A few days had passed since Rei received the secret request from Daskar.
Just before the six o'clock morning bell rang, Rei and his party gathered in front of Gilm's Main Gate.
Bound for Rossi in Reblurina were five people—Rei, Elena, Marina, Vihera, and Byune—along with two creatures, Set and Ielo. Ara had also come to see off Elena and the others. Then there was Daskar, the client behind this request, with his guards, and Amaros, the alchemist who had crafted the basket.
With such a group assembled, plus a massive basket large enough to hold several people, drawing attention was inevitable.
Moreover, Gilm currently swelled with people thanks to the expansion construction. Merchants in particular, recognizing this as prime earning season, hauled in massive quantities of supplies only to depart and return again in an endless cycle.
There was no way they wouldn't stand out.
"Does everyone understand how to use the Mirage Basket?"
Standing before the basket—officially named the Mirage Basket, an idea apparently conceived by Marina and the others—Amaros addressed everyone except Rei. Naturally. Since Rei would be riding on Set's back, Elena and the others would be the ones actually operating the Mirage Basket.
Not that the explanation was particularly complicated. When magic stones ran low, a box designed to accept them would issue a warning. All they had to do was insert more stones into it.
Once fed, the Mirage Basket would activate automatically, and the Murder Chameleon leather would blend into the surrounding scenery.
However, since it actually shifted colors to match the landscape from roughly one minute prior, it was only practical for use in the sky. For example, if Set had been flying through blue skies a minute ago and then dipped beneath a cloud, there would be a lone patch of blue sky amidst the clouds—a subtly inconvenient quirk.
Furthermore, while the Mirage Basket could camouflage itself to fool the eye, Set, who carried it, could not be hidden separately.
Even so, the fact that it made them harder to spot meant it was still useful.
"Now then, Rei. I'm counting on you."
While Elena and the others listened to Amaros explain the Mirage Basket's operation, Daskar called out to Rei.
"Yes, leave it to me. I'll make sure those who dared meddle with Gilm receive a fitting punishment. They seem likely to have quite a few magic items, too."
Rei did feel that Gilm had been underestimated and targeted with meddling, but the biggest reason he had accepted Daskar's request was, after all, the magic items.
After all, Ajas had prepared dozens of slave collars. That meant the organization Ajas belonged to either had the financial power to procure that many magic items or the technical expertise to produce them.
An opponent like that was naturally a mouthwatering prospect for Rei. How many magic items would he be able to seize? That thought burned brightly in his eyes.
Right on cue, the six o'clock morning bell rang. The merchants and adventurers who had been watching Rei's party began filing out of Gilm. Since the gates had just opened, the stream of departing travelers was thick.
With the massive Mirage Basket in tow, Rei's party waited for the initial rush to subside. Once the crowd thinned, they made their way outside the gates.
Several soldiers hoisted the Mirage Basket and carried it. Rei briefly wondered if using the Misty Ring would have been faster, but figured it wasn't his place to say so to the people kind enough to carry it for them, so he simply walked through the Main Gate alongside them.
Naturally, doing so drew every eye in the vicinity. They attracted even more stares than they had before the gates opened. But Rei knew full well how conspicuous they were, so he didn't particularly mind.
Once outside Gilm, they moved to a spot slightly off the main road, and Daskar spoke to Rei again.
"Rei, while you're away, I'll keep Gilm's expansion construction running smoothly. So don't worry about that."
"The way you say that makes it sound like I'm the one actually running the expansion, not you, Lord Daskar."
"Hm? Does it?"
Daskar tilted his head at Rei's words, but his guards and subordinates all nodded in agreement that Rei was right.
Seeing their reactions, Daskar cleared his throat softly. He composed himself and spoke again.
"Be that as it may. There's no doubt things will take more effort without you, even in the expansion work. And the same goes for the other members."
Daskar murmured, glancing toward Marina, Vihera, and the others, who stood at a slight distance examining the Mirage Basket and questioning Amaros.
The role the members of the Crimson Lotus Wings, led by Rei, had played in Gilm's expansion was substantial. With Rei's party gone, the construction would inevitably slow, and problems were bound to crop up.
But even knowing that, sanctions against Reblurina—no, more precisely, against the criminal organization based in its capital, Rossi—were necessary.
"Well, we did receive a map, and with Marina and the others here, I doubt we'll get lost. I don't think it will take that long."
Maps were, as a rule, treated as items that should never leave the country—strategic resources in every sense. When Rei had borrowed one from Marina before, it had been an action taken with considerable risk. Had he happened to lose that map, it would have undoubtedly become a matter of life and death.
It was that critical an item, yet this time one had been provided to help them reach Reblurina even a little sooner. Though what they'd been given was only a copy of the section from Gilm to Reblurina.
Rei and Set had always had a slight tendency toward a poor sense of direction, and it was not uncommon for them to get distracted by anything interesting they found along the way. As a result, their arrival at destinations had been delayed on more than one occasion.
Even so, considering Set's travel speed, they still reached their destinations far faster than they would have on horseback. This time, however, they were expected to reach Reblurina as quickly as possible, settle the score, and return to Gilm at the earliest opportunity, so the map copy had been provided to that end.
Additionally, Marina had once traveled near Reblurina on a request back in her adventuring days, so there was no concern about getting lost.
"That's true. Well, with Marina along, there's no need to worry about that."
Marina was a seasoned adventurer with a wealth of experience. If asked who the most reliable person in the Crimson Lotus Wings was, Daskar would choose Marina even setting aside their long-standing relationship. In terms of pure combat power, he would pick Rei, but looking at overall ability as an adventurer, he had to concede that Marina was superior. Her track record as the Guild Master only reinforced that trust.
"Come to think of it, I've already dispatched a special envoy carriage from here. It will arrive after your party, but please keep that in mind."
"Understood."
"Rei! We're ready over here!"
The call came suddenly, but Rei nodded and waved broadly to Vihera. Nearby, Elena, Marina, and Byune were also looking his way. Set was running around a short distance off, with Ielo perched on his head.
Rei glanced at his companions, then turned to Daskar.
"Then we'll be off."
"Yes. I'm counting on you."
Daskar's words carried absolute trust. And rightfully so—Rei had delivered results worthy of that trust time and time again. Daskar's guards and subordinates had no objections to his attitude.
After confirming Daskar's nod, Rei called Set over and mounted his back. Elena and the others traveling with him had already settled inside the Mirage Basket. Everything was ready.
The top of the Mirage Basket featured a handle designed for Set to easily grasp. The lid could be closed in case of rain during flight, and between the Murder Chameleon leather and the basket frame, shock-absorbing material was embedded to protect against falls from a moderate altitude.
Naturally, since Amaros had rushed the construction, there were still areas that felt unfinished. Elena and the others understood this and seemed unbothered by the less-than-comfortable seating.
"Lady Elena, please take care!"
At Ara's voice calling out from outside, Elena responded.
"Then I shall be off. I leave matters in Gilm to you."
Watching that exchange from the corner of his eye, Rei settled onto Set's back.
"Well then, shall we? You're good with this, right, Set?"
"Guruu!"
At Rei's words, Set rumbled and, with a few running strides, beat his wings and launched into the sky.
Daskar and the others on the ground watched Set's ascent, squinting as if against a glare. The morning sun hung in the sky, and the sight of Set flying toward it carried a touch of the fantastical.
After a brief soar, Set dove toward the Mirage Basket on the ground.
"Do it."
"Guruu!"
At Rei's words, Set let out a vigorous cry, lined up his approach... and the next instant, his talons closed around the basket's handle. He beat his wings once more.
From the ground, it looked as though Set's movement momentarily faltered when he grabbed the Mirage Basket, but the very next instant he was climbing vigorously through the sky.
Daskar and the others watched intently until Set's figure disappeared from view.
"Set, is the Mirage Basket too heavy?"
"Gururururuu!"
Set purred to indicate he was fine. There was no sign of strain whatsoever, and Rei stroked Set's neck with a sense of relief.
"How about over there!? Any problems!?"
While stroking Set, Rei called into the Mirage Basket. The ceiling—or rather, the lid—was currently open, allowing a clear view inside.
Elena and the others sat on cushions that had been prepared in advance. The interior wasn't particularly large, making it quite cramped compared to their usual accommodations.
But fortunately, they were not with strangers. Everyone in the Mirage Basket was a familiar and close companion. That closeness meant the tight quarters weren't really a problem. This was only possible because of the specific group. Had even one unfamiliar member of the opposite sex been present, the atmosphere would not have been so serene.
"We're fine! No problems here—!"
Hearing Vihera's voice from inside the basket, Rei let out a small sigh of relief.
Since Amaros was one of Daskar's own subordinates, his skill was trusted. Even so, he was essentially someone Rei had only just met. Given that, Rei had been determined to provide immediate backup if anything went wrong.
If it were a little more spacious... ah, should I have tried fitting the Magic Tent inside? No, at this size, that'd be impossible.
The space issue could be solved with Elena's carriage or Rei's Magic Tent. But a carriage obviously wouldn't fit inside the basket, and the Magic Tent was larger than the basket itself.
If he'd known about the Mirage Basket a little sooner, he could have made such requests... but he reminded himself that the current Mirage Basket was merely a prototype.
Once this matter is settled and improvements are made, I can just have them make it large enough to fit a Magic Tent. Besides, with the Sand Ship and other research in progress, that might become the main mode of transport when moving with a large group.
The Sand Ship—no, once the Land Ship was completed, it could carry more cargo than a carriage, and the vessel itself would serve as their inn. A Land Ship with rooms for everyone was the ideal mobile base, rendering magic tents unnecessary.
Though how fast it can go will also be an issue.
If the Land Ship's speed was slower than a carriage—or worse, in an extreme case, slower than a person walking—it wouldn't be useless, but its applications would be quite limited. On the other hand, with a far greater cargo capacity than any carriage, it would be ideal as a supply train, at the very least. Merchants, too, might be interested in something that could haul massive quantities of goods at once, speed notwithstanding.
The Land Ship... I'm looking forward to it. For that reason too, it'd be best to wrap up this request as quickly as possible.
With these thoughts turning over in his mind, Rei flew toward Reblurina, riding Set through the morning sky with Elena and the others nestled inside the Mirage Basket below.