Georgima had immediately begun prototyping the tonkotsu ramen, but once that was underway, there was nothing left for Rei to do.
After all, the only thing Rei could offer was knowledge he possessed without actual experience. Once that knowledge was conveyed, he could safely leave the rest to the professional cooks.
For Rei, who had never particularly enjoyed cooking as a hobby, the option of putting that knowledge to use by cooking for himself was entirely out of the question.
Whatever could be done should simply be left to the professionals.
With that matter settled, and having fulfilled his promise of teaching the unknown dish, Rei was currently being guided by a maid toward the stable prepared for Set.
"Oh?"
As he walked down the corridor, just as he was about to pass a group coming from the opposite direction, one of them suddenly muttered quietly.
Rei turned his gaze toward the source of the voice and saw a woman at the center of the group.
From her appearance, she was likely a noble—a person holding a hand to her mouth as she looked at Rei.
But immediately, that woman's gaze shifted to the maid guiding Rei.
"Miranda, who might that person be?"
"Lady Teles, this is Lord Rei. He is a guest of Lady Elena."
"......I see. I thought that might be the case, but so you are......"
The maid called Miranda introduced Rei with a deep bow to the woman called Teles.
Naturally, the woman called Teles was someone Rei had never seen before.
Since he had only arrived in Duke Kerebel's Territory yesterday, if she had been someone he recognized, that would itself have been a problem.
Even so, given that she appeared to be a noble, it was not difficult to surmise that she was someone with business with Elena's—or perhaps Duke Kerebel's—Liberte or his wife Arcadia, or someone who had been invited.
Given that, Rei could not simply brush off the noblewoman directing her gaze at him.
"Rei, an adventurer affiliated with Gilm."
"......Oh."
Perhaps she had not expected such a blunt, one might even say curt, self-introduction. Teles was slightly surprised.
But beneath that surprise lay a deeply interested—indeed, favorable—sentiment.
If anything, the people surrounding Teles were directing displeased-looking gazes at Rei's insolent attitude.
For Teles's attendants, Rei—who was clearly not a noble and had publicly declared himself an adventurer—showing disrespectful behavior toward their master was surely disagreeable.
Even so, they voiced no complaints toward Rei because they could tell that Teles harbored favorable feelings toward him.
If the person they served was feeling displeased, that would be one thing, but to scold someone their master held favorable feelings toward would risk being reprimanded later.
Teles was not that strict a person, but even so, few would wish to deliberately lower their own standing of their own accord.
"I see. So you really were Rei. I had heard rumors, but I never thought I would meet you this quickly. I am Telese Myruzu. Pleased to meet you."
"Rumors...... I only arrived in Anesis yesterday, though."
"Oh, you shouldn't underestimate the speed of women's rumors. Besides, a man brought by that Lady Elena? I think it's safe to say that anyone with even slightly good ears already knows about Rei."
Told that, Rei had no choice but to accept it.
Rumor travels a thousand miles—or rather, that was not literally the case, but there was no denying that such rumors spread with remarkable swiftness.
"Ah...... I see. So, Teles, why are you here?"
"Lady Elena has returned, so of course it's only natural to pay one's greetings, isn't it? I think I came quite early, but I imagine many more will come after me."
Given Elena's renown as the symbol of the Noble's Faction, that was only natural.
Originally, Rei should have been able to perceive such circumstances as well, but having been with Elena for too long, his senses regarding such matters had likely grown dull.
Rei nodded in understanding at Teles's words.
"Still, I thought I might be able to meet you, but to actually meet the Crimson...... Say, if you wouldn't mind, would you like to come along to where Lady Elena is? I'd love to hear all sorts of things."
For Teles, she probably thought it would be ideal to establish a connection with Rei here and now.
She asked the question, but Rei shook his head.
"Sorry, but I was just about to go see Set. Ah, but after that's done, I do have time...... What do you say?"
Rei had come to Anesis together with Elena, but that did not mean there was anything in particular he had to do.
Teaching ramen to Georgima was something that needed doing, but that too was already finished.
Given that, Rei and Set were basically free.
Though, if that became known, many would surely try to approach Rei.
As the man brought by Elena—not just from Teles's account but as a matter of fact—Rei was receiving attention from all sorts of people.
Curiosity and jealousy, goodwill and malice—with various such sentiments directed at him, whom he met in such situations was up to Rei.
"Oh, is that so. How unfortunate. But...... let's see. I'd love to hear about you and Lady Elena too, so would you come by once your business is done? Truthfully, I also wanted to meet your Tamed Monster Gryphon...... Set, was it? I'd love to meet that Gryphon too."
Rare, or perhaps bold.
That was the impression Rei held when facing Teles.
If she had known Set's personality, that would be one thing, but to say she wanted to meet Set knowing nothing at all—.
(Oh, but if she was able to learn of my arrival in Anesis so quickly, then it wouldn't be strange for her to know about Set's personality, would it? It seems all sorts of things are spreading around.)
The Gryphon, equivalent to S-Rank, was friendly and had become a mascot-like existence in the remote town of Gilm.
With such information available, it would not be strange for it to have spread, naturally enough.
It was simply that big a rumor with that much impact.
Above all, Rei and Set had been to various places besides Gilm.
As a result, it would not be strange for information about Set's friendly personality to have spread from various locations.
Above all, for those who had learned of Set's cuteness, wanting to tell others about it was only natural.
Rei was not particularly telling people to stop spreading rumors about Set, either.
"Ah...... right. If you won't be scared of seeing Set, the Gryphon, I can show you around later."
At the very least, the person named Teles before him was undoubtedly a friendly party toward him.
Given that, Rei had no intention of brushing off such a person.
Though, it was possible that the friendliness was only on the surface, and she might actually be scheming something—that possibility could not be entirely denied.
But judging that there was no point in suspecting someone when nothing had been done, he told her that meeting Set was no problem.
"Hehe, thank you. Well then, I'll go pay my respects to Lady Elena. As I said earlier, please come by if you have time."
So saying, Teles departed.
Teles's attendant maids were directing somewhat reproachful gazes at Rei, but the person receiving such gazes showed no particular concern and called out to the maid who had been guiding him.
"Alright then, I'll count on you to guide me again."
At those words, the maid nodded, and Rei once more began walking down the corridor.
Along the way, he passed several people who appeared to be maids or butlers, as well as those who likely served Duke Kerebel, but none spoke to Rei as Teles had.
Even so, among them were some who directed gazes filled with hostility at Rei, making it clear that not everyone in this mansion welcomed Rei's presence.
Stepping out of the mansion......
"Snow, huh."
Rei muttered, looking at the snow falling in a quiet, steady manner.
Snow itself was not particularly rare.
Even when he was in Gilm, it had already fallen several times this year.
Even so, Rei found himself captivated by the falling snow for some reason.
"Lord Rei?"
"Hm? Ah, sorry. I'm coming now."
Prompted by the maid who had asked, wondering why Rei had stopped, Rei returned to himself, gave a short reply, and resumed his pace.
Walking onward, the figure of a considerably massive stable eventually came into view.
A stable large enough that Set could run around at a moderate speed without issue.
(They moved all the horses that were in this stable to a separate location, huh...... I should thank them later.)
Moving the horses itself was likely not that great an effort.
But even so, the thought that they had gone to such lengths for Set's sake meant the option of not expressing gratitude did not exist.
"I'm going inside, but what about you?"
The maid, in response to Rei's words, thought for a moment before speaking.
"Umm, if it would be alright, may I see as well? I've heard rumors that Set is quite adorable."
At those words from the maid, Rei momentarily wondered who she had heard that from, but judged it was probably either Elena or Ara.
"I don't mind. Set would also be happy with as many people as possible to show him affection."
"Thank you very much. I absolutely love cute things. Ielo-chan and such...... I haven't been able to see lately, which was disappointing."
The maid, saying this with a slightly regretful tone, opened the stable door.
However, the door was not locked or anything of the sort, so anyone who felt like opening it could do so.
Even Set or Ielo could open it from inside with ease.
For someone who knew nothing about Set or Ielo, it might have been a scene that would have warranted anger at the stable failing to serve its purpose, but Rei and the maid entered the stable without any particular concern.
"Grrrrrlll!"
"Kyu! Kyu-kyuu!"
The two creatures, Set and Ielo, who had been inside the stable, had naturally noticed Rei and the maid approaching.
The instant they saw them enter the stable, they broke into a run all at once.
"!"
With a body over three meters charging toward them, the maid naturally caught her breath for a moment in fear.
But Rei stepped forward as if to shield the maid, and splendidly caught Set, who had come barreling straight at him.
"Oof, jeez...... You were playing with Ielo yesterday, right? So you couldn't have been that lonely, could you?"
Set let out a cry as if to protest Rei's words.
Rei rubbed Set's head while embracing him.
Watching that scene of Rei petting Set, the maid was at first unsure how to react, but eventually seemed to understand that Set had no intention of attacking her. She caught the Ielo that came flying toward her and petted it.
As the maid had told Rei, she had been affectionate toward Ielo, and Ielo apparently remembered that.
"Hehe, Ielo seems to have been energetic too."
"Kyu!"
At the maid's words, Ielo let out a happy cry.
The maid, smiling happily at that, continued petting.
The two creatures and two people spent that way for several minutes.
Eventually, by mutual unspoken agreement, they looked at each other.
"Set-chan...... you're really attached to Lord Rei, aren't you."
"He's my partner, after all. Looks like Ielo was quite attached to you, too."
"Ielo-chan is loved by everyone in Duke Kerebel's House."
The maid, petting Ielo while saying so, wore the happiest expression imaginable.
Rei, watching that maid, recalled Mirene for some reason.
(Well, there are plenty of people besides Mirene who love cute things. It's not like only Mirene and her crowd are the ones with an intense love for cute things. It wouldn't be strange for there to be a different version of Mirene, I suppose.)
Thinking such thoughts, Rei addressed Set.
"Sorry for leaving you alone. But it looks like Ielo was with you, so you couldn't have been that lonely, right?"
At Rei's words, Set rumbled his throat with slight displeasure.
It was certainly true that thanks to Ielo being there, he hadn't been lonely, but even so, the honest feeling was that he had wanted Rei to be there—that was Set's true sentiment.
Whether Rei had sensed those feelings of Set, he rubbed Set's head while taking out some Dried Meat from the Misty Ring.
The Dried Meat, made from Gamelion meat, was a preserved food, but it was also a luxury product—or rather, a delicacy that let one savor its flavor properly.
"Gru!?"
At the sight of that Dried Meat, Set's mood improved in a flash...... or rather, Ielo's sense of smell had also caught the appetizing scent, which brought Ielo over to Rei and Set's side, slightly dampening the maid's mood in the process.