Rei and Set were flagged down every few steps.
Byune was munching on bread and skewers, petting Set while it ate fish, and occasionally buying snacks for herself.
Meanwhile, Vihera was keeping an eye on Byune when...
"Hey there, miss. Are you in a party with Rei, or is it... that kind of relationship?"
"I wonder. Personally, I'm hoping for that kind of relationship."
"Hahaha! Well, with a woman as attractive as you, Rei's heart is bound to be moved sooner or later."
The sandwich stall owner said this as he handed Vihera a sandwich.
"Oh, thank you. How much do I—"
"Don't worry about it. Having a beauty like you favor my shop will be good for business. Besides, it pays to stay on good terms with a skilled adventurer."
The stall owner treated Vihera as a proper adventurer—not as a dancer or a prostitute.
His attitude brought a smile to Vihera's lips.
Not a practiced smile, nor one meant to provoke men, but a genuine smile of pure happiness.
Though she wore gauntlets and greaves, most who laid eyes on Vihera paid no attention to such things. Instead, their gazes were drawn to her alluring figure and glamorous beauty.
Naturally, Vihera had no intention of changing that—it served her well in drawing out fights. Even so, being recognized as a genuine adventurer was something that genuinely pleased her.
It was a discerning eye born from doing business in Gilm, where adventurers gathered in droves, and not far from the Guild at that.
"Is that so? Then I'll be sure to stop by again. These sandwiches are delicious too."
The combination of sauce-glazed grilled meat and vegetables, their textures mingling in her mouth, suited Vihera's palate perfectly.
Having taken a genuine liking to the sandwich she'd been given, Vihera thanked the owner and hurried after Rei and the others, who were a short distance ahead.
The owner watched her retreating back, then turned a complex expression toward Rei—one tinged with both jealousy and pity.
He understood all too well that if they continued on to the Guild like this, trouble was inevitable.
It was already common knowledge in these parts that Kenny, one of the Guild's receptionists, had her sights set on Rei.
Bringing a beauty like Vihera into that situation would naturally cause a scene.
"Well, going around with a beauty like that—consider it a fame tax. Let's see who comes out on top."
The owner muttered to himself, then reached for the sandwich that a passing adventurer had just ordered.
"...It wasn't that far a distance, yet it took us quite a while."
Vihera offered a wry smile, and Rei stroked Set as he spoke.
"It's because we've been gone for about two months. Set's a favorite, and everyone wanted to play with it. Good thing there weren't many kids around—if there had been, it would've taken even longer."
"Guruu..."
Hearing Rei's words, Set let out an apologetic purr.
Rei quickly stroked its head and spoke again.
"I'm not blaming you, so don't worry about it. I've always known how well-loved you are. Besides, I'm in no position to talk either."
As he said this, Rei glanced down at the Misty Ring on his right hand.
They had purchased a considerable amount of food on the way here.
Since they had bought far more than they could carry, most of it now sat stored inside the Misty Ring.
He could probably have forced himself to eat it all, but he didn't want to waste the food that had been so generously prepared for him.
Many shops had celebrated his return by throwing in extras. Items like skewers, which cooled quickly, were stored in the Misty Ring—whenever he felt like eating, he could pull them out and enjoy them as if freshly grilled.
With that in mind, there was no need to stuff himself here.
"Set, we're going to take care of some business at the Guild. Wait here a bit, okay?"
Even as he said this, it was obvious from the several figures lurking nearby that Set would have no shortage of company while waiting.
The moment Rei stepped away and Set settled into its usual spot, people would flock to fuss over it.
Spring had brought an influx of people unfamiliar with Set and Rei, but the unspoken rule was that those nearby would explain the situation to any newcomers.
Just as a senior adventurer had done for the two who had tried to approach Vihera.
That was precisely why Rei could leave Set here without worry and head to the Guild.
Though the urging looks Magita kept sending him were also a compelling reason to get inside quickly.
The moment they entered the Guild, Rei's group became the center of attention.
It being daytime, there were fewer adventurers than usual—but that only made Rei's party stand out more.
"Hey, wasn't Rei supposed to be off on some long-distance request?"
"Maybe it finished, and he came back?"
"Wait, huh? Who are those people with Rei? An incredibly beautiful woman, a kid, and some cocky-looking guy."
"...Haven't seen those faces in Gilm before, have you?"
"Strong. That much I can tell."
"That little girl is cute. She seems quiet, but that just makes you want to protect her more."
"Bringing a woman that gorgeous in here... Some idiot's definitely going to try hitting on her. And then Rei'll start a scene."
"Tch. Must be nice... I'd pay gold coins—no, platinum coins—for a night with a woman like that."
"You idiot, knock it off. You'll get on Rei's bad side."
"Rei being with someone else is pretty unusual."
"The woman and kid are fine, but what's with the cocky-looking one?"
"Maybe they're a party? Rei usually goes solo, but he does team up for requests sometimes, right? Like with Scorching Wind."
"Oh... but why that guy? He looks pretty weak compared to the rest of that group. He could probably beat the little girl, but from the way she moves, she looks like a thief-type."
Such whispers drifted in from all corners of the room.
Rei paid them no particular mind, treating it as business as usual—and Vihera was the same.
Both of them tended to attract attention in various ways, so they were well accustomed to such stares.
Byune was utterly unfazed by the attention focused on her.
However...
"Who's the one who made fun of me?! Step forward!"
Magita, who had misplaced confidence in his own strength, was a different story.
He could accept that he couldn't beat Rei or Vihera.
But that was because they were simply too strong—or so he told himself. He remained firmly convinced that he wouldn't lose to just any adventurer.
That might have been fine in Sablusta, but this was Gilm. The only frontier territory in the Kingdom of Mireana, and a magnet for adventurers from far and wide.
If he'd had the eye to read an opponent's strength, he would have realized that most of the people in this Guild were stronger than him.
...The reason none of the adventurers stepped forward to confront Magita was likely because they assumed he was Rei's companion.
Rei struck Magita lightly in the lower back with his fist—a fox borrowing a tiger's fearsome reputation.
"Light" though it was, that was only by Rei's own standards.
To Magita, the impact felt like being bludgeoned with a club. He tried to whirl around and glare at Rei... but the instant he met Rei's eyes, a chill ran down his spine.
"I told you, didn't I? There are plenty of people here stronger than you. Even among the adventurers in this room right now, any number of them could take you. Develop the ability to read an opponent's strength before you start running your mouth. ...Vihera, Byune, let's go. Magita, you stay here and look over some request sheets."
Leaving the frozen Magita where he stood, Rei led Vihera and Byune toward the counter.
Naturally, his destination was Lenora, who had essentially become his designated receptionist.
Beside Lenora, Kenny fixed her gaze on Rei with a complicated expression—simultaneously happy and sad.
It was only natural. The man she harbored feelings for had just walked in with a woman who was clearly more beautiful than herself—and an adventurer, no less.
If Rei had come to the Guild alone, or even with just Magita or Byune, she wouldn't have worn such an expression.
"Welcome back, Rei-san. I'm glad to see you've returned safely. So, since you're back safe and sound, I assume the request has been completed?"
Lenora, though not to the same degree as Kenny, wore a somewhat strained smile as she addressed Rei.
To Lenora, who thought of Rei as a younger brother, Vihera was someone who couldn't be fully trusted—precisely because of her beauty.
The thought of a bad bug attaching itself to her little brother was, frankly, how Lenora felt.
Though it was also undeniably true that Vihera's ample curves bore at least some responsibility for that assessment.
"Yeah. This is the request completion signature."
Rei handed Lenora a piece of paper he retrieved from the Misty Ring.
The document bore Maruka's signature as proof of completion, confirming without question that Rei had fulfilled his assignment as an instructor at the Officer Academy.
"How was the City of Gracial? It must have been quite crowded."
"Yeah. I always thought Gilm was plenty big, but Gracial was on a whole other level. Though when it comes to sheer liveliness, Gilm doesn't lose out."
"This is the frontier, after all. Expanding the city is inevitably difficult. ...Lord Daskar seems to be troubled by that very issue."
"Troubled? There's already a foundation in Gilm, so what's there to worry about?"
Rei said this, genuinely not understanding what Lenora meant—but it was Vihera who spoke up before Lenora could answer.
"Listen, Rei. If you wanted to expand Gilm beyond its current size, you'd first have to tear down the walls surrounding the city. And not just a little—we're talking about a large-scale demolition. That would affect the entire wall structure. On top of that, destroying the walls means you'd have to temporarily and completely deactivate the barrier protecting the sky overhead. It wouldn't be like normal circumstances."
You understand what that would mean, don't you? Vihera's gaze seemed to ask.
Flying monsters were far from rare.
And in a frontier region, their variety and numbers were especially high.
The only reason Gilm remained safe was the barrier stretched over the city like a lid.
Minor damage to the city walls wouldn't be a problem, but tearing them down to expand the city would have consequences that simply couldn't be avoided.
Rei, too, was aware of the barrier that shielded the sky.
"So then... Rei-kun. Are you going to tell me about the person standing next to you, or not?"
Kenny cut into Lenora's conversation, her ears twitching as she spoke.