Despite the connection to the other world remaining intact, Daskar naturally took an interest.
That said, the endeavor was by no means guaranteed to succeed just yet. Everything ultimately hinged on whether Grimm could craft a Magic Item from Dragonias corpses to bridge the other world and Elgin.
Strictly speaking, the connection could be maintained as long as Grimm himself was present, even without such an item—but Rei couldn't ask the old man to shoulder that burden indefinitely. In that sense, the outcome remained uncertain... though it was better to frame it that way upfront.
Alternatively, Rei could have waited to report to Daskar only after the Magic Item was fully completed and capable of sustaining the inter-world link on its own. But that would take too long, and Daskar might cut his losses and abandon the other world entirely. That was why Rei had spoken up directly.
Even setting aside the Centaurs' world, Daskar was currently swamped. Between Gilm's Expansion Construction, the various disturbances in the Treant Forest, and now the Fairy situation piled on top of all that—given everything, it wouldn't be unreasonable for him to shelve the Centaur world for now, especially since the pressing matter of rescuing Anastasia and the others had already been resolved.
With their discussions with Daskar concluded, Rei and his party left the Lord's Manor after being treated to lunch.
As if sensing their departure, Set and the two deer came over to join them.
"Well then, what's the plan? We still have some time before evening."
Rei pulled a pocket watch from his Misty Ring and checked the time—around two in the afternoon. In the height of summer, there was still plenty of daylight left.
"I'm heading back to the Treant Forest. With these two here, I won't need to rely on Set to get to the Wisp anymore."
Anastasia stroked the deer as she spoke. Despite their massive antlers and undeniably imposing appearance—they were strong enough to make short work of any Low-Rank Monster lurking nearby—they let out happy cries when she petted them.
Wait, I realize it's way too late to be thinking this, but was getting these deer a mistake?
As belated as the thought truly was, Rei couldn't help feeling that Anastasia obtaining the deer had been an error in judgment. Anastasia was relentlessly curious—no, it would be fair to say she lived on curiosity. With the deer offering her such high mobility, there was nothing stopping her from wandering wherever her curiosity led.
Given Anastasia's personality, that seemed like a recipe for disaster.
"Anastasia, I don't think I need to tell you this, but this is the Frontier. There are monsters out here more vicious than Dragonias. If you're riding deer instead of Set, it could get you killed."
Anastasia was a skilled Spirit Mage—but only by general standards. Compared to someone truly exceptional like Marina, her proficiency inevitably fell short. Even against Dragonias, her nature as a Spirit Mage meant she struggled once they closed into melee range. For Anastasia, the Frontier's monsters posed a genuine challenge precisely because there was no telling how powerful a given creature might be. A monster that looked weak at a glance could be deceptively powerful, and conversely, some that appeared formidable might actually be pushovers. In that sense, while she could use Spirit Magic, Anastasia's true calling was that of a researcher, and fighting frontier monsters was undeniably harsh work for her.
Whether she understood this herself, Anastasia nodded at Rei's words, albeit with a reluctant expression.
"I know. But you and Set are both busy with all sorts of things, aren't you? Besides the Fairy situation, you must have plenty else on your plate."
"That's... true enough."
For the time being, Daskar had tasked Rei with transporting felled lumber from the Treant Forest and searching for fairies. But considering Gilm's current state, Rei could easily predict that he'd need to take on various other jobs as well. And beyond any sense of duty, there was simple enjoyment in watching Gilm—his home base—grow larger through the Expansion Construction. Without that motivation, no amount of reward would have made him participate this eagerly.
"For now, I'm heading back home. What about you, Anastasia?"
"Let me think... Rei, are you not going to the Birth Tower today?"
"Yeah. I'd like to take at least today to rest."
Normally, he would go to the Birth Tower and ask the Lizardmen and their guards about the fairies. But Daskar had explicitly told him to keep the Fairy situation under wraps as much as possible. It felt like the list of things he couldn't share with others just kept growing. Still, if word of the fairies got out, people would undoubtedly swarm the Treant Forest trying to capture them. Daskar had promised to tighten security, but given the forest's sheer size, keeping everyone out was simply impossible.
Ah, but if Marina's Spirit Magic could... no, the area is way too vast no matter how you look at it.
Marina's house in the Noble District had a complete Spirit Magic security system—detecting and repelling malicious intruders, even attacking them if necessary. Rei briefly wondered if something similar could work for the Treant Forest, but the forest's enormity made that a non-starter.
"Rei?"
"Oh, sorry. Since I can't discuss the Fairy situation with the Lizardmen or their adventurer guards, there's no pressing need to head over there right now. I might be able to gather some information indirectly, though."
Even without asking point-blank whether they'd seen fairies, simply inquiring about anything unusual would likely yield useful information. Then again, given that a lake from another world sat beside the Birth Tower alongside the Lizardmen, something might emerge from those waters at any time.
"That's a problem, then. Finding a room at an inn must be difficult in the current climate."
Rei nodded in agreement. The Expansion Construction had drawn enormous crowds to Gilm. The existing inns alone couldn't meet demand, so crude shelters had been erected near the construction sites to provide basic sleeping quarters. They'd even started asking Gilm residents to rent out spare rooms, but it still wasn't enough. Under those conditions, the odds of Anastasia—who had only just returned to Gilm today—finding an inn with an immediate vacancy were not zero, but certainly slim.
"Lord Daskar's... ah, wait. Hold on."
Since Daskar undoubtedly felt indebted to Anastasia, Rei had been about to suggest she stay at the Lord's Manor. But then he suddenly remembered the Wheat Inn at Dusk, his regular lodging. When he had mentioned "going home" earlier, he'd meant Marina's house in the Noble District, not the inn. The Wheat Inn at Dusk was among Gilm's high-end establishments, and although Rei actually stayed at Marina's house while in town, he continued to rent his room there. To those without lodging, it might seem extravagant, but the Wheat Inn at Dusk had been his regular inn since he first arrived in Gilm, and he couldn't bring himself to check out. Of course, keeping a room he rarely slept in meant paying high-end lodging fees—but since money was never an issue for him, it wasn't a problem.
In that sense, he could offer Anastasia a room.
"I've got a room at the Wheat Inn at Dusk. Want to stay there?"
"Huh? Why would I do that?"
Anastasia apparently recognized the name. But she couldn't fathom why Rei was suddenly bringing it up.
"Like I just said—because I have a room there."
He explained that he was currently living at Marina's house and that the Wheat Inn at Dusk functioned as a second home of sorts for emergencies.
"How extravagant."
Anastasia murmured the words, and since she wasn't wrong, Rei couldn't exactly argue. Normally, anyone setting up a second residence would choose somewhere far more economical. Using a high-end inn as a backup lodging wasn't entirely unheard of, but it certainly wasn't common. That said, the Wheat Inn at Dusk, being a premium establishment, was equipped with numerous Magic Items for comfortable living—even in the dead of summer, one could stay there without feeling the slightest heat. Not that it mattered much for Rei personally, given his Dragon Robe with its built-in Simplified air conditioner, and Marina's house being kept even more comfortable by spirits on top of that.
"The truth is, there are various reasons behind it. So, what do you say?"
"All right. I'll take you up on that."
Anastasia decided on the spot, though in truth she had no other options. Refusing Rei's offer would mean staying at the Lord's Manor, or... at worst, sleeping on the street. And Anastasia, being an Elf, had striking, well-defined features. Among Elves, she was on the slender side compared to the Dark Elf Marina when it came to physical curves, but her face was undeniably beautiful. If someone like her were to sleep out on the street, trouble would find her without question.
"Great. Then let's stop by the Wheat Inn at Dusk on the way home."
"Hehe."
"Vihera?"
Curious about Vihera's sudden laugh, Rei glanced her way, but she merely shook her head without elaborating. Her behavior did pique his curiosity, but if she said it was nothing, there was no need to press. They set off toward the Wheat Inn at Dusk.
Rei, did you just casually name Marina's house as your own home? ...Is this a victory for Marina's strategy?
Vihera knew exactly what Marina was hoping to achieve by having Rei stay at her place. In fact, precisely because she knew, she was happy to play along. The same went not only for Vihera and Marina, but for Elena as well. They loved the man named Rei—wanting to be near him was only natural.
Then again, I spent all that time with Rei in the other world and... nothing came of it. Anyway, I should yield to Elena and Marina for a while. Slowly, and steadily.
Elena had inherited an Ancient Dragon's Magic Stone, Marina was a Dark Elf, and Vihera had absorbed Unbris—a vicious, powerful monster. And Rei possessed a body forged by the Zephyle Clan. In that sense, it was a fact that all of them carried lifespans far exceeding those of ordinary humans. Given that, there was no need to rush. They could advance things little by little, but with certainty. It was an approach possible precisely because their lifespans were anything but ordinary.
In that sense, I suppose I have Unbris to thank, don't I?
Walking alongside Rei and the others, Vihera reflected on this deeply. Though it wasn't as if she didn't find that "little by little" pace frustrating at times.
"Vihera, did something happen?"
"No, it's nothing."
Noticing she had fallen behind while lost in thought, Vihera picked up her pace and hurried after them.