That day, Galahat was doing paperwork at his estate in his capacity as Chairman of the Azoth Firm.
He had never originally possessed much knowledge of that sort of work, and for a while after becoming Chairman, he had struggled with various difficulties.
He believed he had endured his fair share of hardships as an adventurer, but this was an entirely different kind of struggle.
Meeting with the bigwigs of other firms, and even meeting with Daskar, the lord of Gilm... In that way, he experienced hardships unlike anything he had known before.
Of course, it wasn't as if he had never met such important figures before.
But that was strictly as an adventurer, which was a different matter entirely from meeting them as the Chairman of the Azoth Firm.
As he handled such responsibilities, he often thought that while Boluntar had been a problematic older brother, the fact that he had managed to hold the Azoth Firm together was genuinely impressive.
Still, after years of working as Chairman, one naturally grew accustomed to the job.
The current Galahat was fully capable of carrying out his duties as Chairman.
Today as well, he went through various documents submitted from below, signed them, and questioned the person in charge if anything seemed amiss.
Having worked in that manner, he had grown a little tired and was taking a break.
(Spring, huh. If I were an adventurer, this would be the busiest season right now.)
Having been an adventurer himself, Galahat thought to himself as he gazed out the window with a sense of nostalgia.
He recalled his days as an adventurer and felt a twinge of fondness.
He had possessed a fair amount of confidence in his abilities, but because Boluntar knew of that strength, he had been used to his brother's advantage.
Even so, he had endured it, thinking it was for the sake of his family... and the result of that was his current self... and Boluntar's current state, whose whereabouts remained unknown.
The one who had dealt that blow wasn't Galahat, who had endured his brother's abuse for years, but Rei, whom Boluntar had tried to provoke. It was only natural that he found a certain irony in it.
With Rei, though they had no public dealings now, their current relationship could still be described as reasonably good.
"...Hm?"
Galahat, who had just been thinking about Rei, suddenly heard the sound of footsteps running toward his office.
Since they were making that much noise, it was certain they weren't an assassin or anything of the sort.
Even so, just to be safe, he reached for the longsword that he simply couldn't bring himself to part with even after becoming Chairman.
Of course, he didn't actually think it would be necessary.
But having been an adventurer longer than a Chairman, the habit was hard to break.
Thinking that to himself, Galahat turned his gaze toward the door...
"Galahat-san, we have a problem!"
The one who burst into the office as if kicking the door down was Mult.
He was someone who revered Galahat like a real brother, and he had been involved alongside Galahat when the Azoth Firm had clashed with Rei.
"What's wrong, Mult? Why the pale face?"
"Hah, hah, hah... G-Galahat-san... Rei is here."
"...Rei?"
He hadn't expected Rei to show up at exactly the right moment while he was thinking about him, and it came as a surprise to Galahat.
For one thing, Rei was supposed to be avoiding any overt involvement with the Azoth Firm at present.
Yet, why? For a moment he wondered, but judging that there must be some business, he opened his mouth.
"I see, then show him to the guest room. I'll go greet him right—"
"No! That's not it!"
Mult shouted, cutting off Galahat's words.
It was then that Galahat noticed something was off about Mult.
Furrowing his brows slightly, he spoke.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
"According to the gatekeeper who reported to me, Rei is apparently furious. Fortunately, it seems no harm has come to the gatekeepers yet, but..."
"...What?"
Among those who had been working at the Azoth Firm for a long time, it was safe to say there was no one who would want to clash with Rei.
Naturally, Galahat had no memory of giving any orders that would provoke a conflict with Rei.
In other words, the current situation was completely unexpected... and understanding what Rei's anger could bring, Galahat's cheek twitched.
"Did someone lay a hand on Rei?"
"I don't think there's anyone that reckless, but..."
The reason Mult couldn't say that with certainty was because several years had passed since the Azoth Firm had clashed with Rei.
It wasn't impossible that someone who had joined the firm during that time had judged they could handle it and gone after Rei...
Of course, those who had been with the Azoth Firm from the start had been warned not to do anything that would put them at odds with Rei, but it was impossible to say there weren't any young newcomers harboring a sense of invincibility.
That was why he had hedged his words.
The Azoth Firm had downsized from before, but it was still one of the largest firms in Gilm.
Given that, it was only natural that the number of people employed there was substantial.
"In any case, if Rei has come, show him to the guest room. I don't know what happened to make him that angry, but I'll hear him out."
The news that Rei was angry was not easy on the stomach.
But even so, Galahat knew from his past interactions that Rei was not the type to simply refuse to listen.
If he were to go on a rampage without question, this estate would already be in ruins.
Because of that, Galahat was able to remain at least slightly calm.
...Though the prospect of having to converse with an angry Rei was dealing a steady, subtle mental damage to him.
Mult must have understood that as well. He gave a quick nod and left the office.
The new gatekeeper who had come to report was in no state to be of any use.
Also, when it came to explaining the situation to Rei, it would be better for someone who knew Rei, even slightly, to speak with him directly rather than someone who knew nothing.
That was the reasoning behind his action.
(My stomach...)
Though over his leather armor, Mult gently rubbed his stomach.
Perhaps not to the same extent as Galahat, but this incident was apparently dealing heavy damage to Mult's stomach as well.
When the Azoth Firm had previously clashed with Rei, Mult had initially taken hostile action against him, but he now understood just how reckless that had been.
...Though, to be fair, the main reason he had been hostile toward Rei was because the Galahat he admired had been slighted by him.
It wasn't as if he had been hostile for no reason at all.
And as the conflict with the Azoth Firm continued, Mult came to understand just what kind of power Rei possessed.
(My stomach hurts. Why the hell is Rei that angry?)
Exiting the estate, Mult headed toward the gate.
He didn't let it show on his face, but seeing Rei's demeanor at the gate made him feel as though his already aching stomach was hurting even more.
Still, making sure not to let the pain show, he arrived at the gate and spoke.
"It's been a while, Rei."
"Yeah. One way or another, we haven't had a chance to meet face-to-face like this until now."
"Hahaha. Well, even so, as long as you're in Gilm, news of your exploits reaches our ears. It seems you've been making quite a splash."
He called out in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere between himself and Rei.
But that was by no means mere flattery.
It was a fact that he had heard plenty about Rei's exploits.
"So, are the beauty and the little girl there the ones who've been traveling with you lately?"
"Yeah. We just formed a party today, actually. ...However, on the very day we finally formed a party, someone left an alchemist I know with life-threatening injuries and stole a Magic Item I had entrusted to him."
At those words, Mult understood why Rei was angry. Understood, and was devastated by it.
Rei was originally merciless toward his enemies but deeply loyal to his allies.
Given what he had just described, it was only natural for him to be this furious.
Above all, the fact that someone had stolen Rei's Magic Item was huge.
The reason the Azoth Firm had previously clashed with Rei was because they had tried to seize his Magic Items.
Considering that, Rei showing up at the Azoth Firm for a similar reason this time might be called fate.
(No thanks, I don't want that kind of fate!)
Rejecting that fate with every fiber of his being, Mult opened his mouth as carefully as he could so as not to provoke Rei... and so as not to offend anyone else in his party.
"That's... quite the fool. There shouldn't be anyone who doesn't know what happens when you make an enemy of Rei in Gilm."
Looking at it within the context of Gilm, making an enemy of Rei was tantamount to a death blow in the most violent sense.
Furthermore, those who doted on Set, Rei's Tamed Monster, were naturally merciless toward anyone who antagonized the one Set was bonded to.
But... if Rei was here and in a foul mood, it was clear who the target of that death blow would be.
(Who the hell did something so stupid!? ...No, maybe there's a chance it's some kind of misunderstanding...)
Given that Rei had come all the way here, that possibility was terrifyingly low.
He understood that, yet still clung to those words like a drowning man to a spider's thread.
However, in response to Mult's words, Rei fixed him with a glare brimming with intimidation, befitting of the alias holder Crimson, and spoke.
"You're right. I thought so too. And yet, of all places, it was a firm that had been through exactly the same thing and suffered miserably for it. And the current Chairman of that firm is Galahat, who was directly involved back then."
"No!"
Before Rei could even finish his sentence, Mult voiced his denial.
It was a reflexive reaction.
Which was exactly why Rei felt a sense of incongruity facing Mult like this.
Wasn't he being a little too desperate for someone who had chosen to make an enemy of him?
Of course, Rei knew full well how much power he held.
Given that, he could somewhat understand someone confronting him head-on, but Mult's expression right now didn't look like acting at all.
There was a thought that Mult might simply possess extraordinary acting skills, but from what he could see, that possibility seemed nonexistent.
These were words born from genuine, heartfelt concern for Galahat.
But... the moment he let his guard down lasted only an instant.
"Then why is the scent of the person who attacked my alchemist and stole my Magic Item leading into this estate?"
"...What?"
Dumbfounded words spilled from Mult's mouth.
Given that Rei had come to the Azoth Firm, it was certain there was some reason behind it.
But that the person who had done it was inside this estate... that was somewhat unexpected.
"Is that true?"
"Are you doubting Set's sense of smell? Not to brag, but Set's sense of smell is superior not just to a human's, but to a dog's."
A monster based on a feline lion, but a dog? Mult questioned it for only a moment, but there was no way he could nitpick something like that right now.
He hurriedly turned his gaze to the gatekeeper and shouted sharply.
"Was there anyone who entered the estate before Rei and his party arrived!?"
"Um, yes. Coris came by saying he had business, a little while ago..."
"How long ago, specifically?"
"...Just a few minutes before Rei-san and the others arrived, I'd say."
"That's probably it," Rei muttered at the gatekeeper's words.
The person who had attacked Asimov had fled the scene around the same time Rei and his party arrived at Asimov's house.
After that, Rei had healed Asimov's injuries with a potion, left him in Marina's care, and then pursued the scent alongside Set, Vihera, and Byune. Chronologically, it made perfect sense.
"By the way, did anyone else come besides Coris?"
"Well... Sols came by about an hour ago."
"We can rule that one out. ...In any case, as long as this Coris person is the one who stole my Magic Item, I'd like to have a word with him."
"Calm down, Rei."
Rei pressed toward Mult with an intimidating intensity, but Vihera restrained him, placing a hand on his shoulder as if to hold him back.
"If they're inside this estate, they shouldn't be able to escape even if they wanted to. Besides, with Set here, you can safely consider the Sleipnir boots already recovered, right? ...Hey, your name was Mult, wasn't it? Until this matter is resolved, could you make sure no one leaves the estate grounds, including this Coris person?"
All Mult could do in response to that request was silently nod, to prove that they... that the Azoth Firm had no intention of opposing Rei.