Anesis was the most prosperous city in the territory ruled by Duke Kerebel, and it could be called Elena's hometown.
And the fact that it was a city meant that Gilm, currently in the midst of expansion construction, would grow to that same size in a few years.
Rei was currently gazing out at the city of Anesis from atop Set's back.
"...It's huge."
The words slipped from Rei's mouth before he realized it.
Though that murmur was swallowed up by the winter air that bit at his skin with its coldness.
With the snow falling continuously, the temperature was low.
Flying at an altitude of a hundred meters in such conditions meant it was overwhelmingly colder than on the ground, and the wind was stronger too.
That said, thanks to his Dragon Robe, Rei had no trouble staying perfectly comfortable, and since Set was a Gryphon by nature, this level of cold was no problem at all.
Elena and Ara were currently inside the Set Basket, so they had no issues in that regard either.
As a result, despite flying through falling snow, there was not the slightest sign of anyone shivering from the cold.
If someone who was bad with cold saw them, they would undoubtedly be envious.
And above all...
"Those guys must be the envious ones. ...Still, how did they figure out we were here?"
"Gurr."
In response to Rei's words, Set purred as if in agreement.
What the person and creature were looking at was a group of Wyverns flying from Anesis toward Rei and his party.
Naturally, since they were flying from Anesis—the stronghold of Duke Kerebel—those Wyverns couldn't possibly be ordinary ones.
Soldiers rode on their backs, beings generally known as Dragon Knights.
...However, what the Dragon Knights rode were Wyverns—also called flying dragons—the lowest-ranking entities among the Dragon Species, and they were terribly weak against the cold.
If they were a higher-ranked Dragon Species, snowfall alone wouldn't affect them at all.
Even so, the reason they had deployed into the falling snow like this was surely because the one approaching Anesis was Set, a flying Gryphon.
(Due to the Set Basket's effect, they shouldn't be able to spot us from below. I really wonder how they found us.)
Despite his doubts, Rei stroked Set and asked him not to attack the approaching Dragon Knights.
If they were a higher-ranked Dragon Species it might be one thing, but to Set, the lowest-ranked Wyverns were nothing more than delicious meat.
Despite that, Set got along well with Ielo—though Set probably had his own reasons for that.
"Now, how will this play out? Elena's father, Duke Kerebel, obviously knows about me."
At the edge of Rei's gaze, the Dragon Knights gradually drew closer to Set.
That said, the Dragon Knights showed no sign of readying their spears or bows, nor did they issue orders for their Wyverns to attack.
...Though, given that Wyverns were weak to the cold, their flying speed was considerably slower than the other Dragon Knights Rei had seen before.
Even if the Wyverns were in perfect condition and the Dragon Knights fought Rei and Set, they would have no chance of winning; to attempt to pick a fight in their current state would be nothing short of suicide.
"Please wait! Are you Lord Crimson Rei? Is that correct!?"
Huh.
At the Dragon Knight's words, Rei's face showed a faint expression of admiration.
Dragon Knights were dragon "knights," and in terms of status, they were not soldiers but knights.
While the lowest rank in the peerage system, they were nonetheless proper nobles.
Though most Dragon Knights held the status known as one-generation nobility.
Despite holding such a status, the fact that they didn't issue haughty commands at Rei was without a doubt a favorable impression even from Rei's perspective.
"That's right. I'm Rei, an adventurer belonging to Gilm. And inside the basket Set is carrying are Elena and Ara."
Rei's words were apparently completely unexpected.
The Dragon Knights froze with dumbfounded expressions, and eventually, with movements that seemed to produce a creaking sound, they turned their eyes toward the Set Basket that Set was carrying.
Then, after several seconds of silence, the man who appeared to be leading the Dragon Knights hastily opened his mouth.
"U-Understood! We will guide you to Anesis immediately, so please follow me!"
At the man's voice—shouting something close to a scream—Rei nodded in return.
The other Dragon Knights besides the one who shouted were visibly tense as well.
It wasn't because they were face-to-face with an Alias Holder who commanded a Gryphon... but rather, the presence of Elena Kerebel, bearer of the moniker Princess General, was likely what caused it.
(The fact that they're guiding us directly into Anesis means the Barrier... ah, no. Considering the Dragon Knights launched, was the Barrier lifted at that point? But if so, that seems slightly problematic... or maybe it just doesn't take long to re-establish the Barrier.)
Since this was not a frontier like Gilm, the likelihood of flying monsters appearing was low.
Low... but that didn't mean a city as important as Anesis wouldn't have a Barrier, unlike some rural village.
In any case, judging that there was no point thinking about it here, Rei asked Set to follow behind the Dragon Knights.
The Dragon Knights flew toward Anesis, careful not to fly too close to Set in the sky.
Many of them had participated in the war against the Bestia Empire as part of Duke Kerebel's Army, and they had heard the story of how Rei and Set single-handedly slaughtered large numbers of Dragon Knights of the Bestia Imperial Army.
Because of that, they had no intention of pointlessly picking a fight with Rei here.
Of course, if Rei and Set made any move to attack Anesis, as Dragon Knights in the service of Duke Kerebel, they would resist without sparing their lives.
However, Rei had no hostile attitude toward Anesis... or toward the Duke Kerebel's Territory.
And above all, Rei, Bearer of the Crimson Moniker, was also famous in the Duke Kerebel's Territory as Elena's partner.
Naturally, there were many who did not accept that.
While thinking such things, Rei and Set continued flying, and eventually entered Anesis.
Because of the Set Basket, to the residents of Anesis, it would have only looked like Dragon Knights flying in formation.
"Gurr."
Set, flying alongside the Dragon Knights, showed slight displeasure at their slow pace.
No—if it were just flying slowly, there would be no problem at all. But since it was the first time multiple Dragon Knights were flying around him in a peaceful situation, he probably felt somewhat restless.
If these were hostile Dragon Knights, he had experienced that during the war against the Bestia Empire.
"Calm down. The Dragon Knights around us aren't our enemies. Just think of them as Ielo's allies."
As Rei spoke while stroking Set's neck in front of him, Set purred with a look that said he had no choice.
Perhaps instinctively sensing Set's displeasure, the Wyverns of the Dragon Knights flying around Set—already sluggish from the cold—became even more sluggish.
The Dragon Knights must have noticed their mounts' fear. The one flying closest to Set—though still keeping a certain distance—called out to Rei.
"Lord Rei! The large mansion in the center is Duke Kerebel's mansion! Please land the one Lady Elena is riding in the courtyard!"
"When you say courtyard... which courtyard?"
Duke Kerebel's mansion possessed a vastness that made the word "mansion" seem inadequate.
Naturally, viewed from above, several courtyards existed within the enormous estate.
Being told only to land in a courtyard, Rei had no way of knowing which one.
The Dragon Knight who had told him to land the Set Basket in the courtyard must have noticed Rei's reaction. He hurriedly pointed with his spear toward a courtyard that was noticeably larger than the others.
"There! Please land there!"
Rei nodded at the Dragon Knight's words and sent a signal to Set.
With that signal alone, Set headed toward the large courtyard.
In the cold winter air, Set's wings beat fiercely.
Descending toward the ground, Set waited until he was close enough before releasing the Set Basket he was carrying.
That sound undoubtedly echoed throughout Duke Kerebel's mansion as well.
The fact that several people appeared from inside the mansion mere seconds later demonstrated that the guards of the Duke Kerebel Mansion possessed considerable skill.
"We will also land in that courtyard, so please follow after us, Lord Rei!"
The Dragon Knight shouted to Rei, who had released the Set Basket to the ground and returned to the sky.
Rei nodded at those words and followed the Dragon Knights as they descended toward the ground.
The Dragon Knights maintained their formation properly—not quite perfect, but with a level of discipline that came close.
Considering that it was currently winter and Wyverns were poor at handling cold, their skill level was actually extremely high.
As if chasing after those Dragon Knights, Set also beat his wings and headed toward the ground.
Though his landing posture differed from the Wyverns the Dragon Knights rode, Set landed safely in the courtyard.
...If anything, the fact that Set landed in the courtyard after the Wyverns made it look as though Set were leading them.
"Grrrrrawl!"
Set, having landed in the courtyard, let out a cry—perhaps from joy.
If this had been Gilm, many people would have come to pet Set at his cry, or offer him something to eat.
But... this was not Gilm. It was Anesis.
Since it was a place he was visiting for the first time, those currently in the courtyard had naturally never seen Set before.
Well, a few might have seen him during the war against the Bestia Empire, but that would be only a very small number.
The majority of those present here were seeing Set... no, seeing the existence of a Gryphon for the first time.
An A-Rank Monster.
In Gilm, Set was treated as a pet, but in truth, Set was a High-Rank Monster that an adventurer might encounter once in their lifetime, if at all.
When someone who knew nothing saw such a monster up close, what they naturally felt was not cuteness but fear.
Especially when that monster was a Rank A Monster Gryphon, that was only natural.
Among those who had come out into the courtyard, it would be fine if they were ones tasked with guarding the mansion.
But the others... those who had simply come out to the courtyard for a stroll, seeing a Gryphon up close and furthermore hearing its cry, were about to raise screams of terror—
"Silence!"
Just as the first person was about to let out a scream of terror, a clear, commanding voice rang out across the courtyard.
Strangely, even those on the verge of panic found that voice naturally reaching their ears.
And just like that, the courtyard fell completely silent.
A silence so profound that one might have heard the sound of snow falling softly.
In that courtyard, Elena, who had spoken, opened her mouth once more.
"This person is my guest. The Gryphon over there is the guest's Tamed Monster, named Set. And... the guest is Rei, Bearer of the Crimson Moniker."
Brushing back her golden vertical-rolls hair that shone even amidst the falling snow... right at that moment, sunlight broke through a gap in the snow clouds blanketing the sky, dyeing Elena's hair gold.
It was a sight so beautiful that it captivated all who beheld it... even those who had been on the verge of screaming at Set's presence mere seconds before.
If this scene were preserved as a painting, it would undoubtedly become a masterpiece passed down to future generations—one could truly believe that.
"Rei, over here."
As the surroundings were enveloped in silence, Elena's voice rang out once more.
As if guided by that voice, Rei moved together with Set to stand before Elena.
To Rei, he understood that Elena was an extraordinarily beautiful woman.
He also fully understood that she had an ordinary side to her, seeing her talking with Marina and Vihera.
But... seeing Elena so strongly displaying her aspect as the Princess General like this was quite rare even for Rei.
Because of that, Rei found himself stepping forward as if pulled along not by the Elena he knew, but by Elena the Princess General.
Having moved close to Elena alongside Set, Rei understood from the look she gave him what was expected, and opened his mouth.
"I'm Rei. A B-Rank Adventurer belonging to Gilm. This is my Tamed Monster, Set. Set is normally docile, so as long as nobody does anything to harm him, he won't do anything in return, so please don't worry. In Gilm, he's treated as a pet."
The words that came from Rei's mouth were as truthful as could be... but those who heard them couldn't bring themselves to believe it right away.
In any case, Rei had nonetheless delivered a powerful self-introduction to those who served Duke Kerebel's House.