"Ah, I can see Gilm now. ...This was an exhausting request in more ways than one."
Mirene muttered as she gazed at the distant shape of Gilm—or more precisely, the walls surrounding it.
Though they rode on horseback, their pace was by no means fast.
That was only natural. It wasn't just herself; Ekril was riding behind her.
In the end, Ekril never regained consciousness even when it was time to depart, so they ultimately had to tie her hands in front of Mirene's torso to keep her from falling off the horse.
Given her condition, there was no way they could manage at a trot.
As a result, they were unable to rendezvous with the others who had each fled separately from the site of the Cyclops battle.
"I just hope Rei-san smoothed things over with them."
Yohanna muttered with a sigh from atop the horse advancing alongside Mirene.
Incidentally, there was no one riding behind Yohanna.
Vihera and Byune shared one horse, while Deetz and Surnin shared another, which left Yohanna as the only one riding alone.
"Well, it'll be fine. Knowing Rei, I'm sure he's handling it one way or another."
"No, Vihera-sama. If anything, precisely because it's Rei-san, I'd say it's probably turned into a huge commotion..."
When Yohanna replied to Vihera's words, everyone who heard it nodded.
...The fact that even Vihera, who had first said it would be fine, was nodding meant that everyone had already accepted just how beloved by trouble Rei was.
The light of the setting sun dyeing the sky red soaked their surroundings in deep crimson, as if to demonstrate just how much trouble loved Rei.
"W-well, if it's Rei-san, even if he got caught up in some kind of commotion, he'd probably just greet us casually as if nothing happened, you know?"
What Deetz said rang true as well.
Rei always seemed to be caught up in trouble, but as long as he and his partner Set were around, one couldn't help but feel that most things would somehow work out.
That was only natural, given the track record Rei had built up.
"B-by the way, there sure are a lot of people walking along the highway. I suppose that's because it's spring?"
Sensing the subtle atmosphere around them, Surnin changed the subject.
At his words, those on horseback turned their gazes toward the highway.
The forest they had entered to subjugate the Cyclops was located a fair distance from the road.
That was precisely why, upon emerging from the forest, the group had directed their horses toward the highway for easier travel.
Those walking toward the highway to merge with it were not just Mirene's party, who had taken the Cyclops subjugation request.
There were also a considerable number of adventurers who had likely taken other requests.
Furthermore, there were many merchants and travelers hurrying toward Gilm.
"Seeing a sight like this... it really feels like we somehow made it back from that hell."
As she murmured while watching the people rushing toward Gilm, Mirene's expression was filled with relief beyond compare.
Naturally. What was supposed to be a subjugation request for a single Cyclops had turned out to be five Cyclops upon discovery, plus a red Cyclops, and then two additional Cyclops on top of that.
Given that a C-Rank party could fight evenly against only one Cyclops, they had survived by the slimmest of margins.
No—if Rei and the others hadn't come as reinforcements, they would have certainly lost their lives.
Mirene fully understood that being an adventurer was a job where one risked their own life to earn money.
This request had reminded her of that fact for the first time in a while, and Mirene let out a heavy sigh.
(Ekril was injured, but even so, it was only minor. Considering that, I can only call it sheer luck. ...Was I unknowingly becoming overconfident?)
Even as she reflected on this, she kept advancing on horseback, grateful for the fortune of having survived, when...
"Ugh... mnn..."
A groan suddenly reached her ears from behind.
Hearing it, Mirene hastily turned around.
What she found there was Ekril, wearing a look of utter bewilderment, unable to comprehend what was going on.
"...Mirene-san? Huh? I can't move my hands."
"Good grief, you idiot, always pushing yourself too far. ...Is anywhere hurting?"
Still holding the reins, Mirene used a knife to cut the rope that had been tied around Ekril's hands in front of her body to prevent her from falling off the horse.
Apparently delighted that her hands were finally free, Ekril stretched broadly atop the horse... but the moment she stretched with all her might, her movement stopped.
"Ow, ow!? That hurts!?"
"That's to be expected. The potion healed your cuts, but bruises don't go away that quickly."
"Bruises? Cuts? ...Ah!"
It took Ekril a few seconds to process what Mirene was saying, but she soon remembered what she had been doing right before losing consciousness.
"Mirene-san, the Cyclops!? ...Wait, Gilm? Huh? Then, did we escape?"
"Wrong. That red Cyclops, and the seven Cyclops that were there—all of them have been defeated."
"That monster? No wait, seven? Didn't you mean five?"
Ekril muttered, seemingly unable to comprehend what Mirene was saying.
Mirene sighed and continued.
"You held the Cyclops off for us, and at the place we fled to... where we had the carriages and horses waiting, there were two more Cyclops."
"Huh? ...You guys were lucky to make it out alive."
Two Cyclops ahead, five Cyclops closing in from behind. And behind those, the red Cyclops.
There was no way the number of people who had participated in this request could have handled that.
"That's right. Under normal circumstances, that might have been the case. But there was someone who could fight the red Cyclops, right? You were saved by Set-chan and Rei."
The fact that Set's name came first clearly revealed which one Mirene considered more important.
"I see. With Rei and Set around, the Cyclops would be manageable somehow. ...So, who are those two over there? The one in the flashy outfit, and the child."
The figures reflected in Ekril's gaze were, without a doubt, Vihera and Byune.
From an outsider's perspective, it was a rather odd pairing, and from Ekril's perspective, that assessment was no different.
"Vihera and Byune. Apparently they're Rei's acquaintances. Yohanna and the others seem to know them too. Though it looks like Yohanna and the others don't know the child."
While they were having this conversation, the others naturally noticed the exchange between Mirene and Ekril.
"Ekril, are you awake? How are you feeling? I didn't think your wounds were that deep, but..."
Surnin, who had been riding behind Deetz, called out with concern.
In response, Ekril smiled and nodded.
"I'm fine. The bruises still hurt a bit, but it's not bad enough that I can't move."
"I see. That's good to hear."
He had assumed she would be fine after using a potion to close her wounds, but hearing her confirm it herself was what finally put his mind at ease. Surnin breathed a sigh of relief.
While they conversed, the group reached the highway and proceeded toward Gilm.
Then, as the party arrived near Gilm's gate...
"I'm telling you, it's true! There are seven Cyclops! At this rate, even Gilm will be in danger!"
That voice reached Mirene and the others' ears.
Recognizing the familiar voice—and above all, the mention of seven Cyclops—they immediately understood who was shouting.
"Yeesh... he got here before us. Well, it's not surprising, though."
Seeing her comrade, Yohanna sighed and urged her horse forward.
"Hey, calm down. That matter is already taken care of."
Since it was evening, there were many people around.
Because of that, the man shouting at the guards stood out more than anyone could have.
"Yohanna!? And... Vihera-sama!?"
"Yes, yes. That's already been handled. Just relax for now. The Cyclops situation is already resolved."
As Yohanna nodded, the guards chimed in to confirm.
"We've already heard from Rei about the Cyclops. That's been taken care of."
"Rei-san? Huh? Why?"
At the name Rei coming from the guard's mouth, the man from the Former Mobile Unit turned to look at Yohanna with a bewildered expression.
"Deetz went to fetch reinforcements. Vihera-sama came with him."
"Oh... wait, that's not what I'm asking! Why is Vihera-sama here!?"
"Enough, calm down. Making a scene here is only going to bother other people."
Saying that, Yohanna glanced around at their surroundings.
Among the gathered crowd, the man had been shouting at the guards in such a loud voice that his figure stood out tremendously.
Furthermore, with the approaching horse... or more precisely, the sight of Vihera riding atop it, it was only natural that they would draw this much attention.
Noticing that attention, Yohanna grabbed the man's hand.
"Come on, get over here. You're standing out."
"R-right. Yeah..."
Yohanna pulled the man, who still looked utterly bewildered by what was happening, and tried to move him away from the line of people waiting to enter Gilm.
A guard called out to her.
"There were a few others who came saying the same thing as that man. Of course, we've already told them Rei took care of it, so don't worry."
"Really? Thanks."
Offering her thanks to the guard, she continued pulling the man along.
The man hadn't understood what had happened at first, but hearing about Rei, he could more or less piece it together.
...The fact that he accepted it with just "because it's Rei" was probably because he knew Rei well.
That assumption was not mistaken. After hearing the explanation from Yohanna, Mirene, and the others in a spot away from the line, the man was actually convinced.
"So, it's safe to assume there's no danger to Gilm, then?"
"Yes, that's right."
"...And."
The man paused, then turned his gaze toward Vihera.
"So, why is Vihera-sama here?"
"Apparently she was planning to reunite with Rei once spring came. It came up a few times when we were heading to Gilm—don't you remember?"
"No, not at all."
"Really? Well, anyway, that's the reason."
"And that child?"
"She's apparently Vihera-sama's partner from the Labyrinth City where she was hiding."
"..."
The man fell silent for a moment, unable to process what Yohanna had just said. But once he understood she wasn't joking, he stared blankly at Byune.
Byune remained as expressionless as ever, leaning against Vihera—who was riding in front of her on the horse, cradling the girl—and using Vihera's ample bosom as a cushion. From any man's perspective, it was a sight that could inspire nothing but envy.
The man had been captivated by that sight, but noticing this, Yohanna struck him on the head.
What rang out was not a light sound, but a dull thud like a stick hitting meat.
"Oww!"
"Listen here. Stop giving Vihera-sama those strange looks. For one thing, even if you lusted after Vihera-sama, she has feelings for Rei-san, so it's pointless. Completely pointless."
"...Lust, really... at least call it admiration."
"Hmph, and what are you talking about after looking at Vihera-sama with those eyes? Anyway, you understand the situation now, right? Then let's go."
Saying that, she headed back toward where Mirene and the others were waiting.
The man followed after Yohanna, and though he still couldn't quite accept what had just transpired, he got back in line to complete the procedures for entering Gilm.
(Wait... did I even need to get back in line?)
The man thought that for a moment, but since he had already stepped out of the line, he judged that saying anything now would be pointless and got back in line.
After completing the procedures and entering Gilm, he started walking down the street, deciding he should return the borrowed horse first and then head to the Guild...
"Vihera!"
Amidst all that, a voice suddenly rang out.
At that familiar voice, Vihera, Byune, and the others turned their gazes—and there stood Rei.
Along with two men: one who looked at a glance like a bandit boss... specifically, a major boss commanding hundreds of underlings, with a rugged appearance to match, and another man who looked somewhat displeased.
"Oh, Rei. Perfect timing to regroup. ...What is it?"
Vihera waved lightly in greeting to Rei, but when she noticed that the look Rei was directing at her was a serious one, she tilted her head.
Approaching Vihera, perhaps understanding that they were drawing the attention of those around them, Rei spoke softly into her ear.
"There's a possibility that Kabajid's agents are involved in this incident."