"It seems there was quite a commotion last night."
The day after being attacked by an assassin, Rei was eating breakfast in the dining hall of the Star River Inn when Maruka, seated at the same table, made the remark.
Since Maruka was also staying at the Star River Inn, she naturally knew about the incident.
Nicky nodded in agreement.
"Still, having an assassin get inside the inn is dangerous, isn't it? Brother Rei, you handled that really well."
"You... do you not realize that your awareness of your role as my bodyguard is lacking? If an assassin were sent after me, would it not be your job to deal with them?"
"Of course I understand that. But... honestly, with the young lady's power, an assassin wouldn't be any trouble at all."
Rei nodded in understanding at Nicky's words.
He knew Nicky possessed considerable skill, but that didn't mean Maruka—who was being protected by Nicky—was weak.
To begin with, Maruka was rumored to be the one who would carry on the legacy of Elena, known as the Princess General.
That said, while Elena was an all-rounder proficient in both close combat and magic, Maruka leaned more toward specializing in magic.
In that sense, magic was difficult to use when attacked by an assassin indoors, just as Rei had been yesterday.
That was precisely the kind of situation Nicky needed to cover.
"Hmm, it is true that I am reasonably strong, but there are times when Nicky's power is necessary. Do not forget that."
"Leave it to me. Just thinking about what would happen if something befell the young lady... I can't even imagine what kind of fate I'd suffer..."
Even while eating, he must have been imagining what would happen if Maruka were injured. Nicky was visibly trembling.
(It's no joke—he's genuinely terrified. ...Well, I suppose that just shows how important Maruka is to Duke Quento's House.)
Nicky was the one entrusted with serving as Maruka's bodyguard in place of Koan, who had previously held the role.
There was no doubt he possessed considerable skill, and even from his slight movements, it was apparent he was a capable individual.
He had enough strength that Rei could confidently say Nicky would undoubtedly win against an assassin of the same caliber as the one who had attacked him yesterday.
Understanding this, Rei continued the conversation.
"Given what happened yesterday, the inn should be tightening its security. I can't guarantee an assassin absolutely won't come again... but there's no doubt it's safer now."
"True. However... it seems some guests have already learned of yesterday's incident and checked out."
Saying so, Maruka looked around the dining hall, which was clearly less crowded than the day before.
Rei immediately understood the reason was related to the assassin incident.
"I don't know who sent them, but someone's caused a troublesome situation. ...Still, if this inn's quality is the real deal, things might be rough for a while, but they'll bounce back eventually."
"When the very person who caused the situation says it, it lacks persuasiveness."
Maruka directed a look of exasperation his way, but Rei showed no particular sign of being bothered. He took a sip of soup before speaking.
"This is a high-class inn. Naturally, its security is solid. That's part of why the lodging fees are so expensive. For an assassin to slip past their prized security and get inside, they need to reflect on that properly."
He didn't say it aloud since he had an agreement with the inn, but they had also made the massive blunder of letting the assassin Rei had captured escape.
Considering that, it was only natural to want the inn to tighten its security.
(Hiring a mage to cast a barrier... might be impractical, but Egginis has plenty of alchemists. They could just have them create a Magic Item that detects intruders.)
Rei thought this, though he could also predict that this type of Magic Item would become an endless game of cat and mouse.
Once intruders found a way to counter the detection, the intruding side would devise a countermeasure, and then a counter to the countermeasure, and then a counter to that counter... and so on.
Naturally, if that happened, development costs and the rare materials used for Magic Items would snowball.
Neither the attacking side nor the attacked side had infinite funds or materials.
That was why they chose the option of hiring adventurers as guards—a method that wasn't as costly, at least compared to continually developing new Magic Items.
"So, what exactly are you planning to do today, Rei? If you're willing, would you not like to look around the city with me?"
"I guess so. If it's in the name of gathering information, I don't mind. But is it really fine for a duke's daughter to walk all around the city?"
By any normal standard, someone in Maruka's position wouldn't be walking around the city.
Even if she did, it would be by riding in a carriage surrounded by guards.
However, Maruka personally possessed enough power to hold her own against most opponents, and Nicky was also reasonably strong.
Above all, given her personality, Rei figured pointing that out would be pointless, but he asked anyway as a formality.
Maruka nodded at Rei's words as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Umu. Nicky is here, so there is nothing to worry about. Besides... you and Seto will be with us. I daresay we will be in the safest place in all of Egginis."
"That's right. Setting me aside, with Brother Rei around, most opponents won't be a problem."
"...Just so we're clear, the fact that you're moving with me doesn't mean Nicky gets to skip out on his bodyguard duties, alright?"
"Urk..."
Whether Rei's point had hit the mark, Nicky was at a loss for words.
Nicky was a skilled individual beyond his years, but when it came to his personality, his desire to slack off as much as possible was a demerit.
Then again, the fact that he was employed by Duke Quento's House and entrusted as Koan's substitute as a bodyguard meant he was undoubtedly a capable person.
"Umu, umu. Well said, Rei. Nicky is competent, but he has a habit of slacking off. He is always being told as much..."
Saying that much, Maruka shook her head.
"Wha— young lady, I'd rather you not say things like that in front of Brother Rei."
Nicky protested to Maruka, but she paid no mind to his state and proceeded to voice one complaint after another about him.
"Seto is as adorable as ever."
"Guruu."
Riding on Seto's back, Maruka said this with a joyful smile.
Though she was mature beyond her years, Maruka was still a child, without a doubt.
Because of that, she loved adorable creatures like Seto.
"Whoa... people are staring."
"Yeah. They were looking yesterday too, but the gazes are different now."
Until yesterday, the stares had been born of surprise at seeing Rei with Seto—many tinged with fear—but the gazes directed at Seto with Maruka on his back carried the same surprise, yet were far closer to affection.
If it were just Seto, some people would have felt fear, but simply having Maruka ride on his back drastically changed the impression he gave to those around them.
(Well, that's probably because Maruka is cute, too.)
If, instead of Maruka, someone who arrogantly ordered people around were riding Seto, they probably wouldn't be regarded this favorably.
"What is it, Rei? Did something happen?"
Perhaps noticing Rei's gaze on her, Maruka looked at him with a puzzled expression and asked.
Rei shook his head as if it were nothing.
"I was just wondering which shop we're heading to. Is there anywhere you'd like to go, Maruka?"
"Muu. In situations like this, is it not the man's role to take the lead and guide?"
Her displeased reaction to Rei's words was perhaps because she viewed this as a date.
Of course, Maruka didn't like Rei romantically.
She did hold fondness for him, but it was the kind of fondness one had for a friend.
Still, since she was out and about with a man—though Nicky the bodyguard was also present—Maruka's honest feeling was that she wanted to indulge in a bit of a date atmosphere.
"Even if you say that, I've only just arrived in Egginis myself. I don't really know what kinds of shops are where. If anything, wouldn't Maruka, who's been in Egginis longer than me, know more about that sort of thing?"
"Muu, even if you say that. Even if I take you to places I know, whether or not they'd be interesting is another matter..."
For Maruka, if she was going to go somewhere, she wanted to go somewhere she would enjoy.
That was why she probably wanted to visit a place she didn't already know and have fun there with Rei.
"Hmm, true. Then, a place I enjoyed before... oh yes, now that I think about it, Egginis has a place with exceptional sewing techniques..."
"Ah! Young lady, if we're going to do something anyway, how about somewhere we can see various golems!?"
As if to cut off Maruka's words, Nicky spoke up.
Rei found Nicky's sudden behavior questionable, but he judged it best to stay quiet and see how the conversation played out.
"Hm? Golems, you say. In that case, a Wild Match?"
"That's right. It might be a bit much to call a date, but it's definitely enjoyable, no doubt about it."
Rei grew interested in their conversation.
The notion that something like golem Wild Matches were being held was news to him.
He hadn't heard anything about it from Lindy, Roger, or anyone else.
"Hmm, that is true as well. Then, would that be acceptable to you as well, Rei?"
"I'd be happy with that. I never expected something like golem Wild Matches to be going on."
Rei had wanted to gather information about the bandit and Golias situations through today's activities, but even setting that aside, a golem Wild Match was undeniably intriguing.
With that in mind, it wasn't strange that his desire to go see it took priority.
"Then it is decided! Seto, head that way!"
Following Maruka's instruction, Seto changed direction.
As Rei and Nicky followed behind, Rei suddenly asked something that had been bothering him.
"Why did you cut in earlier? I'm fine with it since I get to see a golem Wild Match, but..."
"If the young lady starts picking out clothes... it's exhausting..."
Nicky said it briefly, but one look at his face made it easy to imagine just how exhausting it would be.
Accompanying a woman on a shopping trip brought significant mental fatigue, if not physical.
Moreover, judging by Nicky's demeanor, the exhaustion from accompanying Maruka on a shopping trip was no ordinary affair.
(Then again, at Maruka's age, I don't think shopping would be that exhausting.)
Rei thought this because, while it was a common saying that accompanying a woman on a shopping trip was tiring, that was typically the case with older women.
Since Maruka was clearly not yet at that age, Rei figured accompanying her shopping wouldn't be a problem.
Of course, this was what Rei thought because he underestimated the nature of women.
Maruka was still young, but she was nonetheless a woman.
Moreover, whether due to the fruits of her education as a noble or her innate nature, her mental age was clearly higher than that of children her age.
Grouping Maruka together with other children was Rei's mistake.
"In any case, the Wild Match sounds like fun. Where do they hold it?"
"They call it a Wild Match, but it's not like some organization is hosting it. The alchemists who make golems do it to run performance tests on their own golems. In that sense, it might be interesting for you, Brother Rei, since you're looking for a golem."
"If that's true, it does sound fascinating."
At first, hearing "Wild Match," he had expected something like golems fighting one-on-one somewhere, but from what he was hearing now, it seemed different from what Rei had imagined—more like a full-fledged competition.
His interest piqued, Rei followed behind Seto and Maruka.