The Green Demi-humans took no particular action as they watched the disarmed Lizardmen.
Rei, relieved that the situation he had feared hadn't come to pass, called out to the guards.
"For now, shouldn't we treat the injured Demi-humans? You brought potions, right?"
Potions were essential items for the guards. Given that they frequently dealt with criminals and adventurers, treating the injured was not uncommon, so carrying potions was a matter of course. Moreover, in this case, Demi-humans who spoke no understandable language had suddenly teleported in with numerous wounded among them—bringing potions for treatment was only natural.
Prompted by Rei, the guards also concluded they couldn't just leave the injured Green Demi-humans as they were, and immediately began treatment.
Fortunately, the Green Demi-humans who had teleported in first had watched Rei use a potion, so they didn't resist when the guards tried to apply potions to the wounded. Those who had arrived alongside the Lizardmen were initially startled, wondering what was being done to them, but once their earlier-arriving companions explained, they quietly accepted treatment. And after seeing the wounds heal before their eyes, no one doubted the potions' effects anymore.
(If they're this surprised by potions, does that mean potions didn't exist in the world these people came from? Well, even in another fantasy world, that doesn't mean all the rules would be the same.)
The most prominent example of that was the Lizardmen. As far as Rei knew, the Lizardmen of this world didn't possess the intelligence to build civilizations. In contrast, the Lizardmen who had teleported in were clearly part of some organized group—and since they all wore matching weapons and armor, it was reasonable to assume they belonged to a nation's military.
(Hopefully this doesn't turn into a mess... Well, at this point it's already a mess, that's for sure.)
After all, they had counterattacked and knocked unconscious a Lizardman who likely belonged to a nation's military, and clearly one of high rank at that.
(I'll leave that part to Lord Daskar. Besides... who knows whether they can easily teleport from their world to this one.)
Rei firmly maintained the understanding that the Green Demi-humans and Lizardmen before him were not from this world but from another.
"Rei, this... we don't have enough potions."
At the guard's words, Rei turned to see the newly arrived guards wearing troubled expressions. Though they had brought a reasonable supply of reserves, the Green Demi-humans who had teleported in with Rei were one thing, but many of those who had arrived alongside the Lizardmen were injured. As a result, the potions carried by the reinforcement guards were clearly insufficient.
The one saving grace was that none of the Green Demi-humans had injuries that could be called fatal. That was why the guards, though consulting Rei, didn't appear particularly desperate.
"Ah... what should we do? Should we use the potions I have on me?"
"That would be appreciated... but I think it's better not to. If you use your potions here, it might cause problems for us later."
The guards declined Rei's offer. If there had been seriously wounded among the Green Demi-humans, they might have accepted potions from him—but since no one's injuries were that severe, they couldn't very well ask Rei to provide them.
"But even if you say that, I've already used one, you know?"
"Eh? ...W-Well, that was before we got here."
The guard deflected, and Rei watched with a slightly exasperated look. It had been a fairly high-quality—in other words, expensive—potion, but thanks to using it, they had learned that potions worked on the Green Demi-humans, so Rei didn't particularly regret it.
"Hey, when tying up the Lizardmen, what do we do about their tails? If we're not careful, couldn't they use those tails to somehow work the bindings loose?"
"Now that you mention it... well, there are Beastmen with tails too, but they can't really use them like that."
"Just because they both have tails doesn't mean you should lump Lizardmen and Beastmen together."
Hearing those voices, Rei turned his gaze toward them. There lay the Lizardman who had been knocked unconscious after being struck by Rei's Death Scythe. Since they couldn't understand the language, the exact details were unclear, but it was likely the highest-ranking individual among those who had teleported in. Judging from the other Lizardmen's behavior, it appeared to be the top individual not only in rank but in strength as well.
(If they were being unilaterally beaten by opponents of this caliber, these Demi-humans might not be all that high in combat ability.)
That said, seeing that they possessed the ability to grow plants, even without combat prowess, they clearly had a remarkably useful power. Specifically, to what extent could they use that ability? For instance, could they grow plants in Gilm that normally only thrived in warmer regions? That was something Rei was very curious about—specifically, the matter of spices.
If the Green Demi-humans could grow spices in Gilm that would otherwise require a much hotter climate, Daskar would without a doubt protect them with everything he had. The Land Ship project was the same way—Daskar was deeply enthusiastic about matters that brought profit to Gilm and contributed to its development.
(Well, that's a matter for later. ...Ah, but the adventurers saw everything, didn't they? In that case, the story could spread from there—should I tell them to keep quiet? ...But then again.)
Even if he told them to keep quiet here, once they got drunk at a tavern, they would undoubtedly blab about it anyway. Today's incident was special in every sense of the word. Given that, if someone wanted to brag to a woman at a tavern, it wouldn't be strange for them to embellish the story—claiming they were the one who defeated the Lizardman, or that they had used potions to treat the injured Green Demi-humans—and spin whatever tale suited them.
While Rei was thinking along those lines, a guard called his name, and he turned toward them.
"What is it?"
"No, I was wondering what we should do to transport those Lizardmen."
The guard indicated the group of about thirty Lizardmen. Perhaps out of fear of Rei, who had effortlessly defeated their leader, they hadn't shown any signs of acting up since discarding their weapons. The weapons thrown on the ground had already been collected by the guards, making it impossible for the Lizardmen to easily reclaim them.
"What to do, you say... If they were bandits, we'd rope them together and drag them along with a carriage."
"No, we can't treat them the same as bandits."
Since they were presumably a military force belonging to some nation, treating them like common bandits and parading them through the streets with their faces exposed would undoubtedly lead to trouble down the line. Given that they were beings from another world, it wasn't entirely impossible that contact with the Lizardmen's nation might occur eventually.
Additionally, transporting a group of armed Lizardmen in such a manner would inevitably attract attention. If this were winter, it might not have stood out as much—but now, in spring, large numbers of people were flocking to Gilm. If those people saw the Lizardmen being moved while bound together in a line, there was even a danger that rumors could spread across the entire Kingdom of Mireana.
Rei's honest feeling was that he wanted to avoid such a spectacle if at all possible. Especially considering Daskar's position, that much was essential.
"Yeah, but... then what are we supposed to do with them?" came a dissatisfied voice from one of the guards.
Rei could sympathize. But having surmised that it would be better to keep the Lizardmen out of the public eye as much as possible, he couldn't really agree with the guard's suggestion. There was also the optimistic possibility that even if the adventurers who had witnessed the scene spread word about it at a tavern, as long as the Lizardmen and Green Demi-humans themselves remained unknown, it might end as nothing more than idle rumor.
"For now, why don't we bring a few empty carriages—cargo wagons without seats—load the Lizardmen into them, and transport them to Gilm? ...Where exactly we should take them, I don't know either."
"Carriages... can they even ride in them?"
At Rei's words, one of the guards cast a dubious glance at the Lizardmen. Every one of them had a rather long tail, and whether they could sit in a carriage the same way humans did was an open question. In the case of Beastmen, even those with tails could generally sit normally.
"Wouldn't it work to bring covered cargo wagons, the kind without seats used for hauling freight? The Lizardmen surrendered to us, after all."
"No, that's not 'us'—that's 'you,' Rei."
The guard told him with a slightly exasperated expression. In truth, since the Lizardmen had surrendered because their leader had been effortlessly struck down by Rei, those words were by no means inaccurate.
"Is that so? Anyway, that should work for the Lizardmen—what about the Green Demi-humans? Guest treatment? Unlike the Lizardmen, they haven't shown any hostility. Or rather, to be precise, it seems the Green Demi-humans were being unilaterally attacked by the Lizardmen."
Rei didn't want to treat the Green Demi-humans, who had interacted peacefully, too harshly—unlike the Lizardmen who had attacked. Of course, he couldn't deny that his consideration was partly calculated, based on the ability the Green Demi-humans had demonstrated to grow plants. Especially regarding spices, he was certain he should mention it to Daskar. If it turned out any kind of spice could be grown in Gilm, the Green Demi-humans' treatment would undoubtedly improve.
Moreover, for Rei personally, being able to obtain a greater variety of spices for cooking would be very welcome.
(If various spices start circulating, Gilm's cuisine would undoubtedly evolve another level.)
For Rei, who was based in Gilm, that would be extremely welcome.
Though they probably hadn't grasped Rei's thoughts, the guards nodded.
"Understood. From what I can see, those Green Demi-humans are docile. ...Just to be sure—you didn't threaten them or anything, right?"
"Come on, what do you take me for?"
Rei said with dissatisfaction, but the guard silently turned his gaze toward the one who appeared to be the Lizardman commander, still bound and unconscious. Even without the guard saying a word, what he meant was perfectly clear.
However, Rei, with nothing to feel guilty about, spoke up.
"It was self-defense."
"...Well, if you say so, Rei, that's fine. The point is—you didn't do anything to threaten those Demi-humans, right?"
"No. I just used a potion on the ones with bad injuries."
"Got it. Then that's fine. As long as those Green Demi-humans stay quiet, we can treat them as guests for now. Though how things ultimately turn out depends on Gilm's upper leadership."
"You don't need to worry about that. Lord Daskar won't make foolish decisions. And there shouldn't be any fools under his command either, right?"
Of course, there was no guarantee that not a single person would act out of personal greed, but compared to other nobles, such individuals were undoubtedly fewer in number. That said, if the matter were routed through Marina to obtain Daskar's direct orders, given how many people served under him, it would be difficult for anyone to do something foolish.
If so, this incident shouldn't prove too problematic... or so was Rei's honest assessment.
"I'll leave that to you, Rei, so I won't say anything about it. But well—I imagine you'll be involved with the Green Demi-humans."
Looking at the gazes the Green Demi-humans directed at Rei, the guard said as much.