After finishing the baked goods to their satisfaction, Rei and his group returned to exploring Anesis.
That said, in this world, traveling for tourism purposes was rarely done.
Given that was the case, even if Rei asked Miranda or Leodanis about tourist attractions in Anesis, since travel was not a common practice, there was no reason for such things to exist.
Well, to be precise, they might exist, but because those sights were part of everyday life, people probably did not think of them as tourist attractions.
In fact, even in a TV program Rei had seen back in Japan, there was someone who visited a place with a cobalt-blue, crystal-clear sea and passionately praised the scenery as wonderful. However, for the locals, it was a view they had seen since birth, and they wore expressions as if wondering what was so wonderful about it.
And so, without any tourist attractions to speak of, Rei and his group walked around the city of Anesis... but as they turned left at an intersection, a massive building suddenly came into view, and Rei stopped in his tracks.
"What's that huge building?"
"Huh? Oh, that's the library. Come to think of it, they do say a library of that scale is quite rare, so I suppose it could be considered one of Anesis's notable features."
"...It's huge."
Listening to Miranda's explanation, Rei was once again struck by the sheer size of the library.
The library in Gilm that Rei had visited several times was also quite large.
Since coming to this world, Rei had been to various villages and towns, but none of them had a library larger than Gilm's.
Well, there were many villages and towns that did not have a library facility to begin with.
Among them, Gilm had a library, and it was the largest one Rei had seen so far.
In fact, the library in Gilm was even larger than the municipal library Rei had visited back in Japan.
If it had been a prefectural or national library, that would be a different story, but unfortunately, Rei had never been to such places, so there was no basis for comparison.
At any rate, the reason Gilm's library was so massive was not simply for appearances... or rather, it wasn't only for show.
It was certainly not the case that appearances didn't factor in at all, but Gilm's status as a frontier territory had a strong influence.
Precisely because it was a frontier, there were many unknown monsters... and not only that, but plants, ores, and numerous other things yet to be discovered.
To research these things, it went without saying that the more reference materials available, the better.
The Guild had a certain amount on hand, but to look into things in greater detail, going to the library to research was the best option.
Daskar's ancestors, who had governed Gilm, understood this as well, which was why they had greedily collected books... but the library currently in Rei's line of sight was, without a doubt, larger than the one in Gilm.
(Is this the difference between a town and a city? Ah, but if that's the case, does that mean the library in Gilm might expand once the Expansion Construction is finished?)
While Rei's attention was captivated by the library's size, Miranda, perhaps reading the mood, asked.
"Would you like to drop in for a bit?"
"Ah... I'm interested, but I'll pass for today. It's already getting this late, after all."
In winter, the sun set early.
Moreover, the group had left the mansion after noon.
There was no way they could stop by the library and read books now.
Well, they might manage to read one or two, but naturally, anyone would want to read a variety of books if given the chance.
That was why Rei told them he would prefer to visit the library at a time when he had more free time.
"Ah, in that case, if you get a permit from the Master, you can use the library for free. Of course, that permit would be something the Master entrusts to you in good faith, so if you damage a book, it would be said that the Master lacked judgment in people."
"...Ah, I'll keep that in mind."
Naturally, Rei had no intention of intentionally tearing or damaging books.
But considering what might happen if something went wrong, he couldn't carelessly accept the permit.
Watching the exchange between the two from the side, Leodanis felt relieved, making sure not to let it show on his face.
If it involved physical activity, that was one thing, but he simply did not enjoy the act of reading.
Rather than read a book, he would genuinely prefer moving his body—that was Leodanis's honest feeling.
...And yet, the fact that he wasn't bad at writing documents suggested that the things one liked and the things one was skilled at were different.
"Is that so? Well, to use the library, you'll need an admission fee and a deposit in case you soil the books, so please don't forget that when you do visit."
"That part isn't so different from the library in Gilm."
Since Rei used the library in Gilm to some extent, he was reassured that he wouldn't be confused when using the library here.
(Though I suppose I won't be in Anesis for that long. I probably won't have many chances to visit this library.)
Thinking this with a hint of regret, Rei began walking through the city once more.
Set, Leodanis, and Miranda followed after him.
As before, there were people who panicked at the sight of Set, but they continued on their way, resolving such issues through Leodanis's—or more precisely, the Knight Order's—authority. As they walked, a voice suddenly reached Rei's ears.
"Hey, hey, you picked a fight with me and you think that's all it takes? You came at me, so show a little more guts."
"Hic, eek... s-sorry. It was our fault for picking a fight with you. So please, let us off! Come on? Please? Ah, it's not much, but we have some money..."
"Haa... pathetic lot. You think numbers alone mean you can win? Whatever, I'm done. Get lost. You're an eyesore."
After that exchange reached them, several men emerged from an alley a short distance away from Rei's group.
Supporting companions who were likely injured, they left the area as if fleeing—which, in fact, they probably were.
"A fight?"
Leodanis muttered upon noticing the men, but the other people walking around looked only slightly surprised at the sight of them, and nothing more.
In a place like Anesis where people gathered, there were naturally a fair number of hot-headed individuals, so it probably wasn't anything worth making a fuss over.
Indeed, Leodanis himself showed no sign of chasing after the fleeing men to question them about what happened.
"There were quite a few of them... Look, don't go on a rampage, okay? If you start causing trouble, I can't really stop you, you know."
Rei was slightly surprised by the words that came from Leodanis's mouth.
To think that he would admit to being unable to stop Rei due to his own lack of strength.
The Leodanis that Rei knew was someone who held strong confidence in his own abilities.
Granted, at his young age, he belonged to the Duke Kerebel's Knight Order, which was said to be one of the finest in the Kingdom of Mireana, so naturally, he had considerable skill.
But even that confidence of Leodanis's had been effortlessly shattered when he was beaten one-sidedly without being able to do much of anything during his mock battle with Rei.
That said, considering Leodanis's future, learning that in a mock battle with no risk of death was probably a fortunate thing.
Had he learned it in actual combat, he would likely... no, he would definitely have died.
"Hey, could you not say things like that on the assumption that I'm going to cause some kind of incident?"
Rei said this while stroking Set, but Leodanis did not stop directing a suspicious gaze at him.
"...Hearing about your reputation, it feels pretty natural to assume you'd cause trouble."
At Leodanis's words, Rei was about to argue back... but then recalled that he couldn't quite refute it.
Thinking about everything he had done up to now, it couldn't be helped that he was seen that way.
Of course, it wasn't as if he regretted any of it.
"Ah, someone's coming out."
Miranda announced, hiding behind Leodanis as she did so.
The reason she chose Leodanis rather than Rei to hide behind was probably because Leodanis was a member of the Duke Kerebel's Knight Order, while Rei was in the position of a guest.
Being able to quickly assess those circumstances was likely the product of her instincts as a maid.
At any rate, since they could not keep bickering, Rei and Leodanis turned their gazes toward where the men had emerged from.
...However, Rei was not wary of whoever it was.
Set, who was sensitive to things like hostility, had shown absolutely no reaction, so there was probably no problem.
Of course, it was possible that they held no hostility now but might develop it after meeting and talking, so he wasn't completely letting his guard down either.
(To take down that many people, probably single-handedly... Well, thugs relying on numbers don't mean much in this world.)
In this world, quality easily surpassed quantity.
That was exactly why Rei could effortlessly annihilate bandit groups, and even when facing the army of a major nation, he could trample them.
Thinking of it that way, being able to defeat a group of thugs wasn't particularly unusual.
In Gilm... no, in Gilm before the Expansion Construction, many adventurers could have done the same.
Of course, that was precisely because many of the adventurers who gathered in Gilm were highly skilled.
What appeared at the end of Rei's gaze, which was filled with something approaching curiosity, was a massive man.
That said, a large man alone was not particularly rare in this world.
What slightly surprised Rei was that he understood at a glance that the man possessed enough ability that he would not seem out of place even in Gilm.
Since Anesis was the second city of the Kingdom of Mireana, it would not be strange for skilled individuals to be present.
Even so, why did it feel so unexpected?
Rei's question was resolved in the next moment.
"Bluitt-sama!? Why are you in a place like this, doing something like this!?"
Leodanis, who had been keeping watch beside Rei, let out a voice of astonishment.
No, it was not just Leodanis. Even Miranda, who had been hiding behind him, was directing a shocked gaze at the man called Bluitt.
"You are... judging by that armor, you're from the Duke Kerebel's Knight Order."
"Yes. I belong to the Duke Kerebel's Knight Order. My name is Leodanis."
Looking at Bluitt as he said that, Rei somehow understood the identity of the massive man before him.
Considering what had just happened with the way Leodanis addressed him, it was almost certainly...
(A noble, huh. And probably a fairly high-ranking one at that, or someone with influence.)
He thought this, but the man's attire was not at all something a noble would wear.
It did not give a dirty impression, but it was still the kind of clothing a commoner would wear.
Indeed, it was by no means something that someone Leodanis would pay respect to would be wearing.
"Hm? That over there is a gryphon, isn't it. Which would make you Crimson Rei?"
Bluitt, shifting his gaze away from Leodanis, looked at Set, and then at Rei standing next to him, and asked.
Rei was momentarily unsure how to react to Bluitt's attitude, but before long, he spoke as he normally would.
"Yeah. I'm Rei, an adventurer based in Gilm. And you? Judging by Leodanis's reaction, you must be someone important... so what's a big shot like you doing picking fights with those kinds of people in a place like this?"
As he said that, Rei looked over Bluitt's body.
He wore a mantle as protection against the cold, but even so, it could not hide the impressive muscles on his frame.
And yet, the fact that there was not a single scratch or splatter of return blood on his face, body... or even his mantle meant that he had not allowed a single counterattack from the thugs earlier.
Alternatively, he had moved so swiftly that he dodged all the return blood.
(No, considering this massive frame, he probably prioritizes strike power over speed. ...Though that raises its own questions.)
When one fought using one's own strength and weight as weapons, movement inevitably became slower.
Of course, he would be fast compared to an ordinary person... but even so, not enough to do something about the blood splatter from a punch.
Or, if he did something like break bones with a single strike, there would be no need to worry about return blood... but among the thugs from earlier, Rei had confirmed that at least one was clearly bleeding from his face.
(This is getting... a bit interesting.)
Keeping his eyes on Bluitt, Rei waited for the other man's reply, looking forward to what kind of answer he would give.