A massive ship suddenly appeared right beside Asura.
Those unfamiliar with the Magic Item known as the Sand Ship, and those who knew little about Rei's group, naturally gasped in astonishment at the sight of it. Some not only collapsed on the spot but outright fainted.
However, the Guards promptly provided an explanation, and most people regained their composure.
Once everyone had settled down, it was only natural that some began to show keen interest in the Sand Ship.
Asura was the town in Reblurina closest to the Kingdom of Mireana, and correspondingly, it was home to many who could be called wealthy merchants.
Such people naturally gathered intelligence on Magic Items they didn't possess, and some had even contemplated acquiring them by any means necessary—including, if it came to it, thinly veiled threats. But upon learning that the Sand Ship was connected to the Zorgeh Merchant Guild, they could no longer act so carelessly.
…Of course, considering the fate that had befallen the Azoth Firm after they previously picked a fight with Rei, withdrawing their interest had been a stroke of luck.
"Well then, Ronitas. Thanks for looking after us today."
"Don't worry about it. Take your time and rest. I'll post men to keep watch over the Sand Ship."
With that, Ronitas took his leave of Rei's room.
Rei was currently in a room at the Blessing of the Earth Inn, a highly regarded luxury establishment in Asura.
Thanks to Ronitas's generosity, Rei's group—including the Crimson Lotus Wings, Elena, Ryutas, Gimekara, Sura, and the others—were spending the night at the Blessing of the Earth Inn.
Rei's Magic Tent could provide accommodations just as comfortable as the Blessing of the Earth Inn once you stepped inside—no, perhaps even more comfortable.
Even so, Rei's group had decided to accept Ronitas's hospitality.
For Ronitas, lodging Rei's group at his own inn also served the practical purpose of ensuring they could be contacted immediately should anything arise.
"We'll need to exchange information and discuss things with Lord Daskar, but for now, I think I'll just take it easy."
He muttered to himself and lay back on the bed.
It wasn't that he didn't want to play with Set, but from what Rei had observed before entering Asura, Set had seemed happily occupied with Mirene.
If he carelessly interrupted her here, there was a real concern that she might abandon her post as Ronitas's escort and tag along with his group instead.
With that in mind, Rei figured it was better to let Set and Mirene play to their hearts' content so she'd have no lingering regrets.
In reality, she had been locked in a glare-down with women jealous of her playing with Set, until Surnin intervened and forcibly dragged her away.
Unaware of this, Rei still believed Mirene was playing with Set at that very moment.
Sitting on the bed, he gazed out the window.
In the sky, the moon poured its brilliant light down upon the ground.
The cloudless night sky promised clear weather for tomorrow as well.
Well, since they'd be traveling by carriage, hoping for clear skies was only natural.
Murmuring to himself, he savored some time alone for the first time in a long while—truly, the first time in a very long while.
Lately, he had spent most nights inside the Magic Tent with Elena and the others, leaving little opportunity to be truly by himself.
Not that being with Elena and the others left him unable to relax, but even so, he figured it was perfectly fine to have time to himself like this once in a while.
And so, without thinking about anything in particular, he watched the moon floating in the sky as time drifted by.
The only sounds reaching him were people making noise outside the inn and laughter suggesting some sort of banquet was underway in the dining hall on the first floor.
He had no idea how much time had passed when suddenly, a knock at the door brought him back to his senses.
"Excuse me, Rei-san. Might I have a moment?"
The voice coming through the door was one he recognized, so Rei replied without much thought.
"Gimekara? Sure, come in."
Beyond the door that opened at Rei's words stood Gimekara.
"Forgive me for interrupting your rest. I had something to discuss regarding the escorts—would a moment be alright?"
"Yeah, I don't mind. It's not like I was doing anything in particular anyway."
Some people might call that resting, but Gimekara didn't comment on Rei's choice of words. He simply entered the room and took a seat on the sofa.
"Regarding the escorts—fortunately, since Asura is a sizable town, I was able to gather a certain number of people. …However, as before, I selected them based on personality rather than skill."
Is that acceptable? Gimekara's gaze seemed to ask, and Rei nodded in response.
Given that the group was composed almost entirely of women, introducing a rough-mannered man would undoubtedly cause problems.
To prevent that, prioritizing personality over combat prowess was simply common sense.
"That's fine as it is. …But are there really no adventurers out there who are both skilled and good-natured? It wasn't an issue while we were still in Reblurina, but once we enter the Kingdom of Mireana, we won't have that luxury."
Near the border was one thing, but once they actually entered the Kingdom of Mireana, monsters aside, there was a high probability of bandit attacks.
With a group made up almost entirely of women, Rei's party was the perfect prey no matter how you looked at it.
It was a perfectly reasonable point from Rei, but Gimekara wore a troubled expression and shook his head.
"Unfortunately, nothing is ever quite that simple. I have been searching diligently in that regard, but…"
"Difficult, huh."
"Yes. However… as we draw closer to Gilm, the number of skilled adventurers should naturally increase, so I can only hope for that."
"Probably so. But the problem then becomes whether we can actually reach whatever town or village those adventurers happen to be in."
"That it does."
Gimekara murmured with a heartfelt sigh, and Rei found himself wondering whether he should ask Mirene and her party to come along with them instead.
But he immediately shook his head and dismissed the idea.
He certainly wanted them to come, but the reason Scorching Wind was traveling toward Reblurina with Ronitas's envoy delegation also served as a show of force.
A C-Rank party at their young age attracted a great deal of attention in more ways than one.
…Of course, while he said "young," Surnin was the sole member of a respectable age.
"Understood. In that case, we'll need to step up the intensity of the combat training being conducted until our departure."
If they couldn't rely on others for protection, they would have to protect themselves.
Reading that implicit message in Rei's words, Gimekara offered a complicated expression but nodded all the same.
The combat training being conducted lately was, even by Gimekara's reckoning, fairly intense.
It was only because everyone was traveling by carriage that those undergoing training were still managing to hold up. If they'd had to travel on foot as before, it wouldn't have been surprising if many had already dropped out by now.
…And yet, in Rei's mind, it still counted as light training.
Having watched those sessions, Gimekara couldn't help but wonder whether pushing things even further would really be safe.
At the same time, training conducted by an Alias Holder who was a High-Rank Adventurer was the kind of thing that many who made their living through combat would want to experience even if they had to pay for the privilege.
(It's something like a merchant gifted with commercial talent teaching his trade methods to other merchants… I suppose.)
Gimekara thought this as he watched Rei, but while the comparison seemed apt on the surface, it was subtly off the mark.
In any case, to anyone who didn't know better, the women's position would undoubtedly seem enviably fortunate.
"Anyway, there's still time until tomorrow, so I'll make a bit more of an effort. If that still doesn't work out, I suppose we'll have to search once we've entered the Kingdom of Mireana, but…"
Is that acceptable? Gimekara asked, and Rei nodded.
If that was the only option, then that was what they'd have to do.
"Understood. …Ah, right. You also mentioned it would soon be time to speak with Lord Daskar. What do you think?"
"What do I think? There's no scenario where I don't go."
In practice, the information gathering and negotiations with Daskar had been left almost entirely to Marina.
Even so, as the party leader leading the Crimson Lotus Wings, he couldn't be so irresponsible as to simply not show up.
If he were so busy that he absolutely couldn't tear himself away, that would be one thing, but he had just been resting comfortably. He could hardly claim to be swamped.
(Well, is "too busy to rest" actually a thing?)
He entertained the thought, but he also understood that such logic wouldn't fly.
"Then shall we go?"
Rei nodded at Gimekara's words and left the room.
"My, you could have taken a bit more time to yourself."
Seeing Rei enter the reception room they had used earlier that afternoon, Marina called out to him with a smile.
Marina, too, had likely felt it was necessary to let Rei, who was constantly surrounded by them, rest at his own pace.
She didn't think Rei found being with them unpleasant, but even so, she had judged that being the only man among a group of women would take a mental toll in various ways.
(It goes without saying, but our party is filled with nothing but beauties, Elena included.)
Marina used the hot water prepared in the reception room to brew tea and placed cups in front of Rei and Gimekara.
"Oh my, to think Marina-sama would personally pour tea for us. If word got out, I'd certainly be deeply envied."
Gimekara said this in a joking tone, but it was by no means an exaggeration.
Marina, Elena, Vihera—these three possessed beauty worthy of being called peerless, and among them, Marina clearly surpassed the other two when it came to feminine allure.
Because of that, if it ever got around that Marina had personally poured tea for someone, it would come as no surprise if they were the target of envy.
"Hehe, thank you. …Now, once Ryutas and Ronitas arrive, we'll have everyone…"
The moment Marina said that, as if they had been timing it perfectly, the door opened.
"Hm? Is everyone already here? Looks like we're running a bit late."
Ronitas said this as he entered the reception room alongside Ryutas.
It seemed the two had been exchanging information with each other before coming. Their demeanor toward one another was far more relaxed compared to when they had first met.
For Rei, who had brought Ryutas along, it was reassuring to see them building a good relationship.
"Well then, now that everyone's here… Elena, if you would."
"Indeed."
Nodding at Marina's words, Elena produced the Paired Orb.
Since no one present was seeing a Paired Orb for the first time, no one was particularly surprised when Ara's figure materialized on the other side of the Orb.
"Lady Elena, I've been waiting. …I'll fetch Lord Daskar—"
While Ara dispatched someone nearby to summon Daskar, a steady stream of small talk flowed between Elena and Ara.
Until Daskar arrived, those around them naturally didn't interrupt the two women's conversation.
"So, where are you staying tonight, Lady Elena?"
"A town called Asura, near the border between the Kingdom of Mireana and Reblurina."
"Ah, I know of that town. I heard it was attacked by a pack of Goblins some years back."
"Hooh."
Elena murmured with a faint note of admiration at the tidbit Ara offered.
Goblins were among the weakest of all monsters.
But numbers were power, and Goblins possessed considerable capacity when it came to multiplying.
Moreover, this was not the frontier but a place more fittingly described as the countryside.
For a town in such a region to have been attacked by a pack of Goblins and successfully defended—it was only natural for Elena to find it unexpected.
(Though if these were Goblins appearing in a place like this, even if they traveled in a pack, their numbers might not have been all that large.)
He entertained that thought while enjoying the exchange with Ara, until…
"I heard word came from Lady Elena?"
The voice rang out from the other side of the Paired Orb.
And the figure that appeared was the very person Rei's group had been waiting for.
The lord of Gilm—Daskar.
"Lord Daskar, sorry for the trouble."
"Don't give it a second thought. More importantly… hmm, it appears everyone is present. Let us begin the information exchange and discussion at once."
With those words… the talks between Rei's group, the envoy delegation, and Daskar began.